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I don't care.

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I don't care.

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Total Members Voted: 0

Voting closed: January 04, 2021, 02:28:47 am

[Naturegirl1999]

“Why don’t SEEDships and the Empyreals work together against the [plague?] Why are the Empyreals enemies rather than allies?”

[19_EgarAlnis]

We are now, aren't we?

"Hidden installations, production levels, population counts, social engineering data...anything SEED had to use to control this nation. We do not have blueprints for construction or other important information for design and training."

"SEED informed us that we should proceed to the next point, with the population we recovered from the Holy City." The leader pulls a document from his coat, extending it out to you. [City Fortress Stormmont].

"It is a city fortress, within the northern mountains, built by SEED's special services, should the Holy City fall. We vacated it four hundred years ago, after its construction was finished."

[ZBridges]

"How far away is it?  In addition, what hidden installations exist that would be of use to us?"

Examine the document.

[19_EgarAlnis]

You don't speak to the null-people as you flip through the document, making them wait. You hoped for some reaction, but they are patient and quiet.

Stormmont, previously titled; Last Bastion Defensive Fortification Alpha One. Its a massive fortress carved into the rim mountain Zero-zero-three-one-nine. That's to the north of your current location, judging by the handy, included map. They carved it out of the largest rim mountain that this flat world has, if you're remembering the brief geography training the academy offered. It's designed to hold and feed up to two million inhabitants in less than comfortable, spartan accommodations. It also has anti-aircraft defensive measures, algae replication tanks, and several fusion reactors to power it all. It's designed to be the last-ditch hold out for SEED's people should the Holy City fall. Constructed by 'loomed' human 'drone' workers to be the last place of refuge for the City-State of SEED and it's leadership. It has been sealed against the elements. The only way to reach it is through hovercraft.

You also note with wide eyes that it has a crude Empyreal Navy Distress beacon. SEED spoke the truth; these people matter to it more than its own life.

"How far away is it? And are there any other hidden installations SEED has been keeping from me?"

One of them slips another small folder from her coat, handing it to you. [SEED's ARK]. You gloss through this one. Another hidden facility, this time on the other side of the world. It's a bunker and a cryogenic colony ship for ten thousand people. It was mothballed roughly two hundred years ago, judging by the time stamps. It's a slower than light ship and incomplete -- and you're sure there's no Voidwrights among these people.

The trip will take five hours with the cargo ship style Hovercrafts that the refugees are in, judging by the distance given by the lead null.

[Naturegirl1999]

Do we have enough hovercrafts to carry everyone to the Last Bastion of Defense Alpha One?

[ZBridges]

"How many refugees do we have?  In addition, is anyone currently inhabiting the fortress?"

Do we have enough hovercrafts to carry everyone to the Last Bastion of Defense Alpha One?

+1

[Eschar]

"How many refugees do we have?  In addition, is anyone currently inhabiting the fortress?"

Do we have enough hovercrafts to carry everyone to the Last Bastion of Defense Alpha One?

+1

+1

[19_EgarAlnis]

"We managed to evacuate [half a million] people from the Holy City, before we were risking infection."

"Out of?" You ask, not really wanting to hear how many might have died, or tried to shelter in their homes during the attack.

"The Holy City, as of the last census, had three million inhabitants. Many tried to flee to the outlying districts, but those have been destroyed in the firestorm and subsequent earthquake. We can organize their transport using the vessels we have, but we will be running low of fuel soon after."

[ZBridges]

"What 'Families' are believed to have survived the attack in their ancestral holdings?  Are there significant numbers of outlanders that have not been displaced by the plague?"

[19_EgarAlnis]

Spoiler: Map (click to show/hide)

You take a glance at the map he extends out to you, looking it over with confusion.

"We are working on providing you with an updated map. The Families in the Second District of Farmland are all assumed dead or weakened. Bioplastics is completely destroyed, as is the Hydrogen Fuel Refinery and significant Family Holdings in the eastern sides of Farmland Districts Seven, Four, and Three. I can provide you with a list of Families that are sure to be destroyed -- significant amongst these casualties include Montblanc Holdings, the Jasmine-Thistle Group, and the Bioplastics LMTD organization. The Thorntons, by my calculations, have also suffered an enormous loss of profit from the destruction of the Holy City. A number of their shell chemical companies had headquarters and production there, but their Ancestral Holdings in the western mountains, no doubt, are intact."

"The Western Outlanders had all migrated to the Holy City and outlying territories. The high probability is that they have been killed by the explosion. The Eastern Outlanders have not had to deal with the Plag--"

"That was a western thing." Iyal chimes up, finally speaking to you, glancing to you in askance. You give her an easy smile and a nod. "My people are older than the western clans -- we will have survived this intact, but they will certainly sense the weakness in your people, now."

"As will the surviving Families." The null leader offers, politely.

[ZBridges]

Maybe we can appeal to them to help us, some time down the line.  For now, I think we should evacuate to the fortress.

[Naturegirl1999]

Maybe we can appeal to them to help us, some time down the line.  For now, I think we should evacuate to the fortress.

Get everyone to the fortress

[Eschar]

Maybe we can appeal to them to help us, some time down the line.  For now, I think we should evacuate to the fortress.

Get everyone to the fortress

+1

"What's the status of the ARK's non-propulsion systems, especially cryogenics and weaponry?"

The ARK, if we make use of it, seems like a much longer-term project, as it is incomplete. But it can serve as shelter even if it's not mobile.

[19_EgarAlnis]

You browse through the information on the ARK. Cryogenics were finished. There are no weapons. It's designed for only one landing, as most colony ships were. Food supplies for the shifts of skeleton crews required for the operation were to be loaded on prior to launching, so there's no greenhouse or advanced food preparation besides a single high production algae tank. The propulsion is the standard as the Empyre, using condensed hydrogen fuel cells filled with stored energy to increase speed to a level approaching faster than light travel without going over it, because there isn't enough energy in existence for that. The maximum speed upon completion was...SEED have mercy, one half that of light speed.

However, this design is old, ancient, in fact -- the more you read, the more you realize its disposable. It's designed for one mission only. One launch, one speed up, one slow down, one orbit, one landing. It also relies on trusting the skeleton crews a touch too much, as there is no onboard AI to ensure mission success. One crazed lunatic or undertrained technician could kill thousands.

Skeleton crews of five work in shifts of one year, before returning to cryo sleep. Anti-pregnancy medicine in the water supply. Etc, etc.

"Continue the evacuation to the Fortress." You inform the children of SEED. They dip their heads politely and leave you alone with Iyal.

Your tongue is tied, even as she rises from her seated position to rest upon her knees, hands resting on the top of her thighs. "Fire-Blooms-Flowers. I did not complete my mission. I apologize for my failure." She bows her head to you. One of her arms is stiff.

So devoted. She's switched to a conventional projectile weapon after our little talk last time.

[Naturegirl1999]

“No need to apologize. You did well. We have a new mission now, evacuation”

Assist with the evacuations