Foundation’s Triumph

Afterword

It is never easy to write in a universe that was created by another (in this case brilliant} writer. Especially when that writer is lamentably no longer around to consult by letter, or phone, or over a glass of beer. One must study his works in order to forge a new episode that has consistency with the original stories, and yet contribute fresh insights that he might have enjoyed reading. In this case, all three authors of THE SECOND FOUNDATION trilogy-Greg Bear, Gregory Benford, and I-felt compelled by the logic of Isaac Asimov’s universe to add the key element ofchaos- ahorrible disease of the mind, afflicting all of humanity. Isaac left plenty of clues to this very thing, allowing our innovation to stay consistent with his earlier works. Moreover, chaos explains the major salient feature of his future history-an amnesia that debilitates quadrillions of people for hundreds of generations.

I could go on about the reasons why I wrote this new layer the way I did, but at this point I’ll forgo any further comments, except to say that I don’t see the story of Hari Seldon being quite finished! As Isaac did habitually, I lacedFoundation’s Triumph with clues that others might take up someday, if they choose. Hints that culminate in two wry pages that I considered including as a denouement to this book. But instead of muddying the waters, perhaps I’ll just post them elsewhere sometime. They are not so much a part ofFoundation’s Triumph as a dream of what just might happen next.

That is what’s so much fun about our ongoing dinnertable conversation about destiny. We get to poke away at the future. Explore it with experiments and fantasies. Discover mistakes to avoid. And uncover possibilities that our grandchildren may take for granted.

Timeline for the Robots and Foundation Universe

1982 C.E.Birth of Susan Calvin. Incorporation of U.S. Robots and Mechanical Men.[I, Robot]

2007 C.E.Susan Calvin begins to work for U.S. Robots. Later becomes chief robopsychologist [I,Robot]

Early 21st CenturyA social and technical renaissance flourishes on Earth. Development of positronic robots, controlled by Three Laws of Robotics.[The Complete Robot] Hyperatomic Drive allows first successful interstellar journey. [I,Robot].Through an accident, Joseph Schwartz is sent on a time journey 10,000 years into the future.[Pebble in the Sky]

2064 C.E.Death of Susan Calvin. [I,Robot]Humanity begins colonizing several planets including Aurora. The first chaos outbreaks affect civilization, breaking down confidence. On Earth, citizens cluster underground, ban robots from cities. Spacers lose empathy. Relations between Earth and Spacer worlds deteriorate.[Foundation’s Triumph]

300 years before events in The Caves of SteelThe planet Solaria (the last Spacer world) settled from the planet Nexon.[The Naked Sun] Decline of the robot-dependent Spacer culture. Later, Han Fastolfe of Aurora creates the humaniform robot, R. Daneel Olivaw.

appr. 3500 C.E.Spacetown is established near New York City. R. Daneel Olivaw is assigned to work with Earthman detective Elijah Baley.[The Caves of Steel]

1 year laterElijah Baley and Daneel Olivaw pursue an investigation on Solaria.[The Naked Sun] Fastolfe becomes influential in Auroran government and supports new Earth emigration.

Opponents led by Kelden Amadiro want Spacers to terraform and populate new planets. [The Robots of Dawn]

2 years laterBaley carries out investigation on Aurora accompanied by Daneel Olivaw and Giskard Reventlov-a telepathic robot. Aurora lets Earth colonize new planets. Giskard suggests Earthfolk must build their new worlds completely without robots.[The Robots of Dawn]

2 years laterThe second wave of emigration from Earth begins, led by Ben Baley. First Settler planet is named Baleyworld.[Robots and Empire] Number of Settler planets grows fast. Relations between Settler and Spacer worlds grow tense.[Robots and Empire]

37 years after the events in The Caves ofSteelDeath of Elijah Baley on Baleyworld.[Robots and Empire]

196 years after the events in The Caves ofSteelKeldon Amadiro and Levular Manamus begin planting nuclear amplifiers throughout Earth to take revenge for their earlier defeat [Robots and Empire]

200 years after the events in The Caves ofSteelDeath of Han Fastolfe. Population of Solaria vanishes. Daneel Olivaw andGiskard Reventlov formulate the Zeroth Law of Robotics, to override original Three Laws. Giskard pro vides Daneel with telepathic abilities. Amadiro and allies turn on amplifiers to make the Earth radioactive and uninhabitable. Giskard permits this for Zeroth Law reasons, in order to encourage human dispersal then dies because of First Law conflicts.[Robots and Empire] The Great Diaspora (final emigration) begins. A majority of robots split into two camps. Giskardians led by Daneel follow the new Zeroth Law religion. Calvinians think this an outrage. Robotic civil war ensues, mostly unseen by humans fleeing poisoned Earth. Meanwhile robot ships operating under Auroran programming cruise the galaxy ahead of the spreading Settlers, terraforming and preparing planets for colonization. Meme entities will later claim that this devastated existing races. Memes escape to the Galactic Core.[Foundation’s Fear, Foundation and Chaos]

301 years after the events in The Caves ofSteelSpacer-colonized planet Inferno is doomed by ecological and cultural catastrophe. Robots are built to operate under New Laws, giving them greater flexibility and freedom. Settler specialists help terraform the planet.[Caliban] Hostility toward New Law robots grows evident.[Inferno] Comet crashes into the planet. Merging of Spacer and Settler cultures prevents social collapse.[Utopia] The interstellar robot civil war eventually reaches Inferno. New Law robots are destroyed or go into hiding.[Foundation’s Triumph]

appr. 1200 B.G.E. (Before Galactic Era)Planet Rhodia and the Nebular Kingdoms led by the noble Hinriad family, shake off rule by planet Tyrann and rediscover democracy.[The Stars Like Dust] Decadent Spacer worlds “slowly die out. Colonization of Galaxy completed.[Foundation and Earth] R. Daneel Olivaw formulates the Encoding Laws, setting limits to artificial intelligence.[Foundation’sFear] Damping effects such as historical amnesia, brain fever, and giskardian mentalic persuasion devices areintroduced to fight chaos. Human mind, society and technology stagnate. Some human and robot groups fight the amnesia.[Foundations Triumph]

appr. 500 B.G.E.Trantorian Republic of five worlds becomes Trantorian Confederation, then later the Trantorian Empire.[The Currents of Space] R. Daneel Olivaw uses early “laws of humanics” to guide it. Human origins forgotten.

200 B.G.E.Half of the inhabited worlds of the Galaxy are part of Trantorian Empire. Trantor supports rebellion of planet Florina against oppression by planet Sark.[The Currents of Space]

1 G.E.Trantorian Empire becomes the Galactic Empire. Start of galactic calendar.

(12500 C.E. = appr. 8,000 years after the Great Diaspora.

827 G.E.Arrival of Joseph Schwartz (thrown forward in time). A radioactive and sparsely populated Earth tries to revolt against the Empire by using a bioweapon. Rebellion fails, thanks partly to Schwartz and a mentalic amplifier. Empire initially helps Earth recover, then effort is mysteriously abandoned.[Pebble in the Sky, Foundation’s Triumph]

appr. 900 G.E.Forced evacuation of inhospitable Earth. Establishment of colony on planet Alpha.[Foundation and Earth]

975 G.E.An alien race is discovered on a desert world and moved to Cepheus 18. Later they mysteriously escape beyond the Galaxy.[BlindAlley]

appr. 2000 G.E.Daneel Olivaw and R. Yan Kansarv establish a robot production and repair facility on distant Eos.[Foundation and Chaos] The great Ruellis helps establish principles of good paternalistic government, augmenting the stability of an unchanging society against chaos.[Foundation’s Triumph]

appr. 3000 G.E.During a chaos outbreak, ancient personality simulations Voltaire and Joan of Arc debate about machine intelligence.[Foundation’s Fear] With support of Calvinian robots, the Empress Shoree-Harn tries to introduce anew calendar and shake up social rigidity without success.[Foundation and Chaos]

8789 G.E.A new “renaissance” begins on planet Lingane. Falls into chaos eight years later.[Foundation’s Triumph]

11865 G.E.Humanoid robot Dors Venabili is constructed on Eos.[Foundation’s Fear]

11867 G.E.The only extragalactic human colony is abandoned in the Greater Magellanic Cloud. All data is suppressed.[Foundation and Chaos]

11988 G.E.Birth of Hari Seldon and Cleon I. Daneel Olivaw knows the Empire is destabilizing, partly due to frequent chaos outbreaks. He is forced by the Zeroth Law to actively interfere, first as Chief of Staff, then as First Minister.[Prelude to Foundation] His secret genetic experiments lead both to Hari’s mathematical genius and the appearance of human mentalics.[Foundation’s Triumph]

12010 G.E.Cleon I becomes Emperor.[Prelude to Foundation]

12020 G.E.Hari Seldon lectures on possibility of psychohistory. Daneel persuades him to develop a practical science to help save the Empire. Dors Venabili becomes Seldon’s wife. They adopt a boy, Raych. Seldon and Yugo Amaryl begin to flesh out psychohistory.[Prelude to Foundation]

12028 G.E.Calvinian robots, led by R. Plussix, move to Trantor and find historical documents dating from era of Shoree-Ham, as well as the sims Voltaire and Joan of Arc. They help seed a new “renaissance” on planet Sark.[Foundation’s Fear] Seldon helps remove Laskm Joranum from politics. Daneel resigns his post. Cleon Imakes Seldon First Minister.[Eto Demerzel] Voltaire and Joan get into the Trantorian Mesh where they meet the ancient memes, triggering a rebellion among “tiktok” robots who kill many of Daneel’s positronic companions. Seldon strikes a deal to get the memes off Trantor. Sark renaissance falls into chaos.[Foundation’s Fear]

12038 G.E.Death of Cleon I.[Cleon 1] A military junta seizes power. Seldon resigns as First Minister.[Dors Venabili]

12040 G.E.Birth of Wanda Seldon, daughter of Raych.[Dors Venabili] A new “renaissance” begins on planet Madder Loss. Its collapse rocks galactic society.[Foundation and Chaos]

12048 G.E.“Death” of Dors Venabili and Fall of the junta.[Dors Venabili] Puppet-Emperor Agis XIV ascends the throne. Real power is in the hands of the Commission for Public Safety[Wanda Seldon] Daneel brings Dors to the Eos base for repair.[Foundation and Chaos]

12052 G.E.Birth of Bellis Seldon. Hari Seldon discovers Wanda’s mental abilities. He tries to find others, without success. Psychohistorical equations predict the unavoidable collapse of the Empire. Seldon team works out plan to save human knowledge and create a Second Empire via the Foundation. Death of Yugo Amaryl.[Wanda Seldon]

12058 G.E.Raych. Manella, and Bellis move to Santanni where a New Renaissance has begun. Anacreon Province seeks independence. Chaos breaks out on Santanni, Raych dies, and his family is lost in space. Stettin Palver. another mentalic, joins the Seldon Project.

12067 G.E = 1 F.E. (F.E. = Foundation Era)Puppet Emperor Klayus I sits on the throne. Hari Seldon is put on trial and Commission for Public Safety exiles the Encyclopedia Foundation to Terminus. Beginning of the Foundation calendar. [Foundation] Vara Liso, a strong metallic, gets entangled in Farad Sinter’s hunt for robot “Eternals.”Calvinian robots foiled in a plot to ruin Seldon Project and stymie Daneel’s control over human history. [Foundation and Chaos]

12068 G.E. = 2 F.E.Reign of puppet Emperor Semrin. Members of Encyclopedia Foundation exiled to Terminus. Daneel plans using human mentalics to design an overmind Gaia. Millions of ancient archives are destroyed. A New Renaissance on planet Ktlina is devoured by chaos. A heretic robot tries to send Seldon into the future but is foiled by Daneel. Mors Planch dives into the future.[Foundation’s Triumph]

12069 G.E. = 3 F.E.Death of Hari Seldon. Chief Commissioner Linge Chen dies. Replacement pays attention mostly to Trantor and vicinity. Psychohistorians provoke secession at Empire’s Periphery.[The Originist]

50 F.E. (12116 G.E.)Anacreon declares independence, separating Terminus from the Empire. Seldon’s hologram explains the true purpose of the Foundation.[The Encyclopedists] Terminus offers scientific support for neighboring kingdoms, balancing their powers.[The Mayors]

80 F.E. to 195 F.E.Foundation develops quasi-religious sway over neighboring kingdoms.[The Mayors] Foundation then relies more on economic influence.[The Traders, The Merchant Princes]

195 F.E.Under Cleon II, Imperial General Bel Riose campaigns against the Foundation, conquering large territories. But Cleon recalls the fleet, as predicted by psychohistory. [The General]

appr. 260 F.E.Dagobert VIII rules remnant Empire. The rebel Gilmer’s troops sack Trantor. Second Foundation protects the Galactic Library, then signs a peace treaty with Gilmer.[Trantor Falls]

appr. 300 F.E.Empire of Dagobert IX has shrunk to twenty worlds centered on Neotrantor. The Mule, a mutant with strong mentalic power, conquers the Foundation, knocking Seldon Plan off course.[The Mule] The Mule establishes the Union of Worlds and searches for the Second Foundation.[Search by the Mule]

appr. 305 F.E.Members of the Second Foundation mentalically alter the Mule, who then gives up further conquest.[Search by the Mule]

appr. 310 F.E.Death of the Mule. The Foundation regains strength, but also begins studying neglected mental sciences, further endangering Seldon Plan.[Search by the Foundation]

376 F.E.The Foundation searches for the Second Foundation, fearing its mentalic rule. Diverting this search with a ruse, the Second Foundation continues operating secretly on Trantor (Star’s End).[Search by the Foundation] Daneel Olivaw unleashes his Gaia overmind.

498 F.E.The Gaia overmind offers Golan Trevize (“the man who is always right”) a choice between an Empire built by physical force, one ruled by Second Foundation mentalics, or a galaxy-sized version of Gaia…Galaxia. No, other options are presented and no other humans consulted. Trevize chooses Galaxia. Preparations begin for gradual assimilation of humanity into the collective overmind. [Foundation’s Edge]

499 F.E.Trevize embarks on a journey, seeking to explain his choice. On Solaria he finds the planet’s vanished folk have become a new race. Reaching Earth, he meets R. Daneel Olivaw, whose actions to this point were compelled by the Zeroth Law. Trevize realizes any real solution must take into consideration robots, Solarians, memes, mutants, and any other kind of intelligence. The right answer may not be to simplify.[Foundation and Earth]

520 F.E.First Galactic Coalescence Investigation Commission convenes on planet Pengia. The subsequent Great Destiny Debates rage for 180 years, interrupted by waves of violence, amnesia, and chaos. Robotic civil wars reignite. Foundation civilization approaches ultimate confrontation with both Gaia and Chaos.[Foundation’s Triumph]

1020 F.E.116th Edition of theEncyclopedia Galactica. [Foundation]

1054 F.E.117th Edition of theEncyclopedia Galactica. [Foundation’s Triumph]

Compiled by Attila Torkos,1998

DAVID BRIN has degrees in astronomy and applied physics but has been a full-time science fiction writer for many years. He has won the Hugo Award for Best Novel for bothThe Uplift War andStartide Rising, which also won the Nebula Award. He has also won the Hugo Award for Best Short Story. His novelThe Postman was recently made into a feature film starring Kevin Costner. He lives near San Diego, California, with his wife and children