By 2250 AD, humanity believed itself to have triumphed. Earth had known no wars since 2143, when the last attempted terrorist regime was incinerated in a brief but decisive conflict. Under the United World Government, peace and order reigned. The planet's 30 billion inhabitants thrived across vast floating cities, lunar colonies, and orbital stations. War and crime became relics of the past, eradicated by necessity and sweeping reforms. The 22nd century had been humanity’s darkest era. Pollution choked the skies, resources dwindled, and entire cities became uninhabitable husks. Civilization teetered on the brink until an unprecedented meteor storm in 2197 altered the planet’s atmosphere, triggering torrential rains that cleansed the Earth. This rebirth led to the formation of the World Protective League, which evolved into the United World Government. Its guiding principle: "Man belongs to the Earth, but Earth belongs to no one. "With Earth’s limits reached, the push into space became inevitable. Colonization spread across the solar system—Mars, Venus, and the moons of Jupiter and Saturn—while asteroid mining provided the resources to sustain expansion. A universal economic system, electronic and fully traceable, eliminated financial crime. Genetic engineering and medical advancements eradicated hereditary diseases, extending human lifespans well beyond a century. Cloning restored endangered species, transforming mankind from destroyer to steward of nature. Yet, something was lost. Drive and ambition faded as prosperity dulled the human edge. The corporate rebellion of 3228, an attempt by mega-companies to overturn economic reforms, ended with their collapse, replaced by a system prioritizing equality over wealth. The last vestiges of militarization dissolved, leaving the United World’s military police as little more than ceremonial peacekeepers. Despite these vast achievements, humanity’s greatest frontier remained the stars. The Compendium, a comprehensive record of mankind’s triumphs and tactics, documented every lesson learned from centuries of struggle and conquest—both among the stars and within itself. Yet, in all its meticulous records, one question remained unanswered: had peace made humanity stronger, or had it simply softened the edge of survival? If faced with conflict or danger, would man be able to hold his own? Or would civilization fall...

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  The answer would come soon enough.