BLACK ANVIL - Installation ζ1

“BLACK ANVIL” - Installation ζ1 Mass Driver Lunar Installation. Year 2187. Kinetic Super Weapon. ZEFRON - Geology and Environment: Geology and host stellar system: Zefron is a natural satellite of a gas giant approximately four times the diameter of Earth. It orbits its host planet at a distance of 1.12 million km, has a circumference of approximately 12,000 km, and is tidally locked to its planet. Both bodies are 8 billion years old. Zefron is a cool-mantled body, with a mantle temperature of approximately 345°C. Its crust is 70–100 km thick and composed mostly of cold silicate rock. It has no atmosphere or magnetosphere, is tectonically dead, and its core is magnetically inactive. While the tidal forces from its host planet are noticeable, they are not strong enough to heat the moon. Its tidal locking is the result of billions of years of gravitational interaction. This moon and its host planet are located in the Argeon System, 24 light-years from Earth. The system consists of a main-sequence, sun-like star named Argeon and two planets: a small rocky planet in a near-elliptical orbit called Argeon-a, and a distant gas giant named Argeon-b. Argeon-b has one moon—Zefron. The system’s unusually old age is a known anomaly; current theories suggest it may be a remnant of another galaxy that collided with the Milky Way. Installation ζ1 is located on Zefron’s equator, 90° offset from Point Alpha, which sits on the point of the equator always facing Argeon-b. Magnetic Shield Towers (MSTs), affectionately nicknamed “Umbrellas” by the crew, are placed every 5 km along the equator. These create a torus-shaped artificial magnetosphere around the moon's midsection, shielding the installation from stellar and cosmic radiation. Argeon-b’s magnetosphere is too weak at Zefron’s distance to provide natural protection. Zefron’s regolith is composed of a mixture of rock, glass, mineral fragments, and grains. It’s rough and grainy in texture, extremely brittle, and finer than lunar regolith. It's also sharp enough to damage materials not rated for the Zefron environment. This graininess results from billions of years of meteorite impacts. Craters on Zefron are smoother and less defined than those on Luna, due to the regolith’s slow, gravity-driven flow. Installation ζ1 is designed to withstand the harmful effects of Zefronic regolith, with all main complexes constructed from high-resistance materials. Another key feature of ζ1 is its membrane roofs—thin but durable domes of transparent fabric, reinforced with a metal lattice structure for added strength and stability. Socio-political environment and context: Humanity has exploded into the space age. Colonizing space quickly. Resulting in the rip. Humanity having extended itself too thin. And multiple factions of humanity being born of this rip. Most importantly for Installation ζ1, The Black League, and its government body, The Black Hand. Being one of the many factions born out of the rip of the main human government. Known for being paranoid and willing to do terrible things to ensure their independence. It is Autocratic and Dictatorial in government structure. Installation ζ1 is a result of their paranoia as well as an effort in economically and internationally stabilize themselves. The Installation acts as both a super weapon to threaten Earth if it ever chooses to threaten them. And an industrial powerhouse to stabilize their economy on the galactic market. Installation ζ1 is a super weapon platform. It is discussed with the general public and lower-ranking officials as a defense platform and industrial centre. Both are true, but underplay the destructive potential the Installation has. The Black Hand is considered an extremist faction among the breakaway states of the rip. Being viewed with general distrust from the others. Although not enough to stop trade relationships. Most of their allies view them as allies to ensure their collective safety, Allies of circumstance rather than true international friends. And as one of the very few breakaways that has one of the pre-rip Dyson swarms in its territory. In the Argeon system. Resulting in them also becoming important energy exporters throughout the breakaway states. The Black League is fairly small, territorially speaking. Only a dozen star systems in their domain. But what they do lack in territory, they make up for in influence. As stated before, they have one of the very few Dyson swarms in the galaxy. Allowing them to become a considerable army on the galactic theatre despite their territorial limitations. But a major weakness they are known to have is their reliance on importing materials and munitions from other breakaways. As they don’t have any planets dedicated to mass mining. They are far too small to do so. Every planet is an important economic player in their market and not viable to be mass mined for resources. The only body being mined is Zefron itself. And so Installation ζ1 is considered a core component in protecting The Black League economy from enemies targeting the bottleneck of Zefron, being the sole mining Installation in the whole nation. So while Zefron is material-rich. They are limited. So, for warship building, they use mostly imported material. The Black Anvil is used as a propaganda tool. Made out to be the best defensive platform in the galaxy. And while it can be argued to be that. The true capabilities of Installation ζ1 are still classified. The Black Hand views Installation ζ1 as their most important asset and is willing to go to great lengths to protect that asset from potential harm. Other breakaways viewed Installation ζ1 as a terrifying prospect if a war ever broke out between any of them and The Black League. Other factions keep a thin and tense alliance with The Black League to avoid that possibility. The Galactic Theatre: The Rip was an event that happened in 890 S.E. (Stellar Era). Humanity was rapidly expanding into the stars as one united nation. But as they developed, their resources started to dwindle around the far edges of the empire. And so rebellions started striking. And the result was a chaotic soup of independent states fighting for legitimacy. For the next millennias. And as the now-called “Breakaway” states started starving from the lack of an adequate logistics network. They started declaring independence to try and save their people from starvation, as Sol tried to keep them under control through military means. Even though it knew that a lot of their people would starve as a consequence of that. Sol didn’t care. They cared about their great United Humanity. And save it, no matter how rotted on the inside it got. And so nowadays, the breakaways resent Sol for attempting to keep them under its control. Resulting in even more famine deaths across the colonies of Sol. The Sacralan Dictat: Population: ~349 Billion GDP: ~570 Trillion Credit. Leading body: the Disciple of the Sacralan. Located in a group of stars named the Sacralan stars. After the nation inhabited the area. The Sacralan Dictat has control over approximately 100 star systems. In the north-west GSD (General Sol Direction. A system of navigation based on the sol system) zone, 10 light-years away from Earth, being the closest star system of the Sacralan Dictat to Earth. The Dictat is a theocratic monarchy, with a disciple at the peak of the social ladder. They believe that the rip of the human domain was a godly punishment for molesting the stars. Their secret end goal is to destroy every other human state. To stop the molestation of the stars by the race. Even if currently committing hypocrisy by treading on the energy of the Black League. Which they get from a Dyson swarm. The Sacralan Dictat is a close trading partner to the Black League. Mainly trading their vast resources in exchange for the Black League’s Energy. The Sacralan Dictat is also one of the main importers of the children produced in the eugenics program on Black Anvil. As their natural birthrates have tanked due to an incurable disease. The origin of The Disguise is unknown, but it's known to cause infertility in women by killing egg cells. The Sacralan Dictat sees this disease as a punishment from god brought upon them for still being unsuccessful in their end goal. The disease was called “The Disguise” because of the fact it is nearly asymptomatic. They are still one of the most populated nations in the breakaways. As the disguise is a recent event. And is most likely an STD that has rapidly spread throughout their population. The state treats its citizens with fairness as long as they follow the teachings of the Disciple. Anyone who doesn't get sent to the Sacralan work camps and is forgotten by the state, with their identity being fully erased from the record. Naquatia: Population: ~301 Billion GDP: ~10.8 Quadrillion Credit. Leading body: Head CEO of Naquatia Located in the stellar neighborhood of Sirius A, containing about 150 star systems. It is a techno-corporate empire. Ruled autocratically by the shareholders of the nation's wealth. They are a mega-corporation on the stellar scale. Using their resources to buy out their opponents instead of outright war. Although their tactics don’t work on every nation in the galactic theatre. As the Black League outright refused any amount of money because of their view that independence is the soul value above all else. And so, instead, Naquatia trades with the Black League. Mainly in stock and mineral exporting. As well as selling designer warship copyrights to the Black League. Naquatia is also the friendliest with what's left of United Humanity around the Sol system. Naquatia isn’t as bitter about what happened during the rip. They consider it unfortunate but not damning. And so they keep trading with Sol despite the grimy history. Naquatia is by far considered the most powerful breakaway. With everyone else needing to adapt to their policy and doing. Unless strong enough to refuse the money outright. The Black League being an example of such a state. Naquatia treats its population depending on how much wealth an individual has. The richer, the freer. While their warship fleet is fairly small, it is the most advanced and best-designed. And Naquatia earned much of its wealth from selling the copyrights of such designer ships to other nations, typically to reveal ones to cause war, potentially, and consequently, more sales of copyrighted ship designs. The Bastion of Sol: Population: ~20 Billion GDP: ~544 Trillion Credit. Leading body: Senet and the president. What remains of the old United Humanity government. Just a handful of systems around the Sol system. Diplomatically isolated, it turned itself into an impenetrable bastion. It is a democratic state in a sea of autocratic dictatorships. With only one friend in the new galactic theatre. With dreams of reuniting with the rest of the states peacefully. They also try erasing the history of how the rip came to be because of their negligence. Wishing to forget all about that. With their greatest enemy in the galactic theatre being the Black League, who makes them remember it all, forcefully. With the Black League broadcasting lectures about the rip through the General Neutrino Network (GNN, the intergalactic internet). The Bastion of Sol is called that because Sol has fortified itself to an astronomical degree to try and protect itself from its angry, bitter past colonies. Much of their culture was erased during the rip. As the breakaways started forming into proper nations and fighting back, Sol all the way to only the 5 stars around Sol. Sol ended up entrenching and holding the line ever since. The Scrapping Nomads: Population: ~389 Billion GDP: ~145 Trillion Credit. Leading body: Chieftains. This collective is located about 300 light years from Earth in every direction. A ring of approximately 2000 stars. Barren wastes. Where groups of nomads ransack derelict and abandoned settlements of old United Humanity. Where there is no more life left after the ravages of famine and rebellion. They largely vary in fleet between fleets. But most of them managed to stay democratic. Seeing themselves as the last remnants of a proper and good humanity. Not trying to hide behind lies about the past or in illusions of great futures. And while they stay largely out of the politics of the empire post-rip. They sometimes have to, to make sure that they are unharmed during great conflict. But as they are typically the ones to host neutral diplomatic territory for the other breakaways, they see themselves as a safe space for everyone to use as a diplomatic ground. Even the Black League and The Mnemosyne see them as trustworthy. Even if the Black League and The Mnemosyne don’t prefer the type of government run by the nomads. And while this is the standard for most sects of nomads, of course, some chieftains are far less welcoming to outsiders. The Black League: Population: ~50 Billion GDP: ~1 Quadrillion Credit. Leading body: The Black Hand and the dictator. The Black League is a techno-fascist state. Located 25 light-years south GSD from Earth. Made up of only a dozen star systems. With its capital being the Argeon system, it is the only nation besides the Bastion of Sol to have a Dyson swarm in its territory. The other Dyson swarms were destroyed during the rebellions of the rip. The Black League considers the rip as a natural consequence of the imperialistic democracy of the United Humanity. They believe that democracy breeds weakness. That democracy is a disguise for a powerful nation. They are centred around Installation ζ1 Black Anvil in the Argeon system. While their population center is in the Gnewa system, just 5 light-years off of Argeon. The Black League is known to have very few natural resources. Relying on imported materials for their construction and warship manufacturing. The only advantage they have is energy, through their Dyson swarm. They value their independence above all else and have a deep hatred for the Bastion of Sol for trying to reintegrate them all back into United Humanity. The Black League hyper-militarized because of that and now hosts Black Anvil, the most powerful WMD in the galaxy, in an effort to ensure the doctrine of MAD is followed by the other breakaways surrounding them. And specifically, Sol. They also run an eugenics program that they sell to other nations, specifically selling batches of children already brain-washed to believe in the customer nations' ideology. For a big profit for the Black League, as they keep the program a luxury for the other nations. The Mnemosyne: Population: ~189 Billion GDP: ~89 Trillion Credit. Leading body: Non/mixed. Located deep in the southwest GSD, 40 light-years from Earth. In an irradiated star cluster known as the crown. They are an anarchist state that is run by terrorist groups constantly fighting for control over different territories of the crown. They do not have a united government. Instead, it is a collection of about 70 star systems that act on the political theatre as one. But internally fight with each other internally for control. They are known as terrorists in other states, as they have on multiple occasions done suicide bombings in other nations. They have a deep-running resentment towards all of the other breakaways. As they believe that their non-compliance was the reason that the great United Humanity fell. And so they decided that they needed to end this era of breakaways by force, and reunite humanity under their wing. As in their eyes. Their willingness to sacrifice for United Humanity shows that they are the most worthy of having control over it. While some sects of Mnemosyne’s are less extreme than others. It is still a documented risk to travel through their territory, and it is generally discouraged. As it can lead to being pirated and possibly even murdered. To a point that all the Breakaways decided to sign a treaty where if any of them sends out a trade freighter and it ends up disappearing in Mnemosyne territory, it is considered lost, and there will be no further investigation conducted. Valgi-Terra: Population: ~24 Billion GDP: ~12 Trillion Credit. Leader body: Pope. This is a theocratic democratic monarchy. Located north GDS, 60 light-years from Earth. They have great relations with the Black League as they are another small state. Only 20 systems are under their control. And so they share the paranoia of the Black League. They are also amazing trade partners as they cover each other's weaknesses, with Valgi-Terra being a mineral-rich, energy-poor state. And the Black League is an energy-rich, mineral-poor state. They believe that they are the righteous successors of Terra, Earth. And that the rip was the result of God not deeming Sol worthy of controlling the will of humanity. Their end goal is to take over Earth. And reestablishing United Humanity. And they plan to do so without including the other breakaways. As Valgi-Terra sees them as equally condemned for the rip as Sol. Even if completely innocent in the making of the rip. They even see themselves as partly responsible despite being a society that was born after the rip, as they are the newest and freshest state in the Galactic Theatre. And so have no history with Sol specifically. Only fresh relationships with other breakaways. Of which they only befriended the Black League. In-Depth look into Installation ζ1: This section will go more in-depth into each of the complexes of Installation ζ1 and describe them with as much detail as possible. The previous Section on life and culture aboard Installation ζ1 aimed at a more general look at the population and life on Installation ζ1. Executive Pyramid:

Officer Annex: Life in the Officer Annex was a mix of casual and tense. This place was mostly filled with soulless ‘art’ pieces and statues. Although they were made to only look fancy, not with a genuine heart behind them. The furniture was clean and well-maintained, the ventilation was cleaned regularly, and the Officer Quarters had a maid staff to keep them clean and orderly. While there are many personal touches in the rooms themselves. The corridors, parks, and other recreational areas were sterile of personal touches. Neatly trimmed grass, perfectly kept trees, spotless statues, fountains with crystal clear water, and a pleasant smell. But no amount of this perfection could get rid of the underlying feeling of it just being for show, for the executives to point at and brag about how well they treat their employees. But most of the officers are fully brought into The Black Hand propaganda machine. And so they mostly don’t question it. Unless we’re talking about the Civil Service officers. As they are way more aware of their less-than-human treatment by Management. But they have to keep that on the down low. After all, they can’t risk making the executives mad. Who knows what would happen to those who made them mad. Previous cases of such officers ended in a missing officer with minimal explanation. Officers live fairly carefree lives in the Officer Annex. As long as not on shift, Management doesn't yell at them to keep the crew in line. And so they get to socialize in the numerous parks of the Officer Annex, or stop by the many bars, or perhaps brothels if in the mood. As the officers are provided with even that. Another tactic by the executives was to keep the officers submissive under their yoke. At the very least, the women at such brothels are treated with basic decency. As much as a woman in such a place can be, anyway. They get better housing in exchange for those services. But it is fairly well known among The Crew Annex that officers can be demanding and unwieldy when allowed to discharge like this. So they do their best to support these sex workers through it. It’s all they can do without triggering a Management response. Officers get their own personal workstations in their Quarters like any other crew aboard Installation ζ1. But their stations are far more capable. With more storage and even enough power to run high-performance games. And if not enjoying their high-grade workstations, they might enjoy a meal cooked by a maid. And while it’s never real meat or plants, it tastes great enough to ignore that fact. But to clarify, they do not have personal maids. Those maids are a workforce of the entire Officer Annex and serve them their meals and other services room to room. Those maids also maintain the cleanliness of the public areas of the Officer Annex. Officers interact with each other in an official and respectful tone when in public areas. Only being allowed to act casually when in their personal quarters. And so many officers host small or larger gatherings in their quarters to have a more human chat and hang out. Without the fear of Management getting them and punishing them. Typically, by cutting pay, which is something every officer is scared of. As status is very important among them, and getting a cut pay lowers that status. And to speak more on the matter of the maid staff of the Officer Annex. They are slaves to the Black League state. And while they are treated with basic decency, they do not get most of the rights an employee on board Installation ζ1 would get. They harbor quiet resentment, knowing that rebelling outright would end catastrophically for them. So they carry out their duties as ordered and try not to go against the wishes of executives or most officers. Only subtly speaking their displeasure with their position via graffiti in The Crew Annex, or sticky notes left behind anonymously. Their relationship with Civil Service Officers is quite a bit better, as they are known for being less demanding and more lenient on Maid staff. Probably a result of their social challenges. And executives treat them the worst. With the only exception being the CEO. Who gives them some comfort, even if only to keep his maid staff in line. Hammerhead Laboratories: From the central elevator sanctum. The labs are separated into four divisions for each corner of the pyramid: Astrophysics Division, Biochemical Division, Beam & Laser Division, and Material Science Division. Each one has a unique subculture and tradition upheld in them. All the divisions are also split into subdivisions (Although normally said subdivisions are still referred to as divisions, that is just a standardized naming convention). Astrophysics Division: The walls of the corridors are littered with space-themed decorations and paintings. As well as small planet figures on any tables in the corridors. Other than that, it is sleek and organized. Here, researchers are tasked with calculating the trajectory for the Black Anvil as well as working on potential improvements to its design. The scientists of the Astrophysics Division are the most serious of the four Divisions. As Management holds them the tightest. They know the most about the weapon, and they must be kept under control. Which is why they are also given the de facto leadership position over the entire Hammerhead Labs. To please them into compliance. Some of its subdivisions include the Magnetosphere Division, where monitoring and main controls are for the Umbrellas. Or the Solar Activity Research Division, where they monitor and study the Star of the Argeon system for any potential CMEs or other disturbances, as well as manage the Dyson Swarm around the star. A typical day in the Astrophys Div. Is quiet and focused. Most of the time monotonous and boring. Unless the TRMD is being tested, adrenaline shoots through the staff of the Astrophysics Division as they are entrusted with the super weapon, and any malfunction in its targeting would be met with punishment. Biochemical Division: This place is full of plant life. The corridors are more playful than the Astrophysics Division. And far more full of life, literally. The researchers here are also more laid back, since Management seemingly stopped trying to keep all cameras cleared of plant life obstruction. So deeper into the lab there are plenty of spots for them to mess around with their experiments and research without Management trying to involve itself into affairs, and Management was willing to let this go, as the Biochemists are the least knowledgeable about the true extent of Black Anvil, after all, they only really make the food and drugs, things that by all standards are normal on the galactic stage. As a result, they are more casual and tend to mess around when doing research, playing practical jokes, and messing around with it. Some of its subdivisions include the Greenhouse Division, where the food is grown and improved upon for the whole Installation. Or the Medicine & Drug Research Division, where most of the Installation's medical needs get worked on, like performance enhancing drugs for Silo workers. A usual day in the Biochem Div. Can can be described as fun. Be it competitions on who can make the best tasting tomato, to doing the assigned research, like looking for the best meat alternatives, or for the most nutrient-rich artificial supes for the crew, and faster growing fruit plants. Beam & Laser Division: The corridors are clean and sleek, with modern designs on the walls. With some planters lining the corridors, which were borrowed from Biochem. While not overly serious, the researchers of this division are focused on their assignments and only become casual after the day's tasks are done. Management has a fairly present surveillance over this part of the Labs, as their research is crucial for Installation ζ1, which is a big reason for how the scientists of this division act like they do. Its subdivisions include the Laser Communication Division, where they do research on laser communication technology, as Installation ζ1 needs a fast connection to other Black League settlements, considering it is a defense platform. Another subdivision is the Beam Weaponry Research Division, where they work on beam weapons and defense mechanisms, mainly anti-meteorite and potential defense against enemy projectiles, or creating laser sights for beam rifles. An average day will be filled with having fun with their lasers and beams, doing research, and having silent fun with it. Material Science Division: Certainly the loudest and messiest division of the Hammerhead Labs. The corridors are more industrial in their look, with exposed pipes or grate walkways. Mainly because of the machinery that they use to test different materials. The only clean place here is the small section dedicated to doing research into what materials might work, before that gets forwarded to the general division. The scientists here are fairly detached, known to be difficult to impress and pretty Stoic. Most likely because of the constant danger that lurks around their machines, they become desensitized to it. Management keeps a close eye on them to make sure they do not do anything stupid, but does not intervene too much unless it's necessary to make sure nothing blows up. Exemplary subdivisions include the Alloy Research Division, where they develop and test different alloys, be it for local use or the general Black League industry. And is the place where the black alloy used in the TRMD was invented. But its atomic structure is classified, named “Acrylicium” as it resembles acrylic in texture. Another subdivision of the Material Science Division is the Munitions Development Division, and is where they blueprint and develop ammunition for the TRMD and battery cells for the Beams and Lasers, developing better and more efficient ways to store and make ammo. Day-to-day life here is chaotic, loud, and the least elegant of the Hammerhead Labs. But considering everything, they do their job well and are considered largely irreplaceable by Management. Command Centre: Luxury at its finest. Here is where the Executives and Investors live and socialize. The Command Centre is split into the bottom floor, where Executives socialize and talk, filled with parks, recreational centers, restaurants, and so much more. The Maid staff are the ones taking care of this place, and they are treated less leniently here than in the Officer Annex. Executives are more demanding and harsher. They expect perfect service from their staff. The bottom floor is purely for show and luxury, paintings on the walls, statues outlining the edges of parks, and so on. Unlike in the Officer Annex, this art was made with actual artistic intent. And it smells beautiful here. Almost too much so. The walkways are paved with stone, and you almost can’t tell that you’re not on Earth, except for when you look out of the huge windows that practically replaced the outer walls by the Command Centre. You can see Executives walking around here, showing it all to potential investors while talking them up. Or eating at the fancy restaurants, and bragging about their position to each other, talking up a big game on how to make out with more profit from the Silo Factories. The next floor. The middle Floor. It is where the Executives live. Each Executive gets a suite that includes a master bedroom, living room, kitchen (maid included), bathroom, and an amazing view out onto the Zefronic regolith fields. Each suite is locked with a DNA key card, unlike the normal key cards in the Hammerhead Labs and Officer Annex. Executives typically spend their days in their suites. Relaxing, enjoying television or VR, powerful computers, and a small personal gym area in their living room. All the suites are nearly identical. With high-quality Ebony wood, granite table tops, with fluffy carpets and beds. This floor is also home to the Private Dock. Where Executives and Investors alike arrive at Installation ζ1. It is the best-equipped out of all the docks on the Installation. With luxury departures from shuttles that land here. The last floor. The top floor. It is the peak of the Executive Pyramid. And it’s where the decision-making about Installation ζ1 is made. The base of the peak is where the security team is located. Even most Executives don’t have the clearance to walk into this area unless specifically assigned there by the CEO. It’s the only part of the Command Centre that doesn't have the outer walls made out of glass. Not much is known about the operations conducted in this section of the Command Centre. The middle peak area is dedicated to conference rooms and conducting the talks for the contracts and deals done for Installation ζ1. Those Conference rooms are large and luxurious, with the same high-quality Ebony wood furniture and carpets. The middle peak is also home to some small restaurants and services, in case an investor might request something. And then we have the Top of the Peak. The very peak. The top floor. This is where the CEO and the Directors live. Aside from having the office of the CEO and the luxury suites of all the Directors and the CEO. It also has guest suites for any investors who might stay more than one day of talks in Installation ζ1. The CEO’s office is at the very tip of the pyramid. When you look up in his office, you can see the point where the four corners of the pyramid connect. The office itself isn’t anything overly hubris. An average size for an office. The personal Maid staff of his also has a small section for themselves behind one of the walls of his office, and he doesn't require too much of them. He will also punish any Executives who disrespect his Maid staff. Despite not batting an eye whenever they do it to any other Maids. His office is full of potted plants and big bookshelves. In one of the corners, there is a big telescope, and most of the books in those bookshelves are about astrophysics and astronomy. As well as some about astrology. He is also known to care greatly for his plants that occupy his office. As well as being described as two-faced by most lower ranks who got to talk to him, whether for good or bad reasons. Crew Annex: Here are the slums of the Installation. Dorms were built haphazardly next to and on top of each other. Walkways and streets snaking between them like a web. The walls of each dorm cluster are adorned with graffiti and never cleaned memorials. This is where the general crew of Installation ζ1 lives and spends most of their lives. Any streets large enough have monorails running through their middle. It's like a maze down here, a few small cafeterias dispersed throughout the Crew Annex, be it backed or underground, provided the food for these people. With the notable exception of the lookout. There is a giant semicircular window looking out onto the TRMD and Executive Pyramid. There is a huge expansive cafeteria for all the crew, the tables and restaurants aligned in circles that are aligned with the semicircular window. Going into smaller and smaller circles until the centre, where there is a giant statue of Zefron, showing the location of Installation ζ1, and it is the only feature of the Crew Annex to be regularly cleaned, despite the crew still graffitiing over its base, knowing it’ll be cleaned off by next week. There is also a higher deck on the lookout, where the main fitness centre is. It provides everything from gyms to tournament-ready courts that run along the window. Although most of the time it isn’t fully stocked. But the crew works around those issues, hosting tournaments for football, tennis, volleyball, and hockey. And while many watch those games, most of the time the crew spends the time on the gym equipment, especially the Silo workers. Typically, before everyone goes to the fitness centre, they eat at the cafeteria. It’s a tradition for the Crew Annex to eat and work out at the same time, to socialize and talk with each other. The roof of the Crew Annex is mostly flat. With maintenance tunnels running through it, and exposed ventilation pipes that run all the way to the Ventilation Sector in the Silo Facility. The only proper feature on the roof is the docks. The docks are a massive flat landing zone, with stripes and markings all over it directing ships on where to land. Boxes, crates, and barrels are thrown about the plain of the docks as workers manage the ship traffic. This is where the mail and the new crew arrive at Installation ζ1. Always welcomed warmly by the dock staff. The mail is being transported over to the post office below the docks in Crew Annex proper. Where the packages are organized into groups based on their destination. As the mail addresses of dorms in the Crew Annex are assigned based on the function of the crew living in the area, there is a Janitor address (Ja-), Engineer Address (Eg-), Electrician Address (Ec-), etc. Followed by the door number. These packages get transported by mail service or monorail carts. The crew doesn't know about the true power of the TRMD. Told that it’s just a defensive weapon and a transportation method for exotic and secret materials. Not a weapon of mass destruction. And so the crew doesn’t worry about it too much, and just live their lives working on Installation ζ1. Parties and street hangouts are commonplace, organized by underground bars or dorms. The crew is very empathetic and cares deeply about fellow humans aboard Installation ζ1. Like making sure that Silo workers get the best seats in the lookout cafeteria. Or that Maintenance Line Engineers are caught up in all that has been happening back in the Crew Annex while they were on patrol. Or talking to the sex workers after their shift in the Officer Annex to make sure they didn’t get abused. Silo Facility Complex: The gritty and rough industrial heart of the Installation. Here human spirit grinds against the rough and unforgiving mining operation and industry of Black Anvil. The Silo is a large circular, stubby, like a perfectly circular tumor on Zefron’s surface, duststacks lining the edge, spewing out the byproduct of industry below. The top of the Silo is covered by a flat dome of transparent fabric rated for Zefronic regolith, reinforced with alloy latticework. And adjacent to the Silo is the Silo Docks, just off to the side of the Silo itself, and about three times its exposed size, as it is designed for heavy freight ships and military vessels. The Silo also has an underground connection to the TRMD as it is the place where it gets loaded. The Silo itself leads down to an artificial cavern network where the industry of the Installation is facilitated. It is split into multiple Sectors, each one deeper than the last, each one accessed through the central circular opening beneath the dome: Industrial Sector: This is the heart of the export production of Installation ζ1. Factory buildings filling the artificial cavern and railroads taking up the cramped streets, the trains slowly traveling through them to not hurt any workers trying to walk to their stations, their engines making the streets loud and foggy. There are also bridges between higher parts of factory buildings, lamps hanging from them to illuminate the dangerous streets, flickering regularly, and never replaced unless a worker with goodwill comes along. Their stacks go through the walls of the cavern towards the ventilation sector, while harmless byproduct is led through the roof of the cavern and out of the duststacks above. Work life: Workers here are mainly staffed by engineers and technicians. Who runs the machines and production lines. As well as maintaining them. The air here, while dirty and thick, isn't bad enough that the workers need to wear masks. Cooperation is key here, and loners die quickly. The shifts are long (12 hours) and only a single free day a week. Which day that is depends on the position. Workers here get basic rights, like a level of insurance, even if small. And a guaranteed better dorm in The Crew Annex. Unlike employees outside the Silo who'd have to rent such better accommodation. Personal Life: Workers here are generally positive and friendly, willing to talk and socialize with practically everyone. At least try to be. After all, they have nice big dorms to go back to at the end of their shift. And while working in the Industry isn't easy. It is certainly easier than deeper in the Silo. Graffiti is rampant, with all the Factories having at least one piece of art sprayed on them. And when the shift does end. They can leave little gifts for the next shift to brighten their day, too. Refinery Sector: Here, the materials mined on Zefron get processed. A place so hostile, working in the military during war is considered far safer and less stressful. Located a layer of rock below the Industrial Sector. IT’s dark and grimy. And somehow even more cramped than Industrial. The smog is so thick that workers can barely see a few feet away. The loud grind of ore crushers, the felt vibration of arc furnaces, and magnetic separators. The hisses of the cooling ponds and the growls of the chemical separators. The deep roaring of machine limbs shifting with the weight they carry, and the choked song of the ventilation. Only designed to filter out the truly nasty stuff because any more would be too expensive to deal with after getting to the ventilation sector. Work Life: Dangerous. Workers here are required to wear respirators to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning immediately, and goggles to prevent their eyes from being chemically burned. Their shift is the same length as Industrial workers. Spent on thin, great catwalks overseeing the machines, overseeing the machines, controlling the machines. It’s a brutal cycle, one that the worker here grew used to. Mostly staffed by engineers. Most of them get at least two days free per week, as compensation for their dangerous work. They also get better dorms for the same reason, just like Industrial workers do. Personal Life: The people working here are known to be harsh. Adapted to survive the Refinery Sector. And so they don’t socialize with many of the other crews, outside of other Silo workers. And most of the general crew respects that. They are typically the quietest of the crew on the Installation. Stuck in thought. Of how they are still breathing after witnessing the horrors a malfunctioning machine can cause to the soft human body. And so they are reserved and keep to themselves. The Main Quarry: When going further down. Below the Refinery Sector. The Cavern blows out, going on for kilometers and kilometers, beyond the horizon, giant pillars haphazardly raising from the ground to ceiling, woven into them are pipes of the Ventilation Sector below, spotlights mounted near the top of said pillars lighting up the cavern as much as possible and conveyor belt elevator going up through the opening you came down from towards the Refinery. Echos of yelling, equipment, and machines. Vehicles and elevators. Sources of light are visible in the distance, now that the air is clearer. Roads and rails run to the deepest parts of this canyon. On the walls where mining is being done are steel supports with catwalks on different levels. The bucket-wheel excavators slide their arm between the strut supports to dig at the walls, menager screaming orders over the roaring of the excavators to make sure they do not cause a cave-in, all of them having respirators on as the air is too thin to breathe. This Sector is vast and mostly empty besides those mining sites. The wilderness. Without civilization. Except for the occasional pass of a supersonic train. Work Life: Workers here are assigned zones for each shift. And their shifts are shorter, 8 hours instead of 12 hours. As a lot of the work here is fully automated. It’s just about making sure everything is functioning as it should. Communication devices don’t work down here. And so workers communicate using flares. Their constant usage creates a thin haze on the ceiling of the cavern, almost resembling a thin cloudy sky. Workers here are also less compensated for their work, as Management sees them as less worthy of it. Personal Life: Quarry workers are friendly but easily frightened. The constant stress of managers yelling at them, working them down into anxiety, obedient workers scared of consequences for disobedience. They are sociable outside of work as they mask their fears. But it never is perfect. And just like with Refinery Sector workers, the general crew supports them in quiet ways. The Quarry workers also don’t get special dorms as the Refinery and Industry workers do. Part of their lesser compensation for their work. Ventilation Sector: The lungs of the Installation. This is where the entire Artificial atmosphere inside gets cleaned and filtered. As well as water treatment and general waste management. Even deeper, below the Quarry, is the Ventilation Sector. One of the smallest Sectors in The Silo Facility Complex. Just slightly bigger than the Life Support Sector. Here, the environment is dominated by tall and wide stretching pipe networks and automated transport. And while the air itself is one of the cleanest in the Silo. The same can’t be said about the ground, as puddles of mystery liquid and piles of nasty powers and trash are commonplace here. There is a constant low noise of fans and flowing liquids through the thick pipelines. As monorail transports trucks carry waste in barrels in the direction of a waste shuttle station, where the trash will be shot out into space and Argeon-b. While any recyclable waste gets sent off to recycling centers. Work Life: Here, workers work in 6-hour shifts. There are 4 shifts spanning the day. This is the case as the Ventilation Sector is one of the least staffed because of its size. Managers here are less harsh than in The Main Quarry. And they are the Silo work force with the least compensation for their work. And like Quarry workers, they don't get higher-quality dorms. Most of their work shifts are spent monitoring the machines doing the work and running checks on all of the Installation. Personal Life: Ventilation Sector workers are fairly relaxed. They don't have much. But what they do have is free time. To try and enjoy their time here, no matter how uncompensated for their work. On an average day, they'll spray paint the pipes or go out on the town. Socialise with the crew in The Crew Annex. Where maybe, out of the kindness of their heart, some of the crew will help their dire financial situation. They can't even afford any luxuries for their dorms, only essentials. Life Support Sector: Below the Ventilation Sector, is the Life Support Sector, but to get here one needs to take a separate elevator on the surface of the Silo only available for officers. The only Silo Sector that isn’t staffed by crew. But officers, civil service officers specifically. This is also the cleanest Sector. With large, clean, wide corridors. Leading to the different life support facilities. Like the Atmosphere Control and the Executive Pyramid monitoring station. As the monitoring for the rest of Installation ζ1 is located in the Ventilation Sector. It is quiet here, with a lack of any graffiti or much of many shift rituals. As the employees here are expected to act professionally. And the Life Support Sector is heavily monitored. Work Life: Shifts here are 8 hours. And manned by civil service officers. Some of the least compensated officers on the Installation. Given the minimum wage for officers, which is far larger than crew wages. And the smallest officer quarters, which are bigger than anything the general crew gets. Shifts are typically spent monitoring the state of the Station and the Executive Pyramid in particular. And overseeing the Ventilation Sector. As they have authority over it. Personal Life: Civil service officers are seen with less respect in the Officer Annex. As they have less income and a lower status. Typically, only socialise with themselves and isolate themselves from the other officers. Working together to make their life better. But still, they are expected to act their part without hesitation. And so public resistance would be suicide. Management does not take kindly to rebel mindsets, but in the end, they trust them, and officers trust Management, that is the expected status quo. But, despite that, civil service officers live fairly good lives. The Power Plant: Below the Life Support Sector is the deepest part of the Silo. The Power Plant. Connected to both Life Support and Ventilation. It is one of the few places on the Installation where officers and crew work alongside each other, not in a manager-employee situation. It features the tri-core Fusion Reactor that the entire Installation is being powered by. The Reactor is a giant Triangular array of three Fusion Reactors, one at each corner. Placed horizontally on a support pedestal at the center of the reactor chamber. Pipework and wires extend through supports all the way to the ceiling, where they spread out through different transformer boxes to have the reactor power distributed throughout Installation ζ1. With Catwalks filling the chamber like a web. And connecting the main reactor control room and oversight stations, both mounted on a wall high above the reactor. Far away from the constant loud hum of the reactor. Work Life: Both the workers and civil officers who work here are treated differently. With crew is responsible for cleaning and maintaining the reactor. Civil officers are responsible for overseeing the structural integrity of pipes and wires connected to the reactor as well as maintaining fuel levels. Both the crew and officers here have 12-hour shifts. Both are managed by officers. And while they both get good pay. A lot is expected of them at work. Yelled at by paranoid officers not want to be responsible for a reactor malfunction. Personal Life: The crew working here gets to enjoy the luxury of having some of the best pay in the general crew workforce, highly respected and revered by the rest of The Crew Annex. Although work in the reactor is dangerous, the crew often gets crushed or run over by automated machines. While the civil officers employed here get just about as much as the civil officers employed in Life Support. Silo Docks: Back up on the surface are the Silo Docks. Located just adjacent to the Silo proper, a giant warehouse with giant airlocks for freight ships. A flat steel plain of landing zones and marked roads, wires, barrels, and other objects are haphazardly spread about the steel plain next to the landing zones and roads, huge lamps illuminating the place like an artificial sun. Carbon dioxide fog is so thick that the crew working here needs to wear respirators. In normal traffic the SIlo Docks will typically receive 15 heavy, and 45 small freighters per day. The sites are loud with engines and busy roads occupied by trucks loaded with the cargo of the landed freighters. It’s busy here, as oversight at the docks is heavy. In fear of contraband dealing and potential sabotage of frights by crew riot. The Silo Docks are also a very warm environment as the thrusters of the freighters end up heating up the atmosphere here. Work Life: The typical 10-hour work shift of the crew station here is filled with managing the freight's landing in the zones and making sure they have everything that was ordered. Like fuel for the reactor or spare parts. While the officers overseeing them take care of identification and pass control. They are also required to do searches on the freight that is determined to be suspicious. Having an emergency call button on their belt to call a policeman if the suspicions turn out to be true. Personal Life: The crew working here is fairly relaxed, as most of them don’t get in the officers' way. As a result, they are in the good graces of Management. And are allowed to get away with more. Like drawing mouths on their respirators, and good pay. But they are pretty resentful back at The Crew Annex for being the lap dogs for Management, and bending to their every whim. Tube Ring Mass Driver (TRMD): The Tube Ring Mass Driver is the spine of Installation ζ1. It is a magnetic rail cannon built into the equator of the moon Zeforn. With Installation ζ1 being its beating heart and calculating brain. It's visible from space like a long lunar spine. Its loading chamber is located in the Silo. With its barrel rising slightly off the surface to exit the moon at a smooth angle, this barrel is located right at the Executive Pyramid, being supported by it. It was built this way to let the CEO watch the TRMD fire right from his office. Of course, safety was ensured in this construction decision. The purposes of the TRMD are mainly political and not militaristic. Its main purpose is to deter the Earth's human government from attempting to reclaim the lost territory of Argeon and the rest of the Black League. Its positioning at Zefron’s equator was a purposeful choice, as the moon's equator is lined up with Earth every few months. And so it didn't need to be built with a complex aiming infrastructure, just a basic one for course correction. The TRMD shoots Osmium-Tungsten Rods at relativistic speeds. 2 kilometres long, 600 metres wide, Rod of Osmium, Clad in a 100-metre-thick layer of Tungsten, and an 80-meter-thick Tungsten central spine. Accelerated to approximately half the speed of light. At which the Kinetic projectile will hit its target planet. At its tip is a powerful magnetic-plasma bow shock to protect it during transit. The TRMD is the most complex magnetic weapon in the human domain: The Tube: The Tube is the main structure of the TRMD. The Tube is constructed out of a nearly black alloy called Acrylicium. The name was chosen to underplay the strength of the weapon to the general crew. And it’s acrylic texture. The top section of the tube is exposed and unearthed from the regolith. Made of a thin but strong transparent fabric supported by an acrylic latticework. To make it easier for the maintenance crew to check on the magnetic copper rings inside. Which are in the tube every 150m, supported inside the tube with 8 acrylic supports per ring. Structural Foundation: The TRMD is supported and anchored into the regolith of Zefron by an Acrylicium foundation, which then extends into the crust of Zefron with tungsten rods. Reaching as far as piercing into the cool mantle of the moon. The foundation itself has plenty of maintenance ducts for the crew to run through. Cooling: The Tube has a surrounding layer of flux pipes running and snaking along the tube as they follow it all the way around Zefron. Carrying liquid nitrogen in them. And every 50m, there is a valve on each pipe, each valve leading into vents that run along the surface together with the TRMD. Which is when the TRMD starts heating up from starting a firing sequence. Start to open as the liquid nitrogen boils and expands into a gas, being pushed out onto the surface, forming into white exhaust clouds that stay in the air for a short amount of time. Making the TRMD look like it is exhaling as it prepares to fire. The liquid nitrogen is extracted from the local asteroid field that is located between Argeon-a and Argeon-b. Which gets transported to Zefron with rotational slingshots. Firing consequences: When the TRMD is fired, it shakes Zefron to its core. Literally. The entire crust of the moon is shaken in a “Zefronic-quake” As the rod is accelerated to relativistic speed. The crew is required to stay in their dorms/quarters during TRMD firing. As the whole of Installation ζ1 shakes during it. Typically, after a test fire, a lot of systems will be damaged, and there will be plenty of structural damage for the engineers to fix for the hours following the firing. The Ventilation Sector and Life Support Sector and specially reinforced to make sure they aren’t damaged during a firing event. Power grid: The power grid of the TRMD is separate from the rest of Installation ζ1. Instead, it has a battery grid that gets charged via the Dyson swarm around Argeon. Transmitted to the TRMD with the use of lasers every few days for when the relays are aligned. The battery grid is connected to a transformer on land, which then spreads out through cables to connect to each ring of the tube. The battery grid gets fully used each firing cycle and typically needs repairing after each shot taken. The Maintenance Line: The Maintenance Line of the TRMD runs perpendicular to the tube. With maintenance outposts every 15km along the line. Each is manned by one or two engineers. Each outpost is a small building with only two rooms. The bedroom and station, with a window looking out onto the TRMD like a black horizon. And the Magnetic Umbrella towers looming over the outposts like ethereal shields, and the soft hum of the idealing TRMD. And the hell is unleashed whenever shot. The engineers stationed on the Maintenance Line are supplied with food and water for their 4-month shift to keep them healthy. And along with that, they are given a special spacesuit, composed of a skin-tight element that goes over the body and a respiration system on the back connected to the hard helmet, as well as hard shoes. They are periodically required to go on EVA to inspect their assigned section of the TRMD on foot. Which will be the 15 km chunk where their outpost is located. For that, each outpost is also equipped with a small rover car. Required to go into the maintenance ducts in the TRMD, typically running together with flux pipes. Considering the claustrophobic environment, there are body requirements for the engineers stationed here: No taller than 5’8”. No heavier than 190 lbs. Women with a cup size no larger than a D-cup. Wingspan no larger than 6'0". No disabled personnel. The engineers assigned to the Maintenance Line are given a psychological evaluation before and after their shift to make sure that they are fit for the isolation of working here for 4 months at a time. As a bonus, an engineer who finishes a shift gets a 2-month-long break from work to reconnect with friends and family. While at the outposts, engineers will typically make themselves at home in their new living space. Setting up posters, plushies, and other ornaments for the duration of their stay at their outpost. And at the end of the shift, they are required to pack up everything before leaving for the next engineer who will be stationed at the outpost. So as not to make an uncomfortable living space for the next. Next to the outposts, perpendicular to the TRMD, just like them, runs an Ultrasonic bullet train line. Through which the engineers working here get on and off their station. As well as request any emergency materials in case of an emergency. Black Anvil social ladder: CEO: He has a dictatorial position on the Installation. With no one person except the leaders of the Black Hand being able to tell him what to do. But of course. Like any leader. He is limited by the support of his key personnel, and in his case, Investors as well. He is a mostly invisible figure for the General crew. He is known to be two-faced by the Executives and Directors. Almost child-like in wonder. But harsh and unforgiving as a leader. Sometimes even unstable. The Directors: Each complex has its own Director who does the CEO’s bidding in each complex. They have near-total power over their territory. With only the CEO being able to make direct orders to them. In total, there are six of them, and the Executive Pyramid is the only one to have three separate Directors. For each of its layers. Head of Research. Director of the Hammerhead Laboratories. Head of Management. Director of the Command Centre. Head of Security. Director of the Officer Annex. Head of Crew. Director of The Crew Annex. Head of Industry. Director of The Silo Complex. Head of Defence. Director of the TRMD. The Executives: The Executives do the micromanagement. And are therefore referred to by the general crew as just “Management”. They are the rich and influential aboard the Installation. And with wealth, they can sometimes affect the decisions of the CEO. Low-Rank Executives: The low-ranking Executives are the poorest and least influential of the Executive group. And they are typically the ones carrying out micromanagement of the foot around the Installation. They get the lowest rungs of the Executive suites at the Command Centre. High-Rank Executives: The High-Ranking Executives are typically under the direction of Directors. Carrying out their wishes financially and organizing the actual changes. They get the highest rung of the Executive suites at the Command Centre, and their offices are typically adjacent to the offices of the Directors. The Officers: The officers are the middle class of the Installation. They are told that they are special and irreplaceable to the operation of the Black Anvil. And they are given luxury and status to prove it to them. They are given it to make them believe that the Black League cares about them. That this Installation is truly about defence and keeping the Black League independent. And typically, they are considered petty tyrants by the crew. Manipulated by the luxury given to them. High-Rank Officers: The most privileged of the Officers and the only ones who have genuine power in the system. The Managers of Managers, as some call them. Mid-Rank Officers: These officers have all the status of an Officer but no compensation for such a position. Typically working as foremen and managers around Black Anvil and receiving orders from Executives on how to manage their sector. Civil Service (Low-Rank) Officers: These are the doctors, the therapists, the programmers. Their rank says officer, but they function more like high-grade crew. Entrusted with tasks that officers don’t want to do but don’t trust the general crew to do. And so they are also the ones most exposed to propaganda. To try and subdue them. Researchers and Scientists: The Scientists and Researchers of Installation ζ1 are the high-middle class. Given far more freedom than most others. As they are some of the most knowledgeable. With clearancedependingd on the department the individual scientist works with: Astrophysics: The Researchers here have the most clearance as they calculate the trajectories for the TRMD. And so have the knowledge of the true extent of its power. They are therefore given authority over the other divisions of science. And have a limited room to defy officer orders if the concerns are validated. Beam & Laser: Here, the Scientists have considerable clearance. As they are responsible for much of the tech used on the Installation. They are directly under Astrophysics in the authority chain at the Hammerhead Labs. Their clearance level is considerable because of that fact. And are considered the co-authority at the labs. Material Science: The Researchers stationed here have much less clearance than Astrophysics and Beam & Laser. Management doesn't consider them as much of an info threat. The only knowledge they have is about the construction of the Installation and TRMD. And therefore are heavily propagandised. Biochemical: The lowest rung on the ladder of the Hammerhead Labs. They don’t have any clearance and typically can’t argue against officers unless the Head of Research directly orders officers to back down. The only thing they know about is the usage and production of enhancement drugs. But that is considered common internationally. General Crew: The general crew is the bottom class of the Installation: technicians, engineers, janitors, mailmen, etc. Mainly given low-wage jobs to make ends meet, and nothing more. They are typically referred to as the citizens of the Installation and are treated with basic dignity most of the time. They aren’t safe from officer discipline. They are one of the very few groups on Installation ζ1 to keep the human spirit alive. Treating their fellow crew and lower classes with the respect they deserve. But not without consequence. Because if they are caught giving parts of their wages to the lower ranks. They will get punished on the basis of compensation for inadequate work. Arguing that their work isn’t worth more than they are getting paid already. Workers (Silo): The workers of the Silo Complex are below minimum wage. They are told that promotion is possible. That their situation can get better. If they work hard and consistently. And out of desperation, they believe that lie. Management cleverly moves workers around stations and raises their pay ever so slightly to make it more believable. Even if they still can’t afford even an average-sized dorm in the Crew Annex. Although they managed to stay human, barely so. Camaraderie is alive and well at the Silo through the human spirit of these people. Sex Workers: The first class that’s considered subhuman by Management on Installation ζ1. They are used to make Officers complicit in their role. And to buy their pleasure for obedience. The women working as sex workers are paid and given nice quarters. But have to suffer from the lack of sexual freedom. Being required to serve any officer asking for any kind of favors. No matter how degrading. And if a sex worker gets pregnant as a result of one such act. The officer is the one required to take care of the child until the age of 5. When they can be sent to the eugenics program. The mother is also required to raise the child alongside the officer who impregnated her. The only thing officers aren’t allowed to do is beat the sex workers unless consent is given. They typically find their peace in The Crew Annex, where the crew will look out for them and comfort them. Maidstaff: The Maidstaff is filled with slaves of the Black League state. They are classified as objects under Installation ζ1 law. Their job on the station is to care for and fill the needs of every other class above the general crew. The maids of the Officer Annex live in the Maid Sanctum, located at the centre of the far west wall of the pyramid. It’s where the maids serving the Officer Annex can decompress from a day's work and socialise. Of course, under the watch of cameras. While the maids of the Command Centre have their quarters adjacent to their master Executive. Each Maid has a code sign so that the owner of that maid can call them by it whenever needed. The maids mainly socialise with each other using cleverly hidden Post-it notes. They hide around the Officer Annex in nooks and crannies that only the people polishing the annex would know about. They harbor a quiet resentment of their masters. Even though they know resisting would be suicidal. And so they keep their resentment to the notes that they scatter around the Installation. Getting in trouble for each note found. Which isn’t much. The Black Anvil Eugenics Program: The Black Anvil Eugenics Program is the system that Installation ζ1 uses to grow its population naturally. Typically, the product of officer-sex worker breeding. The children produced out of this process are taken from their parents at the age of 5 and put into a “Wonder World”. Wonder Worlds are Eugenics stations spread around the station, raising specific types of people. A Wonder World in the Officer Annex will be raising officers, one in the Command Centre would be raising Executives, one in the Crew Annex would be raising crew, etc. They are structured like a school. Teaching the children how to be good citizens of Installation ζ1. And depending on what class they are being raised in, they will be given different resources to stay alive. Low-class will get few luxuries, high-class will get more luxuries. Where a child is sent is determined by the “Ferren-Blackmore” test. Named after its two inventors. Where a child will be put under anesthesia. A quasi-lobotomy procedure will be performed. Where the surgeon will insert a scanning needle into the brain through an eye socket and scan the connections in the brain. And based on the results. It will be determined whether the child will be more inclined to learn leadership, work, or military service. And while the procedure isn’t the most accurate procedure. It works for the purposes of Black Anvil. When the Ferren-Blackmore test fails completely, the child is sent to a random Wonder World if the Installation needs workers, and cremated if overpopulation is an issue. The Installation uses the program as population control. As a personnel factory. Whenever they are running low on a certain group. They will just tell Eugenics to amp up the precaution of workers, officers, or Executives. Or slow down if overpopulation starts being an issue. The Eugenics Program makes sure to inject fake memories into the children during the Ferren-Blackmore test to put the idea of nationalistic pride and naivety into them early on, this is typically done through neuron implant. The next step is to enroll them in an appropriate Wonder World. They get taught about Black Anvil and the Black League, and about how important they are to their survival. And depending on the function they are requested to fulfill, they will be taught how to fulfill that function well and with authority, or obedience. And periodically. If Black Anvil has an overpopulation of these Eugenics children. They will sell them as slaves to other states. And if a trade partner is unavailable, an appropriate number of children will be cremated. With the ashes then being flushed to the Ventilation Sector of the SIlo for disposal. The Eugenics Program is a state-funded project onboard the Installation. Which makes it unique among the programs of Black Anvil, which are mostly funded internally by Executives and Investors. The program was mainly invented for population control on Installation ζ1. The program also makes worker-worker pregnancy illegal as Management fears what uncontrolled population growth would do to the carefully calculated environment aboard Installation ζ1. Wonder World Curriculum: The Wonder World Curriculum ensures a standardised program for all the children in the program. Each type of Wonder World has its own curriculum. The Executive Program (“Gold Valley”) Located in the Command Centre. This Wonder World Curriculum focuses on producing Executives and potential investors. With a knack for business and trade. The Curriculum includes: = “Finance”, a class where children learn how to manage wealth and how to accumulate it. Either by earning it or by manipulating opponents. = “Public Speaking”, where the children learn how to keep a proper public image and how to talk in the public eye. As well as body language. = “Ethics”, where the children learn how to think with a utilitarian mindset. How to maximise profit out of a situation, and how to use human lives to help with that goal. = “Relations”, in this class, children get taught how to keep relations with other Investors and Executives. The Officer Program (“Citadel Camp”) Located in the Officer Annex. This Wonder World Curriculum specialises in making loyal and effective officers and civil service officers. With national pride and will. The Curriculum includes: = “Command”, this is where children are taught their place on the social ladder. Who they should listen to. And when. As well as memorising the social ladder. = “Loyalty”, Children here get taught that they have to be loyal to the Installation to be successful and powerful. Snitching is encouraged in this class. = “Control”, where children learn how to manage rowdy crowds and violent standoffs. Taught to use force and how to justify using it. = “Sexual Education”, this is where the children learn how to properly have relations with sex workers as officers. And how to treat one appropriately. The Crew Program (“Worker’s Academy”) Located in The Crew Annex. This Wonder World Curriculum focuses on producing hard-working crew members. With great teamwork and a drive to work. The Curriculum includes: = “Labor”, here they are taught how to work hard and how to work with loyalty. To obey their overseers and work harder than asked for better rewards. = “Compensation”, Here, the Children get taught what proper compensation is for different jobs on the Installation. And what their own should be. = “General Education”, aside from propaganda. It is also where the kids will learn and choose their profession. Able to develop in that direction. = “Empathy”, The Children are taught to care for each other and to help with each other's work. And that trying to get out of work does a disservice to them. The Sex Worker Program (“Velvet Hall”) Located in the Officer Annex. This Wonder World Curriculum creates obedient sex workers for the Installation. Submissive and unquestioning. The Curriculum includes: = “Appearance”, here they get taught how to look good and how to appear attractive to men. With make-up exercises and posture training. = “Emotion”, where they learn how to control their emotions properly during intercourse. And how to fake intimacy for client satisfaction. = “Roleplay”, Here they will act out scenarios with boys the same age from the Citadel Camp. To test how well they will do. = “Pregnancy Protocol”, Training on childbirth prep, child handoff routines, and legal obligations. Taught to accept motherhood as a duty of state. The Maid Program (“Sanctity School") Located in the Officer Annex, near Maid Sanctum. This Wonder World Curriculum specialises in creating serving slaves for the Black Anvil. Skilled in their craft. The Curriculum includes: = “Etiquette”, here the children are taught that they are expected to act perfectly, always. And how to act properly around their masters and other high ranks. = ”Cleanliness”, where they get taught how to clean on an expert level. And how to take care of the homes of their masters. = “Language”, Here they learn how to speak to their masters. And how to keep an appropriate tone and inclination during speech, and how to ask questions. = “Preference Identification”, where they get taught how to identify what their master wants without words. And how to adapt to social environments appropriately.