Bucking tradition, he had chosen to drive from Montsoliel in a leased two-seat vehicle with a 1 square meter pickup bed and all-wheel drive. It had taken longer (days instead of hours) but had afforded him the opportunity to stop at each little community along the way and get a ‘feel’ for things on the ground. That sort of first-hand, front-line was often worth its weight in gold.
So far, Guy found business was normal, but EVERYONE seemed nervous. It seemed like everyone could sense that SOMETHING was going to happen, but nobody had any clue what that something might be … and that made things worse. Trouble you knew, you could plan for and brace against, but how do you plan for the unknown?
Yet the very fact that BUSINESS was carrying on as normal, was a good sign.
Guy had arrived in Brulantfort late yesterday at the “Double Small Stateroom” prefab ["U" near 18] he had leased for a month. Arrangements had been made in advance so he could arrive (or leave) without needing to alert anyone of his location or itinerary. It was probably an unnecessary security precaution, but some habits are hard to shake. The unit was chosen for its LOCATION. It offered handy and back-road access to the factory (to check on special orders) as well as quick access to three clusters of Lower Class Housing units.
To most people, they were just clusters of poor workers forming a community … and they were that … but to Guy, those were the Branch Offices of his silent partners and the eyes, ears and hands of the Syndicate. This was where goods were stored. These were the people that moved those goods. These were the consumers that purchased those goods. If there was to be any disruption, this is where the cracks would show first. A Baron might be awarded governance over a town, but for Guy, THESE were his ‘subjects’. To them, his word was law.
After a passable ‘home-style’ breakfast at the local Diner [12], Guy was sitting in a sculpture garden with a neighbor named “Betty” that made Kinetic Sculptures. Like most of the people in the COLONY, she was an artist with strong opinions and no particular love for being told what to do. She was also full of interesting information about the neighborhood.
Guy was introduced to another neighbor, new to the Colony … Joceline Rose-Flint, the mother of a pair of two-year-old twins. Her husband was a Marine, just out of the service, and ‘hunting’ in the woods outside the COLONY.
The news was concerning to Guy. Certainly the Syndicate had nothing that the MILITARY would care about, but if Military Intelligence had people searching for SOMETHING, then they might stumble across some Syndicate Business by mistake. The local operators needed to be warned to keep a lower profile and exercise more caution. Some idiot smuggling untaxed beer getting into a firefight with a Military Patrol is EXACTLY what the Syndicate is afraid of.
On the other hand, if the Military is sending in scouts, then the rumors of an impending Government raid of the COLONY may need to be taken more seriously. The best outcome for Guy would be for everyone to find whatever they are searching for and let Business get back to normal. It looks like Guy has some snooping on his calendar.
"O" = Outcast = "Pressure Tent" inhabited by SOC 0-2 individuals.
"L" = Lower = "Prefabricated Cabin" inhabited by SOC 3-5 individuals.
"M" = Middle = "Advance Base" inhabited by SOC 6-8 individuals.
"U" = Upper = "Double Small Craft Stateroom" [Cr 200k; 16k kg; 6x12m] inhabited by SOC 9-11 individuals.
"E" = Elite = "Cutter Module" [Cr 500k; 40k kg; 4m dia.x30m long] inhabited by SOC 12+ individuals.
[1] General Contractor
[2] Grocery Store
[3] General Store (like a micro-Walmart)
[4] Savings & Loan
[5] Real Estate Office ("sales & Leasing")
[6] Architect/Engineer
[7] Data Processing & Storage
[8] Brulantfort Employment Services
[9] Medical Clinic
[10] Assisted Living Facility
[11] Restaurant
[12] "District 0, Building 12" (Bar & Diner)
[13] Repair Shop
[14] Chapel
[15] Factory
[16] Brulantfort Educational Services
[17] Clothing Store
[18] Building Material & Garden Supply
[19] HVAC & Filtration Construction and Repair
[20] Brulantfort Social Services
[21] Laundry (self-service and full service)
[22] Insurance Office
[23] Wholesale Food & Grocery
[24] Vehicle Parts Store
[25] "Warehouse 25"
[26] Bed and Breakfast (12 rental units)
