((OOC: That’s all right. I’m just going to set up the settlement so that we can expand on it later: get a sense of home.))
Captain Best, after reading through the Mister Leader’s telegrams, and replying to them, of course, bent over and stumbled out of his large tent. He was dressed in layers: undershirt, shirt, coat, jacket, overcoat. His breath nearly crystallized as it whispered through the dark pines, covered and frost thorough in frost and rid of birds. Best’s face was froze in pain as his body was introduced from the cold tent to the colder air. He bundled over to check out the Construction. He peered at the foundation, which was massive, built for about ten thousand, and inwardly complimented himself. Things were getting done from his orders; or maybe it was just the cold that forced the men and women to build faster. Once the building was complete, it would the main area for warmth and foodstuffs. It was quite important that it be completed before they all froze to death. It only takes a cold front.
A company of men, being trained for the job, went out to find morsels in the forest. Being winter, people were afraid that the food would run short.
A second company of travelers went to work, compounding a large pile of firewood that would serve as a temporary source of warmth and a permanent meeting plaza.
A third hastily dug channels in the snow and dirt, creating aqueducts that were to be used for water collection.
A fourth proceeded to boil the gnarly water as it flowed through the aqueduct.
A fifth efficiently shoveled their way through the road that stretched to sea, cleverly titled Asendavian Autostrasse. Although already nestled into the mainland, you could never opt out an emergency.
A sixth conducted experiments with the newly built meteorological observatory, which was a large pole, sticking out into the stilled air, hunkered down with weather-y trinkets.
A seventh, also being highly trained, dug into the towering, rocky cliffs relatively nearby. Rock would be required for more advanced fabrication in the future.
An eighth handled all illnesses, whether minor or otherwise.
And, finally, to wrap it all up, was a group of planners, all associated with the correlation of streets and utilities. Rumor had it that the Leader eventually wanted to have a thriving hub of trade here, and these people weren’t going to screw it up by building crap in weird places. If the place truly were to become a city, they were on the right track. After all, the population was already at 5,500: still no deaths. Best ought to get a raise.
As you can see, the shipment was prepared to get to work.
The town, temporarily being named Best’s Pilgrimage, was thriving. The man completely believed that, if given time and some more funding, there could literally be a city-state within the nation of Asendavia. Maybe people will move here, who knows.
In fact, now that Best thought about it, once we get settled here, we could probably ask for more colonists. Or even some Asendavians. That would be a diplomatic win for the USM.
“Best,” a tall man said in a respectful manner, crunching along in the blinding snow, “I think it’s about time you gave the Asendavians your daily progress report.”
“Of course, why wouldn’t I?” At that, the tall man yanked out a notepad and a pencil. “Tell them that everything is coming along nicely here. Morale, production, and expansion are reaching new heights, and the people are happy that they have something to do in this wilderness.” A moment later, with an erm, “Could you also tell them that we’d love some of them over; if not for more workhands, then a nice spot of tea. I hope I still have some.”
“Is that all, sir?”
Best hesitated. “Uh, no. Tell 'em that the community here should be willing to accept some bigger crowds by the end of the week. Not only that, I want you to telegram Mister Leader and tell him that we need some switching of people by spring, or maybe even earlier. I mean, this place is very nice and it’s really growing to something, but some of 'em need a break. Including you, I reckon.”
He nodded.
“And, one more thing, tell the Leader that Full Colonization will be in order by next season. By then, it’ll be time to get some unemployed over here, and get them into a spot where they’re helping the country. That’s all, though.”
The tall man nodded, thanked the captain, and walked away, elaborating in his mind how the body paragraphs will be structured.
Best crawled back in his cozy tent, content with his work and his day overall. He thought of the future wealth that could be tugged from this place, and how heaters and air conditioning could be widespread among the settlers by next summer.
I just hope things keep going this way.
