David Brin: Foundation’s Triumph

195 F.E.Under Cleon II, Imperial General Bel Riose campaigns against the Foundation, conquering large territories. But Cleon recalls the fleet, as predicted by psychohistory. [The General]

appr. 260 F.E.Dagobert VIII rules remnant Empire. The rebel Gilmer’s troops sack Trantor. Second Foundation protects the Galactic Library, then signs a peace treaty with Gilmer. [Trantor Falls]

appr. 300 F.E.Empire of Dagobert IX has shrunk to twenty worlds centered on Neotrantor. The Mule, a mutant with strong mentalic power, conquers the Foundation, knocking Seldon Plan off course. [The Mule] The Mule establishes the Union of Worlds and searches for the Second Foundation. [Search by the Mule]

appr. 305 F.E.Members of the Second Foundation mentalically alter the Mule, who then gives up further conquest. [Search by the Mule]

appr. 310 F.E.Death of the Mule. The Foundation regains strength, but also begins studying neglected mental sciences, further endangering Seldon Plan. [Search by the Foundation]

376 F.E.The Foundation searches for the Second Foundation, fearing its mentalic rule. Diverting this search with a ruse, the Second Foundation continues operating secretly on Trantor (Star’s End). [Search by the Foundation] Daneel Olivaw unleashes his Gaia overmind.

498 F.E.The Gaia overmind offers Golan Trevize (“the man who is always right”) a choice between an Empire built by physical force, one ruled by Second Foundation mentalics, or a galaxy-sized version of Gaia…Galaxia. No, other options are presented and no other humans consulted. Trevize chooses Galaxia. Preparations begin for gradual assimilation of humanity into the collective overmind. [ Foundation’s Edge ]

499 F.E.Trevize embarks on a journey, seeking to explain his choice. On Solaria he finds the planet’s vanished folk have become a new race. Reaching Earth, he meets R. Daneel Olivaw, whose actions to this point were compelled by the Zeroth Law. Trevize realizes any real solution must take into consideration robots, Solarians, memes, mutants, and any other kind of intelligence. The right answer may not be to simplify. [Foundation and Earth]

520 F.E.First Galactic Coalescence Investigation Commission convenes on planet Pengia. The subsequent Great Destiny Debates rage for 180 years, interrupted by waves of violence, amnesia, and chaos. Robotic civil wars reignite. Foundation civilization approaches ultimate confrontation with both Gaia and Chaos. [Foundation’s Triumph]

1020 F.E.116th Edition of the Encyclopedia Galactica. [Foundation]

1054 F.E.117th Edition of the Encyclopedia Galactica. [Foundation’s Triumph]

Compiled by Attila Torkos,1998

DAVID BRIN has degrees in astronomy and applied physics but has been a full-time science fiction writer for many years. He has won the Hugo Award for Best Novel for both The Uplift War and Startide Rising, which also won the Nebula Award. He has also won the Hugo Award for Best Short Story. His novel The Postman was recently made into a feature film starring Kevin Costner. He lives near San Diego, California, with his wife and children