More than 50 years after the last great war between the Federation and the Federation of Neo-Terra, the two factions coexist in an uneasy alliance against the lawless pirate guilds and their dangerous new enemies, the Shakari. The Shakari fanatics are the priestly caste of Shahar, intent on exacting revenge on the humans who desecrated their ancestral planet. They have a strong presence in the galaxy, inhabiting multiple star systems and putting pressure on fragile alliances such as the Federation, the Confederation, and the Union. To protect humanity from their assaults, powered armor has been developed and a series of mechanized starfighters are being built by humanity.
The Shakali tribe has the technological advantage, while the humans are joined in battle by the best elite pilots, the Ranger Corps, who ride mechanized Starfighters. The player starts the game as a mechanized Starfighter pilot second lieutenant and joins the Ranger Corps to become an elite pilot of the Ranger Corps.