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Authors: Peter F. Hamilton

Tags: #Fiction

Great North Road

BOOK: Great North Road
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T
IME
L
INE

2003:
Kane North injured by IED in Iraqi.

2004:
Kane receives honorable discharge from U.S. Army. Moves to Edinburgh. Uses family trust money to recruit geneticists. Cloning program begins.

2007:
Brant North born, first clone of Kane North successfully carried to term. Large number of mental and physical defects; lives three years.

2009:
Cicero North born. Severe learning difficulties, serious metabolic deficiency; lives to 2022.

2010:
Forrest North born. High spectrum autistic, lives to 2065.

2012:
Augustine, Bartram, and Constantine North born.

2027:
Wan Hi Chan presents his theory of trans-spacial connection

2029:
First “connection” made at Princetown, 800 meters across campus. USA forms National Interstellar Agency (NIA).

2030:
Europe forms European Trans-Space Bureau (ET-SB). China forms National Interstellar Transport Corporation (NITC). Russia, India, Israel, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Pacific Alliance, North African Coalition, Asian Federation—all create agencies to begin interstellar exploration programs

2031:
NIA opens connection to Earth’s moon.

2032–2038:
Various national test programs produce twelve trans-spacial connections across solar system. Gateway technology perfected.

2034:
Augustine, Bartram, and Constantine found Northumberland Interstellar Corp, using family corporate resources to fund gateway systems manufacture.

2039:
NITC opens gateway to Proxima Centauri. Age of interstellar exploration begins.

2041:
NIA opens New Washington for settlement.

2044:
NIA opens gateway to Orleans.

2044:
ET-SB opens New Brussels for settlement to EU citizens.

2045:
India opens gateway to Kolhapur.

2045:
NITC opens gateways to Taiyuan and Wuchow.

2047:
Russia opens gateway to Nova Petersburg.

2047:
Israel opens gateway to Ramla.

2047:
U.S. senate expanded to take in ten new states from new worlds. Passes Federal Independent Landowner Act. Enforced off-Earth settlement of all long-term welfare recipients.

2048:
Japan opens gateway to New Tokyo.

2048:
France opens gateway to Rouen; French citizens only.

2048:
Earth economy stalling due to investment shift to new planets.

2049:
Germany opens gateway to Odessa; German citizens only.

2049:
USA passes illegals dispersal bill. All illegal immigrants in original states on Earth deported to the territories on new U.S. planets.

2049:
Saudi Arabia opens Riyadh for settlement; Muslims only.

2050:
ET-SB opens Minisa for ‘all’ Grande Europe citizens. Subsidized immigration begins for unemployed, later developing to ‘opportunity immigration’ policy, transporting millions of poor and jobless out of GE states on Earth.

2051:
Northumberland Interstellar opens gateway to Sirius star system, discovers earth-giant planet, named St. Libra. Cleared for human immigration.

2052:
Brazil opens gateway to Sao Jeroni.

2052:
North African gateway to Accra.

2053:
First bioil algaepaddies established on St. Libra. Start of bioil export to Earth. Massive investment into St. Libra algaepaddies begins, establishment of Eight Great bioil companies in addition to NI.

2055:
The Independencies founded on St. Libra; constant mid-level immigration by GE dissidents and other political refugees from across Earth.

2055–2070:
Establishment of seven more human-settled worlds. Earth’s population in decline; its economy contracts. Enforced exodus programs of jobless instituted by most nations.

2063:
Kane North dies, age eighty-three.

2083:
Rumour of True Jerusalem, reached via a secret gateway from Ramla.

2087:
Constantine North and Bartram North resign their directorships of Northumberland Interstellar. Company resources redistributed. The bulk remains with Augustine.

2088:
Constantine North launches Jupiter habitat; 8,000 tons of cybernetic manufacturing equipment, and a 3,000-ton mineral/chemical refinery all delivered to asteroid in Jupiter orbit via Newcastle gateway, plus 25,000-ton life-support hostel. Several hundred supporters and all C Norths follow him there.

2089:
Town of Abellia established on St. Libra by Bartram. Bartram founds North Biogenetic Institute, begins serious research into human regeneration/rejuvenation.

2092:
Zanthswarm on Accra.

2093:
Accra evacuated, gateway closed. Estimated human deaths: 8.2 million.

2093:
Formation of Human Defence Alliance (HDA) to defend human race from the Zanth.

2094:
Brinkelle North born.

2095:
Large-scale transtellar financial instability as HDA budget approved. Bioil price increasing, reducing consumption. Markets falling.

2096–2111:
Transtellar recession, affecting all worlds

2111:
Northumberland Interstellar–led cartel releases glut of low-price bioil, bankrupting many futures market speculators. Stability returns to bioil market. Transtellar share prices start to rise again.

2119:
Zanthswarm on New Florida. Evacuation declared successful, deaths estimated at 108,000.

2119:
Transtellar market downturn lasts until 2123—officially not a recession.

2121:
Bartram North and his household slaughtered. Angela Tramelo convicted of mass murder, receives life sentence.

T
HE 2143
S
T.
L
IBRA
N
ORTHERN
G
EOGENETIC
E
XPEDITION

Charmonique Passam:
vice commissioner for the Grande Europe Bureau of alien evaluation.

Griffin Toyne:
major, HDA, head of expedition security

Camp Wukang

Vance Elston:
colonel, Alien Intelligence Agency (AIA), camp commander

Antrinell Viana:
captain, AIA, executive officer

Administration

Jaysukhlal “Jay” Chomik

Norman Sliwinska

Forster Wardele

Bastian North:
observer

GE Legion squad

Pablo Botin:
lieutenant

Raddon:
sergeant

Paresh Evitts:
corporal

Hiron:
corporal

Privates

Mohammed Anwar

Atyeo

Ramon Beaken

DiRito

Leora Fawkes

Dave Guzman

Hanrahan

Gillian Kowalski

Omar Mihambo

Marty O’Riley

Peace-Davis

Audrie Sleath

Josh Justic

Xenobiology team

Angela Tramelo:
civilian adviser

Marvin Trambi

Roarke Kulwinder

Tamisha Smith

Miya

Smara Jacka

Iyel

Esther Coombes

Camm Montoto

Zhao

Pilots

Lorelei:
CV-47 Swallow

Garrick:
CV -47 Swallow

Juan-Fernando:
CT -606D

Ravi Hendrik:
CT -606D Berlin, ex–Thunderthorn SF-100 pilot

AAV flight team

Ken Schmitt:
chief

Davinia Beirne:
technician

Chris Fiadeiro:
technician

Mackay:
technician

Medical

Dr Tamika Coniff

Mark Chitty:
paramedic

Juanitar Sakur:
paramedic

Engineering Teams

Helicopters

Tork Ericson

Erius

Camp systems

Olrg Dorchev

Dean Creshaun

Lance

Ground vehicles

Leif Davdia

Darwin Sworowski

Microfacture

Karizma Wadhai

Ophelia Troy

General support personnel

Luther Katzen:
supervisor

Madeleine Hoque

Fuller Owusu

Lulu MacNamara

Winn Melia

Newcastle police

Sidney Hurst:
detective

Royce O’Rouke:
chief constable

Ian Lanagin:
detective, surveillance specialist

Eva Saeland:
visual interpretation constable

Ralph Srevens:
special investigator, AIA

Abner North:
detective, forensic specialist

Ari North:
constable, data management specialist

Aldred North:
Northumberland Interstellar security director, legal liaison

Hayfa Fullerton:
detective, gang task force

Kaneesha Saeed:
detective, retired, chief of gang crime office

Tilly Lewis:
Northern Forensics, Grade-A team manager

Chloe Healy:
O’Rouke’s media officer

Saul Howard:
surfer and store owner, St Libra

C
ONTENTS

Time Line

List of Characters

Sunday January 13, 2143

Monday, January 14, 2143

Tuesday, January 15, 2143

Wednesday, January 16, 2143

Thursday, January 17, 2143

Friday, January 18, 2143

Saturday, January 19, 2143

Sunday, January 20, 2143

Monday, January 21, 2143

Monday, January 28, 2143

Thursday, January 31, 2143

Friday, February 1, 2143

Sunday, February 3, 2143

Wednesday, February 6, 2143

Thursday, February 7, 2143

Friday, February 8, 2143

Monday, February 11, 2143

Monday, February 18, 2143

Friday, February 22, 2143

Saturday, February 23, 2143

Sunday, February 24, 2143

Monday, February 25, 2143

Thursday, February 28, 2143

Friday, March 1, 2143

Tuesday, March 5, 2143

Thursday, March 7, 2143

Sunday, March 10, 2143

Monday, March 11, 2143

Tuesday, March 12, 2143

Wednesday, March 13, 2143

Thursday, March 14, 2143

Saturday, March 16, 2143

Sunday, March 17, 2143

Monday, March 18, 2143

Tuesday, March 19, 2143

Wednesday, March 20, 2143

Thursday, March 21, 2143

Friday, March 22, 2143

Saturday, March 23, 2143

Monday, March 25, 2143

Tuesday, March 26, 2143

Wednesday, March 27, 2143

Tuesday, April 2, 2143

Wednesday, April 3, 2143

Thursday, April 4, 2143

Monday April 8, 2143

Tuesday, April 9, 2143

Wednesday, April 10, 2143

Thursday, April 11, 2143

Monday, April 15, 2143

Thursday, April 18, 2143

Sunday, April 21, 2143

Tuesday, April 23, 2143

Sunday, April 28, 2143

Tuesday, April 30, 2143

Thursday, May 2, 2143

Friday, May 3, 2143

Saturday, May 4, 2143

Sunday, May 5, 2143

Monday, May 6, 2143

Tuesday, May 7, 2143

Wednesday, May 8, 2143

Thursday, May 9, 2143

June 2152

2377

About the Author

S
UNDAY
J
ANUARY 13, 2143

As midnight approached, the wild neon colors of the borealis storm came shimmering through the soft snow falling gently across Newcastle-Upon-Tyne. It was as if nature were partying along with the rest of the city, providing a jade-and-carmine light show far more elegant than any of the fireworks that had been bursting sporadically above the rooftops since Friday.

BOOK: Great North Road
13.58Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

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