H3. Sovereign Colonies
“For the love of Earth and the Sovereign Colonies, we’ve got to do what’s right.”
—SCAF General Spencer Mahad
The Sovereign Colonies was the governing body of Earth and its colonies formed in the wake of humanity’s off-world expansion in the 23rd century, and was the predecessor to the Earth Government Colonial Alliance.234 Following the Secession War and Scenario Five in 2314, the Sovereign Colonies administration was dissolved and replaced with an Earth-centric government.5
The Sovereign Colonies Armed Forces (SCAF) was the military of the Sovereign Colonies.
H3. History
Main article: History of Earth and the colonies
“The SCAF represents the government prior to EarthGov 200 years ago, when space travel was done without ShockPoint Drives, and was only for the bold and the courageous — and the military.”
The Sovereign Colonies was the government and colonial administration of Earth that was founded with humanity’s space expansion in the 23rd century, after a string of global social calamities caused by armed conflicts and environmental catastrophes.12 Without the use of ShockPoint Drives, space travel was limited and required large investments of money and materials as well as military supervision.3
Another problem with maintaining mankind’s new-found empire was the constant resource shortage, limiting the ability to expand and support the population. Discovery of the Black Marker in the Chicxulub crater on Earth in 2214 defied scientific understanding and incited interest from the government, with research into the Marker’s seemingly limitless energy promising an end to the resource crisis.6 Despite the risks observed with the original Black Marker disaster, the Sovereign Colonies eventually approved further research in the hopes of understanding the Marker’s technology,7 though with outbreak contingencies in place.8
Under the Sovereign Colonies’ Science Division, the Black Marker was eventually reverse-engineered at the end of the 23rd century and at least three copies of it known as Red Markers were created. These replicas were stationed at remote “Marker Test Sites” located on distant planets such as Aegis VII, Aspera and Kreemar, where the scientists continued their secretive research into the Markers’ power under the watchful eye of the Sovereign Colonies Armed Forces.9
H3. Secession War
“We are out of resources, we are out of public approval and we are out of time.”
—Admiral Marjorie Graves10
In the early 24th century, with the ongoing conflicts known as the Resource Wars,2 humanity’s resource-stricken populations proved susceptible to manipulation by Secessionists seeking to dissolve the Sovereign Colonies administration and replace it with an Earth-centric government regime. Hostilities steadily escalated, from Secessionist riots on Earth11 to open war across the colonies. The Secession War, as it was called, pitted the Sovereign Colonies Armed Forces against the Secessionist rebels, consuming resources as well as the ranks of trained SCAF Legionaries at a steady pace, eventually forcing the Sovereign Colonies to rely on conscription.12
By 2311, the Sovereign Colonies were in a critical situation, with both public support and the ability to wage war dwindling. The discovery of Tau Volantis thanks to the Ptolemy Station was, in part, a final attempt to turn the tide of the war in their favor. The Galactic Expedition sent to the planet drew resources and men away from the war effort, hoping to find the source of limitless energy received by the Markers. This, in turn, could resolve humanity’s resource crisis and end the Secession War.1013