Building Infrastructure on an Interstellar Frontier

When the granary door was knocked open, I was bent over, counting the last three bags of synthetic nutritional powder. "Sister Qin! Zhang Mazi has people blocking the water station! He says if we don't distribute water today, he'll smash the filtration pump!" A Qiang rushed in, his face bright red, sweat trickling down through the dust and sand. He was still clutching half a wrench, and the web between his thumb and forefinger was split open. I straightened up. My knees cracked twice. Outside, the noise was like a pot coming to a boil. The wind hurled sand and grit against the metal roof with a sharp patter. "Lead the way." I grabbed the crowbar leaning in the corner. The cold iron pressed against my palm. A Qiang ran ahead, gasping for breath. The camp was coated in dust, and low...