When I wasn't at the Government Building I was in the Communications Department - my own Department - the second highest amount of time in my working life. It was one of the larger departments, spacious and regal looking. Or as regal looking as possible for a building in District 13. I had my own office there though often it was vacant when I wasn't there, and one of my favourite places to lounge out. The Communications Department had several subsections. The District Subsection, where each District had it's own worker that monitored the radio or any other signals from the Districts, in case they tried to send us any messages. Each District also had their own worker that was preparing to send signals from us to them, or extract information outside of the Districts somehow. Each District also had one officer whose job was to try and summarise the inner workings of each District, where they were at the moment, and kept a huge log of data on all of it. There was also a Capitol subsection, where there were two workers waiting on signals from the Capitol, a worker ready to send signals to the Capitol, and a worker putting together as much information about the Capitol as possible. They were all signals from rebels however, those were the only people we wanted to communicate with from the Capitol.
There were also several officers in the Communications Department that frequently collaborated several Departments together. Then there was the District 13 subsection, with workers from the Communications Department working on how to broadcast messages to the entire District at large, what to broadcast at all, how to schedule it, and all of that. Then there was the Government Subsection, where workers worked on meetings, how voting would work, how the government body managed itself and so on.
Elijah Raine was from the District 13 Subsection. Callisto Holster the Collaboration Subsection that often worked with the Engineering Department for any new technologies that were used in communications, and I also the Collaboration Subsection, but with military instead. I didn't want this though, I would've wanted to work in the Capitol Subsection, or the District Subsection, those were my desired roles, but I could only get in on the Collaboration Subsection with the military instead. I had more chances of getting voted as another Collaboration Subsection under the engineering department sector as it had been my father's role. He initially started of in the Engineering Department, then transferred to the Communications Department, communicating with the engineers after that, and because of his numerous textbooks lying around home, and the ideologies of his I could intone, I had chances of getting seen as a good candidate for that role.
I didn't run for it because it had been filled recently by Callisto Holster, who was one of the younger members of the government, and there was no real reason why he would be deemed unable to fulfill he role as well as me, or any real reason why I would fulfill it better than him, so it was a bit of a risky move to jostle with him for the position. Also because it was easier to get in on politics if someone was moving out, and since Callisto was still young it was unlikely that was happening anytime soon. Instead the Collaboration subsection with the Department of Military had been a role without as competitive of a candidate to compete against, and was similar enough to the Engineering Department technology wise, the few bits and pieces I'd remembered from father's ideas was enough to gain me a spot.
I'd never like technology. Only liked the power of being in charge, the thrill of being on top, in control of all of those people. It was that, that was exhilarating to me ever since I was young, the urge to climb to the top among people, that excited me and made my heart leap ever since I was aware that happiness and excitement was as a kid. The extensive details about technology never interested me and was just a necessity to get the job done.
"We need more medicine," Easton told us, "our soldiers are getting wounded in our exercises. It can't be stopped. And our supplies aren't enough to cover it..." Easton and North Myles were two of triplets that worked in the Department of Military. Their brother Westley worked in the Department of Rations. They were both relatively young but Easton and North worked excellently with each other and seemed twice as efficient as other workers that no one wanted to remove them from their post. Easton was a male, tall and broad shouldered, with dark hair, dark eyes, pale greyish skin and yellowed teeth. He looked older than he was. North was the only girl of the triplets, incredibly tall, broad shouldered and a little plump but with a strong layer of muscle underneath, she also had dark hair and dark eyes. Her hair was shaved on one side. Individuality was rare in District 13, most people wore the same uniforms and looked the same, but sometimes it peaked through, and this hair cut was one I'd seen before. I didn't like it because the buzz cut meant a razor had most likely been used. There were still electric razors that had been bought down from District 13 before the bombing, along with some other man-made items then, that could still be used, but I always thought it was a waste of batteries and I didn't like the implications from that haircut. Still, unless I caught someone at it red handed it was just too difficult and time consuming to chase anyone up over it. It was just another pesky thing I'd have to let get away.
Like most residents of District 13, neither Easton nor North talked much, preferring to conserve their energy, but when they did it was often gruff and to the point. Easton was also one of the Representatives of the Military in the Government body, though he was usually busy I didn't talk to him much whenever I visited. It was usually his sister North I spoke to, but today she was busy and it was him. He showed me some records of their training exercises and injuries. The same training exercises I ordered him to do because our Capitol Communications predicted pods scattered geographically between the Capitol and District 13 that required those military exercises to prepare the military for. Removing them was not an option.
I had little impression of Westley other than that he seemed more mellow than his siblings and content with a simple life.
"Yes, those exercises are a necessity, and those injuries can't go untreated. I will talk to the Department of Health about it," I said.
Truthfully the Myles triplets unnerved me a little. District 13 had a small population because we lost a lot of people in the bombing, the initial few months to a year after we moved underground, and the waves of diseases that had broken out since. Our population was dwindling, and there was a real risk of inbreeding going on. Inbreeding never happened individually between families, with a brother and sister mating or anything like that, that was unlikely and only a simplified version of it. But instead it tended to happen to populations as a whole, at large, if there wasn't enough numbers involved, and what happened was that the entire population became so alike that if you dated and married anyone within it, you may have an inbred child even if you weren't distinctively related yourselves. Or rather, you'd have a child that had more genetic diseases and complications than most. There was no label called 'inbred' attached to it you could see, but you could guess it was due to the inbreeding.
If District 13 continued to have it's population problems we'd see higher numbers of genetic defects, diseases, and things like that cropping in our people for future generations to come. We didn't have the technology to do a full genetic sample of anyone, but we kept uneasy watches over all the new babies we'd welcome ever since we went underground, and anything that was slightly odd or seemed like a defect was usually enough reason to be concerned and to make a report or record of it. Although some things didn't appear harmful, like triplets for instance, it was still a bit of a warning sign of things not being quite right to have it appear so frequently, and so I always felt a bit of unease when it came to those triplets. They may be alright, but it was still something that made me feel uneasy. Anyone who was interested in District 13 politics and knew of the issues we worried over, including the population and inbreeding problem, would know of our uneasiness towards genetic issues of any kind at all that were showing up in the population.
"We've also detected more pods in the tunnels to the Capitol, but we estimate it will take us more supplies to defeat them. Or possibly a loss of numbers. There used to be a weapon in our military records that we used when we were above the ground that if our troops were equipped with, would allow us greater chances of victory. But we don't have them so chances are we might actually lose numbers. Unless we can make those weapons again..." Easton said, showing me more blueprints.
"Why didn't the military order manufacturing for them all this time?" I asked, "why has it stopped?"
"I don't know," said Easton, "possibly because they are only needed for the absolute worst pods and we haven't found any until now."
"Has there been evidence that these weapons will be successful against these kind of pods in the past?" I asked.
"Not really, but these weapons are good for these sort of conditions. And some of the pods we've detected to contain these sort of conditions," said Easton, showing me more blueprints.
"It looks like the conditions you've detected from the pods are worst than the ones the weapons were equipped for. Surely your odds are still low even if you had those weapons," I said, preferring to get to the bottom of things.
"True, but they are slightly higher because these weapons have an ability a cut above the others."
"So you're reliant on the weapon to work," I said, "if there's no weapon, you can't face the conditions that would come out of these pods. If there are weapons, you can defeat them."
"Yes, our success depends on the weapons we have, and not the number of soldiers or anything. Though the more the merrier," said Easton.
"I can manufacture you some weapons. The design doesn't look too difficult or resource intensive compared to what I happen to know of the Engineering Department. However, I'd advise you to only use a handful of soldiers, 2 or 3, per pod, but equip them with as many weapons as possible. That way if there is a casualty, because this is a dangerous mission, we don't suffer too many losses in numbers," I said, "and choose the older candidates if possible. That is always the wisest choice."
I was glad there were no cameras or surveillance systems in District 13, for this would be a bit contentious to some. Sentencing the older soldiers to a death instead of letting it be random, some would say it's fairer if it was random. But I had my reasons for believing this was the best choice. District 13 was undergoing population problems, but that was only with the people who hadn't had children yet. People who'd had children could die off and it wouldn't affect the future as much. It was really people who could potentially contribute to the gene pool but hadn't had children whose loss would mean the most in the loss of future genetic diversity. It sounds cruel and cold but it makes sense and I'd rather people who have already given up their contributions to the gene pool dead than not. I am a practical person afterall.
"You're willing to risk it? It would be hell before they die. If they had more numbers, even if they weren't successful, the mission would be better," Easton sounded a little surprised.
"The goal of the military is to address District 13's problems in the most practical way, not to create a funland for all it's military. I should think there is reason to conduct those missions in that way," I said.
"Really? You think it's better?" Easton sounded a little unsure. Times like this reminded me of his youth. And mine as well but some days I felt older than many people. It had been a common feeling I had through the times.
"I know so, and I trust you have the efficiency to carry it out," was all I said. Easton looked momentary happy at that bit of praise and as if it was really true and he was starting to see things my way before we talked a little more and I left with the blueprint he gave me.
I found Callisto in his office as I swung by the Communications Department. His door was open though it usually wasn't.
"Give this to engineering, they need an order of these numbers," I told him.
Callisto raised his eyebrows, "those are intense weapons. Is there a problem with District 13?"
Even though he didn't need to know sometimes us government officials talked among ourselves a little when it came to matters concerning the Districts. We were human afterall and had our own thoughts.
"Pods by the underground train track to the Capitol. They will get rid of them soon," I said.
There was one underground train track from District 13 to the Capitol, which was connected to the current District 13 underground by a tunnel several miles long.
The Capitol didn't know we occasionally explored it from our side. Though I didn't think they explored it at all from their side ever since the bombing agreement. They weren't afraid of us but we were afraid of them so naturally we'd survey the area, exits and entrances of our District more.
"I didn't know the Capitol was that cruel. It's a long way away to put such pods," he said.
Memories of my university degree, one of the political history between the Capitol and District 13 flooded back. I'd read incredibly cruel recounts of all the things they did to the Districts during the rebellion and I didn't even feel I'd read all of them. You'd be surprised at what more information you could find about it.
"They've done worse," was all I said. Callisto had a degree in engineering so he wouldn't know. Likewise with Deoxy. Bellamy didn't have a degree, she simply trained to be a nurse and that was it. We couldn't really afford to have extensive education systems because we were chronically short on resources so only a few areas truly had degrees and everything. My degree was really the sort of thing you studied if you wanted to work in the government exclusively after graduation. There was no other path for it.
"I'd believe that," said Callisto shortly before he turned to deliver the blueprint and I headed back to my office. Callisto was taller than average, with medium brown hair, grey tinged skin and a sort of sickly sheen to him. I would've preferred him to look healthier but this sickly sheen was a relatively common appearance in District 13 due to the lack of light and all, and he had attracted me due to other reasons so all in all I didn't mind. I was quite lucky to not look sickly, likewise with Bellamy. Deoxy didn't look sickly but I saw Callisto's parents briefly and they both did. It was just an incredibly common look in District 13 afterall.
After work I helped Bellamy cook dinner as usual. She was humming softly under her breath, it was a rare sound for we didn't have the resources nor energy for music in District 13, but I recognised the sound as being one she made whenever she was happy and I generally liked it when people around me were in good spirits so I didn't stop her. I found out why though during tea.
"I'm getting married," said Bellamy, and she unfolded her hands from the two orangey-red envelopes she was holding in her hand. "Deoxy proposed some time ago but we couldn't book the wedding room until now. I know envelopes are a waste of paper when I could just tell you two directly, we live in the same house afterall. But weddings only come once a lifetime, I hope, and I wanted you two to have something to remember it by."
The two envelopes were beautifully done, there was pretty cursive on the front. Instantly I knew it would be a good wedding, I could picture it all inside my head. Bellamy and Deoxy had a warm enough relationship they would want to plan everything out properly, and I knew it would probably be a charming wedding to go to. The envelopes already showed great care and attention to detail. The two wanted to make it look good.
"Thank you," I said. Even though I didn't say much, a part of me knew even then, that I would treasure it forever. District 13 was mostly dull and monotonous, a miserable existing just trying to survive, but it was moments like this that reminded me of the fact we were people, we didn't always follow rules or strict orders on how to do things, to best survive, but sometimes we were spontaneous, sometimes we were happy, just that, and did things to show it. This wedding spoke of goodwill and just two people genuinely being in love and excited over everything, whether it was above the ground or underneath, not worrying about things like wasting paper on envelopes and in some roundabout way, it just felt more real and a part of me felt bittersweet all the same at everything.
"Thank you," I said again, pocketing the envelope. It was too precious to me. A symbol of some genuine happiness and carefreeness my sister did. I didn't want to risk getting tea or the flat biscuits we were eating from our rations all over it. I would open it to read later.
"Beautiful..." my mother's lip trembled a bit, "what's the season of the wedding?"
Because there was no weather in District 13, weddings could be decorated to look like any season. It wasn't a default, one was allowed to decorate a wedding how they wanted within reason, but if they remembered what weddings above ground could be like, it was very possible to decorate it like a season.
"Spring," said Bellamy, "for hope the upcoming summer brings."