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<!DOCTYPE html> < html > < head > < title > Basic Needs < / title > < link rel = "stylesheet" type = "text/css" href = "html_resources/style.css" > < / head > < body > < a href = "index.html" > < button class = "back" > < < / button > < / a >
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< h1 > Basic Needs< / h1 >
< p >
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Jack drives into a dried-out river. In the distance on the other side is
a group of houses that, while they have certainly seen better days,
don' t look abandoned. The truck struggles to get traction in the
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sand on the other side of the river and eventually gets stuck.
< span class = "quote speech" > Well fuck.< / span > Jack backs up and turns
into the river. He accelerates, then steers back onto the river bank
– to no avail, the truck gets stuck again. He turns back into the
river. The engine roars. First gear, second gear, third gear...
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< / p >
< p >
The suspension bottoms out as the truck plows uphill through the sand,
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barely making it out of the river. Annie holds her shoulder, it hurts
from getting pushed into the seat belt.< br / >
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< span class = "quote speech" > Can we not do that again, please?< / span > < br / >
< span class = "comment" > response?< / span > < br / >
Jack turns around and drives onto the overgrown remains of a road leading
to the settlement.
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< / p >
< p >
He parks in front of an old store.< br / >
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< span class = "quote speech" > This is it, I guess.< / span > < br / >
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They get out and start walking towards the door. A small dog runs up to
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them, barking, jumping around, running in circles, and wagging its tail.
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It picks up a stick and drops it in front of Annie. She crouches down,
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pets the dog, and picks up the stick.< br / >
< span class = "quote speech" > I' ll be right there< / span > , Annie says
to Jack before throwing it.< br / >
< span class = "quote speech" > Okay.< / span > Jack goes into the store.
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< / p >
< p >
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After playing fetch for a bit, Annie follows. Behind the counter is a man
who appears to be in his 60s. He is talking to Jack:< br / >
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< span class = "quote speech" > I mean in the long run. We have plenty of food
right now but, since the < river name> has changed course, we
don' t even have enough water to grow crops for ourselves. The
cisterns and wells simply don' t cut it.< / span > < br / >
< span class = "quote speech" > So, basically, you' re saying you need
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water.< / span > < br / >
The man interrupts the conversation and looks at Annie:< br / >
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< span class = "quote speech" > Good afternoon, what can I do for you?< / span >
< br / >
< span class = "quote speech" > I' m with him.< / span > < br / >
< span class = "quote speech" > I see.< / span > < br / >
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He turns back to Jack:< br / >
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< span class = "quote speech" > Listen, we don' t just need a little bit of
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water. The amount of water we need can' t simply be carried here or
we' d do it ourselves. And we need it regularly and consistently.
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When the < river> still flowed here, water used to flow into our
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irrigation system upstream and got distributed to all the fields and
greenhouses from there.< / span > < br / >
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< span class = "quote speech" > I know you need an industrial quantity of
water. We can get you an industrial quantity of water. Will you give us
food if we supply you?< / span > < br / >
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< span class = "comment" > " Who is *we*?" < / span > < br / >
He musters Jack for a moment.< br / >
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< span class = "quote speech" > And how do you wanna get it here?< / span > < br / >
< span class = "quote speech" > By train - assuming the railroad south of here
is in a serviceable state.< / span > Seeing the man' s confusion, Jack
adds: < span class = "quote speech" > Let that be my problem to solve. Will
you trade water for food?< / span > < br / >
< span class = "quote speech" > I' m gonna have to discuss that with the
others. Wait outside.< / span >
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< / p >
< p >
After playing with the dog some more, they get approached by a group of
people, amongst them the man from the store. They shake hands. Jack
repeats his idea to supply water by train in exchange for crops.< br / >
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< span class = "quote speech" > What' s this train you' re talking
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of?< / span > , one of them asks.< br / >
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< span class = "quote speech" > A large vehicle from the old world. It drives
on tracks like the ones that should be south of here.< / span > < br / >
< span class = "quote speech" > So that' s what these rails were used
for... But that' s still pretty far from here, how do you wanna
transport the water here?< / span > < br / >
< span class = "quote speech" > That irrigation system of yours... Can we take
a look at it?< / span > < br / >
< span class = "quote speech" > I see where you' re trying to go with
this. It' s still not particularly close to the rails.< / span >
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< / p >
< p >
After a bit of additional back and forth, they agree on a plan. The man
who did most of the talking asks a girl:< br / >
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< span class = "quote speech" > Mary, can you go, show them around?< / span >
< br / >
< span class = "quote speech" > Sure, follow me.< / span >
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< span class = "comment" > It' s a bit of a walk...< / span > < br / >
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< span class = "quote speech" > Wait< / span > , Jack stops her,
< span class = "quote speech" > We' re here with a truck.< / span > < br / >
< span class = "quote speech" > So that' s < i > your< / i > car? Cool!
I' ve only ever seen one working car in the city. So we' re
gonna drive there?< / span > < br / >
< span class = "quote speech" > If you show us the way.< / span > < br / >
< span class = "quote speech" > Let' s go!< / span >
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< / p >
< p class = "comment" >
Not sure of this should be the end of a chapter or if I should continue
here. The way this has turned out, it would also be nice if they ended up
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delivering construction machines (excavators, etc.) to the village so
they don' t need to rely on water shipments past the day when the
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protagonists leave for Nova Metropolis.
< / p >
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