Overview of the universe in which the action takes place Project E. If you are not interested in the descriptions of the lore you can immediately start reading from the next chapter in which the presentation about the city of Laguna is given, or read the third chapter in which the plot begins.
World:
At the time of the events, the year is 2670.
An approximate picture of the future in K3000
Interstellar economy and communication
The four dominant states of the people, the Atlantic Alliance, the Middle Commonwealth, the Celestial Empire, and the Russian Union Interstellar Republic. the unification of all mankind into one superstate is impossible, these powers are too ideologically different.
It was possible to overcome the speed of light in ordinary space and offset the time shift when moving by gravitational acceleration. Jet propulsion is used for relatively slow intra-system transportation.
The main source of energy on the planets is underground thermonuclear power plants. As an option - underground extraplasma power plants on a helium-hydrogen mixture.
This will make it possible to create an extensive unified planetary network of high-speed electrified roads on magnetic levitation for motorless unmanned motor vehicles - the new transport of the future. People do not walk on such roads, bridges and crossings for people across them, plus sidewalks along, a multi-level overpass is being built for the road on busy traffic sections. This system should resemble a circulatory system, where a cell is a car, and roads are vessels.
Simple food is synthesized from the gross plant raw materials on the planets. And it is grown indoors.
Most of the industrial production is put into orbit, it is easier there with logistics on the scale of a system or even a sector.
Casual clothing and fashion strives for simplification, rationalization and technologization. Fancy high fashion does not go away at the same time, but it does not affect life.
Unrestrained progress in the field of mass wearable devices, AI and other high-tech in consumer goods, turning a person into a cyborg, could come, but is seriously limited by law. Really cool things and cyborgization are only for the elite. For the rest - good, but limited by the norm solutions.
A system of orbital stations for various purposes - from spaceports and factories to residential and military.
Alas, not everyone enjoys the benefits of civilization. In the equatorial zone of the Earth, in overpopulated cities with a shining rich corporate center and endless slums of the poor, most people live in crime and poverty.
The main political formations of mankind at the end of the 24th century, and some of their characteristics:
The Atlantic Alliance is a former NATO bloc, gradually reborn from a military-political union into a full-fledged multistate, united under the former North American United States, the entire Western world of humanity and its allies. The most powerful and multi-layered fraction in the Area in terms of developed colonies and population. The busiest trade, but powerful monopolistic corporations will not allow outsiders to turn around. Fleet: the best manned bolide groups, the most serious guns, the largest ships in mass production - a battleship for the Alliance fleet - as a cruiser for other space powers. Reactors and engines are too weak for such hulks. The fleet is strong, but slow, however, the developed network of military space bases throughout the Human Area compensates for this. Few people can compete with them in open combat.
The Middle Commonwealth (Heartland Concordy in the Old English state for this space power) is the former third world - Africa and the Middle East, united around India for joint space exploration. The second place in terms of population and the number of developed colonies. Fleet: strong average in all parameters, everything is in place and there are no special advantages or disadvantages. The best station defense systems and planetary anti-space defense. Serious intra-factional disagreements sometimes lead to local conflicts.
The Celestial Empire is China, which eventually returned to the monarchical system due to the crisis of pseudo-communism and united its neighbors in Southeast Asia for joint space exploration. The third place in the number of developed colonies, which are located in compact groups. Fleet: Their ships and systems are not something special, but they are the cheapest and most practical, although not the most durable and reliable. The simplest and cheapest systems are used, but their mass use and a good supply base justifies itself. The average network of military bases is mainly for the protection of their sectors.
The Russian Republic is the only national state that, in disguise, was able to preserve real independence and later consolidate its historical neighbors around itself for joint space exploration. The last place for developed colonies, but their network is scattered throughout the Area. Fleet: the most serious missiles, powerful reactors and radars, high-speed engines and cool unmanned combat vehicles, unique special systems. The rest is very average. They do not build battleships, there is no extra-large space construction. Weak size and quantity are compensated by quality. A weak network of military space bases, but they are well hidden from prying eyes. The fleet is small in number, but extremely mobile and strong tactically.
Free Systems- it's hard to say something definite, it's different everywhere, but they all have outdated infrastructure compared to space-based systems. They experience constant harassment from space powers, foreign civilizations and pirates.
I want to note that it is impossible to specify exactly such parameters as population, number of systems and settlements - they are constantly changing and expanding, some places, on the contrary, are abandoned by colonists as unsuitable.
The Alliance is by far the strongest political player. His mega-corporations act as they please, and few can control them. Serious competition to him is the Middle Commonwealth - a confederation of former third world countries (the Middle East and Africa together with India). They strive to prove that they can be no worse than the Alliance in everything. They don't succeed, but they try their best. The Star Celestial Empire (neo-monarchical China and its satellites in Southeast Asia) strive for neutrality, but in reality they are forced to compete and conflict with both the Alliance and the Commonwealth. RSMR - the Russian Union Interstellar Republic - is also a large interstellar state, but it is weaker than all of the above, it has chosen to maintain balance as its goal - it helps the weak and hinders the strong. Therefore, the Empire is on the side of Russia, it does not help her much, but does not interfere either. And the Alliance wants the destruction of Russia, because it interferes with its ideology of Atlantic domination. The Commonwealth is in conflict with Russia for the same reason, although to a lesser extent. But Russia is supported by the majority of neutral independent systems, which it often helps in the hope of their mutual assistance.