"This Fortress was designed for housing a population for twenty years -- I'd dare say its possible for us to hermetically seal ourselves away and could spend forty defending this position from Plague. Our grandchildren would be able to hold this position. I spoke to the geneticist and our population could be free from inbreeding for hundreds, if not thousands of years. Putting a big hole in the side will ruin that." When Isela says 'inbreeding, there's a slight accusation shot towards Hoganson, who gives her a scowl in response, the first emotion you've seen on the man today -- besides bored indifference.
"No man is a mountain -- and neither is industry." Armssmith offers, "We need many things from the outside world to sustain u--"
"We mine it then. We've got enough of the equipment down below." Isela returns.
"In the fractured earth? We haven't had in an earthquake in a month, but mines are not stable constructions." Arsmssmith asks, bluntly, rhetorically. "The minerals in the world are scarce at best. We need a wide net. Were it not for the Thorton chemis--"
Here, Lauren Mack has an odd-sounding cough. 'Drugpeddlars'
"Were it not for the Thorton Chemists, our steel production would be ground to a halt. But even they cannot produce elemental sulfur, or purified silicon, or pure iron." Armssmith finishes, glancing over to Lauren.
"But what-what do we trade for them?" It's the first time you've heard Geoyde stutter himself into the conversation. "Values change based on perception of worth. The Outlanders survived-survived this mess with their economy intact -- people are starting to use Outlander Clan jade and gold coins to trade. We do not have control of any kind, because SEED's Industrial credits are worthless besides for some of the worst food imaginable. "