A Comet Visits Earth

The Comet's Tail

Chapter Three A New World

Core gathered the entire troupe into the only room big enough for twenty people at once. It was the dining room.

Core stood up. "Let me have your attention." Everyone got quiet. "I don't have to tell you we are in a world of hurt. The base and town confirm our biggest fears. It appears that something from the comet has entered the blood stream of every human being not in a sealed chamber. It appears that everyone infected is turned into mindless robots. We do not know if it will affect us sometime in the future. At present we are staying here where it is safe until we can figure out a plan on how to move forward. For now, everyone does their job, and we will let the scientists work on this problem. Any questions?"

There was nothing they could say, so everyone just drifted out, one by one.

That afternoon, Dr. Murray came looking for Core, very excited. She had Watson trailing behind her. "Major, we have an unexpected turn. We just tested the girl's blood a few minutes ago. We wanted to see if the virus was growing. However, it is not growing. In fact, it has disappeared entirely. We have tested her three times. There is no trace of the virus in her blood."

"You mean, it might have been a temporary infection that our bodies were able to fight off, eventually?"

"That is exactly what we believe. Unfortunately, the effects are permanent. She is alert and healthy, but no more intelligent than when we found her."

Core's mind was spinning. The possibilities were many, and far reaching. There may be a way to get out of this tin can after all. "Does this mean she is safe around all of us?"

Murray and Watson looked at each other and both said at the same time, "We are sure of it."

"Good, have Simons come to see me, and find a room for her to stay in. For now, I am going to have Simons stay with her. She seems to be calm around him."

Simons was there a few minutes later. "Simons, I guess the doctors have told you the good news about your ward."

"Yes, sir."

"I have told the doctors to find her quarters, and I want you to stay with her. She seems to be calmer when you are around. I needn't remind you to be careful when you are alone with her. We do not know what emotions are raging within that quiet face. Be very careful when you are alone with her. Understand?"

"Yes, sir. Don't fuck her."

"At least until we figure some of this out."

"Yes, Sir." He left, trying to contain his smile.

Abe Simons, Airman First Class, has been in the Air Force for over five years. He gets along fine with everyone and stays pretty much to himself. He likes the work and figures he could do another fifteen years without much problem. A twenty-year pension sounds pretty good for a guy who was never going to college. He has dated several girls in the service. None lasted very long. He didn't have the patience for all the conversation that was needed. The more this girl sits there without talking, the more she grew on him. He knew it was wrong, but he figured, what she doesn't say....

Core, Lt. Burns, Stevens, and Willie took off in the helicopter early afternoon. They were going to scout around the area and look at the small town of King to see what was happening there. It didn't take long to find out. As they flew over King, they saw people milling around the town looking just as the girl had. They were in various stages of undressed and disheveled. They landed in an open area. No one seemed to notice them. They got out and walked around the town. People would just walk by them without noticing them.

There were people in some of the stores and buildings, but they were the same. "Let's go. We've seen enough."

They lifted off and headed around the rest of the valley. They flew over Warren Ranch. It was a huge cattle ranch in the valley. They could see cattle milling around, but none of the people that tended them. There was no point going any further. They had seen enough.

When they returned, Dr. Watson and Dr. Murray were waiting for Core. "We need to show you something."

"Lead on." They led him to the room where the girl was being held. Simons was there with her. The girl was sitting beside Simons on the couch. Her hand was on his knee, and she was smiling.

"This is what we wanted to show you. We will let Simons tell you."

Simons took her hand off his knee and stood up. "I had to take her clothes off her. (Core had noticed she was naked when he came in. He was going to say something.) She was pissing herself and squatting to shit whenever she felt like it. I ran out of clean clothes and decided it was easier to clean her up without the clothes. That's not all. Her eyes look clearer now, and she can focus on things. I have tried to feed her, but she won't use her hands. She eats everything out of a bowl. She follows me around like a little puppy dog. She actually squeals who I come into the room. I think she is attached to me, somehow."

Dr. Watson broke in. "We believe the shock has worn off and this is her normal state going forward. She is like Simon's pet somehow."

Core just looked at the two doctors and shook his head. "Ok. I guess we will move forward from here. We are going to have a group meeting in the dining hall in thirty minutes. Tell everyone you see. It is for everyone."

Thirty minutes later the entire company was gathered. Core stood up to speak. "We toured the town and large ranch. Everyone looks the same as her. I believe it is time to face our circumstances. There has been no

communications from command and all television programming have stopped. It would appear that everyone not isolated in a secure atmosphere has been affected. I must conclude that we are on our own. We will not be able to live indefinitely in this silo. We will have to settle down somewhere in this valley and explore our new world. I believe Warren Ranch is our most logical base. It is large and has resources we can use. I believe this is something we all should agree on. If anyone wishes to take off on their own, I will not attempt to stop them. I want each of you to spend tonight thinking about your decision. Tomorrow morning, we will meet here again to formulate a plan. Any questions?"

There were none, so they adjourned. Core asked his command team, Captain McCormick, Lt. Burns, and Lt. Douglas to remain behind. He also asked Dr. Watson and DR. Murray to remain, along with Captain Stevens.

"Any thoughts?'

Murray spoke up. If we move to the open ranch, what are we going to do with all these affected people?"

"Good question, and I am open to suggestions. I think it is time we loosen the chain of command here and allow everyone to speak freely. We have nearly 25 people here, and this is going to be a complicated move. We will have to build an entirely new structure for our lives. I believe it is highly unlikely that anyone from our former civilization will ever come to visit us in this valley. I believe we will need to try and become self-sufficient. To that end, I want a vote from this group concerning what I have said."

Stevens nodded. "Speaking for me and Willie, we are in. There is no squadron to return to."

Watson was next. "I am certain the scientists will want to study this. I am sure they will be in."

Emily Burns was next. Emily is a twenty-five-year-old first Lieutenant that had been in the Air Force for five years. She was bright and determined. "I am sure the men would rather go ranching rather than sitting in this silo."

Core stood up. "Okay. I would like Captain McCormick, Dr. Watson, Dr. Murray, Lt. Burns. And Lt. Douglas to join me in my office to map a rough plan. Thanks everyone."

Abe Simons sighed after everyone left their room. He was glad they hadn't asked too many questions. He had been "exploring" and he didn't want to discuss it with them yet. He knew why she was becoming clingier towards him. Once, when he was cleaning her up after another shit fit, he explored her pussy a little. To his surprise, she immediately got excited and began to get wet. She bent over and spread her legs. It was like instinct, or something. Whatever, he could not resist that glistening, dripping pussy and mounted her hard. It was the best sex he ever had. The more he pumped her, the more whimpering and panting she did. By the time he had filled her with his seed, she was sweating and panting hard. He pulled out and slapped her ass. She squealed and ran off, only to return when he sat down and lay down on the couch beside him. He put his hand on her shoulder, and she shivered. He had not wanted to tell them any of this yet. He knew he had a pet with privileges, whether he wanted it or not. (And it was a dream come true for him)

When everyone was settled in Core's office, he started. "First of all, I think we will need to loosen the military thing here. If you don't mind, I intend to call each of you by your first names and you can call me Rick. Is that okay with all of you?" Everyone nodded. "Okay, good. Dr. Murray how would you like to be addressed?"

Dr. Murray smiled. "My friends call me Liz."

"Liz it is. Dr. Watson?"

"Mary will be fine." One by one they all stated their preferred name. Lt. Burns was Bobby, Lt. Douglas was Emily, Captain McCormick was Susan.

"We will discuss a more informal dynamic with everyone else tomorrow. For now, I thought we would make a list of what we will need to do to move to the ranch."

He had a whiteboard in his office he hadn't used in a while. He turned it around and found a marker.

We will need to take our communications with us. The computers will be moved by Fareed and Towns.

We will need to set up the solar panels to supply power. Whatever is in the valley will not last. It is a good thing they brought us a solar system to run the telescopes and receivers for the rockets. We can disassemble them and move them.

We will need to do a recon mission to the ranch to see what we are facing. We can fly and check it out tomorrow afternoon.

We can go to the town and get as many supplies are we can before it all goes bad.

Anything else for the immediate future?"

They discussed ideas late into the night. They had a drink afterwards and departed.

When everyone was gathered the next morning, Rick laid out the new informal rules for everyone. Most seemed happy with a less formal atmosphere.

He wanted to start with a role call for everyone. He asked each individual to say his preferred name when he called their name.

He started, "I am Rick, or you can call me Major if you choose.

McCormick - "Susan"

Dr Watson - Mary

Dr. Murray - Liz

Lt. Burns - Bobby

Lt. Douglas - Emily

Master Sergeant Davis - Doug

Sergeant Fareed - Zaire

Sergeant Jesus De Luis - Jesus

Sergeant Lilly Towns- Lilly

Captain Bill Stevens - Bill

Airman Willie Majors - Willie

Airman Josiah Schwartz - Joe

Airman Lawanda Perkins - Lawanda

Airman Juan Perez - Juan

Airman Ave Simons - Abe

Airman Prisilla Perry - Prisilla

Airman Amy Vanderbilt - Amy

Sergeant Wally Thompson - Wally

Airman Mandy Ferguson - Mandy

Dr. Benny Benjamin - Benny

Dr. Latisha Emerson - Latisha

Dr. Raymond Staples - Ray

Rick spoke up, "That is twenty-three souls, not including our little stowaway. By the way, Abe, what are you calling her now?"

"I have been calling her Kittie."

"Good as anything else. Is there anyone here who wishes to go a different way than the ranch?"

Everyone looked at each other and shook their heads.

"Okay, it is settled. We move to the big outdoors on the Ranch."

"First of all, Bill, we will need you and Willie to return to the base as often as you can to take everything you can take that might be useful. Take a couple of the guys with you to help. Also, load up as many cans of fuel as you can. The power won't last long on the fuel pumps. We will need to work up a

manual primer pump. We will need as much fuel as we can get to keep your bird in the air."

Next, we will need to pack up our supplies and computer gear to move to the ranch. We will find a large room to set up our command center once we scout out the ranch. That will be the task of the scientists. Joe, Zaire, and Lilly.

Jesus and Lawanda, we will need you to secure our firearms. Once we arrive at the ranch, we will need the two of you to secure all firearms on the premises. Being Montana, I am certain there will be a substantial amount. Once there, we will find a suitable place for an armory.

"Wally, as our resident Chef, please assemble your stores and you and Mandy, your assistant, will commandeer the kitchen at the ranch and set it up as you wish."

"Juan and Abe, please assist Bill in transporting the goods from the base."

"I believe the first step is securing the ranch. As such, I intend to take Susan, Bobby, Emily, Jesus, Joe, and Lawanda on our first mission. We will use the chopper and go in the morning. After you drop us off, Bill, you can take your crew to the base and get started. The rest can begin packing up our stuff. Any questions?"

There were none and everyone dispersed. When Abe got back to his quarters, Kittie was asleep on the couch. She looked up and stretched when he returned. He walked over and scratched her head. She smiled and went back to sleep. This could work out okay.

The next morning a fully loaded helicopter lifted off their pad and headed into the valley. Bill landed in a barnyard clear of the buildings and everyone deployed quickly. Within two minutes, the helicopter was gone.

"Break into pairs. Susan, myself, and Joe will go into the ranch house. Bobby and Emily take the big barn. Jesus and Lawanda, start with the bunkhouse. I'm sure the hands have plenty of firearms. We will meet back here in the yard in thirty minutes."

Everyone headed to their assigned areas. Rick, Susan, and Joe headed to the house. "Joe, call into the silo and make sure they are in contact with us."

"Joe to base, Joe to base. Come in, please."

The radio crackled. "This is base. We read you clear."

"Understood, over and out."

They entered the house through the front door. It was locked, but they managed to get in. Inside the door, in a large living room, standing beside a huge fireplace was a confused looking woman. She had obviously soiled her clothes and looked lost. Rick went over and sat her down on a couch. Susan called out from the next room. "Someone in here also." She brought a maid and cook, Hispanic women of around fifty. They were in the same state as the lady of the ranch. They didn't object to sitting quietly. They found an older man in a study. He was just sitting behind his desk with a blank look on his face. They brought him with the others. The rest of the downstairs was empty.

Next was upstairs. In the first bedroom, they found a young woman, mid-twenties, looking out a window. They checked the other bedrooms and found another woman, a little older with a man, probably her husband in their former life. That was all there was upstairs. They led the three of them downstairs. Seven former people, who knows what they are now.

They looked fine just sitting there so they went back outside. Bobby and Emily were just coming out of the barn. "We found two farm hands. We sat them on a bale of hay. There were five horses in here. They looked like they hadn't eaten in a while, so we fed and watered them. They should be okay for a while."

About then Jesus and Lawanda came out of the bunkhouse. They were pushing a wheelbarrow full of guns, all kinds of guns. "There were a couple of people in the bunkhouse. We just sat them on a bed. They didn't seem to mind."

Rick thought for a minute. "I think we need to consolidate the people in a more secure place. Let's look in the barn."

In the barn he found the five horses. There was also a larger pen at the back.

"This should fit. Each of you go and get the ones you found and bring them here." They took the two ranch hands sitting on the bail of hay and put them into the pen. They went quietly. Each of them went to their respective buildings and returned with the people they had found. Soon there were eleven people in the pen. They just stood there in a confused state.

"They will have to stay there until we get back."

Rick summarized their situation. "The electricity seems to be on. Let's explore the rest of the property together."

There were two large sheds beside the barn. One had a generator that was running. That is where the electricity was coming from. "We need to shut this down for now. The people will just have to survive in the dark. We can't waste the fuel when we are not here." Rick reached up and threw the switch. The generator ground to a halt.

The other shed had chickens. Lawanda stepped inside and began pouring chicken feed into the feeders. "What, we had chickens when I was little."

"I guess you just became the chicken wrangler." Everyone laughed.

There was a large garage. Inside was a couple of tractors, two large farm trucks, a couple of nice cars, two pickups, and one cattle truck. It was a large garage.

There was also a fuel pump in the yard. The gauge said they had nearly 100 gallons of fuel in the underground tank.

Rick had Joe call up Bill on the walkie talkie. "This is ranch to the chopper. Ranch to the chopper. Over."

Bill came through quickly, "Chopper here."

Rick took the walkie talkie. "What is your timeline?"

"We are leaving in a few minutes, but we are full."

"Understood. We found a couple of trucks and are driving back. Out."

"Let's get those pickups out and see if we can get them running." There was a road in the valley that came near the silo. They never used it because it was quicker with the helicopter. It went through the small town. It might be good to check that area out too.

The trucks started easily, and they headed home. As they approached the town, they saw people wandering around the streets. This was going to be a problem.

Suddenly Jesus called out. "Wolves at 9 O'clock." Sure enough, there was a pack of wolves moving for dinner. From the looks of the streets, this would not be the first trip for them. It was a gruesome sight. Blood everywhere. Bones and clothes scattered around.

Rick was afraid of this. There were hundreds of people who lived here two days ago. That type of feed zone would attract every predator in the area. Bears, wolves, coyotes, even smaller animals like foxes and such would come to clean up the leftovers.

They stopped their trucks and got out to look. Rick was first. "I don't know what we can do here. We can't save them all. Even if we could, what would we do with them?"

Emily spoke up. "They may not be human any longer as we know it, but we must try to give them some sort of chance."

Rick looked at the others. "What do you want to do?"

They decided to see how many people were still alive and what they could do. They drove into the town and shot at the wolves. They killed one and the others ran. That should give them a little time.

"They have a small theater here. Spread out and gather who you can into that theater."

They spread out. Susan went with Rick. There was blood everywhere. The predators had obviously discovered this place quickly and had been feeding since the first night. At first, they concentrated on the stores downtown. When they found someone, they gathered them outside and herded them

toward the theater. Once the stores were empty, they looked through the homes nearby. The homes were mostly locked, and it did not appear the predators had needed to try and break in for now.

"Let's leave the people in their homes for now." They headed back to the theater.

They counted fifty-two people, out of 300. Many more would still be in their homes. "Secure the doors for the night and we will go.