The date, I would later find out, was April 1, 2oo1. As usual I was first to ground before the airship I was serving as crew on would land; I was ordered to learn the date and which "universe," according to my captain, or "timeline" as one would correctly call it, we were landing in.
The drop was flawless and I hit the ground running, dressed in black for the night, but also somewhat provocatively, as in many timelines one or the other can keep you out of a good deal of trouble. It was a small town I found myself in, a city but barely. It was a college town and I found myself landing in the middle of an abandoned sporting field. There were no news stands, no johns on the look, and no one nearby to strike up a conversation with so I had no idea when I was, only that I was back "home" in 18 per my Differentiator that I still keep despite the risk of carrying Consortium tech and obviously without anyone's knowledge.
There were noises coming from several directions. In one direction I heard what I had come to recognize as traffic. In another and yet a third the sounds of tavern or party buzzed into the night. I followed the sound of revelry and found myself at a tavern. Hiding in the shadows I disposed of my hat and petticoat behind a bush, leaving myself looking a little old fashioned but in an approachable and attractive way; it was a look I had perfected after many hours in the mirror and many landings in this particular decade.
I walked into the tavern comfortably. I had been there several times before in several years but not enough to be recognized even with my unique attire. I leaned against the end of the bar and eyed the crowd. "Can I get you something?" the bartender asked me. "No, thank you sir, I'm waiting for someone."
He looked at me a little oddly and walked off. Five minutes later he was back. "Are you ready to close your tab?" he asked in all seriousness. "Excuse me?" I questioned in all confusion. "You. Uh, well you've run up a tab of 50 bucks! " Indignant I replied "I have NOT!" But as I spoke I saw... oh good God I saw a me that I did not expect to run into, and not one that I'd allowed to live after an experiment. "FUCK! What day is it?"
"You are not getting out of this by calling April Fools," he advised as he picked up the speaking piece of the telephone and pressed a single key, which I assumed was to the police. So I did what any self respecting lady who travels time and timelines... I shot my other me with a standard pistol and ran like hell.
By the time I was a block away there were sirens and fast moving cars converging on me. I really thought I'd had it and was running, jumping, hiding my way through the night. When I finally made it back to the sporting field, the ship was hovering. My Captain and another friend who is often ground party were leaning over the edge throwing me a rope ladder. "Yah, thanks guys... April Fools to you too!," as I climbed the rope. I hugged my friend, glared at my Captain and went to my science lab.
And what do you think I found in my lab? Four more Miss Anne Thropes all of whom thought they were the real one. One problem with time travel is that during one thirty minute nap my friends grabbed me's from five other timelines and were prepared to throw them at me all night! I don't even know where they got the idea to bring me to an April 1. To be honest, if I'd been involved in the same prank on someone else I would have found it hilarious. As it was Bang, Zap, Snap, Boom the other four Annes were removed and I went to sleep pondering if I should stay a crew member of such a "fun loving" air ship.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Monday, October 4, 2010
Working Toward my Rule of 18-0
I find myself continuing to enjoy the relative safety of an Aether Storm Ship, earning my way as an active crew member of varied responsibilities (as usual, more to follow on this) while still able to find the time to continue my experiments on 19 and offshoots of 18; not to be silly but a a time traveler can always find the time for any interest, can she not? Of course there have been some recent attempts on my life by various Consortium Travelers that I have crossed paths with but these stories, too, will wait until I have ordered my thoughts in order to scribe them. For now I focus on steps toward my intended rule of 18-0.
I have been quite active in making changes to my chosen timeline which have significantly improved the lives of those there but thus far all have been made in secrecy. As you will recall my first attempt to announce the changes I have made and that I am your rightful Empress of 18-0 (as allowed by the Emperor of all universes, many thanks to you Sir!) ended in a rather embarrassing stay in a mental health hospital and then the necessary destruction of the timeline following that announcement.
I have, however, left the changes I had enacted in place so the Kennedy brothers are still dead.
The swine flu still replaced what the people of 19-20 thru 19-61 called their Zombie Apocalypse. Their use of the word "zombie" was not precise but the outcome before my corrections was the same as you might imagine. I was able to devise an inoculation that when applied to the pigs that were the breeding ground for the zombie type disease prevented it from spreading, however due to minute genetic differences it caused a virulent flue in 18-0.
N. Tesla's inventions and notes remain withheld, sadly, from a world that would only have destroyed itself in many varied ways if they had access to them. For example, imagine a world where I allowed the knowledge enabling the teleportation of small non living objects with great accuracy to be known: terrorism, warfare, and murder became far more difficult to protect oneself from and far to easy to carry out. Thus, I will continue to hold and hide his notes and release them slowly and with great control once my total rule of 18-0 is undisputed. I do this merely to protect my people from themselves and each other.
Other changes I made were drastic enough that I cannot begin to explore them to you because they relate to people, technology, and events that have never existed in the timeline you considered to be "real life". I only ask that you trust me when I say these changes were for the very best. I am sometimes asked why I don't correct some of history's most horrific errors; I certainly wish I could but very important events to follow sometimes hinge on terrible occurrences of the past.
Having made these changes but being unable to convince the people of 18-0 that I am their rightful and best ruler and keeping in mind that being granted my timeline of choice by both the Queen and Emperor themselves means nothing to those who do not even realize that they live within their realm, I am forced to conclude that the Consortium's rule by manufactured religion and puppet political rule by that religion may be the simplest model for me to establish my intended dynasty. I must, therefor contemplate all that I know and suspect of the Consortium's history and methods of establishing their shadow rule and then weed out the bits that would prevent me from eventually allowing me to rule in the clear light of day.
My Disrupter seems about to overheat. When it cools I will write more about the Religio-Political rule of Prime and perhaps some of my intentions for mimicking the best of their accomplishment.
Empress of 18-0, yet unknown to my people
Anne Thrope
I have been quite active in making changes to my chosen timeline which have significantly improved the lives of those there but thus far all have been made in secrecy. As you will recall my first attempt to announce the changes I have made and that I am your rightful Empress of 18-0 (as allowed by the Emperor of all universes, many thanks to you Sir!) ended in a rather embarrassing stay in a mental health hospital and then the necessary destruction of the timeline following that announcement.
I have, however, left the changes I had enacted in place so the Kennedy brothers are still dead.
The swine flu still replaced what the people of 19-20 thru 19-61 called their Zombie Apocalypse. Their use of the word "zombie" was not precise but the outcome before my corrections was the same as you might imagine. I was able to devise an inoculation that when applied to the pigs that were the breeding ground for the zombie type disease prevented it from spreading, however due to minute genetic differences it caused a virulent flue in 18-0.
N. Tesla's inventions and notes remain withheld, sadly, from a world that would only have destroyed itself in many varied ways if they had access to them. For example, imagine a world where I allowed the knowledge enabling the teleportation of small non living objects with great accuracy to be known: terrorism, warfare, and murder became far more difficult to protect oneself from and far to easy to carry out. Thus, I will continue to hold and hide his notes and release them slowly and with great control once my total rule of 18-0 is undisputed. I do this merely to protect my people from themselves and each other.
Other changes I made were drastic enough that I cannot begin to explore them to you because they relate to people, technology, and events that have never existed in the timeline you considered to be "real life". I only ask that you trust me when I say these changes were for the very best. I am sometimes asked why I don't correct some of history's most horrific errors; I certainly wish I could but very important events to follow sometimes hinge on terrible occurrences of the past.
Having made these changes but being unable to convince the people of 18-0 that I am their rightful and best ruler and keeping in mind that being granted my timeline of choice by both the Queen and Emperor themselves means nothing to those who do not even realize that they live within their realm, I am forced to conclude that the Consortium's rule by manufactured religion and puppet political rule by that religion may be the simplest model for me to establish my intended dynasty. I must, therefor contemplate all that I know and suspect of the Consortium's history and methods of establishing their shadow rule and then weed out the bits that would prevent me from eventually allowing me to rule in the clear light of day.
My Disrupter seems about to overheat. When it cools I will write more about the Religio-Political rule of Prime and perhaps some of my intentions for mimicking the best of their accomplishment.
Empress of 18-0, yet unknown to my people
Anne Thrope
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