Transient Signal

In the 2300s, space colonization hit its peak. Several neighbouring star systems were colonized. The government of the Earth Dominion governed the majority of all the planets in habited by humanity. However in 2420, war broke out between the Earth Dominion and the frontier planets—known as the Confederation of Sovereign Planets. The war—known as the Wars of Sovereignty—lasted five years. Both sides beat the other bloody but no one came out on top. Peace was finally settled, with the Confederation retaining rule over the frontier planets and the Dominion retaining its rule over the Sol system. The peace also included the destruction of each side’s nuclear arsenals and the establishment of a vital trade network that would prevent any further conflict.
In 2450, the Confederation began an exploration mission to the region just beyond their zone of control.
In 2456, there was a report of several nuclear explosions coming from the region of space being explored, followed by the return of a battered and damaged Confederation ship with only a skeleton crew left on board. The remaining crew subsequently disappeared into the billions of citizens of the Confederation and the Dominion amidst a Dominion demand of inquiry into the explosions.
Rumours spread of Dominion agents trying to track down the crew members of the Confederation ship.