Marvel Cinematic Universe is owned by Disney. So are the Royal Dirty Dozen (what my daughters call the Disney Princesses).
Morning, War Office, Whitehall, London, England, September 6, 1888
The river steamer had plowed through the River Thames in good time, having brought Rear Admiral Jonathan Mel Smith to London by mid-morning, having traveled from Calais to the shores of England, the sea-worthy ferry that the Director of Operations for the Directorate of Intelligence and Supply, Nautical Enforcement Yard had taken landing in Southend-on-Sea earlier that morning where he caught a river transport to travel upstream the River Thames along with Commander Jane Minnie Porter and Commander Michael Darling, who had witnessed most of the events concerning the destruction of Project: HELIOS. The Director would have used a train, but the next one to London would have meant waiting two hours along with a stop and Basildon and Ilford, while the river steamer, a part of the Royal Navy, merely took his orders to steam full-ahead upriver straight to London. Despite the slower speed, he made it to the capital sooner than if he had taken the train, which pleased him.
About the only thing that went bloody right the past day, the one-eyed man thought to himself.
When the steamer docked at the London Wharfs, Smith exited the vessel along with Agents Porter and Darling, knowing that the next portion of their lives wouldn't go bully for them; a review made in front of the Admiralty at the very least, perhaps even more. The three of them disembarked the steamer with their feet hitting the cobbled stones of London Proper where the London Bridge and Buckingham could be seen further down stream, along with Big Ben and the Old Bailey. Smith took a deep breath, smelling the hint of chill in the air along with the slight fumes of coal dust from the many smoke stacks of oil and coal factories that populated the great city. The London Wharfs was populated by dock workers and citizenry on their daily business, and Smith saw that the Admiralty had been at least expecting him; beside the Wharfs was a DISNEY Agent beside a leStarq Intercontinental's Voiture à Moteur Fantastique, the motor buggy a four-wheel, four-person contraption that had won the Intercontinental Grande Prix six years prior with inventor and genius Clarence leStarq's daughter as it's motor jockey by outracing nine other models from around Europe. Really, it was just another leStarq contraption that the French flouted with their darling genius inventor and his up-and-coming daughter.
"Admiral, I am to take you to the War Office post-haste." The DISNEY Agent beside the motor buggy relayed to him, giving him a British salute as the man eyed the other two with him. "While they didn't mention others, I believe it would be wise that all of you go."
"Thank you, Jarvis." The Director replied as he went to the uncovered contraption, turning to give a hand to Commander Jane Porter to ascend onto the vehicle via its sideboard as a Englishman should as Commander Michael Darling climbed up the other side, the both of them taking the back padded bench seat as John climbed on himself, sitting on the left side while Master Chief Petty Officer Edwin Jarvis took to the right where the steering lever was situated. Using an electric ignition coil, the older gentleman turned on the electric engine that was powered by a revolutionary kind of battery that the English hadn't quite figured out what it was comprised of, reverse engineering having not created a suitable likeness yet. Then there was the fact this it also had a hydrogen fuel cell generator to keep the battery charged. The Fantastique could travel completely across the Kingdom at speeds better than a horse without having to stop once unless the drover got tired. Belladonna had done just that six years prior, beating her vehicular competition as well as a famous American long-distance racer named Frank Hopkins and his mustang Hidalgo.
A part of him hated the thought of such 'technology'. But considering what he was the Director for and what he had in his purview, he just dealt with it.
The motor buggy drove through the cobbled streets of London, Director John Smith watching Englishmen passed by as they drove towards Whitehall, where a majority of the power of the English Government came from. He knew that the next few hours would be filled with a very painful meeting with the Admiralty describing the events and failures of what happened at Project: HELIOS, but honestly he couldn't see how anyone could have expected or prepared for such a thing. And DISNEY had taken the situation quite seriously.
When they had arrived, it was all the Rear Admiral could do to think about how he was going to convince a bunch of chair-bound shipless admirals what needed to be done.
Might as well ask for Parliament for a bigger budget while attempting other miracles, Smith thought ruefully as the motorized buggy reached the War Office of the United Kingdom.
"This is out of your depths, Admiral." Lord Admiral John Ratcliffe drolled out as the hook-nosed man sat in his padded seat behind a desk along with five other Vice Admirals of the Admiralty, those who were the power behind not only the British Fleet, but also the War Office. Ratcliffe had the room cleared out of all other personnel save for a naval recorder, as the Directorate of Intelligence and Supply, Nautical Enforcement Yard was a secretive organization that the War Office used to ply its power without getting the British Fleets involved and starting either a war or a situation that could drag the United Kingdom's name in the mud. "You are dealing with forces that you cannot control." The Lord Admiral said in his polished tone, leaning forward upon his desk with his elbows resting upon it.
"Have you ever been in a war, Lord Admiral? Having been fired upon by cannon or rifle?" Rear Admiral Jon Smith asked in return, standing before the Admiralty. He knew the answer to his own question. "Has there ever been a man who felt like they had an abundance of control in such things?" The meeting was meant to disclose and debrief the events in which Project: HELIOS had been destroyed by a force unforeseen. Instead, it had turned into a gauche political finger-pointing episode where members of the Admiralty were trying to see who would take the blame as if any one of them happened to be there. Despite the written reports done by himself, Commander Jane Porter, and Commander Michael Darling, it seemed the play of the day would be who is going to take the fall for this instead of how are we going to resolve this situation.
"You are telling me that this…" The hook-nosed man scoffed, "Atlantis… is declaring war on our kingdom?" Ratcliffe scoffed at such a thought as the lost continent. Despite evidence from one of England's greatest heroes and report on how the Battle of the Nile, the Battle of Gibraltar, and the Battle of Trafalgar was won not just by British vessels and sailors, but by a seafaring Princess who lived beneath the waves.
"Not the Kingdom of Atlantis. This Empress Kidagakash." Smith emphasized the title Empress. Atlantis was a Kingdom and had never been interested in the surface world (with the sole exception of a redheaded Myr). Some of the things that the white-haired woman had said inclined for him to believe that Kida (what he was calling her) wasn't actually on the Coral Throne. She had proclaimed herself the rightful ruler of Atlantis, and Smith knew of what she was talking about.
Kidagakash Nedakh Aegirsdottir was the eldest child of the Sea King of Atlantis… but it had been her younger brother Mahannan that had gained the Starfish Crown and the Coral Throne of Atlantis, not his sister. Oh, but that hadn't been the real thorn, the Myr woman having been raised her entire life knowing she would never be Queen. King Mahannan had a certain issue that King Henry the VIII had known as well almost three hundred years prior; the man had seven daughters, and not one son.
For a woman who was born to a king his eldest child, denied the throne by tradition, only to see her eldest niece be named heir and the Princess of Tides? That must of rankled. Hard.
Londonderry, Ireland might have agree. Considering what happened to it fifty years prior when it was attacked by a gigantic octopus trying to pull the town beneath the waves, only to be stopped by a redhead armed with a trident.
"He can't be working alone." That was Vice Admiral Thomas Bale, normally a decent voice of reason in the Admiralty. "What of the other one we know of?"
"Historical reports indicate that Mahannansdottir is not a threat. But she's twenty thousand leagues away." Smith replied, knowing that at the least Admiral Bale was looking for options. "But we can't call out to her without the Hornblower's Sea Horn, so we can't ask her to help, either. It's going to have to be up to us." Jonathan Mel Smith was a God-fearing Englishman, and he fully believed that there was a solution. Rash decisions made for hashed consequences, and he already had something in mind.
"Which is why we should be completing the prototype." Ratcliffe reiterated, looking to his fellow Admirals. This was the third time he had brought it up. It had been his project, after all. "It was suppose to be for events such as…"
"The prototype isn't ready. Our enemy is." Smith replied, fixing his remaining eye on the Lord Admiral. "With DJINN gone, we have what we have without making more or improvements. With the lamp in Kida's hand, we need to respond.
"And I have the exact players in mind."
"The Marvel Initiative was shut down." The Lord Admiral reminded Smith, as if he had somehow forgotten. Of the six Admirals of the Admiralty, it had only been Vice Admiral Thomas Bale who had approved of the idea. Ratcliffe had been its main detractor.
"This isn't about the Marvels." Smith reiterated. Again. He was getting rather tired of repeating himself to a man who had spent nearly his entire career in the War Office.
"I've seen the list, Director." The Lord Admiral continued as if Smith hadn't spoken at all. "You're running the world's greatest clandestine security organization, and you're going to leave the fate of the United Kingdom to a handful of heathens?"
"I'm not leaving anything to anyone." The Rear Admiral replied with the same response he had given… what, fifteen minutes prior? "The facility was destroyed by an outside actor, an object of great power was taken, and men were killed in the line of duty. We need to respond. Now." Thankfully, when he spoke, he held the attention of the Admiralty. "Yes, these people may be isolated, unhinged even, but with the right motivation, I believe they can be exactly what we need them to be."
"You believe?" One of the other Admiral's asked, his tone saying it all; there was scorn in that voice. As if they all didn't attend to the Anglican Church as was proper.
"War isn't won by belief, Admiral Smith." Ratcliffe stated.
"No, it isn't." John replied as he stared the man down.
"It's won by the brave."
Fine - Song I: From The Depths Below
Song II: (All My Friends Are) Heathens
Early Afternoon, War Office, Whitehall, London, England, September 6, 1888
"Well, you survived. That's a start."
Commander Michael Darling had been sitting on a plush seat waiting for Rear Admiral Jonathan Mel Smith to leave the Admiralty Board. No one was crying out in pain or giving out a hue-and-cry due to murder, so that was a good thing.
"We got authorization to act. As if getting permission was necessary to do the right thing." The blond-haired man replied with a snort as he walked through the War Office, the proverbial storm cloud as Agent Darling walked in step with him while Ensigns and Leftenants jumped out of the way at the sight of him. "Have Porter start getting transportation of the Secretariat ready along with whatever we need for a worse-case scenario. Then I need you to go to Copenhagen first, and then Paris afterwards."
"Was the Initiative approved?" Darling asked, almost stopping in his tracks. He knew what the Initiative was and who it would use. Some were… rather exotic. One was literally centuries old!
"Just get to Copenhagen and interrupt our little bearslayer, would you?" Smith replied with a half-smile as he stalked off, leaving Michael in place as the Englishman realized something.
His question had never been answered.
Author's Notes: Disney? Assemble!
DISNEY FACT: Walt Disney holds more Oscar nominations and wins than everyone else with a record 59 nominations and 22 wins. Many of these are from short films, documentaries, short subject (cartoon), and short subject (two-reel). He also holds the record for most awards won as an individual in a year despite the many awards Titanic won (17 nominations, 11 won) and The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King (that had a complete sweep with 11 nominations and 11 wins) as the awards went to individuals and not their director or producer unless that award is won. Bong Joon-hu did accept 4 Oscars for Parasite, but he was specifically named for three of them (Picture, Director, Original Screenplay) while the fourth (Best International Film) was for the movie itself, not him. Walt Disney also holds the distinction of the longest consecutive streak of Oscar wins with 10 over an eight year period. There are several with doubles (one year after the next) and a few with three (mostly the technical guys involving art, production, building scenes, and music). The second most amount of nominations (and wins) is composer John Williams.
MARVEL FACT: Doctor Bruce Banner/The Incredible Hulk created the Avengers in the comics. He was present for exactly one issue (the first one, obviously).
REAL-WORLD FACT: Due to the success of the television show The Incredible Hulk, Bill Bixby (who plays Doctor David Banner) and Lou Ferrigno (who plays the Hulk) were intimate with later successions of the character, including The Hulk (2003), The Incredible Hulk (2009), and The Avengers (2012). Specifically, Lou Ferrigno's voice has always been used as a dub in the Hulk's live-action voice (and has done the cartoon versions solely), and Bill Bixby always makes it where he can meet the actor, and has voiced several renditions of Doctor Banner in the cartoons.
For an idea of what London looked like in the 1880's, I pulled up some old photographs and sketches, but the main source was the Disney film Mary Poppins, which featured a nanny/governess and a chimney sweeper in the turn-of-the-century London.
I mention Frank Hopkins and Hidalgo. Frank Hopkins was a real-life man whose memoirs were unfortunately full of crap; he wasn't selected to do the 'Ocean of Fire' Arabian race as the Arabs and Persians wrote down the name of every contestant who ever entered, and his name was never on the lists. But the movie Hidalgo was cinematically a Disney film but released on VHS/DVD by Touchstone Pictures. Thus I can use it!
I make the Lord Admiral of the Admiralty John Ratcliffe, who was the antagonist of both Pocahontas and Pocahontas II. The other named Admiral I named Thomas Bale, Thomas being the lad that John Smith saved from drowning in the first movie, who ends up following his lead. His last name comes from his voice actor, Christian Bale.
Were there 'horseless carriages' in the 1880's? Kinda. The first 'official' car was invented in 1808 by Hayden Wischet, using hydrogen as a fuel source. In 1870, Siegfried Marcus invented the first diesel-powered combustion engine, putting it on a push cart. Ten years later, he invented the four-stroke gasoline-powered engine with a carburetor, magneto ignition, steering, clutch, and break, the 'grandfather' of the modern car. Unfortunately for Marcus, because of Jewish ancestry, the Nazis destroyed all of his works and erased his name from textbooks so that another German (Karl Benz) could get the credit. Nickolaus Otto patented the the four-stroke petrol (diesel) engine that provided full propulsion that constitutes the 'first' horseless carriage/auto-mobile (the name 'Otto's Mobile' coined the term 'Automobile' thanks to the British Press. The name has forever stuck thanks to this great man who literally changed the world). The first true diesel engine was invented by Rudolf Diesel. Christian Schonbein discovered the principle of the hydrogen fuel cell as a replacement for petrol in 1838. The electric car was invented by Anyos Jedlik (who invented an electric motor), and Gaston Plante (who invented the lead-acid battery) in 1859. The first 'production car' goes to Karl Benz (yes… that Benz) in 1885 when he made approximately 7 of the same vehicles of the same model. In 1801, Englishman Richard Trevithick was running a full-sized steam-powered vehicle on the roads of Camborne, long before the invention of the train.
Take some notes, kiddies. I love history… and I love using it.
Like your teachers told you in school, you'll be seeing this material later with a certain inventor's daughter ;-) I even named her!
I included the human Edwin Jarvis. This might be the only 'Marvel' character I might use, as he was an English gentleman, though here I make him a Master Chief and a member of DISNEY.
I mention the Secretariat; this would be the Helicarrier, in which you will see what the 1888 version will be later on. But the name? Secretariat is a Disney movie about an award-winning racehorse that won the Triple Crown (three races in five weeks, including the Kentucky Derby), and I couldn't pass up using a real-life figure since Disney has a plethora of movies about real-life heroes and stories.