Five Earths, All in a Row

[Prince Charon]

OK, now there's an update. February, 2014:

February 2: On Earth-2, Soviet mad scientist Dr. Elena Ergorovna Golovach defects to the Dsp-United States, taking much of her human enhancement research with her. <see Pyramid 3-02, pp4-12> A flight from the Operation Pencil Sharpener constellation, including the shuttle Enterprise, lands on Luna-2, outside the largest surviving city, Aluros; the rest of the constellation will land in stages. Though a number of incidents will occur between Earthmen and Seleneans (mainly due to cultural differences, like BDSM being pretty much mainstream to the Seleneans), relations will prove to be generally quite amicable. On Earth-1, at a diplomatic conference in Paris, Obama and Putin agree to share information on certain planned space vehicles. The orbital phase of DARPA's artificial coma tests (see June 8 & Dec. 6, 2013) ends, with the module's return to Earth-1 on the space shuttle Endeavour.

Feb. 3: In Inp-Japan, the Yamato Core Module, containing the main engines, main and some secondary reactors, and the Dimensional Wave Motion Explosive Compression Emitter (called the 'Wave Motion Gun' by almost everyone, and composed of nearly a thousand separate magic items working together), reaches orbit. Japanese singer/actor Sasaki Isao gives a special concert for the occasion, singing, among other things, the Japanese national anthem, and the theme from a popular anime. In Inp-Edwards Space Force Base, eighteen of the twenty volunteers from the artificial coma tests are successfully revived. In Fa-Roma, a short walk from the Forum, Universtatis Roma is founded by Consuls Vorenus and Pullo.

Feb. 4: On Earth-1, Special Operations personnel from all over the Commonwealth converge on Inp-Canada, to begin training for the Hoth Front (see January 26, 2014). In honor of Black History Month, interterran radio interviews are done with a number of black men and women (and some teenagers) on Dsp-Earth, whose counterparts were well-known on Inp-Earth. Particular attention is given to Martin Luther King, Jr., and Malcom Little. On Earth-3, Pope Clement XV officially declares war on the Eastern Alliance, though Papal 'advisors' have been assisting Polish forces for some time. Later that same day, His Most Catholic Majesty Alfonso XII, King of Spain, also declares war on the Eastern Powers (both terms are used interchangeably for the alliance of Prussia and Russia, though they prefer 'Eastern Alliance').

Feb. 5: The Dsp-USA Department of the Navy orders that the under-construction Alaska-class cruisers be converted to atomically powered aircraft carriers. On Earth-1, the Inp-US Army reactivates the 9th Infantry Division as the 9th Airborne Division. Also on Earth-1, in Parapsychology Today, the latest article in a series on the astral entities some of the public have begun calling 'genre fairies' covers the difficulties being suffered by governments and politicians promoting Paranormal Registration: Databases intended to be secure and private leak like sieves, leaving anyone who doesn't want his or her powers publicized very reluctant to register, even when not doing so is illegal (sometimes leading to powered people moving to jurisdictions without Registration, and less often, leading them to move against the government in various ways), while politicians promoting Registration quite often find that any past indiscretions will come to light, generally in a way that delays or ends that particular Registration effort (many politicians being especially vulnerable to even quite small probability effects like this). The writers speculate that some or all 'genre fae' of this type are the spiritual equivalent of an invasive species, having emigrated from Dsp-Earth. The next article in the series is to be more humourous, being a study on the effort of 'Urban Fantasy' spirits to keep the supernatural a secret, in a world where that cat is well and truly out of the bag, and the bag shredded.

Feb. 6: In Dsp-New York Harbor, Dsp-French ocean liner Normandie, being brought in for refitting as an aircraft carrier, is sunk by Waffen-SS jet troopers. The jet troopers are prevented from doing further damage by members of the All-Star Squadron. In Dsp-Washington, D.C., the Office of Allied Logistics Coordination is formed, under the Combined Chiefs of Staff, which now includes representatives from the Japanese armed forces. Most of the OALC's work at this time focuses on the issues of Japanese logistics in the Pacific Theatre. In the Dsp-Lea Valley, Greater London, UK, the Kalashnikov-Enfield Mark I Automatic Rifle - an AK-47 variant modified for the needs of His Majesty's Forces - finally goes into full production (although test batches have been in use for some time, in several calibers, the production model uses 5.56 NATO, made under license by the Sterling Armaments Company as .223 Sterling). The weapon is affectionately nicknamed the 'Ken gun' by those assigned it. In orbit of Earth-1, Grissom Mobile Space Force Base (aka 'USS Grissom') is completed, and is designated X-57.

Feb. 7: The Inp-US government receives a one-time pad from the Dsp-US government, confirming an encounter the previous day by Starman and Bulletman with a number of Nazi jet troopers, and two aliens, one mostly as expected, the other not. In the hospital at Inp-Edwards Space Force Base, one of the two remaining coma test volunteers (see Feb 2 & 3, above) wakes up. In the Earth-1 Sol System, the International Cometary Explorer is retrieved by an SC-5 called 'Miranda' by the crew. Warren's Occult Museum reports a robbery, having lost several of their more spiritually threatening and/or powerful items. Evidence suggests that the items, including several possessed dolls, may have broken themselves out. On Luna-2, the Queen (approximate translation) of Aluros complains to Lt. Col. Mallory about the (admittedly small) number of married or fully homosexual or asexual men brought by the expedition to stay: while the Seleneans have no objection to homosexuality or exclusive relationships, and their scholars find asexuality fascinating to study, they don't see why any such men were assigned there as they certainly would not have assigned fully-homosexual women to stay with men in their situation. This 'political correctness' thing (when going beyond simple politeness, and into taking counterproductive actions) is quite bizarre and annoying to them.

Feb. 9: In Stp-Rome, Pope Clement XV promulgates a papal bull excommunicating Clp-Pope Leo X for his lack of chastity, his apparent corruption of the papal election and selection of cardinals, and numerous other sins - while a strong believer in the Divine Right of Kings, Clement XV also believes equally strongly in the free election of the Pope, and sees no contradiction in this. Clp-Venice initiates radio contact with Earth-3 and Earth-1, using a transceiver and generators built with the help of members of the Stp-Papal expedition (See March 24, 2013). The members are being well-treated, and send 'all clear' codes. Between the lists supplied by Venice and Clp-Britain, it appears that all but three members of the expedition are accounted for, including the cultural attache, the Deputy Head of Mission, and the captain of the Sanctus Christopherus. The International Cometary Explorer (See Feb 7, above) is released from Miranda, having received the first successful psychic enhancement of a scientific instrument so far from the Earth. The satellite was also refueled, and several components were added or replaced.

Feb. 10: In the Dsp-Irish Sea, a tense radio conversation ensues between HMS Britannia and what is at first believed to be an Irish vessel, about which must change course to avoid a collision. It soon turns out that the Irish 'vessel' is in fact a lighthouse, and Britannia changes course. The lieutenant who made the navigation error placing that battleship on a course to hit a lighthouse becomes very concerned for his future prospects. On Earth-1, the conversation is intercepted by several radio telescopes, and shared with the internet, to general amusement (and occasional disbelief, as Inp-UK built fewer battleships than Dsp-UK, and did not have any N3-class battleships built before the Washington Naval Treaty went into effect; Dsp-UK had just this one).


Continued next post.

[Prince Charon]

Still hating the character limit.


Feb. 12: Axis Amerika is inserted into Dsp-USA via Dsp-Mexico. The team is somewhat different from that in the comics of Inp-USA, having necessarily replaced the Italian and Japanese members with two Soviet operatives - a deranged mutant/cyborg, codename Omega Red (who, unknown to the Allies, incorporates alien technology in his enhancements) and a highly skilled semi-mundane operative called the Black Widow - along with a 'super-functionary' from the Communist faction of China's Provisional Government, Socialist Red Guardsman. It is suspected by most of the team that they received Socialist Red Guardsman because the non-Communist factions (and likely some of the Communists) are hoping the Americans will kill him - or possibly that another member of Axis Amerika will.

Feb. 14: The Cytherean covert ops team (see Jan. 6, 2014) exflitrates. The operation is no-longer covert. Some Cytherean operators are left behind, but several (male) scientists are successfully kidnapped. Air and aerospace fighters attempt to engage the raider, but the most damage is done by the coilguns on the USS Wisconsin. The fact that the upgraded Earth-1 battleships are able to use their main guns for anti-aircraft fire is noted with much concern on Earth-2, and general resignation on Earth-3.

Feb. 15: A Latin translation of the space fantasy novel Beyond the Moons is copied to Fa-Britannia, due to a member of the embassy to Inp-UK who bought and enjoyed the story (and is the one doing the translating); other books in the series will follow. At a secret laboratory in Voskresensk, Moscow Oblast, USSR, the Ether Propellor files (see Sept 27, 2013) are photographed by a Dsp-UK MI6 agent. U-boat launched low-altitude V-1Bs perform a gas attack on Dsp-New York, killing 47 people and injuring a few hundred more (more from trying to get to safety or fighting over gas masks than from the gas, itself). The Operation Pencil Sharpener constellation leaves Luna-2, save for those vessels assigned to assist the Seleneans. The group staying includes military advisors from Inp-Israel (the Israelis feel some kinship with the Seleneans, due to the actions of the Cythereans), Doctors w/o Borders, Engineers w/o Borders, diplomats, one USSF JAG lawyer, and various support staff.

Feb 16: Unmanned USRS vehicles carry gas and incendiary weapons to the Dsp-German cities of Berlin, Wewelsburg, Frankfurt, Hamburg, and Danzig, though Berlin's anti-rocket defences prevent the weapons from reaching the Reich's capital. In Inp-Geneva, Switzerland, Earth-1 Allied diplomats (primarily, but not exclusively, American and Russian diplomats) begin negotiations for a closer alliance.

Feb. 17: Dsp-US Congress passes a resolution endorsing the creation of a Jewish State after the war, whether in the Levant, or taken from Dsp-German territory. The Operation Pencil Sharpener constellation deploys spy satellites. An hour later, the constellation reaches Earth-2 LEO, and engages in limited kinetic bombardment of Axis positions in Germany and France. Roughly 200 million reichsmarks of damage are inflicted on the port of Saint-Nazaire alone, and it will require about a decade to become fully operational again. Battle of the Earth(2) Insertion occurs as a Staffel of 21 Silbervolgels lead by Hauptmann Hildegarde von Richthofen (sometimes know as the Red Baroness) twice attacks the constellation from Earth-1. Though the battle is an Allied victory, the cost is nearly a third of the Earth-1 spacecraft destroyed, and two crippled, compared to all but two of the Nazi spacecraft (and both surviving vessels were damaged). Enterprise constellation survivors land at Muroc Rocket Field, save for two vessels unable to enter atmosphere, who return to Aluros on Luna-2. A single mother in Inp-Dayton, MN, wakes up to discover a series of footprints in the snow leading to and from her sliding glass doors, and both her own and her son's bedroom windows. Her security cameras show the footprints appearing one at a time, but do not show the cause, and the psi sensors she had installed recorded no paranormal activity. Police investigation shows that the footprints start and end at the nearby Crow River.

Feb. 19: In the Earth-2 worldline, the Ssoranthh (Ice Warrior) clan Korsshethh contracts as mercenaries to the Axis powers, through the Dsp-Hungarian government. Clan Ssrax (or S'rax, depending on the translator), traditional enemies of the Korsshethh for around five thousand years (when, according to Ssoranthhuul archaeologists, the heir to leadership of clan Ssrax insulted clan Korsshethhh by licking the doorhandle of their main residence - it sounds just as silly to most modern Ssoranthhu, as it does to most modern Inp-Westerners), contracts as mercenaries to the Allies, specifically through the Dominion of New Zealand on Dsp-Earth, and Ellen Vannin (the Isle of Mann) on Inp-Earth. The odd choices were made for cultural reasons - specifically, a tradition or recurring fad for confusing non-Ssoranthhu with harmlessly-strange political decisions, and seeing what conclusions they jump to. The two Enterprise constellation survivors who limped back to Luna-2 land at Aluros.

Feb. 22: A roll of film containing data on the Ether Propellor (see Feb. 15, 2014) arrives in Dsp-UK, and is of great interest to those scientists cleared to know of its existence. Kriegesradpanzer (War Wheel tank) officially withdrawn from service. In an especially isolated part of Inp-Siberia, an impressive explosion occurs at the Russian Federation's secret antimatter-production facility.

Feb. 24: Particle sensors on Earth-1 detect an entry flare in the clouds above Inp-NYC, and RADAR locates an aircraft with a very obsolete transponder, heading away from that location. The plane, identified as Global Airlines Flight 33, is guided in to land at John F. Kennedy International Airport (historically known as Idlewild Airport). The passengers are understandably both relieved and distraught from their journey... through the Twilight Zone.

Feb. 25: In Inp-USA, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency tests the first non-magical self-guiding bullet. Dsp-Battle of Los Angeles occurs when a flying saucer is spotted over the city around 3:01am, shortly after a small ammunition dump owned by the 37th Coast Artillery Brigade explodes. The object is last spotted around 3:57am, and the All Clear is given at 7:14am. The origin and affiliation of the saucer remains unidentified. A flight from Operation Pencil Sharpener, consisting of two transport planes escorted by one Nimrod, one Vulcan*, one SB-1, and the Space Shuttle Atlantis, travel over the Arctic and through poorly-monitored Russian airspace to Poland, release the Israeli & Polish SpecOps troops and their equipment via parachute in the dark of night, and then proceed southward, making a stop in Egypt to pick up certain passengers and items that Dsp-MI6 wants in England soonest. By sunrise, Atlantis flight lands at RAF Croydon. In Clp-Ukraine, the Third Siege of Kiev is broken a little after midnight, by the Ordo Sacri Vampyre. Their control over the weather is generally believed to have been a much greater factor than their fighting prowess.

Feb. 26: In Inp-Atlantic City, New Jersey, a new Joker appears, this one resembling the version played by Cesar Romero in the late 1960s (though he still seems to retain the memories of the Newark Jokers). As this Joker has the personality and general competence of the Cesar Romero Joker, he is captured alive by the local Batman and Robin (both also inspired by the Adam West and Burt Ward versions, at least visually) on the first day, and sent for psychological and parapsychological examination.

Feb. 28: Battle off Flyspeck Island occurs in Dsp-Pacific (so far off that the tiny island isn't even visible), between Soviet Navy Pacific Fleet and the Kido Butai. The outcome is inconclusive, and both sides withdraw with significant damage. In Dsp-USA, Atlantis flight returns to Muroc.

[tshiggins]

Originally Posted by Prince Charon

(SNIP)

Feb. 26: In Inp-Atlantic City, New Jersey, a new Joker appears, this one resembling the version played by Cesar Romero in the late 1960s (though he still seems to retain the memories of the Newark Jokers). As this Joker has the personality and general competence of the Cesar Romero Joker, he is captured alive by the local Batman and Robin (both also inspired by the Adam West and Burt Ward versions, at least visually) on the first day, and sent for psychological and parapsychological examination.

(SNIP)

At some point, a Heath Ledger or Jack Nicholson Joker will appear -- if one hasn't, already, and I've just forgotten it -- and that will be a Bad Thing (tm).

EDIT: ....aaand, it looks like they already did. This thread has gone on a really long time. :)

[Prince Charon]

Originally Posted by tshiggins

At some point, a Heath Ledger or Jack Nicholson Joker will appear -- if one hasn't, already, and I've just forgotten it -- and that will be a Bad Thing (tm).

EDIT: ....aaand, it looks like they already did. This thread has gone on a really long time. :)

Well, a Heath Ledger version has. No Jack Nicholson or Mark Hamil version... yet.

[tshiggins]

Originally Posted by Prince Charon

Well, a Heath Ledger version has. No Jack Nicholson or Mark Hamil version... yet.

Well, to be honest, the Jack Nicholson version was the best one to that date, but I think most people consider the Heath Ledger version to be the best ever -- at least, so far.

Mark Hamill's is good for those who grew up with the cartoon but, honestly, I think the most compelling character to come out of that version of Batman is Harley Quinn.

Now, if a Harley Quinn were to meet up with a Heath Ledger joker, I think things would get really ugly. He'd either slaughter her, outright, or the relationship would rapidly descend into something truly depraved.

[warellis]

Originally Posted by tshiggins

Well, to be honest, the Jack Nicholson version was the best one to that date, but I think most people consider the Heath Ledger version to be the best ever -- at least, so far.

Mark Hamill's is good for those who grew up with the cartoon but, honestly, I think the most compelling character to come out of that version of Batman is Harley Quinn.

Now, if a Harley Quinn were to meet up with a Heath Ledger joker, I think things would get really ugly. He'd either slaughter her, outright, or the relationship would rapidly descend into something truly depraved.

Hopefully they would just shoot the two instead of having constant comic-book revolving prisons.

[Prince Charon]

Originally Posted by warellis

Hopefully they would just shoot the two instead of having constant comic-book revolving prisons.

Um, there is actually a good reason not to shoot the Joker (well, the 'real' one, as opposed to any imitators) on Inp-Earth, seeing as it's a possessing entity, and killing the host just frees it to pick a new one.

EDIT: I'd've put that in a spoiler box, but I've hinted at it hard enough in the timeline that you'd just need to look for all Joker references to guess it.

Thinking about Harley Quinn, I have this vague thought that the one on Earth 2 would be a psychologist (or worse, a fangirl) from Earth 1 who came as a tourist after the war.

[warellis]

Psychologist is better. Or maybe more ironically, what if Dsp-Earth Harleen Quinzel doesn't become Harley Quinn after possibly hearing/seeing Inp-Esrth stuff on Harley Quinn? I mean who says she has to become her or go weird like Harley?

She might find her creepy.

[Prince Charon]

Originally Posted by warellis

Psychologist is better. Or maybe more ironically, what if Dsp-Earth Harleen Quinzel doesn't become Harley Quinn after possibly hearing/seeing Inp-Esrth stuff on Harley Quinn? I mean who says she has to become her or go weird like Harley?

She might find her creepy.

Good point, that. Of course, it might be too late, by the time she does find out. One of the ideas I had for Dsp-Harley is that she continues the Jokers work after he goes too far and gets himself killed, because he doesn't have the advantage that the Earth-1 Joker-spirit has.

[Prince Charon]

On the Venn Diagram of Dsp-Nazi Germany, this WiP is where 'ideologically-driven atrocities' meets 'wonder-weapons that cost far more than they're worth.'

Übermensch, Typ Eins.

Attributes

ST 16 [60]; DX 13 [60]; IQ 9 [-20]; HT 9 [-10]

Secondary Characteristics

HP 16; Will 9; Per 11 [10]; FP 12 [9]

Basic Speed 6 [15]

Social Background

Languages: Modern German (Native) [0]

TL: 6+1^

Cultural Familiarity: 20th Century Western Europe

Subtotal: 124


Advantages

Absolute Direction [5]
Absolute Timing [2]
Attractive [4]
Charisma 1 [5]
Combat Reflexes [15]
Fearlessness +3 [6]
Military Rank (SS or Waffen SS) [varies, at least 5]
Security Clearance [varies, at least 5]
Very Fit [15]

Perks

Classic Features ('Aryan' male) [1]

Subtotal: 63+


Disadvantages

Duty (SS or Waffen SS, 15 or less) [-15]
Easy to Kill 3 [-6]
Fanatacism (Nazi Party) [-15]
Hidebound [-5]
Intolerance (Total) [-10]
Low Empathy [-20]
Overconfidence (15) [-10]
Sense of Duty (Nazi Germany) [-10]
Short Lifespan 4 [-40]
Susceptible (Diseases) 2 [-8]

and -20 points (plus another -5 per two levels of Rank when decanted) from:

Autophobia, Bad Temper, Berserk, Bloodlust, Bully, Callous, Chronic Depression, Easy to Read, Incurious (replacing Staid, below), No Sense of Humour, and Stubbornness.

Quirks

Attentive. [-1]
Incompetance (Aiming). [-1]
Incompetance (Tactics). [-1]
Staid. [-1]

Subtotal: -161


Feature: Identical Clones. [0]


Skills

Take skills from a 4e conversion of any appropriate SS or Waffen SS template.

Total: >26


Equipment

Sturmtruppenrüstung (Assault troop armour)

Notes

While aiming (taking the 'Aim' manoeuver) is not a skill, it is something one might be incompetent at, and therefore acceptable for the Incompetance quirk, IMHO.

Most of their psychological problems (that aren't programmed into them for ideological reasons) are the result of the fast-teaching devices their creators have been using on them. The higher the intended rank, the more skilled the subject is expected to be, and thus the more the device is used on that subject.

As clones, Übermenschen show little variation in attributes or other traits, save as noted due to poor quality control. If not for the decisions to force-grow them to adulthood in a year, and to use the aforementioned experimental teaching machines to train them in that time, they would probably be healthier, both physically and mentally, though they would still likely have serious problems...