14 July 20XX+1
My Dear Lucilius:
So something I almost expected not to happen occurred: Young Xerxes brought word that there was a radio contact.
The contact was with someone south of the place I remembered but relatively North of McAdams. They were a little vague on their location – not surprising, given the state of the world. They knew of The Locusts, had seen them on the main road below them as they passed by, looting a ranch below their ridge.
That said, their report was rather vague: they have no idea whether anyone is left to the north of them, or even if the crops are possibly still there. Nor, when asked, were they willing to check as they had enough of their own issues to date.
This leaves the idea in no better a state than I suggested it in.
On the one hand, it does not mean that the idea is any more unworkable than it was before. On the other hand, it does not mean that the idea is any more possible than before.
However, it does give us two pieces of valuable information. The first is that – based on this contact – there appear to be no more Locusts in that immediate vicinity, or at least ones that are visible. That much was verbally confirmed. The second is that there is some kind of community we can possibly make contact with.
Young Xerxes, or at least whoever was on the radio at the time, had the presence of mind to set up a signaling mechanism of sorts as we move through the area: Building a rock pile near the destroyed ranch near the road (they said we will know it when we see it).
If we make it that far.
Young Xerxes also related they genuinely seemed happy to speak with someone again. Apparently our most recent invasion of Locusts made them wonder who, if anyone, would be around.
It is nice to find out you are not alone in the world after all.
Your Obedient Servant, Seneca
Aha......radio contact with Someone! Young Xerxes and Seneca had better pack long guns in case someone is trying to lure them in but I don't think so. Information is becoming so important, risks must be taken, especially for food for so many. Some valuable trade goods would be vital to take with, establish bona fides/friendship eh TB?
ReplyDeleteIt is possible they are being led on, Nylon12. I suppose I am suspending my disbelief a bit in that 1) The message was relayed second hand and so whoever received the original message was considered reliable; 2) The location can be placed on a paper map and other details verified; and 3) This is still a fairly sparsely inhabited part of the world, at least during the bulk of the year and it is likely somewhere there is a "friend of a friend" verification possible.
DeleteThe contact will be interesting. Even in this initial expedition, Seneca may very well find that individuals who have benefited from group actions are none to willing to be too trustful.
At least in my area, radio contact would be near impossible at this point. All the Citizen's Band radios have long since disappeared in favor of 2-way radios with encoded precise frequencies so you can only talk to someone whom has the same radio as yourself. Even those are almost extinct in favor of cellphones which get much better signal when on the farm reaches of the farm.
ReplyDeleteEd, this particular neck of the woods, such things likely make more sense even now. Or at least as a back up system. Plus - and this is the just the nature of that area - ham radios due to lack of trust in other things is a more probable thing.
DeleteI'm amazed there was contact. Afterall, there is a person in our town who truly believes that cows affect cellphone service. I had to assist this person with getting a new cellphone. At first I thought it was a joke but soon realized I was being told this in all seriousness.
ReplyDeleteI hate it when cows get by the house and mess with my phone service... or even the internet. That's probably what causes 'buffering'. They must be watching Moo-Tube.
Thank you for another chapter! I'm looking forward to the next one!
~hobo
Hobo, those darn cows. Literal disruption fields. If only they would use their powers for good, not for evil.
DeleteThanks very much! If nothing else, it gives me something different to write leading up to Thursdays.
I'm happy to see another chapter too. Can't help but be curious as to where this will go.
ReplyDeleteLeigh, no one is more curious than I. I have to admit how often I am surprised by what is next when I sit down to write.
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