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A relatively young planetary kingdom/state/nation has finally developed the technology to leave their planet. One of the major empires of the 3 Galaxies (or a relatively small empire still powerful enough to impose their will on a single planet) has discovered this civilization and decided to not allow them to leave the planet. The players must use either force or diplomacy to allow their people interplanetary travel.

Why does the superior civilization want to keep them planet bound?
Are they afraid of the potential it has for the future?
Are they attempting to protect the still developing people from the larger dangers of the galaxy?
Do they want to exploit a special resource found elsewhere in the star system which has not yet been discovered?
Do they just think its funny to impede a developing society?
Can they be negotiated with?
Can they be beaten in all out war? (probably not, but its a question the characters will eventually ask themselves)

What is the name of the emerging interstellar nation?
What race are its people?
How many sub-cultures do they have on the planet?
Do they posses the magical or technological capacity to appeal to outside forces?
Are they even aware there exists other species and empires before the controlling force makes contact and starts pushing them around?

Will a larger, more benevolent space empire eventually intercede and offer citizenship to the fledgling nation?
Will such an empire make demands of the planet before they can join the larger collective?

How do the PC's fit into the big picture?
Are they diplomats?
High ranking officers designated to finding a solution?
Low ranking foot soldiers in the yet-to-be-created Space Force?

"...We just don't want you primitives flying around in our backyard, making noise, and scaring the animals."

I am also thinking about their level of weapons technology. Given they are just starting space exploration its entirely possible they have no yet discovered Mega Damage alloys and such. Maybe all their gear is high SDC stuff and as they start exploring they discover a lot more than they would have created on their own.
Also I am thinking no magic or very low magic. Else they would have figured out a way off their home planet sooner or at least learned about other space faring races much earlier.

One interesting idea for the advanced empire to keep these people on the planets...would be as a zoo/theme-park/reality-tv show. The civilization is at an 'interesting' level of development (say the Wild West, or in the middle of a war or something) and so the advanced civilization is either secretly running 'tours' or just keeping advanced phase-camera's on the planet and turning the entire planet into a reality TV show. (Did you ever see that South Park episode where it turned out that Earth was actually a reality TV show? Basically that).

I like that idea. Its been done plenty in books but I've never run that kind of campaign.