2006
An explosion is reported on the London Underground, though no evidence of an actual explosion is ever found. Forty-three people are declared missing in the incident, though scientists are kept baffled for centuries to come over the puzzle.
2009
The faster-than-light drive is invented and tested by Dr. Polly Jenkins, and observed from the International Space Station. Several of the ISS team report the appearance of a mysterious man interacting with Dr. Jenkins, though it is also reported that he disappeared into thin air. Despite the incredible success of the FTL drive test, the team is put through rigorous psychological tests. The team was in perfect health.
2013
The colonisation of other worlds begins with Proxima Centauri, its colonists arriving on the Mayflower, the first of seven massive modular colony vessels capable of faster-than-light travel. Two weeks beforehand, another reported appearance of the mysterious man occurs, again interacting with Dr. Jenkins. Many believe his appearance to be a good omen.
2014
The governments of countries in the Asian continent demand that Great Britain and the United States of America hand over the plans for the faster-than-light drive, declaring that they give the allies an unfair first-strike weapon. The two allies refuse. Their armed forces are put on high alert, in preparation for a possible conflict with China, and its neighboring countries.
2015
After six months of "cold war" tensions, conflict erupts around the world, beginning the Third World War. Nuclear weapons destroy much of the African and Pacific countries, with China finally stopped on the 23rd of December. It is estimated that half a billion people lost their lives, with 63% of the American continent physically destroyed. Britain is victorious, becoming the last great superpower; the Prime Minister and King Charles III, along with other remaining world leaders and monarchs, establish the beginning of a world government, with the Prime Minister voted as the first Lord Chancellor. In orbit, on the Icarus, the return of the mysterious man is reported; this time, Admiral DaSilva himself is seen conversing with him, thus confirming the veracity of the unbelievable claims of his existence.
2054
The Icarus disappears, their last known coordinates put them near the mouth of a wormhole thought to have been dormant. No contact is received from them, other than a garbled message for help.
2090
Planet Earth is officially designated as Terra. There is no existing record as to why this decision was made. The Terran government commissions the world's first space fleet.
2092
A ship from the Terran Fleet discovers a small binary star system, 521 light-years from Terra toward the Milky Way's galactic core. The third planet, named Ry by the wolf-like native Rijiins, is a mountainous planet, 50% covered by water. All land is at least 100m above sea level, with many of the Rijiin cities built inside the mountains themselves.
2101
The Terrans help oversee the safety of Ry's first test of their space program. Although terra refuses to assist in the advancement of Ry's technological process, the Rijek (Rijiin government) signs a treaty with the Terran Parliament and Fleet, becoming a protected planet.
2167
The first cascading ion drive is built and tested on Ry, in a cooperative venture between Rijiins and Terrans. Unfortunately, it is a failure, although Rijiin starships are equipped with Rijiin-designed sublight engines, and still limited to travel within the Rijiin star system.
2168
A great intergalactic alliance is treatised, with Terra, Ry, and the newfound Rathgar as the founding members.
2190
The Terran science vessel HMS Tellerman begins tests on an updated cascading ion drive. A minute into the test, the ship stumbles into what is at first believed to be a wormhole. It is soon discvoered that there are hundreds of thousands of these tunnels, possibly even millions. Each one connects every star system with either a central "corridor" or another system. Dubbed "Linkways", they were soon discovered to travel to other galaxies, not just other star systems. It is believed that they were built by a long-dead ancient race. Despite this amazing discovery, Terran vessels are still equipped with FTL (faster-than-light) drives, in case of emergency, even in the 40th/41st centuries.
2390
A group of hardline Terran soldiers, known by many as the "Red Army", rebel against Terra's peacekeeping society. A twenty-day running battle ends when the army disappears and is thought to have landed on a night-shrouded planet in the Y-40 galaxy. The reconnaisance ships sent to the star system are never heard from again; nothing is heard from the Red Army, although it is widely believed that the officers and men survived and perpetuated.
2531
First contact between Terran forces and early Okarnagan ships ends badly, both resenting the other for perceived crimes. Four months later, Okar declares war, despite being seriously outgunned, and outnumbered. Believing themselves to be superior to all other beings, the Okarnagans attack Terran bases. Each and every attack is easily beaten with minimal losses for the local Terran forces. One-sided skirmishes become commonplace between the two races.
