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A Man in Love with the Sea and the Ships that Sail
In the distant future, mankind has raced from earth to settle the multitude of newly discovered worlds. From this fervid race has come. Devolution in the political structure of mankind. Starting on Mars, and stretching to the distant stars, humanity has regressed back to the ways of kings and dictators, preferring a strong central executive to lead the fledgling world government and keep the settlers safe. These rulers come from powerful, wealthy, families with long lineages.
Ruling from their seat on Mars, the Capulets founded their dynasty of merchants by monopolizing the resources exported from the various mining operations established on the red planet. The riches earned from this were then spent expanding through the rest of the solar system and beyond. Now the Red Seal of the Capulets painted on the side of shipping crates is worth more than the cargo in the crates. It promises protection by the Capulets' elite mercenary guards, free food and fuel, and the right to trade anywhere, with anybody, except the Montegues. Life as a Capulet heir is opulent, and promises luxury with want for nothing. None of the adventure and hardships of life amongst the stars is to be expected.
Not so for the Montegues. Ruling from their citadel on Old Earth, spitting distance from those they dispise on Mars. Born from the smoldering remains of the United Earth military after the secession of the colonial worlds, the Montegues have ruled the remnants of the Old Earth Empire with martial impunity and heredity titles mirroring an archaic military hierarchy. Since the revolution the entire empire has been militarized, mandatory drafts, training, and a lack of any private industry ensure the last bastion of civilization runs smoothly, with no chance for further revolts. The heirs of the Montegues are expected to live a spartan lifestyle of training and battle as the empire attempts to take back the systems settled by the Capulets and the other breakaway factions.
Despite the hostility between these two lineages, many of the branch families inhabit the same settlements, with the Capulets in their opulent manors and the Montegues in their barracks and customs houses, all in the same city, on the same planet or orbital station. Tempers often flare. Though in this case, a different sort of passion will rock the stars in their orbits.
Ruling from their seat on Mars, the Capulets founded their dynasty of merchants by monopolizing the resources exported from the various mining operations established on the red planet. The riches earned from this were then spent expanding through the rest of the solar system and beyond. Now the Red Seal of the Capulets painted on the side of shipping crates is worth more than the cargo in the crates. It promises protection by the Capulets' elite mercenary guards, free food and fuel, and the right to trade anywhere, with anybody, except the Montegues. Life as a Capulet heir is opulent, and promises luxury with want for nothing. None of the adventure and hardships of life amongst the stars is to be expected.
Not so for the Montegues. Ruling from their citadel on Old Earth, spitting distance from those they dispise on Mars. Born from the smoldering remains of the United Earth military after the secession of the colonial worlds, the Montegues have ruled the remnants of the Old Earth Empire with martial impunity and heredity titles mirroring an archaic military hierarchy. Since the revolution the entire empire has been militarized, mandatory drafts, training, and a lack of any private industry ensure the last bastion of civilization runs smoothly, with no chance for further revolts. The heirs of the Montegues are expected to live a spartan lifestyle of training and battle as the empire attempts to take back the systems settled by the Capulets and the other breakaway factions.
Despite the hostility between these two lineages, many of the branch families inhabit the same settlements, with the Capulets in their opulent manors and the Montegues in their barracks and customs houses, all in the same city, on the same planet or orbital station. Tempers often flare. Though in this case, a different sort of passion will rock the stars in their orbits.
