A New Life

For the next several minutes the two future lovers sat and caught up with the last few days of each other's lives. Simon told Paula her mother called him with news of her death as she had requested and he appreciated it. He also smiled and said, "I was happy you took two of those assholes with you too. Do you know what happened to the others?"

"NO. I have been kept in the dark about news from Earth and my family. How about you?"

"The same. I came aboard, went straight to medical after the greeting, then came here."

"He said we have access to the internet here. Why don't we do a little surfing before we get to work? Maybe we can get caught up on the news and send a message to our family."

Simon snorted and started to speak when Paula continued talking. She said, "I guess that wouldn't be too smart would it? It would freak them out totally if they got an e-mail from us after we died. They would think someone was messing with them. I guess we can't do that can we? Maybe we can at least check the news."

After they booted their computers the two teens began surfing the net. Paula said, "Simon do you think those dates are correct? I feel like I just went to sleep yesterday and woke up today but the dates on the internet make it look as if over three years have passed since we died."

"Yeah. It probably is correct. I remember the guy that woke me said I had been in a stasis chamber."

"Well, I guess we'd better get with it. Do you still want to specialize in household and medical items? If you do, I will take care of the rest of the farming, hunting, construction, and defensive items. Don't forget to try and bring reference books and texts also. Remember, if you bring drugs and biological items they will expire after a length of time. You don't want to use all your cubage on them and then lose them.

"I suggest we only bring a minimum amount of food. Even dry it takes up a lot of space. We will have to live off the land sometime so we should just as well get started. Let's make a list of questions we need answers to as we go, also. I think the first one on the list should be the time of year we will arrive and another should be how easy will it be to find edible plants and animals. We also need to know if we will be able to choose our location or if we have to take whatever location they choose for us. It would be nice to know if any natives around are friendly and if there are any dangerous animals nearby."

The two new pioneers began researching their needs and wants. They knew if they didn't list and bring it they would either have to make it or do without. They began talking and making suggestions to each other as they went.

Many of the smaller tools didn't weigh much or take up much space so Simon brought several of each one. He even requested several 50 pound boxes of various size nails and screws. He requested several hundred feet of various size nylon rope and cord as well as a half mile of the old sound powered phone cable the U S Army used to use. He requested four of the phones also. He requested one Ruger pistol in .44 caliber and two Ruger rifles in .44 caliber along with one Ruger pistol chambered in .22 Mag and .22 Long Rifle as well as a Ruger .22 Rifle that took the Long Rifle cartridges. He requested 10,000 Long Rifle cartridges, 5,000 .22 Mag and 5,000 .44 cartridges. He felt that was a little over kill but it would give him some defensive and hunting capability for some time into the future if he needed it. He also requested ten high quality hunting bows and 2,000 arrow shafts for them. He requested 2,000 hunting points and 500 target points for the arrows.

Moving on down his list he started on the various seeds he wanted. He included wheat, soy beans, field and sweet corn, numerous garden seeds, and a few seeds for improved pastures. He thought and waffled about his need for farm equipment most of one day. Finally he made a note to ask about it. It would do no good to take horse drawn equipment if he had no horse. Besides, it was heavy and bulky.

Oh, crap, he also needed several assorted sizes of tarps to protect his supplies. Then there were fishing supplies, line, poles, and nets. There went more cubage and weight. And don't forget some metal containers to use for harvesting. Oh, hell, he needed wheel barrows or wagons. No, wait. Bring wheels and axels, brackets and bolts and bearings. He could make the wagon or wheel barrow. Heck, rethink the tools. Instead of bringing a whole tool only bring the metal parts and make handles on site. That would save a lot of weight and cubage. Back to the drawing board. What else could he bring components for and manufacture after he arrived. Wow, another thought; have metal equipment and tools made from titanium. It's lighter and stronger than steel.

After three days Simon and Paula had a long, long list of questions. They sent a message to Mr. Slitsniff with the questions attached. Within a few minutes of sending the message he arrived at their work area. They spent the next two hours discussing the lists, justifying some of the requests and trying to find out more information to make their plans.

They did get Mr. Slitsniff to agree they could choose their landing point within 4 general areas of the world. During the conversation Simon asked a question that stumped Mr. Slitsniff. He asked, "I know you said we were limited by the dimensions of an old Earth Conestoga wagon. Are we going to be given the wagon to haul our belongings in or how are we expected to transport them? In the original assignment we were told to assume transportation was not a limiting factor. Just what does that mean? Also, if we are given a wagon to haul our belongings does it come with repair parts and animals to pull it? Can we bring animals and if we can do they count against our weight limits? Furthermore, I believe we need to do some research on our new home before we make a final decision on items we wish to take with us. We may have chosen some items we will not need and not chosen some that could make a large difference in surviving or living well."

Slitsniff sat and stared blankly at Simon for a moment. His mouth opened and closed several times. He finally said, "I cannot answer those questions. I don't know if they have even been considered. I think you need to return to your work and I will take this up with my superiors."

Simon and Paula worked several more hours and took a full "night long" sleep period before they received a response to the last batch of questions they asked. The answer came in the person of Professor Sheripati.

The professor walked into the work room and said, "You two sure have caused an uproar with your last questions. It reminds me of our last classes together. I assumed when I was given the reference to the wagon that animals would be provided to pull it. For some reason the idiots that gave me the dimensions must have thought it was self propelled. In any event, you are to be given the normal compliment of animals to pull the wagon in excess of the weight limits for your equipment. The idiots argued for several of your hours over the question about taking biologicals with you. They finally decided you will be allowed to take excess animals with you but they will count against your weight limit. If you choose to take animals I suggest you take young ones so they do not weigh as much. This, of course, does not include the animals necessary to pull your wagons. They are in excess to your weight limit.

"You made a good point about surveying the location where you will be placed. You will be allowed two days to research proposed locations on the planet after we arrive. Unfortunately that will not help you with selecting items to bring from Earth. I can make the exploration ships downloads available to you. They may help somewhat in your decision. I do know many of the animals you have on Earth are similar to ones on your new Earth. We know you will have no difficulty eating any of the normal flora and fauna. Of course there are some plants and animals there that are poison or deadly just as there is on your Earth. You will be given books with that information included.

"On another note, I had to argue long and hard but I have been given permission to let you take almost all the books and plans you have requested. We have even agreed to print them on nearly non-destructible plastic as you requested."

The professor turned to Paula and continued talking, "You were authorized simple medical texts containing knowledge through the end of 1930. I am sorry but they held fast to that date for some reason. I think that is because our research indicates that is the beginning of the era where your world began changing for the worst. You are allowed to take any drugs available up to that date and instructions for manufacturing them although much of the technology to make the drugs will be beyond you for years."

The two settlers returned to their computers after the professor left. They worked long into the night researching the planet. They found they needed to make almost no changes to their load and went to bed happy.

The next day they began planning what animals to take. Oh, hell, they now had or soon would have horses to ride. They needed a saddle for each of them. What kind of saddle? What kind of horses? More research. How many animals to pull each wagon? More research.

Finally they felt their research was completed. They were going to try to cheat on the animals. Animals that pulled the wagons were excess to their weight limits. Normally horses, oxen or mules pulled the wagons but why couldn't cows pull also? It was a way to get some adult cattle. They would also demand each female animal pulling a wagon test positive for pregnancy. That would give them more animals rapidly.

They decided since Paula's wagon would be lighter even with some of the seeds Simon requested in her load, that she would request cattle and oxen to pull her wagon. As a result she requested three Salers cows, a Salers bull, three Simmental cows and a Simmental bull.

Simon requested two Clydesdale mares, a stallion, two quarter horse mares and stallion and a male and female donkey. He intended to use the male donkey to produce some mules as well as donkeys.

They requested 400 straight run chickens split between the barred rock and Rhode Island Red breeds. They also requested four weaning Hampshire pigs, three gilts and a boar, unrelated.

To their surprise even with the livestock they had a few pounds of weight left over. They decided to increase their stock of seeds and even ordered a few preserved food items they knew they probably would never see again to use for special occasions and treats. The final addition was two female and a Male Blue Merle Australian Sheppard puppies. Finally they were as well prepared as they thought they could be.

Now Simon once again confounded Mr. Slitsniff. He sent a request that all the tools and equipment he and Paula ordered with the exception of the medical equipment be made of titanium if it was made of metal. He even requested the wagons and repair parts be made of titanium.

When Mr. Slitsniff came into their room to complain about it Simon actually managed to talk him into doing as they requested. He did throw him a bone though. He said if he could prove a different metal would be better for the item in question they would allow a different metal to be substituted for that specific item. In this way they obtained lighter weight, stronger tools. Oops. Now they had a few more pounds they could load if they could find the cubage. Back to the drawing board.

Finally they were prepared. They gave each other a deep kiss and long, long hug before allowing the crew to place them back in their stasis chambers.

Once again it seemed as if they awakened from a night's sleep when they were brought out of stasis. This time they met in a large auditorium. To the best of his estimation Simon counted 297 people sitting in the auditorium. At a guess only about a third of the people present were female, perhaps less.

Professor Sheripati, Mr. Slitsniff and three other individuals filed onto the stage. They all took seats. The man in the middle that Simon had never seen before stood and began talking. He said, "Welcome to all of you. Today you are gathered here for two very important reasons. Today we mourn the passing of your world." He touched his ear and immediately a large screen began showing missiles and bombers rising from the majority of the world's industrialized countries as well as the oceans. The video was obviously running faster than normal as they witnessed the bombs landing then a spreading glow coming from China, the Pacific Northwest and several other highly volcanic areas of the world. They watched as California fell into the ocean when the fault line finally went.

Finally the words came across the screen, "The end of the Earth. December 25, 2021."

There were several voices raised in shock and sorrow. Simon was surprised to see it had been six years since he "died". It only felt as if it had been a little over a week since that was the amount of time he spent out of stasis.

Two young people nearby were sitting in total shock staring at the screen. He heard the man say to the woman, "I can't believe it. We've been on this contraption for 77 years."

After the sound level declined somewhat the man once again began speaking. He said, "Now, we also celebrate the colonization of a new Earth by you few young people of the old Earth. While most of you slept in stasis others of you boarded, worked and planned. Some of the later arrivals negotiated upgraded equipment for you earlier arrivals as well as livestock to pull your wagons. They also negotiated permission for each of you, within reason, to choose the location you are to colonize. We will take everyone's wishes into consideration but I do have to insist you be spread across the globe. One of the purposes of this mission is to force the indigenous population out of their stagnation. To do this you must interact, intermarry and interbreed with them. I know some of you have formed a union between members of the opposite sex. Those unions that currently exist will be allowed to land together. Others, if you are friends with someone on board here, will be allowed to colonize contiguously. The rest of you will be placed somewhere alone. Most of the population of this planet is non violent so you should be safe but there is no guarantee. You should be constantly on your guard for danger from the environment, animals and indigenous humans."

Professor Sheripati rose and began speaking. He said, "Those of you who were picked up earlier will find the equipment you requested upgraded in quality. You will also find many items you did not request that are more modern than those you did request. You will find instructions and educational texts that go along with the items you are taking into the wild. We have also arbitrarily allowed certain livestock both to pull your wagon and for you to raise. I am sorry you cannot make these choices yourself but you see Earth does not exist any longer so that would have been impossible.

"The first order of business is for you to look over the new planet and give us requests for areas in which you wish to live. After we have decided the area you will be landed in we will give you 24 hours to look over the area from our surveys and select an exact location where you wish to be set down. If there are no questions, please wait in your seats for us to call your name. When your name is called you will be led to a room in which you may begin your research. Each of you will have one of our crew assigned to help you operate our equipment if you are unable to do so by yourself. Thank you."

Slowly the room emptied as single individuals and one or two couples were guided to their work areas. Finally, Simon and Paula were called and led back to the room in which they initially worked. They rapidly called up the information on their computers. This time they put the display on the large screen at the end of the room as they had much of their joint work in the past. They did a quick survey of the world to identify interesting locations, quickly screening out a large percentage of the world that was either too cold, too sandy or even too hot for them. This was easier than you might think because placing the cursor over an area caused a drop down menu to appear with many weather statistics from rainfall, snowfall, average and high and low temperatures and so forth. After they ruled out many of the locations available they found themselves left considering most of the temperate zones. They were surprised to find the land masses were similar to those of old Earth as they knew it. Of course some of the worlds land mass was already excluded from consideration because there were no indigenous persons living there. They were required to colonize near a settlement of this Earth's people.

They agreed they wanted some mountains nearby as well as clear free flowing streams. It would be nice to be near an ocean even if they might never get to see it. Finally they settled on a location in the southeast part of a continent that might have been North America if on their Earth. They had some really excellent pictures of a nice valley with a stream running through the center of it and two or three smaller feeder streams joining it at places in the valley.

There was a lot of open land to farm and many trees to use for wood. There was a native village just outside the lower end of the valley that statistics said had been there for years. They were ready to go assuming they got their first selection. Just to be safe they turned in their first selection then got busy trying to agree on a second one.

After everyone made their selections the few conflicts were resolved by ships personnel. Surprisingly there were very few conflicts. Many of the areas that were open for colonization went unmanned simply because there were not enough people to land someone there. If there was a conflict the locations near the one under conflict were pulled together, the disagreeing people were taken into a room and the merits of each person's claim discussed. Then the merits of the alternate sites were covered until finally the matter was settled. There was only one instance where the two who wanted the same site could not agree. In that instance that site was left unfilled and the two people were given sites on either side of the contested one.

Finally, D-day, to use an old expression that could also stand for Departure Day, was upon the crew. There was an air of excitement as everyone manned their wagons and prepared to drive them into the shuttles that would deliver them to this new land. Of course it took two shuttles for Simon and Paula. Upon landing they received their final instructions from Professor Sheripati. He said, "I know you will do well. You have, perhaps, the best thought out load of any settlers. In fact, we used your requirements to fill the wagons of those individuals selected from earlier in the 20th century. You are also one of the few settlements that gave more than cursory thought to medical care and farming. Most of the settlers brought a few tools and a lot of food, clothing and other luxury items. Almost none of them thought to request and bring blue prints, instruction manuals, and text books. We did provide some of those items when we back filled some of the earlier wagons, but I am pretty sure the people who received them will not use them. In many cases the earlier selectees have no education or only a few years of grade school. Their saving grace is they are used to more primitive life styles and will do well in this primitive environment. They know very well how to survive at a subsistence level.