The leaked discovery of an alien starship graveyard in Hipparcos 1368 triggered a massive “gold rush” wave of interest across Alliance space.

Institutes, academies, non-governmental organizations, scientists and more raced to join the more heavily funded government and corporate exploration of these treasures.

These expeditions brought along settlers and support services, creating “boom town” outposts and stations across the system.

The extreme frontier conditions on the edge of Alliance space allowed many “boom-to-bust” cycles of exploration and settlement.

Exploration firms and expedition outposts appeared and disappeared with amazing speed, outstripping the ability of the sparse Alliance governmental and military presence to keep up or adapt.

Organizations across Alliance space filled the void between demand for exploration support and the formal Alliance ability to undertake expeditions.

Many of these organizations form and reform joint-venture agreements between them for expeditions, often knowingly partnering with criminal elements within the star system to edge out rival expeditions.

▲ Chronology