My view of the CU

[Mark Rand]

Re: My view of the CU

 

As I recall, President Bartlet said in The West Wing episode He shall, from time to time, "Your first priotity is national security. Get your commanders together, appoint chiefs of staff, appoint a chairman. Take us to Defcon 4. Have the governors send emergency delegates to Washington. The Assistant Attorney General is going to be the Acting Attorney General. If he tells you to order out the National Guard, do it."

 

President Collingsworth will follow through with most of it. Since the Air Force Chief of Staff was visiting NORAD and was snowed in, he became the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

 

Due to the severity of the attack, President Collins ordered Defcon 3.

 

The National Guard was called out.

 

Secret Service agent Ben Nelson was promoted to the head of the President's detail. Lieutenant Commander Gail Peters (USN) carried the Nuclear Football.

 

For a while, the national capital was Durant, Oklahoma and a rented Yellowstone motorhome and a circus building shared the title of The White House

[Mark Rand]

Re: My view of the CU

 

The only part of Washington, D.C. to survive was the area beyond the rivers.

 

Durant served as the capital for one week. After that, it was moved to the part of D.C. that was still standing. The Senate was reconstituted first, one week after a mass funeral for the dead.

 

After the swearing in ceremony, the Senate met in the sanctuary of a church that had just been sold to a group that was going to convert it into a community center. The church's fellowship hall served as the committee room and various offices served other purposes.

 

A nearby apartment building was secured and converted into a temporary White House. As these were going on, plans were being made to rebuild Washington, D.C.

[Mark Rand]

Re: My view of the CU

 

As far as Congress goes, I think President Collingsworth wants regular people, not politicians that listen to lobbyists, special interest groups, and the wealthy instead of the general public.

 

He also wants people in his Cabinet that will act the same way.

 

As far as the Patriot Act, although it will be enacted, it wouldn't contain a lot of the stuff that tramples on civil rights. He might also try to keep various federal agencies from frampling on the rights of model rocket enthusiasts.

 

I think he will also get rid of the Transportation Department's requirement that states permit "right turn on red" in order to get federal highway money. He might even decide that a state must outlaw "right turn on red" to receive the highway money.

[Mark Rand]

Re: My view of the CU

 

I have been considering a different version of the universe history than Shaft suggested. Here it is.

 

Millennium City is the same as in the CU.

 

On September 11, 2001, teams of superheroes stopped all four hijack attempts and turned the perps over to PRIMUS. Dubya thanked the heroes, then began doing what he did in the real world. The Supreme Court threw out the parts of the Patriot Act that violated civil rights. Dubya wasn't happy. Most of the intelligence and national law agencies, as usual, got in each others way. UNTIL discovered that Dr. Destroyer's organization had been behind the 9/11 incident.

 

In 2003, PRIMUS began its own superhero team program. Many supers were agents either using advanced technology, agents with special training, or agents exposed to weird stuff while on missions.

 

In early February of 2006, Secretary of Education James Collingsworth and his wife, Kathryn, a nurse, Senator David Martin of (insert name of the state the campaign is in here) and his wife, Ellen, an eye surgeon and Kathryn's employer, visited the Durant, Oklahoma winter quarters of the Ross Brothers Circus, where the Collingsworths' daughter, Holly, trains the big cats.

 

While the families were listening to the show's band practice, Doctor Destroyer turned the part of Washington, D.C. between the rivers to rubble. James Collingsworth was now President and he had a government to rebuild.

[Shaft]

Re: My view of the CU

 

I have been considering a different version of the universe history than Shaft suggested. Here it is.

 

Millennium City is the same as in the CU.

 

On September 11, 2001, teams of superheroes stopped all four hijack attempts and turned the perps over to PRIMUS. Dubya thanked the heroes, then began doing what he did in the real world. The Supreme Court threw out the parts of the Patriot Act that violated civil rights. Dubya wasn't happy. Most of the intelligence and national law agencies, as usual, got in each others way. UNTIL discovered that Dr. Destroyer's organization had been behind the 9/11 incident.

 

Another idea (that I am already using in one of my games) is that 15 planes were hijacked in Europe, and the East Coast USA and the West Coast. Superheroes, Primus and UNTIL stopped 12 of them, but 3 got through (the flight that crashed in Pennsylvania was saved by a flying brick) that got through had powered metables on them. 3 of the hijackers out of the 15 that got their planes on target were able to survive because of their powers. Needless to say, they have Hunted at 14- by US Government).

 

Another interesting idea you might want to explore is that the Masonic (Illuminati?) symbols that exist in Washington DC. The streets of Washington DC are generally straight, but a few are angled in such a way to make a pentagram with the WhiteHouse in the center of it. Perhaps Destroyer's attack wasn't political in nature? DEMON related perhaps?

 

If the destruction was part of a ritual (opening a Hellmouth?) that might be an interesting idea as well. The ruins- not runes , of DC might give parts of the city a post Earthquake "BludHaven" feel. Perhaps it's from this devastation that NightMan and NightGirl arose (assuming you're not insisting on having them set in Pittsburgh).

 

Perhaps Destroyer's attack on DC was all part of a clever plot to send the baseball team they got from Montreal back to us!

[Mark Rand]

Re: My view of the CU

 

Another idea (that I am already using in one of my games) is that 15 planes were hijacked in Europe, and the East Coast USA and the West Coast. Superheroes, Primus and UNTIL stopped 12 of them, but 3 got through (the flight that crashed in Pennsylvania was saved by a flying brick) that got through had powered metables on them. 3 of the hijackers out of the 15 that got their planes on target were able to survive because of their powers. Needless to say, they have Hunted at 14- by US Government).

 

Another interesting idea you might want to explore is that the Masonic (Illuminati?) symbols that exist in Washington DC. The streets of Washington DC are generally straight, but a few are angled in such a way to make a pentagram with the WhiteHouse in the center of it. Perhaps Destroyer's attack wasn't political in nature? DEMON related perhaps?

 

If the destruction was part of a ritual (opening a Hellmouth?) that might be an interesting idea as well. The ruins- not runes , of DC might give parts of the city a post Earthquake "BludHaven" feel. Perhaps it's from this devastation that NightMan and NightGirl arose (assuming you're not insisting on having them set in Pittsburgh).

 

Perhaps Destroyer's attack on DC was all part of a clever plot to send the baseball team they got from Montreal back to us!

 

I've heard about the Masonic symbols that are said to be in DC, but this would've destroyed them. Of course, it might've been done as part of a ritual.

 

Following the tie-ins to the Buffyverse that I like to use, DEMON might have been involved, especially since, in my universe, the Kings of Edom are controlled by three senior demons, the Wolf, the Ram, and the Hart. Said demons are the senior partners of the law firm of Wolfram and Hart. They could easily be Doctor Destroyer's lawyers.

 

As for Nightman and Nightgirl, I'll consider them later.

[Mark Rand]

Re: My view of the CU

 

As I mentioned before, the various federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies often get in each others way. One of the ways this manifests itself is the fact that superhero teams tend to get more than one liaison. One, the official liaison represents the DOSPA (or whatever you call it in your campaign). The others represent the various other agencies. Although they have no control over the team, they can make suggestions.

 

Most liaisons are bureaucrats, but a few are active agents.

 

The liaisons will sometimes be people that are highly thought of, while others are chosen so that they won't bother the people that do what the brass wants.

[Mark Rand]

Re: My view of the CU

 

As I mentioned before' date=' the various federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies often get in each others way. One of the ways this manifests itself is the fact that superhero teams tend to get more than one liaison. One, the [u']official[/u] liaison represents the DOSPA (or whatever you call it in your campaign). The others represent the various other agencies. Although they have no control over the team, they can make suggestions.

 

Most liaisons are bureaucrats, but a few are active agents.

 

The liaisons will sometimes be people that are highly thought of, while others are chosen so that they won't bother the people that do what the brass wants.

 

I forgot to mention that these agencies were either headquartered or kept records just outside the area that Doctor Destroyer turned to rubble.

[Mark Rand]

Re: My view of the CU

 

Statgate Command does exist in this universe. President Collingsworth told the world about it and area 51 in a televised speech.

 

At the same time, United States Marshals, warrants in hand, raided NID headquarters, which, being in Suitland, Maryland, survived the destruction of Washington, D.C. and siezed records. Employees who tried to hinder them were arrested, those drawing weapons were shot.

 

Senator Robert Kinsey, who had been away from D.C. when Doctor Destroyer attacked, was enraged and denounced President Collingsworth in public. A couple of days later, Kinsey's car exploded while he was in it. He survived, but was badly shaken. The crime lab found remains of M-80s in the car's mufflers and catalytic converters.

[Mark Rand]

Re: My view of the CU

 

I am considering a different version of the events on that night in February of 2006.

 

The Surgeon-General was the member of the Cabinet selected to be absent from the State of the Union Address. Secretary Collingsworth and his wife were out of the city, visiting Senator David Martin in his hospital room when Washington D.C. turned to rubble. (Ellen Martin was in the hall, on her cell phone.)

 

Secretary Collingsworth called a number he was given and checked in. As he did so, Doctor Destroyer interrupted all broadcasts and claimed credit for the destruction. Secretary Collingsworth was sworn in in the hospital lobby and taken to the command bunker one mile under the Pentagon.

 

As far as his relationship goes, the August before the incident, he and Kathryn visited the circus and he made up with her.

 

You might be interrested in knowing that on July 11, 1986, Secretary of Education William Bennett and family visited the 4:00 performance of the Carson & Barnes Circus. With them came big black cars, a police escort, and bodyguards. (Source authority: 1986 Carson & Barnes Circus official routebook.)

[Mark Rand]

Re: My view of the CU

 

In this universe, the U.N. is as effective as it is in real life.

 

UNTIL is organized like UNIT from Doctor Who, but reports to the U.N. Security Council.

 

VIPER is an international criminal organization like the realistic version in the sourcebook.

[Mark Rand]

Re: My view of the CU

 

President Collingsworth's style of governing is a lot like the late President Ford's.

 

Mrs. Collingsworth has no plans to quit being a nurse.

 

Senator Martin will, possibly by June or July, become his Vice President.

 

His wife, Ellen, an eye surgeon and Kathryn Collingsworth's employer, won't give up her practice.

 

Holly Collingsworth won't leave her job as a circus lion trainer.

[Mark Rand]

Re: My view of the CU

 

I'm considering a third version of how James Collingsworth became President. This version somewhat parrallels the events inthe Tom Clancy books The Sum of All Fears and Debt of Honor.

 

In February of 2006, Dubya and some of his friends ttended the Super Bowl in New Orleans. Outside the patrolled area a number of semis waited near the port. One carried a hydrogen bomb that detonated moments after the kickoff. Mr. Cheney was immediately sworn in as President. He blamed Arab terrorists for the attack in New Orleans and stated that he was going to increase the number of troops in Iraq by 400 per cent and that the terrorists and their allies would be given no quarter.

 

Moments after he finished his speach, a VHS tape was tossed onto the White House grounds. Copies of it were delivered to all TV networks. A masked figure on the tape claimed responsibility for the bombing of New Orleans in the name of "The Devil's Hand". Mr. Cheney stated that they were part of the Arab conspiracy and that it wouldn't change what he did in Iraq.

 

Over the next month, Congress was slow to give him the money he wanted for the war and to ratify his choice for Vice President. After Mr. Cheney agreed to a compromise candidate, getting the war funding became easier. Following this, the events in Debt of Honor take place, with James Collingsworth becoming National Security Advisor in late March of 2006. Holly's agent came to the circus in April of 2006, arriving while the tent was going up.

 

(The 9/11 terrorist act and the one in New Orleans were, in the opinion of the Head of the Secret Service, grounds for granting Holly Secret Service protection.)