The Second Age of Exploration

After numerous scientific discoveries and breakthroughs, humanity has now developed warp drives via the use of a new element named Divinium to drastically speed up intra and intergalactic travel therefore the travel times have been cut so much, a trip that would've taken ten years would be completed in a matter of days, however at a severely monetary cost. The rich and powerful become even more so as they pour their seemingly bottomless wallets into taking over far-away planets for their own gain, and to get away from any sort of law that would've normally hindered their growth. Factions sprung up in certain parts of the Milky Way, from the resource rich planets controlled by the Galactic Upper Class, to the planets serving strategic purposes ruled by the Interplanetary Military Force, with its top members being some veterans from the United States and Russian space forces. Some desolate planets are even penitentiaries for housing the top criminal minds in the galaxy. Others are using the same type of planet to smuggle illegal items according to the laws set in stone by the Galactic League. You can step onto the stage and perhaps change or shift the balance of power - for good or evil.