Prologue
October 31st, 2524 (Civilian Calendar)
Utgard High School, Classroom 14
Utgard, Harvest, Epsilon Indi System
The clock was ticking the minutes away that was left in the final class period. Andrew paced around his classroom, listening to the joyous sounds of pencils or pens on paper, or the clicking of fingers on the keys of the government issued school laptops sported by a few of his world history class.
He cleared his throat, "So, what is one of the main things that happened in the early twenty-first century that changed the course of it for the next few years." Glancing around the room, seeing just a few hands go up. He points to a petite blonde girl, "Yes, Jessica."
"The War on Drugs?" she asked nervously.
"Yes and no." Andrew answered, continuing his lecture, "the War on Drugs actually began in the 1980s during the Reagan administration of the the War on Drugs was certainly escalated during that time. How about the War on Terror? Anyone know anything about that?" he asked the class.
A brunette boy raises his hand, Andrew nods at him.
"I think I read somewhere that it started in I think 2001 when a terrorist attack was launched on the United States."
"Correct." Andrew moved the slideshow onto the next slide, his students began writing again. "The war on terror began after terrorists crashed planes into a structure known as the World Trade Center in New York City, and the Pentagon." The slideshow included pictures of the planes crashing in into the two towers and one int the Pentagon. "There was a fourth plane, famously known as flight 93, that was re-taken by the passengers and crashing into a field in Pennsylvania.
"Historians believe that this plane was aimed at the White House, where the US president lived. This attack is what launched the united states to invade Afghanistan, looking for terrorist group, Al Qaeda and their leader, Osama Bin Laden. This invasion was also in 2001, the first offensives occurring in October of that year."
Andrew paused, letting the teenagers catch up. He glanced down at his black digital watch, seeing that the final bell was upon them. "Alright, that's where we'll stop. Remember, quiz on last week's notes on Monday. Quiz on these notes will be on Wednesday. Have a great weekend." The bell rang and the class slowly filed out of his room.
After all the students had left, Andrew began his routine of assembling papers, light cleaning, and final grading for the day. Sitting at his metal desk, he began to input the grades into the computer system. He was proud of his career choice, he believed he was helping these kids with their studies and believed in using History as a moral lesson.
"Hey, man. How was your day?" asked Andrew's long time friend and now colleague, Nick Lott as he entered the classroom, grabbing a chair and sitting next his friend's desk.
"Normal. They took notes, but I did get more participation out of my second and fifth period classes." Andrew types in the last grade he needed to record. "Yourself?" he moves his brown hair our of his gray eyes, adjusting his glasses.
"I decided to say," Nick looks around the room, making sure no students were around before continuing, "Fuck Emily Dickinson, I'll have them write their own poetry."
"Nice." Andrew shut his computer down, "Want to grab something to eat?"
Nick scratched at his beard, "Sure." his phone starts ringing, "It's Abby." he answers it, walking a little away from his friend. As he talks, Andrew packs his briefcase and grabs his coat, throwing it on over his dress shirt.
"Really?!" Andrew hears his friend say, somewhat excited, "Are you heading there now?" Andrew approaches his friend, curiousity growing. "we'll be there ASAP." Nick says, hanging the phone up, raking a hand through his curly brown hair. "Dude we have to get to East University. Abby has gone into labor."
Andrew's eyes widen, his friend since high school was in the process of becoming a father.
October 31st, 2524 (Civilian Calendar)
East University Medical Center
Utgard, Harvest, Epsilon Indi System
Nick and Andrew ran into the hospital, almost knocking down a few other people. Nick rushes the receptionist.
"Abigail Lott. She should have checked in by now." he jumps down her throat, too excited to know.
"Ah, yes." the woman says in a thick Hungarian accent, "She is in maternity room eleven. Fifth floor." Nick runs to the elevator, looking back at Andrew.
Andrew nods, indicating for him to go on, "I'll wait here for Liz and Sebastian. We'll all be up there soon." Nick climbs in the elevator and head up.
Waiting was something Andrew was not a huge fan of, He had patience, sure, but not when waiting for someone while something huge was going on at the same time. He paced in the dull colored waiting room, checking his watch as he glances towards the door. After thirty minutes of dull waiting he spots his wife and three year old son rush into the hospital.
"hey," Liz speaks in a huff, her hand holding the small child's as they meet Andrew, "How's Abby doing?"
"No idea." The family makes their way to the elevator, "I've been waiting for you the past couple of minutes. And I'm sure Nick has his hands full right now." Andrew picks up his child and holds him, "Are you ready to meet a new friend?" he asks Sebastian.
His son stays quiet, unsure of how to respond as his mom and dad take him down a long white hallway after exiting the elevators.
"Here." They enter the maternity room, seeing Abby in the bed, eyes closed as a contraction moves through her. Nick looks up, a joyous smile on his face.
"The contractions are getting closer together, the doctor will be back soon to deliver the baby." Nick says as Abby's releases his hand and opens her eyes, doing the lamaz.
"Hey." she breathes, obviously still in extreme pain. "Liz, I don't know how you did it."
Liz walks over and sits on the opposite of the bed of Nick, taking Abby's other hand. "You just have to relax and breathe, and wait for the painkillers to actually kick in." She squeezes her friend's hand reassuringly, "and look at Sebastian, I really think it was one-hundred percent worth it."
Sebastian is still in his father's arms, looking around the strange new room. He registers that Abby is in pain, "You okay?" He asks her in a caring tone.
Abby offers the toddler a smile and tells him she's fine as another contraction rips across her body, "The baby is coming." She breaths deeply again, "NOW."
Andrew rushes out of the room, looking for a hospital worker before grabbing a nurse and letting her know. A few minute later a doctor comes in, clipboard in hand.
"Let's deliver a baby, shall we?" she asks as she washes up in the sink before sliding on her surgical gloves. A few nurses join her as she moves things around.
The doctor pushes pushes in a cart with a small baby bed on it and another one with tools she may need during the delivery. "Alright, I'm going to give you a cocktail of painkillers, blood thickers, and an experimental drug that allows for a wider dilation a lot quicker." Abby nods and a nurse sticks the needle into her fluids IV, letting it take the drugs into Abby's body.
The doctor places Abby's legs into a stirrup, adjusting them to the appropriate height and moves the covers up and over her knees, but keeping her privacy in check. "The baby is already crowning, that shows that the cocktail is working the way it should." She gently caresses the head as the baby is sliding out of the womb.
"Is the baby okay?" Abby asks, worried because she can barely feel a thing,
"Baby's just fine," Nick reassures her as her hand and his squeeze back and forth lovingly. Abby's dark hair is sprawled all crazy and the pupil sin her brown eyes are dilated a lot more than usual.
"Okay, the shoulders are free, Just push easily." the doctor says, making sure the baby is in her hands as it's delivered.
A few minutes pass, before the doctor tells Abby to make one last push and the baby is delivered.
"It's a healthy baby girl." The doctor hands her over to a nearby nurse for cleaning. As the baby is cleaned, the nurse calls Nick over to cut the umbilical cord. It takes a few moment for the staff to get everything cleaned up and to have the baby swaddled in a blanket before handing her to her parents.
Nick carries his newborn over to Abby and hands her to her. Abby smiles, happy tears rolling down her face. "What should we name her?" Nick asks.
"October. I think it's a beautiful name for such a beautiful girl." Abby answer and Nick nods in agreement.
"Wanna meet October, Sebastian?" Andrew ask and walks over to the bed, leaning over, letting his son see the infant.
"Hi October." Sebastian says, "You and I are going to be best friends."