Milestones

In 1922, the author and anti-war icon Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., was born on the eleventh day of November in Indianapolis, Indiana. His birth date, which fell on Armistice Day, would prove to be an omen for his pacifist views. And so it goes.

Vonnegut

In 1919, Text 1 of the "Seven Pillars of Wisdom" entered the possession of Officer John Bruce of the Tank Corps Regiment. Text I was an accurate record of Lawrence's capture at Deraa in November 1917, yet Lawrence had mislaid the manuscript whilst changing trains at Reading Station. Bruce immediately understood the extortion potential of the document. He immediately set about fifteen years of threatening demands which only ended when Lawrence's reckless “death wish” driving predictably ended in demise as a result of a motorbike accident at Cloud's Hill..

Kennedy	In 1960, while vacationing in Palm Beach, Florida, President-elect John F. Kennedy's was assassinated by Richard Paul Pavlick, a 73-year-old former postal worker. Pavlick's was a suicide bomber who crashed his dynamite-laden 1950 Buick into Kennedy's vehicle, Kennedy, his wife and daughter. Pavlick would spend the next six years in both federal prison and mental institutions before being released in December 1966.

In 1918, on this day an armistice with Germany was signed in a rail road carriage at Compiègne in France where Germans had previously dictated terms to France, ending the Franco-Prussian War in 1871. At 11:00am on November 11, 1918 — the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month — a ceasefire came into effect and the opposing armies on the Western Front began to withdraw from their positions. They were unaware that they took with them the Spanish Super flu that would rage through civilian populations, driving Europe to the verge of depopulation by 1920.

Armistice

Edward VIII

In 1936, on this day King Edward VIII of the United Kingdom abdicated. During World War II he was at first stationed with the British Military Mission in France, but after private accusations that he was pro-Nazi, was moved to the Bahamas as Governor and Commander-in-Chief. The rest of the Royal Family arrived in the Bahamas shortly afterwards, exiles after the Battle of Britain in which Hitler successful prosecuted Operation Sealion.

In 1965, a Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI) was proclaimed in the city of Harare by the leaders of the Zimbabwe African Peoples Union – Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) Robert Mugabe and Canaan Banana. Lets just say it did not pass without incident.	Ian Smith

King Edward VIII Marries

June 3rd, 2006

in 1937, King Edward VIII marries a much younger noble woman, Lady Edwina Goddard, in a lavish ceremony at Westminster Abbey. King Edward had been convinced by several Parliamentary leaders to give up his relationship with the American divorcee, Wallis Simpson, and settle down with a nice English girl. Although to all outward appearances this is exactly what he did, the reality of his relationship with Queen Edwina was that she had little interest in him, preferring the company of other ladies; so, she raised no objections to the continuance of his affair with Simpson. The affair threw the country into turmoil in 1972, when Edward died without having produced an heir by his Queen; Edward's niece Elizabeth claimed the crown at first, but was challenged by Edward and Simpson's illegitimate son, George. The scandal very nearly brought down the monarchy, but Parliament decided to crown Elizabeth. Conservative MP Trenton Stokes famously stated the Parliamentary position on the matter when he muttered, “No bastard is going to sit on the throne of England while I live.”

in 1978, Mark Wilhight is initiated into a strange gang and told that he must never break its Code; Jedediah P. Carver explains the Code to him this way: “You know America and Russia, kid? How they got missiles pointed every which way, but never fired one in 30 years? It's cuz of somethin' called MAD – Mutual Assured Destruction. That's what the Code keeps us from. If we break it, they break it, and pretty soon, none of us are left.” Wilhight is puzzled as to who this mysterious “they” is, and asks. “They're the good guys, kid, the white hats, the super friends, whatever you wanna call 'em. They're the guys whose lives you're gonna make miserable.” Just as Wilhight is feeling good about this answer, he is thrust into a small metal chamber, where he is subjected to a bombardment of lethal radiation.

in 2005, Debra Morris and Terrence Perkins leave Chelsea Perkins at the Great Tree and go into town for a date. “I never knew you in my own timeline,” Miss Morris tells Terrence. “Do you know me well?” He considers for a moment, then says, “A man never really knows a woman well. She's always got something mysterious that she can spring on him.” Miss Morris smiles at this answer, and the two share a quiet dinner before heading back to the Great Tree. Just before they reach it, she asks Terrence, “What about you? Do you have a mystery for me?” He smiles, kisses her lightly on the cheek, and says, “Oh, yes.”

in 2017, the crew of the Eagle, the ship rocketing towards the Pindar-Asaki comet, reaches their destination and pilot Kalpana Sharma delicately guides the ship to a landing on the huge rock. Pindar-Asaki is far more solid than most comets, which is one reason why the international community was concerned enough to send along nuclear weapons in the Eagle's cargo bay. Mission Commander Eileen Patterson tells the small group of specialists, “We have two days to study the comet, but then we're going to need to activate the nuclear weapons in order to move it out of earth's path. We don't have a lot of time, so let's get moving.” The team fans out across the comet from the Eagle, each specialist lost in his or her own study of the great behemoth they are riding on.

Today's "Six Degrees of Star Trek" challenge: Connect Edward & Mrs. Simpson 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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Wars Go Poorly For The Authorities

The state of TIAH

April 19th, 2007

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in 1891, Major Mark Wainwright meets General Anthony Franklin at the temporary headquarters Franklin has set up at the Kansas City train station where he and his troops arrived. Wainwright informs the general of former President Cleveland's dire condition, as well as the immense popular support that 'Sockless' Jerry Simpson and his Farmers Council seem to have inside Kansas. “Well, we beat Johnny Reb,” General Franklin says, “and, by God, we'll beat this impudent farmer and his friends, as well. I plan to drive straight into Topeka and take the man prisoner today.” Wainwright, a little shocked at the rashness of the general's plan, says, “Sir, Simpson has hundreds – probably thousands of supporters in Topeka that are under arms. How many men do you have with you?” Franklin shrugs, saying, “2000. More than enough to take care of this rabble.” Wainwright, despairing, replies, “Respectfully, sir, I rather doubt that.” Disregarding Wainwright's opinion, General Franklin pushes west with his troops and hits the masses of men that 'Sockless' Simpson had sent to fortify the border. Even though he is outnumbered almost 4-to-1, General Franklin chooses to fight, thinking that his trained soldiers can easily overcome untrained civilians. He is wrong, and is forced to retreat back to Kansas City with less than half of his original force. As his troops drag back into Kansas City, Major Wainwright meets him to say, “General, sir, President Cleveland is dead.”

in 1998, Welsh Arthurians, fortified and reinforced by royalist defectors, push the Queen's troops from the west and back into England. Arthur fights at the head of his troops; with bullets flying around him, Arthur seems untouchable, striding through the battle as if he is invincible. The mere sight of him lifts his troops' spirits and sinks his enemies'. Brigadier Major-General Charles Fortescue brings word of Arthur's advance to the Prime Minister, who then travels to Buckingham Palace. In an audience with the queen, Prime Minister Pembroke tells Queen Elizabeth, “Your Majesty, perhaps we should move you away from London.” He makes preparations for the royal family to take refuge in Amsterdam, as the guests of the Central European Empire. Emperor Pierre welcomes “Our Royal Cousin to the continent. We trust her stay here shall be brief as her noble warriors dispatch with this minor problem.”

In 2165 teenagers played a cyberspace game of basket ball on this day at Venice Beach. Time travelling mid-century 20ths would have been shocked on their arrival at ZIP Code 90291. Had Jim Morrison and Ray Manzarek met two hundred years later than they did, even The Doors would have struggled to describe the apocalyptic trash-ridden landscape that Southern California had become.

~ entry by Steve Payne from Counter History in Context - You're the Judge!

Margaret Thatch..	In 1972 the formal agenda for the Conference in Admiralty House ended with a set-piece presentation from Interim Prime Minister Lord Louis Mountbatten. The officer corps had not come to terms with Britain's new position in the world, he wisely said, and the Empire, and then the great wars had bankrupted the nation. These ..
.. were the facts, but they were here to  change the facts . I want to introduce you to someone who will take us forward to the next base, he says, opening the door. In walks a beaming Margaret Hilda Thatcher.
~ entry by Steve Payne from counter history in context - You're the Judge!

In 1942 abdicated monarch and now Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Bahamas Edward Windsor seals the deal with Bernard Montgomery and his deputy Claude Auchinlech. They would throw the towel in on the 1940s and allow the defeat of Hitler to proceed. The next step was to use the time portal to travel to the end of the ..	Edward VIII
.. post-war boom in 1968 and choose a suitable leader who combined both royalty and military experience. Lord Louis Mountbatten was the only man this had all the qualifications they needed. They would also speak to Ord Wingate, his love of special operations and his relationship with Mountbatten would offer leverage on the Principal.
~ entry by Steve Payne from Counter History in Context - You're the Judge!

Oklahoma City B..	In 1995 this day brought the Oklahoma City bombing, a terrorist attack in which the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building, a U.S. government office complex in downtown Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, was destroyed, killing 168 people. The one person that Timothy McVeigh and his friend Terry Nichols actually wanted to kill had been ..
.. recently relocated. A strategic US asset, he had been confined in a bunker under the Federal Building until the week before. This was none other than the thousand year old Lenape soothsayer that had been imprisoned by the Dutch when they defeated the Delaware people at Manna-hata (Manhattan). He had passed in to American custody where he had successfully predicted the course of modern history to strategic planners in the US Government ever since. It was the deadliest domestic terrorist attack in the history of the United States and was the deadliest act of terrorism within U.S. borders until September 11, 2001 which of course sought to eliminate the same target. The two men later convicted of the bombing, Timothy McVeigh and his friend Terry Nichols were members of the conspiracy against America, which included both al-Qaeda and the Branch Davidian.
~ entry by Steve Payne from counter history in context - You're the Judge!

In 1951 Douglas MacArthur retired from the military and refused a never to be repeated offer – six star general. A man of ambition, Brass Hat did not want a consolation prize, he wanted the Prize. Springing a major upset by winning the 1952 Presidential Election, he was back in the saddle again as C-in-C.	MacArthur
~ entry by Steve Payne from Counter History in Context - You're the Judge!

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Arthurian Assassination Attempt

The state of TIAH

April 15th, 2007

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in 1891, in a swift voting session, Congress authorizes President Harrison's use of force to subdue the Kansas rebellion of 'Sockless' Jerry Simpson. Harrison immediately turns to his War Secretary and tells him to “Do whatever it takes, but bring Kansas back among us.” Secretary Proctor assembles the nation's generals in Washington and tells them to plan out the conquest of Kansas – with as little bloodshed as possible. Simpson, on the other hand, is calling for “The defense of our home, no matter the price we must pay in blood.”

in 1998, the first of many assassination attempts against Arthur Pendrake fails when his French aide, Lance du Lac, notices a bomb planted on the underside of Arthur's car. Arthur's chief advisor, Merl Myrddin, tightens security around Arthur from that point on, but the would-be king resists. “If I cannot be close to the people, then there is no point in our continuing this campaign, Merl,” he says. “If that means risking death, so be it. A monarch of the realm cannot be intimidated by thugs who haven't the courage to face you when they try to kill you.” Myrddin reluctantly agrees that Arthur must be seen as accessible in order to maintain his relationship with the people, but makes sure that he has people around the pretender to ensure him some degree of protection.

Ord Wingate	In 1972 Interim Prime Minister Lord Louis Mountbatten summons his Deputy Ord Wingate for an emergency meeting at Admiralty House in forty-eight hours time. Joining them in the Conference will be senior figures in the military government which has ruled Britain for the past five years, all delegates have been advised to ..
..  collect his thoughts .
~ entry by Steve Payne from counter history in context - You're the Judge!

In 1942 abdicated monarch and now Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Bahamas Edward Windsor spends quality time with his unexpected guests, Bernard Montgomery and Claude Auchinlech. They were all losers. The professional head of the British Eighth Army and his deputy had just been well and truly beaten by Brigadier General ..	Edward VIII
.. Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle and his La Grande Armée Afrique at Tobruk. And Windsor was in a nothing job to get the old Nazi out of the way of the headlines. So they had time aplenty and a shared purpose, the restoration of a scenario approaching acceptable normality.
~ entry by Steve Payne from Counter History in Context - You're the Judge!

RMS Titanic	In 1912 on this day the 'unsinkable' RMS Olympic sunk, branded with the re badged name of her sister ship RMS Titanic. In the best naval tradition, it was an ill-disguised insurance job that ended in a catastrophic and unnecessary loss of life. The ship did not carry enough lifeboats for all her passengers and crew. Of ..
.. a total of 2,223 people, only 706 survived; 1,517 perished. If the lifeboats had been filled to capacity, 1,178 people could have been saved. The 16-year old act Carey Grant would travel on the RMS Olympic in 1920 as he emigrated to America, unaware that he was of course sailing on the RMS Titantic which has been swapped with the sunken sister ship, the RMS Olympic.
~ entry by Steve Payne from counter history in context - You're the Judge!

In 1912 on this day the 'unsinkable' RMS Titantic sunk, carrying a cursed Egyptian mummy. The mummy, nicknamed Ship wrecker, after changing hands several times, and causing many terrible things to each of its owners, exacted its final revenge by sinking the famous ship.	RMS Titanic
~ entry by Steve Payne from Counter History in Context - You're the Judge!

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"A Dark Dagger..."

The state of TIAH

April 18th, 2007

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in 1891, as former President Grover Cleveland feels life slipping away from him, Major Mark Wainwright finally finds a doctor to help him in Kansas City. The doctor performs miraculously, then tells Wainwright, “All we can do is pray, now, sir. The president is in God's hands.”As Wainwright silently asks his Maker to spare Cleveland's life, he sees a long train pull into the city. It is carrying troops to pacify Kansas, and he is about to be drafted into their number.

in 1998, Arthurian loyalists battle royal troops in Swansea, Wales. Against his advisor Merl Myrddin's strongest prohibition, Arthur himself goes to the city to lead his people in the fight. With Lance du Lac at his side, he routes the military and saves Swansea. News of this defeat brings consternation in London – especially when they discover that almost a third of their own troops defected to Arthur's banner. Prime Minister Oliver Pembroke delivers a speech to Parliament that becomes his most famous; “Today, my colleagues, a dark dagger has been thrust into the back of Britain.” Parliament answers the queen's call for troops, and as much might as the crown can summon is mustered to fight Arthur.

In 2165 teenagers played basket ball on this day at Venice Beach. It was a cyberspace game, of course. The unbreathable air of Southern California was a lethal cocktail of toxic chemicals. And the trash that blew around Venice Beach would have thrown a Geiger Counter into a wild frenzy.

~ entry by Steve Payne from Counter History in Context - You're the Judge!

Lord Louis Moun..	In 1972 the Conference in Admiralty House continued. Reports were presented and all of them were desperate in conclusion. Industrial unrest was perilous, the balance of payments was a shambles, primary resource supplies such as oil and gas were in the hands of embittered third world dictators, and America was busy getting thrashed in Vietnam.
~ entry by Steve Payne from counter history in context - You're the Judge!

In 1942 abdicated monarch and now Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Bahamas Edward Windsor made a fiendishly inspired suggestion. What was needed was the conditions for military government. Therefore they needed to establish a long period of post-war prosperity and then take it way. The population would not want peace ..	Edward VIII
.. and prosperity, they would want the good times back and be more open to foreign aggression.
~ entry by Steve Payne from Counter History in Context - You're the Judge!

San Francisco E..	In 1906 the greatest loss of life in California's history occurred with the San Francisco earthquake. The most widely accepted estimate for the magnitude of the earthquake is a momentous magnitude of 10. The resulting tsunami would engulf the combative Russo-Japanese navies as they prepared for combat in the south china ..
.. seas. The only beneficiaries of this natural disaster were the Romanov family who were spared the ignominy of defeat and resulting internal unrest.
~ entry by Steve Payne from counter history in context - You're the Judge!

In 1954 on this day Arab Nationalist Gamal Abdal Nasser seized power in Egypt. He moved onwards and upwards from the Presidency of Egypt to establish the United Arab Republic such that the Middle East was a single polity by 1980.	Nasser
~ entry by Steve Payne from Counter History in Context - You're the Judge!

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Wilkes' Mission

The state of TIAH

January 19th, 2007

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Alternate Historian's Note: We have a side-project that was announced last weekend – a collection of several timelines with more-or-less complete stories inside them – The Fall, the Tolman timeline, the Mormon War and more – that will be up for sale on Lulu, as soon as we have it edited together. If you would be interested in this, or would like to suggest something for inclusion in the collection, please email me and let me know. Meanwhile, enjoy Guest Historian Stephen Payne's entry for today, followed by the continuation of our NaNoWriMo novel.

Charles Windsor	In 2001 Chairman McPherson issues the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the circumstances of the fatal car crash which killed the heir to the throne Prince Charles Windsor and his lover Camilla Parker-Bowles in Paris on 31st August, 1997. McPherson finds no grounds for conspiracy. ..
.. The British Public will have none of it, and the McPherson report overtakes the Warren Commission as a source of conspiracy theories on the Internet.
~ entry by Steve Payne from counter history in context - you're the judge!

In 1942 on the croquet lawn of the official residence of the Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Bahamas Montgomery hails Edward Windsor with the respectful term 'Your majesty'. 'Er, sadly not' says the abdicated monarch effortlessly tapping a ball through the croquet hoop ' watch the ..	Edward VIII
.. lawn with those military tyres old chap'.
~ entry by Steve Payne from Counter History in Context - You're the Judge!

Charles de Gaulle..	In 1942 in an Anglo-American Axis interrogation room, 'Cigarette, ..
.. Monsieur General?' inquires Field Marshall Montgomery to the captured de Gaulle. Monty seems very pleased with himself, and so he should, having just conquered North Africa and the Mediterranean. He is poised to assault the soft underbelly of Europe, where he intends to crush the social democracies of Central Europe.
~ entry by Steve Payne from counter history in context - you're the judge!

In 1840 Captain Charles Wilkes attempts to circumnavigate Antarctica to claim so-called Wilkes Land for the United States. The southern lights known as the aurora australis terrorize the mission as powerful magicks projected from the Dreamtime force Wilkes to turn back and abandon the mission.	Charles Wilkes
~ entry by Steve Payne from Counter History in Context - You're the Judge!

After(cont.)
“There's a lot of fighting going on right now,” Mike said, looking at the map. He pointed at the areas closest to them. “According to the resistance bloggers, President-elect Kerry and his troops are pushing through over here at Kermit.”
“Shouldn't we head there, then?” Steph was looking over his shoulder anxiously. “I mean, they're the guys we want to get this stuff to, right?”
“Yeah, but do we really want to head into the middle of the fight?” Mike certainly looked as if he didn't want to. “If we could bypass them and join up with the resistance that's bringing up the rear, we wouldn't have to dodge bullets; or get forced to fight the guys we're supposed to be helping by our good Texas neighbors, here.”
“I'm just thinkin' that we need to get to the other side as quick as possible. Especially if they're gonna be looking for 'able-bodied' recruits.” She looked at one of the windows he had open on his computer and read a few lines from a hysterical writer. “This guy says that Kerry and his troops are shielding refugees from the Texas Guard. If we just get behind the lines, we can ask them to help us.”
“That means we have to get through the lines. You know, fighting, gunfire, that kinda bad stuff?”
She studied the map for a minute. “Maybe we can just go off-road before we get there. We leave the highway here,” she said, pointing to a section of the road a couple of dozen miles from Kermit, “in front of the fighting, scoot cross-country till we get behind the good guys, then circle around and head into Kermit. It's all desert out here, shouldn't be that hard to get across.”
“Yeah, people die in the desert, you know?”
“We'll bring water.”
“Man.” Mike whined. “I wish I'd gone with Eli, now.”

Janice fumbled through the dead guard's clothes for a set of keys while Jake made sure no one else was in the basement. He asked the president, “Do you know how many of them were watching you?”
“I've only seen about three of 'em the last few hours,” the president said. “For some reason, most of them left earlier.”
“They've got a body double of you,” Janice told him, picking the keys off of the body. She walked over to Bush and unlocked his cuffs. “They're trying to install him into the White House. I don't know what good that would do them, since Kerry was supposed to take office next month, anyway.”
“Well,” Bush said, sheepishly. “We kind of have a provision that suspends the results of the election in case of martial law.”
Jake and Janice both looked at him. Janice recovered her voice first. “I want you to say that into my recorder here, so that the next time somebody calls me a crazy conspiracy nut, I can make them listen to you admitting that.”
“We were just going to use it in case of a terrorist attack, miss.”
“And, nobody would ever think of misusing a provision like that!”
Jake shoved himself between them. “You know, this is all fascinating, but we need to get the hell outta here.” He walked over to the stairs. “Janice, I'll take point, you come up behind the president. Mr. President, in case there's still somebody up there who doesn't want you leaving, you stick close to us. We'll get you out of here.”
“I love it when you take charge,” Janice whispered to Jake, smirking.

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Jan. 20-22

Alternate Historian's Note: Well, that lasted longer than we planned. Here's the last 3 days worth of posts - enjoy, and thanks for your patience!

January 20th, 2007

Turtle Island	In 2127 Mullah Elijah Rafsanjani arrives on the eastern seaboard of Turtle Island that being the continent renamed after the Italian merchant Amerigo Vespucci during the western epoch c1492 to 2081. As part of his Peace and Brotherhood jihad he has embarked on a fact-finding mission by ..
.. visiting the centres of the fallen Western Civilisation. The Big Apple is rotten. Graffiti sprayed down the side of the Statue of Liberty in bright red includes slogans such as BAD DAY, NIGHT FALLS and ALAS, BABYLON. Homeless people huddle inside the unlit and unheated Manhattan apartment blocks. New New York City is a humanitarian disaster.
~ entry by Steve Payne from counter history in context - you're the judge!

In 1953 President Douglas MacArthur is inaugurated in Washington DC. ..	MacArthur
.. In his address he drew parallels with the career of Paul Von Beneckendorff und von Hindenburg, German Command in Chief also recalled from retirement twice, once to lead the military, once for the Presidency, both in late middle age and at a time of national crisis. Unlike the 'Wooden Titan' Hindenburg, Brass Hat was back to get a result. In theory he was promoted from retired Six-Star General to Commander in Chief. In practice he was given the keys to the hydrogen bomb. Also Bacteriological weapons that Unit 731 gave Brass Hat in 1945 to secure the amnesty of the Japanese scientists against trial for the extermination of 200,000 Chinese citizens during World War II. Quite a cocktail when combined with a determination to make war with the China to re-unite Korea and re-instate Chaing Kai-shek.
~ entry by Steve Payne from Counter History in Context - You're the Judge!

Edward VIII	In 1942 after an evening of not a little drinking in the Bahamas, Montgomery and Edward Windsor devise a plot to restore the abdicated monarch to greatness. They will return through the time portal and make a number of necessary adjustments in America and Great Britain to ensure things ..
.. turn out right. Key to the success of the plan are two like-minded individuals, Oswald Mosley and Charles Lindbergh. All four of them are of course absolute rotters.
~ entry by Steve Payne from counter history in context - you're the judge!

In 1649 the traitor Oliver Cromwell was tried for treason and other 'high crimes' as the authority of Stuart rule was re-established following the English Civil War.	Oliver Cromwell
~ entry by Steve Payne from Counter History in Context - You're the Judge!

After(cont.)
The crack of another gunshot startled them all, and Jake shielded the president with his body. Eli and Kevin appeared at the top of the stairs, firing at something Jake couldn't see. They were both bleeding, now. “We need to get the hell outta here,” Kevin shouted down at them.
“Move,” Jake shouted at the president and Janice. He ran up the stairs and stuck his head out long enough to spot the two men shooting at them from around the corners at the end of the hallway. He took a lucky shot and dropped one of them, then yelled at the other, “Give up now, and you don't have to die.” The bullet whizzing by his ear gave the man's answer. Jake looked at Eli, who was white-faced and splattered heavily with what Jake assumed was his own blood. Kevin wasn't in much better shape, but at least he looked like he only had one wound. “On three, we haul ass down there, firing everything we got at that fool,” he told them. “He's goin' down.” They nodded quickly, and he counted off, “One, two – three!” They charged down, Jake in the lead, pumping bullets into the corner that the guard was hiding behind. They stopped only when they saw the man's body fall in front of them, crimson with his own spilled blood. Jake shouted back at the stairwell, “Janice, get the president up here, quick. We're moving!”
“I think that's all of them,” Kevin wheezed. He was holding his side, vainly trying to staunch the rapid flow of blood that was pumping out of his wound. He was holding Eli up with his other arm.
Jake said, “We still need to get the hell outta here.” He pulled Eli from Kevin's grip and propped him up. When Janice and the president joined them, he said, “Y'all help Bradley, I'll get Eli.” He slapped Kevin lightly in the face to get his attention. “Don't you die on me, Bradley. You ain't loaned me any money, yet.”
As President Bush took him by the arm, Kevin smiled and said, “Hey, I'm a millionaire and I met the president. That was all I ever wanted to do.”
President Bush said, “I'd prefer it if you didn't die just yet, Bradley. There's enough dead people in my house.”
“Sorry, Mr. President,” Kevin muttered.
As quickly as they could, they lumbered out of the ranch house, heading off down the field towards the creek bed. Janice shouted at Jake, “Hey! Why don't we just take one of their cars?”
Jake looked back the car port. There were plenty of cars sitting there. “We don't have any keys.”
“You think I don't know how to hotwire a car?”
“Let's go.” They changed course and piled everyone into a large sedan. Janice got under the steering wheel and worked for several minutes.
The engine roared to life and she popped into the driver's seat. “Yeah, baby.” She threw the car into gear and took off down the road. She came up to the gate at the edge of the property and just ripped through it. The grill took some damage and the windshield cracked a little, but the car was still running, so she kept it moving.
Eli's groans grew in intensity in the back seat as Jake attempted to keep him alive as best he could. “We need a hospital,” Jake shouted to Janice.
“The nearest one is a couple hours away,” she told him. She looked into the rear-view mirror and saw Eli's face. His lips were completely without color, and his eyes were unfocused. She locked eyes with Jake and shook her head.
He nodded and turned his attention back to Eli. “You gonna make it, Eli. You're a hero, now. Maybe you'll finally get laid.” A slight smile curled Eli's lips. “That's it, you concentrate on that.” He looked over at Kevin, whose lips were now sprinkled with a little dark blood. “Bradley, you ain't got nothing but a scratch, so I don't wanna hear no complainin' from you.”
“Yes, Sergeant,” Kevin whispered.
Janice put the gas pedal to the floor and tried as hard as she could to keep the car on the road.


January 21st, 2007

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The Dreamtime	In 2127 Mullah Elijah Rafsanjani arrives on the south-east coast of the Dreaming that being the continent renamed Australia during the western epoch c1770 – 2081. Homeless and starving people sleep inside the Sydney Opera House whilst in the interior First Nations enjoy an unprecedented ..
.. level of prosperity. Sydney Shanty town is another humanitarian disaster.
~ entry by Steve Payne from counter history in context - you're the judge!

In 2028 in Tate & Lyle PLC v. the Pan African Society the UK based multinational ..	Tate & Lyle
.. food manufacturer are ordered to pay reparations of $10bn. Descendants of Abram Lyle and Henry Tate express deep regret at the shameful involvement of their company to the victims of the African Holocaust who were enslaved by the sugar refining process. 'Out of the eater came forth meat and out of the strong came forth sweetness' they quoted from Samson in the Book of Judges, Chapter 14, a clear reference to the lion and bees image of 'Lyle's Golden Syrup'.
~ entry by Steve Payne from Counter History in Context - You're the Judge!

T.E. Lawrence	In 1917 at Aqaba in the Transjordan leader of the misnamed Arab revolt ..
.. Auda Abu Tayi orders the execution by beheading of Colonel T.E. Lawrence. His duplicity had been laid bare for all brothers to see when he had carelessly left his autobiographic works, the Seven Pillars of Deceit open in his tent. Tayi had been dismayed to understand that the forthcoming Balfour Declaration would promise a Jewish Homeland in Palestine. His white brother Lawrence was no more and no less than a British Agent using Arab troops to defeat the Turk and thereafter impose his own hegemony on Arabia. President Yasser Arafat paid tribute to Tayi in 1997 on the eve of the half-centennial in East Jerusalem. Without his bold intervention, the Palestinian people would be second class citizens in a secular Jewish State.
~ entry by Steve Payne from counter history in context - you're the judge!

In 1968 the Battle of Khe Sanh started in northwestern Quang Tri Province, ..	Khe Sahn
.. Republic of Vietnam concurrently with the Tet Offensive. Elements of the United States (U.S.) III Marine Amphibious Force (III MAF) defeated two to three division-size elements of the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) and by the end of the year, a re-elected President Johnson was able to announce the end of the Indochina Wars.
~ entry by Steve Payne from Counter History in Context - You're the Judge!

January 22nd, 2007

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Halifax	In 1947 the British Government in Exile arrive in Reykjavik, Iceland for final status talks with the Fuehrer. The miserable renegade Churchill and also the keys to the Royal Navy are in the possession of Lord Halifax and a gorgeous looking Princess Elizabeth I. A sheep in sheep's clothing you might say.
~ entry by Steve Payne from counter history in context - you're the judge!

In 1905 the fate of the Romanov family is sealed by rebellion to the disastrous war with Japan. On Bloody Sunday a peaceful demonstration led by Father Gapon escalates into a massacre of imperial troops followed by the seizure of the Winter Palace.	Father Gapon
~ entry by Steve Payne from Counter History in Context - You're the Judge!

Bering Strait	In 2054 following the world's most expensive construction project to date a commercial tunnel is completed joining the landmasses of Asia and North America at the Bering Strait.
~ entry by Steve Payne from counter history in context - you're the judge!

In 1771 Spain ceded Port Egmont in the Falkland Islands to England who maintained possession until the Iron Lady of Argentina, President Eva Peron defeated that country in the 1982 Malvinas Conflict.	Eva Perón
~ entry by Steve Payne from Counter History in Context - You're the Judge!

After(cont.)
“Have we got the air conditioner on?” Kevin's body was racked with shudders again. Jake took off his jacket and laid it across him.
Jake looked up at the front seat and asked, “How much farther?”
“Maybe 20 miles.”
Jake turned his attention back to Eli. At least Kevin was able to feel cold. Eli had stopped talking about 15 minutes before, and was now completely unresponsive when Jake tried to rouse him. He felt the young man's neck again and waited. The pulse was even weaker than the last time he had checked, and harder to find. He didn't think there was any point in trying to save Eli anymore, so he turned to Kevin and checked his pulse. It was a little weak, but it was there.
“Wish I hadn't given up drinking now,” the president said from the front seat.
“Me, too,” Janice muttered. She was driving a good hundred miles an hour, and had a death grip on the steering wheel. She had almost cracked up at least three times, but wasn't slowing down. This was worse than the drive in the dark two days ago, because there were a couple of people dying in her back seat. She felt that her pounding heart was more than making up for their weakly pumping ones. She wanted to take her hand off the wheel long enough to wipe off the sweat that was dripping down into her eyes, but didn't dare.
There was a gasp from the back seat, and Janice nearly lost control. Eli's body was trying to keep alive, and failing. Spasms ripped through his body, and Jake tried to hold him down. It took several minutes, but the jerking finally stopped, and the last trickles of blood leaked out of his mouth. Jake pressed his hand onto Eli's carotid for a few minutes, but there was nothing there. “He's gone,” Jake said, quietly.
Janice sobbed. She hadn't been that close to Eli, but he and Mike had always been dependable for all their quirks. The president patted her shoulder comfortingly, and she regained control. “We can still save Kevin,” she said. “Just a few more miles.” The lights of Austin were blazing up towards them, and she kept her foot down hard on the accelerator.

Steph woke up to pounding on her door. She shouted, “Who is it?” She looked around for that gun that Mike had left her while she did it.
“It's me,” Mike said from the other side of the door. “Quick, let us in.”
Steph went over to the door and reached a hand out to the lock. She paused, then looked through the peephole, first. She saw Mike and Joan. She assumed that George was there, too, just out of sight. She opened the door and asked, “What is it?”
Mike and the kids rushed in and Mike shut the door behind them, latching it and throwing the deadbolt. “Guard's going through the hotel; the front's moved up to us. We don't have to worry about going around them.”
“Are we safe here?”
“No,” Mike said. “We need to get the hell out.”
“Let's get to the car, then.”
“They'll take Mike if they see him,” George said. “I saw 'em take three guys looked even scrawnier'n him.”
“Hey,” Mike said, offended.
“They'll probably take you, too,” Joan said, looking at her mother. “Maybe even me. I think they're pretty desperate.”
“Crap.” She peeked through the curtains outside. She saw two large military trucks in the parking lot. In their backs were civilians, holding rifles and looking very nervous. “Maybe we need to be ballsy about it.”
“What do you mean?” Mike was definitely unwilling to leave the room.
“Follow my lead.” She got her clothes on and led them out of the room. Reluctantly, the other three followed her as she walked straight up to one of the soldiers. She asked him, “You looking for people?”
“Yes, ma'am,” the young man told her. “Hop on the back of that truck and they'll give you a rifle.”
“Got one already, and enough for my boy, here, too,” she said, pointing back at Mike. “Our SUV's better'n that truck, too. You need scouts? We can go anywhere in that thing.” She pointed at their car, and the soldier looked the vehicle over.
“All right. We need people with that kinda attitude.” He took out a map of the area and pointed out a line that had been drawn about 10 miles outside of the town. “This is where the enemy's advancing.” He pointed at a red circle just outside of the town. “This is our command post.” He showed her a thin line indicating a road. “This road will take you around the enemy line. See what you can find out, then report back to our command post.”
“You got it, sir,” she said, saluting smartly. He returned her salute, then handed her the map and returned to collecting other people from the hotel. She hurried them off to the SUV, whispering, “Try not to smile.”

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Civil Strife

The state of TIAH

April 16th, 2007

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in 1891, the eastern Kansas border is fortified by volunteers from around the state. Major Mark Wainwright and his band of men encounter part of this fortification as they head to Topeka to free President Grover Cleveland, and the ensuing fight leaves 12 of his men dead; but he wins the engagement. By the evening, they are in Topeka and in pitched battle at the governor's mansion, where they steal the former president from the room where is being held. They fight their way out of the city, with only half of their original force left, when a stray shot hits President Cleveland in the stomach. Major Wainwright struggles with his remaining men to Kansas City and desperately searches for a doctor in the chaotic city.

in 1982, Nathaniel Strawn is born in College Station, Texas. Strawn, a mathematician by training, joined NASA's Mars Project in 2029, just in time to work on the final lander that would put his cousin, astronaut Catherine Taylor, on the Red Planet in 2034.

in 1998, a bar fight turns into the first battle of the war to unseat the Windsors, when a small group of the Royal Marines enter a bar in Swansea, Wales, that is very loyal to Arthur Pendrake. Several harsh words are exchanged, fists fly, and then the owner of the pub reaches for his hunting rifle. A marine sees him, reaches the rifle first, and shoots the older man dead. There is a moment of silence as the implications of this sink into everyone present; then, all the local pub crawlers are running home for their weapons. One of the marines pulls out a cell phone and calls back to base for help. Within the hour, the marines are wiped out by the locals, and military units are heading into Swansea. Arthur, as soon as the news hits the airwaves, puts out a call for all his followers to defend Swansea and repulse the royalists. His cold war against the Windsors has just turned hot.

Ord Wingate	In 1972 Deputy Interim Prime Minister Major General Ord Wingate, DSO reviews his report for the Conference which is to be presented at the Conference tomorrow. Ord reflects upon the state state of affairs that had let to the formation of the military government. The Labour Government had used the retreat from empire as a ..
.. reason for reducing the military and closing bases in the Far East ('East of Suez' strategy). Matters had come to a head with the financial crisis of 1967. During the disastrous 'pound in your pocket' devaluation assurances had been given to overseas investors such as the King of Saudi Arabia. The promises had not been honoured and the lion had become an ass. Senior members of the services suspected that the Labour Party was purposefully running down the size of the armed forces. Whatever the truth, by 1967, the military had been forced to act before it was too late.
~ entry by Steve Payne from counter history in context - You're the Judge!

In 1942 Windsor, Montgomery and Auchinlech agree on the basics. The British Empire faces extinction in the next two decades, and the meteoric rise of the Labour Party suggests a ghastly future in which chaps such as themselves have no meaningful role outside of museum pieces.	Edward VIII
~ entry by Steve Payne from Counter History in Context - You're the Judge!

RMS Titanic	In 1912 on this day owners of the near-bankrupt White Star Line made a fateful decision. As is the nature heinous crimes, encouraging a number of conspiracy theories can do absolutely no harm. Agents were paid to supply Journalists with a number of stories in the bars and pubs of Belfast and New York. One of them was the ..
.. genuine article - the switch with the RMS Olympic - slipped in amongst a pack of other lies to cover up the truth.
~ entry by Steve Payne from counter history in context - You're the Judge!

In 1922 the Treaty of Rapallo was signed by Imperial Germany and Tsarist Russia re-establishing diplomatic relations between Berlin and Moscow. After the Second Franco-Prussian war, it was absolutely clear that the Triple Entente binding Russia, France and Great Britain was finished. Recognising that the window of opportunity ..	Tsar Nicholas I..
.. to defeat Russia had now passed, the House of Hohenzollern cut their loses, and allied with Russia, in effect restarting Bismarck's Re-insurance Treaty of 1887. It was a smart move for both sides, and effectively gifting the hegemony of Western Europe to the Prussians.
~ entry by Steve Payne from Counter History in Context - You're the Judge!

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