A Brief History of Inner Space

Worldbuilding

The diligent student of history will know that before one can comprehend one’s history, one must first assess one’s present condition.

At the time of this writing, it is the 169th year of Our Glorious Revolution, and the 2,377th year of the Common Era. The Jovian Union extends spinward to the Aster system, leeward to the Jandreus system, coreward to the Aristane system, and rimward to the newest colony around Roche. In total, there are thirty-two inhabited systems in The Jovian Union, of which four have not taken the Plebiscite¹.

The Jovian Union is subdivided into six sectors.

Sector I - The Core Sector. This sector is the administrative core of The Jovian Union, containing Sol (our Motherstar) and Second Sol.

Sector II - Hammond Sector. This sector is named for Hammond’s Star² around which is located the oldest colony in that sector. This sector contains within it seven inhabited systems.

Sector III - Theyst Sector. This sector is named for Theyst’s Star³ around which is located the oldest colony in that sector. This sector contains within it four inhabited systems, plus the responsibility for administration of two colonial systems.

Sector IV - Tellurian Sector. This sector is named for the Tellurian System⁴, the oldest system in this sector. This sector is accessible to many habitable star systems further leeward according to the Jovian Habitability Survey. There are six inhabited systems within this sector.

Sector V - The Koslov Sector. This sector is named for the Koslov system⁵, the oldest system in this sector. There are five inhabited systems in this sector, all of which have proven resource rich for industrial resources and manufacturing.

Sector VI - The Adille Sector. This sector is named for the Adille system⁶, the oldest system in this sector. There are four inhabited systems in this sector, not including the two colonial systems under it’s administration.

The Sectorized administration of The Jovian Union allows for strategic planning and effective administration of resources and distribution of labor. Koslov is known for it’s raw materials and manufacturing; Adille for Robotics; Telluria for it’s access to new colonies; Theyst for it’s commerce; Hammond for Cloning⁷; and the Core for administration and governance.

The thirty-two inhabited systems of the six sectors of The Jovian Union populated during four waves, the last of which is presently ongoing.

The First Wave of colonization began in the year 2101 and resulted in the colonization of three systems. A pause of almost fifty years allowed these pre-revolution factions to ensure their colonies were successful and send additional colonists.

The Second Wave of colonization began in the year 2175 and resulted in the colonization of four systems, as the technology improved and additional factions began competing for dominance.

Our Glorious Revolution was fought from 2208 to 2217 to win our independence from Earth-based tyrants, and the remaining twenty-five systems were colonized under the administration of the Jovian Union. The third wave beginning in 2230⁸, and the fourth wave beginning in 2350.

Current plans are under way for a fifth wave of colonization, pending the return of survey ships sent to investigate the habitability of prospective systems identified by the Jovian Astronometry and Survey Academy.

Photo by Manuel Will on Unsplash

1. The Colonial Vote to formally ratify the Union Protocols and join the Jovian Union.

2. Named for Darrius Hammond, who spearheaded the colonization here in 2115.

3. Named for Huron Theyst, who spearheaded the colonization here in 2175.

4. This system was colonized in 2191 by the political activist Peter Callert.

5. This was a first-wave colony whose first inhabitants arrived in 2123.

6. Named for Adille Callert who led the colonization effort here in 2184. Adille is an industrialist and the Aunt of Peter Callert, mentioned previously.

7. The Genetic Protocols were established by the Jovian Union to facilitate populating new colonies in 2220.

8. Historians and official Jovian Union records mark the third wave as beginning in 2230, despite the colony ship launched that year being lost. After their hyperspace jump, no sign has been found and they did not arrive at the intended destination. The first successful colonization was launched in 2245 to Tyn’s Star, after a hiatus for conducting a formal investigation.