Paul Hardy - The Last Man on Earth Club

Katie turned her head to face the median point of the group. “The individual is named Iokan Zalacte. His report of events on his world cannot be trusted.”

She looked straight ahead and said nothing else. Iokan turned to me, momentarily at a loss.

“Can you give us a bit more detail than that?” I asked.

She turned her head again. “Iokan reports that theistic intelligences which he terms ‘Antecessors’ revisited his planet two months ago, approximately three thousand years after departing during a cataclysm that destroyed their civilisation. He claims they offered his species transition to an afterlife if they committed suicide. Every individual on the planet save him accepted the offer.”

“Um… what’s a fayistic intelligence?” asked Pew.

“Theistic: adjective. Like or similar to a deity or god. Intelligence: noun. An intelligent being, particularly an incorporeal one. Theistic intelligence: noun phrase. A godlike, incorporeal intelligence.”

“Oh,” said Pew.

“I suppose that describes them… quite well,” said Iokan. “But you didn’t tell me you thought I was lying…”

“You did not ask for an opinion.”

Iokan nodded slowly. “…I see. Very well. So… why don’t you think I can be trusted?”

“You stated that you experienced an extreme emotional response upon contact with an ‘Antecessor’, and that your understanding of the universe changed in that moment. Religious revelation does not lead to a greater understanding of reality but instead to greater delusion. The ‘Antecessors’ are not deities but charlatans, and your species was tricked into extinction.”

“That’s not true,” smiled Iokan, turning to the group. “They’re real. I saw them myself — they came as balls of light, brighter than the stars. I saw them transform people. I saw my own wife and child join them.”

“You are delusional.”

“We did everything we could to verify their existence. And what they did was real. Everyone from my world is still alive. I can assure you of that.” He smiled with an earnest devotion.

Olivia snorted. “Well, that’s not the question, is it?”

“Do you have something to add, Olivia?” I asked.

“I want to know one thing. If his gods or whatever they were came back and got everyone to kill themselves, then why is he still alive?”

“Ah,” said Iokan, as everyone turned to him. “Yes. A very good point.”

“Yeh. Go on. Tell us,” said Olivia.

He considered his answer for a moment, looking around at the group. “It’s you,” he said.

“What…?”

“They sent me here to help you.” My heart sank. His therapy was going to be harder than I thought.

“What if I don’t want your help?” demanded Olivia.

“It’s freely offered,” he said.

“Why exactly do you think you’re here to help us?” I asked.

“What else can it be?” he said. “They were about to take me when your ship came down from orbit. They wanted someone to talk to the IU and tell them what happened. And then… to do whatever I could.”

“Told you that, did they?” said Olivia.

“They didn’t need to,” said Iokan.

I interceded before Olivia went too far. “Well. Thank you for that. We should move on. Iokan, I think you have a few things to say about Olivia?”

Transcript

Expedition AWLG-296219-002

Recorded: HD y270.m4.w4.d3

[Mission Specialists Ewen, R and Tranouvir, DGS, were dispatched into a ruined city to conduct close range reconnaissance]

Ewen: I think it’s steam-driven.

Tranouvir: Steam? No way. Come on.

Commander: Context, please.

T: This vehicle. I mean, what’s left of this vehicle. You see it?

C: I see it.

T: Rab thinks it’s steam driven. What do you think?

E: It’s got a water tank and valves — look.

C: That’s not conclusive. Too corroded to tell.

E: It’s not advanced enough to be internal combustion. I don’t see anything like that.

C: We’ll need more for a precise tech status. How long has it been there?

T: It’s a mess… say ten years, give or take. Pretty basic steel compound and a lot of rain around here.

C: And no sign of inhabitants?

T: Not even a skeleton.

E: Skeletons would probably be gone after ten years as well. Scavengers would take it all.

C: Are the buildings safe to enter?

T: Let me check…

[Tranouvir attaches microseismic test device to an exterior wall]

T: It’s coming back stable. Brick and mortar over timber frame. Pretty standard around here. Should be safe, if the wood hasn’t rotted.

E: Timber lasts long enough. Concrete usually falls over first.

C: Take a look inside.

[Ewen and Tranouvir enter the building]

T: Less corrosion in here… what’s that fitting there?

E: Couldn’t tell you.

T: Take a look at this. See the pipes on the wall? And that… some kind of spigot or valve up there?

C: Are there any light sources in the room you can recognise?

T: Nothing electric. Just the windows.

C: That’s probably a gas pipe. The valve would be for lighting.

T: No. Seriously?

C: Some early tech civilisations burn methane or propane for lighting.

E: Oh… yeah. That’s it..

T: You’re kidding me. Explosive gases running indoors?

E: Better than nothing. Hey. Did you hear that?

T: Hear what?

E: Something in the back…

[Ewen moves further into the building]

E: I think we’ve found the locals.

T: Found what…? Oh.

C: Show me.

E: I’ve got human remains. I think… five.

T: Yeah. Five. Shit. What was making the noise?

E: I don’t know. Maybe we disturbed a rat or — oh crap. Oh crap oh crap oh crap.

T: What?

C: What is it?

E: They’re warm. I’ve got a temperature of twenty degrees on all of them. That’s four above the air temperature! I think they’re alive…

T: Hold on. The heat might be decomposition. Maybe they died recently?

E: Look at the dust in here. Look at the dust on them! They’ve been here for weeks. The scavengers should have taken them by now.

T: What was that?

E: I heard it. By the door.

T: Yeah. I’ll… Oh. My. Shit.

E: They’re… oh no. They can’t be.

T: Run!

E: I’m —

T: For fuck’s sake, run!

E: They’ve got me! They’ve — [screams of pain, ripping sounds]

C: What’s happening?

T: They’re alive! They’re fucking alive!

E: Get it off get it off it’s eating me! [more screams]

[weapon discharge]

T: It’s off, let’s go —

E: I can’t walk —

T: I’ve got you.

[weapon discharge]

C: What are you shooting at?

[weapon discharge]

C: Repeat: what are you shooting at?

T: No. That can’t happen. That can’t happen.

C: Tranouvir, what are you shooting at?

T: They got up again. I shot them and they got up again.

E: They’re — [screams]

T: No! Get off him! Get off!

[weapon discharge]

T: Get— [screams]

[transmission ends]

Iokan coughed. “It’s quite a story. And rather unpleasant.”

“Would anyone like some water?” asked Liss.

“I would, yes,” said Iokan, and she got him a glass.

“Just get on with it,” said Olivia.

Iokan finished his sip. “Apparently… as Olivia tells it… there were experiments, of a kind, done on pregnant women on her world, without the women knowing. And about eight months later, the women gave birth. But not in a natural way.