Timeline

The galactic community accreted over deep time rather than being founded. Trade preceded politics, and politics preceded medicine. These four eras mark humanity's path from isolation to participation.

Era 1: Isolation

The bubble is in place. Earth is isolated from the galactic community. Outside, the diaspora forms — humans extracted from Earth who become part of galactic civilization as a distinct branch.

Era 2: Early Contact

The bubble ends. Humanity encounters an existing galactic community that already knows about us through the diaspora. The encounter is asymmetric.

Era 3: Joining

The learning curve. Institutional friction. Systems built for other species don't accommodate human biology, culture, or expectations. The gap between goodwill and infrastructure.

Era 4: Established Participation

Two to three human generations post-bubble. Humanity is no longer new but still catching up. The structural challenges of multi-species systems are mature enough to be visible as systemic rather than individual.