post_apocalypse_story/qa-Overdue_Maintenence-powe...

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<h1> Overdue Maintenance </h1>
<p>
Jack parks the truck just before the exit of a tunnel and they get out.
Roaring water echoes from somewhere deep below. Annie grabs her bag and
goes ahead. The tunnel wall to the right features doors, large gates,
and windows that allow a peek into abandoned offices, storage spaces, and
control rooms. The end of the tunnel connects to a balcony with rusted
metal walkways going to either side, extending into a narrow ravine.
She steps onto it, making sure to keep her distance to the rusty railing,
and looks around. The walkway to the right connects to the top of a dam
blocking the ravine. A couple bushes, flowers, and a small tree grow
there, partially concealing the rusty <span class="comment">armatures?
</span> and the wall is green from moss and small ferns. Water flows
over the spillway, falling into the depths below where it joins a
torrent of water rushing out of two big pipes at the bottom of the
ravine. The other walkway leads to a freestanding staircase going all
the way down.
</p>
<p>
Jack walks up next to her, grabbing hold of the railing, trying to
shake it but it doesn't budge.<br />
<span class="quote speech">Looks like it&apos;s gonna hold.</span><br />
He turns to the right and steps onto the walkway before having an idea.
He turns to Annie and Michelle:<br />
<span class="quote speech">Ladies first.</span><br />
While Annie is still thinking about a response, Michelle&apos;s response
is immediate:<br />
<span class="quote speech">Thanks but you can go ahead.</span><br />
<span class="quote speech">You two are lighter though.</span>
</p>
<p class="comment">
They walk to the dam, look into the windows
</p>
<p class="comment">
Some events have changed, this needs to be tied together again.
</p>
<p>
<span class="quote speech">Annie?</span> Michelle calls
<span class="comment">?</span> her. They are standing by one of the doors
in the tunnel wall. Jack pulls a wire through the latch and opens it.
Inside is the main control room. The wall to the right is lined with
metal cabinets that have levers, buttons, switches, and large gauges on
them. The wall to the left features a front of windows, allowing a view
of the spillway and the top of the dam. Some of the windows have cracks
but somehow none are broken. In front of the windows is a collection of
random furniture, mostly desks and chairs. The center of the room is
taken up by a large console with more buttons, switches, and gauges that
is facing the windows and an opening in the floor covered by a thick
glass pane. They roam around the room for a moment. Annie looks outside,
admiring the flowering lilypads floating in the water that is held back
by the dam.
</p>
<p>
Michelle asks: <span class="quote speech">Jack, what&apos;s the status
on that dome city you&apos;re building? You guys only have two years to
finish that project.</span><br />
<span class="quote speech">Oh no, I guess we&apos;re gonna have to slack
less while waiting for bureaucracy to take its course.</span><br />
<span class="quote speech">Look, the power lines are gonna get hooked up
to the battery bank in a couple days. Aren&apos;t you excited for
that?</span><br />
<span class="quote speech">Not my department but I sure hope we&apos;re
no longer gonna need these portable batteries down there. Having a working
power grid is gonna be so nice.</span><br />
They are looking at a calendar on the wall and laughing. It shows October
1991 with a few entries and crossed-off days.
</p>
<p>
Jack looks at a clipboard that was placed on the control panel on the
center console.<br />
<span class="quote speech">The next maintenence expedition is scheduled
for 2011... I don&apos;t think anyone ever stepped foot in here after
&lt;dome city&gt; was closed off.</span><br />
<span class="quote speech">It wouldn&apos;t surprise me.</span> Annie
turns around and leans against the center console.
<span class="quote speech">Apart from a small group, the entire city is
legitimately scared of the outside world.</span><br />
<span class="quote speech">I mean they&apos;re probably right, the
outside world is dangerous. Look down, by the way.</span><br />
<span class="quote speech">Whoa!</span><br />
She stumbles backwards. Without noticing it, she had walked onto the
glass pane. It allows a view down into a hall filled with machinery.
</p>
<p>
They gather around it and look down. The floor is flooded by water
rushing out of a burst pipe and spraying out from the flanges of many
other pipe sections.<br />
<span class="quote speech">It&apos;s a miracle this place is still
running.</span>
</p>
<p class="comment">
missing section
</p>
<p>
Jack turns the key and the gate starts to move up, scrathcing and
squeeking as it does, revealing a bunch of crates. About half-way
up, it gets stuck, making a buzzing noise. Jack lets go of the key, it
stops. They duck under the gate and look around. They find themselves in
a warehouse much larger than the gate and windows facing the tunnel would
lead to assume.<br />
<span class="quote speech">Now that, ladies and gentlemen, is what I call
an adequate stockpile of spare parts.</span><br />
Jack walks up to a huge crate and wipes the dust off the label:
<span class="quote non-speech">Turbine C, replacement 2</span>.
</p>
<p class="comment">
exploring the warehouse, they find a forklift and a railroad in the back
</p>
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