HOW TO SURVIVE IN AUDA WITHOUT REALLY DYING

SUBSYSTEM KNOWLEDGE. SINCE IT HAS BEEN REQUESTED.

So, as you may already know, the slums run in factions. There are actual blocks of slums that have organised themselves to redistribute goods for maximum survival gain. It's communisty in nature. In the slums, if you are employed, much of your wealth is redistributed equally among the subsystem, for maximum gain. it doesn't really work well, and most feel cheated out of their own income, but it has it's occasional benefits.

THINGS SUBJECT TO REDISTRIBUTION:
Any education that older people have is shared.
All food is shared.
All water is shared.
Building supplies are given to most needy first, and trickle down.
Duct tape
Money
Clothing
Basically everything that can be shared is.

SHARING LOOPHOLE:
If you were in the slums prior to the installment of Mr.Face as Dictator, you may have hung onto quite a bit of a horde of useless crap, subterranean stashes, or whatever caches your parental units may have stored. Because you were 'FIRST!!! WOOT!!' You are not subject to housing searches, or at least not as closely scrutinised, and are typically permitted to hold on to what was already there, unless it's like...SUPER UBER IMPORTANT. f you had a shrinebox for example...YOU WOULD HAVE TO SURRENDER THAT CRAP IMMEDIATELY as soon as your subsystem head found out.

SUBSYSTEM HEADS.
Subsystem neads run the technicals of their subsystem. They are in charge of redistribution of goods, faction maintenence, problem solving...all kinds of crap. Although, this is an unpayed job, because Mr.Face does not acknowledge that the factions even exist. He is actually completely unaware. You run the day to day stuff. You would go make the water runs when there is enough money to pay the water fee. You go into town and buy food, typically, unless someone employed in your faction is already in town. You are most likely to own a shrinebox out of the whole faction. You try to intervene with guards, and are most likely to be put in the lower cellblock for interference with incendiary tax collecting.
(Note, due to closeness of housing in the slums, incendiary tax collecting can cause faction wide destruction of housing. This is why you try to intervene on people's behalf.)

T.Mor:

The guard at the river saw me coming. Really, it's hard to miss a co-worker with these white plastic masks being all...white and plastic...I mean...I was just wearing it for convenience at the moment, to keep from being robbed in the streets, but...still.

I closed the distance cautiously, making sure he could see my empty water storage container. "Er...Hi...I'm here...To erm...get water..." I stated, already reaching for the appropriate amount of cash.

"You can pay for it preboiled." He stated, this was always an available option, but I had a stove that worked at the moment so...Not a necessary thing at the moment.

"I'm good...Thanks..." And I handed over the cash. He put it in a box, and I was granted access to the river.

The river was...well, to put it nicely...grey. And...uhm...kind of nasty...But...there hadn't been running water in Auda for years, so...We got it from the river. And...Since there was some kind of...fish market...Or so I'd been told, It couldn't have been THAT...nasty...Ok. well, maybe it was...I mean...the water was grey. Boiled water...isn't grey.

Amorelle wandered the streets, just watching people, nothing more. Not that the people of Auda were really worth watching. One could only stare at a sea of sunken, pale faces for so long before the urge to tear your eyeballs out, kicks in. But still, it was better than being home. Much better.

She tilted her head, debating whether or not she wanted to mess with a random old lady clutching a raggedy spare shirt, or follow an 8 year old wandering the streets.

All eyes were locked on the petite form, the small girl didn't notice, she just wandered, eyes wide, looking lost.

What the hell was she doing out, and by herself none the less?

Amorelle felt the strange urge to protect her. No doubt, the childs breaths were numbered now. A group of strong looking guys moved through the crowd, approaching her. Or, at least, as strong as you could look when starved into skeleton form.

She worried her lip, her eyes gaining excess moister as she watched it play out.

Without her consent, her feet brought her forward and her mouth started moving, all on its own. The words 'leave her alone' filled the air. She blinked. Who was the idiot that just said that?

Chalan went back home after a bit, not having much else to do. She stalked into her cardboard hut, and noticed her water supply was beyond low. She needed some...soon." Only having a bit of money left, she grabbed her bottle thing that she had made to hold water, threw it over her shoulder, and stalked toward the river.

When she arrived, she donned the white mask and paid the guard. He always said the same thing. "You can pay for it preboiled." And she always responded the same way. "Nope." Trudging past him, she headed to the place she always knelt to fill her bottle. When filled, this bottle she had made could be quite...cumbersome. It usually resulted in her spilling some water, sometimes up to half of it. It made her very angry.

She stared at the disgusting grey water, not liking the look of it, or the smell. Preboiled would have been nice, but Chalan could never afford it. So, she was forced to boil it for long periods of time over small fires that people made.

T.Mor:

Some girl came and started filling up her water jug a few feet downstream from me. She...seemed to be having issues. I was uncertain...should I try to help? Or was she just...going to scam me? Also...I appeared to be on duty because of the mask...She might not...well, respond well to that...I mean...yeah.

"Uhm...Hi..." I said instead of offering any kind of assistance..., I put the cap back on my water jug, and kept a hold of it...somewhat protective. She could have been playing a scam.

Dylan

I looked up at the large gray building, and quickly ran inside. After saying a quick prayer to the internet, hoping to celing cat I wasn't late. Don'tbelatedon'tbelatedon'tbelate....I ran hall after hall till finally getting to where the cell block was. I didn't want to meet up with Mr. Face.

It was her, she was the idiot trying to get herself killed. Seriously?What had gotten into her?
"What do you say?" A man with shaggy dark hair asked.
Amorelle froze, chewing her lip. "Um..." She could likely get killed along with the girl for this....
Ah hell, she risked her life for others before, why stop now? She took a step forward, her green eyes defiant as she stared him down. "I said, leave her alone."
The man growl, closing the distance and bringing a hand across her face.
No one moved to stop him, the crowd just watched. They were smart, Amorelle, on the other hand... not so much.

Astley
I was about halfway to the government Building... I walked around a corner... and saw a 2 girls, one in her late teens, the other one couldn't be more than eight... the older girl was glaring at a group of... well.. almost Ravenous looking men...
One of the men stepped forward.. I'm assuming he's the leader of this little pack.. and He hit her across the face..
I sighed.. my soft spot got the better of me.. I took out my revolver... and I put one Dakka through his head.. he dropped like.. well... I'm sure there's a simile for the way he fell.. point is he's dead now...
I put two more Dakka into another's chest... he's dead now too... walking forward as I did.. till i was standing next to the girl... I deposited one more Dakka into the last guy's shin...
"Leave now." Simple and easy... he got the message...

Amorelle blinked, her legs shaking slightly as her life literally flashed before her eyes.
Bam, Bam, Bam, Bam.
What a pathetic life at that...
Her ears rang, each bam bouncing through her head far longer than she would have liked, reminding her a life was ended from at each sound. Even if they were scum... It still bothered her.
She glanced up, her eyes settling on her 'savor'. "Well that was... kind of you." She eyed the crowd, praying to internet there was no more claims on the girls life.

Astley
I turned towards the girl...
"Nobody in their right mind would attack a guard..."
I was thoroughly aware that I still had to do my job.. and as such I pointed towards the small girl...
"Is she yours...?"
Blunt.. but what else could I say... because if the answer were no... I would forced to bring her straight to Mr.Face... for his... experiments...

Amorelle froze, eyes flashing to the girl "um..."
Okay, there was a difference between saving an innocent life, and taking one in. She barely got enough food as it was, there was no way her parents would...
She narrowed her eyes, an idea filling her.
She was going to be kicked out anyway... might as will give her parents the daughter they always wanted... Perhaps this little girl will better meet their expectations... That's if, her parents would agree to her proposition to begin with.
She sighed, gathering the little girl in her arms and squeezing her shoulders hard, warning her to keep quiet. "Yes, she's my sister."

Astley
The girl hesitated with her answer... I was inclined to disbelieve her answer... but I shrugged it off.. Anything is better then Mr.Face...
"Alright then... try to keep out of trouble next time..." I said as I put my Gun away... I checked my pockets quickly... I sighed... Need Moar Dakka...
I started on my way to the Government building again... stepping over the bodies of the two men... Leaving the girl to her business...

Amorelle sighed, looking down to the girl. Great. She pulled her along, holding her tight as she rushed home. "What's your name?" she whispered, glaring at all who looked at them.
"Lisa" the girl squeaked.
"Well then, Lisa, do you have a place to live? Parents who are looking for you?"
Her question was met by a teary stare and silence.
Artemis sighed again, biting her lip and pulling her into her home, closing the squeaky door, cursing at a splinter she received.
"Mom? Dad?"

HEAD GUARD ON CELLBLOCK...4

I realised that I was one short for this morning's shift change. Hm. This was the issue with the uniform, I didn't have the slightest idea who.
Oh. That guy.
A guard came running down the stairs, probably already aware of the situation. I walked out from behind my desk and up to him. "You're late." I stated. "Let's go. Up to 1 with you." If I threw him in a cell he'd be noticeable later when Mr.Face felt like dealing with him. Whenever that would be. However I was now one short for the whole shift. I'd ask Mr.Face about that when I stopped by his office about the tardy.

Dylan

Oh explictive...I was late. I pleaded it wouldn't hurt as bad as it did last time. Mr. Face was merciless with his torture....he enjoyed the screams and the crying that came out of the cells. He enjoyed watching the dead bodies pile up by the numbers. Hopefully, I wouldn't loose my job. "I'm sorry, sir." I said to the guard as he dragged me along.

THE HEAD GUARD.

Apologies were typically met with silence here. So, that's what I did.
I brought him up three flights of stairs that were getting more rusted and rickety every day, and locked him up in one of the least packed cells. A quick glance at the guard at the other end of the hallway sitting at his desk. Although, really he couldn't see the actual glancing through the sheet of white plastic on my face. Whatever. He got the idea, I was sure.
I continued on my way to see Mr.Face.
I didn't much LIKE talking to Mr.Face, as he was unnerving as crap. I could never tell if he was actually 'looking' at me or not, I couldn't tell WHY he was smiling...I couldn't tell if he was going to chop me up for no apparent reason...And he used a craptonne of big words.
I kept trying to sort out my own words as I walked through the mess of hallways towards the west wing. His office...You could see the blackout hallway from his office. The place where there was no power. No light...Nothing. It was freaky to see the hallway just...dissolve into dark.
Anyway.
I knocked on the office door, kind of hoping that he wouldn't be in. Mr.Face opened it, and looked? unlooked? whatever. Straight down at me. Gah, that was scary. "Yes?" He asked, and I hoped I hadn't interrupted something.
"Er...I had someone come in late today..." I stated, trying to sound all...coherent and not terrified of him.
"I see. Where is the offender now?" I always wondered why he used those phrases.
"In cellblock one...waiting for you..." I told him.
"Ah. Good. Get back to work." And I was free to run back downstairs. Well, run as soon as I was out of earshot...Which was...quite a ways. He could hear like...like a boss, I guess.

Chalan looked up at the man. Was he going to try and steal her water? Why was he talking to her? No one expect the people in her area of the slums talked to her, so...why was he?

"Um, hey?" She said is a confused voice. Her bottle was now full and she began the task of pulling the heavy and very cumbersome load out of the river. After getting a secure she heaved several times, finally pulling it to shore. The stranger was still watching her and it unnerved her, especially since he was wearing a guards uniform. Who was he, and why was he talking to her? Had she done something wrong?

"Can I help you?" Chalan asked, plopping down in the grass, already tired. She had quite a walk back and she was NOT looking forward to the backbreaking work of carrying the giant bottle. And, not having a cap, some would spill out, seemingly making the work for nothing. Ugh. Chalan continued to stare up at the stranger, waiting for a response. His uniform told her that he must work for the government, but he could be any number of things. She was curious now, and really wanted to know.

Name: Emmie
Age: 15
Where do you live?: The burnout district
Appearance: (Please note- Being emaciated is TYPICAL OF THE WORLD. AS IS PALENESS. Continue.) Pale and very thin but not totally emaciated long brown hair and bright blue eyes. Not tall but not really short.
Personality: Witty, sarcastic, doesnt take crap from anyone, caring, realist,
Employed?: No

T.Mor:

She...replied...Oh wait...People do that typically. Right...Ok.
"I was...I...uhm...You seem to be having water issues." I nodded toward her capless storage unit. I still didn't trust that I was safe...but...This was Auda. That was...normal.
I remembered the mask plastered on my face. That probably made this all seem quite...Freaky.
Better than awkward I guess. Awkward is what normally happens...When I talk...or...do anything...or...stuff...

Dylan

I was trembling, I had to stop doing that before Mr. Face came. I closed my eyes, gave myself a pinch, and tried to slow my breathing. It would be alright...I wouldn't loose my job...it wouldn't hurt as bad as last time...oh... who was I kidding? I opened my eyes, at least I had stopped shaking.

Mr.Face:

Once I heard him start running I felt oddly compelled to bring him back here and deliver a reprimand for running in the halls. However...It was also indicative of being anxious to return to work, so...I suppoused I could allow that to slide.

I stopped by a storage cupboard on my down to the cellblocks, and picked up some boric acid packets. Oh boric acid. What would I do without it?

The answer to the above is probably 'just add hot oil'. In case anyone cared to know. Although, I was being rhetorical, so really the answer was unnecessary. I am in a good mood today apparently. Answering rhetorical questions. Ha. Next I'll be Philpsophising on...miscellaneous things.

I got to Cellblock one and walked up to the desk. "There was a tardy this morning?" I asked simply.

"Yes...er...He's in..." I heard him try to read the signs on the cells. It was an entertaining myriad of onomatopoeia. "Uh...I'll just show you..." And he walked a ways down the hall, you could hear his combat boots against the stone floor.

"Fantastic. Thank you." I grinned, unlocking it and entering, exacto knife already in hand. There was another plastic faced guard awaiting me, and I allowed myself to drop into serious mode. "I will give you an opportunity to explain yourself before I start this, since...I actually have nothing more than paperwork to do at the moment. I would much appreciate if you would make an attempt to comprehend the brevity of the... crime you have just committed." Oh how I loved frightening the tardies. They were so...amusing generally.

Dylan

"I'm sorry, Sir. I was late and didn't relize it. I'm...I'm sorry for my crime....and I'm sorry...to...to make you waste your time on me." I stammered, he looked...er unlooked...down on me.

Mr.Face:

Ah, the sound of apologies. They made me laugh. Apologies were not an indicator of actual reform. Apologies were just words held together with some scotch tape and ellipsis. Easily ripped apart and hard to follow.

Screaming was more effective. "Surrender your arm." I stated, holding out a hand expectantly. I had the exacto in the other hand.

Dylan

I pulled back my black sleeve and gave him my arm. I was trembling again, I was terrifyed of Mr. Face and his exacto knives. I bit my lip, trying not to cry out because of the pain I knew that was comming.

Chalan raised her eyebrows. Okay, so this guy seemed to be...slight awkward. "Um, yeah. I kind of am." She finally caught her breathe and stood up. Surveying the bottle, she tried to decide what would be the best way to basically throw it over her shoulder. Sighing, she looked back up to the stranger, who she assumed was a guard, wondering why he was still here.

But, once again, she kind of ignored him and lifted the bottle, resting it on her back, and it made her bend over from the weight. She groaned and took a few steps. The bottle almost rolled off her back, but she managed to keep it balanced.