A Swiftly Tilting Galaxy - An FTL TL

[General_Finley]

A Swiftly Tilting Galaxy

The fallowing is an exert from Popular Mechanics February ,1985 Issue’s interview with Dr. Edward Georges
“I was simply sitting in my office at DARPA working on an experimental radiation deflecting ionized field generator when by complete accident I stumbled upon the greatest discovery of our time. While working on the field generator I accidentally turned it on prematurely causing an flux in the energy patterns. Next thing I know the generator is gone.” “What was going through your mind immediately after the generator disappeared?” “I thought that I some how blew it up without harming myself. I mean what else was I to think? After all it is not everyday that one accidentally invents the hyperdrive.”


　
The Fallowing is the opening page of James Matthews nineteen ninety-two book “A Wrinkle in Space” it is used with expressed permission of the author further use by any other parties is considered unlawful.
On October fifth ,1983 twenty-eight year old DARPA scientist Edward
Georges by act of what most would have considered stupidity stumbled
upon mans greatest achievement… FTL. Georges had been working on a
(faulty) static field generator when he mistakenly turned the machine on.
Instead of killing him and half the people in the building it seemingly
disappeared into thin air. But as most know the generator did not stay
gone for long. Early satellite tracking devices showed that the generator
jumped from Georges DARPA office in New Mexico all the way to a farm in
Ireland faster then the satellite could track it.

Georges generator had created and briefly sustained an energy field that
allowed it to pass into a higher dimensional plane now called Hyperspace
or phase space. Upon discovery of what had happened and what Georges
had created the US government began Project Hyperion. As most know
Hyperion was the creation of both an FTL capable space fairing vessel
and FTL equipped nuclear missiles which could be launched at the USSR
so quickly they could never be blocked. Though the Phase missile project
was where most of the government funds were being directed to, the
USAF Hyperion would go down in history when news first broke about
Georges’ hyperdrive.

　
October 5th 1983: Edward Georges accidentally invents and tests the first FTL drive.

October 8th 1983: a secret meeting convenes to discuss the future
development of the FTL.

October 10th 1983: Project Hyperion is officially a federally funded project
managed by the United States Air force under the guise that it is simply
funding for the further upkeep of air craft

January 23rd 1984: The first FTL capable prototype missile is tested.
This early missile uses a relatively cheap and shoty version of Georges
generator, with a pre charged amount of energy which will reflect on
where it would come out. This first missile exits Hyperspace near and
detonates its nuclear war head by the planet (the Plutoid in OTL) Pluto.

February 11th 1984: The shuttle Challenger lands at the Kennedy Space
Center.

February 20th 1984: The shuttle Challenger is retired. No express reason is
given to the public.

May 11th 1984: A satellite using the first computer piloted hyperdrive
attempts to jump into Martian Orbit. It fails with the satellite crashing
into the Martian surface, destroying the most advanced drive of the time.
September 5th 1984: The Shuttle discovery lands after its maiden
voyage.

September 18th 1984: A security leak results in the Discovery of Project
Hyperion.

September 29th 1984: After nearly a week and a half of denying the
program, President Ronald Reagan announces that the United States of
America Has discovered the secret to FTL travel.

A Fiery Beginning

Exert from Dr. Edward Georges interview with Larry King, March 3rd, 1985.
“So Doctor can you tell us in simple terms how your “hyperdrive works?”
“With out being to technical, I can. If you would like me to, Larry?” “Yes
please I’m sure the American people would like to know what all the fuss
is about?” “Well simply put, the great Albert Einstein’s Theory of
Relativity showed the scientific community that it was impossible for an
object to move fast than the speed of light because it would gain infinite
mass and need infinite energy to continue moving at the speed of light.
And well….that’s just impossible.” “But then how did you manage to
break the speed of light?” “Simply put. I didn’t. What I did or rather what
the generator does is similar to what an airplane does to travel in our
three dimensional world.” “I don’t understand?” “Well Larry let me put it
to you like this, the universe is flat, but from what experiments with the
drive show, this flat surface is tethered inside a bubble .” “Wait did you
just say the universe is flat?” “Yes Larry, yes I did.” “Could you please
elaborate on this?” “Quantum physicists have been debating whether the
universe is flat or round for some time but, test with the drive have
settled the debate. While the earth may be round the universe is flat.”
“Okay, so doctor this bubble that you were talking about tell us more
about it.” “Well Larry for some time know physicists have been
separated into two camps one in favor of super gravity and the other in
favor of a theory called string. Now from what we have observed from
the drive is that it is more like a merger of the two theories into one
singular “Planer theory“, uniting the five stings and super gravity under
it. What we now know is that there are eleven different dimensions each
interacting with two and five dimensional planes; or as some have called
them membranes. Our three dimensional plane exists within a four
dimensional bubble which in turn is thought to exists in a massive fifth
dimensional expanse housing possible even more or these bubbles.” “Wait
if there are more bubbles like ours drifting in this expanse does this
mean there could be other universes, you know parallel worlds?” “Well
Larry that is a tough one to answer because while the drive has proven
to us the existence of higher dimensions we can’t and may never know if
there truly are parallel universes.” “Okay, so How does this plane theory
fit in with your drive?” “Simple, the drive creates a field that allows it to
pass through dimensional barriers and enter the void also known as
hyperspace surrounding our flat universe. Then depending on the
amount of energy it can be propelled through hyperspace and drop out
of it above any point in the universe. The range of the drive is limited to
the amount of power that is has. The first drive that I created had very
little energy and so it only jumped a few thousand miles. The power
source also regulates the speed at which the devise can travel through
hyperspace. Our newest drive for instance can be in hyperspace the
same amount of time as the first drive but instead of only going to
Europe it will be able to make it to the edge of the solar system.” “Wow
that is truly incredible. I have one last question before you go.” “Please
ask away.” “ How do you feel President Ronald Reagan handled the “Jump
crisis”?” “It is not my place to comment on that but I will say that he
not only held of nuclear war he made the world a safer place.”

　
An entry in the secret journal of Konstantin Chernenko September 30th 1984
This morning I woke a sick man this evening I got to bed a dead man as
do all in the Soviet Union. I had hoped the Americans would not do
anything to stir up the Cold War during my foreseeably short time as
General Secretary. This is unfortunately not the case. The Americans
now posses the technology to destroy the Soviet Union faster than light
can travel, how can we hope to defend ourselves in the face of such
adversity? I hope that a nights sleep will help me find an answer but I
find it hard to believe that it will. Tomorrow I must make the Americans
realize that should they try and destroy the Soviet Union we will make
them suffer. Though I don not know what good that will do considering
the capitalists can now simply find a new world to call home, while we
would languish on a dying one. I fear that I maybe forced to make grave
concessions to the Americans. Though I shall go to my grave without
breathing a word of all of these fears to those beneath me lest I be sent
to the grave faster.

　
October 1st 1984: Soviet General Secretary Konstantin Chernenko makes a speech hoping to begin meetings with the US but warns that the USSR can still wreck the US while they are without a means of escape.

October 2nd 1984: President Ronald Reagan responds by unveiling the USAF Challenger. This Challenger is a modified form of the retired shuttle.
It is retrofitted with a MK. III hyperdrive generator. President Reagan expresses his desire for the “Jump Crisis” to end peacefully and hopes
that Chernenko will come to the negotiating table.

On this same day Margaret Thatcher delivers a speech affirming Britain’s support of the US but hopes that the Americans will share their advances
with their long time ally.

October 3rd 1984: Tim Macartney-Snape and Greg Mortimer become the first Australians to summit Mount Everest. Though this is eclipsed by the announcement that The America, the Soviet Union, Britain, France, The People Republic of China, East Germany, West Germany, India, Israel, and South Africa will meet in Geneva for a summit on October fifth to attempt to bring the “Jump Crisis” to an end.

October 5th 1984: “Jump Summit” begins.

[General_Finley]

A Future To Behold

Exert from Ronald Reagan’s memories “ Stop the World I want to Get Off” on Jump Summit
I knew we would have to give the Russians the drive other wise we would end up in a war that wouldn’t be good for anyone. I’m just glad that Chernenko took our bluff, other wise this place could be a very radioactive wasteland.
　
October 15th 1984: “Jump Summit” comes to an end. It is agreed upon by all participating nations that the US may continue research and development of their FTL capabilities but they must share the layout of the original drive with the USSR. Both nations must also vastly reduce there numbers of nuclear weapons. It is also decided that chemical weapons shall be banned. Sphere influence concessions had to be made too. The USSR was to withdrawal all support of the Polish government and to support a democratic nation, with open elections between the Independent Trade Union Solidarity and the Communists. even agreeing to use force if necessary to oust the former government. The US was not to give any other NATO powers the drive for at least ten years and west Germany was to be ineligible to obtain the drive for five years after that. When they were given the drives it could not be the drive of the time but the original drive created by Georges. The USSR was to be held to the same standards. It was not to give the drive to any of its allies for ten years and it could never give the drive to Cuba, North Korea, and any of the muslim nations. The USSR was to begin gradually lessening its hold over East Germany.

October 31st 1984: The USAF Challenger goes on its maiden voyage.

November 3rd 1984: The Challenger exits hyperspace in the Centari star system.

November 6th 1984: Ronald Reagan is reelected wining the electoral collages in every state in the Union except the District of Columbia.

A Race to Remember


Exert from an interview with Steven Hawking about his journey to the Sirius star system.
“Professor Hawking what was it like to travel to Sirius A?” “The journey
was rather instantaneous, but the Americans need to construct a ship
that is specifically designed to travel through phase space and not
continue to use a ship that was originally designed to be an orbital
shuttle. But after the apparent three days of travel at which no time
had passed for us it was truly a sight worth seeing.” “Prof. Hawking could
you tell us a little more about the Sirius System?” “When we exited
phase space we had emerged by chance several hundred thousand miles
from the gas giant now commonly referred to as Albert. It was the most
beautiful object I had ever seen. It was comparable in size to Jupiter but
was a beautiful purple marble stripped with yellow, blue and green.”
“How did it feel to be one of the first people Albert?” “If I had died at
that moment I would have died happy.” “Prof. Hawking do you think that
you and or any other scientists will be able to replicate the drive without
the layouts of the drive for another nine years?” “Georges is a brilliant
man but he is also an incompetent one. His interviews have given us and
anyone who listens much information on how the drive works and how
he created it.” “Do you think Britain will be venturing out into the stars
with in the next five years?” “I can only answer that question by saying
that I find it highly probable.”


--

General Secretary Vladimir Kryuchkov on the former General secretaries Chernenko, and Gorbachev


The two were raging incompetents. Chernenko was a the wrong man for
the time and Gorbachev the idiot that he was almost gave up when the
Soviet Union had the best future ahead of it. That buffoon gave up East
Germany and know the Germans are threatening the USSR again, he
gave fallowed Chernenko with giving up Poland who are now an ever
present thorn in our side. The only good thing I can say about the man
is that his death was what brought me to power. I fear had those
disgruntled Polish secret police not assassinated him the US would have
stamped the Soviet Union out some time ago.

--
　
November 8th1984: The USAF Challenger exits hyperspace near Pluto in hope that the shorter jump will be more accurate. The pilot proceeds to jump again exiting near the planet Venus. It jumps again this next jump puts Challenger close enough to earth that it can be flown by is pioneering mix of chemical and electrice sublight thrusters into earth orbit.

November 11th1984: Challenger lands at the Groom Lake more commonly known as Area 51.

November 28th1984: It is announced that the Federal budget for NASA will be slashed with much of what would have gone to them being used in the US Air Forces new FTL program. (Previsions are created putting forward a proposal that the new rapidly gowing space force be made a seperate and independent branch of the military fully absorbing NASA)

December 2nd1984: Andrew Peacock’s government is elected in Australia. Pollsters say that this is likely do to a rise in nationalistic desires spurred by the hyperdrive.

December 7th1984: General Secretary Chernenko is hospitalized.

December 9th1984: Chernenko passes away from pneumonia. It is believed that the massive amounts of recent stress had weakened his immune system.

December 14th1984: Mikhail Gorbachev becomes the General Secretary of the USSR. He promises hope, peace, and a better tomorrow. He makes it clear that the actions of the Polish secret police are borderline criminal and he suggests that they be disbanded at once.

December 28th1984: The Soviet Union launches a satellite in to orbit. This satellite uses the first Soviet made hyperdrive. It jumps to the gas giant Jupiter. Gorbachev proudly announces that the USSR is moving forward into the production stage of the FTL drive. This drive is no where near as powerful as the latest American drive which is being placed into the USAF Hyperion. Though less powerful the Soviets have lessened the amount of energy to distance ratio. This allows for cheaper launches into space do to no longer needing to send as large a power source.

January 22nd1985: President Ronald Reagan becomes the first American President to go off world. The Challenger makes a brief jump to Mars jumping back to earth.

January 23rd1985: Challenger lands at the KSC instead of Groom Lake.

February 5th1985: Israeli spies gain access to the plans to an older Mk. I American hyperdrive. They forward these plans back to Israel.

February 6th1985: The Popular Mechanics issue featuring an interview with hyperdrive creator Edward Georges hit’s the stands. It quickly becomes the fastest selling issue ever released.

February 18th1985: At the second meeting of the nations who attended Jump summit tt is decided upon by the US and the Soviet Union that Poland will hold democratic and free elections on September tenth 1985. It is decided that the Berlin Wall will be torn down and that East Germany must allow its’ citizens to venture to none Warsaw Pact nations.

March 15th1985: Israeli Prime minister Yitzhak Shamir announces that Israel has tested its first hyperdrive. These claims are later substantiated by the both the USSR and the US.[1]

March 16th1985: Out cry over the news that Israel has stolen plans to hyperdrive technology and replicated them spreads through out the global community. President Reagan is forced to condemn the actions of Israeli espionage.

March 18th1985: A third meeting in Geneva occurs. After much negotiation it is settled that the Israelis can keep their FTL capabilities but may not use them in missiles without suffering dire consequences and they can not sell of give the information to any other nation. The US also makes it clear that should the spies who committed the crime ever set foot on American soil again they will be arrested and tried by a military court for high crimes against the United States of America.

April 19th1985: The USSR tests a nuclear missile on the Neptune. Scientists across the world are outraged at the test. [2]

April 23rd1985: Coca-Cola launches “Hyper Coke” (the response is overwhelmingly negative within the first three months.

April 30th1985: The Unabomber nearly kills Dr. Edward Georges creator of the hyperdrive. Georges is rushed to a secure hospital. He losses a lung and three fingers in his left hand.

May 23rd1985: Thomas Patrick Cavanaugh is sentenced to life in prison for attempting to sell secrets on the USAF Hyperion to the Soviet Union. .

June 1st1985: Great Britain attempts to secretly test its first hyperdrive. The US and the USSR both detect the anomalous readings that indicate at jump.

June 2nd1985: Margaret Thatcher announces the independent development of the first British Hyperdrive.

June 5th1985: The USAF Hyperion at half the size of a super carrier is to large to launch directly into space and so the first atmospheric jump out of the atmosphere occurs. The Hyperion exits hyperspace near the dark side of the moon. Using its combination of pioneering ion and plasma thrusters the Hyperion begins to make its way to earth orbit. Powered by two small nuclear power plants the Hyperion has a much farther rang then the Challenger. The Hyperion will never reenter earths atmosphere instead crews will be shuttled from it to the planet in the new X-31. [3]

--

[1] In OTL in 1984 Shamir was replaced by Shimon Peres but in due to rise in tensions in this world he stayed in power do to his conservative views.
[2] In OTL they tested a nuke in Kazakhstan on this date.
[3] This is not the X-31 of OTL it is more like the X-20 or the X-38 of OTL

[DominusNovus]

Interesting. Please continue.

[General_Finley]

A one Way Street

General Secretary Gorbachev on the Polish Secret police.
They are a bunch of uneducated bullies who know nothing about true communism or socialism. They are nothing more then fascist thugs and I won’t shed a tear when they are gone.

--

An exert from the book “Captains Log: The Starship Hyperion”, written by Brigadier General James Ernest.
I gazed out the two and a half foot thick window at the surface of the planet below. It was truly an awe inspiring sight. I was gazing at the surface of the first exoplanet to have man set foot on it. Preliminary examinations of soil samples taken by remote probes showed that the planet was rich in various precious elements and minerals.
I had been made captain of an exploratory vessel but I was finding my self and my ship being used more for monetary gain. I have nothing against monetary gain but God, I was the captain of a starship not the supervisor of a mining project. I realized from the beginning that we would need to set up enterprises in other star systems to grow the United States economically to better fund the growing space program but I had hoped that maybe later ships could do that work. I had hoped that I could be a modern day Columbus of Francis Drake. For a time of roughly seven months I was reduced to a mining overseer. Thank god for mining ships is all I had to say. When I first saw the USAF 49er I thought it was the ugliest ship in the world but I also thought it was the most beautiful. That was because my ship was being sent back to its normal duties…exploration. I was never a fan of Star Trek when I was young but I understood how the character Shattner played was supposed for feel.


June 15th1985, The Kremlin
Gorbachev looked at the paper in front of him and then back at the deliverer of the note. “How dare those backwards camel ridding bomb throwers demand that we give them access to the drive!” The deliverer looked as him as said “They claim that the threat of an Israel capable of launching instantaneous attacks on them can only be countered by allowing them to have the same capabilities.” “Does that arrogant fool of an old man Khomeini not realize that the Israelis can not use the drive for missile purposes without suffering great consequences? Does he not realize that we crushed their nuclear programs? Does he not realize that we are the peaceful and progressive Soviet Union?” “Sir, If it is not my place please forgive me but there is rumbling that we should give the Iranians the drive as it would give us a political foothold in the region.” “I have heard such rumblings and I blame them on Stalinist individuals who would much rather return the Soviet Union to a totalitarian state rather than the peaceful an prosperous economic power that we will undoubtedly become. I shall not allow the Soviet Union to be made a totalitarian state as General Secretary. The peaceful peasants and workers of this nation will be as true communist not treated as slaves to a totalitarian regime. This I swear!”




June 8th1985: The USAF Hyperion makes its first out of solar system jump.

June 17th1985: In the US the new channel the “Discovery Universe” is launched by John Hendricks. (Its’ opening week does incredible. On Sunday evening a two hour special featuring the USAF Hyperion becomes the most watched telivision program in US history.)

June 24th1985: Under pressure from both the US and the USSR, East German General Secretary Erich Honecker resigns. He goes home and commits suicide by sticking a pistol in his mouth an pulling the trigger. In his suicide note he says
“I am not sorry for what I have done for I did it for my Germany.
I did it for my people and I did it for communism. I have chosen
to take my life because I remember the Nuremburg Trials and I
see that in this new world I and those like me will be treated as the
fascists who scared the world before us. I will not be treated on
the same level as the Nazis and I will not be put to death for
imagined crimes that if I did commit I only did so to save me Germany.”

June 26th1985:Egon Krenz becomes General Secretary and

June 30th1985: The USAF Hyperion drops unmanned probes onto the surface of the planet known as “Albert”.

--

[General_Finley]

Trouble in the Sea of Space

President George Herbert Walker Bush on the USSR
I wish Gorbachev was still around but he had to go and get his ass
assassinated. If I didn’t know better I would think that that crazy son of
a bitch Kryuchkov was the devils brother. I hope that Jerry Brown can
handle him. But the American people elected him over Newt so that is
the end of it. I don’t have to be happy about it mind you. But I will act
like a self respecting president and fade away quietly and not become a
nuisance like Carter. God when I think of that man I just get so dammed
pissed. That mealy mouth little so and so just didn’t realize that he had
been thrown out the door. I wish Reagan hadn’t wondered off in the
head. I mean dam it how the hell are we supposed to defend our selves
when the democrats are going to slash the military budget and let
Kryuchkov rough rid us into oblivion.


July 1st1985: The probes sent to the gas giant send their data back to the Hyperion before being crushed by the gas giants gravity.

July 11th1985: Indian representatives go to the USSR seeking the drive, they promise open ports to the USSR.

July 13th1985: Scientists from around the globe discuss the possibility of reducing the atmosphere levels on Venus by opening a hyperspace window inside the atmosphere to siphon it out onto Mars. The idea results in the search for a way to keep a hyperspace window open for long periods of time.

July 15th1985: Japanese scientists finish constructing a working computer model for their first FTL drive. The drive goes into secret production phase. It is hoped by the Japanese that a working drive will be complete within six months.

July 18th1985: Deng Xiaoping meets with US Vice President George H. Bush to discuss a possible arrangement that would be beneficial for both nations and involve China gaining access to hyperdrive technology. Though nothing is settled upon the Vice president Bush makes it clear that the US has great interest in giving China the drive but that it would involve the US making concessions to the USSR.

July 20th1985: President Reagan calls for a meeting in Geneva to discuss the “Jump Treaty”.

July 23rd1985: Representatives from the US, Great Britain, the USSR, Israel, the Peoples Republic of China, India, Japan, France, South Africa, West Germany, East Germany, and Poland meet in Geneva.
The USAF Hyperion enters the Altair system near a rocky planet slightly larger than earth.

July 24th1985, Geneva
“This is an outrage, Reagan we agreed that no nation would be given the
drive for at least ten years!!” Gorbachev bellowed (something he rarely
did). “An outrage you are the ones talking to the Indians.” Reagan
paused and looked at Gorbachev before going on. “Or am I wrong about
the reason that they are here?” “Our intelligence made us aware of your
Vice Presidents meeting with the Chinese and so we only saw it fit to
bring someone who would make a fitting bargaining chip.” “Really cause
from what I heard you started talking to the Indians before the Chinese
started talking to us.” Reagan said as slyly as he could. Gorbachev looked
with rage at the Americans grin. “How may I as did you come by this
information?” he spoke the words to his interpreter with a calm tone but
could not hope to hide the anger hidden in his voice. “No, no you can’t ask Mr. Gorbachev.” Reagan replied. The Chinese were in the process of
stabbing the USSR in the back and though the peaceful man he was
Gorbachev not going to let it happen with out kicking the US in the gut.
Before he could say anything though the ambassador from Japan spoke “I
have just been authorized to make all sitting at this table aware that the
nation of Japan has now joined the ranks of the US, and Great Britain in
constructing our own independent drive, I say again we have made this
drive of our own hands not through bargaining or treachery.” Gorbachev
looked at the ambassador, he looked so smug and happy with his nation
but then again why shouldn’t he have been? After all they had done what
the USSR on its’ own had not. “What proof do you have of this?” Xiaoping
asked the Japanese ambassador. “ The proof happens to be a diagram
and model of our drive which is being sent to the Americans to verify. If
that is not proof enough all of you can look towards the sky in exactly
one month when we test it.” Gorbachev wondered what Reagan was
thinking and then he said it “The United States welcomes Japan….Now
Mr. Gorbachev I believe that according to the stipulations in the “Jump
Treaty” regarding the introduction of a new nation prior to the release of
the drive to nations requires us to look over the treaty again and
renegotiate uncertain terms that do not include the new admittance into
the treaty.”

July 25th1985:Commodore International launches the Amiga personal computer.

July 28th1985: After days of arguing, voting and re-voting it is decided that no nation that does not already posses the drive may obtain it through another nation until the year 2018. That they must go through the process of devising there own and that the penalties for any nation caught stealing or attempting to steal the drive would be harsh and swift. It is decided that any nation with the drive is allowed to open up mining of the new frontier to domestic companies but that they must be monitored and that all FTL capable vessel have military guards protecting the drive at all times. The issue of colonization having been brought up sparks heated debates but ends in a first com first serve policy but that the US may not begin claiming any more planets then it has already discovered until at least two other nations develop an FTL capable ship.
China feeling further betrayed by the USSR for being the nation that proposed the ban being lengthened to 2018 finds itself beginning to ally itself more towards the US, Great Britain and its’ once bitter enemy Japan.

July 30th1985: The price of various precious metals begins to drop after news that space will soon be open to mining.

August 1st1985: Polish presidential candidate is nearly assassinated by a former member of the Polish secret police. The would be assassin is brutally beaten to death by the crowd as they wrestled the gun away. Two people in the crowd died of gun shot wounds while a third was hospitalized. says “Democracy can not be stopped by a cowards gun.”

August 3rd1985: The founder of the growing group “Americans for a Christians Universe” Jimmy Swaggert is arrested while attempting to silicate sex from an undercover cop pretending to be a prostitute. Though his reputation is tarnished the group continues to gain monetary support (though at a slower rate) in order to achieve a space mining permit and ship which would allow them to legitimately set up permanent congregations stations on off world sites.

August 6th1985: Tens of thousands of people mark the 40th anniversary of the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima.

August 9th1985: Federal funding for the Venus Mars rebirth project is passed. The Project is meant to find a way to keep open a hyperspace window from Venus to Mars to reduce the greenhouse gas effect on Venus making it cooler and warm the planet Mars. There are those who protest the move saying that humans have no right to alter the ecology of entire worlds.

August 17th1985: The Hyperion returns home exchanging its crew and preparing to station itself over Altair 3 in the Altair system. Preliminary reports from the planet show large amounts of various precious metals and several rare earth metals.

August 24th1985: As promised Japan tests its first drive. The computer controlled drive jumps to the Pluto. Unfortunately dew to deceleration issues the satellite drive crashes into the planet.


August 25th1985: Samantha Smith 13year old “Goodwill ambassador” tragically dies in plane crash.

[Alex]

Interesting TL - looking forward to more.

[General_Finley]

A Slight Bright Future.....and then you die

Exert from an interview with Edward Georges
“Well I thought it was just another fain mail box. I didn’t realize the dam
thing was a bomb from the Unabomber. It’s a good thing that I tossed it
into the kitchen otherwise the full blast might have killed me”. “So what
would you have to say to the Unabomber if you saw him?” “What I would
say? Well I would tell him he was an idiot who was afraid of change and a
better tomorrow.” “Okay now what do you think of the militarization of
space using the drive?” “Well I am a scientist for DARPA, I set out to
build technology that would advance the human race but that would also
probably be used against others. So that should answer that question all
on its self.”


August 26th1985: Representatives of South Korea, and the Philippines make official protests to the UN about Japanese FTL capabilities. Claiming that Japan is remilitarizing to conquer them and construct their own interstellar empire. Japanese officials say this is only fear mongering from nations with nothing to fear.
On this same day in the US many Pacific theater WWII veterans voice their concerns during a televised convention in Los Angeles. During the event 60 year old veteran Alex J. Kingman who had only come to the event to show his support ends up becoming a leading figure of the group after his “Crush the Japs now” speech.

August 28th1985: The USAF Columbus, the second Hyperion class exploratory light-cruiser, is commissioned and leaves earth to study the visited systems more closely while the Hyperion takes over mining work in the Altair system until mining ships are constructed. Unlike the Hyperion, the Columbus has been fitted with more scientific equipment. The corridors, beds, and floors of the Columbus are laid with tiny magnets, and the formfitting uniforms have micro magnets weaved though almost every inch of them. This is to create more earth like conditions in the ships giving is a minor sense of artificial gravity. It is of course not AG but allows the crew to maintain a slightly larger bone and muscle mass allowing them to stay in space for longer periods of time. The crew of the Columbus is also a PR move having 14 African-American Air force officers in its crew.

August29th1985: Military planers begin drawing up plans fro a new type of starship. This will not be a scientific, exploratory or mining vessel instead it is to be the first American Dreadnaught class battle ship capable of planet bombardment.

August 31st1985: A would be assassin of mixed African-America and Japanese descent attempts to kill Alex J. Kingman while he is making a speech. The would be killer yells “Equality is now” it is believed by the media that the attempted killer Joseph Smith. Smiths father was an American GI who while stationed in Japan married a Japanese women. Smith was gunned down at the scene by police. Kingman reportedly said “Equalities fine as long as those bastards in the Pacific are six feet und and not threatening to gut you in your sleep”.
President Reagan when asked about the events states “justice is something the law dispenses and that no perceived wrong doing can justify taking it into your own hands.” When asked whether he agreed with Kingman, Reagan states “a belief based of fear and hate is not a belief that I can see eye to eye with. Although I do understand where Mr. Kingman is coming from and I recognize his right to freely state that belief in these free United States.

September 1st1985: A care bomb goes off in Poland nearly killing Solidarity candidate for President Lech Wałęsa. Lech survives uninjured by the blast. He later makes a statement “The cowards think that they can try and stop democracy with a bomb. How foolish of them. Even if I had died there are others amongst Solidarity that would run on the ticket in nine days. And they would still win against the totalitarian oppressors.”

September 2nd1985: The prices of precious metals continues to droop as word from Altair 3 shows large amounts of platinum, gold, bauxite, and aluminum. The first shipment will head to back to earth in the Challenger in a month.

September 2nd1985, Pennsylvania
11 year old Timothy Bates looked at his father as he came in the door. His
old man had never cried before and he wasn’t know but he looked pretty
dam close to it. “Pa what’s wrong?” He asked is father. “Oh nothing yah
gotta worry about son. Where’s your mom?” his father said almost
choking on his words. “She is up stairs. You sure your okay?” “Yah son
now you run out side I’ve gotta talk to your ma.” Timothy went out side
like his father told him to but he crawled up the ladder to listen in on the
conversation his parents were having. “They couldn’t?” he heard his
mother say. “I’m sorry honey but with prices the way they are and with
the news people keep getting from that planet, Altair 3 I think its called.
The company had no choice they had to close the mine. I’m not the only
one out of work neither. Everyone is gone, they are closing it for good
and trying to get a hold of one of those ships so that they can mine a
whole hell of a lot more ore to make up for the dropping prices.” “Oh god
James how are we going to make ends meet?” “We will just have to take
everything one step at a time honey. We’ll be okay though I promise.”
“Oh I wish to god that that stupid scientist hadn’t ever thought of that
stupid drive.” “What’s done is done and we’ll just have to make do.”
Timothy didn’t fully understand what was going on but he new it was bad
because it made his momma cry. He didn’t know how be he new he would
do everything to make things right.

September 3rd1985: In Japan scientists begin working on the plans for four different ships. Two of which are for peaceful purposes, the first being a scientific exploration vessel, the second being a mining vessel. The others are radically different. The first of these is a non FTL capable space fighter craft. Designed to be cube like in shape with many directional thrusters on all sides they would be housed on a much larger fighting ship that would serve as a carrier for their deployment. Though these ships are only concept ships and likely to never be built and are not designed for imperialistic purposes they are under the most secure measures in order to prevent knowledge of them from leaking out and igniting more anti-Japan feelings.

September 4th1985: Scientists in the USSR having fully finished planning and constructing computer models begin construction of the Kuznetsov. The Kuznetsov will be the first multi role FTL vessel of the USSR.

September 5th1985: The first Jump troop carrier is used by USSR. Not as a means of sending more troops to fight in Afghanistan but to bring them home. The craft jumps from a base in Russia in to space then the location on earth. These micro jumps prove to be highly accurate do to the incredibly small distances.

September 5th1985:Scientists in the US figure out how to create two fixed hyperspace windows between Venus and Mars. The construction of the drive portal device is set to begin in two months time.

September 6th1985: Under pressure from the US, the USSR, from his own people, and from massive defecates GDR General secretary Egon Krenz goes to west Germany to discuss reunification.

September 7th1985: Egon Krenz resigns and the reunification of Germany begins under a Soviet and American monitored administration.

September 10th1985: The Polish elections are held. These land mark elections lead to the election of Lech Wałęsa, the first President of the Republic of Poland.

September11th1985: Vice President Bush and his wife attend a rally in Poland at which Lech outlines Solidarities planes for Poland.
VP Bush at the rally


September12th1985: The H.M.S.S. Drake (His Majesties Space Ship) becomes the first British FTL vessel in space. Only one more nation needs to send out a ship to open unvisited systems to discovery, mining, and maybe colonization.

[DominusNovus]

I really think you're rushing all this development. All of this in just under 2 years?

[General_Finley]

I really think you're rushing all this development. All of this in just under 2 years?

the initail will be fast, but things will slow down.

[Chris]

Fascinating. Might make an interesting story.

Chris

[Locke]

the initail will be fast, but things will slow down.

Shouldn't it be the other way around?

[General_Finley]

A blood Red Swath to save us all


September 15th 1985, Altair system, surface of Altair 3
Joshua Bernstein couldn’t help but feel like a tuna in a can. Under the conditions that he was in he for all intensive purposes was in a can; a vacuum packed titanium can. He looked down at the controls he was manning and said “How the hell did I go from being an engineer in the US Air Force to being a dam miner?” Over the radio came an answer from his friend Ron. “Well let me put it this way. You so volunteered to explore the final frontier.” “Yah explore it in a beautiful ship not languish in an over heated tuna can on some dammed rock.” “Cut the chatter you two we need the radio open for emergencies.” Colonel Stone said over the radio to the two men.

September17th1985: Mintek and ACU (Americans for a Christian Universe) team up to obtain a license and ship to begin mining space.

September20th1985: In the UK as mines close down do to mounting economic pressure and strikes. Protesters begin to take to the streets.

September29th1985: Race riots begin in south England after police officers shoot Dorothy Groce dead. The riots escalate quickly as disgruntled workers laid off miners, and the anti-racists clash with police over there own agendas. In the first twelve hours a police station is sieged and taken by violet protesters. [1]
September 30th1985: As what are coming to be known as the “Jump Riots” continue to burn a path of destruction through England more riots break out through out the country. Though stated by anti-racist rioters over the death of a Jamaican immigrant they have now become work force riots. Rioters attempting to march on Downing street are repelled by armed service men. The death toll is up to 75.

October 1st1985: The riots finally begin to dye as order is restored to Britain. Estimates of the damage rang from seven to ten million pounds. In the chaos the PIRA (Provisional Irish Republican Army) attempts to kill Margaret Thatcher again. The plot is foiled.

October 1st1985: In the USSR a troop carrier loaded with troops from Afghanistan exits hyperspace to late and is unable to prevent its momentum from causing it to crash into the ground. The incident kills all on board.
October 3rd1985: Several American mining companies seeing the only way to survive is space align themselves to form American Galactic Mining Inc.

October3rd1985: The opposition moves for a vote of no confidence in light of the recent riots. A vote of no confidence is not reached but the Thatcher government has been severally weakened in light of the events.

October 4th1985: AGM files for rights and a license to a mining ship and a announces its plans to recreate all the jobs on off world sights. Corporation states that all workers who had to be laid off have an open invitation to go to work for AGM. The workers will also be allowed to bring there families with them, though anyone who does come back will need to undergo special training to work in off world mines.

October 5th1985: After returning to earth from Altair 3, the Challenger goes through an official retiring ceremony. It will spend the rest of its days in a large exhibit hall devoted to manned space flight in California. While at the decommissioning President Reagan says “Times are getting rough but they are also getting better the jobs that have been lost are coming back. And even more people are going to work. America and the world have an uncertain future but if we stand together and not let our petty differences get in the way I guarantee that the nation will prosper in the days to come.”

October 13th1985: The Nintendo Entertainment System is launched in the US. Sales of the device are high although some say “The game system has no future because Americans won’t be sitting around playing games when the other choice is being pioneers. Americans have always been pioneers and now that they can be them again there is little doubt that they will pass up the opportunity.” [2]

October 18th1985: Construction of the USAF Gemini the first nuclear thermal transatmoshpheric transport cargo ship begins. Gemini is to be an experimental craft which would gather and transport a precious cargo of Helium 3. The fusionable properties of this helium isotope have drawn massive amounts of attention from military and scientific leaders who hope that possessing enough of the isotope will help advance fusion which many see as the only way to power either massive ships or ships capable of father and more accurate jumps.

October 21st1985: CIA intelligence shows that for the last five months large amounts of Israeli funds and resources are being diverted to an unknown project. Links to three facilities are established. Many suspect Israel of working on the construction of a hyperdrive capable ship. High level officials in the Reagan administration keep what they know away from the Russians to help President Reagan’s image with the Israelis.

October 22nd1985: While flying near Titan the H.M.S.S. Drake drops a probe to the moon. It begins receiving pictures of the moons surface soon after. The probe sends video footage back to the Drake during its decent before landing in a like of liquid methane. The probe continues to send footage as it descends deeper in to lake. Image and signal are lost after the probe is crushed under unknown circumstances.

October 27th1985: Microsoft Corporation launches Windows version 1.0. [3]


[1] in OTL the act occurred on the 28th and only left the women paralyzed but butterflies caused it to occur later and result in extremely bloody riots.
[2] in OTL Nintendo was launched on the 18th in America but for some reason in the TL is launched three days earlier.
[3] Windows version 1.0 is launched a month earlier to take into account the accelerated tech advancement rate which was spurred into motion faster because of the FTL program.

[General_Finley]

A particularly fat Politic Worm

Fox news interview with the newly elected leader of the United Arab Republic , Prime minister Kharhim Hussein. 2016
“So Prime Minister Hussein what fueled you to enter politics and when did
it happen?” “My desire to help my people arose on March third 1986.…
the world knows that day all to well. I’m sure there isn’t a school child
who doesn’t know about the day that Israel bombarded much of the
middle east from orbit… I was outside watching over the goats when I
heard a sound of thunder and the sky burst open with lightening.
Everything felt like it was slow motion as I watched the sky. I gazed in
horror at the valley and the city with in it as missiles came through the
portals and slammed into the city. I felt the heat an pressure wave strike
me and felt sick upon realizing what had happened. I picked my self of
the ground again in time for the thunder to crash again. The sky was like
oil on water just as it had been when the first portals opened. I began to
cry as more missiles crashed into the city. It was as if Allah had decided
to wipe the city from existence, I knew he hadn’t, he had no reason….but
still it felt as if nothing could be done. I ran to the house to see my
father and mother huddling by the radio trying to catch every word. My
mother grabbed me and held me so tight. I remember her saying
“everything will be all right”.” “Do you remember what happened over the
next few days?” “Of course I do. I remember sitting by the radio listening
to every word they said. I remember the Americans and the Soviets
condemning the actions of Israel but not doing a thing to stop Israel. I
remember what remained of the Syrian military that hadn’t been
annihilated in the first strike trying to mount a defense against the Israeli
invaders. I remember my father and other herders going off with AK-47s
and homemade bombs going off to face the Israelis and never coming
home. I remember Syria, Egypt, Lebanon, and Turkey surrendering to
Israel. Yes, I remember it all.” “I’m sorry Prime Minister but how can you
say that the US did nothing when many Americans believe President
Reagan to have been very harsh on Israel?” “If former President Reagan
had been tough on Israel maybe the Israelis would not have annexed so
much territory, maybe Israel wouldn’t have been allowed to get away
with killing so many innocent people, maybe they would not have a
Zionist empire stretching seventeen systems, maybe there would still be
independent Arab nations other than Iraq and Iran, and maybe my father
would still be alive. No, the west may think Reagan was harsh on Israel
but I and the rest of the citizens of the great nation of the UAR think
other wise.” “Prime Minister how doe you feel about Israel giving back the
Suez canal as part of its reparations and forgiveness policy ?” “The
Israelis have a interstellar kingdom they don’t need the Suez canal and
they haven’t needed it for year now. They may have been able to fool my
predecessor but my administration will not bend so easily. The only
repression I seek is revenge.” “Does that mean a war with Israel may
soon be in the future?” “No, of course not. It would be suicide to attempt
it. Though our nuclear capabilities would all but insure the destruction of
the Israeli fatherland and provide symbolic damage it would do very little
to Israel while it would mean the extermination of my people. All must
understand that should we enter a war with Israel it would not deserve
the name war instead it would simply be extermination, and unfortunately
we would be the ones being exterminated.”



November 6th1985: While making a speech Alex J. Kingman is stabbed by a Japanese American. While Kingman survived the attempted assassin is shot to death by Kingman’s body guards when he pulled the knife out of Kingman and attempted to slit his throat.

November 10th1985: Kingman makes a speech after getting out of the hospital. He continues on his line that the Republicans have abandoned America and the Democrats never arrived.

November 13th1985: An accident results in the depressurization of an soil mover on the mine on Altair 3 killing the driver. Senator Ted Kennedy calls for regulations for stricter and safer working conditions on off world mines. The move is largely supported by the Democratic party with the GOP divided on the topic.

November 28th1985: CIA intelligence discovers proof that in at least one of the three Israeli facilities, a ship is being constructed. The details show the ship being significantly smaller than either of the USA’s or UK’s ships but unlike their ships which are exploration multi-purpose vessels the Israeli ship appears to be a destroyer capable of orbital bombardment. Though the President is made aware he declines to go public instead meeting with Israel’s Prime Minister discussing their mutual hopes that Israel complete an interstellar craft before the USSR. The Israeli Prime Minister reveals the existence of two other identical crafts being constructed at separate facilities.

November 30th2985: With the Chinese continuing to all but hold their own people for ransom diplomats from the US under guise enter China and deliver part 1 of 2 parts of the plans to the first American hyperdrive to Chinese officials. Chinese scientists begin looking over the plans immediately.

December 2nd1985: Though the Kuznetsov is still under construction, the construction of the Potemkin a dreadnaught class battleship begins.

December 16th1985: The German reunification process is nearly complete soon the US and the USSR will release all supervising power.

December 21st1985: Alex Kingman along with nearly five thousand people at one of his rallies sign announce the creation of a third party called the Colonial American party. The fallowing is an exert from Kingman’s speech. “My fellow Americans, my friends, today I say enough is enough. We can
not and will not be forced to choose between the lesser of two evils. We
will rise to the challenges before us just as previous generations of
Americans have done and we will triumph. Yes I say we will triumph! We
will start by cleaning out those idiots in Washington and then we’ll clamp
down on the corporate types giving American Jobs to faulty robots, and
then we will clamp down on the Japs to make dam sure they don’t take
this great nation for a ride again. I won’t be running within the next two
elections but people who see the world the way we Americans do will be.
And they won’t be running as appeasement Republicans or incompetent
Democrats! No let me tell you my friends! They’ll be running under the banner of the new Colonial American party!! We’ll remain a republic
forever and always but we will have a Galactic Empire united under
American ideals and the American dream! This I swear!!”




counterhistorical.net WI: Dr. Edward Georges hadn’t discovered FTL

Margaret_The_Great: So I was wondering what life would be like today if Dr. Edward Georges had not stumbled upon the hyperdrive engine? Would the cold war have ended? Would Israel still control the Suez Canal? Ect.
　
Gorbachev152: Oh god not another one of these ones again……It is called the search function.
　
GeaorgeS.Patton: well at the risk of being redundant? Some one else discovers Hyperdrive tech with in the next two years. And even if they didn’t the cold war would still be going on cause there is no way Gorbachev doesn’t get assassinated in any TL. Next Israel wouldn’t have any strategic advantage over the Middle eastern nations and so it never goes to war with them. But Like I said it is all a moot point because someone would have found H-drive tech next two years.
　
King_Boras_I: First it is called a search function.
Second With a later H-drive I am under the impression that the USSR would collapse and we members in Poland wouldn’t have to worry about the crazed Russians next door. Although Russians maybe crazy in every TL.
　
Argentine_Director_of_ Health: First you should really use the search function second you need to clarify weather you mean a latter H-drive or H-drive tech never is invented. The first is a very difficult world to grasp because you might have a collapsed soviet union in which case you might get an Ameriwank TL or you get the soviet union surviving and basically being very similar to OTL except certain things may come later and certain nonspecific details might change. If you meant h-drive tech is never found then this needs to be in the SMR (Subterranean Mole Rats) Subforum because I can’t see any world without Hyperdrive tech unless SMRs attack and kill every scientist..
　
Putin’s-Doorman: Honestly It is called the Search function you NOOB!!
　
AceWilsonStarPilot : Maybe we members living on mars would be butterflied away if H-drive tech was not constructed tell latter on.
　
Ordovician : you guys she is just a noob don’t be to upset at her for not knowing everything.
　
FlameGod: Really this has to be the five hundredth time this question has been asked.
　
President Cheney : I checked this is the 448th time this question has been asked.
　
TritonMaster : The USSR collapses and the US takes over the world and everything is great.
　
Gorbachev152 : Triton you are joking right?
　
TritionMaster : No, The Soviets would would have collapsed without hyperdrive tech to spur them into action. Then without the USSR the US goes on to cement its control over the rest of the world.
　
Gorbachev152 : God that is the stupidest thing I have ever heard.
　
Ordovician : Triton stop being an idiot America would not have become the master of the world.
　
GeorgeTheAdminOfTheWorld : I’m sorry but I an going to close this before it gets out of hands like every other time this question is asked.



December 22nd1985: The mines on Altair 3 begin excavating two rare earth element the first being Ununoctium and the second an element only thought to exist but never discovered Ununhexium. On earth all experiments with creating Ununhexium have ended in failure or an unstable isotope with a half life measured in milliseconds. The isotope of the super heavy metal Ununhexium on Altair 3 (Uuh 294)does not seem to have the stability problems the synthetic earth made isotopes have had this preliminary tests show that Ununhexium may be the best material to construct space craft with. The Ununoctium isotope313 discovered on Altair 3 posses the properties that may make it a more stable, more powerful, and less destructive source for nuclear power until fusion can be perfected. [1]
　
December 25th, Pennsylvania, 1985
Timothy Bates got up on Christmas hoping that Santa and God had granted him the one gift he truly wanted…his father to be happy and have a job. Timothy walked down the stairs to the living room were his father and mother sat talking. Timothy’s mother looked at him and said “Timmy we have been waiting to tell you this tell Christmas because we wanted it would be a big surprise.” Timothy’s father looked at his son and said “Tim remember when the mine closed, son?” “Yes” “Well the new people in charge of the mines are opening up new mines and I can go back to work.” Timothy’s heart filled with joy his prayers had been answered his father was going back to work, mom and dad wouldn’t be sad and crying all the time anymore. But something was wrong Timothy could tell on his father’s face. “What’s wrong dad? Isn’t it a good thing that they are opening the mine again?” “Son, the mine is still closed and probably will remain to be.” “But you said they gave you your job back?” Timothy was unsure of what was going on other than he new his father was holding something back. “Tim, the company is opening a new mine far far away and I am going to be a supervisor for that mine.” “Is the mine in Virginia or some other state down south?” “No, son the mine is a lot farther than that.” “Then where is it?” “Son remember on the TV they talked about that far of planet called Altair 3 well?” “Yes” He said warily. “Well the company has a contract to mine a very expensive metal that is gonna be used to build space ships with on that planet and they want us to move to it.” Timothy had never heard anything so outrageous in his life, and he was the imaginative child. “But what about my friends? And what about our home?” “Well most of your friends had dads that work for the company too so most of your friends will be coming also.” He paused before going on “And we will have a new home on Altar 3.” “Are we leaving today?” “No, no, of course not. We will be hear for another five or so months before we leave.” Timothy had wanted his father to get his job back but he wasn’t sure he much liked the idea of going to another planet

--

[1] both the elements are real but all isotpes known to man are highly unstable the isotpes discused are thought to be more stable.

[Diamond]

Pretty cool, and quirky, so far. Please continue.

[General_Finley]

Oh the Times they are a Changing



--

December 26th, 1985, Carl Sagan Interview with CNN

“Mr. Sagan you have been an out spoken critic of the recent military controlled FTL program can you tell use why? I mean after all man is stepping out amongst the stars. Isn‘t that what you have always wanted?”

“The reason that I am criticizing the program is not because of space exploration but because what we are doing with the technology is wrong.”

“Would you please elaborate.”

“There exists a ranking system for civilizations that we scientist use. There are three types of space faring civilizations on this ranking system and three years ago we did not even measure up on that ranking system. We were for all intensive purposes level zero and then Dr. Georges broke the system by giving us a type three traveling system. We just aren‘t ready for that, we needed to work overtime to progress and when we reached type three we would be mature enough to handle this technology.”

“But Mr. Sagan doesn’t your argument go against your belief of humanism?”

“No, because right now sadly a majority of those in charge see this remarkable technology simply as a way to expand this cold war and continue along the same lines we have been going without progressing morally and mentally. Right now what are we using the drive for?…Military expansion, and expansion of faction powers. Now that other worlds can be colonized as replacements for our home we are in more danger of nuclear war because the politicians in charge may decide that earth our home is expendable.”

“So what do you think we should do with hyperdrive technology?” “Right now NASA is finishing up work on the last objects they will ever send into space. Then it will be completely absorbed into the US Air force and then separated again as part of the US Space Force. What I want and what we should all want is for NASA to retain its independence and for the civilian NASA not the Military to control the fate or our exploration and expansion into the universe.”


--

December 27th1985: Scientists back on earth receive the first small samples of the two recently discovered elements. Analysis of the elements is a top priority for DARPA chemists. Both rare earth metals become the most expensive elements on the planet earth do to their none existence on the planet. It becomes assumed that because these two elements can exist in nature the other seven speculated rare earth metals may exist to.

December 27th1985: While Chemists examine the rare earth metals, the last unabsorbed vestiges of the civilian run NASA program finish up work on Arcadia, Sagan, and Centurion Falcon. The three probes will be launched from the Columbus to thoroughly examine the moons of Jupiter, Saturn, and Neptune.

January 5th1986: The USAF Columbus drops the probes off at their locations.

January 12th1986: The Shuttle Columbia is launched one last time. Upon its return it will be decommissioned and parts will be sold scrap.

January 16th1986: The Computer virus Cerebrum (Brain in OTL) starts to spread. The US and UK governments takes immediate action to purge the virus and learn all they can from its creators to try and make sure that no one can maliciously infect computers with a virus like it again.

January 18th1986: Columbus Begins thoroughly mapping the long sense American claimed Centari system.

January 20th1986: The UK announces the planned construction of a Shuttlecraft port. They also announce that the H.M.S.S. Victoria a colonial exploration ship will begin construction in two days.

January 20th1986: The first federal Martin Luther King Jr. Day is observed in the United states.

January 22nd1986: The Voyager 2 space probe is picked up by the Hyperion before it returns to the Altair system. The probe will be placed in the new Californian Space Museum being constructed in Sacramento.

Los Angeles, January 23rd, 1986
Alex Kingman wiped the water from his brow as he got out of the shower. It was his daily routine lift weights, take a shower then go to the office, or well it hadn’t included go to the office for sometime but then he became a public figure and the leader of the fastest growing political party in the US. After getting dressed he looked in the mirror. For the longest time he hadn’t worn his uniform but now he wore it dam near every day and he liked to look good in it. After giving himself the once over he went to the phone by his bed and spoke into it with his harsh gruff voice “I’m ready to go to the office boys, is everything ready for me?” He new the answer to that question was undoubtedly “yes” but he liked to be sure of everything. “Yes, sir everything is ready. We will be up to escort you to your car.” If there was one thing Kingman was not fond of it was having to be escorted for his safety. He had told everyone that he could handle an attack from some disgruntled “Japs” if they ever tried anything but everyone forced him to have body guards. Even after he had nearly been killed twice he still didn’t want any body guards.
When his men knocked at the door he went out to meet them. “How’s it going boys?” he asked in his gruff but happy and caring voice. “Just fine Lieutenant” that was answer they generally gave him and he always new it was bullshit. “Don’t be so nervous boys or you’ll never make it to my age.” Kingman said half laughing. As they walked down the stairs Corporal Johnson looked back at Kingman and said “Sir I really wish you would move to a more secure building.” “Oh Johnson lighten up. No Japs are going to be trying to kill me in my home.” Johnson like all of Kingman’s body guards was all ex-military and jumpy about his security.
Once they were in in the underground garage they seemed to relax ever so slightly as they shooed Kingman into the car. They had made him get rid of his mini cooper for security reasons and made him sit in the back seat of some dam SUV. “God do I really miss my Mini” he said to anyone who was listening. Before the car he was in left the two pilot cars left first and then after he had left the two follow up cars came right behind him. No one had yet tried to kill him while he was in his car but his security weren’t about to wait for someone to try. As he looked out the window he saw people on the street. Some were oriental but most weren’t Japanese. He had learned to see the slight differences between all of the easterners. He didn’t care about the Philippines or the Chinese but every time he saw a filth “Jap” he wanted to get out of the car and beat the bull snot out of them. “We killed as many as they let us, but it just wasn’t enough” he said to himself. When the cars pulled up to the building there were dozens of obnoxious little collage students protesting him and the party. When he saw them it made his blood boil. It wasn’t as if he was one of those dam skin heads or KKK members. “I could give a shit if you are black, white or brown or even if you’re a shade of yellow , as long as you agree with me and all I want is to make this country safe.” he said to his body guards as the escorted hi to the door. Jorge Gonzales a former marine and one of Kingman’s body guards looked at him and said “I know sir, we all do and one day so will they.”
Almost immediately after Kingman walked through the door of the office building the party was renting he was greeted by his good friend and war buddy Eli Goldberg. “Those dam protesters never go away now do they?” Eli asked in his familiar way. “No, unfortunately Eli those pot smoking idiots don’t quit.” The two friends walked into Kingman’s office passing his lovely looking secretary. “So what have we got on today’s agenda, Eli?” “Well you mostly have to work on your speech for tomorrow and at three you have to meet with that British fellow.” “You know Eli you’re a real life saver.” “I try my best.” Eli said as a smile curled around his lips. After Eli had left to go to work on his own projects involving the party Kingman began thinking about his meeting. If it was successful the American Colonial Party would have a British companion under the banner of the British Colonial Party. There were a lot of Brits who were suffering from some of the same things a lot of Americans were and if they could be brought into the party just as so many American miners, steel workers, and others had been then the Party would truly be a power house and a force to be reckoned with.

January 24rd1986: The British Colonial Party (BCP) is formed. Though it lacks a strong central leader and the deep rooted loathing of the Japanese the ACP (American Colonial Party) has the BCP fallows the same social and economic patterns as its American counter part. The appeal to the out of work masses draws many members.

January 28th1985: While mapping the outer rim of the Centauri system the Columbus’s sensors detect a tidal locked planet that may be within the habitable zone of Proxima Centauri. The Columbus returns to earth to get further orders on how to go about dealing with the situation.

January 29th1985:After much debate it is decided that the Columbus will continue mapping the systmem but upon reaching the planet it will orbit the world and scan for the possibilities of supporting life. The planets existence is kept from the general public and from other nations until it can be thoroughly scanned and evaluated.

February 2nd1986: Pixelart Animation Studios is opened. (Pixar in OTL)

February 2nd1986: The Israeli INS Lahav, Hanit, and Yaffo are completed. They will be launched in one days time.

February 3rd1986: Without warning the rest of the world Israel send its three destroyers into space. The detection of three ships in earth orbit send fear and outrage through much or the world community. The three warships are unlike all craft that have gone before them as they are the first ships designed to be warships. The warships are armed with a number of anti-ballistic missile defense missiles but they are also equipped with three dozen “phase missiles” for instantaneous orbital bombardment. An emergency meeting in Geneva is called to deal with the crisis.