Timeline

of C.J. Cherryh's Alliance/Union Universe

by Onno Meyer

Version 1.4 (A first look at Tripoint, O.M. 11/94)

Special thanks to Jo Grant, Lesley Grant, Martin Koehling, Nancy Ott, Nancy Silberstein, Markus Stumptner and Dani Zweig (I hope I got that right).

Please note that some events are covered because they're dated, and that important events are missing since they're impossible to pinpoint.

2005: Sol Station launches the first interstellar probe (Downbelow Station, p7).
About 2015: Political crisis in the Mediterranean (Downbelow Station, p8)
Between 2015 and 2125: The first manned interstellar mission: Gaia send to Barnards Star to build Alpha station (Downbelow Station, p8, Cyteen: The Betrayal, p2). Gaia's crew refuses to surrender their ship to another crew (Cyteen: The Betrayal, p2). 8 stations built (Downbelow Station, p9)? Extraterrestrial life on Pell's world (Tau Ceti) discovered (Downbelow Station, p9, Cyteen: The Betrayal, p3). Pell station built, two other stations abandoned (Downbelow Station, p10, Cyteen: The Betrayal, p3). Severe Disturbance of trade (Downbelow Station, p10)
2125: Gaia's last visit on earth (Cyteen: The Betrayal, p4).
Between 2125 and 2201: Mariner and Viking built beyond Pell (Downbelow Station, p10, Cyteen: The Betrayal, p4). Russel's and Esperance built beyond Pell (Downbelow Station, p10). Nonsentient life on Cyteen discovered (Downbelow Station, p11).
2201: Cyteen station built (Cyteen: The Betrayal, p4).
Between 2201 and 2234: Fargone, Paradise and Wyatt's built (Downbelow Station, p11). Earth tries to tax the Beyond (Downbelow Station, p11).
2223 (The date is given, but impossible. See 2623): First contact with the Majat (Serpent's Reach).
2234: Bok developes the jumpdrive on Cyteen (Downbelow Station, p12,Cyteen: The Betrayal, p5).
2271: Olga Strassen is born (Cyteen: The Rebirth, p66).
2278: Leonid Gorodin is born (Cyteen: The Betrayal, p171).
Prior to 2283: Rejuv is available in AE1' "mother's generation" (Cyteen: The Vindication, p23).
April 12 2283: Ariane Emory senior (AE1) is born (Cyteen: The Rebirth, p185).
2290: Olga Emory dies (Cyteen: The Rebirth, p185).
2300: Cyteen declares independency (Cyteen: The Betrayal, p5). Union founded, Company Wars (formally?) begin (Cyteen: The Vindication, p21).
2301: Union Constitution enacted (Downbelow Station, p12, Cyteen: The Betrayal, p8, Cyteen: The Rebirth, p1). This is a federal constitution affording maximum independence at the local level. Unionwide representation is provided by nine guilds and the Council of Worlds (Cyteen: The Rebirth, p1-3). Cyteen: The Rebirth, p60 mentions the "...original thirteen star stations".
2304: Paul Dekker is born on Sol station (Heavy Time, p313). AE1 is working on psychgenesis (Cyteen: The Vindication, p2).
2312: AE1 is "on the right track" for her psychgenesis research (Cyteen: The Vindication, p2).
2315: (Emigration?) riots at EC HQ (Heavy Time, p87).
About two decades after 2300: Begin of the construction of the Fleet (Downbelow Station, p13).
2318: AE1 sits Proxy Councillor of Science (Downbelow Station, p13).
2320: Union: Special Status bill passed (Cyteen: The Vindication, p21).
2322: Draft riots at Sol station (Heavy Time, p87).
Mar 12 2323: 1-84-z damaged, Corazon Salazar dead (Heavy Time, p45).
May 20 2323: 2-29-t reaches 1-84-z (Heavy Time, p45).
Jun 26 2323: 2-29-t arrives at R2 (Heavy Time, p63).
Aug 01 2323: The accident of 1-84-z is blamed at a technical error (Heavy Time, p150).
Aug 15 2323: Dekker released from Hospital (Heavy Time, p155).
Sep 02 2323: The body of Salazar is found adrift (Heavy Time, p286).
Sep 17 2323: CDC exercise at R2 announced (Heavy Time, p274). ASTEX assets are transfered to EcoCorp under UDC control (Heavy Time, p285). Riots at R2; death of M. Bird (Heavy Time, p296). 2-29-t and 2-210-c escape from R2 (Heavy Time, p 299).
Sep 18 2323: ASTEX CEO (Towney) arrested (Heavy Time, p306). The carrier ECS5 rescues Hamilton (Heavy Time, p326). Dekker and Pollard are drafted (Heavy Time, p330).
Jun 2324: Hellburner training accident with four dead, probably due to crew substitution (Hellburner, p26).
Jun 14 2324: Pollard send to Sol Two (Hellburner, p6).
Jun 19 2324: Pollard arrives at Sol Two, visits Dekker (Hellburner, p19).
Jun 20 2324: Hearing about the Hellburner accident (Hellburner, p51).
Jun 20 2324: Pollard is assigned to the Hellburner project (Hellburner, p71).
Jun 24 2324: Sol B command is transferred to FleetOps (Hellburner, p172).
2324: Successful Hellburner test run. Earth now has carriers and riders (Hellburner, p26).
2331: AE1 becomes director of Wing One at Reseune (Cyteen: The Vindication, p21). AE1 gets her psychgenesis research funded. Poley researched "in this decade", too (Cyteen: The Vindication, p2).
2333 (perhaps a decade more or less): Reseune researchers fail at an azi tape variation Justin Warrick will try 80 years later => Azi production is well in progress (Cyteen: The Betrayal, p313). A lot of these azi are manipulated in their deep-sets to become Expansionists (Cyteen: The Vindication, p41).
2345: EC Fleet controls the space between Earth and Mariner. AE1 becomes administrator of Reseune (Cyteen: The Vindication, p21).
"During the last years of the war": The Centrists demand peace and a border at Mariner (Cyteen: The Rebirth, p61). Africa and Australia operating as commerce raiders (Tripoint, p293)
2351: Union stops/slows its expansion (Cyteen: The Rebirth, p60).
2352: Last Union offensive (Cyteen: The Vindication, p22): Mariner destroyed by sabotage (Downbelow Station, p17). Russel's destroyed (Downbelow Station, p18).
May 2352: The preparations for the Gehenna project are proceeding (Cyteen: The Vindication, p29).
May 05 2352: ECS5 Norway arrives at Pell with refugees from Mariner and Russel's (Downbelow Station, p15).
May 22 2352: ECS Pacific arrives at Pell with refugees from Esperance (Downbelow Station, p56).
Between May and June: ECS Atlantic arrives at Pell with refugees from Pan-Paris (Downbelow Station, p57).
Jun 05 2352: Company delegation arrives at Viking; first(?) indication of a new fleet buildup on Earth (Downbelow Station, p81).
Sep 09 2352: Union agent Jessad arrives at Pell (Downbelow Station, p136).
Sep 10 2352: Fleet assembles at Omicron point, prepares to attack Viking (Downbelow Station, p165).
late Sep or early Oct: Earth orders Fleet to stop operations (Downbelow Station, p176).
Oct 04 2352: Lybiaand two of India's riders lost; Fleet returns from Viking, takes Pell (Downbelow Station, p178).
Oct 10 2352: Union strike against Pell, coup at Pell, Angelo Konstantin murdered, merchanters bolt, Tibet and North Pole lost, Fleet retakes Pell (Downbelow Station, p258).
2353: Reseune produces azi routinely. This date is given, production started probably half a century earlier (Cyteen: The Betrayal, p40).
Jan 01 2353: Merchanters meet in deep space to form Alliance (Downbelow Station, p357).
Jan 08 2353: Norway deserts Fleet, the Fleet attempts to destroy Pell (Downbelow Station, p400).
Jan 09 2353: Norway and the Union fleet attack the Fleet at Pell, the Alliance takes Pell (Downbelow Station, p412).
Shortly after the battle at Pell: Union warships enter Sol System (Rimrunners, p1). Alliance warships enter Sol system (Rimrunners, p1).
Probably between 2353 and 2357: Mazianni return to Sol system and are driven back into deep space (Rimrunners, p2).
2354: Since 2340, Reseune grew over 400% (Cyteen: The Vindication, p21). Company War formally ends with the Treaty of Pell (Cyteen: The Vindication, p22): Pell claims Hinder Stars for Alliance (Rimrunners, p1), Union claims Mariner and Pan-paris (Rimrunners, p2).
About 2354: The Konstantin administration of Pell is replaced by the Dees (Cyteen: The Rebirth, p62).
2354 (55?): The Gehenna colony is founded by Union (Cyteen: The Betrayal, p265,Forty Thousand in Gehenna, p78,Cyteen: The Vindication, p22). The military intended to abandon the settlers to "contaminate" the planet with humans and make it useless for Alliance or Earth (Cyteen: The Betrayal, p268).
Probably between 2354 and 2356: Discovery of point of mass off Bryant's Star that made four of the Hinder Stars obsolete (Thule, Venture, Glory, Beta) (Rimrunners, p3).
After 2354 and probably before 2356 (but perhaps much later): LeCygne, Norway, Dublin Again, Finity's End and Liberty attack Australia and one unnamed Mazianni merchanter, the merchanter is lost ("Battle for Venture") (Merchanter's Luck).
After 2354 and before 2389 (probably early in this period): The new Earth fleet (Chanur's Venture, p154, Downbelow Station, p81, Cyteen: The Betrayal, p8) (Ulysses and others) contact a group of alien species known as the "Compact" (Hani, Mahendo'sat, Kif, Stsho, Knnn, Tc'a, Chi). This causes a major imbalance of power and forces the earth ships to retreat (Cyteen: The Betrayal, p15, Cyteen: The Betrayal, p261). One human is left behind (Tully). (Cyteen: The Rebirth, p62, Chanur books) This leads to a rapprochement between Earth, Alliance and Union (Cyteen: The Rebirth, p62).
The Compact (there is no verified date, but some events are covered above): The Compact is the loose organisation of four oxygen-breathing species and (probably (Chanur's Venture, p168)) three sentient methane breathers. The Stsho were the first starfaring oxygen species (Chanur's Venture, p306). They shaped the whole Compact economy (Chanur's Venture, p306, Chanur's Homecoming, p51). The Kif are rumored to have attempted a starship assault on their homeworld while they contested themselves into space (The Pride of Chanur, p197, Chanur's Venture, p307). They got the FTL- drive from the Tc'a after they developed spacecraft (The Pride of Chanur, p46), and the Hani got all their technology (that is, everything more advanced than bows and spears) from the Mahendo'sat (Chanur's Venture, p44, Chanur's Venture, p295, The Kif Strike Back, p161) who attempted to balance the Kif influence (Chanur's Venture, p299) by forcing the Hani into the Compact (The Kif Strike Back, p211) and shaped the Hani world government(Chanur's Venture, p298). Jik calls the humans "long time problem" (Chanur's Homecoming, p93), that could indicate a first contact much earlier than Ulysses (compare Chanur's Homecoming, p216).
"Recent Events" (All within a few Hani years, whatever that is):: Every Kif will grab as much power as he or she can get away with. Fortunately, they mostly prey on each other. But now the Kif have more and more powerful pirate princes (hakkiktun). Each of them adds his power base to the power of his predecessor he toppled (Chanur's Homecoming, p93).
The Mahendo'sat counter this with a secret shipbuilding program (The Pride of Chanur, p156,), technical support for the Hani (The Pride of Chanur, p218) and an attempt to locate sapients on the other side of Kif space (The Kif Strike Back, p99). The Mahendo'sat prepare emergency plans (Chanur's Venture, p14): They plan, supported by Tc'a (The Kif Strike Back, p203) who want to calm the Knnn (Chanur's Homecoming, p72), to force the different kifish factions to fight in Hani space (Chanur's Homecoming, p170, Chanur's Homecoming, p216). (That would leave them as the strongest oxygen-breather in the Compact (Chanur's Homecoming, p119).) The hakkikt Akukkakk captures four humans who investigated a Knnn transmission (The Pride of Chanur, p78).
The last survivor (Tully) manages to escape onto the Meetpoint docks (The Pride of Chanur, p77) and boards the Hani merchanter Pride of Chanur. Pyanfar Chanur refuses to surrender the human and is chased all the way to Anuurn. In the resulting space battle, the Hani and two mahen hunterships defeat the Kif and a Knnn ship abducts Akkukkak, leaving the human craft Ulysses behind.
The intrusion of aliens strenghtens xenophobic elements in the Han who ally themselves with both the Stsho, who want to hire Hani guards (Chanur's Venture, p284, The Kif Strike Back, p68, The Kif Strike Back, p115, The Kif Strike Back, p131, The Kif Strike Back, p211), and the Mahendo'sat (Chanur's Venture, p280). The Hani are temporarily excluded from Meetpoint (Chanur's Venture, p5). Humans and Mahendo'sat negotiate trade agreements (Chanur's Venture, p164). Several human traders are lost (Chanur's Venture, p164) to Kif and/or Knnn(Chanur's Venture, p166). Humans send a fleet in response (Chanur's Venture, p120, Chanur's Venture, p158, Chanur's Venture, p166). A mahen hunter carries a human delegation to the compact (Chanur's Venture, p163) and is lost (Chanur's Venture, p63, Chanur's Venture, p155) after the transfer of Tully onto the mahen hunter Mahijiru (Chanur's Venture, p5). The Mahendo'sat could have enaced their anit-kif plans (Chanur's Venture, p14) at this moment.
Tully is smuggled onto the Pride (Chanur's Venture, p73) and Pyanfar Chanur is forced to act as courier for the Mahendo'sat (Chanur's Venture, p10). The hakkikt Akkhtimakt forces Pyanfar to evade toward Kif space (Chanur's Venture, p140, Chanur's Venture, p142), and she is blackmailed to follow Sikkukkut (Chanur's Venture, p247), who is attempting to become a new hakkikt (The Kif Strike Back, p141). Pyanfar Chanur helps Sikkukkut to conquer Kefk station (The Kif Strike Back, p136) to retrieve hostages Sikkukut had taken (The Kif Strike Back, p67). Akkhtimakt allies himself with the Stsho and thus with the Han (The Kif Strike Back, p212). From Kefk, she goes to Meetpoint (Chanur's Homecoming, p124) where she gathers other Hani merchanters (Chanur's Homecoming, p177) (Hani have only three warships (The Kif Strike Back, p202)) to defend Anuurn against the Kif (Chanur's Homecoming, p201) who would be forced to enter Hani space (Chanur's Homecoming, p158) in an operation of mahen and human fleets (the humans wanted to fight all Kif (The Kif Strike Back, p218)). At Anuurn, Pyanfar conquers a group of Kif through superior bluff and position (Chanur's Homecoming, p288) and uses them to mediate an uneasy balance or power that excludes the Humans from Compact space (Chanur's Homecoming, p385). This may or may not be the peace treaty mentioned later (CL3).
The hakkikt Vikktakkht (aka Skkukuk), a vassal of Pyanfar Chanur, establishes control over the Kif.
Hilfy Chanur is hired as a courier by No'shto-sthi-stlen in the successful attempt to counter the powergrab by Paehisna-ma-to. (CL)
2355: E. Yeager aboard Merchanter Ernestine (Kato family) (Rimrunners, p15?).
2355: Gehenna colony abandoned by Union, but the colony survives (Cyteen: The Vindication, p3).
2356: E.Yeager aboard Merchanter Ernestine (Rimrunners, p15).
2357: E. Yeager (age 37) hired on Loki (Wolfe commanding) (Rimrunners, p56).
2358: AS Loki, AS Norway and several Alliance merchanters track and attack ECS India (Keu commanding). ECS India probably destroyed. Thule Station scheduled for destruction (Rimrunners, p275).
Between 2358 and 2379: Trade treaty between Union and Alliance, Hinder Stars closed down, Viking becomes free port. (Tripoint, p2). A spacer with Mazianni contacts thinks Mazian is alive (Tripoint, p252) and claims the Mazianni have a world (Tripoint, p377). First indication of Fleet split between Mazian, Porey, Edger (could have happened earlier) (Tripoint, p287, Tripoint, p340).
2362: AE1 Councillor of Science (Cyteen: The Vindication, p22).
2377: Less than half of the Union population lives on Cyteen (Cyteen: The Rebirth, p3).
2384: A lot of azi get CIT papers at Fargone (Cyteen: The Vindication, p41).
2387: Justin Warrick born (Cyteen: The Betrayal, p88).
2389: The Abolitionists formally join the Cenrists (Cyteen: The Rebirth, p62). Latest possible date for the Human-Compact first contact.
Prior to 2396: Exchange of genetic data between Earth and Union (Cyteen: The Betrayal, p43).
Between 2396 and 2404: Union distributes "genetic arks" to document the humen gen-pool (Cyteen: The Betrayal, p127, dated by Cyteen: The Betrayal, p156, Cyteen: The Betrayal, p39).
2404: The Centrists try to stop the Hope colonisation project and the Rubin project supported by the Expansionists, but abort in exchange for a release of Warrick from Reseune (Cyteen: The Betrayal, p17). AE1 dies under mysterious circumstances (Cyteen: The Vindication, p211). Giraud Nye becomes acting Councillor of science (Cyteen: The Betrayal, p157). Jordan Warrick is accused of the murder of AE1 (Cyteen: The Betrayal, p141). The recreation of AE begins (Rubin-Project) (Cyteen: The Betrayal, p187).
Jan 12 2406: AE2 is born (Cyteen: The Betrayal, p195, dated with Cyteen: The Rebirth, p127).
2412: Alliance rediscovers Gehenna colony; Jin 1 dies (Gehenna year 53). (Cyteen: The Betrayal, p260,Forty Thousand in Gehenna, p184)
2413: For the first time in history, there is a Centrist majority at Viking and Mariner (Cyteen: The Rebirth, p63).
2413: AE2 is legally recognized as PR of AE1 in a move of Reseune to prevent the disclosure of the files of AE1 (Cyteen: The Rebirth, p78).
Jan 24 2415: AE2 has access to the B1 computer system (Cyteen: The Rebirth, p122).
2418: AE2 gets Special status (Cyteen: The Rebirth, p182, Cyteen: The Rebirth, p220) and moves into the old apartment (Cyteen: The Rebirth, p190).
2420: For the first time on an alien world, someone is riding a horse (Cyteen: The Rebirth, p241)
2421: Khalid becomes Councillor of Defense (Cyteen: The Rebirth, p244). AE2 gains her legal majority (Cyteen: The Vindication, p20). She testifies in the council on the Gehenna files (Cyteen: The Vindcation, p28). Centrists and Expansionists conspire to replace Khalid with Jacques (Cyteen: The Vindication, p37). By last count, Earth had 5000 governments.
2422: Jacques new Councillor of Defense (Cyteen: The Vindication, p121). Giraud Nye is conspiring to link Jordan Warrick to terrorists (Cyteen: The Vindication, p120).
2423: AE1s archived notes, the unclassified part, are published as IN PRINCyteen: The Betrayal, pPIO (Cyteen: The Vindication, p141). AE2 and Denys Nye agree to replicate Giraud Nye in the case of his death (Cyteen: The Vindication, p183). Giraud Nye dies (Cyteen: The Vindication, p229). Jordan Warrick declares he's innocent of the Emory murder and was forced to confess (Cyteen: The Vindication, p237). An attempt is made on AE2s life (Cyteen: The Vindication, p275). Denys Nye killed in powergrab, Yanni Schwartz becomes new Reseune Administrator (Cyteen: The Vindication, p308)
2443: Calibans attack hill village and main Alliance base on Gehenna; Styx Towers founded; some Gehennans flee to found Cloud Towers. (Gehenna year 89) (Forty Thousand in Gehenna, p246)
2530: "Gehenna Doctrine" agreed to by Union and Alliance : [The Gehenna Doctrine] declared as a matter of policy that no Terran genetic material should be introduced into any compatible alien ecology. Humanity should not contace any alien species onworld, and should not land on any planet unless invited by a dominant sapient species. The idea was that humanity should keep to space and leave developing worlds free to develop without contamination travelling in either direction, and that humanity would contact no species that had not developed spaceflight. (Angel with the Sword, p253)
2532: Elai of Cloud Tower born (Gehenna year 178). (Forty Thousand in Gehenna, p266)
2542: Elizabeth MaGee goes to Gehenna; saves Elai's life (Gehenna year 188). (Forty Thousand in Gehenna, p278)
2558: Elai becomes leader of Cloud Tower (Gehenna year 204). (Forty Thousand in Gehenna, p327)
2559: Battle between Cloud and Styx towers; Styx falls and Jin 12 dies (Gehenna year 205). (Forty Thousand in Gehenna, p413)
2559: Union (re-)contacts Gehennans (Gehenna year 205). (Forty Thousand in Gehenna, p425)
2608: Merovin colony is founded by Union. (Angel with the Sword, p257)
2623 (The dates given in Serpent's Reach are probably impossible): First Alliance/Union contact with the majat of alpha Hydri II (Cerdin). Crew eaten. (Angel with the Sword, p257)
2652: Sharrh demand removal of Merovin colony. (Angel with the Sword, p257)
2653: Union/sharrh treaty cedes Merovin (Angel with the Sword, p257)
2654: Union removes most colonists from Merovin (Angel with the Sword, p257)
2657: Sharrh attack Merovin, unsuccessfully trying to eradicate human survivors. (Angel with the Sword, p257)
2658: Sharrh withdraw (Angel with the Sword, p257)
2658: First Gehennan to leave his planet reaches Fargone station (Gehenna year 305) (Forty Thousand in Gehenna, p444,Angel with the Sword, p257)
2701: First Alliance contact with Regul and Mri (Forty Thousand in Gehenna, p444,Angel with the Sword, p257)
2703: Mri wars begin (Alliance vs. Mri and Regul): Generally throughout this period, since the regul/mri attacks came from a side of Alliance not involving Union, the Alliance fought alone. The Alliance, moreover, in its long distrust of Union, feared an attack on its flank from Union. The Alliance Security organization (AlSec) founded 300 years previously by Signy Mallory proved all too powerful against the constitution framed by Damon Konstantin. Alliance became a police state on the home front, repressive and suspicious. Union, while worried, was not able to intervene across Alliance space until the war worsened. (The Faded Sun: Kesrith,Angel with the Sword, p258)
2722: Alliance government center removed to Haven from Pell to bring the government center closer to the war zone and improve reaction time. Pell is reduced to a regional capital, but remains the cultural, if not the administrative, center of the Alliance. (The Faded Sun: Kesrith,Angel with the Sword, p259)
2730: Fall of Haven to the mri; Alliance finally appeals for Union help. The help is debated in the Union Council while Haven falls, and Union forces when they do arrive are met with distrust and anger by Alliance forces who do not understand what restraints have operated on the home front. It had been AlSec policy to keep the war out of the home territory of Pell; but there is now intense economic suffering and the loss of life can no longer be concealed. (The Faded Sun: Kesrith,Angel with the Sword, p259)
2743: Haven retaken; end of Mri Wars. (The Faded Sun: Kesrith,Angel with the Sword, p260)
2744?: Sten Duncan reaches Kesrith (The Faded Sun: Kesrith)
2744?: Regul destroy last mri ship (The Faded Sun: Kesrith)
2748: Regul reach internal crisis due to human contact and go totally xenophobic (The Faded Sun: Kutath, Angel with the Sword, p260)
2749: Revolution in Alliance; AlSec curtailed and the Konstantin constitution resotred. (Angel with the Sword, p260)
3141: Meth-Marens of the Hydri stars massacred (Serpent's Reach,Angel with the Sword, p260)
3187: The Hanan break from the Alliance in a minor fracas limited to a narrow string of stars, but the struggle will last a thousand years. Union is not involved. (Brothers of Earth,Angel with the Sword, p260)

Sources for page numbers

Downbelow Station: page numbers from DAW paperback
Cyteen (The Betrayal, The Rebirth, The Vindication): page numbers from Questar edition
Heavy Time: page numbers from questar paperback
Hellburner: page numbers from questar hardcover
Rimrunners: page numbers from Warner Books, pb.
Forty Thousand in Gehenna: page numbers from DAW paperback
The Pride of Chanur: page numbers from DAW paperback
Chanur's Venture: page numbers from DAW paperback
The Kif Strike Back: page numbers from DAW paperback
Chanur's Homecoming: page numbers from DAW paperback
Tripoint: pages from Warner Books, hardcover
Angel with the Sword: page numbers from DAW paperback
Other Books referenced here:
Serpent's Reach
Merchanter's Luck
The Faded Sun: Kesrith
The Faded Sun: Kutath
Brothers of Earth

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