73

Bjorn was the last one to appear in the living room where Ante had put out a cake and some snacks together with beer and soft drinks for everybody to enjoy. Geir was the only one not there since he was on guard duty out in the glass cage. But Bjorn had a feeling Geir might actually prefer to be on duty rather than spend time socializing with his colleagues.

Bjorn had never seen Geir being social with anybody, and out of a light curiosity, he asked Ante about this as he grabbed a beer for himself.

"Nope, he's notoriously anti-social," Ante confirmed. "And he prefers sandwiches to hot meals, so he's never around for meal times either."
"Kind of strange, don't you think?" Bjorn asked rhetorically.
"We can't all be as likable and wonderful as you and me, you know," Ante answered with a smile.
"So true, so true," Bjorn nodded, also smiling.

Bjorn looked around in the room, fascinated by his colleagues who all, with the exception of John, were in their civilian clothes. And he could not help find it amusing that they were dressed up pretty much as he would have expected from what he had learned about their personalities. Espen was wearing an ill-fitting suit, and Thomas' shirt was, as always, only half tucked into his sagging trousers. Ante was looking relaxed in a modern unpretentious outfit, and Frank was slick as a pimp, with his shirt wide open in the neck, exposing a gold medallion.

They had by now all seen the news from Lier, and Frank was talking excitedly about it with Espen and Thomas, with John listening in on the conversation.

"You see how they can get their way simply by turning against us," Frank explained. "It is not like they have to break out of the colony or anything. All they have to do is to attack us, make sure that the damage is substantial, and then leave it to the TV news crew to present their case. Did you hear how they presented the rioters as if they were the big victims in all of this?"
"Sure," Thomas answered. "But most people are not buying it any more. That's why they are sending those thugs up here in the first place."
"Yeah, but if those people keep thinking they can get their way by attacking public property, they might do it regardless of it having any positive effect or not," Espen suggested in defence of Frank's position.
"And if they attack, it does not really matter if it ends up in their favour or not. We won't get away unharmed unless we step up security," Frank continued. "That's why I've ordered a fence to be built around this place."

"And when are we going to be fenced in?" Ante asked, moving over to where the conversation was taking place.
"Before those loonies are coming up here I hope," Frank replied.
"Next week, in other words?"
"Yeah."

Bjorn grabbed a snack and joined the group.

"And the new dress code?" Thomas asked. "How is that going to make us safer?"
"Well that's because you and Ante are two big slobs," Frank answered with a smile.
"But seriously..." Frank added. "It does make a difference how we come across. If we look like a soft target, we'll soon enough end up as a target."
"You think so?" Thomas asked sceptically.
"I know it for sure."
"Oh yeah?"

The group went silent as everyone looked at Frank and Thomas who were clearly not in agreement on this point. Then, to lighten the mood, Ante suggested they all sing the birthday song for Thomas, and cut into the cake he had made for the occasion.

Ante set off the singing by cheerfully starting on the first few words of the song, and pretty soon everybody was singing along. And once the singing was over, Thomas got the honour of cutting the first piece for himself.

It was a delicious cream cake, and everybody congratulated Ante on his baking skills. "Life here without you would be far less enjoyable," Frank noted on behalf of everybody who all nodded in agreement. "We're a lucky bunch to have you around," Frank continued.

"And we are lucky to have Pingo and Lundby near by too," Ante added modestly. "It sure is a heck of a lot easier to come up with good stuff when we have such a ready supply of wonderful fresh produce."
"Yeah..." Espen added with a smile. "They may one day burn our little place to the ground. But at least we've had some delicious meals before it happens."

And with this, everybody except John started laughing.

"Well, we won't be laughing when it happens," John protested.
"If it happens!" Thomas corrected. "It is if... A great big if."
"Sure... But it seems rather likely... Doesn't it?"
"No, it does not," Thomas insisted stubbornly.
"Not after we get our fence up!" Frank added with a friendly smile. "We will all be safe once we get our fence."

Bjorn looked over at Ante a little surprised by John's shameless concern for his safety, and Ante shrugged his shoulders in silent acknowledgement of Bjorns reaction. Then, finding it odd that Ante was drinking a soft drink, rather than beer, he asked Ante about this.

"Well, it is Thomas' birthday, and I was thinking I could be the designated driver tonight," Ante explained loud enough for everybody to hear. "I've already talked to you, Thomas, about this, haven't I."
"Sure," Thomas said with a nod. "We'll see how that goes."
"You see, Thomas has always been our driver," Ante explained to Bjorn, ignoring Thomas' last remark. "But since it is his birthday today, I thought I could take on that responsibility for tonight."