((Why are we here anyway? Can we get some background, like info on known animals, resources, social/political situation?))
((Well, first, corporations which sponsor the effort get huge tax breaks world-wide. Second, the conglomerate that sent you here is practically a nation unto itself - with you here to stake a claim, it may become one de-jure as well as de-facto. Third, they're hoping to turn a profit on the whole exploration thing through your research. The final and most important point is that the global situation on Earth is degrading. It does one no good to turn a steady profit on a planet that can erupt in nuclear fire if somebody coughs too loudly.
As for info on the socio-political situation on Earth, most of it is now urban sprawl, and natural resources are rapidly running out. There is a marked tendency toward agglomeration in nations - for example, the Slavic Coalition, which is Russia, eastern Ukraine, and Belarus, is now basically a single city - even if they wanted to break up, they would still have to deal with the fact that their border runs across city blocks. The Pan-American Alliance is still markedly different in South America and North America, and those two parts are independently governed, but it's a single state on paper. The EU is still the EU, and the PRC is still the PRC, with the exception of the fact that it now includes Mongolia. Turkey, Turkmenistan, and Kyrgyzstan are kind of loosely allied, as are the Arab states. Israel is Israel-ing on as always. Africa is united around Angola, DRC, and CAR. They have a Social-Democratic government, and call themselves the African Commonwealth. Those are the major players.
Of megacorporations, there is the Union for the Advancement of Trade and Technology (UATT), which paid for your expedition, the Cybersun Corp, mostly based in Asia, and the Agricultural Society, which formed in Africa, and makes a killing on selling grub to people's fat asses.
Currently, there are several camps on Boreas. The closest to you is the Slavic Coalition camp. It is useful to know that they are not in any way subordinate to Coalition government - it basically paid them to move their butts here, and that's all. Still, they are all ethnic Slavs. Then there's the African camp on the smallest continent - they look to claim the whole landmass for themselves. The Cybersun camp is on the same continent as you, but on the opposite coast of it. As far as you know, the Chinese are due to arrive in several weeks' time. The others will be dropping in after them.
As for resources, there are several sources of iron near your camp. Boreas is generally rich in iron ore and bauxites (Al
2O
3). You should have no problem making steel, duralumin, or whatever.
As for the local fauna, you'll get to meet it soon enough.
He-he.Somebody, name the continents, please. I rack my brains, but can't think of anything suitable. (There are three in all, in case you forgot.)))
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Topic: Trailblazers in a World of Winter - Chester crashes the party. (Read 58588 times)