In 2075, with Earth on the brink of collapse due to resource depletion and climate catastrophe, the International Space Alliance (ISA) launched the Stellar Exodus project. Orbital shipyards began constructing massive colony ships powered by fusion drives, each designed to sustain thousands of colonists for decades. The first ship, Avangard, was sent to Alpha Centauri in 2080, carrying humanity’s hope for a new beginning.
The project united the brightest minds of Earth, from engineers to geneticists, ensuring the ships were equipped with everything needed for long-term survival: hydroponic farms, AI systems, and gene banks to preserve Earth's biodiversity. Yet, the journey was fraught with uncertainty—humanity was stepping into the unknown, driven by desperation and dreams of a second chance.
Over the next two decades, the ISA dispatched 12 more colony ships to various star systems in the Milky Way. The Eos headed to TR-45 in the Cygnus constellation, while the Helios targeted Kepler-442. But the cosmos proved unforgiving: in 2093, the Avangard vanished after reporting a collision with an uncharted asteroid field, its fate unknown.
The Eos reached its destination, only to discover a planet with a toxic atmosphere—80% of its crew perished before they could adapt. Meanwhile, the Helios succeeded, founding New Hellas on Kepler-442b in 2098. The colony became humanity’s first sustainable foothold beyond Earth, a beacon of hope amidst growing losses.
Inspired by New Hellas, the ISA pushed further, sending ships beyond the Milky Way. The Prometheus, equipped with an experimental warp drive, aimed for the Andromeda Galaxy, a journey of unprecedented scale. Meanwhile, New Hellas began mining rare minerals, sending resources back to Earth and proving the potential of extraterrestrial colonies.
But the void held new dangers. In 2118, the Prometheus encountered the "Dark Veil," a region of space that absorbed all signals. Its final transmission spoke of "something alive" within the Veil before contact was lost. The tragedy underscored the risks of deep space, yet humanity pressed on, driven by the success of colonies like New Hellas.
By 2125, humanity had split into "Earthers" and "Spacers." Colonies like New Hellas grew independent, developing unique cultures and technologies. The ship Atlas founded Eridan in the Epsilon Eridani system, a hub for scientific research. But independence bred tension—in 2140, Eridan declared itself a sovereign entity, straining relations with Earth.
Amidst this divide, a faint signal from the long-lost Avangard reached Earth in 2145. Its crew had survived, eking out a primitive existence on a radiation-scarred planet, their technology reduced to ruins. The rediscovery sparked debates: should Earth focus on rescuing its lost colonies, or continue expanding into the unknown?