Alpha
by Mitchell Porter
Chapter One
Christchurch, Aotearoa (New Zealand)This is Alpha, Part 1 of 24.
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It is the last hour of the last day of the 20th century, December 31, 2000. The place is Christchurch, Aotearoa (also known as New Zealand), an independent nation to the southeast of Australia. The protagonist is Rod Meyer, 18, a male Pakeha (non-indigenous Aotearoan, of European descent), formerly a street kid in Wellington, now trying to pass as a "warrior" for his tribe, who live in Christchurch's Botanic Gardens. One aspect of the end-of-century "archaic revival" is the deliberate formation of many self-identified tribes, groups of (mostly) young people who often call themselves "Neandertal" in opposition to the established culture, which they label "Cro-Magnon". Worldwide, the new Neandertals use a lunar rather than a solar calendar, colonise the green corners of cities and claim a certain territory as their own (although many tribes or "Circles" are on the Net in some way), share their possessions and disdain work, and have psychedelic orgies. Or so the ideology runs.
This is what Rod's Circle hears on their radio:
Silence instead of the usual pop-rock intro. Then a loudening wind-whistle at a pure steady pitch ... joined by a chorus all holding to the same note ...
`Kia ora. This is Keri McConnell with a Special Edition of the World News at 11 pm, Radio Aotearoa's last World News report for the 20th century. You have just heard the opening notes of the second World Concert, which will continue nonstop for the next 24 hours, until all of the globe has entered the new century. Its mastermind, Jean-Michel Jarre, orbits above us, overseeing the actions of millions of participants around the planet. Last year he looked down on a world in turmoil, as the people of Earth demanded global democracy. Tonight he looks down on a world on the edge of utopia or oblivion.
`The focus of world attention continues to be Japan. Millions of Japanese still occupy the streets of Tokyo and the other metropolitan centres. Members of the Japanese wing of GAIA are believed to have effective control of most financial systems and other electronic services. Security forces, widely considered the governemnt's last ally, are engaged in a tense stand-off with demonstrators at many government and corporate buildings. The Emergency Committee is in closed session and is believed to be considering appealing for UN military intervention.
`UN Secretary-General Li Po has not been heard from for several hours, but General John Mbaqa, former President of South Africa and Acting Head of Allied Forces under the command of the United Nations, said in an interview on CNN that he viewed the situation with great concern.'
General Mbaqa: `Japan is the organizational centre of the postsuperpower world. A breakdown of order there would have catastrophic consequences for the billions who rely on world organizations for their very survival and physical safety, and for our collective management of the global economy and ecology. The irresponsibility of these would-be revolutionaries knows no limits. The world must be prepared to intervene, if the worst comes to the worst. But I still hope and pray that the Japanese people, who have been such an example to us all, will come to their senses.'
Keri McConnell: `Elsewhere in Asia: general strikes in Korea, South-east Asia and southern China continue, drawing inspiration from Japan. In Europe and America, millions are already congregating in preparation for the World Acid Party which is to protest the internment without trial of space migration pioneers by the UN. In the Middle East and elsewhere around the world many are waiting for the Second Coming and the Day of Judgement, and there is a widespread expectation that the GOLEM biocomputer, "the greatest single intelligence in the history of life on Earth" according to its designers, will announce soon that we are indeed about to reach the Omega Point about which so many have speculated.
`In the course of the next hour we'll hear from Aotearoans in Tokyo, Jerusalem, Berlin, Los Angeles, Seoul, Beijing, Riyadh and Moscow, but first we'll cross to John Callaghan, who is with Prime Minister Tiaki Tainui in Auckland.'
John Callaghan: `E pai ana, Keri. Prime Minister, I just watched as you listened to Keri read the news, and let me say for our listeners that you shook your head several times. What do you make of it all?'
Tiaki Tainui laughs.
I am returned to my other senses, tuning out Tiaki's voice. Cross-legged on the grass, back bent, hands on knees, staring down at a picked flower. I have been listening so intently that I lost all awareness of myself.
I straighten. The flower is a small red flower. Playback: the Japanese revolution ... `the world must intervene' ... GOLEM and the Second Coming.
`Fuck', I say. `Fuck.' Shake my head at the madness. `The world is insane.' Look up, across the Circle at objects of the tribe, people of the tribe, Lynn. Turn left to Gennadi saying `That's it! The human race has finally cracked', grinning, nodding. I am nodding to myself. He is staring, still tuned to the radio. Fiddling with his shark's-tooth necklace. Thick-black- hairy bare chest underneath the necklace. Turns Lynn on for sure. And black curls down to his shoulders too. Sigh. Good thing he's not bi, only gay. I would hate to be even more jealous of a friend. Poor Lynn. Poor me. Poor Gennadi! He likes me too much for his own good. Like when he told me he knows what I really want, when he was tripping. We talked about what it's like being attracted to a het, the next day. At least we've all got other people. Emotional exclusivism would be hell for a triangle like ours.
`Hey.' Look up from the shark's tooth. Gennadi is gazing at me. The familiar ironic half-smile. `What did you say?'
I glance in Lynn's direction, see a blur. Wish Gennadi blinked more often. To answer his question: what I said was a nothing remark. `Nothing.' He'll keep asking. `Just the world... It's...' Shake my head again, look down.
`Ah.' A typical Gennadi `ah'. `Well, you remember what I told you, okay?'
`Yeah.' Nod. Aliens. Aliens trash the planet when we reach the Omega Point. Dr Scott in Rocky Horror: `It's worse than I thought... Aliens!' Wish you weren't so certain - still don't understand how you can be so certain. It makes me lose respect for you. No-one knows what anything is about.
Me, changing subjects: `What are you doing now? Gonna come to the mall with me? Huh?' I give him a wide-eyed hopeful grin.
`Ummm...' He looks away. He wants to come, he's decided not to for some reason, wants to think about it for me. `You know, there is news from Moscow later this hour...' He looks back; he knows I know he's not coming.
`It's okay', I rest a hand on his shoulder, `I just gotta get some stuff, go to the communications centre. There might be mail from Marti or someone.' I stand up, using Gennadi as a prop. Check the mail, and buy some drugs. Some Speechlessness, some E's, and a trip for Simon. `Hey yeah! You're getting Speechless for the first time.' Smiling broadly, `Gee. It'll be great. We'll do it together', thinking myself and Lynn and Gennadi.
`Yeah. Together... I go back to the radio now, okay?'
`Yeah.' I pat him twice. Radio voice: `... there's someone at the top of the tower...'
I am part of the way across the Circle, walking, grass between my toes. Weaving between a bundle of spears, Mon's bike, a satchel, some orange peels, Joseph giving head to Mon, the tarp covering our hardware. This is home. This is the furniture of my life. As if it all has a special glow, because it lies within our Circle. Where am I going? Should be getting my codpiece and my shoulderbag. Back near the spears is where I left them. Turn around, take a short-cut over Mon. Look down as I step over her: she is enjoying herself. Eyes slitted, mouth curled and open a little, arms and hair sprawled over the grass. Watch my step. I spot my shoulderbag a few metres away. And there's the codpiece. Feeling very happy, thinking of Mon and her pleasure and our freedom.
I kneel and pull the thin plaited-leather strap over my head. Shoulderbag in place. Grab the codpiece and stand in order to put it on. Left leg, then right leg, then slide the G-string up my legs so I can insert my dick in the spirally seashell thing. Move the straps around over my arse until they're comfortable. Wouldn't want a heavy piece like Mandrell's, it'd be hell.
Okay, better get my spear too. No self-respecting Neanderthal wannabe should cruise the city without a spear, right? It's in that bundle somewhere. Crouch and look for it. There. Grab the arrowhead and slide it out.
Other people a short distance away, in various directions. They would be aware of me. Still crouching, I jab the spear in the ground arrowhead-up, balance myself with it, beat my chest with my other hand. Stand, raise the spear to the sky. I yell, `I am NEANDERTHAL!'
Laughter from a few people. Radio, TV, conversation. City noise in the distance.
The sky is clear and the stars are bright tonight.
I look down and survey the closer side of the Circle imperiously. Ow! Adjust the codpiece. Stood up too fast. Simon, Marvin, Lee, Cori, Kelly. Various expressions on their faces. All watching except Kelly. Did Lynn see? What did she think?
Say something.
`All right, fellow tribespeople', looking from Marvin to Simon to Cori, `what am I supposed to be getting?' From Lee to Kelly to Lee to Marvin. `Some Speechless, some E's - '
Simon, mock-petulant: `A trip! I want my trip! Don't forget my trip!'
From Simon to Kelly. Kelly looking at her fingernails, not wanting to hear the drug-talk of her friends. My clown-mood is dented.
`Okay', I say. `That's all?' Nods. `I'll get maybe a dozen of each.' Turn in the direction of the city centre. `Don't worry Simon, I won't forget your trip!' Simon grins and nods and nods, and turns back to listen to Marvin who is already talking again.
Sequence of events: hour starts with a few of the tribe listening to radio/ watching portable TV - P walks down Worcester Street,into High Street Mall, to get drugs from pharmacist and check mail at Communications Centre, walks back by the same route,gets Speechless along the way,rejoins tribe in Gardens`I am typical Russian anarchist...'[re heavy metalfan] Russian says aliens will trash the planet at the Omega Point
as your australian friends say, back to the ugyldig
NZ law regarding recreational drugs: one must be able to provide the drugs' technical names
tribe is mostlyPakeha,afew Maori, Russian and Australian visitors have entered the circletribe has passwd to joint account at local communications centre