"Dust rained in the mechanical halls; it shivered free from the violence of the digging. Wires overhead hanging swung gently in their harness. Pipes rattled. And from the generator room, staccato bangs filled the air, bounced off the walls, and brought to mind a time when unbalanced machines spun dangerously.”
The quote shows the dangers Juliette and her group expose themselves to when digging an illegal tunnel to connect Silo 18 and 17. Juliette is the current mayor of Silo 18 and is determined to save her people by finding an exit route to the Earth's service. Life in the underground silos is horrible because the occupants are manipulated and forced to follow rules without questioning. Despite Juliette being a mayor in Silo 18, she is unhappy with the authorities controlling the silos because of their selfish interests.
“What we need are dozens of smaller holes that we can connect. We need to tear out entire sections at a time. Bring up the other excavator. And turn the men loose with their picks, but keep the dust to a minimum if you can help it.”
By digging a hole to connect Silo 17 and 18, Juliette commits the most serious crime that goes against the doctrines of Silos' management. The authorities that monitor the 49 silos always survey for any attempt by the members of the underground cities to escape. Consequently, Juliette knows the only way to excel in her escape plan is to dig the tunnel intelligently without raising suspicion. To achieve this, Juliette tells her men to be cautious, precise, and quiet while accomplishing their plan.
"I have seen the world out there, Luke. I stay up at night listening to Walk's radio. Many people are just like us, living in fear, living apart, and kept ignorant. I mean to do more than save my friends. I hope you know this. I mean to get to the bottom of what's beyond these walls."
The quote shows the atrocities done to the people in the underground cities, especially Silo 17, where Juliette is the mayor. The people in the underground silos have lived there for hundreds of years without getting an opportunity to comprehend what is happening on the Earth's surface. When Juliette listens to the radio, she imagines the people on Earth are facing similar challenges as those in the underground silos. However, Juliette believes it is better to be on the Earth's surface, where there is freedom, instead of living in the confined walls of the silos in the underground. Therefore, Juliette is determined to do anything to get her people out.
