The Man in the High Castle Fix-Its

[derwent_f]

I watched the first two seasons as they came out, then life got in the way. Finally during the Christmas and New Year holiday I decided to binge-watch the entire series. I fell in love all over again ... only to be massively let down by that ending.

So here are several thoroughly self-indulgent fix-its.


Title: Deserving
Characters: John Smith, Helen Smith, Thomas Smith (all Bailey's Crossroads alt-versions)
Rating: G
Summary: John gets a chance to talk with Thomas.

Bright halos surrounded Helen and Thomas’s faces, and for a moment, John Smith thought he’d really kicked the bucket this time.

Then pain flared up his body. He became aware of the machines around him. Those weren’t halos – those were hospital lights.

“God, John …” Helen began, but she was unable to say anything more. She didn’t have to. The relief in his wife and son’s faces said more than words ever could.

He opened his mouth to assure them that he was fine. But a croak was all that came out. Thomas, quick kid that he was, brought a glass to his lips and gently propped his head up. He took a sip from the straw. It was the best drink he’d ever had.

He gave Helen’s hand a squeeze, comforting and reassuring. She squeezed right back.

“What, uh, what happened?” he asked, mind still clouded.

“The waitress found you bleeding in the parking lot. Just in the nick of time.”

Yes, he remembered now. He’d dragged the man off Juliana –

“Juliana.” He rasped. “Did you – anyone knows where she is?”

“No,” Thomas answered. Worry returned to his face. “She’s missing.”

John tried to sit up, but he was too weak still. “Listen: the man who did this, he attacked Juliana. Choked her with a plastic bag. Must’ve hid in the back seat. I dragged him off her, but he had a knife.” His eyes met Helen’s. “You gotta tell the sheriff. She’s in danger.”

Helen stood, decisive and steady as ever. “I’ll call him. And then I’ll be back, so don’t you go anywhere, John Smith.”

He watched her leave, heart swelled up with love. Then he turned his eyes to Thomas’s dear face, the sweet youth of it. An alarm began to ring in his mind. There’s something urgent, something important he needed to do –

The army.

Frantic, he searched his son’s face. “Did – have you – enlisted?”

Thomas looked at him incredulously. “When you’re like this? ‘Course not, dad.”

“Good,” John said. “Good.” He took both of Thomas’s hands in his, tenderly, carefully. “Because there are things I need to talk to you about.”

---

Title: Coming Home
Characters: Nobusuke Tagomi, Kotomichi
Rating: G
Summary: Perhaps what Kotomichi said was true: Tagomi was too good for this world. But not for another.

Her Royal Highness stepped out of the car. Tagomi could see the Chief Inspector standing before her, the guards lining up the steps.

He began to follow her – but he saw Kido turned his head in alarm. As Tagomi followed to see what caught the inspector’s gaze, he heard the sound of glass breaking.

And then darkness engulfed him.

*

He blinked awake, seeing the bright blue sky above. There are children laughing, people talking, vendors hawking their goods, all the hustle and bustle of a lively city in the afternoon.

He knew this place. He’d been here before, had learned things about himself that surprised him, and humbled him, and helped him better his own universe.

This was the happier universe, where his son and wife stayed alive. Where Nori grew into a strong, fine young man and married Juliana Crain and had a son.

This was not how traveling was supposed to be. You could only travel to a universe where your own self had died – or at least he thought so.

And yet, here he was. He’d died in his own universe and transported here.

Why?

How?

What would happen in the world he left behind? Tensions were running high, with threats from the Nazis and the BCR and the question of Japan’s ability to hold onto the Pacific states. The peace he spent his life working for had seemed more elusive than ever.

There was a shout and laughter, as a toddler ran giggling past his bench, followed by her parents. The exasperation in their faces could not hide their love.

Tagomi stood up slowly. He had questions and would always have them. He would consult the I Ching, as he always did.

But first, he needed to go home to his family.

*

On the ship bringing him back home, Kotomichi caught the sound of a wind chime tinkling. It was brief, easily missed, and yet he heard it. There was no wind chime in the ship. It was impossible.

He looked up at the bright blue sky above and smiled.

He had settled here and made this world his home. But he would travel once more to his old universe. There was someone he needed to see.

---

Title: Rescue
Characters: Takeshi Kido, Toru Kido, Admiral Inokuchi
Rating: G
Summary: Kido atones.

The Bamboo Palace is perhaps the only place left unchanged in this entire city.

Kido stands hidden, surveiling the place. The last time he stormed the place, he’d had a fine young man beside him.

(As always, a pang seizes his heart at the thought of Sergeant Yoshida. He didn’t have the opportunity to pay his respects one last time either to Yoshida or the Trade Minister, so busy was he with the withdrawal. He prays that the vengeful mob will leave the graves alone.)

Now he’s going in to save another.

He checks his weapon and sees that he’s got enough ammo. He knows he’ll put a target on his back by doing this. But he’s still the chief inspector, and he has enough dirt on Okami’s collaboration with the Nazis that he can justify his action later, as he did with Okamura.

He steels himself. His son was right: he failed his duty to his family. This is his last chance to atone.

For the last time, Chief Inspector Kido enters the club.

*

Grand Admiral Inokuchi stands on the deck, eyes still searching the almost deserted pier.

“Sir, another message just came through. We are to leave now.”

He knows that. He held out as long as he could, ostensibly to provide security for the last of the evacuation ships. But they have all left yesterday. The remaining people who did not manage to get a place in them had boarded his ship this morning. He cannot postpone the departure any longer.

Just as he turns to give the command, he sees movements from the corner of his eyes.

Two people, running, a young man followed by an older man with glasses. The younger is waving his arms and shouting. They are still too far away for him to catch what is said, but he can guess.

He knows their faces – the ones he was waiting for until now, the last moments. He’s glad he did.

“One moment,” he commands.