You decide to implement a number of the proposed suggestions. You order work crews to secure the outer parts of the ringwall weakpoints by bolting Alloy sheets over the gaps. You even take the time to supervise, making sure that they're bolted into the Builder stone and not just the rebuilt stone blocks. Its not the most high tech solution, but by the time you are done you feel much happier about your the most basic of your defenses. Your pile of Alloy is reduced by 1/8 and you are now lacking in conveniently shaped Alloy sheets with precut eyelets.
The Tinkerers are also busy. With your permission and support, five of them pool their resources and set up shop in some abandoned storage sheds near the Solar Furnace. Work is slow for now, but they manage to move some of their larger machines into the new workspace and a crate of general supplies and some Composite rods are delivered. This does give them time to go over the theoretical side of their various future projects. There is still much discussion of the Solar Furnace. There seem to be three main camps, those who want to build several hundred small booster reflectors, those who want to invest in a hybrid arc furnace and those who argue for an entirely independent arc furnace to cast aside the decadent Solar Furnace of old. Its mostly old Dmitri who argues for this last one however, likely due to his tendency to drink in the mornings and at any other time of day that suits him.
The general opinion on the various options is this: Lots of small reflectors would take a lot of labor and deplete basic scrap metal and electrical parts stocks by about a third. This would likely please the de Fiero clan and would ensure that the town primary smelting capacity didn't have to draw power form the fusion core, but was limited by available sunlight. Alternatively, a hybrid arc furnace could be constructed and merged with the SF. This would likely take a little less labor that the small reflectors and would likely deplete scrap metal and electrical parts stocks by a quarter. The SF would still be limited by available sunlight and would draw some power from the core to operate. A free standing, separate arc furnace could be produced for about the same parts and labor cost as the hybrid one, would have a slightly lower capacity than the hybrid, wouldn't be limited by available sunlight and would likely be seen as a power play against the de Fieros.
There's also a little discussion on how to improve the food supply. This mostly centers around the pro small reflector faction trying to claim that the mirror boosters could be easily adapted to reflect light onto particularly shady gardens. One SF neutral Tinkerer does claim that he has two matching sheets of Composite that would make the perfect mold for producing hexagonal glass plates, although what use that may be no-one knows. No progress, even theoretical, has yet been made on copying the steam engines.
Work with the dock proceeds smoothly, around one hundred steel barrels are produced and secured with chains. With the help of the fishermen, the entire assembly is anchored to the bottom about one hundred meters out. Its not an invulnerable port of doom, but its a big improvement from the beach. The whole thing is also painted white, because tripping and falling on a dock is embarrassing enough when your supposed to be a sailor without adding mild scaldings to the whole business.
While you don't have time to personally search for lost documents and other information, you do call upon those with time on their hands to do so. Since most of the townsfolk live busy lives there aren't many people spare. However, a small group of children do answer your summons. Deciding that their small size could actually be an advantage you enlist their help. After giving them a stern lecture on the dangers of giant machines and electrical cables, you send them searching through the main building and reactor complex. They have a great time, playing hide and seek in the forbidden places of your people. Amazingly, none of the children are crushed or electrocuted. They don't turn up much of use either, until you finally have a stroke of luck. One child, squeezing past a stack of crates to hide from his companions, came across an abandoned storage room. It was bereft of useful supplies, but contained one very decomposed corpse and a data pad.
One week has passed. The Technocratia caravan should arrive next week and you are on track to produce enough water. What do you do now?
Alcide Brunelleschi: Family Armor, Laser Rifle, Hover Scout Trike
Sala-Zione:
Population:998
Major Official Buildings: The Main Building (water desalinization and machine shop), the Control Room (computers that control important stuff), The Reactor (a Sony AFIC MK23.a45 civilian Light Industrial Fusion Reactor) currently at 33.77% of fuel capacity and generating 14.96% of potential full capacity, the Control Tower (once a large coms relay unrelated to the plant but within its walls, now missing its dish and the seat of your government.
Minor Official Buildings: A small steel barrel and chain dock, painted white.
Citizen Owned: A variety of houses, from rich to poor. Many small industries. A dozen tinkerers workshops, A large Solar Forge operating bellow capacity.
State Stores: 12 Kalash Rifles in a poor state of repair, 3000 rounds of ammunition. 37 Arbalests in good repair with 20 pig iron bolts each. A medium-large pile of assorted Alloy without and large preshaped sheets, a small pile of composite plates. A good stock of basic spare parts and scrap metal, a small stock of essential advanced parts and 84,429.51 L of pure water.
20 Composite rods, two crates of electrical parts. Some assorted trade goods (nails, bolts, torches etc).
Health: No diseases of note, an immunity to genetic plagues.
Defenses: Large Circular Pored Stone Wall, in reasonable Repair. 11 breaches filled with crude stone blocks and Alloy plating on the outside. 31 dedicated Militia with Old Composite Armor and Laser Rifles. 2 Rocket launchers with 4 HE and 5 incendiary rockets remaining.
Food Supplies: Adequate. A sudden shortage could cause problems.
If you notice stuff that should be here but isn't, please tell me. Likewise with any suggestions I may have missed.
Author
Topic: You are a Lord of the Wastes (Read 26141 times)