Lore

In 2273, the Solar Empire found itself in disarray as outer rim planets sought independence from the central government, resulting in a civil war. A visionary scientist, dedicated to improving society, experimented with nanotechnology and supermaterials, ultimately developing a cold fusion-powered nano-assembly device called a Fabricator. This device could create nearly anything from raw materials. Through the use of various relics and limited raw materials, funding from corporations, private citizens, and organizations seeking to save humanity made the construction of Fabricators and five long-range travel ships possible. These ships were designed to reach a distant habitable, mineral-rich region of the galaxy.

After a decade of construction, the five ships embarked on their journey. However, 500 years into the voyage, the flagship Glorious Future experienced a catastrophic nuclear explosion, destroying the ship and its passengers. The resulting debris and EMP burst damaged three sister ships—the Argonne, Enterprise, and Robert Stephenson—causing their cryogenic pods to open prematurely. The crews awoke and scrambled to stabilize their vessels, while the Ark continued unscathed.

Over time, distinct and brutal societies formed aboard the three damaged ships, giving rise to three warring factions: the theocratic Holy Corporation on the Enterprise, the militaristic Gearbreakers on the Robert Stephenson, and the anarchic Metal Punks on the Argonne. When these factions finally reached their new home planet, they began claiming territories around the blast zones where active Fabricators had previously landed to terraform the planet, now known as Kerberos. Conflict seemed inevitable as unity and cohesion had disappeared during the journey. The First Axiom War soon erupted, foreshadowing more violence to come. Eventually, the Fabricators and their powerful automated mining and manufacturing systems were repurposed for an all too familiar purpose: warfare.