When the newly formed United Aquarian Systems rose from the ashes of the Old Federation in 4299 A.D, they entered upon an alliance with a mighty conglomerate of alien civilisations residing G-North of the Crimson Barrier; a historically unsurpassable natural stellar obstacle.
With the acceptence of the UAS into the FTA - Five Trade Alliance, now becoming known as the STA - Six Trade Alliance, it became clear that the newly found alliance would bring vast trade and economic wealth to the fledgling UAS. However, there was a major problem - the Crimson Barrier.
A vast nebula of charged particulate matter - some theories suggest the left-over of an ancient Maikor Superweapon, others that it is the remnant of a dying Super Cluster, pushed together into a cosmic crush by gravitational forces of unimaginable scale. Whatever its origin, the Barrier prevents direct transit using standard Jump-Drive technology between the Aquarius Cluster and the Deep Red, where the VC and the other STA nations reside.
Current trade routes pass through the uncharted sectors G-West of the Barrier, in the shadow of the Angel Nebula - passing into dangerous, unpatrolled systems close to Tiger Shark Cartel territory. Trade is expensive due to security details and private mercenaries being almost a requirement. Though powerful, the fledgling Navy of the UAS still isn't large enough to maintain a sizable presence in the Angel-Crimson Pass region of space.
The time had thus dawned, in 4301 A.D, to establish a standardised trade-route with a network of inter-linked Subspace Gates, like those deployed within the UAS's core space, and similar technology used in the VC's own gate network in the Deep Red.
The two Nations work together to design, build and install the largest Subspace Gate Superhighway in either species's history, opening up high-speed, safe, trading for all, and ushering a truly new age of economic prosperity.