Solar Consortium

As the terraforming and colonization of Mars accelerated in the 22nd century, the rift of ideas between the "Martians" and the "Terrans" grew. Many of the more intellectual and socially liberal minded populace drifted towards Mars, out of an already increasingly libertarian Earth. The chief idea amongst these was the Martian Compact, a loose agreement by which Mars would become, and remain, independent of Terrestrial control.

Although many had assumed that Mars would form its own government, the corporate and governmental powers in control of Earth attempted to maintain their influence over the then Red Planet. Although not completely self sufficient, Mars did not hold itself to the same laws that Terra did, and by ignoring "Universal" patent law, and several technological taboos, Martian research quickly outstripped that of Earth, despite having only a fraction of the population.

As the latter half of the 22nd century began, Earth started imposing trade sanctions on Mars. These came first in the form of tariffs, and soon export regulations were also in place. These regulations were either ignored or circumvented, until finally Mars, flaunting its isolation, developed and distributed a suitable Beta Strain prototype, but only for Martian citizens.

Earth's response was near immediate. All food shipments to the Red Planet were halted, and those en route were called back. An enforcement fleet was sent to land and 'take care' of the situation.

The Martian reply did not take very long either. It dispatched its own fleet, quickly obliterating the Terran one and mounting a successful invasion of both Lunar bases, and began taking control of several of Earth's permanent space stations.

This was the first, large-scale conflict by humanity in the Void, dubbed the Martian Conflict. While the Terran fleet did have munitions, and was capable of some very impressive maneuvers compared to 21st century craft, they were vastly outmatched by the Martian fleet in every material and strategic manner. It is considered, even by the victors, to be more of a massacre than a battle.

---

The Martian government established the Solar Consortium, nominally placing itself under the rule of the larger body. While it began with an extremely disproportionate share of influence in the Consortium, this was, by design, a temporary situation. Nearly every Martian was born on Earth, after all, and there was little ill will to its people, merely the corrupt regimes that spanned the planet.

While it would be a bit hasty to call the Solar Consortium a utopia, it was hard to argue that life for 'the masses' was better at any time in the past. Its people were nigh immortal, immune to nearly all forms of disease, work mostly towards their own individual ends, and, in nearly every case, that effort alone is enough to supply their needs. The level of luxury was actually considered a problem - many were becoming iconic examples of Nietzsche's 'Last Men', and came to be known as the content.

As with every government before it, there were darknesses within the Solar Consortium. Rather like many of the governments leading to it, however, much of the populace was quite aware of what was going on, and though the Consortium tried to mitigate this fact in certain areas, such attempts were doomed to failure.

The support of the superstation, Ouranos Prime, was sometimes called the Silent Rebellion. Although less than a hundred in number, the individuals who gathered to build the station had attracted massive financial and material support, and followers numbering in the millions, each of them hoping that, maybe, by proximity, they too will be chosen.

The Consortium-Prime War ended the first era of the Solar Consortium, with the entire Solar Council being replaced after the war. Millions had died, and the opening of the skearns is generally considered to be the result of making gambles too close to home. Further conflict inside the Solar System, therefor, was highly discouraged, while the Anti-Homogenization Act ironically encouraged it elsewhere - and still does.

After the Purge, the Consortium slowly became the prime gerens for guarding mission work, bringing military and espionage to bear against those who would seek to prevent mankind from finding its home.