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A History of the Whoniverse

The Thirtieth Century (2901-3000)

By the beginning of this century, the empire had grown corrupt. Species-ism was rife, and human oppression of other species was seen as perfectly normal. The Empress had, unknown to most of the Empire's subjects, become the central part of Centcomp, the Great World Computer. Artificial and imported food was the norm on Earth, as arable land was routinely used for housing. The vast majority of Terran species had died out. Rats [and other vermin] were the only creatures that still survived. Pollution was rife and half the population now lived in the vast Overcities that covered the Earth's land surface and the Seacities above the oceans. The poor and powerless were forced to live in the squalid undertown. The system of Vigilant space defence systems protected Earth from any potential alien attack, though it was inconceivable that the Imperial Landsknechte would allow a hostile force to come anywhere near Earth's sector.

The Empire was governed by a feudal system, using medieval European titles. Thus, on Earth, a Baron controlled a few hundred levels of an Overcity. Each Overcity (covering an area equivalent to a one of the larger 20th Century European states) was ruled by a Viscount. A Count or Countess ruled about 10 cities, whilst Earth itself was ruled by a Marquess or Marquessa. The Duke Marmion controlled Earth's Solar System, and everybody was ultimately answerable to the Empress, or Centcomp. The population within an Overcity also operated on hierarchical lines - subjects were only allowed to access levels below the one they lived on, and the richer or more important you were, the higher you lived. Apartments got larger with each level.

There were, however, several systems operating in parallel with the feudal system. The Order of Adjudicators administered Imperial Justice independently of the particular wishes of the nobility in their area. They could access any level of the Overcities they worked in. The Imperial Landsknechte also had considerable autonomy from the feudal lords. Both, however, were subject to the wishes of the Divine Empress.

This is the background to Original Sin and So Vile A Sin.

2905

Chris Cwej's father graduates from Ponten IV and joins the Adjudicators, following a family tradition dating back to the founding of the Adjudicators.

Original Sin (page 160).

2920

The Nerva Beacon finishes its assignment. The beacon is used for many other activities over the next few millennia.

Nerva is on a 30-year assignment in Revenge of the Cybermen. As it is still in good condition thousands of years later in The Ark in Space, it is probably in use throughout the gap, and thus well maintained.

2935

Roslyn Sarah Inyathi Forrester is born.

Roz's age is given as 'early 40s' in Just War, page 150. The exact date is from a Virgin Books' discussion document.

2945

The Data Protection act of 2820 is amended.

Original Sin (page 136).

By this time, the Imperial Wars of Acquisition are well underway. Although no serious Alien forces attack Earth, there are occasional raids. Amongst the races crushed are the Hith.

In Original Sin, we learn that Homeless Forsaken and Waiting for Justice's ILPIN numbers were issued on Tuesday 5th June 2955, though this is supposed to have been four to five years ago (pages 86 & 287). The raids are mentioned on page 127.

Fenn Martle is squired to Chistopher Cwej's father for a few years.

Original Sin (page 161) - no date is given for this event.

2954

Christopher Rodamonte Cwej is born in Spaceport 9 Overcity, Earth. His mother will sit him in front of a Schlock-vid instead of telling him nursery rhymes.

Original Sin. This is confirmed in Head Games (page 205). The Schlock-vid bit is from Lungbarrow page 44 (chapter 3 page 11).

2955

The Mordee excavation discovers two pages of Osterling's The Good Soldiers.

We see these pages on page 15 of Theatre of War.

Humanity discovers anti-magnetic cohesion.

A thousand years after Jo was born, according to The Carnival of Monsters.

2957

Rosalyn Forrester joins the Adjudicators. She is squired to Fenn Martle. She becomes his partner for a period of 15 years, and he saves her life 5 times.

Original Sin (pages 32 & 219).

The Empire commits Genocide on Tractis. The Humans wanted mineral rights on the planet, which they could have acquired for nothing. They also wanted to grow drugs like coffee, pixirin, and opium and sell them back to the Tractites at extortionate prices. A few Tractites said no, refusing to become slaves, and the humans sent drug-fuelled troops to kill the entire, peaceful, population.

According to Genocide pages 67-72, 129-133, 201-222. Mauvril says that the Tractites' first time jump only took them back a thousand years - clearly arriving not long before 1997. I have, therefore, placed this not long before the break-up of the Empire.

The Doctor manages to arrange for Tractis to become, in effect, independent. The new governor, Earth Reptile Menarc, arranges for a freely elected planetary council. However, Earth emigrants form a separatist party, and assassinate members of the council. The Empire, having begun to fall apart, tries and fails to restore order.

As shown in Genocide (pages 273-275). This is shortly before the Earth Empire begins to fall apart. However, the Empress is far more mobile and verbose - though just as old - as in Original Sin, so it could be earlier.

2972

Soon after the Hith Pacification, Roz eats a man's ident when he throws a Ditz off a walkway.

Original Sin pages 32-33.

2973

The Primary Cressida Document - Suppressed Texts of the Vatican Library is published by Mysteria Press.

The date is given in Short Trips Companions: Apocrypha Bipedium, page 35.

2974

Christopher Cwej graduates from the Adjudicator Academy on Ponten IV. He has achieved some of the highest marksmanship and piloting scores ever recorded. Of his 25 classmates, at least three would prematurely retire due to injury and at least two would be killed.

A year before Original Sin. However, Lungbarrow dates this as 2975 on page 169 (Chapter 18 page 9), and supplies the details about his classmates.

By this time, Armstrong Transolar Aerospace was building Starhopper spacecraft on Empire City, Tycho, Luna.

The Sorcerer's Apprentice (page 17).

2975

ORIGINAL SIN

On Earth, there is a sudden and huge increase in the number of homicides - all of them caused by an individual just snapping. These homicides are concentrated on Earth and spark off riots in the Undertowns, starting in Asia. The Empress soon attempts to enforce a planetary curfew. Fairly soon, there is huge damage to the Overcities and people are clamouring to get off the planet, whilst spacecraft refuse to land.

At the same time, a large number of planets attempt to leave the Empire. These include the Rim World Alliance and rebel forces on Allis Five, Heaven, Murtaugh, and Riggs Alpha.

The Doctor says that it's the 30th Century (page 23). Chris's Dad graduated about seventy years ago, in "05" (pages 160-161). The date is well established in later books. Despite this, 2945 is said to be either four (page 86) or five (page 287) years ago.

THE MUTANTS

The Solonians begin mutating. Their imperial overlords attempt to destroy the mutants. They are persuaded to let the Solonians have their independence when it is discovered that the mutations are part of a natural process.

The Doctor says that this is the 30th century. This cannot be before Original Sin because, at that time, the Empire refuses to let anybody leave. Dialogue suggests that Solos may be one of the last worlds to leave the Empire. However, I propose that the news from Solos referred to in Original Sin (page 318) refers to these events, placing them at the same time as that book. Perhaps the Time Lords wanted the Doctor to create a model for peaceful withdrawal from the Empire, or perhaps the Solonians prove to be significant at some later point in history.

2977

The Secondary Cressida Document (a transcribed fragment allegedly found at a Church of Rome jumble sale) - Even More Suppressed Texts of the Vatican Library is published by Harper-Mysteria-Ellerycorp Press

Short Trips Companions: Apocrypha Bipedium page 46.

2982

SO VILE A SIN

The Empress is killed, and Leabie Forrester becomes Empress in her place. At the same time, the Brotherhood is destroyed.

The exact date is stated several times throughout the book, but they cover most of the year. Roz's funeral takes place in September.

2983

Kimber meets investigator Hallet. At about the same time, the Doctor meets Hallet and Captain Travers (perhaps separately) and visits Mogar.

Trial of a Time Lord: Terror of the Vervoids.

16th April 2986

TRIAL OF A TIME LORD: TERROR OF THE VERVOIDS

Vervoids, a sentient form of plant life, were released on the intergalactic liner Hyperion III. They were all killed, though not before inflicting massive casualties amongst the passengers and crew.

The Doctor tells the court what year it is. The day is from a monitor screen.

Under Leabie Forrester, the Empire is dismantled.

Decalog 4: Dependence Day.

2987

DECALOG 4: DEPENDANCE DAY

The Cimliss arrive on Earth and offer food to the starving population. The food is bio-engineered to turn humans into Cimliss. Thaniwe Forrester, daughter of the Empress, escapes to raise an army to defeat the Cimliss.

This is set five years after So Vile A Sin (page 270).

Humans undertake the sigma experiments, providing them with some level of time travel technology. However, these experiments are botched.

According to the Doctor in Transit, page 63. The date given is the 30th century. This is when humanity is supposed to first develop time travel technology.

[Thaniwe Forrester was, against all the odds, able to form an army to expel the Cimliss from Earth. Upon regaining control of Earth, she set about rebuilding the Empire. Many of the colonies were more than happy to come under the Imperial system again, and this, much reduced, Empire limped along for a century or so before its final end.]

This is an attempt to reconcile the complete disbanding of the Empire seen in Decalog 4: Dependence Day with its continued existence in The Sorcerer's Apprentice.

3000

THE ICE WARRIORS

On Earth, the second Ice Age had begun. The destruction of the forests [along with most animal and plant species] had led to a new Ice Age. This began to take its toll as glaciers advanced from the poles. The Great World Computer [i.e. - the remains of Centcomp] co-ordinated a series of Ioniser bases to slow the advance. One of these bases discovered an ancient Ice Warrior ship hidden in a glacier. The ship's occupants attempted to take over the base, but were defeated.

The date of this story is uncertain. Clent says that the glaciers will wipe out 5000 years of history, which is infuriatingly unhelpful in dating the story. The Great World Computer has apparently been running the planet for 100 years. In The Talons of Weng Chiang, the Doctor refers to an Ice Age about the year 5000, which would nicely fit Clent's date. The story must, however, happen some time before Legacy, which occurs about 3985. Almost every other chronology follows the date of 3000 AD published in The Radio Times, so I am following suit.

You visited the Whoniverse at 6:17 pm BST on Friday 7th July 2006