The Many Worlds

Fiction detailing the ongoing events on the Homeline and numerous parallel Worldlines.

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The Many Worlds

Post by arcanus » Sat Apr 07, 2012 8:33 am

Icarus 2000 - Divergence Point: Missile technology is developed in the early 19th Century leading to a rapid development in weaponry and Space travel.
Current Affairs: The World was absorbed into Centrums Green Zone in 1987 local time, the discovery of advanced wormhole theory and application in the 1970s has led to dynamic manned exploration of the Solar system under Centrum control.
In 1998 hostile alien forces were encountered on the edge of the Solar system, which has developed into a full scale inter-system war.
Saturnian Orbit - 2001.
Darkness pursued Commander Jana Schrizchena, her Mark III Dragoon armour propelling her sprint, her own resolve forcing crippling fear from her consciousness.
As she ran her sensors detected nothing, however she knew they pursued sweeping through the darkness, she staggered as another wave of nausea passed over her, something she now knew to be a deliberate attack.

The disorientation followed by shooting pain, fumbling with the integral console within the sleeve of her armour she stabbed at the icons, after muddled perseverance the next blast door slid down, the problem was that the enemy only found another route and they did so very quickly.

The battle cruiser shuddered and groaned as it took another direct hit, despite having cut off they’re advance through the main corridor, the mental assault continued stretching after her, she reached an access door and collapsed to her knees, her vision swam, blood popped from her nose.

Her breathing was now tight, for a moment her mind wandered elsewhere, against all of her instincts and orders she’s released the captains guests.
The suspicion had been that they were Outworlders, ridiculous really Icarus was 5 Waves distant from Secundus and as far as they knew just as far from any other civilisation with the potential to travel Worlds.

Searing pain lanced into the base of her neck and travelled into her brain, she crumpled, glancing back the darkness had travelled past the blast door enveloping the corridor once again, her vision enhanced by the sophisticated sensors of her helmet.
Within the darkness a shape could be barely perceived, an alien form that hurt the senses to try and see, it’s very form causing her further pain.

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The Far Frontier

Post by arcanus » Fri Mar 15, 2013 11:34 pm

Kirby 2001 - Divergence Point: "Edison's War" of 1900-1908, see’s the Russio-Austro-German Axis defeated by Entente powers equipped with Thomas Edison and his fellow scientists inventions.
This begins an unparalleled era of rapid technological advance where mankind sets foot on the moon in 1943 and subsequent leaps discover wormholes across the solar system in 1981.
Current Affairs: 21st Century Kirby is largely peaceful with people channeling aggression and competition through sports and scientific achievement, inter solar travel is a daily occurrence from spaceports across the globe and colonization advances at a pace.
JFK Spaceport
A testament of mirrored glass, the spaceport was an opulent edifice of futuristic design, a sprawling habitat that was almost a self contained city within itself.
The back areas, workshops and hangers were a different matter, carefully screened off from the millions of atmospheric and orbital travelers.
Surrounded by machinery, flood lamps and engine grease Emily Greer swore as she misfired her electro-welder, showering herself with red hot sparks and dropping her Lucky Strike into a puddle of greasy oil.
“Shit” she grumbled
A damp fog drifted around the sheds, Emily looked up at her ship the Lady Majestic, her inner sense drew her attention to the fact she wasn't alone, within the shadows of the hull she spotted a figure.

Frowning she turned and spotted a trio of heavy set men clumsily moving amongst the machine trolleys, she huffed, despite all of her recent adventures, reality returned in the form of debt collectors.
Emily had purchased The Lady Majestic in an auction, however she’d had needed extensive refit and parts, unfortunately the only outlet for the required funds had been the sharks, now they’d come to take a bite.
“Alright slag” said the smaller thug who nether the less appeared to be the leader
A slight evil smile crossed her face as she activated her remote and sparked several of the machine trolleys to life, causing the thugs to jump.
“You got the readies” he grinned, his accent was distinctly New Jersey “I really hope not”
The other two looked at the trolleys with mistrust, the lead thug lurched forwards roughly grabbing Emily’s chin, she snarled at the man and tensed waiting for the first blow.

“You three take a walk!” the accent was deep Bronx, the shadowy figure stepped into the light
The new arrival was a tall bald man, some Italian blood in him gracing him with a bronze tan, he was dressed casually in jeans, t-shirt and Jets jacket.
“Who the fuck are you!” retorted the lead thug, the man ignored this “I said take off, Mr Corbett’s all square wid the lady”
The thugs paused at the mention of the Corbett’s name, during this time of doubt the new arrival had leant against the Lady and lit a Marlborough.
He eyeballed each of them until sullenly they sloped off, Emily turned looking at the messenger suspiciously “Somebody bought my debt?” she challenged
The man smirked and offered her a cigarette, she snatched it and snarled “What’d you think so funny!”
“Look lady I don’t give a shit but your clear you don owe nothing to no one!”
Emily blinked “Your shittin me!”
“One condition you turn up at this address 9 tomorrow morning, if not you gotta pay the money” he handed her a printed business card, took a final deep drag, pitched the Marlborough out into the darkness and disappeared.

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Re: The Many Worlds

Post by arcanus » Sun Mar 28, 2021 11:14 am

Earth Beta - 2021
THE MANHATTAN JOURNAL
Taverner takes hard-line with United Nations
Aviator Coffees & Teas – Puget Sound, Greater Seattle.
It was a clear crisp spring day, a strong breeze whipped across Puget Sound, small sail boats bobbed on the choppy waters whilst gulls circled above.

Sat in his favourite seat overlooking the sound Officer Hanson Alwitcher closed his eyes, drew cold air into this lungs and breathed out slowly allowing a moment of peace to settle over him.

He looked down to his Digi-comm, switched to solo view it projected the Manhattan Journal onto the lens of his smart-glasses, Earth Beta was termed a client world.
One of the first Quantum 6 alternate earths found by the father of Parachronic travel Paul Van Zeldt it had for many years been a discreet destination of low level interest for Homeline and Infinity Incorporated.

A near parallel late 20th Century world it was an interesting political and social study, however historically it was virtually the same as Homeline until the latter’s divergence with Transworld discovery in the later 1990s, it had some different political and celebrity famous faces but little else noteworthy.

In its local year of 2009 Infinity established surveillance operations on Earth Beta in response to an escalation in Transworld organised crime and fears of Centrum co-opting the worldline.
Things had taken a undesirable turn in Betas local year of 2010 when an Homeliner became caught in international incident in Beta Iran, the situation spiralled as Homeline’s paranoia prompted it to see how much Earth Beta agencies knew, of course this resulted in exactly the thing they feared as said agencies discovered the very thing they feared.

The price of paranoia, as the situation threatened to escalate the United Nations Interworld Council (UNIC) intervened, the cat already out of the bag Earth Beta was designated a Client Worldine to Homeline. A decade later Beta was benefitting from technological uplift by Homeline in return for establishing Infinity bases and researching its very odd dimensional nature.

However as with everything in the modern age politics played a part, Beta’s national governments had railed against being beholden to Homeline and Infinity, demanding their own technologies.
Homeline and Beta’s UN argued that Beta was benefiting immeasurably with very little work or investment on their part yet still wanted more and so the wrangling had gone on for years in political circles.

The latest was the controversial right wing Beta US President Taverner now threatening to withdraw its membership from various UN councils, Homelines US President Walcott had tried to calm nerves to no avail, UNIC had taken a tough stance saying it would replace any budgetary cuts from Beta UN from US withdrawal and that the US needed to be reasonable.

Alwitcher sighed social media was a storm of partisan outrage, Taverner was on the campaign trail threatening to kick Infinity out of Beta US, Infinity had been largely quiet its legal and public relations teams quietly commenting that it cautioned the White House to think of the impact this would have on Beta US jobs, tens of thousands of which were employed by Infinity Inc.

Han quietly smiled, Centrum must be rubbing their hands together he thought, intelligence had indicated they were active in rogue states as well as trying to destabilise global powers, the only reason it was thought they hadn’t staged a strategic strike on Beta was how strong its infrastructure now was and the retaliatory strike that could come from a Q6 worldline.

Basically Centrum had found Beta too late, he had no doubt Infinity intelligence were scrutinizing who Taverners associates were, where his funding came from and so on.

His lunch companion arrived and took his seat, “You’re looking at that Shit!” Charles Angel chided
Han rolled his eyes “The greatest universal terror is politics” he replied mirthfully
“Trouble is I can see some of their point!” replied Angel “I know, I know” he raised his hands in pre-emptive surrender, Han smiled but remained quiet.
“Look it know that Homeline has given some Countries huge boosts in the past decade. Healthcare, investment in deprived areas, humanitarian aid, technology, but it’s made a lot of money, Beta is a big market, and we get hit first if the big bad guys attack”

Han nodded, Angel was a clever guy, a humanitarian who now co-ran a sanctuary in South Seattle, a place for the desperate, those needing help, he also helped people in trouble who had fallen through the cracks of the system, he and Han had worked together in this capacity for a few years and become good friends.

“All I’m saying is there are those that feel its got strings attached” said Angel turning to the waitress
“Granted, but the alternative is Homeline and Infinity shuts up shop and pulls out, leaving Beta to chart its own course!” he commented
Angel laughed having got a response from the I-cop “There are those that campaign for that, to free us from Homelines modern day colonial imperialism, and we both know they’ll never concede this Earth to the other side” he winked
Han shrugged in response
“Anyway replied Angel, how’s you?”
“Yeah, I finally gave in and had the gene therapy”
Angel’s eyes widened “Really, how come you were dead against it, said you didn’t trust it”
“Yeah, but my back was just getting worse, bits wearing out and I wanted to go back into active”.
Again, Angel’s facial expressions denoted surprise his eyebrow raised “Why would you want to go back into the field”
“I’m bored Charlie, I’ve been teaching in the academy for 7 years, its good, I love the cadets but its routine, Gracey’s finished college, there’s no one home” replied Han
“So itchy feet, wanderlust” replied Angel digging into his salad
“Yeah, I need to do something different”
“So any ideas where you’ll be assigned” replied Angel between mouthfuls
“No, Beta would be nice, this is my second home after all, but could literally be anywhere”
“Or anywhen” chuckled Angel

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