did you just invite an aspiring author to keep talking about ideas? expand I will!
the ucompatibility problem stems from the introoduction of the nano tech, one by aliens, the other thru tech proliferation falling into the hands of the general populace. theideas could be bridged, its definatly possible. but I think the stories would be better separate. their focus is different. I mean, one is aiming at the star wars genre/market. the other on the superhero genre.
as for characters being interchangeable, I see your point, but I was thinking of 40's sci fi with flying fortresses and jetpack fighter piolets, and then realized it could go fantasy with flying frigates and magic dragon suits(wings and fire balls) then the stories would change a lot. but still enough similarities to make me pause.
basically I keep coming up with a cool core idea, and start running, come up with a world of ideas, and then toy with the core idea again, and run off in a new direction.
or I insert cool ideas into other storys, and then want to insert same idea into something else later. and I don,t think its a creativity thing. I can juggle my ideas to get them to match up, just sometimes I feel like o have a lot og leggo's, but not enough red or yellow pieces to make the cars all the same color.