The Probability Broach (29 page)

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Authors: L. Neil Smith

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The Tor edition of
The Probability Broach
is dedicated, with more love and thanks than I can adequately express, to the individuals—and individualists—who helped to make it possible: Robert Adams, Imad A. Ahmad, David Anderson, Elizabeth Anderson, Poul Anderson, David R. Blackmon, Walter Block, John Blundell, Alan W. Bock, David M. Brown, Gene W Cahill, Joe Cobb, Kevin Cullinane, Brian Daley, Gordon R. Dickson, K. Eric Drexler, James R. Elwood, Frank Kelly Freas, Eric Geislinger, Alexis Gilliland, Dean A. Grennell, John T. Harllee, Karl Hess, Jim and Jackie Hogan, Jeffrey Rogers Hummel, Len Jackson, Victor
Koman,
Samuel Edward Konkin III, Brad Linaweaver, Carol Low, Roger Lea MacBride, Rex F. May, Wendy McElroy, Victor W. Milan, Vincent H. Miller, Carol Mitchell, Tonie Nathan, John Newman, Peter Pautz, Jim Pickett, Robert W. Poole, Jr., Jerry Rakusan, Sheldon Richman, Lucia St. Clair Robson, J. Neil Schulman, Robert Shea, Melinda M. Snodgrass, Lannon Stafford, John Stith, Vernor Vinge, Richard Warner, Carl Watner, F. Paul Wilson, J. Barclay Wood, and especially to Andrea Millen Rich.
 
Quotations attributed to the otherworld alter-egos of individuals infamous or merely famous in our own universe are fictitious, and entirely the responsibility of the author.—L.N.S.
 
1
The Probability Broach
The Venus Belt
Their Majesties’ Bucketeers
The Nagasaki Vector
Tom Paine Maru
The Gallatin Divergence
Lando Calrissian and the Mindharp of Sharu
Lando Calrissian and the Flamewind of Oseon
Lando Calrissian and the Starcave of Thonboka
The Wardove
BrightSuit MacBear
Taflak Lysandra
Contact and Commune
Converse and Conflict
1
The Crystal Empire
1
Henry Martyn
1
Pallas
2
The Mitzvah
Forge of the Elders
2
Hope
Lever Action
1
The American Zone
“Once again, L. Neil Smith shows why he is a favorite among Libertarian SF fans. He does not compromise on his politics; his action sequences are riveting and breathless, and the background immaculate.
Bretta Martyn is pure
adventure, mixed in with great ideas.”
—Anders Monsen,
Prometheus
on
Bretta Martyn
 
“
Bretta Martyn
displays L. Neil Smith at his best.”
—Mike Resnick on
Bretta Martyn
 
“Smith blends intergalactic action, heroics, and derring-do into a futuristic political thriller, and the result is a delight: piracy in high space, penned with panache.”
—
Publishers
Weekly
on
Henry Martyn
 
“Reads like the best-remembered popular novels of this or any other age … Well worth a look … The action sequences are graphic and well-handled.”
—
Amarillo
Sunday News-Globe
on
Henry Martyn
 
“You can depend on Smith for audacious escapades and rollicking storytelling, interstellar politics and dynamic characters … . Splendid!”
—
Laissez
Faire Books
on
Pallas
 
“
Pallas
is great fun, one of the most entertaining books I’ve read in a long time.”
—Bill O’Brien,
Guns and Ammo
on
Pallas
 
A Brief Historical Outline
3
 
In 1796 C.E., with Revision of the Articles of Confederation underway again, Thomas Jefferson proposed a new calendar to mark Albert Gallatin’s ascension to the presidency. Gallatin protested that the
real
Revolution was in 1776, that the Federalist period should be regarded as an aberration, and that commemorating, even by implication, the execution of George Washington might set a hideous precedent.
In its final form, the Jefferson-Gallatin compromise utilizes 1776 as its “Year Zero.” Dates prior to the Declaration of Independence continue numbered as they were before, sometimes followed by C.E. for “Christian Era.”
 
A.L.
C.E.
EVENTS
0
1776
Declaration of Independence (July 2); Revolution begins.
7
1783
Treaty of Paris (Sept. 3); Revolution ends.
11
1787
Federalists under Hamilton, Jay, Madison meet in Philadelphia, illegally adopt new “Constitution” creating strong central government.
12
1788
Ratification by ninth and last necessary state (New Hampshire).
13
1789
Constitution in force; Hamilton Secretary of Treasury to George Washington.
15
1791
Hamilton’s Excise Tax passes; angry Pennsylvania farmers rally at Brownsville for beginning of countercoup.
16
1792
Pittsburgh Convention of antitax forces; Washington issues warning proclamation; farmers tarring and feathering tax collectors.
18
1794
15,000 federal troops ordered against farmers; Albert Gallatin joins rebellion; Washington shot in Philadelphia; Constitution declared null and void; Gallatin proclaimed President; Hamilton disappears.
19
1795
Caretaker government organized; Gallatin declares general amnesty; all taxes repealed; property and rights restored to Federalists, Tories.
20
1796
Gallatin confirmed by Congress; calls for neutral stance between England and France, humane Indian policies, and revision of Articles.
21
1797
New Articles ratified with emphasis on civil and economic rights; Northwest Territory “land certificates” liquidate war debts; governments otherwise forbidden to coin or print money.
24
1800
Gallatin re-elected (second term); Jeffersonian weights and measures.
27
1803
Gallatin and Monroe arrange Louisiana Purchase, borrowing from private sources against value of land.
28
1804
Gallatin re-elected (third term): Hamilton killed in Prussian duel; Stevens invents steamboat.
30
1806
England attempts to restrict shipping; Gallatin commissions privateers to defend American vessels.
31
1807
French uphold American sea rights;
Chesapeake
drives off British war vessels; Forsyth invents percussion system for firearms; English outlaw slave trade; Jefferson begins antislavery crusade.
32
1808
Hundreds of British ships captured or sunk by American private navies, thousands of English seamen desert; first oceangoing steamship,
Confederation
(Stevens), sinks British warship; Gallatin re-elected (fourth term).
35
1811
Jefferson wounded in assassination attempt, kills assailant.
36
1812
Gallatin announces retirement; Edmond Genêt elected president.
37
1813
Privateers’ League lawsuit overthrows doctrine of sovereign immunity.
38
1814
Gallatin publishes
Principles of Liberty,
systematic expansion on philosophies of Paine, Jefferson.
39
1815
Privateer Admiral Jean LaFitte publicly denounces slavery.
40
1816
Genêt re-elected (second term), proposes abolition of slavery, reparatory land grants to slaves in West.
41
1817
Slavery abolished for children born after A.L. 44.
42
1818
Gallatin publishes
Rule of Reason,
advocating nonbinding voluntarist legislature; in England, Guy Fawkes Day explosion of Parliament believed precipitated by Gallatin’s works; British government falls.
43
1819
Collier-Shaw percussion revolver; patent system breaks down under Gallatin’s criticism of government enforcement of monopolies.
44
1820
Jefferson elected President; all slavery abolished; Jefferson publicly rejects offers of presidency for life, threatens resignation.
45
1821
Mexico grants land to American settlers in Texas.
47
1823
Monroe drafts “Jefferson Doctrine”: political isolationism, elimination of trade barriers, moral support for colonies asserting “fundamental right to secede.”
48
1824
Jefferson re-elected (second term) internal combustion engine; mechanical calculators.
50
1826
Jefferson dies in office; Monroe assumes presidency.
52
1828
Monroe elected.
54
1830
First steam railroad (Philadelphia).
55
1831
Monroe dies in office; John C. Calhoun assumes presidency.
56
1832
Calhoun elected; Nathan Turner first Negro Congressman; Britain experiments with Gallatinist legislative system; Calhoun’s new Indian policies denounced by Gallatin.
57
1833
Britain abolishes slavery, exempts Ireland; British government falls.
59
1835
Colt’s double-action revolver; Gold discovered in Georgia.
60
1836
Gallatin comeback defeats Calhoun; Texicans declare independence; Santa Anna defeated and killed at San Antonio.
64
1840
Gallatin retires again; Sequoyah Guess elected president.
65
1841
Mexico declares war on Old United States, Republic of Texas.
66
1842
U.S. forces in Mexico; Sequoyah’s “Reading” of Gallatin at Buena Vista causes massive Mexican desertions; Mexico City surrenders itself; Sequoyah felled by sniper; Osceola assumes Sedency.
68
1844
Osceola elected.
69
1845
Jonathan Browning Arms Company established, Nauvoo, Illinois.
70
1846
Revolution in California; Hamiltonian “republic” declared under “Emperor” Joshua Norton.
71
1847
Self-contained cartridges for revolvers.
72
1848
Gold discovered in California; Gallatinite uprisings throughout Europe; Jefferson Davis elected president.
73
1849
Gallatinite revolution in Canada.
74
1850
Gallatinite revolutions in Mexico, China.
75
1851
News of pogroms against Gallatinists in California; air conditioning; Lucille Gallegos born, San Antonio.
76
1852
Albert Gallatin dies; mourning observed throughout world; rumors of celebrations in Prussia, California; Gifford Swansea elected president.
79
1855
First all-steel steamship crosses Atlantic.
80
1856
Arthur Downing elected president.
81
1857
Gallatinite revolt suppressed in India; British government falls.
82
1858
Joint paper on evolution by Darwin, Wallace.
83
1859
Downing dies in office; President Harriet Beecher advocates banning alcohol.
84
1860
Lysander Spooner elected president; Gallatinite revolts in Italian states; Chinese Gallatinists overthrow Hamiltonians in California.
85
1861
Great Northern Pacific railroad begins transcontinental operations, opens extension into Republic of California.
88
1864
Spooner re-elected (second term); Moray automatic pistol.
89
1865
Actor John Wilkes Booth murdered by obscure Illinois lawyer.
90
1866
Mexico, U.S. negotiate Confederation.
91
1867
Elisha Gray invents telephone; smokeless powder; Alaska purchased by Texas consortium.
92
1868
Spooner re-elected (third term), proposes Gallatinist legislature in U.S.; telephone service established, Atlanta to Philadelphia.
93
1869
Litigation establishes women’s vote; Gallatinist legislature adopted, Articles revised.
95
1871
Great Chicago Fire: official explanation ridiculed in press.
96
1872
Spooner re-elected (fourth term).
99
1875
Electric Street Railway (Chicago).
100
1876
Centennial; Giant “Statue of Gallatin” erected in Lake Michigan; Spooner re-elected (fifth term).
101
1877
Hovercraft; A. G. Bell invents mechanical larynx for chimpanzees.
102
1878
Manhattan “war” between private security companies.
104
1880
Spooner retires; Jean-Baptiste Huang elected president.
108
1884
“Moving pictures” popular, Chicago; Huang reelected (second term).
109
1885
Canada joins U.S.-Mexico negotiations.
110
1886
Geronimo, a Mexican national, becomes first congressman to represent others,
but not himself;
wireless telephony; simian suffrage.
112
1888
Great Eastern Blizzard; first electrically heated streets (Edison); Frederick Douglass elected president.
115
1891
First transatlantic wireless relays betting on American horseraces; Manfred von Richthofen born, Silesia.
116
1892
Benjamin Tucker elected president.
117
1893
North American Confederacy includes Alaska, California, Canada, Cuba, Mexico, Newfoundland, Old United States, and Texas; first heavier-than-air powered flight (Lillienthal); British Gallatinists propose Confederation with North America; British government falls.
120
1896
Tucker re-elected (second term); dirigible invented.
124
1900
Capital moved to center of continent; Tucker reelected (third term).
125
1901
First transcontinental aeroplane flight.
127
1903
Dirigible
City of Akron
flies nonstop, length of continent and return; first all-talking movie
(Ragtime Dance)
premiers, New Orleans.
128
1904
Nicaragua Canal; Tucker re-elected (fourth term).
130
1906
San Francisco Earthquake, Fire, and Barbecue.
132
1908
Tucker re-elected (fifth term).
133
1909
First transatlantic aeroplane flight; first transpacific dirigible flight; “Sydney Tea Party”: all government officials thrown in harbor.
136
1912
Albert Jay Nock elected president.
138
1914
Prussia attacks bordering countries; Continental Congress declares neutrality; Confederate volunteers launch Thousand Airship Flight.
140
1916
Nock re-elected (second term).
141
1917
Goddard rockets decimate Prussian air squadrons; revolt sparked by heavy broadcasting of Gallatin’s works.
142
1918
Influenza epidemic; round-the-world dirigible flotilla dispenses experimental vaccine.
144
1920
Nock re-elected (third term).
146
1922
Nuclear pile demonstrated (Chicago).
148
1924
Nock re-elected (fourth term).
151
1927
Television; dolphin communications; fission power plant (Chicago).
152
1928
Cancer linked to malnutrition; H. L. Mencken elected president; lasers.
153
1929
Fusion power plant (Detroit); Ooloorie Eckickeck P’wheet born, somewhere in Pacific; heartlung machine.
156
1932
Jet aeroplane; fusion-powered dirigibles; Mencken re-elected (second term).
157
1933
Mencken assassinated; Continental Congress chooses F. Chodorov successor; cetaceans join Confederacy; heart transplants.
160
1936
Gallatinite revolution in Spain; Chodorov elected.
161
1937
Artificial satellite launched, southern Mexico.
163
1939
Edward William Bear born, Saint Charles Town, N.A.C., and Denver, U.S.A.
164
1940
Rose Wilder elected president.
165
1941
First simian in orbit reads works of Gallatin, plays chess with porpoises at Emperor Norton University (loses); Hamiltonian coup in Hawaii; 3-D television.
168
1944
Wilder re-elected (second term); F. K. Bertram born, Boston.

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