Note for the readers:
This fanfic is based on the "Riverworld Saga", original of the Sci-fi Grandmaster Philip Jose Farmer.
The story takes place (except the first chapter) in the imaginary "Riverworld", created by the original author. The authors of this fic decided to respect the original chronology of the story. So, mankind is annihilated in 2008 a.C. Any changes respect the chronology of the tv show, is due to this decision.
Is important to note that, in this history, all characters have an extra year. For example, Lisa Loud is five years old, not four. The reason of this change will be evident in the last chapters. As this, mysteries of Riverworld will be resolved step by step.
An important note is that we followed the original story only to certain extent. The Loud family will make its own story, with their own conflicts, wins and losses; although by some point, they could interact with characters of the original saga.
By last, a note of warning: this is the first time that we adapted one of our stories to English language. None of us are native English speakers, so this translation surely have innumerable grammar, stylistic and narrative blunders.
Our apologies for this. Please, feel free to make us comments and observations about our history and our flawed English. That will be inappreciable for editing and improvement proposes.
Thanks for reading!
1. The end of the mankind
Two nights before the doomsday, like billions of people in the world, the Loud family was sitting in front of the television.
After so much fear and anxiety, they were at last relaxed and fascinated. The mankind had achieved one of his greatest dreams ... And at the same time, had seen one of his worst fears:
They had come in contact with extraterrestrial life.
Obviously, after the contact and the first confusing and distorted news; panic and terror spread throughout the world. However, in the era of information and Internet, there were many prestigious voices and authorities who helped people to keep calm and regain control.
To make things easier, the extraterrestrial neighbors immediately made clear their peaceful and friendly intentions. They seemed to understand very well the fear of human beings.
They themselves requested escorts before descending on Earth. And they suggested that the spy and war satellites pointed to their ship, before they started any descent maneuver.
The contact was quick and effective. The aliens talked with the authorities of the United Nations, and to all the nations of the Earth, both weak and powerful. After contacting and appearing before all the civil and military authorities of the world, the day came when they would make a simultaneous global presentation to all countries. They were going to talk on television, radio and the Internet; with semi-open chat included.
Lisa Loud prepared several intelligent questions to send them through her private chat channel. Initially, as the youngest recipient of a Nobel Prize in history, she had been considered as a guest for the first press conference; but the aliens themselves opposed that idea. They wanted the maximum of diffusion and inclusivity in the first meeting. It did not seem right to meet first with any of the elites of humanity, whether political or intellectual. So they decided to invite a group of journalists from all countries of the world, chosen by humanity in open voting.
This time, Lisa had to settle with intervening by the net. Surely, there would be time to ask some of her questions on the air.
The press conference was fascinating. Everything was going very well, until one of the participants in the chat asked the question. A seemingly easy and simple question, which gave beginning to the end of mankind.
"Mr. Monat" the moderator said. "How long do you live?
"Well, that is a difficult question to answer" the alien answered. "Theoretically, we could live forever, because we have the means to do it. But we do not use them. Our ethical precepts forbid it.
At the Loud house, Lisa had listened the entire conference with interest. But at that moment, she leaned forward in her seat, strained her ears, and her heart began to beat strongly.
"How?" the moderator asked, perplexed. "Do you reject eternal life? And having it at your fingertips?
"Of course, yes. We have many reasons for this. Too complex to discuss at this time.
"Hey, and ... do you think those techniques could work with humans?
Three thousand kilometers away, Lisa felt her heart skip a beat. For the first time in, she felt the brutal sting of fear.
"Do not say it ... Please… Do not say it" she whispered.
Only Lincoln heard her. He turned to see her, and the face of anguish of his little sister remained in his mind from that moment, until everything was over.
"I see no reason why they should not work" said the alien. "After all, your physiology does not differ so much from ours. But, you have the same ethical limitations that we...
"Dammit! Dammit!" Lisa yelled, jumping out of her seat.
Her outburst startled the whole family; except Lincoln, who was waiting it. Although he did not know the true reason.
"I'll see what happens to her" he said to his parents, a moment before running after Lisa.
He reached his sister just as she was crossing the door of her bunker.
"Lisa, what's wrong? Where are you going?
"To reinforce the defenses of the bunker. And house, too!" she answered, her eyes wide open in horror.
"Wait ... Do not you think you're exaggerating?" he replied.
Lincoln tried to sound cool; but something in her sister's eyes produced a shudder of dread.
"Listen Lincoln: what that alien said is going to unleash a damn hell in this miserable world. The stupid human beings are going to attack. The extraterrestrials will be forced to defend themselves, and we do not know how they will do it. But I am sure that a civilization that has means to create ships that can survive deep space, and cross distances of many light years; also has means to annihilate humanity. We have to be prepared. And with a lot, good luck ... maybe we are one of the few who survive.
Lisa did not say more. He closed the door of his bunker and started working right away.
Outside, Lincoln carefully weighed his words, as he felt that icy hands squeeze his heart.
Unfortunately, events confirmed that the second youngest member of the Loud family was right. The next morning, all the mass media were collapsed. Humanity demanded answers from the aliens. For the first time in its history, they saw a chance to escape to the most persistent and terrifying of all his fears: the death, the eternal dissolution of feel and consciousness. The ultimate escape from the eternal punishment devised by almost all religions…
The explanations of the aliens were useless. They argued again and again that none of them possessed that knowledge. Even on their planet, there were very few who knew, and no one had a complete view of the process. The human beings begged, asked, tried to negotiate, and finally threatened. The night of the next day, they had filled the place where the alien ship lay.
The aliens tried to reasoning until the end. The authorities of the Earth cooperated to deploy a contingent of elite guards brought from all countries. But the place was already surrounded by millions of people who were frenetic and unable to listen to reasons. The human crowd covered tens of kilometers around, and many of its fanatical and deranged leaders claimed for direct actions.
The last negotiation was equally useless. The crowd patience ran out, and the people charged against the retaining wall of the ship, and the defenders were brutally massacred.
If the aliens had stayed on their ship, maybe the worst could have been avoided. But their logic and their sense of negotiation betrayed them. They stayed out of their ship until the last moment, trying to reasoning before the crowd and the television cameras. When they realized that their negotiation attempts would be useless, it was too late.
The crowd charged against them, and tore them to pieces.
But, at the last moment; one of those beings understood the human soul. He realized what would happen if human managed to seize their ship. The alien took the most drastic decision, but also the best for his people safety; the only one that was possible in the last seconds of his life…
In the Loud house, the whole family had spent the day listening to the news. No one had thought of joining the fanatics who demanded eternal life. Tehy followed the news with growing concern, and before evening, they understood that their little Lisa was absolutely right in her fears. By nightfall, Lincoln, Lana, Luan, both Lynn and Lori were helping Lisa as much as they could. Rita, Leni, Luna and Lucy went shopping. Even Lola helped taking care of Lily.
Near midnight, everyone was about to faint. Even Lisa, who was used to spending long sleepless nights during her experiments. The family took a late dinner, and they went to watch the news. None wanted to know how things were going, but they had no other choice. They needed to know.
Before their anguished eyes, the cameras transmitted the details of the brutal murder of the extraterrestrials and their human guards. Electrified fences, tear gas and machine guns were useless. The crowd responded to the fire with fire. The defenders never had the opportunity to control the situation.
The transmission was cut. All the Loud, with the only exception of Lilly, understood the terrible reality. The world that they knew so well was over… forever.
Without saying a word, they took inventory of their provisions; and Lisa activated her new security system.
The next morning, the whole world was in complete chaos. The news spoke about riots and looting everywhere. The curfew and the martial law was imposed by governments; and hundreds of thousands of people began to die everywhere.
At Royal Woods, things also began to deteriorate. Lynn Sr. tried to take Vanzilla to make a few more purchases, but an angry crowd blocked his way everywhere. He was forced to abandon his beloved van, and barely managed to return home.
By late afternoon, the last rumor reached them. Human beings were dying for millions in every country in the world.
Everyone talked about an artificial satellite that the aliens had left in orbit with the permission of the Earth governments. The satellite was actually a lethal weapon; capable of emitting radiation that obliterated any form of life.
The attempts to stop it were useless. Its defenses were too powerful. Not even gamma radiation lasers and thermonuclear missiles could break its protective shield.
Mankind was doomed.
"We deserve it, for stupids!" Lisa yelled, angry and desperate. "If reincarnation really exists, I would become a school teacher. I must have understood that the only way to progress was to fight ignorance and fanatism! Nobody can devote to research with fanatics who want to cut your throat!
The news and information were conclusive. The satellite emitted some type of super-penetrating radiation, able to cross any barrier conceived by humans. All the Lisa´s efforts of the last forty hours had been in vain.
Embracing her family, Lisa allowed herself to be a five-year-old girl. She cried in pain, fear and helplessness.
"Mom ... Dad ... Everyone. Please ... Forgive me! I'm sorry that I could not protect you. I could not save you from this doom...
Lincoln approached his little sister. He hugged her, and gave her a soft kiss on the lips.
"Lisa ... You did not know anything! You did everything you could. There are millions of people who are having a horrible death outside! At least, you spared us from that, little sister. We can die in peace. Together... As a family.
Lisa grabbed Lincoln's hands and smiled through her tears. All the Louds ran to embrace their heroine. The person who had at least helped them to die quietly at home.
Lincoln hugged her very tightly. He closed his eyes, and did not open them again.
Inside, he felt that something was breaking. Something so terrible, that it must have produced an infinite pain. But his nerves were disconnected; they became incapable of transmitting sensations, and then… there was nothing to feel.
Lincoln Loud, along with his entire family, plunged into the abyss of eternal unconsciousness.
