GENERAL DISCUSSIONS

State of the 'Verse After the BDM

POSTED BY: SCHISM
UPDATED: Thursday, April 2, 2009 19:25
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Wednesday, April 1, 2009 5:43 AM

SCHISM


This has probably been discussed before, but I haven't seen it lately, so here we go again.
:p

What do you think the state of the 'verse is now, after the events of the movie?

Now just for the crew, but for everyone?

I'm thinking something like this;

- Alliance, in an attempt to maintain power and influence, disassociates itself from the Blue Sun corporation, laying heavy blame and citing obliviousness to their actions (re: the Pax)

- Blue Sun collapses as a corporate entity. He level employees, executives, and agents are tried and jailed. A large number flee and are in exile.

- Given that 80% of the 'Verse's foodstuffs came from Blue Sun, and that Blue Sun no longer exists, and that people are too afraid to injest what remains, there is a multi-world-wide food shortage.

- Small border planets that rely heavily on farming are now highly profitable. Small time farmers are now rich.

- The Alliance, however, now pay much more attention to those border planets, as theivery and sabotage is high.

- It's a rough time for theifs and illegal activists, but a great time for cargo ships, as that food needs to be distributed - pronto! Any ship with the slightest amount of cargo space is in demand.

- Reavers, however, have become more aggressive. Taking ownership of "Blue Sun's Mistake", the Alliance is training and producing more interceptors to attack any Reaver ship on site. A new strike force comes to exists.

- On the ground, Reavers are handled by capturing and injecting any possible with a highly infectious virus that attacks the Pax, killing off Reavers in droves.

- In the space of a few years, Reavers are almost a thing of the past. it's not uncommon to see lone Reaver ships, with it's entire crew dead, or the remains of Reaver ships.

- A new threat emmerges (as they always do), as the remnants of Blue Sun start an anarchist group opposed to the Alliance. Abandoned Reaver ships are claimed, and terrorist actions are abound by a new Blue Sun group, though this one is NOT a corporation.

Meanwhile, the crew of Serenity has never done better.

The collapse of Blue Sun has destroyed any record of River, so they are unnoficially NOT pursued anymore.

They do NOT take responsibility for "the Message" for fear of retaliation nonetheless.

No one in the 'Verse knows who sent the message.

But they're fine with that - they're doing alright and are quite happy now.

Except Zoe, of course.

Work is abundant, as is the money.

Everything on board is new (no more patch jobs).

River, though she will never be 'normal', is settling. She pilots the ship, but it is decided that they should have a new pilot - one who can stay with the ship as the getaway driver when necessary. With her ability to "see trouble" and her new command over her own fighting ability, she's much more useful on the ground.

Jayne, upon being shot down over his idea of upgrading to a larger vessel, left Serenity to pilot his own ship, but lost it to pirates in two days and has since come back.

Simon has built a reputation as a notable doctor to every small farm and allotment they frequent.

Inara is whoring more than ever. ;p

Everything is fine.

Until a Blue Sun group starts secretly infecting the crops with a similar retro-virus that killed off the Reavers.

A retro virus in the food that many ships, such as Serenity, deliver to the far reaches of the 'Verse.




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Wednesday, April 1, 2009 10:40 PM

JEWELSTAITEFAN


some other thoughts:
http://www.fireflyfans.net/mthread.asp?b=4&t=36237

Reavers have been around for 12 years. How much longer can they last? They run without containment, so how long can radiation victims stay alive?

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Thursday, April 2, 2009 1:30 AM

JONGSSTRAW


You over-estimate the power & reach of Mal's broadwave of the Miranda incident. The Alliance would simply counter it by saying it was just a cruel hoax. They would use their friendly media thralls to ridicule the amatuerish nature of the hoax itself. And then they would blame it on their political enemies, thereby only strengthening the Alliance's support from its' citizens. They would probably even create waves from the happy folks currently living on Miranda, all testifying how great life was there. Then, after a few days news-cycle, the whole thing would be forgotten. The Operative was right at least on one thing he said. Mal was fighting a war he could never win. But it was a glorious and admirable effort nonetheless.

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Thursday, April 2, 2009 4:34 AM

BYTEMITE


I kinda agree with Jongsstraw, apparently the message only reached 30 planets out of 70-something (or so Mal says is the range of Mr. Universe's equipment), and would likely have only reached planets in the Rim. I don't think the message will be completely ignored, and surely, out on the Rim, Mal will be finding himself with a lot of new brothers and sisters in anti-Alliance thinking.

I'd say, what I think is most likely, is that except for members of parliament having freak-outs, no one in the Core realizes. But they'll sure feel the effect of the government's increasing anxiety, and the general public would be feeling a vague sense of unease themselves as the Alliance moves more openly towards authoritarianism.

Plus, as far as I know, Blue Sun was never connected to Miranda, and I think it'd take more to topple them anyway, since they seem to have such a hefty government backing. And even if parliament gets nervous about chasing after River after this failure, Blue Sun will still want her, and still be sending Blue Hands and bounty hunters after her. They won't stop, not until something else captures their attention, or they realize that what they've done to River makes her unviable in their continuing experiments.

River can never be fully sane. She'll always have the chance to be overcome by her fears or her own shattered thought processes, because that's the result of the stripped amygdala. Her trauma means that she probably won't ever be able to progress past a teen-aged or child-like state. They can manage her symptoms, but they can't ever go away fully. Medicated River still speaks cryptically, fractured. But she is happier and more in control.

And I don't think Serenity can have it easy, not after the Alliance killed most of their friendly contacts, people willing to shelter them. The criminal world hears about that, they're going to be wary about dealing with the crew. And anyone with two brain cells to rub together might put together the timeline between when the Alliance struck against the friends of the crew, and when the Miranda recording was released... Or see Serenity, towed to the Eavesdown docks, looking like she just came through a war and down two crew members. Granted it won't be widely known, but I think some people will figure it out. And those people will be even more wary about getting involved with the crew. Or, like Badger, play on their desperation.

However, Schism, one of your thoughts about Jayne is one I'm exploring in fanfic form. :) I can imagine them, once in a while, having a windfall, and Jayne might try to strike out on his own (and fail spectacularly. Captaining ain't as easy as it looks!).

And I agree about what you think the rest of the crew will be up to.

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Thursday, April 2, 2009 1:17 PM

SCHISM


I think that there HAS to be an impact in light of the "message", otherwise Wash would have died for nuthin'.

NUTHIN'!

Besides...bear in mind that not a single person outside a select group knew about the Nazi extermination camps until a handful of Allied soldiers rolled in.

Word spread.

Governments fell.


Granted they were already well on their way towards falling at the time...

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Thursday, April 2, 2009 1:22 PM

BYTEMITE


Oh, not for nothing. The way the Operative says "we're finished?" Eventually, the Alliance is going down. But I don't think Miranda would cause that immediately, since the Core Worlds would have to get involved for any chance at success, and I doubt many people in the Core managed to see the broadwave.

A lot of the Rim wouldn't have cortex connections to see it, either...

But word would spread, I'll give you that. And out on the Rim and Border, those who did see it? They. Are. PISSED.

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Thursday, April 2, 2009 2:16 PM

NCBROWNCOAT


Quote:

Originally posted by Bytemite:
I kinda agree with Jongsstraw, apparently the message only reached 30 planets out of 70-something (or so Mal says is the range of Mr. Universe's equipment), and would likely have only reached planets in the Rim. I don't think the message will be completely ignored, and surely, out on the Rim, Mal will be finding himself with a lot of new brothers and sisters in anti-Alliance thinking.

I'd say, what I think is most likely, is that except for members of parliament having freak-outs, no one in the Core realizes. But they'll sure feel the effect of the government's increasing anxiety, and the general public would be feeling a vague sense of unease themselves as the Alliance moves more openly towards authoritarianism.

Plus, as far as I know, Blue Sun was never connected to Miranda, and I think it'd take more to topple them anyway, since they seem to have such a hefty government backing. And even if parliament gets nervous about chasing after River after this failure, Blue Sun will still want her, and still be sending Blue Hands and bounty hunters after her. They won't stop, not until something else captures their attention, or they realize that what they've done to River makes her unviable in their continuing experiments.

River can never be fully sane. She'll always have the chance to be overcome by her fears or her own shattered thought processes, because that's the result of the stripped amygdala. Her trauma means that she probably won't ever be able to progress past a teen-aged or child-like state. They can manage her symptoms, but they can't ever go away fully. Medicated River still speaks cryptically, fractured. But she is happier and more in control.

And I don't think Serenity can have it easy, not after the Alliance killed most of their friendly contacts, people willing to shelter them. The criminal world hears about that, they're going to be wary about dealing with the crew. And anyone with two brain cells to rub together might put together the timeline between when the Alliance struck against the friends of the crew, and when the Miranda recording was released... Or see Serenity, towed to the Eavesdown docks, looking like she just came through a war and down two crew members. Granted it won't be widely known, but I think some people will figure it out. And those people will be even more wary about getting involved with the crew. Or, like Badger, play on their desperation.

However, Schism, one of your thoughts about Jayne is one I'm exploring in fanfic form. :) I can imagine them, once in a while, having a windfall, and Jayne might try to strike out on his own (and fail spectacularly. Captaining ain't as easy as it looks!).

And I agree about what you think the rest of the crew will be up to.



Have to mostly agree with you Bytemite except I see a small group of former Browncoasts, some disillusioned Rim settlers, some bored university students and the odd conspiracy theroryist or two making little waves. They may not know who broadcast the Miranda wave but they believe it They are in the minority but a few are vocal and it sends shivers down the Alliance elite's collective back.

I also don't see Inara going back to be a full time Companion. Miranda was her personal Serenity Valley and she's disillusioned with the Alliance, yet she's not completely at home with the crew. It'll take a long time (and many arguments with Mal) until she finds her place among the crew. I'm not even sure if she and Mal get together, but eventually they find a sort of peace.

http://fireflyfaninnc.livejournal.com/








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Thursday, April 2, 2009 2:28 PM

BYTEMITE


Oh, I agree that the Rim will have it's Miranda believers and rebels... I even think most of the Rim will have had a major shift.

But I don't think they'll be very strong, not for a while.

After all... Alliance used PAX on Miranda and burned Shadow to the ground... Fear is a great impediment to action, you know, as mad as some people might get.

I used to think Inara might have a crisis with her belief in the guild, but someone pointed out to me that we have no proof that the guild is Alliance. And she loves her job too much to quit, she feels like it's what she's meant to do, and actually, it fits her.

Of course, I'm not so sure I believe the guild is not Alliance bit, simply because the Alliance would be stupid not to use companions and sex as a means of controlling the population. And because I have this theory about Chinese-American valuing merging and governments and corporations being one and the same... But like a bureaucracy, I don't think the guild is as bad or as sinister as some of the other parts. They do seem to take care of their girls and inspire some loyalty, and if Inara's anything to judge by, those girls aren't dumb. But I also don't think they've stumbled across the guild's alarming secrets yet, so until then, Inara remains a companion.

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Thursday, April 2, 2009 2:45 PM

FREEBROWNCOAT


I love the whole idea. Yes, the word will spread and heads will roll, though not in Parliament. Blue Sun will take a hit but as there is no other food source, people will elect to eat first, be moral later.

Perhaps Jayne keeps his ship and Mal does a deal with him but Blue Sun / Parliament Ops take after them both. They flee and fight together.

There is so much that could go from here ....

Looking forward to the Fanfic from all this.

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Thursday, April 2, 2009 2:46 PM

NCBROWNCOAT


I didn't say that Inara had a problem with the Guild but with the political system within the Alliance. There is a big difference.

And fear is what keeps the grumbling about the Alliance in the background, until one day, it may just blow up in their faces, especially if the control gets tighter and tighter. All it takes is one person or a small group to ignite a fire years later.

http://fireflyfaninnc.livejournal.com/








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Thursday, April 2, 2009 5:25 PM

BYTEMITE


If her problem is with the Alliance and not the guild, why would she leave the guild?

If the guild ever found out about her involvement in Miranda, they might revoke her license, but I can't see Inara voluntarily going.

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Thursday, April 2, 2009 5:44 PM

NCBROWNCOAT


I could see the Guild forcing Inara out because she's violated Guild laws by fleeing the Training House with Mal, being the reason the Operative visits the Training House and by associating with the crew. Those "crimes" don't even touch Miranda.

Inara's papers (on the Blu-Ray extras of Serenity) specifically say that she can't associate with law breakers. It would be a matter of "upholding the standards" of the Guild.

To quote the Papers:

"If at any time it is determined that either the above-named Ship, its crew, or the above-named Companion are engaging in activities viewed by the Alliance or the Companions Guild as extra-, sub-, or illegal, all authorizations of this trust will be made null and void...

...If the above-named Companion is at any time found to be in violation of any of the above-stated terms and conditions, all rights, privileges and agreements recognized in this document will be rendered null and void, resulting in possible censure of the above-named Companion, or revocation of the above-named Companion’s license."

BTW Inara's fee arrangements are very shiny.







http://fireflyfaninnc.livejournal.com/








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Thursday, April 2, 2009 6:20 PM

BYTEMITE


Hmm, I have the Blue Ray, but I guess I didn't look at Inara's entire file. That's a nice find.

"Extra." If I'm reading that right, it also looks like the guild prohibits any relationships it hasn't approved.

Not so surprising: I guess if the guild gets a cut of her earnings on commission, they wouldn't want the commodities to be given away for free.

Those stories those girls were telling at the Training House might get her kicked out too.

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Thursday, April 2, 2009 7:25 PM

PLATONIST


It says in the Serenity Movie Companion that the Alliance created the Guild, so I think there's a strong association between the two. Everyone she contracts with IS Alliance. I wasn't sure until I saw Inara's contract how specific the language was in regards to their policies on outside relationships and associating with criminals.
No wonder Mal wanted her to have no part in his business ventures. Her career was at stake.
And I think it's heavily implied in Serenity that she violated the contract. Her license is no longer valid to contract with the Guild. So I see things not looking so good for her post Miranda, especially if she needs Medical coverage:)

Joss gives his characters free choice but always makes them sacrifice something in return. She chose to leave the Training House and Haven to fly with Mal, she’s toast.

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