The Colony of Paradise was founded in 2256 AD, essentially, as an exotic resort location among the stars. Realizing there were lucrative opportunities to offer a "vacation location" for the well-to-do wishing to get away from the struggling Earth, a number of entrepreneurs provided the funding for the Colony's creation. Unlike most Colonies, Paradise was run completely as a private commercial venture for many of its early years. The population remained small and highly exclusive during this time, but a severe drought on Earth in 2268 AD saw massive demand for colonization. The other Colonies of the time were already at capacity and only Paradise was capable of supporting a large influx of people. While there had been fairly stringent restrictions on who was allowed into the Colony prior to