Common Era Year 4005 (Bourbon Revolutionary Era Year 6) has seen humanity, among other species, spread throughout most of the galaxy and splintered into many different nations and peoples with various cultures and systems of government. Spaceships travel across great distances using Jump-Drive technology to sail through the stars as their predecessors did on Earth’s ocean thousands of years ago. However, the future is not a utopian dream, but rather bleak for most of the galaxy’s inhabitants. The rich and powerful are obscenely so, whereas the poor live lives of toil on factory and farming planets, little more than peasants. Culturally, the cycle of history has repeated itself. High culture throughout the galaxy is elegant, refined, and not unlike that of 19th century Earth. Most stellar nations are organized in a fragile order based around marriages and centuries-old treaties which are often disregarded for wars of attrition between the great powers. Though it isn’t easy to advance your station in the Milky Way, brave and enterprising individuals can find a shot at greatness, though many will fail on the long climb to the top.  This is a collection of short stories based around a universe I had originally created for a Dungeons and Dragons campaign with my dear friends from college. The first story/chapter is intended to give a taste of my writing style, while the second will give a more detailed background of the setting and history of the universe. There are no main or recurring characters at this point, but it serves to introduce the reader to the universe and tell interesting stories from within. The kicker to this is that once the collection is finished (aiming for around 18 stories of varying lengths), I will begin writing a long-form tale about a ragtag group of people that “may or may not” include certain characters from this collection going on a pan-galactic adventure. My main inspirations for the universe come from Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace, Yoshiki Tanaka’s Legend of the Galactic Heroes, and Rockstar Games’ Red Dead Redemption series. There’s some media whiplash for ya. At any rate, if this sounds interesting to you, I’d be honored to have you read it. Please don’t hesitate to leave a review or send me corrections to any grammar mistakes I may (and likely do) have. Thank you so much for your interest! —Adam Story Previews Pavel and the Plasma Flintlock: A young officer from the Tsardom makes a mistake. On the Current State of the Milky Way: An educational in-universe lore dump. The Outlaws of Vega: A farmer faces hardship on the crime-ridden planet of Vega. The Quiet Florian: A teenage Florian fights back. Graduation: An Albionic cadet finally graduates from His Majesty's Royal Naval Academy. Heist in a Handbasket: A group of thieves plot to rob Monaco Station. The Tsarina's Birthday: Tsarina Ekaterina the Great celebrates her 23rd birthday and deals with issues both foreign and domestic. The 2nd Battle of Bordeaux: Fleet Admiral Olivier Desolles puts down the last of the royalists in the orbit of Bordeaux. The Pirates of Libertalia: A group of pirates celebrates the taking of their latest prize and divides the booty on Libertalia. All the Khan's Men: Two of the largest clans in the Khanate are feuding to see who will become the Khan's right hand. The Field of Fire: A group of young Draxx face their rite of passage. An Important Deal: A small time sheik of the Sultanate wishes to conclude a spice-trading deal that will set him up for life. A Pope's Dilemma: Pope Pius CV has an important decision to make. Olympian Holiday: A couple with a rocky marriage takes a vacation to planet Capricorn. The Yakuza of Kyushu: A youth reluctantly joins the Yakuza to provide for his sister. The Midnight Special: Salty Sebastian keeps his small station together as best he can. Leaving Home: A Nymph debarks from his caravan after falling in love with a local. The Relic: A small smuggling vessel discovers a piece of history floating through space.