text: Prologue On the first day everyone thought it was just a meteor shower. But when small pieces of space debris started hitting the earth in numerous locations every day, people became alarmed. Scientists stared into the skies with wary eyes. The second day the debris increased in size and left craters in cities around the globe. Panic set in as people realized their governments couldn’t stop the mysterious assault from space. On the third day, dead stars slammed into the earth’s crust, devastating all life on impact. When the stars stopped falling darkness settled over the planet and the survivors were scattered about like grains of sand on a beach. A millennium passed, and the children’s children of the first survivors adapted to life on the bleak planet that was once a paradise. The Leader of the Pack Jo-el was leader of the Manpack by virtue of his strength and cunning. No leader of the Tel inherited the title. It had to be won after a series of trials. Afterwards he led his nomadic people across strange lands in search of game. They wore animal skins and carried spears and assorted small weapons, from clubs to knives. All of their weapons were created before they were born, when mankind still had the knowledge. They were scavenged from nameless ruins that were once thriving cities whose names were long forgotten. They spoke Bli, a polyglot of old languages, English, Russian, and Chinese. This, combined with their own secret sign language, enameled everyone in the Manpack to communicate. There were only three women among hundreds of men. They were revered and only mated with the most powerful men in the group. The few yearly births that resulted kept their population down, yet assured them of another generation. It was the law, and the Way of the Manpack. The men were all warriors. Their bodies were covered in a coat of short fur that even extended to their faces. Most were dark-furred but some, like Jo-el, had a coat of thick white fur. The three Blessed Mothers all had different-colored fur. Brown, gold, and white. They advised Jo-el on all of the laws...and in times of emergency. Of which, there were plenty. Scouts sometimes came across other organized groups that were hostile and a battle would ensue. The bloody hand-to-hand battles always resulted in deaths, no matter who claimed victory and held the field afterward. Jo-el, who had berserker blood in him, transformed into a killing machine during the action, always sending more enemies to their death than anyone in the Manpack. Afterward, with his white coat covered in blood, he looked like a demon from some ancient civilization. Because there were no longer any regular seasons on the earth, there were no safe places to go when massive freezes set in, or the scorching sun boiled unprotected heads for days on end. The Manpack was forced to run from bad weather, always in search of milder climbs. A day came when Jo-el and two scouts spotted something that made them stop in their tracks. They were standing on a rocky ledge of a mountain looking down into a valley when they saw a strange sight. It appeared to be three giant bubbles with people coming and going from them! They were dumbfounded and turned back to the main body to report to the Blessed Mothers who silently listened to the description of their discovery. Afterwards, they demanded to be taken to the spot where Jo-el saw the strange buildings. The sun was setting in a blood red horizon when the Blessed Mothers saw the massive bubbles. They were lit up and glowed in the gathering dusk. One of the women took a long metal instrument from out of a pack she was carrying and trained it on the bubbles. Joel saw her suck her breath in surprise as she squinted into the metal tube. “Hairless,” she told the other two women. “The people down below are hairless. How could this be?” The three women huddled together whispering while Jo-el and the two scouts stood nearby looking at the brightly lit bubbles, wondering what kind of miracle they were? They waited for hours as the women argued back and forth. Finally, they signeled they were ready to go back to camp. As Jo-el led the way back under the full moon he had a strong sense of something happening soon. Something earth shattering. When they got back to camp the Blessed Mothers called for a full meeting of the Manpack despite the lateness of the hour. “We’ve discovered another man-like species who appear to live like gods!” the first Mother told the gathering. “They are naked, without fur to warm their bodies, and they wear strange-looking multi-colored skins. We do not know of this race. Our legends give no clue to who these people are.” Worried grunts of alarm rippled through the gathering and some of the men called out for guidance. The first mother waited until they calmed down and then held her arms up and spread them wide for silence. “We must not attack these people. They could be gods and it would end badly for us. We must send an emissary to them to discover if they are friendly. It will be you Jo-el. Now come near as we give you some last minute advise before the morrow dawns.” The Colony The Latter Day Survivors of the Fallen Stars were in their morning religious service when the Scientist-in-Charge wrapped it up early and called for an emergency committee. Seven men and women, wearing rainbow-colored suits, sat in a semi-circle of chairs facing a golden throne with the Scientist-In-Charge on it. His tall thin regal frame was straight up as he cast his eyes over the committee. They tried not to show concern over the sudden meeting, but he could see it in their eyes. “My lords and ladies, be at ease. I have interesting news for you. Our drones have confirmed a large group of humanoids camping several miles from here.” Their alarm was palpable, but no one spoke. “They appear to be nomads armed with simple weapons. Of more interest however, these humanoids are covered with hair from head to foot. Our monitoring drone has followed their progress towards our valley for days. They are hunters following game. I expect we’ll make contact with them tomorrow. They’ve discovered us.” The next day. The Scientist-In-Charge stood in front of the main dome as Jo-el approached. At seven-feet tall, he was an imposing figure wrapped in an exotic animal skin. He was unarmed. A good sign. The white fur on his face and arms shimmered under the sun. His attempt at a friendly smile was more like a grimace with his uneven razor sharp teeth protuding from beneath his thick lips. Nevertheless, his intent was clear. He wanted to peacefully talk. Because he was a genius, the Scientist-In-Charge quickly figured out Jo-els sign language, which hours later, led to understanding his spoken language. He was impressed with Jo-el and understood why he was the leader of the Manpack. There was nothing evil about him. He radiated strength and honesty. He also reminder him of ancient myths about rare creatures that avoided humans. Names like Bigfoot, Sasquatch, and Yeti came to his mind. He decided Jo-el was a Yeti because of his coloring. The Scientist In Charge spoke to the committee via a mic he wore around his throat. “After talking with this stranger I see no danger to us,” he said. Then he listening for minutes on end as the committee burst into a series of arguments. The consensus was to take Jo-el captive so they could study his species. Their decision shocked the Scientist In Charge. His every instinct demanded he not betray Jo-el or his people. With a heavy heart he warned him of the committee’s intent and suggested he lead his people far away from the valley. He realized mankind was still not prepared to accept other species equal rights. With a heavy heart he went back inside the dome, hoping humanity would one day respect the creatures who survived after the terrible age when the stars fell out of the skies. As It Stands, accepting outsiders and other species, has never been the strong point of mankind.