The theft was like a boulder dropped into a pond already churning with hidden currents, sending waves through the entire community.
Once Calista heard about it, she decided to handle the matter herself.
The next morning, the temperature was still terrifyingly low.
All residents, except for the teams that had gone out, were called together.
The indoor dining area built at Blackberry Ranch was large enough. With so many people gathered, the fire in the hearth burned a little hotter, but the atmosphere was even heavier than the cold outside.
Calista stood on the raised platform in front of the hearth, with Rickson and Leah on either side of her.
Merle stood at the entrance with his arms crossed, leaning against the doorframe. A faint mocking smile tugged at his mouth as he looked over the crowd below, taking in their different expressions.
Jack stood in front of the platform, held there by two patrol members who had stayed behind at the base. His head hung low, and his whole body was trembling.
Calista's gaze slowly swept across the room, lingering for a moment on the faces of the workers who had once served under Lorenzo.
She did not speak right away. Instead, she let the weight of the silence build until it reached its peak.
"We gathered here to survive." Only when the tension had grown almost suffocating did Calista finally speak.
"And survival requires order. It requires rules!
That is the only reason we can stand here now, instead of turning into the walkers outside, or tearing each other apart like beasts."
She pointed at Jack below the platform. "This man, Jack, violated one of Rock Fortress's most fundamental rules. He stole collective survival supplies that belong to all of us!"
The crowd stirred, whispers breaking out.
Some people were angry, some looked contemptuous, and some had uneasy, shifting eyes.
The bespectacled man who knew a little about how it had started did not dare make a sound, while Brian, who had egged Jack on the whole time, stood in the crowd as if nothing had happened, craning his neck to watch the show.
"I know," Calista raised her voice, pressing down the murmurs, "that this winter's constant cold and the shortage of heating supplies have made many of you feel pressured and uneasy.
Some of you think the new members have taken resources that should have belonged to you.
Some of you think it's unfair that power is concentrated in the hands of a few."
Her words struck right at the heart of the undercurrent, making the people who had complained in private tense up.
"Then I'll tell you now what fairness is!" Calista's face turned cold.
"Fairness means no work, no reward!
It means that every person here, no matter where you came from or what you used to do, must earn the right to survive and receive supplies through labor, skills, and loyalty!
That is why the credit system exists!
David the plumber secured our water supply.
Sarah the nurse treats our wounded.
Jim the teacher educates our next generation and keeps the fire of civilization alive!
They earned their credits through their actions. They earned their food and shelter!
But this man."
She pointed at Jack again.
"He chose the most shameful path, the one that endangers everyone's survival. Theft!
He wasn't just stealing things. He was stealing the lifeline of every person here who follows the rules!
He was destroying the foundation we depend on to stay alive!"
Calista's eyes were sharp as knives as she looked at the crowd. "Wake up! The age of democratic republics is long gone!
This is the apocalypse. Outside, there are walkers that eat people, slave masters like Lorenzo, and raiders who kill and rob!
You think everyone should get to decide who we take in?
Fine!
When you can scout for danger outside like the Defense Force, hold the defensive line, and search for supplies,
when you can oversee the whole situation the way we do and make sure no one starves, freezes, or gets killed,
then you'll naturally have the right to take part in decision-making!
But until then, following the rules and doing your own job is your only choice, and the greatest contribution you can make to the group!"
"As for the punishment," Calista continued, her voice cold and merciless, "Jack, all the credits you have earned so far are deducted. Your balance is reset to zero!
For the next three months, you will be assigned to the hardest, dirtiest work.
You will be responsible for cleaning up all livestock manure and waste at Blackberry Ranch. No credits. Only the minimum rations needed to keep you alive.
If you offend again, or if you engage in any incitement or sabotage, you will be expelled from the base and left to fend for yourself!"
The punishment was undeniably severe.
Having his credits cleared meant all his previous efforts had gone to waste, and cleaning livestock manure in this bitter cold was hard labor of the worst kind.
Jack collapsed to the floor, his face ashen.
The hall fell completely silent.
Calista's forceful handling of the matter and her clear reasoning were like a bucket of ice water, dousing the restlessness and resentment in many people's hearts.
The rules had been emphasized once again, and the authority of Rock Fortress's core leadership was reinforced through the handling of this crisis.
After this public trial, no one dared openly complain about accepting new people anymore. Jack's fate made everyone who had been entertaining risky thoughts pull themselves back in.
The base's work order even seemed to become more organized because of it.
But some toxins could not be completely removed through one public surgery.
After returning to the command room, Calista did not feel any more relaxed.
She stood before the map, looking at the marked supply points and danger zones, then said to Rickson and Leah,
"Jack was just a fool who got pushed out front. The real problem is that our internal management still isn't detailed enough."
Calista turned around, her brows slightly furrowed. "Relying only on the credit system and harsh punishment isn't enough.
We need more transparent supply reports, so everyone knows exactly what we have, what we lack, and why we lack it.
We need smoother channels for communication, so people have somewhere to express reasonable concerns instead of letting them ferment into resentment in some corner.
We may even need a more formal basic charter that everyone recognizes."
Rickson nodded thoughtfully. "I understand. Ellie and I will start working on that. We'll establish more detailed records of supply movement and make them public on a regular basis."
Leah said coldly, "Necessary deterrence can't be neglected either. I'll strengthen internal patrols and make sure there isn't a second Jack, or someone smarter, making moves in the dark."
Calista nodded.
...
Late one night a few days later, most of the base had already gone dark. Only the sentry posts at Blackberry Ranch and Rock Fortress were still lit.
A hunched figure, still faintly smelling of livestock manure, appeared sneakily near the Blackberry Ranch sentry post and was stopped by the soldier on duty.
"I, I need to see the leader. Uh, or Leah, Rickson, Maya, any of them. I have something important to report."
Jack kept his voice very low. His face still showed the frostbite and exhaustion left from the day's work.
A few minutes later, a vehicle quietly carried Jack away from Blackberry Ranch and headed toward Rock Fortress.
Rock Fortress.
Leah was woken up. Draped in a coat, she looked cold and severe in the dim light. "Jack? You'd better have a good reason for disturbing me at this hour!"
Jack dropped to one knee with a thud. He was not begging for mercy, but urgently trying to explain himself. "Commander! I... I was wrong. I really know I was wrong!
I lost my head and stole things. I deserve to be punished!
But... I remembered something. I have to tell you and the leader!"