Earth in 2147 has far fewer nations than Earth at the end of the twentieth century. The delegation fleet includes ships from:
- The Confederation of South-East Asia (a.k.a. Greater India)
- European Union
- The Holy Arab Union
- The North American Federation
- Northern Chinese Republic
- The Pacific Consortium
- The South American Combine
- The Southern African Republic
- United Slavic Federation
- … and the United Kingdom.
Mentions are also made of “the other two Chinas” and “the rest of the Africans”.
We know that the nation of Israel no longer exists, that part of the Middle East having been made uninhabitable by nuclear weapons. Israel in Exile, however, has a ship in the fleet and is described by one character as “a very grand name for an institution with a lot of money and no land. It’s like a country without anywhere to stay. A virtual nation, if you like.”
Also in the fleet are ships from the Vatican, the super-corporations Starward Space Company and Galactic Corporation, and the World Administration — 2147’s equivalent of the United Nations.
Timeline
These are the background dates to the action, ending at the start of His Majesty’s Starship. All subsequent dates are at the head of each chapter of that book, so there’s an easy way to find out what happens next …
- 2059 — first use of step-through by the Roving.
- 2062 — the Xenocide.
- 2074 — Terrestrial UK becomes a republic.
- 2083 — Prideships discover humanity.
- 2088 — Richard Windsor born.
- 2102 — Rustie observation begins.
- 2105 — Michael Gilmore born.
- 2113 — Hannah Dereshev born.
- 2115 — Samad Loonat born.
- 2116 — James Windsor born.
- 2120 — Julia Coyne born.
- 2122 — Peter Kirton born. UK-1 completed. No connection.
- 2126 — Adrian Nichol born.
- 2130 — Joel Gilmore born.
- 2147, July — Formal contact made by the Rusties.
- 2148, 23 August — Invitation issued.