Nova Terina and the Scary Alien Whatever

[TheBluejay]

Chapter 15:The Scary Alien Whatever

A few hundred thousand years ago, in a star system a cliched distance away, lived a group of friendly aliens who lived happily ever after. But they're boring, so we won't talk about them.
At roughly the same time, an alien race evolved on an earth-like planet a little closer to Earth, and they called themselves the Jerej. They followed a similar praxic route to humanity, which unfortunately led to the same problems that faced 21st Century Earth.

The planet had always been hospitable enough, with plenty of mineral resources. And so, in that short-sighted way that seems to be a universal constant, they went about industrialising as if every resource would never run out and as if they could never impact the environment. Of course, when they realised they'd got that slightly wrong, it was a little late. The only hope for the over populated planet was, of course, extra-solar colonies.
So far so similar to humanity, right?
But there was a problem. An extremely big problem.

For any viable colonies outside a solar system, you need FtL transport, right? Now, we all know how difficult FtL is to achieve. It's been the stumbling block for many an inter-stellar civilization, and it always be. However, the Jerej had a larger problem. Not only was FtL hard to achieve for them, one of their physicists proved it was completely impossible. Reality just wouldn't allow it.
There was a little wailing and gnashing of tentacles, but this was a real can-do species. And so, they came to the logical conclusion that if this reality didn't allow FtL -

They'd just change reality.

So they set about draining the planets in the solar system of any remaining resources, recycling and scraping and salvaging everything they could. I can't imagine life during this period was very pleasant - the dismantling of civilization isn't a very common event, fortunately.
Using these last materials, they constructed a vast Dyson Ring around their star, drawing vast amounts of energy from their sun, solar wind, the remaining power stations on the planet below, anything.


Image plundered ruthlessly from Internet and edited by yours truly

And, after 200 years of construction, charging and devastating mathematics, the ring fired, emitting a wave that would travel the galaxy, changing the very constants of reality and making FtL travel a real possibility.
All well and good, you might say, but the Jerej (now reduced to cowering around their toppled towers in conditions much reduced in quality) had overlooked something that is, well, rather obvious. This reality-wave contained unthinkable amounts of energy, enough to change the very nature of reality. Firing a wave like that from a ring only a few thousand kilometres from their homeworld had predictable results. The innermost planet simply disappeared, the outermost were knocked out of their orbits, and the Jarej homeworld?


Image entirely made by me. I feel so hip and trendy.

The wave worked perfectly, not that the Jarej were around to appreciate it. FtL travel is possible, in this galaxy at least. All fine! Except, the ring is still there. Maintained by mechanical systems, A.I's, the ring is quietly spinning round the star.

Charging up.
9:41 Baltir Northern Express

Yes, I know that isn't really north. Work with me here!

Jacen: We always seem to be on trains.

OmniBluejay: This is only the second time.

Jacen: I know, but... It feels like this all we do.

Hey, I have to write about it. It's not exactly joyous. And I have a history project I should have started 2 weeks ago in for tomorrow, you know.

OmniBluejay: You are not sentient go away stop talking gawd you are the worst

Jacen: Oooo..kay..... So. What's this Freelance story you got for me again?

OmniBluejay:  New seaside town is pretty, go take pictures of it and write about how wonderful that TQBS Corporation is. Get paid. Buy birdseed.

Jacen: Simple enough, then. But I think electricity bills take precedence over birdseed.

OmniBluejay: Gods cannot live on tofu alone!

Jacen: You don't even need to eat!

OmniBluejay: You don't need electricity!

Jacen: Yes..but...damn it, you are worse than Salem. Anyway, couldn't you zap us to Roslea? If we're late, I won't get the job, and it's back to selling organs for us.

OmniBluejay: You know that's not reliable. Which is why we got on the train in the first place.

Jacen: Yes, but the Lonbeay Star has 20 different junior reporters all vying for this story. If one of them gets there first...

OmniBluejay: No birdseed, yes, alright. I'll try, but no promises...





The VHWORP deposited them on top of a rather grey looking hill. Below them, two quarries and what seemed to be a small refinery were gathered around a small spur line. Behind, a large Japanese looking digger was chewing it's way into the hill, surrounded trucks and people painted a pale green. At least the trucks were painted green, the people were just wearing green. In the distance, an expanse of chimneys and grooves were strung around a sludgy river.

Jacen: I thought you said Roslea was pretty?

OmniBluejay: It is, and it's by the sea too. I don't think we're in Roslea.

Jacen: No, you're right... This looks like Gillikin work, I recognise those insignias.

OmniBluejay: I thought you said the Parliament had prohibited the Gillikin Council from expanding out from the river?


Jacen: I did and they are.

OmniBluejay: Interesting.... Well, lets get out of here. I can feel my lungs furring.

Jacen: Deal with it, I need to take some pictures.





Jacen: Okay, lets go. But see if we can avoid the silly picture this time, kay?

VHWORP



Jacen: YOU ARE SO VERY DEAD!

OmniBluejay: At least I avoided the silly picture!

Jacen lunged for the bird -

VHWORP



- and landed in one of the Valley Forestation Projects streams.
Soaking wet, he swatted furiously at the nervously twittering bird above his head

OmniBluejay: Hey! - It's not like I meant! - You were already wet! -

Each excuse was ended by one of Jacen's attempts to grab the bird

Jacen: Not only to you zap us into the sea, but you zap us right into possibly the only effluent trail in the entire ocean!

OmniBluejay: There's a stream here for you to wash off in. See? Foresight!

Jacen: Just dry me off and take us to Roslea!

VHWORP



Jacen: That's better. So what's the story?

OmniBluejay: New town, built by people from Bath, very pretty, Mayor Cho Norslof isn't a corporate shill -

Jacen: Isn't or isn't?

OmniBluejay: Isn't as in really isn't. Green party links and all.

Jacen: Impressive. Which corporation?

OmniBluejay: Sefton.

Jacen: Of course. Still, nice looking town. Can I rely on you to do the aerial pictures?

OmniBluejay: But of course.



The waterfront and central shopping area arranged around the main square. It's a nice place to eat lunch for the bureaucrats and office drones. Bars and restaurants  look out to sea at the edge, including Barney's Old Time Local Fish Bar, a division of Starbucks Inc. It's famed for serving only fish caught in the waters around Roslea, and also those from fish farms on Virmire.



A closeup of the central shops, twin fountains and general prettiness. On the far right, the Deco Revival town hall. It looks a little big for a town of roughly 15,000, but it is in charge of administering all the countryside and fisheries in this section of Nova Terina. It also houses the western offices of the Dales Authority, the body in charge of maintaining the Dales natural ecosystems and opening them up for human development. It's running several projects with conflicting aims, including the Valley Forestation Project and the Give Gillikin Lots Of Money Project.



Random pretty shot.



Richer houses by the waterfront. It seems honey coloured cherubs and pillars never go out of style, hmm?



And finally, I would like to declare my undying love for these Halifax Boxes spa made. They are so very adorable and I can't stop using them.


The more astute among may have noticed the title has changed. This is because the original one sucked. The new one sucks slightly less.
Consider yourselves enlightened!

[kodlovag]

Hehe... If we don't like the reality, let's change it... 
Nice city

[canyonjumper]

Looking great BlueJay! (Can't really shorten your name, it'd be inappropriate ) lolz @ the story and Roslea is really well done!

                -Jordan

[TheBluejay]

Do you know, I completely forgot I hadn't updated this here.
canyonjumper: Just call me Lord and Master of Existence and also RAM.
kodlovag: It's be a useful thing to do, no? Vwoosh. Shiny new computer!

Chapter 16: Ripples
OmniBluejay: You know I can't do anything for you money-wise - It's interfering! There are standards, regulations, precedents! -

Jacen:   Hypocrisies?!

OmniBluejay: It's not my fault you're too incompetent to find a decent job!

Jacen:   And I suppose it's mine? You could change it for me, for everyone with a snap of your fingers!

OmniBluejay: Fingers?

Jacen:   Beak then! You are so insufferably pedan -





Jacen:   -tic, it's impossible to have a normal conversation with you!

OmniBluejay: Wait, what was that?

Jacen:   What was what? Don't you try that one on me again!

OmniBluejay: No, really, what was that - Where are we? What is going on?!

The apartment was small, and comfortable, as befitting Jacens former good salary as a freelance reporter for the Babelyia Weekly Journal. The walls were papered in white paper, with abstract birds flitting in shades ranging from Russet to Magenta. The floors were slightly polished, with a rich red-purple sheen unique to Tarqoa wood, running under the wide, curved arches separating the small kitchen dining room cum from the drawing room. On the pale wooden table, a small console (A small QWERTY keyboard with soligram projector built in, used for word processing and browsing the Datasphere) was lazily displaying today's Lonbeay Star front page, a story about the scientific expedition to the source of those odd waves. In short, it was a perfectly commonplace flat for the young, quietly successful urban dweller - and it did not feel right at all.


http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/1377/newsexpeditoni.jpg

Jacen stood by the (unpainted...why?...) front door, watching the bird flutter agitatedly.
Outside, a grouchy lorry squeezed through the narrow streets.

Jacen:   Are you alright?

OmniBluejay: Yes... No! I don't know, everything's wrong... But what's wrong? What is it? There should be flakes and old chinese packets and mouldy sandwiches and...

Jacen:   Why would there be? The housekeeping here is excellent.

OmniBluejay: Housekeeping? That's not right..but it is, we pay through the nose for it... but we shouldn't have it!

Jacen just looked bewildered.

OmniBluejay: Listen, Jacen.. something very odd, very... something just happened, and you don't seem to have noticed it at all, and I'm forgetting it - Which is worrying.

Jacen:   What am I supposed to have noticed? All that's going on is you hopping round the flat like you've never seen it before.

OmniBluejay: I haven't ever seen it before because this isn't your flat

Jacen:   What? Of course it is, I've lived here for... Since... This is my flat! How can you not remember?

OmniBluejay: Oh, you want to talk about memory? Tell me, what colour is your front door? Don't look at it, just tell me

Jacen:   This is just silly. Why should I tell you what colour my door is? It's a stupid question.

OmniBluejay: Just do it! What colour is your door?

Jacen:   Why it's... well, it's obviously... well...I mean to say, its quite plainly.. Blue?

OmniBluejay: Not even close.

Jacen:   So I have a terrible memory, what does that prove?

OmniBluejay: Alright, Nile boy, if that doesn't convince you, then where are we?

Jacen:   That's easy. East Carmine.

OmniBluejay: So why does that console show you as having an employee subscription to the i]Lonbeay Star? [/i]

Jacen:   Because.. I...Oh frick.

They stood in silence, in a flat that most emphatically was not theirs.
East Carmine
Dramatic, no? Out of interest, did any of you notice the doors changing colour, and the newspaper names switching?
Anyway, seeing as Jacen and I seem to have relocated to this East Carmine place, I'd better tell you something about it.

Okay, East Carmine - Technically New Babelyia Metropolitan Authority East Carmine, but that's a little long to type repeatedly. It's the tourist, beach area of New Babelyia - Where the wheels of industry are stopped by little cocktails with silly names. Obviously that's not the official advertising slogan, but it does give one the measure of the place.



Voila, an overview. Off to the east is the high-rise district, with various skycrapers doing various things. In the centre, a pedestrianised area with faux-old buildings - nothing gives an air of granness like Classical Revival, apparently. There are a wide variety of boutiques, shops and cafes of many different classes. The west is the beginings of the mid-rise housing districts, whilst the beachfront is dedicated to hotels and clubs.




Here's the central plaza - In the centre is the Language and Humanities block of New Babelyia University, recently built at a cost of NT$69 Million, most of it coming from large corporations "eager to fashion the next generation of young minds." Be that as it it may, the building is excellent, the location central and the cafes and coffee shops  nearby doing a very profitable trade in hangover remedies.



Some of the less expensive shops and boutiques - Jacen now lives in the yellowy-cream building next to the two, thin Art Deco shops. The flat is nice enough, but its location above the fish counter leaves much to be desired.



Some of the offices by the central train station - The tall thin blue and white building is the headquarters of the Inter-Solar Anti-Clockwise Reformed Party Party - One of the many that split from the original Party Party after the great Party Popper crisis of '97 - A candidate from the Party Party was actually elected to Planetary Governor. It was, as you may expect, a rather interesting time which still causes flashbacks from time to time. Take it away, Giles!

Giles: The raisins! Oh God the raisins!

Hahaha, priceless! More from Giles later.



An overview of the business district. Big towers provide focal point for the city, doncha know?



And the fancy peters out in favour of leafy, European style residential area. You can also see some of the beachfront clubbing area. Alright, I know it's not very clubby - There aren't many club BATS on the STEX, Lex ,SMEX PECs or whatever EX you care to mention. All links greatly welcomed!



BANG giant blue and white block in the middle of midrise. It looks like a poorly designed, poorly targeted alien ship, doesn't it? You can also see the NBU Teaching Hospital in the foreground - Apparently it's got a very high reputation, but people who go there still have a tendency to have their broken limbs fixed with elastic bands and chewing gum. And let's not even think about the brain surgery (possibly because we longer have the ability to think after it?)



A shot of the more classy hotels lining the beachfront. Stars adorn the entrances like lies on a political manifesto, and every balcony just drips with flourishes and curls.





Gotta love this beachfront. I certainly am very pleased with how it came out!

[kodlovag]

I must agree, the beach front is beautiful. I also like the city center.

[TheBluejay]

kodlovag: Thanks! I spent far too much time doing that and not my homework 

Chapter 17: Waves


CNL Calver
Designation: Commonwealth Naval Liner
Class: Odyssey Class Transport
Size:About 1.5 times the size of the Oasis of the Seas
Appearance:Kinda blocky and pixellated
Armaments:2x Standard Ballistic Cannon, 1x Impact Laser, 1x Shouty Captain
Crew:190
Passenger Capacity: 6,200 in normal conditions - 17,500 under emergency conditions - 1,235,000 if movement, eating and breathing are unnecessary.
Use:Like all ships given the CNL designation, the Calver is a one stop shop for everything underfunded or overcrowded
Bio:Built just after the appearance of Solidarity in 2122, the Calver was one of the last Odyssey Class ships ever built. For that matter, it's also one of the last civilian ships ever built, and also one of the few ships still used for colonial purposes. As a result, it's under maintained and using outdated technology, but it;s a solid and reliable ship. Captained by Marcus McShoutyface, the Calver has seen absolutely no action whatsoever, but has watched Friends from start to finish.
And so, the CNL Calver speeds off towards something which I have neglected to name (unless I named it and forgot)
Captain McShoutyface: I am a poorly photoshopped Sci-Fi cliché!
Quite so.
The CNL Calver is currently carrying a cargo of sensors and physicists, as well as a 200 hundred strong defence force. According to the Commonwealth Bureau of Non-Human Intelligences, this is to cover any eventuality that may arise. In reality, as many media networks have pointed out, the Bureau has simply sent the entirety of Nova Terina's garrison and research scientists.
Captain McShoutyface:  Sensors! How close are we!
Meek Officer Cliché:Half an hour, sir!
Captain McShoutyface:  Right then! I want those shields up now! I want insertion squads ready for combat! I want those physicists ready to talk!
The rest of the crew rolled their eyes and ignored him - Putting up shields while FtL would rip the ship apart, and the garrison and physicists had been preparing since the beginning of the day. Discretely, the First Officer whispered into Coms

Meek Officer Cliché:ETA 30 mins. Get recon satellites powered up and ready.
The Eyrie Installation, The Dales, Nova Terina



The Eyrie Network is a Commonwealth wide network of detector stations and sensors. Initially used for SETI, now they're under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Defence and function as an early warning system should Solidarity appear in system.
Scientist: Sir, we may have a problem on our hands.

This was addressed to the base commander, who was standing facing the screens in an intensely dramatic position.

Commander Bocksticker: What is it, scientist man?
Scientist: Well you see... sorry, hang on. Aren't you a carbon copy of Cap'n McShoutyface?

  Commander Bocksticker: No, not at all. I'm a cheerful sunshine yellow. (Seriously wth is up with that colour scheme I mean gawd - OB)
Scientist: ...

  Commander Bocksticker: And my mouth wasn't poorly photoshopped on from someone else entirely. You say we may have a problem?

Scientist: Erm, yes, quite. *Haarumph-phsaw-phsaw!*

Commander Bocksticker: I'm sorry?

Scientist: Just clearing my throat, sir.

Commander Bocksticker: Very good.

Scientist: Thank you. Well, as you can see from the map here...Windows has bluescreened again. Give us more money to fix it.

  Commander Bocksticker: No.

Scientist: Also, we had some unexpected dots entering the system.

Commander Bocksticker: Unexpected dots, you say?

Scientist: We think they may be ships of some description.

Commander Bocksticker: The Calver?

Scientist: It can't be - too many dots for one, and the Calver is just arriving at the WaveSource now.

Commander Bocksticker: Hmm... keep an eye on the dots. See if they become more or less unexpected.
The CNL Calver, Unnamed System
Inside the Calvers Conference room, a group of people with varying importance stood around a steel table, moulded in a way which made it look like the metal was still flowing. Pretty, but very impractical - the eddies and flows trapped dust like nobody's business. Still, none of the varyingly important people were paying attention to the table or its impractical nature - They were all transfixed by the large plate glass window which gave a superb view of the surronding environment.
Head Science Officer:  Well. I think it's safe to say that none of us were expecting this.

The HSO was, of course, referring to the massive ring quietly rotating around the star. Or rather, not so quietly. The ring that the Science Team, Captain and First Officer were watching was rotating rapidly, one complete rotation every 6 hours. Being unmaintained for the last few hundred thousand years, the plane in which the ring rotates had become unstable. It was now rotating at an angle, and 'wobbling' if you will.

Hunky Physicist: If those are Gorlitz Blades...that thing is generating vast amounts of power.
Captain McShoutyface:  How much power?

Head Science Officer:  Well, there's one every kilometre around the ring... More than enough to power hundreds of full size wormholes.

Captain McShoutyface:  You mean the zero-width ones, right?

Head Science Officer:  No, I mean ones the size you could fit an entire ship through.

Captain McShoutyface: You mean it's OOOVEERRR NNNIIINNNNEE TTHHOOOUUUUUSSSAANNNNDDDD?

Head Science Officer:  ....Yes?

Meek Officer Cliché:Sir, we've lost contact with the most recent Copernicus!

Captain McShoutyface: Issue a Brace alert! Now!

For once, Captain McShoutyface's order was carried out with the same urgency it was given. Various lights began flashing in a panicky sort of way, and a cool female voice (coincidentally, the same voice they use for announcing trains) was heard, stating 'BRACE. BRACE. BRACE' repeatedly.

Hunky Physicist: You'd be forgiven for thinking this was the Poseidon Adventure!

Everyone else ignored him; they were too busy clinging onto something that they hoped wouldn't move too much. All over the ship, people were doing the same - Railings, handles, pipes, even the toilets in a few cases

Meek Officer Cliché: 3....2...Wuuurgghhh!

The ship vibrated alarmingly, small objects began to move along the shelves. With a echoing crashing around the ship, the Calver began to list heavily. Lights flickered alarmingly - On the ceilings, on the walls, the illuminated keypads beside the doors. Gravity momentarily failed as they heavy drums that provided it suddenly stopped working. All through this, a continuous whining creak echoed through the ship. There was a POP and a flash of light as gravity made itself known once more - And as one of the lifts collapsed in on itself - creating a small electrical explosion. The ship hit almost a 50 degree list, when, just as abruptly as it hit -

Meek Officer Cliché: We have normality.

Hunky Physicist: You call this normality?

Aside from the fact that he was clinging to the table (which was securely bolted to the floor) to avoid skidding down the floor to the wall below, a number of small objects had changed around the conference room.

Captain McShoutyface: Hmmm. I'm now a cheerful sunshine yellow.

Meek Officer Cliché:Was that window always a leaded casement?

Head Science Officer:  That can't be very secure. We might want to consider leaving, say, now?
The Ring, Unnamed System

Captain McShoutyface: Remember, don't much around with anything. Find out what this is, why it's killing our satellites -

Hunky Physicist: Why it modified your uniform using an appaling colour scheme, yes, yes.

Captain McShoutyface: Don't get smart with-!

The Hunky Physicist closed the link. He had more important things to be concerned with than an egomaniac from New Jersey. Like the incredible breach of Bungies intellectual property scandal that was going to break the moment this got back to the wider Commonwealth.
For an Alien Structure, the ring was actually quite a comfortable environment. Blightly lit, wide corridors with frequent windows (A strange transparent plastic instead of glass; it turned the light a pale orange) Doors opened automatically as you approached - Slowly, and with judders, but still fast enough that you barely had to slow down as you walked towards one.

The layout of the station, on the other hand, had neither rhyme nor reason to it. A lot of space seemed to be taken up by power generation and facilities dedicated to operating the systems on the ring - In an hours exploration, only one living area had been found. A small but well lit space, it looked comfortable enough, but hardly space station material - it looked more like a cheap hotel than a major installation. More interesting were the periodic bulges that the satellites had noticed around the ring, jutting in towards the star. It was the largest of these they were heading for now, or at least they hoped they were heading for it...

The Eyrie Installation, The Dales
Scientist: Sir, the dots have indeed become more unexpected - They heading right for us and we've lost contact with a beacon out by the 4th Planet in this system!
Commander Bocksticker: We have to operate on the assumption that they're Solidarity. Sound a general distress call, close stations to traffic, mobilise anything and everything we have. Can we recall the Calver in time?

Scientist: No Sir, not a chance.

Commander Bocksticker: Blast. We'll have to go with Plan B, then.

Scientist: Angry kittens, sir?

Commander Bocksticker: Don't blame me, it's the only plan we've got

Scientist: Sir.


The Ring, Unnamed System

As the Hunky Physicist lead his team into the high ceilinged chamber, he knew that this was his chance for true greatness. He would lead his team flawlessly, recover incredible data - for the good of the Commonwealth - finally get recognition for his talents! Why, it made him dizzy just thinking about it, these high ceilings didn't help. Ah, there was a solid metal console behind him, he could just lean on that for suppor -

System: SHOCK! BEEP!

His elbow pressed a big red button, clearly marked with what said (if you can read that script) DO NOT PRESS.
Around him, machinery that hadn't moved in millennia cranked into life. In engineering rooms, pistons whirled, while in the main chamber, streams of data flowed over screens in front of an aghast science team

Hunky Physicist: Oh...crap...

[i_love_lamp]

Jolly good, old bean! My rear literally flew off because i laughed so hard

[TheBluejay]

I'm back, and I have an update ready to go as soon as Simtropolis is back up!

[Terring7]

Welcome back

[TheBluejay]

Terring: Thanks!

Chapter 18: Storm

East Carmine, New Babelyia Metropolitan Area, Nova Terina


News:...an evacuation warning issued to the areas scrolling along the bottom of the screen currently. Residents in these areas are advised not to panic, but to head into areas designated "Blue Zones" by the ISHC Emergency Management Committee



Jacen: We're supposed to evacuate into the middle of the Disappointments?

OmniBluejay: Or the ocean.

Jacen: I mean, who thought up this Evac plan? How on earth are we supposed to get to the middle of the countryside?

OmniBluejay: Or the ocean.

Jacen: You know, never mind the complete lack of roads and the aggressive flora.

OmniBluejay: There's always the ocean.

Jacen: How many Xeno-biologists survived the trek to Windermare Lake? Seven! Out of 25! And they expect the entire population of New Babelyia, Lonbeay Isle and Topal Island to just camp out in the wilderness for a few weeks?

OmniBluejay: I hear the ocean's quite nice at this time of year.

Jacen snatched a coffee mug off the table and hurled it at the bird. It just missed it, hitting the cornice and shattering, a fragment of china reading "YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE MAD" sailing uncomfortably close to its beak.
OmniBluejay: Now really, is that any way to behave?

Jacen: Will you take this seriously! I'm sure you've faced doom at least nine times, but I and the other 1,234,000 people are new at this!

OmniBluejay: ...

Jacen: Well? Where's the snide "It's closer to eleven, actually" then? Or did you finally  -

OmniBluejay: Why do you think I was put in charge of a rural backwater planet, Jacen?

Jacen: Excuse me?

OmniBluejay: I said "why do you think I was put in charge of a planet where the most dramatic event likely to happen is a combine harvester catching fire?"  Because it certainly wasn't because of my skills at co-ordinating a Resistance movement or working out a plan of campaign.

Jacen: Wonderful. I'm stuck in the middle of an invasion by Solidarity, reality is changing around us and our only help is a Bureaucrat Demi-God.

The Calver, Unnamed System

Captain McShoutyface: What did he do?

Head Science Officer: We don't know for sure yet. Decoding an entirely new language usually takes a very long time. Even with that very convenient Rosetta Stone object, it's going to take longer than we have.

The woman at the end of the table looked up from the sheaf of papers she was scanning through and nodded.

Translator: It is very convenient.

Captain McShoutyface: So what do we do?

Head Science Officer: Mai, has there been any progress in buttons?

Mai: We've found a lot of buttons; both large and small. Unfortunately, the only similarity between our buttons and their buttons appears to be that big, red buttons do bad things, a surprisingly common cultural artifact. We've made no progress on the small, yellow buttons or the switches-with-green-lights. It's theorised by some of our top officers that the back-lighted, square orange buttons next to the doors may open and close them.

Captain McShoutyface: Is that all we've got to go on?

Mai: Sir, Buttonmashing is a very inexact science.

Head Science Officer: It's true. It gets the results in the end, but it takes time - which we haven't got.

Captain McShoutyface: I see.


He frowned and looked down at the table, which was displaying graphics and data feeds from all parts of the Ring.

Captain McShoutyface: I'm going to yell at that physicist some more.

East Carmine, New Babelyian Metropolitan Authority, Nova Terina

Jacen: Are you sure we can't get anything else in here? Because I really like this chair.

OmniBluejay: I told you, if we overload this thing we'll probably create a Very Quantum Event Distortion Type-III.

Jacen: Yes but it's upholstered -

The budding argument was interrupted by the noise of another car accident drifting in through the window, quickly followed by angry yelling and the blaring of irritated car horns. New Babelyia was not coping well. In many places, only the efforts of massed police were preventing an all-out panic. Some bright spark had turned on the force fields at Babelyia St Philip's to prevent the crowd overwhelming the station, forgetting that trains couldn't run through force fields. Clearing the tracks of debris was going to take some time.

Jacen's initial plan had been to get over to East Carmine Central  and take a train to Il Santum, getting off at whichever Trelan River village that looked least inundate with refugee's and play it by ear from there. The crash at St Philip's, however, had consigned that plan to the scrapheap.

OmniBluejay: Are you sure about heading to the docks? They're only half built, and it'll take a long time to hike there. We don't have much of that to spare. And you get seasick.

Jacen: The news said that Evac ships would be sailing from the docks and heading up the coast. We can get off at Roslea and take a train to Pardale or somewhere. It'll be fine

OmniBluejay: If you're sure. Right. Lets go.



News:...ships, stating that all would be required for the evacuation of Topal Island. Again, resident in the following Red Zones are advised...

/End Plot

That felt like a very long chapter. Ah well, I suppose it's overdue.
I have fulfilled my promise of loading up the game and actually doing something. Nothing major, just getting back into the swing of things.



A new development of terraces has sprung up in Ardeco, centred around a group of small shops and a Floris Cinema. Be warned; the popcorns is made of packing peanuts. As are most of the movies.


I've been playing around with SPAM, which I'm absolutely delighted to have coincided with. Wonderful stuff. All the old Maxis farms seem to turn into orchards, which is odd. I never much cared for apples.


The housing in East Carmine has been expanded. For such a small area, it took ages to make - The game insists on growing row upon row of identical Paris buildings mixed with condos. Not really what I'm after here!



Quick overview of the new addition



The beachfront hotels in East Carmine have been much enjoying the abrupt transformation of pebbles into sand, boosting business tremendously. Geologists reportedly have no idea how it could have happened, laying the blame on "Stone chewing Whales"



Of course, the docks I mentioned are here too. Half built so far, but progressing. You may notice that the background of the city tiles have changed too. I am happy to lay the blame entirely on SimMars. Leaky, leaky SimMars.

[samerton]

Very nice update! Welcome back!