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<h1> Basic Needs</h1>
<p>
Jack drives into a dried-out river. A bit away from the other side is a
group of houses that – while they have certainly seen better days
– aren't ruins. The truck struggles to get traction in the
sand on the other side of the river bed. After getting stuck, he backs up
and turns into the river. He accelerates, the engine roars, then he
steers it back onto the side of the river. The truck gets stuck again.
This process repeats twice more before they finally make it out and back
onto the tall grass that covers the area. Jack drives over to the remains
of a road that lead to the settlement.
</p>
<p>
He parks in front of an old store.<br />
<span class="quote speech">This is it, I guess.</span><br />
They get out and start walking towards the door. A small dog runs up to
greet them, jumping around, running in circles, and wagging its tail.
It picks up a stick and drops it in front of Annie. She crouches down,
pets the dog, and picks up the stick. The dog bites into the other end
and pulls on it.<br />
<span class="comment">note: need reason for Jack to go ahead, also better
wording</span><br />
<span class="quote speech">I'll be inside.</span><br />
Jack goes into the store.
</p>
<p>
<span class="comment">note: need to state that the man appears to be in
his 60s</span><br />
After playing with the dog for a bit, Annie follows. The man behind the
counter is talking to Jack:<br />
<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
water.</span><br />
The man interrupts the conversation and looks at Annie:<br />
<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 />
He turns back to Jack:<br />
<span class="quote speech">Listen, we don't just need a little bit of
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.
When the <river> still flowed here, water userd to flow into our
irrigation system upstream and got distributed to all the fields and
greenhouses from there.</span><br />
<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 />
<span class="comment">"Who is *we*?"</span><br />
He musters Jack for a moment.<br />
<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>
</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 />
<span class="quote speech">What's this train you're talking
of?</span>, one of them asks.<br />
<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>
</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 />
<span class="quote speech">Mary, can you go, show them around?</span>
<br />
<span class="quote speech">Sure, follow me.</span>
<span class="comment">It's a bit of a walk...</span><br />
<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>
</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
delivering construction machines (excavators, etc.) to the village so
they don't need to rely on water shipments past the day when the
protagonists leave for Nova Metropolis.
</p>
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