Flo

  The iron walls of the city screeched and creaked. Masses of water hit the metal. They approached the isnd, around which storms often raged.

  Flo knew the sounds only too well, but the little wolf cat hid under the counter, between his feet. A growling bundle of fur.

  "That's nothing bad!" murmured Flo.

  "It's a storm. One of the category 10", Minnie corrected. Helpful as always. "One of the worst this year. The city will stand up to it. I think..."

  "Isn't the city UNSINKABLE?" Flo rolled his eyes.

  "Negative."

  "Ah." In a book, Flo had read about a ship that was thought to be unsinkable. It crashed into an iceberg and sank. Unfortunately, the old book was in very bad condition. Many pages were missing. But what Flo learned was that it must have been a tragedy.

  "Minnie?"

  "Yes?"

  "Are you going to meet your mother? Mina? When we reach the isnd?"

  "Of course not."

  "Ah."

  Of course. Was she lying? Flo wasn't sure. He looked briefly at the little puppy. The whining and growling animal looked pitiful. He put his tool aside and lifted the wolfcat into his arm. Immediately the furball snuggled against him. "It's okay. Nothing happens to you. Burgstadt is unsinkable."

  "Negative!" Minnie repeated.

  Then a siren sounded. Flo was startled.

  Lena

  "Arm! Arm!" A mechanical, rattling voice echoed through Level 5. “Arm. Information for all residents. Do not leave your homes. Burgstadt is approaching the seat of government. Complications caused by a storm are expected."

  Sighing, she y on her bed. Burgstadt wavered. Her books had already fallen off the shelf. Mina sat on her bed, next to Lena's feet, and read her a story. Well, strictly speaking, it wasn't a story, but the city's evacuation protocol. For emergencies.

  There was hardly anything more boring than this protocol. But Lena was interested in the exact regution. She had heard her father talk to the AI about it. What she heard worried her. Therefore, she asked Mina for it. However, the girl had not expected that the iron woman would read it to her personally.

  "First of all, the residents of Level 5 will be evacuated. The evacuation is carried out by the military. Once Level 5 residents are in the escape pods, the remaining pods are filled with Level 4 residents. As the city's popution grows, it is to be expected that there will not be enough capsules for everyone. Therefore, the focus is on healthy residents. Only then are those affected by visible mutations allowed to enter."

  "Isn't that unfair?" asked Lena. Not enough?

  "No."

  "Why not? What about the residents of Level 3?"

  "They are contaminated. If Burgstadt falls, for whatever reason, it is important to save the healthy people first. Otherwise, humanity is lost."

  Lena frowned. "Lost? But... The mutated are also humans!"

  "Right." Mina nodded briefly. "Losses cannot be avoided, but they can be controlled. At best, everyone can be saved. Unfortunately, this is not to be assumed. There will be losses."

  "Losses. But, Mina? I have the mutation gene. I would therefore be left behind." Along with many others.

  "My child? You wouldn't!", Mina replied proudly. "You have a task. You are the jewel of the country. And as far as the gene is concerned, we have already taken action. And... During an evacuation, the focus is on visible mutations, as it can be assumed that there is not enough time to check everyone's data. And thanks to the test developments, the designer babies, we will soon be able to change the protocol."

  "Will more escape pods be built?"

  "That's pnned, yes. This is one of the reasons why we visit the seat of government. In addition, the construction of other cities is pnned. There is a risk of overpopution, which also makes the evacuation of all impossible. Especially in the lower css. The possibility of permanent cities, between the vilges, is also being considered. To strengthen our productivity. And to be able to evacuate all residents of Burgstadt in an emergency. Of course. And this is easier to achieve if we have more cities and vilges avaible."

  "Huh?" Lena sat up and hugged her knees. "Do you want to build cities for mutants?"

  "That's one of the possibilities."

  "Oh." That doesn't sound good. Isn't there a threat of even more discrimination? When mutated people are deported to their own cities? While the healthy make themselves comfortable? And indulge in its grandeur? Or am I worrying too much?

  She thought of the soldier who stood guard at her door. Would he also be deported? And then? Wouldn't this lead to unrest?

  sasi