The idea behind Rome's Revolution started as VIRUS 5 in 1973. The problem was the story was too long and too complicated to develop a proper relationship between Rome and Rei. So I re-did their initial introduction, including a session with the Espansors and left out the part about the Stareater.
In the revised story, Rei Bierak was part of a continually outward-leaping group that was pushing toward the edge of the galaxy. A better base of operations was discovered and they were abandoning Skyler (spelled Schuyler back then) Base. OMCOM was still around and still stuck and was going to be abandoned. The only thing that was of interest to OMCOM was the gravity wave detector whose construction was halted after it was decided to close down the base. Rei liked OMCOM so he allowed the gravity wave detector to be built. This was going to be the stepping stone to discovery of the Stareater in a sequel.
In the original Rome's Revolution, OMCOM was so grateful for Rei leaving him something to do that he decided to reward Rei by bringing Rome into his life. So, in the end, the basic concept was the same. Rei Bierak was a long way from Earth. He ran into Rome (her last name was Sevenate back then) and OMCOM decided he wanted the two of them together.
They even used the Espansor bands to "bond" quickly. However, this was before the concept of the Overmind was invented. So, instead, Rei and his peers used the "Social Adjust-mints" which were a series of pills acting as brain activity modifiers kept in a wristband. People were enslaved to them. They used them all the time to adjust their moods.
Rome's people were escaping persecution from zealots back on their home world (Mintaka?) and were fleeing outward. When Rome came across Rei, she decided to show him that you could deal with life without using the 'Mints. That was Rome's Revolution.