The P.A.R.V. History of the Convoy       Throughout the 21st century, global resources waned. With an ever growing population, mankind pushed its ecosystem to the breaking point. Nations gradually became less interested in fixing global problems, and more interested in self-preservation. Small scale wars and hostilities started to become commonplace occurrences.       To a small group of wealthy sociologists, worldwide warfare seemed imminent. They expected war to engulf the planet by the early 2100's-- easily within their lifetime. In the face of such devastation, they gathered together similarly wealthy engineers and scientists for discussion of how to deal with life during and after the looming conflict.       Reviewing their many options, they eventually decided to construct a convoy of sophisticated vehicles capable of surviving both such a war and its aftermath. The convoy would house them and a limited extended group of friends and family, able to sustain slightly over 1000 people comfortably.       Construction of the vehicles was slow and secretive. The entire process took place nestled at the foot of the Rocky Mountains in southern Alberta, in a hollowed-out system of caves. Unbeknownst to the group at the time the project began, a lone military intelligence agency was located close nearby, hidden in the same short range of mountains. The group continued to operate unawares, and the project gradually neared completion.       During the very final phases of construction, the first signs of an actual war began crackling and quickly growing more pronounced. The group started gathering together its flock to prepare for the inevitable.       But almost as soon as the call for assembly went out, the presence of the military station was discovered. Constant signals and activity in the area created concern for the safety of their survival attempt. Having the convoy so close to a potential military target increased the chances that their entire operation might become destroyed in the crossfire.       In a frenzy of worry, a last ditch effort was made to relocate to a new area. Supplies were consolidated and brought on board the convoy, and one at a time they began moving the massive vehicles further away.       The military noticed. Seeing a host of large-scale vehicles so close to their operations induced equal panic in military minds. Not wasting time for explanation or peaceful solution, a heavily armed contingent surrounded and captured the convoy, and what members had assembled. Not wishing to give up potentially useful resources, they retained the vehicles for their own use, and imprisoned anyone associated with the convoy on loose charges and circumstantial evidence.       However. One vehicle still remained. The group had attempted to be secretive in relocating their vehicles. They had moved them one at a time, and had not yet had the opportunity to move one last one. And so it sat. All alone in a vast abandoned subterranean chamber, awaiting the day it would be discovered again. War's Aftermath       Conflict engulfed the planet. Nuclear weapons rocked the majority of the populated continents, creating an inhospitable atmosphere around the world. As the war floundered to a pitifully weak conclusion, there were no victors. The broken shell of civilization that was left behind was in ruin. Where united countries once stood, governments fell apart. As the mundane triviality of "distance" suddenly became a difficulty, the only semblances of unity left were in some small clusters of allied cities, whose unity would become suspect with time.       The planet strained. Much of the northern hemisphere became a blasted wasteland. Global temperature rose. The majority of the population slowly migrated towards the south, where the devastation was less intense, and the last tinges of green could still be found.       In the north, what remained of humanity drifted into a nomadic culture. Land could no longer be cultivated reliably, and water was slow to replenish. Increased residual radiation shortened life spans and caused frequent mutation.       The Earth would never be the same. Post-Apocalyptic Survival       In the midst of the deserts of North America, a small band of both humans and mutants gathered together to form one of the continent's many nomadic tribes, called the Omic. Stories passed down from generations past spoke of someday finding and settling in a lush, green countryside. Such legends have seemingly threaded their way through all nomadic tribes, and the Omic are no exception. They continually quest for the overlooked Eden foretold to them.       In the meanwhile, they have developed their own routine. Several areas have proven useful for cultivating crops and have been suitable for habitation. But due to the slow replenishment of water, none of these locations last more than a few years at best. The cycle has always been to find somewhere new when the water supply begins to dwindle.       But they are not alone. Other groups constantly encroach on their habitually used lands. Finding a new spot to settle in has always been difficult. And the time has come once more to relocate.       In typical fashion, a hardy band of the Omic's finest ventured out to discover a new place to call their own. Setting out with their own small vehicle, they began their nearly routine search of the surrounding areas.       Upon finding two known locations already claimed, it appeared that they would have to venture homeward, only to mount another journey in a different direction. Feeling too courageous to turn back empty handed just yet, they decided to keep going and explore further.       But as they closed in on the mountain range ahead, they were spotted.       In addition to the peaceful, nomadic tribes that speckled the continent, there were also Blood Warriors. Pirates dedicated to usurping lands, stealing supplies, feeding off of their human prisoners, and in some cases, even feeding on their own members. Blood Warriors were often the remnants of once-peaceful nomads, unable to find a suitable domicile. But whatever their origins, the Blood Warriors were aware of the Omic adventurers' presence.       And they knew the drill. Follow them. Secretly. If a new spot for habitation was found, part of the Omics would remain behind to protect it, while the rest sent word back to their main encampment. And being split up in such a way made them vulnerable to attack. Plus, it meant that the remainder of the Omic tribe would come right to them-- a perfect ambush. The Blood Warriors followed, waiting for their opportunity.       The desert winds picked up. In the distance, the first signs of a violent sandstorm started to flicker. The Omics knew that that meant they should find cover for themselves and if possible, their vehicle. And the mountains were perfect.       The sand squalls started hitting just as the Omics got to the base of a particularly promising outcropping of rock. The Omics were pleased to find a few openings and caves large enough to fit into while they rode out the storm.      The vehicle sadly wouldn't budge. Although the cave they had found would easily house their vehicle, it was unable to climb the steep incline provided by the rocks below leading to the cave's opening. But they wouldn't give up so easily. The Omics drew out the winch from the undercarriage, and through the now stinging wind, they wrapped the cord around a boulder that was lodged shortly inside the open maw of the cave.       The motor whined through the blood-curdling scream of sand. The wheels suddenly lurched forward, only to be met abruptly with a loud 'clank' as rock met metal. The winch clenched tighter, but the vehicle wouldn't yield. The winch, however, refused to give up.       In an instant, everything changed. Instead of the vehicle pressing forward, the boulder gave way. Before there was time for reaction, rock from all around the lips of the cave began cracking and falling. The cave spat out the boulder, still harnessed to the vehicle. The once giant mouth now closed, as rock tumbled down from above.       Inside the cave, everything became dark and quiet. The howl of wind was now only a faint whisper. The Omics inside were hopelessly separated from their companions outside, unsure if they could brave the storm. But worse than that, although they were safe from the bleating wind, there was no way for them to escape their newfound protection. Discovery       The cave was surprisingly deeper than the Omics had anticipated. With their limited supply of light, they began exploring the nooks and crannies of the cave, only to realize that it extended into narrow passageways, barely traversable. With no recourse except to explore, the Omics continued crawling and dragging themselves through what seemed to be miles of rock, hoping to find an exit.       None of the passages were suited for human travel. The closest they came were a few limited spaces where one could hunch over, barely able to stand. Most were nothing more than angled crawlspaces, forcing the Omics to crawl or drag themselves through inches at a time.       The last sound they expected to hear was the clank of metal-on-metal. For hours the only sound they had heard was hardened earth jostling against their few tools. But this new sound was enough to give them pause and investigate.       Sure enough, a small, flat section of exposed metal panels sat exposed vertically on the wall of the cave. There were no obvious marks, but it appeared to continue behind the rock. It almost looked as though there were some sort of cave-in, where rock and dirt that they were lying on sat still unsettled.      Digging around the metal patch revealed little. The panels extended further, and looked to have a seam between them that ran further down into the wall. Frustrated with slow digging, and without a decent place to set rubble aside, the Omics took one of their weapons and tried to wedge the panel open.      Without warning, the seam gave way to their efforts and the panels split apart into a dark, empty space beyond. Loose rubble filtered its way from the passage through the opening. Seeing progress, the Omics pushed harder, and furiously shoved rock through the opening, trying to widen the gap.       As the metal panels spread further, they disappeared into the surrounding rock, yielding a new crawlspace. Almost blindly plunging through, the Omics found themselves in a totally new environment. It was a hallway.       Back outside the caves, the wind had died down. The Blood Warriors had kept a vague eye on the Omic travelers, but mostly had been concerned for their own safety during the storm. Now they started watching again. It looked to them as though the Omics were strangely quiet. Their vehicle sat unmoving at the foot of the mountain, and there were no signs of life to be seen.       They waited another hour, but their patience burst. The Blood Warriors made their way to the seemingly abandoned vehicle, half buried in sand, but there was no sign of the Omics themselves. The Blood Warriors quickly deduced that they had been crushed or trapped inside the caves, most likely never to be seen again.       Disappointed at losing their prey, the Blood Warriors made the best of the situation. They dug out the vehicle, and easily started it up. The supplies inside and the vehicle itself were enough of a reward for the moment; even if it was a more modest prize than they had hoped for.       After their initial awe, the Omics quickly became giddy with the promise of exploration. Whatever sort of construct they had found, it was quite clearly abandoned. The floor was blanketed in a supremely thick layer of dust that curled out around each footstep and exploded gently into the air. Although everything was dark, the group's limited amounts of emergency lights were enough to provide a picture of what it once looked like. A smattering of once glowing consoles and overhead lights. Empty rooms where once must have sat supplies and machinery. Just about everything was stripped bare. A few tables and chairs remained, along with some supply of blankets and pillows and a now-untrustworthy looking medical kit.       The only thing they couldn't find was an exit. They found a few doors to what might have been the outside, but they were either blocked off by stone, or led only to more caves. A potential treasure trove was shaping up to be little more than a comfortably explorable set of man-made caves.       Then, they stumbled upon a vast expanse. Totally unlike the other compact rooms, this room resembled an indoor stadium. Shining their lights inside helped only a little, as the room soaked up light and almost refused to give it back. The walls were predominantly plain, with a few technical-looking panels and dust-covered conduits strewn here and there. The opposing wall was considerably busier. There appeared to be a balcony cut into the wall, with bits of machinery still attached.       As they approached the far side to investigate, it became increasingly clear that the far wall was not a wall at all. It was a vehicle.       The Omics forgot all about their predicament and raced towards the entry doors. Although the rest of the facility had been nearly stripped clean of anything useful, this was clearly never meant to have been left behind. The gargantuan vehicle was larger than any vehicle they had ever seen. In fact, next to the construct they were already in, this was the largest man-made thing ever to grace their presence. In large letters above the door, they could make out the letters "P.A.R.V."       The doors were ridiculously stubborn. The doors in the hallways and rooms they had uncovered to date were remarkably easy to open. In fact most had been unlocked or already left ajar. The vehicle's doors were different. But, determined, the group forced their way on the ancient technology and managed to create an opening wide enough to squeeze through. While some ventured in, others remained outside, fascinated with the exterior hoses and access panels, all lifeless. It looked like there was a sufficient amount of small sensors and tools still attached to the exterior, some of which might prove useful.       Within the vehicle, everything was clean. No dust. No wear. Pristine. Instead of abandoned, it looked brand new. Nothing appeared missing, everything was intact. It was unlike anything they had ever even imagined. It beckoned to the legends of times long past. To the glory of mankind before the Great War. Their current technology by comparison looked drab and barbaric. Much of it was pieced together crudely with what knowledge they had of metallurgy and electronics, and often borrowing makeshift parts from old junked tools. This was different.       As the Omics explored the interior, they found what appeared to be the engine room. Control panels and advanced machinery were more intense, neatly lining the walls. Most of the control panels were readable, although much was still slightly foreign to them. But a large throw-switch labeled "main power" was more direction than they needed.       As they flipped the switch, the vehicle quietly hummed to life. Lights flickered on. Machinery calmly went about its business, unaware that it had been asleep for so long. Outside, flood lights brightened, causing the Omics outside to nearly fall over from shock. The P.A.R.V. was alive once more. Escape       Most of the basics of the vehicle came easily to the travelers. Although English had evolved since the vehicle's creation, the basic structure and words were the same. Discovering how to drive the vehicle was easy. The rest they figured they could learn as they went. To their utter surprise, the vehicle was its own supply vehicle. It was equipped with water storage tanks, air filtration, freeze dried food supplies to last months, and everything else to live in what they would consider extreme comfort.       When the initial novelty of the vehicle had worn off, they focused once more on escape. And they had no intention of leaving their prize behind. The large chamber had inert doors at the far end. So large that they would never be able to be moved by human efforts. Fortunately, the P.A.R.V. came equipped to handle such situations. After a few attempts to use the P.A.R.V.'s own winches to wrestle the door open, they tried another approach.       The P.A.R.V. had several laser turrets mounted to it. Doing their best, the Omics gradually increased the laser power such that it could cut through the doors. From an extreme distance, they began to pierce through the doors on the furthest side of the chamber. They started small, cutting off narrow vertical strips one at a time, and winching them off once cut. Each time they did so, sand seeped its way in, as the doors had become totally engulfed on the opposite side. After several strips were cut, the first glimmers of fading sunlight crept in, and their exit at last seemed promising.       Working into the night in shifts, they cut open the doors widely enough to squeeze the P.A.R.V. through, and focused on the next task of removing the inflow of sand that was now in their way. Although difficult and time consuming, they eventually cleared away enough of an opening, and prepared to leave.       Some had already rushed to find out what had happened to their companions outside, but found no trace. Their original vehicle and their companions seemed to have vanished. The Omics assumed that they had taken the vehicle and moved to safety in the storm, or had given up and gone home. After all, it appeared as though vehicle tracks led away from what was formerly the entrance to the cave. But strangely, it looked as though there were more tracks accompanying them. Whatever had happened, it was clear that they were gone.       The Omics took a last look through the hollowed out structure before finally taking the P.A.R.V. out from its underground hiding place and into the sunlight. To their delight, the Omics found that they could easily set the P.A.R.V. to return home, with only minimal input and direction. With the vehicle safely underway, their thoughts focused on their return to the Omic village, and how this new acquisition would change their way of life.       The Blood Warriors first caught sight of the Omics again in the early morning, while scouting the surrounding terrain for survivors of the caves. To their amazement, they saw the gaping hole being dug out from the base of the rock face. Why were the survivors trying to create such a wide opening? What could they be doing? The Warriors decided to watch and wait.       When the P.A.R.V. emerged, it became slightly clearer. And this was far more valuable than any find they had made before. What was this new vehicle capable of? Surely, the tiny group of explorers still had no chance against the entire clan of Blood Warriors, even if they had such technology at their disposal. Did they? It was too big of a risk not to take. They gave chase.       Back on board the P.A.R.V., the Omics noticed something strange on the sensors. They were still having trouble understanding the nuances of the computer systems, but this much was clear. Something was following them. Several somethings. A few Omics rushed to the rear of the vehicle, and looked out to see what could be behind. Surely enough, the somethings behind were Blood Warriors.       Drastically hoping that the P.A.R.V. could outrun them, the Omics sped up as fast as they could, leaving the vehicle to pilot itself at maximum velocity. But the Blood Warriors were still gaining. What would happen next was anyone's guess. The Omics knew that the P.A.R.V. might be able to help them defend against the oncoming swarm of raiders, but to date they knew so very little about it that learning in the midst of battle might cost them their survival. And on the other hand, they had their own small host of weapons that they were familiar with. But they would be hard pressed to successfully defend themselves with only what they had brought. Both the Omics and Blood Warriors prepared for combat.