COLONY EARTH

1

March 17th, 2056:

Today I was informed by Sam Terrai that there was a blockage somewhere in our irrigation system. Normally, this would be of no major significance; however, this is the first time that we have had a blockage outside of the Colony. Myself, Jay Korite, and Sam Terrai are going to begin assembling a team to send out of the Colony in an attempt to clear the blockage. We are hoping to send the team by the end of next month at the latest. I am hoping that we will receive volunteers and am offering an increase in rations to anyone who signs up. If not, I fear that I may be forced to create a draft and randomly select citizens to be sent on this mission. I also hope that we will be able to solve the problem before there are any serious effects on our crops and our population.

-Landon Aldam

Landon stood from his desk and looked around his small office. His eyes passed over the dozens of peace lilies growing in glass containers in the room, but latched onto his image in the mirror on the wall to his left. He let out a sigh, not from disappointment of the deep lines on his face or the whiteness of his hair at the age of 45, but from exhaustion and stress. He was concerned about the Colony, and rightfully so. There had been blockages many times in the irrigation systems inside the Colony, and they were typically very easy to fix. His concern lay, instead, on what might be outside of the Colony; what kinds of conditions Earth might now consist of. After all, it had been sixteen years since anyone had set foot outside of the Colony.

Landon walked out of his office and stood in the hallway for a moment before turning and locking the door. He walked through the corridor and down three flights of stairs, then turned into the massive lobby of the Capitol building. Jessica wished him a good evening, and he returned the pleasantry with a genuine smile at his small framed, 19 year old secretary. She smiled and returned to some paperwork.

The air outside was fine and pure and brought a light smile of pure satisfaction to Landon's wrinkled face. He had led the creation of this entire Colony, from the forests, to the cities, to the farms and so on. Everything had been made possible under the direction of Landon Aldam and the work of the many constituents of Colony Earth, from the Division Heads, to the laborers. Landon was proud.

The only unfortunate thing was this new situation with the irrigation system. It had been causing Landon grief from the moment he was aware of it, and was relentless throughout his entire walk home and even into his light and unsatisfying sleep.