I've attached a long campaign
writeup that gives extra background to the cannon, as well as integrates
Earth into the game. It starts around FY 50, pushing back the second
sathar war until after the start of the campaign.
Mike Wolfe
The last SF campaign that I ref'd included Terra in the frontier, in
order to give depth to human characters by having a rich background
(Earth cultures and history). But, I didn't want the Earth directly
accessible to the players, to keep a "galaxy far, far away feel" to the
game. By doing this (read on), I also allowed for racial tension
between humans and the other races, which I thought generally got along
a little too well for my tastes.
taliesin@mediaone.net
While in the void, vessels cross 0.042 light-years of n-space per hour, or slightly more than a light year per day. This discrepancy in the previously held notions about the space-time continuum launched the next scientific revolution: relativistic, non-linear multiphase transport physics. Mankind had been handed the stars on a silver platter. However, this discovery led to a sobering reflection: humanity was not as isolated as it had once thought. It became apparent that other civilizations could appear at humanities' doorstep at any moment. The endless possibilities for exploration as well as concerns over what was "out there" lead mankind into an age of unprecedented, if only relative, unity.
By AD 2400, the Frontier had been completely charted. Technological limitations kept the four major races within the bounds of the small, isolated cluster that was the Frontier, but there was still enough breathing space. Although they traded intensely, the four races were able to keep to themselves in their own domains.
Since the Sathar appeared out of v-space without ever having been encountered on any Frontier World, it was assumed that they had to have come from across the great expanse, a feat the Frontier technology could not accomplish (see "In the Void", below). Appropriately, their starships and weaponry appeared significantly more advanced than the Frontier's. The frontier worlds banded together as best they could, but they were outgunned from the start.
The frontier worlds called for the Second Common Muster in 2424 (the first was called on twenty-two years previously to destroy a pirate fleet under Hatzck Naar). The fleet was put under command of Admiral Morgaine of Terra. Although outnumbered and outgunned, Morgaine had a tactical brilliance that ended the long string of Sathar victories by using their apparent lack of reinforcements (and imagination) against them. Although many systems fell (including Terra), he kept the fleet on the run for 16 months while strategically destroying most of their smaller escort vessels and then many of their carriers.
Finally, in 2425, the time was right to make an all-or-nothing stand at Gran Quivera. Called the Battle of the Two Fleets, Morgaine's small force fought valiantly, outmaneuvering the lumbering, top-heavy Sathar fleet. Towards the end of the battle, however, the Sathars seemed to have the upper hand. All hope seemed lost when the Frontier's Flagship, Freedom, became critically damaged. It has been said that Morgaine himself; the sole survivor of his bridge staff, piloted the dying vessel into a collision course with the largest Sathar battleship, consuming them both with a tremendous blast. In any case, Morgaine, was not able to escape the collision, but the sacrifice was not in vain. The Federation ships exploited the ensuing confusion and destroyed every remaining vessel, despite taking tremendous losses. "With this mutual devastation, the ... Sathar War came to an end." (ZEB's, p.53). However, the last, horrible shot of the Great War had yet to be taken.
The nearly unimaginable destructive act took on a life of its own, and is referred to as Cataclysm as if it were a living entity (as opposed to "the cataclysm"). Among humans, the word is used only in hushed, reverent tones; and "Sathar" is never spoken. Instead, they are referred to only in the most despised expressions, most of which are too lurid to be printed here.
Today, Terra remains environmentally devastated. On "Hell", as it is often referred to, conditions remain too inhospitable for rebuilding, and will so for countless generations. The planet's crust is now Barren and the atmosphere is extraordinarily radioactive. The world is rumored to be inhabited only by the handfuls of survivors that refused to leave, and somehow were able to hang on. The planet is under constant watch by the Fleet, which has orders to not allow any visitors. Only the occasional archeological mission is given clearance to land. Gran Quivera, the most important of the human settlements, became humanities' cultural center.
In the aftermath of this obscene tragedy, the other three races banned together to the aid of their human allies. Many of the Terran refugees that escaped prior to the Sathar takeover, and those few survivors that were rescued from Hell eventually settled on Terranium Prime. This was only possible thanks to the considerable financial and logistical assistance of the other three major races. These acts were representative of the widespread support extended to humanity by the other races of the Frontier. Quite expectantly under the circumstances, many human communities developed a xenophobic tendency as a result of Cataclysm that is a considerable aspect of Frontier political life today. The acts of benevolence extended by the other races of the Frontier played a large part in styming these attidudes, but it seemed nothing could entirely prevent it. Today, The Sathar specifically (and in some places) and alien races in general are held in the utmost contempt. In any case, most aliens do not travel the more dangerous parts of human worlds alone.
The first priority of this new Federation was to merge their remaining stellar naval forces into a single command. The navy came to be called "The Coalition Starfleet of the Frontier Federation", which was mercifully shortened to "Starfleet", or more commonly, "The Fleet".
The campaign begins following almost five decades of relative peace, in FY 50.