Vizier al-Amed clasps his hands. "Yes of course--I'm so glad the casualties were not so great this time. Uh, if our compads are working once more, I must call back to Oasis, and have medical responders awaiting our return. Just...to make sure there's no adverse effects from the storm." The vizier takes two steps away from you, pauses, then walks hurriedly back towards the bunker while dialing his compad.
Michael
"Happened before, you say? Hm." Tobin Thrace[/i] looks you in the eye, and makes sure the aids nor the tourists are nearby to overhear. "It happens as often as they allow, and they always count it as the cost of progress. As a fellow man of science, I'm sure you can appreciate the cold pragmatism."
"I knew nothing of the seeders' complications when I began working here. When I turned 30 I retired from consulting and moved to Amir, drawn in by the legends of the great pretech terraformers, the Caliphate's pride. The popular myth would have you believe the First Caliph built the First Seeder with his own hands, and his descendants carved a paradise of Oasis out of a white wasteland."
He snorts. "Look at how this paradise pushes into the borders of the Gray Zone." On his dataslab he casually points to his ever-ready map of the Zones. "One would think the Caliphs are making a way for their people, taming the harsh world."
"Except I don't think their motivation is as pure. I think it's motivated by guilt."
"I was looking for someone to help me expose the truth. I tested the waters with Kleinsmith, but she's too addicted to the Caliph's money. But you and your friend might be able to help me out…"
