FTL - 2448 (1st Edition)

The last decades of the Terran 20th century showed that the technological spin offs of space exploration created many new industries and added a fantastic amounts of new technology. Most people of the time failed to realize that the comfort and security of their lives was closely related to the continued development of space technologies. In shortsighted economic moves to better faltering and mismanaged economies, space programs were strangled by budget cuts and politicians who thought the money better spent on pay raises and social programs that failed to solve the economic problems of the day. As developmental industries folded one after another, due the lack of funding and interest of the common man, the world's economy spiraled down to disaster.

The "Lawless Years" were a time of unrest and re-evaluation, as corporations rebuilt society and the world, and pulled mankind from the brink of extinction. By the mid 21st century the old launch sites were back in operation as space became a necessity. The new governments prospered and mankind move out into the stars.

But history tends to repeat itself, when the frontiers are measured in light years. Special interest, corporate corruption, and political stupidity have again to rise from the ashes of history unlearned.

The year 2448 is a time of many opposites; a time of wealth and harsh colonial life, of corporate nobility, and industrial terrorism. Aliens in many forms are joining hands with man for his ideals and other aliens wait for his failure in hopes of picking up the remains.

Welcome to 2448. It's not glamorous, but it's ours.