In 2015, a case found in the struts of the International Space Station is brought to Earth. It releases a virus giving people amnesia:
Alien Retrograde Infectious Amnesia…
… Today, Jack caught a bug at work. He catches a bus home. By the time he disembarks in the desert town of Rosamond, all the other passengers and the driver have fuzzy heads. Jack had caught an amnesia bug, and it’s infectious.
Imagine the ramifications:
The passengers arrive home, infecting family; some shop en route infecting everyone they meet. The bus driver receives more passengers giving them change for last week’s prices and today’s amnesia. Some passengers work at the power plant, the water treatment works, the hospital, fire station. All shut down in weeks.
One man, Ryder Nape, realizes what’s going on, but can he persuade friends to barricade themselves in a secluded valley, hiding from the amnesia bug?
A.R.I.A.
Alien
Retrograde
Infectious
Amnesia
Who will save Earth ARIA and unlock the secrets of the suitcase?
Doctor Antonio Menzies
Doctor Antonio Menzies (33, tall) is NASA’s smartest physician. His grade in the astro-pathology examination for the Goddard medical review board knocked spots off the next nearest candidate. His almond face is as tanned as a Hollywood actor with sparkling teeth and wit to match. In his leisure time he plays polo to keep him fit for his second hobby, philandering. He has a wife and bambinos in Italy but reckons on keeping his mind and spirits up to speed by dating while away from home. It’s not much of a spoiler to reveal that after an event related to ARIA his personality changes. The opposite of amnesia happens such that he recalls everything that has ever happened to him. He becomes sociopathic, a killer and yet remains enigmatically likeable to many. He has an arch-enemy in Ryder when Antonio steals his woman.
Ryder Nape
Ryder Nape (33) is the main character in ARIA. He’s the first to realize what’s going on but happens to be ideally situated with friends in NASA and links in Britain to lead friends to a safe haven. He a has troublesome time with his fiancée but adding a mix of other people lead to an interesting sexual mix of outcomes.
Jena Kochi
Jena Kochi (29) is an astro-engineer with space-station experience. She’s been adventurous since as a child being scolded for jumping off their outbuilding roofs with makeshift wings. Her personality is a mix from her Japanese father and Canadian mother with schooling in both Boston and Cheyenne. Her feisty sexuality and refusal to be subordinate gets her into trouble with her superiors but they put up with it because of her superb skills.