Day 0 0 1
Ana smiled at Dijana, who had set up a rickety table by the elevator.
Dijana had proven a surprisingly flexible and efficient assistant.
She'd accompanied Ana through a meager breakfast consisting of a glass of orange juice and a tiny bag of spicy chips.
Dijana had noticed the way Ana managed and her handling of people, and figured that in the whole new situation she could help most by following the more experienced girl and assisting her with the minor little problems.
Ana had accepted Dijana's suggestion with delight, because it left her enough time to face people she hadn't known before this night.
Ana smiled at Nick, who had appeared across from her at the rickety table, held up by empty plastic crates from drunk bottles of beer.
Beside Nick sat Nika and Tomi, who were excitedly talking about some papers Tomi held in his hands.
Ana huffed contemptuously. As long as something occupied Tomi's attention, Ana was happy.
She didn't like his gaze behind the thick glasses, which would undress her hungrily and openly.
Right now that hunger was absent, and she noticed how Tomi blushed when Nika laughed cheerfully at some comment of his.
She breathed out. Nika obviously had a positive influence on Tomi, and as long as she kept his perversions at bay that way, Ana was content.
One less worry. Her gaze returned to Nick, who was already charmingly chatting with Irena, the elected representative of the economy department.
He'd shown up earlier with a carton of chocolate, and with that gesture had won the affections of the female part of the shelter present.
The council was gathering, and Ana concluded it was time for business.
With a light cough she got the attention of the people present.
"Good morning, or good day, everyone." She smiled lightly to put the gathered at ease.
"We've gathered here to discuss and establish our plan for the current day. First, let's start with introductions. In case anyone doesn't know, the three newcomers are the team that yesterday managed to restore power and sanitation after the cataclysm."
Everyone turned toward the trio. Nick nodded with a light smile, Tomi buried himself in the papers, while Nika blushed. Someone applauded, and those gathered around the table joined in. Ana raised her hands, calming the applause and the murmur.
"I propose that the aforementioned trio be appointed permanent members of the council with an immediate right of veto over the decisions this council will establish."
The murmur returned around the table. Someone asked:
"What do you mean by that, an immediate right of veto over the council's decisions?"
Ana sighed. For a few moments she gathered her thoughts and then continued:
"The council needs time to decide something. Everyone will pull to their own side, and it'll take time to agree on things."
Heads nodded in confirmation, and she went on: "The council is responsible for the stable functioning of the shelter and the people in it, but sometimes, just like last night's situation, one has to act to resolve an arising crisis without escalation. Please bear with me."
She carefully studied the faces of the gathered.
"So the best decision is to establish a triumvirate of people with special powers who would sometimes — I stress, only sometimes — act outside the council's decision in a crisis situation…"
Again a murmur at the table, but Ana didn't stop: "The COUNCIL will retain the ability to appoint members of the triumvirate, as well as the ability to strip the powers of a triumvirate member who usurps or abuses their authority. I think that would be acceptable."
She looked at the pensive faces gathered around the table.
The idea was, in essence, to have a rapid-response three who would be able to act outside the council's authority in crisis situations.
And three members seemed fair, otherwise someone would always be outvoted in a conflict.
At the same time, the shelter's council was given the power to appoint certain individuals who by their merits deserved to be in the triumvirate.
She'd been thinking about the idea all morning, and now she saw that it was being accepted at the table.
Most people agreed; only one gaunt young man asked:
"And what are their qualifications, because I didn't see them during the election for the council?"
"That's because we were busy with the little situation around the power," Nika spoke up.
The young man was embarrassed and had nothing more to add. Nika continued:
"I know we're an enigma to many of you, so let me introduce myself. I'm Nika, and tomorrow I was supposed to defend my doctorate in botanical microbiology."
She sighed, but smiled charmingly. "As we know, that's no longer possible, because the fact that the world is vanishing was discovered by this friend of mine with the glasses. His name is Tomi."
Tomi looked as if he wanted to sink into the ground from discomfort, his hands fidgeting restlessly over the papers.
"Believe me, the man is a wizard when it comes to electronics and a walking encyclopedia of unnecessary things."
Everyone laughed lightly, relaxing. Nika, seeing that she had the complete attention of those present, finally introduced Nick:
"Last is our fine Nick, a man who's like a local in this shelter, a man who has the keys to all the doors and an incredible ability to solve practical problems. And the man who organized this incredible party that in the end saved us all."
Nick raised two fingers in the air and smiled lightly at the gathered. Then he added jokingly:
"And remember, I'm the one who brought the chocolate to the meeting."
Loud laughter at the table confirmed the acceptance of the newcomers into the council and the acceptance of Ana's proposal. So Ana, noticing she had the advantage, quickly asked:
"So, are we all agreed on the current composition of the council and the appointment of the triumvirate?"
Most nodded in confirmation, and Ana breathed a sigh of relief. To be honest, she hadn't known how the idea would go over, but there it was, she'd succeeded. So she continued, now in an official tone:
"Let's continue with the meeting." She picked up a few sheets of paper from the table. "Our priority is food, and whether there's enough for…" she looked at Irena, who immediately announced in her high voice: "two thousand three hundred and twenty people."
Ana thanked Irena with a nod and continued:
"That number of people. The food from the vending machines is gone, which poses a burning problem. Solutions?"
She looked at the faces gathered around the table and finally stopped on Nick. He recited calmly:
"In the warehouses on the second and third floors there's an enormous quantity of foodstuffs and non-perishable goods. I'm not sure how much, but it could last for a while. We should send people up to check it."
"That could be arranged," Ana agreed. "Irena, tell me, can you take that on and, with a few people, do an inventory of the warehouses so we know how much and what we have?"
"Of course, we'll need some time, it all depends on the quantity of things to be checked," Irena said pensively.
"Okay, then that's settled. Nick, you'll go to the warehouses with Irena for the inventory of foodstuffs. Irena, how many people do you need?"
"I'm not sure," Irena looked at Nick. "Do you have any idea, you know how big the space is."
Nick seemed pensive for a moment, as if calculating in his head, then finally answered:
"There are two floors, and let's say you need about thirty people per floor to get it all done as fast as possible, but it'll still take them the whole day to check everything. Better to play it safe and speed up the process without a crowd."
He looked at Irena. "Put fifty people per floor and tell them there's work for a good part of the day."
Someone whistled quietly, impressed, and Nick then addressed everyone at the table:
"Yes, the warehouses are enormous, but remember, there's no more delivery, and that's all we have, and we have to feed over two thousand people. It's an enormous job, and the supplies will run out. And what then?" He looked at them all. No one had an answer.
"It'll have to be enough for the first while, at least," Ana broke the silence. "And what about the first floor of the warehouse space?"
"That's where mostly items from the technical section of the supermarket are stored — televisions, home appliances, kitchen goods, there's even some from the agricultural and construction stores," Nick listed.
"Wait," Nika interrupted him, "you said from the agricultural stores, can you say more, please?"
Nick looked at her, confused, but then remembered.
"Well… I saw a lot of tools for working the soil when they were bringing it in, some chemicals, pipes, and a fair amount of pallets with some kind of sacks."
Nika grew excited.
"You say sacks, what kind of sacks? Can you remember, please, it's very important."
"It was all wrapped in clear plastic for security, and I was busy with other things, but I remember they were white sacks with some picture of flowers on them. That's it."
Nika literally squealed with joy, hugged the surprised Nick, and planted a juicy kiss on his cheek. Everyone looked at her as if she'd gone mad. When she noticed their confused looks, she quickly explained:
"People, this is our salvation — now we have hope of surviving this mess. Oh, it's so good! Those sacks Nick mentioned, they contain enriched compost for seedlings. If we have soil we can plant, and planting means food. If we set it all up right and create the conditions,
we could have fresh produce in a few months!"
Someone interrupted her:
"Planting? Underground?" disbelief could be heard in the voice.
Nika took in the faces around the table, some surprised, some in disbelief, but she had their attention.
"I was supposed to defend a doctorate in botany, remember. And creating the conditions for plant growth is at my fingertips. Plants aren't like people, they only require a substrate — which is precisely the compost I mentioned — moisture, which the shelter has via its water system, and sunlight,