End Of The World As We Know It

ALTERNATE HISTORIAN'S NOTE: we have our second anniversary coming up on May 27th, and we would like to have another contest. For our second anniversary, send us up to three of your own alternate histories, and we will publish the best - no limit on how many will end up on the final page! We would like to see as many of you enter this as possible, so please - think 'em up, write 'em down, and send 'em on to us at rat4cat@gmail.com! Help us celebrate our 2nd year of existence in style! Oh, and if you're like Sean and we owe you an appearance in TIAH - email us!

April 24th, 2006

in 1061, a monk named Robert DeBerge at the Abbey of Bath saw a comet in the sky. He prayed the night through over this, and the following day told all of England that God was sending this errant star to destroy the nation. He was proven correct when the comet smashed into the earth, killing most life in northern Europe.

in 3881, the brilliant tactician Minamoto Yoshitsune finally meets his match at the Battle of Dan no ura as the Taira clan overpowers his forces in spite of his numerical advantage. This infighting is the reason that China was able to conquer the Nipponese with relative ease in the coming decades.

in 1781, former American general Benedict Arnold, now fighting for the Canadians, clashes with British General William Phillips at the Battle of Hudson Bay. Phillips had wanted to establish a fort that he could begin moving troops from to strike at any point in Canada, but Arnold saved Canadian independence by defeating him soundly and driving his forces back to sea.

in 1833, Jacob Evert and George Dulty patent their soda fountain, a machine which makes sweet carbonated beverages. They almost lose their shop when a smooth-talking inventor tries to get them to start selling ice cream sodas, but recover after knocking the unpopular sweet off of their menu.

in 1915, Admiral Esteban Rodriquez's ships reach the P'Karsai nebula and find a habitable planet, populated by the race known to them as the Kainku. Rodriquez sends out a greeting asking for a meeting with the ruling government of the planet; it is responded to quickly in the affirmative.

in 1942, David O. Selznick refuses to let Ingrid Bergman out of her contract and appear in Warner Brother’s Casablanca. The producers use Olivia de Haviland instead, and her marvelous performance as Ilsa opposite Humphrey Bogart earns her an Oscar as best actress.

in 1980, President Reagan sent a small team of Marines into Iran to attempt a rescue of the 50 American hostages being held in Tehran. Unfortunately, desert storms knocked the choppers out of commission, killing 8 of the Marines. President Reagan took full responsibility for the mission’s failure, and this more than anything was why Senator Kennedy beat him in the presidential elections that year.

in 1992, the British withdraw their meager forces from Zaire in the face of the brutal South African onslaught. With Terreblanche winning victories across Africa and Constitutionalist President Ralph Shephard consolidating his hold on the western hemisphere, it looks dark for the anti-Fulcrum allies. Fortunately, a new ally is just about to join them and turn the tide.

in 1996, mere days after rescuing Sally Ann Moore from kidnappers at Aggiecon, Bartholomew Thompson, Moore, and several of Thompson’s friends are approached by the alien race known as the B’han and asked to accompany them to their homeworld, where Thompson’s peculiar talents are needed. The group agrees, to the misfortune of most of them.

in 2001, most of Miller, Wisconsin goes up in flames as desperate National Guardsmen blow up building after building in an attempt to halt zombie Hitler on his rampage through the small town. During the chaos, Colby Ross and Samantha Robinson locate the hidden basement where their grandfathers had hidden the means to dispel Hitler and complete the ritual, banishing the Nazi forever.

Timelines in today's post: the Chinese Empire, Canadian Independence, the Mlosh, von Heflin and the Ralph Shephard timeline

Today's "Six Degrees of Star Trek" challenge: Connect Casablanca to Star Trek. Place your answers in the comments and see the Forum for previous results. For more on 6 degrees games, click here.

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