Phylogenesis

by Foster, Alan Dean;

  General Addenda:

  1-All habitable planets are to be reported to the Church Bureau of Supra-Commonwealth Registry. Application for development may be filed within the specified time period thereafter. Any outpost or proposed colony site must be inspected and approved by the Bureau.

  2-All habitable worlds have at least one scientific outpost or trading center.

  3-No advanced weaponry may be imported to planets of Class IV or V. Such imports are permitted on Class II worlds under specified conditions.

  4-Under regulations for Class IV planets, exploration by Commonwealth representatives or citizens must be pre-approved by the native government.

  **GALOGRAPHICS

  Location in Galaxy

  Side View

  Top View

  General Map

  Humanx Commonwealth

  THE AANN EMPIRE:

  The AAnn Empire occupies a portion of the Galaxy proximate to the Commonwealth, in the Orion Arm. Approximately 1600 x 700 parsecs in size, it is divided into at least 14 Quadrants, and contains a minimum of 32 inhabited systems.

  Blasusarr (N Class I): Homeworld of the AAnn race; largely desert. Also known as the Imperial Home World. Protected by a highly efficient detection and defense network. Exceptionally large surface-to-space shuttles operate here.

  Pregglin (N Class I): The major military and commercial hub for the 14th Quadrant. Pregglin Base is located here.

  Sectorcav (N Class I): Imperial sector headquarters; also a center of military/scientific research.

  Torsee Provinces: Ill-defined boundaries; partly within and partly outside formal Imperial space.

  THE BLIGHT:

  Created by the ancient Tar-Aiym using a "photonic plague" weapon against the Hur'rikku. Contains hundreds of safe, habitable worlds where nothing intelligent lives. Total area unknown. Preliminary mapping of only 3000 x 1500 area complete.

  Booster (N Class X): Humanx-normal world, though its atmosphere contains an unusual concentration of helium and other rare gases. One abandoned Tar-Aiym city exists, built around the base of the artifcact known as the Krang.

  Branner Systems: Three star systems inhabited by an ancient race, located on the periphery of The Blight, opposite Moth. The Krang is mentioned in its legends.

  Cannachanna System [K-type star]: C-II was inhabited by the Hur'rikku. One of the four moons of gas giant C-III was also inhabited.

  Hominid's World (N Class IV-B): Located near the Blight. Apparently once home to an interstellar civilization that sank to a pre-atomic level of technology. By 549 A.A. they were beginning to advance gain. Native sentients peaceful non-aggressive.

  Quofum (N Class X) : Fabled world with high, pink skies. Oceans average 9% alcohol. Rarely visited, due to unexplained spacetime distortions that cause it to appear only occasionally at the listed coordinates. Located along inner edge of the Orion Arm.

  Vom's last world: Before the Vom's arrival, circa 501,000 B.C., this planet apparnetly had a moderately successful ecosystem with typical terrestrial forms.

  * *

  THE HUMANX COMMONWEALTH

  The Humanx Commonwealth is part of the Orion Arm of the galaxy containing manyraces and planets of incredible variety. Much trade and additional exploration takes place within and beyond its borders. The Commonwealth is about 2400 x 1300 parsecs in size.

  Alaspin (H Class VIII): Two moons. Largely jungle surrounded by vast savannas and river plains. Thousands of abandoned native cities. Sentient species died out around 75,000 B.C. Home to Flinx's pet minidrag, Pip.

  Almagee (N Class V):No data currently available.

  Alpha C (N Class V): Located near Terra.

  Amropolous (T Class I): Leading producer of electronics. Home to the major thranx hive, the Yhu. Home of the Elecseed Corporation.

  Analava System (N Class I): Vandy sector. Two habitable worlds, whose inhabitants went to war with one another in 527 A.A. despite Church intervention. 120 million died.

  Annubis (H Class VIII): Home of the Hyperion forests from which the drug Bloodhype is dervied. In 545 A.A. the forests were burned, and the tree thought to be exterminated.

  Armelia (H Class V): No data currently available.

  Assurbanipal (H Class I): One habitable moon (Nineveh) on which the vast estate of Rashalleila Nuaman is located.

  Balthazarr-Beersheba (H Class I): Twin pleasure worlds.

  Barabas (H Class III): Primarily agricultural world. Notable export: a mint-flavored liquor distilled from a gengineered pine tree.

  Burley (H Class VIII): Extensive mining interests.

  Cachalot (H Class IX): 99% ocean world, with small ice caps. Exceptional even, mild climate. Home to the intelligence-enhanced Cetacea transferred from Terra.

  Calaroom: Agricultural world.

  Calm Nursery (T Class I): Major thranx colony world.

  Carmague-Collangotta (H Class I): Twin worlds located near the Velvet Dam nebula. Carmague has the 4th largest human population in the Commonwealth, and Collangotta the 14th.

  Carson's World (N Class II): Natives are small, intelligent, primates.

  Centaurus (H Class II): B No data currently available.

  Centaurus System (H Class I): Eight planets in system: III and IV have been colonized. About A.D. 2300, Exploration Control was sited on V. A manned station is in orbit around VII.

  Chikasakasoo (N Class I): Homeworld of the Quillp.

  Comagrave (Class VIII): Desert, semi-desert world. Home to a now extinct race, the Sauun, who left behind impressive monuments.

  Crnkk (T Class I): Important thranx colony world.

  Dawn (H Class VIII): Recent Human colony.

  Dis (H Class I): Four large moons: Cerberus, Charon, Pluto, and Chetani. Every three years they line up with the sun to create the surf condition known as the Monster of Dis. Gravity slightly less than T-standard, which enhances the effect.

  Dust-Dune (H Class VII): Rough, lawless, and mostly desert.

  Drax IV (T Class V): Mostly jungle; normal climate for a thranx-settled world. Major commercial center.

  Entebbe (H Class VIII): No data currently available.

  Everon (T Class I): One of the first to be colonized by the thranx.

  Evoria (T Class II): Noted for the "Season of High Pollen" that lasts 8 T-standard months.

  Eurmet (T Class VIII): Small thranx colony.

  Fluva (T Class V): No data currently available.

  Floran III (N Class II): Fairly advanced native race.

  G'Dim (N Class IVa): Two major continents, several minor ones. Native sentients exist in a constant state of warfare.

  Gestalt (H Class VIII): Human colony world with a single moon.

  Goldin IV (H Class II): Human colony world; home to Interstellar Lubricants.

  Goodhunting (T Class V): Quillp colony world with a population of 295,000 as of 500 AA.

  Gorisa (T Class II): SCAAM and other military research center.

  Greenwitch (H Class IX): Coordinate world considered the galographic center of the Commonwealth.

  Hivehom System (T Class I): Twelve planets; four inhabited. Hivehom is the homeworld of the thranx race; also co-capitol of the Commonwealth. Home to several human settlements on the less tropical Mediterranea Plateau.

  Horseye (N Class IVb): Four moons. Native name is Tslamina. Home to three distinct intelligent species, who live at different levels of the enormous Guntali Plateau, which is cut by the immense Skar River.

  Humus (T Class I): Home to the famous Elvor Laboratories, from which the latest in surgical instrumentation is exported.

  Kansastan-Inter Kansastan Bryan Sector (H Class I): Farming worlds noted for grain production.

  Largess(N Class II): Friendly, intelligent natives are seal-like in appearance. Open and friendly, though their culture is dull and strait-laced. Diverse spice exports.

  Long Tunnel (Class IX): Underground civilization living in vast caverns. Home to the uniquely gengineered Verdidion Weave.

  Loser's World (H Class
I): Culture belies its name.

  Mantis (H Class I): Capitol is Locust. Ozmidene mine located in the center of the capitol city. One of the first human-settled worlds.

  Midworld (N Class V): UNDER EDICT. One moon. World is dominated by a thousand-meter high rainforest that may be the most biologically diverse place in the entire Commonwealth.

  Moth (H Class III): Humanx-normal world encircled by "broken" rings. Diverse but regressive human colony.

  Myra IV (H Class II): Famous simispins located in pleasure parks. Sometimes known as Myla IV.

  New Paris (H Class I): Temperate human colony world.

  New Riviera (H Class I): Perhaps the most idyllic world yet settled by humans.

  Osiria (N Class II): Quillp colony world.

  Perth (H Class II): Human colony world; highly active maritine culture.

  Pitar System UNDER EDICT: Formerly home to a nearly human mammalian species. Remarkable instance of convergent evolution. One world (Treetrunk) colonized by humans. All three destroyed in the Humanx-Pitar War of 2368 AA.

  Plutarch (H Class II): Human colony world.

  Powerline (H Class X): Twelve light-years (approx.) from Moth.

  Praxiteles (H Class X): Human colony world.

  Prism (N Class V): Entire ecosystem, still little understood, is silicon instead of carbon-based. Native intelligences based on specialized individual sentience poorly understood.

  Proycon (H Class II): Settled by an off-course Sleeper ship.

  Puritan (H Class II): Home to the Sinspinner Sect of religious zealots.

  Qatar System (H Class II): Minor human colony world.

  Repler System (H Class VIII): R-III has two moons, August and September. R-VI and VII are gas giants.

  Rhyinpine (N Class IX): Troglodyte natives and many tunnels. Anar teas are grown here.

  RNGC 11432: This star is a K-9 supergiant. Orange in color, it rotates clockwise.

  RNGC 11433: Smaller than 11432, yellow-green in color. Rotates counterclockwise.

  Samstead (H Class VIII): Minor human colony.

  Santos V (H Class VIII): Mining center. Challis Co. has an interest here.

  Sensiran (N Class IVb): Tropical/semi-tropical ocean world notable for thousands of individual tribal/state groups, each confined to its own island group or archipeligo.

  Tehuantepec (N Class IVa): Human normal world inhabited by native species called "indians". Native legends tell of God-king and his wife whose ruled an empire consisting of three islands, or half the galaxy. Local Pim-Bird is sacred to the natives.

  Terra (H Class I): One moon. Homeworld of humankind, and co-capitol of the Commonwealth.

  Thalia Major (H Class I): Sun is slightly smaller and yellower than Sol. Capitol is Barragash.

  Thalia Minor (H Class I): Slightly smaller than Thalia Major, and trails behind it in a Trojan orbit.

  Tharce IV (H Class I): Major colony world.

  Tippendemos (H Class II): Major colony world.

  Tolus Prime (N Class I): Home of the racoon-like Tolian race. Large land masses, tree-farming, and metals industries. Local religious practices are highly regional.

  Treetrunk (H Class II): Fifth planet of the Argus system. Genocidal attack by the Pitar in 2365 AD led to start of the Humanx-Pitar War.

  Tran-ky-ky (N Class IVb): Perterbation of orbit creates a warm-cold climate cycle lasting approximately 50,000 T-standard years, seriously inhibiting native development.

  Trix (T Class I): Original thranx name was Dixx. One of the first worlds settled by the thranx.

  Twosky Bright (T Class I): 23rd in population and 15th in economic production in the Commonwealth. Located in the region of the Velvet Dam nebula.

  Tundra V (H Class II): Home of a sizable Church Task Force. Located near the Repler system.

  Ulru-Ujurr UNDER EDICT: Fourth planet of its star. 20% larger than Terra, but gravity only minimally higher due to composition. Highly mountainous surface. Irregular orbit is moving it further from its sun. Home to unique species of bearlike "primitive" natives.

  Unatha (N Class I): Homeworld of the gentle, inoffensive space-going Unop-Patha.

  Velvet Dam: A dark nebula some 24 light-years wide. Of such density that no electromagnetic energy can penetrate it.

  Visaria (N Class I): Highly industrialized human colony world.

  Willow-Wane (T Class I): Discovered about 1940 AD. Six planets in system. Even more perfectly suited to the thranx than Hivehom. Hive Zex is based here.

  Wolophon III (T Class I): Name in Low Thranx is Colophon. Thranx colony world.

  HiveHome Map

  Tran-ky-ky Map

  **

  Commonwealth Chronology

  B.C. 1,000,000,000 - A.A. 13,000

  Exploration, Extent of:

  Human Thranx 2300AD

  Human Thranx 2400AD (0 AA)

  Humanx 100AA

  Humanx 300-550 AA

  (NOTE: Where "c" is used, the date given is approximate.)

  Relevant novels are in ORANGE CAPS, short stories in Green

  1 billion B.C. The Xunca are at their height. They discover something connected with the Great Emptiness and begin setting up their transmitter network.

  400,000,000 The Xunca create the Groalamason Ocean on Horseye and modify the orbits of the planet's moons. They set up a transmitting station in the polar ice cap. A minor relay station is set up on Terra, but is destroyed by continental drift. A Mutable is stationed on every planet set up with a component of the system.

  50,000,000 A massive earthquake shakes much of Horseye, shifting the course of the Skar River, and causing minor damage to the transmitter.

  950,000 The Hur'rikku begin to explore outward from near the Galactic Center.

  800,000 Anticollapsar weapon destroys collapsar near the Shapley Center.

  501,000 The Vom arrives on the last world it will consume. Prior to this it has obliterated all life on nearly a thousand worlds.

  500,000 Tar-Aiym Empire is at its height. The Vom makes contact with the Tar-Aiym and panics, destroying the fleet sent to investigate it. The Tar-Aiym then send a robot fleet to contain the Vom. Peot becomes the Guardian, and is placed in orbit around the Vom's planet.

  499,000 Tar-Aiym make contact with the Hur'rikku. Total war ensues.

  480,000 After enduring several attempts to be forced into the Tar-Aiym Empire, the Hur'rikku threaten to use their anticollapsar weapon on Tar-Aiym worlds. The Tar-Aiym respond with intensive weapons research. As a consequence of this activity, the Krang is constructed on Booster. The fleet containing the Vom is called away to help in the war with the

  Hur'rikku, leaving a minimal force to aid the Guardian in its duties.

  479,000 Animate photonic storm released by the Tar-Aiym as a plague destroys all sentient life in their galactic vicinity before finally burning itself out, including both its Tar-Aiym creators and the Hur'rikku. A dying race on the edge of the plague area broadcasts a warning. Surviving space-faring species within detection range act together to quarantine the region. This section of space becomes known as The Blight.

  7,000 Alaspininan civilization at its height. Alaspinians explore space in an area larger than the Commonwealth, but establish no colonies.

  75,000 Alaspinians die out, possibly by racial suicide.

  67,500 Last monumental achievements of the culture of the Sauun, on the world later named Comagrave.

  27,000 Latest warm cycle begins on Tran-Ky-Ky.

  17,000 Warm cycle ends, present cold cycle begins.

  10,950 Tunneling begins on Ulru-Ujurr.

  c8,000 Birth of Thranx civilization on Hivehom. Founding of the "Eternal City" of Daret, later capitol of the Thranx Great Hive.

  c7,000 Seminal confrontation between Twentieth Emperor Thumostener and King Vilisvenqen on Hivehom.

  c6,000 Last intraspecies war fought on Hivehom.

  c5,700 Birth of human civilization on Terra.

  c2,000 Establishment of the Priory of the Brotherhood "Evonin-ta-ban" on Tran-
ky-ky.

  cA.D.500 Christian religion calendar change on Terra.

  c1800 Thranx achieve rudimentary space travel. Piloted rockets sent to Hivehom's three moons.

  c1850 Three other habitable planets in the Hivehom system colonized.

  c1900 Thranx discover posigravity drive.

  c1930 Thranx discover Calm Nursery.

  c1940 Thranx discover Willow-Wane.

  c2045 Terrans work to perfect slow but practical deep space travel. All killing of Cetacea outlawed.

  c2080 Off-course robotic Terran "sleeper" colony ship reaches the Centaurus system. Planets III and V are colonized.

  c2100 Thranx have first contact with the AAnn.

  c2105 Diplomatic relations established between Thranx and AAnn. General wariness ensues.

  c2200 Off-course Terran sleeper colony ship is forced to unload its human cargo at Midworld.

  2243 AAnn attack Paszex on Willow-Wane for the first time.

  2270 Mammalian neural system enhancement serum gengineered.

  2280 Independent invention of the posigravity drive by Terrans Alex Kurita and Sumako Kinoshita. Re-discovery of the Centaurus system colonies.

  2285 Discovery of Mantis.

  2290 Discovery of Cachalot. Birth of Ryozenzuzex on Willow-Wane.

  2300 Covenant of Peace enacted with serum-enhanced Cetacea. Agreement of Transfer vowed. Transfer of surviving Cetacea to Cachalot begun.

  2310 The Terran exploration ship Seeker is attacked by the AAnn, and later rescued by the Thranx ship Zinramm and taken to Hivehom. A mysterious message from Capt. Brohwelporvot sends Ryozenzuzex on a journey to Hivehom to see the aliens.

  2311 The Humans escape protective captivity on Hivehom and return to Centaurus VII, taking Ryo with them. NOR CRYSTAL TEARS.

  2312 The Humans and Ryo set up the Project on Willow-Wane.

  2312 Ship-to-ship contact is made between the Thranx and the Quillp.

  2316 The Project is revealed to the general populace of both species.

  2320 Transfer of Cetacea to Cachalot completed.

  2326 Death of the famous poet Wuuzelansem.

  2340 First treaties between Humans and Thranx signed. Closer contact forced by circumstances initiated by human thief Cheelo Montoya and mad Thranx poet Desvendapur. PHYLOGENESIS.