[color=fff200]Eudaimonia Colony
Founders Tower[/color]

"I spent ten years trying to get people out of Container City. Ten years trying to give people a future. Now I'm shoveling people back into that place." Victoria Mayhew sighed as she turned away from the window atop the peak of Eudaimonia's largest arcology to face the other two leaders of Eudaimonia in her office. Generals Garroway and Suvorov sat across from her desk with grave expressions on their face matching their prime minister. "And this is just the beginning isn't it?"

"All militia units mobilized and working to cordon lines of traffic and facilitate transfer of refugees into designated habitation blocks for refugee housing." Listed off Suvorov, clearly rattled like the others yet focused on her designated task at hand. "I've also ordered Attack Teams assembled and armed with what heavy ordinance we have into strategic positions around Archangel starport."

"Heavy ordinance?" Garroway asked, the older man of the military duo looking slightly surprised by Suvorov's statement. "What do we need Attack Teams for?"

"Skyguard is cracking down on Elysium." Continued to list off Suvorov, tapping on her wrist-comp to continue to bring up numbers on the militia. "The first step towards taming animals is to close the cage door. Skyguard considers everyone living in Elysium to be animals to tame, and thus they need to close escape routes. Escape routes like our space elevator."

"Skyguard wouldn't-" Garroway cut himself off midsentence as he thought about what he meant to say. "Dammit. They would. They want to, they NEED to keep control over space lift capacity if they want to turn a profit for their Jupiter backers."

"What can we do?" Mayhew asked, taking her place at her desk to bring up a display of everything Eudaimonia had. "We have a militia and a few cannoned-up shuttles. Skyguard is a full-fledged military with orbital firepower. We can't stand up to them."

"Not on our own." Spelled out Suvorov. "But there are other colonies, mercenaries, corporations. They need a space elevator not under Skyguard monopoly. We have to pool our strength if we are to have any chance of independent survival."

"Only if we can survive Skyguard's first attack." Noted Garroway. "That one we will have to weather on our own, whichever form it takes."

"Then lets hope they have their hands busy with Elysium." Said Mayhew as she read the messages scrolling across her desk and began typing out preliminary messages to mercenaries and arms corporations to feel out options. "And that someone out there can help when the dust of this initial fiasco clears." 

[hider=Private Channel Message: Eudaimonia Colony -> La Parranda]

To: President Martin de La Parranda
From: Prime Minister Mayhew

Eudaimonia welcomes your delegation and we look forward to discussing measures of mutual defense and economic security.

Be advised that our current aerospace facilities are currently occupied with refugee traffic. A detour to a mass transit node (coordinates attached) via transfer by patrol shuttle would greatly expedite transit of your delegation if requested.

[/hider]



[color=fff200]Archangel Spaceport
Container City Zone 4, "Dogsville"
Dirty Deeds Brigade-monitored Checkpoint B[/color]

"Keep going! Single file into the scanner! Dear Lord, how has this tragedy come to be?"

"Stuff it Raynald. Leave preaching to the choir and get me another box of masks if you got the breath to spare." Grumbled Dismas beside his fellow Dirty Deeds companion as he ushered another close-packed family through the walkway, pressing respirator masks into their hands to give them some protection from the dust storm making its way towards the city of cargo containers and prefab hab-blocks. A mere drop in the bucket of safety for the thousands passing by, yet the ex-highwayman didn't have it in his heart to not at least try to help a few.

"You are right my friend. We do what we can, and may the Lord watch over these poor souls." The heavily armored trooper hauled another crate next to Dismas, careful not to jostle his plasma repeater as he opened the container of respirator masks. "I spy more passenger liners coming in, how many flee Elysium you wager?"

"No bet. Most likely thousands now, hundreds of thousands later when the lockdown turns into a crackdown." Dismas paused to make sure a lone child's mask was on right before pressing him into the line for scanning and ID tagging. Already the district's facilities for monitoring and scanning incoming individuals was taxed to the limit, and the ships were still coming and disgorging more wretched souls into Container City. Their efforts were interrupted when their commm-beads crackled to life.

[i]"Reynald, Dismas. This is Wander. Meet me at CP-Delta at pad six. I got more dirty work for you."[/i]

"Yes sire. What about the refugees?" Said Reynald as he signaled for spare militia to come their way as he and Dismas relucantly stepped away at their leader's orders.

[i]"Its becoming a local issue. More militia units are on their way, while Mercs like us have other work to do. Our clients are thinking Skyguard is on the way soon. Say nine out of ten their goal is the spaceport and space elevator. Winters wants her elevator safe more than keeping refugees alive and is recalling all the mercenaries here to keep it intact."[/i]

"Bitch CEO." Grumbled Dismas.

[i]"Bitch she is, no question. But no space elevator means no work and no lifeline for any refugees still alive, plus she'd take repair expenses out of our paychecks, so let's try and keep it in one piece."[/i]

"What will our dirty work be sire?"

[i]"Ever work with spider mounts for auto-turrets?"[/i]

"We have auto-turrets?"

[i]"Er, not yet exactly. Hence the dirty part of this job."[/i]

"Huh?"

[hider= Pentagral Industries to TPT]

To: CEO Salandra Tullheart
From: CEO Melanie Winters

Apologies for late reply to your initial overture of business. The refugee situation emerging out of Elysium is proving more sizable than expected and is greatly taxing spaceport and aerospace facilities to maximum capacity. On the other hand, this situation does potentially yield considerable potential labor assets and is a quite visible demonstration of Archangel's state of the art spaceport facilities and personnel for your consideration.

Priority landing codes to my private landing cluster are attached to this message for your speedy deliverance to my offices and our meeting. I look forward to a profitable exchange between our companies.
[/hider]