Spacemaster/Silent Death Timeline

c. 15, 000

The dawn of civilized man.

c. 11,650 .

The first rise of the Dia Khovaria: the Holy Tabernacle of the Word

c.10,000

First use of steam power brings about the
dawn of technology.

9769

First discovery of Access Technology.

9700.

The first utilization of a holocaustic
attack delivery system (in this case nuclear) on a civilian population

9670 – 9668

First Fossil Fuel Crisis.

9663

The Technic Tabernacle is broken up by a jealous Terran regional government.

9660 – 9608

Feasible fusion power generators are in
development.

9645 – 9643

Second Fossil Fuel Crisis. Energy needs
cause international tensions to mount.

9643

Limited thermonuclear exchange causes
population shifts on Terra, and mild Nuclear Winter effects depopulate some
regions. Most major cities are intact, though some areas suffer minor
Technological Recessions.

9600

The first successful sentient cloning of
a human being. It is created by a western European research group.

c. 9600

Cryogenic sleep units come into
widespread use. The next five hundred years are marked by a number of
`colony’ ship launches from Earth and her near colonies to the stars.

9540

The first practical microfusion power generator is produced.

9525

Terraforming of Venus is complete: the planet is converted to an earthlike world.

8450 – 5698

The period required by researchers to
gain a mastery of the gravitic field. The newly
discovered power requirement to mass ratio insures that such gravitic field control will never pass beyond the subplanetoid level unless unimaginably great power
sources could be tapped (even more than the Andrium reaction will produce in times to come).

8104 – 8068

Research period of molecular data storage
for informational processing systems. The potential of Optical Electronics
("Optronics") is fully realized.

8068 – 5655

The study of molecular electronics leads
to the advent of living circuitry.

7900

The first known successful human alterant replicant is produced
on a near earth colony.

7887 – 7610

The Universal Technological Recession of
mankind. As if motivated by a single will, almost every colony is cast into a
technological dark age as the human masses revolt against the ever increasing
control of automation over their lives. The duration of the revolt varies for
each colony, so the dates given are rather artificial. The first date marks
the initial instance of a violent revolt, although there had been notable
unrest over the preceding three decades. The end date marks the general
desire for renewed technological progress incarnated in the form of a
scientific symposium held on the Solar Mars colony. Despite the tremendous
suffering that was experienced just before the recession (and throughout this
dark age), the lack of a strong centralized regulatory body prevents the
enforcement of policies which would prevent these unfortunate events from
occurring again. It is interesting to note that one of the very few
organizations to survive the Recession (and even flourish in it) was the Dia Khovaria.

c. 7700

Experimentation in Alterant Replication leads to the limited production of laborer and recreation models.

c. 7600

Tachyon physics becomes the main focus of
study in the scientific community.

c. 7500 – 6000

Secondary relapses of the Universal
Recession of Technology intermittently strike down promising settlements;
progress is painstakingly slow in most areas.

5705

Humanity is firmly entrenched on ten core
worlds but communication problems lead to cultural drift. This is more acute
in the frontier areas.

5655

The development of true Molecutronics sparks an android construction boom.
Virtual Humanatronics, the pre eminent producer of
molecular circuits, is soon recognized as the topquality producer of android brains.

5603

The Relative Inertial Field Suspension
Effect is discovered.

4002 – 3621

There is a booming interest in temporal
physics: hypotheses of alternative universes and practical applications
abound.

c. 3500 – 3000

A general antipathy towards technological
trappings leads to a scientific recession in many colonies. This anti tech
drive is sporadic and does not lead to a collective psychosis. Claims that
the Dia Khovaria ("The Church of the Word") is responsible remain unproven.

c. 3000 – 2000

This millennium sees the bits and pieces
of humanity drifting further from each other and their common heritage. Many
far flung settlements cut themselves off from their parent societies by
ceasing their already sporadic speed of light communications.

1921

Andrium, the elemental source of powerful matter/antimatter reactions, is
created on a near earth colony.

1921 – 1480

The secret of the production of Andrium is shared between allied near earth scientific
groups. It is kept from the political leaders of the day in an effort to
prevent its hypothetical use in a military weapon of unparalleled destructive
capability. The Andrium for Science League (AFSL)
is born.

1192

The AFSL performs an unsuccessful hypershunt test.

1190

In a secret test, witnessed only by
representatives of the Andrium for Science League,
a spacefaring vessel successfully hypershunts with an Andrium power source. The second test in that same year results in the destruction of
the test vessel.

c. 1100

The Andrium for
Science League develops an interstellar translight merchant service, the revenues from which are channeled into research and development. The monopoly held by the League makes them
very powerful, and they eventually become a strong political force throughout
the core worlds.

c.1076

The Tachyon Beam Dictor is invented. This device allows instantaneous communication over great
interstellar distances. The first units to appear have an effective
transmission range of about 10 LY. Because the TBD system is developed by a
research group sponsored, and closely supervised, by a leading political
force of the time (a coalition of near earth colonies), no production
monopoly is held, and the system spreads quickly to several scattered
colonies. The Dia Khovaria sees this as a chance to link their famous databases and make a new place for themselves.

1076 – 457

The period of time generally referred to
as the Wars of Integration. As a quickly installed TBD network begins to
dominate the data transferral markets, the merchants of the Andrium for Science League lose the revenues which they
were making in this field. To counter the subsequent decline in their
importance, several members of the organization sell blueprints and manuals
for the construction and maintenance of Andrium fueled hypershunting drives to
powerful political institutions. FTL fleets are slowly built up, and the Andrium for Science league is coerced into supplying
precious antimatter fuel. The League, which still holds the secret of Andrium production, degenerates into a mere production
cartel. With ships, fuel, and command communications provided by the Dia Khovaria’s TBD system, the
united core worlds embark on their self proclaimed mission to reunite all of
humanity. During this time a limited number of Andrium bombs appear.

1000 – 500

With data as a valuable commodity, and a
far flung TBD network, the D.K. experiences a return of their former
prominence at the expense of the last vestiges of their religious beliefs. By PreImp. 500 they have become a purely secular
organization.

457

 The
culmination of the Wars of Integration is the creation of the Terran Federated Democracy (a.k.a. "United
Federation," and more recently, as the "Old Democracy"). The
Democracy’s parliament is located on Old Earth.

324

 The Terran Federated Democracy holds sway over Terran humanity and the homeworlds of affiliated xenoraces. This was the first (and
nearly successful) attempt at a unified political structure to administer all
of the colonized worlds.

 323

 Several
sectors and homeworlds declare their independence
from the Terran Federated Democracy as their
specialized needs are not fulfilled by this institution. They begin to
fortify their systems against anticipated reprisals from the Federation.

291

 Man
portable blaster weapons are mass produced as a construction method is
discovered which prevents deadly radiation from being emitted at the point of
attack delivery.

320 – 275

The pre imperial core worlds initiate a
massive arms race as they construct the awesome Imperial Navy.

270

The fledgling political unit which will,
in time, gel as the Imperial
Court unleashes brute
force to deal with the old Democratic leaders and systems which have refused
to come into the fold. At the same time, the D.K., having abandoned its ties
to the Federation, employs some of its more sensitive data to ‘convince’ key
leaders to cooperate with the Court.

256

The Imperium to
be issues a declaration to all inhabited worlds stating that it claims
ownership rights of all systems colonized/conquered by man to date.

255 – 50

Various uprisings, revolutions, and back
room politicking thwart attempts to quickly solidify the preimperial power base.

39

The GHC opens its doors to hear
interstate grievances of political, military, and economic natures. It is
hampered by widespread accusations of perjury and corruption.

27

The first of the Order of Truthsibyls are used at the GHC. Perjury is virtually
eliminated; the seeds of a long and bitter rivalry between the Truthsibyls and the Dia Khovaria are sown.

25

Macedon Gaius Triptolemus of Terra emerges as the leading candidate to
ascend the Imperial Throne. Several Megacorporations rally to his name.

14

This date marks the last known
utilization of a holocaustic attack delivery system on a mass civilian
target; the population in question is the society occupying the Xi Sinva Star system. Their leaders are implicated in a plot
to stop the Imperial Drive, the scheme uncovered by the Truthsibyls of the GHC.

12

VegaPol (An independent policing force), which supports the Galactic
Court of Humanity and MERLOGH (MERcantile League Of
Great Houses), is granted operational status.

3

MERLOGH begins operating as the financial
monitor of Terran space.

2

The Emperor to be guarantees that the Andrium for Science League will maintain their production
monopoly.

1

The Emperor to be makes clear his
intention to outlaw the production of holocaustic attack delivery systems.

IMPERIAL TIME

Imp 0

Macedon I receives the Imperial Scepter and consecrates the First Terran Star Empire (consisting of a myriad of systems organized into Regions,
Quadrants, and Sectors), and 27 Provincial Territories.
The Andrium for Science League changes its name to Andrium Producers of the Imperium (API) in order to more properly reflect its latest primary function. This
cartel retains its power through to the present.

Imp 1

The Great Hoarding.

Imp 2

The long prophesied and awaited Messiah
of Izar seems to have incarcerated herself on a
desolate and backward frontier settlement. Within a few years, hundreds of
billions of humans embrace the spin off religions catalyzed by her coming despite
vehement condemnation by the Dia Khovaria. Unable to keep a rein on his subjects, the new
Emperor watches helplessly as expansion slows, research stagnates, and
technology lapses yet again, as the Messiah is interpreted as preaching
Asceticism. At least an entire generation of advancement opportunities is
lost to the Empire.

Imp 4

lCoM, a subdivision of MERLOGH, begins operations on Old Earth.

Imp 63

The Messiah of Izar disappears under mysterious circumstances and the Emperor’s court is
implicated. Two decades of interstellar unrest follow, pressing the Imperial
Deep Space Navy into action on several occasions. Not surprisingly, there are
suppressed reports of numerous Starmada mutinies.
The Imperial Fleet, suffering from a number of mutinies and clashes with
powerful rebels, loses its effectiveness for a time.

Imp 72

In an attempt to get a better grip on his
crumbling Imperium, Emperor Protesilus I instigates sweeping reforms and new scientific project research incentives
which he hopes will bring prosperity again. His plans get a lukewarm
reception.

Imp 113

Personal Velocity Shields appear
commercially.

Imp 127

The advent of improved
sensor fields allow safe hypershunts out to
a range of 50 LY. This instigates an age of unprecedented expansion. Frontier
Provinces proliferate, bringing greater wealth to the Imperium.

Imp 301

As a result of the War of Tarquinis (a.k.a. "The Rebellion of the
Provinces"), Emperor Itzamna II allows Major
Families to acquire additional systems directly from the Imperium and Frontier holdings. Restrictive Quotas remain in effect through the
present, however.

Imp 412

Matter/Antimatter torpedoes are first
fitted on Imperial vessels. The Inner Provinces protest this as a violation
of the Emperor’s own holocaustic production ban, then furiously begin developing such weaponry for their own use.

Imp 462

Personal Absorption Shields first appear
commercially.

Imp 470 – 480

The present. (Spacemaster)

Imp 476

Terrans first encounter the Night Brood in the Tau Albriton sector.

Imp 477

The 17th Imperial Expeditionary Fleet
puts an end to the first Grub invasion.

Imp 496

Millennia Warriors dispatched to the
distant frontier to deal with Hatchling probing attacks.

Imp 498

The Provincial Powers Alliance leads an
attack against the Band of Iron. The Imperial Civil War begins.

Imp 500

The Night Brood return to Terran space. The Terran-Hatchling
War begins in earnest.

Imp 504

The Imperial Civil War officially comes
to an end as the Hatchling threat grows.

Imp 507

The Night Brood transport appears over
Mars and is obliterated. The Confederation of Free Planets (CFP) is formed.

Imp 508

The Night Brood return to Sol. The
Imperial core is invaded. The CFP begins the move underground.

Imp 510

Armageddon.. Old
Earth is taken by the Grubs. Emperor Modestinu III’s escape ship is destroyed The Empire falls.

0 AL

A new calendar is begun in what would
have been Imp 511. The Night Brood are finally stalemated. The Terran Hatchling War comes to an end.

2 AL

Yoka-Shan Warworld founds its offworld anti-Grub military academy.

3 AL

Yoka-Shan, Tokugawa, Red Star, and the Data Sphere begin a joint anti-Grub
research program.

4 AL

House Devon returns to Terran space with the Primates close behind.

5 AL   

House Colos brings the Draconians into Terran space.

6 AL

 House Yoka-Shan and
the Confederation join forces to defeat several Grub Swarms.

7 AL   

The Universal Night Watch is founded. Yoka-Shan War World, House Tokugawa, House Red Star, the Data
Sphere, and the Q’raj Void Protectorate are the
earliest members. Thunderbird NW and Teal Hawk NW refits are completed.

 Rocoso Salvadore leads popular
rebellion against President Alberta Poderez of the Espan Fascisti (see Renegades).

8 AL

House Colos and
the Hibernian Freehold join the UNW. The Sigurd Archdiocese
declines to join the UNW The UNW headquarters are officially located in orbit
around Yoka-Shan. The Draconians detonate an atomic warhead on the moon of a Brood infested planet just outside
CFR space. The Epping NW and Salamander NW refits are completed.

9 AL

Ex-president Marley of the Unkulunkulu Archipelago is elected Head of the Council. The Unkulunkulu Archipelago and the ASP Technocracy join
the UNW. UNW forces cleanse a Tokugawan world. The Sunrunners apply to join the UNW and are rejected. The UNW
acquires EMP technology. Command Betafortress refit
completed.

10 AL

Luches Utopia pressured into joining. UNW forces cleanse a Red Star world
to be used for UNW scientific anti-Grub research. House Colos steps up its non-UNW anti-Brood activities. Night Hawk NW and Lance Electra NW
refits completed.