So what is the 'verse like now? by DesktopHippie

GENERAL DISCUSSIONS

So what is the 'verse like now?

POSTED BY: DESKTOPHIPPIE
UPDATED: Tuesday, September 26, 2006 06:37
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VIEWED: 1962
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Wednesday, September 20, 2006 12:31 AM

Hey all,

I'm working on my very first piece of fanfic

which I hope to be finished by... well, sometime before the end of the year anyway. I don't have much time to write these days.

Anywho, it got me thinking about the state of the 'Verse post Serenity. What do you think the 'verse is like after the Miranda story breaks?

We know the Alliance are still in charge at the end of the movie. I've been thinking about what other consequences there might be and have come up with a few:

"The Browncoats were Right!" There's a lot more sympathy for the Independence, and tensions are running high. There have been protests on several worlds by those who no longer support Unification (if they ever did). Tensions are running high. Lots of people are scared the war will flare up again.

Martial Law is declared on one or two worlds. Dissent is taken very, very seriously.

I also think there may be gangs of Reaver "wannabes". Thieves and thugs who like mayhem and violence and who decide to become Reavers. Not nearly as scary as the real thing, but it's something I can see happening.

Anyone else got ideas I can stea- erm, thoughts on this?

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Wednesday, September 20, 2006 1:17 AM

BROWNCOAT1

May have been the losing side. Still not convinced it was the wrong one.

Well, if the Alliance is anything like most governments it will no doubt move immediately to discredit the information that Mal and crew broadcast to the worlds they reached with their signal. No doubt the official government stance is that it is a hoax and the news, no doubt influenced by the Alliance, will report the same. I believe there will be some sort of cover story of dissidents (most likely played off as former browncoats or someone similar) making up a story to inspire fear and revolt. Think about it, most people have never even heard of Miranda if the interaction between the crew at the mention of the planet is to be taken as a gauge of 'versal knowledge.

My guess is that most people will believe the media and the government lies, if for no other reason than it is safer and easier than believing the truth and doing anything about it. There will be some however that will believe. The question is how many and to what end.

I think that the end of Serenity and the broadcasting of what happened on Miranda has opened the doors to many more possible stories.

__________________________________________
Holding the line since December '02!

"May have been the losing side. Still not convinced it was the wrong one."

Richmond, VA & surrounding area Firefly Fans:

http://tv.groups.yahoo.com/group/richmondbrowncoats/

http://www.richmondbrowncoats.org

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Wednesday, September 20, 2006 1:22 AM

DESKTOPHIPPIE

yeah, I've thought that myself. In fact, I've considered a scene where Inara is at a fancy party, listening to all these well-to-dos bluster on about what nonsense the whole thing is while she's quietly seething with rage.

Mostly I see the events polarising the 'verse, making those pro-Alliance even more pro-Alliance and those pro-Independence even more pro-Independence. I really, really hope I get to see what Joss does with it all some day!

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Wednesday, September 20, 2006 1:44 AM

SPACEANJL

I thought that you might see a deal of public house-cleaning by the Parliament, possibly scapegoats to be found. There could be a happy settling of scores, too, a less public cleansing.

And in my version of the 'Verse, you have some new players. River is out there, a potential weapon. Talented, graceful, empathic, psychic assassin in the harmless looking body of a small and pretty girl. So - the agency which created her can't publically acknowledge her, or it's lights out. The military will be mad to get their hands on her. And so would another group of folks. Companions attain social and political prominence when they retire; ergo, there are ex-Companions in positions of influence and power. But if you are trained from a young age to one way of life, do you ever leave it? (Joss acknowleged his debt to writers like Frank Herbert when he won that Hugo, therefore my Bene Gesserit comparison was not so unjustified, methinks...)

There is going to be some subtle manouvering (sp?) within the Alliance itself, to either distance or blame. There will be a deal of 'told you so' from outside. And getting people to take up offers to colonize new planets? Gonna need some mighty fine spin on that. Unrest at home, panic abroad, all the Lone Gunmen burning up the Cortex. Wacky fun.

All the Independents are going to feel well justified, and the more recently occupied planets probably will kick off. I don't think you will get another war, just a lot of low-level activity, and a drawing in of horns from the Alliance, which is probably a little too widely spread out for it's own good (a la Rome) and facing domestic backlash.

Not that I've put a lot of thought into this, or anything...

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Wednesday, September 20, 2006 1:58 AM

DESKTOPHIPPIE

You know, the whole ex-companion thing never occurred to me. And it should have done consiering how fascinated I am with courtesans in history, ever since I stumbled accross the life story of Veronica Franco.

Have you ever read Night Watch by Terry Pratchett? There's a character called The Madame (I think) that's pretty much as you've just described. Interestly, the political situation in the book isn't all that unlike how I imagine the 'Verse is right now.

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Wednesday, September 20, 2006 2:16 AM

SPACEANJL

Madam Bobby Meresole, from Genua. Havelock Vetinari's aunt.

Most of my Pratchett's are first editions, some of them are signed, and I have a hat. And yes, I did beat the Mastermind contestant who chose the Discworld as a subject.

I studied history, and I have a deeply cynical view of humanity. Since Blue Sun is a real ad agency, and the first Wall Street ad agency was founded by Freud's nephew, using Uncle Sigi's work as a basis, I have all sorts of theories on what River's eventual purpose was to be, as well. *spoiler for Zen II* In fact, I think industrial espionage and the cut and thrust of business might be a literal thing. But then I've been reading Richard Morgan's 'Market Forces' - conflict investment and a method of corporate promotion based on 'Rollerball'.

ed: Just realised that my last two posts are essentially an outline of what I am working on. Nuts.

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Wednesday, September 20, 2006 3:35 AM

SCHOONER

Remember that the Operative ordered "every ship in the quadrant" called in. From what we saw of the Reaver battle, many or most of those ships may have been destroyed. The result is the Alliance military would now be stretched very thin, having lost say 20% of its battle ready ships.

This could result in a big upswing in piracy, since the Alliance is no longer able to patrol like they once were. Possibly, in order to keep the Core worlds happy, the fleet might just focus on defending the central planets against, leaving the rim worlds completely on their own. Also, they might offer 'letters of marque' to other ships to act as privateers and pirate hunters. The end result is that travel through the Black is likely an even more dangerous thing than it was before the Miranda wave and the destruction of the Reavers.

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Wednesday, September 20, 2006 4:42 AM

MRBEN

Quote:
Originally posted by schooner:
Remember that the Operative ordered "every ship in the quadrant" called in. From what we saw of the Reaver battle, many or most of those ships may have been destroyed. The result is the Alliance military would now be stretched very thin, having lost say 20% of its battle ready ships.

That depends on the size of a 'Quadrant'. Now, I know that it is normally a quarter, but does it mean a quarter of the whole system in this case? The 'Verse is quite often a bit sketchy when it comes to measurements of size and time. It also assumes that ships are equally assigned to each quadrant, and that all the ships are fast enough to have reached that part of the quadrant in time.....

Sorry - that all sounds really negative, didn't mean it like that.

I'm in the process of writing my first 'fanfic', and it's set about 20 years after the events of Serenity, so I've spent a lot of time thinking about the repercussions, but I'm not ready to reveal quite yet ;)

mrben

"Carpe Aptenodytes"
http://www.jedimoose.org

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Wednesday, September 20, 2006 5:20 AM

CYBERSNARK

Plus, in sci-fi, "Quadrant" has traditionally been used to mean anything from a neighbourhood to the known universe.

Star Trek, I'm looking at you, shoehorning half the galaxy into the Alpha Quadrant (when in fact the Romulans, Klingons, and a good chunk of the Federation are actually in the Beta Quadrant).

-----
We applied the cortical electrodes but were unable to get a neural reaction from either patient.

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Wednesday, September 20, 2006 9:32 AM

ZZETTA13

I agree with the whole alliance claiming "Hoax" thing. Why wouldn't that work? It would. All it takes is for someone to look back on "Earth That Was" history to see where groups of ppl or whole countries and nations have been "Hoaxed" by the leadership to see how easy it is to mislead ppl.

Good or Bad IMO the Powers that be want to gain total control over the universe. This may mean loosing a few friends along the way ( and maybe even some high ranking ones) but so be it. As long as the "Powers" remain unknown they are relatively safe.

One big fear for them is becoming known. Like in the game of Chess. You can play the game and still have all your Chess pieces but once your King gets captured the game is over. The "Powers" fear of loosing control and becoming known will have them always trying to keep their edge. I never see a perfect world happening. I think they know it as well. That doesn't mean they stop trying. Seems the whole PAX issue was to create working zombies and in a way it did do that somewhat (night of the living reavers) but will they see their mistakes and stop? Answers, yes and no.

There are still many stories to be told in the J/verse. Hope we have an opportunity to see them.

DeskTop I am really looking forward to reading yours stories:)

Z

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Wednesday, September 20, 2006 11:02 AM

HERA7

Consider the links to Miranda that would/will be revived. Family, friends, business interests of those who were lost on Miranda would start remembering the people killed or affected by the Pax.

Though Miranda was on the outer edge of the system, it had signifant technological infrastructure, which would mean heavy core worlds backing, unlike most of the border and rim planets, which were fairly unsupported.

The War of Independance started about the same time of the Miranda incident, could of it been started not by the Independants, but the Alliance to distract the 'verse from the tragedy that was Miranda?

Mal knew of Miranda being a blackrock, even Kaylee, who may have been about 10 or 11 at the time of the Alliance's Pax project, remembered a call for settlers to Miranda.

Miranda still showed up in the old astronavational charts on Serenity. The only thing stopping investigation was the Reaver zone around the planet.

The broadcast of the report on Miranda will/would have brought back a lot of memories and there is that thing where the Alliance's Pax created the Reavers. Reavers may have been a monster myth before that, but once they started showing up after exposure to the Pax, they fit the mold so became the 'Reavers.'

So is the Alliance in for difficult times from their support base? Depends on the security need of those core citizens. I would expect there will be some grumbling, protests and investigations, but with the war and time passed, it may shake the foundations of the Alliance, but the foundation will hold.

Hera7

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Wednesday, September 20, 2006 11:45 AM

CHRONICTHEHEDGEHOG

I always assumed that very, very little had changed. Certain officials would resign, at most a new election would be called and the 'verse barely bats an eyelid.

-------------------------------------------------

I do not kill with my hand.
He who kills with his hand has forgotten the face of his father.
I kill with my heart.

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Wednesday, September 20, 2006 11:51 AM

SIGMANUNKI

Quote:
Originally posted by chronicthehedgehog:

I always assumed that very, very little had changed. Certain officials would resign, at most a new election would be called and the 'verse barely bats an eyelid.

I agree.

A show would be put on and the scape-goats would have to resign but the one who planned it all would retain there positions.

Also, as was said in the BDM, the people would wake up for a spell, but go back to sleep soon after.

Basically, everything would be back to the status quo in short order.

Seems to be the way of things.

----
I am on The List. We are The Forsaken and we aim to burn!
"We don't fear the reaper"

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Thursday, September 21, 2006 11:09 AM

DESKTOPHIPPIE

Thanks for the responses all. It's been very interesting and has given me much to ponder.

Spaceanjl - I am soooo impressed with your knowledge and love of Pratchett!

zzetta13 - stories??? Whoa! I said story! One story! One! Singular! Just something quick and simple that will more than likely be in dialogue format (though not exactly as a script as that can be a bit too difficult to read.)

It's fairly simple stuff so far. It's called "Much Obliged" and has the crew arriving on Persephone to find Badger has survived The Operative's murder spree and is demanding Mal's help in re-establishing his business. There's a subplot about Simon and River post BDM. Simple stuff, like I said.

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Tuesday, September 26, 2006 6:37 AM

ZZETTA13

DeskTop
Stories? Yepper I did say stories. Ya never know. One story can lead to another, then another. I've done it myself. Seems there's always a little bit more to tell and it really makes you feel good when folks are asking for more.

The "story" you have in mind right now sounds like a very cool one. I'm looking forward to it.

See ya,Z

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