In this year, 3005 AD, Sister Technology has taken the children of Earth far past the last layer of the atmosphere (the exosphere, if you must know) and into the inky black vacuum of outer space.

The colonization of outer space started as any other colonization in history started, with ripples. The first explorers wandered out to the no-so-distant moon, leaving footprints and flags everywhere. Soon, the moon became a veritable space-side attraction, much like Coney Island of the olden days. Children chanted "We're going to the Moon!" when rewarded for trivial accomplishments, like good grades and won tennis matches. With the new tourism pointed to the moon, space hotels popped into existance, orbiting all over the earth, followed by the more affordable space motels. Travelling around the earth became a something of a day trip, with breakfast in New York, lunch in Tokyo and and dinner back at home, wherever that is. While families became more aquainted with the newfound affordability of personal space craft, scientists from around the globe discovered how to take old shuttles and refit them for deepspace travel.

While baby humans wondered in the glory of "It was Actually a Very, Very, Very, Small World in the First Place," adult humas travelled to the Earth's brother planet, Mars, and the second cousin moons of the greater gas giants. Colonies popped up in those places like yard weeds following the moon model made popular by Jake Harmington, the original Moon Tycoon. Those colonies, tired of being governed by a planet millions of miles away, seceded from the government and severed the umbilical cord with Mother Earth. It was funny, how even though these estranged colonies considered themselves autonomous and all grown up seventy-five years after each was established, the colonies relied on goods and foodstuffs from Mother Earth and demanded representation in the form of permanent ambassadors to Earth called "Homeworld Delegates" which was quickly shortened to just "Homelegates." The Homelegacy was created to prevent unfair tariffs from ruining what little money the colonies had to begin with, and to ensure the fair treatment of their people on Earth when they aquiried enough money to visit (if they wanted to, which most didn't).

Trade among the colonies and with Earth was one-sided as each colony struggled to find something to export. Economies tend not to work when there isn't any money being generated. Still, the colonies were making do with what resources they had, iron from Mars, nitrogen from Triton, and other various elements and substances from the Galilean Moons. Still, for all intents and purposes, the grand solar economy was a working one.

In every economy, there is always someone to take advantage and live above the lawful economic line. This was no different for the solar economy. Just as brigands stormed the British seas in the fairytale books of old, so did they in space, hiding in coves nestled on seemingly harmless asteroids floating in the not-so-benign asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.

These brigands, known collectively as space pirates, roamed the galaxy searching for hapless vessels who irresponsibly wandered away from known trade routes typically guarded by the Intergalactic Navy or IGN. If a reckless star captain sought a shortcut between unfamiliar asteroids in the belt that spans the solar system, or a carelsss star captain took a wrong turn at the last checkpoint, their cargo and their lives coulb be forfeit to the whims of the space pirates. The IGN were noted by the shark pins on their lapels, which earned them the nickname "Sharks of the Star Sea." The Sharks came from all walks of life. Some desired the wealth, prestige, and respect that comes with risking life and limb for the safety of the galaxy's citizens. Others only wanted a steady paycheck and the security of a way of life that would be otherwise unavailable to them in their home colony. Still others sought to be a Shark for reasons more ignoble than the others cited here. With piracy rampant in almost all corners of the galaxy (not just the asteroid belt, mind you) there wasn't a family that hasn't at least been touched by the lost of a loved one to the pirates' saber. The saber is figurative, of course.

In space battles there isn't any need for actual hand-to-hand combat.

Notes to self: continue with description of culture for galaxy.
Word count: 749