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M'Ahar's Apartment — Laying the Groundwork

Posted April 4, 2022, 1:05 p.m. by Civilian Mirembe M'Ahar (Director of Terraforming) (Trin S)

Posted by Civilian Mirembe M’Ahar (Director of Terraforming) in M’Ahar’s Apartment — Laying the Groundwork

Posted by Civilian Brianna “Bree” O’Harra (Head of Mining Operations) in M’Ahar’s Apartment — Laying the Groundwork

Posted by Civilian Mirembe M’Ahar (Director of Terraforming) in M’Ahar’s Apartment — Laying the Groundwork
Posted by… suppressed (5) by the Post Ghost! 👻
(snip!)

Bri had been watching, her own wine glass frozen halfway to her lips, already forgotten. “MIREEEEE…” the word fell like a half-whisper between them. “This is incredible! How long have you been thinking about this?” Her hand rose up to hover over each 3D piece as if she could touch it. Her hand never lowered enough to break the illusion and she shook her head in disbelief once more. Moving to set down her glass, having never taken a sip, she turned to Mire. “Do you realize you could make EOD not just self sustaining, but actually profit producing in half the time I had figured with my own hasty plans. I hadn’t considered using less wanted ores to construct the domes and structures so we wouldn’t be dependent on the mines of profitable ore to produce enough for export as well as local use.” She was giggling and biting her lip and couldn’t stop shaking her head. “You are AMAZING!”

She took Mire’s face in her hands and leaned over to kiss her on the forehead before releasing her with a blush and wide eyes. “I’m sorry… I mean. You are amazing. But forgive my forwardness. I was merely excited. You really do have an amazing mind.” Her head started spinning with the possibilities.

Bri
HoM
Fire Born

“No…” Mirembe wrinkled her nose in a self-inflicted grimace, “it’s okay! Really… I don’t mind?” She released a rough, unwieldy chuckle and fiddled with her fingers to distract from the tell-tale red flooding her cheeks. Fortunately, IAN had it covered. He touched her temples with a bored buzz! that functioned like a ‘get a grip!’ to yank her from her self-inflicted awkwardness. Fumbling, Mirembe waved a hand at the display.

“Each… er, dome will have a distinct design reflective of its purpose and tenants, but they’ll share basic functions.” Mirembe tapped the dome to highlight its structural elements. “We’ll equip the primary structure with an atmospheric complex that connects to smaller environmental control centres in ancillary domes. Then, using a water-based system, we’ll harness excess solar energy from the matrix to power a pump that warms and cools water, releasing it as vapour. Recycling energy from the solar array should reduce needless expenditure in the future, though the water-based system may take a while to master. We’ll run a few tests to find the ‘Goldilocks zone’ before welcoming your team, but that’s a fiasco we’ll discuss later.”

“I recall telling you that a ‘one-dome’ approach was best,” Mirembe pinched the air and zoomed out until three domes materialised, “but I was wrong. We cannot ensure families and non-Mining personnel won’t be exposed to the hazards of your vocation. So, I decided to add two ancillary domes connected by sealable skybridges. The primary dome will house your central mining complex, offloading ports, and space for basic accommodations. Next to it, you’ll have an administrative dome that contains offices, training spaces, and a small repair shop.”

“Mining ops and admin are fairly straightforward. We can mix-and-match as you and your team desire, but the general contents will remain unchanged.” Mirembe continued. “Residential districts are less cut and dry. We are constructing someone’s future home, so we need to be mindful of more than basic needs and transportation. Therefore… the satellite village could have an open concept with a higher transparent aluminium to ore ribbing ratio. We’ll integrate more sophisticated environmental controls to provide a pseudo-natural weather pattern. I also thought of using ‘green’ technology to construct residential complexes, where the exteriors will shelter micro-ecosystems.” M’Ahar inputted a command that yielded an ornate, rhombus-shaped building covered in verdant foliage. “Beyond aesthetic, these buildings will assist in nutrient recycling, water and energy reuse, and provide natural air purification. We’ll also use the first floor of these buildings to house shops and markets that mirror the needs of the community. These domes aren’t very big, so constructing a lively but functional space is essential.”

“There are issues of access to medical care, education and non-mine employment; however, we can discuss these matters with the directors and see if we can, for example, integrate a satellite youth centre or clinic. Although not as time-sensitive, it’d be wise to consult those departments before we approach Governor Hyrushi. Better prepared, eh?”

— Mirembe M’Ahar
(Inspiration: Biosphere 2 & green buildings)

Bri had looked down, covering her own embarrassment, so she hadn’t seen Mire’s reddened cheeks. “This is beyond incredible. And you’re right, about the living and mining sections being separate. I should have thought of that. Gas and toxic air pockets as well as biological unknowns are all possibilities. We would definitely need a way to shut off non essential personnel and locations from such things in an emergency. And I think separate water and air systems would be prudent for similar reasons.” She laughed. “Wouldn’t do to shut the door just to have everyone die cause the air systems got crossed.” She looked at the schematics a moment more.

“Ok, so next course of action is talking to the other departments and getting them onboard. Then we’ll make sure we’re fully integrated with everyone’s concerns and needs before presenting it to the Governor.” She told her head and laughed. “And we’ll have to be sure the Klingon presence is addressed. If there’s to be mining support from him, we’ll need to be sure there’s a place for him as well. But that’s a small matter for when we discuss needs and wants with the others. Speaking of which,” she tugged the other chair back with a foot and lightly judged Mire towards it. “What do you want from this? I mean, besides being named the greatest bio dome builder in the entire Alpha Sector?” She laughed and watched the woman. There was something growing between them that slightly startled the fiery redhead. She has been sure she’s be butting heads with the other departments with just the idea of her dome idea. The fact this woman before her was as enthusiastic, if not more so, than her, blew her mind in more than one way.

Bri
HoM

Mirembe listened with narrowed, attentive eyes. Though she pondered the extent of the Klingons’ support, she chose not to meddle in Bree’s affairs. She already expressed reverence for her Klingon friend (and his keen deposit discovery skills) – what else was there to consider? Mirembe knew better than to assume their partnership was without good reason and profit. Humming in affirmation, she scribbled ‘Klingons’ onto the list of folks to consult before seeking cabinet approval. It was a growing list, and though the deadline seemed distant, she knew it would hit them when they least expected.

“Oh… I’m not in this for notoriety,” Mirembe conceded. “I am lucky to have a dedicated, endlessly creative team, and they deserve the world’s admiration, but I have no desire to be lumped in with the ‘greats’. We are all terraformers, but our convictions couldn’t be more… conflicting.” She chose her words carefully, unresolved bitterness swelling in her pale eyes. “There’s no reason to bash folks who aren’t in the room,” she cleared her throat. “The truth is… I want to see this succeed. We often terraform planets to our needs, neglecting the indigenous populations – even just prokaryotes – who already call it home. Oed’s different. We’re not trampling over its natural plan but using our knowledge to restore and revitalise. I’ve helped nourish atmospheres on barren moons and watched the first plants sprout on a once lifeless asteroid. But this is new. This is something I’ve never done before and I need to get it right… for the people and for Oed.” Mirembe cleared her throat, chasing away the tumult burbling in her belly. “We got to start small, right? If we can master contained ecosystems then maybe we can do the same for the planet, eh?”

“Anyway, that was my little spiel for the day. Hope I haven’t scared you off.” She winked, flashing Bree a winsome smile. “So, we’ve got a basic infrastructure. We have an idea of who we need to consult and about what. Is there anything we haven’t touched on?”

— Mirembe M’Ahar, Terraformer

Bree absently touched Mire’s arm in reassurance. She wasn’t sure the underlying emotions, but overall she knew Mire’s heart was in the right place. That’s all she needed to know. The rest… Maybe in time.
“You haven’t scared me off. And sadly, you’ll probably be named among the greats but I think your goals are admirable.” She dropped her hand. “Wanting to bring life to lifeless rocks, and people to places they only dreamt of, is an amazing goal. Never think less of yourself for not going after building accolades.”

Mirembe touched Bree’s hand with a soft, comforted smile that dissolved into a spurt of laughter. There was something valuable about having your thoughts reflected through another’s words. She warned herself that ‘fitting the mould’ was a waste of time and potential, but it felt hollow and ingenuine coming from a mirrored image. Bree made it seem tangible and that helped in ways she could not describe. “Thanks,” she signed, mischief creeping into her smile. “If I am to become ‘great’, however, I intend to do it in a way that disturbs the others. Makes them uncomfortable, you know? I could live with that.”

Glancing at the notes and then her hostess, she smiled again and shook her head. “No, I can’t think of anything else. You manage you come right out the gate answering every question I could have thought of. This is gonna be amazing. I’m glad Fate saw fit to land us both on this hunk of stone together.” She laughed and moved to stand up. “I’ll help you clean up. We seemed to have just pushed the mess aside.” She half laughed as she reached for her plate, empty and forgotten behind where her elbow had been.

Bree
HoM
Fire Born

Mirembe wasn’t much a believer in fate, but she valued whatever pulled them to this recovering planet. Even if these domes flunked or circumstances changed, she trusted they would have each other to toss around ideas with or explore even wilder possibilities. It would be nothing if not fun. “Oh… yeah,” Mirembe rose and gathered plates to transport to the sink. “Any longer and Eo might’ve helped himself to our leftovers.” She tossed a wink at the canine, who cocked his head ever-so-innocently.

“Anyway…” she scraped the remnants into a composter and paused, “thanks for tonight. If you’re ever in the mood for a home-cooked meal or some company beyond miners and Klingons, let me know.”

— Mirembe M’Ahar, Terraformer

Bree smiled. “I’d like that. And yes, we’ll make them all uncomfortable.” She laughed and hugged Mire, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. “I definitely enjoyed tonight. And the offer of company goes for you as well. Not sure how great the coming will be. But I can replicate a pretty mean dessert.” She laughed.

“Ooh… don’t tempt me with dessert,” Mirembe winked and gave her a warm squeeze. Despite their relative newness to each other, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of camaraderie. Frankly, she couldn’t remember the last time she felt the need to be close to someone. Research and projects demanded most of her time and, when they didn’t, she used perceived business as an excuse to distance herself from anything permanent. Surely, playful banter and acquaintanceships were enough? Maybe she’d been wrong. It wouldn’t be a first.

“I’ll reach out to the other departments and see if we can’t get something going this week. Should have something for the governor by the end of the Quarter. Couple weeks ahead of his request.” She winked and smiled.

Bree
HoM
Fire Born

“Perfect,” Mirembe grinned and made a slow approach to the door. “I’ll write up formal proposals for each department. Let me know when you’ve got an ‘okay’, and I’ll send them over so they can review them before we meet. Sound good?”

— Mirembe M’Ahar

bump 04.04.2022


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