Chapter 1

In year 2500 humanity developed deep space travel technology. Before that, the travel would be within earth's solar system. Earth's moon and Mars both had developed into colonies to nurture humanity's growth in population. By 2600 humanity had built a fleet that the majority of the population lived on.

The transition from earth life to fleet life was not smooth, humanity was divided, some due to religious beliefs wanted to remain on earth. Others knew what was to come, soon after the company responsible for building the fleet had begun its plan. Airtek started stockpiling all of the worlds resources first it secured farmland, then was access to freshwater. Next was livestock. At first the impact was minimal as it had only taken what was needed, but as the number of people joining the fleet increased so did the need for supplies.

The riots started at one of the farmland supply outposts. A generational farmer had his land 'legally' taken by Airtek. When the farmer realized he was not the only victim the chaos ensued. The grocery stores had less and less stock, access to food and water was becoming a rare commodity. A resistance was born. Across the world attacks on the outposts would occur daily, after numerous attacks Airtek stationed armed guards at all of its outposts. These guards were trained to shoot on sight, these attacks would occur over and over again after hundreds were gunned down fighting for food and water. Years later the resistance was snuffed out. Many had joined the fleet or died. Others founded settlements, some found insanity.

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Thomas Hayes was born to a small settlement on earth. His was located where the rocky mountains used to be, or at least that's what he was told. He had seen pictures of the giant rocky structures covered in trees in awe. "If only I had been born back then." He thought. When he was not daydreaming of seeing the mountains, he spent his time scavenging outside the settlement. The surrounding area was ripe with old world goods that caught Hayes attention. While searching he had found an old ham radio. He did not know how to get it working but he knew who could.

Odis was a tall lumbering man with a deep scar across his forehead, he was the settlement's 'fixer'. A resourceful man, you could bring him a problem and he would find a way. Hayes brought the radio to Odis. "Hey old man! Could you take a look at this and see if you could get it working?" Hayes asked. " I will see what I can do." Odis replied. Hayes headed the dirt path to the center of the settlement. During his trek down the beaten path Hayes could hear smaller footsteps following behind. He knew those footsteps. He pretended not to notice. Along the path Hayes found a lone flower, gazing at its beauty he became 'distracted.' The small figure got closer and closer until it was right behind him. "BOO!" Hayes jumped around scaring the young girl. "Aww! I thought I had you this time! I was so quiet! I made sure not to follow too close!" The girl yelled. "Yes, but you did not mirror my footsteps. I could hear you from the very beginning! Come on lets see what Mrs. Ingrid baked today!" Hayes grinned.

Hayes had become an expert at sneaking around. It proved a vital skill while scavenging, being found outside the settlement would mean death. The outlands were littered with raiders; raiders were a group of humans that would attack others for their supplies. Much worse were blood raiders. Without access to fresh food, most raiders became cannibals to survive thus transforming them into blood raiders. One of the side effects of eating human flesh was an insane bloodlust for human meat, once one consumed human flesh there was no turning back. This made the blood raiders especially dangerous. Hayes knew the risk but he could not sate his curiosity. Something deep inside him knew he was looking for something.

Hayes and the girl finally reached the center. "Lilith do you want anything?" Hayes asked. Lilith was the girl behind him. He handed a bundle of copper wire from his pack. He had scavenged the copper from the outlands. In the settlement there was no currency only goods traded for goods. Hayes traded the goods he found in the outlands to survive. Everyone in the settlement had to contribute, this was known for as long as Hayes could remember. Lilith took the copper and headed for Mrs. Ingrid's stall. Hayes followed. "Hey Mrs. Ingrid! What's todays' menu?" Lilith asked.

A loaf of bread in one hand and a loaf of honey white bread in the other. Lilith was pleased. "Go take that back to your father, he will be happy to eat something other than soup tonight!" Hayes smiled. "Thank you Hayes! I'm sure my father will fix that radio for you!" Lilith beamed. The girl left happily with prize in hands, Hayes headed for Ecuador's stall. Ecuador was the settlement's craftsman, in Hayes eyes he could make anything. "Hey Ecuador did you finish my order?" Hayes inquired. The short but stout man turned and grinned. "Of course I did! There is nothing in this world I can't make!" Ecuador brandished a four pronged hook with paracord connected to the base. "Be careful out there, those raiders will not show any mercy if they find you." Ecuador worried. Hayes handed the rest of his scavenged haul to Ecuador and said slyly. "That is the key, IF they find me!" Hayes headed home, it was time to rest.

Hayes had taken his time on the way to the cabin it was dark now, Hayes had come only to rest. He did not like spending much time at home. It was a reminder of his mother, of his past failure. She had died only 3 months earlier. Tuberculosis had taken her. In this day and age people were not supposed to die of TB anymore, but this new age of scarcity of basic resources was the deciding factor. "The only way we can cure her is if I have the proper antibiotics." Hayes remembered what Doctor Johann said. Hayes had scavenged for the antibiotics for weeks. He would not return for days at a time, each time he returned empty handed he noticed how his mother's condition had worsened. This felt to Hayes' as an unacceptable failure, to be unable to save someone he loved. Finally, Hayes fell asleep.

Hayes awoke before sunrise, it was time to start the day. Hayes grabbed the grappling hook and left for the outlands. The trail to the outlands was narrow, it had many twists, turns and forks. Only one path would lead to the outlands, all others would lead to a dead end. Hayes had remembered the path long ago when he would venture with his mother out to see the world. The remains of the rocky mountains surrounded the settlement creating a barrier around it. Finally, Hayes had reached the outlands.

The outlands were littered with abandoned homes and shops all around. Most were emptied long ago. Hayes watched for raiders carefully staying out of the open, not a raider in sight. "This might be easier than I thought!" Hayes grinned. He relaxed a bit, increasing his pace. Hayes passed the homes he had looked through on previous trips. A stench of rust was in the air, Hayes knew better. Before entering the open Hayes scanned the area, still nothing. He threw the hook with all his might to the top of the wall. Ding! "First try!" Hayes double checked the rope to make sure it was secure. After some effort he reached the top of the wall he could see the entire outpost. What he saw made him disgusted. An encampment of blood raiders had made the outpost home. Last nights 'dinner' was strewn across a long table. A grand longhouse sat in the center of the camp. Tents all around. This didn't seem right, they never stayed in one place. They were too feral to organize.

A whistle interrupted Hayes thoughts. "COME HERE BOYS!" The voice came from the entrance of the longhouse. A colossal man of nearly 8 feet was spotted. He was pale skinned with an enormous build. What shook Hayes was the dreadful smile on his face, his teeth looked as if they had been sharpened into daggers. From each of the tents came men of different shapes and sizes, all with that feral look Hayes knew so well. They kneeled in front of the colossal man. "TONIGHT WE FEAST ON THE SETTLEMENT!" Hayes stomach was a rock, he grabbed the rope and slid down. Hayes ran as fast as he could for back to the settlement. Bloodcurdling howls could be heard behind him.

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At the same time..

"Dad let me see it! You didn't program the transceiver correctly!" Lilith said while working with the almost functioning ham radio. Odis watched his daughter proudly, he had taught her everything he knew. He watched as she expertly fixed what he had done wrong. She didn't realize it but she had surpassed him long ago. "I got it!" Lilith jumped for joy. "I can't wait to show Hayes!"

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Hayes could not move fast enough. He raced through the trail back to the settlement. Like a rat in a maze, Hayes dashed through the twists and turns. 'I have to warn them, we have to leave now!' Hayes thought. As he got closer to the entrance he could see the sky getting darker, anxiety overcame him. He could hear them gathering at the center, laughter and chatting bloomed in the distance. He could see them, now just a bit further. "THE BLOOD RAIDERS ARE COMING HERE, THEY ARE COMING TONIGHT WE HAVE TO LEAVE!" Hayes screamed from the top of his lungs. He was at the center now, everyone was looking at him as if he was the boy who cried wolf. "Leave? Where will we go? I'm not leaving because a few blood raiders want to try and find their way in." One man said while tapping the piece strapped to his waist. Laughter could be heard around the center. "They have a leader! It isn't just a few there's over thirty of them! They have weapons! They aren't normal!" Hayes pleaded. He looked over to his friend the craftsman, but didn't get the support he needed. "This is our home. We can't leave just because some raiders are coming." Ecuador said. Hayes looked around, he didn't see a certain fixer or his daughter. He left the aloof crowd, giving up.

SLAM! Hayes blew through the front door to the fixer's home. They weren't here. Workshop! He thought. He headed for the shed behind the house. He found Lilith and Odis stunned listening to the newly fixed ham radio's broadcast. "Warning to all intelligent life on earth, you have one week to join humanity on the fleet. The fleet will be discontinuing its last outpost on the west coast. Again you have one week, this broadcast will update daily with the remaining time before departure." Hayes was momentarily in shock. Regaining his senses Hayes informed them of the impending doom headed for the sanctuary. "We have to leave" Odis said grimly. "What about everyone else are they going with us?" Lilith asked. "No one wants to leave." Hayes shook his head. "We need to show them the broadcast, it may change their minds." Odis added.

"This doesn't change anything." The man who first replied to Hayes' warning earlier replied. This time a portion of the crowd began to panic. "First blood raiders and now there won't be a way off this planet?" Someone in the crowd shouted. "We need to get out of here!" Another said. On the other side opposite views could be heard. "Let those blood raiders come, we have enough rifles for those bloodthirsty idiots!" The man with the piece on his hip said. "As for the fleet leaving earth, I say good riddance we never needed them anyways!" He added. Suddenly, an earth shattering sound rung through everyone's ears. They were here...