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

  We still have power, the turbines are okay, and the solar arrays might work again if we re-wire them. But the trucks, the vehicles are all done.

  September 25th

  (First Son Note: as a result of this Carrington Effect all of the laptops and computers had been compromised. Lance, our Lance, was able to access and extract the information as transcribed on the storage devices over time. However there are no new computer entries from this date forward with the exception of what was on Tom Williams’ readpad. The readpad was designed for space travel by the QUalz and, as such, able to withstand higher radiation levels.

  There are some handwritten notes that do periodically supply information about the ‘Archive’ and the members who lived there. These notes were sometimes illegible or damaged by water, or partially eaten by some lifeform, we believe small furry creatures or some form of Insecta.

  (Tom) Bicycles seem to be the new trucks; we have scavenged a couple of them which allow us to get down to the farm. The trip down was not so bad but I am thinking that the ride back up the mountain will not be so good.

  It was Asuna who saved the day on that one. She reminded me of what the crew from the sub had said about the trucks and cars that were in the direct area of the nuclear blasts back at the beginning of this mess. It was only the ‘new’ cars that were impacted, the older cars, ones with distributors and no computer chips were fine. A car from the 50s, 60s or early 70s likely withstood the EM meltdown.

  We tested it on an old Farmall tractor that was at the farm and, sure as shit, it fired up and we rode it back up the mountain. We’re back in the game. We need to find a new set of vehicles, diesel and old, how hard can that be. I know we have my 62 Ford pick-up back at Romanica.

  September 26th

  (Tom) Good news at the other end of the road that leads to the Archive there is a quarry, it produced trap rock, or would it be mines trap rock. I don’t know, but there is some old equipment there, a couple of old dump trucks that might not be road worthy in the eyes of the DOT, but still operational and old enough to not have been impacted by the solar storm. It is a start.

  Lance is upset that he didn’t move the computer stuff inside the archive earlier, but who knew this was going to happen and as it turns out, even the laptop that he had in his room, on the top ‘shielded’ level of the underground facility was damaged by the storm. So it was really not his fault and this is not a big issue. We still have power, the internal electric system in the Archive still works, so we miss out on some things, but it is not life threatening.

  I talked to Doc Barkley about life threatening potentials. He seems to think that we‘re probably okay as far as radiation exposure goes. And if we were contaminated in a serious way it would not be something that was quick to kill us, rather he seems to think that it would, or might be more like increased incidents of cancer or possible birth defects, assuming we have babies coming. Either would be bad, because we would have no way to really deal with it, or be able to even tell if it was happening until it was too late.

  We both agreed that we would keep our discussion on the quiet side, although I am sure he will tell Charlene, and she will tell Teckla, and I will tell Asuna.

  We all met out at the fire pit tonight. Lance told everyone his theory as to what had happened with the computers and trucks. There was some hand wringing and concerns expressed but by the time he laid it all out to everyone they were not so bad with it.

  It really won’t impact us that much, except for some entertainment resources and record keeping, which we can get around. The biggest loss was the travel aspects, no more trucks, but we are going to be able to be resolved except for the loss of the helicopter, that is a little different.

  (Matt *handwritten) Tanya and I arrived back at the Archive today, late in the day. There was much concern over what Lance described as a solar storm that has put an end to all our computer chips, in the laptops as well as our vehicles. But by the time he finished explaining what had happened (his theory) and what we still had left that worked we are not so bad off.

  This is a second notebook. In the course of our trip the first one became soaked during rainy day and is unreadable. Much of the writing was about the trip and what we saw.

  It had not varied much from our pilgrimage in the spring so I will not try to re-write it. The interesting part of the trip was when we met with Helen. She is doing well and we have a cause, a reason to go on. But I will lay that out in my next entry. It has been a long day and we are very tired.

  It is good to be home, for the moment.

  September 27th

  “Good Evening Winston”

  “Good Evening Tom, I trust you are well.”

  “Yes, as well as expected, you are aware that you are our last computer.”

  “I am an AI device, although without the functions and support from the Sky Crystal’s Data Storage Interlock I am limited in my abilities. But yes, I have detected high levels of solar energy that could impact certain unshielded devices.”

  “Yeah Winston, it did impact them,” I said.

  Just a reminder that I dictate my journal entries to Winston, my readpad.

  Anyway, let me get to this. Captain’s log, Event date September 27th, ah 2015. We have burned out much of the wiring for the solar panels outside. Lance thinks that we will be able to get the solar grid up and running.

  Asuna and I took a ride out to Romanica today and retrieved that old 1962 Ford Truck. On the way we kept an eye out for other replacement vehicles that we could use. It looks good for some ‘antiques’ but they are more often than not big, like dump trucks, tractor trailer trucks or a fire engine. The diesel power is the bigger requirement.

  In the end it may be a case where we will be staying closer to home now, although it is kind of a silly concern because with the new digs where would we need to go?

  The biggest loss for us was the Sat-Comm. We no longer have the option of ‘ringing up’ the Pittsburgh or Cheyenne Mountain. And now that I think about it, I wonder how the Pittsburgh and the other modern surface ships and subs are doing. They are all pretty much computer controlled. I don’t know about how much manual override there is but if the subs were underwater, could they get back to the surface? I wonder about the controls of their nuclear power units. We may never know. I hope they are okay.

  We sat out by the fire pit tonight, the aurora raged on, not as bright as the other night. Someone suggested that it might be a bad idea to stay there, but really, why, we have all been repeatedly exposed to the radiation, so we may as well enjoy the show, the show that had made it certain that we have nothing else to watch.

  Asuna and I talked a little tonight and I found out what she was upset about the other day. It is the baby thing. She is concerned that we are not going to be able to repopulate, more specifically that we, she and I, are not going to be able to have a child.

  I had never really thought about it. I had just kind of assumed that kids were going be the job of ‘the kids’. She may be right. I hope not, but we may be it, the end of humanity.

  (Matt) Well, I had not expected that I would be back to doing a good old fashion diary. I guess we all have gotten spoiled in the computer age. It is actually kind of neat having no auto-correct or spell check available. It makes you a little more careful in your words.

  As I said yesterday, it was actually a pretty uneventful trip out to Fulton-Montgomery College. There were no encounters with anyone, living or dead. As we did in our previous pilgrimage, we found places to stay along the way. Although none of them were places we stayed on the previous trips out that way. We did not stop in Fort Plain, We talked about the crazy real estate lady, but there is noone there anymore.

  The ride itself was pleasant and leisurely on horseback. Although it got kind of warm when we were out in the open so we tried to stay under the tree covered local roads as much as possible. We had a couple of days where we found ourselves in thunderstorms. It was in one of these storms on the way back to the
Archive that I must have left the pocket to my saddlebag open and the original notebook was soaked.

  The real focus of the trip was the chance to sit down and visit with Helen again. She and Sylvester were waiting for us. That in itself might seem odd to most, but she knew, she had a second sight. She never could explain it to us properly other than to say she saw things in her dreams and then they happened. She saw us on the road and knew we would be there.

  Tanya and I were not surprised with the bowl of spaghetti and the garden salads laid out for us when we arrived. As we walked into the lobby area where we had met her in the past, it was there on the table, three place settings. Sylvester sat on the back of the sofa in that section of the library that she had converted to her home.

  “Ah, you’re here,” we heard the familiar voice coming from the little kitchen area off to the right.

  “Yes, Helen, we are, and you knew.” Tanya answered.

  Helen came out of the kitchen and hugged us. She was wearing that same old white sweater and print dress. She seemed older, thinner than I remembered. Yet there were still those piercing eyes that seemed to see to the bottom of your soul.

  “Come, let’s eat, it will get cold, and we can talk while we do.” She said pointing at the table.

  As we ate, we told her about the adventures that we had been through with the Stanwix situation, and with our mission out to the west. We told her about the return of Tom and Asuna from outer space with the cure. She seemed particularly interested in that.

  “So these pills that the little lizard men made put an end to the changing, the coming back from the dead?” she asked.

  “Yes, from what we have found that is true. But we haven’t had a lot of actual testing, so really, we are just assuming it is so. Although now that I think of it the Hunters didn’t come after us, which kind of says they didn’t detect the virus.” Tanya told her.

  “And there have been no other effects, side effects to the pills?” Helen asked.

  “No, not that we have seen, why? Why do you ask?” I said. Helen rarely asked a question without knowing the answer. This made me curious.

  “No reason, I just guess it was just something that comes from the old days where we had too many drugs and medicines that in the end did more harm than good,” She replied.

  Her comment sounded legitimate, but in a way, sinister. It made me start thinking, doubting. But then what side effect could be worse than dying and coming back to eat the living.

  We moved on to the dreams. Tanya told her of the dreams and the calling that she had from the Earth Mother, and how Mother seemed to be telling her that she, we had a task. We were not meant to stay at the underground archive.

  Helen listened intently; she nodded at times, but said nothing.

  I then told her of my dreams and actual sightings with the Raven. The bird flying west, the dropping the apple as it flew.

  “Well, what do you think it means, the dreams, the visions,” she asked.

  We were silent for a few moments and then finally I said, “I think we are supposed to move west, to bring the cure to those out in other parts of the country, to share and try to help others.”

  Tanya was looking at me as I spoke. Then added, “I think we are also supposed to bring a message of hope to them, the ones out there, the ones just getting by.”

  “Well Sylvester, what do you think?” she said looking at the mangy old black and white cat.

  He stared back at her for a moment, “Roew!” then he went back to licking his hind quarters, preening and grooming himself.

  “He thinks you have most of it, you’re right about heading west, but there are still some parts you have not seen yet, something is missing. You know you have to go west, but I don’t think you know why.” Helen said in a grave, almost mysterious voice.

  There was silence for a couple of minutes, then, “Come, let’s clean up and then we can talk further. I think I can help you find your answer.”

  We cleaned up and once we were finished Helen led us into her little sacred area. It was going to be a vision quest. We sat outside in the moonlight, in the area of the little fire pit. It was already lit and as the evening wore on and the darkness settled, she once again led us in the peyote ceremony.

  The Raven was once again before me, and it was like the dream I had had several times in which he flew off to the west, with the apple in his beak. As he flew, the apple fell to earth. I had seen this part before. But the next part was the missing link. As I watched the apple decay, and then a sprout, a twig poking out of the ground, a sapling, then a tree, and fruit and finally there were people, a group of people around the tree, eating, laughing, living.

  As I looked at them, they were all young, and vibrant. They were all dressed in white. I could not see them all but there was one that looked like a younger version of me, and a young beautiful black girl who reminded me of Tanya. It was weird, our children?

  Finally as sleep overtook me I knew why we had to make this journey, to head west to spread the seeds, the cure so that humanity, the next generation could be born, wiping away the old, and seeing that the new succeeded.

  When we woke the next morning, the fire was just cold ashes. Helen was gone, and just Tanya and I lay there. As Tanya awoke, she smiled at me. She knew. We had a task.

  Knowing the path that we were to take is a load off of our minds. As we walked back inside to the little eating area Helen was waiting with a cup of tea. She smiled.

  “Welcome back travelers, I trust you slept well, and maybe found some answers.”

  “Yes, I believe we have,” I replied. Tanya’s head bobbed up and down in agreement.

  “Good, so now what is your plan?” Helen looked at us quizzically.

  “I think we head back to the Archive, put together a few things and start west.”

  “Are you sure that is the correct thing to do, are you positive that is the path that was given you?” She asked.

  Tanya and I looked at each other and then at her. “Yes, it is what we believe.”

  Helen smiled, “Good, I am glad to hear it.”

  We talked a little longer about nothing in particular and then it was time to go. We headed back and arrived on the 26th, late in the day.

  September 28th

  (Tom) Much of today was spent in either damage control, fixing burnt wiring, or in trying to find replacement vehicles. So far in addition to my pick-up we have been able to find 2 old dump trucks, an old fire department pumper truck and the Farmall tractor that are usable. We have also found a few other potential vehicles like a couple of old VW Rabbits, which we might be able to use. It would have been nice if Frank was still around, he probably could have done some jury rigging to get some newer engines retrofitted to run without the electronics.

  Teckla has headed down to stay at the farm. Taylor joined her but she seems to be, how shall I phrase it, involved with Sgt. Gilbert and that third wheel in the RV is, or could be, an issue. She does not like to stay down there every night and the RV is a little tight on sleeping room.

  I am not sure who, if anyone, is going to keep journals now that the computers are all down. But really, paper copies are good I guess but I don’t see anyone reading them. Although it is a good exercise for the mind and really, handwritten, writing in general is an art that we don’t want to lose for the next generation, assuming there is a next generation.

  I watch the youngsters, Margo, Cody, Lance, and the rest; they are our future, the future of humanity. I like what I see. I think that we may find that even with this EM issue we have rounded a corner toward the future. In fact, I almost think that the end of the computer is a blessing. But no, I am not going to get rid of Winston.

  (Matt) Tanya and I had to talk to Mom today; we had to tell her about the trip, and about what we have to do. She is both happy that we are tasked with this mission and that the future sounds bright and hopeful with the idea of the new crop of humans growing from our seeds. But she is also not happy that we ar
e going to leave, we are going to go west.

  “Can I go with you?” she asked.

  “We have thought about what we would say on that, and it would be, will be a hard trip.” I answered.

  “Are you saying that I couldn’t do it? I am not tough enough?” she asked defensively.

  “No, not at all, we all could make this trip; we all have proven we have the stuff to survive. No, it is just that, you still have a job here with Mark, and Tom and the rest of the clan.” I replied.

  “And besides, in the dreams that we have seen it was just the two of us. It wasn’t the clan, or you or Tom or anyone else with us,” added Tanya.

  We sat quiet for a few minutes as it sank in.

  “When do you leave?” she asked.

  “We are thinking October 1st. It will give us time to get in some distance and be in a place where it is winter-able.”

  She tried to talk us into waiting until spring, but that was not what we wanted, needed to do. We would need to find a pick-up truck or diesel camper of some kind to travel. Horseback or motorcycle was not going to cut it.

  I talked with Tom and Asuna about where they had gotten the big RV that is at the farm. I am thinking that we might be able to find something that would work for our trip.

  As Tom drove us to the RV dealer where they had found the farm RV. I explained to him about our plan. As we drove, he dropped a bomb on me. He told us that there was some suspicion that the pills, the ones we have and were planning to spread, maybe causing sterility.

  “Are you sure?” I asked, momentarily shaken by this.

  “No, we don’t know, we think it may, but we don’t know. But we have not seen any baby boom here, and according to the Pittsburgh, there hasn’t been one anywhere. But those places that they had contact with were all we know about,” was his reply.

  “No, I do not believe that, it is not that way, I have seen the future, we come back, there are young folks, people like us. It won’t, can’t end like that!” My faith in what I saw was strong. I knew it was true; the dreams the visions of the future were true.