January 1st 2035: The coronation of Patrick I as Emperor takes place in the newly built Imperial Palace just North of Toronto in what used to be Canada. While a hyped up by the media, the event is mostly just for show. The Emperor has yet to come out with a concrete agenda, beyond nebulous proclamations of "a new direction for humanity".
March 26th 2035: A research team at the University of Berkeley approaches the Emperor through the Science Ministry with a radical new theory that could revolutionize space travel, which they dub "Trans-Newtonian Physics". The team leader is a brilliant and ambitious young woman named Benitta Ruz. She sees an opportunity for advancement by exploiting the Emperor's scientific decrees.
March 29th 2035: The Communications Ministry runs a two hour special on the discovery, padding the broadcast heavily with propaganda. At the end of the program Benitta Ruz is awarded title Dutchess of Mexico, her native country before the war, live by Patrick I.
Apirl 3rd 2035: Patrick I holds conference to decide upon direction for the rapidly mobilizing scientific community. Present are Duchess Ruz, Lyman Misiak, Burton Ryae, and Dorthy Tweed, the major members of the original research team. Ruz and Lyman have additional theories involving sensor technology, Raye has an idea for new reactor designs using the new physics model, and Tweed has a modest proposal for enhanced building materials. After each has presented their ideas, the Emperor decides that the Science Ministry shall focus on developing sensor technology to peer into the depths of space for anything of interest while also conducting a project to develop a workable Trans-Newtonian drive for the exploitation of any finds. Tweed expresses her displeasure with the decision quite forcefully.
April 5th 2035: The first samples of Trans-Newtonian minerals are used to fabricate dedicated mining equipment for the exotic elements. This is considered Phase One of a plan set out by the Emperor and the Production Ministry to switch over Earth's economy from and oil based model.
April 26th 2035: Using recently tested techniques, the existing orbital assets that the Empire inherited are slated to undergo a transformation into the "Imperial Shipworks". While the facility will be unused for the time being, the Emperor sets a goal of 2039 for the first Trans-Newtonian ship to be launched.
May 1st 2035: Designs are quickly drawn up to begin converting existing industrial complexes into factories specifically made for the upcoming new projects, now that the flow of Trans-Newtonian minerals is steady, if still limited. The industrial plan moves into Phase Two.
June 6th 2035: In an unfortunate turn of events, Dorthy Tweed is killed in an industrial accident at the opening ceremony for Trans-Newtonian Industrial Complex #20 in her native England. While circumstances rule out fowl play, conspiracy theories abound after her disagreements with the rest of the Berkeley team are made public.
July 11th 2035: Patrick I holds a conference with his leading naval officers on the subject of expansion into space. The Navy's top administrators are present as well to discuss logistical and scientific concerns. Much to the chagrin of ranking officer Rear Admiral Alva Candia, her underling and head of the Naval Survey Department, Commodore Ben Osbourn presents a pessimistic study claiming that Earth's supply of Trans-Newtonian minerals is severely limited and in places where extraction is difficult, based off deep sea sonic surveys, and that extraterrestrial sources will need to be found and mined quickly. Despite the Admiral's claims that the study was too hasty, the Emperor is impresses and invites Commodore Osbourn to take charge of the matter. After being further impresses he is awarded the title Duke of England.
August 6th 2035: The Osbourn report is released in its final version after heavy collaboration with Duchess Ruz. The report confirms the worst, that Earth only has about a decade's supply worth of several key Trans-Newtonian elements. The Emperor is further impresses and grants the Geology Task Force a blank check to deal with the situation. In private, rumors abound that the Duke and Duchess are romantically involved. . .
August 11th 2035: A brief encounter after a progress report catapults one of Duchess Ruz's lab assistants to prominence. So far the scientific elements have failed to discuss the logistics of their undertaking with the Emperor. Being very blunt, Faustino Stanforth manages to catch the Emperor alone and explain to him just how difficult the upcoming task is. He, unlike many others who have tried to discourage the Emperor, has solutions to propose, claiming to already have designs to maximize crew space, cargo space, and the like on any space missions, and could do more if allocated a research team. The Emperor agrees, but cannot spare any research funding at the moment. He promises Stanforth that he will not forget this conversation, even going a step further and awarding him the title Duke of New England. Many question how loose the Emperor is with titles, but he reminds them he is starting from scratch and must expand the upper house as quickly as possible.
August 16th 2035: Organizing for the first elections in January of 2036, Duchess Ruz begins to form a faction in support of her efforts with the help of Duke Osbourn. Rear Admiral Candia quickly begins to form an opposition party and manages to gain marginal support from Duke Stanforth. Informally these factions are known as the Geologists and the Militarists respectively.
October 16th 2035: Burton Raye and Lyman Misiak both present major findings at the monthly Science Ministry meeting. Raye states that the Empire now has Trans-Newtonian energy production capacity and is about half way to adapting the technology for starship propulsion. Misiak believes that he has developed a working sensor system that will allow humanity some eyes in to space, but the design could still use some work. The Emperor gives both the go ahead for continued work, apologetically turning down Duke Stanforth's project again.
October 21th 2035: In response to the high demand for research labs, both factions agree to co-author the Research Investment Act of 2036. It will be first on the agenda when the legislature meets for the first time in 2036, but in the mean time will go into effect via Imperial Order from Patrick I. There is some criticism that the effort cannot be diverted from the industrial program, but at the moment the Empire is working as a de facto technocracy.
Jan 5th 2036: The first elections in the Terran Empire are held. Amazingly, the vast majority of Senators are affiliated with one faction or the other, though in quite a few cases because they had no opposition whatsoever. Voting is mostly done via computer, though at set stations in local governments. The organizer, Commander Dannie Delgrande, is promoted to Captain and awarded the title Duke of Texas for superb effort in bringing some semblance of democracy to the world so soon after the war. Unlike the other nobles, he is rather apolitical, and thus not a supporter of either side on the Council.
Results
Council: 2 Geologists - 1 Militarists - 1 Apolitical
Senate: 993 Geologists - 974 Militarists - 3 Apolitical (Geo +19 adv)
May 6th 2036: Lisiak finishes his upgrades to the sensor designs and Duke Stanforth gets the go ahead to develop his plans. His first objective is a working system for transporting colonists to another body, very important for mining operations offworld. The Extraterrestrial Transport Act of 2036 is passes through the Senate laying out guidelines for civilian ships in the future.
November 1st 2036: Burton Raye reveals his designs for a Trans-Newtonian Engine. After months of hard work, the Emperor rewards Raye with the title Duke of the Great Plains. He supports the Geologists, but only weakly.
November 16th 2036: The Discovery Class Survey craft design is revealed with much fanfare by the Geologist faction. The Militarists are happy as well because the ship will use an engine design slated for "military" use instead of a civilian model due to time and size constraints. Patrick I okays the design for immediate construction, but the Imperial Shipworks will not be ready until early January of the next year, an acceptable delay.
Discovery class Survey Craft 1,200 tons 98 Crew 267 BP TCS 24 TH 25 EM 0
1041 km/s Armour 1-10 Shields 0-0 Sensors 1/1/0/2 Damage Control Rating 1 PPV 0
Maint Life 6.09 Years MSP 139 AFR 11% IFR 0.2% 1YR 6 5YR 96 Max Repair 100 MSP
Raye Thermal Engine Mark I (1) Power 25 Fuel Use 100% Signature 25 Armour 0 Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 50,000 Litres Range 75.0 billion km (833 days at full power)
Geological Survey Sensors (2) 2 Survey Points Per Hour
This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
Jan 5th 2037: New elections see the Senate lead stay the same, though with one more neutral.
Results
Council: 3 Geologists - 1 Militarists - 1 Apolitical
Senate: 1038 Geologists - 1019 Militarists - 3 Apolitical (Geo +19 adv)
