Okay. I'm a super geek. I'm currently wasting huge chunks of time creating a Star Trek universe set in the days when the Federation didn't exist yet and humanity (or is it humaniti) has just managed to crack the Warp 3 barrier. So far, Earth has managed to set up a colony on Alpha Centauri and outposts at a few other systems. No contact with any alien races yet. Basically, think of it as what Star Trek: Enterprise should have been.
And, just to show you that my geek-hood knows no limits, I am laying things out using my trusty old Classic Traveller books. Just replace JUMP drive with WARP drive and you're rolling right along.
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Awesome DECLARATION model by David Metlesits. Planets by Digital Heavens.