The Earth has changed much by the dawn of the 23rd century but it's shape has remained more or less the same. In the twenty first century, the planet Earth was on the edge of change, not quite dying and not quite alive. But since first contact, and the introduction of much cleaner methods of power generation the planet has become not only more prosperous, but healthier as well. Vertical farms feed the populations, and the three orbital elevators supply not only additional solar power, but have fueled the economy of this mighty world, the centre of a great empire.