A.I.: Re-Genesis

Part 2

Chapter 1

Year: 24XX (5 years after terraformation)

Location: Earth, Berk (Formally Arcadia)

The Earth was still a wasteland but it was slowly turning green once more. Hiccup sat on a cliff overlooking the valley where Arcadia was built underneath. The water that was murky green years ago from toxins and pollution now ran crystal clear through the valley. Weeds were flourishing creating something of a Savana, while saplings that the Berkians had started planting were growing strong over the years. The roots of those new trees would hold for many more years to come.

In the five years that Hiccup had been living at Arcadia, now called Berk after their old place of origin, he'd seen many things. The rocket that was launched five years ago was both a frightening and joyous event for mankind. It had worked, Astrid's intervention had worked. The rains containing the nanobots fell back to Earth and the little robots went to work. They broke down plastics, polymers, radioactive material that had simply been dumped by people of the past that had stopped caring. Hiccup wondered if the people of the past had ever really cared about this planet at all. But the most wonderous thing the nanobots did was cure Midas. No one could believe it at first, not until a woman down south found out she had gotten pregnant.

Babies had been something of a myth then. Hiccup had been one of the last generations to be born before Midas wreaked its ugly head and made people completely infertile. So the news spread fast. Stories of the Berkians living in Arcadia had already spread through many tribes but they were considered just tall tales. Now with women becoming pregnant, it was a whole other story.

The Berkians, along with The Dragons that had joined them a couple of years ago, had done wonders. The area around Arcadia was flourishing with flora and fauna. Animals were being cloned at a rate that would not damage the ecosystems and released into the wild. Astrid herself was strictly monitoring their populations and today was such a day that Hiccup was waiting anxiously for.

"Hiccup you there?" Came over the communicator that was in Hiccup's ear.

"I'm here," Hiccup said as he recognized Toothless' voice.

"Well get your butt over here. Astrid says it's time." The man told Hiccup with an exasperated sigh. "Just were are you anyways?"

"Just at the ridge. I'll be there in ten minutes tops." Hiccup answered before getting up and walking towards the ATV he had parked beneath the shade of a rock outcrop. Hiccup stepped on the gas and made his way towards Arcadia. The underground facility itself had changed over the years. It was no longer invisible. Guard posts and watchtowers stood at its edges as well as a cordoned off area where the Berkians slept during shift changes. Most of the Berkians still lived in the facility itself but some wanted to live above ground.

The watchtowers and the guard rotations were needed now, mainly because Astrid's revival caused somewhat of a security malfunction. Arcadia was no longer able to monitor its borders completely and dispatch intruders freely. The system that now governed the facility wasn't nearly as advanced as Astrid, rudimentary at best, and required all hands on deck from the Berkians to operate it.

Hiccup parked the ATV and saw Fishlegs waiting for him in the large garage.

"Fish why aren't you with the others?" Hiccup asked with a frown as he limped on his metal prosthetic leg towards his friend.

"Toothless, Ruff and Astrid are going gaga over them," Fishlegs mumbled. "They rarely pay attention to the guys then."

"Right......" Hiccup laughed and the duo walked towards the laboratories.