Rationalizing a Firefly - Serenity type setting

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Originally Posted by David Johnston2

Well they have instant-terraforming super-science but nothing else that would implied by that godlike capability. Other than that, the core is a pretty typical TL 10, while the fringe is schizotech with late 19th century firearms coexisting with lasers, stunners, forcefield windows, maglev monorails, 20th century atvs, horse drawn transport whatever. Primitive locally produced stuff, and really over priced core tech.

Two of the things I am trying to justify or explain away here.

The rest of the godlike technology has been suppressed because it is too scary.

And the Core worlds are intentionally not making stuff the fringe needs. In the vain hope that the fringers will come back, or start behaving properly. And if they won't, to hold back their technology level.

But the Core worlds can't get too blatant about it, because they have to maintain the fiction they are trying to help the fringers, not suppress them. And of there isn't total agreement on what to do and not do. Plus of course human corruption.

So the fringe has to make it themselves, or adapt stuff the Core worlds make for themselves, when they can get it smuggled out, with the extra cost of smuggling.