The Day
I remember the day clearly. So much had happened… The orbs that many thought would lead us to new realms and to new dimensions were not what we thought. Some had said they’d lead to many new worlds and paradise or even heaven. It turned out that many came to view them as portals of hell. My society had chosen to try and guard these after we learned all kinds of aliens, mutants and robots were using them to infiltrate and steal from Calypso.
Thus I was at Hadesheim near the teleport and the orb there when the news came through on my com link.
CND was falling!!! And it was falling NOW… My wife Racel was at another orb on watch there. The mutants and robots were coming through in large mobs now. She had also heard the news about
CND and was in a panic. Stand and fight I told her, there is nothing we can do just now until we find out more news. Soon she was saying they could not hold them back anymore but many were fighting them. There were just too many to stop. I had not seen any at the orb where I was and was standing there considering if I should go and help.
It was then the call went out to evacuate to Treasure Island and the northern space port there. I told Racel to jump out of there and head to the spaceport. I’d join her there in a few minutes.
All through this I was thinking about
CND and NeverDie… Fond memories of
CND, I had my first and second HOF there. Also the tie between
CND, NeverDie and Island Girl had my mind spinning… Remembering the revelation of this and telling others of the fact that I had actually married my island girl. I was quietly hoping Racel would hurry to the spaceport. There was a crowd of people at the teleporter waiting to go. So many were streaming out of the buildings now heading for the closest one so they could leave. The hospital there had begun to try and move people and equipment out too. Most were letting them bring it all through. Well at least they realized we’d need it…
Racel was screaming into the com link again… It’s falling, you have to get here now… It will hit in the next few minutes.
I told her I was coming but there was a crowd at the teleporter. She said she had gotten to TI castle and there were teams moving northeast since many could not get to the teleporter there. She was on her way there with them now to help try and clear the way. I told her to move on and I’d be there as soon as I could.
Suddenly I heard screaming… Look at the orb! People were suddenly running toward and crowding the teleporter pad. Turning back I could see why. Streaming out of the orb were all kinds of mobs. Worst part was most were headed my way. I began to fall back from the orb while firing. Dropping as many as I could, I began to back through the water with my back to the teleporter. As many as I killed more came on toward those of us there. Many of the others began to pull out weapons and starting firing into the mass moving our way. Soon there were people dying all around as the mutants, aliens and robots were mixing in with us. A cold chill ran though me as I saw what the robots were doing. They were picking up body parts and even whole dead bodies and running back to the orb. What was happening with the revival? I began to be angry and switched to my sword, hacking blindly into the mass of monsters…
Sudden a roaring shaking noise made me glance up. A large fireball was moving across the sky. Even the robots stopped for a moment to look up.
CND was about to hit. I hoped everyone got off. I later learned to my sorrow that NeverDie went down with it…
For a moment in time we all stood there. Then a robot hit me. We began fighting and killing and dying…
Nobody seemed to be getting through the teleporter and some were screaming run to one of the others. I realized the teleporters and revival may have failed because of the mass trying to use them all at once.
Fall back I yelled. We have to get away from this area. I saw the robots trying to dismantle the teleporter as well, tearing at access panels and wires. Fall back, I ordered and began to fight my way along running when I could. The com link only had static. Probably from the ionization in the atmosphere from
CND crashing through it.
A bright flash over the horizon told me it had hit. A few moments after there was a shaking which threw most of us to the ground. After I had gotten back to my feet several of us had broken away and were nearly to the trees. Many looked like newcomers still wearing orange jumpsuits. Now how did they end up here I thought?
I knew there would be a blast wave hitting shortly and began to tell the others so they’d be ready for it. The monsters were still at the teleporter and some brave few were still fighting. They would soon be dead too from the mob around them. I could not help but think of my wife. Hoping she had gotten to Treasure Island space port.
Then the blast wave hit, knocking all of us down. Trees fell and I could hear the breaking of the city also. Standing back up I could see the mobs of robots and such all heading back toward the orb. Run, you monsters, thinking how proud I was of those were still alive and fighting. A point I did not like was that we had to find a way to get to Treasure Island. If the teleporters were down then it would be very hard. I began to realize we may not make it after all.
Suddenly the com link inside my helmet came back to life with a mass of garbled yelling and screaming. Go here, kill it! Hurry… Almost could not understand any of it, so many talking at once.
Breaking through was one voice, broken and not getting through well. A voice which made me stand taller and rejoice. My wife was calling to me. I could make out through the static she was saying they were in site of the spaceport. Then I the signal faded and I could not hear her anymore. I called back to her telling we could not get through the teleporter. I was not sure she could hear me. Little did I know of the mass killing the other societies were doing on the island there. Brave souls I would later say of them. Proud of how they stepped up to help everyone.
One young woman came up to me and said you saved me, thank you. All I could do was say welcome to her. Someone else said now what do we do? I did not answer. Knowing we may not have anything else to do but wait to die. All I knew was that I’d not go easy if those robots came back. My anti robot rifle had served me well this day.
My comlink in my helmet almost blew my eardrums out… WHERE ARE YOU… WHY CAN YOU NOT GET THROUGH… After turning down the volume some, I answered my wife. Teleporters not working and it looks like the revivals are down too. Why are you yelling?
I’m on a ship and she asked where you were… We boosted the signal through the power converter. She went on to explain this was a person we had met at
CND who was saving to buy a hanger and ship so she could take people up and down. We always sold her our ores there. She was kind enough to ask and Racel told her where and what I was doing. I had the sense to tell Racel I loved her and to make sure she got off the planet as quick as they could. WHERE!, she yelled again. I managed to say south of the teleporter Hadesheim C before the comlink went dead again.
We moved a little further south, but I was thinking there may be some Argo hunters near the hills. I warned the others to think about it and we stopped. Someone said we need to find a working teleporter. I knew I could teleport with my chip, but I’d have to leave these people here. Most were unarmed and only a couple had good enough weapons to survive the argos if they came to any. Most of those who did died at the teleporter and we did not have the chance to pick other weapons up.
Suddenly a roaring filled the air… Oh great, I thought, more asteroid pieces falling. Then someone yelled, a ship… A ship was landing here? Not normal… I looked up to see it coming down close to us in the open just by the trees. It managed to land without sinking too far into the ground. A hatch opened and my wife ran out… I was never so happy and angry at the same time. I could see others in the ship behind her. All I could do was run with the others to the ship. We managed to get aboard and I wondered how it was going to fly with all of us. But fly it did, slowly at first, but faster as it gained altitude.
Looking back and remembering all this still seems strange that I made it out of there in time. Soon I began to hear the many stories and some in anger with what NeverDie had done. Done? I wondered if the anger was justified, so I went and found the two scientists who did know the truth. They explained to me what had been done. I realized he had done what he did to save so many. I passed this along to others as I heard the anger. Many would still seem to be angry, but would move away in silence. I guess they realized how many he DID save. I was sad when I heard he did not get off. Maybe he knew something we did not. Maybe he knew more now…
I stand here now looking up at the stars as we wait for rescue. I remember those we lost. Wishing I had known them better. Maybe NeverDie knows the path we must all follow in time. I’m sure he knows now… All I could do is pull Racel close to me and stare at the stars. A tear runs down my cheek and she wipes it away. I turn back to look up at the stars. Thinking all the while. We never die…
James Walker Williams
Guardians of Valhalla