The year was 2442 when, in a terrorist attack attributed to an insurrectionist Resistance leader, a bullet train in the deep of Juno was blown sky high to devastating casualties, scarring the Republic's most dedicated push towards a utopian civilization. Since that day, a memorial has been held to grieve the lives lost - and to celebrate the execution of the man behind the crater in Juno's memory, the city has hosted a week-long festivalunofficially leading up to the anniversary of the rebel leader's death: the Republic's Annual Unity Gala. Recognizing the the globalized Republic community, the Gala has been held for the ninth year running. As much a showcase of the Junean dream, the festival is a spectacular showcase of technological development and artistic endeavors, with parties, light shows and fireworks leading up to the Gala itself. Commonly referred to as the Minister's Masquerade, the benefit is a government sponsored soiree with a standing invitation to the Junean elite and its immediate locals. Every year, a number of participants from Terminus and Varro are selected via and sponsored to attend - all expenses paid - for a night of opulence and intrigue. For a single night, people of all backgrounds and statuses can don their masks and abolish societal and economic barriers that sometimes make them forget that all the Republic's people are important; honored; equal.