Derecho unlocked the door and found everypegasus awake. It was late. Even for a Friday night they usually were asleep by now. They all were in the living room, and they were not alone.

“Hey!” Sun Shower exclaimed, as she jumped up and slammed into him for a tight hug.

“Hey Sun,” Derecho hugged her back. “Why are you still up, and who are your friends?”

Sun Shower released Derecho. “They are Wispy Cloud and Lightning Strike. All five of us make up a group in school. We have the weekend to research and talk to others about jobs and then present to our grade what we found as a group to the class. Including what one you are personally interested in.”

“They are spending the night to work on it tomorrow as well. Its due on Monday. But we were waiting to talk to you as our fifth option. Nopegasus will think to investigate recycling jobs. That will impress Counselor Starlight and our teacher, Mr. Snow. He is hard to impress.”

Derecho chuckled. “I recall. But I had Mrs. Snow.”

Since Derecho was back, Aunt Rainbow Jade and Uncle Arcing Gale went to bed.

Derecho joined the fillies and colts on the floor by their note pads and charts. “I will gladly be your fifth, or first by this chart, option. I never had to do this project. I was already working after school in a job I planned to do full time. I got an automatic A and I only had to see Counselor Starlight once. I also took the day off because there was no need for me to be there, bored, while everypegasus told each other about jobs they could do in the city.”

“So,” Derecho said pulling Sun Shower into a side hug. “What do you need from me?”

Wispy Cloud spoke up. Her voice was soft, meaning she was aptly named. “We need to know everything about doing your job at the recycling plant. The more details the better.”

Derecho ran his hoof through his mane. “I am only one small part in the whole system.”

“Tell us all,” Sun Shower begged. “I want this to be so detailed that it makes my schoolmates care about recycling! Even better if they choose to work for the plant.”

“Well then,” Derecho smiled, accepting the challenge. “I will begin at the home and step you through everything. I will focus on the glass department, because that is where I work.”

Derecho began to tell them everything. They were up so late, they skipped going to bed and just continued working on their project. Derecho had moved to the couch once he was done telling them everything. It was more comfortable. It was really good to see Sun Shower with other school pegasi her age. Derecho had been focused, separating himself from the others at times. Especially after he skipped a grade. She was getting a better time out of school than he was. She didn’t have the same cares.

Aunt Rainbow Jade pulled Derecho out of his thoughts when she sat next to him. He had lost track of the time.

“You know,” She said handing him a cup of coffee. “Sun Shower and the Twins are almost done with school. Just a few more months. This is not to start another argument, but you won’t have to take care of her anymore. You can live your life how you want to live it.”

Derecho locked eyes with his Aunt. She smiled, her eyes full of love like always. “I am having to cope with all of them becoming adults, who will make their choices and leave. Like nature intended. We have even begun playing with finding new housing because we don’t need such a big place.”

Derecho sighed. He almost spoke, but took a sip first. “You are right.”

“You're go to answer about working at the recycling plant has always been about her,” Aunt Rainbow Jade said. “Now you get to actually explore the options without feeling pressured. I am not saying to leave, but you can poke your head in through a few doors.”

“You have a really good job and great opportunities, and you are right about what matters for a job is just being a way to make money so you can make memories with your family. That is what matters. It isn’t about what your job does.”

“And you have goals. Good, obtainable goals. And they aspire to be the best you can be. The only change is that it is now without pressure to care for others, just yourself. Well, in a few more months. So you have time.”

Derecho took a long drink, thinking.

“Yeah,” He finally said. “I have some thinking to do.”

Derecho downed the coffee and stood up. He grabbed his keys and his jacket off the hook by the door and left without a word. Derecho took off, cutting across the traffic in a blatant disregard for the laws. He pulled up above the traffic and winged it across town to the Virga Tower which had the best view of Mareland Joint Operations Base, which was still a good ways off from New Cloudsdale.

“Shit,” Derecho swore as two pegasi in uniforms came up alongside him, indicating he needed to land immediately.

Derecho did as they wished and slowly dove and came to a stop on the street below. The were law enforcement officers. And you did what you were told to.

“Sir,” One said to him. “You were flying outside of the established flight paths. What reason do you have for endangering others with that behavior?”

Derecho shook his head. “I didn’t want to follow the flow of traffic.”

“That’s it?” The other officer asked. They were expecting an excuse.

“Do you have ID on you?”

“Yes,” Derecho groaned. He pulled out of his jacked a piece of strong plastic. “Derecho. Identification Number 0111264131”

The First Officer took the ID and stepped away, radioing the information in. Derecho stood there, feeling like a fool. He knew he was taking a risk when he ignored the air traffic laws.

“What couldn’t wait for you to take the roads safely?” The Second Officer asked.

“Nothing,” Derecho replied. “What you mean to ask is what was I wanting to do that I would choose to not use the safe traffic system set up.”

The Second Officer narrowed his eyes at Derecho, annoyed. “Well?”

“I was heading to the Virga Tower to look at the Cloudships,” Derecho said, answering his own question. “To think. Help me sort out upcoming changes.”

The First Officer joined them. “Do those changes have to do with learning to fly safely in a city? You were stopped seven times last year, four of them warnings. And this marks your second stop this year.”

“Nope,” Derecho grinned. “It has to do, oh never mind. You don’t give a shit. What is this going to cost me?”

“I do very much care,” The First Officer asked him. “Because I have to make sure you are able to safely fly and follow the rules.”

Derecho sighed. “I have to start thinking about what I am going to do with my little sister graduating. We live with our aunt and uncle after our parents died in a sky chariot crash. I’ve spent the past several years working, to relieve the big financial burden. Four fouls isn’t easy to raise.”

“But that is about to be over as she goes out and becomes her own mare, not needing me. So that is what I am heading out to think about. Watch some weather, hopefully see some cloudships move around Mareland, and just think. I have a solid job at the recycling plant, but it won’t be necessary. So, just give me my ticket, I’ll follow the rules and get there safely to think.”

The First Officer narrowed his eyes at Derecho. “That’s well rehearsed.”

Derecho shrugged with a chuckle. “Yeah, cause I work at the recycling plant. A lot of mares take an interest in me, but that is usually a deal breaker. Its not a bad job. Its great, steady work. I love my job. Explaining why I started there keeps them interested long enough to get past it and to get to know me. I say it all the time. Its not rehearsed, its just said a lot.”

The First Officer sighed. “Can you follow the rules?”

“Yes Sir,” Derecho assured him. “I can.”

“I’ll let you off with a warning,” The First Officer sternly said. “But you mess up one more time, its probably going to mean the revoking of right to use wings for travel. Or worse, jail. And you do not want that on your record for something as simple as flying.”

“Yes Sir,” Derecho replied. “I will Sir.”

The Officer gave him his ID back. “Don’t make me regret this decision.”

“Thank you Sir,” Derecho replied. “I won’t.”

“You are clear to go. Safely!”

Derecho nodded and took off, properly merging into the flight path and making his slow way to the Virga building. Derecho hated traveling in these packs. He found them dangerous. He was often boxed in and had no escape options available. Collisions were rare, but it was all he could think about.

Derecho wasn’t with his parents for the accident. He was spared that scaring. But he couldn't help but think that his hatred for the flight paths over the streets was subconsciously applied due to the accident.

It’s not like it could get him the license to fly freely over the city. And he was a very observant flier. Derecho blasted through flight school, easily gliding in at the top of his class. That was his cap. He was a solid flier, but that was it. He could take fly at most speeds and cruise well, but he would never be some special flier.

Flying was the same principles as sorting glass on the lines. Being always present and aware over a wide, moving field of view on the belt, as well knowing when pegasi were moving around him so that collisions didn’t happen. That, Derecho excelled at above most pegasi. He wasn't sure how some pegasi could fly safely and be so unaware.

Derecho hated having to play by the lowest common denominator rules. At one point pegasi had to fly through the sky and cities without such paths. But it hadn’t been that way for a long time. The essence of flying, freedom, had been sucked away and forgotten in the cities long ago. Or at least long enough that the start date could have been erased without anypegasus remembering.

But Derecho couldn't afford jail time. And stripping him of his right to fly at all was even worse. Derecho had to make sure he wasn’t one of the lowest common denominators. And that he wasn't a reason why these rules were imposed upon them.

Derecho touched down on the roof top. He wasn’t the only one there. Quite a few others were. It annoyed him. He wanted to be alone. But there was definitely no way, not with the Weather Factory teams moving that storm front out east.

It was beautiful. The storm clouds were not easy to control. And this batch was extra nasty.

Derecho turned his attention to the military base. It was out of the path from the storm, but everything was grounded. There wasn’t even the hint of a Cloudship moving further out on the horizon or above the front. Nothing was in the air anywhere. They were not taking any chances with such a storm in the area.

Frustrated, Derecho took off. There was only one place he could go to get away and think. And it was far down on his list. He needed serenity. Focus. Familiarity.

Derecho finally pulled out of the fray and landed at the Recycling Plant. The door unlocked to his pass key. The front guard didn’t give him a second glance. The props of being a Line Head who cared. He was in at some odd times, off the clock.

Derecho pulled a chair out of the break room and sat down on the Floor Director’s platform, overlooking the four sorting lines. This was his favorite spot of the whole glass department. He could see the chute and the crushers from here too, before they vanished to the floors below. He learned against the railing to think.

“Derecho?”

Derecho jumped, lost in his thoughts for an unknown amount of time. He looked around and found the source of the voice. Administrator Steel Feather was across the floor on the upper walkway.

“What are you doing here on a Saturday, just sitting?” Steel Feather asked from where he was.

Derecho sighed, once again leaning against the railing. “Trying to figure out how to face the inevitable. My sister graduates this year. That is a few months away.”

Derecho snorted. “My Aunt and Uncle are having the same struggle. Their twins are the same age, so its the last three of four heading out on their own. Which means me too. Its all natural and good, but I came here to take care of my family. Now its just going to be me I am taking care of. A lot of change. Good change.”

“But tough,” Steel Feather replied. “I remember when my youngest moved out. It was a huge change. But I wasn’t surviving as you seem to have been doing. Now you get to live.”

“Its a scary thought,” Derecho replied. “I have never done that. I know, I am so young. I have wasted a good chunk of my life.”

“Not necessarily,” Steel Feather said. “Meet me on the floor, by your line.”

Derecho got up and made his way down to the floor. Steel Feather was along shortly, having no direct way to get to the sorting floor from where he was.

“You still are young,” Steel Feather smiled at Derecho. “Now, let me pass on some wisdom. With your age, the others are just getting into their jobs. Some may have transferred a few times. We rarely see transfers from here, because this is the bottom, socially. But we get transfers to here.”

“However, you are not just getting here. You are already a Line Head. You hit your stride before you even came on full time. Before you graduated. You didn’t waste that time. You put your energy into what you needed to, taking care of your family. That is the most important thing. I know mares will value that. I know your family values that.”

“So, you, well established in your job, get to work like you have been and pursue a mare without having to worry about your job. That is a rare opportunity. You can focus on her and the relationship without stressing about work. All while still doing the same, high quality job you already do here. Because you have this down to muscle memory. You do a lot of it on auto pilot. And that is good. We don’t need you high strung.”

“My Aunt,” Derecho hesitated. “She reminded me I can poke my head into some other doors and check in on other careers. But that I do already having a phenomenal one.”

“That is right,” Steel Feather smiled. “I would hate to see such a worker as you leave. So much promise to not just go places, but to take this facility to new, better places. But I do say poke your head in some doors. Make sure this is where you want to stay, because you can still make that transition and not have it really effect your job opportunities down the road. I want you as happy as possible. Employees first.”

“You like the roof for lunch, to watch the Weather Factory. Have you looked into jobs there?”

Derecho chuckled. “Watching weather and making it are two different things. I would hate to make it or move it. I don't have the skills to coral weather clouds. I love watching it. Being inspired by it. From the smallest, most fragile snowflake, to the giant storm they are moving right now out east. It’s extra feisty this time. Somepegasus messed up.”

“Now cloudships,” Derecho grinned a bit. “Those are different. But I never went to military school or anything. How would I get on one of them. They are complex military vehicles, each with the power of some of the greatest storms ever unleashed by the Weather Factory.”

Steel Feather chuckled. “I have a friend in the military. I will ask him about it for you.”

Derecho didn’t know what to say. He stammered out ‘thank you.’

Derecho smiled. “I am also thankful for you helping me sort through some of this stuff. I know you are here for a reason on a Saturday, taking time away from your family.”

“Oh, I just wanted to check on something,” Steel Feather replied. “Its been good to talk with you. I have enjoyed counseling you some. Life isn’t easy. Passing on some of the lessons I learned is a joy.”

Derecho yawned loudly. “Sorry. I didn’t get any sleep last night.”

“Why not?” Steel Feather asked.

“So I had a date last night and got in late. Nothing abnormal. Except everypegasus was still up. The kids had two others over. Its their last year, so it’s job time. They have to do a project researching jobs over the weekend. And then present it Monday to all of their grade. Basically go talk to parents about their jobs and learn a total of five jobs, because they are in groups of five. Then they individually pick one to finish off the presentation to say why it was their favorite.”

“Kind of cheesy. I got to skip all of this because I was already working. But I am sure it helps. Companies can send in somepegasus to talk to the students and the students also have to talk with the school counselor over the next few weeks about jobs. I had to do that, but I told him I was going full time here and that ended the conversation in five minutes. No repeat sessions thankfully.”

“That sounds fun,” Steel Feather said. “I am glad they chose you.”

“My little sister wouldn’t do that project without talking to me,” Derecho said with pride. “I was the last one they talked to, but I was the first one they were going to talk to. It also helps that nopegasus will research recycling jobs, so it gives them a good shelf to stand on when getting a grade. They will be memorable in a good way.”

“I bet,” Steel Feather replied. “I know you did your job justice.”

“Oh, I did the glass department from pickup to shipping it out of our warehouse. Everything in between.”

Steel Feather chuckled. “You really love this job.”

“Well,” Derecho shrugged with a smile. “If you are going to do something, do it right. And if I want to get to be a Floor Director, I needed to start immediately. Plus, working here helped me see the real importance to recycling for the Enclave. Why it actually matters to our survival. So, I learned all I could. I’m smart. I skipped a grade. I wasn’t quite smart enough for a specialized school in weather, but I still got myself ahead.”

“I know how to set achievable goals and obtain them. Which is why its weird to think about switching jobs. My goals would have to change, and mine are neatly laid out. I know I could make new ones and rock those, but that is a whole mind wipe.”

“On goals, can I show you something?” Derecho asked. “Or am I taking up your time?”

“I actually came in to look things over here,” Steel Feather said. “You peaked my interest in looking past the numbers on the paper and at what they actually mean. So by all means, please. I never actually worked here. I was, am, an administrator. I went to secondary school to learn how to do it and eventually got put here to manage this place on the board, as it’s CEO. So I might have questions for you.”

Derecho chuckled. “Anytime, I will do my best to answer it. But this is my turf. I probably know it or have a good idea.”

Derecho led them up a short flight of stairs by the front of the lines. He opened the door with his pass key and led them through.

“This is the glass pile,” Derecho announced. “My last estimate was 6,500,000 Tons in this pile. Those dozers pick it up and put it in the yellow bin, which feeds it onto out lines. When the light above it gets to yellow, they add more. But only a few guys work all the dozers in the warehouses. Ours work both this and the plastic dozers.”

Derecho stopped Steel Feathers from moving further into the giant warehouse with his wing.

“Careful. The sparkles on the ground is glass. We will stay on the outside walkway. Its grated so that glass falls through and you don’t get it stuck in your hooves. That is painful. Very painful.”

“We wear thick boots for a reason. And when out here, we wear boot socks to keep them from getting in our soles. It is easy to discard a sock that got glass in it, hard to dig all these tiny fragments out of a boot. Impossible even. Likewise, during operating hours, we wear goggles and face masks to stop from breathing anything in. It can get all in the air and cause problems.”

“The glass in the center could probably date back to pre-enclave times, when this place first opened. This facility was the Cloudsdale Recycling Plant when it first opened. It was outside, by a good deal, of Cloudsdale. When Cloudsdale got hit, it never went down. New Cloudsdale was built around it and the Weather Factory expansion the had built. This warehouse never had to be expanded. Its already 300 yards by 300 yards, with plenty of ceiling space.”

Derecho stopped them. They had no need to go around it fully to grasp the size.

“The plastic pile and paper piles move fast. It isn’t hard to process those, but this all has to get screened and then crushed. The paper they make sure there is no plastic or metal, and then toss it in water to get pulped up and then it gets treated, bleached, and the likes. And the plastic is easy. Make sure there is no glass and then apply heat to melt it down. It takes care of itself easily. Once its blocked off, individual companies can reshape, harden, color and do all that stuff. We just get it recycled into plastic blocks.”

Derecho led them back onto the sorting floor.

“There, I can talk freely now,” Derecho said relaxing. “Its off hours, we were on the walkway, so we were good, but there is always a chance. But she has a harrowing beauty to her, in all that glistening pile of sharp crystal.”

“Okay,” Steel Feather said thinking. “I have never seen an estimate on mass or size for that. Its all about how much goes in and how much comes out.”

“To clear that,” Derecho said answering his question before he could ask it. “170,59,878 standard blocks. That's 12 inches, by 12 inches, and 6 inches high. Each one of those suckers weighs 84 pounds. We have the warehouse space to melt that all down into that size. Plenty of space. I know we make other sizes as well.”

“Right, but that size is standard,” Steel Feather said. “Why not 12 by 12 by 12?”

“Because that would be a 170 pound chunk of glass, and throwing that around all day is impossible. Sure, our guys at the end don’t toss them around per say, but they move them a lot by hoof. 84 is heavy enough. Safety is key.”

“Do you think we can really get that pile cut down in size?” Steel Feather asked. “This is part of what I was coming in to look at. I am glad you didn’t let me onto that floor. I wouldn’t of know the hidden dangers.”

“Yes,” Derecho nodded. “I do. I do actually think we can knock that down to about 5 feet tall. And that will be about 30,000 tons. Between 25,000 and 500,000 should be our operating range. That would mean right now we are like 6 times the size of where we should be.”

“Damn,” Steel Feather swore. “Can you have something ready to present on Monday? On how to deal with that? Or do you need more time?”

“I can have something whipped up,” Derecho said. “It might not be one hundred percent complete, but the case revolves around showing physically more than just tossing numbers at them. I won’t have cost calculated. But I can have some stuff worked out. At least for the glass. I would need to better learn the rest of the departments. Metals has a lot of small departments too. They go through five screening processes! Not even wood does more than one.”

“Metal is where we look at most,” Steel Feather said. “Its the biggest concern. That and wood.”

Derecho gave a chuckle. “I will write up a list of things that use glass over metal or wood to save those resources. You will be stunned.”

“Good,” Steel Feather grinned. “Stun me and stun them. If you stun the others, we can try this out. They just have to see the importance of it. Well, more like the problem we are in.”

“I got some ideas,” Derecho grinned back.

“Are the other warehouse safe to check out,” Steel Feather asked.

“I’ll show you them,” Derecho said. “Plastic is, so is metal. But you need some protection for wood and paper.”

“Eh,” Steel Feather hesitated. “I’ll see them Monday with the others.”

“That’s not a bad idea,” Derecho replied. “But I am going to head home and get this project written up.”

“Home sounds good,” Steel Feather replied. “I got what I needed. It sounds like we both did for now. I will talk with my friends in the military though, to see about the cloudships.”

“Thanks,” Derecho replied. “I would really appreciate being able to explore that option. Even just getting on one would make my day.”

Next Chapter: Story 2 - Before the Board Estimated time remaining: 3 Hours, 50 Minutes