This morning, among the remaining human settlements, each group reported no fatalities from the week before.

It’s been rough on us humans over the past several years. It was almost like nature wanted to be rid of us. We had seen plenty of illnesses, types of flu, Ebola, and a resurgence of measles. We should have seen it coming. There had been warnings. There had been published articles in both science and medical journals. There were signs.

Politically, the left blamed the right and the right blamed the left. It’s easy, in retrospect, to point the finger at who truly is to blame. It just doesn’t matter much now.

The worst began with Covid 19. The shortages of goods, equipment and patience all played a part. What we didn’t know yet was that Covid would mutate into Covid 20. Some say 2 point O started with the medical staff. Others pointed their fingers at the Corona parties that the anti vaxxers arranged to “toughen up” their children. Either way, it escaped containment on the lips and hands of those that had recovered from 19.

At the same time,star measles surged. Birth defects, as a side effect of different treatments, rose dramatically. There were serious concerns if we would actually survive at all.

We survived. We compartmentalized our world.

For some, it was strictly geographical. Others by religion, family, or philosophy.

The family groups fell prey to reproductive issues. The religious fell to a lack of industriousness that could only come from a blind belief that healing would come as a blessing. Geographical worked well enough, so long as farming was a part of their geography.

Me? I’m a descendant of the “Philosophical” group that believed in science. But, before we celebrate our cleverness, we must include that we nearly failed. There were many philosophical groups that failed. Knowing what needs to happen does not replace knowing how to do something. In theory, crops don’t fail. In theory, livestock stays healthy. In theory, materials are high quality and available. In theory, scientists know how to use a shovel.

And then, this morning, there were no fatalities from the week before. I’d like to think that a cheer went out across the radio waves, but I’ll never know. You can’t hear while transmitting your own cheer.

But we had won! Going forward, people will die of old age. They’ll die from accidents. They’ll die of natural causes. And some days, nobody would die at all.

There are hard times ahead. My settlements population is well below 500. So are most of the others. But don’t worry, we’ve worked out rotating portions of populations for genetic diversity. We just need to figure out transportation.

Personally, I think we should check in vitro clinics. Maybe some of the storage is intact.

The important things to remember is that we will survive. We will recover. We will go on.

We will go on, just as long as we learn from the mistakes that brought us here. I just hope we’ve learned.

I met an Orc at the bar last week. Which is odd with it being 2019, Parker Colorado, and it had been months since the last big cosplay convention had run. But there he was. I play enough video games and seen enough movies to recognize a bald dude with gray blue skin and tusks as an orc when I see one.

Anyway, this orc ordered a Tuaca on ice. I didn’t even know they still made that stuff. It’s like the Zima of brandy.

I started wondering if maybe it was a test run of a costume for the next Popculture Con(or whatever it’s going to be called next). I also realized I had been staring too long. He looked at me, black pupils with bloodshot yellow where the whites should be. I think his tusks grew a bit too.

I could hear the beginnings of a guttural growl. I quickly slapped the counter and said, “Holy shit, I didn’t know they still made Tuaca!” I quickly turned to the bartender, “Bartender! A glass of your finest Tuaca!” It was an obvious oxymoron.

Tarisk looked at me slowly, head to toe. Yep, his name was Tarisk. He told me that later since he wasn’t wearing a “Hi, my name is badge.” Anyway, Tarisk, jumped down from the stool, picked it up, and swung it at me like some kind of maniac!

Now, I’m gonna be honest here, this was not my best moment. He missed, but I still fell backward off the stool onto the floor. He tried to take advantage of my clumsiness, he lifted the stool over his head, and brought it down to crush me. Luckily, I managed to get my feet up between the stool and my chest. Now look at me, I’m not really a small guy plus I had leverage and the stability of the ground on my side. I kicked as hard as I could and Tarisk went flying backwards with the stool still in his hands.

I got up off the floor at about the same time as Tarisk did. There on the bar was our two Tuacas, on ice. He held his hand up and walked to the bar. He picked up his glass and held it out like he wanted to toast. I didn’t really trust him, but there we were. Besides, I didn’t really want to fight an orc that was probably willing to die over an insult either. I picked up my glass. Through his tusk impared mouth he shouted, “To Victory!” I shouted, “To Victory!” and hoped a tie was an okay victory with an orc.

We sat and talked for the next three hours. My IT job, his place in his horde. He really loved the Conan quote about what’s best in life too. I had to explain the lamentation thing, but he got it in the end. Anyway, he turned out to be a decent guy. I mean, he smelled awful, but what are you going to do when you drink cheap brandy and have an all rotting meat diet. He even alternated with me paying for each round. We killed that bottle of Tuaca and toasted one last time to victory.

And that’s why I’m sitting here alone in a bar, drinking Tuaca. I keep hoping he’ll come back for another round. Maybe I’ll get lucky and meet an ogre or a goblin too. Stranger things have happened.

Thad stood just outside the meeting area. He checked his hair, markers for colors, and tried to shake off his nervousness. Just another presentation, he lied to himself. It’s never Just.

The Cave, used only by executives, was the meeting location he was given. Can they not call meeting rooms by
number? Upon entry, he understood the reason for the name. Whatever this place had been converted from, had not done any favors to its layout. Seats were in a semicircle and there was only one source of light. It felt more like a place to conspire than to present.

Thad reassured himself. It doesn’t matter. The presentation practically sells itself.

#

The last few people that were seated were an older man and the head of HR. The man’s hair had just enough gray in it to convey wisdom and he wore the classic dark gray that said “C” level executive.

Thad cleared his throat, “Good afternoon everyone…”

“I’m going to stop you right there.” said the man. “I’m very busy today. I can only spare a few minutes, so let’s cut through the crap. What are you selling this time?”

Thad swallowed, hard. “Uh, yes. Sir. Yes Sir.” Thad pulled out a red marker. “I’m aware that our… your company, the company’s growth has stagnated. After interviewing key people over that last few days, I think the problem with growth is tied to your acquisition,” Don’t place blame! “The acquisition of raw materials.”

The man in the gray suits frown deepened.

“Well,” Thad continued. “It seems, the business trips for acquiring could be more efficient by adding two more head count and then splitting into two teams.” Thad was frantically drawing stick figures to represent groups of people. “The smaller teams would be more agile. And with a small amount of extra work per individual, you… we could bring back twice the volume you do today.”

The man nodded slowly. “Show me what that strategy would look like.”

“Are you a fan of hunting analogies?”

The man barely moved, but Thad got the meaning.

Thad turned around and drew a few animal stick-figures. “The single team is in competition with a few other groups. They can only pull from the herd one potential asset at a time. That hinders us on the material side. We can maintain our current level with one transaction, but if it fails, we are left looking for scraps to keep your group hobbling along. But, if we use two teams, here and here, we could work on two assets. The odds of both teams failing are minimal, but we could gain the materials for doubling our production. I understand that this might cause us a few small logistic issues, but I’ve got some state-of-the-art techniques to help manage that more efficiently.”

The man looked at the picture. Eventually he said, “I’m concerned about my people becoming lazy and wasteful. We are well known for using all of our resources, and it can be difficult to keep up efficiency when there is an abundance of raw materials.”

“That could happen.” Thad felt a drop of sweat slowly moving down his neck. “But, I’m sure with proper training and strong… your leadership, that can be overcome.”

#

Thad watched the faces of the men; they were staring at the diagrams he had drawn. “I, I can wait outside, if you would like to discuss.”

The Chief Elder stood. “Not necessary, I have made my decision. We will try your new hunting strategy this season. If it is as effective as you claim, we should have plenty of meat for our growing tribe. If you are wrong, well, perhaps we will eat you.”

Thad took in a deep breath. “You won’t be disappointed.” He turned and picked up some wet clay to cover his drawings with.

The Chief stopped him, “Leave it, we’ll use it to help train our hunters on your new technique.”

Thad dropped the clay and left his drawings on the wall. “Yes sir, thank you sir.”

#

Thad went back to his thatched hut with the same question circling in his head, Was the Chief serious about eating me? Thad shook his head to clear it. What a bunch of Neanderthals.

Worgen woke up with a start.  The trembling spasm in his lower back jerked him to his senses.  The spot where the spear had pierced still vaguely ached.  He gingerly probed the area where he knew the shaft had been buried.  No hole.  Pulling his hand back to his eyes, he noted the lack of blood as well.

It had not been but a few short hours since the fatal strike took his life.  He knew that.  He also knew what happened to the valiant men that died in battle.  Just as promised, I am in the Great Hall. 

Worgen felt for his sword and dagger and found nothing.  Perhaps they were lost on the field.  No matter, new weapons and armor would be provided.  For here there was everlasting battle.  Everlasting, until Ragnarok came.

Sitting up, the spasm sent a reminder of the spear and sent sharp pains through him.  Surely this goes away before we fight.  After painfully gaining his feet, Worgen walked past other warriors towards the door of the Great Hall.

Lining the walls, as promised, were every sort of weapon he had ever heard of.  There were even a great many he had not.  Some were straight forward spears, axes, and hammers.  Others were covered in barbs and spikes and gave the impression they were meant to torture a man before actually killing him.  I should like to try some of those, though I would rather be the one wielding them.

Worgen made his way to the giant door that was the entrance to the Great Hall.  The door was barred by an ivory white plank that was ornately carved with figures depicting the final battle.  The Aesir and Vanir were on the right, while the Jotuns, Trolls, and Dead were on the left.  Yes, it will be a glorious battle.

Worgen shifted the plank and opened one half of the large doors.  The air that greeted him was freezing.  Large motes of flakes blew into the hall and the sky was grim and gray.  Worgen took a deep breath, but it was immediately knocked out of him as a giant brown grey wolf sprung at him.  He landed hard and looked up into the slavering jaws of his attacker.

The wolf dripped slimy red foam onto his face as he spoke.  “Where do you think you are going meat?”

“I… I was…”

“SPEAK!”

“I was looking to practice fighting for Ragnarok.”  Worgen felt the creeping sensation of mortal fear moving down his back.

The wolf spat and laughed.  “You have dishonored yourself.  I had better not get any of your stink on my fur.  That reaction is why you are here.  Welcome to Hela’s Hall.  You are not permitted to cross Nágrind until the battle is called.”

Worgen’s mind reeled.  “I thought I was meant to fight for Odin.”

“Oh no, dead thing, you are mistaken.  Now go lie down with the rest of your stinking rotting friends.  The years will pass slowly and painfully, but when it is time you will rise and serve your purpose.”  The giant wolf bit down hard on Worgen, picked him up, and with a twist of his neck threw him across the room.

The wolf stepped back out the gates of the dead.  The door shut and barred itself.  Worgen swore that he heard chuckling coming from the other side of the door.

by W. Joseph Hardy

“Professor Day! Professor Day! I need you to come verify my data!” The student rushed through the Professor’s office door like it was her last chance to get some free dessert. She continued yelling in excitement, “I think I found something!”

The Professor looked up from his latest work, a paper titled “Spectroscopy and Spectrometry: Two Overused Techniques for Finding Habitable Worlds.” It was a working title and would need to be changed before submittal. “What is it” he glanced at the badge on her jacket, “Loaner?”

“That’s not my name sir. My name is Chen. I just forgot my badge a”

The Professor, realizing his mistake, interrupted. “I know that! I was pointing out a major shortcoming of yours presently and through that filter I am dubious of your need to run into my office. What do you want?”

“I was working on some of the new data we collected. Do you remember last month when I showed you a blip on the graph concerning that smaller star we found?”

Professor Days stared at Loaner/Chen.

“You said it was interesting and should be looked into.”

“I also say that to my mother when she is prattling on about the potted plants in her room, but I don’t actually do it.”

“Professor?”

The Professor looked at the screen displaying spectroscopy nonsense, “Fine, let’s go.”

#

Professor Day looked at the computer screen. Several graphs were being enlarged, checked against data spread sheets, and then returned to thumbnail size. He leaned back in the chair and rubbed forehead. “Well Chen, you found something after all.”

“Thank you, Professor!” Chen was almost be bouncing in place. “I want to use the environment simulator. I just want to see what the planet could look like if we could visit it.”

Professor Day clicked on a new file that Chen knew had not been there before. A three-dimensional representation of the planet appeared on the screen. “Done.”

Chen looked at the Professor. “That takes weeks. How?”

“Perk of being the Astrophysics chair. Ready?”

The Professor and Chen zoomed in on the rendered planet as it slowly rotated. It was green and blue with well-defined land masses.

“It looks like paradise, especially if you look at our planet after what we’ve been doing to it.”

“True.” Answered the Professor, “Remember, it’s too far away for us to ever visit. Also, at 557 light years away, we’re looking at the past. That means, by the standard of our own world’s development, it could be an over-heating terrarium just like ours.”

“Maybe they won’t have an industrial revolution to destroy their world.”

The Professor stood up and put his hand on Chen’s shoulder. “You’re right. It’s too bad it isn’t closer. But it’s existence gives us hope.”

“Yes Professor, thank you.”

“Here is the big question, what are you going to call it? You get naming rights after all.” The professor paused, “Please don’t call it Chen-354 or some nonsense.”

Chen smiled, “We used to name planets after the gods from ancient myths. I was thinking the god of minerals.”

“That was Eden, right?”

“No, Eden was soil and crops. The short one that tunneled for gold and iron.”

“Earth? Interesting choice. Let’s hope things are going better on Earth.”