2019
A.D.
Nigel Walmsley encounters the Snark, a mechanical scout.
2024
Ancient alien starship found wrecked in Marginis crater, on Earth’s moon.
2041
First signal received at Earth from Ra.
2049
First near-light-speed interstellar probes.
2060
Modified asteroid ships launched, using starship technology extracted from Marginis wreck.
2064
Lancer
starship launched with Nigel Walmsley aboard.
2066
Discovery of machine intelligence Watchers.
2067
First robotic starship explorations. Swarmers and Skimmers arrive at Earth.
2076
Lancer
arrives at Ra. Discovery of the “microwave-sighted” Natural society.
2077
Lancer
departs Ra.
2081
Mechanicals trigger nuclear war on Earth.
2085
Starship
Lancer
destroyed at Pocks. Watcher ship successfully attacked, with heavy human losses.
2086
Nigel Walmsley and others escape in Watcher ship, toward Galactic Center. Humans launch robot starship vessels to take mechanical
technology to Earth.
2088
Humans contain Swarmer-Skimmer invasion. Alliance with Skimmers.
2095
Heavy human losses in taking of orbital Watcher ships. Annihilation of Watcher fleet. No mechanical technology captures due
to suicide protocols among Watchers.
2097
Second unsuspected generation of Swarmers emerges.
2108
First-in-flight message received from Walmsley expedition: “We’re still here. Are you there?”
