Peter Hamilton - Great North Road

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2003: Kane North injured by IED in Iraqi.

2004: Kane receives honorable discharge from U.S. Army. Moves to Edinburgh. Uses family trust money to recruit geneticists. Cloning program begins.

2007: Brant North born, first clone of Kane North successfully carried to term. Large number of mental and physical defects; lives three years.

2009: Cicero North born. Severe learning difficulties, serious metabolic deficiency; lives to 2022.

2010: Forrest North born. High spectrum autistic, lives to 2065.

2012: Augustine, Bartram, and Constantine North born.

2027: Wan Hi Chan presents his theory of trans-spacial connection.

2029: First “connection” made at Princeton, 800 meters across campus. USA forms National Interstellar Agency (NIA).

2030: Europe forms European Trans-Space Bureau (ET-SB). China forms National Interstellar Transport Corporation (NITC). Russia, India, Israel, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Pacific Alliance, North African Coalition, Asian Federation—all create agencies to begin interstellar exploration programs.

2031: NIA opens connection to Earth’s moon.

2032–2038: Various national test programs produce twelve trans-spacial connections across solar system. Gateway technology perfected.

2034: Augustine, Bartram, and Constantine found Northumberland Interstellar Corp, using family corporate resources to fund gateway systems manufacture.

2039: NITC opens gateway to Proxima Centauri. Age of interstellar exploration begins.

2041: NIA opens New Washington for settlement.

2044: NIA opens gateway to Orleans.

2044: ET-SB opens New Brussels for settlement to EU citizens.

2045: India opens gateway to Kolhapur.

2045: NITC opens gateways to Taiyuan and Wuchow.

2047: Russia opens gateway to Nova Petersburg.

2047: Israel opens gateway to Ramla.

2047: U.S. senate expanded to take in ten new states from new worlds. Passes Federal Independent Landowner Act. Enforced off-Earth settlement of all long-term welfare recipients.

2048: Japan opens gateway to New Tokyo.

2048: France opens gateway to Rouen; French citizens only.

2048: Earth economy stalling due to investment shift to new planets.

2049: Germany opens gateway to Odessa; German citizens only.

2049: USA passes illegals dispersal bill. All illegal immigrants in original states on Earth deported to the territories on new U.S. planets.

2049: Saudi Arabia opens Riyadh for settlement; Muslims only.

2050: ET-SB opens Minisa for “all” Grande Europe citizens. Subsidized immigration begins for unemployed, later developing to “opportunity immigration” policy, transporting millions of poor and jobless out of GE states on Earth.

2051: Northumberland Interstellar opens gateway to Sirius star system, discovers earth-giant planet, named St. Libra. Cleared for human immigration.

2052: Brazil opens gateway to Sao Jeroni.

2052: North African gateway to Accra.

2053: First bioil algaepaddies established on St. Libra. Start of bioil export to Earth. Massive investment into St. Libra algaepaddies begins, establishment of Eight Great bioil companies in addition to NI.

2055: The Independencies founded on St. Libra; constant mid-level immigration by GE dissidents and other political refugees from across Earth.

2055–2070: Establishment of seven more human-settled worlds. Earth’s population in decline; its economy contracts. Enforced exodus programs of jobless instituted by most nations.

2063: Kane North dies, age eighty-three.

2083: Rumor of True Jerusalem, reached via a secret gateway from Ramla.

2087: Constantine North and Bartram North resign their directorships of Northumberland Interstellar. Company resources redistributed. The bulk remains with Augustine.

2088: Constantine North launches Jupiter habitat; 8,000 tons of cybernetic manufacturing equipment, and a 3,000-ton mineral/chemical refinery all delivered to asteroid in Jupiter orbit via Newcastle gateway, plus 25,000-ton life-support hostel. Several hundred supporters and all C Norths follow him there.

2089: Town of Abellia established on St. Libra by Bartram. Bartram founds North Biogenetic Institute, begins serious research into human regeneration/rejuvenation.

2092: Zanthswarm on Accra.

2093: Accra evacuated, gateway closed. Estimated human deaths: 8.2 million.

2093: Formation of Human Defence Alliance (HDA) to defend human race from the Zanth.

2094: Brinkelle North born.

2095: Large-scale transtellar financial instability as HDA budget approved. Bioil price increasing, reducing consumption. Markets falling.

2096–2111: Transtellar recession, affecting all worlds.

2111: Northumberland Interstellar–led cartel releases glut of low-price bioil, bankrupting many futures market speculators. Stability returns to bioil market. Transtellar share prices start to rise again.

2119: Zanthswarm on New Florida. Evacuation declared successful, deaths estimated at 108,000.

2119: Transtellar market downturn lasts until 2123—officially not a recession.

2121: Bartram North and his household slaughtered. Angela Tramelo convicted of mass murder, receives life sentence.

Charmonique Passam:vice commissioner for the Grande Europe Bureau of alien evaluation

Griffin Toyne:major, HDA, head of expedition security

Vance Elston:colonel, Alien Intelligence Agency (AIA), camp commander

Antrinell Viana:captain, AIA, executive officer

Jaysukhlal “Jay” Chomik

Norman Sliwinska

Forster Wardele

Bastian North:observer

Pablo Botin:lieutenant

Raddon:sergeant

Paresh Evitts:corporal

Hiron:corporal

Mohammed Anwar

Atyeo

Ramon Beaken

DiRito

Leora Fawkes

Dave Guzman

Hanrahan

Gillian Kowalski

Omar Mihambo

Marty O’Riley

Peace-Davis

Audrie Sleath

Josh Justic

Angela Tramelo:civilian adviser

Marvin Trambi

Roarke Kulwinder

Tamisha Smith

Miya

Smara Jacka

Iyel

Esther Coombes

Camm Montoto

Zhao

Lorelei:CV-47 Swallow

Garrick:CV-47 Swallow