Thursday, November 29, 2012

Shadowchaser

There are a lot of bits of news to update you on. Exciting things, good things, and all of them have to do with New Haven.

There are a few bad parts, too. Sad happenings, some surprising and some expected. Also having to do with New Haven.

I will tell all of them to you, but not today. Today is about puzzles and how we see them.

The Strangers (yes, I've kinda given up on a better name at this point) have been nipping around all over the country for at least the last several weeks, though we're pretty sure it has been a lot longer than that. Lots of theories about their motivations and goals. There is a lot of confusion about their actions, because based on what we've seen, they just don't make sense as people. Every shred of logical observation we have suggests that these people were civilians before The Fall, yet they drive around willy-nilly in ridiculously high-end military vehicles.

If they've managed to overtake a military installation, then they're crazy dangerous. But if the Strangers have that kind of iron in them, why do they run from fights, even with the undead? It's a mystery. A jigsaw puzzle that--as of this morning--we're just beginning to see the shape of. Just the edges of the pieces so far, but this morning the picture is clearer.

Our long-range scouts made a trip home recently, refueled, and went back out. Because they're dedicated and super sneaky, they were able to follow a group of Strangers all the way back home. Not close enough to see where the Strangers hang their heads, but within a mile or so. And wouldn't you know, that particular group stopped in one of the towns that holds the southern national fuel reserve. Yeah, that's a thing, too.

We don't think it's where they all live, just a small group that moves the fuel around. There have to be a lot of these folks and our scouts didn't see signs of a community big enough to house more than a few dozen. They've got access to a tremendous stockpile of fuel, even larger than the one we've been tapping in the northeast. That's how they've been able to move around so much without worrying about gas.

The problem with having one question answered is that usually that information takes you deeper down the rabbit hole. The mystery gets deeper because things make even less sense. If they're sitting on millions of gallons of fuel (at least potentially; that area of the country is more populated than our neck of the woods) then why on god's green earth do they need even more? What possible motivation could there be to move so far away from home and risk any number of dangers (not that they seem to risk much, the cowards) when they've got so much of what they need near at hand?

Irritating, but there you have it. Observations from the scouts nearly guarantee that these aren't military. They've got minimal discipline while in the outside world. Plenty of caution, but there's very little logic to how they camp and set schedules. They're chaotic but nonviolent. Makes my head hurt. It's like seeing a small herd of bunnies hopping around between a huge pack of rabid dogs but somehow managing to survive.

But for nearly three years? I don't know how that could be possible.

At the very least we know they aren't trying to overthrow any of our allied communities. They've got the gear, they've got the fuel, but they don't seem to have the fighting spirit to have a go at us. I guess it's possible they don't have plans in that direction, but they have to know that stealing from other survivors is tantamount to firing the first shot. We don't take to that kind of shit well at all.

Confusing, curious, and maddeningly interesting to me. I'm open to thoughts and ideas. Hit me with theories. Maybe we'll stumble across something that makes sense. I feel like I'm chasing shadows at dusk, trying to figure this out.

5 comments:

  1. Josh, this might sound a little out there, but have you had any reports from the coast lately? It's just that for some reason, everything that you've revealed about the Strangers has sent a thought rolling around my head and each new detail I hear, just sends it spinning around again, "Waterworld". Like I said, it's out there, but something just keeps it coming back.

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  2. You know, that does kinda sound familiar. In a way, whoever is leading The Strangers does kinda sound like the main antagonist of "Waterworld". I wonder.....

    Hey Josh, drop me a line on your thoughts. I have a few of my own that I want to run by you.

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  3. Josh, have you considered the possibility it may be that group you found a while back that were in the fall out shelter, they had no back bone and were willing to hold you hostage rather than fight.....something to consider

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  4. Do they have ammo? I mean, just because they have the vehicles and the hardware doesn't necessaritly mean they have the ordinance. Our group has several Browning M2's. Ammo? Zilch. But it scares the smaller groups of marauders away. Might want to have the scouts check on that.

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  5. Hey, we know of a place to get ammo for those M2's if you want it. We got plenty for our own stores right now and know where to get more.

    You bring up an interesting point though cause the scouts that we "caught" while guarding the convoy didn't have a single bullet on them.

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