Maytag calling: a "Silo" story (Closed for Alice2015)

[such_a_bad_man]

The Kansas plain rolled past as Ned kept his foot on the throttle. He’d never truly comprehended the size of the American countryside until he had the wheels under him like he had for the last few weeks. He had been driving at about 40 miles an hour for as long as his gas would hold out for nearly a month now and he had only traveled from Springfield, IL to the Kansas interior. Based on the map flapping on the clip board on his lap, this sort of country stretched on for miles. How an invading alien force had managed to subdue and destroy so much of humanity when the Earth spanned such ridiculous distances made his head spin as he drove on.

It was the sort of Zen mental exercises one is allowed when they can drive unimpeded on a long country road with no radio and no traffic. As best he could figure, the invaders had the sort of craft where they didn’t need roads to get around quickly. He hadn’t seen a Greeve patrol vehicle since he left Illinois and was slightly thankful for that luxury. That did leave him with the difficult task of dealing with people to get where he and his car were headed. Ned patted the dashboard as he thought about how close he came to losing it in rural Missouri.

6 days ago…

The pebbles crunched as Ned walked into the ghost town that sat about 90 minutes outside of suburban St. Louis. His car had been left camouflaged on the train tracks outside of town after he used that rail bridge to cross the Mississippi. Every step he took made him pray that no one found it or took it. It didn’t matter that he was the only one that could make it run; it was still full of metal and parts that could be scrapped for all sorts of things like he had done in the first place.

His work boots kicked a few stones aside as he came to a stop in view of a gas station that sat at the intersection of the two main roads through this formerly one-horse town. As Ned stared through his polarized welding goggles, he frowned behind his mask as he knew there had to be someone in that station waiting to ambush him if he got closer. If he wanted to get in there, he needed a bucket.

2 hours later

Ned ducked behind a dumpster that sat next to a building behind the gas station. He looked over at the 4 sticks he had planted in the dirt beside him and watched the shadow of one of them sweep along the tick marks on the ring that passed through the 4 sticks. “Any second now…” he muttered to himself.
Suddenly, in the next block over, multiple gun shots could be heard ringing out. Shouts of surprise and concern came from inside the gas station. Bursting through the broken glass door came about 5 guys with guns, running toward the gun fire that was starting to die off. Slowly, Ned crept from behind his dumpster and slid along the front of the mini-mart, listening for anyone that had been left behind.

Ned slipped inside and picked up as many gas cans as he could find inside, sliding them onto the handle of a broken broom to carry them to the pumps. Turning around, he came face to face with one of the people standing in the doorway. What was worse, the silhouette drew a knife and started at him.

The knife lashed out.

The handle came down.

One of the shelves toppled over with the two people wrestling each other tumbling over the top of it.

There was a squishing sound.

Ned rolled off, looking down horrified at the frozen face of a woman with a knife buried in her chest.

“Mama?” came a soft small voice behind him.

Present Day

Ned shook his head as he fought the memory down again. He had to shake it as he was getting close to Topeka and he had to keep his eyes open. Thinking of his eyes, Ned grabbed his rag and wiped off his welding goggled again to clear the road dust from them. After so long on the road, he was cursing the lack of glass he could find to put the windshield and windows back into the chassis he found. Luckily, his goggles sealed to his sockets so he could keep the crap out of his eyes and they had worked so far.
Once his vision was clear, he glanced down at his map again. He had to be getting close to Silo according to the information he was able to piece together. As he looked around, he felt that he had to see it at this range, but all he saw was farmland. Then again, he’d been seeing farmland since he bypassed Kansas City so he could have passed it for all he knew at this point.

He turned onto a country road and saw a farm complex ahead. According to his map, he saw that Silo had to be where the farm was. He drove a bit closer but stopped at the top of the last ridge so he could keep the whole place in view. Rather than killing the engine, he left it to run as he stepped out and grabbed his binoculars and scanned the farm before him. The people he saw seemed normal enough, but there was no way they could be supporting a community the size of Silo from what he had heard. Still, he had to see what was going on with this place. Maybe these people could point him in the right direction.

The door swung open again and Ned pressed down on the gas, making the engine rev hard and loud for a good long time. “They had to hear that. Time to see how they respond…” he mumbled to himself as he finally killed the engine in his carefully engineered way before he slipped out and stood leaning against the hood as he waited for someone to come say hello.

 

[Alice2015]

A pair of Security Officers emerged from the grove of trees 500 feet west of where the strange vehicle was stopped, almost three quarters of a mile east of the farm house. They didn't near him, though, instead only flanking the road, waiting.

After a minute, a cloud of dust began rising behind them as yet another vehicle flew down the road toward them. The Humvee slid to a stop, its doors flying open as two pairs of men jumped out to join the first pair and a fifth man popped up through the roof to man the .50 caliber mounted atop it. It was meant to be an intimating and scary show of superior force ... but ... it was only intimidating and scary looking and far less superior than portrayed.

Although Silo did in fact own an original military issue Humvee -- currently back in the barn with fuel injection issues -- this seemingly heavily armored military issue vehicle was actually just a civilian Humvee that had been painted in brown and tan camouflage and had assorted frills added to make it look as if it had just come from battle. The machine gun wouldn't fire on full auto and typically jammed after half a dozen shots. And the heavily armed men now approaching the man at the junction in a skirmish line had fewer than fifty rounds between them ... and the rifles two of them carried weren't even loaded, leaving the men armed with only the hand guns on their hips.

The ruse worked, though, for the man stayed put near his rig until the six men surrounded him and began their standard security procedure of asking him name, his purpose for being here, his weapons, etc. Once the Sergeant was happy with the situation, he smiled politely and said, "Sorry. We, um ... we don't typically come out all gung ho like this, but--"

He turned his attention to the man's vehicle, at which two of the men were ogling and two more were searching. He laughed, continuing, "Well, we haven't seen another working car, if that's what this is, in ... months."

Combustion vehicles were almost a thing of the past out here in Kansas. The Greeve hadn't just killed off most of the human race with their neutron weapons. They'd also killed most of the vehicles (and other electronic devices) with their EMP devices. Almost every car, pickup, bus, train, and plane on the planet had stopped working during that attack in 2020, with the latter falling from the sky like stones.

Add to that the quick depletion of existing fuel reserves, the destruction or capture of refining plants by the Greeve, and the minimal production of usable fuel in the decades since, and even if you have a working vehicle, you probably couldn't find any fuel for it anyway.

As the Sergeant circled the vehicle, he asked, "Gasoline...? Or diesel...? You put this together yourself...? Where'd you come in from...? What did you see out there?"

The stranger gave the answers he wanted and keep the rest to himself. The Sergeant could have continued asking questions all day long, but didn't. He had people awaiting answers. He spoke into his radio, for which he had an ear bud preventing the others from hearing the other end of the conversation.

"Team One, Command. Visitor at Main Entrance secure. Team Two stand down. One male with vehicle, no weapons... Combustion vehicle... Yes... Yes...! Working combustion vehicle, aka a car...! ... No! He pushed it here... Of course, it's operating."

He listened to voice in his ear as he made a jerking off gesture with his clenched fist, making fun of the Security Officer back at Command asking the stupid questions. Then, suddenly, his expression got more serious and he stood a bit taller, as if an Army General had suddenly appeared before him.

"Yes, ma'am," he said, his tone obviously more subordinate as a second voice filled his ear. The sergeant looked to the stranger for a moment, then only said, "Yes, ma'am." He turned and looked to the vehicle, beginning to walk around it as he continued, "Yes, ma'am... No, ma'am... Looks like he put it together himself. Real piece of--"

He was about to say shit, then glanced back at the man and realized what the voice in his ear was wanting to know. He continued, "Ingenuity, ma'am. Looks like he knows a little bit about cars'n'such... Yes, ma'am... Right away, ma'am."

He turned and gestured a pair of SOs toward the stranger. "Load'im up. Mayor wants to meet him ... now!"

The SOs didn't give the man a choice, escorting him up the dirt road 150 feet to and into the Humvee (which a man of his knowledge would almost immediately recognize as a sheep in wolf's clothing.) Behind him, the Sergeant dropped behind the odd vehicle's wheel and tried to start it ... in vain, of course. He was still cussing and trying to figure out what he was doing wrong, with two of the SOs laughing at him while the original two returned to their post in the grove of trees.



Aurora stepped into the I-n-I bus -- a former Red Cross Bloodmobile that was Silo's Ingress and Inspection stop for new visitors, parked just inside the outer perimeter fence -- and looked over the man who had arrived just moments before her. She glanced to the female Medic and her also female assistant, both of whom were wearing masks.

"Please excuse our caution, sir," Aurora said politely, maintaining her current distance of 15 feet. "A few years back a virus killed a dozen of us."

She eyed the man, marveling at his unique clothing. They didn't often see people who had traveled here from afar. Most of their visitors were known locals, people who lived within 40 miles of Silo and came here to trade or seek services not available elsewhere. This man had the look of someone who had traveled a long distance over a long time, and that was always intriguing to Aurora.

"They tell me you have a working car," she said. "How is that?"

 

[such_a_bad_man]

Ned watched the response to his horn with detached bemusement. ”Wow, 7 guys just to check me out? he thought to himself. Then again, they had no idea that the piston on his hip had been out of bullets since Kansas City and the knife in his belt was duller than a bowling ball. A new face in these days could be anything. He played along since it probably would make his new landlords happy and he was in no position to start fighting back.

He answered his questions as curtly as he could while giving them the information they were after.

“Gas…”

“Illinois…”

“Yeah, I built it…”

Once they searched him and the car, he breathed a little easier as they seemed to regard him as non-threatening. If it put them at ease enough to let him into Silo, that was fine with Ned. He listened as the squad leader spoke with his command, piecing together more and more details about Silo as he waited.

• They have a commander. That implies having enough security people to necessitate a power structure.
• This vehicle required a maintenance bay to keep running. That would mean the barns are meant for rebuild and repair and not residential living.
• They can dedicate people to security rather than helping the colony survive. They must have a lot of people then.
• The leader was a woman. She must be very sharp. She would be the person to know in this place.

Ned walked along with no trouble. Even though they didn’t ask it of him, he kept his hands up on his head as he walked. It was more to put them at ease than anything else. He didn’t want someone mistaking a movement and putting a bullet in his ass after spending so long sitting on it to get here. Sliding into the back seat of the large vehicle, Ned stifled a laugh and a smile as he saw the interior of the car. This thing was all show. It may have the mass, but it’s no safer than the car he drove in with, and his had no windows. Before they took off, Ned chuckled at the sounds of the "soldier" futilely trying to get the engine to turn over.

“Tell your boy to stop trying; he’s not going to be able to start it,” Ned muttered to one of the “soldiers” beside him. “And he doesn’t have one of the parts he needs either.” Ned flashed a section of cabling from under his coat before stuffing it back inside.

The I-n-I bus was a welcome sight and immediately fed Ned more information. The nurse and the assistant fed Ned some more data that he filed away as he continued to build a picture of what Silo was. He kept his eyes on the house outside the window as his mind rattled through the numbers and the scene he saw outside.

The dark-haired woman that stepped aboard during his checkup instantly registered as the leader he had wanted to meet. Not from what anyone said, but from how the others on the bus reacted to her. There was something in the way she carried herself as well. Yeah, she was in charge around here.

“Completely understandable,” Ned nodded along to her explanation regarding the virus and their precautions regarding new people. Again, they were providing him with information without even knowing it. ”Rapidly spreading infection implies a dense population. Lack of ability to quarantine means they are forced to live in close proximity to the infected,” Ned thought as his picture was becoming clearer and clearer to him.

He smiled to himself as the next thing out of her mouth was a question about his car. It was inevitable; he hadn’t seen any on the road until he got here and saw Silo’s protection vehicle. He leaned back in his chair as the nurse finished whatever she was doing and started writing in a clipboard beside her.

“Several years’ worth of scrounging the Illinois farmlands and about as many assembling parts when you add it all up. That’s how I have a car. I’m sure you’d enjoy a long road trip out under the sun, moon, and stars after living so long with so many people underground.” Ned smiled, finally putting it all together in the last few moments. The buildings around here weren’t big enough to support a community that would have the amenities of a full-time nursing staff and full-time security forces. It had to be underground; it could be the only reason they avoided the Greeve all this time. He watched her face carefully for her to give away something with her reaction.

 

[Alice2015]

Aurora wasn't easily impressed. But this man impressed her. Silo's population included men and women from all walks of life, but one area of expertise in which they lacked was tinkering. For instance, one of her old timers had been in the methane production sciences prior to the Greeve yet had no idea why the digester wouldn't work. Another equally gray resident had designed lighting systems for huge indoor marijuana grows yet couldn't figure out why they continually overloaded the power system. Silo had an actual military issue Humvee that wouldn't start, a sewage pumping system that was currently functioning on hand pumps, and more.

If this man could build a car out of scraps and drive it from Illinois to Kansas as he was claiming -- and as Aurora' ability to judge people told her she could believe -- then he certainly was worth an investment of a little food, drink, and company in an effort to solicit his continued residency.

"I'd love a ride," Aurora responded, hoping that that had, in fact, been an invitation. "But, for now..."

She glanced to the Medic, who was giving her an impatient glare. Aurora smiled, telling him, "Why don't we let these ladies finish their work ... deem you healthy as a horse, if I recall the saying correctly. Finish up here, and ... I'd love to have you as my guest for dinner tonight."

She began to turn, then hesitated and looked back with a sly smile. "And, by the way ... all new visitors to Silo sit down with me for dinner their first night..." She looked to one, then another medical worker, finishing, "...don't they, girls."

The assistant smiled and confirmed politely, "Yes, Aurora."

The Medic waved her away impatiently, say, "Go away, Mayor."

Aurora only laughed, smiled to the man again, and headed out the door. The Security Officer who had been standing at the far end of the exam room watching the newcomer said politely, "When you're done here, I'll take you up to Temp Housing. You can make yourself comfortable there..." His lips spread in a smile as he finished, "...after you move that rig of yours up here. You're park in the driveway, blocking traffic."

He smiled even broader at the idea of traffic occurring anywhere in this world where so few cars operated anymore. They had heard stories about older model vehicles -- without the electronic ignitions that the Greeve EMP devices fried -- still operating in various places. But only the most organized militias and governments had fuel for the vehicles. And the heat producing machines tended to attract the attention of Greeve drones and, as a result, missile attacks from even larger armed drones that flew so high that they were hard to detect, let alone avoid.

He wondered how the man had shielded his vehicle from detection. But he didn't wonder long. He had other concerns he wanted to discuss with the tinkerer when he got a chance, such as how to make the Security Officers' still produce a better produce. The current batch of moonshine had elicited its share of It'll make you go blind jokes.

(OOC: PM coming at you.)

 

[such_a_bad_man]

Ned smiled at the thought of having dinner alone with such an alluring, confident woman. It had been a while since he’d eaten anything other than something out of a can or hunted in the wasteland. If this farm functioned as it looked like it could, he welcomed the idea of fresh produce again. Illinois and the farmers there felt like ages ago even though it was only a few weeks ago. He was already picturing what dinner in an established community might entail.

Ned snapped out of it, nodding in acknowledgement of the “soldier’s” request. He’d move it up to the house. He got the feeling that he wouldn’t have to worry about it getting scrapped for parts among these people which was a load off his mind. He’d never had that sort of security when it came to his ride. It was going to take some getting used to.

Once the medics were done with the eye exam portion of the health check, Ned fished in his pockets and snapped out a pair of Oakleys which he slid on without word or explanation. Once they were on, Ned slunk down in the chair a little deeper, seeming to go to sleep while the medics finished their work. He didn’t chat much with anyone in the I-n-I van once Aurora left. He knew they had a job to do and he wasn’t about to stop them and have them take longer.

Ned was out of the van and heading back to his car about 20 minutes later having indulged the prodding and poking of the medics throughout the examination. He was already feeling quietly optimistic that he’d made the right decision to come here judging by how well thought out the intake process was for new people. The car door groaned as always, swiveling on hand manufactured hinge pins, and Ned dropped into the seat with a thud. Switching his shades for his welding goggles again, he craned his head down to find the connectors for his wire harness.

He counted out the holes again, muttering the Fibonacci sequence to himself as a reminder for which holes to fill to make the connections work again. He stepped out of his car one more time, popping the hood and finding the fuel line. He looked around, still slightly paranoid that someone will figure out his trick to make the car run. Confident no one could see, he found the bladder he installed in the line and equalized the pressure, taking the positive pressure out of the line and allowing gas t flow in the fuel line. He didn’t have long once he did that, however and dove back into the car to turn it over. Once, twice, the starter engaged before the engine turned over and roared to life.

The rust-colored frame of the car was not glamorous, but every eye in the camp and around the farmhouse was on Ned as he rolled it up the drive and around to the Temporary Housing. He followed the hand signals of the security officers who showed him where to park it as there was no way he could hear them over the engine, especially with no windows. As Ned left it by one of the barns, he saw a vehicle like the one he met on the road parked inside. It was a little bigger and legitimately armored. His eyes narrowed as he pondered why it hadn’t gone out to meet him instead.

The tents of the temporary housing seemed nice enough. Thick burlap and wood tents marked which ones were probably surplus tents while the nylon and carbon fiber frames pointed to the ones that were probably spread around during the invasion for displaced families and the like. Once again, the security officers lead him to where he was supposed to go and the interior of the tent was probably nicer than any place he’d slept since he started his road trip.

“I’ll be back at 6 to take you to dinner. You’re on your own until then. Basically, don’t be a dick to anyone and we’ll get along fine,” said the security officer with a smile. Before he left, Ned saw the officer’s eyes fall to his duffle bag before he turned and left.

Ned had a feeling that he probably was the first person these people saw traveling with books that hadn’t been burned for fuel yet, but that was why Ned kept them all this time. Knowledge had become a commodity these days as so many of the best and brightest were snuffed out when the Greeve invaded. There was no way to tell how much of what humanity was had survived to this point. That made his pack of books all the more important to him.

He grabbed one from the top of the stack inside and thumbed to his dog-eared bookmark. Laying back on the cot in his tent, Ned started reading and the next thing he knew, the security officer was poking him in the shoulder to wake him.

“Hey… HEY! Wake up… it’s time for dinner.”

Ned groaned and stretched, before sitting up and stuffing his book back into the duffle again. As he stood up and felt a few more bones snap and crack, he suddenly had a thought.

“Uh, do you guys have some place I can clean up? It’s been a long drive.” He asked, tugging at his somewhat holey t-shirt.