Nepleslia Prime, Sargasso, Drifter's Beach
♫ Mitch Murder - Frantic Aerobics ♫
A sunny beach was visible on the TV screen, camera spotting wave breakers out in the distance, the right side of a mixed spaceport and dock with a cargo drone carrying a cargo container up into the air and off camera, followed by some sunbathers with an umbrella looking out at the beach and some people swimming in the water as the camera panned towards a man in a light suit carrying the NNN microphone and wearing an earpiece, right eye cybernetic, standing straight and looking towards the camera.
"Good morning from Nepleslia Prime." The news anchor introduced himself with a firm voice. "We're here in a town briefly on the map in YE33 for its insurgency against a bunch of incompetent corporates who couldn't find their asses with both hands and a map." He stated as a boat sailed lazily into view behind him. "After that, the town known as Sargasso dissolved shortly afterwards, with its population moving to better opportunities after the land had been poisoned by mismanagement, with those staying behind currently managed by a tribunal of four merchants known as the Proprietors."
"That is, until YE35, when notorious mercenary, philanthropist, celebrity, and Ultimate Badass Luca Pavone-" A photo of the individual in question was on screen, followed by photos of him at various events in Nepleslian space either talking, or shooting something "-was discovered to be living in Sargasso's premier housing development, Ferros Block and operating his mercenary outfit, the ISC Phoenix, from this location, and from space above it."
The reporter started strolling up the beach, looking ahead of himself occasionally so he didn't trip over anyone. "In the years since his arrival, things have been looking up for Sargasso, with the construction of a spaceport earlier this year." The camera panned away from the newscaster towards the aerospace port, a hybridised design which was both able to accept spaceships either landing on top of it or into hangars in five of the six sides of the hexagonal structure, or boats mooring themselves under the struts that supported the structure.
"Alongside the spaceport was the creation of the Panda Candy manufacturing factory by ISC Phoenix member Seiren Isbala, Sargasso's first major investment after the bust." Some photo's of the factory's exterior, clean and bright with factory workers and the pint-sized inventor himself standing together for a photo. The workforce was a mixed racial bag, including Yamataians, Nepleslians, Lorath, and even a Separa'shan visible on the photo.
"This triggered a wave of redevelopment and investment in the town, and with it, the money flows and jobs are being created. With it, the population has gone from roughly two hundred and fifty, to a thousand and seven hundred, and climbing." Census data and figures flashed on screen. "Many housing developments present from before the Big Bust are currently being renovated to cope with the demand, and new developments are springing up."
Some photos of new investments and projects appeared, including the bacteria cultivation arrays, now occupying formerly spoilt farmlands for the former corporate-owned village. A particularly amusing photograph had someone arriving to work at the cultivation array the Sargasso way - via the famous ziplines dotted throughout town. Some of them stretched for over four kilometres, being some of the longest ziplines in known space. Initially installed to deliver goods to other houses during the monsoon season, the ziplines soon became popular as a mode of transportation provided the commuter could survive the landing.
♫ Mitch Murder - Intermission ♫
The reporter approached a woman in her late forties, with platinum blonde hair, a weary expression and a dress of white, black, and hot pink. She held herself like she was royalty, with her chin up. "I'm here with the Proprietor of Lina's Palace, currently in charge of running the town's premier bar and eatery and the town itself." The reporter pointed the microphone towards her and asked a question. "Ms. Rarius, its commonly inferred that over half of the money spent in this town prior to your second wind came from the members of the ISC Phoenix. Is this correct?"
Lina chuckled. "It's not a far stretch from the truth, I mean a couple of years ago, this was the sort of place a cat wouldn't be caught dead pissing in." Her voice sounded weary, but enthused enough to talk about the town she helped retake on national television. "Even criminals didn't want to move in because there was no opportunity for them!"
The reporter made an 'ooh' with his mouth. Was it really that bad back then? "What role did you serve during the insurrection against Wayfield Investments?"
She looked aside, out to the ocean before addressing the reporter. "I'd rather not say on air," she said, "but I did kill a man with a stiletto heel."
"Fair enough. Are you looking forward to the future now that the town has exports of food products, fertiliser, ocean bacteria, and confectionery?"
Lina smiled and nodded. "I'm delighted, as a matter of fact!"
"Did you ever think about leaving Sargasso? Would you have thought an outcome like this was possible back then?"
"No, and no. I had nowhere else to go because when I came here in YE31 with Karl, I put everything into making Lina's Palace. I couldn't leave it behind, and ..." she rubbed the back of her head, "I couldn't have imagined this happened."
"What do the ISC Phoenix do here, anyway?"
"Well, they buy our produce, particularly ammunition, and they're frequent faces down at the Palace too." Lina looked past the camera at something in the distance. "I have the feeling they're in big with Origin Industries too, because David started getting loads of support from Origin Industries to get our infra up to scratch."
"So you have no problem with keeping a private military company as a major stakeholder in this town?"
Lina licked her lips, thinking about that before providing an answer. "None at all." She said with confidence. "They rarely ask us for anything, occasionally some orders for things we don't have stock of via Commercial Lane, but nothing out of the ordinary. They're spending money and stimulating the town, and they look out for us. I'd say its a mutually beneficial arrangement."
The reporter tilted his head. "Would you be prepared to evict them if something came to that?"
"I can't imagine it happening in the near future. You do know who we're talking about, don't you?"
"Indeed. Thank you for your time." The reporter wrapped things up. "We were going to interview Mr. Pavone, but it seems he is unavailable at the moment. Coming up next, we talk wildcat loads and you. How the powder mixes you could be using are wearing your guns out quicker and putting you at risk! Back to you, Tom!"
-
(Small note. The Wiki caches really aggressively. It's difficult to update existing images - the changes usually reflect in a couple of days time. Fortunately, the image of the map here is forcing the latest. You can see the ziplines!)
♫ Mitch Murder - Frantic Aerobics ♫
A sunny beach was visible on the TV screen, camera spotting wave breakers out in the distance, the right side of a mixed spaceport and dock with a cargo drone carrying a cargo container up into the air and off camera, followed by some sunbathers with an umbrella looking out at the beach and some people swimming in the water as the camera panned towards a man in a light suit carrying the NNN microphone and wearing an earpiece, right eye cybernetic, standing straight and looking towards the camera.
"Good morning from Nepleslia Prime." The news anchor introduced himself with a firm voice. "We're here in a town briefly on the map in YE33 for its insurgency against a bunch of incompetent corporates who couldn't find their asses with both hands and a map." He stated as a boat sailed lazily into view behind him. "After that, the town known as Sargasso dissolved shortly afterwards, with its population moving to better opportunities after the land had been poisoned by mismanagement, with those staying behind currently managed by a tribunal of four merchants known as the Proprietors."
"That is, until YE35, when notorious mercenary, philanthropist, celebrity, and Ultimate Badass Luca Pavone-" A photo of the individual in question was on screen, followed by photos of him at various events in Nepleslian space either talking, or shooting something "-was discovered to be living in Sargasso's premier housing development, Ferros Block and operating his mercenary outfit, the ISC Phoenix, from this location, and from space above it."
The reporter started strolling up the beach, looking ahead of himself occasionally so he didn't trip over anyone. "In the years since his arrival, things have been looking up for Sargasso, with the construction of a spaceport earlier this year." The camera panned away from the newscaster towards the aerospace port, a hybridised design which was both able to accept spaceships either landing on top of it or into hangars in five of the six sides of the hexagonal structure, or boats mooring themselves under the struts that supported the structure.
"Alongside the spaceport was the creation of the Panda Candy manufacturing factory by ISC Phoenix member Seiren Isbala, Sargasso's first major investment after the bust." Some photo's of the factory's exterior, clean and bright with factory workers and the pint-sized inventor himself standing together for a photo. The workforce was a mixed racial bag, including Yamataians, Nepleslians, Lorath, and even a Separa'shan visible on the photo.
"This triggered a wave of redevelopment and investment in the town, and with it, the money flows and jobs are being created. With it, the population has gone from roughly two hundred and fifty, to a thousand and seven hundred, and climbing." Census data and figures flashed on screen. "Many housing developments present from before the Big Bust are currently being renovated to cope with the demand, and new developments are springing up."
Some photos of new investments and projects appeared, including the bacteria cultivation arrays, now occupying formerly spoilt farmlands for the former corporate-owned village. A particularly amusing photograph had someone arriving to work at the cultivation array the Sargasso way - via the famous ziplines dotted throughout town. Some of them stretched for over four kilometres, being some of the longest ziplines in known space. Initially installed to deliver goods to other houses during the monsoon season, the ziplines soon became popular as a mode of transportation provided the commuter could survive the landing.
♫ Mitch Murder - Intermission ♫
The reporter approached a woman in her late forties, with platinum blonde hair, a weary expression and a dress of white, black, and hot pink. She held herself like she was royalty, with her chin up. "I'm here with the Proprietor of Lina's Palace, currently in charge of running the town's premier bar and eatery and the town itself." The reporter pointed the microphone towards her and asked a question. "Ms. Rarius, its commonly inferred that over half of the money spent in this town prior to your second wind came from the members of the ISC Phoenix. Is this correct?"
Lina chuckled. "It's not a far stretch from the truth, I mean a couple of years ago, this was the sort of place a cat wouldn't be caught dead pissing in." Her voice sounded weary, but enthused enough to talk about the town she helped retake on national television. "Even criminals didn't want to move in because there was no opportunity for them!"
The reporter made an 'ooh' with his mouth. Was it really that bad back then? "What role did you serve during the insurrection against Wayfield Investments?"
She looked aside, out to the ocean before addressing the reporter. "I'd rather not say on air," she said, "but I did kill a man with a stiletto heel."
"Fair enough. Are you looking forward to the future now that the town has exports of food products, fertiliser, ocean bacteria, and confectionery?"
Lina smiled and nodded. "I'm delighted, as a matter of fact!"
"Did you ever think about leaving Sargasso? Would you have thought an outcome like this was possible back then?"
"No, and no. I had nowhere else to go because when I came here in YE31 with Karl, I put everything into making Lina's Palace. I couldn't leave it behind, and ..." she rubbed the back of her head, "I couldn't have imagined this happened."
"What do the ISC Phoenix do here, anyway?"
"Well, they buy our produce, particularly ammunition, and they're frequent faces down at the Palace too." Lina looked past the camera at something in the distance. "I have the feeling they're in big with Origin Industries too, because David started getting loads of support from Origin Industries to get our infra up to scratch."
"So you have no problem with keeping a private military company as a major stakeholder in this town?"
Lina licked her lips, thinking about that before providing an answer. "None at all." She said with confidence. "They rarely ask us for anything, occasionally some orders for things we don't have stock of via Commercial Lane, but nothing out of the ordinary. They're spending money and stimulating the town, and they look out for us. I'd say its a mutually beneficial arrangement."
The reporter tilted his head. "Would you be prepared to evict them if something came to that?"
"I can't imagine it happening in the near future. You do know who we're talking about, don't you?"
"Indeed. Thank you for your time." The reporter wrapped things up. "We were going to interview Mr. Pavone, but it seems he is unavailable at the moment. Coming up next, we talk wildcat loads and you. How the powder mixes you could be using are wearing your guns out quicker and putting you at risk! Back to you, Tom!"
-
(Small note. The Wiki caches really aggressively. It's difficult to update existing images - the changes usually reflect in a couple of days time. Fortunately, the image of the map here is forcing the latest. You can see the ziplines!)
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