The Reserve

They pass through a dimly lit tunnel then there is brightness. The men enter into a vast room with a high ceiling. They are on top of a platform and I can see that there are several stories beneath their feet. It looks like a work detail. The walls and floors are painted white. Large wooden barrels as tall as Banks, occupy the room. Trays are lined up on every level. There are people stationed at various points throughout. I would never think that an area this size could be underground.

Banks was clearly the commander. As Banks walks along the platform, the people look up and smile. He is a welcome sight. They are pleased as he stops to acknowledge them, they come to attention and eagerly show him their work as he walks by. As he passes each of them, he pats them on the back. There is bold laughter and robust gestures.

“How are we doing?” Banks says.

“Everything is running smoothly,” A male says. He pumps water in the barrel.

“The water levels?” Banks says.

“Decent, I don’t know for how long,” he says.

“We’ll go for as long as we can,” Banks says. He dips his fingers into the barrel. “This feels just about right.”

He walks down to the other level, to greet a female. They embrace.

“All I’ve got are sedges for this milling and the young people picked batches of the camellia sinensi to replace the hops,” the female says.

“Camellia sinensi, what’s that?” Jim says.

“Tea leaves,” the female says.

“How well will they ferment?” Jim says.

“We’ll find out in a few days,” Banks says.

This must be the brewery.

I saw the layout of this space and read the beer recipe before. I pause the video, rummage through the box, and find the folder containing the documents. How important is beer? the recipes for baby food are not written down but the brewing process for beer is recorded and carefully guarded.

The recipe started with grain, yeast, and hops. Over time, sedges, cassava, and teas leaves, were added as the basic ingredients became scarce. Sweet sorghum was grown to create molasses and the search for fresh water continued as the drought persisted.

I restart the video. Banks walks over to the mash tun as the milled grain is mixed with water, the mixture becomes mash. Someone stands by the underback waiting to add molasses to the mash, turning the mash into wort. The wort is strained and pumped into the chillers where it waits for hours until its temperature lowers then yeast is added. The wort is then fermented, converting the yeast into glucose, to ethyl alcohol and carbon dioxide gas -- giving the beer both its alcohol content and its carbonation. The beer is ready, poured into thirty-two-ounce casks and brought upstairs and to sellers, for consumption.

More evidence of men creating artificial structures to mimic the working systems of nature. The production of beer is man imitating nature’s ecosystem. Just like the Grid, the power of the brewing process lies with those who control the means of production.

Banks and Jim walk off on their own.

“How long can you keep this up?” Jim says.

“Got about eight thousand gallons of water in the tank,” Banks says. “If the Council doesn’t find out and we ration the drinks, a year maybe.”

“Who else knows?”

“Only you.”

“This better not get out.”

“No, or we’ll have a real problem on our hands.”

“Will we survive when the beer stops flowing?

“That’s when things will fall apart,” Banks says. “You know I’ll have to give it up way before then if the Reserve doesn't find other resources soon, there’s no getting around it.”

“We waited too long.”

“People are cautious. The majority want to play it safe and stay close to the Reserve. They don’t want to risk lives on expeditions.”

“Things can’t be majority rules all the time.”

“The Council never recovered from the loss of the Deckard party and now Stem’s crew is missing. Things have only gotten worse as far as they’re concerned.”

“What will it take to get them to see our way.”

“They won’t”

“They’re wrong.”

“No. You’re wrong. Everyone else is right. Every possible outcome is the right outcome, so everyone does what they want. You forgot how things were before the war?”

“Then how are we going to advance?”

“Why do we need to advance? Isn’t that what got us here in the first place?”

“Banks, you know better than I do, if we do nothing we’ll die.”

“I know, but you still have to give people the respect they feel they deserve. They’ve thought about this just as much as you and I have.”

“Have they asked the most important question?”

“That being?”

“Bread or beer?”

There is momentary silence between the men and then an outburst of laughter.

“Let’s visit the Gnomon,” Banks says.

I do not think they realize the camera is still on.

Banks was smart. He knew that once man found shelter, he would next seek intoxication. Bread or beer? There is always conflict. This I assume has been true from the beginning of time and will exist through the end of our time as evidenced on this ship.

They are outside now, walking through the Rings of the Reserve. Occasionally I can see Jim’s hand shaking a person’s hand as he passes by.

“Did the wind cause any damage to the greenhouse?” Jim says.

“No. Reports are everything seems fine.”

I recognize the white sheet building with glass windows and flowers inside from Banks’s pictures. This is Ring 7 and the plastic walls are called a greenhouse.

A strange noise, like a warning beacon then four moving vehicles pass by. I had heard about cars but never saw one in motion. It must be nice to give the feet some rest and get to where one is going faster. We do not have far to go here, I imagine one of these is necessary to get from there to the mountain.

Flowers appear, more than I can see in full. Colors on living things, more than I can name or have ever seen. Ring 3 is hollowed out and trees and plants grow through. Artists have chiseled formations into beautifully sculpted shapes and symbols that complement the volcanic rock.

Tiny creatures jump in and out of a circle in the ground filled with water, half-naked children try to catch them. Flat green flowers bathe on their backs as they float wistfully not minding the commotion. People have chairs, families are lying down on blankets, people walk with shoes in hand, and some are exercising.

Suddenly, a sea of older children. No two of whom look alike, sitting on benches, strolling out of doors, eating interesting food and walking with animals. I miss the sound of animals and touching them. Further inside there are almost exclusively children in a playground, running aimlessly around in circles screaming with dirty faces playing in the mud.

The deeper they go into the Reserve, the stronger the Ring walls feel. There is a sense of security that nothing can touch them in this place. The walls surround and protect them, shield them from the realities of the world outside. I understand why there was a struggle to stay where they were and not change things, never leave.

Are those the Miller sisters? Yes, they are selling spiritual amulets on chains, jewelry, scarves and artifacts. These women were elders on land and somehow manage to live on, on the ship. In this video. they have on long flowing gowns that look like a thousand scarves tied together. Tiny colorful jewels adorn the fabric. On their fingers are four beautiful rings, each sister wears two. They are big, fancy and sparkle in the sunlight.

“Peace Jim. Peace Banks,” the Millers say.

“Do you have what I asked for?” Jim says.

“Yes,” the sisters say.

They hand him a palm sized wooden box.

“What’s that?” Banks says.

“This is for you,” Jim says. “It may not be the one your sister gave you. I hope it helps to ease the pain.”