NationStates Jolt Archive

Dr. Hilary turned his laser pointer on the projector screen.

"As you can see, we have a major heat problem. Now, the Guild Solette is providing enough extra radiation to keep it comfortable, and we have reports that they intend to use the Mangalan Mirror to relieve ice reflection problems. However, without the Solette, even with an ice-free ocean, temperatures will drop radically. In addition, though this is far more long term, lack of vulcanological activity will undoubtedly result in the loss of Martian atmosphere via dissolution and condensation as limestone and other carbonates within 1 to 2 million years. And on top of that, we are without a planetary magnetic field, although that is really just a convenience."

"Well, that's all well and good, doctor, and we've got all the required personnel, but where exactly do you intend to get the materials?"

"CMC."

"As you all should know already, CMC long ago absorbed alll of NMA's government contracts. They've got massive amounts of uranium and plutonium from their mining operations under Scolopendran GEC. We have reason to beleive that they intended to set aside some of this stock, originally intended for Centaur, for the purposes of terraforming Mars, probably for digging large holes. That, combined with Spacer leverage, should get us a heckuvalot at a heckuvalow price."

"So... when do we start?"

"We already have. Atmojacks are already posted at Copernicus."

"That's for an Orion!"

"Perfect, no? You said we already have the personnel."

Siryl walked, or perhaps bounced would be a better word, down the corridors of the Copernicus Nuclear Technology Center. An interesting memo came through last week- halt work on the Orion, and start digging.

The deal hadn't yet gone down with CMC. Still something to work out with the Spacers... but there was enough reserve from Orion to start the new project. He entered the control room just as the really deep drilling started.

"End of the line. Retracting bit. Resume in 20."

20 minutes later, then end of a kilometer-long drill shaft emerged from the ground.

"Inserting deep driller."

Perhaps driller wasn't totally accurate, but then again neither was 'ignition' to describe a spacecraft launch. A hazmat robot entered the drilling chamber carrying a large crucibel of molten iron, within which was embedded a depth probe and nuclear device. The robot poured the contents of the crucibel down the alread several-klik deep whole. As it settled to the bottom, the hot metal melted away the rock, burrowing ever deeper, and taking the bomb with it. When it finally stopped at 10kliks depth, the detonator triggered, and off went the bomb.

Secretary Gorky waited impatiently at the Flagstaff docks for a small boat. He tapped his foot against the steel floor, glanced at his watch. 5 minutes to 2, what's keeping them?

Finally, a sleek speedboat came speeding up the river. About time. It pulled up to the dock, and out stepped a light green Snel.

"Greetings. I am Secretary Gorky. Before you leave this dock, mind telling me what exactly this meeting is supposed to be about?"
"Salinity."
"Salinity. That's it? What about salinity?"
"We think we can lower it. In Oceanus Borealis."
"Oh. Well, come on, then."

The Snel plan was simple, but it would use up valuable atomics. On the other hand, it would provide more contact points for Project Inferno. 'Twas agreed, then: The Eniqiciri would construct an evacuated maglev tunnel into the Oceanus Borealis, under the guise of providing easy transport into and out of the submarine colonies. The Snel would meanwhile construct a large dome for detonation and drilling purposes, attached to a desalinization plant and a few thermoelectric transducers.

Wash, rinse, repeat.

But resources were starting to run thin. What with the mobile drilling platforms in Sirenum, the deal with CMC would have to go down really soon.

And, lo and behold, CMC agreed.

Now the only problem was how to get that much uranium into Kasei without anyone noticing. Despite they're support of the project, there was no way that the Snel would allow fissionables on Yggdrasil.

Eventually, a plan was worked out. Space-to-ground vehicles would alternate between electrogravitors and Guild Waveriders. Shipments to Sirenum, Aonia, and Promethei would be direct to constantly re-set rendez-vous points near the drilling sites. Northern shipments would alternate between Serik, Flagstaff, and Amaranth.

Soon, what looked to be inoccuous Rock Scorchers were roaming Aonia and Promethei. Their internals were quite different from their watermining lookalikes, though. Each was a self-contained mobile drilling platform, and each carried several nukes.