Concord

History

The Epsilon Eridani System was first surveyed in 2204 CE by the science ship UNS Discovery, captained by Leonid Markov. Unlike the Centauri and Sirius colonies, Epsilon Eridani II was considered by many to be too far from Earth to be worth including in the first wave of extrasolar colonisation. An outpost was established in the system in 2208 CE to coordinate mining and research efforts.

The development of Terra Nova into a self-sustaining colony pushed the boundaries of the UNE's logistical frontier, meaning that Epsilon Eridani II became a viable colonisation target. Using Terra Nova as a logistical base, the colony ship UNS Hope landed on Epsilon Eridani II in 2213 CE, becoming the first "frontier world" in UNE space. Even with the added support from Terra Nova, life in the early days of the Concord colony was difficult. Previous colonial attempts were close enough to Earth that aid was only weeks away, but Concord was distant enough that it could be months before help arrived in the event of an emergency.

Over the following decades, Concord developed itself as a hub for high-tech research and development. Advertising campaigns focused on the cutting-edge glass laboratories and neo-deco universities, promising a new life for researchers and academics fed up with politics on Earth or Terra Nova. These campaigns were largely successful, and Concord became the leading hub in UNE space for technological development. When the UNE signed a number of technology transfer and migration treaties with xeno states, such as the Roccan Resistance and the Scyldari Confederacy, many xeno researchers moved to Concord to participate in novel forms of research and development.

Concord also became headquarters to the UNE's Genomic Development Project, a joint research effort with the Gorthikan Alliance to develop improved genetic modification technology in the late 2200s CE. With generous government funding, many major biotech corporations opened facilities on Concord, further boosting the planet's importance to the UNE's research and development sector.

Economy

Concord's economy is built on the research and development sector; in particular medical research, genomics, biotechnology, and social sciences. The planet is also highly regarded as one of the foremost medical facilities in the galaxy, leading to individuals from all across the galaxy visiting the planet for advanced medical treatments. While Gorthikan medical technology is generally regarded as more advanced, UNE medical technology is viewed as safer, cheaper, and more accessible to those outside the Interstellar Concord.

In addition to biotech research, Concord is also home to a number of physics, computer, and engineering institutes. While being the home of the Genomic Development Project is Concord's main claim to fame, it was also where the first prototype positronic matricies were developed in UNE space. Concord's orbital ring is full of experimental facilities producing the latest generation of civilian and military spacecraft, while the planet itself has thousands of proving grounds for land-based vehicles.