Crowdsourcing the Timeline

[Mark Skarr]

Now, I’m actually going to discuss some of your ideas.  These are all aimed at being constructive criticism, not a harsh critique:

Things come to a head when – between one moment and the next – British and American troops formerly stationed in Hong Kong find themselves deployed elsewhere in the world while Chinese troops wind up firmly in control of the city. No shots were fired.

This doesn’t make a lot of sense.  I see what you’re doing, but, really, how are they just hitting the troops?  And, are the troops taking their gear with them?  I’m assuming so, as you state that they’re “deployed elsewhere” in the world.

If they’ve got the reality bomb (for lack of a better name), I can see that Hong Kong might be a “real-world” test for the device, but, that’s quite dangerous.  After all, the whole world has their eyes on you in that place.  Sure, that would be an impressive display, but, if it backfires, you’re screwed.

And, you’re not clear about somethingoes the bomb simply make it a fact that they were redeployed (to their surprise) and that the Chinese are now in control of the city?  Or did it redeploy the soldiers, and the Chinese had to come in and occupy the city? 

As emergency sirens wail and the world clamors for answers, all that is definitively known is that a Chinese-American janitor attacked and killed several people in a berserk display of previously unrevealed metapowers. A search of his apartment uncovers proof that he was in regular contact with family still living in China.

Terrifyingly accurate.  Scared people looking for a scape goat. 

China is stunned by Korea’s actions but feel they have no choice but to send elite meta troops to bolster the second wave of the assault as to do otherwise risks the collapse of an allied country at a time when the two most powerful nations in the west are howling for their blood.

I have a real hard time believing that China wouldn’t just reach out and snatch NK back.  NK would become a new province in China.  After all, this attack will make China lose face.

The IST makes vague noises about diplomacy and economic sanctions, but still haven’t rebuilt a clear and effective chain of command and are thus largely ineffective. 

I’m sorry, but that flies in the face of established canon.  The IST already has a clear and concise chain of command outside of the U.N.  They’re pretty much the most effective and efficient military on the planet.  The IST is a standing army fielding about 1,400 supers and around 30,000 powered armor infantry.  Also, the IST HQ is not the U.N. building.  It’s IST New York.  The IST’s chain of command is undamaged.

Their apparent impotence in the face of an attack on their headquarters and the fall of their Korean branch lead many to question if they are in fact a straw power, fit only to fight tin pot dictators.

This is both awesome (the last half is great!) and inaccurate.  While the U.N. may be stunned the ISTs would be fully-functional and ready to go (again, IST HQ wasn’t damaged, just the U.N.).  General Orders 1999-C-2 and 1999-C-15, which are quoted in Y2K, spell that out pretty well.  The ISTs are functionally autonomous—especially in light of an attack on the U.N. itself.  But, with IST NY still functioning (and, obviously on lockdown), they wouldn’t have any trouble.

Tales of supposed North Korean atrocities in occupied South Korean territory are frequently in the news; North Korea denounces the reports as baseless propaganda.

Again, terrifyingly accurate.

Allied powers engage in a full strength push into South Korea, but are forced to retreat after heavy combat that leaves tens of thousands dead on both sides. China has too many metas on scene, and Allied command will not risk indiscriminate bombardment of the heavily populated coastal region. A Chinese teleportation raid on England is quickly repulsed, with few casualties.

Why not deploy the reality bomb again, here?  It would make strong, tactical and strategic, sense.  Send the allies home again.  Make them feel impotent.

Zimbabwe’s President Mugabe responds to continued South African attacks by declaring war, possibly to unite rival factions in his government.

This is a bad plan and Mugabe would know it.  South Africa has attacked an IST before and was somewhat successful.  They’ve also been quiet for a decade . . ..

Now, that’s not to say that he’s not just making a stupid mistake, as history is full of those.  But, really, no part of southern or central Africa is going to stand much chance against a fully modern army led by metas.--A minor point.The US is not the good guys here.  That’s the U.N.