The year is AD 5507, 989 Imperial. The place is the Solomani Rim sector, the border between the all-conquering Third Imperium and the stubbornly independent Solomani (Men of Sol - Earth's Humans).
Over three thousand years ago, the humans originating on the planet Earth – the Solomani – warred against and conquered the ailing First Imperium of the Vilani, the human race the earthlings had first encountered on discovering Jump drive. They established their own empire, known variously as the Second Imperium, the Rule of Man, and the Ramshackle Empire. The strain of dominating half of known space with an Earth-based elite proved too much, and the Second Imperium collapsed in –1776.
The following thousand years is referred to as The Long Night, as commerce died, worlds became isolated, and anarchy ruled. Eventually, a new political power arose from Sylea and went on to become the Third Imperium, established in (unsurprisingly) Year Zero.
The Solomani had been rebuilding as well, however, and spent the next 800 years struggling for independence. Gradually the Imperium eroded this, but in 871 the Solomani Confederation was officially established. Relations have been deteriorating ever since.
Nearly fifty years ago, in 940, Empress Margaret of the Third Imperium issued a proclamation, dissolving the Solomani Confederation and declaring it “reintegrated” into the Third Imperium. Immediate war seemed inevitable, but Imperial attention was attracted away by the Third Frontier War against the Zhodani which erupted at the same time at the opposite end of the Imperium.
This gave the Solomani some much-needed time to gather their forces.
Eight years ago, the Imperial Archduke of the Domain of Sol moved his court out of the sector after dreaming of terrible war.
This year, forced to a humiliating armistice with the Zhodani, Emperor Styryx was compelled to abdicate and replaced by his son Gavin.