OFFAL
"THIS IS WHAT YOU WERE MADE FOR."
In the distant future, a species known as the Alharids brings mankind to its knees, forcing them to compete in an event called "the Trials." Two other species were involved, the Spreals and the Axioms (written in human pronunciation, anyway), both also being desperate to survive this cataclysm.
Every 4 years, the Alharids would unleash what humanity called a "doomsday device," causing what many called "the Void" to expand further, slowly closing in on the contestants' home planets. The species that could find the "Heart" of the Void, a large, colossal piece of equipment hidden throughout the Void that served as the moving force of the event, would be spared for the next 10 years, until the Void moved again. The others would have to watch as the Void closed in on them even further, knowing their time is shorter than the rest. Until, of course, they go "poof."
The Axioms are in the lead. The Spreals are second. Earth is third. In short, mankind is on the brink of being destroyed — the next Trial may as well be their last. Perhaps the Alharids wanted to get rid of them quicker, they figured, as the next Trial was commenced just 1 year later, hardly giving humanity time to prepare their artificial pilots for the Dead Zone.
Left without a choice, humanity desperately sends in their top-scoring pilot to proceed within the round, doing whatever they can with underprepared equipment.