Chapter 1: Earth That Is

Almost three centuries had past since the Alliance was formed. Not much had changed for the folks at that time really, except that the government’s thirst for power soon focused on the whole world rather than the other superpower. Gone were the days of freedom and individual rights, constitutions and representative governments, the first casualty of the Alliance. They had made their bed with corporations, and as business thrived, so did the powers that be.

It had been no surprise, really. The United States had slowly handed its sovereignty to the United Nations and its subsequent manifestations for decades. Rather than defend the interests of the U.S., the federal government and its military became the right arm of the world government, and eventually a government of worlds. Nations soon erased their borders under the threat of ‘police action’. After all, those in power write the laws; and the power of the people was written out of existence. The masses had one purpose: to labor and provide a tax base. It no longer mattered what nation one called home. China had become the economic behemoth that 21st century America feared. China, realizing that it could not keep up militarily with the U.S., made the choice of building a flourishing economy over a bloated military, avoiding the same mistake of the Soviet Union two centuries before. China could buy any military they needed; and they did. Thus the Alliance was born, even if not in an official capacity.

Once allied, China and their new military machine were an unstoppable economic and military force. In short order, nations sacrificed their borders to enjoy the prosperity of the allied territories. Only a ‘paranoid and foolish’ few attempted to rebel against the malevolent dictatorial government. For over fifty years the Alliance grew and rapidly devoured the resources of many former nations. Once the world was a single political power, technological advance became paramount and the search for resources expanded into the black. It was not long after that most of Earth’s resources were used up and the population exceeded what the depleted planet could support.

The discontentment that followed spawned uprisings against the Alliance that were brutally smashed. One who did not achieve status was doomed to a marginal existence at best, so death became palatable, even desirable. Widespread famine, lawlessness, and pestilence reared their ugly heads. The select few that filled the ranks of the upper class were the only group that avoided the ravages of societal breakdown. The Alliance citizenry, shielded from the masses, used them, raped their lands, and soon began to leave Earth en masse. A distant system of inhabitable planets was found and became the new center of the Alliance government. Earth became inconsequential, or so it was thought.

Propaganda of a man-made disaster began to appear on the cortex from the core planets of the Alliance. The message was basically to leave Earth because it would soon be uninhabitable. To drive the point home, fears of a natural disaster of some cosmic proportion that would destroy Earth were spread. Truth be told, the Alliance needed labor in the new worlds as much as they did on Earth. Their lies worked in large part and much of the disenfranchised population of Earth began to leave as well. In short order, the population of the distant core worlds vastly outnumbered what remained on Earth. The Alliance failed to convince many, and those people resisted what was left of the Alliance.

The last remnants of the Alliance attempted to forcefully persuade the people left on Earth to travel to the colonized worlds. But, there weren’t enough of them left to accomplish the task. Nomadic gangs had roamed the West for many years. Communal outposts and single-family bunkers constructed by newly spawned resistance forces became targets these gangs as well as Alliance remnants. The aboveground shelters had it the worst. Fortunately, most were well defended and the vast majority survived the worst years. The lack of significant Alliance military allowed a small but powerful resistance movement to form. Michael Romanov led a special military unit against the Alliance. Successes by his command convinced the remaining Alliance entities to leave Earth. In a sinister attempt to destroy what was left of Earth, the Alliance left behind secret orbital gravity machines that wreaked havoc with weather patterns, ocean tides and earthquake faults. Some blamed it on the polluted and decimated state the Alliance left the Earth in. Others said it was punishment from God. Neither was correct. The Alliance had been right; there would be a disaster, only much more severe than even they had envisioned. The orbital gravity machines had sped the natural process of precession and in a matter of weeks, the Earth had shifted her axis. The weather patterns changed, oceans reformed themselves and continents reshaped their faces. If anyone ever returned to Earth from the colonial and core worlds, they would not recognize many topographical features. The resistance had been suspicious of the Alliance satellites for years and had been preparing missiles to destroy them. Intelligence sources confirmed that the satellites were experimental terra-forming gravity machines. Earth was used as a test planet. The resistance was too late to stop the disaster from taking place, but managed to deploy enough missiles to destroy most machines and stop their effects. In spite of the chaos, they even managed to get a small squadron of ships launched to finish the task. It turned out that the Alliance had been observing their experiment from space. Resistance ships were able to disable their defenses and dock with the orbiting facility obtaining potentially useful technology before obliterating the high orbit laboratory.

Those that survived the floods, earthquakes, and numerous other natural disasters fell ill inexplicably. At first, a plague was considered; but no viruses were isolated. After a few weeks it was discovered that something had altered them on a cellular level. The Earth’s axis shift had caused a worldwide polarity reversal and just as on the Earth itself the polarity shift caused all electrically charged entities to change polarity. The human body functioned on electrical impulses so it too was affected. It seemed to be the catalyst for changes in human DNA. Now, almost two centuries later, Michael understood the consequences of those changes. He and the rest of the survivors of the cataclysm were aging at an extremely slow rate and had gained abilities they could not explain; some more than others. It is said that a polarity shift associated with precession occurred naturally approximately every 12,500 years. Michael often wondered if he was living through something similar to ancient Biblical stories of flooding and unusually long lives. Many ancient texts had a great flood story in them and now that seemed to make sense.

Michael and the surviving resistance became the law in an area covering about 1000 square miles. The law was simple; live and let live or you die. Nothing done to maliciously harm another was tolerated. Michael was deadly efficient at enforcing the law. The underground outposts originally designed to conceal them from the Alliance now served as secure bases of operations and warehouses, as well as living quarters. It was at this time he met Evangeline; the most beautiful thing he had ever laid eyes on. She piloted a troop carrier and had transported his unit to numerous engagements. As the fighting died down they’re relationship grew, and they soon married. Fifty years had past by the time the majority of organized criminal activity had been subdued. Some bad elements remained but military operations, for the most part, were shut down. The West was as secure as it could be. It was now up to individuals like Michael to keep smaller areas secure for peaceful people. He and Evangeline chose an underground bunker to live in and began to ready it for a family.

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The soft steps of a young girl brought Michael away from thoughts of the past. “Daddy?” groaned Ann…”When will we have something to eat?”

“I don’t know sweetheart. Soon. Maybe in the morning; now go try to sleep.” Michael was fairly sure of that but would not give the child any false hope. His heart ached and gut wrenched for his little girl. Most of the family was asleep but hunger was causing some sleeplessness. A midnight hunt was in order. ‘Fortunately there was plenty of water,’ thought Michael, as the family slept restlessly. Michael gathered his bow and equipped himself for the hunt. It had been two days since their last meal and even he was getting a little weak. Michael filled his canteen and made his way out of the shelter. He made his way down at a slight angle for about fifteen yards, then a thirty-yard, angular ascent, until he came to the surface entrance. Slowly, Michael opened the well-concealed door. Peering this way and that, he determined that no threat was apparent, his other senses telling him as much as his eyes. Stepping out of the hillside, he looked up at the stars. “Wonder what stars those bastards made it to”, he muttered aloud. “At least some of us made it out with ‘em,” he mumbled. It was a good night for a hunt, full moon and cool weather. There used to be an active spaceport Earth’s moon, but no activity had been reported since soon after the Alliance left the solar system.

Michael secured the door lock and set off to a fruitful hunting spot. Game was scarce but the weather had turned in his favor. His hunting weapon of choice was a compound bow, primitive as weapons go. However, with a motor assisted draw he could set the bow up to 300 pounds and only need to put forth one tenth the effort to draw the bow. The light draw also allowed for quick firing. Coupled with state-of-the-art optical sighting and the weapon proved deadly indeed. Other weapons were available to him but in times such as these a minimal amount of noise was imperative.

The hunting grounds showed recent activity. Michael had come to this area sparingly, as to not make the game too skittish. He chose his position while still 200 yards away; making sure the wind was in his favor. He could not afford to go home empty handed. By the time he crept to the desired position it was about two hours until dawn. Directly in front of him, no more than twenty yards, lay a good size watering hole and the only one for quite a few miles. He was sure that he would put food on the table this morning.

A rabbit moved cautiously towards the water fifty yards away from his position. He could have bagged the animal but was waiting for a bigger prize.

“Son of a…!” he muttered under his breath. One hundred yards away directly across from his position was another hunter. The darkness hid the social origins of this nuisance. Whoever he was, he was careless. Michael quickly fired an arrow impaling the rabbit’s head. Seconds later a shaft struck the tree next to the shadowy figure upwind from the pond. Michael heard the gasp and saw a woman, given her stature and graceful if unprofessional movement. She hurriedly moved away from him. He was surprised how quickly she was out of sight.

Dawn was now two hours away. Thirty minutes later the water hole was active again and his prize had shown itself. The boar moved to investigate the rabbit, luckily approaching from far enough around the water hole that it didn’t catch the woman’s scent. Not normally carnivorous, a boar would eat carrion on occasion. Just as the boar meant to mouth the rabbit a skillfully placed shot pierced the boars side, penetrating its left lung and then its heart. The boar dropped where it stood.

Michael moved quickly to claim his game and within minutes had the carcasses in concealment and dressed to carry home. Bled, dressed, and wrapped in a porous cloth, the boar weighed about 100 pounds. It would be enough meat for at least two weeks. The hide would be good for trade or as hand crafted leather goods. Michael packed it up and stealthily headed for home. He collected his arrows on the way. The tree impact had all but destroyed the second arrow, but he dug it out and would remake it.

“You can come out now,” said Michael, looking directly at a frightened girl through the bush. “Don’t worry, I won’t hurt you; provided you mean me no malice.” The girl looked no more than seventeen, but age was deceptive in this age. Her scrawny condition was evidence she was somewhat malnourished. Michael had felt her fear and knew she presented no threat as soon as he shot the rabbit. What puzzled him was the fact she remained.

Something had told her that this was the man. She had learned to trust what some might call a sixth sense. “Are you Archangel,” she asked, her confidence returned.

“Archangel” he repeated slowly. He had not heard that name in quite some time.

“Who sent you?” Michael had an idea but needed to hear from her. Archangel was a name few knew.

“My father. He’ll be here directly.” She still had no reason to trust Michael. “I was trying to find some food when I happened along this water hole.”

He could easily tell she was lying, not about the food, but that her father was anywhere near at all. She wouldn’t have said ‘sent’ if he were coming and Michael did not feel his presence. He was most likely dead. He now was certain who she was. “Serina, how did your father die?” She looked at him in shock and sadness took her face. She shed some silent tears and told Michael the short version.

“Our settlement was attacked by strangers a few weeks ago. We fought off their first attack but they were many and some thought they’d return. My father…” she fought to keep her composure as she told him, “…was killed in the first attack. Just before he died, he told me to head in this direction when nightfall came, and said to look for Archangel.”

“Do you know of any survivors at your settlement?” “ I left before another attack came, so I don’t really know. Many were preparing to fight when I left.” Michael feared the worst and his senses seemed to confirm it.

Serina must have some skills, thought Michael, or she wouldn’t have made it this far. “Well, looks like you’ll be coming with me. Are you thirsty?” She nodded with humility and accepted Michael’s canteen. “I’m Michael. Now let’s get going… before day breaks.” Serina smiled at hearing his name. Victor had chosen to use his old code name wisely, for only a trusted friend would know that name. Victor was the one who gave it to him in the first place, knowing Michael’s interest in things spiritual and playing off his given name. His daughter would be well taken care of.

They kept a brisk pace, as much to keep warm as to make good time. They arrived at the bunker just in time to see the sunrise. Michael carefully surveyed the area and listened intently. He was not normally so paranoid, but he had been feeling wary lately. Serina’s story now confirmed what he felt. There were people with ill intent in the area.

“Don’t ever go directly to the entrance. Always check the area for strangers first.” Michael’s instruction had begun and Serina nodded in obedience. He opened the lock, silently showing her the procedure. Her attentiveness and apparent quick learning impressed him. It would eventually serve them both.