Isaac Asimov's Aurora

by Mark W. Tiedemann

  ???

  The interstellar robot civil war eventually reaches Inferno. New Law robots are destroyed or go into hiding.

  ???

  Daneel and his followers play an important role in formulating the Encod­ing Laws that will set the highest limits in producing artificial intelligence. As a result, Settler society will never think of building robots. This is one of the first great ‘damping mechanisms’ that help prevent chaos.

  1960 B.G.E. (Before Galactic Era)

  Settling of planet Tyrann.

  1260-1250 B.G.E.

  Tyrann conquers the Nebular Kingdoms.

  1220 B.G.E.

  The Tyranni elect Hinrik V as Director of Rhodia.

  1200 B.G.E.

  Planet Rhodia and the Nebular Kingdoms, led by the noble Hinriad fam­ily, shake off rule by planet Tyrann, and rediscover democracy.

  ???

  Spacer worlds turn into themselves and slowly die throughout the mil­lennia. The remaining population of Aurora moves to Mycogen sector of the growing planet Trantor. Settler culture gradually colonizes the Galaxy. Damping effects such as historical amnesia, brain fever and giskardian mentalic persuasion devices are introduced by Daneel and fol­lowers to fight chaos. As a result human mind, society and technology stagnates for millennia. Some human and robot groups (including the Maserd family) fight the amnesia. Later they are for the most part defeated by Giskardians. Robots are forgotten by all but a tiny remnant of humans who cooperate in hiding with heretic robots.

  700 B.G.E.

  The Trantorian Republic of five worlds begins to grow; later becomes Trantorian Confederation and still later Trantorian Empire. Daneel uses early ‘laws of humanics’ (precursor of psychohistory developed with Giskard) to guide it.

  ???

  The origin of mankind is forgotten. Planet Earth becomes one of the many millions of inhabited planets.

  200 B.G.E.

  Half of the inhabited worlds of the Galaxy are part of Trantorian Empire. Trantor is on the point of forming the Galactic Empire. Trantor finan­cially supports rebellion of Florina against oppression by planet Sark.

  1 G.E. (= appr. 13 000 C.E.) (appr. 8000 years after the Great Diaspora)

  Trantorian Empire becomes Galactic Empire. First emperor is Frankenn I. Beginning of the galactic calendar. (G.E. = Galactic Era)

  750 G.E.

  Third Earth rebellion against Empire.

  771 G.E.

  Birth of Affret Shekt.

  772 G.E.

  Birth of Grew.

  775 G.E.

  Beginning of rule of Stannel II.

  777 G.E.

  Demonstrating his might, Stannel II provokes unrest in Washenn, Earth. Stannel II is assassinated. Edard ascends the galactic throne.

  827 G.E.

  Arrival of Joseph Schwartz through time. A radioactive and sparsely pop­ulated Earth tries to revolt against the Empire using a bio-weapon (an extremely aggressive type of the chaos virus). Rebellion fails, thanks partly to Schwarz and Daneel’s agent R. Gornon Vlimt. Empire initially supports changing of Earth’s radioactive soil for healthy, then the effort is mysteriously abandoned.

  Appr. 900 G.E.

  Forced evacuation of inhospitable Earth. Founding of colony on planet Alpha.

  975 G.E.

  An intelligent species is discovered on a desert planet. They are transported to Cepheus 18.

  978 G.E.

  The aliens mysteriously escape beyond the Galaxy aided by a sympa­thetic bureaucrat of the Empire.

  Appr. 2000 G.E.

  Daneel Olivaw and R. Yan Kansarv establish a robot production and repair facility on the moon Eos. The great Ruellis helps establish principles of good paternalistic government, augmenting the stability of an unchang­ing society against chaos (another of Daneel’s damping mechanisms).

  Appr. 3000 G.E.

  Public debate of personality simulations Voltaire and Joan of Arc about machine intelligence during a chaos outbreak. With support of Calvin­ian robots the Empress Shoree-Harn sits on the imperial throne; she tries to introduce a new calendar and shake up social rigidity without success.

  8789 G.E.

  New renaissance begins on planet Lingane.

  8797 G.E.

  Lingane renaissance falls into chaos.

  11, 865 G.E.

  Humanoid robot Dors Venabili is constructed on Eos.

  Appr. 11, 867 G.E.

  The only extragalactic human colony is abandoned in the Greater Magel­lanic Cloud. All data suppressed.

  Appr. 11, 968 G.E.

  Daneel performs genetic experiments on a group of humans, which leads to the appearance of mentalics and the birth of a man who is capable of developing psychohistory.

  11, 988 G.E.

  Birth of Hari Seldon and Cleon I. Daneel knows the Empire is destabiliz­ing, partly due to frequent chaos outbreaks. He is forced by Zeroth Law to actively interfere, first as Chief of Staff, then as First Minister.

  12, 008 G.E.

  Birth of Raych.

  12, 010 G.E.

  Cleon I becomes Emperor.

  12, 017 G.E.

  New renaissance begins on Madder Losson.

  12, 020 G.E.

  Hari Seldon lectures on possibility of psychohistory. Daneel persuades him to develop a practical science to help save the Empire. In the guise of First Minister Eto Demerzel he supports Seldon’s work. Dors Venabili becomes Seldon’s wife. They adopt a boy, Raych. Seldon and Yugo Amaryl begin to flesh out psychohistory.

  12 ,028 G.E.

  A group of Calvinian robots, led by R. Plussix, move to Trantor and find historical documents dating from the era of Shoree-Harn, as well as the sims Voltaire and Joan of Arc. They get the sims to planet Sark to help seed a new renaissance there, to disturb Daneel’s work. Seldon helps removing Laskin Joranum from politics. Eto Demerzel (Daneel) resigns his post. Cleon I makes Seldon First Minister. A New Renaissance begins on planet Sark. Voltaire and Joan get into Trantorian Mesh where they meet the ancient memes. To avenge the destruction of their original homes the memes cause a rebellion among the tiktoks, having many of Daneel’s robot companions killed. The memes move back to the Galactic Core. Sark renaissance gradually falls into chaos.

  12, 037 G.E.

  The collapse of Madder Loss renaissance rocks Galactic society.

  12, 038 G.E.

  Death of Cleon I. A military junta seizes power. Seldon resigns as First Minister.

  12, 040 G.E.

  Birth of Wanda Seldon from the marriage of Raych Seldon and Manella Dubanqua.

  12, 048 G.E.

  ‘Death’ of Dors Venabili. Daneel brings Dors to the Eos base for repair. Fall of the junta. Puppet-Emperor Agis XIV ascends the throne. Real power is in the hands of the Commission of Public Safety led by Chief Commissioner Linge Chen.

  12, 050 G.E.

  Birth of Klayus I.

  12, 051 G.E.

  Birth of Klia Asgar.

  12, 052 G.E.

  Birth of Bellis Seldon, second child of Raych and Manella. Hari Seldon discovers Wanda’s mental abilities. He tries to find others, without suc­cess. Signs of general decline show throughout the Empire.

  12, 054 G.E.

  Psychohistorical equations predict the unavoidable collapse of the Empire. Seldon works out plan to preserve human knowledge, and create a Second Empire via the Foundation. Death of Yugo Amaryl.

  12, 058 G.E.

  Raych, Manella and Bellis move to Santanni where a new renaissance has begun. Anacreon province seeks independence. Seldon finds the place for his Foundation: planet Terminus, on the edge of the Galaxy. Chaos breaks out on Santanni. Raych dies. His family is lost in space. Stettin Palver, another mentalic joins the Seldon Project, then Bor Alurin. The mentalics will later form the Second Foundation. The Commission of Public Safety begins to watch Seldon.

  12, 062 G.E.

  Vara Liso, a strong mentalic learns about the existence of robots. Upon this information Farad Sinter begins to hunt for
robots.

  12, 067 G.E. = 1 F.E.

  Klayus I sits on the imperial throne, but real power remains with the Commission of Public Safety. Giskardian robot Lodovik Trema becomes accidentally liberated from the compulsion to obey the Laws of Robotics. He questions the rightness of Zeroth Law and the lack of human consul­tation in their own destiny. Calvinian robots want Seldon to abandon his Project to stop Daneel directing history. Gaal Dornick joins the Seldon Project. The Commission of Public Safety puts Seldon to trial and exiles the Encyclopedia Foundation to Terminus. Farad Sinter’s soldiers destroy base of Calvinian robots. Lodovik rejoins Daneel. The Second Foundation goes into hiding at Star’s End. Beginning of the Foundation calendar. (F.E. = Foundation Era) Originist Leyel Forska wants to join First Foundation, but Seldon turns him down.

  12, 068 G.E. = 2 F.E.

  Reign of puppet Emperor Semrin. First Foundation (consisting mostly of technical experts and their families) gets “exiled” to Terminus and begins compiling the Encyclopedia Galactica. Daneel starts developing the overmind Gaia with human mentalics. Compelled by Zeroth Law Daneel destroys millions of ancient archives that had been designed to fight human amnesia. A new renaissance on Ktlina falls into chaos. R. Gornon Vlimt tries to send Seldon into the future to judge Daneel’s plan and the projections of psychohistory, but is foiled by Daneel. Mors Planch (and possibly Biron Maserd) dives into the future.

  12, 069 G.E. = 3 F.E.

  Death of Hari Seldon. Leyel Forska joins Second Foundation. Linge Chen dies, Rom Divart takes his place in the Commission of Public Safety. To strengthen his power, Divart pays attention mostly to Trantor and its vicinity. Secession begins at the Empire’s Periphery.

  50 F.E. (12, 116 G.E.)

  Anacreon declares independence, separating Terminus from the Empire. Seldon’s hologram in the Terminus Time Vault explains the true purpose of the Foundation. Anacreon sets up military base on Terminus with the aim of swallowing the planet. Terminus begins to provide scientific support for the neighbouring kingdoms, balancing their powers.

  80 F.E. (12, 146 G.E.)

  The Foundation wards off Anacreon threat, then signs a treaty with neighbouring kingdoms about peaceful coexistence. The Foundation begins to trade with sophisticated industrial goods in the Periphery. As its economic influence grows, it adds the power of religious cultism.

  135 F.E. (12, 201 G.E.)

  The Foundation spreads its influence over the planet Askone.

  155 F.E. (12, 221 G.E.)

  Imperial atomic weapons appear in the Republic of Korell, adjacent with the Foundation’s influence zone.

  158 F.E. (12, 224 G.E.)

  Korell declares war against Foundation.

  161 F.E. (12, 227 G.E.)

  After three years of mostly economic warfare the Korellian economy col­lapses. Korell becomes part of the Foundation.

  195 F.E. (12, 261 G.E.)

  The Empire ruled by Cleon II is gaining strength. Imperial general Bel Riose begins a campaign against the Foundation.

  196 F.E. (12, 262 G.E.)

  Riose conquers large territories. Cleon II—afraid of a powerful military leader’s attempt to seize the throne—calls Riose and his fleet back.

  Appr. 260 F.E. (Appr. 12, 326 G.E.)

  Dagobert VIII rules remnant Empire. The rebel Gilmer conquers and sacks Trantor. First Speaker Yokim Sarns and the Second Foundation protect the Galactic Library, then sign a peace-treaty with Gilmer.

  Appr. 300 F.E. (Appr. 12, 366 G.E.)

  Empire of Dagobert IX has shrunk to twenty worlds. Its capital is Neotrantor. The Foundation has grown into a major power. The Mule, a mutant with strong mentalic power conquers the Foundation, knocking Seldon Plan off course. Psychologist Ebling Mis locates the Second Foun­dation. Bayta Darell shoots Misbefore he could reveal location of the Sec­ond Foundation to the Mule. The Mule establishes the Union of Worlds, and searches for the Second Foundation.

  Appr. 305 F.E.

  Members of the Second Foundation mentalically alter the Mule, who then gives up further conquest and the search for the Second Foundation.

  Appr. 310 F.E.

  Death of the Mule. The Foundation regains its earlier strength, but also begins studying neglected mental sciences, further endangering Seldon Plan.

  362 F.E.

  Birth of Arcadia Darell.

  376 F.E.

  The Foundation searches for the Second Foundation, fearing its mentalic rule. Planet Kalgan starts war against the Foundation. The Foundation defeats Kalgan. Diverting the Foundation’s search with a ruse, the Second Foundation continues operating secretly on Trantor (Star’s End).

  ???

  Daneel unleashes his Gaia overmind. Gaia begins to watch the Founda­tions.

  443 F.E.

  Death of Arcadia Darell.

  ???

  Researching mental sciences, the Foundation gets close to being superior to the supposedly destroyed Second Foundation. The Second Founda­tion—without noticing it—is no longer able to keep the Seldon Plan on course on its own. The Seldon Plan is kept on course by the mental guid­ance of the Gaia overmind.

  467 F.E.

  Birth of Golan Trevize.

  ???

  Daneel starts manipulating a group of people (including Golan Trevize) to choose ‘the man who is always right.’

  498 F.E.

  The Gaia overmind offers Golan Trevize (‘the man who is always right’) a choice between an Empire built by the First Foundation’s 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. After the decision the Seldon Plan is kept alive by Gaia to ensure stability until the emergence of Galaxia. Preparations begin for gradual assimilation of humanity into the collec­tive overmind.

  499 F.E.

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

  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.

  682 F.E.

  The Fifth Great Destiny Debate.

  1020 F.E.

  116th Edition of the Encyclopedia Galactica.

  1054 F.E.

  117th Edition of the Encyclopedia Galactica.

  Isaac Asimov’s Aurora

  Mark W. Tiedemann

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  new york

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