#oof i forgot this one is a bit info-dumpy - but then it was for worldbuilding so... :shrug:

[druidx]

SPC Challenge Four

Universe: Astyria's Star (Original) CW: Politics Words: 930 Context: This was written in 2010 for the Protagonize Summer Prose Challenge - a challenge designed to lead you through some world-building exercises. I do not recall what the prompt for Challenge Four was.

“Settle please, Councillors. Settle please,” the Chancellor called out. “I know this isn’t anywhere near as pleasant as Gont Point, but we must make do in the present circumstances.”

Astyria glanced around the more modern building - shining glass, varnished wood and precious steel - that had been commandeered for the council’s emergency use. It seemed to have been some kind of theatre, given the tiered seating and the dais on which the Chancellor was sat. Slowly around her, the noise subsided, as the council took its seats and stopped its chattering.

“I now call this session to order,” the chancellor began. Astyria leaned over to the woman sitting next to her. “Councillor Breaken,” she whispered, “I really don’t see why I am here.” “Please, call me Saris,” the councillor whispered back. “And you are here because the council has requested an update from all the contractors working on a solution to our current problem. Since you are in my constituency, you get to come along with me.” “Even the backup plan?” The councillor looked at Astyria. She was a strong looking woman, Astyria thought. Heavily tanned, with high cheekbones, her intricately carved Mother-of-Perl collar helped show off the status she held. “Especially the backup plan,” Saris whispered. Astyria gave a small sigh as Breaken returned her attention to the session, and began to look over the assembled councillors.

Many of them she had never seen before, but there were a few she recognised from the news - those with Coalescences of over twenty islands. However, given the importance of this meeting, not only were all the councillors and guests like herself present, but also the heads of each island. The room was packed with an array of hues of skin and cloth, and some thoughtful administrator had arranged the seats geographically. Far to her left sat the ones who lived closest to Arctus: their skins white turning to olive. Most of their clothing was in bright, primary colours, because (Astyria had once been told) many of the plants they used would only grow in the colder climates of the north. As her eyes followed the curve of the seating, she saw how the majority of the central seats were taken up by those like herself - light to medium tanned. Astyria smiled, recalling the night she’d helped Joishi with his homework, explaining that their planet had an axis tilt of 35º which meant the best places to live were on the numerous islands a few hundred miles from the equator.

There were a few colonised islands closer to the equator, their representatives sitting not much further to her right. They didn’t tend to wear much of anything if they could help it, and what they did wear was usually white or the sandy colour of unbleached fabrics, standing out in stark contrast to their ebony skin.

Astyria turned her attention back to the session. “And so,” a man on the dais was saying, “with expected resources evaluated to be very low by the time the generation ships are made, we have attempted to make each one a self-contained ecosphere so that the little we will have to take with us is not wasted.” One of the other councillors stood up, an older man from the Northern end of the room. “Of course,” he said. “We would hope this would be the case anyway. Do you see many synthesised products in this room, sir? Even with some of our newer technologies making resources more readily available for exploitation, oil and metals are still precious gifts, not to be used frivolously.” There was a murmur of assent from the room.

“Obviously, councillor, we would not dream of wasting these assets. The majority of the materials used will be things we can harvest directly from the seas or beaches. After all one of the major components of the nano-factories used to build the elevator and the ships is silicon, a direct derivative of sand. Everything we plan on using, right down to the power generation, will be - for what it’s worth now - sustainable, or used with as little wastage as possible.” “So, if we do in fact have to leave, we will be leaving the planet mostly intact?” “Yes, councillor. Though it would be more beneficial if we were able, once the entire population was aboard a generation ship, to be able to nanofactor the planet and take with us more materials.”

A darker tanned woman stood up. “And what if parts of the population want to stay - do you propose nanofactoring them as well?” she asked. “Well, no...” The engineer looked at the Chancellor for help. “That, I think, is a debate for another time. Thank you, Tolen,” said the Chancellor. The man nodded and moved back to his seat. “I believe we have thoroughly established that the planet may well be unsalvageable. The issue now becomes: do we continue our efforts to evade the latest acid age, or do we move to commence building the elevator, and the generation ships, at once and proceed directly with transporting the world’s populous to Astyria’s Star?” A thrill ran through Astyria at hearing her name mentioned, but the Chancellor was continuing, “We will now take a short break. Please discuss what you have heard, then we will vote on the matter when we reconvene.”

“You see my dear?” Saris said to Astyria as the council began to rise and shuffle out to the refreshment area. “That is why you are here.”