A Dark And Quiet Room

Infiltrators

But it was not yet time for peace. Marcus came to see Jude the next day. They had spotted incoming aliens, and he needed Jude out in an ANIMa. So Jude launched.

Because Gabrielle was now the GM, I received ownership of Leah, her anchor. So, for the first time, I was able to anchor a mission. Yay!

Mission Brief
…begin briefing…

Infiltrators
Destroy alien brain probe
Must be done first
If failed, Kay blisses out
Locate other probes
If successful, destroy other probes
Repair destroyed sensor package
…end briefing…

The aliens were playing for keeps. They had sent probes to kill the children as retaliation for the raid on the alien growth pods. So Jude ran around, destroying probes. During the fight, Jude’s electro-chain was ripped off his ANIMa. (That’s his relationship with Jude.) So, to replace it, Jude manifested his relationship with Marcus as a strong arm that fired expanding balls of laser from its palm.

Again, we know our symbolism.

But then Marcus spoke into the mike. He needed Jude to go north and repair the sensor package that had been disabled in the assault. So Jude headed north and was able to repair the sensors. But alien slime climbed up his arm, melting it away. So Jude started yelling, “Eject! Eject!”

Jude had Blissed Out.

Our Happy Home

That was the end for Jude. He and Leah packed up their few belongings and headed north. They were gone for a year, but they found a place to live near Rockford. There was an old campground, fairly secure and beautiful. So then, they returned to Peoria to gather the rest of the group.

Then they left Peoria.

Jared was already gone. He had vanished one day, abandoning Eve and Hope. So now, Eve is a single mother, but the community is helping her with her daughter.

Beth gave birth to a boy. Leah has given birth to a little girl, and Jude is just ga-ga over her.

Joseph refused to let the Bigelow Boys benefit from their hard work, so he set fires in the base. Flames licked the sky as they began their exodus to the north. Looking back, one of them saw an alien remote, striding through the ruins, highlighted by the burning city.

But now they are safe. They are careful to stay off the grid so that the aliens can’t locate them. And yeah, all they are doing is growing herbs and raising horses. But they are also teaching their children how to fight.

And one day, they will finish what their parents started.