Humanity and Earth

The Taelons, also called the Companions, arrived on Earth three years before the appointment of William Boone as Head of Security and Interspecies Relations. In those years, human farmers had used Taelon science to provide enough food for every child on Earth and human physicians had used Taelon technologies to help combat many health problems ("Decision").

Humanity and the Taelons engaged in a number of joint projects, including the All Nations Ecumenical Conference ("Avatar"), the cold fusion retrofit of the Granite Canyon Nuclear Plant ("Old Flame"), the creation of the United Republic of Ireland ("The Secret of Strand Hill") and the Thirteenth Annual Psychic Sciences Symposium at the J. Calvert Conference Center ("If You Could Read My Mind"). Companies like Comtech and Doors International, under the leadership of Jonathan Doors and later Anne Portnoy ("Resurrection," "The Devil You Know"), worked with the Taelons on the creation and integration of cyber viral implants ("Decision"), skrills ("Scorpions Dream") and the Portal Project ("Through the Looking Glass").

Among the less positive effects of the Taelon arrival was the formation during the second year of their stay on Earth of the Church of the Companions, led by Rev. Travis Murray. The church broadcast its services and belief that the Taelons were messengers of God over the Internet. The fanatical Murray seemed to have some personal connection to American Companion Da’an ("Miracle"). Companion Reaction Syndrome (CRS) was the umbrella term used to refer to psychological disorders caused by upheavals in peoples’ worldviews after the Taelons’ arrival. Its severity ranged from depression and confusion to mass suicide ("Float Like a Butterfly"). Some white racists argued that the Taelons’ arrival proved the superiority of whites because all the high-powered Taelons on Earth had light-colored “skin” ("Infection").

Companion Headquarters and research faculties were located in Washington D.C. ("Decision"); Madrid, Spain; Singapore ("Resurrection"), Lisbon, Portugal; Mexico City; Moscow; Ottawa, Canada; Santiago, Chile; Sydney, Australia; India and Tel Aviv, Israel. There were more than 46 Companion Headquarters worldwide ("Wrath of Achilles").

Two wars were fought not long before the Taelons' arrival: the '01 War ("Truth") and the SI War in which biological weapons were used ("Infection"). There was an SI War Memorial in Washington D.C. ("Destruction"). After the Taelons arrived, many U.S. military bases, including the Marine base at Lincoln Hills, New Hampshire, were closed in a period of military downsizing ("Resurrection," "Infection").

Humanity's exploration of space was progressing. The Vespucci probe landed successfully on Pluto, although its mission was terminated prematurely by the U.S. government according to Capt. Paul Chandler ("Horizon Zero"). At the urging of the Taelon Synod the joint U.S.-British-German manned mission to Mars under the auspices of the IASA was cancelled. However, Capt. Paul Chandler and his compatriots stole a Taelon shuttle to become the first humans to set foot on the Red Planet ("Horizon Zero").

Among world leaders during the fourth year of the Taelon presence were Secretary General of the United Nations Sonya Alondez ("Wrath of Achilles"), President of the United States Daniel Thompson ("Decision," "Wrath of Achilles"), Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court Evelyn Hill ("Law & Order") and newly-appointed U.S. Secretary pf Human-Taelon Relations Joshua Doors ("Destruction").

In the realm of entertainment: the Los Angeles Quakes and the London Royals were among the world's football teams, and the World Bowl, watched around the world, was the highlight of the football season ("Resurrection"). Elise Chapel became the first human to play a Taelon instrument called 'the tubes' ("Old Flame"). The first concerto was subsequently written for the instrument ("Destruction"). Barry Calvert was the host of a popular television talk show ("Miracle," "Infection").

Some of the most significant events on Earth during the Taelons' fourth year on the planet were the release by the Liberation of a computer virus that severely damaged Taelon and human data systems ("Wrath of Achilles"), the trial and conviction of Taelon scientist Rho-ha for murder ("Law & Order") and the spread of an alien bacteria that killed almost 500 humans ("Infection"). U.S. military advisors to the president mistakenly interpreted this outbreak as a possible Taelon weapons test, leading to a less cooperative attitude on the part of the U.S. toward the Taelon Synod ("Destruction").