2497: Earth has evolved into a technologically advanced utopian society --- all countries united under one government (but not without the proper share of dissidents). Running out of resources and space, the Earth community unites under the goal of reaching out into space, looking for a place to expand. Habitable planets are discovered around nearby stars, with exploration missions sent throughout the galaxy. Stargate technology under development will be used to place Earth in direct connection with these worlds.

2516: A giant space goat is discovered heading towards Earth. Deciding that the planet is doomed, and still lacking functional stargates, the citizens of Earth decide on a full evacuation of the planet. Giant space arks are built within the span of several months, mobilizing most of the planet's resources. The ships are launched towards the nearest habitable system. The remaining residents of Earth (mostly telephone sanitizers) make the Sun supernova at the approach of the goat, eliminating the threat forever.

2597: The arks arrive at their destination in the beta sector, only to pass through not noticing, as the star has went supernova years before. The fields of debris destroy many of the ships, and throw the rest off course.

2620: For the next 10 years, most of the ships crash land at various systems in the beta sector. A major group of ships crashes on a desert world of the Quux system, losing much of their technologies. Within 20 years they expand to the other planets within the system, expunging an industrial (and barely space faring) species on one of these planets. The people grow cruel and merciless in the harsh conditions.

A second fleet lands on a temperate planet orbiting the star Antares. With limited planet resources, but most of their ships and supplies intact, they grow prosperous, and rebuild the society in the way Earth once was.

Several other ships crash on various planets within the sector.

2642: Development of stargate technologies continues on both the major worlds, and culminates when both sides build working stargate prototypes and establish a connection between their capital worlds.

People rejoice. The governments unite under the name Earth Alliance, in a dream to resurrect what once was the Earth utopia. A corporation is formed charged with maintaining and expanding the stargates, and making interstellar travel available to all citizens of the Alliance. SGC, as it becomes known, soon becomes richer than any corporation in the history of Earth.

The Syndicate, as it becomes known, emerges as the most powerful crime organization, founded as a union between two mafia families from the two worlds.

2673: With most of the original Earth residents dead, the differences between the Quuxians and Antareans emerge clear, caused by such radical differences between their worlds. The Alliance is broken, and relations between the worlds strain.

The Stargate Corporation, now a monopoly over all trade in the sector, remains a neutral power. It's gate web now spans several worlds, including some of the smaller human survivors.

2703: The Quuxian drive to expand their control brings about a direct confrontation with the Altarians. All trade is suspended, but the SGC now profits from transporting war ships. The Syndicate gains control over all black-market trading, securing its existence.

2707: The conflict is brought to an abrupt end when an SGC gate is destroyed by the Quux. SGC immediately suspends all travel and trade to both Antares and Quux. The 10 day trade blackout causes 1.2 billion deaths from starvation and lack of supplies. The aggressors declare a ceasefire, and trade is resumed. The two sides uphold the ceasefire, but political relations never improve.

2754: A mineral rich system, known as Zed, is discovered within the beta sector. Neighboring civilizations rush to take claim of the resources.

A previously unknown substance -- drydium -- is discovered in abundance on some of the planets.

2758: The worlds of Zed are a fierce battle ground. The old conflict between Qux and the Antareans is heated up again. The fight is over control of Zed, but no-one is sure why the governments are pushing so hard. The people don't care though --- they simply want the fight they never finished 40 years ago.

The first stargate in the Zed system will be completed within several months. Meanwhile the space ports and stations are chaos, filled with poor miners, barge pilots, and thieves, with no sign of law or order. One thing is sure -- the syndicate wasted no time. In a world of crime, they are kings.

And you are their master. Cyrano's right hand man, you were given the job of expanding the Syndicate's power into this new world. But something feels wrong: there is something here that is creating much more heat that a new mining colony would --- otherwise there's no reason you would be sent. No, something big is happening, and you're in the middle of it all.

Obviously, this is all related to this mysterious substance. Weeks after the discovery, the scientists of Antares discovered the most destructive nature of this material --- a fusion supressant made with this material has the capacity to extinguish an entire star --- reduce it to a cold lump of solid gas, destroying all life on the planets around it. It wasn't long before the Quux spies knew this, and even less before the agents of the Syndicate had a plan to gain control of the planets carrying drydium, or Frost, as it became known.. But Cyrano's intentions were not to seek power using this weapon, but to destroy it. A survivor of the Antarean-Quux conflict, he knew what it would mean for either side to gain control of such a weapon. Even the SGC would not be able to force submission over the possessor of such a tool of destruction.