APOCALYPSE 2073 Omnibus

by Parker James

  Joe suddenly understood the President’s earlier words. Previously having determined that if he found everything in order on Level 11 Andrews would promote Major Hastings on the spot upon completion of his inspection. That there was a ranking Colonel amongst the senior officers made no difference; it was a convenient excuse. In one fell swoop he had solidified the Major’s authority over the troops under his command, further instilled pride amongst them, and insulated the Major somewhat against any of the Joint Chiefs who might have been inclined to find fault where none existed as a simple expression of their authority during their inspection the following day. He’d just accomplished three tasks with one simple action on his part. As they descended Joe glanced at the President, awestruck as he thought to himself “that drone all those years ago never had a chance.”

  The doors opened on Level 12 as both Airborne Personnel guarding the elevator saluted the Commander-in-Chief, a process that would be repeated throughout the tour of the bunker. President Andrews called up the schematics outlining the layout of Level 12 having switched over to manual mode on a single tap.

  “What are we looking at, Joe?” he asked.

  “Housing, food supplies, and equipment storage, Sir. There are approximately 500 personnel on this Level including the damage control team crew members, their families, medical staff, computer specialists, and various other assorted personnel. Approximately 40% of the space is taken up by quartering and equipment storage while the other 60% of the space is strictly dedicated to food supply storage. Wherever there are food supplies regardless of what Level they’re on the false floor has not been installed giving the ceiling its full fifteen feet in height for maximum storage capacity and added structural strength. The floor is reinforced concrete to support the tremendous amount of weight that it has to carry. Within the food supply storage areas all electronics and operational systems are run along the ceiling down a central corridor leading to the service elevator with direct access to the Commissary; the requirements are minimal. Any food supplies requisitioned by the Commissary must first be approved by Bunker Site Commander Hastings. Once approved, a report is directly sent to your office as well as the Conyers’, and unless overridden by yourself within 3 hours the requisition is assumed approved and carried out.”

  “And what security measures are in place for the food supplies?”

  “All food supplies are under lock as well as electronic visual and voice command while the armed Airborne Troops guarding the elevator keep an eye on the main access doors. For the moment the service elevator is under complete lockdown and can only access Level 20, the Atrium, and in order to access any given food storage area requires Major Hastings’ authority as the requisitions are approved. You of course as well as those with level 6 security clearance as always have override capability that supersedes all other protocols consistent with the security measures in place within the Dome.”

  “And why is this Level split into two functions?”

  “Sir, food was stored in any and all space available,” Joe replied. “I’m only sorry that the last two shipments never arrived and the Dome is empty. Where would you like to start the inspection, Mr. President?”

  “Let’s skip the quartering, Joe,” the President said as he looked over the schematics of the layout. “I imagine those personnel off duty are probably sleeping; they’ve had it rough these past several days. It’s the food storage area that I’m more interested in at the moment.”

  “Very well, Sir,” Joe replied as he walked the President over to the access doors. As they reached them he advised the President that he would need to override the security protocols on a voice and visual basis which could be accomplished based upon his security clearance level 7 which he alone held; the single exception to the rule.

  “Access food storage area Level 12; Presidential override,” Andrews said as the doors unlocked and the three entered the room. It was jam packed with containers with an eight foot wide ramp running down the middle of the room directly to the service elevator. The President could see robotically controlled equipment at the end of the ramp near the locked down elevator, which for the moment was only making periodic trips to the Commissary and currently dormant and completely locked down.

  “For the moment, Mr. President, Major Hastings; pardon me, Colonel Hastings; has ordered that the food supplies be pulled from this area specifically with a two day supply stored in the Commissary area to minimize daily access. Once the food stocks are requisitioned and approved by default 4 armed Delta Force Team Members are stationed on the service elevator as the requisitioned supplies proceed to the Commissary and those folks go through those supplies with a fine tooth comb prior to them being offloaded. It’s a precious commodity, Mr. President, and nothing is left to chance.”

  “And who put all of these protocols into place?” the President asked.

  “As I understand it, Sir, I believe it was General McCreary and Professor Enghult collectively,” Joe replied succinctly.

  Joe had gotten the gist of what he might be up against the following day as the Joint Chiefs in total would tour Bunker Site 1 in its entirety. He knew the President wasn’t playing him for a fool, otherwise he wouldn’t have been chosen for this specific task. With what he had already learned about the President on a personal basis he knew more than anything he was preparing him for the following day. With eight more Levels to tour including the power control center below prior to restart at 2400 hours, the remaining Levels soon to contain the most precious cargo of all within Bunker Site 1 would be inspected; “The Sanctuary.”

  Episode 20: “The Sanctuary”

  * * *

  The layout of the next two Levels, 13 and 14 collectively, were mirror images of one another and strictly dedicated to the storage of food supplies. Soon the President, Maxwell, and Phillips arrived on Level 13, the President returning the salute of the two armed guards protecting the elevator as had been repeated upon each Level being reached. The President had already pulled up the schematics on his hand held computer; Level 13 specifically.

  “As you can see, Mr. President,” Joe began, “there is no false floor in either of the two separate food storage rooms located on each Level except that running down the main corridor. Both Levels 13 and 14 are exact duplicates of one another. In each of the two storage rooms the elimination of the false floor allows us the full fifteen feet in floor to ceiling height for maximum storage capacity. All electronics and operational systems run along the ceiling with quick access panels for maintenance and troubleshooting as needed.”

  And why is there a central corridor?” President Andrews asked. “Isn’t that a waste of space?”

  ”In a sense I suppose so, but it was done for several reasons. Underneath the false floor running down the main corridor is the ductwork branching off to both storage rooms. The electrical requirements are minimal at best. This was basically done to stabilize temperature controls and maintain proper oxygen levels which holds true throughout the entire 20 unit bunker complex. Within the walls separating each of the two storage rooms are reinforced titanium alloy beams, essentially part of the internal support structure. This holds true for each and every Level within the bunker and provides support for the tremendous amount of weight that they’re required to carry. Underneath the reinforced concrete floor lays the welded metal plating which only further disperses the weight. Other than that it was simply done so that the bunkers could be completed in a consistent and compartmentalized manner and also allowed for placement of the elevators and evacuation tubes. Frankly it simplified the entire construction process and made completion of the bunkers much quicker.”

  “How much weight are we talking about, Joe?” the President asked.

  “If the bunker were completely empty, excluding the Dome we’d be talking in the range of 6 million tons in this one bunker alone. With the stored equipment, supplies, citizens, and food, we’re talking in the range of 10 million tons. The lower we descend into the bunker the su
pport structure becomes more supportive, a little beefier if you will. Within the two storage rooms you’ll be able to see the exposed alloy beams; there wasn’t any need to encase them in concrete as they are in the Atrium. It would’ve been a severe waste of very precious resources once construction neared completion. After North and South Korea were destroyed and all-out global nuclear war became an ever greater possibility construction was stepped up greatly, even some of the military personnel were pressed into service. Twelve hour shifts, seven days per week. Sleep was few and far between.”

  “Understood,” the President replied as he then led the group toward the access doors to storage room 1. Again overriding the security protocols as he’d done previously they then entered the storage room. Andrews had gone over the schematics in great detail and knew the integrity of the support structure was sound. Despite knowing that the food supplies were where they should be he somehow felt the need to actually see them for himself, even if just for the sake of reassurance. Without those food supplies and most especially now with the additional citizens allowed into the bunker prior to the United States being targeted, those limited food supplies were critical to their future survival, even more so now as the last two shipments had never arrived. What happened to them could only be guessed, but there was nothing that could be done about it now. This only further limited their time frame to food stock depletion, unless of course all elements of the President’s plan fell into place.

  Once entering the storage room Andrews was amazed and somewhat encouraged that it was completely jam packed with all of the food supplies stored in metal containers. Other than the robotic loading equipment at the end of the central ramp and adjacent to the service elevator there was very little unused space. Although food supplies were not yet being pulled from this area, simply knowing that they were there was a great relief.

  “As you can see, Mr. President, once we start pulling supplies from this area the extraction procedure will be exactly the same as that currently being used on Level 12, the protocols will be the same.”

  The President looked around and could see that the food supplies were stacked in containers four units high with a slight cutout on either side allowing the robotic loading equipment to grip each container with its horizontal loading arms. There was very little airspace between the containers and the ceiling.

  “Tell me about the containers, Joe.”

  “Three feet 6 inches in height; each and every single one. They’re two feet 6 inches wide on both sides and stacked four high. Each container interlocks into the other and the only reason there’s any space between the top container and the ceiling is to allow the robotic equipment the room it needs to lift the top container. Each container is bar coded indicating what supplies are within it, packaging date, and shelf life expectancy. Once a requisition for food supplies is approved and keyed into the main computer it’s all automated from there up to a point. The Delta Force Team arrives at the Commissary and the service elevator is accessed by the Bunker Site Commander and only permitted to descend to the Level indicated. Upon arrival at the storage room indicated the loading equipment is manually activated and then the activity begins. The robotic equipment pulls the supplies and loads them onto the elevator which then proceeds to the Commissary. When all requisitioned supplies are offloaded the service elevator is again secured with the Bunker Site Commander’s oversight. It’s also monitored at the Dome Level.”

  “What’s the composition of the food containers?”

  “Stainless steel, Mr. President. Vacuum sealed and reusable should hydroponics hopefully someday exceed our burn rate of current food supplies.”

  Andrews was surprised that Joe was aware of the hydroponics program and decided to question him further on the matter. Prior to Joe’s statement the President was under the assumption that the hydroponics program was strictly on a need to know basis. He turned to Joe and although not accusatory very directly asked him; his eyes piercing and almost seeming to look straight through him.

  “And how did you become aware of the hydroponics program?” he asked.

  The little shiver that had gone down Joe’s spine earlier in the inspection suddenly returned, and although he tried to hide it as best he could somehow felt he’d breached security protocol. Joe didn’t sense any animosity on the part of the President’s question, but undeniably sensed that this was a man with much on his mind and determined that should this be mankind’s future, life in the bunkers with a surface that few if any had survived, that he was going to do anything and everything within his power to make certain that the human race survived, no matter what form that took. The President had already gained Joe’s respect and he understood that President Andrews was kind and respectful, but by the same token would not tolerate any breach in protocol jeopardizing that goal. Although the nuclear holocaust had only occurred three days earlier, there were no guarantees that it was over yet. Joe realized this and knowing deep down President Andrews was a good man collected himself and answered his question concisely without losing emotional control.

  “Forgive me, Mr. President, if I might explain,” he said.

  President Andrews had come down hard on Joe, not by tone of voice but by simple demeanor. In a sense he respected Joe for his grace under fire, the President having displayed in a small sense how tough he could be.

  “Go on,” the President responded stoically.

  “As part of the damage control crew, Mr. President, it was General McCreary and Professor Enghult’s determination that we as a team be completely familiar with the entire 20 unit bunker complex and all of its interactive operations. It was uncertain that if and when attacked all of the bunkers would survive. Because of that possibility we were required to be cross-trained in all aspects regarding the complex, which is also the reason we all hold security clearance level 5. Should any one of the bunkers have been lost, so too would members of the damage control crew team dedicated to each individual bunker’s operations. We’re briefed daily as time allows and once the bunkers are fully interconnected cross-training is to continue. Prior to the completion of the complex we toured each and every bunker and for several days were required to participate in the construction of each. Part of my rotation included construction of the first fully functioning hydroponics tier. I’ve been completely briefed on both its structural and operational aspects and am also aware of the additional pre-fabricated units that are scheduled for assembly as well as future planned expansion of the hydroponics program.”

  Joe had replied in a direct and forthright manner, and President Andrews understood the wisdom in McCreary and Enghult’s decision that members of the damage control crew be completely familiar with the entire complex, especially if one or more of the bunkers had been lost during the attack. He was satisfied with Maxwell’s answer; it simply made a great deal of sense. It was the damage control crew that would have had to pick up the slack and holding security clearance level 5 was not given out lightly. It was just another one of Professor Enghult’s built-in redundancies; always a back-up plan. This redundancy didn’t have to do with interactive systems or equipment, but had to do with qualified individuals who had the ability to perform those tasks necessary to ensure the integrity of the complex. Qualified individuals were just as precious a commodity as any single piece of equipment contained within the bunkers if not more so, especially if the bunkers had sustained significant damage. His demeanor changed completely.

  “That seems to make a great deal of sense, Joe,” the President stated in a relaxed manner. “I’m glad to see that General McCreary and Professor Enghult saw fit to put those directives into place.”

  With those words Joe also relaxed and awaited further questions on the part of the President regarding the continuing inspection of Bunker Site 1. Andrews walked the floor in storage room 1, looking up and seeing signs on the ceiling with arrows pointing to the four evacuation tubes which ran the entire length of bunker; all the way from Level 20 up to the Dome.
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  “Are the evacuation tubes locked down, Joe?” he asked.

  “They are, Sir. The only way they can be accessed is by Presidential or computer override should any of the Levels need to be evacuated. Beyond that the standard protocols remain in place consistent with those that exist in the Dome. The escape tubes have both a manual safety ladder as well as a rotating step lift powered by the battery back-up system should the main power unit go down. It allows for mass evacuation of any given section quickly. On every single Level the escape tubes are clearly marked and all located in a consistent location.”

  “Well then,” Andrews said, “let’s open one up and have a look inside.”

  And with those words Andrews walked over to one of the escape tubes and overrode the system. As the door opened he stuck his head inside and could see that it was approximately eight feet wide with a catwalk running between the high speed evacuation lift and the enclosed safety ladder. Looking up and down Andrews gained a greater appreciation of the sheer size of the bunker and silently said a prayer, hoping that it would never be needed. With that he closed the door as it locked automatically.

  The remainder of the tour of Level 13 and 14 went quickly, although President Andrews made a point to enter all four primary food storage areas; 1 thru 4. Assured that the promised supplies were where they were supposed to be soon the three were on Level 15, the nuclear power generation unit that had been inspected earlier in the day. The President returned the salute of the two armed guards protecting the elevator and inadvertently looked at his watch; 1300 hours. General McCreary would be handling the 1400 conference, and not having heard from him knew that no situation had arisen requiring his attention. With computer tablet in hand he spoke several words.

  “Bunker Site Commander Hastings; voice and visual communication.”

  Hastings appeared within a moment.