1st January 2048
The Commonwealth Presidential election will be held in September. Prince Arthur is standing for re-election and his opponents will be the liberal senator Catherine Lloyd and Green activist Jennifer Anderson. Senator Lloyd continues to campaign on the basis that Nemesis is a very distant threat, if it exists at all, and that the Commonwealth budget should be spent on the poor and unemployed as well as improvements to the health and education systems. Jennifer Anderson, chosen candidate of several environmental groups, proposes that the colonisation of new worlds should be on firmly environmental principles, ensuring that any new colonies are agrarian societies focused on harmony with nature rather than industrial expansion. The Commonwealth has become more integrated over the last five years so there are no longer a large number of candidates split along former national lines. Previous presidential candidates, such as Dimitri Vassilov, Hiroshi Nagata, former President Jackson and conservative leader Luther Powell, are all part of the current administration, which also has the backing of the three major Commonwealth monarchies. Given the stability of the Commonwealth over the last five years, the general consensus among the media is that Prince Arthur will win by a landslide.
5th January 2048
The Islamic Alliance has launched a new 2000 ton spacecraft. It leaves orbit immediately and appears to be conducting a gravitational survey of the Sol system
15th January 2048
Development of the new Boosted Ion Engine is completed. Our scientists now turn their attention to improving the production rate of our shipyards.
20th January 2048
Two Themistocles II class freighters complete their overhauls.
27th January 2048
The Fast Colony Fleet arrives in Earth orbit. Although a Themistocles enters the shipyards for an overhaul, the two recently overhauled freighters rejoin the fleet. Another cargo of colonists and automated mines is soon on its way to Thebes.
18th February 2048
The gravitational survey of Sicyon is completed. No new jump points are found. The next destination of the survey fleet is the Syrinx system, adjacent to Apollonia
5th March 2048
The Asian Alliance has contacted both ourselves and the Terran Union and asked for a modification of the jump point treaty. They claim that their lone stand against the implacable Gitanyow has used up many of their resources and they need to establish out-system mining operations. Their Gallicite is all but exhausted and they are in urgent need of resupply. As they have noticed the Terrans are using only the Athens jump point, they request the treaty be changed to give the Asian Alliance access to the Pharsalos jump point.
Foreign Minister Jackson is dispatched to Paris for urgent talks with his Union counterpart. Both ourselves and the Terran Union do not want to let the Asian Alliance off lightly but the Asian Alliance must be truly desperate to admit their weakness and pushing them into a corner would not be wise.
After two days of talks a proposal is made to the Asian Alliance. The Commonwealth will supply them with 100 tons of Gallicite to meet their immediate need and they will given sole access rights to the Pharsalos jump point. In return, they must give up their sole access right to the Delphi jump point and allow both ourselves and the Terrans into Delphi if we decide to enter. The Asian Alliance, but not the Terran Union, knows we have had previous friendly contact with the Gitanyow and would likely re-establish that contact. The Alliance is also aware that based on their past history, the Terrans are unlikely to enter Delphi anyway. Therefore they agree to our terms under two conditions. Firstly that neither the Terrans not the Commonwealth will interfere with any future Asian Alliance attempt to conquer the Gitanyow homeworld and secondly that we would both stand by the Alliance if the Gitanyow attempt to attack Earth.
From our point of view, this will allow us to resume our previous useful technological exchanges with the Gitanyow while also keeping an eye on the Alliance. The loss of 100 tons of Gallicite slows down our expansion a little but may well be worth it. From the Terran perspective, they are removing the potential threat of a desperate Alliance targeting them for their supplies, especially as their small fleet of two cruisers and four frigates is completely outgunned by the Chinese. Finally, from the Asian perspective, this deal will allow them to survive and resume their attack on the Gitanyow in the future with sufficient supplies behind them, assuming they can find some Gallicite. It also allows them to stand down part of their battle fleet while they reactivate survey ships, knowing that they will be protected by the Terran Union and the Commonwealth.
Once the modified treaty is signed, the Asian Alliance immediately mothball four of their Jiangwei class cruisers and begin reactivation of five Jianghu class survey cruisers and three Luda class geological survey ships.
10th March 2048
The Terran Union completes their third Normandie class colony ship. So far, the other two ships of the same class have remained in Earth orbit
16th March 2048
Dionysus breaks orbit and heads for the Delphi jump point to re-establish contact with the Commonwealth colonists left behind on the Gitanyow homeworld. She takes with her Diplomatic Team Alpha and Rear Admiral Takahashi, eager to resume his role as ambassador to the Gitanyow.
17th March 2048
It appears the Terrans have found a planet they wish to colonize. The new Normandie class colony ship is loading colonists while the four Terran Suffren-B freighters are loading infrastructure. Within three days they leave orbit on course for the Athens jump point.
1st April 2048
The First Gravitational Survey Squadron arrives in Syrinx and begin its search for jump points.
2nd April 2048
The Fast Colony Fleet returns to Earth and is joined by a Themistocles that recently completed its overhaul. The fleet now includes four colony ships and eight freighters. The cargo for the next journey to Thebes-III includes 200,000 colonists, a small amount of infrastructure, carried by Atlas, and the last eight automated mines on Earth.
6th April 2048
Poseidon completes her overhaul
14th April 2048
Dionysus enters Delphi and hails the Gitanyow homeworld. She is answered by the Commonwealth colonists on the planet, now numbering 7600, who relay details of the Asian Alliance
