To summate, Humanity is the dominate race in the known Galaxy. The only other known intelligent and sapient race (To Humans anyway) are the Lizardpeople, who are subjugated under the control of the United Earth Government for reasons many either don't know or don't want to remember.On July 6th, 1948 Earth gets its first contact with an alien civilization in the last few thousand years. It's cleverly leaked, downplayed, shuffled and muddied by government forces from across the planet until the time when the public is ready for admission of the event, almost a full century after the incident first began to encroach on public imagination. Five hundred years before Space Station 13 is built -- July 6th, 2050 -- the Sol Government provides complete and frank proof of extraterrestrial life in the universe. They also provide proof that, as far as a human mind can understand one so completely foreign to its way of thinking, this life is hostile. Mankind is no longer alone. Mankind is no longer supreme.The Void Wars and the Great SchismThis is one of those regions of space turned towards the almighty space dollar. The year is 2556. Piracy and despotism is technically lower than in most areas of war-torn human-occupied space, though the people still feel by and large oppressed and unsafe.Nanotrasen Systems, or simply Nanotrasen, is the largest manufacturer and employer in known space, though not by much. Their business practices and fabulous wealth have garnered both power and ire from interest groups and other corporations. Their company laws are the standard by benefit of inter-corporate agreements and simple mathematics of weight. In 2541 stocks began to fall and Nanotrasen began to fear their days of dominance were nearing their end. Research teams scrambled while the supercorp invested in their military forces, sending waves of panic through both market and populace. In 2543 a Nanotrasen-COO mining company, Silar Group, made a discovery in a sunless system -- massive gas giants of a strange purple vapor with untold properties. Rapid research revealed it to be a powerful energy source, and Nanotrasen was revitalized through secret projects surrounding the substance. Plasma, as it came to be called because of its ease of gaining incredible heat, was only found in large amounts in this one region of space and around dead or missing star systems. Nanotrasen became the largest seller and researcher and still holds this position in the current year of 2550 through a system of jealous guarding and corporate espionage of secrets.The home office of Nanotrasen's day to day affairs, CentCom is a secure and centralized space station at a classified location. Everything about them is thorough and professional, and to date there have been no successful attacks or infiltrations reported to the company newsletter. It comes fully stocked and self-sufficient at all times and is a safe haven for all employees of Nanotrasen's many holdings. As powerful as it may seem, it still lacks some of the more experimental technologies found on some of their more remote research stations, such as an advanced neural programming lab or a cloning bay to replace lost employees.A vast criminal enterprise of revolutionaries, pirates, and corporate-sponsored no-goods, the Syndicate is a force much feared in the region and has proved time and again too wily and resilient to be taken down. They seem unusually focused on Nanotrasen and their plasma production at a level which no one in living memory can recall seeing before. Their reasons why are shrouded in mystery and enigma, but chances are good it's all about money and spite -- and with access to new and rare technologies that even the supercorp cannot obtain, Nanotrasen has lost many an enterprise to Syndicate machinations.The Cult of the Elder Gods is highly untrusted but otherwise elusive religious organization bent on the revival of the so-called "Elder Gods" into the mortal realm. Despite their obviously dangerous practices, no confirmed reports of violence by members of the Cult have been reported, only rumor and unproven claims. Their nature is unknown, but recent discoveries have hinted to the possibility of being able to de-convert members of this cult through what has been dubbed "religious warfare".The Sovereign Systems of Earth is a central government operating from old Earth. While the SSE is a shadow of its former glory from prior to the void wars it nevertheless holds significant influence within the core worlds thanks to its powerful military. The deeper recesses of space however remain well out of the reach of the SSE, and will continue to be as such for a long time.Hidden deep inside Nanotrasen space is a mysterious station known simply as 'The Derelict': another plasma research station of unknown design and builder. The station was allegedly built by the third uprising of the Soviet Union, however, rumor has it that it is a former Nanotrasen station and in fact the predecessor to the current research station. Any dark secrets that it holds are a complete mystery.Deep in space in distant orbit of a nearby gas giant that exhibits strange properties, Space Station 13 was built. Only the most professional of experts and personnel have been staffed here and its secrecy of construction and location guarantee it to be a safe and productive experience.