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EVE-Online RP Discussion and Resources => Player Driven Content => Topic started by: Utari Onzo on 22 Feb 2016, 11:28

Title: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Utari Onzo on 22 Feb 2016, 11:28
This is the in-character thread for the tour of the Origin colony. Current participants are members of the Alexylva Paradox corporation. To get involved, please contact Saede Riordan. Others are politely requested to limit themselves to listening quietly.

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Origin Colonial Authority, YC118

The rumble of the landing shuttle stirs Utari's eyes into focus as it hits atmosphere, disturbing his silent thoughts. Running a small set of prayer beads through his fingers and thumbs, the mix-blooded Amarrian moves his hazel-eyed gaze around the interior. There's no sense of panic in his face, rather a stillness. Prayers during a landing appear to be as much a habit to him as checking the doors are locked might be to someone leaving home.

The interior is as much as can be expected for a lander. Comfortable enough seating for the passangers, ample cargo space in the back, and a floating Cam-Drone buzzing just to the side. With touch down coming up, Utari decides to give the machine a quick system's shakedown with some test recording.

After a silent thought-command, it floats just above him, focusing its multiple lenses on the subject. In keeping with his usual sense of aesthetics, Utari's wearing his favoured gold and darkbrown, almost black, overcoat. Visible too are a pair of charcole grey trousers, and polished lockstep boots. The only other adornments visible is a small medallion pinned to his chest, the symbol of the Order of Jamyl, and a small black and gold amulet. Finished with this subject, the drone quickly peers over the rest of the shuttle interior and passengers, before uploading the stream to its master's Neocom.

Satisfied with the image, the Amarrian shuts down the drone for the moment, and peers out of the nearest viewing port as the shuttle burns ever further into the planet's atmosphere...
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Saede Riordan on 22 Feb 2016, 12:00
Renaissance. A lush and green world of towering trees, vast mountain ranges, and deep blue skies. The landing shuttle breaks through the puffy white clouds as the city of Foundation sprawls outside the viewports. From far above, the city resembles a  bullseye, with alternating rings of green parks and white stone structures. The shuttle spirals down into the center of the city, leaving white lines in the morning air in the wake of its passing.

A red haired copy of Saede sits on a bench outside the starport, watching shuttles take off and land in their smooth cadence. She lights a cigarette while she waits for Utari's shuttle to land. Dressed in a long duster coat with brown leather pants and a leather shirt, she does look quite the image of a frontier settler.

The starport is an elegant domed structure of white stone and glass, sprouting landing pads like strange flowers. It sits at the top of a wide hill, providing a commanding view of the five-mile wide circle of greenery known as Landfall Park. Pristine forests and meadows stretch away in all directions, gravel footpaths leading deep into the wilds. The park is criss-crossed with coloured monorail lines, branching out from the starport to a ring of gleaming skyscrapers; the First District, home of Government Offices, hospitals, research labs and the like. The First District completely encircles Landfall Park like a wall of glass and stone. The shining white buildings frame the otherwise natural skyline, creating an odd juxtaposition of nature and technology. At the edge of the District, the city is under construction: apartments, shops, universities, industrial sites, and small parks sprout up under a web of cranes and scaffolding. The entire city is a hive of activity, groups of people move throughout the park, atmospheric transports lift off from the port, and construction crews teem like ants in the outer districts.

Saede's implants identify Utari's shuttle as it spirals down to the starport and she tracks it with her eyes as it lands at the starport.
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Zerolaws on 22 Feb 2016, 17:30
Doc rushes to the starport to meet with thier visitors and Saede on time. Entering the building, he heads directly for the landing area and steps on the platform upon which their visitors' shuttle has landed.
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Aria Jenneth on 22 Feb 2016, 22:55
All through the descent, Aria has sat quietly, eyes closed, seemingly deep in meditation. Her face is expressionless, her breathing slow and regular. Her death grip above Utari's elbow, however, voicelessly declares that she does not actually like dropping out of orbit, however many times she might have done it.

Beside her towering companion, Aria's black-swathed form seems excessively tiny: diminutive, small-boned, fine-featured, and wraith-slender, an impression her close-fitting, high-necked top* only accentuates. Aside from her pale-golden complexion, the only splash of color is the golden frame to the obsidian locket at her throat. She's otherwise dressed pragmatically** in soft trousers and low-heeled, soft leather boots, designed for walking.

All of this is still and quiet as the turbulence of reentry diminishes. As the shuttle circles down, the pale golden fingers on Utari's arm slowly ease their grip.



* a complex yet practical garment combining aspects of turtleneck and wrap-around jacket. Its marketers insist on calling it a "dress," even though wearing it without separate skirt or trousers would get both embarrassing and drafty.
** assuming the sun doesn't get too intense; she's not really dressed for summer.
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Utari Onzo on 23 Feb 2016, 00:27
For the rest of re-entry, Utari's gaze is mostly fixed on the views of the planet, and the station where they land. His thoughts turn to his former home, a stew of lethal gasses, glass domes and extraction facilities. Planets you can breathe on are still somewhat of a small wonder to the man.

With touch down complete, the Amarrian puts the prayer beads away. Using his now free hand, he offers a reassuring gentle squeeze of the one that's gripped tightly on his arm. "Ready?" The contrast between Utari's own slightly deeper golden skin, a legacy of the Ni-Kunni, and Aria's shows. It's more sun kissed looking, with a practically permanent glow.

With another thought-command, Utari activates his mechanical companion, which floats gently beside the couple as they make their way out of the lander and onto the pad. It pans a panoramic view of the surrounds, people and sky line, much like Utari's own eyes as they search for their hosts.
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Saede Riordan on 23 Feb 2016, 11:23
Saede snuffs out her cigarette on the concrete and drops it into an ashtray before rising from her seat and wandering up the white stone ramp towards the docking platform.

She stuffs her dark brown and tattooed hands into her pockets, and whistles a tune to herself as she wanders up the curving concrete structure towards the correct platform, where Utari and Aria's shuttle is gently steaming in the sunlight.

She nods to Doc when she encounters him at the platform and smiles as she waits for Utari and Aria to emerge. The city quietly hums in the distance, waiting.
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Utari Onzo on 23 Feb 2016, 12:03
Upon noticing Doc and Saede, Utari leads the way over to them. He offers a warm smile, first to his good friend, then to the primary host. A bow, in Amarrian fashion, follows.

"Saede, thank you for hosting us on this tour. I look forward to seeing what sights you have planned. Doc, it's always good to see you friend."
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Saede Riordan on 23 Feb 2016, 13:08
Saede smiles and waves as Aria and Utari emerge from the shuttle.

Saede returns the bow with one of her own, albeit in the Caldari fashion.

"I hope to provide a memorable experience, we can always use the posiyive press." She chuckles and gestures to the city beyond. "Well then, shall we begin?"
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Aria Jenneth on 23 Feb 2016, 13:33
Aria bows in turn, matching Saede's Caldari mannerism with her own. Safely on the ground, her mood seems to have changed completely-- neither anxious nor masked in superficial serenity, but seemingly frustrated at her own lack of ability to see everything at the same time and determined to compensate by getting a good look at anything and everything possible. Consequently, when she's not actually acknowledging someone or remarking on something, she always seems to be looking somewhere else.

"Saisieni, Doc, Saede. And ... yes, please, lets! ..."
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Zerolaws on 23 Feb 2016, 13:37
Seemingly pleased to see Utari and Aria, Doc tries to the return the bowings albeit imperfectly. He manages to put his usual grin like a cheshire cat on his face under amused looks of Utari. He has things on his mind to sit down and discuss with him but those can wait for an appropriate time so he chooses to keep silent except for some ceremonials.
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Saede Riordan on 23 Feb 2016, 15:28
Saede smiles as she beckons the group forward, "Did you guys have any luggage to take care of? Because i can arrange to have it brought to the hotel. And did you want to visit the hotel first or shall we go explore a bit, maybe grab a bite?"
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Utari Onzo on 23 Feb 2016, 15:35
Utari's own eyes focus mostly on one thing at a time, pausing long enough to take note and appreciate any given view when not in conversation. His Cam-Drone, on the other hand, maintains a polite distance as it scours the surrounds of the landing pad, recording as much of the activity as possible.

"Personally, I'd like to get stuck into the thick of it right away, but what do you think Aria?"
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Aria Jenneth on 23 Feb 2016, 18:39
Having thrown Doc an unreadable glance, followed by a polite bow, of sorts, and detached herself from Utari, Aria is playing more the camera drone than the dignified tourist. It's hard to tell how much she really understands of what she's seeing, but she seems determined to take in as much of it as possible. She seems to have just finished taking a quick inventory of the skyline.

"Oh. Um. Thick of it. Definitely. Please. Um. No luggage." Beat. "Ever." Another beat. "Hm. It hadn't ... occurred to me, but that could ... be a bad habit. Kredits do carry weight here?"
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Saede Riordan on 23 Feb 2016, 21:32
Saede laughs and nods her head, "Yeah, Origin doesnt have a local currency, we use ISK for all economic exchange."

She leads the group down the gently curving ramp down to ground level, through the security checkpoint, and out into the bright morning sunlight.

"A side effect of that," she continues, is that even the lowest paid workers in Origin make an order of magnitude more then their Known Space counterparts, creating a strong an thriving import market."

She leads them down the hill away from the landing pad. The towering trees begin to loom up around them. The concrete footpath turns to gravel as they head down into the woods. "I thought we'd start with a little nature hike, take a trail through the park and into the city, sound good?"
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Utari Onzo on 23 Feb 2016, 23:57
Utari arches a brow slightly at Saede's response. "Wouldn't that make Origin's economy vastly lopsided? By that I mean an overly strong currency can result in money bleeding out in imports, but not back in with exports. Do you export goods out?"

He nods his agreement to the walk in the park.
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Saede Riordan on 24 Feb 2016, 02:08
"We're actually a predominately export economy. Origin is a fresh new system. Most of our ISK comes from harvesting raw resources off the planets or from space and selling them on the markets in New Eden. We're fairly self sufficient, but the quality of life would go down if we were to lose our Known Space access. A lot of the imports tend to be luxury items, specialties from one area or another." She shrugs. "It works out. As long as we have Juno, we should take advantage of it, as long as we don't become dependent on Known Space, I see no reason not to trade with them."

Descending from the starport's hilltop, the distant city vanishes from view behind the forest. The path curves back and forth, sloping down into a long narrow valley. The valley floor is a large open meadow, through which a small stream cuts. This is the Megalith Meadow.

The Meadow gets its name from the distinctive structures of massive fossilized bones. The huge bones soar overhead, forming strange arching structures sometimes up to two or three stories tall. The fossilized remains of the long extinct megaliths, a victim of the end of this worlds last ice age.

From the valley floor, the skyline of Foundation is invisible, making the place seem pristine and wild, despite being at the core of a growing metropolis.
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Utari Onzo on 24 Feb 2016, 06:39
Utari nods at Saede's explanation. He looks as if he could comment or question more, perhaps for hours, but his face instantly switches out to one of surprise and awe as he notices the fossiles.

He pauses a moment in his walk, letting his eyes run from the bottom, to the top, following the arch of the bones.

"What.. Are those?"
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Aria Jenneth on 24 Feb 2016, 07:48
Aria, having a tendency to scurry right over to whatever catches her eye, is already standing at the base of the nearest, looking up, and up.

"Endoskeletons? ... Megafauna? Are there any descendants still around?"
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Saede Riordan on 24 Feb 2016, 11:11
Saede folds her arms in front of her chest and slows to a halt as Utari and Aria wander off to look at the Megaliths. "They're endoskeletons yes, though there are also some large fossilized remains of exoskeletons as well in other parts of the world."

Saede pulls up her sleeve and opens the compartment in her forearm which contains a packet of cigarettes. She puts the cigarette between her lips and taps on it with her fingertip. The heating elements in her finger ignite it, and she takes a long drag before explaining.

"Renaissance has only 80% standard gravity, not sure if you've noticed that spring in your step, but its there. Because of that, trees and animals are able to grow larger without being crushed by their own weight. Fossil records indicate that for the most part, the lifeforms on Renaissance have been very large, averaging the size of a city bus or a small train." She pats one of the bones. "But not anymore. There was an ice age about seven thousand years ago on the surface of Renaissance. Glaciers grew down out of the icecaps and out of the mountains. This area was scoured barren by the advancing and retreating glaciers. The ice age set on slowly, probably taking a hundred thousand years to get to the massive ice sheets that were present. Then, it all melted in a thousand years. Most of the megafauna couldn't evolve fast enough to keep up with the warming climate and went extinct."

Saede takes another drag of her cigarette. "The largest land animal on Renaissance today is only about twice the size of a person. The only surviving megafauna are the Leviathans, which are aquatic." she chuckles, "And yes, we totally stole their name from the mythical caldari creature."
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Aria Jenneth on 24 Feb 2016, 12:28
"... hm. A few ... thousand years. These must be from well-before that, though? They appear to be fossilized, and that takes ... well ... virtually forever...."
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Saede Riordan on 24 Feb 2016, 13:08
Saede nods. "Good catch, these fossils in particular are about 127 million years old. They were exposed when the retreating glaciers carved this valley with their meltwaters. There are structures like this scattered all across the valley floor, but these are some of the best examples.

"They survived well for 127 million years." The brown skinned Sebiestor chuckles. "I wonder what will be here in another 127 million years? Will there still be something we think of as people? What will I be doing?" she shakes her head. "The time scales of the universe really puts our own mayfly lives in perspective."

The girl runs her fingers over the old bones. She goes quiet as her fingers trace over the rocks that were once part of an ancient creature. Her cigarette hangs forgotten in her other hand, smoke curling up around her arm.
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Utari Onzo on 24 Feb 2016, 13:47
Keeping with the rest of the group, Utari drinks in every detail, the drone catching any he might miss as it floats between the giant bones.

"Fascinating, that these creatures once walked here. I assume the topography would have been a little more like plains, or forest, for them to have enough room to move and graze, or hunt. Weight is one thing, size has requirements all of its own."

"As for the future, and that far, I'll have to leave that to others to dream of. But atleast I'm enjoying the present."
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Saede Riordan on 25 Feb 2016, 09:43
Saede eventually removes her hand from the bones and takes another drag of the cigarette and continues down the path.

"I'm not sure what was here that long ago. Maybe these were sea creatures? They were decapedal, but the vast majority of the animals on Origin through history appear to have been decapedal, so it doesn't say much. I can ask a local paleontologist if you'd like?"
The valley becomes slowly narrower and gradually turns into a ravine as the stream cuts through the rough hillside. The path changes again, this time to raised wooden platforms, with one branch going further down the stream, and one going up the side of the valley. Saede turns and takes the path going upwards. This path bridges the stream then becomes a stairwell, allowing easier access up the steep hillside.

"So, there's nine planets in Origin, there's more to see here then you have time to commit. We could expend this week without leaving the surface of Renaissance, or even Foundation City for that matter. So is there anything you're particularly interested in to give some sort of focus to this little adventure?" She chuckles and takes another drag of her cigarette. "I watched this place grow up out of nothing, so I could endlessly list things I find interesting here, but what are you two interested in?"
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Utari Onzo on 25 Feb 2016, 12:33
Utari nods enthusiastically to the offer of the paleontologist. "Please. I'd also be interested in any geological surveys and soil sample studies if you have them. I'm a geologist by education myself, so I find dead bones and old rocks like this pretty fascinating."

He considers a moment the next request. "Hmm, I think I'd like to focus more on the Government and Civil services you might have here. I'm hoping to see what lessons I can apply to Providence that have worked here. How about you Aria?"
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Aria Jenneth on 25 Feb 2016, 16:12
"Living places. ... Markets, tenements ... the places of day to day. Ideally, I'd like to be able to go off on my own for a little bit if that would be okay. It's hard to really see a place like that if ... you're in company. Even very nice company." She re-links herself to Utari's arm (for at least five seconds until a sample of local flora catches her eye).
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Saede Riordan on 25 Feb 2016, 16:51
Saede nods to each of them in turn, continuing the hike as they talk. The path climbs the side of the hill, then the stairs level out and then converts back into gravel. The trees around them grow larger and thicker as they head into a darkened grove.

"I can show you some of the government buildings, go over some of how we do things." She says to Utari as the path swerves around a ten meter tall glacial erratic, the massive boulder half sunk into the stone. "And I'll see about introducing you to one of our planetologists as well."

Massive trees, easily two or three metres wide apiece, climb up to nearly a hundred meters from the ground as the heart of the grove looms up ahead of them. Old tattered matari prayer flags and paper lanterns are strung along the path.

"Aria, I'd be happy to hand you a brochure and point you off in the direction of the downtown markets if you're so inclined. I was actually going to suggest that if you two were comfortable being without a tour guide for some time. The currency is ISK so you'll have no problem buying things, though they might cost a bit more then you're used to when you pay in converted local currencies." Saede shrugs. "One thing about that though, is that Origin has a lot of, ah, how to describe it."

She scratches her head for a moment, pausing in her steps. By now the path has led deep in the heart of the grove, where there stands a tree older and more massive than the others around it. A meditation and prayer space encircle the this elder tree. Paper lanterns and prayer flags trail from high in the branches downwards in vast arcs, soaring overhead and creating the cool sacred feeling of the inside of a church.

"We have a lot of small cultural enclaves. Groups that wanted a quiet place to see if their particular experiment into sociology and economics will work when actually applied. Hive City on the east coast of the continent is like that, so is Castle Rock to the west. And that's just on Renaissance, the cultural attitudes among people on the various other worlds tend to deviate from the baseline that Renaissance represents. People on Terminus tend to be more libertarian and independently minded then on Renaissance, for example. Foundation City should give you an okay snapshot, but you might also want to hit some of the larger enclaves if you want to get a comprehensive look at things."

Candles, gifts, and offerings from some of the settlers to the local spirits surround the base of the tree, to ask for the protection of their new home. Ribbons are tied around it and all manner of trinkets, jewelry, and other small offerings drape over the gnarled roots as they rise into the massive trunk.
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Aria Jenneth on 25 Feb 2016, 19:35
"There's ... always more than can be seen. In the ... end, though, Ms. Riordan, I'm more interested in the project's heart than in what's occupying the petri dishes.

"Were there any experiments that you turned down for Origin, though? Anything ... too extreme or troublesome?"

She looks around at the ceremonial tree, and her focus instantly and visibly shifts.

"... hm. Is the local religion animistic? A combination of ... faiths, maybe?"
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Saede Riordan on 26 Feb 2016, 00:19
"Anything we turned down? Anything that involved any form of forced servitude or extreme isolationism. We require that everyone be a participating member of the system, which tends to precludes the xenophobic, the racist, the isolationist, and the like. While the majority of our population is Matari, the predominant cultural attitude is a Gallente one."

Saede pauses as Aria derails herself mid conversation. "Well, most of the settlers are Matari, and brought their spirituality with them, but we also have a lot of Caldari and Gallenteans here, so its all sort of a hodge podge yeah." Saede stuffs her hands into her pockets. "Its still beautiful though, in its way."
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Aria Jenneth on 26 Feb 2016, 08:22
"It is. I'm ... um, I'm sorry if this is rude to say, but ... a little impressed that you can see that. People who've ... analogized us to gods usually don't have a lot of respect for the ones people actually worship."
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Saede Riordan on 26 Feb 2016, 10:17
Saede shrugs. "You know, I never actually jumped on the 'capsuleers are literal gods' bandwagon. What I've said, is that in way, we're gods by virtue of our own definitions. And, I don't mean capsuleers, I mean humans. All of us."

She wanders over to the tree and runs her fingers along the ancient bark. "Dr. Saariet Uomoto said that 'we are gods with anuses,' we have the ability to ponder the infinite, we’re seemingly capable of anything. We can mainline all of time and space through the optic nerve with our astronomy and with our space telescopes; yet we’re housed in these heart pumping, breath gasping, decaying bodies.”

Pats the surface of the old tree. "Of course, neither I nor Saariet Uomoto believe in physical, literal gods, in the religious sense. Describing us as gods is and always has been a metaphor in my eyes."

She steps back from the elder tree. "I'm not religious in the traditional sense. I don't believe in organised faith for the most part, because I think it does a lot of harm. But I can appreciate the beauty and love that goes into the creation of places like this. Who am I to say that such a place has not been touched by something greater then us? I've seen things in the universe I can scarcely believe, and cannot begin to explain. Maybe some day, some matari researcher will invent a spirit detector. Or maybe an Amarrian engineer will create a machine that can speak with god. Or maybe Gods and spirits don't exist, and neither of those things will happen." She shrugs. "I just want to get to the truth of things, whatever truth that might be."
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Utari Onzo on 26 Feb 2016, 13:30
In the current exchange, Utari maintains a healthy distance from the tree. He remains silent as Aria and Saede speak, simply observing the tree and offerings. After a while, he speaks up.

"Well, each of us must find our own definitions of 'truth'. Some consider the Amarr to be anti-progress for example, when the scientific methods are celebrated. God didn't just reach out and mold the Universe out of clay. Instead, Creation is a spark that was given freedom to take it's own course. God Willed things, and leaves it to Nature and Man to undertake that Will. We're kind of a grand experiment of His if you look at it in that way. Studying physics and the like is a means for us to know the true nature of that Creation and all it's wonder, so in a sense, we're not entirely different."

He smirks. "I get the impression however I might be the only follower of the Amarr faith stood on this planet. Am I correct?"
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Saede Riordan on 26 Feb 2016, 17:44
"You'd be quite wrong actually Utari." Saede says as she finally leaves the tree and starts once more down the path. "There's a reformist Amarr cathedral in the second district, and if you count the Sani Sabadine as Amarr then there's over 200,000 followers of the Amarr religion."

She continues down the path as it runs north along the top of the drumlin. As the grove thins, the buildings become visible in the distance. "I dont want to start an argument with you Utari, so feel free to tell me to drop this. But, my problem with the Amarr religion isn't the idea of a God or gods or any of that. And its not slavery either, I think that's simply an unfortunate cultural holdover from earlier eras. The Matari practised slavery too, we just stopped long ago. No, my problem is faith, as a concept.You say you want to find the truth, the true nature of creation. But you already told me what your truth is. what if you're mistaken? I find value in skepticism, in questioning everything, trusting nothing."

She shrugs, brushing a branch from her path. "But God is protected by faith, walled off from scrutiny. How can you know the truth without questioning it?"

 
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Aria Jenneth on 27 Feb 2016, 00:58
"Is there a difference between Sani Sabadine and Sani Sabik?"
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Saede Riordan on 27 Feb 2016, 02:26
"The Sani Sabadine still think blood is sacred, but they think that because it's sacred, anything that would draw blood is a sin. So they're pacifists...and also they refuse to get vaccines but that's a completely separate headache, they're not blood drinking space vampires, if that's what you're asking."

Up ahead the ridge descends towards street level and the forest gives way to a broad expanse of grass leading up to the inner ring road. No cars move along the inner ring road, though there is a large amount of foot traffic. Across the concrete road, skyscrapers of colored glass and white stone rise hundreds of feet into the air.
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Utari Onzo on 27 Feb 2016, 04:21
"The basic core of the Sani Sabik is the belief in the empowerment of the self. One can become a Savant, Chosen, by empowering one's self. As much as you describe them as pacifists, do the Sani Sabadine follow the same line? As for... 'Reformist' Amarr, exactly how Reformist are we talking? There's a lot of sects in the faith, but if they're too radical I'd think they wouldn't be recognised as a part of the Orthodox congregation. Basically, they wouldn't be seen as Amarr in our eyes, and instead heretical..."

Utari's eyes move towards the upcoming city-scape. He contemplates the view as they continue to walk for a moment, before sighing. "I apologise Saede, here I am for a break and to explore how you run things here, and yet I can't help but get into a debate about theology and faiths."
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Saede Riordan on 28 Feb 2016, 15:04
"They share that, but I'm not sure if it can be described the same way." Saede shrugs as they wander down the hill towards the street. "They believe that anyone can be chosen to know god. Its not the same as the Sakik though, I looked into that pretty closely when they when they arrived. I mean, make no mistake, we have actual Sani Sabik as well. So when I say they're pacifists, I mean it."

Saede pats Utari on the back and chuckles. "I'm much the same way though Utari. Part of it is me. You're here to see Origin, not debate its morals and potential pitfalls with me, we can do that any time."

Saede spreads her arms and pauses, gesturing to the city that looms down the hill and all around them at once. "So here it is. You're here. The mass transit network can take you to any city in the system. You have a week ahead of you, if you want me to show you things, I can, but I intend to let you two have the run of the place."
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Utari Onzo on 28 Feb 2016, 15:12
Utari looks across the view of the city closely. He takes note of any details, such as ongoing construction work, the general state, as well as any signs of traffic. In short, he analyses the very health of it.

"Well, as I said, I'm pretty interested in seeing how this operation is run. The civil service, security, government, records, that sort of thing. I don't mind a tour guide, probably will need one.. Aria, I'm guessing you're pretty happy to explore on your own? Mind taking the drone with you to catch things I'll miss?"
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Saede Riordan on 28 Feb 2016, 18:31
Saede lights a cigarette as she looks over the city. "Do you mind my company?" She asks Utari. "Because I can get you a regular tour guide if you'd prefer it to having me follow you around. I know I can be sort of, a lot."

The parklands ahead of them are obsessively manicured, and have small groups of people scattered across them, people relaxing, or jogging on the wooded trails, or playing with their children. The Inner Ring road is a wide concrete highway, though it has no motorized vehicles at ground level. Many, many people, dressed in every sort of clothing, walk along the wide concrete pathway.

On the far side of the road, the towers of the First District rise like smooth walls of white stone and glass artwork. The entire inner district was built at once, and all the structures are designed with the same smooth, flowing, organic lines. White stone, paired with blue and green glass, overwhelmingly represent the colors of all the district structures. New, more varied skyscrapers can be seen being built beyond the first district. The entirety of the place is clean, with little in the way of graffiti, trash, or detris.


**Push Request Made by Local Server
*HEY! btw! Almost everyone here has implants, so there's a lot of AR stuff floating around in the localnet. Keep an eye on the AR band if your eye implants can support that. ~Saede

Foundation City is full of servers, routers, and RFID chips, creating an extremely pervasive local area network. AR advertisements are broadcast up and down the sides of buildings that in regular eyesight remain blank stone. AR Graffiti covers the walls at street level. Messages abound pointing to bars, parties, and places to hang out. Invitations to communes and punk communities float in the AR at an intersection, and AR artwork sprawls for block after block.


Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Aria Jenneth on 29 Feb 2016, 13:26
"Well-- if you want to split up now, okay."

Aria's eyes unfocus for a moment; her personal system begins identifying, recording, sorting, and storing advertisement data, then blocking further instances of the same ads. Artwork, at least for now, can stay.

"... and ... sure, if you like. I'll catch up later?"
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Utari Onzo on 29 Feb 2016, 13:33
"Well, I got the impression you're eager to go adventuring on your own and I'd rather not be a leash. And yes, we'll meet up later, maybe for something to eat? Have fun." He smiles, and plants a kiss on Aria's cheek before sending a thought command to the drone. It takes its place near to Aria, switched now to escort and obey her commands, as Utari turns back to his host.

"I'd rather someone aware of exactly how this place ticks to be honest, and who better then the principle mover and shaker? I'll let you guide me as you wish, but I would ideally like to see the Government chambers first and work down from there."
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Aria Jenneth on 29 Feb 2016, 16:43
"... I didn't mind being with you, though." Even so, she takes a different sort of look around-- getting her bearings. She sets her heading on the densest collection of nearby structures. "Well ... I'll stay in contact, then. See you in a bit!"

And off she goes.
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Saede Riordan on 04 Mar 2016, 00:24
Aria:
The First District is laid out in a ring all around Landfall Park. These structures were developed as one unified piece, serving as a massive work of art as well as the seat of the system's government. Hospitals, administration buildings, command centers, and government offices make up the majority of the district. The district is defined by the borders of the Inner Ring road, and the Outer Ring Road, with sixteen spoke roads crossing between the two. The closest set of large nearby buildings is the Anacatalian Exchange Building, a towering structure of white stone and green bottle glass. Small restaurants ring the lower floors of the buildings, with sidewalk tables and benches to eat at. The city manages to present itself as being fairly eternal, with the only indication of its youth being the saplings that line all the roads. The First District is all very clean, neat and sanitary. Disinfected might be a good word to describe it. The whole first district is a piece of artwork, and care is taken to keep it looking clean. Most of the people are well dressed government employees, going about their days with laptops and briefcases. Even the AR is subdued, with all the visuals being artwork placed onto the sides of the numerous skyscrapers. The sidewalks are free of floating messages and spam advertisements. Beyond the First District though, the streets and buildings become infinitely more chaotic, and the 'real' Foundation City could be said to begin.

Utari:
Saede nods to Utari. "Should we start with the The Nexus Building then? That's where the Board of Coordinators meets." She points to a large structure down the ring road from them. It has the usual white stone, but its windows are a lurid indigo and its shaped like an inverted cone, wider on the top then at the bottom. The whole building somewhat resembles a tornado of glass and stone. "I can show you my office!" Saede practically shrieks, sounding far more excited about that then is required.
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Utari Onzo on 04 Mar 2016, 00:35
Utari nods his acceptance of the idea, while turning a curious eye to the building. He cocks his head to the side for a moment while he considers its unusual shape, before following along with Saede.
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Saede Riordan on 04 Mar 2016, 00:48
Utari:
"So I never did tell you about the reformist Amarr here. Its literally the same Church of the Amarrian Reformation that has branches all over the Gallente Federation. Its the Amarr religion without slavery and forcing people into your religion at swordpoint, so..." She shrugs and lights another cigarette as she keeps walking.
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Utari Onzo on 04 Mar 2016, 01:27
Utari pulls a small case out of his pocket and flips it open, taking a cigarette out of his own. Lighting it up, he takes a long drag while they walk.

"I've no doubt there's plenty of love lost between the Orthodox and the Reformists. While it's very noble of them to want to ditch the less palatable aspects of the Reclaiming, you have to see it's not really seen as some great, terrible thing in the Empire. On the contrary, it's a solemn duty and the clerics go to great pains to explain Reclaimation as a mercy, that it's bringing people back into God's light.

Of course, the reality is completely different. It's actually made the Empire far weaker then it should be economically speaking. I mean, it's not meant to be about money, and I'm sure Samira would skin me alive to suggest slaves are less profitable then low income workers, but the truth is it's left the Empire economically exposed. Once a family is freed, if all they have the skills for is tending fields, where do they go for a job?

Of course this is all over simplifying the situation, it's a nauanced and complex issue that's been dicussed and argued over for centuries... Likely more behind closed doors then in open spaces."

He takes another drag, quietly realising he's rambling.
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Aria Jenneth on 04 Mar 2016, 08:45
Aria breezes through the first district, pausing on occasion to check an alley for interesting or telling graffiti. Her onboard system dutifully tracks patterns in the design, cut, quality, and frequency of various outfits worn by passersby, while expert systems pick them apart for likely interpretations. Explicit or implicit markers of rank, political affiliation, and social status are particular subjects of interest.

Barring any abrupt discovery of a fascinating pattern, though, Aria heads more or less straight on through to sections of the city not so obviously linked to rank and power.
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Saede Riordan on 04 Mar 2016, 11:56
Utari:
Saede shrugs again. "Honestly, even if its not seen as a great and terrible thing in the Empire, that doesn't change the fact that its pretty damn awful for the people being reclaimed. I mean sure, you can point to the Udorians or the Ni-kunni as success stories of various degrees, and even the Ammatar. But the fact is that the act of reclaiming someone against their will causes a tremendous amount of suffering. Its not something I can stand behind. If people want to worship the Amarr god, or even proselytize about him, that's fine, but...well, religion is a lot like a penis. Its fine to have one, and its fine to be proud of it, but most people don't appreciate having it forced down their throats."

Aria:
In the First District, even the alleyways and side streets are clean, and in many cases the walls in even these secluded places is covered in crawling AR artwork. The art is varied, though in the First District it is almost always somewhat civic: spaceships flying, forests swaying in the breeze, wind blowing off the ocean onto sand dunes while children play in the surf, and occasionally abstract swirls of chaotic color and light.

The clothing of the locals bears its own unique aesthetic, owing to the local manufacture of clothing, and the eclectic mix of ethnicity of the settlers. Robes are common, as are cloaks and capes, though they are often part of an outfit that would otherwise not look out of place in a Caldari boardroom. The professional attire gives way to a more varied look as Aria migrates outward towards the rest of Foundation City. People are about wearing everything from professional business suits, to t-shirts and cargo pants, to those transparent plastic dresses worn in the Federation. Everyone seems rather uniformly affluent, though those in professional attire tend to stand out the most.
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Utari Onzo on 04 Mar 2016, 14:47
Utari takes Saede's reply stoicly aside from narrowing his eyes ever so slightly, almost in a flinch, at the blunt analogy.

"I don't doubt the historical Reclaimation has been.. Contentious. Awful for those that experienced and continue to experiance it. But then again, no state has been innocent in this Cluster. All have done some things that'd make the common man balk. Still, things are already moving in the Empire. Between halting of new enslavement, outside of POWs and criminals, and the release of the 9th generation slaves by Empress Jamyl, we might yet see the end of that particular practice sooner then later."

He pauses once more for a drag.

"By that, I mean most of the 9th generation were adults, likely with families released with them. There's only so many 6th, 7th and 8th generation and such that'd likely be of the age to have children, considering the CONCORD agreement's been in place for over 100 years and also the time line of when the Minmatar were Reclaimed. It's basic mathematics, even considering the one time nature of the release. I can't see the slave population staying stable with such conditions, so it's inevitable we'll move to a greater dependance on a free labour pool. Once certain business minded Holders see the economical benefits of it, you'll see a snow ball effect."

"Let's also consider that under the CONCORD agreements, Reclaimation is currently only possible via faith missions and other pro-active voluntary processes. As those become more of the norm and sink in to the modus operandi of the priesthood, that too will change the Empire. Progress is coming, so long as those conditions remain as is. The Empire might be slow to evolve, but it must so long as we remain CONCORD signatories."
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Aria Jenneth on 04 Mar 2016, 15:16
Finding nothing particularly arresting, though many things of at least passing interest, Aria proceeds on through, barely breaking stride (though in her case it's more of a light trot).
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Ché Biko on 04 Mar 2016, 17:05
A small drone (created by the SeeBee corporation, which, if someone were to dig deep enough (which is not all that deep for someone like Aria), turns out to be owned by Ché Biko), looking like an indigenous bee species, circles in front of Aria, seemingly trying to get her attention. Once succesful, it flies of towards a nearby wall, on which an AR tag, one about a year old, is placed:
(http://i63.tinypic.com/1dzyae.png)
The symbol is (hyper)linked to The Decentralizers, an group wanting to terminate or bypass closed centralized institutions. Tary Lacote and Ché Biko are some of the more well-known members. Underneath the symbol is written "Who observes the observer?"
The drone lands on the questionmark's dot, but will follow Aria if she continues on her way to wherever.
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Aria Jenneth on 06 Mar 2016, 09:01
The drone definitely picks up Aria's attention. Data flickers into her field of view as her onboard expert systems identify the device, then more as she directs those systems to look further.

"Hallo, Ché," she murmurs as the drone alights (making several not-baseless assumptions, but assumptions nevertheless), "... hm."

She examines the tag as her Ewar systems start delivering preliminary analysis of the drone's control and communication protocols. As of yet, she does not attempt to wrest control of the poor little thing from its owner.

"... Well ... apparently you do. You could have just sent a note," she adds with the faintest hint of a smile. "Did you fall out with Saede or something?"

"Anyway, you've got my attention if you want it. Where to?"
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Saede Riordan on 06 Mar 2016, 11:49
Utari:
"I can only hope that's true, though I fear you may have an overly optimistic view of your countrymen." Saede takes a long drag of her cigarette. "There's still a lot of people in the Empire calling for another reclaiming. Can they really be entrusted to uphold their agreements with CONCORD forever?"

She shakes her head and wanders up the steps of the Nexus Building, tossing out her cigarette in an ashtray before entering. "I hope for the best, but we don't even know who's going to become Emperor yet. What if King Khanid wins somehow?"
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Utari Onzo on 06 Mar 2016, 14:58
"Oh, you haven't been following the news? It's on the IGS you know... There won't be a Khanid on the Throne. We'll be seeing a final trial between the Champions of Tash-Murkon and Kor-Azor."

He stubs his own cigarette out like Saede, and looks up at the Nexus Building for a moment.

"You might say optimistic, sure, I say brutal reality. It's an outdated model. Adapt or die, Saede.... Now, enough about where I've come from, I'm here to see where I've come to. I assume this is the main Government Chamber?"
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Ché Biko on 06 Mar 2016, 16:30
Preliminary analysis of the drone:

Designed to operate autonomously, in coordination with other drones in a network, but remote manual control is possible. As you might expect, manual control is restricted to authorized users (SeeBee corp, in this case). Security seems decent enough to discourage most from even trying to get control, but there seem to be no harmful consequences for trying.
Communication capabilities are mostly focused around transmitting location data to the drone network and surveillance data to a central hub. This particular drone does not appear to be designed with 2-way communication in mind, at least not by audio or visual means.

As such, the drone hovers in front of Aria for a bit, seemingly not sure what to do, until it moves within a few inches of Aria's eyes and extends it's "stinger", which is a Universal Serial Port connector.

Upon connecting with this connector, the drone requests a pretty harmless and basic textual interface.
Upon acceptance, the following text is gradually recieved:

Hey Aria.
Yes, it's Ché. Good guess.
Yeah, it's me observing you now, although that was not what that tag was about, Originally. It was referring to the Office of Central Reconaissance (Origin's equivalent of the Federal Intelligence Office), which no longer exists. Or so I was told.
I would have sent you a note, or actually, I would have welcomed you at the starport if I knew you were coming, but I didn't know. Things between me and Saede are pretty much like they were the last time we talked about that, but I haven't activated my Neocom much the past months, and thus I missed the corporate mail discussing you and Onzo's visit.
Pity...you are one of the decreasing number of things in New Eden I still care about, even though my...behaviour may not make that obvious. Anyway, I welcome you and Onzo to Origin. It's good to see you both...together, no less.
Anyway, I would come say hi in person, but I'm a little busy at the moment. I'll see what I can do about that though...

I already pointed out the thing I wanted to point out though...the Decentralizers tag. Maybe more will come to mind later. If you don't mind, I'll have this little bugger tag along with you. I'll keep an eye on this one, feel free to ask questions.
Also, don't mention this to Saede (although she probably knows anyway) or anyone else, but most likely, you're being watched by at least one of my drones even if this one does not tag along.

So uhm...you go on exploring my current home, I'll tend to my business and try to see if I can free myself from it so I can say "Hello" proper.
Enjoy your stay, little perigrans.
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Saede Riordan on 07 Mar 2016, 09:46
Saede nods to Utari. "Alright then, welcome to The Nexus." She pulls the glass door open with a flourish, revealing a wide atrium with water flowing down through glassed in fountains. The attrium is made entirely of glass, stone, and metal, creating an industrial high tech feeling space, one that could be found as easily on a planet as in a station.

"The government of Origin has five branches, the board of Coordinators form the executive branch, and The Nexus is the place we meet. We do all the day to day running of Origin and manage all of the general things required of a growing colony."
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Aria Jenneth on 07 Mar 2016, 12:53
"... It didn't take ... too much to guess, once I saw who manufactured this little thing. That, and the cause seemed like something that would interest you....

"Oh. ... yeah. I can see how something ... at all similar to the ... FIO would be pretty worrying."

She smiles a little.

"Thanks, Ché. I've ... kind of been missing seeing you about. Maybe we'll see you later. I'd ... like to, if it's possible.... Take care, okay? "

She unplugs from the little drone and waves to it before looking around to get her bearings and continuing on.
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Utari Onzo on 07 Mar 2016, 13:17
Utari takes a while to look around the interior as they walk in. He notes the make up and design of the attrium, before scanning his vision for any note worthy details. Signs of rank or uniform, Security Services, stand out pieces of artwork and the like.

"I see. And what are the other branches,  who runs them?"
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Ché Biko on 07 Mar 2016, 17:01
Things our visitors may have noticed:

More people than you would expect walk around barefoot. This is partly because of the relatively clean streets, but mainly because the use of glass is restricted. For example, it is not allowed to carry around drinks in glass bottles. (This is aproximately what I remember from what Saede told me, she may add to or correct this.)

The populace of Origin is remeniscent of the Federation's when it comes to diversity, although the composition of the mix is different. For one thing, you won't find AGI's ( artificial agents in humanoid bodies, with a human level of intelligence) walking around in the Fed (as that violates CONCORD Directive Omega 1-5), but you may have already spotted one of several thousand living in Origin. You may have also spotted Multiples (people like Saede who have multiple active clones) or Networkers (individuals who are linked together in a Pseudo-hivemind). You may also encounter a Techno-Psychologist enthusiasticly talking about one of Origin's other experimental cultures/societies.
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Saede Riordan on 10 Mar 2016, 14:03
Utari:
There are no guards in the Nexus building, in fact, visible security seems nonexistent, a strange thought in what should be one of the most secure structures in the system. There wasn't even a visible body scanner as they entered.

There are also no regular uniforms. The coordinators all wear whatever they want, and there's a great deal of variety just among the few people hurrying through the two story lobby to get to a meeting or wherever it is they're headed. The coordinators aids are interesting to see because some of the coordinators have uniforms for their specific aids. For instance, if Utari were to use the Origin localnet to identify one of the outfits of a passing secretary, he would discover that the matte black uniform marks the secretary as an aid to Traffic Control Coordinator Argus Mosakani, and the outfit is a stripped down version of the uniforms worn by the traffic control and customs officers that patrol local space in Origin alongside the more heavily armed capsuleer defense forces.

"The other four branches are the Digital Council, the Scientific Conclave, the Judicial Convention, and the Sentient Equilibrium. All the branches provide checks on the other branches, so no one branch gains too much power. The Digital council is a cellular democracy based partly on Gallentean democratic models and partly on tribal models, and they make the majority of the laws and legislation in place across Origin. The board of coordinators on the other hand handles most of the day to day operations in running the system. The Board isn't technically a democratic institution, so Origin isn't exactly a democracy, I'm just not entirely sold on the functionality of a pure democracy in practice. It takes a 90% majority vote to get anything done on the Board, and all our members are mindlinked into a network so we can argue with each other all the time." She chuckles at that, crossing the wide atrium towards a bank of escalators going up to the balcony that wraps around the ground floor atrium.

She points out people as they go along. "Thats Constance Rue, the Resurrection Coordinator." She points to a dark skinned and dark haired Intaki women with intensely green eyes and a dress of swirling greyscale patterns.

"And that's Indigo City Station Coordinator Althas Ananzine." She pointed to a late middle aged Gallente man with a receding grey hairline and long loose fitting robes in flamboyantly bright reds, oranges, and greens.

They near the top of the escalator and head across the wider second floor atrium for the elevator bank. "That's Emilia Kane, the Coordinator for Satyria, the largest city on Arboria." She points to a small Caldari woman of indeterminate age, with white hair, grey eyes, and a severely cut business suit.

Aria
As Che mentioned, there are many more people barefoot, undressed, or even outright naked, then one might expect from a similarly sized city. The dominant Gallentean liberal values are incredibly apparent, though the initial population mix resulted in a different result as compared to the Federation. There are more Matari then any other population group, so their culture is laid over the Gallentean morals in a fascinating way. Tribal leathers are popular clothing, as well as the more out there matari outfits that reveal large areas of the skin where tattoos have been placed. Even heading out into the Second District there is little sign of poverty, and there don't appear to be any beggers. There are however, various people standing at clipboards with datapads trying to convince people to chip in to help finance their various scientific, cultural, or economic schemes.
"Hey there!" A black haired man in a suit jacket and jeans says as Aria walks down the block towards him. He waves enthusiastically, gesturing to his datapad as he calls out "Do you have a moment to help support astronomy and space exploration?"
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Utari Onzo on 10 Mar 2016, 14:09
Utari frowns a little as he takes in the details. "I don't notice any security here, no guards, no police.... What do you do about law enforcement? I assume that's all covered by the Judicial Convention? How do the other two branches operate?"

He takes the time to note the individuals pointed out, for the most part passively following as Saede guides him along through the building.
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Saede Riordan on 10 Mar 2016, 14:51
Utari
"Oh the security is here, its just discreet. For example, not to suggest you would actually do anything, but if you did..." Her voice trails off as Utari walks into an flat forcefield wall that instantly instantiated between them. She suppresses the urge to snicker as the field vanishes again with the demonstration made.

"Law enforcement is the Judicial Convention yeah, they also have the power to overturn laws found to be in violation of principles of governance established by the Exodus Charter, that's our primary legal document. Most of the police forces are actually robotic. Its just safer for everyone that way. A robot won't get spooked and accidentally shoot a suspect. They're around, they're just intentionally subtle."

She presses a button on the elevator. "You didn't hit that field too hard I hope?" She asks him with a chuckle. "And the Scientific Conclave is a meritocratic institution that focuses on research andtechnology improvement. They also handle the management for a lot of complex coordination problems like resource and property distribution and management. And they oversee the Sentient Equilibrium, which is a Strong AI used as an advisor to the digital council and board of coordinators, as well as the representative for nonhuman intelligences in the system."
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Aria Jenneth on 10 Mar 2016, 18:00
"Space exploration?" Aria slows. "Isn't quite a lot of that already being done?"
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Saede Riordan on 10 Mar 2016, 18:24
Aria
The man doesn't miss a beat. "Space is an awfully big place, and even with all the exploration we have done, it still only represents a fraction of the total volume. And besides that, the clouds enclosing the Origin system make visual astronomy next to useless. Did you know only one real map of Anoikis was ever successfully compiled, during Project Compass, and that CONCORD later restricted access to the data gathering technique when they performed a 'firmware patch' to the towers?"
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Aria Jenneth on 10 Mar 2016, 18:33
"Okay. What does that mean for us?"
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Utari Onzo on 11 Mar 2016, 00:33
Utari startles as he hits the forcefield, more surprised then harmed. "oh. Right." Recovering, he follows once more.

"You say the police forces are mostly robot. What's the crime rate like? Do you really trust a robot? I mean, robots are quite advanced but sometimes human judgement can come up with solutions a machine can't. No matter how close you get it, they just don't think like us.

As for the AI, do you worry at all about it going rogue?"
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Streya on 11 Mar 2016, 19:14
Streya had been tracking Saede and Utari and waits on their destination floor, ready to ambush her fellow Coordinator with two datapads' worth of information. Her demeanor seems as crisp as her gold-trimmed black uniform.
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Saede Riordan on 12 Mar 2016, 12:02
Utari
Saede gestures Utari into the elevator. "Do I trust the robots? Its not really a matter of trust. In most cases, you don't want a human getting involved until the very end. The defense and police drones are controlled from another building though, and if needed, the drone can send a command back to base that it needs help and an operator can take direct control of it."

She hits the button on the elevator and the car zooms upwards. "The crime rate is about 20 per 1000 people, and here's the fun part. Having a functional UBI and making sure everyone could support themselves did push the crime rates through the floor compared to impoverished areas, and legalizing all drugs and dismantling the black markets for them put another dent in crime rates. The odd but perhaps unsurprising thing is that the crimes remaining after you take out crimes of need and desperation tend to be much...worse. Serial killers, serial rapists, sociopaths, pyromaniacs... You can stop the people who are criminals of necessity by making their lives better. You can't stop someone who is just legitimately fucked in the head and thinks murdering random women is a great pastime that way. And obviously drones don't always make the best detectives so we do still have human police forces. But for something like a domestic dispute, you can at least get a drone there quickly and field the conflicting parties apart from each other while you wait for an officer to come and sort the situation out."

"And I maintain that there is a possibility that the SE could go rogue, or at least have its values drift enough that it becomes dangerous, which is why it's isolated from the networks and only acts as an advisor and advocate."

The elevator doors open to reveal Streya.

Aria
"It means that we're stuck trying to see the stars through the clouds, and we're not sure what our local stellar neighborhood even looks like. That's why we're out here today. I'm out here representing the Origin Astronomical Union, and we're raising public funds to build the gravity wave telescope in Anoikis. For a contribution of as little as 20 ISK a month, you can help push the envelope on astronomy and exploration."
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Utari Onzo on 12 Mar 2016, 12:45
"I see, so, exactly what proportions of that 20 in 1000 is made up of these violent crimes? What punishments do you apply to such offenders?

As for legalising drugs, that comes with a lot of its own issues. Sure, it's not a crime, but how much resources are you dedicated to addicts, overdose issues, and other effects of the sort? As a former addict myself, I can tell you it's a serious drain of resources just for one person."

Utari greets the newcomer with a bow of the head. "Salve."
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Saede Riordan on 12 Mar 2016, 13:01
"About half of that 20 out of 1000 are violent crimes. We do have a bit of white collar crime as well. Embezzling money, misuse of government or corporate resources, that sort of thing. With the white collar crimes we have a rehabilitation cycle we can put people through to get them back on their feet and following the rules. As for the violent criminals, we have a prison at one of our towers. Its actually a bit of an issue since they do act as a resource drain. We're still working out what to do with them in the long term." She shrugs.

"As for addiction treatments and such, we do have to spend money on treating addicts, but it ends up being less then we'd have to spend on law enforcement that wouldn't actually stop drug use and just create a dangerous black market. I was addicted to drop for quite a while, so I know too, trust me."
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Streya on 12 Mar 2016, 14:14
Streya clears her throat when she finds an opportune time to interrupt Saede. She speaks plainly and directly.

"Coordinator,  as you know there are external political affairs to handle. Namely our reaction to the Upwell Consortium and their bleeding edge product line. Not to mention Arataka Research and the Drifters. Pilots are going stir-crazy up there and we need to give them an action plan for the upcoming months."

She bows her head in greeting to Utari. "Salve, pardon my manners. How has your visit been so far?"

Sent from my LGMS345 using Tapatalk

Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Saede Riordan on 12 Mar 2016, 15:04
Utari
Saede raises an eyebrow. "Yes," she gestures to the Vherokior woman, "Operations Coordinator Streya Jormagdnir, I'm well aware." She steps out of the elevator and crosses her arms. "But aren't you the one always ranting about Opsec Streya?" Her eyes go to Utari for a moment. "Is this a good time, or can we just go public with our plans now? Should we even be having this conversation right now?"
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Streya on 13 Mar 2016, 02:23
Streya keeps a lower tone; "Probably not, but you've been beating around the bush for long enough. We have a standing force to maintain and you need to put your foot down. I can sense when the people seek your thoughts."

Sent from my LGMS345 using Tapatalk

Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Aria Jenneth on 13 Mar 2016, 10:05
"A gravity-wave telescope.."

She considers.

"So, I'm sure you have some kind of documentation authenticating this project?"
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Utari Onzo on 15 Mar 2016, 16:22
Utari watches the exchange between the two quietly, passively. In truth, he isn't even listening at all as he focuses instead on quietly reaching out with his AR feed. He'll look to pull up any and all public information on the five branches, published budgets, census data and the like, sorting and filing away for later review.

He'll also start actively hunting for any public information on the AI he can get his hands on over the course of Saede's tour around the Nexus building.
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Saede Riordan on 20 Mar 2016, 12:49
Utari
Saede sighs and rubs the bridge of her nose. "Yeah I know." she glances at Utari. "I guess its not super high security anyway. Its going to all be public before too much longer."

She turns back to Utari, "So you wanna see my office? I need to go write a long and probably drama inducing mail to Gunner and Nash. Unless I can delegate that off onto you Streya?" Saede says in a hopeful tone.

Aria
The man smiles. "My name is Allan, I'm a volunteer with the organisation, I can show you my membership card, and my tablet can provide you with full details on the project and its goals. Here, take a look?" He hands the device to Aria. It's preloaded onto secure page run by the Origin Astronomical Union with detailed technical specifications on the project. They plan to place 40,000 small satellites with laser links between them into a grid above the ecliptic that spans the width of the system. Its an ambitious project, but the low cost of the individual units might make it viable.
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Utari Onzo on 20 Mar 2016, 13:05
Utari blinks slightly as his eyes lose their glaze, shutting off the feed.

"Um, yes, sure. You're the host."

He smiles diplomatically to the two.
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Aria Jenneth on 22 Mar 2016, 09:55
"Now that's interesting. The idea is to detect gravitational interference in the grid? Well-- it's maybe worth a shot. I'm not much for time-pays, though; they add up, which is sort of the point after all. How about a one-time donation?"
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Saede Riordan on 22 Mar 2016, 12:43
Aria
"Yes exactly, the man says, opening a page on the tablet with a small demonstration video of how gravity waves causes small subatomic variances in the distances between the satellites in the swarm. "And of course we accept one time donations. We're asking our one time donors to contribute 200 ISK today. And by signing up with us here, you'll become a member of the OAU and be kept up to date on the latest exciting discoveries in the worlds of astronomy and astrophysics."

Utari
(( I'm just waiting for Streya to post ))
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Streya on 23 Mar 2016, 12:32
"Yes, delegate away. I'll try to make it sweet but to the point"

She turns to Utari, her crisp black designer uniform shining in the lights of the Nexus "Welcome to Origin, I'm sure your stay will be pleasant". She gives Saede an affirming nod before retreating to her office

Sent from my LGMS345 using Tapatalk

Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Aria Jenneth on 24 Mar 2016, 08:26
"... um. Sure. Is this a pledge, or is there a transfer I should be going ahead and arranging?"

In her personal datasphere, she's already setting up a transfer in the sum of 1M ISK.
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Saede Riordan on 27 Mar 2016, 13:10
Utari
Saede nods to Streya as she wanders off, and beckons Utari down the long glass walled corridor. The walls look into open plan offices where system administrators handle the day to day process of running Origin. She leads the way around a corner and down a long curving corridor to a door marked:

Riordan
Systems Coordinator
The door opens for her and she beckons for Utari to enter. The far wall provides a commanding view of the city through faintly violet tinted glass windows. The afternoon sun hangs low over the bay to the west. In the distance, the massive circular concrete platform that will one day provide the anchor for a space elevator can be seen squatting low in the bay.

"So you were asking about the other branches?" Saede asks Utari as she slumps into her desk chair and lights another cigarette. She pulls up a chart of the branches of the government, showing various checks and balances that each group provides on each other group. The Board of Coordinators acts as the executive branch, and does the day to day running of the system. They are checked by the judicial convention, who can overturn the BoC's mandates and operations if found to be in violation of the Exodus Charter. The Digital Council creates the local and systemwide laws, establishes budgets, taxation, and public works projects. They are also checked by the Judicial Convention, who can strike down laws found to be in violation of the Exodus Charter. However, with a 95% majority vote, the Digital Council can also change the Exodus Charter. The Judicial Convention acts as the judiciary, acting as checks on the executive and legislative branches. Judges appointed to the Judicial Convention are selected by the Board of Coordinators and approved by a 75% majority vote on the Digital Council. The Scientific Conclave is a merit based position where new members are chosen by existing members based on skill. The Conclave has no maximum number of members, and 40% of the system is a member of the Conclave in some capacity. The Conclave manages all research and technological development in Origin, as well as managing public works projects alongside the Board of Coordinators and monitoring the economic and political landscape as a watchdog organisation. The Conclave can also create laws with a 90% majority vote weighted by rank and skill in the field the vote effects. Laws created by the Conclave cannot be overturned by the Judicial Convention, but can be overturned by the Sentient Equilibrium. The Sentient Equilibrium is a Strong AI acting in an advisory position to all the other various branches of government. SE can also overturn laws created by the Scientific Conclave and the Digital Council but not the Board of Coordinators.

Aria
"Its a pledge, if you just want to fill out this page real quick?" The man shows Aria a donation page on the tablet.
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Utari Onzo on 28 Mar 2016, 01:28
Utari takes some time reviewing the chart. He quirks up a brow at times, before turning to Saede.

"If I'm reading this correctly, you've a two tiered legistative system. The Digital Council, and the Scientific Conclave. In the case of the former it's kept in check and balance by the Judiciary, and the latter by an AI. Um... What areas exactly does the Scientific Conclave legislate for that the Digital Council doesn't? And if the AI strikes down a law, unlike with the Digital Council it seems the Conclave doesn't have room to change the field of play so they can re-introduce law, correct?"
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Aria Jenneth on 28 Mar 2016, 09:12
Aria scratches her head. Her personal data system starts searching the planetary net for the (nigh on inevitable) more direct way to donate.

"So-- while I'm working on this ... what happens to people who run out of money here? It must happen. Accidents, hard luck, mental illness, addiction, debts, poor personal habits.... But I don't see any sign of such people."
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Saede Riordan on 29 Mar 2016, 09:59
Utari
"Its not exactly tiered." Saede answers. "The Conclave in some ways has more power then the Digital Council. It takes a lot more to get a law passed through the Conclave in the first place, its designed to be intentionally difficult because their laws cannot be overruled by the judiciary. The idea is, the Digital Council is a political organisation, it makes laws its constituents want. The Conclave though is a scientific organisation, the laws the conclave makes are not beholden to voters. The laws the conclave passes tend to laws against things with a known, quantifiably bad outcome that would be politically untenable to pass. Things like anti-pollution measures, deciding who gets to put their satellites where so no one crashes into anyone else, approving funding for large scale science projects, things like that. The Conclave is designed to act as much as possible like a perfect rational actor, and the SE is designed with the same goal in mind from a different direction. 99% of the time, the SE just catches the Conclave if they were going to do something unsound before it ever reaches a vote. The SE has only actually used its veto powers twice."

She scratches her nose and removes a cigarette from a desk drawer. "Aumann's agreement theorem, two perfect rational actors can't actually 'agree to disagree'. If both parties are acting on the same information with the same priors, then they will eventually come to the same conclusion. The SE and the Conclave don't fight or argue with each other. They don't disagree, it would be illogical and irrational to disagree with something if presented evidence for a certain position."

Aria
There is of course an equally direct way to donate directly through the OAU website. The page the man has on his tablet is in fact just that page.

The man cocks his head slightly. "There's a UBI that applies to all citizens of Origin. And there's the housing projects if you can't find a place to stay." The man makes eye contact with Aria and holds it for a moment. His implant set sends Aria a URL that maps to the Foundation City Street map, providing directions to the location of the housing projects. "I take it from that though that you're new to Origin? Colonist or just visiting?"
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Utari Onzo on 29 Mar 2016, 12:22
Utari purses his lips for a moment. There's an obvious desire to speak out, likely critically by the furrowed expression on his face, but he ultimately decides to leave his concerns be. "Very well. I'll have to take your word that it works. Now, about the budget, could you give me a rough break down? Defence and policing, social programmes, civil construction, those kinds of things."
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Saede Riordan on 30 Mar 2016, 11:48
Utari
Saede lights her cigarette and swipes the screen to the left, sliding over into a series of pie charts showing the budgetary breakdown. The economy is in the black, with 25% of the budget going to civil projects, 40% going to social welfare programs, and 35% going to defense spending. "I can also show you sub-breakdowns by various departments. Most of our budget comes from taxes on exports. Since the majority of our economy is export based, and a large portion of our resources can't be sourced in Known Space, the corporations are willing to put up with it."
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Utari Onzo on 31 Mar 2016, 08:17
"Sure, I'd like to see the breakdowns."

He studies the charts carefully, using his implants to take screengrabs for future analysis.

"By exports, do you mean the salvage from Sleeper drone wrecks? I know you mentioned once that Origin is subsidied by tax on Capsuleer activities in that regard, unless I'm mistaken? What other materials are you extracting, and is there a healthy export of finished goods or are you more dependant on raw materials and manufactured componants to be finished in k-space?"
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Aria Jenneth on 31 Mar 2016, 09:52
Quote from: Saede Riordan on 29 Mar 2016, 09:59
Aria
There is of course an equally direct way to donate directly through the OAU website. The page the man has on his tablet is in fact just that page.

The man cocks his head slightly. "There's a UBI that applies to all citizens of Origin. And there's the housing projects if you can't find a place to stay." The man makes eye contact with Aria and holds it for a moment. His implant set sends Aria a URL that maps to the Foundation City Street map, providing directions to the location of the housing projects. "I take it from that though that you're new to Origin? Colonist or just visiting?"

"Visitor. Hence my lack of interest in making a pledge I'd be called on to fulfill later; you'd need to use fluid routers to reach me, and I gather that's a little expensive. Or put a messenger on an outbound transport. I'd really rather just complete the transaction now."
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Saede Riordan on 03 Apr 2016, 13:18
Utari
Saede slides her hand through different sections of the floating holographic pie chart, causing them to split into individual departments. Defense is broken up into Orbital 15%, System 65%, and City 20%. Civil Projects are broken up into hundreds of small projects ranging from building libraries to the space elevator in the bay beyond Foundation City, to science projects constructed on Eidolon or sprawling through space. The space elevator is by far the largest budget item, but even it only is getting 9% of the total funding. The social welfare spending is broken up into UBI 55%, Housing Projects 10%, and Medical Services 35%.

"Sleeper drone salvage is a major component, but also things like fullerene gasses, minerals. We have an entire solar system's worth of resources. I refuse to think of sleeper drones as a good source of long term profit. But its good for bootstrapping. In the long run, maybe we'll do moon mineral reaction chains? It'd be nice if the SCC let us mine our moons. As for what specifically we're exporting, it is mostly raw materials at this point, though our local industries are slowly taking a larger and larger percentage of the resources extracted and selling them as finished products. Most small consumer goods are by now made locally, and we grow a lot of our own food. But for instance, a car, air or ground? You'd have to import one."

Aria
The man nods, "I understand. Well if you just fill out the form here, you can make a one time contribution and be on your way." He smiles. The page on the tablet does have an 'other' box where one can input their own donation amount. There's also a localnet interface on the device, which would let Aria send the data from her implants directly to it.
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Utari Onzo on 04 Apr 2016, 08:27
"So essencially you're using the tax on capsuleers to suppliment Origin instead of the government taking on debt? What is your projection for the colony to become financially self sustaining without capsuleer support, and what sort of central financial institution are you going to set up?"
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Aria Jenneth on 09 Apr 2016, 09:34
Aria goes ahead and gets her contribution submitted: 1 million ISK.

"All set. I ... hope your project goes well."

With a wave and a small smile, she sets off again.
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Saede Riordan on 23 Apr 2016, 18:42
Utari
"Capsuleers perform the majority of the space based industry, which is where most of the money is. I don't see that as something that needs to be optimized away from. If we had fewer capsuleers, we'd need more baseliner vessels to do the same jobs, but the planetary colonies are almost always going to be running using funds raised from space based ventures. If it wasn't a capsuleer it would be a corporation, its all just tax the rich at the end of the day." She chuckles. "I'm really not sure what you mean by 'capsuleer support' though. Its not like I or any other capsuleer is going around making huge donations to the government. We're not artificially propping up the economy, we're just performing the most profitable activities and are thus getting taxed the most heavily."

Saede scratches her nose. "And there will be no central bank. Too much consolidation of wealth. Historically speaking, its bad mojo to have a central bank."

Aria
The man makes a slightly confused face as Aria strolls away, not quite sure what just transpired. The streets in the second district are somewhat laid out like spokes on a wheel. They are however, also unevenly spaced, and many have doglegs or otherwise swerve into each other. The buildings are more varied as well, with density falling off sharply into three to five story tall structures of every shape and architectural philosophy. In the distance, the abutting spires of an Amarrian Cathedral are slowly rising amidst of sea of scaffolding, across the street is a five story sphere shaped building with a mirrored finish.
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Utari Onzo on 24 Apr 2016, 08:16
Utari purses his lips, furrowing his brow of a moment before replying.

"Without a central financial authority, how will you protect the colony's economy should there be spikes of inflation or deflation? What about currency reserves, incase quantitive easing is required? Since you're using the ISK, you're going to need an actual reserve of ISK since you can't just artificially create more money like other local authorities can that use their own currency."
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Aria Jenneth on 24 Apr 2016, 08:20
Aria directs her steps towards the two distant structures-- one, by now, completely familiar; the other intriguingly un-. She takes in the architectural riot around her as she goes.
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Saede Riordan on 24 Apr 2016, 12:47
Utari

"As far as currency systems go, ISK is very stable compared to other currencies. It inflates and deflates, but the variances tend not to effect the cost of most cheaper goods. The way that inflation and deflation of ISK occurs, it doesn't really even become apparent unless you're trading in assets worth millions of ISK. We've thought about moving over to an internal currency, but even if we did, hell, especially if we did, there'd still be no central banking authority."

Saede picks at her nails. "And Quantitative Easing is regressive and exploitative. We don't have a central bank or local currency because a central bank with the authority to print money is one of the best ways of concentrating wealth and extracting it from the populace. When you print money and increase the monetary supply, it devalues the currency and drives ever increasing inflation. And since most of that new money ends up in financial institutions, people see their buying power eroded as the money they have becomes worth less and less."

Aria

The still unfinished cathedral is, according to the sign in front of it, the Church of the Amarrian Reformation. Across the street, the sphere shaped building's sign lists it as the Emergent Parity Centre for Applied Metaintelligence.
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Utari Onzo on 25 Apr 2016, 09:53
"Very well..."

He paces a little, considering his next question before speaking.

"Can you tell me more about the civil developments? What kind of projects are you currently focusing on?"
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Saede Riordan on 30 Apr 2016, 20:05
"Well, the largest by far is the Skyhook project and the Eidolon Equatorial Supercollider. The supercollider is still a few years off completion, but the skyhook is scheduled to drop into Landfall Bay sometime in July." She points out the window of her office towards the bay, where a huge flat concrete platform has sprouted from the ocean. It is to this circular structure that the future  space elevator will be anchored onto.

"There's also ODESSA of course, but that's just a big jury rigged acceleration gate."
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Utari Onzo on 02 May 2016, 13:34
"I see. Can you tell me more about your plans on the acceleration gate?"
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Saede Riordan on 02 May 2016, 14:34
"Well that's finished, has been for two years now. The tech is really pretty basic. Its a trio of superconducting fullerene wires 50,000 kilometers long, with suspension braces and warp accelerators mounted every 100 kilometers along. It launches a ship into a slow warp that lets it get out into deep space around the system. We send out Stratioses with their warp coils modified so they go much further on the same capacitor charge at the expense of warp speed. They barely get up above a few times the speed of light, but it gives them a great deal more range."
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Utari Onzo on 02 May 2016, 14:45
"So it's intended as a means of reaching deep space, inter system areas, for exploration? I can see why you'd use the Stratios vessel for those, I'd imagine the return journey would take some time if you go out far enough."
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Saede Riordan on 02 May 2016, 15:25
"Yeah, we're talking about potentially weeks and months long missions. They get back by locking onto Isis, the Origin system primary."
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Utari Onzo on 05 May 2016, 11:19
"Interesting.. Any significant results from these deployments? Any ideas on other developments for it, or what kind of direction you're aiming for? Personally, if this thing can send, say, a capital group stealthily into someone's home anoikis system, I'd be worried about that kind of engingeering falling in the wrong hands."
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Saede Riordan on 06 May 2016, 11:54
Utari

Saede smiles slyly. "There have been a few developments, some of them are even declassified, but the last time I tried to reveal some of what we found, CONCORD had me censored. As for the military applications, they would be very limited by the technology. ODESSA can't handle anything larger then a cruiser, and it took us months just to get to the binary companion to Origin's primary star. We haven't even made it as far as J105000, Origin's nearest neighbour in the Anoikis Blossom."
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Aria Jenneth on 10 May 2016, 07:18
Confronted with these two options, Aria opts to wander over to the Cathedral to see whether there's anything much by way of literature before heading over to the other structure.

One of these institutions' character she can more or less guess, but wants to know the details of. The other is a little more cryptic.
Title: Re: [Collaboration - IC] Origin Tour
Post by: Saede Riordan on 16 May 2016, 11:50
Aria

The cathedral is built in the typically grand Amarrian style, with high vaulted ceilings and vast stoneworks. The upper layers of the structure are still wreathed in scaffolding as work continues on the upper levels.

(( I really don't know that much about the Amarr RP scene myself, but I know there's a Gallente reformist Amarr movement, and this is an offshoot of that group. They'd act...pretty much exactly how you'd expect devote reformist members of the Amarr faith to act. The congregation seems to be a mix of mostly Amarrian and Gallenteans.