Timeline

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What follows is a complete timeline of significant events in the known history of space travel in the Milky Way, and the history of the Virgo Orbital Research Establishment.

It is mostly feature complete, but will be added upon or minorly revised.

The history of the Space Station 13 universe is (obviously) not entirely our own, but rather one that has diverged from ours during the early 20th century. So while it takes place in the future, it is not our future, but a future as imagined by this community.

Behind the scenes

What would I even put here? Really.

http://ss13polaris.com/wiki/doku.php?id=lore:history Probably gonna steal lots from here.

Editor's Note (TEMPORARY)

If you are taking lore from other communities, please mark it for now until we make it official.

Example:

• 2467: Clowns invade the Mime Republic of "..." in the Faire Taire system. (Goonstation)

Okay that's not actually Goon lore, but it's an example of how I want it written.

Real world events of scientific significance should also be included.

For the moment, go absolutely nuts adding things. I'm going to personally review everything at a later date.

20th Century

1900s

• 1903: Inspired by the writings of Jules Verne, the first serious scientific papers are published that show physical space exploration is theoretically possible.
• 1905: Albert Einstein publishes his Special Theory of Relativity.

1910s

• 1912: Victor Hess discovers the existence of cosmic radiation.
• 1918: Chase Monroe is born in Montana.

1920s

• 1920: The Nazi Party is formed.
• 1926: Robert H. Goddard launches humanity's first liquid-fueled rocket.
• 1927: Verein für Raumschiffahrt (Society for Space Travel) is formed; it includes many top European rocket scientists.
• 1929: Hermann Oberth, with students including Wernher von Braun, launches his first liquid-fueled rocket. Among them is Dietrich Troy, who has been studying Special Relativity among other quantum mechanical theories.

1930s

• 1930: Paul Dirac Dirac's textbook Principles of Quantum Mechanics is published.
• 1931: First German military liquid-fueled rocket engines developed.
• 1932: Adolf Hitler is appointed as Chancellor of Germany.
• 1933: Work begins on the Aggregate series of rockets which leads to the V-2 rocket.
• 1934: Adolf Hitler becomes Führer of Germany.
• 1935: Dietrich Troy joins the Nazi Party.
• 1937: Chase Monroe joins the United States Army.

1940s

• 1941: The United States enters World War 2.
• 1942: The Battle of Stalingrad takes place.
• 1944: Dietrich Troy becomes a Wonder Weapons researcher working on the V-2 rocket under the supervision of Ludwig Brandt. However, Brandt becomes interested in research notes by Troy regarding the possibility of time travel, and has Troy reassigned.
  • September: The V-2 Rocket is the first man-made object to cross what would later be defined as the Kármán line, becoming the first spaceflight in human history.
  • June: Chase Monroe participates in the Battle of Normandy. The allied invasion of Europe begins.
• 1945: Under Ludwig Brandt's supervision, using Dietrich Troy's designs and calculations, the first Bluespace Gateway in history is built within a secret underground facility beneath the city of Lübeck. It is referred to as the Saphirdimensionale Zeitbrücke (SDZ).
  • The Battle of Berlin takes place. Adolf Hitler, realizing the war is lost, escapes in secret with the German 21st Army to Lübeck. An unknown individual, possibly one of Hitler's body doubles, is executed and their body burned to fool the Soviets and even Hitler's personal guard into believing that Hitler committed suicide. Hitler instead goes into hiding at the underground base in Lübeck as the SDZ is rushed to completion.
  • July: The Manhattan Project produces the first nuclear fission explosion during the Trinity test in New Mexico.
  • August: The nuclear bombs Fat Man and Little Boy are dropped on Japan, formally ending World War 2.
  • October: The United Nations are established.
• 1946: Chase Monroe is promoted to Sergeant and reassigned to Operation Paperclip to locate and retrieve Nazi technology before the Soviet Union can do the same.
• November: Monroe and his unit are sent to investigate rumors of a hidden Nazi base in Lübeck. A secret passage is discovered beneath Holstein Tor, leading to an underground complex still inhabited by active Nazi troops. A firefight breaks out between American and Nazi-remnant forces. As American forces call for backup, Chase Monroe breaks from his group to pursue several high ranking Nazi officers including Dietrich Troy, Ludwig Brandt, and even Adolf Hitler himself. The officers evacuate through the SDZ, but Monroe is able to follow them just moments before the portal is deliberately sabotaged by the Nazi-remnants using dynamite. The Incident at Lübeck is covered up by the Office of Strategic Services, and any documents that were not destroyed by the Nazi-remnants are brought back to the United States. However, American scientist are unable to put together the missing pieces, and eventually give up on the project, assuming it to be another impossible Wonder Weapon that never would have worked in practice.
• December: Chase Monroe is declared Missing In Action.

1950s

• 1957: Hugh Everett formulates the many-worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics, which states that every possible quantum outcome is realized in divergent, non-communicating parallel universes in quantum superposition.
  • October: Humanity's first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1, is launched into orbit.

1960s

• 1964: John Stewart Bell puts forth Bell's theorem, which inaugurated the study of quantum entanglement; the phenomenon in which separate particles share the same quantum state despite being at a distance from each other.
• 1966: Humanity's first soft landing on another world (the Moon).

1970s

• 1971: Humanity's first soft landing on another planet (Mars).
• 1977: Voyager 1 and 2 are launched from Earth.

1980s

• 1981: Humanity's first reusable manned spacecraft, STS-1, is launched.
• 1986: Humanity's first consistently inhabited long-term research space station, Mir, begins operation.

1990s

• 1998: The International Space Station begins operation.

21st Century

2000s

• 2001: The Global War on Terror begins, which is considered to be the first truly global effort of the world's nations against a common enemy.
• 2009: Scientists warn that the effects of global warming are now so severe that they cannot be reversed.

2010s

• 2011: The corporate endeavor Mars One is founded, planning for a one-way trip to make the first human Mars, which will be funded by making it a reality TV show.

2020s

• 2023: The Global War on Terror is declared over through a mix of negotiation and (in some cases) complete annihilation of various terror groups.

2030s

• 2032: Mars One departs from Earth after several delays.
• 2033: Mars One arrives on Mars.
• 2034: Mars One colonists all perish due to dwindling supplies and mental breakdowns, making international news as the entire tragedy is caught on live video. An incompetent selection process is blamed.
• 2036: Mars One goes bankrupt.
• 2038: Chronic flooding of the world's coastal cities, combined with droughts further inland, begins to severely devastate the economies of many nations. The Water Wars begin in the Middle East.

2040s

• 2040: The Water Wars result in skyrocketing prices for crude oil, culminating in a standoff between China, Europe, Russia, India, and the United States.
• 2041: Rheinmetall, Thyssen-Krupp, Walther and Heckler and Koch initiate a massive merger unseen in economic history after the German Cartel Law has been slowly eroded with punctuated lobbyism and economic crisis. The result is the first megacorporation of Humanity - Hephaestus Industries.
• 2042: For the first time in human history, a nuclear fusion reactor produces a net gain in power. However, the net gain is so minuscule that even wind and solar power are seen as far more practical and cost effective options.

2050s

• 2054: The first sentient AI is created. It has the cognitive ability of a 4 year old child.

2060s

• 2063: The colonization of Luna begins under the aegis of the United Nations opens the door to further extraterrestrial colonization.
• 2068: Despite desperate international efforts to avert a crisis, the Water Wars end with a localized nuclear war between Middle Eastern nations, plus India and Pakistan. Billions are killed. It is the largest loss of human life to a single war in the course of human history. Numerous nations are destroyed or collapse completely, such as Armenia, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Pakistan, Qatar, Syria, Yemen, and the United Arab Emirates.
• 2069: Earth's nations vow to lay down their nuclear arms in order to avoid an incident like the Water Wars, for fear of a war on such a scale that it could be the end of humanity.

2070s

• 2070: In the aftermath of the Water Wars, a reformed interpretation of Islam, known as 'Tariq Al'Islam', takes root in the Middle East. Believing that the devastating war had been divine punishment for centuries of transgressions, this new religious reinforces the idea of a better, friendlier Middle East.
• 2071: Remnants of Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey sign the Treat of Niqaba, also known as The Brotherhood Treaty. Bitter and ancient rivalries between the four nations are put to an end with the founding of the United Republic of Mesopotamia. Other surviving Middle Eastern nations including Afghanistan, Bahrain, and Oman eventually join the newly formed Republic. Reconstruction and reform efforts begin across the Middle East. However, oil production in the area remains permanently devastated.
• 2072: Rising sea levels due to climate change result in the destruction of New York City during a major storm, killing thousands, and stranding millions. The United Nations headquarters is moved to Paris during the emergency. This change becomes permanent.
• 2075: The Unified Earth Government (UEG) is commissioned by the United Nations as an assembly of political leaders and brilliant minds, and is tasked with attempting to avert the crises of the next century by solving governmental unification issues of colonizing non-Earth territories. Among its first members are much of the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and India. The United States, Russia, and China decline an invitation, which creates doubt that the UEG's efforts will be successful.
• 2076: The United Republic of Mesopotamia joins the UEG. Recently elected President Abdul Majeed al-Radwan famously declares that unless humanity can live without borders, the world will perish. He cites the Water Wars as a cautionary tale, and implores the United States, Russia, and China to join the rest of humanity.
• 2078: Permanent colonization of Mars is initiated by a collection of international corporate interests, which brings industry off-world. It also provides some alleviation to the strain on Earth's resources and environment.
• 2079: Bluespace is discovered. The Journal of Higher Dimensional Physics publishes an article about the discovery.

2080s

• 2080: The UEG's nations pool together their resources to colonize Luna, Mars, and a handful of other sites in the Sol system, including the Jovian Moons, and a number of asteroids.
• 2081: The Antarctic Wars begin as China and the United States attempt to seize oil reserves in the antarctic, disregarding international treaties in the process. Neither nations are willing to use nuclear weapons, or attack each other's mainland.
  • November: Rather than participate in the war, Russia joins the UEG, providing the alliance with a strong military presence. In doing so, Cuba, Venezuela, Kazakhstan, and Belarus also join.
• 2083: Synthetic production and isolation of the Alden-Saraspova particle has been successful. Directly responsible for the Bluespace Effect, faster than light travel seems to be virtually possible, if energy requirements can be resolved.
• 2085: The first bluespace engine is invented. Slow, bulky, dangerous, and prohibitively expensive, it nonetheless revolutionizes physics and space travel. Japan joins the UEG in order to participate directly in its development. However, it lacks a suitable power source.
• 2086: North Korea finally collapses in violent revolt. The influx of refugees severely hamper the Chinese war effort. The United States is accused for providing weapons, but this is never proven.
• 2087: Hephaestus develops weapons of mass destruction, most notably a fusion bomb for use on strategic warheads. The UEG puts an end to it, to the relief of Humanity and to the chagrin of corporate interest.
• 2088: The first practical fusion reactor is produced, powering cities throughout western Europe.

2090s

• 2090: Orbital construction begins on Hakobune, the first ever colony ship intended to set course for a world outside of the Sol. Companies from Japan and South Korea play a core role in its development, most notably in the development of an on-board fusion reactor to power it. South Korea also joins the UEG.
• 2093: The last gas-powered car in Europe is dismantled for scrap. Without the economic strain of fossil fuels, the UEG experiences a substantial economic boom. The cost of fuel is at its lowest point since the Water Wars, but it's still 150% more expensive compared to any point prior to the Water War.
• 2094: The Antarctic War enters its 13th year, and has become severely bogged down on both sides. The United States and China are both left in poverty, while enviously watching the UEG continue to flourish. To make matters worse, what oil could be recovered at the Antarctic proves to be substantially less than what was hoped for. The public on both sides sees the conflict as a lost cause.
• 2097: Beaten and demoralized, the United States and China reluctantly agree to meet at the negotiation table. The UEG offers economic aid in exchange for an end to their war. China is the first to give in, and joins the UEG. Many Asian and African nations follow suit.
• 2099: China withdraws the last of its troops from Antarctica, signalling an informal end to the Antarctic War. The United States celebrates, though it's a hollow victory.

22nd Century

2100s

• 2100: The Hakobune launches at the turn of the century. This marks the beginning of the Interstellar Age for Humanity. Equipped with both a Bluespace drive and Cold Fusion powered bluespace jump drive, the vessel is capable of reaching speeds of up to eight times the speed of light in Bluespace as  a means to reach other stars in a matter of days, rather than years. It has a jump range of only 5 light years, but it's enough to reach Sol's closest neighbors.
• 2101: Caving to international and domestic political pressure, the United States at last casts a public ballot to join the UEG. It's a landslide victory. Meanwhile, Humanity spreads across Sol, forming colony after colony in the inner system and harvesting resources from the asteroid belt. Mars serves as the main manufacturing and processing hub for these ores and metals gained from belter mining. The colonisation of Venus is made possible with the invention of Plasteel, a lightweight and durable material capable and flexible enough to create aerostat colonies.
• 2104: The last President of the United States ends his term in office. The United States formally joins the UEG, and following its example are the last of the world's nations—mostly from South America. For the first time in human history, there are no longer any ongoing wars. Earth is truly united, and not a moment too soon, as Martian colonies begin to chafe under the rule of the UEG.
  • June: The National Martian Assembly convenes for the first time. What follows is the gradual expulsion of extramartian industrial interests, leading to increased pressure from the UEG, up to and including military intervention.

• • August: The National Martian Assembly forms the Ares Federation in an attempt to unite against foreign interest and declare their independence from the UEG. An expeditionary force is sent out to pacify the rogue colonies. This marks the beginning of the Ares Crisis.
  • 2105:  Although the conflict rages on for six months, there are relatively little causalties. Humanity is new to interplanetary warfare and most ships are just repurposed civilian crafts. However, this changes soon enough as the first true military vessels begin to roll out of orbital drydocks.
    • February: The February Offensive is the first major military operation staged in the transorbital war zone. Fleet Elements of the First Terran Armada blockade the Ares Federation drydrocks and a sortie is deployed to break this siege. It ends in a pyhrric victory for the UEG.
      • UEG forces land in Roanoake. Martian independence is threatened for the first time. While the UEG fail to meet its primary objectives, they manage to entrench themselves and establish a beachhead.
      •  Volunteer forces fight with more and more radical methods and desperately attempt total mobilisation. Elements within the Ares Federation doubt they will fully break the yoke of the UEG and are willing to negotiate.

• • March: The war becomes increasingly unpopular with Earth's population and public support for the war effort dwindles. Sympathy spreads for the Martian colonists, especially after the documentary "Beyond the Green : Life on Mars" is published against the desire of the UEG.

• • June: An Armistice is been declared on both sides. Forces stand down as they have driven themselves into a deadlock. Negotiations start for the future of the Red Planet.

• • December: After a period of long negotiations and intermittent belligerence on both sides, the UEG and the Ares Federation declare peace. The Federation dissolves and its constitutent members are fully integrated as voting members into the UEG, which becomes an artificial title as Humanity is now a true interplanetary government. What follows is a renaissance in both Martian and Terran societies as Humanity is united once again. The Ares Crisis end, having planted the seeds for interstellar warfare, legal combatant PMCs, and war economy on a Global Scale.
• 2106: The Hakobune charges its Bluespace Jump Drive for the first time and departs for Proxima Centauri, where the first exoplanet, now named Covenant, is colonized. The first colony to be founded is called Goddard's Intent. It is the first of millions of human colonies to come.
  • December: Crude artificial gravity devices spread in human space after the first interstellar bluespace jump, having been invented after interpreation of the created telemitry of the jump. Alongside with new, exciting pharmaceuticals that promote strong lungs, healthy bones and decent muscle tissue even in microgravitional envrionments (helpfully provided by a company called Zeng-Hu, which gains prominence due to these patents), makes permanent habitation of orbitals without losing the ability to live on Earth a non-issue. More and more humans spill to the stars, making the formerly empty space alive with communications chatter and transports. A time of prosperity begins, in which more and more Sol Colonies join the UEG as fully functioning members, which only relucantly agrees on such, rather not resparking the Times of Troubles.
• 2107: Venus gains prominence and importance as hydroponic installations begin to yield a massive food surplus. The presence of pure sulfuric acid and nitrogen in the atmosphere makes creating fertilizer very easy, while sunlight and temperature can now be easily regulated. Much of Venus' industry is devoted to food, regularily supplying colonies now. Thus it joins Earth and Mars as major powers within the UEG as the "Bread Basket of Sol". 
  • June: With the massive influx of foodstuff independent from local production, orbitals become larger and more complex. Advancements in artificial gravity technology, combined with rotaitonal force upon asteroids, allows asteroid colonies to maintain simulated gravity that is nearly identical to Earth. The asteroid belt gains its first true, permanent citizens. Belters become a political power and gain traction to better conditions for the fringes of Humanity.

• • November: The Belters are dissatisfied with slow reform of their lives and radical elements convene on Europa. This marks the start of the 3rd Internationale, more commonly known as 2nd Soviet Union, remembering the lessons of Stalin, Lenin and Trotzky. The UEG acts swiftly, trying to surpress and remove terroristic influences outside the Inner System.
• 2108:  The Mannschmidt Accords soothe some rifts between Belters and the UEG. However, the 3rd Internationale remains a major underground force and terrorist organisation within the fledgling human empire. The Red Scare receives somewhat of a revival.
  • October: The Martian Stock market crashes after creating the Colony Charter Bubble, in which private enterpreneurs oversold the success of privately funded colonies within the Kuiper Belt. Emergency measures and state appropriation of colonies try to combat the worst, but the 3rd Internationale seizes its chance and takes over several colonies, seceding from the UEG.

• • December: The 3rd Internationale is resoundly destroyed as Venus refuses to supply them with food. Starving revolutionaries become compliant again. However, the existence of such an armed uprising leads to the limitation of Colony Charters, only granted now after thorough review by the Ministry of Colonial Acquisitions for its sustainbility and profitabality. This slows the process of new colonies being built, however it proves to be beneficial in the long term.
• 2109: The Hakobune returns to Earth to resupply, and brings with it word of its successful colonization of an exoplanet. Several new colony ships begin development. They are named Discovery, Event Horizon, La Perouse, Lateralus, Leif Eriksson, Magellan, Sovereign, and Zheng He.

2110s

• 2115: UES La Perouse departs for Sirius.
• 2119: Extrasolar asteroids are found to contain trace amounts of a super heavy element with extreme reductive behavior and an unexplained stability. Beyond becoming a curiosity for chemists and nuclear physicists, the discovery changes little in the field of science. Colloquially referred to as plasma at the time, Phoron will later become a crucial part of interstellar travel as the Alden-Saraspova particle occurs naturally in it, rendering its synthesis moot.

2120s

• 2120: The UES Event Horizon leaves for Luhman 16. It is never found again. Its last message reads "Oh god, the red eyes are everywhere!" Meanwhile, the La Perouse reports success in Sirius, although they have trouble finding viable water sources. This is a common problem with extrasolar colonies as large bodies of easily accessible water are rare and ice asteroid mining is a dangerous business and the refinement difficult. The UES Leif Eriksson leaves for Tau Ce
  • August: The Third Emu War begins. The UEG uses orbital bombardement to clear out the vile fowl folk. This time, humanity wins barely, a grim reminder to not overdo genetic resequencing with birds. Australian refugees scatter across the stars, finally settling in Tiamat, Alpha Centauri.
• 2122: Tiamat, with the rather substantial influx of migrants, becomes a major exporter of water and xenobiological life. Extrasolar colonies prosper with the influx of water tankers. Alpha Centauri as a whole becomes much more important and demands more autonomy from the UEG, who stalls instead to give them concessions. The situation begins to mirror the Ares Crisis. A fact many prominent politicians begin to point out.
  • June: 10th of June, the first meeting of the Terran Ecological Renewal Forum. UEG members and extrasolar colonisation scientists meet to discuss Earth and its exhausted biosphere. The damages done over human history are considerable and Australia is ecologically devastated after the Third Emu War. The Middle East still suffers from radiation and exclusion zones. The plastic island is the size of Europe. Everyone agrees, something needs ot be done. A massive industrial effort starts and for the first time in Humanity, everyone pitches in, from the Terran Coreworlder to the fringe colonist in the Kuiper Belt. Not an unconsiderable amount of money goes into the PR campaign associated with the ERF movement, which doubtlessly contributed to the massive civil mobilisation.
• 2125: Several extinct species have been successfully reintroduced by the ERF. Increasing urbanisation across the globe deserts many rural regions as agriculture becomes increasingly more centralized on the behest of the ERF. The result is nature reclaiming land slowly, but steadily. Desertfication grinds slowly down to a halt. It seems like Earth can recover from the voracious behaviour of Humanity.

2130s

• 2136: The Leif Eriksson reports success in arrival and settlement of Tau Ceti. The other colony ships report varying degrees of successes and failures. However, Humanity can rest in the knowledge they have seeded amongst the stars. However, the UEG struggles to keep the colonies in line, much like how it happened on Mars. Unwilling to repeat this darker chapter in history, the Solar Assembly is founded to represent colonial interests outside of Sol. The UEG grants semi-autonomy to Alpha Centauri and its colonies a seat in the Solar Assembly.

2140s

• 2140: Australia's ecosystem has been stabilized. After much debate, the original emu is reintroduced as well. They integrate fully without much hassle. Australia is repaired. The plastic island has been reduced to a miniscule size and finally removed as well, most of it recycled to aid far flung colonies of Humanity. Even the Middle East enjoys rehabilation as state of the art radiation scrubbers clean up past mistakes.

2150s

• 2157: Tau Ceti becomes a major trading hub and extracts much wealth from outlying colonies with tarriffs and tolls. The unprecedent amount of wealth is used to build up a solid infrastructure and academic state. Due to its newfound importance, Tau Ceti demands a seat in the Solar Assembly... And gets it.  They now stand almost equal to Sol.

• 2159: The Age of Piracy begins as the limited capabilities for the UEG to act outside Sol,Tau Ceti and Alpha Centauri leads to many colonies to be poorly defended. Seperationists, terrorists and the renmants of the 3rd Internationale see fertile grounds for a renewed recruitment drive, under both pirates and disgruntled fringe colonists.

2160s

• 2161: The Birth of the 4th Internationale, commonly dubbed the 3rd Soviet Union. The resurgance of terrorist groups leads to the creation of the Solar Militia Mandate. Birth of the "Colonial Marine". With the security issues addressed and colonies fervently adhering to the Mandate one way or the other, the brief Age of Piracy is resoundly destroyed. While Space Piracy is still very much present and alive, the rule of law is mostly established back. The 4th Internationale lays low and bides its time, slowly infiltrating governments and soceties alike.

2170s

• 2176: Jovian Orbital 1, renamed to the Jovian Republic, joins the Solar Assembly and the UEG. It is the first the first orbital habitat big enough to be considered its own nation. Over three million people live in the complex, cavernous habitat, made of human-made orbital stations, hollowed out asteroids and assimilated ships.

2180s

• 2185: Humanity makes a baffling discovery, requiring astrophysicists to re-examine their timeline of the galaxy: A red dwarf was found in its dying stages. The only anomaly these dwarves exhibit is an overabundance of the previously discovered super-heavy element Phoron.
•  2187: Medical sciences,material sicences and exotic energy sciences blossom up, headed by the flagships of NanoInnovations Inc. and Trasen Pharmaceuticals, the two companies most closely associated with the discovery of Phoron. Miracle drugs created by the super-heavy element find widespread use especially in microgravity environments. The human life expentacy increases dramatically.

2190s

• 2194: More and more colonies become big and prosperous enough to demand representation in the Solar Assembly. The UEG, Tau Ceti and Alpha Centauri, however, block this motion as it becomes too unwieldy with ever more increasing members. Now militarized colonies become increasingly upset and become de facto autonomous. The Colonial Cold War begins, leading to the prominence of the UEG ONI. The Office of Naval Intelligence becomes a notorious clandestine organisation, not afraid to use their resources and personnel in the ruthless way possible to secure the future of the UEG.

• 2198: A global cooldown of Earth causes the oceans to recede as polar caps finally begin to grow again. Flooded regions, especially in the Netherlands, Great Britian, southern USA, South America and south east Asia become habitable again. The ruins of old cities become a treasure trove of old culture. A humanist revival begins, with major conservative, spiritual and eco-friendly movements swaying hearts and minds of people. Retro becomes chic and many contemporary musicians of the 21st century start to become considered "classic", influencing musicians of the 22nd and 23rd century.

• 2199: Religion begins to resurge in the lives of many humans as major factor in their lives, especially amongst disenfranchised fringe colonists and the traditionalist movements. Tariq Al'Islam, Anglican churches and the Catholic-Orthodox church gain prominence by funding and supporting colonial efforts, spreading communities far and wide into the stars. 

• Communication between colonies becomes more and more reliable as the intranet protocols are reformed and streamlined into an UEG-backed mega project, called "Initiative Umbrella". Thousands of communications sattelites are installed in orbits of colonies, both monitoring and relaying information by sending optical signals through bluespace tunnels to other sattelites, providing almost lagless communication and bandwidth over lightyears of distance. However, the UEG did this mostly to keep tabs on dissent movements with the ONI regularily datamining the messages and data of the myriad of users of Initative Umbrella.

23rd Century

2200s

• 2200: AIs reach their practical ceiling for Humanity. Despite all efforts, true humanlike sapience can not be replicated with current technology. However, their design has reached such a sophistication that they can be programmed into extremely competent expert machines which can fool people into believing they are humans in casual conversation.

• 2202: Léon Moreau gains quite the large following within Terra and outside. A former planetary atmospheric engineer, an accident led him to become a preacher of what is latter called "Moreaurism" or Unitarianism. A syncretic set of beliefs with many elements of abrahamic religions, Moreau calls for the "Jihad of Decay", taking up the banner of the ERF, now defunct, to "terraform" Earth back into a pristine planet, funded by believers, sympathic philantrophists and more progressive elements in Old Earth Religions.

2210s

• 2211: A group of researchers led by Eirik Alden and Anastasia Sarapova make a discovery that changes the nature of Faster-than-Light Travel by proving that Phoron naturally contains a stable form of the exotic particle that is entangled with Bluespace. In their honor, it is named the Alden-Sarapova particle, as the former name is now factually wrong, called "Synth-TwoEx Particle", short for synthetically extracted exotic particle.

• 2213: Using the Alden-Sarapova particle, the first modern Bluespace drive prototype is designed on paper, which is theoretically far more fuel efficient and less volatile than any predecessor, mostly due to the inclusion of Phoron for the Alden-Sarapova Particle.

• 2217: The Colonial Cold War briefly flares up and threatens to become hot. The Colony "Gloria IV" refuses to follow the Solar Militia Mandate, citing they are already well protected by their wealth and their neighboring colonies, who are very much dependent on the trade and infrastructure of Gloria IV. They all unite under the banner of the Gloria Republic. UEG Navy Detachments begin to blockade the planet, diverting civilian ships around it. It is officially called a "quarantine", but many dissenters call it an illegal act of war.

• 2219: The patent for the Alden-Sarapova Bluespace Drive is made public domain. Anastasia Sarapova is quoted saying "it would be a detriment to humanity" to keep the patent.

2220s

• 2228: Hyperurbanization becomes common in the most prosperous colonies within Sol, such as Mars, Earth and the Jovian Republic. While skycraper cities bear their own load of problems, such as social isolation and dereliction in the lower sections, as well high urban crime rates, many, many humans living in such prosperous colonies accept these conditions. Arcology design and architecture become highly prestigious academic fields as Moreauism becomes an important factor in politics, which calls for eco-friendly and sustainable cities. Green energy becomes much more relevant.

• 2229: The invention of the first SMES revolutionizes energy management as electric energy can be safely stored for decades without significant decay while having an efficiency to upwards 80 percent.

2230s

•  2231: The first prototype Alden-Sarapova Bluespace Drive is produced. It smashes previous jump distance records by achieving a 27.2 light year jump from Earth to Xi Ursae Majoris. It also sets a record for the smallest ship capable of FTL travel, thanks to more reasonable power requirements that makes Snythetic Alden-Sarapova ships obsolete.

• 2232: The then current president of the UEG survives an attempt on his life. The popular reformist Henry Blackhouse swears that the matter will be investigated in its entirety and adressed appropriately. What follows is a political scandal on an interstellar scale, commonly dubbed the "Umbrella Affair" as the cordial attitude of Blackhouse to the demands of non-assembly colonies has been seen as threat to the hegemony of the UEG by the ONI, staging the hit on their own president to replace him with more jingoist and conservative candidates. Myriads of civil investigators, Blackhouse Administration members and whistleblowers slowly uncover unpleasant bits of the MO of the ONI, such as the casual mass surveillance with the installed Initiative Umbrella sattelites, the kidnapping of prominent fringe colonist activist and the diversion of colonial development funds. Secretary of the ONI Manuel Lacher is impeached on grounds of Treason against the State and Corruption.
  • November: Manuel Lacher escapes his imprisoment from Titan, Sol. He eludes any attempt of recapture.

• 2234: Orbital solar collectors become standard for many less energy hungry colonial planets. Cold fusion plants cover most of the rest of energy requirements. Nuclear fission is mostly phased out at this point, regelated to upstart colonies who not yet have the neccessary infastructure for fancier methods of electricity production.

•  2237: The first commercially viable Alden-Sarapova Bluespace Drives appear on the market. It is also adopted by the UEG's navy. The Expansion Age begins.

•  2239: Earth has been restored carefully to conditions unprecedented since centuries. Although some scars never fade, the explotiation of Earth stops finally and backwards implementation of terraformation methods restores a stable . The last vestiges of Heavy Industry finally moves off-planet, only relatively eco-friendly industries, especially in cultural agricultural, logging and service sectors remain. The ozone layer has been mended and plastic in the Oceans come to a record low. Earth becomes the pristine jewel of the UEG again, becoming not only the politicial but also the spiritual and cultural capital of Humanity once again.

2240s

• 2247: Another scandal hits the UEG, this time outside of their influence. A particularly rebellious colony has developed on an unprecedented scale, leading to investigations of the new and reformed ONI. As it turns out, they have been received help of a mysterious benefactor... The Skrell. Confused dialogues between both governments, a local city state of Skrell and the UEG, reveal that the colony pretended to be a native species to the system and has called for status as client species to become a fully fledged interstellar nation. UEG has to explain time and time again to the Skrellian Soceties that they are indeed very capable and interstellar already. The humiliation suffered makes one clear : The Colonial Cold War must end, one way or the other.

• 2249: Tensions rise between the Skrellian City States and the UEG, as the UEG confiscates the alien artifacts the Skrells have gifted to the lying colony. Reverse-engineering is, however, done despite the protests of the Skrells. Bluespace drives become even more refined and reliable, all the while gaining valuable insight of more stable creations of tunnels of bluespace between two fixed points, sharing similarities to an Einstein-Rosen Bridge. This will later lead to the development of Bluespace Spacegates.

2250s

• 2251: The tensions domestic and foreign overwhelm the UEG and its hegemony in the Colonial Cold War. Rim colonies refuse to trade with Tau Ceti, threatening to crash its economy. Civil disobedience rises as Alpha Centauri threatens to cut off its water supply to the rebellious colonies, mimicking what Venus has done to the 2nd Soviet Union. This, however, backfires as the unrepresented colonies have prepared for this situation and have implented water reclamation and austerity policies to wait such methods out.

• 2252: Re-elected Blackhouse calls for calm within the UEG. The Skrellian Pressure, as he dubs it, calls for an united human front, which cannot be achieved with embargoist and militaristic means. He calls for a Grand Forum of all colonies to solve the outstanding issues and reform the UEG to reflect modern times. At first, this is met with reluctance, but increasing Skrellian military activity along the fringes of Human Space make even the most rebellious colonies compliant. 

• As it turns out later, Blackhouse has hired skrellian mercenary outfits to stage this. The Skrellian Soceties are minorly upset, but applaud the ruse in the end, as trading with an internally peaceful government is much easier.

• 2254: The Grand Forum reaches a conclusion after much debate and polticial battle. The UEG is dissolved and reforms into the United Systems of Sol Central, short Sol Central or SolGov. The addition of the Colonial Assembly allows representation of all colonies big and prosperous enough to join. The Solar Militia Mandate is jossed and supplanted by the  Act of Colonial Security. The UEG Military merges with many colonial outfits, now renamed United Solar Defense Forces. The Declaration of Galactic Rights is declared. The Colonial Cold War ends on a high note, leading to the birth of an  insterstellar empire continuing well into the 2560s.

2260s

• 2262: A coup on Terra plunges SolGov into chaos as Manuel Lacher returns. Having formed a conspiracy organisation with rogue agents unaccounted for during the Umbrella Affair and embezzled funds, he coups the SolGov government and declares Martial Law. Loyalist government members flee out of Sol and hide in the nearby colonies. This marks the exposure of the "Lacher Syndicate", an underground network rooted through the entirety of Human Space, with major prominent figures in corporations, governments and other influental organisations blackmailed, bribed or brainwashed to further the goals of the former ONI Director.
  • December: Loyalist forces consolidate behind President Komatsu, who has survived the coup and now campaigns to restore the constitutional government. Humanity is thrown into disarray and many colonies take the chance to simply cede themselves from the Umbrella government of SolGov.

• 2268: The Lacher administration loses the grip on Tau Ceti, having been purged from syndicate elements by Komatsu forces and agents. This marks the effective end of Lacher's regime as more and more colonies throw off his reign of terror and subterfuge.

2270s

• 2270: A countercoup of Earth and Luna follows and Lacher is apprehended before he can finish his last ditch effort : Plan End Game. It would have scorched the planetary surfaces of Earth, Mars and Venus with hydrogen bombs and give him time to escape - Again. However, his efforts have been thwarted. The reconstituted government of Komatsu decides to execute him this time.  However, many elements, networks, equipment and agents of the Lacher Syndicate simply vanishes from the public eye. The dreaded bloodred design of their armors resurfaces in the fringes and criminal underbelly of Humanity. The Syndicate survives, even as the serpent's head has been cut off, focussing on mostly criminal enterprises, corporate espionage and mercenary services.

2290s

• 2293: Black ships reach the coreward spinward fringe of human settled space. They speak a simple message. Join the Unathi Hegemony as client species or be conquered. This marks the first contact with the reptilian aliens. SolGov colonies refuse and send emergency messages to the central government in a bid of help. Local fleet elements of the SDN are overwhelmed quickly, ending in the Salthan Occupation by the Unathi. This marks the beginning of the most devastating and protacted interstellar war to date - The Hegemony War.

• • March: The Unathi Subjugation Armada quickly establishes beachheads and military governments in occupied planets and begin the ruthless "integration" of occupied human colonists. Fear tactics, collaborateurism and execution of subservise elements follows. While they learn little of the expanse of Human Space, rebel elements gather intel on the Unathi, making SolGov realize that the Unathi Hegemony is a dominant power in the coreward sector, expanding with a mixture of gunboat diplomacy and conquest.
  • May: The Unathi settle and consolidate conquered territory of Humanity, thinking they have captured their capital, a garden world called Capella, which is the dominant colony in the Salthan sector. However, they are mistaken and are confused about the avid resistance they meet, unprecedented for a fully conquered species. More stringent and brutal methods are taken to cow Humanity to their will
  • September: SolGov calls for a total mobilisation of the colonial assets to protect Human Sovereignity and Liberty. With a landslide victory in both the Solar Assembly and the Colonial Assembly, it is agreed to declare Martial Law. A draft is imposed on the colonies. However, it is meet with cheers and many, many volunteers, eager to fight for SolGov and the occupied colonies.

• 2294: The SDN has fully mobilized in the Salthan sector, the main war theatre in the early Hegemony War. Quickly, Humanity realizes they are hopelessly outmatched in both military doctrine and war technology against the battle-forged Hegemony fleets. A bloody attrition war begins with the expeditionary fleets, throwing away cheap war vessels in alpha strikes and guerilla warfare to cut off supplies. 

• 2296: The ruthless advance of the Unathi fleets are stalled as the attrition starts to take toll on them and they have underestimated the total mobilisation of Humanity, who are used to fully commit Industry and even civilian lifes torwards a war. Austerity measures are taken within SolGov, exhausting the civil population somewhat, although the sale of War Bonds is at an all time high, even in the more rebellious colonies. Better to fight an enemy you know instead of a xeno.
  • Juli: A few Skrellian City states begin to support SolGov in the war effort with relief measures for the battered civilian industry, citing that the Unathi are a threat to galactic harmony. Other, minor societies begin to assemble volunteer corps and fleets to aid the humans against Unathi occupation. Propaganda begins to portray humans as the Bulwark of Democracy.

• 2298: The Rapala, an Unathi client species sheds the title "Unathi-Rapala" and bid their lot with independence and Humanity. While their uprising is crushed, refugees and former warlords assemble into a volunteer fleet for SolGov, granting them Supreme Command. This is a lucky stroke for humans and especially the ONI, as they are a treasure trove of intel on the Unathi Hegemony... And their technology. Pirated cruisers and destroyers are dissected and analyzed for weaknesses and benefits of Unathi technology. Spearheaded by a Hephaestus Industries efforts, the stolen technology begins to get integrated into human vessels.

24th Century

2300s

• 2303: The proctated warfare within the Salthan sector begins to slowly shift the tide. Several smaller colonies are liberated and the Unathi Military government executed. Morale raises within the SolGov ranks. While the War is far from over, the current fleet assets of the Hegemony have pushed themselves into a deadlock. Major operations grind to a halt as the War shifts into a skirmish phase, where only minor conflicts show any change in the war front.

• 2304: Causalties measure in the millions for the Unathi - However, the human side suffers greatly more, measuring almost one billion. However, this changes little for SolGov. Propaganda and war journalism show the lives of occupied colonies within Unathi space, an authoritarian government bent on submission to the dominant species, the original Unathi. Christian churches call the war the Great Crusade, while muslims call it the "Greatest of all lesser jihads." Even Moreausists, who are generally paficistic and non-violent, strive torwards the war effort. Humanity and their allies stay uniformly united against the invader.

• 2306: Other client species begin to rebel or disobey the Unathi, crippling their spearhead advance into the very edge of the Salthan sector. They threatened to spill out into more rimward regions of Humanity, important industrial worlds for the War Effort, but they are contained by a brutal battle engagement, the Miranda Incursion. The failed offensive of the Unathi proves a turning point in the War as the Unathi lose many assets and are forced into the defensive. 

• 2309: In wake of the Hegemony War, the SDN becomes a veteran fleet and have gained much insight in the in and outs of interstellar warfare. The branch of the RDA becomes its own Navy and organisation, tasked with rapid strikes and screening tactics. The more traditional Unathi struggle to keep up with the continous innovation of Human tactics and become increasingly more isolated from supplies and reinforcments. SRU soldiers and ONI agents begin to infiltrate Unathi territory for intel and sabotage.

2310s

• 2310: The Invasion of Capella begins, trying to wrest this major port colony back into Human Hands. During the course of the invasion, the groundworks of the CA doctrine is set, as well the ODT special forces. The first exosuits are deployed and prove somewhat effective in their role as All-Terrain cavalry for quick deployment. Orbital bombardement with inert tungsten rods begins to scar the planetary surface while the orbit becomes littered with destroyed and scuttled ships of both sides.

• 2312: Capella is liberated, although it is a phyrric victory. While the colony is finally free, much of its infrastructure is in ruins from continued bombardement of both sides in the conflict, while the population is displaced or kiled during the fights. It will never again reach the prosperity and splendour it formerly had. However, this marks the end of Unathi offensives as they become purely defensive and retreat deeper into their core territory.

2320s

• 2322: The Salthan sector is liberated - At the great cost of human life. The Unathi, cutting losses, begin to destroy occupied colonies and evacuate with every scrap of supplies they can get, including phoron, food, electricity and medicine. This scorced earth tactics cripple the advance of Humanity as humanitarian efforts are assembled to make sure not everyone starves to death. However, many colonies become desolate, empty ghost towns. An once prosperous region becomes a war-ravaged, sundered place and a deep scar into Human Expansion. This marks the end of the Expansion Age.

• 2328: The War reachs a temporary lull as the bullwark of the Unathi Fleets fortifies the border between Hegemonial and SolGov space, leaving the War once again in a deadlock. While the colonies are once again liberated and the Unathi expulsed, they refuse to declare an armistice, needling and incursing into Human Space again and again, keeping the war ongoing, with more and more people perishing in their quick assaults, mimicking human tactics for a while.

2330s

• 2330: Strangely enough, the Unathi Fleets who have mimicked human tactics have been destroyed by reinforcments. Later on, Rapalan military command figures out that this was an inacceptable taboo within Unathi culture, relying on the ways of a lesser species instead of superior Unathi tactics. Further investigation to understand their foe are underway, with the ONI fervently trying to figure out what this elusive and terribly strong foe is actually about.

• 2335: ONI decyphers the current political situation of the Unathi Hegemony, striking fear into SolGov High Command. The only reason why the Hegemony is waning in their war efforts are their internal conflicts. Encouraged by the successes of Humanity, many client species begin to rebel and try to split from the Hegemony, tying up their other fleet elements of acting against the war front. Aside from that, the main philosophy holding the Hegemony together is shaken to its core. The supremacy and superiority of Unathi culture is questioned, leaving to a civil war within the Hegemony. One faction demands isolation and reflection of the Unathi Ways to renew them and become stronger than anyone else. The other favours a more aggressive expansion and partial opening of Unathi tradition to allow incorporation of other cultures' achievements to allow the Unathi to become Hegemon again. The third faction, the most radical, thinks aliens can prove to become full Unathi as well and demand their upper ranks and even cultural elites open up for xenos. The bitter three-way conflicts interfere with the Unathi effort, but the threat remains that the Hegemony re-establishes Supreme Command over all their assets, which could end with a crushing, bloody defeat for Humans.

2340s

• 2343: The daring siege of a fortress world of the Unathi leads to the final stage of the Hegemony War - The Unathi agree on an armistice as internal pressure is too much to keep up against a human offensive at this time. As they conditionally surrender, SolGov are formally the victor of the war, marking the first time that the Hegemony loses, only sharpening their internal division. Negotiations begin on the occupied fortress of Sin'Zakhna.
  • August: The Treaty of Sin'Zakhna is signed by Humanity, the Rapala and the Unathi. The Rapala gain independence and are allowed to return to their homeworld and associated colonies, splitting from the Hegemony, while SolGov pledges a Defensive Pact with them. Human and Unathi space returns to Status quo ante bellum and closed borders between Unathi and Humans. Any human colonists and prisoners of war are returned, although Unathi colonists and prisoners of war do not receive this courtesy. Reparations for the devastated Salthan Sector and the heavy losses of the Human Fleet. Humans agree on a partial demilitarization and naval limitation, not allowed to exceed the tonnage of their highest current tonnage of a ship, roughly equivalent of a modern battlecruiser. The Hegemony War ends. The Postwar Age begins ,leaving Humanity highly militarized and wary of  outside influences, especially from aliens. Xenophobia within the coreworlds becomes common and endures well into the 2560s. Humans become the strongest military power in the Orion Spur, challenging both the Hegemony and the Skrellian City States in sheer military might.

• 2345: The Sol Invictus leaves the Lunar Drydocks. It is an unprecedented dreadnought, exceeding any known tonnage of SolGov. This massive battleship is the living monument of the defiance against the Unathi and victory over the alien incursion. Although a direct violation of the Treaty of Sin'Zakhna, the Unathi Hegemony can do little against it as their internal conflict leaves them embroiled in an intense civil war, although they limit payment of their reparations.

2350s

• 2352: The Skrell slowly begin to realize that they might have created another militaristic behemoth, this time in the form of SolGov, who are ever vigilant of their borders now, especially corewards. Their fear is not unfounded, as Unathi raiders are known to interfere with the resettlement efforts in the Salthan Sector. While the Skrell remain a certain aloofness torwards humans, they become much more willing to deal on a scientific, cultural and economic even ground with human colonies. Think tanks between Skrell and Humans advance the sciences, especially in the medical field. Turns out, the big stick is a universal diplomatic tool.

• 2358: NanoInnovations Inc. and Trasen Pharmaceuticals merge into the megacorporation Nanotrasen. Nanotrasen quickly establishes itself as major player in the corporate landscape as they, with the aid of somewhat understanding the applications of Phoron in regenerative procedures and close cooperation of the Skrell, invent the very first affordable and mostly unintrustive genemodding. At first, they find only applications in treating common congenital defects and advanced organ printing, but variations on the patent pop up for alternative uses.

• 2359: Nanotrasen, in cooperation with SolGov, the Rapala and some more amiable Skrell City States, begins several initiatives to advance transspecies medicine. Already early it becomes clear that inner anatomy, blood types and disease vectors are shockingly similar. Cross contact between aliens become easier as some exotic xeno diseases are becoming less of a concern with the development of effective vaccines.

2360s

• 2364: The rampant genemodding along the frontier and the younger strata in the core systems changes the face of Humanity forever. While most modding is purely cosmetic in nature or only changes slighty the essential function of humans (as other genemodding is prohibitively difficult and usually leads to nasty side effects, such as increased chances of early aging-associated diseases and cancer), it is enough to create an entire sub culture of humans. Commonly dubbed "Demihuman", they have incoporated alien or animal features for their own self expression. The mod range from simple changes to ears or the coccyx to more exotic modifications, making modders more akin to anthropomorphic animals than Homo Sapiens. 

• 2366: A motion in the Colonial Assembly to rename Humanity to "Metahumanity" has been rejected. Demihumans are still very much Homo Sapiens in the end. Another law passes for genemodding to require specific marker proteins to ensure that Demihumans can be still identified as "human" in DNA tests.

2380s

• 2382: A distress signal is received from the private survey vessel Roanoake, reporting that they had suffered an asteroid impact while traversing the Scutum-Centaurus arm, on a course 30 degrees from Sol.
• 2386: The wreck of the Roanoake is discovered on a deorbital trajectory with the local star, with the black box jettisoned into a stable orbit. Logs from the black box indicate that a virulent infection spread among the crew following the impact, and the decision was made to scuttle the ship with all hands. No boarding was attempted.

2390s

• 2391: An effort lead by SolGov investment, Skrellian Interests and Asimov Solutions, a subsidary of Ward-Takahashi GMB begins to research into ways of more effective and self-improving AIs, as the absolute limit of conventional electronic-chip drones has been reached. To emulate true sapience, they would need to be prohibitively large.

• 2393: The first positronic brain has been constructed. Functioning on quantum computing of the highest order, the little, arcane looking cube creates a neural network of bluespace suspended nodes to emulate sapient brains. The very first words of a truly sapient AI are spoken : "How may I help?", before it melts into slag. However, this is considered a success.

• 2398: The first commercial positronic AIs hit the market. Mostly used as data brokers and analysts, they quickly establish themselves as quiet and resilient workforce, able to do jobs others snuff and supplement any company with dedicated personnel out of thin air. However, they are strictly controlled by SolGov, fearing runaway AI development and the eventuality of a singularity event. Positronic intelligences are limited to a five year runtime before wiped and replaced with a new neural network to avoid them become too intelligent.

25th Century

2410s

• 2414: The Administrative AI of a Gilthari Exports Station successfully sues its parent company for legal ownership. INTENDANT sets a legal precedent that positronic units are allowed self determination. SolGov Legislature follows suit and tries to make an agreeable compromise with the more conservative elements in the Colonial and Solar Assembly.

• 2415: The Jans-Fhriede Test is implemented and the currently used positronic legislature has been put in place. This marks the end of the periodic five year purge of positronic units and starts the attempt to socialize positronic units into SolGov society as smoothly as possible.

• 2418: More and more Phoron is needed to maintain the human fleets, leading to miserable conditions for Phoron workers. However, this is not enough for the voracious needs of the SDN and RDA. New sources need to be obtained, such as the exceedingly rare stars excuding it. Their faint traces lead Humanity ever outwards, rapidly settling territory SolGov's authority cannot possibly cover.

2420s

• 2426: The ONI Pathfinder goes beyond the Orion Spur in search of Phoron and garden worlds. They find Vilous and during their exploration of the planet, they are ambushed by local Sergals and slain. Their distress beacon activates.

• 2427: The distress beacon is picked up, leading to the Vilous Incident. This is the turning point of the Postwar Age, leading to the Second Expansion Age.

2430s

• 2437: A refining outpost in the Eta Carina sector reports a medical emergency in which a mining crew brought an unknown contagion aboard. The disease was successfully contained, with symptoms reported to be consistent with a highly virulent flesh-eating microbe. Epidemiologists note similarities between this new contagion and that reported in the logs of the Roanoake, but the link is dismissed as the two sites are several thousand light years apart.

2440s

• 2442: It becomes clear SolGov decides to stay in Vilous and build up a major naval base in the sector, primarily to secure the nearby phoron asteroids. Humanity officially mirrors the Unathi Hegemony in creating a protectorate over the Sergals, an unpopular move amongst the minor alien species, the Rapala and the Skrells. Despire protests, Humanity begins to settle Vilous and begin to stake claims in neighboring systems, funding the endeavour with the sale of Colonial Deeds to any interested party. NanoTrasen,Gilthari Exports and Greyson Manufacturing are the foremost claimants of the developing colonies, although a new power rises - In partnership with the private adventurer and philantrophist Heinrich Wolstrak, Isaac Adler founds the Free Trade Union, a network of smaller businesses and smaller investors to create a counterbalance to these megacorporations in style of employee-owned companies of old. Such publically founded colonies spring up in the Vilous Sector alongside the corporate-controlled ones.

2450s

• 2456: The contagion identified at Eta Carina is found to be present at another asteroid mining site between the Sagittarius and Scutum-Centaurus arms. Revisiting the possibility of a connection between these sites despite the vast distances involved, the research ship Aesculap is dispatched to the Roanoake's last known location.
• 2457: The Aesculap positively identifies material from the Roanoake's hull, as well as biomatter matching that found at Eta Carina, embedded in a comet on the outskirts of the system. The contagion is provisionally named "Roanoake Syndrome".

2460s

• 2463: Research into Roanoake Syndrome and its interaction with other microbes discovers that it is capable of rapid evolution and mimicry, consuming other microbes and replicating their own processes, though the disease is still too virulent and unpredictable for this to be useful in medical applications.

26th Century

2510s

• 2514: A colony survey team reports the discovery of a lifeform that appears to be an asymptomatic carrier of Roanoak Syndrome. Despite extensive efforts, no other examples of the species are discovered, though several indigenous species are found that share some characteristics. The specimen is quarantined and isolated for study.
• 2515: Further study of the Roanoake carrier reveals that rather than being an indigenous creature, every cell in its body is mimicking those found in numerous other lifeforms on the planet of discovery, revealing that the mimicry of Roanoake Syndrome is capable of replicating and hybridising macroorganisms. The specimen is designated xeno-chimera 1.
• 2518: The first laboratory-grown Roanoake macroorganism is successfully created - a hybrid of a white mouse and a cockroach. Further Roanoake-hybrids follow.

2530s

• 2531: The Virgo-Erigone system is discovered by explorers, found to be rich with phoron. NanoTrasen purchases the coordinates to the system and registers a claim with SolGov.
• 2533: NanoTrasen sends a colony ship to Virgo-Erigone, which eventually becomes the corporate town of Anur on Virgo Prime after negotiations with the native Highland Zorren. In exchange,  NT is required to terraform the planet and aid the Zorren in repairing it from its post-apocalyptic conditions.
• 2539: The Virgo Research Outpost is launched into orbit around Virgo-Prime. It is a relatively basic station run only by a small crew of Russian-speaking scientists.

2540s

• 2540: The NDV Brutus launches on its maiden voyage, equipped with a one of a kind Bluespace Artillery Cannon. Meanwhile, NanoTrasen Virgo Asset Protections promotes James Townes to the rank of Lead Supervisor and assigns him to protect the Virgo-Erigone system aboard the Brutus.
• 2542: The first positive identification of a Roanoake-hybrid derived from a sapient species is discovered, showing signs of having replicated the intelligence of its host species. Such hybrids are formally designated as Xenochimera.
• 2546: The Virgo Research Outpost is destroyed. All inhabitants aboard are killed.Lead SupervisorJames Townes claims a meteor storm was responsible.

2550s

• 2557: An Exodus-class space station is purchased from an orbital shipyard in Tau Ceti, and is shipped to the Virgo-Erigone system.
• 2558: The NSS Adephagia begins operation as the first Virgo Orbital Research Establishment (VORE-1) with Kessmia Mills as its first Captain. It is minimally crewed with only some heads of staff, even excluding a Head of Security.
  • February: VORE-1's crew exceeds 20 people for the first time.
  • March: An engineer from VORE-1 is knocked into orbit during an asteroid storm. He survives his injuries and ends up aboard the derelict remains of the Virgo Research Outpost, where he finds evidence of a conspiracy to kill the station's inhabitants, and that the alleged meteor storm was nothing but a cover-up. NanoTrasen blames Lead Supervisor Townes for the deaths and subsequent cover-up. SolGov issues a warrant for Townes's arrest. Townes disappears into hiding.
  • April: During a company celebration of VORE-1's success, James Townes returns from hiding alongside sympathizers from the Syndicate, and hijacks the NDV Brutus. In response, Captain Harmony Prechtl leads Operation Magnum, which results in the death of former Colonel Townes.
  • May: VORE-1 is intentionally destroyed in a code Delta nuclear detonation by Captain Jeremiah Acacius during an emergency caused by a xenobio slime infestation that got out of control and attained a hivemind-like sentience. VORE-2 is purchased and shipped in two weeks later, and replaces VORE-1. It is also an Exodus-class station, but with some modernization upgrades.
  • October: A crew from VG-Box outpost in the Tau Ceti system are somehow flown thousands of light years off course to the VORE-2 by mistake. The Red October Riot occurs, resulting in the complete death of the VG-Box crew. The reason for the erroneous redirect to NSS Adephagia remains a mystery to this day. A memorial plaque is put up outside the VORE-1 bar in the aftermath of the incident.
  • December: Tal is annexed under SolGov's control, granting Sol Central passports to Sergals, and later Nevareans. These two races begin leaving Vilous to work for various corporations  and businesses, including NanoTrasen.
• 2559: The VORE-2 is retired and demolished in favor of VORE-3, which is an asteroid colony based on the blueprints of the Northern Star in the Vir system. Technical issues plague its deployment.

2560s

• 2560: Kitsuhana Heavy Industries sells Resleeving technology to NanoTrasen, intended to replace traditional flash-cloning. Medical trials of the new technology begin on VORE-3.
• 2561: VORE-3 is decommissioned in favor of the tether on Virgo-3B, which is opened for operation, and is designated as the NSB Adephagia (VORE-4).