The year is  A.D.

Since the discovery of the Lattice in 6366 A.D., human exploration of the Milky Way has all but ceased, victim of the seductive ease of travelling to a new world via the Teegs and terraforming or shangrilizing it quickly with the Mass Generators. Early on, several powerful factions of humanity realized that the potential for vast abuse made necessary the establishment of a controlling power, and the Lattice World Authority was born, the most expansive and powerful and wide-ranging bureaucracy/corporation/army ever known.

Development of human worlds in the Lattice has proceeded well, and mostly peacefully; but, of course, as in any human endeavor, there have been moments of extreme tragedy and horror -- and, of course, those moments have not deterred us in the least.

Estimates put humans on over three thousand Lattice Worlds, with at least three hundred of those terraformed to a high degree, and over 90% conforming acceptably to LWA regulations. Some Lattice Worlds act as specialty installations, exporting energy from their Power Films, or generating material of one sort or another with their Mass Generators. Expansion continues.

Of the hundreds of alien races that humanity has encountered, most are at peace with us -- often by default, as our interests do not coincide. Yet there are always exceptions.