Red is on Pygar, more exactly he is on an freighter going to a not known location to the general population, and with a very uncommon cargo for an Zoner. He ended the patrols on Gran Canaria, the bretonians rarely leave the city walls protection, so it was useless to continue mainly as winter is coming. He arrive the destination, one huge cave on a mountain complex. Ken, the owner go to Red to greet him:
Ken: Red my old friend! How are you? What you have for me? Some good stuff?
Red: The last ones. We don’t need then anymore, so I figure out that you may like then.
Ken: Hmmm! Let me see! Twelve … they look strong! Navy or army?
Red: Don’t know and don’t care!
After the exodus from Gran Canaria to Pygar, it was necessary to build a new home. Living inside a cave was out of the question, and after the refusal of Livadia for help to build one big dome, the build was slow and dangerous, mainly the top. The unpredictable strong winds made it too dangerous for who was there, so officially robots was used, but in fact, and very few know it, the job was done by bretonian prisoners, with the loss of at least twenty four! And know that they are no longer in need, Red is getting rid of them before Sara and Matilda find out … is this the new Zoner way or simply we are fed up and simply start to don’t care more? Who cares right?
While the cargo is unloaded, Red and Ken go to the interior of the cave, along the way Red spots some Pygar bugs.
Ken: Damn bugs! No matter how many we kill more will show up!
Red: That is why we built the dome! If Sara and Matilda saw just one …
Suddenly Red ears a woman scream, he goes with Ken to check, and see one man sexually assault one woman … actually a bretonian! Red grabs the assaulter and throw him against the wall.
Ken: Stop it now!
Assaulter: She is a bretonian. * turns to Red* I know who are you, and I know that you killed many in Gran Canaria, and you and your friends brought a lot of then here, so you care?
Red: You touch her again and I will kill you!
The assaulter laughs and touch her shoulder with a finger, and laugh at Red … big mistake … with just one strike Red smashes the assaulter’s throat, leaving him to die. The bretonian woman gets up and touch Red’s arm:
Bretonian: Thank you!
But Red … Red is Red, and grabs her and chokes her:
Red: Do you think I did this for you?! I want that all of your kind to die!!
Ken: No Red no ohh crap!! You killed her!! She was one of the best females I had! Damn it! * Ken calls for some of his staff * Get rid of this two bodies! Yes him too! He was a jerk!
Ken and Red continue to walk to the main reason of that the secrecy of that place … one small gladiator arena. Several people were there to see the ... games, and some even Red knew then!
Ken: Come here! This are the best seats in the house! * Red was looking the this new Zoner entertainment … former traders, farmers miners, beating on blood games! Feasting on death of those in the arena!* Look, the next two were brought by Rutger, two navy fly boys that he shot down.
The two men enter the arena and the crowd cheers.
Red: How you know they will fight each other?
Ken: Red my friend … you know me well *smiles*! Before they enter the arena, they are injected with a mixture of cardi and that gallic stuff, nox ! As soon they that kicks him, they even would kill their own mother!
And few moments later … both men, probably same squadron, friends … they stop being humans and become angry beasts … they fought brutally while the crowd sheer … until one finally succumbs and still the others continue to hit his opponent, until he is hit by one tranquilizer dart and goes down. Then some men enter to clean the arena.
Ken: And the best of all this, is that he will not remember what he done, and we can use him next time* smiles *Oh! I have something for you! One information! Someone said … you know those friends of ours in Bretonia … that not long ago, one Zoner vip was arrested, and then we was take to prison, and then … this is the best part, to New London with an huge escort, and after that, he was released! What you tell me about that?
Red: Vip? Who?
Ken: I don’t know! Someone really important that the brets didn’t want anyone to know about it!
Red: Maybe someone … someone that has a relevant position on the community … someone the brets can use him to manipulate the zoners!
Ken: Yes!! I also thought about it! Erie version 2?! * Red agrees* Someone … that could deserve to … let’s say be in the arena?
Red: And me killing him!
Ken: * laughs* that is the Red I know! Look … a new thing I’m testing! *Three men, bretonians, enter the arena scared … and suddenly another enter but this one is different*
Red: That looks rheinlander but …
Ken: Yes?! Come on!!
Red: Infected?
Ken:*laughs* Yes! We have many of them closer that you think, and most usually commit suicide before we get then, but most are not all and I have few of them. Let’s see if they make a good show and if the crowd likes then.
* The combat was brutal, but Red can’t stop thinking … who is this vip and why bretonia let him go? After the loss of so many in the gallic war, they really don’t want to lose more soldiers, mainly when they want to keep the image of saviors and not oppressors. Red knows that Gran Canaria is a lost war, but bretonian blood will not be spill*
[align=justify]“What we do in life echoes in eternity.” Maximus, Gladiator movie
Planet Pygar … the once small and exclusive “arena” has now become an attraction for Zoners and even Corsair. They are now hundreds of people feasting on the spectacle of violence … of blood … of death! Now even the public can participate … Corsairs and even Zoners can pay to enter the arena, and … well … what lost men with nothing to lose do when they see the images of those who took everything from then?! Ken even accept orders … a bretonian soldier from a certain unit or regiment … most are simple soldiers or even navy pilot shot down, dressed with that specific uniform, but that doesn’t matter … because what matters is what the “client” wants, and he wants someone of that unit that destroyed everything important on his life, and he now wants revenge … even if this not only brings back what he lost but also makes him lose even more … his dignity has a human being.
Red is there, watching, not long ago we would disapprove what he is now watching but now … he simply do not care! But today is different, he is waiting for an old friend, Rutger Hauer! He also knows this place well, he is one of the “providers”, and many of those who ended up here, arrived on his Furious Bird cargo haul.
- Rutger – Red how are you?! Long time no see, I never thought I would see you here … enjoying the show?!
- Red – Rutger! Show … well … who cares right?!
- Rutger - Right! Does Sara knows you are here?
- Red – No! It is better this way!! Tell me my friend … you last message said something urgent.
- Rutger – Some days ago a Bretonian force arrived on Freeport 1, they went to pick someone very important.
- Red – Another Zoner vip?
- Rutger – No!! This time someone even more vip! One of the workers on the docking bay, said that at least one of these vips, had a Coallition uniform, but not an normal officer … a very important one!
- Red – Ok! Maybe an minister defected, so?!
- Rutger – I don’t think that was just a average officer or minister… !
- Red – Why you said that?
- Rutger – Because if it was just an average officer, why Coallition increased their military presence on Omega 49? Why they stopped the regular patrols with the Bretonian Navy? Also … why would they require support to the Hessians and Mollys if they need it?!
- Red - How you know that?
- Rutger – I spend most of my time on Garvagh, and the best way to get information, is to get some Mollys drunk! It needs a lot to get then drunk, but when they get it, you become their best friends and they tell you all.
Red thinks for a bit! Bretonia and Coalittion at war sounds good! Gran Canaria will never be Zoner again but …
- Red – Christmas is almost here … you are invited to come to celebrate with us!
- Rutger – I don’t like it to be fair!
- Red – Neither do I, but as one community we celebrate it … after that … we will see what happens and what we can do! Looks like one war is coming, and I don’t think that the reds can take GC from Bretonnia, but they can make then bleed … and we will be there to make they bleed even more!
Both men greet and have a drink, and watch the show … the bloody show that life now become … the dream of peace was just that … one dream that become one nightmare that is life … any actions in life can have repercussions for all eternity!! [/align]
“We who have seen war, will never stop seeing it” – Joe Galloway
Red is arriving to Theta, after some hunting on Omega 49. The left rear stabilizer of his ship needs to be changed, but due the lacks of parts at home, he docks on Corfu. After delivering his ships he goes to the bar, and notices that something is happening … security is much higher than usual … after some bar talks, he finds that there is some kind of summit, with some so call Zoner vip. After a while he goes to the hangar where his ship is being repair.
Red: Chris, is she ready?
Chris the mechanic: All fine Red. All stabilizers are fully calibrated and she is ready to go.
Red: Good. I will leave now! I have some cargo to deliver.
Chris: Red … well I could not notice some blaster marks, and … ahhh … I think I hears someone on the cargo hold …
Red: What you want to say Chris?
Chris: Bretonians?!
Red: Chris … mind your business. Is better this way!
Red leaves Corfu and heads to the Arena on Pygar … he has a cargo to be delivered. On location he notice something disturbing.
Ken in opens arms: Red how are you my friend? Tell me … what you brought today!
Red: Ken, do you know who those people are over there?
Ken: Yes I know! * replies worried* But can I do? I can’t block their entrance, it could be even worse.
Red: And if these Bounty Hunters are going to tell what is happening here?
Ken: Red … I know that sooner or later everyone is going to know what happens here. From the first day I always knew that someday I have to end this. But no worries ... until that day, we are going to party, right? *laughs* Tell me what you have here? Any good looking women?
Red: I have here 3 or 4, but I don’t know if they are good looking. Most likely they aren’t, cause we all know that any good looking bretonian woman is working on one whorehouse, and not on the Navy.
Ken laughs: Yeah! You know I was thinking something different ... like a mud fight!
Red: A mud fight till death? I don’t think so.
Ken: Yeah maybe you are right! So any difficulties over there?
Red: Not really. The best pilots are protecting New London from the Enclave ... only found some newbies!
Ken: Well … lets unload this ones, we have one show to make! *laughs* By the way, how is Sara?
Red: Not really well! This planet sucks!! I would rather live in a station than this crap!
Ken: I know!! This is really the biggest craphole in Sirius! Have you heard about Freeport 14? Looks like the jellies and their lovers moved to Alberta, or what is left of it. Some serious crap is preparing to happen there.
Red goes to is favorite place in the Arena, a very quiet corner that is hidden where he can see without being seen. With a drink in his hands he thinks about FP14 … probably the last real Zoner place on Sirius, and then he notices someone on the audience … Josh leader of the former Jaguar Defense Group ... or what is left of him! He had one of the biggest and better prepared groups ... they were hit hard … very few survived … and not all in one piece, and what was the best leaders of the Southern hemisphere is a shadow of what he was … lost a leg and one arm … burned face … and clinging to a bottle … what are those vips over there in Corfu doing? Probably counting the gold that bretonians gave then to betray us … the show is going to start to the delight of the crowd … another day on the new life of the Zoners.
It happened … as fast bretonians arrived they just left! Thousands died, and many more lives were broken, and at the end … for what?! Red scans Gran Canaria … bretonia signals are quiet … as if they never been there! But before he lands on the planet, he first scans the system … he knows that bretonians had a base hidden in the system, and later he found it … gone but not far!! Even so he returns to Gran Canaria orbit … he contacts the planet surface and all reports say that bretonians left and sacked the planet! Even the docking they took … even so he finds one orbit entrance points, and heads to Port Canaria! On the ground he notices the mess … people don’t know what to do … major equipment are missing … bretonians took all … empty hospitals, ripped of all power generators they could … water pumps all! After some contacts, Red returns to his ship, and heads to some location on the planet, former bretonian bases and some settlements … and all confirms … they are all empty! Even Port Jackson … all empty except some scavengers trying to find in vain something useful! Red heads to the location where Eagle group fought and fell … again all empty! He lands near the former cave complex where Eagle Group made their last stand, where he can still see the scars on the ground where many fallen … craters … pieces of destroyed vehicles ... helmets ... and then he looks to the destroyed mountain where many zoners and bretonians most likely are still buried … why all this?! He returns to his ship, and heads to the Nest … home! It is getting late, when Red arrives to the Nest, he lands on a small platform covered with vegetation, where one small entrance is hidden! Few moments later he is finally home … well … needs some cleaning but still intake. He goes to the control center where he checks if all systems are operational, few moments later, all good! Red smiles … home sweet home! He sends one message to Pygar “All ok. Bretonians left, and the Nest is secure”! Red is tired, he lays back on the chair and he fall asleep!
Day 2 after Bretonia abandon GC. Red roams the Nest, checking if all is operating well, he stops at his quarters … empty … dirty … but not for long! Red receives a message that a ship with his people is coming. He opens the hangar door and goes outside … it is summer but temperature is low … even so good enough. He sits at the edge of the landing platform, and does something he doesn’t for too long … he takes off his boots and he treads the grass with his bare feet! Red enjoys this moment of freedom but not for long, one small freighter arrives and lands on the platform and before Red stand up, Chuck leaves the ship and runs to Red and jumps to him!
- Chuck: We are back big brother! We are back home! – he says in the happiest and emotional tone.
Red smiles, yes finally home! He stands ups and greets all that come on the small Kestrel, and there she is … his beloved princess Sara … finally together home! Red never considered the colony on Pygar home … he always felt like a refugee there.
Time is passing and more and more birds are arriving … a lot of work needs to be done, from cleaning to maintenance. But now one important decision has to be made … what about the colony on Pygar? For now is going to stay there … never know when we are going to need another plan B.
Some days later the Nest is fully operational, finally all are safe home, and anyone can see the happiness on everyone faces. One memorial is made to remember the sacrifice that was made, and all those we lost, including our founding father, Mighty Eagle, who’s ashes can finally be scattered over Zoner free ground.
On the next day, news of order and reconstruction arrive. Many Zoners returned home, and are rebuilding what they lost. Red returns to Pygar, there still stuff to bring back home, but before that, he heads to the Arena. Red talks to Ken. He doesn’t plan to return, at least for now, to GC. He lost everything there and on Pygar, at least he has something, war is over … or isn’t? Even so … there plans for the Arena to continue open, what Bretonia did will not be forgotten and forgiven!
Many plan to continue on Pygar … the situation on Gran Canaria is still not clear and the future is still uncertain!!!
Every day is getting colder! Snow already covers parts of the planet that never saw snow. Slowly the habitants of Gran Canaria prepare themselves for this long winter that is coming. Major infrastructures that the bretonians stole or destroyed are rebuild, enough for the few thousands of habitants of the planet, mostly Zoners and some Corsairs, while the Coallition still keeps some small areas. The bretonians left, and took everything they could but … they left few things behind. Port Jackson was the prime jewel of Bretonia on Gran Canaria, and now lays empty … a ghost city covered with a thin layer of snow, almost untouched except few buildings that some looters tried to loot! Bretonians left the city untouched, but they didn’t leave it in peace, as buildings and several other places are booby trapped, and some looters found it the hard way. It is exactly what Red is seeing, the remains of one body outside an damage shop, looks like that shoes he really wanted those shoes!! Bretonians may left but they leave some of their rats behind … not the furry ones … the human ones, and it exactly what Red and others are hunting down. Before Bretonia invaded Gran Canaria, several groups of resistance were formed, Red commanded Eagle group, but the biggest and stronger group was Jaguar, but it felt in one day … bretonians attacked in force on the only weak point of the defenses, thanks to a rat that told then were to attack, and it is that rat that the bretonians left behind, and now the hunt has come to end, the rat can run but it can hide. Slowly, in the empty streets of Port Jackson, Red and a group of former resistance fighters lead by Josh, the former Jaguar group commander and one of the few that survived, moves area by area, with the help of mine drones, capable of detection sound and movement, with the capability of entering on the buildings without triggering the traps. Red keeps looking to his data pad, there is another problem that bothers Red, with the climate change, the fauna of the planet is suffering. Animals are suffering with temperatures that they can’t stand, some are dying while others search for better conditions that don’t exist. Sea currents changed and there are fishes and other sea creatures that are dying because of those changes and not all in the sea, all weather patterns are changed … sea animals, land animals, birds to even insects are suffering. Some zoners using old agricultural domes to save whatever they can!
Time passes and more areas are swept ... no sign of that rat! The group is mall about 10 members on 3 vehicles, but they are determined to end this today. Suddenly an small explosion is heard not that far ... one drone is sent to investigate, and jackpot. The team arrives fast to the location, and finally there he is … or what is left of him! What the team is seeing is the man that betrayed Jaguar group dragging what remains of his body, lost both legs in the explosion, the team is silent has Josh slowly go near him, in cries of pain and fear the rat begs for help to his father. Josh looks silent to his wounded son … the one who betrayed him and thousands of zoners … and slowly sits on the floor near him and stand right there … watching ... silent while his son begs for help of forgiveness … time slowly passes … and Josh stands there sit on the floor watching his son dying … until he finally perish, and Josh stands up and goes to the team. One member of team ask him if he wants to retrieve the body, but Josh doesn’t care, he wasn’t he son for long time, since he sold his family and people to the bretonians.
- Red – What now Josh?
- Josh – I don’t know! I don’t care anymore! My life as no more purpose!
- Red - Well ... I can get you one. “ Red show Josh his data pad”.
- Josh – Project Noah! You want to help you to save these animals?
- Red – We need someone to organize all ... these are innocent lives that need our help.
- Josh – I remember you were still a young boy, going to the fields scare the animals, for those bretonians and corsairs hunters couldn’t hunt then, and then you sneek behind then and disabled their vehicles so they couldn’t go after then. *smiles*
- Red smiling – Those were the days. So … do you join us?!
Josh nods in sign of agreement. A lot going to be necessary and hard work, but it is a good cause, and … saving a life may not change the world but changes the world for that life!
“There is a time for departure, even when there no certain place to go”
Red is walking on the streets of Port Canaria … better … Red is walking in the empty and cold streets of Port Canaria. Day by day the planet climate is changing … it is snowing in places that not even two years ago people took sunbaths!! Slowly the entire planet loses it colours to turn all white. He arrives to his destination, the former Government Hall, cold and not in a good mood, Red goes straight to the Assembly room, where the representatives of what left of the people of Gran Canaria are assembled, and security noticing is bad mood, not even dare to say a word, and even open the door for him. As the door open red already could hear some shouting’s, in reality everyone is shouting and no one is listening. Red searches for his sister Matilda, she is on the other side of the room, while he walks to her someone said her name in a not every pleasant tone showing his disapproval of the wildlife preservation plan, and Red stops right on his side, as he continues to speak loud and in a not good manners. At that time all others stop speaking … they are looking and waiting for Red reaction, suddenly that individual stops, noticing that something was wrong and when he notices that Red is just at his side … it was just like seeing his own death just in front of him. But Red continues walking to his sister, while a huge silence fills the room. He kisses Matilda’s forehead and slowly start undressing his large and heavy coat. He turns to all in the room:
- Red - Well ... if no one has nothing to say, Mister Chairman I would like to says something. * Red receives permission and all are remain silent* Mister Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen of this Assembly … well let me say I’m quite surprise of seeing that so many of you are still here. *Red continues* we all know what is happening here. Gran Canaria soon will become a freezing snow ball. Life soon will become impractical on most of the planet surface. We are all suffering now and the future looks even worst, and there is nothing that we can do!! We fought the Corsairs, we resist Bretonia but we can’t win the cold, not matter how good is the heating or even our clothes. So I understand very well that most of you are preparing to leave, and the few that are staying want to secure all resources they can. When bretonians left they looted everything they could and destroyed what they couldn’t take, but we managed to rebuild … at least most of it! I even say he managed to rebuild enough!! The deuterium production, our main source of income, is going … let’s say in a rough way, the production cost got higher also due the climate change, but luckily the demand of deuterium is high, so there is still something left here.
- Someone on the room - And what about security? We are not safe here.
- Red - Is there a place in Sirius that is safe? Come on tell me just one place where you can really say that you are safe. Omega 49 is a lawless system, and will continue that way in our favour. Let the Corsairs and the Core and Coallition and even the Mollies and Bretonians that are still here fight each other, while we just sit don’t giving a single F about it. They even can’t do nothing. The Corsairs are no more a bunch of impotent that only know to brag they selves how good they are, and losing over and over several battles and doing nothing more except time attacking helpless traders. The Coallition is not much better, with the end of wars in Bretonia and Rheinland, like the Corsairs, they are trapped with nowhere to go. The Core doesn’t care about this place, they only care of the Omicrons, and the Mollies only care about Dublin, gold and drinking. *Red continues* Even now we have that pathetic base from OSC, full of artefacts and prostitution, I would not be surprise if members of the bretonian government were their finest customers. *Red stops for a bit and look around* I know many of you are leaving! I understand your decision, and we even carried some of your luggage to the Taus. We know that commerce in Port Canaria is dead, no more fun moments on the streets, or on the beaches, or long walks in the endless prairies and many more places that made us fall in love by this planet … so those who want to leave … will not be ostracized by the Zoner community, or at least what is left of it. Those who want to continue, at least for now, get ready there is still a lot of hard work to be done. The power grid still needs to be rebuilt, and all living souls should be protected, humans or not. The protection of what remains of the wild life is one priority … I know some disagree that many shelters from Livadia are used for this project, but we are helping innocent lives, that have nowhere to go and can’t make choices. Too many innocent already died, let at least save some!
The assembly is silent listening what Red is saying. Many are ashamed of their selfishness, but many agree on continue. The planet may be becoming white, but darker times are coming, and it is not a question that how many Zoners are continuing to resist, it is a question of for how long Zoners are continuing to resist. The future is uncertain, but that can also be a good thing.
It is the enemy who can truly teach us to practice the virtues of compassion and tolerance. Dalai Lama
Spaceport Port Canaria. Red is standing alone, in plain sight of everyone, on platform 12. It is cold … some say that there is 10ºC but the wind makes it look like way below zero. Many may think that he is inspecting the loading of a cargo on the Large_Bird, but the reality is very different. Red is watching who is leaving … for some time many small transports are taking Zoners from Gran Canaria away … they fly to the Taus, and then with new ids, they go to anywhere they want. Some already have house passports, mainly Rheinland, those who escaped wars long time ago, and know they are returning. For the rheinlanders is easy, planet Stuttgart it is in need of new workers, mainly farmers, more and more they want to get rid of foreign companies, and Synth Foods is on the top of the list, so they need to increase the production of quality food. Sara is Rheinlander, and every they she speaks with her family on Stuttgart and always the good weather and fine air, and how safe the planet is now, comes to the conversation … that makes Red feel bad, to somehow force the love of his life to stay and suffer!!
Red notices some people entering a freighter … he knows then … a small child sees Red and wave him goodbye, her mother try to make the child stop and and then notices Red, and she also timidly waves goodbye. Red smiles … and also waves goodbye to the widow and young daughter of a brave man that died fighting for Gran Canaria under Red´s command! They are not the only ones that day will leave for good Gran Canaria. Just next to the Large_Bird, on dock 11, one Democritus is waiting for Red signal. Red is just waiting for the platform to be clear for a “secret cargo” to be loaded on that Democritus. While that happens, Red inspects another load of animals, to be transported safely for a new home. Many species on Gran Canaria were brought from other planets, some accidentally, like this cargo, a kind of stoats that came long time ago from planet Cambridge, are secretly taken back and set free. Most species that can be done, because they were somehow imported, but some are more difficult, the birds to Erie was easy, but some species could be invasive and make serious damage to the new planet ecosystem.
Time pass … slowly the platform become empty, even the Large_Bird is full and is just there giving Red cover. Red looks around, and gives the signal, and a group of over 300 people slowly appears, nervously trying acting natural, start to embark on that Democritus. One man approach Red:
- Red – Coronel. *shakes his hand* - it was Hernan Cortez, formal Coronel of the Corsair Army, that fell from grace in the eyes of the empire, after the fail attempted of the Corsairs to conquer Gran Canaria, even if it wasn’t his fault, and even that he lost his only son!
- Cortez – Please don’t call me that. That was long ago … other times. Red thank you for your help. – Red with the help of the Gran Canaria Counsel, created new ids for the families of the Corsairs that want to leave Gran Canaria, but don’t want or can’t return to Crete.
- Red – You are not going with then?
- Cortez – No! It is better for then I don’t join then! * Cortez looks to a woman with a small boy, it is his daughter in law with his grandson* They will be safer this way, and I don’t want my grandson to pass what I and his father went thru.
Red looks to the boy, he has his father eyes, Red knows it because he saw then just before he killed him. Cortez knows that it was Red that killed his son, but his son also killed other sons and daughters … war has this type of things, sons and daughters kill each other and fathers and mother cry for their lost.
- Red – So we will see each other around here. *smiles*
- Cortez – Yes my friend! I hope we will. * Smiles and shakes Red’s hand, and leaves to say the final goodbye to his grandson*
About an hour later the Democritus leaves the spaceport to the Taus system, the Large_Bird already left to somewhere on Cambridge system, where will meet another transport with bretonian id to safely dock on the planet and later release that precious cargo. Red goes to bar where it is warm … it is damn cold outside.
“For the want of a nail the shoe was lost,
For the want of a shoe the horse was lost,
For the want of a horse the rider was lost,
For the want of a rider the battle was lost,
For the want of a battle the kingdom was lost,
And all for the want of a horseshoe-nail.”
― Benjamin Franklin
Government Hall Port Canaria … Red is with few other representatives … way less than the last time! As the weather is getting worse, more and more people leave Gran Canaria to the Taus, and then to other locations around Sirius … it is the end of era … the era of the free! They are all waiting if more arrive to start … but time passes and no one arrives. Dr. Neil Tyson is the main researcher on Gran Canaria and he has a lot to talk about Gran Canaria future and many questions to answer.
Neil – Well … it is more than one hour after the time so let’s start shall we?! *Neil makes a pause and looks to his pda, and then looks to some very not satisfied representatives * Let star for the beginning! I know many of you are angry, of why we didn't predict a so fast change on the climate. I understand very well but all this has a simple motive!
One representative – Good! Let’s hear it what the scientist genius has to say.
Neil – Oh thank very much! You are too kind. So the butterfly effect … small changes lead to big changes. When we arrive to this planet, the planet already was in his, let’s call it, winter orbit. We all knew that this was going to happen but not that fast! We were expecting that what he have now, only have in 70 to 80 years. So what happen you may ask … a lot of small things did happen and their effects combine accelerated the events. First one with the less heat from the star, naturally the temperatures are going down, that also lead to changes of the wind, not only in their speed has well their directions. Over 5 years ago there was a big quake on what he call the Western Furnace, the big volcanic region on the Western Ocean, where the south-west hot sea current gets most of the heat, right?! So that quake completely changed the furnace displacement and the current lost some heat, the current itself changed with changes of the wind! It is weaker and mainly it changed the path! On the Eastern ocean also we are watching that the currents there are changing their paths! So all combine … all this little things together it is why it is snowing on Port Canaria right now.
Another representative - Can we change it? Are there any small things that we can do to make it better?!
Neil – No and yes! Small things will not make a big impact but … some impact can be made. We can heat some areas but that will be necessary a huge amount of resources to build it and to maintain! But there is something we can do … archaeological expeditions noticed that this cycle already happened several times, and nature some way or other survived. There are two areas in the planet where life survived this long winter cycles. One is the area around the Western Furnace, and other is the Great Flat Lands. Fossils show us that this two areas, one in land another in sea, are where life went to survive. Not all did it, but those who did it survived long enough to return once again when conditions got better. * Neil makes a small pause, drinks some water and look to audience* Alien organisms! * The audience surprised” Alien organism are a magnificent component for terraforming, but also a great source of food and even fertilizers. Huge amounts of alien organism will serve as food for some sea creatures that also serve as food for others, and also create a mass to feed the marine flora. On land, it will serve as fertilizers. This two areas will have a climate of its own, with the temperatures around 5º C, at the worst conditions, in land, an 10 to 15º C in the water. Life can be protected there, and a planet with life, it is not a dead planet. Now about us humans … well that will not change much. We have to get used to the cold, we have the example of New Berlin, and can learn with then. But we can improve a bit, you know? Small things ok? We can increase heating in our homes and better and more efficient ways of keeping it. Wind barriers to protect from cold winds … many things can be done. And even with the vast use of alien organisms, we can change a bit. I don’t advise to use greenhouse gases, at least in an artificial way, but even with that alien organism can help us with that, but that will in another time, because the way we can use it, also depends own many we have it.
One representative speaks – I can speak for all, and we thank you Dr. Tyson for your explanations. But we have one problem. Big one! The main source of alien organism is Kurile, but the GMG stop selling then, as well Samura. More and more Kusari want to get rid of foreign companies, and Synth Foods are the main one, so they want to be the main food supplier to Kusari, so they use just for themselves all they can produce. And Baffin stopped produce then! They say that is temporary but we never know! I personally never trusted in religious freaks.
Another representative – We can mine then on Omicron Theta! There are plenty of then.
Neil – Yes we can, and that is my next point. What you call plenty may not be enough, has well we don’t have a mining capability for it! What we need is plan of action. But first we need to know how many people are going to stay on Gran Canaria, and where they are going to stay. Are all going to stay here on Port Canaria? Let me say in advance, that would be great, we could concentrate more resources and make things more efficient. Until then, the only thing we can do is just continue what we were doing, until official numbers come! I thank you for your time, and keep looking up.
All representatives leave, Red among then, is concern with the future, with more and more birds thinking of leaving, some fractures are beginning to appear in the group's cohesion.
3,5 in the old Richter scale was enough for the latest Canarianquake, to take down several buildings on the abandoned city of Santa Brigida, a small city located on the southeast quadrant, 5944 km from Port Canaria, formerly known as one of the bread basket of Gran Canaria, but now … a bunch of ruins in the middle of what was a fertile field, and now a frozen burnt grass! Red is there with a small team to investigate why so small quake took down so many buildings, of which type are used in many cities, now also abandoned. You can hear the wind … there is no living soul except us … no animals … insects … nothing! The cold that is taking over the whole planet is slowly killing everything! The answer for the collapse is simple … these buildings were made for moderate climates, not cold ones, and without proper maintenance, cracks on the foundations will appear, and it is just a matter of when because the fall is inevitable, so many more of the can be expected, luckily all cities with this buildings types are abandoned, but … what about Port Canaria?!
The team heads back, and on the city hall, the team search on what the bretonians didn’t manage to destroy, and investigate what kind of buildings exist there. Red can hear his sister Matilda on the other side of the wall, she is really angry! Red is walking to see what is going on, and sees Terrance, the 2.10 meters tall man, Matilda’s husband, a man of few words signals Red to go away and to let her calm down … a very good advice that Red takes it. Few hours later, the team finds out that some buildings could be problematic, they are the old ones, some built when the city was founded. It is necessary to reinforce not only the foundations, as well as waterproofing them, if water pass, it will freeze, and expand, and that's what dictated the fate of the city of Santa Brigida, and soon many others will have the same fate.
Winter is not coming … winter already has arrived and it is here to stay and to get even worse, but we will be here to deal with it! We are Zoners and we do not give up and we do never forget.
The Council of Gran Canaria … basically a bunch of residents, most former mayors or local representives, that after bretonians left and sacked all they could take and destroyed all they couln’t, manage to stable and rebuild most of the basics structures needed for the population that stayed and didn’t went on the second migration wage, that still continues. Slowly but sure, the planet is becoming an ice ball, and almost all villages and even cities are abandoned, with the exception of Port Canaria, that now could hold the entire planetary population and even more. Despite that all is fine, but not always was that way. After the bretonian occupation this Council was what prevented a civil war between what population remained. Rarely there was a unanimous decision, but despite all … Gran Canaria now flourish … at least on Port Canaria … the rest is basically empty … cold … frozen … ice frozen!
Red arrives to the Hall … actually for the first time it is very calm … very few councilors are there … they are there to say goodbye to this Council, maybe for the first time in the Zoner history something like this somehow worked! Matilda is replying some messages and next to her big Terrence is waiting with a can of paint and a brush. The moment is calm but sad … many remember the “fights” that happened here … sometimes almost really happened some real fights … but now, after the hard work is done … those who abandoned want to return … yeah mainly after a message from a bretonian!
Matilda sends the messages, she looks and says: “Well that’s it! This have come to an end but, we can still cooperate together … just between us! “ she smiles, turns to Terrence and pick the can of paint and the brush, she climbs to Terrence shoulders and writes on the wall two words in big capital letters “NEVER FORGET”.
It is the end of an era or isn’t?! Only the future will tell, but for now Zoners will be Zoners.