“Down south, the death toll from the war was about the same. The weather, complicated by severe earthquake damage and flooding, caused a ninety percent death toll on the war survivors. Only about five percent of the people residing there are still living.”
That brought more murmurs, but these were of dawning realization that perhaps they had fared relatively well.
Claudia Robertson continued. “Despite the damage from the earthquakes and floods, life will be easier there. There are buildings left standing that can be repaired for use. Homes as well as businesses. We… the federal government… have a stronger presence there, also due to the less severe weather. There are more remaining resources, though, like here, organized scavenging will need to take place. There are rules in place to compensate people for losses, but everything remaining, just like here, will be used.
“Your bartering system has worked so well here, as word of it spread similar systems were instituted in many places with government assistance. That’s not to say that people weren’t doing anything similar. They were. This was just the most advanced and well thought out plan.”
Nearly every resident of the area looked over at Percy. He turned red.
“You won’t be going into a strange environment. People are doing similar things to what you’re doing here. FEMA wants to see the relocation succeed, just as the state does. We do not want any more deaths that can be avoided. If some of you move south, I think we can save lives.”
Claudia smiled. “Chancing being booed again, I must say that there has been very little lawlessness around here. Now, it was nothing like books and movies late in the last millennium depicted, but there have been cases of lawlessness in other areas. Highwaymen and such. Because of that, Federal troops can be assigned to accompany the wagon train, so to speak, to the south. That is, if this area can provide at least four men of appropriate age to add to the forces for at least two years. The military is just as shorthanded as everyone else and we need recruits. From what I understand goes on here, it’ll pretty much be the same deal. Room and board, with a little spending cash for luxuries. In silver. Again, two year commitment, but everything will be provided for your services as soldiers.”
“What about women?” a woman called. “I was in the army a few years ago. I still got what it takes.”
Claudia was shaking her head. “It’s too difficult to maintain the facilities necessary in the field for mixed gender units. You can certainly reenlist, but you would be transferred to a base operation. Probably north of here.”
There was some laughter at that and the woman replied, “I’ll pass, thank you. My sights are set on the south.”
Several men were speaking up and Claudia interrupted them. “The trip is not dependant on whether men sign up. We just won’t be able to provide an armed escort for the trip. You would be expected to help in the defense, of course, but a group of ten troopers would accompany you, commanded by a Lieutenant. Four locals would be joined by six experienced people. Training for the four would begin immediately, from the time they joined.
“Now. Only a limited amount of supplies will be contributed. They will be for the troops to get there and enough to get back. The only thing we can supply for you is a water truck and treatment plant to supply safe drinking water. You will need to take everything else with you, to get you there. As I said, there are some resources already there. You won’t have to worry about immediate housing when you get there. Final quarters you’ll work out with the local authorities. If you contemplate running some sort of legal business, you’ll want to take whatever it is with you.
“I’ll be available, like Howard, after the meeting, for questions. Thank you for allowing me to speak.”
There was polite applause, and then Tom and the members of the city council took seats around the conference table. People looked over at Percy expectantly. Tom looked at him too. “You might as well come up here. We’re going to need your help and input on this, anyway.”
Sara gave Percy a slight shove to get him started. Red in the face again, Percy went up and took a seat at the table. “I don’t plan on moving,” Percy said. “I don’t really know what I can contribute. I just wanted to find out how many would be going. And when.”
Tom looked a bit alarmed. “But you will help us with supplies and such, for the trip, won’t you?”
“Well, of course I will. But that’ll be a straight forward barter, just like always.”
“Sure,” Tom said with a relieved smile. “You’ll need to be involved in this so you will know what’ll be needed.”
The open meeting lasted until almost ten that night and was tabled until the next morning, only a few of the details worked out. Essentially the same people showed up at ten the next morning to resume the discussion. The state and federal representatives were actively included in the discussions. There had been no problem having enough volunteers for military service. There would be four going on the trip, plus a couple more going to base duty, including one woman. Not the woman that had asked about it.
There was a plan in place by that evening. Percy was playing a much larger part in it than he had anticipated. He’d found himself volunteering to do this, then that, provide a few things, and supervise some of the preparatory activity. By the time the plan was finalized three days later Percy found himself leading the trek, though he would return, with the military contingent, with the people he was taking to help on the way.
He was thanked many times for agreeing to participate, over the next few days, as preparations began. Many of those going were farmers from the outlying areas. They had a hard time surviving on their farms during the winter. Many had moved in to the school, though not all. While they were discussing what would be required for the trip, Percy realized that while there would be housing, and even some ready food supplies when they arrived, many of those wanting or needing to go would be hard pressed to come up with the quantity of supplies required.
It wasn’t that Percy couldn’t supply the items. He could. The problem was that for the time before they left the people wouldn’t be able to work off the debt, and very few had enough hard currency to pay him. He couldn’t just give his products away to those that needed them. It would cause too many problems with those that were paying.
It hadn’t been in his mind initially, but Percy warmed to the idea he came up with. He talked it over with Sara, then a few key people at the estate. Percy began trading the supplies that were needed, for peoples’ property. When it was property he really didn’t want, he was able to help set up equal trades with other people to get the land adjacent to his.
Percy also took in trade homes and property in town. Many just thought he was being kind to those not able to pay any other way. Which was okay. He would take property even if a person could barter labor, goods, services, or hard money.
Percy tried to get people to understand that he did have reasons for what he was doing. He wasn’t that kind. People nodded, but thought what they wanted. Sara finally told him to quit worrying about it and just take care of business. He worried a little about stripping the estate of too much, but Susie assured him the plan was more than workable.
Susie would stay behind, in charge of the operation, with Jorge Ramirez as foreman. The cadre of already trained farm hands would be able to do everything needed with the equipment they would have. Mattie, Jock and Melissa would also still be at the estate. Andy would be going on the trip, as would Sara.