Pre Incident Timeline

The world before everything changed

Before the Nexus opened, Earth was racing toward a future built on innovation, ambition, and quiet desperation. Diseases had been cured, hunger nearly eliminated, and technology reshaped daily life. Hover cars filled the skies, climisuits tamed the climate, and humanity believed it was on the brink of solving its greatest challenge: the energy crisis.

But beneath the optimism, cracks were forming. Power demands soared. Corporations consumed more energy than nations. Experimental physics pushed deeper into the unknown. And in the pursuit of limitless power, humanity brushed against forces it was never meant to touch.

This timeline traces the discoveries, inventions, and decisions that led to the creation of the QEBS and the moment the world crossed a threshold it could never return from.

Foundations of the Future

The world is accelerating faster than it understands. The drive for new inventions burns in the communities and the demand for more and better technology has never been higher.

2000–2050

2000–2010 — The Digital Surge

Humanity enters the millennium with unprecedented optimism. Computing power skyrockets, automation spreads, and early neural‑interface prototypes appear in research labs. After the Y2K scare turns out not to be a real issue, technology is the focus of the millennia.

2015 — Atmospheric Water Harvesters Introduced

Drought‑stricken regions adopt rooftop water‑pulling devices, reducing reliance on failing infrastructure. This causes a lot of controversy at first, due to political pushback. The inventor of the water harvesters, however, (who was a billionaire philanthropist at the time) manufactures and distributes the machines throughout the world.

2023 — Universal Genome Mapping Completed

The human genome is fully mapped, enabling rapid advances in personalized medicine. Like much scientific innovations of the time, this is met with skepticism and most people do not know what this means to them.

2025—Universal Inoculation Protocols Instituted

All doctors begin using immune-training inoculations tailored not only to each disease but also to each patient. Over the course of the year, most diseases are virtually eliminated despite the pushback from some groups of anti-vaccination people. Protests are scheduled, but there are not many who take part, as most are enjoying freedom from all ailments, including the hard to treat auto immune disorders.

2027 – Cancer Cured

After much debate and many, many trials after the genome mapping finished, researchers find the cure to eliminating cancer from all who have it no matter what type. Mass inoculation clinics take place worldwide, and it becomes standard care to give infantas the injection after birth.

2029—Neuro-Interface Assistance Released

A new technology that is immediately popular among people with busy lives and people with disabilities. A step up from smart home features, this interface allows hands free device control of anything it is connected to.

2030 — First Nutrition Pills Released

Designed for disaster zones, they quickly become a global convenience product. Millions of people suffering from starvation become the target of the makers of this item. There is much controversy about the ethics of targeting developing nations who do not have enough money to spend on such an (at the time) expensive product. Within five years, price drops dramatically, mostly due to political pressure.

2032—Lab Grown Meat Commercially Available

Even with controversy and protests demanding it isn’t “real” food, lab grown meat begins replacing organic meats. Many celebrate, while others refuse to use it and begin buying incredibly expensive meat marketed as “Real Meat” with a special seal.

2035 — Organ Weaving Pods Approved

Replacement organs grown from a patient’s own cells eliminate donor shortages. This is met with much skepticism and spawns the “pure human” movements becoming popular throughout the world, the largest of which is the True-Life Initiative.

2042 — Pathogen‑Neutralizing Air Systems (Pathway Systems) Installed in Major Cities

Airborne disease transmission plummets. The initiative to install the Pathway Systems is met with public scrutiny because the technology came from ultra secret military scientists working for many years. Military has used it for several years, verifying the safety.

2045 – Metabolic Modulators Brought to the Public

Metabolic modulators are introduced. They help regulate sleep, stamina, and cognition. They are highly sought after, and different manufacturers vie for superior products. True Life Initiative protests, but it does not stop consumers from owning the devices.

2049 — First Hovercar Enters Mass Production

A symbol of the new century, sleek, efficient, and energy‑hungry. They have more battery space than anything, and have short battery lives. The batteries are incredibly dense. The average hovercar weights more than three gasoline powered cars. First line is created by a new company called Xing Motors out of Taiwan.

The Age of Innovation

Humanity solves everything except its appetite for power

2050–2100

2051—First Autonomous Convoy Roads Opened

These special highways have been in development for several years, and they are ready by this year. Immediately, costs go down for companies, and prices start to drop due to the public knowing that this is the reason.

2054 — Climisuited Clothing Becomes Standard

Temperature‑adaptive suits revolutionize outdoor labor and travel. Another military technology repurposed for civilian use, the Climisuit becomes the norm as earth temperatures become more and more extreme across the globe due to global warming.

5256—First Mag-Slip Transit Line Built

In an attempt to reduce energy consumption, governments roll out the mag-slip transit lines for mass public transportation throughout the countries.

2059—Personal Climate Domes

A unique invention spawned from the Climisuit technology; these are used mostly to create a safe area to camp in harsh environments. This is particularly useful for researchers for various studies in the wild.

2061 — Quantum‑Mesh Network Goes Live

Instant global communication becomes the norm. As the demand for quick communication become stronger, people demand solutions, which scientists deliver on.

2062—Researchers Introduces Stabilized Micro-Wormholes

These are wormholes that last less than five minutes which can be used for immediate data transmissions of any size. This is revolutionary since data has started taking massive amounts of time to move across regular networks.

2065—Genetic Repair Inoculation Widely Used

Using the genomic information from the complete map, researchers are able to target genes with variations in those with genetic disorders, and those inoculated before pregnancy pass the immunity to genetic disorder to the developing child. There is pushback from certain groups, however the majority of people celebrated the end of genetic disorders.

2067—Dream Mapping Interfaces Emerges

This technology was introduced to reduce PTSD symptoms in patients, however it becomes used widely as a way to cure nightmares, night terrors, and sleep paralysis. The use is expensive at first, the patent held by an anonymous researcher, but eventually, they are allowed to be used in most medical settings.

2072 — Gravity Modulators Transform Construction

Megastructures rise worldwide, including early prototypes of walled‑city architecture. Humans can build bigger faster, and more innovative use of space begins taking place.

2073—Personal Hover Platforms Introduced

These are brought to the world to be used for couriers and rescue teams. These make it easy to get through areas they otherwise cannot access. Later, they become available to the general public and become a status symbol.

2075—Solar Glass Invented

Solar Glass isn’t really made of glass, but of a thick, clear material with solar clear solar panels built into it. These become widely used among builders until almost no building has glass windows any longer. They are also highly resistant to breakage. They are also photochromatic, leading to less energy waste.

2079—Smart Architecture Comes Into Common Use

Building materials are invented that allow buildings to have walls that change in accordance to the outside conditions. These work in tandem with Solar Glass windows.

2084 — Sub‑Planck Sensors Detect “Background Oscillations”

Scientists believe they’ve discovered a new fundamental field. They haven’t, though, they’ve brushed against the Nexus. This is exciting technology, and many scientists state it is revolutionary.

2089—Zero-waste Fabricators Invented and Used Worldwide

With landfills overflowing, zero-waste fabricators become an essential part of everyone’s household. Commercial versions are placed in all landfills, and workers steadily fill them with waste and make useful products for construction.

2091 — First Quantum‑Tethered Battery Meltdown

A catastrophic failure kills dozens. Governments restrict further development, but private labs continue in secret. In particular a small lab in the Philippines run by an America scientist does the most work in secret.

2099 — Global Energy Demand Reaches Crisis Levels

Renewables strain under the weight of computing, transit, and industrial needs. Fusion remains elusive. There are many ideas to help with global warming, but all would take massive amounts of energy that Earth simply does not have at this point.

The Crisis Years

Humanity stands on the edge of a power shortage. And a revelation.

2100–2130

2100 — Turn of the Century

Celebrations are overshadowed by fear. Energy reserves are dwindling. Corporations consume more power than entire nations. Capitalism runs rampant in the western world, and more people than ever suffer from inequity.

2112 — Atmospheric Ion Harvesters Deployed

Helpful, but nowhere near enough. These are mostly useful for the average citizen so they can get off the energy grids where prices are increasing at astronomical rates due to data centers and manufacturing facilities that draw massive amounts of power.

2114—Resonant Energy Lensing Begins to be Used

An emerging technology starts to roll out throughout the world. This is a way of bending energy fields through spacetime distortions.

2120 — Second Quantum‑Battery Meltdown

Public trust in experimental energy collapses. The lab in the Philippines goes the same way as the first lab, though this time, due to the dense population around the area, many are killed in the resulting explosion.

2125—First Predictive Cognitive Engine

These super advanced Artificial intelligence engines predict behaviors before humans can think. They model behavior almost seamlessly and become nearly indistinguishable from human actions.

2128 — “Substrate Field” Confirmed

A global team of physicists announces the discovery of a mysterious energy layer beneath spacetime. They believe it could solve the crisis. They gather more information as they continue to probe the field, and the first thoughts of using this substrate to draw unlimited energy is brought to light.

2130 — The Dream Team Forms

A coalition of the world’s brightest scientists, engineers, and theorists unite to solve the energy crisis once and for all. Public trust, though, is simply not there, and the whole operation is funded by private investors, most of which remain anonymous during the work.

2133 — Cross‑Dimensional Noise Detected

Strange “echoes” appear in Sub‑Planck sensor data. Dismissed as interference. Only a few scientists think that this could be an issue in the long term. They simply do not believe this could be a problem in the science community overall.

2135 — QEBS Concept Proposed

The Quantum Energy Bridge System is a device meant to tap the Substrate Field and provide infinite clean energy. Scientists are confident that their idea is sound, and all smaller scale projects and tests have yielded positive results.

2142 — QEBS Construction Begins

Despite global protests and government hesitation, the UN approves the project as a necessity for humanity’s survival. The energy crisis is even at a more critical place at this time. Corporations lobby for more energy to be diverted to their facilities daily, and despite protesting, capitalistic governments bend to corporate influence, making costs rise even more for the average person.

2151 — QEBS Completed

Final calibrations begin. Finley MacMillian introduces the theory that this might not be the answer after all. His theories are dismissed as speculation and fanciful thinking. The world holds its breath.

2152 — The Incident and the Fall

Humans and their hubris are the downfall of many over the years. The Incident was one of those occasions that forever changed the world.

2152 — The QEBS Implosion

The Nexus tears open, and the barrier appears around the location of the QEBS facility. Breaches erupt worldwide with large portals opening in certain places while smaller breaches appear in others. Creatures pour into Earth, most of which are confused and unsure of what is happening. Predatory non-sentient creatures immediately begin pursuing new prey, including humans.

The Road to the Incident

Brilliance, ambition, and the mistake that changed everything.

2130–2152