It all started with the moon. Or rather, the big chunk of rock that slammed into the moon. Were talking really big, the size of Texas big. The moons orbit was actually changed slightly by the impact. Though Maik would not be aware of that fact for some time.
The government tired to keep the whole thing quiet, at first. But the closer that big bright orb in the sky got, the more people realized something was up. Being the successful appliance repair technician that he was, Maik first heard about the strangeness of the moon from one of his customers.
"I tell you. Somethings up. I''ve never seen the military mobilize like this. Not on U.S. soil. No sir. And where is the president ? Or the cabinet staff for that matter. Not a single public appearance in days. I know a guy on the in and hes hinted at a few things but even hes being tight lipped. But he did mention the moon, and I have to say. It does look a little different."
Maik didn''t pay it much mind to that old man at the time. But that had been 2 days and half a case of ale ago. Now, as the 32 year old looked up into the night sky, there was just no denying it. Fear that drink could not quelch still churned his insides into a knot of dread.
"What the fucks going on ?"
Maik was absolutely miserable when he woke to the angry sounds of his phone going off the next morning. Not because he actually remembered why. All in existence was just pain and irritation. And the only way to make it stop Was. To. Kill, The. Phone. Maik managed to roll over enough to pull the phone out of his pocket without falling off the couch and clicked the answer button only to croak into the device with a dry raspy voice.
"Hello ?"
The stern and reprimanding voice of the man who was Maik''s Boss, Land lord and Father came through.
"The fuck you mean hello ? What, are you not working today ?"
Adrinaline pumped though Maik''s body. His fathers tone having activated an ingrained and primal response in Maik from an early age. The fog cleared and Maik remembered. Remembered why he had gotten black out drunk last night and winced as the fear returned.
"Sir ! The moon. Have you noticed.."
But Maik was swiftly cut off by his bosses pragmatic reasoning summed up on one of his usual sayings.
"There are only 3 certainties in life. Death, Taxes and that people need their shit fixed. Has the moon changed any of those 3 ?"
"No sir."
"Then I suggest you get your ass up, take a cold shower, drink a cup of hot coffee and get your ass to work. You have 7 calls in today."
Then his tone softened to that of a father.
"After that I expect to see you up at the manor... Bring your guns and your food stores while your at it. I''ll see you this evening and drive safe."
The call ended and Maik shuddered. They had been though the drills every time the end of the world was supposedly going to happen. Maik''s father was kind of a prepper. So was Maik for that matter. 3 months of canned food was stocked in the pantry. For one person any way.
Maik didn''t drink coffee. He refused to become dependent upon caffeine like his parents and coworkers. So after the cold shower there was hot tea and then a full 45 minutes of deep meditation where Maik cycled his chi and cultivated to gather energy and focus his being. Only when his mind and body were calm and centered did Maik get dressed and head off to work.
At first the calls were nothing special, in and of themselves. Just a regular day at work fixing broken appliances. Then, sometime in the mid afternoon there had been some kind of disturbance that knocked out all the power. All of it. Everything that ran on electricity stopped working for a full 20-30 minutes. On top of that everyone felt a strong tingling sensation mixed with nausea. Thankfully Maik was in a customer house rather than on the road but it was still unsettling.
Everything went back to working eventually and Maik finished his route. There were surprisingly few wrecks from the disturbance and Maik made it back home with day light to spare. The cargo van allowed Maik to pack up everything he would need. A weeks worth of clothes, a saddle rifle, Two 9mm pistols, a modest amount of ammo, 3 months worth of rood and some A.T.V. body armor.
Just as Maik was finishing loading up his neighbor wondered over to say hello. The guys name was Karl and he was a retired machinist. And as someone who used to make a living both building and maintaining large scare complex machine tools, he and Maik had found a lot to talk about on multiple previous occasions.
"Hay Maik. Heading up to your folks place as usual ?"
Maik usually went over to the family manor on weekends to hang out with family and co-workers, all of whom were also family.
"Yeah. You know how it is. When the lord of the manor calls I need to come."
"I see your bringing a lot more than usual. You going to be away for a while ? Need me to look over your place ?"
Maik liked the man and his wife was polite as well. But that was the thing about being a prepper. You had to weigh every choice in the long term. Maik himself knew that he was a crapper prepper, all things considered. Only half the recommended food stores. The bare minimum in personal protection. A bug out bag that only had a few of the things he would need to survive in the wild. Heck, if the world really did end this time Maik didn''t even have the needed equipment to filter dirty water so that it was safe to drink.
"Maybe. I don''t know just yet, but as the saying goes. Better safe than sorry."
They talk about mechanical things and swaped a few more stories of their professional lives as the sun diped deeper past the horizon. Though that doesn''t mean they were without light.
Damn the moon is getting close. Indeed. It must be about 2 times wider than usual at this point. Fearful trepidation.
"Well Karl. Its been good talking to you, as always. But I really should get going... I''ll call you if something turns up. Who knows. Maybe its just like Y2K and were all worried for nothing."
Karl laughed the tension away and they shook hands before Maik left.
The family manor. The greatest accomplishment of the Daley family. Maik had personally invested 80% of his income for over 4 years, $120,000.00, into helping build the great 3 story house at the center of the property. That and every weekend helping with the construction during every stage of construction. Maik''s blood sweat and tears had literally gone into its construction. usually all 3 at the same time and during some accident or mistake.
The food stores were brought in with the help of his brothers and his guns were taken to the gun closet while his other belongings were moved to one of the guest closets. Like a good host, Maik''s parents served a big dinner of spagettie with meat souce for the collected immediate family and co-workers. Afterwords they discussed the future and what they had all heard.
The meeting was interrupted when Maik''s second nephew Tucker called for everyone to come see what was on the TV.
"I repeat we have confirmed that an object of tremendous size, weight and momentum has struck the moon.... And seems to have pushed the moon out of its usual orbit. Experts are still reviewing the data but the initial estimates don''t look so good. Rest assured that we are dong everything within our power to insure the safety and prosperity of the American people. I ask you join me in a solemn prayer."
Everyone in the living room wordlessly joined in without hesitation and afterword the president reiterated the price freeze while also urging caution and for citizens to go about their daily live as per usual. Above all the president stressed the need to have faith that it would all work out. There was a Q&A afterwards but little new information really. The president was frank with the public actually.
"Look, I can only tell you what the experts have told me. I''m not an astrophysisist, never claimed to be. Some people tell me were doomed and that we have anywhere from 11 to 34 days before the moon hits earth and we all Die. Others are telling me the moon will pass us by and drift out into space. There are other still that tell me the moon will settle into a new orbit soon. Personally I like that one, but who knows."
There was little conversation after that. Instead Maik''s father set up a guard rotation.
"I''ll take the first watch. After that were going on a rotation."
Maik''s older Cousin volunteered to stand watch with him. And like it became the new norm for there to always be at least 2 people armed and on guard. Their were questions about inviting more people. But while Maik had been a half ass prepper, none of the other family members, except for one of Maik''s younger cousins was any better. In fact they had barely brought enough long term food to feed themselves for a week. Maik''s father quickly put his foot down, adopting his Land lord tone.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
"Sure. But I''m not feeding them. So if you have another 400 pounds of freeze dried goods you forgot to bring in with you then ball all means, invite some more people over. I have enough for me and mine. And all of mine are already here."
The family heads steely gaze scanned over the 13 other souls present besides himself and there were no further objections. But there was a suggestion from Maik''s youngest brother, Maverick.
"What if we order the food ? Like we use Publix or amazon delivery ?"
"Sigh... Son. Even if the stores aren''t busy putting limits on what any given house hold can buy right now, Which I assure you they are. But even if they weren''t. What makes you think that food would actually make it all the way out here ? And don''t even ask about going out, Nuh Uhh. We are hunkering down and weathering this until it passes over. We have water, power, fuel and food to last us for months. And were all here."
With that the matter was put to rest and sleeping arrangements were ironed out. However for all the strangeness of the day, it absolutely paled in comparison to the surprise awaiting Maik later while he slept. Sometime in the middle of the night there was another energy pulse that shut down everything that ran on electricity and shocked everyones system.
Maik woke to even greater disorientations then he had experienced earlier that day. Something like being really drunk and high at the same time while also suffering from a hangover. Other people in the house were groaning in pain, or perhaps it was just Maik. It was hard to tell. Then It appeared.
It was so surreal. Information, images, data. In some ways it was no different then any other dream but in others it was so much more... real. Then it came.
"Communication link established."
The various aspects of Maik''s collective consciousness scrambled to understand what was happening as that melodic, yet slightly robotic, female voice haralded some kind of interface screen that now filled Maik''s vision. On the window was displayed a single slowly blinking word.
Loading.... Loading.... Loading.... Loading.... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...
"Integration of digital entities complete. Digital entities of Calsifus 5, Local designation Earth, have been integrated into the Fifth Imperial congregate under the supervision of the master control matrix."
"Warning ! Master control matrix is unresponsive."
"Error ! Substitution of local digital entities insufficient to resolve problem. All duly authorized personnel are here by ordered back to the Vassaroth to perform emergency maintenance to the master control matix............."
"Error ! No duly authorized personal found in registry. Perform scan."
A feeling spread over and through Maik''s being, deep and invasive. He tried everything to fight it from screaming into the void, to flailing his limbs and even cycling his Chi in an attempt to block out the foreign energy but nothing worked.
Scan complete. Generating Stat sheet..... Stat sheet generated.
Name : Maik Alphonse Daley
Species : Tier 1 / Human / H grade
Race : Celtic / Germanic
Cultivation level : 1
Age : 32
Gender : Male
Height : 190 centimeters
Weight : 78 Kilograms
Strength : 91
Flexibility : 99
Dexterity : 110
Endurance : 68
Durability : 82
Intelligence : 134
Smarts : 157
Wisdom : 113
Perception : 43
Charisma : 106
Chi : 148
aura : 135
Tier 1 skills
...................
Tier 2 skills
...................
Tier 3 skills
Engineering - Advanced
Electromagnetic theory - Experienced
physics - Effective
Chemistry - Intermediate
Chi manipulation - capable
Tier 4 skills
Chi cultivation - Beginner
There was a truly absurd number of tier 1 skills. Everything from walking to breathing to chewing. And tier 2 skills were almost as bad. Things like swimming, climbing, driving, typing and so forth. There were way fewer Tier 3 skills and all of them were the most complex and useful skills he possessed.
Maik Analytical mind was the first aspect to grasp the situation. It would appear that there are 7 levels of skill proficiency within this system. Beginner, Capable, Intermediate, Effective, Experienced, Advanced, distinguished and expert.
Maik''s Creative mind was the next to gleam something from the stat sheet. We only have an Experienced level skill in walking ? I don''t know how I feel about that.
Maik''s Primal aspect was just kind of growling at the screen, pissed that Maik couldn''t change anything on it at the moment. Gurrrrr.
Maik''s 4th aspect, the Body politic was quiet, as usual though there was a sense of unease emitting from it.
As Maik focused on various aspects of the stat sheet he found that he could better understand it and what it represented. Maik was just mentally clicking on the Strength stat to better understand it when the voice returned.
"Warning ! No duly authorized personnel detected on Calsuifus 5, local designation Earth."
"Extrapolating Best course to action with local digital entities to perform last updated function........."
New Quest generated.
Type : Open
Duration : Until control lock on local Planer shift seal fails.
Estimated time to seal failure : 5 years, 4 months, 1 week, 3 days, 2 hours. Approximately.
Objective : Restore function to the master control matrix aboard the Vassaroth or repair damaged Planer shift seals.
Penalties for failure : Calsifus 5, local designation Earth, will no longer be isolated from the Extra Planer realms.
Rewards : Maintain your planets isolation form the greater collective of connected inter planer worlds.
New Quest generated.
Type : Open
Duration : Until Calsifus 5 A, local designation Moon, impacts Calsifus 5, local designation Earth.
Estimated time until failure : 28 days 7 hours to point of no return.
Objective : Contribute a collective total of 2.0964e+13 Joules of energy in the form of Chi to the stability array aboard the Vassaroth through this interface.
Penalties for failure : Calsifus 5 A, local designation Moon, will impact Calsifus 5, local designation Earth, resulting in the extermination of all life on the surface.
Rewards : Varies - Dependent upon contribution.
Tier 1 : Contribute at least 1,400 calories of Chi. - Gain access to the newly integrated system between the digital entities of Calsifus 5 and Planer Portal management matrix. A monthly renewal fee of 1,000 calories of Chi will apply after the first month.
Tier 2 : Contribute at least 2,100 Calories of Chi - Gain access to the newly integrated system between the digital entities of Calsifus 5 and Planer Portal management matrix as a Prime member. Remedial citizenship within the Fifth Imperial congregate. Tutorials in the use of Chi skills. A monthly renewal fee of 1,400 calories of Chi will apply after the first month.
Tier 3 : Contribute at least 3,000 calories of Chi - Gain access to the newly integrated system between the digital entities of Calsifus 5 and Planer Portal management matrix as a VIP member. Remedial citizenship within the Fifth Imperial congregate. Tutorials in the use of Chi skills. Access to the Chi skill store. Access to advance citizenship status. Access to system titles withing the purview of the system. A monthly renewal fee of 1,800 calories of Chi will apply after the first month.
Would you like to begin contributing now ?