Bugs!
“Well, this Nav-Tab is useless,” Adrian sighed, holding up the device. He shook it and lightly smacked it, thinking it would make it work. He stood not far from the shuttles door. He and Talia acting as sentries.
“That was to be expected,” Morgan replied, their tone pragmatic. “Until we get the Nexar Link established, it’s just a glorified paperweight.” They crouched by the shuttle, inspecting the damage. It was extensive—two thrusters lost, a ruined rudder, and strips of the hull torn clean off. “Great.” Morgan muttered, reentering the shuttle.
Some of the crew were sitting inside. Morgan went past them and started fidgeting with the dashboard.
“Why can’t we just use regular radios again?” Mira asked, frustration in her voice. She was fanning herself. The air was humid, she wasn’t used to it and she did not like it.
“Oh!” Elias piped up, his hand shooting into the air like a student in class. “I know this one! It’s the radiation and electromagnetic interference. And, uh... ionization. I think?” He trailed off, scratching his head.
“Basically, yes,” Cora chimed in, laughing softly at his earnest attempt. She sat in the pilots chair assessing the damage internally. “The interference down here is way too strong for standard radio frequencies. That’s why we need to get to the bunker ASAP.” She held up a small, sleek module over her shoulder a moment. Letting the others get a view of it. “Once we connect this to the systems there, we can establish the Nexar Link with the Dock. That’ll restore communication with the Colony and give us real-time navigation.” She went back to her work.
“Why will that work and not our radios?” Mira repeated, crossing her arms.
“Laser Communication Systems,” Talia answered matter-of-factly. She had entered the shuttle, standing by the door.
Cora shot her a curious look, turning around in her chair. “What? I know things,” Talia said, rolling her eyes.
“She’s right,” Morgan confirmed. “The Dock has an advanced laser comm satellite system. It’s resistant to interference, unlike standard radios.” They walked out of the shuttle and approached Adrian. “Give me the Nav-Tab please.”
Adrian handed it over. “What are you planning?” He followed Morgan back into the shuttle.
Noah, meanwhile, was barely paying attention to the conversation. His focus was on the world around them—Earth. The “forests” and “gardens” on Haven were nothing compared to this. He inhaled deeply, savoring the scents of pine and damp earth. Dirt. Real dirt. A grin spread across his face.
“Well,” Morgan began, fiddling with the Nav-Tab, “the shuttle’s wrecked, but the radio isn’t. It’s not as powerful as what’s in the bunker, but I might be able to jury-rig it to at least get a rough idea of where we are—and how far Fort Trident is.”
“That sounds… risky,” Noah said, his curiosity piqued despite himself. The entire crew now stood back in the metal box.
“It is,” Morgan admitted with a smirk. “But I’m confident in my ability to bullshit my way to a solution.”
“Careful you don’t fry the Tab,” Cora warned as she moved to assist.
“Relax,” Morgan said, plugging in the device. “If the bunker’s satellite is still active, this should ping it.”
“Won’t it be dead after all this time?” Noah asked.
“Not likely,” Cora replied. “If it wasn’t destroyed in the Cataclysm, it’ll still be connected to the bunker’s fusion reactor.”
“Self-sustaining power source,” Morgan added, anticipating the next question.
“And if it was destroyed?” Adrian asked, grim.
“Then we’re screwed,” Morgan said bluntly. “Let’s hope for a bit of luck.” With a dramatic flourish, they pressed the final button. “Yes! Okay, we are—” Their excitement faded as they stared at the screen. “Shit.”
“What?” Talia asked from the back of the shuttle.
“We’re farther away than we should’ve been. A lot farther,” Morgan said a tinge of anger in their tone.
“How much farther?” Mira groaned, already bracing for bad news. Cora and Morgan shared a look, silently arguing who should break the bad news.
“Our two-to-four-hour hike just turned into eight. Maybe more.” Cora lost, delivering the news.
The group groaned collectively.
"Fuck me," Noah muttered, throwing his head back in exasperation. Everyone took a moment to complain and vent their frustrations. Noah slumped into a seat, his head falling into his hands. Off to a great start, he thought.
“Well, boss, what do you say?” Adrian asked, settling in next to his fiancé.
Noah looked up, grinning faintly. “I say pack up and let’s go. Might as well get a good start, right?” He announced to the crew.
Adrian returned the grin and nodded. He reached over and rubbed Noah’s back in support but with a touch of affection.
“It’s just past noon,” Talia added, looking at her watch. “If we start now, we should reach the town just after sunset. We can look for the bunker entrance in the morning.”
“We could take some samples along the way,” Elias suggested, already rummaging through his bag for tools. “I want to get as much data on the soil and flora as I can.”
“I’ll help with that,” Mira chimed in with a smile. Noah always suspected the two had a thing, but he wasn’t sure how to ask.
“If we’re going to start collecting samples, that’s going to slow us down,” Adrian pointed out.
“So?” Noah asked, arching an eyebrow.
“So?” Adrian echoed, clearly agitated. “Our primary goal is to reach the bunker. We need to get there first. They can play science later.”
“Play science?” Mira repeated mockingly, her tone sharp. “It won’t matter if we get to the bunker if Earth isn’t survivable. Sure, we can breathe the air, but what about drinking the water? Eating the plants? And the soil—can it even sustain crops?”
“We can figure all that out later,” Adrian snapped back. Noah felt irritation bubble up. Adrian rarely acted like this, but as the leader, Noah had to maintain calm.
“Before or after we’ve run out of supplies and realize the colony can’t survive down here?” Elias retorted; his frustration evident.
“Enough!” Noah raised his voice, silencing the argument. “We’ll do both. Talia, there’s a river nearby, right?”
Talia nodded. “About a twenty-minute detour.” She’d done some light recon after landing.
“Perfect,” Noah said, turning to Mira and Elias. “You two test the water while the rest of us help out by collecting some soil and plant samples along the way. Once we set up camp, you can run the more detailed tests. Deal?”
Elias sighed but nodded. “Fine.”
“Fine,” Mira agreed reluctantly.
Adrian mumbled his agreement, heading toward one of the shuttle’s storage panels. He opened it, revealing a cache of survival gear and weapons. He handed everyone a handgun. “Here. In case we run into any lions, tigers, or bears.”
“Or mutated monsters,” Cora added, taking one with a smirk.
“Let’s stay vigilant,” Talia warned, tightening her ponytail and slinging her pack over her shoulder. “The terrain is dense with trees, and the old road nearby is covered in roots. It’s almost completely gone, but parts of it are still intact.”
“Did you notice which way the road runs?” Morgan asked.
“East to west,” Talia confirmed.
“Good,” Morgan said. “We need to head west. If we follow the road, maybe we’ll spot a surviving sign. It might tell us how far we are—or at least confirm we’re heading the right direction. At the very least follow the sun I guess.” They added.
Elias frowned. “The odds of that are low. Between the heat from the nukes, two centuries of erosion, and weather, any signs would’ve been obliterated. Metal could’ve melted, paint would’ve evaporated. It’s a wonder that that road is even still—”
“Can you just be grateful for the miracle?” Noah interrupted with a laugh.
Elias paused, then grinned. “Sorry. It’s just—this is Earth. We’re on Earth. For us, everything here is brand new. I feel like an alien making first contact. Every step down here is a new discovery in a way.” His enthusiasm spread through the group, a contagious reminder of the wonder underlying their mission.
Talia smiled. “Well, then, if everyone’s ready... let’s discover.”
They all stepped out of the shuttle, the vast, untamed wilderness of Earth stretching before them. The trek had begun.
They had, in fact, not reached the town of Fort Trident by sunset. The heat and humidity had taken its toll, and the uneven terrain proved far more challenging than anticipated. By Talia’s estimation, using her watch’s distance tracker, they had made it a little more than halfway. The detour to collect samples, planned for twenty minutes, had stretched into a full hour.
After confirming the river water was clean, Mira had pushed Elias into it, and the group succumbed to a collective, childlike urge to swim and splash in the shallow waters. Adrian and Noah had taken the opportunity to wade into the deeper end for a quiet moment alone.
No sign for the town materialized, but the remnants of the old world made their presence known. Crumbling buildings and skeletal structures dotted the roadside, gradually giving way to stretches of dirt and endless trees. While the road itself was little more than a memory, Morgan had downloaded a map to the Nav-Tab, keeping them on the right path.
Now, they sat around a fire, eating their rations. The tents were pitched, a basic perimeter established, and the group settled into the rhythm of camp life.
Noah leaned back, taking in their surroundings. The cool night air had replaced the oppressive heat, carrying the occasional rustle of leaves. He watched the firelight flicker and dance as Mira and Elias guided Cora – teaching her - through testing the collected samples. Their laughter rose above the crackling flames.
Smiling, Noah tilted his head back, gazing at the moon and stars, and listening.
Listening.
The faint chirping of insects caught his attention.
“Guys, shh,” Noah said sharply, his body tensing as he snapped his gaze back to the group.
“What?” Adrian asked, instantly alert, hand tightening on his rifle. “What is it?”
“Listen,” Noah whispered, his grin calming Adrian as he placed a hand on his arm. “Just… listen.”
The sound grew louder, a symphony of chirps echoing through the trees.
“Bugs!” Elias exclaimed, his excitement lighting up the group.
“That means…” Mira’s smile spread, her voice buzzing with energy.
“Life,” Talia finished, her expression glowing as she gestured toward the testing equipment. “Guess we don’t need those tests after all.”
“It sounds so—”
“Beautiful,” Adrian interrupted, his voice soft with wonder. He leaned over and kissed Noah’s cheek. “What kind of bugs are they? Elias, any guesses?”
“Most likely crickets. Cicadas don’t usually settle this far north,” Elias replied, the gears in his head already turning.
“We don’t know that anymore,” Cora pointed out.
“She’s right,” Morgan added, sitting up from the nap everyone assumed they were taking. “The Cataclysm could’ve disrupted migration patterns and entire ecosystems.” They smirked. “Also, by the way, I’m awake.”
Everyone laughed, basking in the moment. They sat quietly for a time, just listening.
“Hey,” Adrian whispered to Noah, his voice low and inviting. “Come with me.”
“Where?” Noah asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Not far. Just… far enough.” Adrian’s mischievous grin said everything Noah needed to know.
“Okay.” Noah nodded, letting Adrian pull him to his feet.
“I’m doing another perimeter check,” Adrian announced to the group.
“I’m going with him,” Noah added quickly.
“Yeah, ‘perimeter check,’” Cora teased under her breath, smirking.
Noah shot her a look that screamed zip it. She complied, stifling her laughter as the pair walked off into the night.
Noah and Adrian walked a few yards away from the camp, the dim glow of their fire fading behind them. The forest around them was alive with sound—chirping insects, rustling leaves, and the faint hum of life in the air. Adrian stopped abruptly and pulled Noah behind a tree, pressing him against it with a fervor that caught Noah off guard.
“Adrian—wait,” Noah murmured, his breath catching as Adrian’s lips met his. It wasn’t gentle. The kiss was hard and insistent, almost desperate, tasting of urgency and something Noah couldn’t quite name. He kissed back but broke away after a moment, leaning his forehead against Adrian’s to steady himself.
“Slow down, baby,” Noah said softly, placing a hand on Adrian’s chest.
Adrian smirked, brushing his thumb along Noah’s jaw. “Come on, don’t you want to be the first people to fuck on Earth in two hundred years?”
Noah chuckled, despite himself. Adrian always had a way of spinning things that made it hard to argue. “I do,” he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. “But shouldn’t we... I don’t know... take a moment? This is special.”
Adrian’s grin didn’t waver, but his hands slid down Noah’s sides, impatient and searching. “It’ll still be special,” he said, his tone dismissive. “We just don’t have all night.”
The words stung, though Noah wasn’t sure why. He let out a breath and nodded, convincing himself Adrian had a point. They didn’t have time to linger. This wasn’t about perfection—it was about the connection, right? He met Adrians lips again, letting his taste invade him.
Noah tried to ground himself, running his hands along Adrian’s back, trying to match the intensity without losing himself. He wanted to feel that spark, that mutual electricity that had drawn them together in the first place. But as Adrian pressed him harder against the tree, whispering praise that felt more like autopilot than sincerity, Noah’s chest tightened. Then he resigned to the moment, wanting to get this over with.
Noah gripped Adrian and started to stroke up and down to get his attention. Adding the twist and pulse that he loved. “Huh!” Adrian sucked in, groaning at the sensation. He stopped for a moment. “Okay, we’ll do it your way.” He slowed down as did Noah.
Adrian kept Noah pinned against the tree while his fingers continued to unlock his tightness. “Mmm…” Noah moaned at the touch.
“Okay, on your knees.” Adrian commanded. Before Noah could respond, his hands were on his shoulders pushing him down. Noah fell to his knees and pulled Adrian’s pants with him. His length sprung up, smacking from thigh to thigh as Adrian did his usual dance. Noah chuckled before Adrian put the tip to his lips and used his hand to trace them with it. “You look so good down there, open up.” He pushed forward and Noah’s lips parted easily.
“Mm.” Noah moaned as he sunk all the way to the base in a fluid motion. The days hike covered him. The musk was intoxicating. Noah let go of his inhibitions. He started moving back and forth with a fervor as Adrian drove in and out of his throat with each rock of his hips.
“Oh god, that’s right baby. Just like that.” Adrian’s head fell back, one hand resting on top of Noah’s head. It moved as Noah did, in slow and deep motions. Noah purred and Adrian shook in response. “Okay, stand up. I’m ready.”
“Yes sir.” Noah moaned as he pulled off. Adrian turned him around as he stood and pulled his pants down. He place a hand over his mouth and lined himself up, pushing in, in one swift motion.
“Ahh!” Noah saw stars, groaning into Adrians palm as Adrian started pumping away. He let himself relax to try and get used to Adrians girth. “Argh!” Noah groaned again as Adrian tightened his grip on Noah’s mouth.
“Oh, fuck baby.” Adrian whispered into his ear. His thighs smacking into the back of Noah’s as he humped away. He’d pull out to the tip and then sink back in with a force. Sending sparks across his own body and causing Noah’s eyes to cross and stars to shine in them with each intrusion. The pain and pleasure equal.
“Grr!” Noah growled as Adrian reached down with his free hand and put a finger inside him, joining his pumping cock. The two rocked, Noah’s face scratching the bark as Adrian pummeled him. He could hear Adrians breath deepen; his thrusts become more erratic. He knew what that meant. He started to push back harder and tighten himself, trying to bring Adrian to his finish.
“Oh! Shit!” He bellowed as he spasmed and Noah felt himself fill with the warm and accustomed liquid. “Fuck!” Adrian withdrew his finger and smacked Noah’s cheek. His other hand falling from Noah’s mouth, allowing him to pant – tired from the fucking.
““Oh god, my legs.” Noah felt unsteady as Adrian pulled out, the sudden emptiness leaving him breathless and disoriented. He stumbled but caught himself on the tree in front of him.
“Fuck, that was good, baby boy!” Adrian smacked Noah’s ass with a grin. “You?”
“Yeah.” Noah bent down and pulled up his pants, the automatic response tumbling out of him—a habit of telling Adrian what a good job he’d done. Adrian pulled him into another kiss, softer this time, and Noah melted into it, savoring the fleeting warmth. Noah loved some rough and aggressive sex, but he also wanted some balance. Adrian just wasn’t good at that. It was often what he wanted. Noah tolerated it because he loved him. He buckled his belt and turned back towards camp. “We should go before they realize what we’re really doing.”
“Oh, your friend Cora, no doubt does and she’s probably blabbed to the whole team already.” Adrian huffed, buckling his own pants back up.
“Cora wouldn’t gossip like that.” Noah defended her.
“Really? I heard her little comment as we left camp.” Adrian wrapped his arm around Noah’s and the two fell into a rhythm as they walked back to camp.
“Adrian…” Noah groaned. Not wanting to have this argument. He knew that Adrian didn’t really care for Cora, but they all needed to be a unit right now. He also didn’t want to argue with his boyfriend – fiancé. He thought, correcting himself. He didn’t want to argue with his fiancé.
“Fine, I’ll drop it.” Adrian bumped Noah’s hip, his grin softening the moment. “Hey, I love you.” His steely eyes caught the firelight as they approached camp, the flickering glow dancing in his gaze.
“You too,” Noah replied, the words automatic as Adrian leaned down to give him a quick peck on the lips.
“Okay, now if you two lovebirds are done with your… ‘perimeter check,’ we should all get some sleep.” Talia’s dry tone cut through the quiet as they joined the group by the fire. Adrian shot Noah a smug ‘see?’ look, but Noah ignored him.
Talia continued, “I’ll take first watch; we’ll alternate by the hour. We leave at first light and should hit the bunker by ten or eleven a.m.”
“Maybe there’ll be a diner in town. We could stop for pancakes!” Cora quipped, her grin infectious.
“Ooh!” Elias jumped in, clasping his hands together. “I’m ordering the breakfast platter with double eggs.” Their laughter rippled through the camp, easing the tension.
“That does sound good,” Talia admitted with a chuckle. She glanced at Morgan. “I’ll wake you in an hour for your turn.”
“Why me?” Morgan protested. “Shouldn’t Noah make the ‘chore chart’? He’s team leader.”
“Talia’s head of security,” Noah retorted, tossing a cracker at him. “And you’re second because you ‘pretended’ to nap while we set up tents and built the fire.”
“That’s fair,” Morgan grumbled, heading toward his tent. “Goodnight for real this time.”
The others followed suit, slipping away to their tents. Noah and Adrian crawled into theirs, nestling into the shared sleeping bag. Noah threw an arm over Adrian and pressed a soft kiss to the back of his neck. “Goodnight, baby,” he whispered, but Adrian was already snoring.
Noah stared at the faint outline of the tent roof, his thoughts churning. Adrian always fell asleep so easily, slipping into rest without a care. Noah envied that about him. For Noah, sleep took longer. The day had been so exciting. They were the first people to be on earth in so long. He just couldn’t stop thinking it. Couldn’t let that go. It made him buzz.
Noah forced himself to settle his thoughts, calm down and focus on getting some rest for the even bigger day tomorrow. He sighed softly, shutting his eyes drifting away.
“Noah!” Adrian’s voice was sharp, laced with panic. “Get up now!” He shook Noah hard.
Noah’s eyes flew open, his heart hammering in his chest as the world around him erupted into chaos. Shouts and screams filled the night, punctuated by the sharp crack of gunfire.
“EVERYONE MOVE!” Talia’s voice barked through the din, her gunshots splitting the once-gentle night.
Noah shoved the tent flap open just as a figure loomed, raising a jagged, uneven blade that glinted in the moonlight like shattered glass. The strike came down fast—too fast—but Adrian yanked him back inside, throwing him behind him. Without hesitation, Adrian raised his gun and fired. The attacker dropped instantly, their face a ruin.
Stranger… Noah thoughts scrambled as he struggled to process. There shouldn’t be people here! There…can’t be people here!
Adrian tossed him a handgun. “Stay with me!” he shouted, stepping out of the tent and firing into the darkness.
Noah hesitated, frozen as the chaos surged around him. The primal screech of something inhuman snapped him out of it. A heavy axe cleaved through the tent wall, its chipped edge biting into the fabric, inches from his face.
“Ah!” he screamed, raising the gun and firing blindly. His shot went wide, and the attacker vanished into the shadows, leaving the weapon embedded in the tent floor. Its crude handle, wrapped in strips of fraying leather, stuck out like a splintered bone.
Stumbling outside, Noah spotted Mira and Cora huddled by a tree. He ran to them. “What the hell is going on?”
“We don’t know!” Mira wailed. “There’s people—fucking people!”
A gunshot cracked behind them. Elias appeared, grabbing Mira by the arm and dragging her to her feet. A body lay at his feet, thin and leathery, dressed in filthy rags. “Come on, we have to go.” They took another look at the skin; it was…burned?
“Radiation?” Cora stammered, terror in her voice as she looked over the corpse.
“No,” Mira muttered, horrified herself. “That’s not radiation damage. It’s sun damage.” She examined.
“We don’t have time for that!” Talia ran to them. Morgan in tow. “We don’t know how many there are, or where they’re coming from. We need to move. Now.” She commanded.
Adrian rushed to their side, firing a shot at an advancing figure. “Run, goddammit!” he barked.
“Death to the Gods!” A ragged voice shrieked, and another attacker lunged at them, gripping what looked like a sharpened slab of metal, pocked and corroded. It was menacing and wickedly sharp. Talia dropped them with a single shot to the head, right between the eyes.
Gods? Noah thought, but there was no time to process. Adrian grabbed his arm and pulled him toward the forest as chaos swallowed their camp. A quick glance back revealed their attackers tearing through their tents like wild animals, armed with brutal, improvised tools.
“No! Let me go, you bastard!” Mira’s scream pierced the air as one of the ragged figures grabbed her.
“No!” Elias broke away, firing into the dark as he charged.
Noah ripped himself from Adrians grasp “Noah!” Adrian yelled, gabbing at him. Trying to keep him by him, but Noah tore free, raising his gun. He hesitated—Mira was too close for a clear shot. Before he could act, another attacker blindsided him, tackling him to the ground.
“Noah!” someone shouted, but he couldn’t see who. He was too busy fighting off the wiry figure pinning him down, their knife a jagged shard of metal tied to a wooden handle with frayed wire. The blade wavered as it hovered over his chest.
“Get off me, motherfucker!” Noah growled, straining against their unnatural strength.
“Death to the Gods and their messengers!” the attacker hissed, their breath hot and rancid, making Noah gag. The figure’s gaunt frame belied their terrifying power.
“I’m not—” Noah grunted, shoving his knee up under their ribcage. “A fucking God!” With a powerful kick, he sent the attacker tumbling back.
Scrambling to his feet, Noah grabbed for his gun—but before he could fire, the attacker’s head snapped forward, impaled by a jagged metal pike that looked like it had been torn from machinery and filed to a cruel point.
Behind them stood a man, tall and broad, clad in makeshift armor cobbled together from sheets of dented steel and fraying cloth. It looked nothing like the armor from the Earth history books Noah had read. The man pulled the weapon free with a grunt, barely sparing Noah a glance before vanishing into the fray.
Noah froze, staring after him. What the fuck! Who the hell was that?
“Noah!” Elias’s voice broke through the haze. Noah turned, but before he could respond, a foot slammed into the side of his head, sending him sprawling to the ground.
His vision swam with dark spots as his ears rang, the world spinning into chaos once again. Just as he lost consciousness he saw a man loom over him.
I really hoped it would be the radiation. Noah thought to himself, waiting for the deathblow.
He was dazed, falling to the ground as his eyes exploded with dark spots and birds.
