NationStates Jolt Archive

<TRANSMISSION Opens: Diplomatic Encryption>
<TO: SENATE Commerce Chair Lopez, Sunset>
<FROM: DIRECTOR Jack Hershey, FSP>

Chairman Lopez,

It has come to the understanding of the Federation that the Nation of Sunset has in its possession a number of preconstucted arcology domes on the Martian Surface that they are looking to get rid of, due to something called the 'Ares Project.' While the Federation has no desire to know about the Project, we would be willing to take some of the domes off your hands.

In coalition with the Government, a number of large Federation based companies are willing to purchase some of them. Specifically, three 1 million person facilities a long the Sunset border with the Dread Lady's holdings on Mars, that form a rough triangle. We'd like to purchase both the facilities and the land they inclose, if that is acceptable.

Further, we'd like to discuss possible a possible trade relationship between the Federation and Sunset, and an increase of diplomatic ties.

Either a face-to-face meeting or continued communcation by transmission is acceptable, so either method of negociate is acceptable to us.

I look forward to continued discourse.

http://people.vanderbilt.edu/~darion.c.smith/hershey.jpg Jack Hershey, Director of the Sentient Mars Project, International Relations Directorate
The Federation of Sentient Peoples (http://people.vanderbilt.edu/~darion.c.smith/)
Federation Roleplay Policy (http://people.vanderbilt.edu/~darion.c.smith/rppolicy.html)

<TRANSMISSION Terminated>

OOC: Technically the Ares Project is top secret, but the name might have leaked out though. Not in connection with these dome de-habitations. That's being blamed on a slowing birth rate. Doesn't matter for these purposes however.

IC:
You are aware of the costs of said arcologies I assume? We can partially meet your needs however. There is a cluster of 4 arcologies in the area. 2 are built to accomidate 1 million people, 1 2 million, and the last is capable of holding up to 5 million people.

I've spoken with their ownership and to defray their costs and make the sale possible they are willing to sell the 2 million arcology in a half-now, half-later arrangement. Will this be acceptable?

I'd like to arrange a visit to the arcologies in question - we can use this as an opportunity for a state visit and a chance to take a look around the place if at all possilble.

Senator Lopez, Head of the Commerce Commitee

#tag#

God bless,

The Republic of Syskeyia

<TRANSMISSION Opens: Diplomatic Encryption>
<TO: SENATE Commerce Chair Lopez, Sunset>
<FROM: DIRECTOR Jack Hershey, FSP>

Chairman Lopex,

We would be honored to accept your invitation for a state visit, and for face-to-face discussion. But it has come to our attention that there is currently a rather heavy amount of fighting going on on Mars, and we would rather not add more ships to the fray.

Unless you have an alternate method of transportation, I'm afraid that the visit will have to be delayed until the fighting is concluded.

But the three small dome cities sound like they will work.

http://people.vanderbilt.edu/~darion.c.smith/hershey.jpg Jack Hershey, Director of the Sentient Mars Project, International Relations Directorate
The Federation of Sentient Peoples (http://people.vanderbilt.edu/~darion.c.smith/)
Federation Roleplay Policy (http://people.vanderbilt.edu/~darion.c.smith/rppolicy.html)

<TRANSMISSION Terminated>

Director Hershey,

The situation around Mars, while still tense, is now manageable. Safe passage can be arranged to the arcologies. I'd like to arrange the meeting for three weeks from now if that's already. There is a group from the Vortex Corporation who are interested in a similar purchase but of a different dome further away. It would be very convenient to have both groups tour at once - we could then have a private diplomatic reception afterward.

If your vessel will meet ours at the coordinates enclosed we wil then shuttle your delegation to the planet and directly to the arcology that will be used for the tour.

Senator Lopez

<TRANSMISSION Opens: Diplomatic Encryption>
<TO: SENATE Commerce Chair Lopez, Sunset>
<FROM: DIRECTOR Jack Hershey, FSP>

Understood, Chairman. Myself and Minister Currey (International Relations Directorate) will be attending, along with possibly one or two others.

We shall see you in three weeks, then.


http://people.vanderbilt.edu/~darion.c.smith/hershey.jpg Jack Hershey, Director of the Sentient Mars Project, International Relations Directorate
The Federation of Sentient Peoples (http://people.vanderbilt.edu/~darion.c.smith/)
Federation Roleplay Policy (http://people.vanderbilt.edu/~darion.c.smith/rppolicy.html)

<TRANMISSION Terminated>

Though it is not normally our policy to directly give orders to the gathered Kiithid and conglomerates that we govern, we have done just so in the past few days. when we got word of the intent of Sentient Peoples to purchase dome structures on the planet Mars, a thoughtstream was started to consider the benefits and trade-offs if we took similar action. The outcome of our inner debate was that the addition of holdings on Mars would be most beneficial to the trade routs and logistical systems that we have in place for insterstellar trade. Therefore, we have decided to send an emissary to visit the Sunset colonies, possibly at the same time as Sentient Peoples will be there.

We await your response, in the sincere hope that we will be granted permission to visit your territories.

Signed,

Council

Three Weeks Later...

Senator Lopez walked around the outer ring of the shaft-arco watching the crews finish their work. They hadn't cleaned the whole core, just this area, but it was sparkling. The last of the cleaning crew exited as a hoverlimo pulled in from the transit network. It would be used to show the guests around - when purchasing a city it wasn't possible to see everything, so Lopez has assigned one of his aids the task of picking out a route. They would do the entire route before the two delegations arrived in case of last minute problems.

---

Above the dome that covered the arcology fighters circled, keeping the space clear for the shuttles or ships that would land in the spaceport. Far below the cavernous doors yawned wide, and lights blinked on. Spotlights lanced out from the corners, meeting high above the doors. The delegations would arrive at any moment...

As one would expect, the ground control crews and the pilots of the vessel coöperated smoothly, ensuring a nice and swift landing. As soon as the vessel doors opened, the TVC delegation exited in the form of various Somtaaw and Kendarat Kiithid members. Both their Kiithid mainly were active in mining and distribution activities, and had decided to let some of their conglomerates purchase property on Mars in a joint venture. The leader of the delegation, Ceara Somtaaw*, walked up to the Senator, and shook his hand.

"Senator, it is a pleasure to finally meet you. And thank you for enabling us to come visit Mars on such short notice"

*female

OOC: During this three weeks the situation has changed - but the offers still stand. However if anyone wants to change from Western to Eastern Sunset that can be arranged.

IC:

"Good day to you Ms. Somtaaw. I've seen your nation in the trades and it's a pleasure to finally meet you."

Senator Lopez bowed slightly as he shook her hand - more gentlemanly than obsequesent. His white teeth showed up brightly on his dusky skin as he smiled widely.

"I've arranged for a hoverlimo tour of one of the arcologies - we will not be able to see the whole thing of course but my staff has picked out a route that will take us through a residential, commercial, and industrial area as well as a good look at the infrastructure."

Behind in on the cavernous landing bay floor was a hoverlimo and a driver. No guards or other security was visible, though there were a gaggle of aids clustered near the large doors that led into the arcology.

"Most kind of you to go through all that trouble and prepare something like this for me. It is congruent with your reputation, I must say. However, should we not ait for the arrival of the Sentient Peoples delegates?"

While speaking, Ceara took a quick look at the hoverlimo to see if it resembled the hoverdynes of the Corporation. To her satisfaction, there were many differences between the two models. Otherwise, this new encounter and the setting up of relations with Sunset could have created yet another price war.

She really did not like those.

They did not have to wait long. Blazing bright blue down through the thin Martian atmosphere came a small shuttle that had become well known in the last few months around the world.

The Federation Eagle-class Diplomatic Courier Shuttle. In this case, S-42 was it's hull number. The fifteen meter long shuttle settle to the ground with the grace of a hunting falcon, though, drive field snapping off twenty meters up, anti-gravs taking up the slack.

As the anti-grav died away with it's characteristic low growl, the boarding ramp extended, and two men emerged from the doorway.

Johnathan Currey, Minister of the International Relations Directorate, and his subordinate, and the man behind the Mars Project, Jack Hershey, IRD, Director of the Sentient Mars Project. They were dressed in business attire, and carried nothing with them. Or nothing visible to the naked eye. Detectors of any sort would probably be set off by the men's EM signature and the quantity of metal in their systems, due to their implants and enhancements. But for all that, neither man carried a weapon of any kind, except for Currey's pocket knife, handed down for four generations in his family.

Currey spoke, his pleasant baritone smiling, "Senator Lopez." He nodded his head to acknowledge the senator. "I am Minister Currey, and my associate, Director Hershey. Thank you for having us."

Currey then turned his attention to the woman standing nearby, and from his brief, presumed her to be from the Vortex Corporation. "And Miss...." He trailed off, hoping for an introduction.

"Ceara Somtaaw. She is the head of the Vortex Corporation's delegation... Ms. Somtaaw, Mr. Johnathon Currey and Mr. Jack Hershey, both of the Federation of Sentient Peoples."

Senator Lopez waited while they exchanged handshakes and then extended an arm toward the hoverlimo.

"If you will step inside we can begin the tour - there will be plenty of time to talk as we drive from place to place."

The hoverlimo was a 'Ze Motors Ltd' vehicle - most Sunset vehicles were bought from New ArAreBee or through third party nations from Bajon. This model had the low angular shape that reminded many of the space mercedes from 'Spaceballs'.

Once they had all been seated in the limo Senator Lopez began his tour by turning on a holosphere in the center of the passenger area.

"As you can see, here is the spaceport and the dome."

The dome was a hemi-sphere of red martian rock that stretched over a kilometer wide and over 200 meters tall. A kilometer away was the space port - a half-kilometer area sunk into the surface. Massive scalloped doors served to keep the dust and debris on the surface out.

"There is a tunnel that leads through - a lop of the mag-lev system also runs around the outside to allow cargo pods to move through the system. The cargo pods were designed to fit on a mag-lev frame and onto a similar frame for freighters. Cargo can thus be moved from factory to train to orbit to another planet all in the same container - vastly speeding the system. But I digress - we are travelling through the vehicle access tunnel here - normally used by some port workers and for offloading vehicle transports."

He zoomed out to the main arcology, and highlighted two large tubes that ran around the entire structure.

"These two tubes are for the mag-lev line - one is at 1/4 down and the other at 3/4 down as you can see. Most of the industrial facilites are clustered around them for easy access, and the residential and commercial areas radiate out, blending together. We will be starting our tour of the arcology here though..."

He moved down, highlighting a large torus under the bottom of the shaft.

"The power plant. From there we can move through the rest of the arcology, visiting a residence, business, and industrial facility as well as some of the best views of the facility. Any questions so far?"

The limo had travelled quite some distance and was now winding down a long service tunnel that curved all the way around the outside of the arcology behind the mag-lev tubes.

Hershey spoke up quietly. "Regarding the power plants, what kind of excess power levels can or do they produce? How much extra energy could be gotten from them?"

Currey simply watch the arcology go by, not really needed until later.

"It's a type-3 fusion plant - the largest made. It can produce about twice as much power needed for the full occupancy of the arcology - this power is normally used to power a local defense battery and a shield generator. In this case those systems have obviously been removed. If you wish to place similar you can, or the power can be used for expanded industrial capacity or any number of projects."

Lopez zoomed in on the fusion reactor, then scrolled up to a large disc shaped apparatus.

"This is the artficial gravity generator - it consumes much of the power needed by the city. Since most of the city is concentrated over the generator it's about as efficient as it gets. As you can likely tell the gravity is about .9 Standard, though some arcologies have raised it or lowered it according to local ordinances. There are even a couple that have it at neutral - recreational centers."

"And how about air? Is it recycled or do you use other mechanisms?", Ceara asked. She was quite impressed at what she saw here. Naturally, the Terraformers of the Corporation could accomplish the same, but Ceara was never hesitant to give credit where it was due. These arcologies looked well-built, solid and efficient. Especially the latter aspect was one that she could very much appreciate.

"It is recycled - the old fashioned way. You'll see this better when we get inside the main space but each terrace level has 14 green spaces evenly placed around the outside. These do much of the simple recycling - for larger industries that produce a lot of co2 they have their own recyclers."

The senator changed the picture to that of a much larger arcology, in this case built into the basin of an impact crater.

"For arcologies of these sizes there is additional recycling done by the food industries - they pull air from the top of the dome through their hydroponics facility and blow freshened air into the lower areas of the arcology. Many residents also have house plants, and it is encouraged though not required or supported."

OOC: Skipping ahead - if anyone has any questions we can go back through but for now the deal is assumed closed.

IC:

Senator Lopez looked the document over. He didn't need to sign it, but did so anyway on the 'Witnessed By' line.

"I'd like to thank you all for agreeing to the purchase and the sale of these arcologies. I know it might be a significant investment but when you see your profit margin rise, I think you will know where it's coming from."

---

As soon as the sale was announced applications by the hundreds and by the thousands began to pour in to the new management. Sunset residents who wanted to be everything from janitors to middle managers to florists. Most were looking for some upward mobility while others were looking to enter the market for the first time.