[quote=@Illogical Jim]
[@TheUnknowable]

I do have a couple more questions, if you don't mind.

1) What kind of small arms are prevalent in the setting? Energy weapons of some kind presumably exist, but would they be the sort of thing our crew would be armed with, or would we be largely relying on more primitive firearms (or slugthrowers, if you prefer)?

2) Has Earth been significantly altered by its enslaved status? By which I mean, do the old political divisions still exist? Do the former governments still exist on paper, or have they been done away with entirely in favor of some kind of Imperial alien administration? Also, what is life on Earth (and other places humans inhabit) like? Is it endless toil and misery for everyone, or are some humans given preferential treatment in exchange for cooperation and collaboration? Have the aliens tampered with human law, education, even culture?

Oh, and do you want the interested to go ahead and write up CS's, since you posted the form in the OP? I've got an idea for a character, I think.
[/quote]

1) The Freedom Alliance uses particle beams and laser weapons, but most of the slave worlds either use rail guns or Ion guns, which are non-lethal on lower settings, but shut down electronics.  As we trade with the Alliance, you can use their weapons if you want to, and fairly expensive if bought from them.  They would be very expensive on the grey market, as the Chigani heavily tax imports from them and weapons.

2) The Vs'Ks'Thi have governors for their slave worlds, with the Earth having one stationed in each territory, America (San Fransisco), Europe/Africa (Paris), Asia (Beijing), Artic (North Pole City), Antartic (South Pole City), and Luna (Tranquil City, Sea of Tranquility).  The first three export slaves (about 100k per 1/10 year) and the last three, considered by their governors to be terrible postings as they are mining colonies, import 1k slaves/immigrants per 1/10 year.  They created human governments to govern each area and coordinate slave and tax (in the form of raw material) export, but don't really care what the humans do with their territory as long as they don't break the general laws (restricting certain tech, not supporting rebels, etc.), pay their taxes and send enough healthy, adult slaves.  Many of the old governments still exist, though they have assimilated other countries in the area.  Many of the slaves the are exported are serious criminal offenders, as all human territories export their dangerous criminals as slaves.
Humans are all subordinate to the Chigani and Vs'Ks'Thi, but some humans have gained their freedom through service to them.  Think of it this way, human structure has at the top Free humans, then normal humans (who can be taken as slaves at any time, but rarely are as they don't need that many slaves), then there are Slave humans, who are directly owned by a Vs'Ks'Thi or a Chigani or are on the market for this reason.  Generally, the normal humans who suck up to the aliens are freed, and become the upper class.  The middle and lower class are made up of normal non-Slave humans, and earn enough to live on, but often with a standard of living below our present day developed world standard.  Then the slaves live in whatever conditions their masters give them.  For the most part they sleep in bunkhouses, share areas with other slaves, and work every day of every week for long hours, as the Masters who treat their slaves like that earn a profit faster.

Yeah, go ahead and post a CS if you want.