Earth

Earth, sometimes referred to as Gaia, is the the homeworld of the human race and the heart of the Gaian Empire. Prior to the advent of interstellar travel, pollution and overpopulation had made Earth nearly unlivable. With the invention of the ripple drive an immense exodus commenced: Earth was all but evacuated and her population relocated to the new colonies. For a time, even Gaian High Command left the planet, instead consolidating its power on Mars and various outposts and installations throughout the Sol system. A vast environmental restoration project was launched to restore the homeworld to its former glory.

Today, Earth's ecology has made a complete recovery. The homeworld has become a sacred symbol of humanity, and habitation is restricted to the elite of the Gaian state apparatus. It is home to the Gaian High Command Complex in Rome, but other than a number of luxury resorts for high-ranking dignitaries, it is otherwise uninhabited and tended to much like a vast nature reserve.