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Prelude, from yet another universe...
Net.Access rose up over the whirlpool. "To summon the Characterization Stone..." She held out the Kube in front of her. "I summon our future." She closed her eyes. "The future where all those long-forgotten stories would be finally finished. Where everything that we hoped to see flashed before our eyes in a perfect moment. Where we could resolve everything, once and for all, and seal it with a perfect 'The End'."
The Kube began to glow, softly at first, then coruscating with silvery color, filling with the energies of dream and desire. "Once, I sacrificed a perfect, finished past for an unbounded future, bright with possibility. Now, I sacrifice a perfect, finished future, so that that unbounded possibility may be accessible to all, each day free of the guilt of ages, each day open and new!"
...
In the Meadowlands Arena of New Jersey, the Super-Savior took time out from leading his growing rebel army against the Turkish Empire. He spoke with visitors from Prussia... "You say, I'm the legitimate Emperor of your country?"
"Indeed."
"And I just have to go to war with the Sultan of Turkey? I'm already doing that!"
"Indeed. We simply wish to advise you."
...
The Turkish Sultan flew across the Atlantic Ocean with his newly acquired superhuman powers, toward confrontation with the American rebels who opposed his transoceanic empire. New York had submitted; why would not New Jersey?!
...
Then the Wave of Peace arrived.
This reality had suffered from the whims of Kubrik's Kubes. Of all those cosmic Kubrik's Kubes which had been involved in this history, one yet remained from beyond. It sent out that last wave.
,,,
And so the Sultan of Turkey stood alongside his opponent the so-called Super-Savior, on the balcony of the Empire State Minaret in New York City.
"People of New York! We in the Turkish Empire appreciate your joining with us, for the incredible worldwide markets we provide!" - scattered applause
"People of the rest of America! We will associate with you as you like! But we are not here to conquer you!" - more applause
"To make this point, I will appoint your leader to high position in my Sultanate! He is Scott Stiles! You call him the Super-Savior!" - wide applause
"New York City has its own administration. I do not interfere with it. But I appoint Scott Stiles the Consul of Turkey to North America! Your scattered nations may each come to him with your issues!"
The Sultan handed his microphone headset to Scott Stiles. "Hi, America!" - great applause
"Northerner! Westerner! Southron! We all know, the rest of the world is crowding in. That's a fact! They want to be a part of America! - And who wouldn't??" - applause
"You'll all figure out what to do yourselves. But I'll be here to help you!!" - great applause
...
After the crowd started dispersing, Scott Stiles remained next to the Sultan of Turkey on the balcony. He said, "That went a lot better than it could have."
"Indeed. Merciful God has granted us another chance in our history."
...
Author's Note: Thank you Drew, for inspiring a simple yet elegant way to end one of those Multi-Writer Cascades. I will admit, I was not looking forward to the way my part of the cascade was going. But then you sent just one more cosmic wave to influence things. And I've tried to keep things topical, because some things are the same across universes.
I have made this an instant story, in the spirit of your challenge. I will keep this story on my pages. www.eilertech.com/stories/2011/page.php?fn=newbosnia8.txt (this page)
This page was once advertised as The Land of Might and Royalty! Now it is the Land of Peace and Quiet. And I shall have to remember the phrase, Merciful God Has Granted Us Another Chance in Our History. I look forward to the chance to say it in my world.
-- Scott
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