2.23 2203 CE - GCC rule destabilizing |
2203 CE: Three major increases of taxation later; there is only a marginal decrease in piracy in the inner solar system. Contact with the outer solar system is sporadic at best. Secure communications are hard to come by, and successful ship movements are even more rare. Every ship that the pirates take is converted into a vessel for their purposes. Compounding this problem, the continually increasing taxes drive more and more citizens to conduct illicit business in order to survive. On March 14, 2203, Luna and Mars both threaten to declare independence of the GCC. The GCC decides to negotiate, as the bulk of their military power is occupied with combating the pirate threat. A series of long and often loud meetings begin. |