2130

January --Rival corporate security forces mass near the aleph, turning it into an "armed camp."

2131

January --Lavand steps down as CEO of GigaCorp.

March --Mercedes Kelleher named GigaCorp CEO.

December --GigaCorp scouts discover He3 on the other side of the aleph.

2132

January --GigaCorp forces launch a crippling attack on Crimson Shield positions near the aleph, capturing it.

March --Coalition forces move in and seize the aleph in a surprise attack. GigaCorp forces withdraw.

2133

July --Outlaw Mars broadcasters air the holofootage from the original pass through the aleph.

2135

Most corporations and governments launch missions through the aleph, with Coalition supervision.

2139

January --Scientists launch scout craft at near-light speeds beyond the boundaries of the solar system, discovering that there are, in fact, a number of aleph routes.

Scientists continue to examine the gates, though no one is certain whether or not these phenomena are natural or constructs of an alien species.

December --Scientists determine that duplicating the aleph jump is not possible except for short-range, short-duration hops. This technology (called ripcording) is incorporated into most spacecraft as a safety measure.

2140

March 13 --Disaster strikes. An asteroid, fired at a Lunar catching station by one of the remaining Mass Conveyor "catching" stations, misses its target. Some witnesses report some kind of explosion prior to launch, and rumors of sabotage, deliberate genocide, and other conspiracy theories abound.

The asteroid plunges into the Pacific Ocean, vaporizing the water, cracking the mantle, and producing a massive wave of heat. Roughly 95% of Earth's population is killed by the impact. What survivors remain are scattered across the globe, cut off from communication, isolated, and slowly dying from lack of food.

2141

January --The Crimson Group begins expansion program, launching refineries and miners (and support personnel) through the alephs.

March --Brigadier General Fisk calls to all military personnel to unite under his banner, claiming it is the duty of the armed forces to restore order. Though some military personnel do not agree with Fisk's plan, thousands of troops flock to join the Coalition (trusting other soldiers more than civilians).

December --Virtually every faction has launched missions through the aleph. Small mining facilities begin refining He3 in several star systems.

2143

June --GigaCorp forces discover a Bio "enhancement facility" near Proxima Centauri. (Human captives are being genetically altered against their will.)

October --The DataNet goes online. A pirate media network, it broadcasts "official" news snippets from all human factions. Relay stations on Mars, on Luna, and in the various Belter enclaves seem to be the source, though who really runs it is unknown. Their first broadcast is of GigaCorp footage of the Bio "enhancement facility."

2145

January-June --GigaCorp stages a series of attacks on Crimson Group facilities. By the end of the fighting, the Crimson Group is destroyed, and the Crimson Shield's military hardware has been seized.

March-December --General Fisk's Coalition forces have undergone multiple "reorganizations"- as several elements within the military have disagreed with his policies; instead of dealing with too much internecine warfare, Fisk has allowed those elements to go their own way but works with them during missions of mutual interest.

2146

Throughout the year, GigaCorp continues to seize the assets and personnel of competing corporations.

September --The Battle of Kapteyn's Star. Iron Coalition and GigaCorp forces clash over several He3 deposits. For the first time, GigaCorp fights Coalition forces to a standstill. Fisk's forces withdraw.

2149

March --The "Belter Armada" -- a collection of mercenary, pirate, and prospector vessels fend off an attack by GigaCorp "claim-jumpers" attempting to seize He3 deposits near Alpha Centauri. The armada is led by Orion Sholes, a somewhat shady trader and pirate, who has -- through a combination of charisma and blind luck-become a folk hero among the Belter population.

2150

January --The game begins.

The Bios have become more aggressive, believing that mankind has no future on the surface of a planet.