Paul Hardy - The Last Man on Earth Club

He turned up at the door to her infirmary room with a bland smile, willing to help as always. “Hello,” he said.

“Who are you?” she asked.

“My name’s Iokan. I’m one of the other patients.”

“Oh. Right. You’re from another universe.” She still didn’t really believe it.

“We all are,” he said as he stepped inside and let the door close.

“And everyone on your world is dead.”

“In a manner of speaking… I suppose so, yes.”

“What, you don’t know?”

“It’s… complicated. I came here to see if there was anything I could do.”

“Wake me up?” she said with a despairing shrug.

“I can’t do that. This is all real, I’m afraid.”

“How do I know?”

“Ah! That’s a philosophical question.”

“A what?”

“An inquiry into the nature of reality?”

She looked blank. Philosophy was not a common pastime in the asteroid belt. “Yeah. I suppose so, except reality’s not answering, is it?”

“Well, you can never really prove that reality is real. There’s always the possibility it’s an illusion. But you can say that about the whole of your life. At some point, you have to accept that what you’re experiencing now is real…”

“Why should I?”

“Because otherwise you’re going to be stuck.” She sat down on her bed and folded her arms. He went on. “They’re not lying. They really are doing their best.”

“They said the Earth in my universe is gone. The machines destroyed it.”

“I think so, yes.”

“So we lost the war.”

“I don’t think that’s true.”

“We lost the Earth! How can we win if the homeworld’s gone?”

“Your people are still safe, aren’t they?”

“Yeah. Safe. On asteroids, in little stinking burrows, living on fucking algae and drinking water that’s been pissed so often the taste never goes away. That’s what the fucking machines did to us.”

He pulled up a chair and sat down close to the bed.

“The machines are all gone now. Your people are still alive. The others in the group… they don’t have that.”

“You believe them, do you?”

“Yes.”

“You reckon everyone on your world is dead?”

“I was there. I saw it happen.”

She looked back at him with a first flicker of sympathy.

“Our ancestors came back. They took my people with them, they took their… I suppose you’d say they took their souls. But everyone had to die first. It was terrible while it was happening, but they’re safe now, and one day I’ll see them again.” He took her hands. “One day you’ll see your people too.”

He noticed she was looking at him a little oddly. His speech had affected her somehow. Or maybe something else.

“What is it?” he asked.

“Have I seen you here before…?”

He paused, remembering the injunction not to speak of Katie. “No… you haven’t.”

She was still looking at him: wounded, lonely, in need. But reserved. She looked away.

“Elsbet…? Can I call you Elsbet?” he asked. She nodded. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

“No,” she said.

“I’m…” he struggled to find words. “You see, the thing is…” She looked back up at him. “I understand… well, I’m told your condition leaves you at risk of seizures.”

She nodded. “They said that.”

“There may be a way to control them.”

That was it; he was worried he’d caused Katie’s last seizure by refusing her demands. Elsbet knew none of this, and was intrigued. “How?”

He took a breath, stood up from his chair, and leaned over the bed to kiss her. She scrambled away from him.

“That’s your idea of medicine…!?” she demanded.

“I’m sorry… I thought…”

“I’m a soldier!”

He seemed puzzled. “So was I.”

“I don’t know what it’s like in your shithole of a universe, but where I come from, soldiers choose . Do you get me?”

He shook his head, still baffled.

“It means I don’t have to spend my life rutting with every fucknuts that wants a shag and making babies for the war!”

His eyes went wide as he understood. “I’m sorry, I didn’t realise…”

“I should have your balls for this.”

“I didn’t know how things were on your world. I apologise.”

“I didn’t have a world.”

“Of course. Ah, I’ll take my leave, if I may.”

“Yeah. Get the fuck out.”

Iokan headed for the door — but before he could reach for the controls, a chime sounded around the centre, and magnetic locks snapped tight on the door. My voice came over loudspeakers.

“This is a security alert. I’ve had to lock down the building. The situation’s under control but we need you all to stay where you are for the moment. I’m sorry about this — I’ll update you as soon as I can.”

Iokan tried the door: the controls refused him. There was a handle designed to be used in power failures, but that wouldn’t move either. He turned back to Elsbet, who sat on the bed looking distinctly annoyed.

“I think we’re stuck here for a while,” he said.

She folded her arms. It was going to be a long night for the pair of them.

HUB SECURITY INCIDENT REPORT

Incident Number: 897-9898-gf

Date: HD y276.m7.w2.d3

Reporting Officer: Sgt. Fers, I.

Incident Location: Lhasa Bar & Club, 2345 3rd Avenue, District 2, Hub Metro

Officer Leberrine responded to an emergency call at 23:45 hours, and found the owner of the club, Mr. Dawa Dorje, in a state of distress, while the club itself had suffered damage to fixtures and fittings. Mr. Dorje reported an assault approximately thirty minutes earlier by an unidentified female who questioned him regarding criminal activities. Mr. Dorje was extremely emotional and repeatedly confessed to a number of offenses against the Biodiversity Statute, but insisted he had never been involved in any kind of genocide. Officer Leberrine was unable to calm him. An ambulance was called, and Mr. Dorje was given a mild sedative.

I interviewed Mr. Dorje at the station at approximately 00:45. He stated that he was on the premises while it was closed to conduct a stocktaking exercise, along with several employees who were assisting him, when the assailant broke in and attacked them. Mr. Dorje’s employees attempted to subdue her but they were unable to do so. The assailant stated that she only wanted to speak to Mr. Dorje, and allowed the others to escape. She proceeded to beat Mr. Dorje until he admitted to smuggling offences, but then asked questions regarding wider criminal networks. He insists that no such networks exist and he knows nothing of genocide on other universes, which the assailant seemed to be primarily interested in. He was unable to supply a full description of the assailant because she was masked, but was certain she was using a phonetic translation device. He also told us she demanded to know where the security recordings for the establishment were, and then destroyed them (both physical and data copies).

Mr. Dorje was remanded in custody pending a search of his premises following his confession, and officers were despatched to arrest his associates. The Psychiatric Centre reported no escapes of inmates, nor have there been any other reports of an individual answering the same description.

The truck came in to land at the vehicle paddock across from the main building, audible warnings reporting it was approaching ground level. The garage behind it opened up and the vehicle reversed inside to the sound of further warnings.