Five Earths - Timeline (2013 April)

Dec 21, 2012 to January 2013	2013 February	2013 March	2013 April
2013 May	2013 June	2013 July	2013 August
2013 September	2013 October	2013 November	2013 December

This is the timeline of the Five Earths, All in a Row setting of 2013 April
(1941 on Earth-2, 1879 on Earth-3, 1556 on Earth-4, and 515 CE/1268 AUC on Earth-5)

April 1, 2013

A little after midnight that morning, NASA begins receiving transmissions from the Spirit rover on Mars. At first, this is believed to be a joke in poor taste, but it is repeatedly confirmed. The rover is mobile, but only just. In Infopunk Britain, a newspaper called The Sun reports the crowning of a new King o' the Cats, witnessed by a reporter for The Sun, Queen Elizabeth II, and Ambassador Brigith mírchArthur ('mírch' means 'daughter of'; it seems to have been 'merch' in Old Welsh, but she's from about 300 years too early for Old Welsh to exist). Also in The Sun, a young couple reports having been chased out of a graveyard by a weeping angel statue, though what they were doing in a graveyard at night is left to the readers' imaginations. In orbit of Clp-Earth, the last Martian scout begins its survey of the planet, starting with the debris ring, from which it takes a few small samples.

April 3

A civilian-owned, refurbished, and modified F-104 Starfighter is launched from Japan. The highly unusual design includes a crude fusion impulse engine, using a pair of enhanced polywells for power, and somewhat based on a partially lithium-fueled engine that NASA is working on. This is not the only innovation on it, which is proven when the old fighter leaves the atmosphere, makes three orbits around the Earth, and re-enters the atmosphere (protected by an endothermic force field, which took longer to make than any other component of the spaceplane, being a new creation, rather than modified and enhanced off-the-shelf technology), requesting landing clearance at Vandenberg Space Force Base (which is eagerly granted). Step-by-step instructions for the upgrades are made available online, in Japanese and fairly understandable 'Engrish'. The pilot, Kurita Omiko, applies for and receives a job at Lockheed-Martin, as do some of her team. The rest, unskilled in Engrish, much less English, are hired by the Japanese equivalent of DARPA. The most flight-worthy (which in this context mainly means 'the airframe can still take the load') of the retired F-104s under US government control are ordered transferred to DARPA and LockMart for testing and possible upgrade (start with what already worked, before trying it on other vehicles). Other governments in possession of F-104s begin to do likewise (as do some that have other fighters, with varying degrees of success).

April 4

The Martian scout at Clp-Earth appears to have finished its work, for it returns home. On Stp-Earth, Congressman Jesse Woodson James (D-Mo.) files suit against various Inp- and Dp-Earth filmmakers, authors, and publishing houses, for defamation of character. Also on Stp-Earth, the Papal Expedition to Inp-Earth is launched. On Dp-Earth, at a site code-named 'Ort Fünf' (Location Five), in German East Africa, a new group of rockets is launched, while that part of the world is facing away from the other Earths. The rockets dock in orbit and vanish, as before.

April 5

At Dartmouth College, on Inp-Earth, Dr. Paul Vincent says "Gee, that's funny," and vanishes, along with his lab bench, and the equipment thereon. A particle spray is detected, centred on that location, but is markedly different from those of arriving spacecraft, seeming somewhat 'inverted'. Also on Inp-Earth, all bearers of the surname 'Spock' (an old and respected English family, sometimes found in the colonies) have developed Vulcanoid characteristics by this date. In many cases, this is limited to pointed ears, upswept eyebrows, and an increased ability to control the expression of emotion (though 'ability' is not the same as 'desire, or 'necessity'), but quite a few also report increased strength, touch telepathy, and so forth - none of them have hearts where their livers should be, though. NYC's 'vigilante problem' makes the international news, when the Russian ambassador is saved from an assassination attempt by a minor Chechen faction by a 'Batgirl' (Steph Brown version, w/ gas mask) and a 'Spider-Man' (Miles Morales costume, but an adult). The superheroes could not be reached for comment. General William L. Shelton, USSF Chief of Staff, breaks ground for the United States Space Force Academy campus, by San Francisco Bay.

April 7

Time-Warner/DC begins founding Green (and other colours) Lantern- and Justice League-related NGOs. Their purposes are primarily SAR and other disaster relief, but also private investigation and bonded security, with required classes for any branch, and some overlap between branches by individuals and teams. They do this mainly because they are scared of Nekron, and deeply worried about the lack of visible government response to the vanishing Black Lantern rings. A few Inp-Earth aerospace corporations begin plans to test the Japanese 'Starfighter' upgrade on their own products. Last transmission from the Sanctus Christopherus indicates that the whole expedition is being arrested, on the orders of the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Roman and Universal Inquisition.

April 9

A second attempt is made on the Russian ambassador's life (well, the life of his body-double), this time by what appears to be a shapeshifting clay-golem, which later admits to being 'in it for the money', and a guy in a Rhino suit, as well as an Orange Lantern who arrived late (and was also in it for the money). They are defeated by a 'Batman, three who people acted as superheroes before the Event (with names made up themselves), and two Spiders (adult Miles again, and an Iron Spider of uncertain gender). The arrival of the Orange Lantern attracts a Green Lantern, a Blue Lantern, and a male Star Sapphire (purple speedo with boots, gloves, and a full-face mask), who contain both the Orange Lantern and the shapeshifter, allowing the others to overwhelm the Rhino and the small team of disposable terrorists.

April 10

As a publicity stunt on Infopunk Earth, Robert Downey, Jr. and Troy Hurtubise (and several less well-known, very well-paid, and very nerdy engineers, mostly off-screen) build a suit of working Mark I Iron Man armour, in a cave, with a box of scraps (well, more of a large crate of carefully selected scraps, and a few more crates of tools). The armour is capable of keeping the operator fairly comfortable in the Nevada desert for twenty-four hours of operation (though Downey is only in the suit for about three hours of filming, before handing it over to an Army Ranger for the full twenty-four), before needing replacement of food and water stocks, and is eventually shown to be able to work for a week (much to the shock of the Ranger testing it, and other Army personnel) without needing any maintenance that the operator cannot provide in the field, mainly thanks to the multi-mini-polywell 'Arc' reactor in the chestplate (and redundant mini-polywells elswhere). It cannot fly, and is technically unarmed, but the enhanced strength is close to peak human limits, though with greater endurance, the speed is about equal to what an Army Ranger could make in the same terrain (though he'd make less noise without it), and the armour plating is highly resistant to bullets. The engineers are immediately hired by DARPA, to work on the next model of the suit, while Hurtubise is hired by the Canadian equivalent.

April 11

Disney/Marvel announces plans to create Avengers and X-Men Academies. Not to be outdone, DC announces their intention to create a few Titans Academies (which include the same sort of classes that you need to be a field agent in one of the League or Lantern NGOs, once you're old enough). One selling point for the Titans Academies, at least to some adults, is that they're not 'segregated', in the sense that they don't care whether you self-identify as a 'mutant' or not (of course, comics fans know that's not the point: Avengers fans want to go to one, X-Men fans want to go to the other, fans of both pick one). The stated purpose of these schools is to educate the children in the safe, ethical, and legal use of their powers, keep the kids in school until they're eighteen, and more importantly, keep them from going out and getting themselves and other people killed (or more cynically, to keep them from ending up dead on the news, in costumes from the comics those companies publish). Of course, telling the kids that they're going to have to wait years before they can go out and 'be superheroes' doesn't exactly endear the idea to them, regardless of how the parents feel. Near Cape Canaveral, FL, President Obama breaks ground for the Space University. On Stp-Earth, the first section of the Russian Empire's heavy astronef Pyotr Velikiy is launched to their space station. It will arrive at the station on April 14th. Pope Clement XV announces that all new expeditions to the other Papacies, including a second, larger expedition to the Renaissance Earth, will be delayed until after the war, due to the need to build up resources for them, and the costs of the war.

April 13

On Inp-Earth, Ed Greenwood becomes a Chosen of Mystra (and Mystryl, and Midnight, but all three treated as one goddess) around this date. A small number of other Forgotten Realms fans also become Chosen by her, but only Greenwood is Chosen by all three Aspects. None of them are more than a small fraction as powerful as the Chosen in the books, of course. US President Obama orders all surviving OV-100 class Space Shuttles (OV-101 Enterprise, OV-103 Discovery, OV-104 Atlantis, and OV-105 Endeavour) returned to active duty, and flown to Vandenberg and other suitable locations, for refitting. While technically part of NASA and the USSF's Space Exploration Command (a.k.a. Star Fleet Command, among other nicknames), for the duration of the war, the OV-100 class (and the subsequent OV-200 class, to be designed from lessons learned from the upgraded OV-100s) will be on temporary assignment to the USSF Space Assault Command, or SAC. To help pay for the retrofits, special 'Shuttle Bonds' are issued by the government. More general war bonds are predicted, and a number of advertising companies are already preparing commercials for them; some comic and magazine companies have simply dusted off the ones they used in the 1940s, with or without updates. USSF PR personnel begin reviewing the records of USSF officers and other ranks with names similar to those of Star Trek characters (whether their superiors will listen to their advice on this, or not).

April 14

One of Infopunk-Earth's nascent mages begins serious work on codifying the rough equivalent of the Transmutation School in D&D parlance. Tellingly, some of his "talismans of power" (reusable material components) include his lucky dice in a small leatherette dice bag, and a small purple unicorn figurine. In an interview at Sea World, scientists admit to having made repeated telepathic contact with various dolphins, and confirmed that they really don't want to talk to them. They also recommend that all 'Swim with the Dolphins' activities be cancelled, for the safety of the swimmers. Disney/Marvel establishes Avengers and X-Men NGOs. Cooperation with other NGOs and government organizations is explicitly part of their training, and cross-training with local League and Lantern teams is scheduled in areas where both are present, as company policy.

April 16

The Kingdom of Hawai'i opens Earth Three's first audio-broadcast radio station, transmitting news, music, and radioplays throughout the Hawai'ian Islands. The first broadcast is a plea from King Kamehameha VI, in both English and Olelo Hawai'i, to the USAs of the 'Future Earths', to free 'the captive peoples' of their worlds' respective Hawai'is, and 'allow them to choose their own, legitimate governments, be they Kingdom, Republic, or any other'. It is not received well in either America, though many anti-colonialist organizations on both worlds seize upon it as a cause, generally without bothering to ask the 'captive peoples' how they feel about it.

April 17

On Dp-Earth, 12-year-old genius Alexander 'Lex' Luthor creates an advanced radio-computer, capable of easily accessing the internet of Infopunk Earth. A remote terminal for the device is given to his father, the criminal mad scientist Dr. Alexei Luthor, as a birthday present. On Inp-Earth, an early failure in Project November's teleportation experiments is adapted into a potentially long-ranged disintegration ray. During a round of 'horse trading' between the armed services, USAF 964th Airborne Air Control Squadron ("Phoenix Squadron") is redesignated 964th Space Flight Test Squadron, upon transfer to USSF Space Force Materiel Command. The move is widely criticized, as the only items actually transferred are the number, the nickname, and three of the best pilots.

April 19

The astronef Myrmidon, carrying the embassy from Stp-Britain, arrives in Earth One orbit. After circling the planet twice, she enters the atmosphere, and glides down for a landing at London Heathrow Airport, chosen for the length of its runways. In Inp-Germany, Heinkel Raumschiffwerke is founded by a group of investors, including a few empowered relatives of Ernst Heinkel. Their medium-to-long-term plan is to manufacture the Space Jet vessels from the Perry Rhodan series, starting with the HSJ-1 Gribbon (page from a fanfic used, because one of the Heinkels read it; listed FTL drive and some other components not present).

April 21

On Dp-Earth and Inp-Earth, respectively, Robert A. Heinlein and J. Michael Straczynski announce that they are collaborating on a movie serial script, tentatively named Star Trek: Star Fleet Academy. Casting has barely begun, but both James Doohan and DeForest Kelley are already under contract as stars, and Gene Roddenberry has expressed interest in this adaptation of his late counterpart's work. Many visual effects will be done by computer on Inp-Earth, and transferred to Dp-Earth by the power of radio (Dp-Earth TVs are getting a lot better, thanks to information for Inp-Earth).

April 23

Lex Luthor joins several Inp-Earth internet forums (including this one, having stumbled across it on a Google-walk), and his impressionable young mind is somewhat warped by the experience. On Inp-Earth, several enhanced F-104s begin test flights outside the atmosphere, including one successful delivery of a small satellite to LEO. A graduate student named Michelle Logan delivers a prop she built to DARPA, as it has become a working Portal Gun. Unfortunately, being a spontaneously enchanted item, Ms. Logan does not know how to duplicate it.

April 25

After several days of analysis, the numerous samples of Haversham's Sovereign Cognitive Enhancer brought by the Myrmidon are distributed to various scientists, pharmacists, and engineers in the UK, including several visiting from the Commonwealth nations and the US. About half of these luminaries are already enhanced, and the other half are not.

April 27

Starship Enterprises, Ltd. is founded in California, by CBS, Paramount, and a large group of Star Trek fanclubs, for the purpose of manufacturing enhanced (enchanted) technology on a Star Trek theme. On Stp-Earth, US President Phelps breaks ground at Cape Canaveral for the William Cranch Bond Rocket Field. The Stp-Russian ambassadorial astronef Aleksandr Nevskiy arrives in Inp-Earth orbit, and lands at Domodedovo International Airport outside Moscow.

April 29

Lex Luthor discovers the TV Tropes entry called Cut Lex Luthor A Check, and is deeply inspired, despite his father's insistence that the idea completely misses the point of his villainy. Dp-Germany launches Earth Two's first ballistic missile submarine. On Inp-Earth, 42 Commando Royal Marines is redesignated 42 Commando Royal Space Marines. On Stp-Earth, the second section of the Russian Empire's heavy astronef is launched to the space station.

April 30

The elder Luthor discovers the Evil Overlord List... and promptly discards it as the meaningless prattle of small-minded fools, like anything else that points out what he's doing wrong. The younger Lex holds a different opinion. Four B-52Gs are delivered to DARPA, to test whether the Japanese Starfigher upgrade can be adapted to larger aircraft.