Glory to Our Avalon: Part II



Glory to Our Avalon: Part II is a chapter in When the Cold Breeze Blows Away. In this chapter, the story of how Avalon is founded continues with Rane Gerand made his speech to the officers of the RMS Titanic to begin a mandate so they can rebuild humanity.

Meanwhile, Alexander Pepper is still in Ahch-To, still seeking for some more spiritual advise.

Debuting Characters

 * Rane Gerand
 * W.T. Stead

Returning Characters

 * Alexander Pepper
 * Donald Trump
 * Edward John Smith
 * Grace Walker
 * Harold Lowe
 * James Moody
 * Joe Biden
 * Jyoti Kaur
 * Lana Loud
 * Michael Bloomberg
 * Norman "Super Spesh" Caldwell
 * Rudy Giuliani
 * Stan Lee
 * Su Ji-Hoon
 * Vic Mignogna

Mentioned Characters

 * Higgs Monaghan
 * Michael Dugan
 * Romulus Augustus
 * Tomislav Vlahović
 * Torvivum Zuskelgar
 * Victor Nevarez

Transcript
JUNE 25th, 2042 -- CENTRAL PARK

WE WALKED TO THE destroyed Central Park. It was once a dump for disposed dead bodies that were decomposed by flies, beetles and rats that're lucky to survive the ensuring nuclear onslaught years ago.

"Ya know," said High Captain Smith. "I hate to make some major spoilers about the world's history, but some fortuneteller told me that if we stay on our time -- April 1912 -- you guys will be totally screwed up in the next millennium or so."

"Was it Trixie Lulamoon from Equestria?" I questioned.

"Yeah, exactly," spoke E.J. in agreement.

APRIL 15th, 2042 -- MANHATTAN VAULT, NEW YORK CITY, UNITED STATES

“Greetings, and welcome to the Manhattan Vault. I know you are unsure what is going on and are probably thinking that what you are seeing looks like a ghost. I assure you it is not. What you are seeing is a projection of a recorded image. I am Rane Gerand, chief director of the Eternity Project. I know this will be hard for you to understand, but I am from the far future, from the year 3924 AD, to be in fact. And to be blunt, this could be the last year of human history. Our world has run out of further supplies of resources, and the people of Earth are fighting over what remains. To make matters worse, you are in a long-gone era in the mid-21st century when nuclear weapons were unleashed upon this dear planet years ago, in which it's to be called World War III. My time is when another worldwide scale conflict did happen again. It's called World War IV, and in the words of Albert Einstein, this can be fought with sticks and stones, and you're here to prevent this upcoming nightmare from happening again. The Eternity Project was created to find a way to save humanity. And we believe we have found it. The science I know will be beyond your understanding, but I will do my best to explain. The scientists of the Eternity Project have discovered the ability to travel through time, and also to travel between alternate worlds. We decided it would not be good to take people from our time, with our divisions and corruption, to try and start anew. No, what had to be done to save humanity was to bring people from our past and place them in a ruined world where many people on it have their numbers dwindling by the day, and I asked Trixie Lulamoon, a female unicorn pony from Equestria, and the finest surviving scientists from around the world to clean up the now-depopulated Manhattan Island with all the advanced Da'at Yichud technology you have -- free from aggressive mutants, radiation, raiders, feral ghouls, supermutants, robots, and even falling debris -- and allow these people to establish a new civilization, and set them up to be humanity’s last great home. We brought the Titanic and her passengers and crew here to be the beginnings of that new civilization not only as a turning point to repopulate the Earth, but also as a push forward to punish those who used too much nuclear weapons as a crime on which sanctions must be imposed on in the name of justice. Remember: humanity survived so many catastrophes, such as the Toba volcano, the Ice Age, the Black Death, the Cold War, the turbulent times of the early 21st century. Now that went up the roof at the end of the Last Day when biological, chemical and nuclear weapons ruined almost everything, leaving us with no choice. As I understand it from the sensors in this room, the captain is not here at the moment. Please send for him, and I will explain in greater detail what all this Vault contains and what we have done to better prepare you for your new home. Goodbye, and good luck.”

With that, the image of the man disappeared. The men in the room looked around, first at where the image had been, and then at Officer Lowe.

“Well men, let's head back to the dock. Looks like we gonna need to send for the captain.”

APRIL 16th, 2042 -- ONBOARD THE TITANIC

As dawn broke upon the horizon, the telephone rang on the bridge. It was the lookouts. The boat from the landing party had been spotted with about half the men that had left. Officer Murdoch went and woke the captain and reported what the lookouts had seen. What you didn't know is that E.J.'s feeling a bit more relieved every damn day since his ship was miraculously saved.

“Tell me when the men arrive. I want to know what they found.”

“Aye, sir. I will let you know the moment they are back on board.” And with that, First Officer Murdoch returned back to the bridge.

Within an hour and a half, the boat was tied up alongside the ship, and the 12 men and Officer Lowe were aboard. Lowe immediately reported to the bridge, and relayed what he had seen to the captain and the rest of the assembled officers, along with Mr. Ismay and Mr. Andrews. When he was done, the men looked at Lowe and at each other, not sure exactly what to think. Captain Smith was the first to speak.

“Well, it looks like I need to accompany Mr. Lowe back to the island.”

“Sir, with no disrespect meant to Officer Lowe, this sounds ludicrous. While I think...” Mr. Ismay was interrupted suddenly by Lowe.

“With all due respect Mr. Ismay, this is the truth. My men can vouch for what I’ve told you. No, I can’t explain it, but I saw what I saw. And the image, whatever it was, some sort of machine, requested to see the captain.”

Smith, who had been focused in thought, spoke up. “I think Mr. Lowe is right. I don’t think he’s making something as outlandish sounding as this up, so I think I should go and see this for myself. Officer Lightoller will accompany me with Mr. Lowe and his men. Officer Wilde, you will be in command in my absence.”

“Aye, sir. Stay safe.”

“Sir, what shall we tell the passengers? They are getting quite anxious,” asked Officer Murdoch.

“Tell them that we are still investigating the lights we spotted on the island, and as soon as we know anything of importance that we will relay it to them.” And with that, the captain began to follow Mr. Lowe and head towards the main elevators, so that he could head down to where the boat was tied up alongside the ship.

“But sir, what will they think of your absence? Won’t that be something that might cause concern?” Murdoch said before Smith had a chance to leave the bridge.

Smith paused for a moment, then said, “Tell them that my officers want me to inspect something they found on the island that might be of use to us. The passengers, most of them, anyway, don’t know that this is likely Manhattan Island. For all they know, we’ve run off course and have found some deserted island. Let’s keep it that way for now.”

“Aye sir. Will do.”

APRIL 16th, 2042 -- MANHATTAN VAULT, NEW YORK CITY, UNITED STATES

Lowe, Moody and Smith all walked through the door into the concrete structure, back into the chamber where the image of the man who called himself Rane Gerand had appeared. As they walked towards the console where the ghost-like image had come from, it reappeared.

“Welcome, Captain Edward John Smith, of the RMS Titanic of the White Star Line. As your officers no doubt told you, and what the United Nations Transitional Authority in New York City, the Allied Forces of Harmonic Friendship, the Coalition of the Red Phoenix and the rest of the Grand Alliance instructed me here, I am Rane Gerand, head of the Eternity Project.” The image of the man who claimed to be from the future quickly rehashed what it had already told Officer Lowe, then went on.

“Inside this Vault, you will find all the necessary supplies and tools you will need to establish a thriving settlement. Below me now, this machine is printing out a detailed list of all that we have stored for you, and instructions on how to access it. Captain, you must help your passengers and crew -- including the finest men and women, and even mares and stallions, of the AFHF, the Brotherhood of Steel, the COTRP, the UNTANYC and the Alliance -- organize and build a new society. You are the future of humanity, our last hope of survival. We of the Eternity Project have done everything in our power to make sure this colony not only survives but thrives.

Now, I know that our taking that the Titanic and her passengers out of your own time and world and bring you all here may seem unfair. But what you do not know is that at the very moment we brought you here, the moment you all saw a bright flashing light that'd engulf your ship, the Titanic was about to strike an iceberg. She would have sank in about two hours, and of the more than 2000 people aboard, only 700 would have survived. In a way, we saved you from your deaths. In addition, since over half of those onboard died originally, your sudden disappearance will not greatly affect world history, but only to greatly affect the destiny of Noah's father, Lamech, whose will was a prophecy that's foreseen by a female unicorn pony from Equestria named Trixie Lulamoon. Your ship and those aboard her were the perfect candidates for this project. And we will bring all their relatives and friends, including those who held tickets to the ship yet weren't onboard to it, with her to join in as long as we have the faith to cooperate together.

Now that you know the truth, and what we have given you, I challenge you, Captain, to guide these people, and help them build a better world than the one we plucked you from. Goodbye... for real this time, and once more, good luck.” And with that, the image of Rane Gerand disappeared. Bellow the console itself was what looked like a book that had printed out from the machine. Lowe picked it up and handed it to the captain.

“Well, gentlemen,” Smith began, “We should head back, and begin our plan of action. Like the man said, we will need to organize our passengers and crew, and then get to work.”

“Get to work, doing... what exactly, sir?” asked Moody.

“Why, establishing a settlement. Were you not listening?”

“Oh. Aye, sir. I was. But you really believe what that… machine? Man? Thing… said?"

“Do you have a better explanation for why we are standing in a concrete vault on an otherwise deserted, wartorn and ruined Manhattan Island, or how our ship suddenly arrived off the coast of North America when we still had at least two more days at sea ahead of us?” Moody stood there with his mouth slightly open, trying to come up with something. “I didn’t think so, Mr. Moody. Now, lets head back to the ship and see what we can come up with.”

APRIL 17th, 2042 -- ABROAD THE TITANIC

Meanwhile in the À La Carte Restaurant on the B Deck, the Allied Forces of Harmonic Friendship, the Coalition of the Red Phoenix, the United Nations Transitional Authority in New York City, the Brotherhood of Steel, the Grand Alliance and the Future Alliance are having a banquet together, just like what the Wideners from Pennsylvania were hosting on the night the iceberg struck the ship -- ah, correction -- the ship was transported into the modern era.

"To Operation Nautical Salvation," Babs said while raising a glass of non-alcoholic cider (since she's a filly).

"To Operation Nautical Salvation!" everyone said in unison while raising glasses of non-alcoholic cider (since there too were foals).

"To Operation Nautical Salvation," spoke a man's voice. Everybody looked at a mysterious figure. Turns out to be the 50-year-old streetcar magnate, Mr. George Dunton Widener from Philadelphia, whose life was saved by the Infinity Project. Beside him is Bolortsetseg Ukhnaagiin, a female UN peacekeeper from Mongolia. Once, she had served for the Mongolian Ground Force for almost 3 years. She's wearing the same UN peacekeeper uniform while that gent here's wearing an early 20th century suit with a bowler hat. She's also wearing a UN beret.

"You lucky sons of bitches. You are hosting that event on the same venue where me and my family were hosting from on the night of the iceberg collision, I mean, transporting to the future," spoke Mr. Widener as he's about to sit down on an empty seat while Lt. Ukhnaagiin was leaning on the linseed-soaked carved wall.

APRIL 18th, 2042 -- NEW YORK CITY HALL, NEW YORK CITY, UNITED STATES

Inside the reception area, Lady Duff-Gordon was sitting on a computer desk with a newly-restored computer so she can find all the files involving New York City's past. She's wearing that same party dress, yet she's now wearing a UN peacekeeper's helmet which was left from a deceased UN peacekeeper who was murdered by the raiders. There, a UN peacekeeping officer came, and beside him is a few soldiers from least developed and developing countries.

This man is a Thai, and his name is Thanin Samenem.

"Hey, Lady Duff-Gordon," said Sgt. Samenem. "What're you doing?"

"Well," said Lady Duff-Gordon. "I'm not good at modern electronics stuff, but I'm still doing it. Thanks to you, I can learn only the basics. But can you help me tutor some more? I've been reading this book for 12 hours. Half a day."

APRIL 19th, 2042 -- CASTLE OF THE TWO SISTERS, EQUESTRIA

Journalists from around the world were gathered. He told me that Harold Bride and Jack Phillips were typing out a Morse code that says "MAD," which stands for "mutually assured destruction." Yeah, that's how the Last Day had looked like.

APRIL 20th, 2042 -- ABROAD THE TITANIC

Captain Smith looked out from the boat deck at the wilderness of Manhattan Island, filled with ruined buildings. In the distance, he could see the metal light beacon that stood above the Vault, where right now Officers Moody and Lowe were assisting Storekeeper John Foley in going over the supplies that were supposedly left by the mysterious people of the Eternity Project. They’d been going at it since the 17th, when the Titanic, with the help of four automated tug boats, tied up to the dock that Lowe and Moody had discovered. If the list provided by the Eternity Project was correct, what lay in the storerooms of the Vault were staggering. Enough food to feed the passengers and crew for several years, and the supplies and equipment to build a basic settlement here on the island, the beginnings of a new civilization, just like the image of that man, Rane Gerand, had promised. The whole thing still felt overwhelming to Smith, but he was keeping calm and firm, to provide stability to the crew and to the passengers.

The passengers…. the situation that the Titanic’s people now found themselves in had been hard to explain to the 1,300 passengers aboard the ship. The idea that men somewhere in the far future had not only been able to travel through time, but be able to take the ship and her inhabitants to a “parallel world” was mind boggling. The news did little to calm their already anxious nerves. Most didn’t really believe the captain and his officers when they assembled the different groups of passengers by class and told them on the evening of the 16th. However, especially for those passengers who had been to New York before, when the automated tugs came and guided the ship to its new dock, many of them recognized the shorelines enough for the reality to start to sink in. One first class passenger, Mr. William Stead of London, had approached the captain afterwards and told him that the concept of multiple universes, or multiverses, was not totally foreign to him, that some of the readings he had done talked about such phenomenon. He promised to try and explain it to as many of his fellow passengers as he could. This was all welcome news to Smith.

The captain entered the top of the Grand Staircase, headed down the ornate stairs to A Deck, and headed to the First Class Reading Room. There, Chief Officer Wilde, Master-at-Arms Thomas King, Mr. Ismay, Mr. Andrews, Colonel Astor, Benjamin Guggenheim, and Major Archibald Butt had all gathered for a planning meeting. They had to come up with a plan of action for this new settlement, and the sooner they got going, the better.

APRIL 20th, 2042 -- ABROAD THE TITANIC

“Well gentlemen, let’s vote on it.” said Captain Smith. “All in favor of holding a Constitutional Assembly with equal representation for all classes and the crew, say aye.” Smith, Andrews, Guggenheim, King and Butt all voted in favor, Ismay and Wilde opposed. “Well, the majority is in favor. We will hammer out the details for this assembly and then announce our decision publicly this evening at dinner. Oh, and by the way, make me proud. And so will the supercentarian himself, Michael Bloomberg.”

"Meh," Major Butt said sarcastically. "Might as well ignore those anti-Avalonist dunderheads like Vic Mignogna and Matthew Mercer themselves. Good luck, E.J."

The rest of the morning, the 7 men discussed how the assembly would work. Ultimately, it was decided that there would be 10 representatives from each class, and 10 from the crew. The captain and his full council (consisting of the men present plus all the other officers, which had informally formed the day the ship had docked) would also be present, with the Captain presiding over the Assembly. They would meet on Friday, April 25. They were unsure of just how the ten men would be chosen to serve at first, but Major Butt suggested grouping the passengers and crew by alphabet, and choosing representatives from those groups. They settled on this, and made the announcement that evening at dinner to all the passengers, and had the news told to the crew.

Later, he was met by the spirit of Stan Lee with words, "Your actions are well-known in my book. Excelsior."

APRIL 21nd, 2042 -- ONBOARD THE TITANIC

That evening at dinner, it was announced that women would be allowed to vote in the Assembly elections, and that women could serve as delegates to the Constitutional Assembly.

Meanwhile, Michael Bloomberg is also announced to be in the Constitutional Assembly.

JUNE 25th, 2042 -- MBADINGA MEMORIAL PARK

"So, that's how it unfolds," I said.

"Yep," said High Captain Smith with a pat on my back. "What would happen next's gonna be more kickass than you'll think. Remember that, babe."

"But what happened to the Trump Tower? What happened?"

"Well, we demolished it because Trump had put a greater shame into the hearts of the American people out there. His presidency was so corrupt that they couldn't make America great again. Sure, we detrumpified the city since his rhetoric nonsense left a huge scar not only in New York City, but also in all of the former United States. And maybe in the whole world. Damn bastard."

"So what replaced the Trump Tower?"

"Sure, we replaced it with a park with a grave of Joseph Mbadinga whose remains were exhumed from the Gabonese capital city of Libreville all the way to here, in Titanic City, with full honors in a single day before I proclaimed Avalon's existence as proof that we are still here, and humanity is still alive, oh and also on the government of Gabon's behalf. I'm gonna miss this lad so much. That's why we named this open space after him."