this thread will be used  to aid players ( and GM?) with some backround of what has happened  up to this point...it will be a work in progress..with additions added was they come  into play.

  Below   and in  a couple other  Notice threads..we have  somebackround for newer folks to get  up to speed.

  I thank Roy for this, saved  me alot of time, and we got this posted  up way faster then i would have been able to do..Thanks Roy!
This message was last edited by the player at 02:17, Thu 01 Mar 2012.

SETTING--
The time is the late 22nd Century.  Mankind is expanding into space rapidly, thanks to a visit 150 years earlier from a extraterrestrial race that came to be known as 'Angels.

The Angels brought many shocking reports with them--that there were other intelligent species among the stars, that Earth was, in fact, a lost Angel penal colony, and that the Angels were in a war with an alien culture that came to be called 'Demons'--as much for their rapacious treatment of conquered races as for their unsettling appearance--and there were other races involved, either as allies or bystanders.  Mankind went from alone in the universe to just another neighbor almost overnight.

Earth still doesn't have a single, united planetary government.  While all the major governments of the planet agreed to a treaty with the Angels (especially after some of the most vehement dissenters were publicly eliminated), there are factions that feel that Earth should seek neutrality, either by refusing to deal with the warring alien factions or by dealing with them on an equal basis.  The majority, however, trust what the Angels (and other alien emissaries) have reported  As a result, the various governments of Earth dedicated portions of their military resources toward a combined force, called the Earth Space Navy.  The Angels and other aliens lent their expertise to the cause, increasing the technology levels in unprecedented leaps and bounds.

Mankind has begun to colonize other worlds, and while interaction with aliens is not yet an every-day event on Earth, there are places in human-space where Humanity works shoulder-to-shoulder on a daily basis with aliens.  The ESN is attempting to hold the line in space, and convince the Demons and their allies that Humanity is more trouble than it is worth, as an opponent.

ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MANKIND AND ANGELS:
--While the majority of humanity supports the alliance with the Angels, there are large sections of human society that do so without any real thought.  There are other factions that feel they were bullied into the alliance, that the Angels are, in their own way, no better than the Demons they fight against.  There are still other factions whose loyalty depends largely on where they see the greatest potential for personal profit.  In general, political terms, however, the majority of the Western Powers are Pro-Angel, and the majority of the dissenters are from Eastern Bloc countries, and their allies.  By no means is this a universal...there are Russians who are intensely devoted to the cause of the ESN, and there are Americans who are pushing for peace-treaties and appeasement with the Demons.

Almost nothing is known about why the war between the Angels and Demons broke out...the truth is likely lost to history, as they've been fighting across the stars for a few thousand millenia.  The Demons rarely make alliances, and most of the races they've conquered have been enslaved and used as experimental stock for cross-breeding programs, food...or both.  The few races they've allied themselves with have largely adopted the same kind of cross-breeding/feeding policy, when it comes to captives.

THE ESN VS. 'TRADITIONAL' MILITARY ORGANIZATIONS: A STYLE COMPARISON
--Being a joint venture between so many nations, and being so heavily influenced by alien exposure, the ESN tends to operate in a much looser fashion than 'traditional' military elements on the planet.  Ship captains tend to have far more autonomy...they are given general orders, and then left to their own devices as to how to carry those orders out.  They could be said to be operating in much the same way as privateers did during the Elizabethan Age and periods shortly thereafter--having a warrant to carry out their duties from the heads of state, without much concern given to how those duties were performed, as long as it did not cross certain boundaries.  Another parallel could be considered in the United States military during the Vietnam War, when chains of command were often set aside as a battlefield expedient and ranking officers deferred command decisions to more experienced subordinates.  Rank and protocol are secondary considerations in the ESN--results count for far more.  Command officers can choose to stick to the old methods of appointing personnel to duty positions based on rank--but more often, it is the inherent skill and capability of the individual that leads to a command position, and it is not unheard of for junior officers and NCOs to be in command of units that should be under the guidance of a captain or major, in traditional military organizations.

  With the Attack on the Avian  Nest ship, and the  capture of the Rava...The ESN has  taken  great strides in pushing back the demon  infulenice in...what was viewed as..Earth's Space.

 With Fuji, the furthest Carrier/station in this  direction...Hack's Move to  spread Earth's holdings, and create   more of a Bufferzone has paid off. The ESN Heirachery helped solidify that. But Granting Hack  the  Rank of Admiral, thus giving him the power to enact treaties  and secure Holding  in the "frontier".

 The Tortuga has become an ESN  Member, and Elba  has been added...the next step is the taking of Bura, which will complete the  capture/annexation of this  system's  livable planets....and will also help the ESN  and AP to begin  work on the Burned out Planet now called  Gobi....the Planet's  surface is mostly Burnt crush, as the demons and thier allies  had  tried   a weapon that they were working on, and it failed...or?..was overly  successful...depending on your view...However most scientists think the planet can be  'brought back to life"...without too much time involved..howere..there is rumored to be  Demon Troops Under the crust.

  The goal is...Take Bura...then send  troops in  to extermonate any  Demon/demon allies  on  Gobi..and add it too the  AP's  holdings. The  Minerals and water , as with the two smaller planets, make them a valued resource out here.

.............................

 ( for those who have back stories involving Characters)

  In the Begining...Pre- Hermes..Angels in hand with Earth, built  some transports and such to take Humans  further   out into spoace, to begin Terra forms and add to the Human presence  in the Black...Mars and the Moon were first..some smaller  Moons  and  plaents in other directions were set up as well.

  The Anti-Angel...or  Pro-Demon and even Earth First  Groups..all had  some type  of resistance to the Angels and thier   Ironfist-in-the-velvet glove  work on earth...Some  South Americans,  Middle east..and for a while China tried to work against the Anegls and the ESN...AP..by and large  the  "civilwars" were short and bloody. With Earth at risk, there was no time to "be nice" to rebels, or those who tried to undermine mthe growth of the ESN.

  Intrigue is Russa with   Spec ops  units s from the ESN, who actively tried  to wipe out   Pro demon, anti-angel groups...and some of the Governments that ..well..just plain didn't want to give up thier power....rebellions would rise...word  would get to colonies  and such...and ....for the most part..woudl be settled  quickly..sometimes, it took force or arms...but? With  the Human race in the balence, it was not hard to make the choice to eliminate those  who caused problems  with the ESN or coloney holdings.

  Most ESN and AP people were screened and were accepted  by thier own merit, rather then where they came from, or thier backround.....even China   agreed to join the ESN  after the launch of  thier  own warship, built with aid from unknown ( Demon?) tech...The  ship headed out away from teh path that hte Hermes  took..to investigate the  area where  ESN Everest held sway...theShip was attacked  and destroyed  by elements of the Demon Alliance...and all were lost. China  Joined the ESN the day after the news  was brought to them.

  Though most colonies  realize, the ESN  and AP are thier lifelines...there are still some  who have hard feelings, and even on Carrier/stations and Back home, there are those folks who view the Angels with a watchful eye......