October 17, 2019 ... 11:30 AM ...
From: Base Camp XK “Whiskey Bottle” NINE
To: Seattle, Washington
Carl here, just installed the AMR-04, it’s humming nice and even like an Ion Gen.
Haven’t gotten a chance to run anything through it. The instruction manual is daunting and I daresay, esoteric. I’m not quite sure what is meant by the “Scepter”? Is that some kind of jargon I haven’t been kept up to date on?
Anyway, thanks.
October 17, 2019 … 4:53 PM …
From: Base Camp XK “Whiskey Bottle” NINE
To: Seattle, Washington
I know my education is top notch. Thanks a bunch for telling me about my doctorates, I sure appreciate being reminded. Please try to be less condencending next time.
I also appreciate the fact you haven’t told me what the Scepter is supposed to be. Is it supposed to look like one? I don’t see anything even remotely Scepter-like on the damn thing. I swear you guys must be messing with me.
I’ve spent four hours trying to get the AMR going and have had no luck. I’d very much appreciate some more instructions.
Carl out.
October 17, 2019 … 7:22 PM …
From: Base Camp “Whiskey Bottle”
To: Lucy Steinbeck
Hey sis. Sorry to bring this up, but today was the day he died, isn’t it? I saw a bird in the woods that reminded me of him.
How have you been? I know I haven’t been the best brother, I’ve just been so busy. I’m really sorry I haven’t spoken to you for awhile. I just got really sad, today, thinking about Jason. Like, sobbing uncontrollably. I thought about how devastated I’d be if anything happened to you, like happened to him.
I’m going to ask for time off, and come back home sometime next week or next month.
Love,
Carl
October 18, 2019 … 8:23 PM ...
From: Whiskey Bottle
To: Seattle, Washington
Anyone there? Hello?
October 18, 2019 … 8:29 PM …
From Whiskey Bottle
To: Dallas, Texas
I can’t contact Seattle, so I’m trying to see if I can make a connection anywhere Earthward.
Please let me know if you get this message.
Thanks,
Carl Steinbeck
October 18, 2019 … 8: 47 PM...
From: Whiskey Bottle
To: Clark Everfrost, Bluecreek
I’ve been having problems contacting Earth. Do you have any better luck?
Thanks,
Carl
October 19, 2019 … 10:31 AM …
From: Whiskey Bottle
To: Clark
Thanks for the swift reply. That is worrying. I do agree with you, though. Best of luck!
October 19, 2019 … 11:59 PM …
From: Whiskey Bottle
To: Clark
Good god, did you hear that? What was it? I think the noise came from your direction, I hope it wasn’t related to any attempts you made. I’m wondering if the terraformer is still around. Did anyone ever find it? Were we supposed to?
October 19, 2019 … 1:32 AM …
From: Whiskey Bottle
To: Seattle, Washington
I’m going to go out on a limb here and assume something is stopping your messages from reaching me. I get the sent confirmation so there can’t be anything wrong with the Window, at least going out.
I’ll keep you guys up to date.
Still no idea about the Scepter. With all the warning labels even remotely associated with the AMR I’m pretty afraid of trying to get it started without knowing exactly what I’m doing. Been thinking of wheeling it out into the woods and trying it there. Might be a bad idea.
I heard the most curious thing just now, which is why I’ve contacted you. I almost forgot about it, thinking about the AMR and the Scepter and the comm blackout. It sounded suspiciously like a helicopter.
Also sounded like, and please don’t section eight me for this, my dead brother saying my name over and over again. From my seventeenth birthday. Ok. Had to say it. Got that off my chest.
It was coming from the west, and I went out to look for it. Huge swaths of the forest were leveled, there were flames everywhere and a green glow on the western horizon. I’m wondering if the terraformer never shut down. Would it make noises like that? I’m afraid the terraformer is still... terraforming.
Shouldn’t I be?
October 20, 2019 … 9:28 PM
From: Whiskey Bottle
To: Seattle, Washington
I finally found (figured?) out what happened. I suppose it makes this message futile.
Clark Everfrost is a friend of mine living in Bluecreek. He told me that he was having trouble communicating with you as well; he could send messages but received nothing in return.
He told me he planned on opening his side of the Window to try to walk through and get to the other side. It must have backfired, didn’t it? I know now why I thought it was the terraformer. The terraformer ran on nuclear power.
I shudder to consider the effects of a nuclear weapon on a Window, but it must have been what occurred. Three hundred thousand, dead. Maybe billions, on Earth? I assume it was a total and complete nuclear war?
This will be my last message. I’m going to try to contact Radiopoint, see if they would accept me. I think I have supplies here for a few more weeks but I’m not sure. They have farms though.
Jesus, I’m actually thinking about this. Did we ever make plans for this? I can’t find any plans. I can’t believe we were that confident the Windows would be safe. Although I suppose it isn’t the Windows to blame. God damn it.
October 20, 2019 … 10:42 PM
From: Whiskey Bottle
To: Radio Point, Comm Station
Carl Steinbeck here. You’ve probably figured it out already, but Earth’s toast, at least the U.S. for sure. Seeing as you’ve got farms and water, you’re my best shot at surviving this. I have food for several more weeks, and I’ve stopped running all nonessential systems so the solar power will keep me going indefinitely.
I know you’re a hundred miles out, but I can send a map of the distance between here and there. There are a few stretches of open land that a jeep can cross with no problem, and I’m sure you’ll be able to find openings here and there where it isn’t as open.
I would drive myself if I had a vehicle.
I hope you can understand my plight here. I hope you’re doing alright, too. Please don’t try to open a Window back to Earth. Just know that none of your messages will be answered. We are alone now.
Bluecreek is gone as well. I can explain if need be.
Sincerely,
Carl Steinbeck.
October 20, 2019 … 7:05 PM
From: Carl Steinbeck
To: Radio Point
Thanks for the swift reply. It’s good to hear another voice. Read it, I mean. (Ha ha, an attempt at humor in these dark times. Surely not a sign of insanity.)
And thank you for considering it. I understand it’s a dangerous journey, and you won’t even be sure of being able to make it. You can at least home in on my signal from a jeep, which should help you immensely. The satellite was unaffected by the explosion, so your GPS should work fine too.
I’m going to try out a piece of equipment I received from Earth. It’s got a fancy name but basically all it does is test objects you place into it. It’s supposedly got theological implications, or something. I don’t really know. It’s the least I can do.
October 29, 2019 … 7:11 PM
From: Carl Steinbeck
To: Earth
I figure you’re all dead. I figure this message is worthless. I’m about to test the Antimatter Resonator. I'm going to use some charred brush from the decimated woods.
Oh, and I found out what the Scepter is. My brother showed me.
Thanks for everything.
Carl Steinbeck.
From: Base Camp XK “Whiskey Bottle” NINE
To: Seattle, Washington
Carl here, just installed the AMR-04, it’s humming nice and even like an Ion Gen.
Haven’t gotten a chance to run anything through it. The instruction manual is daunting and I daresay, esoteric. I’m not quite sure what is meant by the “Scepter”? Is that some kind of jargon I haven’t been kept up to date on?
Anyway, thanks.
October 17, 2019 … 4:53 PM …
From: Base Camp XK “Whiskey Bottle” NINE
To: Seattle, Washington
I know my education is top notch. Thanks a bunch for telling me about my doctorates, I sure appreciate being reminded. Please try to be less condencending next time.
I also appreciate the fact you haven’t told me what the Scepter is supposed to be. Is it supposed to look like one? I don’t see anything even remotely Scepter-like on the damn thing. I swear you guys must be messing with me.
I’ve spent four hours trying to get the AMR going and have had no luck. I’d very much appreciate some more instructions.
Carl out.
October 17, 2019 … 7:22 PM …
From: Base Camp “Whiskey Bottle”
To: Lucy Steinbeck
Hey sis. Sorry to bring this up, but today was the day he died, isn’t it? I saw a bird in the woods that reminded me of him.
How have you been? I know I haven’t been the best brother, I’ve just been so busy. I’m really sorry I haven’t spoken to you for awhile. I just got really sad, today, thinking about Jason. Like, sobbing uncontrollably. I thought about how devastated I’d be if anything happened to you, like happened to him.
I’m going to ask for time off, and come back home sometime next week or next month.
Love,
Carl
October 18, 2019 … 8:23 PM ...
From: Whiskey Bottle
To: Seattle, Washington
Anyone there? Hello?
October 18, 2019 … 8:29 PM …
From Whiskey Bottle
To: Dallas, Texas
I can’t contact Seattle, so I’m trying to see if I can make a connection anywhere Earthward.
Please let me know if you get this message.
Thanks,
Carl Steinbeck
October 18, 2019 … 8: 47 PM...
From: Whiskey Bottle
To: Clark Everfrost, Bluecreek
I’ve been having problems contacting Earth. Do you have any better luck?
Thanks,
Carl
October 19, 2019 … 10:31 AM …
From: Whiskey Bottle
To: Clark
Thanks for the swift reply. That is worrying. I do agree with you, though. Best of luck!
October 19, 2019 … 11:59 PM …
From: Whiskey Bottle
To: Clark
Good god, did you hear that? What was it? I think the noise came from your direction, I hope it wasn’t related to any attempts you made. I’m wondering if the terraformer is still around. Did anyone ever find it? Were we supposed to?
October 19, 2019 … 1:32 AM …
From: Whiskey Bottle
To: Seattle, Washington
I’m going to go out on a limb here and assume something is stopping your messages from reaching me. I get the sent confirmation so there can’t be anything wrong with the Window, at least going out.
I’ll keep you guys up to date.
Still no idea about the Scepter. With all the warning labels even remotely associated with the AMR I’m pretty afraid of trying to get it started without knowing exactly what I’m doing. Been thinking of wheeling it out into the woods and trying it there. Might be a bad idea.
I heard the most curious thing just now, which is why I’ve contacted you. I almost forgot about it, thinking about the AMR and the Scepter and the comm blackout. It sounded suspiciously like a helicopter.
Also sounded like, and please don’t section eight me for this, my dead brother saying my name over and over again. From my seventeenth birthday. Ok. Had to say it. Got that off my chest.
It was coming from the west, and I went out to look for it. Huge swaths of the forest were leveled, there were flames everywhere and a green glow on the western horizon. I’m wondering if the terraformer never shut down. Would it make noises like that? I’m afraid the terraformer is still... terraforming.
Shouldn’t I be?
October 20, 2019 … 9:28 PM
From: Whiskey Bottle
To: Seattle, Washington
I finally found (figured?) out what happened. I suppose it makes this message futile.
Clark Everfrost is a friend of mine living in Bluecreek. He told me that he was having trouble communicating with you as well; he could send messages but received nothing in return.
He told me he planned on opening his side of the Window to try to walk through and get to the other side. It must have backfired, didn’t it? I know now why I thought it was the terraformer. The terraformer ran on nuclear power.
I shudder to consider the effects of a nuclear weapon on a Window, but it must have been what occurred. Three hundred thousand, dead. Maybe billions, on Earth? I assume it was a total and complete nuclear war?
This will be my last message. I’m going to try to contact Radiopoint, see if they would accept me. I think I have supplies here for a few more weeks but I’m not sure. They have farms though.
Jesus, I’m actually thinking about this. Did we ever make plans for this? I can’t find any plans. I can’t believe we were that confident the Windows would be safe. Although I suppose it isn’t the Windows to blame. God damn it.
October 20, 2019 … 10:42 PM
From: Whiskey Bottle
To: Radio Point, Comm Station
Carl Steinbeck here. You’ve probably figured it out already, but Earth’s toast, at least the U.S. for sure. Seeing as you’ve got farms and water, you’re my best shot at surviving this. I have food for several more weeks, and I’ve stopped running all nonessential systems so the solar power will keep me going indefinitely.
I know you’re a hundred miles out, but I can send a map of the distance between here and there. There are a few stretches of open land that a jeep can cross with no problem, and I’m sure you’ll be able to find openings here and there where it isn’t as open.
I would drive myself if I had a vehicle.
I hope you can understand my plight here. I hope you’re doing alright, too. Please don’t try to open a Window back to Earth. Just know that none of your messages will be answered. We are alone now.
Bluecreek is gone as well. I can explain if need be.
Sincerely,
Carl Steinbeck.
October 20, 2019 … 7:05 PM
From: Carl Steinbeck
To: Radio Point
Thanks for the swift reply. It’s good to hear another voice. Read it, I mean. (Ha ha, an attempt at humor in these dark times. Surely not a sign of insanity.)
And thank you for considering it. I understand it’s a dangerous journey, and you won’t even be sure of being able to make it. You can at least home in on my signal from a jeep, which should help you immensely. The satellite was unaffected by the explosion, so your GPS should work fine too.
I’m going to try out a piece of equipment I received from Earth. It’s got a fancy name but basically all it does is test objects you place into it. It’s supposedly got theological implications, or something. I don’t really know. It’s the least I can do.
October 29, 2019 … 7:11 PM
From: Carl Steinbeck
To: Earth
I figure you’re all dead. I figure this message is worthless. I’m about to test the Antimatter Resonator. I'm going to use some charred brush from the decimated woods.
Oh, and I found out what the Scepter is. My brother showed me.
Thanks for everything.
Carl Steinbeck.
2 comments:
DUDE! is this from our video game idea??? The not a real thing on google docs??
Yeah! I'm happy you noticed. This would take place on Liber. Also; I changed some stuff from the document. I think an earlier year would make more sense, along with a larger population. If only 1% of the US pop migrated there it'd still be like millions living there.
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