NationStates Jolt Archive

OOC: Rewinding to before the VC war, that whole "grand opening of Yggdrasil" thing never really got going.... so here's a second shot at it.

IC:

A brown and grey collumn hung in the sky over Sabaea, even as a great forest of kilometer-tall trees grew upward to meet it.

But they wouldn't be trees much longer. One day, the collumns met, the brown and grey skyhook brushing the branches of the forest, becoming entangled in the leaves and twigs and grown over. The great wooded collumns began to bend inward, growing together and towards the skyhook, until they were no longer trees, but massive root structures, a veritable living mountain. Directly above, a strange dim star shone- the leaves of the canopy, 17033 kilometers high.
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We hereby invite all peaceful residents of Mars to visit the Base of Yggdrasil. We have named the city Ankh- a shortening of "Anchor", and the name of an ancient symbol of life. An appropriate combination, we think.

~Shapers of Worlds~

We would be honored to attend. Things are settling down so it seems, and we would like to be there for the event.

President Villanova

In a rather rare event, Trinitorial Vizier One: GulShuGoth, has decided to attend. The leader of the ArAreBeen outcasts far over half a century ago, and programmer of the Trinity Supercomputer.

He shall be representing the New ArAreBeen trinity of, state, corporation, and people. All shall benefit from the opening of this structure.

¤Speaker for the Trinity¤

As a new member in the arena of Martian politics, the Empire of Valinon will be dispatching a delegation from our treaty port of Sheffield in Sunset territory. We look forward to furthering our relations with the other nations that currently reside or hold territory on Mars.

Sincerely,
Lady Lillith Trahern
His Majesty's Ambassador to the Republic of Sunset
&
His Majesty's Ambassador-at-Large to Mars

While the Lady Sirithil cannot attend, Menelmacar will send her honored son Lord Maglor in her place.

~Lord Turelio nos Fingolfin
Prefect of External State Affairs
Eternal Noldorin Empire of Menelmacar

From a distance, Yggdrasil could be seen only as a thin dark thread extending skyward from a small cone. Closer inspection, however, revealed the "small cone" to be a kilometer high mountain. Closer inspection still revealed its composition of wood and leaves, huge bent trunks snaking up the sides and flaring into huge butress structures and the bottom. Between the butresses, small canyons led to openings in the living mountain, lit by biophosphorescense. Higher up on the slope, terraces had been constructed around other openings, holding small buildings, gardens, and a few landing pads. Floodlights illuminated one of these pads, and one of the canyons, inviting guests to enter there.

(OOC: Right, so... people can start arriving any time now.... *bump*)

OOC: Hmm, I've not been too active with my Mars colony and I don't really know much of what's going on, expect that there is/was a war and such. Let's see what I can do and if I'm here when somebody else starts to do something :P If I'm not, then.. Well, Ahola just has nothing to say :p

IC: Kekkosmaa would be honoured to attend as well. Mr. Ahola, Governor of the Kekko Pridelands [cool name for a Mars colony, huh? :P] will be authorized by the government to participate in the meeting.

"Magnificent, isn't it?" Villanova said as he stepped out of his personal shuttle. The tree stretched up and up, parts were 'visible' in the projected ceilings of the domes of Sunset, but not close to this much.

He turned and assisted his companion out onto the platform, though she needed no such effort. Courtesy is the grease that keeps the wheels of society turning after all.

Nathicana accepted his hand with a quiet grace, her eyes immediately drawn to the incredible 'structure' before her.

"Il Dio," she whispered quietly. "I had no idea such things were even possible." She tries to keep the wide-eyed 'country bumpkin' look from her face, though she's certain it shows. Comfortably looping her arm around his, she keeps her place as guest and companion for the trip, letting him lead the way.

"I thank you again for your gracious invitation, Fidelo," she says, managing to take her eyes off the tree, and her surroundings long enough to give him a pleasant smile. "You've all managed some amazing things here."

Two reds stood afar off, guarding the entrance to the tree. A violet-colored Snel slowly passed between them as she exited, balancing on four tentacles as she spread her front arms in welcome. Quite out of the ordinary, a silver cape was draped over the Snel's back and four ambulatory appendages, hiding the small voice synthesizer attached to the underside of her shell.

"I welcome you to our humble abode. You are, as it happens, the first to arrive. I trust you will find the interior somewhat more beautiful."

Fidelo smiled back, though it had a hard time reaching his eyes. "Yes, we've all accomplished a lot. A pity some don't recognize the contributions of all..."

He broke off as the Snel approached.

"Hard to imagine such a display of life will be equaled by what is inside, but the Snel have always exceeded my imaginings."

Fidelo paused for a moment and looked past the Snel.

"President Fidelo Villanova, at your service." Fidelo made a short bow as he introduced himself. "May I introduce my friend? This is Dread Lady Nathicana d'Aquisto dal Lupo. This is her first time on Mars, and what better place to bring her than the most magnificent structure on the planet?"

We would also be honored to attend.

I will be present to represent Menelmacar at this opening.

We also have some business to discuss, regarding the structure atop Pavonis Mons.

http://www.weirdozone.0catch.com/projects/nationstates/sirithil/sirithilnosfeanor.gifLady Sirithil nos Fëanor
Elentári of the Eternal Noldorin Empire of Menelmacar
Chancellor of CENNA
"If it is to be war between us, it shall be war to the knife and the knife to the hilt."
~Foreign Minister Duke Paolio, The Outlands
We Love the Iraqi Information Minister (http://www.welovetheiraqiinformationminister.com)
Clicky-clicky!

Fidelo paused for a moment and looked past the Snel.

"President Fidelo Villanova, at your service." Fidelo made a short bow as he introduced himself. "May I introduce my friend? This is Dread Lady Nathicana d'Aquisto dal Lupo. This is her first time on Mars, and what better place to bring her than the most magnificent structure on the planet?"

"A pleasure to meet you." The alien extended a 'hand', the two long fingers hanging loosely. "Your words flatter us. Thank you. The closest to name that I can give for myself is Life Maker, but call me what you will. Come, I shall show you the interior."
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Lady Sirithil,

We are surprised. We had thought that only your son would be attending. But whatever business you wish to discuss, we hope to be able to accommodate. Come quickly, if you would.
~Shapers of Worlds~

Fidelo followed Life Maker inside, observing as much as possible. He had an ulterior motive - the technology that went into this tree would be useful for promoting forests on Ares. Any hints he could gather would speed their own developments.

Me and my son will both be there. A sudden change in my schedule freed up the timeslot. I will be arriving soon.

http://www.weirdozone.0catch.com/projects/nationstates/sirithil/sirithilnosfeanor.gifLady Sirithil nos Fëanor
Elentári of the Eternal Noldorin Empire of Menelmacar
Chancellor of CENNA
"If it is to be war between us, it shall be war to the knife and the knife to the hilt."
~Foreign Minister Duke Paolio, The Outlands
We Love the Iraqi Information Minister (http://www.welovetheiraqiinformationminister.com)
Clicky-clicky!

She notes Fidelo's tone, and arches a brow curiously. Ah, inter-regional politics She refrains from speaking aloud as they are greeted by the Snel.

To say Nathicana was surprised at the appearance of her host was an understatement, though she hid it well, aside from her slight hesitation.

She waits as Fidelo introduces her, assuming a charming smile, and making a brief courtsey.

I knew the races here were varied and in many cases alien, but ... dammit, I knew I should have read up more before coming. This trip is definitely going to be an eye opener.

"The pleasure is mine," she says, extending her hand as well, though she can't help but wonder a bit at it all. "And thank you for your hospitality."

She continued to let herself be led, keeping a sharp eye out as always at her surroundings, logging details away for later perusal, making mental notes ... and quite honestly, being rather impressed.

"Most ingenious, these Snel." commented GulShuGoth. That sentence did not roll off the tongue very well, he thought. The Snel needed to add an extra 'L' perhaps, such a name in its' current state would be most irritating to most human and alien vocal chords, it thought.

The red glass covering his tri-colored mono eye shifted to a more transparent color as they neared the structure. Such a red shift was useful for blotting out the bright New ArAreBeen upper levels, but not here in this monolithic construct.

It tapped its' cane once as they neared the structure (A rare occurence, considering no ArAreBeen had been seen handicapped, and GulShuGoth never seemed to walk with a limp either, he walked with it just the same.), the holofeed shimmered and retreated back into the projectors. They were nearing the structure, examination at this range would be pointless.

GulShuGoth motioned to the computer 'fast' and a signal pulsed instantly to the antigravity fields. The white, rippling manifolds the ship brightened as the waves rolled across their surface at such speeds that they exceeded most known species frame rates. Two large booms echoed rather prominently, due to the strengthened atmosphere. The isocelenic pyramid neary vanished from sight as it raced sound itself. It soon returned as the ship instantly appeared over the docks, a habit ArAreBeen ships loved to do.

Waves became ripples as the cyclopean thing descended in the bowels of the tree. GulShuGoth strolled off to the dock entrance, as its' flowing fingers grasped the cane sharply, the peculiar void black jumpsuit swallowing all light, not even letting a sheen escape. The three colors of the ArAreBeen mono eye, red, green, and blue flashed, in such a way as to suggest it communicating. But no sound vibrated off the translator.

¤The Tritarchic Dominions of New ArAreBee¤

The two reds lowered their bodies slightly as the trio moved past them. Beyond the entry was a short tunnel illuminated by green glowing moss covering the walls. Once out of the tunnel, the three found themselves on a thin walkway, twisting back and forth to follow the curve of the exterior walls. Said walls were ribbed with the remnants of what used to be individual tree trunks. A railing of woven branchlets had been set in place in order to prevent anyone from falling off the edge. The interior was, as a whole, dimly lit, with a feel of twilight about it, though bright patches were scattered throughout. The majority of lighting was provided by bioluminescent mosses growing on the walls in varying shades of red, green, and blue. Though the exterior was almost completely fused together, the interior was quite a different story. It looked as though the original forest had simply been capped off, the tops of the tree trunks growing together high above. A short way to the right, a large branch had been carefully grown in a curve and grafted into the wall, forming an adjoining walkway that led to a black tree trunk, which curved inward as it gre upward, eventually merging with the exterior, some ten meters away.

Where the walkway joined the trunk, a large platform had been constructed. Spiraling staircases led up and down the trunk to other platforms, and the intertwining branches connected the different trunks. The atmosphere was heavy with moiture, and forest smells permeated everything.

"It is beautiful, is it not? Though, I am sorry to say, those who see it every day are likely to take it for granted. We have tried to allow the tree to provide everything. Even most of the food, from fruit branches and other food plants grafted into the wood of the tree. What cannot be grafted is grown in patches of soil on the exterior platforms. Yggdrasil even supplies all of the water it and we need- its size create a distinct local climate, and acts as a raincatch. Of course, there are some things that biology cannot provide- fast transport, for example- but we try to hide those as well as we can."

(OOC: Dontcha hate it when someone else posts while you're still typing? On with NAAB!)

The red guards quite nearly jumped with surprise, and let out a series of high-pitched clicks and whistles, just barely audible to the three who had already entered.

With the official greeter being occupied, one of the reds shuffled forward timidly, flinching slightly as sunlight glinted off of its compound eye upon coming out of the shadows.

Continuing to whistle and click, it waved its four long fingers in a "come this way" sort of motion.

(OOC: I'll assume that was applied to myself. Not sure who the other two are, the chronology has me confused. Oh well, time to be vague!)

GulShuGoth landed gently down on the ground. He was bathed in a warm white light, a sife effect of the antigravity manifolds used for the docking beams. The light dithered and spread as he walked away and was soon gone. The ship silently floating, it's green hull shimmering strangely in the lights.

The lights were of course, of immiediate interest. The sacred trinity of red, green, and blue was most pleasing to any ArAreBeen, for some benign reason they never bothered to explain. It tapped it's cane once, testing the material, listening for vague echoes. As he was tapping the walls, the Snels arrived.

A bizzare species, color seemed to represent some sort of pseudo cast system. New ArAreBee had few dealings with them, probably due to their alien nature compared to the rather human like ArAreBeens.

At any rate, he quickly recognized the universal follow motion and stepped up its' pace.

¤The Tritarchic Dominions of New ArAreBee¤

(OOC: I'll assume that was applied to myself. Not sure who the other two are, the chronology has me confused. Oh well, time to be vague!)
Yup. NAAB- New ArAreBee

IC:
The red Snel led the ArAreBeen through another tunnel to the interior, making loud screaching noises once on the inside. A nearby light green quickly made its way over, and, after a short exchange, left again, disappearing into some well-hidden passage or room. It quickly returned, a synthesizer strapped to its shell. A few short clicks signaled the guard to return to its post, and then the green turned to its guest.

"Welcome to Ankh. I believe the Sunset delegate is not far, if you wish to join him and his companion. Do you have any questions?"

"It is beautiful. I once paid a visit to the forests of Earth. I had thought there was nowhere else where life would be so abundant and titanic."

Fidelo put his hand on the rail and brushed it through the leaves.

"Amazing really - in the domes we have parks and zoos. Green life seems abundant. But if you opened the dome, all of it would die in hours. A testimate to the skill of the Snel that this not only survives, but thrives. Wouldn't you agree?"

He directed the question at Nathicana, who seemed a little overwhelmed by the tree.

"It had to be so. Most of it must endure vacuum. And aesthetics are not lost to us, either."

A shuttle has raced across the surface of Mars from the Valinon treaty port of Sheffield in Sunset territory. A comm channel to the flight control is broadcasted to the Snel aerospace port.
"This is Shuttle KXX-994, from Sheffield carrying Lady Lillith Trahern to the reception. We request permission to land."

"Shuttle KXX-994, this is Yggdrasil airspace control. Permission to land granted. Please follow the floodlights."

As mentioned, a platform high up on the slope and a canyon between two root-buttresses were illuminated by floodlights.

"Confirmed, landing now," the Valinon shuttle begins to descend toward the floodlights.

******

Lillith looks out, "My Lord," she whispers, "bio-technology. And an apparent mastery of it completely. The terraforms would be envious."
The Sardaukar co-pilot appears, "My Lady, we are preparing for our final approach pattern."
"Thank you, Corporal," Lillith moves to be seated. She is hoping to meet President Villianova here, as well as the delegates of the other Martian nations. The powers-that-be on Proxima wish it that the Empire enjoy as good as diplomatic relations on Mars as on Earth and in the Alpha Centauri system. Lillith hopes that the mysterious Snel are not as completely alien as they first seem, and that their may be at least some common ground between them and the Empire.

A transport lands and the Pilonese Ambassador with his guard disembark the transport.

After the shuttle lands, Lady Lillith Trahern disembarks and waits as her honor guard of two Sardaukar in full dress fatigues come down the ramp and flank her. She notices the Pilonese ambassador and walks toward him.
"Good evening, I do not believe we have met," she says calmly. "I am Lillith Trahern, His Majesty's Ambassador to Mars."

The Ambassador looks at her and smiles, then raises his hands in Pilonese greeting.
"Its an honor to meet such a beautiful woman. My name is Singleson, I am the head Ambassador of the Ministry of Diplomacy. "

"The pleasure is mutual, Ambassador Singelson," says Lillith smiling. "Tell me, do you know in which direction this reception is? The architecture here is a marvel, but it terms of direction it does leave a small amount to be desired."

"I have no idea, I suspect someone will come and meet us and show us where we need to go... at least I hope thats the plan."

"Let us hope so then," Lillith lets her eyes sweep over the vast space again. "Well, why we are waiting. Perhaps you could indulge me with how Pilon feels about the current standing of Vasilica County?"

"Quite," she says to Fidelo, tentatively touching as well, as if not convinced it was what it was. "We have lush forests, and beautiful landscapes, but ... How? How did you accomplish such a feat? How can this possibly exist?" She asks with an air of amazement, not meaning disrespect, but for once, truly lacking the proper words that she's so used to spinning. Nathicana lets her gaze wander, taking in the details, looking as if she's trying to see through an illusion, speaking to herself quietly under her breath.

"È impossible affinchè una tal cosa esista. Come può essere così?"

Trans: "It is impossible for such a thing to exist. How can it be so?"

OOC: Ok, looks like it's not too late to join yet.. I don't RP any landing requests, I believe they would be granted anyways. I've not roleplayed much in NS before, hope I don't mess up everything :P

IC: Kantele, governor Ahola's personal shuttle, lands on the platform. It is a beautiful blue and white ship - yet it is nothing compared to the structure it has just landed on.

A door opens and Mr. Ahola, Governor of the Kekko Pridelands, a tall man wearing the uniform of a Kekkish admiral, steps out. He doesn't seem to be very old - not more than thirty, surely. He is followed by two bodyguards even taller than him.

An amazing sight, he mutters to himself while looking at the tree. I want to create something like this myself..

"We have lush forests, and beautiful landscapes, but ... How? How did you accomplish such a feat? How can this possibly exist?"

"We avoided working from scratch. Organisms already existed that carried the various traits we required, we simply merged them into one. Redwoods were good for this anchor grove- we only had to make them able to live in Martian soil, and we added chemotrophism to make them bend towards the Skyhook. When they grow into each other, they begin to graft themselves, and we have an anchor grove. The low gravity made them grow tall. The skyhook is mangrove, redwood, palm... but what allows it to endure vacuum are genes from a certain spaceborn organism. Sunset will know of it. And the Crana biocomputers did most of our calculation and gene synthesis. The work is simple when most is already done for you."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Outside, two dark greens in silver capes emerged. One approached the Kekkosmaan, as the other greeted the Pilonese and Valinon delegates. Spreading their arms in an approximation of a bow, their greetings were the same.

"Welcome to Ankh. May I take you inside?"

OOC: It's "Kekkish" by the way. It was first "Kekkosmaaish", but it had to be shortened :)

IC:

"Yes please", the governor answered, and smiled a bit.

"I am Matias Ahola, Governor of the Kekko Pridelands, by the way. Nice to meet you", he said and extended his right hand. He first thought of imitating that greeting he had just received, but then he thought that it would be better to use completely ordinary means. He didn't really have any idea of these snelish greetings.

OOC: Umh, my turn.. I assume that "snelish" isn't too correct form :P

At the mention of the space creature Fidelo suddenly lost his composure and burst out laughing. "You mean... The organism the 'Columbia' encountered?"

He turned to the Dread Lady with a chuckle. "I must explain the story. It marks our first encounter with the Snel, as well as many other nations in a friendly way."

Finding a particularly comfortable looking and suprisingly strong leaf he took a seat. There were other similar leaves scattered around - a seating area of some kind.

"The 'Columbia' is one of our deep space exploration ships. This was... 100 year ago now? The ship then was a Cohort cruiser, if you have ever seen one. She was investigating a odd life form indication inside an asteroid field when this tremendous psuedo-pod lashed out from the asteroid the indication centered on."

Fidelo paused and got a little more comfortable.

"The pod grabbed the ship, and hauled it into the rock where apparently this giant space amoeba made its home. The captain sent out a distress signal and attempted to free the ship.

As often happens with these things, within hours several fleets of ships show up. Fleets are all well and good for blowing things up, but they are often not the best choice for rescues. One group that did not send a fleet was the Snel - they sent a single ship.

Meanwhile inside the ship a running battle was occuring with the psuedo pods as they penetrated the ship. The creature feeds on electro-magnetic raditation - so their own attempts to keep it away from core areas of the ships merely fed it despite the damage they inflicted. There were almost no casualties. Humans didn't give off enough compared to the fusion generators or the matter/anti-matter core. It was heading for the core however as the best source of radiation.

The Snel ship arrived, and began probing the organism. It cut significant portions of it away from the ship, but it seemed to resist any efforts to remove the main psuedo-pods from the inside.

Here's where things get fuzzy. According to the crew, the Snel ship began producing hundreds of self-replicating pods. These fed on the amoeba and finally freed the ship, and another ship that had gotten caught in the mass when it had attempted a rescue.

While all this was happening however, the fleets that had assembled had been spewing out lots of EM radiation. More life indicators were popping up all over the field. Other ships were nearly caught as more of these things woke up. The fleets pulled back, watching the progress of the Snel. When the ship was free, the fleets sent fighters back into the field with generators on tethers behind them.

This distracted the amoeba's long enough for the 'Columbia' to escape, along with the Snel ship and the other captured ship."

Fidelo paused again for a moment.

"Based on relationships forged in that incident we forged relations with both the Snel and The Kinslayer. The Snel were on Mars at that time, though with a much smaller presence. The Kinslayer people moved their worldships to Mars partially as a result of that experience, and have become one of our greatest friends because of it and other shared experiences."

Done, and with a dry mouth, Fidelo stopped and took out a hip flask. He took a sip of whatever it was, and offered it to Nathicana. "Just a little liquor."

Lady Trahern bows in the style of the Empire, "Please lead the way."
As they begin to depart Lillith turns to her guide, "Might I also say that your architecture is simply awe inspiring."

"Let us hope so then," Lillith lets her eyes sweep over the vast space again. "Well, why we are waiting. Perhaps you could indulge me with how Pilon feels about the current standing of Vasilica County?"

"We would be more than happy to. As it stands right now we have decided they are too much trouble to invade, but we definately think their presence on Mars is a threat to everyone else. We consider them our Enemy #1 right now."

"We have lush forests, and beautiful landscapes, but ... How? How did you accomplish such a feat? How can this possibly exist?"

"We avoided working from scratch. Organisms already existed that carried the various traits we required, we simply merged them into one. Redwoods were good for this anchor grove- we only had to make them able to live in Martian soil, and we added chemotrophism to make them bend towards the Skyhook. When they grow into each other, they begin to graft themselves, and we have an anchor grove. The low gravity made them grow tall. The skyhook is mangrove, redwood, palm... but what allows it to endure vacuum are genes from a certain spaceborn organism. Sunset will know of it. And the Crana biocomputers did most of our calculation and gene synthesis. The work is simple when most is already done for you."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Outside, two dark greens in silver capes emerged. One approached the Kekkosmaan, as the other greeted the Pilonese and Valinon delegates. Spreading their arms in an approximation of a bow, their greetings were the same.

"Welcome to Ankh. May I take you inside?"

The Pilonese Ambassador nodded and motioned for the Snel to lead the way.

"Yes please", the governor answered, and smiled a bit.

"I am Matias Ahola, Governor of the Kekko Pridelands, by the way. Nice to meet you", he said and extended his right hand. He first thought of imitating that greeting he had just received, but then he thought that it would be better to use completely ordinary means. He didn't really have any idea of these snelish greetings.

"OOC: Umh, my turn.. I assume that "snelish" isn't too correct form :P[/quote]

The envoy extended a two-fingered tentacle in response, and gently shook Matias's hand. "My title is Social Coordinator, but you may call me what you wish Come. Others are already inside." (OOC: Snel is adjective and noun.)

Lady Trahern bows in the style of the Empire, "Please lead the way."
As they begin to depart Lillith turns to her guide, "Might I also say that your architecture is simply awe inspiring."

"I am glad you think so. Those of us who see it everyday all too often fail to appreciate it. Life is beautiful, what else could we use in our construction?"

The two Snel envoys led the Kekkish, Pilonese, and Valinon delegates to the entry tunnel, with the red guards stepping respectfully aside as they passed.

At the mention of the space creature Fidelo suddenly lost his composure and burst out laughing. "You mean... The organism the 'Columbia' encountered?"

"Aye, that is the one. I am glad that we were of assistance, but I feel I must explain a bit. The freeing of the Columbia was most likely an accident. The replicators just wanted samples." As the other delegations entered, Fidelo's guide peeked around and caught sight of them.

"Ai! Social Coordinator! We are here! Come, bring everyone to the same place."

Mr. Ahola shook the Snel's "hand", and then decided to call him simply "Social Coordinator". Ahola nodded and followed the envoy.

Fidelo smiled at this. 'Not what I heard. On a hunch this must be humor...'

He stood as the other 'tourists' approached, tucking the flask back into an inside pocket.

Nathicana shook her head slightly at the ease with which the Snel shrugged off such an achievement. Simple? Most is already done for you? My God, but our geneticists would have a field day here. I wonder, even in their wildest dreams, if they'd have imagined such a thing as this.

"Simple or no in your estimation, it is ... incredible. Might I ask, do you often share your knowledge with others? Universities, teaching? I know our scientists, were you willing, would give a lot to study some of these techniques you seem to accept as second nature."

As Fidelo chuckles, she turns to him, head tilted in a curious expression. She nods quietly, listening as he begins his explanation. Seeing him casually make himself comfortable, she gingerly settled herself on one of the leaves, nearby, where she could face him. Perching on leaves and discussing aliens and spacecraft. Gods, five years ago, I would have laughed.

She listens intently, nodding where appropriate, her eyes a touch wide, as if she questions what she's hearing on occasion. So much information, and so little of it within her realm of experience ... it leaves her blinking in amazement, and wondering again, not for the last time, how she'd managed to get herself enmeshed in all this, aliens, space and all.

"Grazie, Fidelo," she says as he offers the flask, "But later, perhaps?"

At the Snel's comment, and greeting of the others, she also rises to her feet, smiling pleasantly, and surveying the others, getting an initial first impression of them.

Accident? And they'd admit that ... ah, well now. A joke indeed, Fidelo? How well do you know these creatures, even after so long a time working with them?

Tourists it thought with a slight glee.

GulShuGoth had thought that the Snel hadn't set up a Tourist Industry. The Trust Concordance had hoped the aliens had no concept of such things. Just as the other reason, the hope of setting up foodstuffs, was dashed by the wealthy Executives, and any reason for being here was pointless.

GulShuGoth despised the, for the lack of a better term, cheesiness of such thoughts. This was work of art, and it wished to enjoy it, not bother with irritating deals and backstabbing. He quite enjoyed the backstabbing, but that was for later.

The mono-eye flickered as they passed more sights. The Snel were a interesting race, it had not seen such eliquence for sometime. It was of course, an inefficient construct, and what not be used by any sort of ArAreBeen who was not eccentric. Nevertheless, these Snel would....he stopped his thought there. The locals had sensitive psychic readers, although they wouldn't catch any memories he did not recall, inner monologues were hard to guard against. he simply chuckled in his brain, in order to give any sort of reader a good scare, as he often did.

[OOC: The acronym I use is usually NRRB or RRB, since that is how it is pronounced, if you say the letters.]

¤The Tritarchic Dominions of New ArAreBee¤

As they approaches, Fidelo whispered what information he had in Nathicana's ear.

"The gentlebeing with a cane is an ArAreBee'n, though I don't know his name. Cutthroat capitalists. One of our greatest allies on Mars. The woman is Lady Lilith Trahern, of the Empire of Valinon. She is their ambassador on Mars. The man next to them is Ambassador Singleson, of Pilon. Behind them is Governor Ahola, of Kekkosmaa."

He straightened up as they approached, standing that certain distance away from her that said they were not a couple, but they were friendly and equal in standing.

"Simple or no in your estimation, it is ... incredible. Might I ask, do you often share your knowledge with others? Universities, teaching? I know our scientists, were you willing, would give a lot to study some of these techniques you seem to accept as second nature."

"We would. But most humans do not have much to do with us."

[OOC: The acronym I use is usually NRRB or RRB, since that is how it is pronounced, if you say the letters.]
(OOC: Got it.)

As the multiple parties converged, Life Maker gave a slight nod, and the other two envoys began returning to the entries to greet any further arrivals.

"We seem to have a suitable group now. I presume you would all like to see the elevator itself, yes? A tour of the more interesting points of the city is forthcoming, if any of you wish to learn more about our rather reclusive society. Otherwise, a simple conference room is available."

Life Maker began shuffling towards one of the twisting walkways adjoining the various trees. "In any case, it would be anticlimactic to remain on the edge the whole time."

The Pilonese Ambassador spoke up. "We would definately be interested in seeing this Space Elevator, we've been working on one ourselves and are most interested in seeing what you've come up with."

Nathicana listens intently without seeming to, maintaining the pleasant smile, and assimilating all the info. She gives Fidelo a quick look of thanks, straightening herself up to her full unimpressive height of 5'6" and assuming her usual air of casual ease.

She noted his stance with a private laugh of amusement, though she agreed with his tact. The one who catches her eye the most is the ArAreBee'n, though she tries politely not to stare. Yet another thing completely outside her realm of experience.

Another opportunity to learn more. A challenge.

She nods to their guide, thinking perhaps to pursue the matter of teaching later. "Of course. Fidelo?" she asks questioningly, curious as to his intentions.

The Voice of the Council disembarked from her shuttle as gracefully as ever, despite her advanced age. While the tail end of her entourage looked harried and overtired, the Voice and her core group were as polished as ever.

At the entrance The Voice paused and signaled towards a Snel.

"So sorry we were late in arriving. I know a diplomat is supposed to project a superior and flawless image, but to admit the truth we simply were held up by business back home. Being located so close to Vascilia County at this time has created a world of trouble for the Ministery of State, which includes myself."

"Still, I wouldn't dream of missing this. Such an achievment, perhaps we could discuss it's practical functionality later, at the moment I'm awed by its beauty."

"I agree. Assuming we can see more of the tree itself from the elevator that is." Fidelo walked behind the Snel, one hand flat behind his back in the way a fencer holds it, and the other out for Nathicana to place her hand on. Not too formal however.

A quote came to his mind when he saw the look she gave him.

'Moving parts in rubbing contact require lubrication to avoid excessive wear. Honorifics and formal politeness provide the lubrication where people rub together. Often the very young, the untraveled, the naive, the unsophisticated deplore these formalities as "empty," "meaningless," or "dishonest," and scorn to use them. No matter how "pure" their motives, they thereby throw sand into machinery that does not work too well at best.'

"The Elevator it is, then. It is far, but as I said, we are good at hiding things." Where the bridge connected to the next tree, a tunnel led inside the trunk. The next room, however, was far from the usual organic appearance of the rest of Ankh- in fact, it almost looked like a cargo elevator, with the exception of padded benches running along the side walls.

"This sort of mass-transit system is kept entirely within the hollowed out trunks and branches, so the car will have to take a somewhat circuitous route, but it will be faster and more comfortable than walking."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

At the entrance The Voice paused and signaled towards a Snel.

After the usual bow, the dark green envoy said "lateness is a matter of opinion. And flawless image is only deception anyway."

Nathicana accepts Fidelo's offer without comment, pleased to be in the company of one who hasn't forgotten the little pleasantries and polite nothings. A gentleman. And for once one I've no need to play all the silly games with. Quite ... refreshing.

She accompanies him behind the Snel, curiously examining their surroundings. Even though expecting it, she's surprised at seeing the hard mechanical interior of the elevator after all the organic structure. Nathicana shakes her head softly and smiles at the seamless blending of il meccanico ed organico. She waits for Fidelo to choose for them a spot on the benches, then settles down gracefully, whispering a quiet 'thank you.'

"I'm sure this will be more than fine," she assured their host, still looking around curiously, at both the interior, and those beings occupying it.

The ArAreBeen calmly walked into the elevator. 'Ha' he thought, 'I knew they couldn't do this completely organic.'

GulShuGoth barely gave the hard metal a second glance, having lived in the city...or perhaps, it should not be called the city. Having a city required a country side, which were barely found anywhere, except perhaps on the our regions or the terraforming surface.

At any rate, he was used to buildings, his logic train quacked out. He was bored with that line and wished for another.

He carefully chose a seat opposite of most of the occupants, wishing for a clearly view. A quick glance gave him the desired profiles, which could be seen running across his mono-eye's 'looking glass' as it was often termed.

Fidelo Villanova
Leader of one of the closest allies, culturally and economically, the republic of Sunset. Nicknamed 'Fidel' in his opening months, a name that caught on after the prominent talk show 'Boron O'Nitride' coined it during the monologue. Shares many traits with Thorgardson, polite, diplomatic.

Nathicana
Relatively new Yut member, often called cold and rather rude. Would make a most excellent spokeswoman, if you could somehow get her to sign a contract. Would most likely be able to decipher the newest edition of 'legalise' easily.

All other targets not found in this version. Click here to download the latest patch for a small fee of....

The program was closed as the annoying patch popped up. GulShuGoth resumed his though.

¤The Tritarchic Dominions of New ArAreBee¤

The ArAreBeen calmly walked into the elevator. 'Ha' he thought, 'I knew they couldn't do this completely organic.'

GulShuGoth barely gave the hard metal a second glance, having lived in the city...or perhaps, it should not be called the city. Having a city required a country side, which were barely found anywhere, except perhaps on the our regions or the terraforming surface.

At any rate, he was used to buildings, his logic train quacked out. He was bored with that line and wished for another.

He carefully chose a seat opposite of most of the occupants, wishing for a clearly view. A quick glance gave him the desired profiles, which could be seen running across his mono-eye's 'looking glass' as it was often termed.

Fidelo Villanova
Leader of one of the closest allies, culturally and economically, the republic of Sunset. Nicknamed 'Fidel' in his opening months, a name that caught on after the prominent talk show 'Boron O'Nitride' coined it during the monologue. Shares many traits with Thorgardson, polite, diplomatic.

Nathicana
Relatively new Yut member, often called cold and rather rude. Would make a most excellent spokeswoman, if you could somehow get her to sign a contract. Would most likely be able to decipher the newest edition of 'legalise' easily.

All other targets not found in this version. Click here to download the latest patch for a small fee of....

The program was closed as the annoying patch popped up. GulShuGoth resumed his though.

¤The Tritarchic Dominions of New ArAreBee¤

The guide punched a few keys on the rear-wall control panel, and turned to face its audience. "There is, as is obvious, not much to see in here. I suppose some other entertainment is in order. Ahem."

"What you are all going to see very soon is our whole reason for existance. Without Ankh, there would be no elevator. Without the Elevator, there would be no Ankh. t is our wish to turn this city into a diplomatic and trade center. Being at the base of the only operational Elevator on Mars, it is in the perfect position. We envision the mass transit systems of Mars converging here, where land meets sky. And even if these dreams do not come true, we have the consolation of being a very impressive landmark. While we travel, are there any questions? Any subject."

The Pilonese Ambassador spoke up. "I would be most interested to hear about how you managed to construct such a creation and what, if any, your future plans include involving space elevators."

Fidelo had been briefed on the basics of the tree of course, so the construction details might be a little boring. The idea of the tree as a transport hub was interesting however, and he leaned forward slightly to listen for any particulars.

ooc:

can I arrange to meetup with the gang by taking a different transport car thingy? Some snel can just drag my party to the same place if they want. I'm very interesting in getting in on that mass transit discussion.

Nathi fidgeted slightly in her seat, for no reason in particular other than a feeling of being watched and measured, as she so often did with others. She glanced at the others occupying the lift with them, and smiled pleasantly as their guide spoke. If her eyes lingered somewhat on the New ArAreBee'n, perhaps it could be on account of her unfamiliarity with the race ... perhaps not.

She did perk up quite a bit at the 'diplomatic and trade center' portion of the narrative. Most excellent, she thought, running through several plans in her mind. Trade of course was always desirable. Diplomacy she needed as well, all things considered.

"Do you envision this trade as remaining more planetary, or are you interested in offworld associations as well?" she asked in a clear voice. "And, barring that ... what is your opinion on new neighbors?"

(OOC: ARG! I had a great post last night, and it got EATEN! EVILNESS! Eh. Retyping.)

"Construct is perhaps not the right word. Back when we began Project Spaceborne, the idea of a Martian Elevator was brought up. Elevators must be made of carbon, and plants are good at manipulating carbon, so it seemed obvious- create a spaceborne plant that would create the Elevator for us. Now, the Canopy is too big to have been grown entirely on its own, so we grew large sections, groups of leaves and such, in tanks, and then grafted them together in orbit. Afterwards, we simply planted the Anchor Grove seeds and let it grow."

ooc:

can I arrange to meetup with the gang by taking a different transport car thingy? Some snel can just drag my party to the same place if they want. I'm very interesting in getting in on that mass transit discussion.
Aye. Engaging plot device....

IC: The guide spoke quietly as she led the Mangalan delegation through the entryway. "I believe the others were being taken to the Elevator last I saw. It won't afford you much of a view from the edge, but if we hurry, we can catch up with them.

(OOC: Running out of time. Further answers later.)

(OOC: Continuing...)
"Currently, we have no definite plans for future elevators, however we are considering a Ganymedean Elevator, as well as a possible second Martian Elevator at Pavonis."

"Ankh's potential as an economic power is entirely because of the possible offworld associations that can be formed. With the Elevator being the cheapest way to transport goods between the surface and orbit, people and organisations will gather both here and in the Canopy to trade between the surface and offworld institutions. Once this has happened, others from across Mars will be drawn here in order to participate in planetary trade with those who came before. In short, people come for awe and trade, we gain power, more people are attracted by that power, they give us more power, etc."

"Our opinion of neighbors is simple- the only good is knowledge and the only evil is willful ignorance. Those who come to learn or teach are welcomed, while those who come purely for personal material gain or with fear of the unknown cannot be tolerated."

Ambassador Singleson listened to the Snel speak. He relayed the information via the nodelink back home. After a couple brief moments of responces he spoke again. "My people have been considering the construction of a retractable space elevator, one that is capable of being moved if the need arises for our people to move off Sisgardia. We request any information on the space elevator you have here that you are willing to share with us."

'Interesting idea,' Fidelo thought. 'I would think the standard carbon ribbon elevators could be mobile, but they don't have the mass transport capability the tree does.'

He looked over at Nathicana while the Pilon ambassador spoke. "Still interested in another off-world colony? I've got an interesting offer in regards to that if you want to hear it."

"Fidelo is correct. A carbon ribbon elevator need not be anchored to anything more than a ship or a large land vehicle. The base station can then be moved about quite a bit, or the cable can be reeled back up to the orbital station. However, ribbons of that size have a relatively low capacity, and a single ribbon means only one trip up and down per week. If you are interested in creating some of these temporary elevators, I'm sure we would be glad to assist. In fact, I beleive we did create similar constructs at Uranus... I shall attempt to locate the relevant information as soon as possible."

"It's good to hear you believe in the exchange of knowledge, though what such as we could offer in return is doubtlful," Nathicana says to the Snell. "I admit our people are far behind many of those here in the fields of science and the like. All the same, should you be willing to teach, I'm certain we have those who would learn. As for trade, this is something we are always interested in."

"Definitely," she says, focusing her eyes on Fidelo intently. "Our nation continues to grow, and an opportunity such as Mars offers is simply not one to be passed up. Please, say on."

The only problem I think would be the managing of such a colony. Tis easy enough to keep the populace under control in the Dominion ... who to entrust in such a position here? There's the rub. Still ... given proper failsafes ... She turned over possible solutions in her mind, listing possible candidates.

"From each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs. Whatever one can offer is good enough if they give it sincerely."

Looking back at Nathicana, and making sure his responce was lower in tone as to not carry, he continued:

"There is a section of Sunset that we developed, but the population it was intended to house never materialized. The arcologies are there, but undecorated and sadly lacking inhabitants. For you, there would be no cost involved other than decoration and moving colonists from Earth to Mars."

Fidelo looked back up at the rest of the group. "So is there a projected fee for use of the elevator? I don't want to get to heavily into finances, but I'm sure Trade Senator Wilson will ask when I get back."

"Your word to do no harm to it or with it is the only fee. Hopefully, that will never become an issue, as Human and Snel opinions on that matter seem to differ noticeably."

Sincerety we can manage, though I'm afraid we've more to offer in aethetics and culture than anything. We shall see where this leads.

"Most excellent. I look forward to engaging in a mutually beneficial relationship, should all go well," she says to their host, smiling warmly.

At Fidelo's offer, she blinks, clearly confused at first. Her eyes widen a bit, brows raise slightly, and she nods almost imperceptibly. In a soft voice she replies, "That is far and beyond what I had hoped, Fidelo. I won't deny that. So long as we are able to maintain our own governance, I would be very pleased to accept your gracious offer. Perhaps after the tour we could look over the details and prepare the proper papers?"

She was surprised again at the Snell's comment concerning fees for usage. Il Dio, does no one here have a sense for profit? I've not seen such a giving attitude since the Angelans gave me my first ships ... now to see where the hidden agenda here lies. Something for nothing has never sat well with me. Always look for the hook. Carrot and stick ...

The Voice of the Council insinuated herself into the group, making brief introductions. She smiled when she came to President Villanova and his companion. "Dread Lady Nathicana, isn't it? I don't believe we have met. Fidelo, surely you must introduce me to your lovely companion."

She lowered her voice

"And later, before you depart, we have matters to discuss."

(ooc: carrot and stick, oh, carrot and stick, my favorite mantra. Lady Nath my dear, rping with you is going to be a delight. I need to look into this in the future)

"Fidelo is correct. A carbon ribbon elevator need not be anchored to anything more than a ship or a large land vehicle. The base station can then be moved about quite a bit, or the cable can be reeled back up to the orbital station. However, ribbons of that size have a relatively low capacity, and a single ribbon means only one trip up and down per week. If you are interested in creating some of these temporary elevators, I'm sure we would be glad to assist. In fact, I beleive we did create similar constructs at Uranus... I shall attempt to locate the relevant information as soon as possible."

What if the Ribbons were reinforced with Nanites who monitored the ribbon and reinforced it? Also it is our intention to include a retractable ribbon on everyone of our Arcologies, that would make a total of 6 on Sisgardia, 1 on Mars (soon to be 2) and 1 on Venus. We intend to use them to augment our Ship construction facilities currently located on the underbelly of our Arcologies deep underwater. We also intend to use them as an easy means of transport into space and a jump off point from which to launch Orbital Assets. 1 launch per week is much to slow, we need to be able to do at the minimum 1 launch per day. Any ideas on how we could accomplish our goals?

What if the Ribbons were reinforced with Nanites who monitored the ribbon and reinforced it? Also it is our intention to include a retractable ribbon on everyone of our Arcologies, that would make a total of 6 on Sisgardia, 1 on Mars (soon to be 2) and 1 on Venus. We intend to use them to augment our Ship construction facilities currently located on the underbelly of our Arcologies deep underwater. We also intend to use them as an easy means of transport into space and a jump off point from which to launch Orbital Assets. 1 launch per week is much to slow, we need to be able to do at the minimum 1 launch per day. Any ideas on how we could accomplish our goals?

"A large number of such would only add unnecessary weight, and good design should ensure the mid-term integrity of the cable, but possibly a small number of MEMs to repair occasional fractures would be a good thing."

(OOC: Now ensuring continuity...)

There was a soft bumb as the car came to rest, and the doors opened once more onto the multicolored twilight of the interior- with a minor difference, that being white light from floodlamps illuminating a series of black cables hanging in the center of the arboroscape.

Exiting, the group found an extra- the waiting Mangalan.

(OOC: Continuity achieved, carry on.)

OOC: Another chance to mess up someone's title.

Fidelo stood, and did just that.

"Certainly. Nathicana d'Aquisto dal Lupo, may I introduce the Voice of the Council, Speaker for the Empire of Mangala? Voice of the Council, Nathicana d'Aquisto dal Lupo, Dread Lady of the Dominion."

Fidelo sat down after this was done - unwise to remain standing in an elevator.

"I'm sure we will have plenty of time to discuss afterward," Fidelo responded to the earlier question. "This is the first trip to Mars for Nathicana, and I thought this would be a perfect place to go first. I was thinking the Canal, and the Peace Dome would be next."

ooc: Mangala - my thanks. I'm ... well, flattered. Look forward to it as well. *smiles*

"Please, just Nathicana is more than sufficient," she says, rising to her feet as she's introduced, gracefully extending a hand in greeting. "It's a pleasure to make your aquaintance." She smiles warmly at the woman, then nodded in response to Fidelo's continued comments.

"It's true, and I have to say, thus far I've been quite impressed. Though I look forward to seeing more, this," she says, gesturing around, "has quite taken my breath away."

The Voice smiled and whispered in Villanova's ear,

"Speaker of the Imperial Council of Mangala, but you did fine."

Turning to Lady Nathicana she shook the proffered hand.

"Ahh, the Grand Canal. Best place on Mars, the nightly street parties are worth it alone. The Esplanade with the sunset, excuse my pun, is lovely as well. When you visit Mangala do please look me up, I'll make sure you're taken care of."

Addressing the larger group The Voice spoke again,

"The Grand Canal is of course part of Mars' transport system, if not its fastest piece. Planetary transit is something we are quite interested in, especially ground based transit. Martian airspace and low orbit are just rediculously crowded these days, between passenger flights and normal commercial traffic. This elavator will, of course, help with that."

"Mangala is interested in a planetary wide ground based transit system. Any ideas? Some sort of equatorial grav-train might work, if it passed through Mangala-Cygan-Wazzu-Sunset-Menelmacar/Snel(the elavator)-between martain confed and syskeyia-TorY-Pilonia-Mangala it would circumnavigate the planet."

"Interestingly enough, a similar proposal was brought up by Kajal and Qaaulchouraav recently. A proposed infrastructure treaty with the goal of standardizing the surface transportation links amoung the various nations. It also required links to be established between the various signatories.

Fidelo kept walking as he spoke, following the Snel.

"The treaty allowed modification beyond the basic tenants, which was the primary reason why it didn't succeed. One thing about Martian nations - we don't like to lose sovereignty if at all possible. The treaty could be modified and revived however, and could form the basis of a planetary transit system through standardization."

The Voice paced after him. Shaking her head

"feh, treaties. Trying to hammer out a treaty on this planet is like trying to make cats walk in a straight line. Their only saving grace is they distract you all from blowing each other up."

"Mangala favors more of a 'if you build it, they will come' theory."

"Our transport system plans also include such an equatorial route, although we were considering an evacuated mag-lev tube. Low Martian gravity means that it would not require nearly as much power as an Earth mag-lev or a gravitic vehicle, but could still travel at extreme high speed. A second line would be placed along the meridian between Ankh and Pavonis, a further lines would radiate like spokes from the intersections."

"We, too, believe suhc a treaty to be rather unnecessary. All that is required is the permission of those whose territories we are building through."

"Building such a project is feasable - and as long as the specifications for the network are shared each nation can add to it and expand the branches as they see fit and see a need."

Fidelo waited for the reaction to this, while contemplating the Voice's reaction. 'Why so objectionate?' he thought. 'Perhaps it might be better to suggest a corporation for what is apparently designed as a business endevour.'

ooc: catching back up - whups.

"I shall do so, thank you," Nathicana replies to the Voice. "My thanks."

She listens carefully to the proposal of planet-wide transportation with interest, though not feeling it her place yet, she remains silent, walking alongside Fidelo. Nathi allows herself a private smile as he explains other recent proposals, especially at the mention of fierce independance and belief in sovereign rights - always a sticking point for her.

I couldn't have asked for a better location. Most excellent. Believe we'll fit in nicely, all things considered. I'd best acclimate myself. It would seem I'll be doing some heavy commuting in the future here.

Even with the commentary by both the Voice and their host, she was unperturbed. After growing up navigating Dominion politics, and holding her position for so long, she felt confident she could manage any number of challenging political situations.

Mag-lev again. I've the means to purchase such for home, and a most anxious supplier ... It will be more difficult keeping technology repressed there with a colony here. Perhaps it -is- time to open the gates a bit wider. With all the trade and traffic back and forth, and there will be, it will be much harder to control. I've a headstrong, proud people. I can't very well leave too much of an inequality there. Damn, but this is going to bring me as many headaches as it will opportunities.

She quirks a brow at Fidelo's suggestion, listening carefully for the answers, her mind still turning over possibilities.

"The possibility of cheap transport between Martian Nations is of course, a most excellent idea. And relatively simple as well, all we would nee to agree on is suitable system for transnational tracks, which would hook up with the local network. This would allow the cheap transports of goods from nation to nation, and would free up transport ships for interplanetary shipping. It would easily pay for itself."

"Communications and perverbial MarsNet would require 'transnational' points where differing system would be converted to the local system. Lag time of three or less seconds with advanced communications. An acceptable limit."

"In order to show the feasability of this plan, I would suggest a smaller version, perhaps two or three nations, try this out. Afterwards it would spread out."

"All in all the only problems with this plan is the obstacles of nations not allowing transport through there land. And the realtively irritating 'international seas/under water colonies' fiasco."

"As for the test nations, the easiest to attempt would be...." A picture of Mars flashed over its' looking glass. "...New ArAreBee, Mangala, the Kinslayer. Or Sunset, Wazzu, and Eniqcir. The communications attempt could be attempted by anyone."

¤The Tritarchic Dominions of New ArAreBee¤

"Building such a project is feasable - and as long as the specifications for the network are shared each nation can add to it and expand the branches as they see fit and see a need."

"Quite so. A small test set is also a good idea. For such a thing, perhaps the already existant Global Aquaduct Network could be used as a jumping-off point. Colonies are already constructed along those routes, and maintenance infrastructure is also in place. As for communcations, Yggdrasil becomes central again. From higher up the trunk, we have line of sight to nearly an entire hemisphere. It would be a small thing to install microwave transmitters and recievers aligned with national or regional base stations. Fiber optic lines could also be layed along the transport routes for shorter range communication."

A soft breeze began to blow, accompanied by a low whistle. As the group conversed, it steadily increased in volume. Just as it started to be annoying, Life Maker said "Don't mind the wind. It's just an incoming car." Seconds later, a 10-meter diameter cylinder went hurtling by, strung on the central thread of the Elevator.

"As you can see, coming down is much faster than going up. Now, where were we?"

ooc:
A couple questions. Martian communications are already global aren't they? Similar to earth's in rl I would expect, or the planet wouldn't function. Also, what's Lady Nath's background? Is there somewhere I can find info about her/her nation? I feel like the Voice should know about her already, so ic asking is kind of weird.

ic:

The Voice paused as the elavator car flashed by.

"A mag-lev system would be excellent. If a uniform techonolgy were used, we wouldn't even have to worry about conversion issues..."

She considered.

"The system could be operated using a toll system perhaps? At each national border a border toll could be charged, with currency conversion options. Larger nations might have several different segments, eahc with a toll. The only real place where I see some difficulties in creating an equatorial system is in the region of Syskeyia and The Martian Confed, neither of whom do we know much about."

"Many ground links between nations already exist of course - and for such a system to be truely useful these will need to be changed and standardized as to assure efficient movement."

Fidelo looked up the shaft to see if he could spot another car speeding downward. They were quite large, and he would have to inquire as to the transfer rates.

"A toll is reasonable of course - the best way to do such a thing would be to require cards, as to be non-personally intrusive, and have stations that subtract a toll automatically from a pre-paid card. The stations would perform the dual duty of assisting in traffic flow management as well because of the data they would gather. It would also divide the tolls up appropriately as far as the sections of systems used."

'But would we be able to find coal and iron, or would the French have it all?' Fidelo thought, laughing silently. He had been playing CivIII again when he had a spare moment. Very much out of date, but still enjoyable.

ooc: A couple questions. Martian communications are already global aren't they? Similar to earth's in rl I would expect, or the planet wouldn't function. Also, what's Lady Nath's background? Is there somewhere I can find info about her/her nation? I feel like the Voice should know about her already, so ic asking is kind of weird.

OOC: Not quite. As far as I can tell, each country pretty much has its own comm system, with little international networking. Unless someone layed a cable that I don't know about....

"Tolls... eh. Yucky things, restricting information flow. But I suppose it will be necessary to allow such things, if we are to preserve soveriegnty. If they must be, they should be as unintrusive as possible, as Fidelo has pointed out. Ah! An insight! Yggdrasil as an information hub would make it a safe haven in times of war. Only an insane commander would destroy his means of communication."

OOC: While we don't have an interlinked network, I believe most are compatable. Since many of us have been here for quite some time it would be natural to develop similar systems as technology is shared.

ooc: I know Pilon has made an effort to make their system compatible with all of their allies so they can properly communicate with them as Pilon's main focus is the efficiant transmission of the maximum amount of information possible. Though transmissions with other nations is infinitely slower than it is with one another as we are all part of the Nodelink.

"I don't know how much the two will coincide - most information services are wireless now, and there is a very limited physical infrastructure at least in the Republic."

"As is also the case in Pilon, we use nodelink amongst ourselves and use converters to interlink with other systems. Nothing is connected by wires at all.

"You leave yourselves wide open to electronic attacks, then. But that is a matter for a different discussion. You have now seen the elevator, allow me to explain it. The central cable is for heavy freight lifting. The car that just recently fell past is the only one of its size. The other six are much smaller. Though it is not obvious, the other six cables are thinner as well. The entire collection of seven cables is attached to the ground some distance below us, and is encased within the trunk of Yggdrasil all the way up to the Canopy. Each car can cycle up and down the elevator once every three days. At intervals along the trunk are small platforms from which air and spacecraft can launch and dock, and where maintenance crews are housed. If cars are allowed to progress beyond the areosynchronous point, centripetal force begins to cause a reverse gravity, pulling away from Mars. That can be used to launch spacecraft into hyperbolic orbits out of Mars's influence and off to some other planet, moon, or station."

"I'm wondering if a method could be provided to allow a 1 way trip down or up the cable for cargo pods. It would make the transfer from orbit to ground and reverse simpler, and if the same cargo pod design allowed for in the construction of the mag-rail lines this would speed distribution even more."

Fidelo looked at the size of the space, trying to judge if it could hold a larger pod.

"I ask because one of the initiatives to cross my desk recently was a specification for a modular ship. This would allow companies across the Republic and across Mars to build modules within their area of specialty. They would get a better price for them as they wouldn't need to construct the other parts of the vessel that they are not as specialized in.

But the point is that one of the modules is a cargo pod. If the pod could be detached from the ship, and then attached to a carrier car it would speed the distribution emmensely."

"There are two possible ways that I know of right now to implement that. It would be possible to remove two or four of the cables from bidirectional service and have pairs- or triples, since coming down is much faster- that go in each direction. That would increase throughput as multiple cars or modules could be riding the cable at once, although there is a maximum number based on the tensile strength of the cable. The other possibility is to tack the cargo modules onto one of the dedicated elevator cars, assuming that they are not too bulky. At the thinnest point, there is only 300 meters for all seven cables to pass through."

"A pair of modules would be 70 meters across - they are designed to be mated around a core for simple configuration. In this case the core could also carry passengers or additional goods."

Fidelo looked around.

"I would like to see an overlook of Mars from the canopy - could we arrange that?"

Nathicana listened carefully to the talk, though still hesitant to leap into the discussion. She flinches slightly as the car goes rushing by, and stretches slightly to peer down the shaft a bit, then up, her curiousity getting the better of her. She continued to monitor the conversation, already planning in her mind for her own colony.

"Excellent suggestions, all," she says quietly at Fidelo's query, though she encompasses the group with her look and soft smile. "What say you to a trip to the top?" She turns her gaze to their host, head tilted slightly, questioning.

"I would have to see details of their design to make a determination about whether or not they would fit. But again, it is something that deserves a meeting all of its own, and can wait."

"A trip to the top? To the Canopy? It can be arranged, but... would you prefer the three day trip, or a flight up via conventional aerospacecraft?"

"Agreed. The modular design is not yet finalize and we will be sending it out to the other MFTA members as well as interested parties when it is done. We can discuss it at that time."

Fidelo looked over at Nathicana.

"I believe it would be best to stick with a standard aerospace flight. While I would love a vacation I don't think now is the best time."

Nathi nods to Fidelo. "At your convenience, dear. I am but your humble guest here," she says with a charming smile. "And, I am finding this visit both enjoyable, and enlightening, if I do say so."

Damn, this is going to take some work. So many opportunities, so many things beyond our current means ... who can I trust with this? Who to choose that will have the skill to deal patiently and properly with all the political intricacies up here? She swears, but only in her mind, maintaining the pleasant smile.

"Good. I shall remember that. Perhaps as a final sight before you all return to your own nations. There us much else to see in Ankh first, though. You may choose, if you wish: The interior of a tree, perhaps a residential area, the Crana, spawning pools... many things are here."

"We would love to see anything you are willing to show us."

"What is the Crana if I might ask? Perhaps the exotic draws me, but that sounds like a good place to begin."

"It is the biocomputer. It holds the sum knowledge of all those who have died since its creation. At Jupiter, we use them to design megascale structures, and the one at Argyre was used to design Yggdrasil. The one here is mostly just a library and burial ground."

"That would be very interesting to see."

Fidelo looked around, seeing what the general mood of the party was. Since he could always come back he was looking to see what the others wished to do first.

OOC: Sounds like the brain pool at the center of a mindflayer colony.

OOC: Sounds like the brain pool at the center of a mindflayer colony.
OOC: I have no idea what that is... So... what is it?

"A trip to this 'Crana' of yours would be most interesting. I have been given as long as neccessary to complete this tour. A tour in which I will be paid." it said as more figures flashed by the looking glass

¤Tritarchic Dominions of New ArAreBee¤

"A trip to this 'Crana' of yours would be most interesting. I have been given as long as neccessary to complete this tour. A tour in which I will be paid." it said as more figures flashed by the looking glass

¤Tritarchic Dominions of New ArAreBee¤

"That does sound rather ... unique," says Nathicana, arching a brow curiously. "Though as I said, I'm quite willing to see whatever you wish to show - ever the curious sort, you know."

Biocomputer ... indeed? And they have several of these things? What would it be to be able to have such a resource at one's fingertips? The sum knowledge of an entire race ... il dio, it boggles the mind.

"If I may," she asks hesitantly, clearly not comfortable with her lack of knowledge, "How do you create such structures? Again, I realize I display my ignorance at your level of technology and achievement, but the idea of such a thing truly amazes me."

Gesturing to their guest, and smiling, she continues. "Perhaps you could enlighten me as we make our way there?"

"Hmm... this Crana sounds much like our Nodelink, we seem to have more and more in common as we get to know your people better. It is amazing and a wonderful thing."

"It is settled, then. You will see the Crana. Follow. Scenic route, this time."

The guide took a turn onto a set of platforms spiralling their way down the trunk of its supporting tree, like a spiral staircase, but with steps as large as a summer porch. (OOC: Wierd word, that.)

"If I may," she asks hesitantly, clearly not comfortable with her lack of knowledge, "How do you create such structures? Again, I realize I display my ignorance at your level of technology and achievement, but the idea of such a thing truly amazes me."

Gesturing to their guest, and smiling, she continues. "Perhaps you could enlighten me as we make our way there?"

"I would be glad to enlighten you." Could the Snel have blushed, it would've. "I must admit, the Crana is not our creation. It's precursors were parasites, similar to macroscopic versions of Gaian slime-molds. Generations of co-evolution, however, have transformed us into symbiotes."

Making her way with the others, Nathicana looked around as they walked, eyes flickering from one point to another, taking it all in.

"Symbiotes?" she says with interest, glancing over at their host. "Is it possible perhaps to procure some history files? It would be, I think, more efficient and less intrusive of me, than to ask of you a verbal accounting of such," she says with a quiet chuckle. "I beg your pardon, all. I simply find myself quite behind the times, and anxious to learn more."

Fidelo, hearing Nathicana's comment, whispered in something of a stage whisper.

"Not too far behind the times. Many of the things the Snel do everyday it would take months for us to reproduce. All of us have something of a specialty, though they often overlap to one degree or another. Some are general, and some are niche. But they all serve to draw us together to some extent through mutual need or desire."

"History is easy to access- up to a certain point. If you want our history for the last (timespeed<average?50:200) years, we can supply it easily. Further back, it would require a full-scale planetary assault to recover. The reasons can be found orbiting Quaoar and Varuna."

"What to say... I suppose I could simply allow you to enjoy the sights, and not say anything. But humans seem to like conversation. If you are content with mystery, ignore what I am about to say. The blue glow of the platforms, and the reds and greens of walls and trunks, are from several sources. The reds are primarily mosses and fern- foxfire and similar. Greens are achieved with both mosses, and a few benign fungi. The softer blues, however, come directly from the Trees. There is a bacteria that causes tumors in most wooded plants, by transfering plasmids. We altered it to make it nondestructive, and transfer genes to encode for luciferase and similar chemicals. Where we need light, we spread the bacteria, and all of our work is done for us by the intricate mechanisms of life."

Nathicana flashes Fidelo a grateful smile, nodding slightly. "Thank you," she says quietly.

To the Snell, she smiles warmly and replies, "I would enjoy that," though she adds with a chuckle, "No need to go to such extreme lengths, I think."

She listens to the explanation as they walk, her eyes seeking out the details as their host speaks. Alright, so I'm only getting part of this ... luciferase? Not to worry. It's enough to know they're quite adept at their bioengineering. I can think of several groups who would leap at the chance to learn from these beings.

Nathicana flashes Fidelo a grateful smile, nodding slightly. "Thank you," she says quietly.

To the Snell, she smiles warmly and replies, "I would enjoy that," though she adds with a chuckle, "No need to go to such extreme lengths, I think."

"You would not laugh if you knew what was on Quaoar. But your humor is appreciated."

The group descended the spiralling staircase for some 75 vertical meters. With each passing level, the density of the other inhabitants increased, such that, 2 or three stories up, a glimpse could be caught of another Snel every second or so. At the bottom, large butresses of wood grew out from the trunk, like those of a oversized Amazonian Paddle Tree. In between two of these butresses were supported the final few platforms before encountering soft, springy ground, composed on compressed leaf litter and the ever-present glowing mosses.

From ground level, Ankh looked like something from a child's fairy tale, with household doors built into the trunks of towering trees- except that the scale was thrown quite off. The forest floor was darker than the upper levels, light being provided solely by ground mosses and occasional patches of light blue glow from the Trees themselves. The party left dark footprints in the red and green mosses as they walked, which quickly brightened and disappeared again once they moved away.

Fleeting glimpses could be caught of other Snel through the gaps between trunks. The Trees slowly got denser, and trails more well-defined, as they were led away from the center where the Elevator came down. Quite suddenly, a large clearing was reached, where numerous paths met and several Snel were moving about. The clearing followed a crescent-shape as far as could be seen in either direction. A large hole with a sloping side towards the group was situated a little ways off to the left, from which emanated a soft white glow. Almost directly across the clearing, the entrance to another path was guarded by two reds, with a white, cottony, and very undense web behind them. Several fuzzy pillbug-like creatures, about the size of a house-cat, skuttled across the clearing, primarily between the hole in the ground and the guarded web.

"That is the Crana. Or perhaps I should say, that is a small projection of the Crana."

"How large is the Crana?" Fidelo asked. He knelt, feeling the soft material at their feet.

"It has been several hours, and I for one would find this a good place to eat, if such could be arranged."

Fidelo heard his stomage rumble at the thought.

"Last time I checked, it extended 10 meters below ground, 5 above, and had an overhead surface area of 1.5 square kilometers. It might've grown since then."

"If you would like to wait here, I can arrange for food to be brought. What would you want? We've got plenty of temperate fruits, lots of corn and pumpkins and other cold-weather plants like that, almost every kind of fish you could think of...."

Nathicana had watched their surroundings curiously as they walked along, still intrigued by the living structure they were in, and the myriad components it was made of. She peered curiously towards the Crana, trying to catch a better glimpse though having the presence of mind not to approach any closer than they were.

"What are those little creatures?" she asked, watching the fuzzy things scurry back and forth.

That's quite the size ... and growing? How large, I wonder, will it get? How much information goes in before it grows?

She nodded in agreement to Fidelo. "Refreshment would indeed be most welcome. I'm certain that whatever you provide will be more than fine. The selection sounds delicious."

"What are those little creatures?" she asked, watching the fuzzy things scurry back and forth.

"Larva. The Crana's mobile form. In the wild, they would transfer information between webs or metamorphose into new webs. However, as Crana do not exist in the wild on this planet, they are used as laborers."

'The web is the information. Just an expanded form really...' Fidelo thought.

"The offering sounds fine. How about an orange glazed fillet of whatever the catch of the day is?"

Fidelo looked at the creatures for a moment.

"An odd question - but what did they evolve in responce to? Or were they engineered at some time in the past?"

"The offering sounds fine. How about an orange glazed fillet of whatever the catch of the day is?"

"Right. And would anyone else like to place an order?"


"An odd question - but what did they evolve in responce to? Or were they engineered at some time in the past?"

"To be entirely frank, I don't know. That information is not in any of the webs. It is possible that they were engineered before the Exodus... but then we wouldn't know of it anyway. We can make conjectures, though. As I explained, the predecessors of the Crana were parasites. Their webs grew over and entrapped other organisms and absorbed them. It is possible that, at some point, they encountered an organism that could not be digested, and began to be used as a symbiote, like the relation between a clownfish and a sea anemone. This might have been what triggered their evolution into mutualistic symbiotic creatures instead of parasites. Over time, the webs probably figured out how to incubate such creatures internally in response to a scarcity of what had become necessary symbiotes in the environment. But, keep in mind, that is all purely theoretical."

Once the guide had taken everybody's lunch orders, she scuttle over to one of the reds. As the guide returned, the red guard descended into the glowing hole in the ground.

"Food is being retrieved."

Fidelo sat and ate his food while the conversation turned to simpler things.

"Before I left I recieved an invitation to a wedding in Valinon - Proxima Centauri. I haven't been outside the system since becoming president, it will be a nice vacation as well I think."

"Proxima Centauri... I have no memories of there. Perhaps I should acquire some."

Lifemaker lowered to the ground and curled up her four locomotive tentacles. In one 'hand' was held a group of reedlike objects, which the Snel quickly fed into her beak like a grasshopper. In the other 'hand' Lifemaker held a large silvery fish, mostly intact but steeming.

The Pilonese ambassador samples a couple of experiance of the Proxima colony long abandoned by them and begins to reminice...

"Is there any particular reason you did not simply use a computer?" commented GulShuGoth." Your species seem to have excellent skills in Bioengineering, but I must ask why you did not continue on the path of machinery, like most species. I can't simply assume that the Crana would be more effecient if it were a computer, but I must ask why the Snel do as they do."

¤The Tritarchic Dominions of New ArAreBee¤

Nathicana enjoyed the food that was brought along with the rest of the group, still feeling somewhat out of place, but not minding too terribly much. Learn and grow, after all.

She arched a brow at the question of bio versus macchine, ears perking up.

"Indeed. Is it a preference, the apparent ease with which you adapt to the biotech, some sort of creed?"

"It is simply convenient. The Crana have been around as long as we have, and we are used to them. And the Crana can do things that an artificial computer cannot. They are like an extension of ourselves, having access to our memories and vice versa. And not only are they stores of information- you will find no burial grounds for the Snel, as the Crana reclaim used bodies and their memories. If it's not too badly damaged, a Crana may choose even to repair the body, instead, so we have little need of physicians. On top of all that, they are natural nanoengineers. They are chemical factories of the greatest efficiency, and with a little help from machinery create the the patterns for all of this." The last bit was said as Lifemaker waved her arms in a wide circle, indicating their surroundings. "An artificial computer cannot come close to accomplishing all of that."

"Ah, and one last thing, though we usually do not speak of it. If ever there is war or other major hardship, their ability to play with our memories is what prevents societal breakdown. The decision to deploy soldiers, or destroy a contaminated area, or any number of other decisions would drive a Coordinator to insanity without external support."

"So decisions involving destruction are hard to make? Or am I taking that too far?"

Fidelo disposed of his dinnerware and brushed the plant debris from his clothing.

"The destruction of life is a hard decision to make. We are not afraid of death, it is something that must happen, but to bring it about prematurely is quite apart from our most basic morals. We have yet to develop a weapon that kills when it can instead disable, and no soldier in combat has yet killed an enemy when it could be avoided. Perhaps it seems foolish to some, but it is how we evolved. Morality is in the end based on self-preservation. For humans, that meant looking out for yourself first and the rest of your species second. For us, that meant looking after the environment that supports the species first, and the self second. Everything in life serves a function, and if it is not beneficial, it will destroy itself soon enough. If we try to make judgements and destroy things on our own, how can we know we do not harm ourselves in the longterm? It would be against survival of the species. If we had destroyed the Crana parasites, for example, we would never have had the Crana biocomputers, and there are a million other examples. Ah, but I ramble. You ask a simple yes/no question, and I turn it into a philosophy lecture. Forgive my wordiness."

"It's quite alright. Learning a little more about the sentients you share a world with is always good. Perhaps we should decide our next destination now."

"Well... what is left? There are the spawning pools, government centers, communications hubs... All of that is rather boring. Spawning pools, then?"

yes, I would be most interested in seeing the spawning pools...

"Very good, very good." As Lifemaker was standing up, a faint low tone sounded.

"Ah... perhaps we should've gone to the spawning pools first. Well, if we move quickly, it shouldn't matter. Follow."

Lifemaker walked on all sixes over to the glowing hole in the ground. From close up, it was obvious that the hole led into a subterranean (subarean?) passageway. Dirt quickly gave way to white metal as they found themselves once more in a very mechanical section. Two monorail trains waited on either side, and Lifemaker made for the one on the left. The interior of the car was pure white. The side walls curved overhead, while the walls at either end were flat. A line of short stools ran down the center of the car. One of the end walls held a speaker grille and a black button. After poking the button, Lifemaker muttered a few short clicks and squeals. A short time later, a reply sounded, and the train began to move.

The Snel rested her carapace on one of the stools, letting arms hang loosely at the side.

"2, 3 minutes, and we will be there."

Nathicana looked around with interest as they walked, as usual, taking careful note of her surroundings.

"I'm still amazed at the fluidity of form and function you've achieved here. The meshing of biotech and meccanici is astounding," she said, her eyes roving now over the interior of the cab, a little smile turning up the corners of her lips. "Again, le mie congratulazioni. An outstanding achievement."

The Pilonese Ambassador seemed more excited about the spawning pool than about anything else they'd seen so far... This was an area that most interested the Pilonese people, the creation of new lifeforms, of any type.

"Your compliments are most pleasing. I am glad that you find our work to be above standard."

When the train slowed and the doors opened, a wave of hot, humid air rushed over them, and they found themselves on a raised platform, overlooking a field of shallow circular pools of murky water. Several reds were walking back and forth across the thin strips of dry land between the pools, carrying globs of jelly. A plethora of Crana larva could also be seen scurrying about, checking on the pools. A low-pitched hum filled the air, punctuated by a slow, regular drumbeat. A lone purple could just be seen dissapearing into the trees, stepping in time with the drum.

"There you see. The Spawning Pools. They are not in use right onw, of course. You would not be allowed to see them if they were. The freemartins are in the process of removing eggs. Would you like a closer view?"

*bump*

The Pilonese Ambassador nodded.
"Yes I would love to." He kept eying the pools, studying them and capturing the images in the nodelink.

"Good, good. Follow." Lifemaker turned to the right side of the platform. Wide circular steps led down to a lower platform, then to a still lower one which nearly encircled the Pools, and finally to ground level. "The pools are only ever in use at night. One might think that they would be used perpetually here, where we are in perpetual twilight, but circadian rhythms are still in effect." As the group got nearer and nearer to ground level, the low-frequency thumps became more pronounced, and the higher melodies seemed to become slightly louder, but less clear.

Each pool was about 8 feet deep and 20 feet in diameter. At their thinnest points, the bits of land in between were only 6 feet wide, barely enough for Lifemaker to stand on, but plenty wide for the smaller red freemartins. floating in one of the first pools were several clumps of translucent balls of jelly, each containing a tiny red six-pointed star, randomly flipping and twitching.

Fidelo looked at Nathicana for a moment. 'The question being, will the universal adoration of young mean they are cute?' he though. He didn't find them such - but he was unmarried and without children. Perhaps that would change one day.

"I wonder if you could provide me with some specifics on the way that your spawning pools work, we've been looking for a means of mass production of viable Organic Material and an adaptation of your system seems like an ideal choice for it."

A thin whistle escaped Lifemaker, and a she gave a quizzical look.

"Work? They are simple water, with the necessary minerals dissolved. One may as well ask how a salmon river works. If you wish to adapt our methods, be prepared for a radical alterations to your own physiology."

Lifemaker once more regarded the floating eggs. "Not much to look at now, but they mature very quickly. Only takes seven years, in fact, and the eggs hatch in two months. They become differentiated into blue, green, purple, and freemartin in one and a half months, but by then they've been removed to the nursery. Considerably less wasted time than the human life cycle."

The Pilon Ambassador smiled. "No no you misunderstand. We don't wish to use the method for our own spawning but for other lifeforms that we create.

Fidelo looked at Nathicana for a moment. 'The question being, will the universal adoration of young mean they are cute?' he though. He didn't find them such - but he was unmarried and without children. Perhaps that would change one day.

Nathi returned the look with a little smile, quirking a brow and shrugging slightly at his expression, glancing meaningfully at the pools. Well that's certainly one way to do it, I suppose. Damnably odd, the things one finds when leaving one's own back yard.

She looked over the pools with interest though, nodding as their guide continued the explanations, while glancing curiously at the Pilonese representative. I hadn't really thought of that, but then, we've no lacking for food and the like, especially with the ocean and all ... still, if we're to build a colony here, I suppose thoughts of self-sufficiency in an alien environment ought to be looked at closely.

The Pilon Ambassador smiled. "No no you misunderstand. We don't wish to use the method for our own spawning but for other lifeforms that we create.

"Oh! Yes, that does make more sense. Still, these are just water and minerals. If we must artificially mass-produce certain organisms, there are incubation tanks. I can show you those a bit a later."

"We would be most interested in anything you would be willing to show or share with us concerning this."

"Good, good. For now, though, follow."

Lifemaker proceeded to step between the pools towards the center of the field. Halfway across, she stopped, and turned ninety degrees to the left, towards an archway leading out of the field. Dim flickering lights could be seen through it. As Lifemaker led the group towards the archway, the background drumming got steadily louder.

*bump*
(Anybody wanting to finish this?)