History
The Diamond in the Desert
Cuidad Uno was founded as the Capital of Sig V, an experiment in sustainable living done by The Jupiter Syndicate via Digger Co. before The Melancholic Lacuna.
Digger Co., now under The Federation of Free Planets reclaimed the still-standing city into the central economic power of the planet.
Digger Co. revived and refurbished all of the dome cities after promising motherlodes were discovered beneath the soil, encouraging immigration to support the Sophont power needed to mine out the planet.
Close proximity to Syndicate and Somnolent space created an influx of human (primarily of Asian descent) colonists and miners, while a nearby ValuSelu Pact planet caused a migration of @hiserabi and Ka.
Diamonds to Dust
The mining operations on Sig V dried up almost as fast as they began. Soon the laborers were turning up nothing but dust, and every day proved another financial loss.
Digger Co. had no other developed economy to fall back on, and instead of investing in other purposes, Digger Co instead began pulling resources out of the planet.
With no economy and no purpose, Sig V and its cities began to collapse.
People congregated in clusters, packed together on the walks that jutted out over the canals. Some fished in the brackish water, others pissed in it.
Many shared in a dejected look that said they no longer cared about it and were figuring out how to get their ticket out; the rest seemed at the least content, if not a bit worn in by the state of their city.
The Rise of Crime
After Digger Co. withdrew, the government of Sig V collapsed on itself. Cuidad Uno was left with a power void that filled itself with one of the few remaining economic powers of the city; organized crime.
Human Mafias and Sazashi Syndicates controlled and protected individual districts of Cuidad Uno. Until Sora-Khai, a rambunctious youth of one of the Sazashi Crime rings. He rose through the ranks, promising one family to hold the city together. He led raids against the other crime organizations until only he remained.
This new super family, known simply as Sora-Khai's Syndicate, comprised of humans and Sazashi alike. They took Trade Center of Cuidad Uno as their headquarters, and spread their influence into every alley of the city.
To this day, Sora-Khai still rules above all. He speaks to the people whom he calls 'family' through the cities intercom. He is not shy to make examples of any who would oppose his reign, and constantly pillages what wealth he can pick off the ragged bones of the city.
Current Economy
Underneath the rule of Sora-Khai, Cuidad Uno has two markets that keep it afloat: drugs and desperation.
Drugs
Sora-Khai the only person who deals with external trade partners. From his headquarters in the Trade Center, he ships out his own strain of a popular hallucinogen known as Brainbulb.
Sora-Khai's refinement and shipping process is a mystery to anyone outside of his cartel, even if people of the city have attempted to grow their own plants.
The final product of Brainbulb can fetch a high price, especially since Sig V's terrible Rukta (Currency) value makes purchasing from Sora-Khai extremely lucrative.
Desperation
The city of Cuidad Uno is home to all manner of people who wish they were not there. Sora-Khai sees this as a multi-tiered opporutunity.
First, he capitalizes on the discontent. Gambling, drug abuse, virtual reality; any vice can find itself firmly under Sora-Khai's grip.
The second source of income comes from the Federation itself. Sora-Khai takes advantage of the RWRC Program. He trades those that plead him for escape to the RWRC, taking on a finding fee for what can be amounted to cheap redployable labor.
Infrastructure
Subterranean Build
With The Jupiter Syndicate wielding Digger Co. technology and The Ten Pillars, moving massive amounts of land became a month-long contract rather than a several year plan.
To keep Cuidad Uno cool even in the hottest conditions, the city was built two stories below the surface. Entrance tunnels all around the city tunneled underground to cool any air brought in.
The natural airflow from the entrances draws hot outside air in and cools it by the time it enters the dome. The natural inward breeze in the tunnels is often called the 'prison breeze.'
The Dome
A self-sustaining city in the desert required combining the ability to stay well-ventilated and generate renewable power.
Created from the same technology that powers Solar Satellite Arrays, the dome reflects and absorbs the heat from the sun while letting natural light seep in. Standing at about eight stories tall, the dome limits the height of Cuidad Uno's structures.
The dome is spiked with a series of updraft towers, which help ventilate heated air and generate another source of power. The dome is one of the few structures that has stood the test of the The Melancholic Lacuna.
The Canals
Sig V's most precious resource is water. Keeping the entire city hydrated became a top concern.
The city solved its water problem by implementing a water recycling facility that ran through the entire city. Water flows from the outside of the dome towards the center, eventually ending in the center treatment facility. That water is processed underneath the city, coming out at the outer rim of the city as cool, clean water.
The Canals are also deep enough to support a ferry network, used for heavy transportation throughout Cuidad Uno.
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