This story comes primarily from childhood play. In playing with all my action figures, it created the universe that I developed as a child with toys, and continued as an adult in my imagination. The story's source is primarily the figures, favorite tv shows and characters, a smattering of original characters, along with some redaction to help clarify gaping holes my universe of play never filled in. To say this story will fill those holes in believably, or even credibly is a long shot, but here is my effort. Characters aged and moved to different positions.
The story is told from the perspective of two writers collaborating to write the history, Lois Lane and Jake Sisco. The end of each chapter will include the source for characters and/or events in the story.
The first chapter includes the authors' preface, an introduction. Part of this book, the parts written by Lois are intended to be textbook like. Jake is intended to delve deeper into individual adventures and people. While there is even more back story, this is where earth begins to venture into space, and begins altering history as we know it.
History
Preface
A history of the Federation is challenging research. This is especially considering that it's only twelve years old, leaving many of the military and political resources still classified. But with a little help, we were able to find the necessary sources-meaning people and documents-to tell us the story.
Of course much of the history is painfully obvious, looking at the landscape of planet Earth, charred fore times over by various alien species, and a human-alien alliance. But now a federation of planets stands united against external threats. Not only is there a federation of planets, but also alliances that spread across a quarter of the galaxy.
Of course all of this is still tip top secret, but we have gathered much of it here.
I would like to take this time to thank so many people who have helped with various aspects of this project, but the one thing I am sure of is that my list will be incomplete. I can only hope that Jake remembers the people I forget.
First, I would like to thank Jake Sisco. He has been a great partner in the endeavor to tell the story of the Federation. Less importantly, but more impressively, he has been my personal spell-checker, fixing most of my mistakes as we passed chapters back and forth.
This has been a real corroboration. I specialize in the investigative reporting. Jake was the story teller. While I have written chapters looking at the big picture of the history, focusing on politics, and large battles, things involving context and backstory, Jake wrote the stories. He does a much better job of bringing the people to life. Thanks, Jake.
I would also like to thank my sources. (This part probably won't make it past the sensors, but here's your thanks anyway.)
From the very beginning, Oscar Goldman has been a key figure in the security of first the US, then Earth, and now the Federation. In his retirement he remains a key advisor to leaders, and a wealth of information for Jake and me.
I would also like to thank former President Spock for his brief interview as he, like Mr. Goldman, is still very active in assisting the leaders of the Federation.
I would like to thank my cousin Chloe, who encouraged me to become a reporter, and then aided us with a lot technical information and research.
Lastly, I would like to thank my love, Clark, for his patience, encouragement, and love. Thanks
Lois Lane
I would like to state, before I even begin to write, that the sensors have told me that this will not be published in its current form, probably in our lifetime. When Lois and I saw the edits that the sensors had made, we were both disappointed. Literally one of the paragraphs went "like…them…about…"
Lois and I decided that the best thing to do was to keep the history intact, and hope to release the account after much of the sensitive information is released, or no longer sensitive.
So with that in mind, I would like to thank Lois for her thorough and tireless research. When I struggled to find a story, Lois was always full of ideas and spunk.
I would also like to thank several people for their efforts in adapting this book to other forms of technology.
I would like to thank Leonard Michaels for videoing interviews, as well as traveling to video various important locations. Much of his work was turned over to some still currently in the military, namely Tom and B'Elanna Torres-Paris, the Doctor, and Tuvok for various types of holo-suite adaptations.
I would also like to thank my father, former Secretary and Admiral Benjamin Sisco-an important figure in many of these events, for voicing the audio book, as well as the video, and working with the aforementioned team on the holo-adaptations.
There are so many others to thank for their help in telling this story who I will not have space to mention here, but who will be included in a bibliography.
For those who will read this, one, or perhaps many generations into the future, enjoy.
Jake Sisco
December 1st, 2008
Introduction
In late 1979, the US faced what potentially could have turned into the decline of the country. A revolt in Iran against the American backed government led to the seizure of the embassy, and the taking of American hostages on foreign soil. Inflation was out of control. The Russians had invaded Afghanistan. The President chose to boycott the Summer Olympics which would be held in the Soviet Republic.
The military was in decline. The economy was on the decline. American prestige and pride were in decline. In the grand scheme of things, these nationalistic inclinations seem somewhat trivial, today, but for the nation and people living there in that time, there was a sense of depression.
There were two things that were contra-indications of this. #1. The space program was going forward. #2. The American people reacted to these events in such a spirit that brought them back to the forefront of global power, for good or ill. When the history-changing events that began in 1980 took form, the US was out front. This also made the US the primary target of enemies, both terrestrial and extra-terrestrial, as well as the object of disdain for those who felt America led without the right to do so.
But America did lead. And one must doubt that if the USSR, or the UN, or even an international cabal like Cobra had led, if things would have turned out better. Maybe. Maybe not. Of the group, Cobra seemed the most willing, even taking their efforts to an inter-stellar level, but we will have much to say on their efforts later.
What if the Russians had led the planetary defense against the Zentraedi? Certainly their cities would have been the targets of the Rain of Death, rather than US cities. Would Breetai have found them more favorable to side with against Dolza than with an American led force, which included the reasonable Henry Gloval, born in the USSR? They did not respond favorable to either Kirk or Spock, or the leadership of Wright.
And what would have happened if the UN had tried to negotiate with Breetai? The SDF-1 Macross had fired on Breetai's fleet upon his arrival, and without any ability for the personnel on board to stop the volley.
Breetai himself has said that once the shot was fired he would have ordered the extermination of the planet. It was Breetai's fleet, as well as the small contingency of human ships including the revamped SDF-1 that destroyed Dolza's fleet. What would have been left to deal with the Master's, much less the Invid? Would humanity have made allies with the races of the "4th Quadrant"? Would humanity have been able to resist Cobra and its Romulan and Klingon allies? ETC…
Perhaps all of this is true, or perhaps none. One only need look at the history for themselves. It is hoped that this book will provide facts and objectivity, while also humanizing some figures that may be seen as either hero or villain when they are neither. They were people who made tough choices when they had to be made, hoping they-like we hope for ourselves-were doing the right thing.
As a final note, some of the people and events are almost inexplicable. Temporal physics is not a strong point for either Ms. Lane or myself. My dad, a retired Starfleet engineer could not even explain some of the events that transpired, and President Spock's explanations were so complex we felt it virtually useless for our purposes (meaning we did not understand him). I believe Admiral Data, among others, will attempt at a later date a more scientific approach to many of the phenomena that brought histories together, intersecting to create this timeline that only a few understand. I will leave them to their work, and I will do mine.
God Bless
Jake Sisco
In 1979 NASA was putting together an ambitious space plan. The aero-space engineering firm Fisher-Price had designed and built a proto-type space station that could house over a dozen people indefinitely. It included artificial gravity, fire control systems, and launch-ports for repair shuttles or further exploration of the solar system.
The pieces were yet to be assembled, and the crew yet to be chosen. But two missions were announced. The first mission was the Ranger III mission to map the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. This was crucial as the second mission, the Jupiter II mission, would be the first manned space flight to leave the inner worlds and explore outer space. Their target was the system closest to earth, the binary Alpha Centauri system.
The designer of the Jupiter II was John Robinson, and he would take his family in stasis all the way to Alpha Centauri-also known as Rigel Kent-awaken upon their arrival, and explore. The trip would take decades, if everything went as planned. Of course it didn't.
In January of 1980, Oscar Goldman's OSI was given the responsibility of transporting an experimental fighter that would be deployed on the space-station. It was not yet complete, but it needed to get from Southern California to Kennedy Space Center.
An attempt to steal the plain from Edwards AFB in California led to the choice of the OSI, and Goldman turned to his best man, Steve Austin.
Both Oscar and Steve had learned the value of unorthodox methods and people, so recently they had put together a team whom they felt could pull off a task like this. Steve had been on leave from the Air Force, fulfilling his duties as an astronaut, and then as an agent in the OSI. He went back into active duty as a Colonel, and recruited several proven individuals for help.
He chose two California Highway Patrolmen, Sgt. Joe Getraer, and patrolman Francis (Ponch) Poncherello. Steve also chose several paramedics/firefighters: from the LA County Fire Department Johnny Gage and Roy DeSoto; and from a suburban Detroit, Michigan fire department he chose Nancy Drake and Tom Martin. These men and Nancy had already proven themselves to Steve and Oscar in helping to deal with a terrorist threat two years before.
As his 2nd in command, Steve chose Captain William Anthony "Buck" Rogers. He was a formidable pilot, qualified for the space program, with several other hidden talents.
Steve was forced to take a child along as well. Rusty Wright was a sharp kid of about 6. He was curious, but skinny. He too, had proven useful during the aforementioned terrorist threat. He would provide cover as a child for Steve, and the last member of his team, Jaime Sommers.
Jaime and Steve had never really taken on a mission together of this importance before. They both had their misgivings during the training, but it seemed to Oscar that he watched their romance rekindle, slowly. This was well, because they posed as husband and wife, with Wright as their son.
The whole idea felt wobbly to Oscar, but he felt that if anyone could pull off getting a super-secret space fighter -whose secret was out- where it needed to be, then Steve could.
The entire team had enlisted in the Air Force, except of course Steve and Buck who were already members. They underwent intense training in special operations, both as individuals and as a team.
The plan was simple. Sgt. Getrear, now Airforce Tech Sergeant Getrear, along with Poncherello would take motorcycles. Getrear, the senior NCO of the group, would be in front about a half an hour looking for trouble. Ponch would be in the rear about 45 minutes looking for the same.
The fighter would be in a semi-truck driven by a trucker named McKay, who did not know the contents of his trailer, the route, or the destination before he needed too. Austin trusted McKay, but if they got into trouble, it would be better he didn't know what was actually going on. Rogers rode with McKay. From Edwards they took I-15 north to I-70 east, rather than going a direct route. This would take them through the heart of the country.
Steve, Jaime, and the kid would be about 2 miles behind McKay in a pick-up truck hauling horses.
Johnny and Roy would travel at night in truck very similar to their old fire rescue squad. They had painted it black and it had the feel of a utility truck, but it had the same medical accoutrements and some heavy weaponry that neither paramedic hoped to ever have to use. They would arrive in town where McKay had stopped and keep an eye on things while the others slept, then sleep during the day until late in the afternoon while the others traveled.
Tom and Nancy traveled in a white ambulance to the town they were scheduled to go to the next day and scope out the hotel, the town, and look for trouble.
After two days of slow traveling, they stopped in Burlington, Colorado after stopping the night before in Richfield, Utah. Everything was fine and they continued on their way the next day. They stopped for gas and food in Hayes, Kansas at around 11 AM.
It was shortly after noon that a new impetus for the space program was born. The mission of Steve and his team, and the potential of the space fighter, went from curiosity to necessity in a matter of minutes.
A meteor shower struck a small town in northeast Kansas, and the first devastation of earth from space brought loss and destruction. By comparison to later events the destruction was small, but it was as significant.
LL
Steve pulled up to the café and noticed the bright red truck with the white stripe. A man leaned on the truck with his ape. They were sharing a meal. Jaime noticed Rusty watching the ape and it brought a smile to his face. Steve had never thought the idea of bringing the kid a good one, but Jaime liked the company.
"Don't you want one Steve?"
"No thanks, I don't need an ape."
"That's not what I was referring to."
"What are you referring to?"
"Never mind."
Phew, dodged that one, Steve thought.
They walked inside to have a 'family dinner'. Steve caught sight of Rogers. Buck only gave a slight wink. He was finishing his dinner. He and McKay, BJ McKay, would hit the road for Lawrence, Kansas for the night.
Steve saw that the time was about 11:30 now. He was impressed, in spite of the kid's interest in the ape, he never once asked to see it, or to talk to the trucker. Rusty seemed to understand the importance of discretion.
Buck left a few minutes later without saying a word. He, McKay and the ape loaded up and left the café/gas station and got back on I-70 eastbound headed toward Topeka, Lawrence, and Kansas City. From Kansas City they would head on to St. Louis.
Steve and Jaime sat down to a nice home style dinner. The kid stayed quiet. Not wanting to talk too much, Steve and Jaime spent a lot of time looking at each other. They all quietly enjoyed their meal. Then a young woman, perhaps even a teen-ager came up to their table with a small book.
"Can I have your autograph Miss Sommers? I have always been a big fan," she inquired politely.
"Sure," answered Jaime with her own polite and somewhat embarrassed smile. "I haven't played in years."
"You played last year in the Wayne Celebrity Charity Tournament in Gotham. You hit the ball harder than while you were playing pro. I was there. My father bought us tickets." She took back the autograph book from Jaime. She said "Thank you," then handed it over to Steve. Steve shook his head in confusion.
"I follow tennis, I play, but my mother loves those celebrity magazines. Two of her favorites are Steve Austin, and Bruce Wayne. None of the gossip columns put the two of you back together. I'm glad to see you are, after both of your horrible accidents and all," Steve signed the book quietly and gave the young lady back her pen as well. Discretion was out the window. They had attracted attention both by just being who they were, and even more so by being together. At least no one commented on the kid. They could never again even attempt this type of mission, and Steve hoped they could finish this one.
"Thanks," the excited girl squealed. "And Jaime, I didn't like those rumors about you and Bruce. He was too young for you." Jaime blushed, and Steve mockingly mouthed the words too young in her direction. The girl blushed, knowing she had said too much. Awkwardly curtsied and went back to her table.
The rest of the dinner went on without event. As Steve went to pay for the lunch, Jaime and Rusty took their final respective restroom trips before hitting the road again. Steve watched Ponch ride into town and stop at a restaurant across the road.
Jaime came out of the restroom in a rush, "What's all the excitement?"
"What excitement?" Steve asked.
Jaime rushed passed him out the door and looked at the people looking into the sky. Rusty came out after noticing it was 12:10. Steve followed.
"What do you see, Steve?" she pointed into the sky. Steve took a closer look. Jaime did not have your normal hearing, or a normal backhand for that matter. Steve did not have normal vision.
"Those are meteors, they're going to land several hours from here. Great, just great. Jaime, go call Oscar, I'll get McKay and the others on the horn. This may change everything."
Oscar told Jaime that they had been tracking the meteors for several minutes, but that they could not project touchdown. Oscar would have to get back to them on orders. Jaime would call him at their next stop. Steve had other ideas.
JS
Tom and Nancy were already ahead of them, but they were still in radio range. Steve ordered them to turn north, as well as Getrear. Ponch went ahead to catch up with McKay. He loaded his motorcycle into what little space McKay had left in the trailer, and rode with Rogers, McKay and the ape, named Bear.
Johnny and Roy would be the last ones to arrive. They all made their way toward northeast Kansas. They would take I-735 directly north out of Topeka and hit a state road to where ever they would need to go from there. They would all listen to AM radio to determine where 2 paramedic squads, 2 police officers, and Airforce officers might be needed most.
Metropolis was the largest city in Kansas, nestled along the Missouri River across from Missouri. Unlike Kansas City, which grew up on both sides of the river, Metropolis grew up entirely on the Kansas side of the river. The Missouri side had sand dune bluffs the state decided to preserve.
Metropolis was a city complete with suburbs, to rival the likes of Houston and Chicago. It was an international city, a center of trade for American farm goods, and farmers who wanted to make good. The city itself was dominated by the futuristic LuthorCorp headquarters. The owner, Lionel Luther, was hands on, and for the day had taken his son Alexander, on a helicopter flight to Smallville, Kansas.
Smallville was large enough to be the county seat. Unlike most such towns that had a town square that surrounded the county courthouse, Smallville had the Strip, or Main St was its formal name. It was big enough for a Walmart, an IGA grocery store, a couple of hometown restaurants, and a McDonald's. The primary industry was corn, and corn related: everything from canning, to decorations, tractor and farm implement dealers, to the local unregistered whiskey distilleries.
LuthorCorp's interest was in fuel potentials. It was well known that corn could fuel an automobile, but it is bad for engines.
The meteor shower devastated Smallville. Dozens were killed. Time featured the pictured of an orphan girl who lost her parents. Her aunt took her in and raised her. Lionel's own son was injured in the shower.
Hundreds of millions of dollars in damage. Ecological fallout from meteor rocks with radiation that had strange effects on the locals. The emotional tally to this day is uncountable.
The nation was livid. Many felt the disaster completely avertable. Whether or not it was true, most believed it should have been true. The space program and orbital defense became the outcry of the nation. Many felt the current administration was not up to the task, and it did not have time to recover during an election cycle.
It took some work for Steve to move all of his pieces north. Steve had McKay stop at a storage facility and unload his cargo there. Steve reimbursed McKay, hoping it would help to cover their tracks, then they headed to Smallville, where radio reports of damage were expanding.
The governor of Kansas declared a state of emergency, and called up the National Guard. But even so, Oscar Goldman grudgingly reported to one of the governor's men that Col. Austin would be arriving shortly to assist. Oscar did not like the delay, but he could do nothing about it. Steve wanted his whole team in Smallville to help. The space fighter, in Steve's mind, could wait.
LL
Lois Lane is of course from Superman. Bruce Wayne of Batman is also alluded to.
Spock, along with Kirk, is of course from the original Star Trek. Jake and Benjamin Sisco are from Star Trek: Deep Space 9. Tom and B'Ellana, along with Tuvok and the Doctor are from ST: Voyager. Data is from ST: the Next Generation.
Steve Austin, Oscar Goldman, and Jaime Sommers are from the Six Million Dollar Man, and the Bionic Woman.
BJ McKay and Bear are, of course, from BJ and the Bear. Johnny Gage and Roy DeSoto were from Emergency!
Getrear and Ponch were from CHiPs (I never had a Jon Baker figure.)
The Smallville story characters, including Lionel, Clark, Lex, and Chloe, are a part of the redaction, though Lois and Clark have been part of the universe prior to the Smallville series.
Buck Rogers is from Buck Rogers in the 25th Century.
Dolza, Breetai, Exedore, Henry Gloval, the Zentraedi, (Robotech) Master's, and the Invid are all from Robotech, along with the event the 'Rain of Death'. Robotech is said to have occured in the '4th Quadrant', whatever that means.'
Fisher-Price does in fact refer to the toy company. Why not?
Most of the roads and towns, aside from Smallville and Metropolis are real, and on the map. I-735 seemed like a good name for a road between Topeka and the mythical Metropolis just to the northwest of St Joseph, Missouri.
Rusty is an original character. Tom and Nancy are the names that came with the figures that came with the Fisher-Price adventure people ambulance. Well built toy, my kids still play with it.
Any guesses on Leonard Michaels. He is 'Scoop' from GIJoe, as are Cobra.
If I have forgotten any, jump in and post one. I tried also to create historical context for the events. Real history did affect my universe.