From Rations to Helios Packs

Imagine being handed a small brick of bread—dense, dry, and packed with over 1,000 calories. It could only be choked down with a canteen of water and the mercy of peanut butter. For me, serving in the Canadian military in the early 2000s, this was all that was on the menu in the field.

Those old ration packs were nothing like the ones today. Their calorie-packed bricks absorbed every bit of moisture from my mouth, making each bite a struggle. Yet, for all their flaws, they got the job done.

When I first began drafting Armageddon’s Descendants, I imagined survivors relying on scavenged canned goods to stay alive. But as I fleshed out the story (with help from some insightful reader feedback), I realized canned foods wouldn’t last forever in a world where the sun draws closer to the earth, plants wither, and humanity faces starvation. That’s when memories of those military rations came flooding back, and the idea for Helios Packs was born.

Created by the government to feed the population while they scrambled for long-term solutions, Helios Packs became humanity’s lifeline. But when the Helios Vaccine was released, that plan crumbled. The Packs remained, scattered in caches for those who survived, a reminder of both salvation and loss.

Designed for different needs, Helios Packs came in several varieties to support the remaining population:

• Combat Pack: High-calorie, extended operations
• Family Essential: Feeds four people for three days
• Explorer: Feeds one person for seven days
• Child’s Pack: Sustains one child for five days
• Medical Support Pack: Includes high-protein meals, water purifiers, and specialized electrolytes

Book 1 of Armageddon’s Descendants, The Collective, launches March 15th. Stay tuned for more updates and be the first to dive into this post-apocalyptic world where survival is just the beginning.