Short Story from my Haven Colony

[Lex718]

Scenario: Starting from Nothing
Current Date: Aprimay 2, colony year 2

This spring we decided to get a jumpstart on planning for the next winter by installing a hydroponic garden in the back cave chamber.  Spud spent days mining the required steel and components, but the critical consideration was power.  We needed reliable power, or the plants would die in their bays at random times.  So we set about building a large solar array to charge the batteries during the day, and a quartet of wind generators to provide power during the nights and to use as backup in case of a failure somewhere. 

The main concern was of a shortage somewhere along the conduits, which ran through most walls in the colony, and on the floors in the hydroponics cave.  With all six batteries full, a short that occurred anywhere near a colonist could be deadly. 

A week after the system was completed we got out first look at the dangers of power shortages.  It happened while a group of bulk goods traders were visiting, and everyone was busy putting away the cloth that we purchased.  We heard a zzzt! sound and a massive explosion from the kitchen.  Kyle and Toni ran in and found their attention pulled in two directions.  First, the electric stove was nearly destroyed by the blast, which set fire to the kitchen wall and half the food in the walk in freezer.  Second, one of the chickens who had been wandering in the kitchen was running around ablaze, squawking in pain. 

Kyle patted out the fires in the freezer while Toni took care of the chicken (who survived thanks to her), and Tranca came running from the workshop next door to extinguish the stove and the walls.  All in all, it wasn't that bad, and there was no lasting damage.  Thankfully there was still enough daylight left that day that the batteries had time to recharge before the night.  Hopefully next time it happens we will be this lucky again.