“Power? What do you mean by ‘power’?” Marcus asked bewildered.
“Oh, you don't know the word? Okay, sorry about that. You see, 'power' generally 'makes stuff happen' or 'enables you to do things'. There are many different kinds of 'power', but they all have that definition in common. Examples of 'power' include 'electricity', which does actually not do anything by itself, but can be used as energy source for machines, which then convert it into things like 'mechanical labor', 'heat' and so on. The potential applications are nigh limitless.”
“Yes, I know what 'electricity' is, thank you very much. I have lived in a bunker all my life, remember? But what does that have to do with the weather machine?”
“Um, nothing, really. I mean, it uses electricity to work, but it does not generate electricity by itself."
"Then what?"
"I was actually referring to a different kind of power, called 'influence'. This kind of power enables you to make other people do what you want, mostly because they know that 'doing what you want' is good for them too."
"Yes, well, my father is the chief of the bunker. I know what influence is. Still, what's that got to do with the weather machine?!"
"The weather machine 'gives' that power to whoever controls it."
"Um...okay, now you've lost me. How so?"

Ede grinned slightly, leaned back in his chair and said, “Let me tell you a little story. See if you can spot a few parallels. There once was a little fishing village near the sea. It was often shrouded in fog and the next town was many miles away. The people were poor but the ocean gave them everything they needed. Until, one day, ‘he’ appeared. He claimed, that his ship got attacked by a terrible sea monster and that he and his men only managed to escape with the clothes on their backs. He warned them to not go out to sea. At first, the people did not believe him, because who had ever heard of ‘sea monsters’ being real? But then things started happening. As the fog rolled over the land, many a fisher boat got attacked by a strange creature that seemed to appear from nowhere. Those who survived the attacks, reported of an eerie blue eye floating in the mist before the boat got hit by ‘something’. Before long, nobody dared to sail out to the ocean, afraid of the fog and the monster that lurks within. You with me so far?”

“Yes, but...did...that really happen?”
“As far as I know, it did. Though I may be exaggerating a few of the details. Either way, the village fell into poverty, their only source of income basically having been eradicated. Those who could left the village, heading to the next town and before long only those who could not afford to move away, remained. Thankfully for them, the men who suffered from the initial attack regularly managed to procure supplies, so they ended up working for them instead. It was terrible and backbreaking work, moving heavy crates back and forth from the vessel that was anchored there. Some asked questions or refused the work, but all of them disappeared under ‘mysterious circumstances’ on foggy days and before long none dared oppose them, afraid of the monster one day coming for them. After a few years, ‘the monster’ had become the God of the settlement.”
“But...this vessel. It needed to go out to sea too, right? What about the monster?”
“That’s the thing. Nobody ever saw it leave or come back, but every two weeks, there were suddenly new crates to be moved, some containing the resources the village so direly needed.”
“What happened next?!”

Ede smiled, reached over and tousled through Marcus’ hair, “You certainly do love your stories, don’t you? Well, the whole ruse blew up in their face, when, one day, the government sent someone to investigate the village after hearing rumors. They pretended to be travelers who got lost in the fog. Interestingly enough, nobody told them about the monster, the vessel or the cave.”
“Why not though?”
“Because they were outsiders. And the villagers had long since been indoctrinated to not speak to outsiders more than necessary, as to not incur the ire of the monster. And that is what I mean by ‘power’. They used the fear of the monster to make the villagers do their bidding, instead of doing the reasonable thing and asking for help in the next town.”
“B-but what happened next?”

Ede shook his head and explained, “You’re not going to quit until I told you, huh?”
“No, I won’t. Now spill it already!”
“Yeah well, the investigators stuck around near the village, having smelled the fish and the scent did not come from the ocean, if you get what I mean. The fisher boats in the small harbor were in a state of terrible disrepair and no way sea-worthy after all, making it more than obvious, that the village needed a different kind of income. Eventually, a bell rang, the sound carrying far and everyone in the entire village got up and moved in a certain direction as if they were heading to church.”
“Church? What’s a ‘church’?”
“...a place where people meet for religious gatherings. May I finish up please?”
“Yes, of course. Sorry about that.”
“Either way, the investigators followed the stream of people and found the cave, but stayed out of sight, as to not get caught by the armed men standing at its entrance. Eventually, when the sun set, everyone went back home, pulling a cart with supplies for the coming week. Upon the next time the fog rolled up, everyone hid within their houses, locking everything up, just like they had always done since the monster had appeared. The investigators used the cover of the fog to seek out the cave and found what they had suspected. When they came into the cave, the vessel had already disembarked out into the fog. They investigated the left over crates and found all kinds of things, all of which were illegal to possess and transport. It was painfully obvious, that they had found a smugglers den and that they were using the town as front for their operations.”
“So...you are saying the...smugglers were behind the monster the entire time?”
“Yes, exactly. In fact, ‘the monster’ did not even exist in the first place. It was all theater. When fishers went out to sea, they waited for the fog to set in and went out in a small ship themselves. They fixed a blue lantern to the bow to feign ‘the monsters eye’ before using a jagged ram to severely damage the boats.”

Marcus exhaled at the resolution of the story and then asked, “...but what’s all this got to do with the weather machine?”
“Seriously?!” Ede shouted, almost jumping to his feet, “This whole story and you can’t even see the bloody parallels?! Come on, do I really need to spell it out for you?!”
“Um...yes?” Marcus said, having shrunk a little in his seat.
Ede dropped back into his seat groaning, putting his hand to his forehead, “Seriously, what is it with the kids these days...can’t even get a parable.”

After having recovered from his small fit, Ede sighed and said, “Look, assuming the weather was actually stable and the land was fertile. Assuming you needn’t be afraid of a sandstorm rolling up on you, ruining your crops every third day. Would you want to continue living in a bunker? Or would you rather set off into the world with your sweetheart, founding a family of your own? Maybe meet other people? New friends? Maybe rebuild the cities of old?”
“Uh...I...guess? That would be a good thing, right?”
“Yes, it would be. But because the weather keeps ‘attacking’ you, the only place where you can live is the settlement, right? Behind the walls that keeps the bad things like raiders and wild animals and, of course, the storms away, right?”
“...so you’re saying they are using the weather machine to...keep us from going away?”
“Yes and no. I think they are rather keeping the weather machine to ‘keep you in line’. What’s the worst punishment you can face in your settlement?”
“Exile. Because it is much the same as facing certain death.”
“Precisely. Because the outside world is hostile. ‘The outside world’ is ‘the monster’ in this story and the machine in the bunker is the boat with the ram and the blue lantern.”
“But my father would never…that’s impossible! My father would never condone this!”
“Are you sure about that? I’ll have you know that people have done far worse to remain in power. It is like a drug. Once you have tasted it, you will always want more. It is one of those human traits that have lead to the downfall of this world.”
“I—“ Marcus stuttered, the words getting stuck in his throat.
“Think it over for a bit. And mind you, it is only a possibility. Only your father would know the truth. And the only one who can find it out is you.”

Marcus found himself back in the main room and felt bile rising up his throat. He hurried to the toilet and puked his stomach contents into the sink. He reached for the flusher, but nothing happened when he pulled it. He cursed himself for not thinking about the state of things and made a mental note to not frequent this part of the bunker in the near future.

After calming his nerves a little bit, he decided to go for a walk and see what they Ede’s ‘maintenance crew’ had gotten done, even if only to get his mind off the very fact, that he may well have been a prisoner all his life without ever having known. That all the people he’s ever known were actually prisoners and that the council, his own father, was the warden.

As he passed through the rooms, he quickly realized that ‘not much’ had happened. A bunch of loose wires hung out of the wall, apparently waiting to be reconnected and a few things had been moved, apparently trying to gain access to something beyond, but lacking the tools to do so.

Marcus shook his head and returned to the main chamber and said, “Hey Ede...is there something I can do to actually live down here? Cause those supplies aren’t going to last me a long time.”
Within his head Ede said, “No, I’m afraid not. Unless you’ve got a degree in electronics and rewire the generator that powers Ede to also supply the bunker area.”
“How would I do that?”
Marcus could almost feel Ede smiling, “You can’t. They had their own generator, but that thing has been defunct for a long time. We have neither the skills nor the tools to repair this place.”
“What, there is something you don’t know?” Marcus asked, more in jest.
“This may be shocking to you, but yes: There are plenty of things I do not know. Ede has a vast database about all things organic, terraforming and even some secrets of the universe, but his creators did not bother giving him a degree in electronics as well. That was not his purpose.”
“And you…”
“I was a programmer. I know a thing or two about electronics, sure, but nothing worth mentioning. That’s what we had actual electricians for back in the day. Too bad Ede didn’t ‘eat’ one of those now, am I right? Their knowledge would sure come in handy.”
“So...what am I supposed to do now?”

Ede remained silent for a moment and then said, “Rest a little. Get some fresh air and sunshine if you can. I’ll try to figure something out.”
“...Ede?”
“Yes?”
“...what’s it like to live forever?”

Ede didn’t answer right away, but when Marcus did not go away, Ede eventually said, “Very, very lonely, Marcus. Which is why I am all the more grateful that you are here.”