CHAPTER 35: CHAPTER 35: THE MEETING PART 3.

The severity of the final formulation of Norlan’s invitation, is not to the liking of several leaders.

Those who think being absorbed by another Fraternity is lowering themselves, do not continue in the chamber, leaving the conference room.

"Are you sure of choosing this path?. Like i already said, there is no turning back".

The new warning causes a few more leaders to get cold feet, leaving the Preppers Fraternity.

"Excellent. There is five leaders more of what i was initially expecting, that is good". Kindly smile Norlan tapping the wood triangular table and showing an holographic list.

Dirt - «75»

Soil - «100»

Seed - «150»

Sprout - «350»

Weeder - «550»

Buttoner - «825»

Bloomer - «1,100»

Harvester - «2,250»

Foreman - «5,000»

"What is this?". Questions Hayden, feigning ignorance, as her intelligence can easily deduce the meaning and connotation of the content.

"This is our new roster list. The Cooperation payments will be discussed later. Right now. I want everyone to focus on the Ranks you currently possess, and the amount of Storage Capacity that you should have in order to be entitled to keep holding such position".

"WHAT?!".

An uproar erupts in the chamber, the Bloomers and most of the Harvesters are affected by this change.

The Bloomers are basically demoted two ranks, losing most of their privileges, not to mention the Cooperation fees are going to be higher than before.

While the Harvesters are basically in the same circumstances, as most of them barely reach the threshold of 900 Storage Capacity, the metric that was required to hold the Rank.

"Those who don’t like it, can get the fuck out from my Fraternity. Or, work your asses until the start of the Bimester".

More complaints are coming from the member’s of the Preppers Fraternity.

"THAT IS AT THE END OF THIS WEEK!".

"I am aware, and i am so kind and softhearted, that i move up the meeting, so all of you would be aware and have more days to increase your Storage Capacity. So stop bitching and whining like beggars, and start thanking me for being so mindful and merciful".

With the savage but not presumptuous or arrogant statement, everyone shuts up.

Norlan is still the Foreman of the Fraternity, and if anyone can have the same rank by achieving 5,000 Storage Capacity. It is implied that he has such prowess already.

"Now that everyone is aware, make your preparations to leave, adjust your expenses and subordinates Sponsored, and move to your respective new accommodations".

The grumbling is loud, but Norlan ignores the insults, adding salt to wound by looking at Hát’Thöry’s tablet.

"The exceptions to this rule, are... , Me, obviously. Harvester Hát’Thöry, which is almost no surprise, and the newest addition to our lines, Harvester N’Ïrk. Congratulations, from the bottom of my heart, you are an example all this mediocre weaklings should follow and look at. Now you own the entire Floor, not only the Deck, which includes the perk of having more authority than myself within the designated area".

{What a great thing!. Where is the catch?}

"Unless it’s a real emergency, and i am referring to something truly serious, like a terrorist attack".

{I don’t see anything wrong with that safety measure. But what is a Terrorist Attack?. Is it similar to those Panicking Attacks people have in the Cities?. I’ll have to ask this to Indayra or Evennette, they should know}

"Moving up to the next topic. Expansion. We will enlarge the lower floors".

"THAT IS INSANE!".

"Then go away. I don’t want weaklings in the Preppers Fraternity. We literally prepare to thrive in the worse case scenarios our minds can think of. We are not a bunch of cowards burying our heads in the ground, believing nothing is happening around us".

{Wait. Doesn’t that mean that is there something occurring that i am unaware of?}

"Everyone must partake an active role during the subjugation of Zones in the lower area, and as many fear, the Zones down there, are not boring and repetitive, they are large, dangerous and with plenty of juicy rewards".

{There are Zones?!... , No. That is a dumb question. The Subway Station show me how rotten is the underground. The real fact here, is «How the Fraternity has managed to contain the Zones?», when the City can’t do the same deed}

Norlan’s conference and detailed planning begins to make more sense with the added comments that others say or admit.

Of course, it takes them a while before accepting they will be degraded and stripped from their comfortable accommodations, a direct consequence of their lack of dedication, taking for granted what they had previously achieved.

Obviously there will be defectors from the lower Ranks, which is to be expected. The Fees of the Preppers Fraternity were already high, but they increased almost six folds, which is a big, but still manageable margin.

N’Ïrk continues listening to the changes Norlan is imparting. Although, for the young man, this new approach doesn’t sound exaggerated or excessive, since from his perspective, are a nice way to incentivice proactivity in the lazy members that leech out resources from the Fraternity.

Hours pass, and the rest of topics are covered, finishing the strange reunion with bittersweet emotions. Staying in the conference room only two people.

"Foreman Norlan. It was sensible to do this, kind of move before the year starts?. There will be many complaints of abuse of power, the Headmistress may intervene".

"I don’t have to be stressed out by such nuisance, Harvester Hát’Thöry. The Headmistress only cares about the results, and everyone, including a lot of the professors, has forgotten that the main purpose of the Intercultural Academies, is not the integration of different Civilizations and Species, if not about learning how to coordinate our differences to face the Zones and the adversaries or adversities within them. More importantly, you should get along with Harvester N’Ïrk. He reminds me my lost brother Trektör, just more sociable, and less handsome".

Hát’Thöry blinks, is strange that Norlan mention brothers being an only child. Yet, she doesn’t pry in the topic.

"I appreciate the advice, but don’t meddle in my personal life. I want to make my own mistakes, not blame others for my failures"...