First of all, lets start of with a map of the Second Human Federation, 16 years before the beginning of this book, a few days before the Second War for Independence started.

Mapple [https://i.imgur.com/53iKA0X.png]

The Second Human Federation consists of 28 constituent republics that banded together after the fall of the First Human Federation. Every single one of these republics has humans as the dominant species. In most starnations, the constitient republics would be system sectors instead, with much less autonomy than one can see in the Second Human Federation. Overall, the Second Human Federation stretches from the outskirts of the galaxy in the south all the way up to the forbidden zone (galactic core systems) and consists of 541 star systems, all of them inhabited by biological beings, in most cases humans. The Federation uses hyperlanes to cross the vast distances between star systems, making expansion a slow but steady process. Identifying and exploring hyperlanes takes time and ressources. Meanwhile, the number of habitable planets in the galaxy is sparse, therefore not many systems are even worth to be explored. The Second Human Federation has a GDP of around 600 trillion Solar, with one Solar being worth 100 USD. This makes the Second Human Federation a true economical powerhouse in the galaxy with a strong currency to boot. Next up are the 28 constituent republics. On the map, each got a number that I will connect to a name now.

1. Republic of Anima

2. Republic of Tarea

3. Republic of Aeronis

4. Republic of Inner Rum

5. Republic of Outer Rum

6. Republic of the Eternal Snow

7. Republic of Nox

8. Republic of Solin

9. Republic of Terra

10. Republic of Eastern Solaria

11. Republic of Orin

12. Republic of Frontier

13. Republic of Western Solaria

14. Republic of Soleann

15. Republic of Tier

16. Republic of Romeria

17. Republic of Quardret

18. Republic of Norea-Auxillas

19. Republic of Quartz

20. Republic of Orest

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21. Republic of Shi'Tan

22. Republic of Auris-Shaelas

23. Republic of Auris

24. Republic of Trestoria

25. Assembly of Taren

26. Republic of Nuran

27. Republic of Nova-Inventa

28. Republic of Juran

Before questions come up because of the Assembly of Taren, an Assembly is a more direct form of democracy. It was implemented as a measure to legalise local decisionmaking, after contact to the main body of the Federation became rarer. The reason for that is, that political tensions blocked Federation messengers from traversing other nations to reach the Assembly of Taren. Only morse code messages can still be exchanged via the use of hypercom, a technology still in its beginning phase, allowing FTL communication between systems. Therefore, every capital system has a hypercom for faster communication in emergencies. The total military strength of the Second Human Federation lies at around 5.000 combat-able spaceships, but only 851 of them are warships, with 4.900 being escort ships and the last 49 being auxillary support ships, making the FSF the second largest space combat force in the galaxy. But the situation took a turn for the worse with the Second War for Independence breaking out.

This map shows the current situation at the start of the book.

Mapple [https://i.imgur.com/ZiqxNrQ.png]

Here we see the situation once more, having strongly detoriated since the Association and the Alliance entered the war against the Federation, little more than a year ago. In the last 16 years, the Federation lost more than 3.200 spaceships, including 180 warships, leaving them with less than 700. Momentarily, a Warfleet and a Rapid Deployment Fleet is stationed on every Front, with the additional Rapid Deployment Fleet being the one we know. The green exclamation mark highlights where the story is currently playing, as well as where the 2nd Federation Rapid Deploment Fleet is located. Whoever wins the fighting in the Reublic of Nox will most likely have a key position to end the war. This applies to both sides. But a war against overbearig enemy numbers isn't won easily, especially with already nearly a third (31,23%) of Federation space occupied. Let's see if human cunning and strategy, massive support from the Union, the by far strongest nation in the galaxy, and a little bit of aetherian intervention are enough to turn the tides of war.