These slides are displayed at the start of a New Game. To see additional details about the world's history leading up to 2231, consult the Historical Synopsis.
By the 23rd century there are only 112 cities left.It's been 40 years since the eco-collapse. 70 since we Q-Bombed the last Artificial Consciousness to death.
Now worldstorms have settled to a record low, and they tell us that peak nano-fallout has passed.
They say things will get better now.But who believes anything that comes from the megacorps? Anyone who can hope to afford a better life offworld is trying to get on an orbital or out to the colonies.
That's why we're all here, working the shadows as mercenaries. We want something better too.
We're just street-level operators, but not for much longer.You're about to get a Cyber Knight's computer spliced into your spine.
It's illegal. It's dangerous. It will change everything.
The megacorps created Cyber Knights as the first quantum-secure data couriers.Soon, the corps adapted their cybernetic implants to fight their quiet wars of espionage, sabotage, and murder.
These upgraded Cyber Knight "quantum riders" offered unparalleled processing, coordination, and Q-warfare capabilities.
But after a few decades, hundreds of Knights had deserted or gone rogue. The corps outlawed the cyber and banned the procedure.Remaining Knights became the world's elite shadow operators for hire.
You're about to go under the knife to one of those implants. We're about to step up into a whole new game.
If we build the right team and back the right power players, we could earn enough to buy a reboot for the rest of our lives, chumbo.It won't be easy. Who knows what we might get mixed up in - probably secrets the syndicates or megacorps would kill for. But this is our chance.
Let's do this.