The Shared Starship Superdraft

[csyphrett]

The Roster says I need three more elements. I am going with temporal fold that brings different versions of the ship into the present, The Doomsday Machine from the star trek episode of the same name, and Bill and Ted

CES

[Cancer]

"Excellent!"

[Pariah]

Part 2

 

The captain looked around the bridge, overlooking the wide, flat deck of what his ship had become. He was interested to hear what his senior officers would report.

 

"As best I can tell," Ivanova said, "we're in the Baltic Sea in the early 20th century, maybe 1915 or 1920."

 

"And our ship?"

 

"Is an early aircraft carrier. It makes sense. Our ship has a full complement of fighters. The early 20th century analog would be an aircraft carrier."

 

"So we still have all of our Vipers?"

 

"Not exactly. They've been replaced with analogs from this time period as well. We have biplanes. Sopwith Camels, if I'm not mistaken."

 

"Well that's good," Captain Blue said. "Those were some of the best aircraft of the time. Hard to fly, but very maneuverable. Much better for aerial combat than almost anything else out there."

 

"You're a military history afficionado," Ivanovic said. "I approve."

 

"Yes, well, history is not so kind to my Troopers."

 

"The suits?"

 

"Yeah, there are no suits. There is no early 20th century analog."

 

"Cap Troopers without suits?" Jayne asked. "What kind of a horse's ass thought that would be a good idea?"

 

"Doesn't matter," Captain Blue responded. "We've got an armory full of time-appropriate weapons, and my men can use them. We can fight with bone clubs or stone-tipped spears, if that's what it comes down to. We're ready."

 

"My pilots are a different story," Ivanova said. "I'm willing to bet that none of them have ever flown anything like this before."

 

"Then that's your first priority," the captain responded. "Get your pilots in the air and get them familiar with the aircraft. I want them to be able to launch, fly, and land those things in their sleep. Starting with you."

 

"Aye, Captain." But before she could leave, the air was filled with the roar of engines. Flying past their elevated observation room was a full squadron of three-winged aircraft in a variety of bright colors. The lead aircraft was blood red.

 

"I recognize those planes. Those are German Fokker Dr.-1s."

 

"The Flying Circus?"

 

"It looks like it."

 

"Damn. Captain, we have a problem."

 

--

Story Element #4: Location, Europe during the first World War.

 

Story element #5: All technology has been replaced with World War I analogs.

 

Story element #6: Baron Manfred von Richthofen's Flying Circus.

[Pariah]

Part 3

 

It has been almost a month. The ship's pilots had taken quickly to their new aircraft and were holding their own against anything the Germans could throw at them with minimal casualties.

 

While Ivanova and Blue handled combat operations, the captain thought help from his science officer and chief engineer on the more pressing matter of getting home.

 

Marvin, it turned out, had become a room-sized mechanical computational device that was able to communicate through a radio speaker. Dr. Lazarus had learned some old-school programming and was able to work with Marvin on the problem. They had come up with an idea.

 

"With a great enough power source, we can still activate the Infinite Improbability Drive. We should be able to program it to get us back home."

 

"Should be?" questioned Jayne. "I'm smelling a lot of 'if' coming off this plan."

 

"It will not be easy," Dr. Lazarus conceded. "The calculations are incredibly complex, even under the best of circumstances. But if we can tap into the existing power grid ashore, that would give us the energy we need."

 

"What do we do about the calculations? Marvin, are you up for it?"

 

"I am in a more integrated and obsolete condition than even I am used to," Marvin admitted. "I will need help."

 

"Dr. Lazarus?"

 

"No, I'm afraid not. The calculation of such probabilities is not my forte."

 

"Wait a minute," Jayne said. "We're just off the coast of Germany. Isn't Albert Einstein around here somewhere?"

 

"You can't think he would voluntarily offer his assistance, even if we could tell him who we are and why we're here."

 

"I ain't suggesting we give him a choice," Jayne said.

 

"No," Dr. Lazarus retorted, "Albert Einstein isn't the one we need. But the good news is that the person we need is also in Germany at this time."

 

"Who?" the captain asked. Dr. Lazarus told him.

 

"Are you suggesting that we abduct one of the most famous scientists in the world at the height of a war, bring him to our ship, tell him who we really are, and force him to help us?" The captain seemed incredulous. "And even if he would, we can't take him with us and we can't leave him here with the knowledge of our ship. No, we can't do this."

 

"It is the only way we will get home, captain. And there are certain techniques that we can use to ensure that he doesn't remember us."

 

The captain considered for a few moments. They had already lost a couple of pilots in several Troopers. If he could get everyone else home, he knew he had to do it. "Very well," he said at last. "Coordinate with Captain Blue on the extraction and return. Bring me our scientist."

 

Story element #7: Werner Heisenberg

 

Story element #8: Super-hypnosis 

[Pariah]

And to wrap things up, a title:

 

Vipers of the Argonne 

[Sociotard]

Do we want a poll? If people want a poll, I'll put one up.

[Pariah]

Poll me.

[Cancer]

Yes, a poll would give us the opportunity to make more random numbers!

[Pariah]

Like four?

[Bazza]

Three? 

[Old Man]

Four fours?

[Cancer]

4⁴ of them?