Descending Road - WHERE THEIR BREAD COMES FROM by Dana W. Paxson

WHERE THEIR BREAD COMES FROM

1563 4D

A long low box of a room held ten crates, still closed. Ezzar said to Andrew, “Come here. I’ll show you the other side of all this.”

“Of what?”

“You saw the guns. Now look at this.” She lifted the lid of the nearest crate. Case after case of medical kits and supplies confronted Andrew. Surgeries, sustainers, cleansers, microtools, lavage recycle systems, neuromappers, nutrifusers, tissuemakers, enough to heal a disaster. “This is our part of the job.”

“What job? I didn’t—" Andrew stopped, frustrated.

“You wanted to get to Sobi. This is what we’re taking there.”

“You, maybe. This isn’t my job. I came here with you, and that’s all I said I’d do.”

Ezzar turned on him. Her eyes flashed. “It’s safe,” she said with a note of contempt, “And you won’t have to worry about being caught with guns. It’s just a van ride, and we’ll be where you want to go. Besides, I’m bringing Grendel, just for you.”

“How? I thought he’d get eaten alive in Sobi. That’s what you…" Andrew paused. She was doing this for him. “Why aren’t the others taking care of this?”

“That’s our problem, not yours. Just help us. We lost some people when this stuff arrived. Without them, there’s nobody left but us.” Ezzar looked grim.

“Are things this bad now in Sobi?” Andrew swept a hand over the array of medical supplies.

“Yes. Not just there, either.”

Andrew took a very deep breath. Janny stood near him with one hand tucked inside her coverall. He thought of Engel. The constricting web of events that had nearly killed him now enmeshed the remains of his family. “Count me in. I’m not really sure who you are, or what you’re doing this for, but I’m with you.”

Ezzar looked into his eyes and held his gaze. Her pupils shrank at first, her eyes going from green to blue-gray as she studied him; then her lips tightened into a line. “Yes, I think you are,” she said. Her eyes went green again, darkening; for an instant, she smiled. The smile faded. She said, “Listen carefully. The city and ArCorp have been running the South Power Complex in Armeni Zone for the last twenty-seven years. It’s been leaking radiation into the lower levels, but they won’t do anything to repair it. They claim they’d have to shut it down and throw all the people in the lower zones out to the surface for two and a half years, without support or supplies. That’s a lie. And they’ve backed it up by starting mass relocations.”

“I’ve lost friends that way,” Andrew interjected.

“I’ve lost family. We’re the Coll Union. We’ve got four collechi groups and two City factions working to take over the complex and force a deal: let us repair it while it’s online, and we’ll take only enough shares to pay for the work.

“The South Complex has its own access to the outside by rail, so it can’t be isolated like other City areas can. That means Arlen can’t goon us out — we’ll keep resupplying. And if they don’t take the deal, we just take over and run the complex ourselves.”

“Why couldn’t they just stop giving you money and air and other necessities for operation?” Andrew asked.

“If they try that, we cut power to three-fourths of their hydroponics. Then the killoff and bloom take most of the upcity food supply, and there isn’t enough from surface farms. They know where their bread comes from.”

Men and women hurried into the room and began moving the supplies from the crate hand to hand, in a human chain out the door. Ezzar led Andrew out and down the chain to a van now filling up for the trip to Sobi Zone.

“Where’s Janny?” Andrew asked as he looked around. The little girl stood just behind his left leg. She grinned slyly at him. Grendel came up, the big beam gun in his hand, and got in the back of the van on the lowest crates, bending low to keep his head from bumping the inside of the roof. Andrew sat Janny on Grendel‘s lap. She looked up at Grendel; he offered her a big finger to hold, and she wrapped the fingers of her left hand around it. Her right index finger went in her mouth. Andrew tore his look away from her and got in the front with Ezzar.

Story List	SURPRISE ME	Author Page
USER SURVEY	PUZZLE ME	MAKE ELM MARK

HOVER Lucida Bright BARE	HOVER Lucida Bright FULL	HOVER Palatino Linotype BARE
HOVER Palatino Linotype FULL	HOVER Times New Roman BARE	HOVER Times New Roman FULL
PAD Arial BARE	PAD Arial FULL	PAD Lucida Bright BARE
PAD Lucida Bright FULL	PAD Times New Roman BARE	PAD Times New Roman FULL


	WHERE THEIR BREAD COMES FROM 1563 4D A long low box of a room held ten crates, still closed. Ezzar said to Andrew, “Come here. I’ll show you the other side of all this.” “Of what?” “You saw the guns. Now look at this.” She lifted the lid of the nearest crate. Case after case of medical kits and supplies confronted Andrew. Surgeries, sustainers, cleansers, microtools, lavage recycle systems, neuromappers, nutrifusers, tissuemakers, enough to heal a disaster. “This is our part of the job.” “What job? I didn’t—" Andrew stopped, frustrated. “You wanted to get to Sobi. This is what we’re taking there.” “You, maybe. This isn’t my job. I came here with you, and that’s all I said I’d do.” Ezzar turned on him. Her eyes flashed. “It’s safe,” she said with a note of contempt, “And you won’t have to worry about being caught with guns. It’s just a van ride, and we’ll be where you want to go. Besides, I’m bringing Grendel, just for you.” “How? I thought he’d get eaten alive in Sobi. That’s what you…" Andrew paused. She was doing this for him. “Why aren’t the others taking care of this?” “That’s our problem, not yours. Just help us. We lost some people when this stuff arrived. Without them, there’s nobody left but us.” Ezzar looked grim. “Are things this bad now in Sobi?” Andrew swept a hand over the array of medical supplies. “Yes. Not just there, either.” Andrew took a very deep breath. Janny stood near him with one hand tucked inside her coverall. He thought of Engel. The constricting web of events that had nearly killed him now enmeshed the remains of his family. “Count me in. I’m not really sure who you are, or what you’re doing this for, but I’m with you.” Ezzar looked into his eyes and held his gaze. Her pupils shrank at first, her eyes going from green to blue-gray as she studied him; then her lips tightened into a line. “Yes, I think you are,” she said. Her eyes went green again, darkening; for an instant, she smiled. The smile faded. She said, “Listen carefully. The city and ArCorp have been running the South Power Complex in Armeni Zone for the last twenty-seven years. It’s been leaking radiation into the lower levels, but they won’t do anything to repair it. They claim they’d have to shut it down and throw all the people in the lower zones out to the surface for two and a half years, without support or supplies. That’s a lie. And they’ve backed it up by starting mass relocations.” “I’ve lost friends that way,” Andrew interjected. “I’ve lost family. We’re the Coll Union. We’ve got four collechi groups and two City factions working to take over the complex and force a deal: let us repair it while it’s online, and we’ll take only enough shares to pay for the work. “The South Complex has its own access to the outside by rail, so it can’t be isolated like other City areas can. That means Arlen can’t goon us out — we’ll keep resupplying. And if they don’t take the deal, we just take over and run the complex ourselves.” “Why couldn’t they just stop giving you money and air and other necessities for operation?” Andrew asked. “If they try that, we cut power to three-fourths of their hydroponics. Then the killoff and bloom take most of the upcity food supply, and there isn’t enough from surface farms. They know where their bread comes from.” Men and women hurried into the room and began moving the supplies from the crate hand to hand, in a human chain out the door. Ezzar led Andrew out and down the chain to a van now filling up for the trip to Sobi Zone. “Where’s Janny?” Andrew asked as he looked around. The little girl stood just behind his left leg. She grinned slyly at him. Grendel came up, the big beam gun in his hand, and got in the back of the van on the lowest crates, bending low to keep his head from bumping the inside of the roof. Andrew sat Janny on Grendel‘s lap. She looked up at Grendel; he offered her a big finger to hold, and she wrapped the fingers of her left hand around it. Her right index finger went in her mouth. Andrew tore his look away from her and got in the front with Ezzar.