In the Seventh month of the Second year, a crime was committed in the City. It was not the first time one person had done something that another objected to, but it was the first real honest to goodness crime. One of the young women was found dead in the fields obviously beaten to death. An investigation was begun immediately and Steve, the Nova of Knowledge was called on to find the culprit. He spoke with her relatives, he spoke with those she worked with and after only an afternoon he had discovered that it was an older man who had wanted her.

Under telepathic examination by Lorean it was revealed that he had tried to force himself on her that evening and she had fought back. He had lost control of his temper and gone too far. The four discussed the issue and ruled that the man would have to spend the rest of his life paying for his crime. He would be forced to work for the community doing the worst menial jobs and Lorean 'modified' him so that he could never again gain pleasure from any kind of sexual experience, nor would desire such. He wore a collar to signify his status and be an example to others.

This incident led to the Law being handed down letting the people know what behaviors were not acceptable. The laws were a combination of the most enlightened systems in history and on their experience as part of the Cabal. The Novas also decided it was time to begin the peoples education. They began teaching as they had done on the Cabal timeline, indoctrinating people to put society's needs before that of the individual.

Over the next few years the civilization that took shape began to look a good deal like a Egyptian low tech version of the Cabal timeline. In five years the city had grown to 10,000 people, in ten years it contained the entire population of the human race. Knowing that division can cause hostilities the Novas used their persuasive abilities to convince everyone to come leaving not a single human out of the city. The full population of the earth was barely over 100,000 people.

By year 15 everyone had a basic education and could read and write and were skilled in performing whatever task they were assigned. By year twenty five the Earth's population had doubled. Certain monuments were erected in stone to mirror the great works of the original Egypt, but the people did it gladly in their spare time. The sphinx and the pyramids both took form in their traditional place by the banks of the Nile, but unlike in the original Egypt they were constructed with more modern techniques and were not intended for so worthless a purpose as to mark the death of a powerful man. These pyramids were buildings for use of the Novas and the people. One was a museum for great works of art yet to be created. The largest and central one was for the Novas personal use, containing Morgan's lab and other things. The third was for the government.

The people were happy. The city was beautiful having been planned by the Novas and made more so by the sound of many playing children. The man in the collar remained the only person to wear a collar during the lifetime of the original inhabitants of the city. The numbers being as small as they were his example served to deter any further incidents of violence. Of course it didn't hurt that the Novas had a reputation for being infallible.

Years passed and the population grew but the city was finite in size and limited by the resources at hand. Despite the efficiency and advanced techniques provided by the Novas the time came when the people had to be divided. A colony was begun in Italy and the people were taught sailing and navigation to stay always in contact with one another. Where once Rome had stood the people began a great and beautiful new city of marble with many gardens and parks. The Novas divided their time between the two great cities so that no rivalry or nationalistic spirit could arise. Always they ensured through education and training that all mankind was one people no matter where they might live. Travel and inter-marriage between the two cities was encouraged.

Historically couples had large numbers of children because of the mortality rate, but due to the state of medical knowledge which was pushed as far and as fast as technologically possible and because Morgan regularly healed the people once a week in both cities, the death rate was extremely low and the life expectancy sky rocketed to nearly 100 years. Because of the low mortality rate families had fewer children, but still averaged enough to support the population growth rate that was encouraged by the Novas and because life was cherished. As the population grew and both cities filled again reaching their maximum they were split off again to for two new colonies, one was London the other Paris.

The populations of the new cities were mixed from both of the original so that again there would be no nationalistic mentality formed and so that humanity would remain as homogeneous as possible. by the 300th year since the arrival of the Novas humanity was becoming an odd blend. With race not being any social issue the look of the human species was slowly merging into a light mocha shade and into what to the eyes of a traveler from another Earth would consider strangely exotic but pleasing features.

This too was due to the influence of Nova Morgan who encouraged specific breeding. Each person born had their genetic material sampled and added to Morgan's database. He in turn used that information to prevent genetically incompatible people from marrying. In this way he worked to breed out of the human race many of the congenital diseases. Each person was also given a list of people with whom they would be excellent genetic matches and encouraged (but not forced) to seek mates from among them. In all of this Morgan tracked the genes and in particular the specific genes that led to Nova/Psion development. By the 300th anniversary of their arrival he was completely confident in his understanding of how the Nova/Psion gene worked, but still unsure of how it came to develop in the first place.

The 300th anniversary also saw a great celebration in all of the cities with massive fireworks displays. Each time the population of a city reached around half a million it was split and a new city was started, in this way were created Berlin, Madrid, Athens, Vienna, Prague and many more. As the population increased it became harder and harder for the novas to give personal attention to the people. In time most people only knew the Novas from their public appearances. Everyone had the chance to at least be in their presence, but by the time of the celebration the population was great enough that it was no longer possible for everyone to spend one on one time with the novas. Even so the people were educated through the indoctrination program that the Novas had devised and perfected on another timeline making the appropriate tweaks to make it work under these changed circumstances.

The 300th anniversary came and went. Each century after that saw a grand celebration and to make it more special, many people who were alive for the 300th were still alive to see the 400th thanks to the greatly increased life spans under the Four. Men and women celebrating their 100th birthdays was not so unncommon, the average lifespan tended to be around 90 years, with many living as long as 125. Prosperity was steady as was the population increase, both carefully controlled by the Four. At the rate civilization was growing the world would easily be in space by the 1000th anniversary.

In year 700, Morgan announced to his companions his completion of his studies into Nova and Psion physiology. It had taken him 600 years more than Andrew, but he had not been so dedicated and had divided his efforts between his studies and his position of one of the Four. Much time was eaten up with moving from city to city healing the people. Over the years as more and more cities were founded it became impossible to hit every city each week to heal. By 700 he was only able to hit each city once a quarter, but that was supplemented by the sick being transported to whatever city he was visiting that week. To compensate his healing abilities did grow over time and by 700 he was also able to heal everyone in a city and within a good range around it with one use of his power.

Morgan however was not the only member of the Four to be kept busy with their roles. Lorean spent a great deal of her time adjudicating disputes and acting as supreme magistrate. In her case disputes that could not be decided locally or serious violent crimes were brought to her for her infallible judgment.

Steve was brought in to investigate when things were unclear and there was no one caught for the crime. Although not every crime was solved, it was widely believed by the people that no violent criminal ever went unpunished. If necessary all Four would work together to bring down a guilty party that was particularly clever. In such cases the punishment was harsh and sure enough to act as a real deterrent. Never in the history of the civilized world was a serious violent crime not solved and the perpetrator not punished. As a result, murder, rape and violent assault were rare events. Most crime tended to be less harmful such as theft.

After year 700, Morgan was able to produce a vaccine to inoculate the population against taint, but with held the serum on Amber's warning. One night she woke from a disturbing dream and spoke these words, "When the Serum is given, strife will arise, for a new age of novas will awake among the people and they will attempt to throw off the yoke of their rulers."

For that reason Morgan held off, but from his studies he revealed to the Four that the human race was becoming advanced enough genetically to begin erupting soon especially given their own presence.

So it became a race to see which would happen first humanity spread to the stars or novas disrupting the progress and evicting their benefactors.

In the year of the Four, 873, the first Nova erupted. Still Morgan withheld the serum, and tailored for her a cure for taint, remembering the words Amber had spoken. From his genetics program in which compatible people were encouraged to meet and incompatible once not allowed to marry, Morgan was sure that even without the serum the effects of taint on this Earth would be lessened. In a way he had managed to breed out of the human race some of it's dangerous potentialities. There were whispers among some people that perhaps humanity's potential even negative should not be consciously bred out. However, the vast majority remained happy with the rule of the Four and such whispers were just quiet grumbling behind closed doors. Though it was no crime, speaking against the Four was strongly discouraged by the people. This was due in large part to the Four including graphic historical footage and accounts of what life was like before they arrived in the public education and indoctrination programs.

127 years passed. The grumbling that had been whispers behind closed doors never amounted to more. The Four used their considerable pooled intellect to keep the people happy and prosperous. By year 1000 Steve had advanced technology and manufacturing to the point that it rivaled anything they had found in their previous travels. Space travel completely skipped the intermediate stage of colonizing the solar system and on the first day of the 1000th year of the reign of the Four the first interstellar ship was launched and visited Alpha Centauri.

In the year 975 of the Four, Morgan and Lorean had a child of their own, a beautiful girl. The people celebrated their joy, but they kept the girl out of the public eye as much as possible and allowed her to grow up as normal as possible for a second generation nova and daughter of two members of the Four. It was their daughter who piloted that first ship.

Practically every person on Earth watched the pivotal event. It went off without a hitch.

From that day the Four began the program of expansion into space. Thanks to Amber there were never any launches or explorations that led to inhabited systems or the discovery of any of the species of aliens that the Four were familiar with. Their goal was to have humanity at a level of equality or superiority before they encountered any alien cultures.

Because of the Four nova's did not begin to erupt naturally until after exploration in space was begun. The decision was finally made that humanity was now beyond the Four's ability to govern and guide completely. With a heavy heart Morgan released the vaccine and educated the populace about taint.

In subtle ways the Four also began to ween the people off their leadership. Thanks to Amber they knew that their leadership would come to an end with the rise of novas and psions.

Medicine was advanced to the point that Morgan's healing was no longer needed except in the most extreme of cases.

With the rise of psions much of the magistrate duties that the Four performed were slowly turned over to talented Psions.

Finally, in the year 1000, the Four established a council of citizens. At first the council did little but witness the Four's decisions and learn of governing. Over the next two hundred years they the Four turned over more and more responsibility to the Council. First they asked the Council to vote acceptance on what they decreed, but as the years passed they voting on acceptance progressed to seeking the Council's advice on how to decide. Finally by the year 1200 the Four only advised when they felt necessary or when approached by the Council.

In the Year of the Four, 1250 the first real grumblings began as Amber had long said they would. The young nova's flush with power and ambition wanted more than a backseat role in humanities' destiny. A secret organization had formed dedicated to assuming positions of power throughout humanities sphere of influence. Using their own abilities they were able to at least partially conceal their identities from the Four.

At this time humanity itself was flush with the confidence and blind drive that only a child who has never burned their hand on the stove or suffered any loss can muster. The Four continued to race against the clock to progress humanity to the point where their first encounters with Aliens would not be their last. In other timelines the aliens humanity had encountered proved to be hostile to one degree or another. It was only a matter of time before humanity stumbled onto one of those races by accident.

The year 1250 became the year of the perfect storm for humanity. The nova splinter group NSR, Novas for Self Rule, initiated a coup attempt on several of Earth's colony worlds taking control at the key jucture just as homeworld elections saw several seats on the Council won by Nova schemers in league with the NSR novas. The plot was to force a confrontation with the supposedly external threat of NSR and use it to create a destablized central government which would force the Council to abandon even the advice of the Four in favor of being completely autonomous and thus make it far more easily manipulated by the mega social novas among the plot's members. At the same time other NSR members broke out of humanities self imposed domain to explore and claim new colony worlds in order to extend their influence even further.

The plot was both more and less effective than the NSR planned. The government was far more destabilized than they had intended. The pro-Four faction among the members turned out to be far more staunchly conservative than they had anticipated and fought like cornered lions to keep their positions on the council. They voted to severe ties with the NSR controlled colonies rather than reallocate Council seats according to population. That effectively split humanity into two separate factions at a time when it most needed unity.

In the outlying regions of human space where the NSR novas had gained new territory through exploration they had also encountered aliens and conquered them. Or so it seemed. The reality was that the NSR novas had only taken colony worlds from the Qin and had conquered the surface of the Chromatics homeworld. 1251 saw humanity's first defeat at the hands of aliens. On the the Chromatics world the aliens surged up from their underground warrens and slaughtered their erstwhile conquers to the man and took control of their ships and equipment. The Qin on the other hand took a much more subtle approach to confronting humanities aggression. They offered trade. Soon the populations of several NSR worlds were thoroughly addicted to designer Qin drugs, a problem humanity had never had to face thanks to the guidance of the Four.

Despite the chaos of politics and the attempts of the NSR to gain seats on the council, it remained largely in favor of the Four. Earth's colonies fell away one by one, but Earth itself was a bastion of Four supporters.

As the dark times came ever closer Amber became more and more convinced that the only way humanity would survive was to make Earth itself a bastion of hope in the darkness. Earth severed it's ties with the colonies and became independent leaving them to follow their own paths. From the Earth perspective this seemed the right choice. Where colonies fell into chaos one at a time Earth remained strong and science advanced. The pace of that advancement had slowed with the resources of all those billions of humans in the colonies lost to them, but it continued doggedly forward.

In time both Qin and Chromatics came to Earth seeking to trade or attack, but the Qin were rebuffed and the Chromatics were defeated and Sol system stood strong and alone, a candle burning in the darkness. Across all of what had once been the human dominion nothing but Earth remained free, elsewhere humans in collars miserably did the bidding of their new masters with no hope of escape.