MAVERICK – Humans in the Outer Rim
General Information:
During the Earth-Gongen War, Maverick opportunists and ringleaders seized property and facilities belonging to Earth and Gongen to stake their claim on the limited resources beyond the Asteroid Belt. They style themselves as players in the grand scheme, and fight as mercenaries or for their own security to gain the upper hand. They will go up against any of the other factions, and if they see a way to gain power or influence in the system, they take it.
Heavy mining is prevalent throughout Outer Rim; heavy mining equipment is also readily available. Another interesting aspect of the area is that some small asteroids have been converted into portable space stations. They have been fitted with their own propulsion systems and can be moved through space, although not as fast or far as a capital ship.
Maverick Government:
The more powerful overlords rule a series of outposts. There is no formal government, but the Maverick gangs often work with each other to further the power of the Outer Rim as a whole when it works to their individual and collective advantage. Earth and Gongen (and now the Shi and Quay) will have a hard time gaining a foothold in this region.
The Accord – Pirate-like overlords, they rule many of the captured outposts. The Accord has its headquarters on Titan, a moon of Saturn. Their charismatic leader is a woman known only as Raving Red-Jane.
The Hellcats – A group of female Maverick pilots, perhaps the best in the system. They contract out their ships and pilots to other gangs. Their headquarters is on Themis, largest of the Maverick mobile asteroids.
The Nest – Named for the Rats’ Nest, a well-known bar on Ceres in the Outer Rim. They have more than a few card players among their members. Perhaps the best known is Ace McCallister.
The Cartel – A group of Mavericks run by a man known as The Gambler from his complex on Europa. They deal mostly in information, and they’re the gang to contact if you want to find out what’s going on.
Cogs – A group of Maverick hotrodders. They’re famous for wheeling and dealing, and their modified vehicles that are much sought-after.
The Knaves –Another group of pirates, although they seem less cutthroat than the merciless Accord. Jack Wilgress seems to be their leader, and they have some fast hotrod fighters.
Regulators – A group of mean and surly thugs who some say are working as a force for good, almost like an independent Maverick police force. Most observers don’t think that’s going to work out very well.
Maverick History:
Space exploration exploded in the 2030s and 2040s with the advent of the GRAV Drive (GRavity Attuned Vehicle) engines that made space travel easier and faster. This precipitated a tremendous growth in space colonization. Starting with an international colony on the moon, humans spread throughout the Solar System, building space stations, mining colonies and creating trade routes. For a long time, life in the Outer Rim has been lawless, dangerous, and exciting. Early in the history of the Outer Rim, an emergent group of “pirate lords” divided up territories and ruled in a somewhat mob-like fashion. These overlords ranged from charismatic rogues to cut-throat deviants.
After the formation of Earth’s Central Governance Corporation (CGC), the Mavericks largely ignored the CGC’s authority, and continued to do pursue their own interests. For many years, there were only token efforts from Earth to maintain jurisdiction in the Outer Rim. When they realized valuable assets could be lost, the CGC sent security forces into deep space in an effort to re-establish authority and bring order. Unfortunately for Earth, such efforts have been largely ineffective.
In the wake of the Earth-Gongen War, the Mavericks formed a loose union and seized control of much of the outlying mining and research assets of both Earth and Gongen. Defections from the Gongen and Earther fleets right after the Battle of Phobos led to massive speculation that the forces behind the Outer Rim contingent had agents involved in both sides that made the battle much more costly than it would otherwise have been. In truth, Mavericks did just that in pirate-like tactics to weaken Gongen and Earth and capture the spoils of war.
This threw the Solar System into a three-way conflict, with skirmishes between the factions becoming increasingly frequent and violent. As Earth was preparing a major offensive to clean up the Outer Rim, the Mumon Rift opened and ushered the Shi and the Quay into our star system. Immediately, the Outer Rim was cast into a system-wide conflict and forced to defend their newly acquired territory and power from everyone. In cunning pursuit of power, they now seek ways to increase their reach and riches in the growing wars everywhere.
The Mumon Rift Wars TCG 