Mechanical
Mechanical is the silo’s maintenance community, diminished by fighting and evacuation; some of its people now marvel at the bunker’s moving platform.
Story so far
Mechanical accepted Juliette as an unusually young apprentice and became the mutually supportive community she remembered for its overlapping practical skills. Headed by Deagan Knox, it occupied eight floors and kept vital systems working; Juliette said it recycled the silo’s oxygen and pumped exhaled toxins into the earth. Its blue-clad workers worked considerable overtime, used computers for control and diagnostics, and designed durable heat tape. Hundreds signed a petition to save Juliette.
Anger over deliberately failing cleaning suits helped drive Mechanical into rebellion. Workers improvised weapons and marched upward, while others kept equipment running. Retreat became a prolonged barricaded struggle, and defenders were killed as attackers penetrated their position; radio reports eventually announced surrenders. The workforce remained depleted when people were diverted to the excavation, and Shirly supervised skeleton shifts.
People from Mechanical helped evacuate residents at the bottom of the stairs. Its continuing need for workers remained urgent. Those who have reached the bunker outside now marvel at its moving platform.
Appearance
Mechanical workers traditionally wear blue denim overalls and carry blue identification cards. Its former working area occupied eight silo floors.
Role
It is the technical community responsible for essential maintenance and a source of the skills used in excavation and evacuation.
Relationships
Sources — 45 recorded facts, by chapter
- Mechanical employs Juliette, the deputy’s preferred candidate for sheriff.
- Marnes says Mechanical workers commonly keep unused vacation chits because they work substantial overtime.
- Mechanical accepted Juliette as an apprentice a year younger than usual with her father’s approval.
- Deagan Knox heads Mechanical.
- Mechanical workers wear blue denim overalls.
- Mechanical workers record their travel and hours when signing back in at the gate.
- Mechanical identification cards are blue.
- Mechanical occupies eight floors.
- Juliette says Mechanical recycles the silo’s oxygen and pumps exhaled toxins into the earth.
- Juliette says Mechanical workers joke that the silo’s layout keeps them out of the way.
- Mechanical workers celebrate the rebuilt generator by crowding around and touching it.
- Juliette remembers Mechanical as a mutually supportive community with overlapping practical skills.
- Mechanical uses computers for administrative submissions and remote equipment control and diagnostics.
- Mechanical controls the vents that cool the servers.
- Mechanical sent a petition with hundreds of signatures seeking to save Juliette.
- Mechanical designs the durable heat tape used on Juliette’s suit.
- Mechanical’s adults send their shadows away before debating forbidden questions about cleaning.
- Mechanical workers become angry after Walker describes the deliberate failure of cleaning suits.
- Mechanical prepares makeshift weapons for potential fighting.
- Mechanical’s shadows carry blasting powder to Supply.
- Mechanical plans to send most of its available mechanics upward while a dozen keep operations running below.
- Some Mechanical workers change into yellow overalls to blend into the mids.
- Workers in the marching group hand out supplies and lie to women complaining about the power outages.
- Mechanical’s retreating fighters have been pursued for more than a dozen levels.
- The crew left behind at Mechanical welds steel plates across its security entrance.
- Some mechanics disguise themselves in yellow overalls.
- Mechanical’s entrance remains the scene of fighting three weeks later.
- Bernard says Mechanical has strongly barricaded itself and threatened to cut the power.
- Bernard says Mechanical does not control the power to IT’s levels.
- Mechanical’s people are trapped behind the steel wall they built.
- Mechanics weld another steel barricade across the stairs during the attack.
- Armed mechanics remain outside the generator room to defend it.
- Mechanical defenders are being killed as the attackers penetrate their position.
- Bernard plans to replenish Mechanical with farmers after the fighting.
- Radio reports announce people surrendering in Mechanical.
- A Security guard reports a possible fire in Mechanical.
- Mechanical has a forty-five-pound consignment awaiting delivery to Supply.
- Bernard reports that Mechanical fought during its retreat and is now entrenched behind a barricade.
- Mechanical’s workforce was already depleted by violence when workers were called away for the excavation.
- Mechanical operates with skeleton shifts under Shirly’s supervision.
- Some third-shift mechanics visit the other silo instead of sleeping, according to Shirly.
- Lukas remembers Mechanical once trying to choke him with diverted gas while he was locked in the server room.
- People from Mechanical help with the evacuation at the bottom of the stairs.
- Juliette says Mechanical needs workers.
- People from Mechanical marvel at the bunker’s moving platform.