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[center][color=1AD21F][b]Salta Plaz, The Committee headquarters[/b][/color][/center]
Doctor Iwamoto Takeshi nervously ran his hand through his hair. He checked that the pile of documents is still ready on the table and his presentation is ready to be displayed on the screens. He and his team have worked hard on this project for the past three years and he knew that if he screws up today, all that effort could easily be flushed down the drain. [i]No pressure,[/i] he laughed to himself. Members of the Committee were slowly gathering in the room. Iwamoto wondered what important matters are they discussing. He spent most of his time in Arizaro, which was hidden away from the events in the country, so he didn’t know the latest gossip.

The latest one to arrive to the conference room was president Marco Cruz himself. As if Iwamoto needed another reason to be nervous. It was a good sign though, the project must seem important enough to him to come and see Iwamoto’s presentation in person. A young assistant ran around the table and handed a folder from the pile to everyone. Most of the Committee glanced on the first page or two, apparently uninterested. [i]Awesome start,[/i] Iwamoto thought to himself, but then he saw the smile on the president’s face. [i]Maybe not all is lost.[/i]

[color=92278f]“Ladies and gentlemen. I am here to present you the Trans-Andean Maglev Corridor project. As most of you will know, the preparation for this project has been going on for decades, ever since we discovered the iron deposits on the Chilean side of the Andes. Right now, the mining operation to extract those deposits would be unprofitable, as the terrain only allows aerial access. With TAMC we would gain easy access to the western coast, in the first phase from Arizaro. The second phase of the project counts on extending the line from Arizaro to Salta Plaz.

If you could please open your brochures on page 3,”[/color] he paused and the sound of flipping paper filled the room. [color=92278f]“Here you can see the planned route in the individual phases. The route is designed to end in the coastal city of Taltal, which is currently our largest harbour on the western coast.”[/color]

Iwamoto continued with an extensive list of benefits of the project. The main one was of course the access to the iron mine site. Iron wasn’t crucial to the Conglomerate for now, enough could be obtained by recycling, but Iwamoto knew of at least one future project that will need a huge amount of it. And since it was Marco Cruz who pushed the other project forward, Iwamoto counted on his support for the TAMC.

Another major benefit was the discovery of large fishing grounds just off the western coast, which would be a huge asset to the Conglomerate’s food sources. Taltal slowly worked on creating a squad of small fishing boats, but the complicated access to the area meant that there was no way the fish could get to the general population fast enough.

[color=0072bc]“This is all very nice,”[/color] one of the men interrupted him. [color=0072bc]“But if you look on it from the financial side, it is extremely uneconomic. Doctor Takeshi, what is the expected payback period?”[/color]

Iwamoto had to suppress a sigh. This question was unpleasant, but it was very well expected. [color=92278f]“The economic models are displayed on the page 11. And as for your question, doctor Edwards, the estimated payback period is 50 years, 40 if we manage to get the Zaldivar mining operation running at the same time as finishing the works on the first phase of TAMC. But the long term economic markers are much more favorable, not even talking about positive influence on the society.”[/color] Iwamoto looked around the room. [color=92278f]“Let’s not forget we are not talking about some marginal investment to a stadium or a park. TAMC will easily become a critical part of our infrastructure and will support the future expansion of the Conglomerate.”[/color]

[color=00a651]“What about the technical part of the project?”[/color] an older woman in glasses interrupted him. [color=00a651]“Are you sure that we have all the technology necessary to complete such thing? As far as I know, there were large problems even constructing the train track from Maquinchao to Salta Plaz and that was mostly on solid flat ground.”[/color]

[color=92278f]“Yes, me and my team are aware of the problems the constructors had there, but you have to realize that it was over 60 years ago and we have advanced technologically since then. As you can see in the project roadmap, our first goal will be reaching the iron mining site. We have two large refurbished tunnel boring machines which we will use to drill the initial tunnel to Zaldivar. Once we have a safe passage for the supply trucks, we can start laying the rails. In total, there will be three separate tubes to each tunnel, two for the trains and one for maintenance and as an escape route.

There will be four shorter tunnels along the route and one long, starting here at the outskirts of Arizaro,”[/color] he added, pointing at the map. [color=92278f]“We are already testing the technology there and are positive that it is accomplishable. The team lead by doctor Monroe is also very close to launching the new tokamak, which will provide more than enough power for the construction and later for operation of the TAMC.”[/color]

The president looked around. [color=ed1c24]“Well, ladies and gentlemen, I believe it is time to vote.”[/color]

Doctor Edwards frowned.[color=0072bc] “I vote to postpone. The economy isn’t ready for such large investment.”[/color]

Iwamoto had to suppress the urge to roll his eyes. Just as he had expected, Edwards was trying to sink the project. So far it seemed that the votes were divided to almost equal halves, and it became apparent that it will be the president who will have the final decision.

Marco Cruz stood up. [color=ed1c24]“Normally I would agree with doctor Edwards that this project will be dangerous for our economic stability. But since the planned project Poseidon depends heavily on the supplies of iron, then I vote yes for the TAMC. Congratulations, doctor, you got your funding,” [/color]he smiled on Iwamoto.

[center][color=1AD21F][b]Madirian advance base, near the ruins of Cascavel city, former Brazil[/b][/color][/center]
Valeria sighed and looked at the screen. She was trying to put an official report together, trying to hide the fact that so far the operation had been one big failure. [i]At least now I have something good to report with the information from Javier,[/i] she thought with a quick smile. The young man proved to be an incredibly valuable source of information about the cult controlling southern Brazil and apparently all he wanted in return was to be allowed to learn about Madirian technology. Since learning was something the whole society was built upon, Valeria certainly had no problem with providing him all the knowledge he wanted.

She got to the point of ordering all the personnel to abandon the camps along the coastline and retreat to the fortified base. [i]Hmm, abandon is such an ugly word. Tactical retreat sounds better. Tactical retreat to protect the lives of the Conglomerate citizens.[/i] She nodded. That sounds less like a defeat.

[color=1AD21F]“We have managed to obtain inside information from the cult. They call themselves ‘The Regressed’ and their society is based on a twisted version of some monotheistic religion, probably originally on Christianity. The vast majority of the people in area are fanatical believers, completely under control of a network of preachers. There is a mysterious figure behind the organization, hidden away in the center of the cult-controlled lands. The cult also has an elite unit of soldiers, called ‘The Levelers’, which are used against anyone who disagrees with the regime.

The Levelers seem to be the only ones using any advanced weapons, other than that we have seen mostly bows and spears, occasionally a crossbow. The enemy relies heavily on their numbers and absolute obedience of its followers.”[/color] Shivers ran down her spine as she wrote those lines. Valeria was present during one of the cult attacks on the Conglomerate’s positions. Dozens and dozens of savages in rags running against her soldiers. Spears, swords and in some cases just plain sticks against firearms. The scariest thing was the absolute lack of fear in their eyes. They believed that death fighting Devil’s army would lead them straight to paradise.

[color=1AD21F]“Our source confirmed that the level of technology within the cult is very low, almost at the medieval level. Anything advanced is seen as unholy, which gives us an advantage.”[/color]

Valeria frowned a bit when she mentioned her ‘source’. Javier was still technically a prisoner of war, which by normal rules meant that he would be sent to slavery. So far she had managed to protect him, because she felt it would be a shame to not use such a bright mind. She scratched her nose. [i]I’m gonna have to figure something out.[/i] 

As an idea popped into her head, she quickly wrapped up the report with usual request for more men and supplies and created another empty document. [i]It is time to play ‘the uncle’ card,[/i] she thought. She didn’t like it very much, she was proud to get to where she was without any favours from her family. But if it meant saving one life…

[color=1AD21F]“Dear uncle,”[/color] she wrote. [color=1AD21F]“I hope that your presidential duties don’t take up all your free time. I have a small favour to ask of you.”[/color]