How It Could Have Started

[Wyatt]

(title stolen from one of my favorite YouTube channels, How It Should Have Ended)

Let's start a sort of speculation game.  It has not yet been revealed how the UNIT, Changing Connection (CC) folks, and possibly others have gotten to the Revolutions Universe (RU).  Yet, in the case of the UNIT, they arrived with a large, stocked, underground base.  The majority of stuff was old, as the base was originally found over in the original Clan Short Universe (CSU).  Yet some of it was recent, such as the helicopters and Logan's workstation.  Chang and Juan had been reverted back from Klingon to augmented human.  Their mental powers still functioned, but were more difficult to use.  It appears that the CC folks retained their abilities as well, but also more difficult to use.  Let us begin the game with the one hint Roland has offered.

from New Beginnings Ch.7: (expand if you have already read or don't care about spoilers)

They had no luck in trying to contact anyone from the universe they knew, The Doctor, the Mikyvis, no one. They couldn't even feel the other UNIT members. They were truly cut off, and nothing that anyone could think of helped. He'd even gone so far as asking for ideas from the Chipmunks, Daileass, Haden, Barrett, and everyone else. Nothing seemed to be able to get them any closer to finding a way home than what they had already come up with. Logan wasn't ready to accept defeat yet, but it was starting to look like they might be stuck here.

Then his mind reeled for a moment. His other self, lovingly called 'Big Logan' by the others, had found something very disturbing as he looked in on their home dimension while he worked on ways to get them home. As much as it disturbed him, he was going to have to keep this from everyone. Going home was not what he had thought. In reality he wasn't sure what home really was anymore. This changed everything! He wouldn't stop looking, but now things took on dimensions that he had never even thought of as a possibility. Well that is what you get for thinking you knew something. The Universe would just thumb it's nose at you and let fly with the cosmic boogers.

With that as the kickoff point, let me begin the game with an in-context scenario, taking place a couple weeks after the quote from Roland (this is me writing, and probably will bear little relationship to what Roland eventually does write):

- - - - - - - - - - -

No one knew why Logan had called them together.  Most of the UNIT had already arrived, consisting primarily of those who had appeared from another universe.  The core UNIT members had appeared with their base in UTAH, others weeks prior while on a rescue mission to Montana.  Also present were Brett and his gifted wards from yet another universe, who had appeared in California two days after the core UNIT folks.  Curiously, another UNIT team as well as a few non-UNIT augment kids had appeared at essentially the same time and place as Brett's group.  Unfortunately a few of the interdimensional refugees were not able to be at this meeting.  Logan would fill them in later.

Logan raised his hand and begin speaking.  "Okay guys, let's get started."  He paused for a moment, and shimmered.  Then an ethereal form split off from him, continuing to shimmer.  The new form appeared to be Logan as well, and the room became pin-drop silent.  Adam spoke up, "Is that you, um, Big Logan?  I've never actually seen you before."

"Yes, it is both I and we who are I."

Chang stage whispered, "I wonder if he comes with fortune cookies."  Everyone had a quick laugh or at least a smile, including both Logans.  It was not just the joke itself, but who had told it, making the line especially funny.

The non-shimmering Logan looked at Brett and some of the others not likely to know about the second form.  "Guys, I'm not an augment like most of the other UNIT members.  However I am classified as a "perfected human", the result of centuries of guided breeding.  The shimmering guy is me too, and he is known as Big Logan.  I..We, whatever, decided to split when I was a child.  I got *very* bored.  He normally wanders the Astral Realms and thinks Big Thoughts, while I stay on Earth and get real shit done."  Big Logan stuck out his tongue at his other self, and everyone giggled.

Brett inquired, "Astral Realms? You mean like heaven?"

"Nice place, but I've only been outside the gates.  You-all can expect to be there one day." answered Big Logan.  "But more than just heaven.  I have been privileged to visit many planes and other universes.  The higher races can travel by body, but I can only travel in astral form, normally invisible.  Once appearing in this place, however, I have been mostly cut off from the mutliverse.  It is as if this universe and a few others have been isolated from the rest.  I don't know why, or how."

Logan cut in, "The metaphysics of it all can be discussed at a later date.  You all know Adam and both of I and others have all been working to find a way to get back home."  He paused, needing to bolster his emotions for what needed to be said.  Adam could see that Logan was on the verge of crying, and stood up, walking to Logan to take his hand.  He didn't know what was about to be said, but he did know that it was extremely important.  Logan smiled at Adam, acknowledging the support of his mate.

"There is a .. problem," Logan continued to the group.  "You see, we had been working on finding ways to get back home.  If we were brought here, transported here, moved here, a way would be found.  However, Big Logan has discovered that this initial assumption was false.  None of those things happened."

Juan was a master tactician, always aware of his situation.  Part of this was to not only listen to what was said, but what was unstated.  He suddenly became almost enraged.  He stood, shouting, "So help me God, Logan, either Logan -- if all this has been some sort of super-advanced mindscape, I'm going to cut off your fucking scrotum, chop up your testicles and plant the pieces throughout the planet!  Let's see if one of them can grow up with a soul!!"

Even though this possibility had occurred to Adam as well, Logan had the right to explain, and Juan was out of line.  Summoning his command voice, "Juan, stand down.  Allow Logan to continue."  Juan calmed slightly, and took his seat.

Logan closed his eyes, and sighed quietly.  "Juan, how I wish that was it.  That we could fix, and I'd happily give up my balls if that is what it took to do it.  But no, this is not a mindscape.  We are in a very real place, a very real universe, and I assure you no illusion of any sort is involved."  Logan closed his eyes, pausing.  He did not know how to say it.  He did not want to say it.

Big Logan spoke up, "What I discovered, and has my other me at almost an emotional collapse -- We were not brought here.  We were not transported here.  We were not somehow moved here."  With a pause to make sure everyone's thoughts could catch up with his words, "We were copied here,."

- - - - - - - - - - -

Now the game can begin.  What happened?  Who/what did the copying?  Why?  Feel free to add your speculation.  Even author(s), editors, archivists, etc., who may actually know how it started can play.  You just have to lie.  I'll start, with what will likely be the next post.  Just my luck I keep typing and my computer crashes.  <shudder>

 

[Wyatt]

My first speculation may be simultaneously the best fit and least likely.  It is a scenario involving both the Clan Short Universe (CSU) and the Revolutions Universe (RU).  I consider it least likely because it involves a character conspicuously unmentioned in the RU, Joel (aka Sa'ren).  While Sa'ren was born into the CSU, through malicious manipulations of higher-level beings, he was transported to another universe while an infant.  This was a sort of a small test universe, about to be a failed universe.  That Earth had begin devolving at the beginning of the 21srt century.  Joel arrived around 2140 or so, and by that time Earth was fairly primitive and slavery was common.  A worldwide dictatorship made life pretty much hellish for everyone, most especially for slaves.  Joel was a slave, with no hope, and no knowledge of his origin.

At about the age of 12, Sa'ren was rescued and brought to his true universe.  It was revealed that Sa'ren is the "Shaper", the Master of Destiny.  He can actually alter what is in the Book of Life.  While the CSU doesn't mention it, I imagine that Sa'ren might have an other self, very similar to Big Logan.  Let's call him Big Joel (cuz Sa'ren is awkward to type).  Assume Big Joel discovered another universe, one that was meant to thrive separately from the others.  Yet that universe's Earth was about to experience something very much like what had happened to the one he grew up in.  There had been interference from outside forces.  Big Joel could not, would not allow his Hell to exist again.  Because of this interference, Big Joel and the Guardian of Time (another CSU character unmentioned in the RU) are allowed to "shape", to try to set things right.

They need to provide help to the RU.  Give it some manpower and tools to enable it to overcome the evil interference which had occurred.  At the same time, they don't want to cause problems for Sa'ren's universe.  They solve the conflict by copying the people and tools from their and other universes to the RU.  What Big Joel had not been allowed to do was reveal the "why" to the new heroes.  He could temporarily break the barrier between these universes and give it a chance of hope.

[Al Norris]

I'll only say that your scenario was defeated by what the Scireians "discovered." And they have a way home... well, home to the UNIT kids.

Of course some of them won't.... Oops! Can't give that part away before it's published!

[ken barber]

The  accessed a  and caused a  which in turn made and to. The end result was the and the  had to quickly. The removal of the safeties on the  caused a massive . This multiplied the leading to the .

 

 

[Wyatt]

Al, you are either doing as I suggested, and lying  , or maybe getting ahead of yourself.  In ch.5 of Scireians (the latest as of now), they had discovered and began analyzing the dimensional rifts, but had not yet done anything with that knowledge, not that I remember anyway.  I look forward to reading chapter 6, though!

Ken, apparently you don't realize I have r-ray vision and can read right through the redactions.  Very interesting ...  However, I am not sure how it all fits, considering the  [redacted]  hadn't yet  [redacted]  in the kitchen.

speculation #2 - #4

These are similar to my first speculation, having the same why.  What varies is the who, and probably the how, which not even I am crazy enough to get into.

1. Big Joel + Guardian of Time, as described above
2. God (the Father) directly
3. the RU's Terra, self aware and very powerful
4. some not as yet revealed high race (not the Q Continuum, Time Lords, nor Mikyvis, but like them)

 

[Al Norris]

Ah, but there was a clue in Chapter 5

"Other than our physicists think that they can create a portal to Universe One? No. I'll let you know in a couple of days."

"Always save the best for the last, hmm Jens?"

"I've been taking lessons from you, Katja" He smirked, which caused everyone to laugh.

Edited September 12, 2015 by Al Norris

[ken barber]

speculation #2 - #4

These are similar to my first speculation, having the same why.  What varies is the who, and probably the how, which not even I am crazy enough to get into.

1. Big Joel + Guardian of Time, as described above
2. God (the Father) directly
3. the RU's Terra, self aware and very powerful
4. somee not as yet revealed high race (not the Q Continuum, Time Lords, nor Mikyvis, but like them)
5. An anomaly, like a rift or black hole. Maybe others not UNIT or any of the others came through too. Like regular people and they are scared and confused, hiding trying to find out what happened to them and why their world is suddenly so different.

[D'Artagnon]

Two quotes that might shed light or perhaps more shadow on the whole thing:

1.  "In stories and in life, it's the journey that's important, not the destination."  And,

2.  "Dreams are always just beyond your reach."

 

I could include a third one that might get me angry stares.  Not all stories have happy endings.  No matter how much we may want our heroes to live forever, things happen, choices are made, and even toughened warriors that know better make mistakes.  Who is to say that one of the main characters wont buy the farm, even while showing us what is most noble and most honorable?  The hero's path is often one of sacrifice, and more often than not, paid in the dearest coin of all.

 

[Wyatt]

Al, we see that the Scireians, the Geek Squad, and possibly the Alterans may indeed find a way back to the UNIT's home universe.  However, take my scenario further, about them all being copies.  They cannot go back to what they knew, because they never left.  While on the one hand, the doubles of everyone might be initially welcomed, how would they fit in?  As the most extreme case, would the now human Chang and Juan get along with their Klingon counterparts, not to mention their kids and lovers?  Or is it all pain for everyone, waiting to happen?  They aren't them, not any more.  I think it would soon be obvious that as copies, they no longer belong in the CSU.  They were created for a purpose in the RU, a purpose they had instinctively accepted (sort of like new Alterans being created with loyalty to their king).  I really don't see them backing away from it now.

Also, being copies explains why their high-race friends (Mikyvis, Q, The Doctor) did not find them.  They were not looking, because no one was missing.

- - - - - - - - - -

Ken, it will be interesting to learn about other possible cross-dimensional refugees, especially, as you suggest, "regular people" inexperienced with conflict and powers.  You seem to imply, though, that the whole thing could have been a cosmic accident.  While certainly a valid speculation, I rate it as second least likely due to the circumstances of the core UNIT member's arrival. (My own first speculation I still rate as least likely.)

1. How/why would a random black hole convert Chang and Juan from Klingons to Humans?  I suppose one might argue that in the RU the Klingons, and by extension their spiritual founder Kahless, do not exist.  (Star Trek exists is mere fiction to the RU.)   It was Kahless who resurrected, healed, and made whole Chang and Juan, as well as make them Klingons to better suit their temperament and mates. The argument being that in a universe with no Klingons, then what Kahless did was undone.  If so, why are Chang and Juan even alive, though?  Heck, IIRC, Chang had even lost a foot in his "unwinnable battle".  What put that back?  (I suppose it could have been a friendly black hole...)
2. The UNIT underground base is most telling of a deliberate act.  The whole fricking multi-level base was transferred, not just the cavern that core UNIT members happened to be in.  And the specifics of the base make no sense as part of a random anomalous event.  For the most part the base was as the UNIT guys had found it months previously, stocked with decades old stuff, and not yet expanded by the Mikyvis.  Yet they had recent (current to them) tools as well, such as the helicopters, Logan's workstation, pico-bots, tri-corder, etc.
3. There have been at least six cross-dimensional events putting new folks into the RU.  Four, spaced over a period of weeks, involving UNIT guys from the same dimension, one involving non-UNIT augments from the same dimension, and one involving Brett's Disconnected crew from a second dimension.  Even if there are (or will be) other "normal" transfers who have no special abilities and have nothing to do with the UNIT, it is difficult to explain those we know of as being random events.  (Heck, let's add Nate from Time Quake.  An "accident" in yet another universe just happens to drop him into the RU out of all possible universes?  Maybe, since he arrived over a year before everyone else.  But it seems an awfully big coincidence.)

I argue that someone or something, extremely intelligent and aware, chose to copy the personnel it felt were necessary, along with the tools they would need.  Or perhaps, if evil, a chaotic jerk, or just not as smart as he thinks he is, lacking the full extent of what will be needed...

- - - - - - - - - -

D'Artagnon, I'm glad you joined us.  I hope you find our geeked-out speculations to be interesting, and we don't scare you away.  I have not yet read any of your stuff, but I'll get to it.

My focus on this thread is for folks to speculate on "how it started", how the RU is getting players from other universes.  While I don't know if the overall story will lead to very dark events or to a happy ending, that is a whole other speculation, and one also fun to think about.  It is quite possible as you suggest we will never know what actually happened to start things off.  The journey is indeed the most important thing.  But that don't stop this RU+CSU fanboy from trying to figure it all out!

 

Edited September 14, 2015 by Wyatt
adjusted my likeliness rating of random act