Calista paused, then continued, "I remember that before the virus outbreak, we brought back quite a lot of feminine hygiene products, such as sanitary pads, menstrual cups, menstrual discs, and some… contraceptives, like Durex."
Mrs. Howard nodded. "Yes. Whenever the search teams found supplies like that, they brought them back. They're all stored in a specific section of the supply warehouse. We have a decent amount, but every use reduces the stock. As for the Durex, no one has come to claim any yet."
"I've decided to officially add these items to the base's point-redemption list," Calista said. "You, or someone reliable you appoint, will manage the registration.
"Feminine hygiene products will be redeemed according to need. Basic types can be exchanged for a lower number of points to make sure everyone's basic needs are covered. Reusable items like menstrual cups and menstrual discs can have a slightly higher initial point cost, but they're more economical in the long run, and more environmentally friendly."
Mrs. Howard nodded in agreement. "That's a good approach. It will prevent waste and fighting over supplies, and it's fairer. I'll draft some preliminary exchange rules as soon as possible."
"As for condoms…" Calista lightly tapped her fingertips against the tabletop, a habit of hers when she was thinking. "They're consumables. Once one is used, that's one less in stock. We currently don't have the ability to produce them. Reusing them…"
She frowned.
Even by her own highly practical standards, the thought was hard to accept. "It's unsanitary, they're prone to breaking, and the risk is too high."
Calista lifted her eyes and looked at Mrs. Howard. "We can't focus only on weapons and food. To keep the base functioning normally, especially if we want it to develop long-term, or even preserve the spark of civilization, production of these most basic daily necessities has to be put on the agenda."
Knoxville Industrial Park surfaced in her mind.
There were many precision machinery factories and industrial production lines there, along with defense-related supporting companies…
Perhaps it could be used for more than producing weapons.
"Knoxville Industrial Park." Calista's gray-blue eyes grew brighter. "Maybe…
"In the future, we can try setting up some basic daily-necessity production lines. Simple textiles, plastic or rubber products, including condoms and sanitary products, maybe even the most basic chemical production…"
The idea was still very preliminary, even somewhat distant.
Rebuilding a complete industrial system, especially under current post-apocalyptic conditions, would be no easier than building a small nation from scratch.
She pulled her thoughts back and said to Mrs. Howard, "For now, manage our existing supplies through the point system.
"Encourage women to prioritize reusable menstrual cups or menstrual discs so we can conserve our limited, non-renewable supply of sanitary pads.
"As for condoms, set a reasonable point cost. Not too low, but not too high either."
They could not be so easy to obtain that people used them recklessly just to fill the emptiness of the apocalypse, wasting limited supplies.
But they also could not be so expensive that no one could afford them.
Otherwise, one day, someone might suddenly stand in front of her and say, "Yes, we have a child."
Given the base's current conditions, it was still risky for women to give birth safely.
"I understand, Calista." Mrs. Howard nodded seriously. She had not expected Calista to have considered even this. "I'll handle it properly. This really will solve many problems for the young people and help everyone feel more at ease."
After leaving Mrs. Howard's office, Calista looked again toward the busy ranch.
Tommy and Sarah were still working hard as they cared for the livestock.
But in that moment, Calista saw more than just labor. She saw a small reflection of the society that was taking shape here.
She had always been used to getting ahead of problems before they happened.
Survival was not just about staying alive. It was about how to live with dignity and order.
Calista continued inspecting the grounds of Blackberry Ranch.
Everywhere she looked, people were doing their own jobs. Though most of their clothes were plain, even worn out, their eyes were filled with hope.
Calista walked toward the edge of Blackberry Ranch, where the terrain dipped slightly. Black Bear Creek, which flowed from deep within the Great Smoky Mountains, wound through the area and provided the ranch with an essential water source.
At the moment, the creek was much livelier than usual.
Elena and her four students were spread out along both banks, carrying out intensive survey work.
Elena herself stood on a relatively flat rock, holding a crude level as she gestured toward a bend in the creek, occasionally jotting data down in her notebook.
Ming crouched by the water, using a long wooden pole marked with measurements to check the water depth and flow speed at different points. Her expression was focused, her black hair tied tightly into a ponytail behind her head, swaying gently as she moved.
Aleksei and Ben were working together, struggling to drive a heavy wooden stake into the designated spot. It was being used to mark the boundary of the future small dam.
Aleksei occasionally muttered a few Russian words, as if encouraging himself, while Ben gritted his teeth, sweat already soaking through his back.
Kevin held a tape measure and compass as he moved back and forth across a slope a little farther away, measuring the possible route and gradient of the water channel.
He stopped from time to time to write and sketch in his notebook, his brow furrowed.
When Calista approached, Elena was the first to notice her. She put down the level in her hand and smiled. "Calista, you're here. Perfect timing. We've preliminarily chosen the location for the dam at Blackberry Ranch."
"Elena, how is the progress?" Calista asked, her gaze sweeping over the busy students.
"Smoother than expected." Elena pointed toward the bend in the creek she had been observing earlier. "The riverbed here is solid rock. Because of the bend, the current naturally speeds up at this point, and the drop is sufficient.
"We plan to build a low dam here. It doesn't need to be too high. Its main purpose is to raise the water level and ensure stable flow and pressure for the water channel."
Then she pointed toward the slope Kevin was measuring. "The water channel will follow this gentle slope down. Using gravity, we can direct the water straight to the power house we plan to build and use it to drive the turbine. The tailwater after power generation can also irrigate the newly reclaimed forage fields downstream, serving two purposes at once."
Calista listened closely. She could see the cleverness of the plan. It made full use of the natural terrain and available resources. "Will the estimated power output be enough to meet Blackberry Ranch's needs?"
"Conservatively speaking, it should be enough for daily lighting, tool usage, and the basic operation of the cold storage facility we plan to build," Elena said with certainty.
"Good." Calista nodded, then shifted the topic. "Elena, aside from hydropower, do we have other options?
"Wind power, for example, or solar? You know energy diversification is important. We can't rely on a single creek. Once the river freezes in winter, the hydropower may not be enough."
Elena had clearly thought about this already. She pushed up her glasses, her expression turning serious. "I've studied wind power.
"The terrain in the Great Smoky Mountains is complicated, and the wind conditions are very unstable. Places suitable for installing wind turbines are usually on ridges or at wind gaps. Construction in those locations would be difficult, and the maintenance risks would be even higher."