~~~The Days After~~~~

[headborg 1]

SCENARIO: At sunrise September 15th, 2004 around the world, everyone except the Startrekfans.net members suddenly vanish (are "Taken" similar to the New Testament Revelations and the movie-"Left Behind" ......) leaving behind only we few, this is our story ~The Days After~.

 

Rules: Your entries are to be journal like...and interaction between characters can't span more than 24 hours in a single entry (example: don not write- I walked for 6 days and now am doing such and such< that forces others to account/catch up what they did for all that time). Be yourself, or make up a "realistic" contemporary character, reveal as much or as little of the real you as you like, just no "super-powers" and no futuristic technology. The RPG is about what You would do, if we found we were the only one's left behind.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The Days After~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

September 15th 2004 07:00 A.M. Central Time

 

My alarm sounds. I roll out of bed, wipe my eyes and climb back into the driver's seat. I'm a over the road truck driver, and this load's got to be in Chicago before 5 p.m. I release the brakes and pull out of the Pilot truck-stop -Mauston, Wi.

The sunrise was about 30 minutes earlier, and I guess I'm getting a jump on the other drivers....the truck stop seems still quiet..I think to myself "Early bird gets the worm...as I pull onto Interstate 90/94.

I drive just a few miles...and there's an Accident up ahead. I gear down as I approach, it looks like a bad one.. a three car pile-up, one has ran off the road and rolled over, it's on fire. I stop, grab my fire extinguisher and run to the burning car to put out the fire.....but no one's inside! I check the other cars...nothing there but clothes. I call 911 on my cell, No Answer! I look up and down the hi-way, no traffic...AT ALL! I begin to get a strange scary feeling, I climb back into my rig and continue down the hi-way, here and there cars, trucks all ran off the road, some setting still, others rolled over, some on fire.....but still NO BODY AROUND.

I near the Petro-Portage,Wi I pull off the hi-way...I've been trying to call everyone I know on Phone...no answers! There's a large fire at the truck stop fuel island, a Semi had ran over a Pump and the whole island is on fire, still no fire trucks, no by-standers. I pull around to the main building, luckily it's a good distance from the fire. I go inside......no one there, just little piles of clothing here and there, I'm shaking now....but then I catch the smell of the Breakfast Bar, I enter the Restaurant....there's a full bar of fresh food, but no one there...I go into the kitchen and there's burning food, what used to be bacon on the grill...no one's there, here and there plates of food dropped on the floor amid little piles of clothing. Well, guess my first order of business is Survival....I better not let this food go to waste, I make a plate and set down to a quiet 9:30 A.M. breakfast.

Edited September 15, 2004 by headborg

[WEAREBORG4102 0]

OFF: COOL!!! A RAPTURE SCENARIO!!!

 

ON: September 17, 2004

 

I sit here bored and eating fruit. It might the last of the fruit in the house, maybe in town. I'm wondering what is happening to the world. Lots of homework. Those teachers are so evil. It's like they want to teach nothing but junk. Might as well do my homework. At least they should give us a break since so many people disappeared.

[DrWho42 13]

15 September 2004 A.D.

Time: Eh, it's dark..

The twilight hour before the sun appears...

I fall out of bed..

Run a comb across my head, check on my alarm clocks and why they still haven't responded, and take part in my usual routine morning activities.

 

Puccini filled the room, and then I departed. A walk around this great metropolis I dwelled in*. As sun begans to take on it's job, its radiance reflects of the skyline's buildings.

 

Highways remained tranquil. Despite the many driverless cars.

Maybe the movie Maximum Overdrive became fact now...

 

I come round to the usually disorganized used- and rare-bookstore to greet the lady of the store, buy a few (OK, several..) out-of-print books, and hang around too long until she tells me to get out or realize I'm just part of her imagination.

 

The bookstore remained empty, despite the doors being opened.

Well well well, looks like opportunity and luck has shown their face...

...Too bad I don't steal. But I'll get to have the whole store to myself. :P

 

And so I dwell in the store, till the thunder-clouds come round and battled the sun, until it retreated elsewhere and the clouds took dominance over the sky.

Anyone is welcome to enter the store...

I'll call it the "The Green Dragon Lair for Lost Books" for right now...

Is this about the rapture? Or is it simply a sudden mass disappearance of everyone?

I'd prefer the latter... But that's my view.

Can't really think of some sci-fictional examples, besides the TZ episode: "Where is Everybody?".

Oh, I don't live in a city, but cities with absolutely no people are cool and weird. :wacko:

[headborg 1]

OFF: COOL!!! A RAPTURE SCENARIO!!!

 

ON: September 17, 2004

 

I sit here bored and eating fruit. It might the last of the fruit in the house, maybe in town. I'm wondering what is happening to the world. Lots of homework. Those teachers are so evil. It's like they want to teach nothing but junk. Might as well do my homework. At least they should give us a break since so many people disappeared.

264017[/snapback]

 

Actually WAB, there would be no school-unless your teacher happens to be a member of the site, everyone who isn't a member of the site has vanished....there's only 1300 of us left world-wide. Sorry about your parents...this scenario isn't meant to scare anyone and it's not about religion-unless you consider STARTREK a religion..it's about coming together as a community being we are the the only group that's left, or if you choose your character can remain isolated till he/she realizes that the rest of us are still here with you, or you can be a Road Warrior/ Post Man type traveling around to locate and find all the survivors of this event.

Edited September 18, 2004 by headborg

[headborg 1]

September 15th 2004 10 a.m. CDT

 

I've finished my free breakfast buffet...push my plate aside and lay my head down on the table....this has all got to be a bad dream..maybe if i take a nap, I'll wake up and the waitress will bring me the check..and it will be business as usual.

 

12:00

I wake up...nope it didn't work..now what? I decide to go to the one place in town that's always open and there's always people worshiping 24-7.....Wal-Mart!

When I get there...all is quiet...now I know the End has come.....and this isn't heaven and it's not the other place..and I know I'm not the Omaga Man...there's got to be someone else still around it's just a matter of finding them...I do my shopping....batteries, kerosene siphon pump, better get lots of fruit before it all goes to waste...gas cans...I decide not to go "all out"...this might just be a localized event....in which case the security camera's have got me "red handed"...with that thought the "light bulb" in my head went off...I run up stairs to the security office and find the video surveillance recorders and rewind them........THERE! i stop the tape and re-view it for what seems like hours in utter shock......06:23...a bright beam sweeps the store...everyone vanished! I head back out to my truck and drive toward Chicago.

 

8 pm

I near O'Hare ...it's dark..what was once the best time to travel has become very difficult..the closer to the city I've came..the more traffic blocks my path...my head lights keep finding more stalled cars for me to maneuver around..in the distance there are fires all around the airport where planes have fallen out of the sky...I thank about it..and take comfort knowing no one was on them...and no one was on the ground. Tomorrow, I go to the Zoo....got to free the animals so they won't starve.

Edited September 18, 2004 by headborg

[WEAREBORG4102 0]

WAB looks around. "Drat, I can't drive...

Ok, let's try this is the gas pedal. To parallel park, back up till car reaches halfway and back in. Adjust accordingly. Let's see... This is automatic not stick shift. So I don't have to press a random shift pedal thing." He looks down the street. No police that he sees. "Ok, here we go." The car roars down the street at 80 mph.

[headborg 1]

WAB looks around. "Drat, I can't drive...

Ok, let's try this is the gas pedal. To parallel park, back up till car reaches halfway and back in. Adjust accordingly. Let's see... This is automatic not stick shift. So I don't have to press a random shift pedal thing." He looks down the street. No police that he sees. "Ok, here we go." The car roars down the street at 80 mph.

264163[/snapback]

Good Luck...don't forget to pick up some fresh fruits and frozen foods while you still can...and remember all the gas will go bad in a year...so do you know how to ride a horse? Might be time to learn for all of us.

[Datalover_06 0]

September 15, 2004:

"bringgggg, bringgggg" the sounds of my alarm clock right in my ear. another day of school has began. As I walk to the kitchen for my milk, I notice that my dad isn't there eating breakfast like normal. Neither is my mom. "hmm. must have left early." I go through my normal routine til it is time to catch the bus. As I am standing on the drive way, no one else is around on my street, i see a lot of billowing smoke on the highway and on the mountains. i call the police and fire department but no answer. I get on the internet and realize that none of the news websites have been updated since yesterday. "That is too unreal maybe I am asleep" i slap myself a clap times and sure enough, i totally awake and now have red marks on me. suddenly i have an urge to check my emails. the first hotmail one had nothing, and neither did the second, yahoo, nope, then a wild idea came to me, my startrekfans.net email.......

Edited September 19, 2004 by Datalover_06

[headborg 1]

September 16th, 2004

The sun rose again, and I'm still here...no one returned...I go into the service plaza and find day old jelly donuts and make fresh expresso cappachino then set off for the Brookfield Zoo. About five miles down the interstate I bring my 18 wheeler to a halt..off to the left is a big sign that reads HUMMER...I hesitate, then look down at my fuel gauge...and in under 30 minutes I had all my personal belongings loaded in my brand new, fully loaded, Canary Yellow- H2. I leave my CDL and a note behind with my phone #-asking them to please call if anyone finds it missing, then to the zoo I go.

09:00 am- I start with the indoor critters, until I get to the snakes, spiders, and bugs....SORRY I DON'T THANK SO....then I go outside...when I get to the Lions, Bears, Guerrillas, I decide to leave them for last. I pull up about 20 ft in front of the Lion cages and real out all the cable on the winch and fasten it to the bars...climb back in, roll up the windows, throw the Hummer in 4wheel, low, reverse and pull the bars down....then high reverse dragging the bars down the street...all the way to Trump Towers-Chicago.

It's evening now as I stand on the balcony of Donald's 90th floor Penthouse, sipping his brandy, smoking his Cubans, wearing his silk bath robe after a refreshing dip in his whirlpool. It had been a long day, and down below I could hear the elephants, lions, and monkeys singing in a harmonious song of Freedom. Then I became sad thinking of all the house pets, horses, livestock that lost their owners and are locked up inside all the houses... too many. I turn on the big screen HD TV....most of the channels were all snow..their tapes all ran out..then ANOTHER SURPRISE!!! The Nasa channel was still up....there frozen on the screen in digital letters........HOUSTON....HOUSTON...COME IN...I.S.S CALLING...COME IN HOUSTON....RESPOND...PLEASE...CANAVERAL...SPACE COMMAND..IS ANYONE THERE....UNKNOWN CONTACT..ALIEN SPACE CRAFT...SWEPT PLANET WITH SOME SORT OF BEAM...THEN DISAPPEARED....IS ANYONE THERE -ALL CHANNELS OPEN..COME IN HOUSTON....THIS IS INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION...COME ON YOU GUYS!!!

Edited September 19, 2004 by headborg

[DrWho42 13]

16 September 2004 A.D.

Time: Er, it's not quite night.. Oh wait, I have a wrist-watch, ehehe...

Clouds begin to depart, leaving the starry field above.

As the hours began to past, and the library remained unvisited, I left and drove my car back to my house.

 

The house, remained intact, despite I later found this unoccupied wheel-chair, and a fire-truck empty. The lights were still on though. It left me in an eerie mood. And next to my house too.

 

There seems to be a mystery afoot. Maybe I should be expecting zombies...

Maybe they've evacuated everyone due to a zombie menace.

Agh, Ben, there are no zombie attacks. Think again.

 

16/17ish September 2004 A.D.

Time: Well, the time is nearing that witching hour. I'm at my house now.

As I pondered my situation overlooking the metropolis below, the lights of the city were switched on.

 

Automatons. I think I'm in the mood for some swing music tonight... Maybe I'll catch a movie tomorrow, assuming that everyone will appear tomorrow.

 

The night grew old with the sounds and rhythms of that decade of the thirties...

[BlueCrystal 0]

Oh sweet sleep. I felt so depressed since I last heard from my husband a few days ago. He was heading to West Virginia and then on to South Carolina with a split load of gasoline. The hurricane's screwed up the barges and pipelines. I wait with my handheld pager waiting for a message for the past three days. I rang his phone but most of the time he has it off as with hauling fuel he has hazmat rules to follow. I pack up a few thing and look up and down the fields of my home. No one to take my dogs so I bring them with me into the car and off down the road we go in search of Daniel.

 

September 19th at 2:33 a.m. I'm driving east towards West Virginia with only a hope and a prayer of finding Daniel's truck and Daniel. I take the route he was following as I noted on the map that I tend to stick pins in as he tells me of his journey. It's going to be a long drive and I feel my hot tears run down my cheeks, knowing that I wouldn't want to go on without Daniel and mourning the fact that if I find his truck then what?

Edited September 19, 2004 by BlueCrystal

[BlueCrystal 0]

The days pass slowly and somehow that night slower still. For the most part my tears have dried and faded into my skin. I turned on the radio and listen to the static that some of the stations are transmiting and look down toward the cities I pass wondering if anybody is there? I drive on hoping that my husband was a member as in the passed he has join things and flirted with me. It's been along time since he's done that though. I stop by the truckstops along the way and often find myself rushing into them yelling out. 'Is anyone here? Has anyone seen a trucker that looks like Conway Twitty?!?!' Always the answer is the same...silents. In one of the truckstops I took a CB radio and installed it in my car. Personally, I hate CB radios but I still hope that Daniel is out there and just can't reach me through our usual means. I also turn on my amateur radio to what was a hotspot to non-stop chatting among the hams. There it is again, that awful silents and a feeling of dread. I look back at my dogs and they lay on the backseats their eyes seem to say the things that I am feeling, how truly smart these creatures are, wordlessly knowing my pain.

[nik 0]

September 20, 2004:

 

I finally finished the 747 flight manual. Getting through airport security was no problem, as it wasn't there. Getting on the plane was a problem however, as it took me a while to figure out how to run the gangway to the airplane. When I finally got aboard, I figured out that there was nobody around to move the gangway back, so just decided to leave the airplane door open, and go find a ladder. Kicking the ladder away, I closed the cabin door and went to the cockpit.

 

It took an entire eight hours to go through the pre-flight checklist, which was a good exercise, as it forced me to learn the instrumentation. It's a good thing the galley was well stocked.

 

I finally managed to get the engines started and rolling out onto the tarmac was easier than I thought. I did a few laps around the aiport before getting to the runway to get a feel for how the plane handled. When I felt comfortable with how it handled on the ground, I decided to give it a go in the air. I didn't have to really worry about communications, radio, and not even navigation too much becuase nobody else was around.

 

On the runway, I consulted the book sitting in my lap. After an hour of going through the final checks, I lowered the flaps as instructed and throttled the engines up. She handled much differently at 120 miles an hour and I swerved wildly down the runway. When I finally passed stall speed, I pulled back on the yoke, and the plane lifted gracefully into the air - barely clearing the fence at the end of the runway. After a few minutes of climbing, an alarm reminded me to raise flaps and raise the landing gear.

 

The fuel gauge and onboard computer told me that I had about eight hours of fuel left. That was plenty of time to read up on how to land. I figured I'd level off at about 300 feet becuase that seemed like a nice round number, and I didn't think I'd run into any trees that tall. I soon discovered that some buildings were actually taller than that, so rechecked the manual and found that I misread. That's 30000 feet - not 300 feet!

 

Flying for free would be fun!

[headborg 1]

September 17th 2004

I wake refreshed and ready to take on the day. I shower, shave, and raid Donald Trump's fridge...making a huge breakfast I continue to view the television screen....those poor chap's up there in the space station...I 'm afraid they're doomed. At first, I felt insulted that the aliens didn't find me worthy enough to bother with..but at least I'm not going to run out of air. I decide after eating, I had better keep a journal...on paper..the power would fail at some point and I wanted to leave behind some sort of record...proof that the Aliens botched the job..and missed some of us. I "borrow" Donald's Rollex..and enter the private elevator and descend down to the garage to begin the second day of my "extended test drive" of the H2-Hummer. I now can report, it handles as well off-road as on. Dodging accidents, stalled cars, I race down interstate 55 toward St. Louis and home...sometimes on the pavement, but many more across the median and shoulder. I reach the Arch in just under 5 hours- with plenty of time to visit the St. Louis Zoo and do the "12 Monkeys" thing..then I race for home..I arrive home...to the familiar scratching and barking at the door..of the family pet-"Ditto" a Skipper key. I go to our bedroom, and there between the sheets...my wife's nightgown, I go to my son's room...there too his clothes stretched ou on his bed...he had probably stayed up late, playing on the computer..then fell asleep in his clothes...then at 6:23 am was "taken". I breakdown, then and there, on the spot...I think they call it "delayed stress syndrome".

Edited September 21, 2004 by headborg

[headborg 1]

September 20th, 2004

It's been two days, I've discovered my mother and father are gone as well, leaving me with only my sister to "check on" in Texas. There's been no answer on my phone now for a week. I go to the computer, and discover the internet connection is still up and running, so I e-mail her. Then, almost automatically I surf to my favorite site- STARTREKFANS.NET

MY GOD!!! It's ACTIVE!!!!THERE'S LIFE HERE!!

I soon find that for some members, it was almost a day before they even realized something was wrong. But once they did, they began to organize and set about "networking" with each other. At least they...had known they weren't alone and for the last week the mods and many of the members had been running a "crisis center" at the site. VGB was taking roll, and the survivors names were added to the list of confirmed "present" as they logged in. The live chat was full. Not all the members were accounted for, but so far the report had 300 or so confirmed survivors. From the very beginning the major demographic presented itself as a problem, the largest percentage of the group were under 18, many frightened children who had awoken to find their parents missing or worse witnessed them disapear in full view. Everything was being done to keep them calm, and care for their needs. Pm's and E's were flying, and contact information of all types were being exchanged...many fearing we would shortly lose this communications connection. Master Q- began giving instructions on gathering up "survival" items....everyone pitched in..Lessons on basic kitchen safety were a must, it was a daunting twenty-four hour task..but all we had now was each other and a uncurtain tomorrow.

Edited September 21, 2004 by headborg

[BlueCrystal 0]

It was dark when I rolled into the truckstop some of the 18 wheelers engines still running as they sat idle as the truckers went about their business or would have had their been anyone left. As I circled the lot it was then I spotted the fuel hauler, first I spotted the chicken lights as I drove slowly up the driver's side. The driver's door was open almost like a invitation I had to stop about 10 feet back and get out of my car and walk. As I pull to a stop, my old dear doggie son Travis whined and I looked back to see his eyes, they pleaded with me not to go further and to just turn around. I shut the car door, leaving my own engine running, as I walked towards the truck cab. I paused a moment and look down to something glistening on the ground I picked it up and tried to hold back a sob, it was Daniel's, my Daniel's wedding band. With tears in my eyes I looked up in the cab of the truck to see his pants, shirt, and shoes positioned behind the wheel of this huge truck. I grabbed the shirt and held it to me smelling his scent never wanting to forget it. My bitter tears stung my eyes as I hear a voice. "Hello Darlin', it's been along time." I looked startled and climbed up into the rig looking in the sleeper only to realize it was Daniel's Conway Twitty CD playing. I must of laid in that sleeper for hours holding his shirt and sobbing his wedding ring now adorning my right thumb.

 

I went back to my car in a daze opened the door and my dogs ran to the entrance of the truck stop. 'No dog allowed signs' didn't mean anything now. I fed the dogs and sat at a table looking out into the night, I had Daniel's shirt on over top my own, and at times I could almost feel him there hugging me.

Edited September 21, 2004 by BlueCrystal

[headborg 1]

OFF: RULES REVIEW/AMENDMENT:

(1)Do not post any information that is "factual" about another members location, hometown, or name, etc.-but I'm sure you already knew that.

(2) If you are a minor, do not post any "factual" information about yourself.-but I'm sure you already knew that. You can "be" yourself; without telling anyone-who, where.

Since we are using the real world as our stage/ game map: everyone will need to invent a false location where they can "be" in order to simulate physical interactions.

 

Rule Amendment: After conference with DrWho42, I believe we agreed that he lives in Rod Sterlingville, Twilight County, Ca. It's a city and surrounding county occupying a slightly out-of-phase area in California that has suffered the same effects (mass alien abduction) as the rest of the country. It has full communications capability with us, and can be reached by conventional means.

 

THE INTERNET: WHERE A MAN IS A WOMAN, A WOMAN IS A MAN, AND A CHILD IS A FBI AGENT.

Edited September 21, 2004 by headborg

[WEAREBORG4102 0]

September 20,2004

 

Life is difficult... Lets see... cash is easy to come by considering there's no one here.... It seems only people from stf.net are still here. I hope that I can contact them to meet somewhere and pool resources. That would be a great idea...

[DrWho42 13]

21 September 2004 A.D.

Time: Sun is shining, thus it'd be early morning, probably..

Place: The Monolith Tower, Rod SerlingVille City, California...

I sit here up on top of one of the tallest towers out in this metropolis. Where I stood was originally planned to be a mooring mast for dirgibles back in the 30s...

Looked like Hindenberg's fall didn't help out.. <_<

Just a tourist attraction now-a-days, though slow business for today, though no business here, frankly.

 

I stand up on top, taking in the view of the city from above. Content with a good view, I begin today's hour of pondering...

 

Well, I seem to be the only person left in this city... Assuming this is actually a city I live in, and not some weird other option.... Hmmm, maybe I finally realized people are only part of my imagination?

Snatched from reality, and sent to this simulacrum of what is perceived to be not unreal..

...No, bad theory.

..Well, improbable.

This probably be reality, and this event is actually taking place.

I wonder where everybody went to though.. Maybe it's a Langoliers situation.. Or "The Night of the Comet", though I guess I could stop expecting zombies.

 

Well then, I guess the best thing I should do is to hack into this city's computer-systems, and gain control of this metropolis...

If someone passes by on one of the roads, I could have things set up to signal me of activity.

Ah, I shall be a king soon... Just need to get through hacking into the Serlingville computers now. *gets out green lap-top* Whoa... I just realized I haven't been onto StarTrekFans.net, I wonder if they missed me for the past week..

[headborg 1]

September 21st 2004,

 

After morning coffee, i go on line, to check if it's up, thankfully-it is. I log in to Startrekfans.net and enter the newly designed "command bunker"....I quietly ask if anyone has seen the Nasa Channel....Everyone says no, they too busy. I tell them they need to, and better be setting down when they do. There's a pause, then someone comes back and typed ....yea, HB'S right...you better look at this..

Then shock, panic, and arguing began and continued for what seemed like hours...the debate starts- who all knows about this? should we tell the children? haven't they been through enough? now what? what can we do for those guys up there in the station? do you think the aliens will come back and finish us off? Many members had already started making plans to "round up" all the orphaned members to better care for them, start a school. But, with this new information..many of us with military experience thought it might not be wise to present such an attractive target( all together in one place) in the event the aliens came back for a mop up job so those plans would require more debate. Many members had already began forming into "cells" or "clicks" I informed the group that I had business in Killeen, Tx to check on a relative, then I planned on going on to Houston to visit Nasa, I'd check in as long as the web remained up, I'd keep my mouth shut about the "aliens" until a vote could be taken and a decision made...I'd check on any member along my route, is there anything anyone needed?

Edited September 21, 2004 by headborg

[nik 0]

Landing the 747 was a bit tougher than I thought. Coming into San Diego, I overshot the runway by a good 2000 feet, but I fortunately missed the buildings near the end. I also forgot the landing gear. The plane skimmed the surface of the ocean and came to a stop, sinking slowly. It's a good thing I had the nose up, or it probably would have went end-over-end and broken in two. I got the inflatable raft, a large amount of food, and a flashlight before exiting and jumping onto the raft. It took me several hours to get to shore. I'll have to try another 747 tomorrow.

[nik 0]

Today's try on the 747 out of San Diego went pretty well. It only took me four hours to get through the pre-flight checklist. I also found the airport galley, so I made sure to fill the plane with lots of food. I covered the cockpit with post-it notes from things I've learned from the last flight. Key phrases in black marker like "Landing gear", "Watch the throttle", "Level flight", "Fuel balance", and "De-Ice" were placed at strategic locations to help remind meof things that might make the flight easier.

 

This time, I wasn't all over the runway, and I cleared the fence by a long shot. She still handled like a pig, so I wasn't about to try anything fancy, but I thought I'd get to know the navigation a bit. After several hours of experimenting with the nav-panel, I managed to find out how to work the VOR and ILS sysems. Luckily, I found a book filled with various airport frequencies, alignment cylinders, and ODB plots. The radio equipment on this thing was amazing. I could communicate with anyone and anything in the world with the satellite communication equipment. I also noticed that I had drifted well into northern Canada.

 

I set the VOR frequencies for Orlando airport and turned on the autopilot. The plane banked smoothly, and flew south.

 

On my way to Orlando, I went back to the galley to get some of the food I brought with me. I was surprised to learn that the cabin crew on 747's actually eat pretty well. I wonder why the passengers never eat this well....

 

Seven hours to Orlando. From there, I'd pick up a rental car, drive to Canaveral, and see if NASA had their 757 parked in the lot.

 

I also decided to play with the comm panel a bit. All the airport radar and radio beacons were still operating, as were a few radio stations that played syndicated pre-recorded broadcasts, but I didn't detect any real signs of life, so I decided to take a brief nap. I set my watch alarm to wake me a few hours before Orlando.

 

Looking out the cockpit window, I noticed that I was clearing Lake Michigan. As my eyelids grew heavy, I could recognize I-94 going into Chicago. It was strangely empty. As I fell back into the captain's chair, my eyes caught sight of a vehicle leaving the city. The thought drifted from my consciousness as I fell asleep.

Edited September 22, 2004 by nik

[headborg 1]

September 22nd, 2004

Before dawn, I wake up, do the s.s.s. thing, then make a big breakfast for myself and the only remaining member of the family my dog "ditto", then empty out the fridge of everything that will grow while I'm gone...I don't know when or if I'm ever coming back here, it's just an empty house. I don my Stargate SG-1 jacket and cap that I bought at the last convention, and my "O' Neil" sunglasses, look in the mirror..."Sweet". I gather my gear, and "Ditto" and head out the door to the awaiting Hummer, I don't know why...force of habit I guess but I realize I locked the door behind me....I chuckle at myself, looking back at the door, shake my head and back out the drive. A few hours later, I find myself lost....driving around in circles trying to follow the directions that Datalover_6 had given me....after several wrong turns and back tracking I pull up in her drive-way...get out as she approaches the SUV...."Hi, Neighbor...Boy are you a sight for sore-eyes...It's good to find some of us are still here...have you seen or heard from anyone else?" Before she can answer, my attention shifts to the sky above....there a lone con trail streaking across the pale blue sky in a south eastward direction, I cry with excitement....."LOOK! There!" as I point toward the sky, reaching inside the SUV for my bushnell binoculars.

Data_Lover_6 began jumping up and down frantically waving , I ignored her feeble efforts knowing this plane was too hi and moving to fast to even spot a flare. I focused the binoculars as best I could....It was a wide body jet for sure, my mind raced..could it be the President in Air Force One, or maybe an Air Force tanker, or AWAC? It didn't really matter....it was HOPE! The first concrete hope that someone with advanced skills and knowledge was alive, maybe, just maybe there were others out there too.

DATA_LOVER_6: Do you think he's a STF member?

Headborg: I hope not.

DL6: HB, that's a mean thing to say!

HB: I didn't mean it like that....no one has located anyone -other than, stf members...seems kinda strange to me...If he wasn't a member it would make me feel a lot better.

DL6: I don't follow.

HB: There's only 1300 or so members, DL6, in the world-if he "isn't" a member-our odds of surviving this thing as a species just got a lot better, it means there might be others...thousands..not just a handful of us.

Edited September 23, 2004 by headborg

[Datalover_06 0]

September 22nd, 2004

"Ok, i finally get it. You are right of course, if there is only a small group left on this planet then we are screwed. we'd have to not only figure out how to survive and get everyone together, but also isolate the nulcear power plants and stuff like that. Well, what am I doing just jabbering on, lets see which airport he's headed. there is a small airfield about 12 miles from here and I can get us inside to use the communication system

HB:"That sounds good to me. "

As we head toward the airport, all we is empty houses and burnt cars.

DL6:"This is depressing everyone I know is gone. POOF! It is scary to think of what might have happened."

HB: "I know it is. Have you contacted anyone you know? Have you heard anything out of anyone?"

DL6: "Nope, just a few PM from other members."

HB: "So how do you know about the communication system?"

DL6: "One of my friends was training to be a pilot. I sure miss her."

I cry a bit thinking of my friends that have dissappeared. Many of them would be dead useful right about now. We pull into the airport and of course no one is there. I pick up the nearest rock and chunk it through the door. We hurry to get to the controls, fearing the plane would be too far away.

Headborg picks up the mic and I flip some switches.

HB: "Hello, is anyone able to hear me? Hello?"

Nothing, the plane was gone.

Edited September 23, 2004 by Datalover_06

[headborg 1]

Just then the power went out...and we were left there in the control tower with a dead mic. Go@##$ ^&&&*^ it!!!! and I slumped down in the seat...we set there in silence together as the con trail extended itself into the distance. After an hour or so of feeling sorry for ourselves....mostly me feeling sorry for myself.

DL6: It's getting late, Hb, the power is off in the main terminal too, must be a "rolling black out".

HB: Then I guess "it's" started..the power grid is going down.

We loaded up in the H2, went back to her house, she loaded some things..and we set out toward Dallas, Tx. I had only driven 20 or 30 miles when DL6 produced a CD from her cd case and placed it in the Eclipse stereo-system......my torture had begun......Barry Manalow??? I suffered in silence with a smile for many more a mile listening as she talked of her boyfriend and family she had lost. And I wondered...had she seen the Nasa Channel? Did she know the whole freighting truth..was everyone we knew and loved, dead, or just "taken" , abducted? call it what you will. After we cleared what President Bush had affectionately called "the hinterland" and climbed onto the Interstate near Ft.Smith...I switched her cd for one of my own...Whitesnake... and cranked up the volume, pushed the petal to the floor...and so began the Music War..

HERE ....I GO.... AGAIN ON MY OWN.....GOING DOWN THE ONLY ROAD I'VE EVER KNOWN...

DL6 hit the mute button....."that song isn't "right"...you're not alone, and if this is the only road you know...you're not much of a truck driver!"

I grin at her and tap the mute button again..."retired truck driver....and it's my song, and I'm driving...when you're driving...you can pick the song."

She shuck her head, produced a Discman and headphones and reclined back in her seat..

DL6: Who is this Weareborg?

I glance at her...."that's right you haven't been a member that long...I think you'll like him he's a little younger than you..."

DL6 looks at me skepticly: And we're meeting him at a Mall? What, stranger danger?

HB: I don't have a problem with that...No, he said something about having ran out of "hot pockets" at home then the car breaking down at the mall...He's been living there since.

 

OFF: AFK til sometime tomorrow

Edited September 23, 2004 by headborg

[nik 0]

My watch alarm goes off three hours from Orlando. I had the strangest dream while I napped. I dreamt that someone had tried to contact me on the broadband and then the radio went dead. Strange......

 

With three hours left to Orlando, I decided to try a mid-course correction. Turning off the autopilot, the plane dipped slightly while I regained control of the yoke. I had to run back to NAV to check the VOR reading. Doing that the plane dipped some more as it encountered turbulence, so I had to run back to the yoke to pull back to level flight. I decided to switch on the auto while I rechecked the numbers in NAV. I made another post-it note to myself about leaving the yoke and put it right on the yoke. I retried the course correction, turning to one-seven-niner, and dropped to thirty-two thousand.

My first flight taught me quickly about fuel effiency as a function of altitude, so I made sure to stay well above 300 feet.

 

With three hours to Orlando, I decided to see if there were any good CD's in the steward's deck...... looking around, I could only find the collected works of..... Barry Manilow. I decided to fly the rest of the trip in silence.

 

Landing in Orlando was really tough. Using the VOR and ILS, I could line up my final approach without even looking out the window, but cross-breezes and wind shear made the plane feel like a ping-pong ball in the ocean. The gear hit the runway slightly sideways, and the plane bounced into the air before coming down hard again. Skidding hard down the runway, the plane turned hard onto the grass and the left wheel lifted off the ground, scraping the right wing on the runway. The wing caught the grass and dug in hard before coming to a stop. The left wing slowly came down and the plane bounced hard on the left wheel.

 

I sat in the captain's chair blinking for several seconds before looking out the cockpit window at the wing. The wingtip had broken off, and some insulation was flying out the end in the breeze, but I didn't see any fuel leaking. Checking the intstument pannel, I noticed that I had forgotten to balance the fuel tanks in flight and while the left wing had a lot of fuel left in it, the right wing was completely empty. That imbalance may have ruined my landing, but it also probably saved me from a fiery death. So far, I am zero-for-two on good landings. At least I hit the runway this time. The terminal was about a mile away, and I had to exit the plane the same way as last time - via the emergency exit. I gathered up my collection of Post-It notes and pulled the cord to activate the chute, the emergency beacon, and also the emergency radio transmitter. I jumped out, slid down and jogged to the terminal. I noticed some wreckage about halfway down the runway - most likely a plane whose pilot disappeared upon approach. I began to consider how lucky my landing was after all. A full rollout would have brought me right into that wreckage.

 

It took me a while to find a rental car agency with easily accessible keys. I decided to "rent" a Black Mustang Convertible - declining the supplemental insurance. On the way out the door, I stopped by the gift shop to get some music, but they had a very limited selection of..... Barry Manilow. I decided to take the trip in silence.

On the way out the airport, I heard the faint sound of machinery. Following the sound, I found that the baggage claim conveyor belt was still running. I did something that I've always wanted to do for a long time.

 

Putting the keys in my pocket, I got on the conveyor belt, and rode around for a few laps. The inside of the baggage department was much more fascinating and complex than I thought, and I was not surprised that luggage loss is such a common problem among fliers.

 

Finding the Mustang was easy. I pushed the panic button on the keychain and followed the alarm as it echoed throughout the parking garage.

 

I was on my way to Kennedy space center to try out the 757 and anything else I might find.

[BlueCrystal 0]

I woke up laying on the seat at the truck stops diner. I wanted to give up or go insane and run wild. I was alone, all alone in this world and God had somehow forgotten me! I was all cried out and it looked like rain outside, I could hear the rumble of thunder closing in on the place. I was hot, dirty, and my mind was running with different ideas of how to commit suicide only to all end with the sample thought. "'Suicide's A Mortal Sin', and God must of left me here for a reason.' The pain of loosing Daniel was too much for me to bare, he and I were so deeply intwined in each other's life it was as if I lost apart of myself. The dogs were whimpering at the door of this large empty complex and after pooping and urinating on the floor in the mens room I couldn't understand why they wanted out now. The lightning flashed in the sky and it seemed to eluminate the whole place. I no longer worried about my puppy babies getting hit by a car and pushed the door open. The dogs made a bee-line to Daniel's truck, they seemed to prance around it, sitting up and begging, barking, and responding as though someone was there comanding tricks from them. I walked out after them as it started to rain, I don't know why but their behavior angered me. In my mind I wondered how could they do that with Daniel...with their Daddy...gone. I stopped myself from calling them in and turned around only to see with a start Daniel's reflection in a glass panel at the truck stop. He was sitting in the truck teasing the dogs and laughing as they did the tricks. I turned back to the truck and to see the window empty and the dogs still doing their tricks. The rain pelted down on me as if the world was crying for me as I no longer could. I fell to my knees and looked back to the truck stop it was then I saw Daniel again. This time he was out of the truck and looking towards me, his eyes locked on mine and I knew he was real and not just my wicked imagination. I wanted to kiss him, to hold him, and to even nod in agreement to some of his off the wall ideas. I stood up and spun around and cried out "Daniel!!!!!" and started to run towards the truck but he was gone... The dogs looked at me curiously and then continued to play at the side of Daniel's truck.

[nik 0]

Despite the heavy "security," getting into NASA was easy. The towering Vehicle Assembly Building dominated the otherwise flat landscape dotted with launch towers. A very long runway ran the length of the compound on the cape, and several hangars were located near the VAB. I drove directly across the compound towards the VAB - not sure what I would find. I should have expected what I found in the hangars - a 757 in one, and the remainder of the U.S. shuttle fleet in the others - grounded for over a year now since the Columbia accident. They looked clean, and I noticed that any missing tiles on the Endeavor had been meticulously replaced, leaving it pristine. The hangar was huge with a massive overhead gantry used for hoisting the vessel off the back of the 757 after transport. Before having a look at the 757, I decided to find my way to launch control, and see if I could get a feel for the global communications network with M.C. in Houston and listening outposts in Australia, Africa, India, and elsewhere.

 

The communications center at L.C. was as impressive as I had imagined. NASA had a special bandwidth allocated on many existing satellites, including the newer fleet of Iridiums iin goesynchronous orbit. It also had dibs on several birds which have not yet launched. I tried a few things, and after several hours firgured out how to open channels to the various listening posts, Houston, and the Biaknur cosmodrome in Siberia, which was unsurprisingly silent. The system was actually pretty user friendly, and after only two hours, I could easily open VOX channels to pretty much anywhere in the world.

 

Late into the evening, I was still examining the mission status console, when I came across a very disturbing find. Scanning through the comm channels, I had managed to pick up the listening post near Perth, transmitting the signal off of an Irirdium comm bird above the Pacific. Set for ISS VOX communication, I had managed to listen in the most unexpected conversation in my life.

 

"... as well just keep the channel open...... no it's already been three days and no sign of anything.... Gennady, what have you found?"

 

I hear a Russian voice in the background, "Is no sign of global nuclear war. I do not know what has happened."

 

Quickly fumbling with the switches, I attempt to communicate with the unknown voice.

 

"ISS, this is Kennedy launch control picking you up loud and clear, what's your status?" That sounded dumb, but I couln't think of anything else to say. I hear papers rustling in the background and someone say "ouch" as he bumps a body part.

 

"Kennedy! ISS. What the hell's going on down there?"

 

"ISS. Kennedy. I have no idea. As far as I know the entire population of the planet, except myself - and you - has disappeared. I haven't picked up anything on the comm channels, and aside from some pre-recorded AM programs, haven't found any live comm networks. I'm currently running a global satellite scan on all NASA listening posts and commercial frequencies with no luck."

 

"Jesus...." was the whispered reply. There was a long silence on the other end.

 

"Kennedy. ISS. We copy your report. All systems are nominal here. We will maintain this open comm."

 

I stare at the blinking light on the panel for few seconds before speaking....

 

"Right... ", I say, "Uh.... do you guys have a way back?"

 

"Roger that Kenned- Hey! Wait! You're not with L.C. are you!" Came the reply.

 

"Well, no.... I wanted to check the place out, so I drove up, and that's how I got here, then I found you guys." I heard a faint chuckle on the other end. Then the guy asked me for my name.

 

"Kennedy. ISS. We keep a Soyuz capsule permanently docked for emergency escapes. We can fly by wire to get back to the Russian steppes, but we are going to need a little help."

 

The astronaut on the ISS explained to me that he would require telemetry calucations for the re-entry window, and asked if I think I could handle that. I told him I had a Ph.D. in astrophysics, and could do that in my head. He seemed relieved. Typical Soyuz re-entry was designed for the Russian steppes, so he would need transport from there after landing. When I told him I taught myself how to fly, he said that central Siberia is no place for a jumbo jet to land; I would need a helicopter.

 

"Is that hard to learn?" I asked. I got a long pause on the other end and a loud exhalation of breath.

 

"Uh.... well.... we can survive for a week or two on the steppes, but I doubt you can learn to fly a chopper in that time." I took his word for it, since he was probably a pilot.

 

"Yeah, but you can survive for three months up there, right?" I said.

 

"Roger that, Kennedy." Was the cautious reply.

 

"So I can spend a month or two practicing on a helicopter, upload the telemetry calculations to you after that, then while you are undergoing re-entry and landing, I'll fly the 757 to Vladivostok, grab a chopper, and pick you up. You'll only be on the steppes for a day or two."

 

I could practically hear the man thinking on the other end. Over the comm channel, someone was playing music on the ISS. I could make out the faint reverberating beat of.... Barry Manilow.... playing in the background. I found myself hoping that his CD player would run out of batteries if we were going to be talking back and forth for a month.

 

"Roger that Kennedy...." was the reply. I could hear his skepticism, but also his

belief that this was the only choice. We sat in silence for a few more minutes.

 

"So.... my name's Nik." I said.

 

"Foale. Commander C. Michael... uh..... Mike." Came the reply of a man with only a single friend on the whole planet.

Edited September 24, 2004 by nik

[headborg 1]

September 23rd, 2004

Last night we made it as far as McAlester, Ok where we found that Tom had indeed "Left the light on for us" We checked in at the local Motel 6...separate rooms of course. This morning was day two of our trip to meet WeareBorg, we should be there some time tonight late......thank god. The beat goes on.

Click For Spoiler

Edited September 25, 2004 by headborg

[fenriz275 0]

September 15, 2004 5:00 AM, Eastern Time.

 

The alarm wakes me up. I open my eyes. I don't have my contacts in so the world's blurry. 5:00 am. I drag myself out of bed. While I'm brushing my teeth I grumble about having to go in to work today.

"It's supposed to be my day off. DA*mn 1st shift. Those people can't get anything done." I mumble.

I get dressed and grab something to eat on my way out the door. It's quiet on the road. This early the streets are almost empty except for a few cars.

 

I pull into the parking lot at work and go inside. Passing through the security entrance I head for the breakroom like usual to grab a cup of coffee. Many of my coworkers who've also arrived are in there, taking it easy until the shift begins. The clock on the wall says 6:21 am.

"About 9 minutes until the morning meeting starts." I think to myself.

 

I go around the corner to where the coffee machine is. As I'm in the alcove waiting for the machine to fill the cup I hear something hit the floor.

"Someone dropped their breakfast. That's gotta suck" I think.

I'm sipping my coffee when I round the corner. The breakroom is deserted. I see where someone has spilled coffee on the floor. I step around the mess and go out of the door. Still half asleep I don't give it a 2nd thought that everyone is gone.

 

It doesn't hit me that something is wrong until I finally walk upstairs to the 3rd floor.

"Where is everyone?" I ask myself. "I know I'm not that early."

I look at the clock, it says 6:24 am. I several minutes searching the building for someone, anyone. I walk into an office and try and dial Lida. The phone rings, I pray that she answers.