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hirezZone Seven exists, for the most part, as the late fifties. Those of the Ballard school would likely posit that the launching of space-vehicles fractured some kind of time envelope and allowed what we understand to be the modern world to wrench itself free. That which had been left behind slowly ran down as the intertia of progress left it, and it exists now in a kind of quasi-state at a slight angle to our version of reality. Other authorities consider that one of the last atmospheric H-bomb tests hit some kind of resonant frequency to much the same effect. Still others believe that 'our' progress looked diseased enough that it was somehow closed off in a bubble where it could only harm itself.
We here at the Ministry of Continuity are largely unconcerned with such speculation. That sort of thing is for the boffins over at the Special Study Group - Dr Collins is our chap in charge there, and he's assembled a fine time let me tell you!
No, we see our job at the Ministry as one of police work, public safety and the careful dissemination of information. I don't think I need to tell you of the likely effects that gossip or other careless talk might have. The balloon would go up and we'd have a pretty mess on our hands to try to square away. As far as we're concerned, cross-contamination is best kept to a minimum. Though given some of the unusual properties of the Continuing Now, our work is significantly easier than one might otherwise imagine.
We here at the Ministry of Continuity are largely unconcerned with such speculation. That sort of thing is for the boffins over at the Special Study Group - Dr Collins is our chap in charge there, and he's assembled a fine time let me tell you!
No, we see our job at the Ministry as one of police work, public safety and the careful dissemination of information. I don't think I need to tell you of the likely effects that gossip or other careless talk might have. The balloon would go up and we'd have a pretty mess on our hands to try to square away. As far as we're concerned, cross-contamination is best kept to a minimum. Though given some of the unusual properties of the Continuing Now, our work is significantly easier than one might otherwise imagine.
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MY concerns are...
Date: 2003-10-26 04:42 pm (UTC)a) The Ministry of Temporal Consolidation*
b) Temporal Moles/Spies
c) Military Applications
How can those of you working in the MoC be sure that this universe even existed five minutes ago?
*The Descartes to you and me
Re: MY concerns are...
Date: 2003-10-26 05:14 pm (UTC)Re: In think, therefore I drink
Date: 2003-10-26 07:09 pm (UTC)Re: MY concerns are...
Date: 2003-10-27 01:56 am (UTC)a) You'll have to speak to our American cousins about that sort of thing. They've tried re-integration on several occasions, against our and the French boffins better advice. Between you and me, we've rather washed our hands of them.
b) No Comment. You would be well advised to reconsider that line of thought.
c) http://www.subbrit.org.uk/rsg/features/rotor/index.html and http://www.subbrit.org.uk/rsg/sites/s/spadeadam/index.html
I'm afraid we very much leave the metaphysics to the padre.
no subject
Date: 2003-10-27 12:25 am (UTC)Can you comment ?
no subject
Date: 2003-10-27 01:47 am (UTC)I'm afraid I really cannot make any comment until the air (accident?) investigation board have completed their work. We may have to send in an expeditionary group to assess the likely scope of the anachronism, but it really is far too soon for speculation.
I trust you understand that this is all under a D Notice and we will lock you and your editor up and throw away the key if there's any hint of a leak.
no subject
Date: 2003-10-27 01:58 am (UTC)But I think you'll agree that the line coming out of the Air Ministry is not going to remain credible for long. The public simply will not believe that our capacity for supersonic transport has been deliberately abandoned. What government or nation would willingly inflict such a blow on its pride ?
If you are not able to offer a more plausible chronodynamic explanation of the loss very soon, I fear the consequences may be serious.
no subject
Date: 2003-10-27 02:21 am (UTC)In all honesty, we're not quite sure what happened. Flight (plausible number here) dropped off the radar soon after leaving RAF Fairford's airspace, and given that recent French business, we immediately expected the worst. What we do know is that there is no sign of any wreckage along the flightpath. I might also mention that there have been several unexplained appearances along that same path. Obviously, given the self-healing nature of the Continuing Now, you don't need me to add it up for you: These people saw something anachronistic enough that they were summarily ejected into the Plastic Now. Obviously, we're looking after the poor devils as best we can at SSG - In that environment we stand the best chance of being able to send them back.
Now if that's all, I really must call this meeting to a close...
no subject
Date: 2003-10-27 02:32 am (UTC)It's not as though this has been the only anomaly in recent times. As well as the French business, we've seen Bavaria winking in & out a couple of times, and we have tourists who saw that themselves. We've seen the Mini double in size overnight. The owners haven't made a fuss, but they know something is going on. And look at the Californian affair. If that isn't leakage from one of the WWII branches, I'll eat my hat.
It's not my intention to point fingers. Bavaria and California are probably not the direct responsibility of your Ministry. But too much is going wrong, something is clearly afoot, and we believe the public will demand an explanation before too long.
no subject
Date: 2003-10-27 04:57 am (UTC)The Mini problem we're particularly unhappy about. Some bright fellow decides he's going to build an anachronism-invisible car and attempts to test it by shuttling the thing back and forth between a couple of gates handy for the factory. Against all advice from concerned parties, I might add. I consider we were dashed lucky that Bavaria only wobbled. A couple of the chaps up at SSG have a theory that a local iteration of the effect could have been created, and Lord alone knows how the locals would have managed that turn of events.
I really do think that any talk of conspiracy or any connection of some unfortunate but clearly unrelated events is pure scaremongering.
no subject
Date: 2003-10-27 10:50 am (UTC)Theer are only two explanations for this. Either someone isn't doing the job properly, and we need firm action from the Cabinet to straighten things out, or there's a new effect at work.
Are you familiar with the work of Dr. Deitricht and Dr. Nosworthy ? Their calculations on chronodynamic change pressure are quite beyond me, but I'm assured by our science chaps that they seem sound. If they are right, the pressure between the Nows is rising rapidly, and your old-fashioned methods will not be enough to restrain it for much longer. What do you have to say to that ?
no subject
Date: 2003-10-27 11:35 am (UTC)It looks as though we just might lose the entire Continuing Present due to bureaucratic inaction, which I don't have to tell you would be a catastrophe for our whole mode of existence. We might even have to relinquish the Empire.
Yes, I know, you can't tell us anything about the economic conditions of the Plastic Now, but word gets out. We all know where the budget for your operations comes from.
Now, I can't tell our readers that your Ministry isn't pulling its weight, but I can tell you that our readers will not be slow in working it out for themselves. And when they do, they will want to know who worked to expose the problem & who worked to conceal it.
no subject
Date: 2003-10-27 06:18 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-11-09 07:44 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-11-10 02:55 am (UTC)If I ever get off my arse and finish (start) the MechaZazz script, I fear there's a 'Misplaced Victorian Prostitute' in there.
no subject
Date: 2003-11-10 05:10 am (UTC)