UNIT Personnel Suggestions?

[grinch]

After finally getting around to statting my imagined head of the Washington Monument branch of UNIT, the elusive and mysterious Mister Bones (Now one of my favourite stats and characters), I have decided that I would like to create more UNIT centric characters. If only to further develop the other branches (see The Black Archive sourcebook for more information) and help expand outside of the regular Kate Stewart and Co when it comes to campaigns. 

So, to get to the point does anyone have any suggestions on what other UNIT personnel might be working on the other side of the pond? I do have some ideas such as having their own Scientific advisor, possibly a temporal castaway (perhaps a Confederate/Union soldier from the Civil War?) but I would very much keen on hearing your suggestions. 

[senko]

Well you've got two broad categories really. The first one is staff and the second is personalities, staff is the various positions that would need to be filled in a UNIT branch and personalities is who would be filling those roles. To give a better idea what I mean the staff position is "scientific advisor" a person who is there to advise the soldiers on the various strange scientific devices they discover. The personality would Liz Shaw brilliant (for a human) but sceptical about alien life and given her abrupt dissapearence could have difficulty dealing with the ideas involved emotionally.

I have a few ideas on what you could be looking at but could I get a bit more information on era for this? Are we talking modern day, early days (1970/60/80), future unit (late 2030's)?

[misterharry]

Well, the commanding officer of the US branch during the 1990s and 200os is Brigadier-General Adrienne Kramer. She's the North American equivalent of Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart in terms of reputation and expertise.

[grinch]

I was thinking more in terms of the modern day to act as a counterpart to Kate Stewart rather than say the Brigadier.

Oh, I wasn't aware of Adrienne Kramer. Should have really taken her into account before I adapted Mister Bones. Hmmm... I suppose I could always say that he is only responsible for certain branches in the US but ultimately primarily responds to her, the President and the UN.

[senko]

Or a regional command, the U.S is a very big place so as commander of the Washington Monument branch he could be responsible for say the eastern seaboard reporting to Kramer for continental co-ordination with his counterpart on the west coast. Alternatively if you want him more hands on actually responding to things (as at that level you'd be more big picture strategy than tactical response) you can have him in charge of a smaller area even just the Washington state (I don't know the U.S that well).

Anyway if we're talking modern day you've got a lot of good personalities just drawing from the show since we know at this point in time there are Zygon shapeshifters not only living on earth but working for UNIT. Then you've got the spectrum of alien response "They come bearing crystals and enlightened wisdom to elevate us to the stars why are you pointing weapons at them" and "Aliens keep invading their all evil and have to die." Alternatively you can go with the current doctor's attempt to contact armed forces "Alien invasion bah when was the last time that happened". Finally there are a number of aliens living in London under Lady Me's protection and all the issues in the torchwood series so its quite possible to have an alien working there who isn't a Zygon.

Drawing from Red Dwarf you can adapt ideas like Dave Lister, Rimmer or Kill Crazy. Lister is the every day guy who shows up, cleans the toiletls, restocks the vending machines and then goes out for a drink with his friends only to find out they've gotten him pregnant because of different anatomy. Rimmer is a tinpot dictator who repeatedly sabotages his own attempts to become an officer. Kill Crazy wants to find an alien, strap a nuke to his forehead and headbutt it. Thinking things through is not his strong point. On the other end from him we've got Benson and the Brigadier intelligent, competent soldiers who are just trying to do the best they can against beings who normally they can't hurt.

Job wise you'll have scientific advisors either general or specialists in a field, medical staff, soldiers, janitorial and office staff. engineers. internal affairs officers, intelligence officers, special/heavy weapons teams, research and development people. You could even have a bitter old PR rep who's constantly griping about how "back in my day the aliens had to the decency to mount a land attack on a remote town we could cover up none of this spaceship in the sky nonsense. I mean seriously do you have any idea how humiliating it is to have spent decades concealing the existence of aliens only to have them show up in a spaceship over the centre of a major city, march billions of people onto the rooftops and have the response not be oh my god we aren't alone but instead get move that flying saucerI have to be at work in 10 minutes?"

Then of course you have such options as the 3rd Doctor or Jack an advanced timetraveller/alien who is currently stranded and using UNIT resources while helping them in an attempt to get home or taking it further Lumic or Lazarus who are briliant humans but create something monstrous either on accident or because they have a warped vision of what is better. Imagine a scientist like Davros trying to create his own Dalek human creature to battle these aliens that normal people can't stand against. However it's hidden from the higher ups because he's compartmentalizing the research here's my new weapon ideas, here's my new body armour ideas, here's my new life support ideas but not heres's how they all come together to create a personalized combat unit the soldier is permanently grafted into pay no attention to the cyber dog. Then there's the fun in a refugee from another lost dimension like Inferno who is trying to make a new life now they've averted the disaster that destroyed their world.

[misterharry]

Nov 10, 2019 21:32:08 GMT grinch said:

I was thinking more in terms of the modern day to act as a counterpart to Kate Stewart rather than say the Brigadier.

Oh, I wasn't aware of Adrienne Kramer. Should have really taken her into account before I adapted Mister Bones. Hmmm... I suppose I could always say that he is only responsible for certain branches in the US but ultimately primarily responds to her, the President and the UN.

Kramer is probably retired by now. But maybe she has a troubleshooter brief and is still brought in for specific missions, much as the Brig was in the UK during the 1990s.

[Catsmate]

Nov 11, 2019 12:52:43 GMT misterharry said:

Nov 10, 2019 21:32:08 GMT grinch said:

I was thinking more in terms of the modern day to act as a counterpart to Kate Stewart rather than say the Brigadier.

Oh, I wasn't aware of Adrienne Kramer. Should have really taken her into account before I adapted Mister Bones. Hmmm... I suppose I could always say that he is only responsible for certain branches in the US but ultimately primarily responds to her, the President and the UN.

Kramer is probably retired by now. But maybe she has a troubleshooter brief and is still brought in for specific missions, much as the Brig was in the UK during the 1990s.

She could have been promoted or gone into the MIC, corporate, political or bureaucratic. If she was a lieutenant in '69 she'd be about seventy today so probably retired or burrowed into the labyrinthine mass of acronymic agencies, private consultancies, lobby groups, corporate interests and political advisors. A certain Hetty Lang vibe perhaps?

[Catsmate]

BTW in the old FASA RPG, UNIT/NA had a Time Lord advisor, confusingly called 'The Colonel', who may be assisted by his CIA¹ agent daughter Leora (Lady Leoradrusendalular). He reported to (at least technically) a Colonel Martin who'd assigned him a rather gung-ho SpecFor lieutenant named Roderick Mitchell as 'Scientific Liaison Officer', i.e. bodyguard and gofer. There was also a history student and aspiring author named Lisa Drake, the daughter of a friend of Colonel Martin. Both would be in their sixties today.

Their stats are in the modules The Legions of Death or this thread.


There's some info about a few of their adventures in the Master supplement.



¹ The Gallifreyan one...



ETA: Only the 'present day' Earth events are detailed.

7. Monsters of the Pacific
Back in the 20th century, The Master made a new attempt to bend the Silurians and the Sea Devils to his purposes, this time reviving groups located along the western coast of North America. He was stopped by the North American branch of UNIT and the Colonel, a CIA operative with a long history of hatred toward The Master.
The Master escapes, but most of the Sea Devil and Silurian colonies are destroyed in a malfunction of the revivification device.
Location: Earth, 1981CE
Opposition: the Colonel, UNIT


There is a chase sequence with the Master and the colonel chasing each other through time visiting a number of locations including
witch trial Salem in 1692CE, the Sepoy Rebellion in India in 1857CE, the Flavian attack on Rome in 69CE.


11. Endgame III - Bigfoot
However, Varos was lost again, this time apparently accidentally, when his TARDIS was buried by ash and lava during the eruption of Mount St. Helens on Earth. <SPOILER>
The Master found him and used the scientist's equipment to pinpoint the location of the lost TARDIS. He could not reach it until, as luck would have it, his research turned up a cave in which dozens of mechanical Yeti had been placed in storage by the Great Intelligence several years before. The Master reprogrammed and reactivated the Yeti as servants of his own, using them for heavy labor to dig out the missing TARDIS (and as security to keep away unwanted intrusions, thus causing a rash of "Big Foot" sightings).

A photograph came into the hands of UNIT/North America, which launched an inxestigation. The Colonel, their Scientific Advisor, was also involved. The Master's actions were discovered, but before he could be stopped, the Great Intelligence became aware of the actions of its servants and regained control over them. The Master and the Colonel joined forces · to defeat the Intelligence, but The Master stole the experimental TARDIS and fled.
Location: Earth, Washington state, USA, 1981CE
Opposition: The Colonel, Leoradrusendalular (possibly) and companions, UNIT


There is a multiple scenario finale with the Master and the Colonel skirmishing in various locations


16. Chaos on Earth
The Master invaded and took over Earth's Moon base in the late 20th century and then beamed his anti-temporal field at the planet. The result was chaos - the random appearance of past and future people and things mingling on the timeline, with potentially devastating outcomes for all concerned. The Colonel, however, deduced the source of the danger and took steps to correct it, driving The Master away and destroying the field before its effects became irreversible.
Location: Earth, Luna, 1997CE
Opposition: The Colonel, Leoradrusendalular (possibly) and companions; possibly UNIT

[grinch]

That actually works rather well with what I have established for Mister Bones. His experiences during the seventies and eighties might be a mystery but you could always say he was mentored by Kramer during that time and it was her who recommended him for the position to replace her when she retired during the nineties. It was recognising his unique expertise which saved him from a lifetime of imprisonment and experimentation. She is still somewhat unofficially involved with UNIT and has been (as misterharry and Catsmate suggested) called on on occasion to assist in certain matters.

Considering how high on the threat level the Master was during the tenure of the Brigadier, I could imagine him making an appearance on the other side of the pond forcing the US and UK branches to join forces and share intel.

[Catsmate]

Nov 11, 2019 23:39:05 GMT grinch said:

That actually works rather well with what I have established for Mister Bones. His experiences during the seventies and eighties might be a mystery but you could always say he was mentored by Kramer during that time and it was her who recommended him for the position to replace her when she retired during the nineties. It was recognising his unique expertise which saved him from a lifetime of imprisonment and experimentation. She is still somewhat unofficially involved with UNIT and has been (as misterharry and Catsmate suggested) called on on occasion to assist in certain matters.

Considering how high on the threat level the Master was during the tenure of the Brigadier, I could imagine him making an appearance on the other side of the pond forcing the US and UK branches to join forces and share intel.

That works for me. A few others from the 'old days' might be around. There was a distinct couplely vibe from Mitchell and Drake, they and/or their children could appear (if the Brig's daughter can take over...).
Scatter in a few references to events of the '70s/'80s, maybe a few recovered gadgets. Or souvenirs Mitchell and Drake brought back from their travels.

The current Scientific Advisor could be:

• a time displaced human. Damaged time hopper optional. Also ulterior motives optional...
  
• an alien, using a shimmer/holofield et cetera to pass among humans
• An Earth Reptile; perhaps a survivor of the Master's meddling in 1981
• a mysterious figure who appears to be a human of the perky Goth type but Knows Too Much for this to be true
• a humanised Dalek, using a cloak to pass as a wheelchair bound human
• a human from a slightly alternate universe, with better technical knowledge but open to misunderstandings about this Earth

You could also have an office bound AI who visits sites via a range of drones.

I rather like the idea of an Osgood; maybe the out-of-his-depth Classic UNIT version or the newer version. 

The idea of UNIT having a 'branch office' in Washington DC is an excellent one; close to the centres of power, both to keep an eye on infiltration and meddling (how often are politicians checked for mind control?) and ensure UNIT's access to resources.

[grinch]

Nov 12, 2019 10:34:10 GMT Catsmate said:

Nov 11, 2019 23:39:05 GMT grinch said:

That actually works rather well with what I have established for Mister Bones. His experiences during the seventies and eighties might be a mystery but you could always say he was mentored by Kramer during that time and it was her who recommended him for the position to replace her when she retired during the nineties. It was recognising his unique expertise which saved him from a lifetime of imprisonment and experimentation. She is still somewhat unofficially involved with UNIT and has been (as misterharry and Catsmate suggested) called on on occasion to assist in certain matters.

Considering how high on the threat level the Master was during the tenure of the Brigadier, I could imagine him making an appearance on the other side of the pond forcing the US and UK branches to join forces and share intel.

That works for me. A few others from the 'old days' might be around. There was a distinct couplely vibe from Mitchell and Drake, they and/or their children could appear (if the Brig's daughter can take over...).
Scatter in a few references to events of the '70s/'80s, maybe a few recovered gadgets. Or souvenirs Mitchell and Drake brought back from their travels.

The current Scientific Advisor could be:

• a time displaced human. Damaged time hopper optional. Also ulterior motives optional...
  
• an alien, using a shimmer/holofield et cetera to pass among humans
• An Earth Reptile; perhaps a survivor of the Master's meddling in 1981
• a mysterious figure who appears to be a human of the perky Goth type but Knows Too Much for this to be true
• a humanised Dalek, using a cloak to pass as a wheelchair bound human
• a human from a slightly alternate universe, with better technical knowledge but open to misunderstandings about this Earth

You could also have an office bound AI who visits sites via a range of drones.

I rather like the idea of an Osgood; maybe the out-of-his-depth Classic UNIT version or the newer version. 

The idea of UNIT having a 'branch office' in Washington DC is an excellent one; close to the centres of power, both to keep an eye on infiltration and meddling (how often are politicians checked for mind control?) and ensure UNIT's access to resources.

Most definitely. Harkening back to UNIT activities of the 70s/80s would be ideal for such a UNIT or regular campaign. Allows for guest appearances as well as you suggested. Could even have a time displaced Brigadier working alongside his daughter as the basis for a story arc or merely a few adventures.

Nice ideas for the scientific advisor. You could always combine the Silurian and Human from Alternate Universe and say that she/he is from a Parallel Earth where humanity never evolved or the Silurians/Humans exist alongside one another peacefully. They'd be most baffled as to why both species on this Earth are always aggressive with one another. That or have the human originate from say what remains of the Inferno Earth. Existing on a world ruled by fascists would make him the ideal red herring when talk is abound of a spy or traitor within the organisation.

I do rather like the idea of the office bound AI. I'm imagining it being something akin to EMH from Star Trek Voyager or Al from Quantum Leap. A powerful AI who is networked across the various US UNIT branches and overtime has developed their own personality? If you really wanted to, you could always say it is the digitised consciousness of UNIT US's previous Scientific Advisor integrated into the system through the use of alien technology. Either way it would make for an interesting NPC. I'm envisaging a scenario in a UNIT campaign where the AI falls under the control of an outside force (Think House in the TARDIS) and begins to turn the base against the operatives. Flooding the base with poisonous gas, releasing dangerous alien captives from stasis, etc. 

So do I. I always thought that the UN would probably have appointed various individuals to run various regional branches of UNIT rather than it being purely run by the likes of Kate Stewart. Even though she no doubt would have contributed a great deal to UNIT becoming a more scientific organistion than a military one. As I tried to make Mister Bone's the US's counterpart to Kate, I would imagine each of the branches across of the world has their own version of Osgood and the like. Perhaps even quite literally if the Zygons have anything to say about it. 

A Washington Branch is indeed an excellent idea. I'm afraid I can't take any credit for it though. I pulled it purely from The Black Archive sourcebook and thought that a reinvention of a DC character would make for an ideal leader for such a base. I deliberately made Mister Bone's more the persuasive type to act as a contrast to Kate's scientific expertise, excellent at bureaucracy and negotiation and thus would be the first to notice if any politician was acting amiss. 

[Catsmate]

Nov 12, 2019 22:55:51 GMT grinch said:

Most definitely. Harkening back to UNIT activities of the 70s/80s would be ideal for such a UNIT or regular campaign. Allows for guest appearances as well as you suggested. Could even have a time displaced Brigadier working alongside his daughter as the basis for a story arc or merely a few adventures.

I do link continuity and linking the new into the existing WHo mythos.

Nov 12, 2019 22:55:51 GMT grinch said:

Nice ideas for the scientific advisor. You could always combine the Silurian and Human from Alternate Universe and say that she/he is from a Parallel Earth where humanity never evolved or the Silurians/Humans exist alongside one another peacefully. They'd be most baffled as to why both species on this Earth are always aggressive with one another. That or have the human originate from say what remains of the Inferno Earth. Existing on a world ruled by fascists would make him the ideal red herring when talk is abound of a spy or traitor within the organisation.

There was URIC from an alternate Earth, it featured in one of the Doctor⁷/Benny/Ace comics. Maybe Thactus is meddling with dimensional displacement technology and gets transported?
Likewise there's the various alternate timelines in The Time Travellers, 

In fact, as I think about it dropping a single character from several of the alternate timelines into the baseline Whoniverse would be interesting:

• one of Nancy Grover's priestesses (The Eye of the Giant)
  
• an imprisoned researcher from the Confederate States of America (Inferno/The Face of the Enemy)
• a cybernetically augmented South African agent from The Time Travellers
  
• a fleeing criminal from the People's Republic of Great Britain (Rise of the Cybermen)

• Nov 12, 2019 22:55:51 GMT grinch said:

  
  I do rather like the idea of the office bound AI. I'm imagining it being something akin to EMH from Star Trek Voyager or Al from Quantum Leap. A powerful AI who is networked across the various US UNIT branches and overtime has developed their own personality? If you really wanted to, you could always say it is the digitised consciousness of UNIT US's previous Scientific Advisor integrated into the system through the use of alien technology. Either way it would make for an interesting NPC. I'm envisaging a scenario in a UNIT campaign where the AI falls under the control of an outside force (Think House in the TARDIS) and begins to turn the base against the operatives. Flooding the base with poisonous gas, releasing dangerous alien captives from stasis, etc. 

  My inspiration was IRIC, the Information Retrieval Associative Computer, from Wonder Woman, TIM from The Tomorrow People, and similar static mainframe style AI's from seventies sci-fi.
  Maybe with a drone body or two to use as remotes. 
  
  The idea of an uploaded SA personality is intriguing; a bit like The War To End All Wars.
  
  

  Nov 12, 2019 22:55:51 GMT grinch said:

  
  So do I. I always thought that the UN would probably have appointed various individuals to run various regional branches of UNIT rather than it being purely run by the likes of Kate Stewart. Even though she no doubt would have contributed a great deal to UNIT becoming a more scientific organistion than a military one. As I tried to make Mister Bone's the US's counterpart to Kate, I would imagine each of the branches across of the world has their own version of Osgood and the like. Perhaps even quite literally if the Zygons have anything to say about it. 

  Yes I consider this likely, Regional Controllers answering to a UN sub-committee perhaps with a global Controller perhaps?
  
  

  Nov 12, 2019 22:55:51 GMT grinch said:

  
  A Washington Branch is indeed an excellent idea. I'm afraid I can't take any credit for it though. I pulled it purely from The Black Archive sourcebook and thought that a reinvention of a DC character would make for an ideal leader for such a base. I deliberately made Mister Bone's more the persuasive type to act as a contrast to Kate's scientific expertise, excellent at bureaucracy and negotiation and thus would be the first to notice if any politician was acting amiss. 

  The sheer volume of connectivity between DC and US Federal politics is more than other cities; typical of a planned federal capital but unlike evolved cities.

[senko]

I'm no picturing the base AI trying to aquire cybermen to download a version of its conciousness into so it can help more/be more human and not understanding why its staff are so uncomfortable with them. "This is not a problem, see there is no human brain in here just the processing computer".

[Catsmate]

Nov 13, 2019 22:52:03 GMT senko said:

I'm no picturing the base AI trying to aquire cybermen to download a version of its conciousness into so it can help more/be more human and not understanding why its staff are so uncomfortable with them. "This is not a problem, see there is no human brain in here just the processing computer".

Like the Cybershells in one of the C7 scenarios? That might be a little disconcerting....

Maybe it can use Autons, fitted with a UHF transceiver, as remotes. That couldn't go wrong...

Within the base it could use alien tech (or something purely human like this) to manifest an intangible hologram for human interaction. Or 'posses' various security or cleaning robots.

[grinch]

I do rather like the idea of a branch of UNIT having a Silurian scientific advisor. And having it originate from a parallel Earth which has living proof that the two species can co-exist is a truly fascinating one. No doubt they would be used for diplomacy if a Silurian bunker was ever discovered. Of course, knowing UNIT's history with the species it almost somehow seems to go wrong. Gives the character a fresh perspective as well. Not to mention where is their counterpart on this Earth? Perhaps their views on humanity/Silurian co-existence is not as benign?

TIM and co would make for excellent examples of a basic AI. Perhaps they were developed sometime around the latter half of the Brigadier's tenure where their mainframes used to take up an entire room (ala BOSS but without the ego and megalomania) and has only become more and more advanced as time has moved on. No doubt also making it more susceptible to outside influence. Imagine what BOSS and WOTAN could have done in terms of functions had they been upgraded with 21st century technology? A computer bank replaced by drone or even a fully holographic interface.

I do rather like the idea of a Scientific Advisor uploading his consciousness to assist long after he is gone. I'd imagine it would fit better for a future UNIT campaign say set around the later years of the 21st century onto the 22nd century. Maybe that's what happened to Malcolm from 'Planet of the Dead' in his twilight years. Now the UNIT of the future has an extremely Welsh AI who'd be delighted to see the Doctor make an appearance in the future. Or even a whole databank made of the digitised consciousnesses of past Scientific Advisors acting and working together as a part of a genius network. It's an amusing thought at least.

Regional Commanders answering to an UN subcommittee does make the most sense to me. If only to rein the likes of Stewart, Bones and other commanders in to justify their actions or request special permissions. I'd imagine the Haig would love a chance to have the likes of the Master stand trial for War crimes. Just imagine what damage could be done if someone managed to infiltrate or sow the seeds of discord among such a subcommittee. Before you know it, Kate and co are on the run and the enemy has access to all of UNIT's resources. That's a campaign arc in itself right there. Mayhapes they would have to seek help from other sources such as Torchwood?

[Catsmate]

Nov 14, 2019 23:23:42 GMT grinch said:

I do rather like the idea of a branch of UNIT having a Silurian scientific advisor. And having it originate from a parallel Earth which has living proof that the two species can co-exist is a truly fascinating one. No doubt they would be used for diplomacy if a Silurian bunker was ever discovered. Of course, knowing UNIT's history with the species it almost somehow seems to go wrong. Gives the character a fresh perspective as well. Not to mention where is their counterpart on this Earth? Perhaps their views on humanity/Silurian co-existence is not as benign?

 Lots of interesting ideas there...

Nov 14, 2019 23:23:42 GMT grinch said:

TIM and co would make for excellent examples of a basic AI. Perhaps they were developed sometime around the latter half of the Brigadier's tenure where their mainframes used to take up an entire room (ala BOSS but without the ego and megalomania) and has only become more and more advanced as time has moved on. No doubt also making it more susceptible to outside influence. Imagine what BOSS and WOTAN could have done in terms of functions had they been upgraded with 21st century technology? A computer bank replaced by drone or even a fully holographic interface.

Remotely operating a number of enhanced War Machines (possibly upgraded as in The Black Archive) or purely human strike/recon drones like the Predator or more advanced models, possibly upgraded with anachronistic technology.

Nov 14, 2019 23:23:42 GMT grinch said:

I do rather like the idea of a Scientific Advisor uploading his consciousness to assist long after he is gone. I'd imagine it would fit better for a future UNIT campaign say set around the later years of the 21st century onto the 22nd century. Maybe that's what happened to Malcolm from 'Planet of the Dead' in his twilight years. Now the UNIT of the future has an extremely Welsh AI who'd be delighted to see the Doctor make an appearance in the future. Or even a whole databank made of the digitised consciousnesses of past Scientific Advisors acting and working together as a part of a genius network. It's an amusing thought at least.

It has distinct possibilities. Of course there's always the question of where the tech came from, what the SA was actually like, and what effects the uploading and post-mortem existence has had.

Perhaps there are, as you suggest, multiple uploaded minds, acting as an advisory group for UNIT worldwide? A small number of experts in various fields or a wider group?
Or maybe they're the ones running UNIT?

Nov 14, 2019 23:23:42 GMT grinch said:

Regional Commanders answering to an UN subcommittee does make the most sense to me. If only to rein the likes of Stewart, Bones and other commanders in to justify their actions or request special permissions. I'd imagine the Haig would love a chance to have the likes of the Master stand trial for War crimes. Just imagine what damage could be done if someone managed to infiltrate or sow the seeds of discord among such a subcommittee. Before you know it, Kate and co are on the run and the enemy has access to all of UNIT's resources. That's a campaign arc in itself right there. Mayhapes they would have to seek help from other sources such as Torchwood?

There are references to such infighting in the EU books, especially The Dying Days.
A friend of mine used TDD as the basis for a campaign, where the UNIT regional commanders severed their chain of command and assisted the UK against the Martians, in the face of UN opposition. Effectively the whole organisation went rogue and starting building a shadow government afterwards using alien tech as a counterbalance to national opposition.

[senko]

Nov 14, 2019 23:23:42 GMT grinch said:

I do rather like the idea of a branch of UNIT having a Silurian scientific advisor. And having it originate from a parallel Earth which has living proof that the two species can co-exist is a truly fascinating one. No doubt they would be used for diplomacy if a Silurian bunker was ever discovered. Of course, knowing UNIT's history with the species it almost somehow seems to go wrong. Gives the character a fresh perspective as well. Not to mention where is their counterpart on this Earth? Perhaps their views on humanity/Silurian co-existence is not as benign? 

I can see this have the history diverge at the very first encounter as all you need to do is remove the Silurian who murdered the commander (different bunker, caught by Salurians, maybe even stopped by humans) and the compromise is agreed to by both sides. Also remove or make Quinn more reasonable perhaps? Fast forward X years and tensions are beginning to mount as more Silurians are awaknened and a small group is now begining to think they should have wiped out the apes to reclaim their world back at first contact. A Silurian scientist's experiment in dimensional theory goes wrong and their tossed to another world, a world where the Silurians did try to wipe out humanity and as a result lost everything. Now their working with unit while trying to find a way to return home with evidence that co-existence is truly the better path. You can either have them be genuine but trying to hide their desire to return home for various reasons (personal resource use, possible danger given the last experiment seemed to blow up their faciltiy, don't trust these humans who have constantly been facing and killing aliens) which is raising suspicions in certain circles or go the other route and have them think co-existence is doomed to failure (given Unit and SIlurian interaction in this universe) and they need to get home to help their people prepare for the sudden, inveitable betrayal.

Which doesn't even touch on the possibilities in the different universe where mankind finds out they're not alone and gains access to Silurian tech back in the 60's/70's and how that will change the effect on humanities interactions with other species in the future. Perhaps there are now other races living on earth as their interaction are made different by the silurain presence.