Colonial Space: The Post-Imperium Age

 

The Imperium colonized the largest Stars in the spiral arm. Their vast habitable zones providing hundreds of habitable worlds free of rival sentient species. Stars anywhere from 500 light-years apart to several thousand light-years apart.

Early FTL technology did not come without risks and the Core of the Imperium was wiped out when an FTL accident caused the Throne world's star to Supernova. 

The resulting Blood Nebula is over 2000 light-years in radius. There are a few large stars at the nebula periphery. These abandoned core systems exist with planets covered in ruined cities. Mining and salvage operations exist here searching the surviving systems for scraps of technology and minerals left on the abandoned worlds.

The Spinward Sector has retained aspects of the Imperium, its star systems and worlds held by families of Nobles formed from the Imperium Space Navy. They eliminated local governments and Senators opposed to rule by the Space Navy when a number of these systems resorted to piracy for scarce agriculture to feed their populations.

The Outer Systems are divided amongst mega-corporations, agricultural combines, and a Republic whose senators are descended from the surviving Senate members outside the Blood Nebula's formation not eliminated by the Imperial Space Navy in the aftermath. 

FTL travel takes an hour per light-year meaning the distance between the closest stars can be 500 hours (21.8 days), and the Imperium 24000 light-years long taking three years to transit.