“True. Computerized records won’t be of much use in the short term. What we’re doing here is for the long term,” Lisa said, as she poured herself another cup of coffee.
The blank expression on my face told Lisa that I wasn’t getting it. The link between computer files and survival eluded me.
“Civilizations rise and fall on the tide of history. Much of the accumulated wisdom of people is lost, destroyed, or fragmented when they collapse,” Lisa tapped her finger on the tabletop for emphasis.
“The more infrastructure required to sustain the knowledge, the greater the waste. Mankind’s scientific advancement ground to a halt before it went into reverse when the Roman Empire crashed and burned. The ensuing dark ages lasted more than a thousand years,” Lisa’s eyes misted over at the memory of lost wisdom.
“Do you really think that it will be that bad?” I took a sip of my coffee and studied the three women. I didn’t know if I was in the presence of sainthood or bat-shit crazy. These gals had spent the last fifteen years chasing a dream down a rabbit hole.
“I don’t know when, how, or why everything will go to hell, but I know that it will happen sooner rather than later. The fabric of society is woven too thin, and the threads are too weak and frayed to withstand a major calamity,” Lisa’s fingers traced circles around the salt and pepper shakers as she spoke.
“The whole tapestry will come unraveled if we lose one strand in the fabric of society,” Tammy gave voice to Lisa’s thoughts.
“A Single Point Failure will send everything tumbling to the ground. Coronal mass ejections which hit the earth in 1859 and 1921 damaged telegraph communication systems, but had little long-term effects. It would bring civilization to its knees if it happened today. We are totally dependent on the power grid, electronic communications, the internet, and computers for survival,” Lisa finished her coffee and set the empty cup by the sink.
“Will this project be enough to prevent a new dark age?” I rubbed the back of my neck and fingered my necklace as I glanced at the clock on the wall.
“No, it won’t,” Lisa shook her head.
“Nothing we do here will stop the night from falling,” Lisa looked like she was about to burst into tears of despair.
“Then why bother? What’s the point?”
“Nothing we do here will prevent the sun from setting, but we can hasten the dawn. We’ll need this knowledge to rebuild and recover,” the Sisterhood’s leader gave the array of lights her nod of approval.
“What kind of data have you been downloading?” I asked as I glanced around at the rows of flickering machines.
“Just about everything we can get our hands on: Technical manuals, research papers, instructional videos, hard science, farming, philosophy, mathematics, animal husbandry. We are replicating and condensing the sum of all human knowledge,” Lisa brushed several strands of unruly hair from her eyes and led me out of the warehouse and into the main chamber within the underground complex of caverns.
We took a seat on a cozy bench overlooking the misty lake of hot water fed by geothermal springs. Nearly lost in clouds of steam were the twin turbines and generators humming away as they converted hot water into electricity.
“Forgive me, but I’m skeptical. Do you really think that your digital reference library will shorten a new Dark Age?” I tossed a pebble into the water and watched the ripples spread across the surface of the pond. What value will the wisdom of the ages be to a starving family trying to survive a barbarian invasion?
“No, there’s no way to prevent night from falling. The best we can do is to keep the flame alive. Maybe then the night will not be so long or dark,” Lisa’s pebble splashed into the pond next to mine.
“We’ve forgotten how to be self-sufficient. Do you know how to feed yourself and your family when the supermarket shelves are empty?” Lisa looked into my eyes and waited for me to answer.
I shook my head. I was at the mercy of the food chain.
“We humans have been living off the land since we swung down from the trees. We’ve done it before, and we can do it again. Beyond culture and history, our primary focus has been in recording and cataloging the lost arts of survival,” Lisa shifted on the bench as she warmed to her subject.
“It’s one thing to build a Cathedral of wisdom, Boss. It’s another to keep the barbarians at bay. How are you going to protect all this?” I stood and waved my arms at the infinite cavern and all that lay in the darkness beyond.
“I don’t know. We can’t do it alone. We’ll need to evolve and grow,” my boss said as she rested her hand on my shoulder.
“We need to talk, Lisa, ” I took her hand from my shoulder and held it in mine as I turned my body to face her.
“I love your dream; it’s as noble as shit, but I have serious problems with your plans and our future,” I gently held her hand as Lisa’s eyes widened in puzzled concern. I sensed her trying to pull away.
“No, it’s nothing like that,” I placed my hand on her shoulder and looked into her eyes.
“I’m with you and the Society all the way. You have my promise, I’ll do whatever I must to help us survive,” I paused and took a deep breath.
“Do you want to hear my main concern?” I gently massaged her shoulder and collarbone as I gave comfort to her fears.
Look, we’re off duty for the next,” Lisa paused, as she glanced at her wristwatch, frowned, and shook her head
“Forget it. We’re taking a busman’s holiday. Speak clearly so that I may better know your mind,” Lisa grinned, as she inserted the Society’s words of permission to speak unpleasant truths and raise unwanted questions.
“Okay, let’s assume the best about the worst; everything hits the fan, and your plans are wildly successful. Liberty Mountain survives the apocalypse without a scratch,” I studied Lisa’s eyes and caught the ghost of a smile as she thought of success.
“What comes next? On the day after the world ends and it’s just us. How are thirty-seven women and one old man going to hold this valley against a hostile and desperate multitude?” Her ghost smile died as worry filled her eyes.
As always, your feedback is appreciated. Thank you.
W. K. Wimpenney says
When will the rest of the book be available? I feel as though the last chapter is in the middle.