Backstory

Preface:
The year is 2073.

With the birth of new technologies, Mankind has begun colonizing the solar system. Fusion reactors, Ion Drives, portable biospheres, and massive greed abound. There are outposts at every named body orbiting our Sun, as well as thousands in the asteroid belt past Mars.

You are currently living on the main Mars colony "Arilon". Over 15 million people live either there or in surrounding biospheres, all connected by mag-line bullet-cars. The "government" of the colony is Cisco Commonwealth Industries, a greedy pseudo-political business entity that owns almost anything not on or directly from Earth. Its military arm is called "The High Guard" and has hundreds, if not thousands, of ships commissioned. A few other colonies, mostly industrial centers, are sparsely laid across the surface. Near-constant supply convoys that run from the outer rim to the star port at "New Virginia" and then back out to Earth can be seen through many of the clear domes.

Most 'jobs' are of independent contractor design, since after the depression of '05-'17, regular employment had been sparse. The independent contractor was a lot easier for large businesses to handle, since the employed was the one to deal with all taxation and benefits, not the company. This trend continued and grew until very few regular jobs were left. Only upper management ever gets regular pay, and those positions are rarely ever open. Common yearly earnings consist of about 3.0 to 7.0 CCIC. Most groceries, housing, healthcare, transportation, etc. is paid for with monthly, bi-annual, or annual contracts.

Humanity has sent a few unmanned expeditions to other stars, although it is still too early to hear of success or failure.

Then something changed.

Many Earth-broadcasts either changed drastically or stopped entirely. Almost every supply ship disappeared. The planet-wide (and mostly ignored) rationing system became strict and enforced. A mild panic ran through the streets, yet everyone went about their lives as per usual.

The cover story is that a main supply convoy was hit by an unforeseen meteor shower and destroyed, and that no stellar travel was authorized until such a time as this could be prevented.

Your character:

You will start with no in-game knowledge of what happened and will explore the universe slowly, one step at a time. Be sure to make a character that has use on a starship.

Second Errata:
It all started with the Depression. The economy itself wasn't so bad off, but the jobs were. Companies started dropping full-time workers in favor of part-time. The taxation and laws related were more relaxed. Each time the socialist governments of the world increased worker benefits, companies just cut more workers. Eventually the entire economy rolled over to freelance work, only retaining the few long-term employees required to keep the companies stable.

During this depression a few breakthroughs were made scientifically. Independent R&D teams would contract their work to develop these technologies. Most were either new graduates or packs of laid-off scientists and engineers. They refined the first commercial planetary escape vehicles. It was also found that keeping things in space was much more cost-effective. Whole orbital arrays for manufacturing spouted up. Mining colonies also sprouted up with them. Man was conquering the Solar System.

To prevent war, the UN declared that no Earth-based government could colonize space, so the companies building these outposts would have to govern and police themselves. While they could not leverage too much on Earth, they never needed to - Space had more wealth than they could have dreamed. On each new asteroid and moon, and even in Saturn's rings; wealth beyond imagination awaited.

Rival companies would compete for resources, requiring some weaponry of war to be used as "preventative measures". High-power magnetic rail guns became the staple of interplanetary life because of their outstanding speed and their ability to leave their victims relatively intact, so as to be salvaged later.

Bounty hunters, smugglers, and assassins reigned until one company rose from Earth: Cisco Commonwealth Industries. It had been waiting and watching. In a massive multi-pronged surgical strike they either disabled or destroyed the fleets and retainers of most CEO's. Additionally, a number of those CEO were assassinated just minutes before the strike, leaving the company in disarray. Every survivor was offered a 5-year contract! This was a significantly longer term than anyone was typically given, since most were single-service or limited-time service contracts. The Sol system had settled into a calm of sorts, slowly growing and expanding as more and more treasures of the solar system were being uncovered and new technologies were being developed.

The economies of the past changed as well. CCI brought stability with its coup. They instituted a new currency, creatively named the Cisco Commonwealth Industries Credit. The price was immediately fixed to required goods like shelter, food, and transportation, and became a staple of interplanetary life. It is an entirely digital currency, so staying off the books requires either a series of barters or traditional currency. One favored use is buying tanks of deuterium, and then trading them. Although some commodities stayed in their native currencies, the CCIC is still accepted almost everywhere.

Additionally, an odd occurrence has sprung up in the population... Whether by the genetic melting-pot or by exposure to the living condition of space/low gravity, people here and there have claimed psychic abilities. However, they remain scientifically unconfirmed.

Commerce
Commerce has taken huge leaps forward since CCI came to power. Originally, Old Earth currencies fluctuated wildly with commodities, and with the regular employment market drying up, it only worsened. Most people started having the feast-or-famine syndrome because work was unsteady and unreliable.

With the advent of space exploration this lessened, the basics of today's contract system were laid and people started having work. But the drawbacks remained, and life was still difficult.

One of the first things CCI did with it newfound power was to declare a price-fixed economy with their credit system. Anyone who dealt business with them had to conform, and has a result, the markets stabilized greatly.

Everything is run off of contract. One credit can buy you a 3-month basic amenities package in most place, and many more personalized contracts are available. All consumer goods are prepaid, and then each article you receive deducts a fraction of the credit (example: you pay 7-11 one credit, then you can "buy" soda for a fraction, like 5 micro-credits)

Everything is for sale, and if you have enough cash, you could even found your own company. CCI offers corporate counseling to help to get started. Although most people don't make enough in a lifetime to afford a ship or a dome. Most companies are formed by a few dozen or more people all with a common goal. Once a company is founded it can return dividends for the founders!

Getting CCIC has also been made easy. Just go on the nets and find a contract you like and that you have the skills and equipment to accomplish. Most have a service for a duration, some have a service before a duration is up. The amount paid upon completion is listed on the contract.

Corporations and Colonies
During the early days of space colonization, the UN declared that no earth-based government could colonize space; Assumedly to prevent a world war. This lead the corporations to form their own internal government system for the residents of the colonies.

When CCI took power, a general law set was released, the punishment being either fines or deportation. Crime on Arilon is virtually extinct, therefore the carrying of weapons is prohibited by the general populace. However, the services of personnel that can use them is in high demand.

CCI does not have enemies, because if a rival corporation made itself an enemy, it would be eliminated. Smaller corporations do fight amongst themselves, especially if they are not directly aligned with CCI.

Arilon is the first and main colony on mars. It encompasses a few domes, and is connected to many others. To put a dome on mars you require CCI approval.

Language
Due to the leading nations and then corporations is space, the most common and nearly required language is English. However, many people learn many languages in order to curry favor with corporations that hold strong ties to their original nation or ethnicity. The second most common is Chinese.

Also, due to advances in mathematics, the Mayan language has been reborn and frequently studied. Their calendar and phonetics have unique mathematical properties that have been found in numerous scientific circles.

Hope of Arilon
Linked is a web novel that takes place in the same Universe as the campaign (give or take).