(Posted on 09-03-2000)
2214: The Voinians, soundly defeated almost 50 years earlier, began a buildup of thermonuclear weapons. The UE frantically tried to avert a crisis. Negotiations hit a snag, and through a miscommunication, the Voinians launched all the missiles.
The UE managed to detonate the missiles in the border systems. The systems became a deathground of floating rock, making navigation between UE and Voinian space extremely difficult, if not impossible.
2256: The repercussions of the Voinian Missile Crisis became evident. Traders operating at the edge of known space began reporting new hyperspace routes. A mapping ship was sent out, and it discovered a ring of new systems circling the galaxy. Almost all of the systems had planets in them, and most were habitable.
As word about the planets spread, people began to move to the Outer Rim.
A entrepreneur known only as Citizen Kane set up a trading company, exclusively serving the Outer Rim. Outer Rim Shipping soon began to grow larger as the profits rolled in.
As the old saying goes, power can corrupt. Kane began taking control of the other Rim companies and planets, and soon had control of the entire Rim.
And then his plans hit a snag.
Every single living person in the Rim vanished. Just disappeared. Meals were left half-eaten. Water was left running. The planets became a giant ghost town.
A few days after the news came out, Kane had a heart attack, and he died.
His last word was "Rosebud".
No one could figure out what it meant.
2258: The United Galactic Council was formed in the old ORS headquarters planet in the Stror system. One of the first acts of the UGC was to remove all traces of ORS.
They destroyed and erased all records on Macer, and removed all references to the Rim from every newspaper, magazine, and holo in the galaxy.
To prevent access to the Rim, they placed hyperspace-blocking beacons in strategic systems.
No one knew why the UGC wanted the Rim forgotten, and everyone who tried to find out...disappeared.
Soon, everyone forgot the Rim even existed.
2300: You just got out of the UE Navy with more medals, ribbons, and commendations than you can count. One of the Navy's best pilots ever, second only to the great Baron Fel, you were able to get out with a slightly better ship than most Navy men (who get a shuttlecraft).
Your destiny awaits.
The odds are against you.
Watch your back.
Trust no one.
Good luck.
You'll need it...
(Note: This is a rough draft of the storyline. It is subject to change without notice.)
(This message has been edited by moderator (edited 09-03-2000).)