Alternate Wikipedia Infoboxes VI (Do Not Post Current Politics or Political Figures Here)

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The Siberian Federation, or Siberia, is a country in North Asia. Its area comprises almost the entirety of the historic region of Siberia, or 'Asian Russia', which was originally conquered by the Russian Empire in the 16th and 17th centuries, and it is the largest country in the world by area, covering 13.1 million square kilometres, though with a population of only about 33 million it is also one of the most sparsely populated.

From the 16th and 17th centuries until 1991, Siberia was part of the Russian Empire and later the Russian SFSR in the Soviet Union. Its independence was a major consequence of the 'August Coup' against the reformist Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, who was deposed by hardline Communists in the State Committee on the State of Emergency due to the emergence of independence movements in the republics of the Soviet Union that were seen as likely to lead to the Union's collapse. Gorbachev and his recently-elected President, Boris Yeltsin, were forced to stand down and the Presidency of Russia was dissolved only two months after it was established, with Vladimir Kryuchov becoming paramount leader of Russia. Despite the hardliners taking over, however, their efforts to quash independence movements in the republics were ultimately futile, and at the end of 1991, the Soviet Union was dissolved.

Having been deposed, former President Yeltsin managed to gather support for independence from Russia in the Ural region he came from, citing the urbanized European Russia as being detrimental to the interests of Eastern Russia. With the support of Gorbachev and numerous other allies of theirs who had been kicked out of power by the hardliners, the 27 federal subjects of Asian Russia seceded from European Russia to form the Siberian Federation, knowing that Kryuchov was too caught up in conflicts with the republics to the West to fight them off in the inhospitable climate across Siberia.

The formation of Siberia is often looked upon as integral to the collapse of the Soviet Union, though it is very likely it would have collapsed anyway. Despite the union ending as 1992 started, Russia did not adopt a representative democracy or even gravitate towards a market economy as other communist countries such as China or Vietnam had before it, though most saw the end of the Soviet Union as meaning Russia's global power status was over. Capitalizing on this, Yeltsin had the Constitution of the Siberian Federation establish the country as a multi-party representative democracy with a presidential system, and worked on turning the region into a market economy where the Russian government were refusing to do the same.

This had considerable material benefits for Siberians, though the country's population growth remained limited outside of major cities like the capital, Novosibirsk. Despite this, Yeltsin was easily elected and re-elected in the first two quadrennial presidential elections in 1992 and 1996 and the Unity Party to support his presidency easily managed to defeat the Communists that opposed them. In 2000, choosing to retire, he put forward one of his main deputies, a former KGB officer from Leningrad named Vladimir Putin, as his preferred choice for successor; Putin easily beat his challengers from the Communists, social-liberal Yabloko and far-right Rodina that year.

Once Putin's second term was approaching its end in 2008, however, he caused a constitutional crisis by trying to repeal the term limits. However, a rebellion within the Unity Party, which saw its polling numbers slide dramatically as fears of dictatorial rule started to rise as a result of Putin's actions, saw him almost lose re-nomination, and in the 2008 election he was defeated by an independent celebrity candidate, former world chess champion turned activist Garry Kasparov. Putin subsequently fled to Russia to avoid prosecution for voting irregularities and crimes against the Siberian constitution.

Under Kasparov, constitutional rights protections against authoritarianism and hate crimes towards numerous ethnic minorities in Siberia (a particularly important cause to Kasparov as an Azerbaijani-Russian) and expansion of the welfare state were carried out in stark contrast to the centrist and right-wing policies of Yeltsin and Putin. Kasparov was easily re-elected in 2012, though the electoral coalition he supported was badly defeated by the re-unified Unity Party, and though his supporters hoped he might revert his re-implementation of the term limits for the 2016 election, instead he resolved to stand down.

In his absence, the Unity Party's new candidate, Dmitry Medvedev, won the 2016 election without too much trouble. Medevedev promised not to make the same authoritarian policy decisions as Putin at the end of his second term, and so far has mostly stayed true to this, though he has incurred the distaste of the Siberian left due to his austerity measures and refusal to allow discrimination protections to LGBT individuals despite public activism in support of them (though queer Siberians have found loopholes in this, such as flying the flag of the Jewish Autonomous Oblast, which features a rainbow stripe between two white ones, instead of pride flags in oblasts where displaying pride flags is banned).

As of this writing, Medevdev and his Unity Party have recently been re-elected in the 2020 election, with the country able to hold an election thanks to its extremely low population density reducing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, though whether it will indeed be his last term remains to be seen.

(I'm not sure if this is a bit ASB, but I've been thinking for a while I'd like to do an independent Siberia TL, and this seemed like a POD that hasn't been done much.)
 
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The Siberian Federation, or Siberia, is a country in North Asia. Its area comprises almost the entirety of the historic region of Siberia, or 'Asian Russia', which was originally conquered by the Russian Empire in the 16th and 17th centuries, and it is the largest country in the world by area, though with a population of only about 33 million it is also one of the most sparsely populated.

From the 16th and 17th centuries until 1991, Siberia was part of the Russian Empire and later the Russian SFSR in the Soviet Union. Its independence was a major consequence of the 'August Coup' against the reformist Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, who was deposed by hardline Communists in the State Committee on the State of Emergency due to the emergence of independence movements in the republics of the Soviet Union that were seen as likely to lead to the Union's collapse. Gorbachev and his recently-elected President, Boris Yeltsin, were forced to stand down and the Presidency of Russia was dissolved only two months after it was established, with Vladimir Kryuchov becoming paramount leader of Russia. Despite the hardliners taking over, however, their efforts to quash independence movements in the republics were ultimately futile, and at the end of 1991, the Soviet Union was dissolved.

Having been deposed, former President Yeltsin managed to gather support for independence from Russia in the Ural region he came from, citing the urbanized European Russia as being detrimental to the interests of Eastern Russia. With the support of Gorbachev and numerous other allies of theirs who had been kicked out of power by the hardliners, the 27 federal subjects of Asian Russia seceded from European Russia to form the Siberian Federation, knowing that Kryuchov was too caught up in conflicts with the republics to the West to fight them off in the inhospitable climate across Siberia.

The formation of Siberia is often looked upon as integral to the collapse of the Soviet Union, though it is very likely it would have collapsed anyway. Despite the union ending as 1992 started, Russia did not adopt a representative democracy or even gravitate towards a market economy as other communist countries such as China or Vietnam had before it, though most saw the end of the Soviet Union as meaning Russia's global power status was over. Capitalizing on this, Yeltsin had the Constitution of the Siberian Federation establish the country as a multi-party representative democracy with a presidential system, and worked on turning the region into a market economy where the Russian government were refusing to do the same.

This had considerable material benefits for Siberians, though the country's population growth remained limited outside of major cities like the capital, Novosibirsk. Despite this, Yeltsin was easily elected and re-elected in the first two quadrennial presidential elections in 1992 and 1996 and the Unity Party to support his presidency easily managed to defeat the Communists that opposed them. In 2000, choosing to retire, he put forward one of his main deputies, a former KGB officer from Leningrad named Vladimir Putin, as his preferred choice for successor; Putin easily beat his challengers from the Communists, social-liberal Yabloko and far-right Rodina that year.

Once Putin's second term was approaching its end in 2008, however, he caused a constitutional crisis by trying to repeal the term limits. However, a rebellion within the Unity Party, which saw its polling numbers slide dramatically as fears of dictatorial rule started to rise as a result of Putin's actions, saw him almost lose re-nomination, and in the 2008 election he was defeated by an independent celebrity candidate, former world chess champion turned activist Garry Kasparov. Putin subsequently fled to Russia to avoid prosecution for voting irregularities and crimes against the Siberian constitution.

Under Kasparov, constitutional rights protections against authoritarianism and hate crimes towards numerous ethnic minorities in Siberia (a particularly important cause to Kasparov as an Azerbaijani-Russian) and expansion of the welfare state were carried out in stark contrast to the centrist and right-wing policies of Yeltsin and Putin. Kasparov was easily re-elected in 2012, though the electoral coalition he supported was badly defeated by the re-unified Unity Party, and though his supporters hoped he might revert his re-implementation of the term limits for the 2016 election, instead he resolved to stand down.

In his absence, the Unity Party's new candidate, Dmitry Medvedev, won the 2016 election without too much trouble. While Medevedev promised not to make the same authoritarian policy decisions as Putin at the end of his second term, and so far has mostly stayed true to this, though he has incurred the distaste of the Siberian left due to his austerity measures and refusal to allow discrimination protections to LGBT individuals despite public activism in support of them (though queer Siberians have found loopholes in this, such as flying the flag of the Jewish Autonomous Oblast, which features a rainbow stripe between two white ones, instead of pride flags in oblasts where displaying pride flags is banned).

As of this writing, Medevdev and his Unity Party have recently been re-elected in the 2020 election, with the country able to hold an election thanks to its extremely low population density reducing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, though whether it will indeed be his last term remains to be seen.

(I'm not sure if this is a bit ASB, but I've been thinking for a while I'd like to do an independent Siberia TL, and this seemed like a POD that hasn't been done much.)
Sarah Palin can see Siberia from her house.
 
Two new Small Solar System Bodies Reported
Two previously unidentified bodies were observed this week by NASA. Current estimates suggest they are smaller than an airplane”
- This week @NASA, January 23, 2034

Third object observed
Similar to those observed last week. The objects appear to be converging somewhat.”
- This week @NASA, January 30, 2034

“Today NASA has reclassified 3 objects formerly thought to be small asteroids as Interstellar Objects, that is objects that originated outside the solar system. This is based on more recent data of the velocity of the objects, characterized by NASA as unusually fast, as well as their trajectory. The objects have been designated 6I, 7I, and 8I respectively. They are the smallest Interstellar objects ever recorded, and one NASA member attributed their discovery to “dumb luck.”

Although the proximity of the objects is likely a coincidence, NASA estimates they will eventually separate, they will be named as a group. Current front runners include the names of the 3 Musketeers, or the Hawai’ian name for “fish” reflecting their small size and “social” behavior.”
- Scientific American, February 28, 2034

EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY REPORTS IʻA OBJECTS DECELERATING
- New York Times Science Section, March 8, 2034

“At the current rate of deceleration, we may well see the Iʻas becoming permanent members of our solar system, entering solar orbit. This is obviously a great opportunity for NASA, and the astronomy community at large. We’ll be keeping a close eye on them.”
- NASA Administrator Sage Smith, March 13, 2034

SCIENTISTS BAFFLED BY DECELERATION OF IʻAS. SOMETHING MORE?
-New York Post, March 23, 2034

“Deceleration of an Interstellar Object is entirely expected. What is more surprising is that all of them appear to be doing so in slightly different ways, and at slightly different rates. We speculate that this may have to do with the gravity wells of Mars and Venus impacting Iʻa 1 and Iʻa 3 respectively.”
- NASA Administrator Sage Smith, March 29, 2034

“I honestly don’t remember who it was. It was April 1st, and no one wanted to be the fool. But we were all thinking it. The shifts towards Mars and Venus were simply too large and too inexplicable to ignore. Then someone decided to see how a similar process might impact Iʻa 2. And we looked at it. And we were like shit.”
-Unnamed NASA Scientist, Not Alone, 2040

“We can confirm that given the recent alterations in the trajectories of Iʻa 1 and Iʻa 3 will make these small objects moons. 1 will become Mars’s third moon, while 3 will be Venus’s first. 2 seems likely to proceed between the planets, and pass into the outer solar system, passing by Earth in the process”
- ESA Director Heinrich Weber, April 4, 2034

“Just because 2 is between 1 and 3 and Earth is between Mars and Venus, does not mean that Iʻa 2 will enter orbit.”
- NASA Director Sage Smith, April 5, 2034

“Thank god we caught it a year out. God knows what would have happened if we got caught more flat footed.”
- NASA Director Sage Smith (Privately), April 5, 2034

“I’ve been running some numbers. Working the deceleration numbers on the Iʻa backwards. And holy shit that thing was moving fast. The speeds we saw as it entered the solar system were abnormally high to begin with. But if we assume it’s been slowing down at the same rate for a while, and there’s nothing from anyone to suggest it hasn’t, holy fuck it was moving. We’re talking a significant fraction of the speed of light fast.”
- Internet User LonelyCollins, April 29, 2034

“JF: So you’re saying it will enter orbit?

SS: A little over a year from now, yes. Assuming that the current trends hold alongside something similar to what we saw with Mars and Venus, Iʻa 2 will enter Low Earth Orbit.

JF: LOW Earth Orbit? That’s a lot closer than the “new moon” stuff you’ve been touting for Mars and Venus.

SS: Well yes. In fact the thing is, we’re a bit worried Iʻa 1 will collide with an Indian orbiter that...

JF: I’m more concerned with the one that’s headed here.

SS: Understandable sir. Like I said, early summer 2035 is our best guess for arrival. It would enter a fairly stable orbit by our modeling, although it would eventually de orbit.

JF: You mean crash.

SS: Given the size, none of it would actually reach the ground.

JF: Small comforts. You said we’re still having trouble identifying its composition.

SS: None of the usual methods seem to be working.

JF: Any idea why?

SS: Well the one thing I would have to say is. The issue with this is that, well, between the Iʻas veering off course and this composition issues, it’s well, they don’t seem to be obeying any of the standards of natural phenomena.

JF: Great, an asteroid that doesn’t obey the laws of physics.

SS: Oh it obeys the laws of physics sir. Assuming it has an engine of some kind.”
- Oval Office, May 16, 2034.

“By early June, things were beginning to leak, and people were beginning to figure it out on their own with nothing but grit and the internet. All the powers with the ability to observe deep space had figured out what was happening. No one wanted to cede any rights about anything in this situation, and high level talks were out, given the nominal secrecy. Nonetheless informal agreements were made. America and allies, particularly in the ESA, had the so called Canaveral-Kourou Agreement, pledging cooperation. The New York Agreement was made by representatives of various nations to the United Nations. Although they agreed that no existing organ (such as the Secretary General or Office of Outer Space Affairs) would be used, they also established that the UN could be a useful tool in handing the situation. And, of course the “Gentleman’s Agreement” among prominent scientists, both inside and outside official channels, which pledged to avoid politicization and militarization wherever possible...”
- Not Alone, 2040

“Although it cannot be stated with absolute certainty, the National Space Administration believes that the Interstellar Objects recently observed are of artificial origin. We do not know who build them, but they are not of our Earth, not of our Solar System. The People’s Republic of China, and all the other nations of the world, will extend the hand of friendship to these visitors. We are strong, but we are welcoming. We look to heaven with neither fear nor naivety...”
- English Translation of the Beijing Address, June 13, 2034

“The President never forgave the Chinese Premier for upstaging him on the official announcement that Iʻa 2 was an alien spacecraft of some kind. It was a blow to his, and to American prestige. It made NASA look slow and playing catch-up. Which in turn made it all seem like another Space Race, all of which made things more tense then they needed to be. It set the whole thing off on a bad note. Of course, I can’t be too harsh on the Premier, it’s not like the President was planning a joint event, he wanted to be first.

Still, from an organizational perspective, things went smoothly at first. The Presidential Commission on Contact was well received. Of course with all of those Congressional and industry leaders, it was bit unwieldy. A working group of the President, the Secretaries of State and Defense, the NASA Director, and the ranking member of the Aviation and Space subcommittee quickly emerged.”
- A Decade and Change in Washington, 2047

OPINION: AMERICA MUST TAKE LEAD ON CONTACT
- Washington Post, June 23, 2034

“While it is true that Iʻa 1 and Iʻa 3 will enter orbit earlier, it is unlikely we we will be able to glean much. Our observations on Mars and Venus simply are not oriented correctly for such observations. And there is no way to guess what sort of transmissions these things are using. At best we might be able to glean a bit more regarding the shape of the craft.”
- NASA Director Sage Smith, July 11, 2034

“There was a bit of a calm before the storm. There were frantic calculations, and a drip, drip, drip, of new information. But for over half a year, the pace of news about Iʻa slowed. But it did not stop.”
- Not Alone, 2040

TWO ENGINES? NEW EVIDENCE SUGGESTS THAT IʻA HAS ONE PROPULSION SYSTEM FOR INTERSTELLAR TRAVEL, AND USED ANOTHER ONCE IT ENTERED THE SOLAR SYSTEM.”
- Scientific American, August 23, 2034

LOCAL INTERNET COMMENTATOR: I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE ALIENS LOOK LIKE, BUT I WANT TO FUCK THEM
- The Onion, September 1, 2034

ESA: ‘EXTREMELY UNLIKELY IʻA IS CREWED
- La Monde, October 2, 2034

TROUBLE IN PARADISE: INSIDE THE VIOLENT SCHISM BETWEEN TWO IʻA CULTS
- Buzzfeed News, November 6, 2034

“There is, of course, an immense strategic advantage to possession of both propulsion systems. Even the less powerful system is more efficient and faster than any created on Earth. And current estimates suggest the Interstellar Drive can reach speeds of .5c. Any nation in possession of such schematics would hold power over all others
- National Security Council Report, leaked December 2034

ʻ: HOW A HAWAIʻIAN SOUND WENT GLOBAL
-Honolulu Star-Advertiser, January 5, 2035

COLLISION RISK FOR IʻA: AN HONEST ASSESSMENT
- Scientific American, February 13, 2035

PREVIOUSLY DIVIDED, SCIENTISTS NOW LARGELY AGREE IʻA 2 CAME FROM ROSS 128
- New York Times, February 20, 2035

WHY IʻA MAY CRASH BEFORE IT HAS A CHANCE TO DO ANYTHING
- Vox, March 12, 2035

“The issue for Iʻa 2, is that well, is that whoever manufactured it had no way of knowing what was in orbit already. They knew about the moon, I think, but nothing else. So they never made the calculations that we do, whenever we launch into orbit. And given that transmissions from the probe likely takes over 11 years to get back home, there is no way to adjust. So there is a very real chance of collision with any number of satellites in Low Earth Orbit.”
- NASA Director Sage Smith, March 20, 2035

RETRIEVAL OF PROBE FRAUGHT WITH QUESTIONS
While the idea of taking the Iʻa 2 probe out of orbit and into safety has captured the imagination, there are serious issues with the proposal. For one, it is unclear whether the interstellar probe, which is not yet in orbit, would still function on Earth’s surface, such an action could also been seen as overly hostile by the Manufacturers of the probe. In addition, the probe could likely only be brought to Earth in a Russian shuttle, leaving the Kremlin in possession of both all information and communications with the apparent civilization of Ross 128b, as well as the power engines on the probe.”
- New York Times, April 2, 2035

AMERICAN, EUROPEAN LEADERS CONDEMN ANY UNILATERAL EFFORT TO RETRIEVE OR GUIDE PROBE
- La Monde, April 12, 2035

CHINESE PREMIER: ‘WE WILL NOT LET AMERICAN INTRANSIGENCE BLOCK FIRST CONTACT
- BBC, April 14, 2035

CNSA UNVEILS ‘TOWING PLAN’ TO PRESERVE IʻA 2’S ORBIT
- Washington Post, April 30, 2035

DEADLINE FAST APPROACHING FOR ANY LAUNCH PLAN TO AID IʻA 2
- New York Times, May 1, 2035

“JF: I’m asking if they could, in an emergency, be used to help clear a path, at least temporarily.

BE: It’s a bit hard to guess the long term viability, given that it does leave debris floating in orbit. But short term, yes. But the Space Force recommends against it, as do our colleagues at the Air Force. The revelation of this weapons system could do...

JF: I respect your opinion, but quite frankly the cat is out of the bag. Our allies know. The Russians know. The Chinese know. We’ve had anti-satellite weapons for years. This is a newer system, and I recognize using it openly would be both a public relations nightmare and allow more intelligence to be gathered on it. But I think ensuring that the first contact probe has a smooth ride is very important, don’t you?”
- White House, May 2035

BREAKING: HIGH LEVEL TALKS IN DELHI
- BBC, May 9, 2035

INDIAN, FRENCH, GOVERNMENTS BROKER DEAL
- BBC, May 9, 2035

“The Deal in Delhi was simple. Due to the various readiness states, it would up being mostly American Astronauts who went up in an American ship, with one taikonaut along to keep an eye on them. However China would get full credit for the techniques we used to get Iʻa into a safe orbit, even as NASA had developed their own model. Later shifts examining the Iʻa 2 would have more balanced crewed. Mission controls would be open to limited observation. And an international commission of contact, later rubber stamped by the UN, was set up. All in all, it went pretty well for us. The Russians were pissed, but eventually went along”
- A Decade and Change in Washington, 2047

MEET THE CREW OF PEGASUS 1
- Buzzfeed News, June 1, 2035

“Well, more accurately it would be ‘Winged Horse’ 1”
- Internet Commentator Tug65738

‘SO LONG AS IT GOES BETTER THAN ROSWELL, WE CONSIDER IT A SUCCESS’ SAYS NASA
- The Onion, June 28, 2035

This is the most important mission to only reach Low Earth Orbit since John Glenn, or maybe even Gagarin.”
- NASA Director Sage Smith, shortly before Pegasus 1 launch.

TEST OF TOWING MECHANISM A SUCCESS
- Washington Post, July 1, 2035

“Well, more accurately it isn’t a towing mechanism. What it really resembles is a....”
- Internet Commentator Tug65738

“With the probe having entered orbit, the Iʻa 2 has a calculated time of five days before a collision with an old American communications satellite. Pegasus 1 will move Iʻa 2 into a safer orbit tonight. Preliminary observations will follow.”
- NASA Director Sage Smith, July 25, 2035

PEGASUS MANEUVER SUCCESSFUL
- New York Times, July 26, 2035

BREAKING IʻA 2 HAS GOLDEN RECORD STYLE DEVICE
- New York Times, July 26, 2035

“As per NASA policy, the images from what we’re calling the Silicone Square will be released to the public. This includes detailed anatomical deceptions of the Manufacturers, confirmation that they live on Ross 128 b, as well as a variety of mathematical proofs. Said proofs appear to be in base 14, but are otherwise similar to what we put on the Voyagers. The things presumably recorded on the Square proper will take longer. And of course, it will be even longer before anyone realized we found their probe. Still, I hope we can all recognize what a monumental day this is for all of humankind.”
- NASA Director Sage Smith, July 27, 2035

“Maybe hold back on the traditional seafood welcoming.”
- Hawaiʻian Governor after seeing anatomical deception of the Ross 128 b Manufacturers

“...I’d tap that.”
- Internet Commentator Tug65738 after seeing anatomical deception of the Ross 128 b Manufacturers

BREAKING: DECODED IʻA 2 MESSAGE SUGGESTS CREWED MISSION MAY FOLLOW
- New York Times, July 31, 2035

2F9EE9D0-3C5B-4BBD-9834-1B80745834EF.jpeg
 
Two new Small Solar System Bodies Reported
Two previously unidentified bodies were observed this week by NASA. Current estimates suggest they are smaller than an airplane”
- This week @NASA, January 23, 2034

Third object observed
Similar to those observed last week. The objects appear to be converging somewhat.”
- This week @NASA, January 30, 2034

“Today NASA has reclassified 3 objects formerly thought to be small asteroids as Interstellar Objects, that is objects that originated outside the solar system. This is based on more recent data of the velocity of the objects, characterized by NASA as unusually fast, as well as their trajectory. The objects have been designated 6I, 7I, and 8I respectively. They are the smallest Interstellar objects ever recorded, and one NASA member attributed their discovery to “dumb luck.”

Although the proximity of the objects is likely a coincidence, NASA estimates they will eventually separate, they will be named as a group. Current front runners include the names of the 3 Musketeers, or the Hawai’ian name for “fish” reflecting their small size and “social” behavior.”
- Scientific American, February 28, 2034

EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY REPORTS IʻA OBJECTS DECELERATING
- New York Times Science Section, March 8, 2034

“At the current rate of deceleration, we may well see the Iʻas becoming permanent members of our solar system, entering solar orbit. This is obviously a great opportunity for NASA, and the astronomy community at large. We’ll be keeping a close eye on them.”
- NASA Administrator Sage Smith, March 13, 2034

SCIENTISTS BAFFLED BY DECELERATION OF IʻAS. SOMETHING MORE?
-New York Post, March 23, 2034

“Deceleration of an Interstellar Object is entirely expected. What is more surprising is that all of them appear to be doing so in slightly different ways, and at slightly different rates. We speculate that this may have to do with the gravity wells of Mars and Venus impacting Iʻa 1 and Iʻa 3 respectively.”
- NASA Administrator Sage Smith, March 29, 2034

“I honestly don’t remember who it was. It was April 1st, and no one wanted to be the fool. But we were all thinking it. The shifts towards Mars and Venus were simply too large and too inexplicable to ignore. Then someone decided to see how a similar process might impact Iʻa 2. And we looked at it. And we were like shit.”
-Unnamed NASA Scientist, Not Alone, 2040

“We can confirm that given the recent alterations in the trajectories of Iʻa 1 and Iʻa 3 will make these small objects moons. 1 will become Mars’s third moon, while 3 will be Venus’s first. 2 seems likely to proceed between the planets, and pass into the outer solar system, passing by Earth in the process”
- ESA Director Heinrich Weber, April 4, 2034

“Just because 2 is between 1 and 3 and Earth is between Mars and Venus, does not mean that Iʻa 2 will enter orbit.”
- NASA Director Sage Smith, April 5, 2034

“Thank god we caught it a year out. God knows what would have happened if we got caught more flat footed.”
- NASA Director Sage Smith (Privately), April 5, 2034

“I’ve been running some numbers. Working the deceleration numbers on the Iʻa backwards. And holy shit that thing was moving fast. The speeds we saw as it entered the solar system were abnormally high to begin with. But if we assume it’s been slowing down at the same rate for a while, and there’s nothing from anyone to suggest it hasn’t, holy fuck it was moving. We’re talking a significant fraction of the speed of light fast.”
- Internet User LonelyCollins, April 29, 2034

“JF: So you’re saying it will enter orbit?

SS: A little over a year from now, yes. Assuming that the current trends hold alongside something similar to what we saw with Mars and Venus, Iʻa 2 will enter Low Earth Orbit.

JF: LOW Earth Orbit? That’s a lot closer than the “new moon” stuff you’ve been touting for Mars and Venus.

SS: Well yes. In fact the thing is, we’re a bit worried Iʻa 1 will collide with an Indian orbiter that...

JF: I’m more concerned with the one that’s headed here.

SS: Understandable sir. Like I said, early summer 2035 is our best guess for arrival. It would enter a fairly stable orbit by our modeling, although it would eventually de orbit.

JF: You mean crash.

SS: Given the size, none of it would actually reach the ground.

JF: Small comforts. You said we’re still having trouble identifying its composition.

SS: None of the usual methods seem to be working.

JF: Any idea why?

SS: Well the one thing I would have to say is. The issue with this is that, well, between the Iʻas veering off course and this composition issues, it’s well, they don’t seem to be obeying any of the standards of natural phenomena.

JF: Great, an asteroid that doesn’t obey the laws of physics.

SS: Oh it obeys the laws of physics sir. Assuming it has an engine of some kind.”
- Oval Office, May 16, 2034.

“By early June, things were beginning to leak, and people were beginning to figure it out on their own with nothing but grit and the internet. All the powers with the ability to observe deep space had figured out what was happening. No one wanted to cede any rights about anything in this situation, and high level talks were out, given the nominal secrecy. Nonetheless informal agreements were made. America and allies, particularly in the ESA, had the so called Canaveral-Kourou Agreement, pledging cooperation. The New York Agreement was made by representatives of various nations to the United Nations. Although they agreed that no existing organ (such as the Secretary General or Office of Outer Space Affairs) would be used, they also established that the UN could be a useful tool in handing the situation. And, of course the “Gentleman’s Agreement” among prominent scientists, both inside and outside official channels, which pledged to avoid politicization and militarization wherever possible...”
- Not Alone, 2040

“Although it cannot be stated with absolute certainty, the National Space Administration believes that the Interstellar Objects recently observed are of artificial origin. We do not know who build them, but they are not of our Earth, not of our Solar System. The People’s Republic of China, and all the other nations of the world, will extend the hand of friendship to these visitors. We are strong, but we are welcoming. We look to heaven with neither fear nor naivety...”
- English Translation of the Beijing Address, June 13, 2034

“The President never forgave the Chinese Premier for upstaging him on the official announcement that Iʻa 2 was an alien spacecraft of some kind. It was a blow to his, and to American prestige. It made NASA look slow and playing catch-up. Which in turn made it all seem like another Space Race, all of which made things more tense then they needed to be. It set the whole thing off on a bad note. Of course, I can’t be too harsh on the Premier, it’s not like the President was planning a joint event, he wanted to be first.

Still, from an organizational perspective, things went smoothly at first. The Presidential Commission on Contact was well received. Of course with all of those Congressional and industry leaders, it was bit unwieldy. A working group of the President, the Secretaries of State and Defense, the NASA Director, and the ranking member of the Aviation and Space subcommittee quickly emerged.”
- A Decade and Change in Washington, 2047

OPINION: AMERICA MUST TAKE LEAD ON CONTACT
- Washington Post, June 23, 2034

“While it is true that Iʻa 1 and Iʻa 3 will enter orbit earlier, it is unlikely we we will be able to glean much. Our observations on Mars and Venus simply are not oriented correctly for such observations. And there is no way to guess what sort of transmissions these things are using. At best we might be able to glean a bit more regarding the shape of the craft.”
- NASA Director Sage Smith, July 11, 2034

“There was a bit of a calm before the storm. There were frantic calculations, and a drip, drip, drip, of new information. But for over half a year, the pace of news about Iʻa slowed. But it did not stop.”
- Not Alone, 2040

TWO ENGINES? NEW EVIDENCE SUGGESTS THAT IʻA HAS ONE PROPULSION SYSTEM FOR INTERSTELLAR TRAVEL, AND USED ANOTHER ONCE IT ENTERED THE SOLAR SYSTEM.”
- Scientific American, August 23, 2034

LOCAL INTERNET COMMENTATOR: I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE ALIENS LOOK LIKE, BUT I WANT TO FUCK THEM
- The Onion, September 1, 2034

ESA: ‘EXTREMELY UNLIKELY IʻA IS CREWED
- La Monde, October 2, 2034

TROUBLE IN PARADISE: INSIDE THE VIOLENT SCHISM BETWEEN TWO IʻA CULTS
- Buzzfeed News, November 6, 2034

“There is, of course, an immense strategic advantage to possession of both propulsion systems. Even the less powerful system is more efficient and faster than any created on Earth. And current estimates suggest the Interstellar Drive can reach speeds of .5c. Any nation in possession of such schematics would hold power over all others
- National Security Council Report, leaked December 2034

ʻ: HOW A HAWAIʻIAN SOUND WENT GLOBAL
-Honolulu Star-Advertiser, January 5, 2035

COLLISION RISK FOR IʻA: AN HONEST ASSESSMENT
- Scientific American, February 13, 2035

PREVIOUSLY DIVIDED, SCIENTISTS NOW LARGELY AGREE IʻA 2 CAME FROM ROSS 128
- New York Times, February 20, 2035

WHY IʻA MAY CRASH BEFORE IT HAS A CHANCE TO DO ANYTHING
- Vox, March 12, 2035

“The issue for Iʻa 2, is that well, is that whoever manufactured it had no way of knowing what was in orbit already. They knew about the moon, I think, but nothing else. So they never made the calculations that we do, whenever we launch into orbit. And given that transmissions from the probe likely takes over 11 years to get back home, there is no way to adjust. So there is a very real chance of collision with any number of satellites in Low Earth Orbit.”
- NASA Director Sage Smith, March 20, 2035

RETRIEVAL OF PROBE FRAUGHT WITH QUESTIONS
While the idea of taking the Iʻa 2 probe out of orbit and into safety has captured the imagination, there are serious issues with the proposal. For one, it is unclear whether the interstellar probe, which is not yet in orbit, would still function on Earth’s surface, such an action could also been seen as overly hostile by the Manufacturers of the probe. In addition, the probe could likely only be brought to Earth in a Russian shuttle, leaving the Kremlin in possession of both all information and communications with the apparent civilization of Ross 128b, as well as the power engines on the probe.”
- New York Times, April 2, 2035

AMERICAN, EUROPEAN LEADERS CONDEMN ANY UNILATERAL EFFORT TO RETRIEVE OR GUIDE PROBE
- La Monde, April 12, 2035

CHINESE PREMIER: ‘WE WILL NOT LET AMERICAN INTRANSIGENCE BLOCK FIRST CONTACT
- BBC, April 14, 2035

CNSA UNVEILS ‘TOWING PLAN’ TO PRESERVE IʻA 2’S ORBIT
- Washington Post, April 30, 2035

DEADLINE FAST APPROACHING FOR ANY LAUNCH PLAN TO AID IʻA 2
- New York Times, May 1, 2035

“JF: I’m asking if they could, in an emergency, be used to help clear a path, at least temporarily.

BE: It’s a bit hard to guess the long term viability, given that it does leave debris floating in orbit. But short term, yes. But the Space Force recommends against it, as do our colleagues at the Air Force. The revelation of this weapons system could do...

JF: I respect your opinion, but quite frankly the cat is out of the bag. Our allies know. The Russians know. The Chinese know. We’ve had anti-satellite weapons for years. This is a newer system, and I recognize using it openly would be both a public relations nightmare and allow more intelligence to be gathered on it. But I think ensuring that the first contact probe has a smooth ride is very important, don’t you?”
- White House, May 2035

BREAKING: HIGH LEVEL TALKS IN DELHI
- BBC, May 9, 2035

INDIAN, FRENCH, GOVERNMENTS BROKER DEAL
- BBC, May 9, 2035

“The Deal in Delhi was simple. Due to the various readiness states, it would up being mostly American Astronauts who went up in an American ship, with one taikonaut along to keep an eye on them. However China would get full credit for the techniques we used to get Iʻa into a safe orbit, even as NASA had developed their own model. Later shifts examining the Iʻa 2 would have more balanced crewed. Mission controls would be open to limited observation. And an international commission of contact, later rubber stamped by the UN, was set up. All in all, it went pretty well for us. The Russians were pissed, but eventually went along”
- A Decade and Change in Washington, 2047

MEET THE CREW OF PEGASUS 1
- Buzzfeed News, June 1, 2035

“Well, more accurately it would be ‘Winged Horse’ 1”
- Internet Commentator Tug65738

‘SO LONG AS IT GOES BETTER THAN ROSWELL, WE CONSIDER IT A SUCCESS’ SAYS NASA
- The Onion, June 28, 2035

This is the most important mission to only reach Low Earth Orbit since John Glenn, or maybe even Gagarin.”
- NASA Director Sage Smith, shortly before Pegasus 1 launch.

TEST OF TOWING MECHANISM A SUCCESS
- Washington Post, July 1, 2035

“Well, more accurately it isn’t a towing mechanism. What it really resembles is a....”
- Internet Commentator Tug65738

“With the probe having entered orbit, the Iʻa 2 has a calculated time of five days before a collision with an old American communications satellite. Pegasus 1 will move Iʻa 2 into a safer orbit tonight. Preliminary observations will follow.”
- NASA Director Sage Smith, July 25, 2035

PEGASUS MANEUVER SUCCESSFUL
- New York Times, July 26, 2035

BREAKING IʻA 2 HAS GOLDEN RECORD STYLE DEVICE
- New York Times, July 26, 2035

“As per NASA policy, the images from what we’re calling the Silicone Square will be released to the public. This includes detailed anatomical deceptions of the Manufacturers, confirmation that they live on Ross 128 b, as well as a variety of mathematical proofs. Said proofs appear to be in base 14, but are otherwise similar to what we put on the Voyagers. The things presumably recorded on the Square proper will take longer. And of course, it will be even longer before anyone realized we found their probe. Still, I hope we can all recognize what a monumental day this is for all of humankind.”
- NASA Director Sage Smith, July 27, 2035

“Maybe hold back on the traditional seafood welcoming.”
- Hawaiʻian Governor after seeing anatomical deception of the Ross 128 b Manufacturers

“...I’d tap that.”
- Internet Commentator Tug65738 after seeing anatomical deception of the Ross 128 b Manufacturers

BREAKING: DECODED IʻA 2 MESSAGE SUGGESTS CREWED MISSION MAY FOLLOW
- New York Times, July 31, 2035

View attachment 595937
Oh, this is interesting. Will you be continuing it?
 
A Path Less Travelled: Part VI
Save Business, Save America
1932.png

The 1932 United States presidential election was the 37th quadrennial presidential election, held on Saturday, November 5, 1932. The election took place against the backdrop of the Long Depression. Hamilton Fish III, the Governor of New York, defeated the Progressive nominee, incumbent Vice-President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and the Conservative Democratic nominee, former Governor Coleman L. Blease of South Carolina. Fish's election marked the first time the American Liberal Party won the presidency, and the first defeat for a Progressive nominee since 1912. The election marked just the fourth time where the electoral vote winner lost the popular vote, with Vice-President Roosevelt having won nearly a million more votes than Fish, but 36 less electoral votes.

Despite worsening economic conditions due to the onset of the Long Depression, voters were not completely convinced that the Progressives should be removed from power. George Norris, the incumbent President, had centered his presidency on the "necessary actions" the federal government should take to weather the economic storm befalling the country. Many voters were receptive to this, even if others became receptive to the American Liberal line that it was Progressive programs that caused the economic crisis. Nonetheless, moderates within the Progressive Party became convinced renominating Norris would jeopardize the party, and they succeeded in getting the incumbent to not seek the nomination in favor of his Vice-President.

Vice-President Roosevelt was the frontrunner going into the 1932 Progressive Party Primaries, but he faced significant and vocal opposition from the left of the party who felt the moderate, Pine Tree Progressives⁽¹⁾, were hijacking the party and would betray the American people. Roosevelt ultimately won the nomination at that year's Progressive National Convention and named Newton Baker of Ohio, a member of the party's Geoist faction, as his running-mate in hopes of assuaging challenges from the left. Many American Liberals sought the nomination, believing that the economic conditions would open the path for victory in November. Early frontrunners included Senator Channing H. Cox of Massachusetts, Congressman Harold G. Hoffman and Senator Edward I. Edwards both of New Jersey, former Governor of Oregon Ben W. Olcott, and a surprise Convention appearance by John Nance Garner of Texas. But the nomination ultimately went to Hamilton Fish III, the Governor of New York from the powerful Fish dynasty, in an attempt to off-set the appeal of Vice-President Roosevelt and win the critical state of New York. When they paired him with Garner, who had been the vice-presidential nominee of the Conservative Democrats in 1928, the South was truly in play. The defection of southern leaders who supported the economic programs of the Progressives, and of the Southern business elite who parted with Garner, left the Conservative Democrats at a cross-roads, ultimately nominating a controversial, openly single-issue and out of touch ticket of Coleman Blease of South Carolina and Leander Perez of Louisiana as his running-mate.

Despite the souring economic state, Roosevelt promised to save the American people and was able to effectively counter the American Liberals as "in it for Wall Street, not Main Street!" As such, though many pundits initially thought Fish would run away with the election, the race became extremely close. The dreams of a landslide for Fish and Garner proved to be a fool's dream and on election night, Roosevelt and the Progressives would take the popular vote and win the most states. But Hamilton Fish was able to eek out close victories in critical states like Illinois, New York and California, winning 300 electoral votes and the election. Fish would become just the fourth person to lose the popular vote, but win the electoral vote, causing considerable controversy and outrage among Progressive circles. The Conservative Democrats suffered a collapse of epic proportions behind their weak ticket, dropping from 17.1% of the popular vote in 1928 to just 4.7% in 1932, though they still won the Alabama, Mississippi and South Carolina contests. Some criticized the influence of the Pine Tree Progressives and the moderation of the Roosevelt campaign, noting the success of the Pan-Workers Movement, a left-wing breakaway that attracted Progressives behind the candidacy of Norman Thomas. Fish beat Roosevelt in New York by less than a percentage point, and Thomas won over 5% of the vote in that state.

⁽¹⁾ Pine Tree Progressives were members of the Progressive Party's early moderate faction and the term arose from the phrase Progressive in Name. Many of the Pine Tree Progressives were party members that had switched only after the Party became dominant in parts of the Midwest and Plains, and were viewed as opportunists. Nonetheless, many of Leonard Wood's own supporters in Congress were members of this moderate faction.
–•–

APLT - Index

Part I. 1912 U.S. presidential election
Part II. 1916 U.S. presidential election
Part III. 1920 U.S. presidential election
Part IV. 1924 U.S. presidential election
Part V. 1928 U.S. presidential election
 
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Screen Shot 2020-11-02 at 9.55.49 AM.png

Early in the morning of 24 March, 1950, an inconspicuous cargo ship bearing neutral Swedish colors arrived at the port of Baltimore. A seemingly ordinary delivery of raw iron ore for the German war effort, it caused little disturbance among American war planners. The ship's cargo was very swiftly unloaded and delivered by convoy to Luftwaffe installations near Hagerstown, Maryland, in the afternoon. A single word was transmitted by telegraph to the High Command of the Armed Forces headquarters in Philadelphia: ODIN.

That was the signal. Erwin Rommel, overall commander of all German forces in North America, was immediately notified. At the time, he was overseeing combat endeavors near Knoxville, Tennessee. In the afternoon of the 25th, Rommel was flown to Philadelphia and met with his general staff. He officially authorized the commencement of "Operation Valhalla", the triumphant conclusion of almost a decade of toil, sacrifice, and unparalleled scientific achievement. He issued the order to Luftwaffe personnel in Hagerstown. At their earliest convenience, they are to carry out Operation Valhalla and return to base.

The 199th Special Aerial Bombardment Squadron, or "the SABS", was an air unit assembled in February with the explicit purpose of undertaking Valhalla. It was led by Brig. Gen. Heinrich Berkel, an accomplished Luftwaffe officer who had his start as a fighter pilot in the Battle of Britain. It was composed by over 2,000 ground support personnel, plus specially-trained pilots and their backups. A single Heinkel He 274 long-range, high-altitude bomber was flown in from northern France alongside the SAEBS, and was based on the airbase at Hagerstown. For weeks, the unit underwent training, although flying missions were restricted for reasons of secrecy.

On 11 March, Brig. Gen. Berkel selected Col. Pieter Koehler as captain of the mission that would carry out Valhalla. Koehler was among the Luftwaffe's finest bomber pilots, having seen service all throughout Europe and North America. His credentials were impeccable, and his loyalty to the Nazi Party was even more so. The crew totaled 12 men, most of whom were the regular crew of the He 274, known to history by its service name Kleiner Klaus - "Little Klaus". Beyond the apparent secrecy of Valhalla, neither Koehler nor the rest of the crew were aware that they had been selected to carry out the first nuclear attack in human history.

At 6:30 A.M., Kleiner Klaus and its crew took off from Hagerstown. They quickly ascended to the aircraft's operational ceiling of 14,300 meters (46,920 ft). Roughly two hours later, the bomber was flying above its target: the City of Chicago. At exactly 8:34:21 A.M., on the 26th of March, 1950, an enriched uranium fission-type atomic bomb codenamed "Midgard" fell onto one of the largest and most populous cities in the United States. The bomb had a total yield of 16.2 kilotons of TNT. It resulted in an enormous mushroom cloud measuring almost 10 kilometers in height. The blast was felt as far away as Minneapolis, while vibrations were recorded by a U.S. Army office in San Francisco. The high population density and heavy concentration of buildings led to immensely high casualties: although figures are imprecise, it is believed that more than half a million people were killed. This doesn't factor in the deaths caused by radiation sickness, which affected people for decades after the explosion. The entirety of the U.S. 9th Army Group was put out of operation, as were hundreds of vital factories and military installations, not to mention the critically important railways and telegraph lines that passed through the city.
 

Deleted member 100761

Two new Small Solar System Bodies Reported
Two previously unidentified bodies were observed this week by NASA. Current estimates suggest they are smaller than an airplane”
- This week @NASA, January 23, 2034

Third object observed
Similar to those observed last week. The objects appear to be converging somewhat.”
- This week @NASA, January 30, 2034

“Today NASA has reclassified 3 objects formerly thought to be small asteroids as Interstellar Objects, that is objects that originated outside the solar system. This is based on more recent data of the velocity of the objects, characterized by NASA as unusually fast, as well as their trajectory. The objects have been designated 6I, 7I, and 8I respectively. They are the smallest Interstellar objects ever recorded, and one NASA member attributed their discovery to “dumb luck.”

Although the proximity of the objects is likely a coincidence, NASA estimates they will eventually separate, they will be named as a group. Current front runners include the names of the 3 Musketeers, or the Hawai’ian name for “fish” reflecting their small size and “social” behavior.”
- Scientific American, February 28, 2034

EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY REPORTS IʻA OBJECTS DECELERATING
- New York Times Science Section, March 8, 2034

“At the current rate of deceleration, we may well see the Iʻas becoming permanent members of our solar system, entering solar orbit. This is obviously a great opportunity for NASA, and the astronomy community at large. We’ll be keeping a close eye on them.”
- NASA Administrator Sage Smith, March 13, 2034

SCIENTISTS BAFFLED BY DECELERATION OF IʻAS. SOMETHING MORE?
-New York Post, March 23, 2034

“Deceleration of an Interstellar Object is entirely expected. What is more surprising is that all of them appear to be doing so in slightly different ways, and at slightly different rates. We speculate that this may have to do with the gravity wells of Mars and Venus impacting Iʻa 1 and Iʻa 3 respectively.”
- NASA Administrator Sage Smith, March 29, 2034

“I honestly don’t remember who it was. It was April 1st, and no one wanted to be the fool. But we were all thinking it. The shifts towards Mars and Venus were simply too large and too inexplicable to ignore. Then someone decided to see how a similar process might impact Iʻa 2. And we looked at it. And we were like shit.”
-Unnamed NASA Scientist, Not Alone, 2040

“We can confirm that given the recent alterations in the trajectories of Iʻa 1 and Iʻa 3 will make these small objects moons. 1 will become Mars’s third moon, while 3 will be Venus’s first. 2 seems likely to proceed between the planets, and pass into the outer solar system, passing by Earth in the process”
- ESA Director Heinrich Weber, April 4, 2034

“Just because 2 is between 1 and 3 and Earth is between Mars and Venus, does not mean that Iʻa 2 will enter orbit.”
- NASA Director Sage Smith, April 5, 2034

“Thank god we caught it a year out. God knows what would have happened if we got caught more flat footed.”
- NASA Director Sage Smith (Privately), April 5, 2034

“I’ve been running some numbers. Working the deceleration numbers on the Iʻa backwards. And holy shit that thing was moving fast. The speeds we saw as it entered the solar system were abnormally high to begin with. But if we assume it’s been slowing down at the same rate for a while, and there’s nothing from anyone to suggest it hasn’t, holy fuck it was moving. We’re talking a significant fraction of the speed of light fast.”
- Internet User LonelyCollins, April 29, 2034

“JF: So you’re saying it will enter orbit?

SS: A little over a year from now, yes. Assuming that the current trends hold alongside something similar to what we saw with Mars and Venus, Iʻa 2 will enter Low Earth Orbit.

JF: LOW Earth Orbit? That’s a lot closer than the “new moon” stuff you’ve been touting for Mars and Venus.

SS: Well yes. In fact the thing is, we’re a bit worried Iʻa 1 will collide with an Indian orbiter that...

JF: I’m more concerned with the one that’s headed here.

SS: Understandable sir. Like I said, early summer 2035 is our best guess for arrival. It would enter a fairly stable orbit by our modeling, although it would eventually de orbit.

JF: You mean crash.

SS: Given the size, none of it would actually reach the ground.

JF: Small comforts. You said we’re still having trouble identifying its composition.

SS: None of the usual methods seem to be working.

JF: Any idea why?

SS: Well the one thing I would have to say is. The issue with this is that, well, between the Iʻas veering off course and this composition issues, it’s well, they don’t seem to be obeying any of the standards of natural phenomena.

JF: Great, an asteroid that doesn’t obey the laws of physics.

SS: Oh it obeys the laws of physics sir. Assuming it has an engine of some kind.”
- Oval Office, May 16, 2034.

“By early June, things were beginning to leak, and people were beginning to figure it out on their own with nothing but grit and the internet. All the powers with the ability to observe deep space had figured out what was happening. No one wanted to cede any rights about anything in this situation, and high level talks were out, given the nominal secrecy. Nonetheless informal agreements were made. America and allies, particularly in the ESA, had the so called Canaveral-Kourou Agreement, pledging cooperation. The New York Agreement was made by representatives of various nations to the United Nations. Although they agreed that no existing organ (such as the Secretary General or Office of Outer Space Affairs) would be used, they also established that the UN could be a useful tool in handing the situation. And, of course the “Gentleman’s Agreement” among prominent scientists, both inside and outside official channels, which pledged to avoid politicization and militarization wherever possible...”
- Not Alone, 2040

“Although it cannot be stated with absolute certainty, the National Space Administration believes that the Interstellar Objects recently observed are of artificial origin. We do not know who build them, but they are not of our Earth, not of our Solar System. The People’s Republic of China, and all the other nations of the world, will extend the hand of friendship to these visitors. We are strong, but we are welcoming. We look to heaven with neither fear nor naivety...”
- English Translation of the Beijing Address, June 13, 2034

“The President never forgave the Chinese Premier for upstaging him on the official announcement that Iʻa 2 was an alien spacecraft of some kind. It was a blow to his, and to American prestige. It made NASA look slow and playing catch-up. Which in turn made it all seem like another Space Race, all of which made things more tense then they needed to be. It set the whole thing off on a bad note. Of course, I can’t be too harsh on the Premier, it’s not like the President was planning a joint event, he wanted to be first.

Still, from an organizational perspective, things went smoothly at first. The Presidential Commission on Contact was well received. Of course with all of those Congressional and industry leaders, it was bit unwieldy. A working group of the President, the Secretaries of State and Defense, the NASA Director, and the ranking member of the Aviation and Space subcommittee quickly emerged.”
- A Decade and Change in Washington, 2047

OPINION: AMERICA MUST TAKE LEAD ON CONTACT
- Washington Post, June 23, 2034

“While it is true that Iʻa 1 and Iʻa 3 will enter orbit earlier, it is unlikely we we will be able to glean much. Our observations on Mars and Venus simply are not oriented correctly for such observations. And there is no way to guess what sort of transmissions these things are using. At best we might be able to glean a bit more regarding the shape of the craft.”
- NASA Director Sage Smith, July 11, 2034

“There was a bit of a calm before the storm. There were frantic calculations, and a drip, drip, drip, of new information. But for over half a year, the pace of news about Iʻa slowed. But it did not stop.”
- Not Alone, 2040

TWO ENGINES? NEW EVIDENCE SUGGESTS THAT IʻA HAS ONE PROPULSION SYSTEM FOR INTERSTELLAR TRAVEL, AND USED ANOTHER ONCE IT ENTERED THE SOLAR SYSTEM.”
- Scientific American, August 23, 2034

LOCAL INTERNET COMMENTATOR: I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE ALIENS LOOK LIKE, BUT I WANT TO FUCK THEM
- The Onion, September 1, 2034

ESA: ‘EXTREMELY UNLIKELY IʻA IS CREWED
- La Monde, October 2, 2034

TROUBLE IN PARADISE: INSIDE THE VIOLENT SCHISM BETWEEN TWO IʻA CULTS
- Buzzfeed News, November 6, 2034

“There is, of course, an immense strategic advantage to possession of both propulsion systems. Even the less powerful system is more efficient and faster than any created on Earth. And current estimates suggest the Interstellar Drive can reach speeds of .5c. Any nation in possession of such schematics would hold power over all others
- National Security Council Report, leaked December 2034

ʻ: HOW A HAWAIʻIAN SOUND WENT GLOBAL
-Honolulu Star-Advertiser, January 5, 2035

COLLISION RISK FOR IʻA: AN HONEST ASSESSMENT
- Scientific American, February 13, 2035

PREVIOUSLY DIVIDED, SCIENTISTS NOW LARGELY AGREE IʻA 2 CAME FROM ROSS 128
- New York Times, February 20, 2035

WHY IʻA MAY CRASH BEFORE IT HAS A CHANCE TO DO ANYTHING
- Vox, March 12, 2035

“The issue for Iʻa 2, is that well, is that whoever manufactured it had no way of knowing what was in orbit already. They knew about the moon, I think, but nothing else. So they never made the calculations that we do, whenever we launch into orbit. And given that transmissions from the probe likely takes over 11 years to get back home, there is no way to adjust. So there is a very real chance of collision with any number of satellites in Low Earth Orbit.”
- NASA Director Sage Smith, March 20, 2035

RETRIEVAL OF PROBE FRAUGHT WITH QUESTIONS
While the idea of taking the Iʻa 2 probe out of orbit and into safety has captured the imagination, there are serious issues with the proposal. For one, it is unclear whether the interstellar probe, which is not yet in orbit, would still function on Earth’s surface, such an action could also been seen as overly hostile by the Manufacturers of the probe. In addition, the probe could likely only be brought to Earth in a Russian shuttle, leaving the Kremlin in possession of both all information and communications with the apparent civilization of Ross 128b, as well as the power engines on the probe.”
- New York Times, April 2, 2035

AMERICAN, EUROPEAN LEADERS CONDEMN ANY UNILATERAL EFFORT TO RETRIEVE OR GUIDE PROBE
- La Monde, April 12, 2035

CHINESE PREMIER: ‘WE WILL NOT LET AMERICAN INTRANSIGENCE BLOCK FIRST CONTACT
- BBC, April 14, 2035

CNSA UNVEILS ‘TOWING PLAN’ TO PRESERVE IʻA 2’S ORBIT
- Washington Post, April 30, 2035

DEADLINE FAST APPROACHING FOR ANY LAUNCH PLAN TO AID IʻA 2
- New York Times, May 1, 2035

“JF: I’m asking if they could, in an emergency, be used to help clear a path, at least temporarily.

BE: It’s a bit hard to guess the long term viability, given that it does leave debris floating in orbit. But short term, yes. But the Space Force recommends against it, as do our colleagues at the Air Force. The revelation of this weapons system could do...

JF: I respect your opinion, but quite frankly the cat is out of the bag. Our allies know. The Russians know. The Chinese know. We’ve had anti-satellite weapons for years. This is a newer system, and I recognize using it openly would be both a public relations nightmare and allow more intelligence to be gathered on it. But I think ensuring that the first contact probe has a smooth ride is very important, don’t you?”
- White House, May 2035

BREAKING: HIGH LEVEL TALKS IN DELHI
- BBC, May 9, 2035

INDIAN, FRENCH, GOVERNMENTS BROKER DEAL
- BBC, May 9, 2035

“The Deal in Delhi was simple. Due to the various readiness states, it would up being mostly American Astronauts who went up in an American ship, with one taikonaut along to keep an eye on them. However China would get full credit for the techniques we used to get Iʻa into a safe orbit, even as NASA had developed their own model. Later shifts examining the Iʻa 2 would have more balanced crewed. Mission controls would be open to limited observation. And an international commission of contact, later rubber stamped by the UN, was set up. All in all, it went pretty well for us. The Russians were pissed, but eventually went along”
- A Decade and Change in Washington, 2047

MEET THE CREW OF PEGASUS 1
- Buzzfeed News, June 1, 2035

“Well, more accurately it would be ‘Winged Horse’ 1”
- Internet Commentator Tug65738

‘SO LONG AS IT GOES BETTER THAN ROSWELL, WE CONSIDER IT A SUCCESS’ SAYS NASA
- The Onion, June 28, 2035

This is the most important mission to only reach Low Earth Orbit since John Glenn, or maybe even Gagarin.”
- NASA Director Sage Smith, shortly before Pegasus 1 launch.

TEST OF TOWING MECHANISM A SUCCESS
- Washington Post, July 1, 2035

“Well, more accurately it isn’t a towing mechanism. What it really resembles is a....”
- Internet Commentator Tug65738

“With the probe having entered orbit, the Iʻa 2 has a calculated time of five days before a collision with an old American communications satellite. Pegasus 1 will move Iʻa 2 into a safer orbit tonight. Preliminary observations will follow.”
- NASA Director Sage Smith, July 25, 2035

PEGASUS MANEUVER SUCCESSFUL
- New York Times, July 26, 2035

BREAKING IʻA 2 HAS GOLDEN RECORD STYLE DEVICE
- New York Times, July 26, 2035

“As per NASA policy, the images from what we’re calling the Silicone Square will be released to the public. This includes detailed anatomical deceptions of the Manufacturers, confirmation that they live on Ross 128 b, as well as a variety of mathematical proofs. Said proofs appear to be in base 14, but are otherwise similar to what we put on the Voyagers. The things presumably recorded on the Square proper will take longer. And of course, it will be even longer before anyone realized we found their probe. Still, I hope we can all recognize what a monumental day this is for all of humankind.”
- NASA Director Sage Smith, July 27, 2035

“Maybe hold back on the traditional seafood welcoming.”
- Hawaiʻian Governor after seeing anatomical deception of the Ross 128 b Manufacturers

“...I’d tap that.”
- Internet Commentator Tug65738 after seeing anatomical deception of the Ross 128 b Manufacturers

BREAKING: DECODED IʻA 2 MESSAGE SUGGESTS CREWED MISSION MAY FOLLOW
- New York Times, July 31, 2035

View attachment 595937
I love this. Will there be more?
 
Remember Me: A Coco infobox series
Ernesto de la Cruz
Héctor Rivera
Remember Me (song)
Rivera Familia de Zapateros (you are here)

Here is the fourth and final infobox in my Coco infobox series.


Rivera Zapateros.png

Rivera shoes.png

A photo of the Rivera Familia de Zapateros taken in 2018.

The Rivera Familia de Zapateros (Spanish for Rivera Family of Shoemakers) is a shoe making shop owned by the Rivera Family that is located in Santa Cecilia, Oaxaca, Mexico. In recent years, it has become a famous landmark for the town, being the former home of famous song writer Héctor Rivera. His song lyrics and guitar are on display in a small room in the front of the building.

History
Rivera Familia de Zapateros began business in 1921 by Imelda Rivera. She began the shoe making business in order to provide for herself and her daughter Socorro "Coco" after her husband Héctor died that same year and was never notified. Thinking her husband had abandoned the family, she banned music from the family life and started the business.

Originally, it was only Imelda herself making the shoes. Once she was of age, her daughter Coco was taught how to make them, too and after Coco got married, Imelda taught Coco's husband (and Imelda's son-in-law) Julio. Imelda would also eventually get more help from her younger twin brothers Oscar and Felipe as well as Julio's sister Rosita.

The shoe business proved to be a pretty successful venture for Imelda and her family, and as people need to replace their shoes every so often. As years went by, more members of the Rivera family would help out with the family business. Coco and Julio would have two daughters together named Victoria and Elena. Victoria would die childless while Elena would marry Franco and have two sons and a daughter and their children would have several children, as well.

Imelda would run the business until her death of a heart attack in 1972. Coco would take over until her old age when she began to suffer from Alzheimer's disease and limited mobility and as a result, her daughter Elena would take over the business.

While business continued to thrive, Elena would enforce the music ban her grandmother made decades earlier. In the 2010s, she screamed at three drunks walking home from a bar after she heard them singing from inside the shop and also threatened a mariachi man with her chancla after the former showed her grandson Miguel his guitar.

Following some recent events revealing Ernesto de la Cruz was not the actual musical genius and in fact most, if not all his songs were actually written by Imelda Rivera's husband Héctor, Rivera Familia de Zapateros would become a new hot spot of interest and tourism. Héctor Rivera (now being Santa Cecelia's new idol follow the plummet in de la Cruz's popularity following the revelations) would have his memory keep alive following the revelations. His daughters letters containing the lyrics to his songs as well as his guitar would be put on display for the public to see in a window of the shop, where it remains a popular tourist attraction today.
 
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