[@WilsonTurner]Well, it's more that an alliance of nations conquered, subjugated, or annihilated the remaining nations to solidify their rule, then spread out among the stars. The UESA is not by any means a paradise or utopia, more of an oligarchy run by a council on Earth that makes decisions that really only benefit Earth and a handful of other planets, but severely impact the majority of the other worlds. This leads to the internal strife that has resulted in hundreds of rebellion movements on the Outer Colonies, which are now in the past decade or so gaining significant momentum and spreading like wildfire. This isn't some happy-go-lucky Star Trek universe, more like some dark blend of Pre-Covenant Halo and Warhammer 40k.