Uninhabitable, Cycle 1, Part 28

"We can't exactly kick every fourth person out."
"Yeah. If we try, people will riot."
"Our choices, as I see them, are find a way we can all live here, or abandon Catacomb City as a failure. No one wants that."
"Excuse me? I think I might have an idea."#microfiction#scifi
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— Wild Speculation Studios, Andrew Reising 🌈 (@WSpeculation) January 23, 2020

We replaced the light fixtures with grow lights, then planted them all full of potatoes.
It doesn't make for a varied diet in our future, but for the first time in a while, there is hope.
I think we might finally have enough food for sustainability.#microfiction#scifi
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— Wild Speculation Studios, Andrew Reising 🌈 (@WSpeculation) January 24, 2020

"Can't we just stay at 3/4s rations until we build up our stores?"
"We'll have to, for now. But the people are really starting to feel the strain. We need to find another option, if we can."
"But how else can we possibly increase food production?"#microfiction#scifi
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— Wild Speculation Studios, Andrew Reising 🌈 (@WSpeculation) January 27, 2020

"That might work. Do we still have the excavation equipment?"
"Yeah. Unless someone has stolen it from the storage shed on the surface. Hopefully it still runs okay."
"Well, let's check it out, and if it does, we can take this idea to the City Council."#microfiction#scifi
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— Wild Speculation Studios, Andrew Reising 🌈 (@WSpeculation) January 28, 2020

There's a few spots where we know we shouldn't dig, but otherwise, we really don't have good data on the rock past our walls. And the survey equipment is nowhere to be found.
So we dig a little, then test the rock, dig, then test. It's taking forever.#microfiction#scifi
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— Wild Speculation Studios, Andrew Reising 🌈 (@WSpeculation) January 30, 2020

"Okay, but we're living practically on top of each other. There's no room for comfort or growth. And this is the minimum the ag techs need, so we'll still be on mandated rations. We should keep going."
"Not my call."
"Then let's take it to the Council."#microfiction#scifi
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— Wild Speculation Studios, Andrew Reising 🌈 (@WSpeculation) January 31, 2020

It's hard to make a case for safety over comfort. I hope the Council agrees with me.
Hours later, the Catacomb City Council delivers a verdict.
"Expanding the city would affect us all. We'll hold a vote in two weeks and let the people decide."
Cowards.#microfiction#scifi
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— Wild Speculation Studios, Andrew Reising 🌈 (@WSpeculation) February 2, 2020

I'd love to have more space; we're pretty tightly packed in here. But is more space worth possible death and injury?
On the other hand, why can't they tell us how dangerous this will be?
Someone with more information should be making this decision.#microfiction#scifi
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— Wild Speculation Studios, Andrew Reising 🌈 (@WSpeculation) February 5, 2020