Chapter 2: The Unification Ceremony

The night of the Sextennial was a time for quiet celebration. After the assemblies were over, after the grand luncheon banquet, everyone gathered to pay their final respects to the Honored Generation before they passed on. They had all turned 78 this year, the oldest Generation of the Bunker. They had contributed so much to ensure the human race’s survival, and now it was time to let them rest.

Jason looked up at the stage, the same one he had been sitting on hours before, his eyes washing over the sea of wrinkled, smiling faces. He thanked them for all they had done, and smiled as a representative rose to pass on the mantle to the next Honored Generation.

With this last ceremony concluded, the day’s festivities had come to an end. All that remained was one final gathering, a private one. Like all the other families who had come to the Sextennial from all corners of their level, Jason and his parents returned home to prepare for the Unification Ceremony.

The Unification Ceremony, or as some people called it, a “wedding”, was a time of great joy for the households whose children were 24. It represented their Generation finding independence within the Bunker’s community, taking upon their new careers and preparing to start a family of their own.

Jason couldn’t help envying her. At 18, all his Generation had to celebrate was the beginning of Adult Education. But Kate got her own party, got to live with her Partner, and was even going to be starting her new job! He wished it was the next Sextennial already, what good was this one?

…Well, he wouldn’t have to take his yearly shots anymore. That was one bonus of being 18.

Jason and his parents put on their nicest clothes and left for his sister’s quarters. They met Trevor’s family at the door. Roy and Didi wore the same bright smiles they always did. Their daughter Neesha was with them, too, but she looked a little bored. Jason didn’t like Neesha much. She always interrupted the teacher in class. But he politely said hello anyway.

“Welcome!” Kate and Trevor greeted them with matching smiles. Everyone greeted each other warmly. Kate hugged her parents and then hugged Jason, for once seeming happy that he was there. Trevor did the same with his family, and then they all went inside.

As was tradition, the hosts of the evening had saved up their ration cards to splurge on a feast. There was a roast in the oven that had Jason’s stomach rumbling, and true to her word, Kate had baked a cake.

While everyone waited for dinner to be ready they watched The Ongoing Generation on the telescreen. It was Jason’s favorite show. It was the story about a Generation selflessly devoting themselves to working hard for the betterment of the human race. They went about their daily lives, did their jobs properly, and raised their children to be model members of the Bunker.

“Food’s done!” Kate called from the kitchen just as the episode came to an end, and they all went to go eat. Like the dining room in everybody’s quarters it had just enough space for all eight people of the family.

“So Trevor, are you excited about working in the classroom tomorrow?” Roy asked.

“Oh, you know it, dad,” Trevor grinned. He had been training to be a teacher in Primary School. “I’m looking forward to working with the 6s.”

“I always said you were gonna be a teacher,” Didi said. “Ever since I saw how good you were at helping Neesha with her homework, didn’t I Neesha?”

Neesha sighed in exasperation. “Yes, mom…”

“Well, I know what I’m looking forward to tomorrow,” Kate said proudly, adjusting her glasses.

“Finally getting to cut someone else’s hair for once?” Jason couldn’t help but joke. Everyone at the table laughed. Like Jason, Kate had inherited their mother’s luscious brown hair, which she had taken care of meticulously ever since she was a little girl. It was no wonder that Ai assigned her to be a hairdresser.

“That’s definitely Kate’s specialty alright,” Trevor laughed. “Lucky for me! Since I’m the same color as that hair of hers, I’m hoping she’ll treat me as nice!” He gestured to his own chocolate complexion.

“Careful,” Kate warned him in a teasing voice, “or I might end up cutting a few inches off of you!”

Another wave of laughter went around the table.

Soon it was time for cake. Kate and Trevor both stood up, Kate cutting pieces out and handing them to her Partner, who passed them around.

Then it was time for the final part of the ceremony. Kate and Trevor faced each other while the rest of the family watched, and then pressed their lips together. Everyone politely clapped, even Jason, although he didn’t get what the big deal was.

It was called “kissing” when two people put their lips together like that. It was something Jason had caught Kate and Trevor doing a lot over the last few years. To him it just seemed gross. Why would he want to put his mouth on someone else? He doubted it would taste very good.

Once, he’d asked his parents why his sister was kissing so much.

“Because they’re young,” his dad had told him with a laugh. “After your next Sextennial you’ll understand.”

“We were the same when we were that age,” his mom sighed. “Someday you and Skye will be kissing too!”

Apparently, it was just something that people did with their Partners when they became 18. Jason wasn’t sure he liked that. He thought about pressing his lips against Skye’s, and the idea just felt uncomfortable. What did something so strange like kissing have to do with the Unification Ceremony?

…

After the Sextennial was Adjustment Day. It was the day when everyone had to adjust to their new schedules. Kate would be going off to her first day as a hairdresser, and Jason would be taking a bunch of new classes at school. He was excited. He’d asked his sister about Adult Education a lot back when she was taking it, but it wasn’t something she was allowed to talk to him about. Most of the people in his Generation felt the same.

Unlike yesterday, the halls of the Bunker weren’t nearly as crowded. That was because there was only one assembly hall on their level, but there were multiple schools. There were thousands of people in his Generation, after all, and it would be difficult for teachers to teach lessons to that many people. So kids went to the school closest to their quarters.

And of course, everyone went to school with their Partner. It was one of the programs for forming stronger bonds between Partners. “Always go to school with your Partner.” “Always go home from school with your Partner.” “Always eat lunch with your Partner.”

“Good morning, Jason,” Skye greeted him as always.

“Good morning, Skye,” he said, giving her the same reply as usual.

“How was your sister’s Unification Ceremony?” Skye asked.

“It was fine. But for some reason, she and her Partner kissed. What about Liam’s?”

“It was an enjoyable evening. Although Liam kissed his partner as well,” she murmured. “Strange. Is kissing part of the Unification Ceremony?”

Jason shrugged, he’d had the same question last night. “It must be, I guess, otherwise why would they do it?”

Skye nodded thoughtfully. As she did, Jason studied her lips. They were dainty and soft, like the rest of her. He didn’t understand why anyone would want to press their lips against them.

“Hiya, Jason! Hey Skye!”

A flash of orange passed by the corner of his eye, and he turned just in time to see Moira skip out in front of him with a big smile on her face. Her face was flushed with sweat, and she was out of breath.

“Moira, it’s polite to greet people with a “good morning”, Skye said with a frown. “And the rules say we are not permitted to run in the halls!”

“Hey, I overslept!” Moira groaned. “Besides, what’s the big deal? It’s not like-“

A sharp whistle over the loudspeaker cut her off before she could finish. A telescreen drone flew down the hall, with an upset-looking Ai staring out of it.

“Moira! How many times to I have to warn you?” Ai said. “No running in the halls!”

“But I didn’t want to be late on my first day!” Moira said.

The figure on the screen crossed her arms in front of her chest and shook her head.

“Please repeat the Three Great Lessons.”

Moira winced. “Um… ‘Obey the rules of the Bunker’… and the second one is ‘Remember that Ai knows best, it is with her guidance that we will thrive’, and… uh… the third one was…” She glanced at Skye and Jason, her eyes filled with desperation.

Skye rolled her eyes and sniffed. Jason shook his head. He wished he could help but he couldn’t.

“What is the third lesson?” Ai asked.

Moira bared her teeth in a crooked smile. “…Pay attention to the teacher?” She squeaked out.

Ai shook her head. “Work for the betterment of humanity, and our future on the surface. Now, is running through the halls and bugging your classmates working for the betterment of humanity?”

“Uh… I’m guessing no?”

“Correct. If you had crashed into someone, you might have hurt them. Those actions are not permitted in the Bunker. For your penalty, your recreation time today will be spent doing community service in the aeroponic farm.”

“For real?! Come on!” Moira groaned. “Can’t I at least work on, like, the power regulators or the ventilation system or something?!”

“Your punishment has been decided. Now, where is your Partner?”

Moira’s face scrunched in confusion. “Andrew? He’s right-“

She glanced over her shoulder and paused, then slapped her hands to her cheeks. “Dang it! I forgot to meet up with Andrew!” She turned back and was about to run, but caught herself. Without even a goodbye she headed back to go find her Partner, with the telescreen drone following after her.

Jason laughed. Moira was something else, alright.

“I don’t understand why you’re still friends with that girl,” Skye said. She wasn’t upset, but genuinely confused. “She may be skilled with machines, but she isn’t very bright. I can’t believe there are people in our Generation who still haven’t memorized the Three Great Lessons.”

Jason didn’t have a good answer for her. Skye was the sort of person who held everyone up to her own high standards, which was why she didn’t have very many friends. It wasn’t like she was wrong, though. Compared to the two of them, who were excellent students, Moira wasn’t that smart.

But he still liked her. She was fun and always made him laugh. And she always said ‘hello’ when they met, even though they weren’t that close of friends.

Skye was looking at him expectantly.

“Let’s go,” she said, turning and walking down the hall. “Or else we’ll be late ourselves.” Skye had never once been tardy to class, and she certainly wasn’t going to be tardy on Adjustment Day.

“Coming,” Jason said, following his Partner. He didn’t give Moira another thought. Right now the only thing on his mind was what they would learn on their first day of Adult Education.