Post by redsycorax on Apr 27, 2022 0:00:49 GMT
Sometimes, even technological development is no guarantee of planetary safety. Take Earth-1200, for example. On that Earth, a quirk of astrophysics during the early days of solar system coalescence flung what was the asteroid/dwarf planet Pallas in many other continua into the inner solar system, where it was captured by Venus and became its satellite, Neith. As a consequence, when human astronomers turned their eyes heavenwards, there was ample evidence of changeable astronomical objects above them and the Ptolemaic, geocentric delusion never became accepted by such civilisations, causing the advance of human technology. The chief beneficiary of this was the Megáli Ellinikí Oikoumene (Greater Greek Commonwealth), which resulted in national consolidation from city states into a coherent federal state, which then extended its dominance over the Mediterranean and Middle East. By the nineteenth century BCE, MEO ships had landed on the Moon. By the seventeenth century, it had reached the nearer stars, expanding its trade and economic influence. And then, the expanding sphere of the Megali Elliniki Oikoumene made contact with the Khund Warrior Empire.
The consequence was not fortunate. In other fictional scenarios, some abstract concept of manifest destiny tends to assume that Earth's armed forces will necessarily prevail come what may and vanquish the alien invaders as a consequence. But as time passed, Krypton, Daxam, Tamaran, Thanagar, Rann, Korugar, Xudar, Braal, Rimbor, Imsk and numerous other Terran allies fell to the murderous Khund onslaught. Ultimately, a pitched battle was fought between the Fifth Khund Warrior Fleet and the sole surviving Terran battlecruiser, the MEOSS Agamemnon. Initially scheduled for decomissioning and museum ship status, the Agamemnon was somewhat past its prime as a military ship of the line. One of its most promising pilots was a young, cocky centenarian named Hermes Trismegistus, who had formerly been a medical student before the draft had pulled him into the Terran armed forces. Sadly, given the overwhelming Khund numbers, the age of the vessel and despite the valour and courage of its pilots, all but Captain Trismegistus were lost. As he watched in horror, the lead Khund warship delivered a fusillade of antimatter missiles and they shattered Earth asunder. And then, the surviving Khund fighter pilots turned their wrath on him, Earth-1200's only survivor. And then, he realised he had no option and broke the panel over his Salvation Drive button. In a burst of tachyonic and gravitational energy, Captain Trismegistus' vessel vanished from the universe that had once held Earth-1200.
EARTH-500:
Amidst fusing console displays and cabin smoke, Captain Hermes Trismegistus stood and looked over a virgin solar system. The Khund armada was gone, as if it had never really existed. And perhaps it didn't, in this alternate universe. Abruptly, he saw the impossible- two darkskinned individuals, shepherding his vessel toward some form of spacedock. His medscan equipment and translator matrix identified them as Kryptonians and provided his linguistic implant with the details of Kryptonese:
<Greetings, friends. Aren't you rather far from the Rao solar system?>
Shocked, Superwoman turned to her husband, Superman:
<Kal? He knows Kryptonese!>
<Yes, I'm originally from an alternate universe to this one>
<You're not the only one in that situation, my friend. We do have telepathic plugs indoors. We're Superman and Superwoman of the Justice Alliance, an international crimefighting metahuman organisation>
<Am I to take it that no solution to Krypton's uranium core chain reaction was found in this universe? In which case, I am truly sorry. I am Captain Hermes Trismesgistus, late of the Megali Ellinki Oikoumene. Judging from the lack of surrounding freight, passenger and military starships, your Earth does not have interstellar travel as yet. Although I see that there are bases on the Moon and my sensors indicate settlements on Mars and the Gallilean satellites.>
Superwoman spoke: <What happened to your Earth, Captain?>
<My Earth had been at peace for millennia and we had a largely ceremonial military establishment. Do you have a Khund Warrior Empire in your universe?>
<Oh, yes. So you're a refugee from an interstellar war?>
<I am the sole survivor of my native Earth>
<Apart from several million inhabitants of miniaturised Argo City in our Fortress Astral, we are all that survives of Krypton. We know that pain all too well. You need not fear. The Justice Alliance will defend Earth from any pursuit and we offer you refuge on our Earth>
<But... would I not provide technological pollution, given that circumstances seem to have led to slower development here? Ah. My sensors do not indicate Neith in orbit around Venus, but as a free floating asteroid. That may explain the chain of events behind our divergence>
<Trust us, Captain, you are welcome to seek sanctuary here. And we will mediate any technological assistance that you might provide to our Earth's humanity. It's not a paradise or utopia by any means, but... welcome to your new home.> As his fighter craft entered the Justice Alliance station hangar, Hermes Trismegistus breathed a sigh of relief. But what would his 'super science' mean to these good people? And could he avoid apprehension from his universe's Khunds forever? For the first time in days, though, he felt relief as he prepared to disembark and greet his new allies.
THE BEGINNING
The consequence was not fortunate. In other fictional scenarios, some abstract concept of manifest destiny tends to assume that Earth's armed forces will necessarily prevail come what may and vanquish the alien invaders as a consequence. But as time passed, Krypton, Daxam, Tamaran, Thanagar, Rann, Korugar, Xudar, Braal, Rimbor, Imsk and numerous other Terran allies fell to the murderous Khund onslaught. Ultimately, a pitched battle was fought between the Fifth Khund Warrior Fleet and the sole surviving Terran battlecruiser, the MEOSS Agamemnon. Initially scheduled for decomissioning and museum ship status, the Agamemnon was somewhat past its prime as a military ship of the line. One of its most promising pilots was a young, cocky centenarian named Hermes Trismegistus, who had formerly been a medical student before the draft had pulled him into the Terran armed forces. Sadly, given the overwhelming Khund numbers, the age of the vessel and despite the valour and courage of its pilots, all but Captain Trismegistus were lost. As he watched in horror, the lead Khund warship delivered a fusillade of antimatter missiles and they shattered Earth asunder. And then, the surviving Khund fighter pilots turned their wrath on him, Earth-1200's only survivor. And then, he realised he had no option and broke the panel over his Salvation Drive button. In a burst of tachyonic and gravitational energy, Captain Trismegistus' vessel vanished from the universe that had once held Earth-1200.
EARTH-500:
Amidst fusing console displays and cabin smoke, Captain Hermes Trismegistus stood and looked over a virgin solar system. The Khund armada was gone, as if it had never really existed. And perhaps it didn't, in this alternate universe. Abruptly, he saw the impossible- two darkskinned individuals, shepherding his vessel toward some form of spacedock. His medscan equipment and translator matrix identified them as Kryptonians and provided his linguistic implant with the details of Kryptonese:
<Greetings, friends. Aren't you rather far from the Rao solar system?>
Shocked, Superwoman turned to her husband, Superman:
<Kal? He knows Kryptonese!>
<Yes, I'm originally from an alternate universe to this one>
<You're not the only one in that situation, my friend. We do have telepathic plugs indoors. We're Superman and Superwoman of the Justice Alliance, an international crimefighting metahuman organisation>
<Am I to take it that no solution to Krypton's uranium core chain reaction was found in this universe? In which case, I am truly sorry. I am Captain Hermes Trismesgistus, late of the Megali Ellinki Oikoumene. Judging from the lack of surrounding freight, passenger and military starships, your Earth does not have interstellar travel as yet. Although I see that there are bases on the Moon and my sensors indicate settlements on Mars and the Gallilean satellites.>
Superwoman spoke: <What happened to your Earth, Captain?>
<My Earth had been at peace for millennia and we had a largely ceremonial military establishment. Do you have a Khund Warrior Empire in your universe?>
<Oh, yes. So you're a refugee from an interstellar war?>
<I am the sole survivor of my native Earth>
<Apart from several million inhabitants of miniaturised Argo City in our Fortress Astral, we are all that survives of Krypton. We know that pain all too well. You need not fear. The Justice Alliance will defend Earth from any pursuit and we offer you refuge on our Earth>
<But... would I not provide technological pollution, given that circumstances seem to have led to slower development here? Ah. My sensors do not indicate Neith in orbit around Venus, but as a free floating asteroid. That may explain the chain of events behind our divergence>
<Trust us, Captain, you are welcome to seek sanctuary here. And we will mediate any technological assistance that you might provide to our Earth's humanity. It's not a paradise or utopia by any means, but... welcome to your new home.> As his fighter craft entered the Justice Alliance station hangar, Hermes Trismegistus breathed a sigh of relief. But what would his 'super science' mean to these good people? And could he avoid apprehension from his universe's Khunds forever? For the first time in days, though, he felt relief as he prepared to disembark and greet his new allies.
THE BEGINNING