Dark Earth Timeline Discussion

[bobbins66]

Love the where are they now! But surely you missed sir Humphrey!

[Simon Darkshade]

He would still be plain Humphrey Appleby at this point and, in line with the policy expounded by Stanley Barton in 1964, could remain as such for some time:

“No.”

“No to what, Prime Minister?”

“No to all of them. An honour has got to mean something, Obo. If they are just handed out as pats on the back for long and faithful service, then they are little more than glorified perks.”

“I see your meaning and can quite agree with the general sentiment, but a blanket approach might come across as a tad extreme.”

“I don’t mean to nix all of them, not by a long shot. If someone truly merits an OBE or the like, then they shall get it. I’m talking more to the civil servants and MPs who look upon getting a K as their rightful reward for doing their jobs.”

“This does set something of a precedent, Prime Minister.”

“I’ve no worry with that. As I said, I’ve no issue with good and proper honours. These, however,” Barton gestured at a small pile to his left “need to be rethought.”

“Very good, Prime Minister. Does this extend to the Life Peers?”

“Most certainly. Yes to Florey, but find something more appropriate for the other three. If the House of Lords is to mean anything, then it can’t be a sinecure for captains of industry, or for union chiefs for that matter.”

“You’re not a secret unilateralist, are you Prime Minister?”

“No, Obo, I’ve no grudge against the Lords as an institution, nor as a house of review. Our traditions are what make us strong, when they work as intended and not as a political tool. Let the best get Life Peerages, not the rest.”

(Thus no civil servants getting Ks or politicians for that matter; there are certainly politicians with knighthoods in all of the major parties, but they are either well earned, pre 1964 or special cases)

Humphrey Appleby is around in the Department for Administrative Affairs, but dealing with a rather different scenario to that of the Britain of Yes, Minister. There is quite a bit less Civil Service power. As such, he’s not yet had the chance to do anything notable.

[bobbins66]

Excellent. And as many things in DE it’s better than OTL. Of course we don’t have vampires, dark magic, etc either. Swings and roundabouts I suppose.

[Bernard Woolley]

After a career having to put up with the idiocy of politicians, a K is the least a senior CS deserves!

[Simon Darkshade]

They get their pay and quite nice pension for that; perhaps with the exception of those who had to deal with Lord Wooster when he was Foreign Secretary.

There are no doubt a number of civil servants and diplomats a little miffed, but it is unlikely the Conservatives would change this policy position if they were to win in 1974.

[Poohbah]

May 19: A crack commando unit is sent to prison by a military court for a crime they didn’t commit and promptly escape the maximum security stockade into the Los Angeles Underground.

Today, still wanted by the government, they survive as soldiers of fortune.

If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can hire...the A-team.

DAH-DUN-DAAAH DUN-DUN-DAAAH...

[Simon Darkshade]

They certainly work as soldiers of fortune/adventurers, but they aren't still wanted per se. Rather, it suits certain powers that be to have them out beyond the fringe of deniability and the overt chain of command for jobs that need to be done, but are beyond the formal scope/remit of USG.

Yes, I do have an idea for an A-Team short story, as well as an odd thought 20 years ago about having Mr. T as Secretary of Defence...

[bobbins66]

Mr T as Sec Def is hysterical!

[Bernard Woolley]

I pity the fool who tries to get him to fly on no plane!

[jemhouston]

I pity the fool who tries to get him to fly on no plane!

Maybe I'm missing something, but couldn't they portal him anywhere he needs to go?

[Simon Darkshade]

There are always high speed trains domestically and airships for international jaunts. I will make a point of order, though, and observe that B.A. Baracus is the one with the fear of flying, rather than Mr. T.

Any such promotion, though, would be in the late 1980s at the earliest, which doesn’t quite work for the optimal combination of administrations + members.

As matters stand, 1972 will come after three terms/12 years of JFK. His brother Senator Robert F Kennedy (NY) is the likely Democratic candidate and Richard Nixon is Chief Justice…can we estimate/surmise who the (likely successful) Republican candidate will be?

[jemhouston]

IRL, post WW2 the longest one party has held the Presidency is 12 years, Reagan / Bush. On Dark Earth, I would say the odds of the GOP taking Oval Office is about 80%. I don't the US is ready for the same family holding the highest office by two brothers back to back.

[Simon Darkshade]

You're quite right. With two years to go before the 1972 election, JFK's currently high approval ratings will fade back to normality, further limited the prospects for his brother, on top of the familial issue.

At this time, it does look to me like a Reagan win in '72. He does need an East Coast Senator to balance out the ticket and bring in the Rockefeller wing, but none come to mind; I might have to create one.

[Poohbah]

They certainly work as soldiers of fortune/adventurers, but they aren't still wanted per se. Rather, it suits certain powers that be to have them out beyond the fringe of deniability and the overt chain of command for jobs that need to be done, but are beyond the formal scope/remit of USG.

Yes, I do have an idea for an A-Team short story, as well as an odd thought 20 years ago about having Mr. T as Secretary of Defence...

"I pity the fool who caused this cost overrun!"

[Simon Darkshade]

https://www.needcoffee.com/2006/07/19/mr-t-vs-best-buy/

That was from the photoshoot that inspired the idea many moons ago.

The line about the cost overrun does make me want to try and get him into play somehow, but as of 1971, he would be 19 and in the US Army as a draftee pulling duty in Germany, Japan or South Vietnam.

[jemhouston]

https://www.needcoffee.com/2006/07/19/mr-t-vs-best-buy/

That was from the photoshoot that inspired the idea many moons ago.

The line about the cost overrun does make me want to try and get him into play somehow, but as of 1971, he would be 19 and in the US Army as a draftee pulling duty in Germany, Japan or South Vietnam.

Make him an IG with an instinct for equipment that won't work quite right

[Simon Darkshade]

That would involve him being in his late 40s, or post 2000. A bit far ahead for T. The solution would be to age him up somewhat.

[jemhouston]

That would involve him being in his late 40s, or post 2000. A bit far ahead for T. The solution would be to age him up somewhat.

Make it his father, with Mr. T has his right hand.

[Simon Darkshade]

I figured out a third way whilst driving to work today: Age him up based on the character of B.A. Barracus and adjust it for a (slightly) different Vietnam War.

In The A Team, Bosco Albert Baracus was a US Army Special Forces sergeant as of 1972, which would put him in his early to mid 20s, or between 3 and 5 years older than his actor at the same time. Applying this to a war ending in 1970 and the A Team trial would make him a 1945 or 1946 drop.

There is a particular in-universe precedent where I have changed up ages to suit storyline purposes in the form of the Crown Prince of Sweden, Gustav Adolf (the @ future King Carl XVI Gustav), who is born in 1936 as compared to 1946. This was to wangle a basis for his marriage of Princess Margaret on May 30 1959 after a protracted engagement; there is no Peter Townsend question here and, to reinforce a difference for the House of Windsor, no Abdication Crisis due to the death of the Prince of Wales in 1930.

So, I've decided on the following:

Sergeant Baracus is 25 years old as of 1970. His doppelganger, the erstwhile Laurence Tureaud, is a bit older at 29.

The factor which would put him in the picture for a SecDef job is some form of special ability or superpower, given that the previous two holders of the job have been Doc Savage and Bruce Wayne.

[Poohbah]

I figured out a third way whilst driving to work today: Age him up based on the character of B.A. Barracus and adjust it for a (slightly) different Vietnam War.

In The A Team, Bosco Albert Baracus was a US Army Special Forces sergeant as of 1972, which would put him in his early to mid 20s, or between 3 and 5 years older than his actor at the same time. Applying this to a war ending in 1970 and the A Team trial would make him a 1945 or 1946 drop.

There is a particular in-universe precedent where I have changed up ages to suit storyline purposes in the form of the Crown Prince of Sweden, Gustav Adolf (the @ future King Carl XVI Gustav), who is born in 1936 as compared to 1946. This was to wangle a basis for his marriage of Princess Margaret on May 30 1959 after a protracted engagement; there is no Peter Townsend question here and, to reinforce a difference for the House of Windsor, no Abdication Crisis due to the death of the Prince of Wales in 1930.

So, I've decided on the following:

Sergeant Baracus is 25 years old as of 1970. His doppelganger, the erstwhile Laurence Tureaud, is a bit older at 29.

The factor which would put him in the picture for a SecDef job is some form of special ability or superpower, given that the previous two holders of the job have been Doc Savage and Bruce Wayne.

An utterly infallible BS detector, even if the guy pushing the BS sincerely believes it.