The Universe of Void War
as told by Lance Dawson, Voidrunner

Let me bring you up to speed.

About thirty years ago, a crazy but well-funded scientist named Ethan Blade went out into space and created a number of weird formations with these pylons of his own design. Then he disappeared. We were all in the middle of a war back then, so nobody paid much attention. Eight years ago, someone figured out that not only did these pylons contain some unknown - possibly alien - technology, but these formations created "void points" - holes in space which could create shortcuts for space travel. You could use these void points to travel twenty times faster and thousands of times cheaper than conventional hyperdrives.

Next thing you know, everybody got into a whole 'nother war to control these void points. Six years later, when the dust cleared and treaties were signed, many of the governments were selling their military-surplus spacecraft to pay off their war debts. A bunch of us veterans picked up whatever was flyable and called ourselves "Void Runners" - mercenaries and adventurers. Legally, we are required to behave while flying these heavily armed-and-armored warships. In reality, the law is a little slow to enforce that particular rule.

A few days ago things got ugly again. Reports came in of some kind of giant, alient starship slowly making its way through the void points. Some folks claim it's a precursor to an invasion. Others claim its a derelict on autopilot drawn to the void points by its navigation system. All attempts to contact it have failed. Now everyone's rushing to stop it, or capture it. No word of anyone succeeding, yet. The big governments aren't weighing in yet - content to watch closely and only commit once there's a clearer choice of the winner. I'd be inclined to do the same, except for a particular lady.

Jacqueline Blade is a war veteran like me. She went out through the void points days ago to check this thing out - without letting me know about her plans, of course. I think it has something to do with her uncle - the crazy scientist who started this mess thiry years ago. She can take care of herself. At least I keep telling myself that. But wherever she is ... whatever she's run up against... maybe she could use a hand. So against my finely-tuned self-preservation instinct, I'm going after her.