What I want to know is whether the Earth Alliance has a Prime Directive. They're exploring space, setting up jumpgates, presumably laying claim to territory...anybody out there? Even pre-sentient species?

Presumably the relative 'spheres of influence' were laid out by all the treaties they're always talking about in Council meetings etc. I wonder if the Non-Aligned Worlds are restricted by the big boys, and whether they bitterly resent it, and that's why they're Shadow-prey. It's all very Great Gamish.