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The Pact

The Pact is the silos' constitution, governing authority, occupations, relationships, reproduction and punishments up to cleaning.

Story so far

Jahns looks to the Pact for the sheriff's guidance and her own authority to choose and nominate that officer. Its Law section regulates case filing and evidence preservation. Juliette says it prohibits one person from being both mayor and head of IT, while Bernard Holland says it has been changed before and can change when needed. Juliette regards some clauses as effectively giving IT immunity, even as Hank tells her she will be judged and sentenced under it.

The Pact occupies only the first half inch of the enormous book Bernard shows Lukas, and Marcus Dent studies it alongside The Order. Anna Thurman identifies Victor as the original Pact's author. Its rules extend into daily life: relationship registration, grounds for execution and unauthorized pregnancy. Under its pregnancy provision, carrying an unauthorized pregnancy past a specified point costs the mother's life rather than the child's. Mission regards the attack on farmers as punishment for doing another occupation's work.

The silos call their constitutions the Pact. It governs populations through lotteries and prescribes a range of punishments, from fines to cleanings.

Appearance

The Pact occupies the first half inch of the enormous book Bernard shows Lukas.

Role

It is the constitutional and legal authority used to regulate silo populations and justify official decisions and punishments.

Relationships

Victor — Anna Thurman identifies Victor as author of the original Pact.
IT — Juliette regards provisions of the Pact as effectively granting IT immunity.

Earlier in this series

Also appears in books you've already read — spoiler-safe to their endings:

Sources — 9 recorded facts, by chapter
Chapter 9
  • Marcus Dent says he studies the Pact as well as the Order.
Chapter 29
  • Under the Pact, an unauthorized pregnancy carried beyond a specified point costs the mother her life instead of the child’s.
  • Mission regards the attack on the farmers as punishment for breaking the Pact by doing another occupation’s work.
Chapter 32
  • Anna identifies Victor as the author of the original Pact.
Chapter 41
  • Mission assumes those in authority have read the Pact and act in good faith according to its rules.
Chapter 60
  • The Pact specifies grounds for putting someone to death.
  • The Pact governs the registration of relationships.
Chapter 65
  • The silos call their constitutions the Pact.
Chapter 86
  • The Pact governs silo populations through lotteries and prescribes punishments ranging from fines to cleanings.
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