4 ms·

Made me immediately think of Captain Korolev from the story 'Red Star, Winter Orbit' by Gibson and Sterling. I knew already, but still had to go double check th

Made me immediately think of Captain Korolev from the story 'Red Star, Winter Orbit' by Gibson and Sterling. I knew already, but still had to go double check that the story came first.

dane-pgp 7y ago
When I first heard of Krikalev's story, I wished that someone would write an alternative universe historical novel where being "the last Soviet citizen" became more significant for him. Imagine some legal quirk in the interpretation of Article VIII of the Outer Space Treaty: "A State Party to the Treaty on whose registry an object launched into outer space is carried shall retain jurisdiction and control over such object, and over any personnel thereof, while in outer space or on a celestial body." where the International Court of Justice required the UN to treat the Soviet Union as still existing, with Krikalev as its only citizen (and thus government). He could nominate himself as the Soviet representative to the UN, and exercise his country's veto, while also having to pay the country's contribution to the UN budget. Things would be even more complicated if some members of the Soviet armed forces, and ambassadors, accepted him as their rightful leader. It would effectively be an extreme case of the odd situation regarding the status of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta.
- selimthegrim 7y ago
  I think Joe Haldeman beat you to it with The Forever War
- sealand 7y ago
  Almost like an orbital version of https://www.sealandgov.org https://www.sealandgov.org
- LoSboccacc 7y ago
  > someone would write an alternative universe historical novel well in Italy we took the story and made an advertisement out of it https://m.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=gEg6G0PmHDw https://m.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=gEg6G0PmHDw
  - klez 7y ago
    Hah! I'm too young to remember it, but it was frankly funny and well played. I'm not sure I understand the final joke about America. Did they lose territory after the collapse of the Soviet Union or is it just a joke like "ah, this is so good it might as well be America"?

Made me immediately think of Captain Korolev from the story 'Red Star, Winter Orbit' by Gibson and Sterling. I knew already, but still had to go double check that the story came first.

dane-pgp 7y ago

When I first heard of Krikalev's story, I wished that someone would write an alternative universe historical novel where being "the last Soviet citizen" became more significant for him. Imagine some legal quirk in the interpretation of Article VIII of the Outer Space Treaty: "A State Party to the Treaty on whose registry an object launched into outer space is carried shall retain jurisdiction and control over such object, and over any personnel thereof, while in outer space or on a celestial body." where the International Court of Justice required the UN to treat the Soviet Union as still existing, with Krikalev as its only citizen (and thus government). He could nominate himself as the Soviet representative to the UN, and exercise his country's veto, while also having to pay the country's contribution to the UN budget. Things would be even more complicated if some members of the Soviet armed forces, and ambassadors, accepted him as their rightful leader. It would effectively be an extreme case of the odd situation regarding the status of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta.

selimthegrim 7y ago
I think Joe Haldeman beat you to it with The Forever War
sealand 7y ago
Almost like an orbital version of https://www.sealandgov.org https://www.sealandgov.org
LoSboccacc 7y ago
> someone would write an alternative universe historical novel well in Italy we took the story and made an advertisement out of it https://m.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=gEg6G0PmHDw https://m.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=gEg6G0PmHDw
- klez 7y ago
  Hah! I'm too young to remember it, but it was frankly funny and well played. I'm not sure I understand the final joke about America. Did they lose territory after the collapse of the Soviet Union or is it just a joke like "ah, this is so good it might as well be America"?