Reaching for the Stars

Throughout history mankind has looked up to the stars and dreamed of one day exploring worlds other than our own. No one could have known that the pathway to the stars would become more than just the fulfillment of that dream, but the only way to rescue mankind from utter destruction…

The Dying Earth

By the end of the 24th century sprawling multi-levelled cities covered most of the globe and reached high into the clouds. Few areas untouched by man were left and the earth’s natural resources were all but depleted. Mankind’s ever expanding population had finally reached its limit. The earth could not take any more.

The huge colonies on Mars and Venus, already at their capacities, could do no more to help the earth’s overpopulation. The United Earth Government (UEG) had taken steps to confront the problem, and for decades had been planning to establish colonies on suitable planets further into space.

It was thought that there was no means by which mankind could reach the far off galaxies, but unknown to the rest of the world the UEG had found a way. Using secret technology rumoured to be of alien origin, the UEG developed the first antigravitational engine: or hyperdrive.

The First Steps

Spacecraft powered by the new hyperdrives were capable of jumping of light years through space in only a matter of minutes. But the technology was unreliable - the first ships often miss-jumped and never returned. A minor inaccuracy in co-ordinates meant a ship could appear many light years from its desired destination.

To solve the problem unmanned drones were sent out to the far corners of the universe to establish a network of hyperspace beacons that could guide jumping ships safely to their destinations. With the network in place and long distance space travel was now safe the mass expansion was all set to begin in the early 25th century.

But before the colonies could be established suitable planets had to be found, and this dangerous job fell to a heroic group of explorers…