ELDRITCH NIGHT (Rough Draft)

Chapter Seven: Daybreak

"Humans?" Sebbit said. "For the most part human society has been untouched, I wouldn't worry."

I stood in Sebbit's office, a small room with a metal desk and backless chair. He sat facing me, occasionally looking down at a tablet-like device, or getting the far-away look I had learned meant he was reading something on an invisible display, probably similar to my own status screen.

Despite these distractions the Captain never had a lull in conversation. He had displayed an extraordinary ability to multitask. I briefly reflected on the fact that I could never know if such a talent was innate, or the result of a skill. Was there even a distinction anymore?

"Untouched?" I said, raising my eyebrow. I wasn't sure if he could interpret my body language, but whatever hi-tech gadgets he had translating for him would probably convey my message.

"Well, relatively. Any transmission capable of leaving the planet has been jammed, how do you think you were discovered to begin with? Your species might as well have been broadcasting your location for every merc, pirate and eldritch abomination in the galaxy."

"So, what...," I said. "No radio, no Wi-Fi?" I thought our species might be doomed.

"It won't be that bad, many frequencies can't penetrate the ionosphere and with some adjustments you'll barely notice the difference. Your satellite communication system will have to be scraped, I'm afraid.

"There is also the mater of the quarantine zones, like this one for instance." He spread his arms out, the black nails on the end of his crimson fingers almost brushing against the white tile walls.

"Including this one, there are fifty-seven quarantine zones spread throughout the globe. Each one contains an unusually high level of eldritch energy. That energy is then contained and harvested to strengthen the system.

"Everything within fifty kilometers of a containment zone will have to be quarantined until we can stop leaks of eldritch energy and creatures, as well as ascertain the effects of the exposure on the locals."

He hesitated for a moment, taking a moment to make eye contact. It was a thing I noticed his species rarely did, and yet he was making a point to communicate in a way he believed would be more comfortable to me.

"There may be.. mutations. Evolutions, degradation in some cases. These will be rare, however. In this case it is the mental and long term affects that we are concerned with. The very things that are hardest for us to identify, often until it is too late."

"And outside these containment zones, everything is what?" I asked. "All hunky-dory? No monsters, or planet eating abominations?"

"Well, no. The energy is too widespread to be completely contained. There will be mutations of local flora and fauna, as well as dimensional... breaches. These are harder to contain, and quite frankly it is a challenge best left to the natives

"It will help them, you, to grow. It is best if Earth can defend itself. The Peacekeepers will not be here permanently, Mr. Finn.'

"How many are dead?" I asked.

"Worldwide? I'm not sure," he said. "Roughly ten percent of the population is likely to be deceased within forty-eight hours of the initial event. These numbers are likely greater near the quarantine zones. In some cases, the entire population of said zones could be wiped out in a manner of days.

"The numbers will stabilize in the coming weeks, we could possible see worldwide numbers rise as high as fifteen percent. Unfortunate, but that is the reality. Famine could claim even more. I hope you can change your mind about leaving."