The Event Series (Book 3): The Archive and Beyond

by Thomas Larson

  Lance and Fred talked about the Hunters.

  “Langley, LJ they made it? The Burlington folks survived the hunters attack?” I asked.

  The Major interrupted, “They did for a while, but in the end….”, and then he told about the Battle of Stanwix, and about Keith and Pam, the raid to dispose of Womack and his crew.

  “What am I missing here?” I asked.

  Teckla spoke up, “Langley, Ron, all of them were poisoned. They attacked our camp. It was how Nick died, and Mark lost his arm. The people from Stanwix were changed, they were killed and changed and then brought here.”

  That was a hard pill; we all just sat and were kind of at a loss.

  Finally, Asuna said softly, “We have a cure for the sickness.”

  The Major looked up, “What? What did you say?”

  “The QUalz were able to create a cure for the virus, it makes it so you don’t come back.” Asuna said.

  Momentarily there was silence, then a flood of questions, “How? What do you mean? Where is it?”

  “It is back at our truck, we left it there, and its safe there,” then I added, “The how, I am not exactly sure, they used the blood samples and DNA that they collected from us all and were able to make something. Krezz said it would work, but we couldn’t really test it. We can only assume it works for now.”

  “Pills, shots, liquid? What form is it in?” asked an excited Major Barkley, his doctor sense was tingling.

  “It’s a pill. We have about 50,000 of them and also have the instructions to make more on my readpad.” I told them.

  “But are they safe? I mean, to take?”

  I told them that we had taken it weeks ago and that it was not a problem. There were no side effects and the pills were small and went down easy.

  Teckla looked at Tom for a moment and finally said, “Yeah, about that being gone thing, it was supposed to be a year. You were only gone 8 months. What is that all about?”

  “Yeah, well, Krezz kind of messed up there, he said year but meant a cycle, an orbit by the ship. For us it was really only about an 8 month loop depending on where Mars is.” I told them.

  Lance asked how we could make the trip so quickly. Asuna told him that we don’t really know, but we did a loop around Mars and came back, so it would seem we were moving along pretty quickly but also that Mars and Earth were close together in their orbits. Lance sat down with a thud, there was science stuff running through his head. His mouth was moving, but nothing was coming out.

  “A sling shot, it makes sense” shouted Lance, “That is how they kept their speed up; they circle between the Earth and Mars and use it to keep the speed up. I think I am close but you had to be doing about 45 to 50 thousand miles an hour to make the loop in the time you said.”

  “Okay, but the pills, maybe we should go get them, bring the truck into camp?” suggested the Major.

  “Yeah, probably a good idea, I could use a break and some fresh air,” I said, not really so much fresh air as a few minutes to just let things settle in. Asuna and Lucy were right at my side.

  “Margo, you and Cody going to walk with us?”

  “Duh” she said and for the first time I noticed that Cody was with her. He had been quiet, and just there, holding her hand. A little father thing kicked in, ‘My Little Girl’, gonna have to have a talk with that boy but then, I knew that Asuna, or Anne would tell me that it was too late and just let it go.

  The truck was only about a half mile up the road.

  “What the heck?...” Margo started, looking at the old rusty Ford.

  “It was the only thing we could find that had gas and would run. The Navy boys told us that it was the only kind of vehicle that would run near where the nukes went off,” I offered.

  “The Navy boys?” asked Code

  “Yeah, it was the Pittsburgh that picked us up near the Azores, we landed there, kind of off course, but it all worked out.” I told them.

  “Ah, Lance said that the Pittsburgh was headed that way to check out a signal, but…hey wait, they said they picked someone up, why didn’t they tell us it was you?” Asked Margo

  “Ah yeah, well see, in case we didn’t make it, I, ah, didn’t want you all to worry,” I stammered.

  “Asshole!”

  Asuna laughed, “Told you that you should have phoned ahead.”

  “I’m sorry I just….”

  “No, I know, and I understand, but you’re still an asshole.” Margo mumbled, I think she was kind of pissed.

  Lucy jumped into the back of the truck with Code. Margo got into the front with Asuna and me. She almost sat on Winston.

  “Oops, let me have that, can’t be breaking that,” I said

  “I’m not that heavy, what is it?” she asked.

  “That is Winston, my readpad.”

  I fired the old Ford up and we rolled off toward camp, it was loud, and sputtering,

  Once we got back to camp there were huddles, not the big group discussion but small groups gathered together talking about who knows what, but I am guessing much of it had to do with our return.

  First, we walked over and joined with Teckla, Matt and Mark. It was family stuff; we talked about Nick’s death and kind of just bonded as a family would do.

  Doc and Charlene cornered us next about the pills. I explained that we had actually gotten about two fifty hundred thousand doses but we had left most with the Pittsburgh for them to distribute to bases and locations along the coast that they had made contacts with.

  Dinner tonight was a treat, there were BBQ deer ribs, and corn on the cob, and salads with real tomatoes and veggies from the garden, and it was awesome. It was almost like Nick and Grace were still with us. But it was Mark that had taken over the cooking, sort of, although he did not do a lot of the physical cooking, Jan and Michelle did that part.

  Asuna and I cleaned up and settled back into our cabin, it was a little dusty, and there were a few spider webs, which freaked Asuna out. But we got through it.

  We did Vespers tonight, I sense there is a sadness sitting just below the surface, but it shall pass I think, they, we, already are recovering.

  First Son Note: This date August 4th 2015 converges the separate journal dates together. We have, therefore, combined the writings of the three Romanicans (Matt, Margo and Lance) and the journals from Test Subject #1. From this point on the entries will be by day.

  (Matt) What a day, Tom and Asuna came back, early, and in some ways it is a good thing, actually I can’t think of bad ways. They have brought back a pill to prevent us from coming back as undead, and they are back, it is all good.

  It was kind of amazing the way they just showed up. We have so many stories to tell, to get caught up. It will take a little while for them to get up to speed on what has happened to us, the camp, and it will take us a little while to get to hear about their adventures.

  We all were in the dining room talking, but that was just a little rundown. The details on a lot of things will take time to fill in, and much of it is already written in our journals.

  For us, the loss of Nick and Grace, Mark’s arm, the Stanwix People will need to be talked about, but even now the pain is still great. But we have hope. We have Augustus, and we have a way to not come back.

  At Vespers tonight it was very much a joyous gathering. It is the first time in a long time we all made it. And yet there were empty seats that left their mark on us all. Grace with her infectious laugh, Nick, Chelsea, they were all missed.

  We listened to the tales that Tom and Asuna told. What they had seen, the stars, the suns, Mars, it was all so amazing. They, in a way, have visited the Sky Father and brought some of his help back to us.

  I will talk with them soon and we can talk in more detail about the horrors we have suffered, and the steps forward we have made. We have made a good life here, it is not what we once had, and yet, I think it is better, sometimes harsh and cruel, but better than.

  (Lance) Del and I rushed out of our cabin this morning, s
words drawn and ready for war. What a shock, Tom and Asuna just standing there with Margo. I couldn’t believe it. It was one of those moments that you see in some movie, the joyful return home.

  We sat in the dining hall and listened. Part of it was telling the two of them what had happened over the 8 months, wait, it was supposed to be a year, they came back early.

  It was cool listening to them tell about space. But it was not so cool listening to some of us telling about what had happened, the Hunters, Henry, Frank, Ethan all being killed. And even though it was not told in full detail the whole Stanwix thing. There is lots of catching up to do, and that will take time.

  I should probably contact, or try to contact the Pittsburgh and tell them that Tom and Asuna got back here safely.

  (Margo) They’re back and I did not realize until I saw them this morning how much I really missed him. Part of me was pissed that he had gone away, and yet, had he, they, now I wonder how different things would be.

  It is going to take some time to adjust, I have a dad again. Although at this point, wow, I just don’t know, the world has changed so much, I just don’t know.

  Code has been good about all of this, but I think he is a little nervous. It has to be strange for him too. But I think that tonight at Vespers it was okay. We sat with them, and really, Tom seemed okay with our relationship. He looked at us, smiled and just…. that was it.

  The stories, the adventures, I had once thought about a pilgrimage or trip like Matt and Tanya. But now hearing about the adventures that Tom and Asuna had, it is a must, Code and I have to go somewhere.

  August 5th

  (Lance) I tried to reach the Pittsburgh last night and then again this morning. I was able to get through; they have already left on their next voyage. They were happy to hear that Tom and Asuna had safely made it back.

  Del and I spent the day out at the horse farm, a little riding on Shinigami and Samurai. Not much else to report.

  (Margo) Tom and Asuna have been pretty busy. Code and I stopped over and gave them a hand in getting their cabin back to livable shape. They had done some of the basics, but we all pitched in a little to get the place up to 100%.

  I am confused, or better, unsettled. I want to spend time visiting with Tom and Asuna, and yet I want to do my usual things also. I want to get out and see Momma and the cubs. I need to find a balance. I am sure it will all settle out soon enough, just too much going on I guess.

  (Matt) I took a little time to give Asuna and Tom a tour of the fields and gardens that we had put together. They were impressed, but I am sensing something from them, there is an antsiness, they have something on their minds, but I don’t know what.

  It was pretty much a standard day as usual besides the tour.

  Vespers tonight we more back to normal, just us all getting together and enjoying the company. Michelle did some singing, but there was not a real sing-a-long like when Grace led us. We did a couple of stories, but I feel like there is an elephant sitting with us and no one wants to talk about it.

  (Tom) It was so nice to sleep in our own bed last night; it was warm, but not oppressively hot like it was on some of the areas of the Sky Crystal. It was a little weird hearing all the animal noises. They had piped them into our room on the ship, but somehow the real deal was more dramatic.

  Cody and Margo came over this morning and spent some time with us doing a little cleaning and repair work on our cabin. I admire their relationship; they have a lot of things going for them that I have seen missing in the other people’s relationships. There is a respect, and a bond, but most of all they both seem to really like each other. I mean there is loving someone, and liking someone. Very often there is a one or the other but to have both, love and like, that is a rare flower.

  Later in the day Matt gave us a look at the corn fields, and veggie gardens. They have done a great job in getting them set up and going even without Henry. I think that they, we should be good to go as far as food for the winter.

  After lunch Asuna and I talked about the pills and that we need to start planning to get them to Kentucky and Colorado. It would be important to not waste too much more of the good weather. Kentucky would not be so bad, that is maybe a couple weeks’ worth of driving/traveling. But Colorado, that was something else. There is the prospect of winter coming in the course of that trip.

  We sat at Vespers as they call it. It is nice to get everyone together at the end of the day.

  August 6th

  Asuna and I were up early this morning. We took a walk down by the lake. It gave us a little time to talk, away from everyone.

  “Asuna, we need to get moving on this cure thing. We gave our word, and the summer is slipping away,” I told her.

  “I know, but the rest of the group is not sold on the idea, not so much that they think it is a bad idea but more that it is a task that is too big for just the two of us.”

  “So what are you suggesting?”

  “Don’t take this the wrong way, but we maybe should try to get them on board with us, let’s see if they will go along with it, maybe instead of just us we can get a few people to make the run. Actually runs, one group to Knox, one to Cheyenne, and maybe Alaska,” she suggested.

  I looked at her for a moment, she is right, what is wrong with me? Have I been so out of touch, or maybe I am just caught up, obsessed with this need to save the world.

  “You’re right,” I told her. “I think that we need to start by talking to Matt.”

  She smiled, “That is a good idea, he holds a lot of the sway for the camp, he and Tanya would be good people to pitch the idea to the others. But polish up your presentation before you try to sell it, it may be a one shot deal and if you fail, it will be just you and me making the run.”

  We spent the morning thinking, talking to people to learn more about what had happened and what the world was like now.

  Margo, Lucy and I took a walk this afternoon; she brought me up by the ledge where Momma lives. She told me about saving the cub, and how Momma had saved her. I was amazed at how much the last year had changed her, she was hardened, battle tested, not my little girl anymore. I was kind of sad about that because none of us wanted to see kids suffer through something like what has happened. But then I was pleased, and felt good that she and the other youngers had adapted and were really ready for this world, as much as one can be ready for it.

  “Is Cody a good guy?” I asked her.

  She smiled, “Yeah, he is, he’s good to me, … and good for me.”

  “So I don’t have to give him the ‘I’m her Daddy, don’t mess with my little girl’ talk?”

  “Don’t you dare!”

  I laughed, she looked at me and then just shook her head, “Oye.”

  “Tom, I know that you and Asuna are planning to make a trip to spread those pills around. I don’t want you doing it alone, just you two,” She said.

  I stopped, I looked at her, wow I thought, yeah, she has grown, I don’t want to accept it, but it is true.

  “Margo, I, we are looking to make the trip, and Asuna has suggested that maybe we shouldn’t go it alone, but it will be dangerous, and I....”

  “Look, save me the you’re my little girl talk, we’ve all been through a lot of shit, we have all seen people die, and had to kill, we’ve learned to survive, but more important, we have learned not to cower in our little hidey holes. If we are going to move on, we have to move on,” She glared at me.

  I dropped my head, “I’m sorry, I, you are right, both you and Asuna, this is too big for just me and her.”

  She hugged me, “yep, but we’ll get it done.”

  We returned to camp, I was kind of quiet and just sat by the water staring out over the lake. I felt old, I felt proud of Margo, I felt that not only had the world changed, but the people I had been with had suffered and that had changed them, they were better, stronger, wiser. But mostly I felt old.

  (Margo) Things have pretty much settled down a little since the baby, the attack
by the Zoms and the return of Tom. There is still a lot of buzzing, but for the most part it is back to normal. We have recovered 5 of the sheep, and the ram so we are able to get milk products again. But it also means that someone has to play Bo-peep again tomorrow. Care to guess who gets that job? Yep, Code and I, but it is not so bad. Code has been real good about letting me wander off and look to see if I can find Momma Lion. So far I have not had much luck.

  Tom and I took a walk out to the ledge, I wanted to show him where the Mountain Lion hung out, and kind of hoped I would see her or the cubs, no luck. But while we were walking we talked about his silly plan for Asuna and him to take off and try to deliver the pills all around the country. He has been away for a while and doesn’t understand what the world is like now. He doesn’t understand the Hunters or the groups of bad people out there. He needs protection, needs someone to keep him safe for those things. He needs Code and me to go with him. I let him know that, he wasn’t happy, but he knows now. I will not let him, them, go it alone.

  Vespers tonight were pretty much standard, but there were a number of questions that were aimed at Tom and Asuna about what it was like in space. But I think it was some hoped that some explanation of what happens now would float to the surface, it didn’t.

  (Lance) Typical day, Del and I headed out to the horse farm and spent some time riding on Samurai and Shinigami. We did a little sword play but mostly we just scouted to the north today, headed up toward Dalton. We found a couple of Zoms, but that was about it, there was little else found.

  (Matt) Tanya and I were out early to visit the veggie garden. Mark has asked us to give him some estimates on what the status on the various plants will be. Things like how long we will have tomatoes for and if there would be an overabundance. I think he is trying to work out some things with Taylor to see about canning or putting stuff away. The corn is not an issue, but the beans, and some of the squash would be.

  While we were out there we talked about the pills and getting them around. We will help; it is insane for just those two to head out and try to deliver them all around the country. I’m not sure about the others but Tanya and I will certainly help out, I’m actually thinking it would be a good break from the camp, but it could, no, would be risky. I think we need to talk about it, all of us.