Factions of Sol

Court of Mars

Founded by rich and influential expatriate citizens from Earth, the Court of Mars was established in the wake of the UEG's rise to power on Earth. The planet is run under a system reminiscent of Earth's ancient aristocracies, with each of the preeminent families having claimed a title and domed or subterranean estate upon the arid world, and the Court itself is composed of senior members of each of those families.

The Court of Mars has an extremely small human population, composed almost entirely of their families and their retainers and their families. However, each family possess an extremely large number of robotic labourers, as well as numerous robotics gladiators which are designed to act as family members' representatives in the honour duels which frequently occur.

As the Court represent some of the richest individuals alive, it is hardly surprising to note that they have access to a substantial amount of expensive technology, including the finest in robotic servants and cybernetic replacements, as well as exotic technologies such as hand held laser blasters and personal shields. Such technologies are frequently displayed by members of the Court as status symbols and marks of prestige.

The fleet of the Court is relatively small, reflecting their isolationist tendencies. What vessels they do own are a small number of destroyers and light cruisers which broke off from the Titan Expedition in the aftermath of the Civil War.

Earth Remnants

Mostly dwelling without hardened, radiation shielded military outposts, fallout shelters and the deepest sewers and subway systems, the Remnants comprise of those individuals who have survived the near-apocalyptic warfare on Earth. They have an extremely disjointed society, with each facility or encampment functioning as an independent entity whilst often still depending upon the support of others or being willing to stand together in the face of a greater, external threats. While the Remnants are nominally comprised of those who fought against the UEG, it is almost certain that some survivors of the UEG forces have joined their ranks for protection.

Although billions died in the nuclear firestorm and to the virulent biochemical agents that were released in its wake, the Remnants are still amongst the most populous of factions. However, it is difficult for them to marshal their forces against even the most threatening of foes as threats including cannibals, warlords and nuclear mutations are constantly draining their resources. In addition to this, the majority of Earth's manufacturing infrastructure was annihilated in the war, so most groups are forced to make do with whatever outdated technology they can scavenge.

The orbital shipyards were also badly damaged by the nuclear warfare, but some sections remain at least partially intact and have been reclaimed by enterprising elements of the Remnants. As such, they have the capability to build light capital ships, though it is unlikely that they will be able to enter into the sort of resource gathering exercises required for any significant amounts of production in the near future. Fortunately, a considerable portion of the Titan Expedition returned to Earth in the aftermath of the Civil War, and whilst rival factions in even this splinter fleet did inflict considerable damage on both the ships and the shipyards, this does mean that some groups of Remnants have access to damaged, but nonetheless formidable, battleships.

It is always worth noting that, while most of Earth's nuclear stockpile was consumed in the war, some small number of warheads remain in deeply buried bunkers.

Luna Dome

Originally founded as an example of what humanity could achieve when united, Luna Dome rapidly expanded into THE site for scientific research and development after the discovery of the first precursor artifacts on the moon. During the Civil War, Luna Dome declared their independence and announced that a new government, a society of equals, would be established. However, this quickly became a two tier system, with scientists having considerably more rights and influence within the Dome than other individuals, and eventually led to a so-called Council of the Learned assuming responsibility for overseeing the running of the Dome.

Unsurprisingly, Luna Dome is the most technologically advanced of the factions, but its power is kept in check by a combination of lack of manpower and a lack of resources, including food. As a result, the leaders of the Dome are often forced to engage in trade with other groups, often facilitated by Sol-Tec, in order to acquire the materials to keep their colony going.

While a squadron of light destroyers defected to Luna Dome when the Titan Expedition splintered, and have subsequently been upgraded with the finest technology the Dome can manufacture, the Dome's fleet is far weaker than that of its neighbours. However, the Dome has formed a formidable network of stationary defences that incorporate the fruits of their research programs.

Precursors
(Defunct)

An ancient race of aliens that was present on the Moon thousands of years ago. Not much is known about them, except that they had access to extremely advanced technology. It is believed that additional information relating to the Precursors was destroyed along with UEG headquarters.

Sol-Tec

Based aboard Sol-Tec Station, a sprawling, jellyfish shaped construction in the shadow of Venus, but with outposts across Sol, the Sol-Tec Corporation is the largest, most powerful company to have ever existed. Although Sol-Tec have long abandoned many of the elements of a publically traded corporation, they still hold true to the basic organisational tenets of a Corporation, being run by a CEO supported by an Executive Board and still hold to the traditional goal of seeking profit.

Although Sol-Tec have always had their fingers in a number of pies, technology and energy have traditionally been amongst their key areas, a fact which is reflected in the immense, trailing solar arrays which reach out toward the sunward side of Venus from the bottom of Sol-Tec Station. On top of this, they have traded extensively with Luna Dome, Mars and Earth, leveraging their access to the resources and technologies of other factions to ensure that they have access to the best of what each has to offer.

Given their immense wealth, and the fact that their assets are spread over a wide area at any given time, it is perhaps unsurprising that Sol-Tec have invested heavily in ensuring that their assets are not vulnerable to raiding and piracy. Principally, this investment has taken the form of defensive technologies and advanced engines, ensuring that Sol-Tec ships are capable of withstanding an ambush and outrunning anything which might come after them. In addition to this, the Sol-Tec fleet is also bolstered by the presence of a renegade Titan Expedition Cruiser and escorts, which have been augmented with purchased Luna Dome technology to prove a potent deterrent to any pirates.  

Titan Expedition

Originally intended to serve as a defensive force capable of intercepting and destroying any alien force before it had a chance to breach the Mars/Jupiter Asteroid Belt, the Titan Expedition got barely half way to its destination on the moon of Saturn before the Civil War on Earth caught up with it. With its ships filled with thousands of souls, many of whom harboured loyalties to rebellious or secessionist factions, the fleet erupted into fragmented, internecine conflict that left the fleet scattered and broken.

While many ships broke off from the fleet in the aftermath of this battle, heading back toward those who held their loyalty or casting off whatever loyalties that had previously held altogether, others regrouped and pushed on in the hopes of fulfilling their mission regardless. Sadly, such noble ideals were impracticable, a fact which became readily apparent as the Expedition traveled through the Mars/Jupiter Asteroid Belt - they had lost too many of their supplies, and their numbers were too greatly depleted to prove the deterrent they had intended. Yet the leaders of the fleet knew they could not go back; their government had fallen, and turning from their goal would only result in the fleet splintering further, and possibly reigniting the conflict which had already ravaged humanity. So, instead, they set course for Ceres, the dwarf planet within the asteroid belt. There they would wait, rebuilding and observing both inner and outer Sol for a chance to fulfil their mission and prove that the expedition had not been a mistake.

While some elements of the fleet, including the massive manufacturing and resupply vessel Hephaestus have been essentially transformed into stationary platforms and orbital facilities for Ceres, the majority of the Expedition remains fleetbound. As a result, the Expedition has, unsurprisingly, the largest active fleet of any of the factions, but relies entirely upon hydroponics and recycling to keep its personnel fed and watered. Supplies are a constant problem for the Expedition, for though the ample resources of the belt can be processed and used to construct many things by the Hephaestus and its attendant vessels, there are many things that cannot be produced in such a way and the soldiers of the Expedition often find themselves boarding derelicts from the Civil War as they search for supplies.

The Expedition are a deeply isolationist group, and minimise contact with other groups. Trade with them is almost unknown, which often proves to be a point of frustration for Sol-Tec

Unified Earth Government
(Defunct)

The Unified Earth Government, or UEG, was the Earth's government for the brief period running from the discovery of the precursor artifacts to the end of the Civil War. Deeply xenophobic in nature, they were responsible for the creation of the Titan Expedition, but were overthrown shortly after its launch as a result of an uprising brought on by their dictatorial and elitist policies. Although they had access to some elements of technology that were beyond even what was known on Luna Dome, it is believed that this technology has been lost altogether after the destruction of UEG headquarters at the climax of the war.