September 18, 2122.
The council meets in the early morning, while most of Nova is still asleep, either hungover or exhausted β or both. They agree that the Unity Celebration was, unfortunately, not a success, as it ended in a brawl.
The council members are torn on what to do now, in light of this. Some, such as those from Blue Ridge and New Pittsburgh, agree that the punishment must be swift and strong. Those who were involved in the brawl should be kicked out of the colony.
Other council members disagree, saying that surely there are better ways to solve this issue of conflict than doing something that would, in the end, create more conflict.
A cold breeze has blown in this morning, and the cold of the burgeoning autumn permeates the room. Hearing the wind howl outside the window, silence falls, and then a representative from Sylvania speaks up.
The punishment is announced at the noon meal, as most of the clan members have gathered by the food hall. The rations will be halved, a dual-purpose solution until the farmers can get some crops going, the greenhouse is built, the hunters start bringing back more meat. In addition, the labor of each group will be increased. Patrols, construction, everything will be doubled. Hours will be longer, work will be harder, overseers will push more.
But it will strengthen the colony. That is the common goal, that is what they can all agree on: anything to save humanity.
