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New Canberra
Australia's Interstellar Heart
C. 1999-2002 by Scott Ash
I want to take this opportunity to first thank Bill Bacon, Abraham
Gubler and Evan Powles for their ideas regarding New Canberra. To
be honest, my own thoughts here are miniscule compared to the input
they provided me, both on and off the 2300ad mailing list. Thanks,
"mates!" While I have been blessed with visits to several cities in
Australia during my Navy days, I hope Australian readers forgive my
obvious American perspective in my portrayal (some might say "Californication")
of "their" colony on Tirane. For information on the Australian military
presence in New Canberra, I must also thank Dan Hebditch, master of
the Order of Battle, and Abraham Gubler for his ideas regarding the
unique structure of 2300AD's Australian Defence Force and government.
Also, my thanks to Kevin Clark, Ben Levy, Dave Malesevich, Bryn Monnery,
and numerous others for their ideas and suggestions. A special "thank
you" goes to my daughter, Randi Adams, for much of the unique flora
and fauna found at the last chapter. (Too bad she feels herself too
old to continue contributing more- sda '02)
Note: Geo=Earth. Where the "geo-" prefix would be used in a word
related to Earthly descriptions, it has been replaced by "tira-" to
indicate Tirane and Tiranean features. While this is common practice
in the English-speaking areas of Tirane, other colonies differ. Also,
if my Spanish or Malay is incorrect at all, please don't hesitate
to correct me. As Australia is an equal partner in the colonization
of what has been known as the "American Arm," that term has here been
replaced with "Rimward," both in Australian and American usage. Only
the most jingoistic media outlets in America use the term "American
Arm," often to the displeasure of America's Australian allies. Therefore,
where appropriate, "Rimward" is used here. Ab: Aboriginal, In: Indonesian,
Jp: Japanese, Sp: Spanish, TSB: Torres Strait Broken. Pronunciations
added if different from spelling. For explaining Spanish or Spanish-derived
adjectives, the masculine and the feminine forms are separated by
a slash (/), as in "NovoCano/a." However, as in general practice the
masculine form is used throughout to indicate a people, such as "Latino,"
"Malvino," and "Mariano."
Index
1.
Introduction
New Canberra, Australia's first extrasolar colony,
can claim to be the diplomatic center of Tirane. The Tirane Council
meets at Bennelong, New Canberra's capital, and many other planet-wide
conferences are held within the colony. Receiving many visitors for
any number of reasons, New Canberra has become a popular tourist destination
for Tiraneans, edging out Tunghu for the number of tourist arrivals
per year. Additionally, New Canberrans, or NovoCanos as they call
themselves, comprise the bulk of Australia's overall population. A
merger of the proud Latin American and diverse Australian cultures,
New Canberra has become a strong presence on Tirane, and its richly
diverse population has created a place and outlook unique in Human
Space. "Soy NovoCano!" (or "NovoCana!" if female) is a proud declaration
made by many in New Canberra, whether of Argentine, Australian, Indonesian,
Nigerian, or other origin.
But under the surface serious problems are beginning
to emerge. While the smaller immigrant communities have merged with
the New Canberran mainstream, problems of poverty and marginalization
in the Latino and Indonesian communities have festered to the point
of increasing crime and violence, leading to separatist activity in
one of the regions. Additionally, many NovoCanos are questioning the
current government's increasing centralism, coming to believe that
devolution to the various regions might better serve the needs of
average NovoCanos. Compounding that, a small but growing number of
NovoCanos are beginning to question their relationship with Australia,
in the belief that all Tirane's colonies should follow Freihafen's
and Wellon's example and seek independence. Some resentment comes
from the NovoCano's Australian counterparts on Earth as well, given
New Canberra's overwhelming political and economic power within the
Commonwealth of Australia. Many NovoCanos believe that New Canberra
will be an entirely different place in a generation, though to what
that change brings remains to be seen.
INDEX
2.
Tiragraphy
New Canberra sits on the southern half of the Araki
continent, bordering Amaterasu on the north at Duffer's Strip. Additionally,
the New Canberra colony includes two major island groupings off both
east and west coasts. The Australian portion of Araki lies almost
entirely below Tirane's equator, a point recognized in the territory's
flag. It is deep blue, with the Crux Australis as seen from Earth
in the fly and the Argentine Sun of May centered on the canton.
Each of the following regions will be discussed in
their own specific articles. However, for the purpose of this overview,
here are the major regions of New Canberra.
The southern half of New Canberra, known as the Llano
("yah-no") de Tierra Negra or the Black Soil Plains, contains some
of the richest farmland found anywhere on Tirane. South of the New
Silver River (Rio Nueva de la Plata) and originally the Argentine
Santa Maria colony, the Llano has since been integrated into New Canberra
since the Argentine effort's collapse in the 2180's. Currently home
to 25 percent of the territory's population, this area continues to
attract new settlers eager to develop the available riches. Its proximity
to the Southern Ocean allows for an extensive fishing industry, and
products harvested from the sea comprise a fair portion of the inhabitants'
diet. The major city in this area is Ciudad Santa Maria, or "el CSM"
(Say-Ess-Em), with a population of three million. Other cities include
the multiethnic San Diego, home to Tirane's largest and most extensive
zoo dedicated exclusively to Tiranean fauna; Costa del Oro (Sp: Gold
Coast), a popular beach resort once known as Nueva Ensenada; and Villa
Navarro, the Llano's largest horse trading center. The Llano is the
center of New Canberra's vegetable, fruit, and dairy industries, and
has extensive virgin forests in the western coast of the region. Latino
residents of the Llano call themselves "Santa Marians" (or "Mariano/as")
after the original Argentine colony founded in CSM. For obscure reasons,
non-Latino residents of the Llano refer to themselves as "Victorians."
Nueva Cordoba is the center of the Nuevas Malvinas
region, consisting of the islands immediately to the north and west
of the Llano and the Pampa, across the Rossi Strait. Home of the Cooperativo
de los Pescadores de las Nuevas Malvinas (Sp: Nuevas Malvinas Fisherman's
Cooperative), New Canberra's largest seafood producer, Nueva Cordoba
also hosts the ADF Maritime Command's largest shipyard on Tirane.
The remainder of the area is dedicated to agriculture, and the rolling
hills growing a variety of crops give this region a quiet, pastoral
air. Founded by Argentines discontent with the merger of the Santa
Maria colony into New Canberra in 2183, Nueva Cordoba and the Nuevas
Malvinas are a small slice of Argentina within New Canberra, only
begrudgingly a part of the Australian colony.
Between
the Silver Mountains and Duffer's Strip lies the Pampa, a semi-arid
region now given to grain farming and livestock rearing. Dominated
by the Barton River and fed by the Deakin and Thabu Koesa (TSB: "Snake
River") rivers, this area has a good portion of New Canberra's population
engaged in a variety of occupations. Most of these towns are situated
along the river, and are agricultural and light-industrial centers.
Where the Black Soil Plains have rolling hills the Pampa is dominated
by vast grasslands, which support vast ranchos or estancias (Sp: stations)
of cattle, jumbuck and sheep. Larger towns along the river include
Port Bagaaybila (SE Ab: "Place full of creeks") at the rich delta
country where the river meets the sea, Tirane Springs, Bencoolen,
and Pama Ngapa (Central Ab: "Sweet Water") at the river's source,
the northern face of the Silver Mountains. As the Pampa reaches the
equator, deserts become more apparent, yet in no area of New Canberra
are deserts like those in Australia proper. If anything, the deserts
of the eastern Pampa are more closely compared to those in Northwestern
Mexico east of Los Angeles, and the American Southwest. This is New
Canberra's own Outback, and a popular local vacation destination.
The Eastern Shore and the large island Pulau Timor
Bahru (In: "Island Timor New," or New Timor) is home to some of the
best surf found anywhere on Tirane, and supports a growing tourist
industry. From the island city of Anchorhead to the capital of Bennelong
at the eastern edge of the Escarpment dividing the Pampa from the
Shore, south along the mainland to Windbourne just south of the Silver
Mountains, this sparsely populated area attracts beachgoers from all
over the Core, as well as hikers and campers. A few small towns dot
the shore, mostly geared to tourists, but fishing and a nascent mining
industry is taking root here, most notably around Anchorhead. The
city of Windbourne sits on the northern side of the Rio Nuevo de la
Plata (Sp: New Silver River), which forms the natural barrier between
the Black Soil Plains and the Eastern Shore. Pulau Timor Bahru hosts
surf and sun resorts, and has become New Canberra's premier coffee-growing
region.
Stretching along the Eastern Shore and from just
north of Anchorhead on Pulau Timor Bahru north to Duffer's Strip lie
the Spice Islands. Originally intended to grow spices for Tiranean
consumption (hence its name), lately this archipelago has attracted
tourists from not only New Canberra but from the other Tiranean colonies
and nations as well, especially Amaterasu. While they lack the white-sand
beaches popular with most tourists, the Spice Islands offer volcanic
displays, hot springs (popular with the Amaterasujin, especially in
Grandwinter), and challenging watersports. Its largest city is Port
Essington, with 200,000 residents, on Peterson's Island.
Duffer's Strip, the northernmost region of New Canberra,
borders Amaterasu at Broken Ridge. Once the site of the bulk of Australia's
tantalum reserves, this was the site of the "First and a Half Interstellar
War" between Japan and Australia. It lies along Tirane's equator,
and has a hot, humid tropical climate within the valleys and cools
off as elevations increase. The major cities of Duffer's Strip are
also among the largest in New Canberra: Mount McDonald, Rum Jungle,
and Kosciusko. Unlike the other large cities of New Canberra, these
cities are compact, crowded places, as much of the surrounding jungle
is protected by environmental and safety regulations as a result of
the remnants of tapped out tantalum mines. For other minerals, however,
Duffer's Strip remains the richest area known on Tirane. These support
the industries of New Canberra, and employ many of the district's
residents. Also, several varieties of teas are grown in the mountains
and valleys of the Strip, many of which have earned awards and acclaim
throughout human space.
INDEX
3.
History
When Argentine and Mexican warships challenged the
European Space Agency's (ESA) colonization fleets over Tiranean colonization
rights Australia led the efforts to resolve the conflict. Upon the
ESA's acceptance of the Melbourne Accords allowing for open colonization
of extraterrestrial territories, Australia in 2163 claimed the central
third of the Araki continent, what is now the Pampa, the Eastern Shore,
and Pulau Timor Bahru. Immediately after making their claim the Australian
Colonization Department began surveying and settling. In honor of
it's first capital destroyed in the Twilight War, the Australian public
overwhelmingly chose "New Canberra" as the colony's name. The name
itself is of Aboriginal origin, and the accepted source is "Meeting
Place" from the language of the Ngunnawal people of southern New South
Wales. Cynical sources claim the name comes from a similar sounding
Aboriginal word meaning "a woman's breasts," but the "meeting place"
origin stuck in the minds of Australians eager to shed the sexism
of the early twentieth century and therefore became official. Initially
the effort was lackluster, as the section of the Pampa claimed by
the Australians was semi-arid desert and the first town, Bennelong,
for it's first ten years of existence was merely a base for the numerous
survey teams sent by Newcentre.
While
Bennelong was still nothing more than a collection of prefabricated
buildings, confrontation over Australia's claim on the mountainous
area dividing Amaterasu and New Canberra, known as Duffer's Strip,
came with Japan in 2173. The Japanese, who were settling the northern
half of their shared continent, began sending survey teams south from
their central city, Hoshikyo (Jp: "Star Capital") into the mountainous
area separating the two colonies. Known later as the "First and a
Half Interstellar War," it came to blows early in the conflict when
an overeager former Field Command Section Leader, Paul Hanson, opened
fire upon a Japanese company's survey team which included Tasmanian
engineers and technicians. The Japanese responded by returning in
force with units of Imperial Marines, the Australians escalated in
turn sending parts of the ADF Garrison into the Strip. It is still
unknown whether the troops were sent to enforce their countries' claims
to the area or keep the combative survey teams apart. A no-man's land
was set up around the disputed area, but it proved difficult to maintain
its integrity thanks to the difficult terrain and limited numbers
of regular troops deployed. Confrontations between patrolling troops,
locally raised auxiliaries and wildcatting prospectors from both sides
occurred almost weekly in the zone through the months of the stand
off.
Before
the conflict could escalate, however, Britain and America intervened
and a compromise was reached. The Rum Jungle Agreement of 2174 provided
for Australian sovereignty over the area, yet the tantalum found there
would be mined by both Southern Cross Mining Pty. Ltd of Adelaide,
South Australia and Osaka's Mogami Honshu Kigyo (Jp: "Corporation").
Since then, Australian and Japanese relations on Tirane have been
for the most part friendly, as both profited handsomely from the agreement.
As it was Australian territory, the Australian Defence Force was tasked
with the defense of the mining concessions, which saved Japan a great
deal of money. As for Hanson, he was later tried in a quickly convened
colonial court and sentenced to life imprisonment back on Earth. He
later died of wounds sustained in a prison riot.
Since
then much of the emphasis was placed on Duffer's Strip, as what later
became the bulk of New Canberra was in Argentine hands. Some development
also came the Eastern Shore, yet for much of the colony's history
Duffer's Strip held the majority of the population, at one time supporting
ninety-five percent of New Canberrans. During the initial colonization
period, over half of immigrants were not of Australian origin, many
of those from Indonesia and Nigeria. Taking advantage of the raw materials
brought up from Southern Cross Mining's facilities, Sumatro Fabrique
built several factories throughout the peninsula, and these provide
the backbone of the Duffer's Strip economy today. In particular, the
Proton Bahru (In: "New Proton," from a vehicle originally produced
in Malaysia) line of automobiles became the symbol of New Canberra's
industry. Inexpensive and easy to maintain, "PB's" still attract a
following in the low-end auto market, especially among university
students and the many "alternative" communities throughout Tirane.
While
Australia, Brazil, Japan, and the ESA nations invested heavily in
their Alpha Centauri colonies, the American and Argentine efforts
were not so vigorous. The Americans had left much of their Tiranean
colonial development to corporate contractors, and the Argentine government
steered a good portion of their resources into new warship fleets
to defend their nascent colony. Much of the Black Soil Plains were
used as military training centers, and the colonists were seen by
Argentina more as support for visiting and permanent party forces
than a viable community in their own right. There was little thought,
other than the military presence, on the part of Argentina over the
logistic and engineering planning requirements of building a colony.
Thus Santa Maria was hard pressed to provide a sufficient surplus
necessary to feed the large garrisons, much less supply external markets.
During INAP's brief colonial presence on Tirane a native Tiranean
virus had killed half of the livestock brought to the colony. This
combined with the lack of anything to trade on Santa Maria's part
and the near-feudal structure of the colonial administration stifled
any innovation on the part of Santa Maria's colonists. While Dr. Alejandro
Navarro Galtieri, INAP's chief veterinarian and a dedicated pacifist,
developed the vaccine preventing further livestock losses to the local
virus, the militaristic nature of the Argentine colonial effort ultimately
led to it's collapse.
Before the Rio Plata Wars of the twenty-third century, the INAP forces
stationed on Tirane were in 2175 used in an abortive amphibious attack
on New Albion (now Wellon) as a test of military capability and in
revenge for British military operations in the South Atlantic on Earth.
Utilizing a number of imported submarine assault craft the INAP force
intended to operate along the south and western coast of the Tiralbion
targeting shipping and isolated settlements. However news of the expedition
leaked first to Australian intelligence and then a Japanese Colonial
Defense Force patrol craft encountered the flotilla in the open seas.
This information was passed to the ESA command and what naval forces
were available were mobilized. The first contact came when the a British
coastal transport ship was sunk, the first of many over two months,
the ESA response was fitful as the on-world ships were general patrol
vessels not suited for anti-submarine work. It was not until a crack
Royal Navy anti-submarine team arrived from Earth that the situation
was brought under control. Two subs were destroyed and one captured
with its databases intact. Two other subs and one supposedly on route
to Provincia do Brasil were never accounted for.
Armed
with information on the INAP venture and the collusion of the Santa
Marian colonial authorities the ESA nations demanded reparations.
Britain, France and Bavaria mobilized their small fleet off the coasts
of Santa Maria and faced down their Argentine opponents with skirmishes
especially fierce off the coast of the Neuvas Malvinas (whilst on
Earth a similar, if less overtly violent, scene was taking place of
the coast of South America on a much greater scale). The threat of
force and international opprobrium forced the Argentine government
on Earth to disown the actions of INAP dominated military on Tirane
and begin to negotiate an end to the crisis. Under an arrangement
between the ESA nations and the Santa Marian colonial government signed
at Bennelong, the growing spaceport city on the Eastern Shore, Australia
was asked to supervise the demilitarization of the Llano del Tierra
Negra, including occupying the large bases in and near CSM. This led
to conflicts between Australia and Argentina, but the actual colonists
begrudgingly accepted the decision as one more disaster to add to
the many that had happened before.
Initially
these Australian Defence Force troops were received cooly by the Marianos,
yet with the Australians' overall fairness and not a few rescues by
the New Canberra Emergency Service in the Southern Ocean turned most
Marianos into the ADF's avid supporters. Indeed, once the demilitarization
was completed Santa Maria's civil authorities welcomed the opportunity
to develop their economy without the heavy demands placed on them
by the Argentine and Mexican military commanders. When Argentina finally
abandoned Santa Maria in 2183 as a result of the Santo Cristophos
School disaster, the Santa Marians had become accustomed to the Australian
presence. Thus, in the referendum held later in the month, merging
of the colony into New Canberra barely won out over outright independence.
In recognition of their new citizens the people of
New Canberra overwhelmingly voted to make their colony officially
bilingual, in order to welcome them into their new "meeting place."
For a few years, though, both the original Australian colonists and
the former Argentines suffered through strained relations. Spanish
was not considered an important second language by many of the Australians,
and the new Hispanic citizens had little regard for English, a language
spoken by historical rivals. However, many of the Australian military
and civil affairs personnel stationed in Santa Maria and, after 2209,
the Nuevas Malvinas became proficient in Spanish, and were instrumental
in the merging of the two colonies. To this day (2303) the descendents
of these troops and the remaining units involved still take pride
in their bilingualism, and over the decades have been joined by descendents
of Argentine settlers in creating a number of unique Field units within
the Australian Defence Force's Tirane Command.
Another issue that faced both communities was the
structure of the new government. New Canberra had a sizeable, locally
elected assembly with considerable power over the day to day management
of the colony. Santa Maria's, however, was a seven-member advisory
body turned ad hoc government with the removal of the INAP-appointed
military governor. While it was clear that the Australians had the
lead in governing infrastructure, the Mariano settlers still trusted
their own leaders, and continued to recognize the Junta de Advisores
(Sp: Board of Advisors) as their leadership. The newly enlarged New
Canberra assembly, not wishing to alienate their new citizens further,
gave recognition to their Mariano counterparts as Santa Maria's regional
council. Using the Junta as a template for similar regional councils
throughout New Canberra Bennelong continues the practice of "advisory
boards", as another gauge of local needs, though only the Junta de
Advisores de Santa Maria uses the name. This is a conscious decision
of the other regional councils, as "Junta" still holds a negative
connotation in English-speaker's minds.
Many former Argentines who did not support merger
of their home with the Australian colony in 2183 left the Llano for
the Nuevas Malvinas, to the west of southern New Canberra. For the
first twenty years of their settlement of what later became Nueva
Cordoba these Malvinos were de-facto independent, while they did profess
loyalty to their Argentine homeland. As a result of the First Rio
Plata war, though, the Australian government in 2209 was begrudginly
asked to assume responsibility for the Nuevas Malvinas defense. Brazil
was eager to remove any unassimilated Argentine from New Canberra
in order to defend it's own Provincia do Brasil colony from the self-proclaimed
"Argentine Government-in-Exile," which had been formed by Argentine
government officials who fled Buenos Aires in the wake of Brazilian
invasion and subsequent occupation. Brazil's aggressive stance came
as a result of Malvino attempts to Brazil's colonial effort during
and immediately after the war, which culminated in the destruction
of what was to become Conquista da Victoria's first water treatment
plant. A cordial relationship between Brazil and Australia prevented
too much hostile action being taken against Nueva Cordoba, as well
as later Australian guarantees of the Malvinos' good behavior.
Having tripled the size of its Alpha Centauri holdings
in less than twenty years, Australia then entered a turbulent period
in its history. Back on Earth conflicts with the separatist governments
in Hobart and Cairns escalated nearly to the point of civil war. However,
by a narrow margin Australians accepted the status quo and formalized
the independence of both Tasmania and Northern Queensland. This period
also saw a great deal of constitutional reform, which led to greater
autonomy for the people of New Canberra, granted by Newcentre in order
to not lose the wealth and prestige that came with having one of the
first extrasolar colonies in human history. In 2188, Australia's quadcentenary,
using grants from the Australian Colonization Department with its
new headquarters in Bennelong, the first university was opened for
the citizens of the colony. Originally intended to be named Issac
University after the first Australian-born Governor-General during
the pre-republican period, by popular demand it was named Lalor University.
The significance of the name was not lost on the Newcentre government,
as Peter Lalor was the leader of an armed uprising against the British-dominated
colonial government of the nineteenth century. However, with the new
autonomy that came with the reforms, Newcentre accepted the will of
the NovoCanos. Today Lalor University, while not the largest institution
of higher learning in New Canberra, has become one of the most prestigious,
with nearly as many students from Australia proper and other countries
as NovoCanos.
New Canberra since has used its affiliation with
Australia to provide to Tirane what Australia provides to Earth: a
strong, neutral location for all sorts of inter-colonial negotiations,
as well as a skilled diplomatic corps. Since it's inception in 2202
the Tirane Council, a forum for all the colonies and nations to discuss
pan-Centauri issues outside of Terran politics, has met at Bennelong.
As the countries with Tiranean colonies have no rivalries or major
conflicts with each other, Tiranean politics has been for the most
part cordial. The agreement between Brazil and Australia regarding
the Nuevas Malvinas was the Council's first success, both diplomatically
and psychologically. The success there led to greater acceptance and
respect for the Council, and slowly but increasingly more responsibility
for all-planet and intra-system regulation was granted by Tirane's
colonies and parent nations, though in no case is sovereignty of outposts,
stations, or colonies ever threatened by the Council.
Recently Tirania's conflict over Wellon's Knightsbridge
Shire on the continent of Eisig, claimed by Tirania, through the Council's
efforts was settled amicably in Wellon's favor, in exchange for undisclosed
concessions by Wellon. Also, after the War of German Reunification,
the independence of Freihafen was formally recognized in the Tirane
Council's chambers in the Needle, Bennelong's tallest building. Lately,
in a gesture that is expected to acknowledge Tirania's de facto independence,
the Tirane Council including New Canberra and Australia have offered
a place within the Needle for Tirania and America to negotiate the
terms of independence. Tirania has agreed to this in principle, but
no word on the proposal has yet come from Reston. However, it was
not dismissed out of hand, as America does not want to alienate its
closest ally over a mature colony it has no further interest in. Often,
though, the Tirane Council is merely a smokescreen to hide the actual
diplomatic work of Australia and America, both strong allies with
a neutralist outlook on international politics. The Council itself
has no actual powers beyond enforcement of international law beyond
Tirane's atmosphere, through the Tirane Space Police and System Patrol,
and has a full-time staff of less than three hundred people.
INDEX
4.
Demographics
Both Australia and New Canberra are loath to subdivide
their people, either by religion or by ethnic background. "It shouldn't
bloody matter where the %@$* our people come from! Once they're here
they're mates!" was Chief Minister Torres' comment when it was suggested
in the 2300 census to determine the ethnography of New Canberra's
citizens. However, the Federal departments of Immigration and Community
Affairs and Aboriginal Affairs both required such data to determine
the effects of their efforts in New Canberra.
The 2300 census, taken to prepare for the 2302 Federal
elections, showed New Canberra to have the following approximate ethnic
breakdown:
Australian,
no further subdivision: 32%
Argentine
and other Latino: 22%
Indonesian(Javanese/Malay):
20%
Nigerian:
9%
Indian
States: 6%
Scandinavian:
4%
Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander: 4%
Other,
including Tiranian: 4%
During that census, given the revulsion NovoCanos
have in identifying themselves as anything but "NovoCano," many simply
identified themselves as "Australian." Therefore the numbers presented
above may be inaccurate. Those groups that did identify themselves
as members of a specific ethnic group generally were those who lived
in neighborhoods and towns whose origins came from settlements, and
in the case of many in the Argentine community a former colony, started
by their ancestral homelands. 35% of those participating in the census,
regardless of the background claimed, were not themselves born in
New Canberra, but generally follow the pattern listed above.
Those identifying themselves as "Australian" are
of a variety of ethnic backgrounds, yet for the most part all are
descended from those who emigrated from Australia proper. These people
can be found throughout the colony, not limiting themselves to any
particular areas. While there is no favoritism shown towards any ethnic
group shown by the government, many of those who work for the New
Canberran government, in any capacity, are descended from the Australian
colonists in proportions that belie their actual numbers. In most
places this would cause a degree of resentment between the colonists
of the mother country and those who've come from other places, but
for the most part in New Canberra this resentment isn't common, save
in the Nuevas Malvinas. This includes those colonists descended from
the various Aboriginal peoples of Australia, and while the vast majority
of them have integrated into the society as a whole, some still live
traditional lives along the Eastern Shore, Pulau Timor Bahru, the
Silver Mountains, and Duffer's Strip. Aboriginals also form a disproportionate
number of Field Command Leaders and Tactical Commanders patrolling
the jungles of Duffer's Strip, as their familiarity with blending
with the natural environment have made them uniquely suited to the
long-range patrols undertaken by Tirane Command in defense of the
common border with Amaterasu.
Argentine, or "Latino" which many prefer, NovoCanos
have made an impact on NovoCano society in a much greater degree than
their actual numbers would indicate. Spanish is an official language
of New Canberra and many of the names in the New Canberra gazetteer
come from the original Argentine names. Additionally, the rural practices
in the Black Soil Plains/Llano de Tierra Negra stem not from the Jackeroos
and Jilleroos of Australia proper but in the Gaucho traditions of
Patagonia and the Argentine Pampas. While this might indicate prosperity
on the part of Latinos, in fact the opposite is the case. Though officially
New Canberra is bilingual, in practice those who don't speak English
often have a hard time improving their economic position, and with
the official bilingualism there is little emphasis on teaching English
to Latino NovoCanos. This has made much of the Latino-dominant areas
of New Canberra, in particular the Nuevas Malvinas, the most impoverished
of New Canberra.
While official Argentine support for Santa Maria
ended with the abandonment of their colony in 2183, many Argentine
and Mexican emigrants made their way to the Llano de Tierra Negra.
This has given rise to a "illustrado" community, made up of those
descended from the original 10,000 Argentines left behind as the Argentine
administration and military left. Much of the beef and fish consumed
in New Canberra come from the Latino areas of the colony, from estancias
(Sp: stations) and cooperatives still owned by the illustrado families.
Income distribution, while far better than Argentina and Mexico proper,
is still disproportionate in the Llano and the Nuevas Malvinas, with
the bulk of the economy controlled by the illustrados. This leads
to internal tension within the Argentine community, yet any efforts
by Bennelong to redress these issues are rebuffed, as (from the illustrado
point of view) the community should solve it's own problems. While
Santa Maria and the rest of the Llano are beginning to show signs
of economic stability and growth, the Nuevas Malvinas will likely
remain a depressed, blighted area, as internal tension between separatists
and the New Canberran government continues.
Another source of tension within the Argentine community
is over the Novo Catolico schism engineered by Argentina and Mexico
during the First Rio Plata War in 2205. The Vatican, not wishing to
alienate their Brazilian base of support, condemned the Argentine
aggression that led to that war. The military leaders in Buenos Aires
and Mexico City, instead of accepting the Vatican's decision, broke
from the Roman Catholic church and formed the Novo Catolico church
with it's center in Montevideo, Uruguay. While most of the people
within the INAP sphere (Argentina, Chile, the Inca Republic, Mexico,
and Uruguay) followed their leaders, the lesser presence of both the
Instituto Nacional de Astronomica Practical (INAP) nations on Tirane
also diminished the impact of the schism within the Argentine community
of New Canberra. Many (though not all) in the Nuevas Malvinas, which
enjoyed a period of de facto autonomy until the Brazilian intervention
from Provincia do Brasil in 2206, strongly support the Montevideo
church. Marianos, since 2173 having mostly worked closely with the
Bennelong administration, have thus far remained faithful to the Roman
Church, now based in Perugia, Italy.
While other communities in New Canberra see continued
immigration, especially from Indonesia, the Indian States, and Nigeria,
Argentine immigration has tapered off to near zero in the past three
decades. While this has been attributed to Argentina's new colony
on Montana as well as the other main INAP colonial effort undertaken
with the Manchus on Kwantung, a more reasonable explanation can be
found in the depressed economies of the Nuevas Malvinas and the Llano
de Tierra Negra. While the Llano's economy has shown some resiliency
as it integrates further into the overall NovoCano effort, the Nuevas
Malvinas remains depressed due in part to the political instability
and low-level insurgency found there. While this has not prevented
new Latino immigration, often this comes from such countries as Chile,
Mexico (particularly the states of Cuba and Panama, both still resistant
to Mexican annexation), Spain, and the Latino community of Tirania.
Oddly enough, another source of Latino immigration to New Canberra
comes from America itself, as Hispanics from California's Central
Valley, Puerto Rico, and South Florida see more opportunity as Spanish-speakers
in officially bilingual New Canberra than might be found in America's
colonies in the Rimward Arm. As a result, most of these new Latino
settlers are more loyal to New Canberra (though not necessarily Australia)
than the average native Latino.
Settlers and their descendents from Indonesia, often
called pribumi (In: "native"), are mainly found on Duffer's Strip,
with smaller communities in the Spice Islands, the Eastern Shore,
and Pulau Timor Bahru. Indonesians are for the most part Malay and
Javanese, with very few Balinese and Chinese-Indonesian descendents
among them. Making up the majority of residents in Mt. McDonald and
the largest pluralities in Kosciusko and Rum Jungle, the Indonesian
community's impact on Duffer's Strip is clearly most apparent in the
Islamic religion practiced by the vast majority. The sound of the
muezzin calling the faithful to prayer has become as much a part of
the daily life of Duffer's Strip as youngsters playing sepak takraw.
There was some resentment directed at Bennelong and the New Canberran
parliament when Spanish was elevated to an official language as there
were far more Bahasa Indonesia speakers in New Canberra in 2183, some
of which continues today. However, in recognition of the Indonesian
contribution to New Canberra's growth, the three major cities of Duffer's
Strip refer to their neighborhoods as kampongs, or communties, and
Indonesian traditional architecture strongly influences public buildings
and personal housing throughout all of the non-Latino areas of New
Canberra. Indonesian themes and styles also influence dress throughout
New Canberra, and the batiks created by the textile industry of Duffer's
Strip are also finding a market throughout the rest of the colony,
and indeed all Tirane, as well.
It is difficult for a newcomer to Duffer's Strip
to fully integrate, as the Indonesian communities are clannish and
protective of their adat, or traditions. While there is a move afoot
to elevate Bahasa Indonesia to become New Canberra's third official
language, similar efforts within the community are being made to improve
the English capability of Indonesian youngsters in order to make them
more competitive in New Canberra's economy. The vast majority of Duffer's
Strip's unemployed are Indonesian, which causes further tension between
them and the remainder of New Canberra, yet the companies with the
largest presence in Duffer's Strip are Indonesian or owned by Indonesian
residents. Smaller communities of Indonesian NovoCanos are found in
Bennelong and Windbourne on the Eastern Shore and Anchorhead on Pulau
Timor Bahru. None of these places have the same social and economic
problems Duffer's Strip's Indonesian communities have, yet don't have
the same sense of adat their brethren share in Duffer's Strip either.
These Indonesian settlers were brought to New Canberra
per an agreement between the Indonesian and Australian governments
as a safety valve for Indonesia's crowded conditions. While mean-spirited,
a fairly accurate comment by a Commonwealth Party leader in the 2220's
summed up the dilemma faced by both Australia and Indonesia, "If we
don't let the Indo's go to New Canberra they'll overrun Darwin." While
the Life Foundation had a hand in subsidizing the transport of Indonesian
colonists, for the most part the transportation costs were borne by
Indonesian companies. These companies were given the same tax breaks
as Australian companies by the New Canberra Department, which made
it easier for them to bear the cost of bringing their new employees
to Duffer's Strip. Duffer's strip was closer to the bulk of New Canberra's
raw materials necessary for heavy industry, and thus the most appropriate
place to begin the new Indonesian-financed development. While in the
early years of colonization full employment was realized in Duffer's
Strip, as time went on many mines were closed, and the costs of gaining
the materials necessary for manufacturing operations often overwhelmed
the companies operating in Duffer's Strip. This led to plant closings
and widespread unemployment, a situation only now being rectified
through government and Life Foundation sponsored diversification projects
and the encouragement of relocation to more prosperous cities. This
relocation has given cities outside of Duffer's Strip their Indonesian
communities, which have become just as prosperous as any other in
their new homes.
Nigerian settlers have come to New Canberra from
the beginning of Australia's colonial effort on Tirane, and have chosen
the largest of the Spice Islands to make their homes. A hard-working
people, Nigerians have formed a unique community within the islands,
yet aside from Duffer's Strip have only recently formed communities
beyond them, notably on Pulau Timor Bahru and the Silver Ridge mountains,
where they experiment with coffee production. Nigerian descended NovoCanos
are strongly defensive of the environment where they live, and through
their urging many of the smaller, uninhabited islands of the Spice
Islands archipelago have been set aside as natural preserves. Also,
the tourist and fishing industries of the Islands are largely Nigerian
efforts. Though having a percentage of Muslims just over half to that
of the Indonesians, the remainder being either Christian or animist,
mosques are as prevalent in Port Essington and Muhtma as they are
in Duffer's Strip. While the majority of Nigerians speak Peul/Fulani
or Hausa among themselves, English is used as a lingua franca between
speakers of different languages and there is little linguistic tension
between the Nigerians and the rest of New Canberra.
Scandinavians were part of New Canberra's second
wave of settlers, and chose an area in the southern portion of the
Eastern Shore for their homes. Nordmark, a suburb of Windbourne, is
the center of Scandinavian culture and learning in New Canberra, yet
Scandinavians can be found throughout the colony filling a variety
of roles. While those living closer to Nordmark and Windbourne are
more apt to uphold and display their heritage and languages, those
living further away live lives no different than any Australian in
New Canberra, save for participation in cultural events held where
there are a number of Scandinavians. Those living in Nordmark, though,
often choose to live lives at sea, in either the fishing fleets or
the New Canberra Emergency Service's rescue craft. Also, New Canberra's
largest commercial ocean-shipping fleet, Viking-Southern Cross, is
based at Windbourne, and many of the Scandinavian NovoCanos are found
in VSC crews not only plying the waters of Tirane, but aboard Australian
and Scandinavian interstellar merchant ships as well. Considered part
of the Scandinavian community, yet separate from it, are several hundred
Sami, or Lapp, families from the far northern regions of the Scandinavian
Union. They are found mostly in the Silver Mountains, engaged in reindeer
herding and the maintenance of roads and communications substations
deep in the mountains.
Along the rivers of the Pampa are scattered settlements
of people from the various Indian States. Placed there during New
Canberra's first century through the auspices of the Life Foundation,
these communities have integrated into and invigorated the life of
the Pampa easily, the only noticeable presence of Indian culture being
the various Buddhist, Hindu, and Sikh temples and Muslim mosques near
the various towns. These towns also have Indian markets offering the
sights and smells of the Subcontinent, which forms the heart of the
Indian communities of the Pampa. While all the languages of the subcontinent
were brought with them during their settlement along the river, only
Bengali, Hindi, and Punjabi survived, the remainder having adopted
English or one of the other three languages. The few Muslims in these
communities also study classical Arabic, the language of the Qur'an,
but do not use it as an everyday language.
While it was feared that the emigration and concentration
of so many East Indians from a variety of different states would bring
the conflicts of the Subcontinent to New Canberra, the Life Foundation
ensured that inter-ethnic tension would be kept to a minimum. Working
closely with the Australian Colonial Office, and later with the New
Canberra Department, the Foundation refused to concentrate large numbers
of emigrants from any single country into a single location. Therefore,
the Pampa towns of Bencoolen and Tirane Springs, along with the small
number of smaller towns between them, show a mixture of various East
Indian nationalities. As the first thing a Life Foundation emigrant
to New Canberra gives up is his or her national passport, the Foundation
then becomes responsible for their diplomatic protection until citizenship
is achieved. As such, the Life Foundation has large "transition assistance
centers" at Bennelong, Tirane Springs, and Port Bagaaybila to assist
these new immigrants, though solely in English. This does go some
way to erode the use of the Indian Subcontinents less-common languages,
such as Gujerati, Malayalam, and Tamil, but while this is of concern
to the Life Foundation the individuals giving up their languages don't
seem to complain much. After all, English remains the lingua franca
of the Subcontinent, despite the dissolution of 20th century India.
Punjabi Sikhs, in particular, have made the greatest
impact of all the East Indian peoples of New Canberra. While less
than 4% of New Canberra's overall population, Sikhs make up nearly
10% of the New Canberra Police force and contribute to the defense
of Australia as a whole, befitting the martial tenets of their faith.
In recognition of this, the Australian Defence Force has created the
Sikh Regiment of Australia, recruited primarily from the Pampa city
of Bencoolen. While originally a novelty unit, in each deployment
this regiment has earned not honors not only for itself but for New
Canberra as well, and as a result is Bennelong's ceremonial troops.
Additionally, turbaned Sikh engineers are found aboard starships throughout
Human Space, and those from New Canberra are considered "cream of
the crop" due to the greater degree of training and preparation required
by Australia's Engineering Trades Union.
Other peoples have made their way to New Canberra,
including East Africans, Indochinese- particularly from Thailand,
and Tiranians escaping their recent economic slump. All have integrated
into society as a whole, though East Africans are more likely to live
among their Nigerian counterparts in the Spice Islands and the Silver
Ridge. The Thai community is based at Port Bagaaybila, with a large
Thai Buddhist temple currently under construction. Their particular
experience with building canals and controlling floods have created
in their adopted home a system of waterways similar to those found
in Bangkok and Venice, which has added a unique character to Port
Bagaaybila's city center and port. Tiranians can be found anywhere
in New Canberra, and aside from their clearly North American-based
accent, are indistinguishable from Australians as a whole. Many younger
Tiranians have emigrated to Anchorhead in order to participate in
the lively youth culture and vibrant economy found there and throughout
Pulau Timor Bahru.
INDEX
5.
Government, Military and Law Enforcement
Since the constitutional reforms of the 2180's, New
Canberra has had a great deal of autonomy in its internal and Tiranean
affairs. Indeed, the only matters the Australian Federal Government
has over New Canberra are defense, extra-Tiranean affairs, and monetary
policy including the issuance of coins and currency. Additionally,
in the event of a loss of communication between Bennelong and Newcentre
for any number of reasons New Canberra becomes effectively an independent
country, according to both the New Canberran and Australian constitutions.
New Canberra also provides at least one member of Australia's Federal
Cabinet, the country's executive body.
Officially New Canberra is a "Department" of Australia,
and as such is represented in the Federal Parliament by the Minister
for New Canberra. During the 2180's reforms there was some controversy
over what to call Australia's Tiranean colony. "Colony" was seen as
patronizing and degrading, yet New Canberra's distance from Newcentre
made outright territorial status or statehood difficult, if not impossible.
Department status offered a good deal of local autonomy, yet created
the formal link to Australia necessary for the colony to flourish.
Often the New Canberra Minister, selected by the New Canberra Parliament,
was the only official representative of the colony in the Federal
Cabinet, even as New Canberra's population approached that of Australia
proper. NovoCanos found no problem with this, as they had proportional
representation in the Federal parliament and could influence government
by the direction their seats went.
Below the federal parliament are the two regional
parliaments, one at Newcentre for Australia proper and the other for
New Canberra at Bennelong. New Canberra is unique in having it's own
elected head of state, known as the Administrator, who has little
actual power. The Administrator merely "rubber-stamps" any laws passed
by the unicameral Parliament, as real executive power rests in the
Chief Minister. However, NovoCanos take their Administrator seriously,
as the post is often filled by a popular elder statesman, celebrity,
or retired military leader. Currently, as of 2303 the Administrator's
office is held by Erik Olafsson, the retired former head of the New
Canberra Emergency Service. Unique among Australian elected positions,
the office of Administrator is entirely non-partisan. This is intended
to provide an official position of neutrality if Parliament needs
to be dissolved for any reason, though at no time in New Canberran
history has there been such an action. To provide a check to the Administrator's
power, he or she can be removed by a simple majority in a referendum
according to New Canberra's constitution, yet as in the case of parliamentary
dissolution this option has never been exercised either.
The true political leadership of New Canberra rests
in the Chief Minister and Cabinet, who meet in the unicameral Parliament
at Bennelong. Other ministries, known as departments, are Social Services,
Justice, Infrastructure, Immigration and Community Affairs, Inter-Tiranean
Relations, Financial Oversight, Education, and Revenue and Treasury.
A Deputy Chief Minister is also appointed, and sits in cabinet meetings
as minister without portfolio. This is to prepare the Deputy Chief
to take over in the event of death or incapacitation of the Chief
Minister, an event that has not happened since the founding of New
Canberra. The Chief Minister and Cabinet are appointed by the party
with the greatest number of seats in Parliament, or the ruling coalition
if no one party holds a majority.
While Federal elections take place once every seven
years, selection for New Canberra's parliament takes place every 42
months, or twice during a Federal session. Unlike other Westminster-derived
parliamentary systems, election dates are fixed, and any loss of confidence
during a session means the government acts as caretaker until the
next election, unless new coalitions can be formed. This came as a
reaction to the turbulent times of the 2180's, where no less than
six governments ruled in a five-year period. 2188, Australia's quadcentenary,
marked a turning point in New Canberra's political development. As
New Canberra was only then starting to show a profit for Newcentre,
the costs of the all-too-frequent elections were starting to mount,
and only fresh cash from Newcentre kept the colony solvent. The last
government of the period, a rare coalition of the Commonwealth and
Labor parties (with the pro-independence Our Nation/Nuestra Patria
Party in opposition), pushed for that particular constitutional reform
as matters in Australia proper settled down. This overwhelmingly passed,
as voters were tired of the constant cycles of falling governments
and frequent elections.
The major parties represented in New Canberra's parliament
mirror those in Australia proper, both in the Federal and continental
governments. Additionally, there are two distinctly New Canberran
political parties, which while they never gain enough seats to make
an impact on their own are often asked to join coalitions when necessary.
This has often led to shaky governments and near paralysis until the
following elections, but the past twenty years have seen single-party
majorities able to keep the reins of power for longer periods of time.
Seats in Parliament are based on single-member districts, with an
additional twenty seats awarded at large. These twenty seats are divided
between the parties based on the proportion of the overall vote each
party receives. This guarantees that any party receiving at least
five percent of the overall vote has at least one seat in Parliament,
though detractors claim the larger parties use the extra seats gained
in this method to boost their majorities, in order to avoid forming
coalitions with the smaller ones. Voting is compulsory in New Canberra,
yet unlike Australia proper fines for failure to participate in elections
are fairly steep, AUD$5000 being the norm. Before the reader finds
this excessive, however, please keep in mind that at the current exchange
rate A$5000 is worth US$50, or roughly Lv40.
Currently the Labor Party, Australia's center-left
party, rules New Canberra with its history in the labor-union movement
of the 19th century. Since at that time the movement was influenced
by American labor leaders the standard British/Australian spelling
"Labour" was changed to "Labor." For New Canberra the major issues
of Labor's concern are economic development of the hinterland, support
for the unemployed of Duffer's Strip and the Latino areas of Santa
Maria and the Nuevas Malvinas (which includes subsidized relocation
to economically stronger areas), and improved services to rural residents.
Also on Labor's platform are further efforts towards a greater degree
of autonomy from the Australian Federal government. Infrastructure
projects are another priority, and airfilm and maglev lines linking
all the major cities of New Canberra were begun during Labor rule.
Additionally, it was during Labor rule that the oversight of New Canberra's
internal government passed from the Australian Colonial Office to
the New Canberra Minister and New Canberra's own Administrator.
Led by the young and charismatic Chief Minister Stephanie
Torres of Ciudad Santa Maria, New Canberra's Labor leadership has
taken a more aggressive stance in both Federal and Tiranean matters.
With New Canberra's larger portion of Australians as a whole, whichever
party wins New Canberra elections also comes to power at the Federal
level. Labor currently holds a 75-seat majority in the New Canberran
parliament as a result of political errors made by the opposition
as well as popular goodwill towards Torres herself. The Deputy Chief
Minister is currently Ms. Timah Sustrinoputri of Rum Jungle.
The main opposition comes from the Commonwealth Party,
a large center-right party currently ruling Australia proper. This
post-Twilight party formed from the center-right coalitions between
the old Liberal, National (formerly the Country), United Australia,
and Conservative parties. While it does have a more conservative focus
it remains somewhat compassionate regarding social issues, and isn't
nearly as reactionary as similar parties elsewhere, including New
Canberra's own Our Nation/Nuestra Patria. Led by Gary Leung, the primary
conflicts in parliament between him and Chief Minister Torres are
over social spending, privatization of public services, and relations
with the Federal government in Newcentre. Commonwealth feels the oversight
of the Bennelong government under the New Canberra Minister and the
Administrator to be more akin to" the fox watching the chook (Aus
slang 'chicken') house," preferring a greater level of Federal monitoring
of NovoCano affairs. Conversely, the Commonwealth Party is pressing
for the devolution of government to the regional level, allowing the
regions to find solutions to strictly regional matters.
The party made a grave political error in the 2302
election with their "Stuff Steff" campaign motto. While "Stuff Steff"
meant simply that Commonwealth wished to "make her unemployed," the
fact that the current Chief Minister is an attractive thirty-five
year old Latina widow with a pleasing personality made the motto a
great deal more suggestively sinister. The phrase was all the more
inappropriate given that Ms. Torres' Fleet Command Operations Commandant
husband died during the Kafer War. The previous leader resigned from
the party leadership as a result of the drubbing Commonwealth took
in the polls, and the more moderate Leung acceded to leadership of
the party in New Canberra. His deputy, Kylie Falcon, acts as shadow
Deputy Chief Minister.
On the fringes are the Progressive Democrats, Australia's
far-left party encompassing the environmentalist, radical socialist,
and pacifist elements of society. While they do gain seats in Australia
proper and the federal parliament, their presence in New Canberra
up to recently has been limited to the poorer sections of Duffer's
Strip's major cities, areas with chronic unemployment, and the youth
vote. Lately Anchorhead's two seats have swung to the "Progs," as
that city has been the focus of the Tiranean youth culture, with a
corresponding increase of idealistic young immigrants from all over
New Canberra and Tirania.
However, dividing New Canberra's Progressive Democrats
from their Australian counterparts is a strong Tiranista ethos, and
the New Canberran platform for the party includes a debate on independence
from Australia and the creation of a federal republic. In fact, the
NovoCano Progs is less left leaning than their platform might indicate,
as they support the Commonwealth Party's efforts towards devolution.
After all, the federal republic they propose will be based on those
very regions. The current leader of the "Progs" is the recently selected
Julie McKenna, daughter of Tirania's Adjutant General, who began her
political career upon achieving Australian citizenship.
National Unity, Australia's far-right party, has
even less of a presence in New Canberra than Australia proper. Fighting
for what it terms "Australian Cultural Purity," NU's platform opposes
non-Australian immigration, free markets, minority rights, and social
tolerance. Since New Canberra is officially bilingual and has an even
greater degree of multiculturalism than Australia proper, National
Unity has yet to gain more than two seats in the New Canberran parliament,
neither coming from the twenty at-large seats. Surprisingly enough,
one of the seats NU has perennially held is in Rum Jungle, in the
district surrounding the ANZAC Monument. However, this is tempered
by the fact that Rum Jungle is less than 20km from the Amaterasu border,
with a distinctly Tasmanian settlement hostile to New Canberra and
Australians as a whole, on the opposite side. While this hostility
has never taken a violent turn since the "Hanson Incident," as these
Tasmanians refer to the First and a Half Interstellar War, National
Unity still uses this as a means of gaining support. The Nationals
oppose any further devolution of power from Newcentre, but support
the notion of political devolution to the regions. Currently the leadership
of the party is in doubt, as the various factions differ on how to
approach the issues.
The two political parties unique to New Canberra
are Our Nation/Nuestra Patria and the Parti Melayu-Kanbera Bahru.
Nuestra Patria favors complete independence from Australia and a stronger
emphasis on morality (as defined by Nuestra Patria). The party's peak
occurred in the late 2180's, during the constitutional crises affecting
all of Australia, as Nuestra Patria came into being following the
merger of New Canberra and Santa Maria. While for years Nuestra Patria
was the main Latino party, over time the Mariano community found more
in common with the Australian mainstream parties. As a result of Nuestra
Patria's main support now coming from the Malvino community, the Hispanic
Novo Catolico Church heavily influences it and only in the last twenty
years has independence been included in the party manifesto. However,
in the 2302 elections Our Nation barely kept the three seats it's
always held, all from the Nuevas Malvinas region, and lost the one
at-large seat it normally gains. The Parti Melayu-Kanbera Bahru taps
the Indonesian community for support, stressing Islam and Malay culture
and a greater voice for both in New Canberran government. While it
does win about five percent of the overall New Canberran vote, with
a corresponding at-large parliamentary seat, the fact that it never
gains a majority in the community it aims to serve is indicative of
the conflict within the Indonesian community as a whole. Parti Melayu
advocates official recognition of Bahasa Indonesia throughout New
Canberra and the easing of the environmental regulations in Duffer's
Strip which prevent further expansion of the region's crowded cities.
One current policy the Party Melayu opposes is the relocation incentive
being offered to the unemployed of Duffer's Strip. Party Melayu believes
that the region and the Indonesian community in general would be better
served by the expansion of opportunity in Duffer's Strip itself. As
a result, it gains some support among Duffer's Strip's non-Indonesian
residents.
Both of these indigenous parties also support devolution
of central authority to the various regions, and a debate on New Canberra's
political future. In fact, the leaders of both parties, Armando Muñiz
de Zavala of Nuestra Patria and Anwar Azzizah of Parti Melayu, have
approached the "Prog's" Julie McKenna about presenting a united front
on discussing possible independence in Parliament. As there's little
else to unite the three smaller parties, little credence will be given
to any future "freedom alliance."
In trying to be all things to all people, the New
Canberran government has taken in far too much power into itself,
creating resentment from all segments of society. There is little
input from the various regions regarding their concerns, and in fact
this most diverse of colonies has one of the most centralized forms
of government of any place on Tirane. For their part the Australian-descended
settlers who form nearly half of the police and civil service have
worked doggedly to work out these issues, reaching out to disaffected
communities, seeking compromises, and generally being willing to talk.
But for those who want a voice in their own destinies this isn't enough.
Unfortunately, the party that has thus far appealed to the broadest
range of NovoCanos opposes this devolution. Whether Labor believes
this is a threat to their continued rule of New Canberra or simply
a belief that a more centralized government can address issues better
with the broader range of resources available is unknown. So long
as they remain in power, though, devolution is less likely to occur.
New Canberra is divided into six regions, the largest
and most populous being Duffer's Strip. The regions actually have
little actual power, and the regional councils often merely administer
for the New Canberra government the areas under their control. The
larger cities, however, do have a degree of internal autonomy for
issues related to urban life. As these cities also have the power
to tax property they are generally crowded (to minimize the amount
of property taxed), and have vast suburbs surrounding them beyond
the municipal limits. Often new cities have to be created from these
suburbs to prevent the larger neighbor annexing them, which leads
to further sprawl as those who can afford to do so move out further
from the city centers. Cities are responsible for internal land use
and to some degree metropolitan economic development. However, many
of the functions performed by other cities in the Core are the responsibility
of the New Canberra government as a whole. These include law enforcement,
water and sewer infrastructure, transportation infrastructure, electric
power, and communications.
Under the aegis of the New Canberra Department of
Justice, the New Canberra Police patrol the entire colony; there are
no law enforcement agencies at any lower level, city or shire. Given
the all-encompassing nature of the NCP, and the fact that officers
can be transferred anywhere within New Canberra, the idea of "community
policing" has not taken hold. While efforts are made to make officers
stationed in Mt. McDonald, for example, more sensitive to local conditions
and culture, conflicts often arise in the poorer kampongs of the city
which greater understanding of the citizens might have prevented.
This isn't to imply that the officers of the NCP are insensitive bigots,
as New Canberra's Department of Justice goes out of its way to recruit
from areas most in need of help. However, NCP officers recruited from
the kampongs of Duffer's Strip's largest cities often request transfer
out of the area, usually to the more peaceful cities of the Eastern
Shore and the Pampa. While knowledge of Spanish is required for a
posting in the Nuevas Malvinas and the Llano (Santa Maria), proficiency
in Bahasa Indonesia is as yet not required for those being sent to
Duffer's Strip as it is currently not an official language. The linguistic
and cultural differences, as well as the majority in the kampongs
being Muslim and most NCP constables being Christian or of other non-Muslim
faiths, often negatively affect the quality of law enforcement in
Duffer's Strip. It is to the NCP's credit, however, that no Sikh officer
has been sent to a Muslim area, nor are Novo Catolico officers sent
to Vatican-loyal Catholic neighborhoods.
The Nuevas Malvinas provide another difficult posting
for NCP officers due to the low yet increasing level of violent separatist
activity. Given the Nuevas Malvinas' origins as a haven for Argentines
wishing to avoid absorption into New Canberra, the NCP in particular
is seen as the visible symbol of "Australian oppression." Seldom does
a month go by without some expression of anger directed at the NCP,
either in the form of a car bombing, assassination, or vandalism against
government property. While communication with the Malvinos comes more
easily than in Duffer's Strip due to the required Spanish proficiency,
often these Spanish-speaking constables come from Santa Maria's Roman
Catholic community, which creates a source of tension between them
and the mostly Novo Catolico Malvinos. However, despite the attacks
against them, NCP officers have earned the respect of many Malvinos,
particularly as one of their own, Carlos Estefan Rawson, is Chief
of the New Canberra Police. Both he and Chief Minister Torres, though,
require unusual security while visiting Nueva Cordoba and the Nuevas
Malvinas, as both have been targeted by the most militant of separatists
for their "selling out to the Anglos."
Elsewhere in New Canberra the NCP has a far better
reputation. Those constables who might have had less-than-stellar
careers in Duffer's Strip or the Nuevas Malvinas often do better in
the Spice Islands, the Eastern Shore, the Llano, and the Pampa, all
with stronger economies and therefore lower crime rates. The NCP divides
New Canberra into Precincts, often individual city neighborhoods or
small towns, and Shires based around the larger cities and towns,
with the rural Precincts reporting to the nearest Shire headquarters.
Above the Shires are the six regional headquarters, each under a Regional
Commissioner. These regional headquarters are at Anchorhead (Pulau
Timor Bahru and the Spice Islands), Bencoolen (Pampa), Bennelong (Eastern
Shore), Kosciusco (Duffer's Strip), Nueva Cordoba (Nuevas Malvinas),
and Ciudad Santa Maria (Llano/Santa Maria). In longstanding practice,
the Regional Commissioners are ex officio members of the various regional
councils, and advise them on police matters. The headquarters of the
New Canberra Police, First Precinct, is in Bennelong's government
center, and sits nearly between the commercial and government centers
of the city. Surprisingly for it's function, it's not nearly as visibly
secure as the other government buildings of Bennelong. This was a
conscious decision by New Canberra's first Commissioner, Wayne Cole,
who believed that "the Police of this colony should be accessible
to the people of this colony, as it is made up of their best." However,
while not visible from the street, security measures are taken to
protect First Precinct, a fact not lost on many who currently languish
in New Canberra's gaols.
The police have a ranking system similar to the Australian
Defence Force, with some modifications as described below.
(Rookie) Constable
- no insignia.
Senior Constable - one downward-pointing chevron on both sleeves
below shoulder.
Leading Constable - two downward-pointing chevrons.
Senior Leading Constable - three downward-pointing chevrons.
Watch Officer - Shield of the New Canberra arms below shoulder (short
sleeve), or
between elbow and wrist (long sleeve).
Senior Watch Officer - Shield and fauna of the NC arms.
Leading Watch Officer - Shield, flora, and fauna of the NC arms.
Precinct Leading Watch Officer - Entire NC arms: shield, flora,
fauna, and Southern Cross.
Assistant Inspector - One seven-pointed Federation star on New Canberra
flora ("glitter fern"), worn on shoulder board.
Inspector - Two Federation stars on glitter fern.
Senior Inspector - Three Federation stars on glitter fern.
Chief Inspector - Four Federation stars on glitter fern.
Assistant Commissioner- One Federation star on a stylized police
baton, worn on shoulder board.
Precinct Commissioner - Two Federation stars on baton.
Shire Commissioner - Three Federation stars on baton.
Regional Commissioner - Four Federation stars on baton.
Chief of the New Canberra Police - Southern Cross on baton.
The NCP's everyday uniform consists of a khaki short-
or long-sleeved shirt, dark green slacks, a wide-brimmed felt or standard
police hat, and appropriate body armor. Due to the semi-formal nature
of New Canberra's Latino society, shorts are seldom worn, and never
in the Latino regions of the Llano de Tierra Negra or the Nuevas Malvinas,
nor in Duffer's Strip, where stickybushes (see below) are frequently
found. When in full-dress regalia, a black tie and green jacket is
added to the ensemble. NCP officers with the Special Operations Group
(the "Soggies") wear standard Australian military or black fatigues.
Constables carry handguns while on patrol in dangerous areas, but
aren't required to elsewhere- and don't. Therefore, while everyone
in the NCP is required to maintain proficiency, the infrequent necessity
of weapon use prevents regular practice. Correspondingly, only those
constables assigned to the Special Operations Group can be considered
experts in weapon use.
Separate but working closely with the NCP is the
Border Police, or BORPOL. Solely responsible for the security of the
common border with Amaterasu, BORPOL also works closely with elements
of the Australian Defence Force based in the area as well. However,
while ADF units are concerned mainly with an unlikely military threat,
BORPOL is focused on illegal crossings, smuggling, and area security.
Often they are tasked with the apprehension and repatriation of the
many illegal border crossers from nearby Amaterasu prefectures, those
non-Japanese ethnics that hope to flee their second-class status in
the Japanese colony. BORPOL uniforms are dark green fatigues, with
a rank structure similar to the NCP, though the Australian coat-of-arms
is used for Watch Officers. Dress uniforms consist of dark green high-collared
jackets with green slacks. BORPOL constables from Earth frequently
transfer from the Papuan border south of Cairns on Earth to Duffer's
Strip on a regular basis, but due to the distances involved and the
costs of frequent relocation, often those recruited in New Canberra
remain there throughout their career.
While in many other places the prison service is
separate from the actual police force, in New Canberra police constables
in a thirty-year career often do a tour as a warder in the prisons.
This leads to many cases where a convict can meet up with the individual
constable that initially arrested them, which often lead to interesting
situations within the gaols (jails, in US spelling). However, in the
century of NCP control of the prison system there have been very few
successful escape attempts, all escapees having either been recaptured
or killed outright by either pursuing constables or the elements.
Unlike the rest of Australia but in line with American practice, New
Canberra's four large prisons and ten smaller minimum-security camps
(each to be covered in the regional articles) are placed in remote,
inhospitable areas. Also, along with the rest of the Tiranean colonies
and nations, New Canberra does not impose the death penalty on any
convict regardless of the crime.
Acting in an advisory capacity, as well as being
the main investigative law enforcement agency in New Canberra, are
the Australian Federal Police. Seldom seen in uniform, and indeed
seldom seen at all, FEDPOL constables work with the NCP in investigating
the worst crimes. Often involving organized crime organizations, particularly
terrorist groups operating out of the Nuevas Malvinas, FEDPOL brings
a greater experience base in finding and neutralizing the most violent
elements of the separatist movement. Most other crimes, large and
small, are usually handled solely by the NCP. The actual number and
identities of the FEDPOL constables remain a secret, though it's rumored
that the actual number is less than five hundred, mainly divided between
Bennelong, Ciudad Santa Maria, Nueva Cordoba, Port Bagaaybila, and
Rum Jungle.
Corresponding with the New Canberra Police districts
are the various Criminal and Civil Courts, with smaller Magistrates
Courts at the Shire level. Above them are the regional Appeals Courts,
where any appeal begins its journey up through the system, possibly
culminating in the High Court of Australia. All New Canberran courts
are subordinate to the Superior Court of New Canberra at Bennelong,
which is the highest court of the territory, though not the final
point of appeal. If it chooses to hear the case, the High Court of
Australia in Newcentre has final jurisdiction over any case tried
anywhere within the Commonwealth of Australia. Often, however, the
High Court lets stand any decision made by the Superior Court, and
only twice in a century has a New Canberran case even been heard in
the High Court. In neither case did the High Court overturn the decision
of the Superior Court.
Criminal cases begin at the Magistrate's Court, where
a panel of three elected judges reviews all particulars of the case
presented. If the Magistrates determine if the presented evidence
is sufficient to take to trial, the case moves up to the District
Criminal Court. Here a determination of guilt (conviction), innocence
(acquittal), or failure of proof (found "not proven") is decided,
either by a jury or by a single judge appointed by the Administrator
on the advice of Parliament. In order to prevent tainting of a jury
either by the media or by local opinion, juries are transported from
other areas of New Canberra, at the Department of Justice's expense,
and the trial takes place away from the eyes and ears of the media.
Unusual among court systems is New Canberra's use
of the prosecutorial appeal. If a defendant has been found innocent
despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, the prosecution is
permitted to submit an appeal to the next higher court, the nearest
regional Appeals Court. Here three judges, appointed for ten-year
non-renewable terms by the Administrator on the advice of Parliament,
review the case and the evidence presented and make their decision.
Of the prosecutorial appeals presented sixty percent resulted in new
trials against a defendant. While many argue that this results in
cases of "double-jeopardy," very few prosecutors have actually appealed
acquittals, and those that resulted in new trials invariably led to
convictions. Any new trial brought up due to a prosecutorial appeal
take place in different cities, with different judges and juries.
While the other departments, such as Social Services,
Education, Revenue and Treasury, and Financial Oversight are self-explanatory
the Department of Infrastructure bears some explanation. It's purpose
is the maintenance and upgrading of all necessary infrastructure within
New Canberra, including water supply, transportation networks, electric
power generation and distribution, colony-wide information technology
networks (including satellites), parks, and non-urban land use. Currently
New Canberra's largest employer, the Infrastructure Minister oversees
a great deal of construction and maintenance activity, and has the
largest government presence in New Canberra. It is individual sectors,
such as power production and distribution that the Commonwealth Party
would like to see privatized. Though such efforts are unpopular with
the majority of NovoCanos, out of fear the quality of services provided
will suffer in the name of corporate profit, much of Commonwealth's
support comes from Australia's and New Canberra's largest corporations,
eager to take over the services from the public sector.
Under the Infrastructure Department's aegis, yet
working closely with the Social Services Department's health section,
are the men and women of the New Canberra Emergency Service (NCES).
Claiming its origins in Reverend John Flynn's Royal Flying Doctor
Service of the 20th century, the NCES has taken on maritime search
and rescue, provision of emergency medical services in remote rural
areas, emergency relief in response to natural or catastrophic man-made
disasters, and numerous other similar missions. While their colloquial
names "New-cess" or "Nuisance" may be less than complimentary, the
NCES is highly respected by all segments of NovoCano society. Another
role of the NCES comes in providing additional security at the request
of the NCP, NCES members being trained in squad-level tactics and
in counter-terrorism missions. Any NCES member who excels and shows
an interest in counter-terrorism is invited to join NCP Special Operations
Groups in each of the major cities. Ranks of NCES staff match that
of the NCP, listed above. NCES everyday uniforms consist of "international
orange" coveralls, with a formal dress uniform and rank similar to
that of the NCP.
All hospitals, save the ADF Medical Command facilities
near major bases, are administered by the Department of Social Services
Health Division, and are supported by New Canberra's tax system. Any
patient requiring treatment will be admitted without regard to ability
to pay. Indeed, New Canberra's health care system operates on a single-payer
basis, there currently being no private medical insurers or hospital
systems operating in the colony. However, the costs of services will
be billable to anyone who is admitted due to questionable activity,
such as operation of a motor- or hovercycle without the appropriate
headgear. Also, any victim of violent acts will receive a visit from
a nearby NCP constable for further investigation, particularly if
the wounds sustained are the result of firearms (mis)use.
While monetary policy is the responsibility of the
Federal government, the Bennelong Mint was created out of a need to
provide New Canberra a stable money supply. With a majority of Australians
living in New Canberra, it was felt that keeping a major branch of
the central bank, the Reserve Bank of Australia, in the colony would
ensure that all the Australian territory within the Core had access
to a strong currency. The Bennelong Mint produces Australian coins
from one dollar up to five hundred dollars. Additionally, the Mint's
Banknote Production Division produces $500, $1000, $2000, $5000, $10,000,
and recently issued $20,000 dollar notes using polymers originally
developed in Australia before the Twilight War. This ensures that
NovoCanos never have to fear the collapse of their banks due to an
unlikely end to communications between Newcentre and Bennelong.
In addition to Australian coins and banknotes, American
coinage is produced under contract, in the traditional American denominations
of 1c, 5c, 10c, 25c, 50c, and 1$. Currently the Australian dollar
and the American dollar are fixed to each other at a rate of 100 AUD
to 1 USD. This difference stems from the fact that the American dollar
was revalued following the Conference of Memphis, which unified the
Military and Civilian Governments that sprang up following the Twilight
War, while the Australian dollar simply lost value over more than
three centuries of inflation. This American coinage, with the "B"
mintmark, circulates not only in Tirania but America's Rimward colonies
as well. The fixed rate between the Australian and American dollars
ensures interchangability, excepting perhaps the A$20 coin, the A$500
coin, and the US$2 note and 25c coin (no equivalents used in the other
nation). The only major differences between the two currencies are
the extra two zeroes in Australian denominations and the use of minor
units in the American.
Australian coinage is made of a gold-colored alloy,
with jade tints in the highlights. Additionally, the $500 coin is
bimetallic, with a silver-colored alloy outer ring. Banknotes are
of polymer, and incorporate small holographic and color-changing insets
in the "clear window." Australian currency is in 2300AD designed as
follows:
Coins Obverse
Image Reverse Image(medal format, w/shape)
$1 Sir Henry
Parkes, 19th C. NSW Premier, known as "Father of Federation"
Wattle leaves, Crux Australis cluster (8mm round, smooth edge)
$2 Thomas Everingham, Prime Minister 2005-2015 oversaw post-TW reconstruction.
Koala in eucalyptus tree (12mm round)
$5 Sir Charles Kingsford-Smith, 20th C. Aviator First Australian
to fly across Pacific. Drukey (animal native to Tirane) (14mm round,
milled edge)
$10 Banjo Peterson, 19th C. Author, wrote "Waltzing Matilda."Jumbuck
(animal native to Tirane)
(12mm 12-sided)
$20 Helen Chang, 22nd C. Author, wrote "The Buried Bush," about
the pre-terraforming Outback. Platypus (13mm scalloped)
$50 Rebecca Eriksen, 21st C. Rights activist, favored non-Australian
immigration to boost depeleted population. Emu (16mm round,
Milled edge)
$100 Susan McEwan, 23rd C. Prime Minister, elected after failure
of first Botany Bay colony, pushed for return. Kangaroo (20mm round,
Reeded edge)
$200 Aboriginal, similar to pre-TW $2 coin. Aboriginal art of kangaroo
& snake (20mm scalloped)
$500 Sir John Flynn, 20th C. Minister, founder of the Royal Kookabura
Flying Doctor Service(24mm round, Bi-metal)
Banknotes
Front Image(vertical format) Reverse image(horizontal format)
$500 (Tree
Brown) Kevin Harris, PM 2085-2100, Began Australian diplomatic traditionCanberra
Memorial Park
$1000(Ochre Red), Truganini, last Tasmanian Aboriginal Uluru &
Kata Tjuta(Ayers Rock & the Olgas,
NT)
$2000(Sea Blue) Harold Johnson, NSW Premier 2050-2086, led Sydney
renaissance. Sydney Opera House & Harbour
Bridge
$5000(Gold Yellow) Ship Commandant Dawn Nguyen, discovered Botany
Bay, New Cairns Waterfront, veldt
$10000(Bush Green) Dr. Carole Hogan, led first Zeta Herculis survey
Zeta Herculis star & colony
world.
$20000(Red-Violet) Colleen Pangilinan, NC Governor 2181-91, negotiated
Santa Maria merger 2183 Honey Ant Dreaming from Pointer Station,
Tirane
In
popular New Canberran parlance $100 is a "peso," and often prices
are quoted in pesos. This has even carried over into the local media,
though figures are still written in terms of dollars. Jokes of confused
tourists and newcomers (or "two-bobs") shocked at the false introduction
of an Australian Peso are popular throughout New Canberra.
INDEX
5a.
Military Presence
Australian
Defence Force, Tirane Command
The
Australian Defence Force (ADF) has a fairly sizeable presence in New
Canberra and the Alpha Centauri and Proxima Centauri star systems.
All units present come under the aegis of Tirane Command, with its
headquarters at Bennelong's Defender Building, known as "the Big D."
While many other buildings in the center of Bennelong are built closely
together, unlike the commercial section and similar to other government
buildings the Defender Building is surrounded by a large area of land.
This includes several parade areas and the Defender's Memorial, a
representation of ADF personnel in ground and space combat roles.
Defender Building, actually a large complex of buildings, is rumoured
to have extensive underground facilities for command and control.
Led by Tirane Commandant Anson Yarramana, Tirane Command has operational
control over all forces dedicated to the defence of New Canberra and
administrative command over all other ADF forces on Tirane and in
the Alpha Centauri and Proxima Centauri star systems.
The
ADF is a combined arms force combining all elements of a modern military
organization in a single command: an interstellar fleet; a ground
force that includes support aircraft; a maritime navy for patrolling
the seas; an aerospace force for operating up to and including planetary
orbit; an extensive network of military facilities; and full logistics,
training and intelligence capabilities. The ADF's primary mandate
is the defense of Australia, its colonies and interests. It is also
the world's premier peacekeeping force, with individual units trained
and ready for deployment across known space to provide the military
muscle to back-up any Australian negotiated peace treaty. Australian
military forces operate closely with their American allies, sharing
technology, tactics and intelligence. Further information on the ADF,
including rank structure, order of battle, and available equipment
can be found here.
Much
to the dismay of Spanish-speaking Australians of New Canberra, the
ADF operates entirely in English, despite the official bilingualism
of their home. This is meant to maintain proper communications without
resort to translators. However, many ADF Reserve units in New Canberra,
when not training, use their native languages while on weekend drills
in the various reserve centers throughout the colony. While officially
proscribed, many facility commanders overlook that minor breach of
regulation while the reservists are in their assigned classrooms,
though all visiting trainers and units in the field are expected to
function in English. Oddly enough, Aboriginal languages have found
a niche in the ADF, used primarily as a means of secure communications
similar to the use of Navajo "code-talkers" in the island-hopping
campaigns of World War II. Communications specialists in the ADF,
therefore, are primarily Aboriginal, though many non-Aboriginals proficient
in various languages have also been assigned to comms units.
INDEX
6.
Spaceport Facilities
New
Canberra has two orbiting stations, one each for civil and military
use. Visiting warships from both Fleet Command and other nation's
navies use Citadel Fleet Station, which also has a small American
Space Force detachment handling the American ships that visit Tirania
infrequently. This detachment will be moved to the Ronald Reagan Shipyard
upon its completion, making room for further ADF expansion. A third
facility in orbit around Esa, Esa Fleet Station, is the ADF's primary
ship repair yards. Australian Defence Force ships damaged in the Kafer
War are all currently here undergoing repair and refit. This includes
the ADS Kangaroo, the last assignment of Chief Minister Torres' late
husband Angel ("ahn-hel"). As such, the crew of the Kangaroo and other
ships undergoing repair at Esa have received a warm welcome during
their "dirtside" leaves to all parts of New Canberra.
Pointer
Station Orbital Facility
Pointer Station, New Canberra's orbiting civilian
station, handles over 70 percent of all interstellar and intra-system
travel intended for New Canberra and monitors all other traffic intended
for the colony. The station is named for the two stars, known as the
Pointers, that align with the Southern Cross in the Australian sky.
Interestingly, these stars are Alpha Centauri and Proxima Centauri.
One of the four largest stations orbiting Tirane, Pointer Station
can accommodate up to 25,000 people permanently. While this is very
large these stations pale into insignificant against Earth's L-5,
L-4 and Gateway, each able to accommodate upwards of 100,000 people.
The station is a lively, boisterous place, one of the few stations
known in human space offering a bar that brews its own beer. This
pub, the Dreamer Hotel, offers a live video view of Honey Ant Dreaming,
a 90,000 square kilometer Aboriginal art project visible from orbit.
While arrivals from Australia proper and Australia's
Rimward colonies receive only a cursory inspection if travelling in
Australian-flagged ships, everyone else receives a thorough inspection
for items the New Canberran and Federal governments don't wish to
see in the colony. These include narcotics, concealable firearms,
and any organic matter- particularly live plants and animals not cleared
before transit- that could negatively affect agriculture. With a free
and lively press, no printed or electronic media is censored or restricted
from distribution in New Canberra, but anyone carrying literature
of any sort advocating violence against the Australian or New Canberran
governments on behalf of any organization will likely find unsolicited
surveillance during their stay. Arrivals from INAP countries in particular,
and Latinos in general, seem to attract particular attention by the
Immigration and Community Affairs officers manning the inspection
station. The current Labor government, in no small part because the
Chief Minister herself is a Latina, is looking into how to balance
the needs of security with the desire for fairness on the part of
customs inspectors. However, there have been several recorded incidents
in the past twenty years where INAP agents have passed on covert aid
to Malvino separatists through Pointer Station. Through agreements
with the American government, anyone heading for Tirania undergoes
inspection by American Immigration and Naturalization Service agents
in the "American" section of the station. However, as in the case
of the American Space Force detachment at the Citadel, the INS will
relocate their entry clearance functions to Ronald Reagan Station
upon its certification by the Customs Service for such processing.
Pointer Station comprises of a central shaft 5 kilometers
long with a diameter of 50 meters, this shaft is the main load bearing
structure of the station and is a long hollow tube made of a single
piece of extruded composite. The shaft is used to move cargo from
one end of the station to the other and also has several personnel
moving elevators. In the center of the shaft is a large spherical
structure, with a radius of 250 meters, this solid structure holds
the stations fusion power plants, communications antennas, microwave
power receptors, extensive self repair and construction facilities,
external sensors, life support machinery and the powerful shield generators.
The shields, constantly in operation, protect the station from Alpha
Centauri's dangerous radiation as well as being very capable of holding
out direct energy weapons like lasers, particle accelerators and blasts
from nuclear explosions. Also in the central sphere are auxiliary
hanger bays and the station's self-defense weapons. The central sphere
is referred to as Pointer Hub and the offices and command centers
that run the station and nearby space traffic control are located
here.
From the central sphere to the end of the station
pointing away from Tirane is the heavy industrial facilities. This
section with a radius of ten meters contains zero-g mineral refineries,
heavy production lines and several shipyards and air-docks. Halfway
along the torus is a wider section with a radius of 250 meters containing
eight large shipyards for construction of the largest Australian freighters
and liners. The end of this half of the station is the spacecraft-docking
bay. A large ring over 250 meters in radius this area contains docks
for up to 32 large space ships like the New Orleans-class liners and
many smaller ones.
The section of the shaft extending towards Tirane
supports the six residential rings, each with a radius of 250 meters
that rotate to provide artificial gravity for the 20,000 full time
residents of the station. Around the shaft in this section is an additional
ring with a radius of 100 meters that provides space for the specialist
factories for pharmaceuticals and precision engineering as well as
the research laboratories, zero-g recreational facilities (including
what the Japanese refer to as a "Love Hotel") and warehouse space.
At the end of this half of the shaft is a second docking facility,
this dock specializes in the aerospace craft that transfers cargo
and passengers to Tirane's surface. This dock can handle hundreds
of shuttles, space planes and dead drop craft, and thus is an extremely
busy port. At the far end of the torus, pointed at the planet, a zero-gee
observation area and pub was constructed. Popular for its stunning
views of Tirane and particularly Honey Ant Dreaming, the observation
area is often crowded throughout the day.
The station's six ring sections each spins to create
one gee of centrifugal gravity on the bottom/outer level of the eight
each ring has. The first ring, Pointer One, towards Tirane from the
command center is dedicated to incoming interstellar and intra-system
craft intended for New Canberra, and has a wide variety of restaurants,
bars, hotels, and overpriced tacky souvenir shops. Currency is easily
exchanged here, as only Australian and American dollars are accepted
within the station. Pointer Two has been leased to the American and
Tiranian governments for immigration processing, yet New Canberra
Police and Australian Immigration and Community Affairs immigration
inspectors ensure that Australian and New Canberran law is adhered
to within the station. Therefore the open possession of firearms,
while permitted with a license in America and Tirania, will not be
tolerated anywhere on Pointer Station. Additionally, while the space
is leased to the American government, merely moving from the other
rings to Pointer Two does not constitute international flight, and
anyone wanted by New Canberran authorities will simply be handed to
them by the Americans upon request without further negotiation. This
applies to American citizens as well. Remember: the entire station
belongs to New Canberra, and their laws predominate. As in the other
rings, a variety of commercial establishments are available, yet show
a more American flavor. The third and fourth wings are the residential
rings, where the 15,000 full-time inhabitants of the station live.
Access is restricted to residents and their guests. These rings have
become crowded as of late, so no group of people are more excited
about the impending relocation of the Americans to Ronald Reagan Station
than the residents of Pointer Station, as once the Americans leave
Pointer Two it will be converted to more residential space. The fifth
ring is the administration and commercial wing where work best conducted
under artificial gravity can be located. The last ring serves the
interface traffic, where passengers seeking passage dirtside are processed.
Pointer Six offers much the same as Pointer One, yet with less of
the opportunity for long-term stay.
Among wealthy NovoCanos, as well as many other Tiraneans
of means, the use of orbital stations to get to destinations on the
planet faster is a fashionable means of travel. A businessman from
Bennelong, for example, can meet with business associates in Mirambeau
by simply hopping a shuttle to Pointer Station, taking a shuttle to
one of Nouvelle Provence's orbital stations, then shuttling down to
Mirambeau. In comparison with regular air travel if the connections
are exact that same businessman can save nearly fourteen hours on
the trip. However, the interface costs to and from orbit are much
higher than he would have paid had he simply taken a plane.
The control staff of Pointer Station operates in
a crisp, professional manner, which completely belies the friendliness
and general humor of NovoCanos. While these controllers are quite
capable of maintaining their composure during any crisis, it is joked
that the Infrastructure Department goes out of it's way to find the
most humorless individuals possible for orbital and interface traffic
control. To their credit, in the eleven decades since the first Australian
station was placed in orbit, no fatality or major mishap has ever
occurred to any of the thousands of space and aircraft that came under
the control of a New Canberra Infrastructure Department flight controller.
Per a 2293 agreement in the Tirane Council, New Canberra is permitted
twelve percent of Tirane's orbital space, between that allotted to
Amaterasu and Provincia do Brasil.
Fleet
Space Station Citadel
The
Citadel, as it is known, was the greatest white elephant of the ADF
in the spacefaring age. Defense planners in the middle of the 23rd
century decided that planetary defense was best trusted in a giant
orbital platform packed with weaponry and repair facilities but unable
to maneuver in stutterwarp. The product of this thinking cost so much
that Australia was forced to delay the construction of the third generation
of principal combatant from the 2260s until the 2290s, leaving the
older Australia and Woomera-class ships over pressed and comparatively
out of date until the introduction of the Anzac-class.
A
giant sphere with a radius of 250 meters the Citadel has an internal
volume of 50 million cubic meters. The surface is dotted with gun
towers, target tracking arrays, sensor and communications antennas.
The central core of the station along the "up-down" axis is an enormous
hangar with very large doors on either end of the sphere, this hangar
has a volume of one million cubic meters and contains air-docks, shipyards
and repair bays. Eight "smaller" hangers for interface landers, fighters
and drones are also provided around the main core.
Two
large counter rotating spin habitats are embedded inside the hull
and rotating around the central hanger bay. They provide enough accommodations,
recreational areas and offices for up to 10,000 permanent inhabitants.
The station is fitted with powerful shield generators like Pointer
Station's, which are intended to protect the human crew from excess
radiation and also protect the station during battle from enemy weapons.
Recently the Citadel has being operating with only a quarter of the
designed personnel, leaving many facilities unused. This can be attributed
to many Fleet Command personnel being transferred to both ADF ships
in the ESA arm, as well as the large buildup occurring at Zeta Herculis.
Still, space was found for a detachment of American Space Force personnel
and their equipment, and these "Men (and women) In Black" with their
families make up fifteen percent of the station's current population.
Federation
Proprietary Manufacturing Yard
This
yard trails Citadel Fleet Station, and supported by it. Wholly owned
by the Australian Federal Government, the Yard is at present the primary
shipbuilding facility for the Australian Defence Force. Currently
repairing many of the ADF ships damaged in the Kafer War, many of
it's uncompleted hulls were placed in orbit around Esa until such
time as yard space opens up. This has angered many Australians, colonial
and core alike, as while ships that can be repaired at Citadel Fleet
Station are being repaired at Federation Proprietary, the upgrading
and expansion of the fleet is being held up by that work. Citadel
may well be a "white elephant" in the minds of many in government,
but for the time being the need to bring it up to it's full potential
is weighing heavily on defense planners in both Bennelong and Newcentre.
Coral
Sea Station
Coral
Sea Station, orbiting Tirane at the exact point of demarcation between
Amaterasu's alloted space and that granted to New Canberra, was build
in the late 2270's by a joint Australian-Japanee consortium in order
to handle overflow traffic. Essentially a single 200m ring with docking
facilities at each end of the central torus, Coral Sea has no real
delineation between Japanese and Australian sections, and therefore
has a unique atmosphere all it's own. Australian pubs and retail establishment
sit side-by-side with Japanese yakitori-ya and hostess bars. Popular
as an inexpensive short term lodging alternative to Pointer Station
and Japan's orbital station, both western hostels, Japanese ryokan
(Jp: "inn"), and capsule accommodations are available for visitors.
Indeed,
one of Coral Sea's best kept secrets is the Sakura Hotel, with it's
unique blend of Japanese and Australian decorative styles. This is
often a popular watering hole for both Australians and Japanese living
in orbit. Run by a Japanese-Australian couple, Wayne and Hiroko Salaney,
the Sakura hotel is famous for it's sushi, hamburgers, and a wide
selection of Amaterasuan, Australian, Japanese, and New Canberran
beers and other alcoholic beverages. Whatever issues may exist between
New Canberra and Ameratsu on the surface, at least in the Sakura Hotel
everyone gets along. Wayne (A former ADF Drill Instructor) and Hiroko
(a former Japanese Imperial Marine) ensure every patron enjoys themselves
without allowing things to get out of hand.
Since
Coral Sea is a facility run jointly by Australia and Japan, jurisdictional
issues regarding crimes committed there are often disputed. Therefore,
the Tirane System Police has a larger presence there than any other
station in orbit around the planet, and there's a four-man koban (or
neighborhood police station) in the commercial section of Coral Sea.
While local security often handles minor disputes- usually by evicting
obvious troublemakers- the TSP is called in when major felonies have
been committed, or a deeper investigation is necessary.
ALPHA
CENTAURI SYSTEM
Lalor
University Moon Research Base, Esa
Lalor
University has a sizeable presence on the Tiranean moon of Esa. While
known as a "Moon Research Base," the facility is actually the headquarters
of Lalor's Exo-environmental Engineering College. Specializing in
low-gravity, non-atmospheric construction and mining techniques and
discipline, graduates from this college are quickly employed by Australia's
colony planners in the Rimward Territories, as well as by private
corporations throughout Human Space. Capable of housing 20,000 people,
the Lalor facility is during a school term a lively place, particularly
in the Eureka Dome, a small retail and entertainment center. The base
is connected to the nearby ESA facility by a small maglev line, though
the actual train runs only four times daily.
Nearby
is a small ADF facility, used for training drop troops. While currently
nothing more than a landing field and refueling center for landing
craft, when the ADF trains there the nearby surface is filled with
prefabricated, temporary structures housing the troops, who undergo
training in Esa's unique environment. As would be expected, there
have been a few casualties as a result of this training, and a small
memorial to those troops killed by vacuum exposure and other mishaps
has been erected outside the refueling shack. The reason it hasn't
been expanded further is due to an agreement of all the colonial powers
of Tirane to not allow massive militarization of either of Tirane's
moons, as a catapult placed on these moons would be considered too
great a threat, and therefore an obvious target.
PROXIMA
CENTAURI SYSTEM
Fleet
Space Station Clothos and the CSIRO Flare-Star Survey Mission
Clothos,
a world orbiting Proxima Centauri, hosts three facilities: the two
ground facilities of Australia and Indonesia and the orbiting Fleet
Station Clothos, used mainly to support the other two. The Australian
groundside facility, run by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial
Research Organisation (CSIRO), focuses its efforts on scientific pursuits,
monitoring Proxima Centauri on a continuous basis. The 250 full-time
personnel are assigned here on a rotating basis, as there is little
opportunity for entertainment beyond what is brought with them. A
small lounge, called the Proxima Hotel, is little more than a ten
meter by eight meter room with a refrigerator and entertainment terminals,
with a view of the Clothos horizon from the nearby viewports. People
assigned here get frequent opportunities for leave back to New Canberra,
as it is where their families often live. While there have been plans
to expand the facility to allow permanent staff to bring their families,
none of these have ever come to fruition, as there is little demand
by these families to move to Clothos.
Fleet
Station Clothos, though much smaller than Citadel Station, maintains
a full squadron of system defense craft. Intended as a training station
to avoid interference with traffic around Tirane and Alpha Centauri
I, squadrons stationed here are also responsible for the defense of
the CSIRO facility. Additionally, though they do this with a degree
of discretion, they also monitor INAP activities at Sheol. This they
do with American Space Force Assets the frequently pass through the
Proxima system. Like CSIRO personnel on Clotho's surface, ADF personnel
at Fleet Station Clothos are also assigned in rotation, and of late
it has become less popular an assignment as the venerable Fortress
Coonamble in Duffer's Strip.
Ground
Facilities on Tirane
In
New Canberra itself there are two groundside spaceports, Kingsford-Smith
in Bennelong and San Diego Puerto Espacial in San Diego. Each is described
in detail below.
Kingsford-Smith
Spaceport, Bennelong
Kingsford-Smith
is the larger of the two, handling nearly sixty percent of all total
traffic from New Canberra to orbit. As such, a lot of commerce takes
place in the terminals and tourist-trap retail areas of the spaceport.
The ground facility itself comprises two large commercial terminals,
the landing field, and the ADF's Interface Command launch and maintenance
facility on the opposite side of the landing field. The entire facility,
save Interface Command's buildings, are regulated and maintained by
the Infrastructure Department, which has air and orbital traffic under
it's aegis.
Each
of the two terminals, East and West Terminal, have numerous gangways
for loading of passengers into aircraft or shuttles. East Terminal
handles air traffic between other cities and towns with airport facilities
and Kingsford-Smith, and West Terminal supports interface shuttle
traffic between the surface and Pointer Station. Kept at least ten
kilometers apart to avoid conflict between aircraft and shuttles,
the two terminals are connected by an underground maglev line, with
trains running every three minutes. A second line connects East Terminal
and the military base, but access to the trains heading there is restricted
to ADF personnel and those approved by the base commander. The same
amenities as found in Pointer Station are also present in both terminals
save the hotels. Those seeking a place to stay for a night are advised
to choose from Bennelong's many hotels, motels, and hostels, and transportation
into the city is provided by a maglev line which stops at both East
and West Terminals every fifteen minutes.
San
Diego Puerto Espacial
San
Diego Puerto Espacial is New Canberra's second groundside spaceport
facility. Located ten kilometers east of San Diego and twenty kilometers
west of Ciudad Santa Maria on the southern bank of the New Silver
River, "el Puerto" was in fact the first true spaceport built in southern
Araki. Originally the Tiranean base of Argentina's Armada Espacial,
upon the demilitarization of Santa Maria in the late 2170's the Australian
Colonial Office began converting it to civilian use, for the purpose
of allowing Argentina a better means of accessing it's colony. When
Argentina abandoned Santa Maria in 2183, New Canberra was faced with
having more starport capacity than required, and a move was underfoot
to close down "el Puerto" in favor of the better-planned facility
at Bennelong. The threat of closure galvanized the Marianos, who had
recently showed support for the New Canberran government in the merger
referendum, into making their voices heard and their feelings known.
Our Nation/Nuestra Patria was formed partly out of this desire, and
in a snap election brought on by the spaceport debate the party found
itself gaining several seats in Parliament. This forced the two all-Australia
parties Labor and Commonwealth into a coalition, as neither was willing
to attempt a coalition with an unknown political force. The success
of Our Nation/Nuestra Patria in itself was enough of a warning to
"Anglo"-Australia that the Latino community was willing to fight for
their own interests, thus the decision was made to keep both starports.
As interface traffic increased, farsighted Latino NovoCanos were smug
in the knowledge that their support of the beloved "Puerto" ensured
that Bennelong would not have to scramble to meet demand for several
decades by building new facilities.
"El
Puerto" offers a variety of restaurants, cantinas, and shops selling
local products, and differs from Kingsford-Smith only in the predominant
use of Spanish and the underlying Latino culture of the surrounding
area. However, customs and immigration checks are still performed
by NCP constables and officials of the Immigration and Community Affairs
Department, yet the same level of extra scrutiny aimed at Latino arrivals
is not as apparent, as most inspectors are Latino themselves. Arrivals
from Australia proper are often shocked at the "foreignness" of "el
Puerto" as the language and culture are much different than what they're
used to back in Darwin, Newcentre, Perth, or Sydney.
As
for the future, the Infrastructure Department has come to the conclusion
that while current capacity is sufficient to meet current needs, any
future growth will require a new groundside spaceport. Currently several
cities are vying to be chosen to host the new facility, planned to
begin construction in 2306. These are Kosciusco, Port Bagaaybila,
and Nueva Cordoba. While Nueva Cordoba has it's share of problems
and a great deal of instability, it's been suggested by some in the
Infrastructure Department that perhaps building the new spaceport
in Nueva Cordoba will provide a needed boost to the Nuevas Malvinas'
economy. This might therefore possibly turn popular opinion more favorably
towards Bennelong. The majority within the government, however, have
eliminated Nueva Cordoba from the short list, and have leaned predominantly
towards awarding it to Port Bagaaybila, almost directly across the
Rossi Strait from Nueva Cordoba. This would put the new starport almost
directly between Kosciusco and Nueva Cordoba, and provide better service
to all three competing cities.
INDEX
7.
External Relations
New Canberra, with its high degree of internal autonomy,
conducts it's own inter-Tiranean diplomatic policy, as its own interests
within the Alpha Centauri system often conflict with those of Newcentre,
especially in the realm of international relations beyond Tirane.
Therefore it is possible that although France and Australia might
be at odds over the conduct of the Kafer War, relations between New
Canberra and Nouvelle Provence would remain open and friendly. This
arrangement suits both Bennelong and Newcentre well, and prevents
New Canberra from being dragged into too many Terrestrial international
conflicts except in cases of declared war. Given Australia's diplomatic
standing, this is unlikely to occur.
New Canberra over the past century has been to Tirane
what Australia is to Earth, a strong, neutral, diplomatically active
colony with the interests of all Tirane foremost in mind. It was through
New Canberran efforts that the Tirane Council, mentioned above, came
into being. As such, New Canberra enjoys good relations with all Tiranean
colonies and nations, though there are some disagreements yet to be
fully resolved.
Relations with Amaterasu, for example, have yet to
match the friendly and cooperative level set by Australia and Japan
back on Earth. Much of this stems from residual resentments on both
sides of Duffer's Strip, compounded by the fact that much of the tantalum
found in that mountain range have been mostly tapped-out and the regions
on both sides of the border face large-scale unemployment. Also, the
fact that Amaterasu's nearest city to New Canberra, Shin-Hobaruto
(Jp: "New Hobart") has a large percentage of Tasmanian-descended residents
with their own grudge against Australia prevents a lot of potential
cross-border cooperation and communication. Still, this rivalry plays
itself out mostly in sporting events, such as One-Day Test cricket
matches, football (soccer) games, and the quadrennial Jeux tiranais
(Tiranean Games). Additionally, New Canberra remains a popular vacation
destination for the Amaterasujin, a fact not lost on economic planners
or the External Affairs Department. NovoCano visits to their northern
neighbor, however, are far less frequent, particularly as vehicles
with New Canberra number plates often attract a fair amount of negative
attention from Amaterasu law enforcement. Efforts are underway to
improve relations between the two colonies, though in slow, confidence-building
steps. A major problem for the two colonies stems from the frequent
illegal immigration by those not of Japanese ethnicity, primarily
Filipinos from southern Amaterasu hoping to move into New Canberra.
New Canberra would have no problem accepting these immigrants, provided
they apply through the proper channels, but it takes a dim view of
merely crossing the border without the proper authorization.
Freihafen, on the other hand, enjoys good relations
with New Canberra, and both countries enjoy a great deal of interaction
in both trade and cultural exchanges. It was in New Canberra that
Freihafen declared its independence from the newly united Germany,
as the erstwhile German representative to the Tirane Council attempted
to take the seat once held by Bavaria. The New Canberra-based Council
Security officers then calmly yet quickly ushered the German Ambassador
to Kingsford-Smith and his shuttle, which then was given rapid clearance
to depart the spaceport. While relations between New Canberra and
Germany have suffered as a result, this ill will between Bennelong
and Berlin was mitigated to some degree by the high level of NovoCano
participation in the activities of the Alderhorst Alliance. As for
Freihafen, several Freihafenian wine-growing corporations have invested
heavily in New Canberra's nascent wine industry, in the hopes of eventually
competing in the wider Tiranean marketplace.
New Canberra's relationship to Nouvelle Provence
is a study in contradictions. While on one hand the two colonial governments
have friendly relations, there's an undercurrent of resentment on
the part of NovoCanos over the level and depth of influence the larger
colony has throughout the Alpha Centauri system. The cultural domination
of Mirambeau over the rest of Tirane has only recently been challenged
by New Canberra, and the growing competition for the hearts and minds
of Tiranean youth coming from Anchorhead has of late been actively
encouraged by Bennelong. This is done in hopes of establishing a stable
foundation for an indigenous NovoCano entertainment industry, one
that can stand on it's own merit.
Following the lead of their parent nations Australia
and America, relations between New Canberra and Tirania are very close.
Both nations' currencies circulate in both colonies, trade flows freely
without regard to tariffs or protected industries, and citizens of
both colonies frequently visit the other without the need for visas
or even passports. Indeed, during the recent economic slump suffered
by Tirania in the last decade, several thousand Tiranians relocated
to New Canberra in order to find jobs and further careers. As New
Canberra's own economy was enjoying an upswing, there was no resentment
directed at these newcomers by long-term NovoCanos. Even the Llano,
with it's predominantly Latino population, was a popular relocation
destination of Tiranians, particularly those of Hispanic backgrounds
themselves. The relationship between the two countries had become
so strong only America, and Tirania by proxy, could even hope to lease
space in New Canberra's orbital platforms.
Still, issues surface from time to time between New
Canberra and Tirania, most notably the propensity for Tirania's more
strident Tiranistas to agitate for New Canberra's independence. Many
of the younger immigrants from Tirania have, through the Progressive
Democrats, begun to use the local political process to further their
own aims. While this has caused little friction in the past, events
back in Tirania could have negative effects in New Canberra if new
NovoCano citizens use Tiranian independence as a catalyst to "liberate"
New Canberra.
Relations with Provincia do Brasil are professional
and cordial, yet the Latino population still sees the Brazilian colony
as "enemy territory," particularly in the Nuevas Malvinas. As a result
of this negative opinion by Latinos on both sides of the Rossi Strait,
Provincia do Brasil and New Canberra can not be as close as perhaps
both governments might like. Too often in the surrounding Southern
Ocean conflicts over fishing grounds between NovoCano fishermen, particularly
of the Cooperativo del Pescadores de las Nuevas Malvinas, and those
of Provincia do Brasil's Acre state bring in Brazilian Navy and Australian
Maritime Command military vessels head to head. As is often the case,
after some minor harassment by Malvino fishermen towards their Brazilian
counterparts, the Brazilian Navy rides herd on both sides until the
Maritime Command ships come to take their people home. Between governments
and militaries there's a fair degree of goodwill and respect, but
with the traditional Australian sympathy for the underdog it's the
Brazilians who are seen as the aggressors in these fishing disputes,
especially among the Latino community. One problem faced by New Canberra
in it's dealings with the Brazilians of Provincia do Brasil relates
to Brazil dividing the region into separate estados and unidades,
without a central regional authority. Therefore, while some estados
have friendly relations with New Canberra, others as a result of Malvino
harassment activity display less willingness to cooperate in any endeavor,
and view visiting NovoCanos, particularly of Latino descent, with
a great deal of suspicion.
Tundukubwan relations remain cordial, yet aside from
issues related to the Kafer War and the odd debate in the Tirane Council,
there's little for either colony to discuss. However, some trade does
occur between Tundukubwa and New Canberra, and both colonies agree
on the need to protect the ocean between them, that ocean shared by
Wellon and Provincia do Brasil as well. Relations with Tunghu are
also cordial, yet compared to Tundukubwa, New Canberra and Tunghu
do talk frequently, particularly over the odd NovoCano tourists that
manage to fall afoul of Manchu law while on shopping holidays. These
incidents often involve consumption of alcohol and altercations with
locals. After a few days in the local jail, the NovoCanos are then
released to awaiting diplomatic transport, which ensures their boarding
of the next available transport back to New Canberra. For Tunghu's
part, several Manchu investors have expressed an interest in the forthcoming
spaceport project, in particular to gain a foothold in the retail
concessions that will go along with it. Tunghu's own terminal is crowded,
yet they see Freihafen as too unstable at the present time. The larger
New Canberran banks and businesses often have branch offices in Tunghu,
in order to maintain a presence not only in the Manchurian market,
but the markets of Freihafen and Nouvelle Provence as well, given
the proximity of both colonies.
Wellon and New Canberra share much in the way of
culture, language, and law, including a high level of ethnic and cultural
diversity not found in their founding nations. As a result of this
common heritage both share a close bond. However, where Wellon is
for the most part seen by NovoCanos as conservative, introspective,
and "British," New Canberra is brash, outward looking, and clearly
aware of its own unique place within the Australian Commonwealth.
This leads to several interesting interactions between the two, particularly
on the cricket ground. The New Canberran cricketers, male and female,
can be forgiven if they lose against a team such as Bengal, Caribe,
or Tasmania, but heaven help them if they lose against Wellon. Then
the curses will be heard in pubs and cantinas from Rum Jungle south
to Villa Navarro, though no athlete in New Canberran history has ever
been killed, or even attacked, in the colony's entire history, regardless
of whatever mistakes were made. This is in contrast with Latin American
nations, with their histories of killing footballers who made game-losing
mistakes in the past four centuries.
Countries with sub-embassies and consulates in New
Canberra are listed below, with the locations of each facility. Additionally,
member countries of the Tirane Council are marked with an asterisk
(*), which entitles them to an office in the Needle, the Tirane Council
headquarters in Bennelong. These are countries that have colonies,
separate orbital stations, or outposts in the Alpha Centauri system.
Each Tiranean colony/nation is also a member with its own separate
office in the Needle. *America: Has a sub-embassy in Bennelong, with
consulates in Mt. McDonald, Anchorhead, Ciudad Santa Maria, Nueva
Cordoba, and Port Bagaaybila. The consulates, but not the sub-embassy,
have separated Tiranian interests sections. Relations are close, particularly
in light of the two and a half centuries of Australian-American cooperation,
as well as the sizeable Tiranian emigrant population. *Argentina:
Has a sub-embassy in Bennelong, and a consulate general in Ciudad
Santa Maria. Relations have been cold of late, as Argentina wishes
to open a consulate in Nueva Cordoba, a proposal neither the Australian
Federal government nor New Canberra's wish to see happen. While Argentina
has not been formally or publicly accused of supporting Malvino separatists,
Bennelong and Newcentre have no intentions of allowing the construction
of a possible safe haven for terrorist activity. While Argentina's
colonial efforts on Tirane failed back in 2183, it did gain observer
status in the Tirane Council through the joint INAP station at Sheol.
As such, there's a separate Argentine diplomatic office in the Needle.
*America:
Has a sub-embassy in Bennelong, with consulates in Mt. McDonald, Anchorhead,
Ciudad Santa Maria, Nueva Cordoba, and Port Bagaaybila. The consulates,
but not the sub-embassy, have separate Tiranian interests sections.
Relations are close, particularly in light of the two and a half centuries
of Australian-American cooperation, as well as the sizeable Tiranian
emigrant population.
*Argentina:
Has a sub-embassy in Bennelong, and a consulate general in Ciudad
Santa Maria. Relations have been cold of late, as Argentina wishes
to open a consulate in Nueva Cordoba, a proposal neither the Australian
Federal government nor New Canberra's wish to see happen. While Argentina
has not been formally or publicly accused of supporting Malvino separatists,
Bennelong and Newcentre have no intentions of allowing the construction
of a possible safe haven for terrorist activity. While Argentina's
colonial efforts on Tirane failed back in 2183, it did gain observer
status in the Tirane Council through the joint INAP station at Sheol.
As such, there's a separate Argentine diplomatic office in the Needle.
*Azania:
Has a consulate at Bennelong. Relations are cordial.
Bengal:
Has a consulate general at Bennelong and a consulate at Tirane Springs.
Relations are cordial.
Bombay:
Has a sub-embassy at Bennelong and consulates at Pama Ngapa and Bencoolen.
Relations are good.
*Brazil:
Has a sub-embassy in Bennelong and a consulate in Mt. McDonald. Relations
are good. However, as seats in the Council are awarded to entire colonies
on Tirane in addition to the parent country, the fact that Brazil
divided their holdings on Tirane into separate estados and unidades
without a single regional co-ordinating body makes the filling of
Provincia do Brasil's seat rather difficult. Often each Council session
sees a different representative for the Brazilian colony, usually
an Estado governor.
*Britain:
Has a legation in Bennelong and consulates in Ciudad Santa Maria and
Port Bagaaybila. Relations are good. It's vote on the Tirane Council
is currently in doubt, as while Wellon does have Dominion status within
the Commonwealth of Nations, Britain is still responsible for Wellon's
defense from space, guaranteeing it with a large orbital station near
Wellon's civil orbital terminal. If Wellon is considered independent
and the sovereign British presence in the Alpha Centauri system limited
to that station, then Britian will be reduced to an observer on the
Council. However, Wellon has deeded Halfway Island to HM Government
in London, thus giving Britain a land claim allowing it to continue
to vote on pan-Tiranean matters. Whether other members of the Council
accept that claim or not remains to be seen.
Canada:
Has a consulate general at Bennelong and a consulate at Mt. McDonald.
Relations are good.
Canton:
Has a consulate at Bennelong. Relations are good.
Caribe:
Has a consulate at Bennelong. Relations are friendly, even though
the two nations have limited mutual concerns save sporting rivalries.
While Caribe does have a small settlement on Tirane off the coast
of Tirania, it chooses not to participate in the Tirane Council, and
allows Tirania to speak for Saint Tyraine.
Chile:
Maintains an interests section hosted by Argentina. Nonetheless, relations
are cordial.
*France:
Has a sub-embassy in Bennelong and a consulate in Windbourne. Relations
are good, particularly in light of Australian participation in the
Kafer War.
*Freihafen:
Has a sub-embassy in Bennelong that interestingly is twice the size
of its counterpart in Newcentre, and consulate at Mt. McDonald and
Windbourne. Relations are friendly, yet rumors abound of industrial
espionage based out of the Mt. McDonald consulate. Nothing yet has
been proven.
Germany:
Has a consulate in a remote business park near Bennelong. Despite
good relations between Newcentre and Berlin, relations between Bennelong
and Berlin are cool, as Freihafen was able to take over the large
sub-embassy building following the ejection of Germany from the Tirane
Council. However, this came as a result of the majority of the facility's
staff being Freihavinians and it's originally having been Bavarian.
At no time did the German flag fly over the Bennelong sub-embassy,
a fact not lost on either Germany or New Canberra.
India:
Has a consulate in Bennelong. Relations are good.
*Indonesia:
Has a sub-embassy in Bennelong and consulates in Mt. McDonald, Rum
Jungle, Kosciusco and Anchorhead. Relations are friendly, though Indonesia
does take an interest in the condition of New Canberra's Indonesian
community. Through the research station granted by the Americans at
Atropos, Indonesia gained observer status in the Tirane Council as
well, something it takes very seriously.
Italy:
Has a small consulate hosted by the Accademia dei Lincei at Ciudad
Santa Maria, near New Canberra's largest Roman Catholic Cathedral.
Relations are cordial.
*Japan:
Has a sub-embassy in Bennelong and consulates in Rum Jungle, Mt. McDonald,
and Ciudad Santa Maria. Relations are cordial, though both Japanese
and New Canberran governments have both expressed a desire to improve
the relationship. Indeed, the only thing holding closer relations
back are residual resentments by Amaterasu's Tasmanian community,
which has it's own grudge against Australia and New Canberra.
*Korea:
Has a consulate in Bennelong and a trade mission in Anchorhead. Relations
are friendly, and Korea is investing a fair amount in the new ocean
shipping port being built at Anchorhead. Korea, through the mining
station at Lachesis, has gained observer status in the Tirane Council,
which provided easy space in the Needle for their Bennelong consulate.
Life
Foundation: Has "transition assistance centers" in Port Bagaaybila
and Tirane Springs, as well as their primary Tiranean branch office
in Bennelong. While the relationship between New Canberra and the
Foundation differs from that between nations or colonies, that relationship
is friendly and cooperative.
*Manchuria:
Has a sub-embasssy in Bennelong, yet surprisingly has no office in
the Tirane Council headquarters (the Needle), though through the Tunghu
enclave has a vote on the Council. Relations are cordial.
*Mexico:
Has an interests section in Bennelong, inside it's Needle offices,
as Mexico gained observer status in the Tirane Council by means of
the joint INAP outpost on Sheol. Relations with New Canberra are cold,
as Mexico supported Argentina in its desire to open a consulate in
Nueva Cordoba.
The
Netherlands: Has an interests section in Bennelong, hosted by
the British Legation. Relations are good.
New
Zealand: While the Kiwis continue to emphasize their uniqueness
among the English-speaking countries of the South Pacific, they also
enjoy friendly relations with Australia, its largest trading partner.
This carries over to New Canberra, and New Zealand maintains a sub-embassy
in Bennelong, as well as consulates in Anchorhead, Port Bagaaybila,
Rum Jungle, and Windbourne.
Nigeria:
Has a consulate general in Bennelong and a consulate in Port Essington.
Relations are good. Additionally, Nigeria is negotiating to purchase
the research base at Clotho from Australia. While Newcentre is warming
to that idea, Lalor University's astro-sciences department has also
expressed an interest in the facility, considered one of the best
in the Alpha Centauri system.
Punjab:
Has consulates in Bennelong and Pama Ngapa. Relations are friendly,
and there is talk of upgrading the Bennelong facilty to a sub-embassy.
Russia:
Has a consulate in Bennelong and an interests section based in the
American consulate at Nueva Cordoba. While Russia is known throughout
Human Space for its efforts to assist independence movements in distant
colonies, the Americans have been ensuring Russian behavior in the
Nuevas Malvinas. So far, Russia has not provided any support for Malvino
separatists, which can be attributed to the fact that it has little
space within the American consulate to do more than hand out tourist
information pamphlets. Russian activities are monitored by the NCP,
FEDPOL, and the American Intelligence Agency (AIA) in what is being
derisively termed by all parties "the Lukewarm War." As a result of
this added surveillance of their diplomatic mission in Nueva Cordoba,
relations between New Canberra and Russia are merely cordial. Since
Russia and America share normally friendly relations beyond Tirane,
there is little tension between the American Nueva Cordoba consular
staff and the Russians operating their offices within the American
facility. The Russian government has lately inquired about opening
an interests section in Anchorhead, though no formal request has been
given yet.
The
Scandinavian Union: Has its main consulate general at Windbourne,
and a smaller representative office in Bennelong. Relations are good.
Tasmania:
Has a consulate at Rum Jungle and an interests section in the Japanese
Sub-embassy. Relations are cordial, but cool, as residual resentment
lingers over the conflict later known as the "First-and-a-Half Interstellar
War" over Duffer's Strip. As many on the Japanese side killed were
Tasmanian, it is Tasmania that is most upset over the entire affair.
The Japanese have seemed to be somewhat more forgiving as the century
of the incident passed, as has the Tasmanian government in Hobart
to a lesser degree, but it's Amaterasu's Tasmanian community that
continues to hold grudges.
Texas:
Has a Legation at Bennelong. Relations are good, though there are
currently few common interests between Texas and New Canberra beyond
simple trade and military cooperation matters. However, Texan energy
companies have opened small offices throughout New Canberra, mostly
in hopes of the privatization of electrical power distribution though
they have taken the lead in petroleum exploration and exploitation,
particularly in the Rossi Strait. The Texas Legation, under mandate
from the Texas Department of State to be self-sufficient, operates
one of Bennelong's most popular restaurants. The Lone Star Café offers
typical Texan cuisine such as barbeque, "chicken-fried steak," and
Viet-Tex spring rolls, along with a large assortment of Texan beers.
To maintain authenticity, the Texas Legation hires the restaurant's
staff members directly from all corners of the Republic and brings
them to Bennelong on multi-year contracts. It is unclear whether some
or all of the staffers sent are actually Texan intelligence agents,
but they do serve a mean three-meat barbeque platter at a reasonable
cost.
*Tirania:
Has its main interests section in the Needle, separate from the American
sub-embassy, and other interests offices hosted by the American consulates
throughout New Canberra. While Malvinos may have a measure of support
for Tirania's independence effort, reciprocal sentiment is not present
in the minds of Tiranians. This is a result of New Canberra's efforts
to ensure the disputes between Free Haven and Reston are settled amicably,
as well as the goodwill towards Tiranian immigrants shown by Bennelong.
Despite any disputes with Reston, Tiranians still have a traditional
American distaste for INAP's efforts on behalf of its sponsoring nations.
Ukraine:
Has a consulate in Bennelong. Relations are good, particularly in
light of Australian Defence Force ships fighting Kafers under the
command of Ukranian Kontr-Admiral Borodin during the Kafer War.
*Wellon:
Has a sub-embassy in Bennelong and a recently built consulate in Anchorhead.
Relations are friendly, though NovoCanos are concerned that Wellon
doesn't have a greater diplomatic presence in New Canberra. However,
separate Wellonese interests offices are found in British consulates
in those New Canberran cities not having a separate Wellonese facility.
INDEX
8.
Economy
New Canberra has a broadly diversified economy, able
to supply a wide variety of goods and services to all of Tirane. From
the industrial heartland of Duffer's Strip to the fishing and cattle
industries of the Llano de Tierra Negra and the Nuevas Malvinas, and
the growing tourist industry, NovoCanos fill a variety of economic
roles with usual Australian flair. One problem that has been faced,
however, is that the internal infrastructure built is far beyond that
actually needed by the overall economy. Airfilm lines, highways, and
airlines link all major and many minor cities, often without thought
to the actual demands of the areas served. This has caused much conflict
between the two major parties in New Canberra, as many of the infrastructure
projects were constructed with political, as opposed to economic,
reasons in mind. To Labor's credit, being the party that pushed many
of these projects through, the Infrastructure Department has a proven
track record of predicting future needs, and often new investment
in newly-served areas as construction of the new airfilm line or highway
takes place as well.
The colony's major exports are agricultural, offering
a wide variety of foodstuffs for export throughout Tirane and the
rest of Human Space. Both the Pampa and the Llano de Tierra Negra
have diversified agricultural production, though the Pampa excels
in beef cattle and the Llano in dairy. Peculiar to New Canberra is
the jumbuck, a dranta species similar to the dranta-kwo of Tirania
and the Eisig continent, native to the Pampa which provides a meat
prized by many throughout Tirane. Other major livestock raised in
New Canberra include pigs, sheep, goats, and reindeer, the latter
raised in the mountainous area dividing the Pampa from the Llano.
Vegetables and grains produced in New Canberra show
the wide diversity in crop production. Tropical and temperate, Terran
and Tiranean, New Canberran produce and cereals provide a wealth of
choices in New Canberran and other Tiranean supermarkets. Of special
note are the Pulau Timor Bahru mangoes. Prized throughout the Alpha
Centauri system, their popularity has given rise to the "mango duffer,"
or thief. As a result, the New Canberra Police was forced to create
a specialist unit, the Mango Duffer Unit, in an attempt to curb that
activity. While rumors and jokes of organized mango theft rings engaged
in shootouts between each other abound throughout New Canberra, often
the mango duffers are young people stealing individual mangoes from
the large corporate orchards.
Mining, particularly in Duffer's Strip, produces
most of the raw materials necessary for local consumption, but seldom
produces a sufficient surplus to sell on the open market. While there
continues to be small amounts of tantalum extracted from the region,
they in no way compete with the mines of King, and that tantalum extracted
by Southern Cross Proprietary is usually sold to the Japanese. Currently
Southern Cross Proprietary dominates the industry throughout New Canberra,
and has diversified into several other economic sectors to become
New Canberra's largest private employer. Japan's Mogami Honshu Kigyo
continues to extract tantalum from its mines in New Canberra per the
Rum Jungle Accords, but has since replaced its Japanese workers with
local employees.
The most profitable sector, however, has for several
decades been the manufacturing segment of the economy. With all the
heavy industry having been based in the largest cities of Duffer's
Strip, the Eastern Shore, the cities of the Pampa, and Pulau Timor
Bahru have become centers for medium and light industry. Southern
Cross (New Canberra) Electronics Pty. Ltd. (a subsidiary of the Southern
Cross Proprietary) has become a popular new supplier of cutting-edge
computer equipment, able to compete with the products of Amaterasu,
though their target is Tirania's electronic's industry. Other notable
products are the variety of personal and commercial transportation
equipment made by Sumatro Fabrique in Duffer's Strip, and the heavy
construction products of the American Caterpillar Corporation, from
their factories in Bencoolen and Ciudad Santa Maria. Unusual for American
companies, Caterpillar built it's Tiranean factories in New Canberra
as opposed to Tirania, due to century-old conflicts between it and
the companies that were chosen to start the American Tiranean colony.
This decision was rather fortuitous for "Cat" as the agriculture of
New Canberra was better suited for the products offered.
However, New Canberran industry suffers at times
from that low cost and ease of maintenance, as competing manufacturers
often level claims of "shoddy workmanship" towards NovoCano factory
workers in order to promote their own, higher-priced products. A number
of recalls in the early years of the factories' production still turn
off many potential consumers, though Sumatro Fabrique has begun to
target Tirane's youth market emphasizing it's underdog image and low
cost, easily maintained products. ("Why go to college for ten years
just to fix your car? Buy a PB Kucing['koo-ching,' In: 'cat,' or often
'gatto' in NovoCano parlance]! Zero to 100km/h? Eventually...") This
has led many NovoCanos to purchase products made elsewhere, regardless
of the import costs, and contributes to the unemployment found in
the large industrial centers of Duffer's Strip. Some headway has been
made to improve quality and public opinion, though often at the cost
of employee redundancy.
One industrial sector where New Canberra excels is
in shipbuilding, both in ocean and spacecraft. Windbourne's Southern
Ocean Shipyards (another Southern Cross Proprietary venture), with
auxiliary yards across the river at Ciudad Santa Maria, provide a
wide variety of seagoing and riverine commercial and military craft
for both domestic and inter-Tiranean sale. Currently Southern Ocean's
largest contract is with the Australian Defence Force, and the Windbourne
yards are building a fleet of patrol craft and submarines for Maritime
Command squadrons throughout New Canberra and the Rimward colonies.
Though there is considerable competition between Southern Cross and
Provincia do Brasil's Promarc yards, over the past few decades a great
deal of idea sharing and "lessons learned" meetings have taken place
between the two yards. This has spawned many rumors of Southern Ocean's
ideas being implemented into Promarc's new Furioso class following
problems with the first few prototypes. The Esa Fleet Station's yards
are operated by Australia's Transfield Shipbuilding under contract
to the Australian Defence Force, and in addition to the extensive
repair capabilities provided, Transfield's new ANZAC class warship
hulls are laid and assembled in the Esa yards as well. With the post-Kafer
war repair requirements, however, the unfinished ANZACs sit idle in
orbit around Esa. This has sparked controversy over the need of possible
expansion of the station's shipyards, especially considering Transfield's
interest in contracting work to America's Ronald Reagan Shipyards,
currently under construction. The Labor governments in both Newcentre
and Bennelong are keen to prevent any privatization and outsourcing
of work related to Australian military shipbuilding, so funds for
Esa's expansion may well be allocated shortly.
The service industry of New Canberra continues to
grow at exponential levels. Expansion of banking, tourism, ecological
engineering, and other services to NovoCanos and the rest of Tirane
has the brightest future of all the economic sectors. Tirania's TiraneBanc
was recently bought by the Standard Interstellar Bank of New Canberra
headquartered in Bennelong, increasing Standard Interstellar's presence
on Tirane. Tourism, the fastest growing segment of the service sector,
is mostly in the hands of small, private operators. While larger operators
such as the SunTours Group and King's Interstellar Tours have invested
heavily in larger resort projects, many NovoCanos and visitors prefer
the personal touch offered by the smaller, family run resorts. Where
SunTours and King's do well are in guided tours of areas not normally
visited by tourists, such as Nueva Cordoba and the Nuevas Malvinas,
and Duffer's Strips major cities and lush jungles. These areas are
known to be dangerous to the individual traveler, so the convenience
and safety offered by the larger tour operators allow visitors to
experience the unique culture and sights of these areas, without fear
of victimization.
Further details on New Canberran economic activity
will be discussed in future regional articles.
INDEX
9.
Culture and Sport
The arts in New Canberra show a greater emphasis
towards popular culture, fine arts limited to copying styles developed
in Australia proper and Nouvelle Provence. However, two large projects
have earned NovoCano artists wide acclaim, though initially were derided
during their construction. The first is the Hope Monument in Bennelong,
which has become the symbol of New Canberra to many on and off Tirane.
Sixty meters long and thirty high, "the Big Naked Bloke" as NovoCanos
refer to it, depicts a naked man lying on his left side, holding a
stylized star in his outstretched right hand. As the statues' right
arm is thrust perpendicular to the ground, a popular observation platform
on the hand houses a small snack bar and beer garden. The Hope Monument
was the vision of artist Amanda Vijars in the early 2230's and was
widely criticized during construction as a waste of the young colony's
time and resources. This led to Ms. Vijars committing suicide before
the statue's completion, and in her honor the government of the time
completed the project and interred her remains in the foundation.
Upon completion in 2239, the Hope Monument gained greater acceptance,
and the revenues generated by admission to the observation tower and
the concessions within helped the Monument pay for itself by 2259,
twenty years after completion. With it's proximity to Kingsford-Smith
Spaceport, the Hope Monument is often the first impression new arrivals
have of New Canberra, and is now regarded with pride by many NovoCanos
of all backgrounds, though jokes continue to circulate about the statue's
being "the standard by which NovoCanos measure themselves."
Honey Ant Dreaming, a large Aboriginal-influenced
project built over a large portion of the Pampa, was completed to
critical acclaim in 2292, though an art critic from Nouvelle Provence
commented that NovoCanos went for "quantity over quality." Best viewed
from orbit at Pointer Station, Honey Ant Dreaming did not receive
the same level of derision directed at the Hope Monument, as the project
was approved by a narrow margin through an all-New Canberra referendum.
Some complaints were lodged over the conduct of the referendum and
the cost overruns, but these were neutralized by the overwhelming
popularity of the project upon its completion. Indeed, several NovoCanos
at the time took long weekend trips up to Pointer Station for the
expressed purpose of viewing the work. This brought additional revenue
to Pointer Station, and as a result these tours continue. Often visitors
to Pointer Station also make quick visits to the orbital terminals
of the other Tiranean nations and colonies, as transportation costs
between stations are inexpensive and frequent, improving the economic
viability of Tirane's orbital zone.
Popular culture, though, remains New Canberra's greatest
contribution to human culture. Various NovoCano musical styles have
wide currency throughout Tirane and Australia proper. The English,
Indonesian, and Spanish language entertainment industries continually
put out quality works, competing well with the best Mirambeau distributes.
Major media centers of New Canberra are Ciudad Santa Maria, Bennelong,
and Kosciusco, though Anchorhead's popularity with Tiranean youth
has necessitated the creation of a media center outside the city.
Popular musical groups and artists include Antonio Martin ("Mar-teen,"
not "Mar-tin") y los Libres, Forward Thrust, Definitely Not Canon,
Anak-anak Kampong Darwin ("Children of Kampong Darwin," a notorious
poor kampong of Mt. McDonald), Colin Nguyen, and Megawati O'Hara de
Solana. Popular films such as the critically acclaimed "You Call This
Living?," "The Tirane Project," and "Against a Wall Of Stars" have
earned great respect for NovoCano cinematographers, holographers,
and actors througout human space. However, one problem that has come
of this comes from the more popular actors such as Maria de los Santos
and Jeff Steele moving to Mirambeau or Libreville for greater recognition
and exposure. Indeed, New Canberra's most famous screenplay writer,
Kamaljit Kaur and her director husband Nanak Singh both moved to Mirambeau,
accepting a three-holo deal with Cine Mirambeau following the success
of their "Light Years Between" English- and Punjabi-language drama,
starring V.P. Najawal and Karen Li.
While much is made of NovoCano contributions to Tiranean
and Human popular culture, football ("soccer" to twentieth-century
Americans) remains the primary passion of NovoCanos throughout the
colony. Ciudad Santa Maria's "Gattos" remains New Canberra's premier
football team, though Bennelong's "Jumbucks" and Port Bagaaybila's
"Wave" are making inroads against the Gatto's dynasty. The best of
New Canberra's football players compete against other Tiranean colonies
in both the biannual Tiranais (Tirane Football Cup) and in exhibition
matches throughout the year. This team, also known as the Gattos,
fares well against such football powerhouses as Nouvelle Provence
and Freihafen.
When football season is not in session, Cricket becomes
the NovoCano sport fanatic's focus of passion. While it is seen mostly
as an "Australian" sport, some inroads have been made into the Latino
areas of New Canberra to spread cricket's popularity. Both men's and
women's teams from New Canberra have earned great acclaim, and have
frequently won the "Ashes" series of tests between England, Australia
proper, New Canberra, Tasmania, and Wellon. While the Earth-based
squads are easy marks for the New Canberran team, it is against Wellon
that New Canberra focuses it's cricket efforts upon. NovoCano cricket
fans might forgive a loss against Bengal, Caribe, or India. Any loss
against Wellon, however, spurs curses throughout New Canberra, as
well as derisive articles against the team and individual players
in sports networks until the next meeting of the teams. Indeed, the
annual One-Day and Test series' at Bennelong's Bradman Stadium between
New Canberra and Wellon bring the colony to a near-standsill, as many
NovoCanos are glued to holo- and television receivers in their homes,
businesses, and nearby pubs.
Rugby and Australian Rules Football have limited
popularity, however, as they're seen as "Anglo" sports by both the
Indonesian and Latino communities. Therefore, the only professional
teams playing either sport are found in the Pampa and the Eastern
Shore. While they do attract their share of fans, when given a choice
between either sport and football or cricket, football or cricket
usually comes out on top. NovoCano players of Rugby and Aussie Rules
often must emigrate to Australia proper or the Rimward colonies in
order to gain greater recognition of their sport. However, one rugby
game does draw considerable attention, both from sports fans and the
New Canberra Police. The annual meeting between the Wellon and Nuevas
Malvinas squads at Nueva Cordoba over the decades has become known
as the "bloodbath," as both sides neither give nor expect quarter.
The nearby hospital usually clears out space in the emergency room
during game day, as both players and spectators from both sides usually
find need of their services, particularly during and after the game.
A sport that is gaining popularity among young NovoCanos
is sepak takraw, a combination of football and volleyball. Played
with a rattan ball and a one-meter high net, the objective of the
game is to score points by making the ball hit the ground or floor
of the opposing side. The use of one's hands or arms is forbidden
in the sport, therefore only the head; chest, legs, and feet of the
player can be used to maneuver the ball. While there is no professional
league or teams playing sepak takraw, New Canberra's team has often
brought home gold medals in the sport, both at the Jeux tiranais and
Earth's Olympic Games. This serves to generate further interest in
the sport, as well as prolong the number of years players continue
with it.
The centers of New Canberra's broadcast and netcast
media currently are Mt. McDonald, Bennelong, and Ciudad Santa Maria,
each serving the entire colony in addition to their own regional markets.
Mt. McDonald in particular is the headquarters of the Australian Broadcasting
Corporation's Special Broadcast Service, beaming news and entertainment
programs in a variety of languages. Of late, the emphasis on the SBS
has been Bahasa Indonesia, the primary second language of Duffer's
Strip. This has resulted in some minor resentment from speakers of
less-prevalent languages, such as those of the Indian States and the
West African languages spoken in the Spice Islands. This has prompted
ABC-New Canberra to begin operating smaller stations and netcasting
servers in Bencoolen and Port Essington, which are now starting to
mollify these resentments to some degree. Additionally, through agreements
with Indonesia's media outlets, a new commercial Indonesian network
is being set up throughout Duffer's Strip, with the intent to offer
the Indonesian community news and entertainment from their own cultural
perspective. Currently Palapa Tirane offers only prime-time broadcast
news and entertainment in Bahasa Indonesia, though it is expected
that as Indonesian-language productions from New Canberra itself gain
popularity the network will eventually be able to fill a full-day
schedule.
The primary English-language media centers are again
Mt. McDonald and Bennelong, the capital being the center of ABC-New
Canberra. While programs have been produced all over New Canberra
and other Tiranean and Australian colonies as well, the primary broadcast
centers are responsible for scheduling and funding of these programs.
While ABC-New Canberra as a publicly owned media outlet is free of
advertisements and the need for commercial sponsors (and thus able
to provide better quality programming), Mt. McDonald's private media
outlets must have commercial sponsors. This occasionally has a negative
effect on the quality of programming provided by SkyFox, NewChannel,
and Southern Cross Proprietary's Austral Broadcasting, but often some
quality dramas and situation comedies come out of these outlets. New
Canberrans still prefer to get their news from the ABC, however, as
it is a known (if as yet unproven) belief that these commercial sponsors
do play a role in the news presented by the private media outlets.
Indeed, so unpopular was Austral Broadcasting's biased news broadcasting
of an investigation into Southern Cross Proprietary's possible violation
of environmental law in Duffer's Strip that the program was eventually
replaced by animated cartoons.
Popular English-language shows are the policiers
"Kampong Beat" about the mean streets of Mt. McDonald, and "Inspector
Singh," a Rum Jungle-based new show which hopes to copy the success
of the wildly popular Wellonese show of the same name. Also, "Savage
Planet!" starring Roberto Merlan and Dr. Alejandro Borromero, delights
NovoCano audiences both on Tirane and aboard Australian vessels throughout
Human Space. Originally a Spanish-language production based in the
remote city of Villa Navarro, Savage Planet combines slapstick, vaudeville,
and light-hearted education on Tiranean flora and fauna. Often, while
"Don" Roberto undergoes some attack from the native creature he highlights
on his show, Dr. Borromero goes into a deadpan description of the
effects the creature has on his co-star. The highest ratings came
when, after getting too close to a gatto, "Don" Roberto found himself
scratched sufficiently enough by the creature to have its poison injected
into his body. While he thrashed around suffering the usual seizures
accompanied by a gatto scratch in the background, Dr. Alejandro coolly
and clinically described in detail what was happening. Only after
the staff medics (attractive, scantily-clad women) stabilized "Don"
Roberto does Dr. Alejandro end with, "so it is best to be careful
around gattos, and keep your distance when you see one." Such is the
popularity of Savage Planet that, after recovering from a mild embarrassment
the average NovoCano usually responds to the usual laugher with, "Anything
else, Dr. Alejandro?"
Spanish-language media outlets NovoVision, Southern
Cross' TelEstrellas, and the Spanish service of ABC-New Canberra are
centered in Ciudad Santa Maria. Often, in an effort to expand their
market, subtitle their novellas (soap operas), variety shows, and
news programs in English. While this has not substantially increased
viewership, it has brought some degree of cultural understanding of
the Latino culture of New Canberra to the larger non-Latino community.
Indeed, when news stories are related to Malvino separatist activity,
it is ABC's Spanish service that gets the higher ratings, as Latino
journalists in Nueva Cordoba are seen as "closer to the source," without
the subconscious bias of the English-language media.
As part of the Bennelong government's policy of greater
media openness, satellite channels from all other colonies are fed
into the cable and computer networks. Therefore Wellon's WBC, Tirania's
TiraNet, and the many other media outlets throughout Tirane have found
niche markets in New Canberra. Translation technology has allowed
a degree of easy translation and subtitling to occur with those programs
in languages not commonly known in New Canberra, such as Japanese,
Mandarin, Portuguese, and Xhosa, but often the native speakers of
these languages find much humor in the errors found during the subtitling
process. While there is a suggestion to time-delay many of these programs
for native speakers to make translation corrections, this delay is
opposed by many in New Canberra, as it's perceived as a censoring
action. This belief is held by many that do not speak the translated
languages as well. It has been wondered that the interest in the media
of Amaterasu, Tunghu, and the various estados of Provincia do Brasil
may not be necessarily based solely on entertainment but on the desire
of many NovoCanos to learn the other languages of Tirane. This is
being examined not only by the ABC but by the various regional education
systems as well.
Further details on culture, media, and sport in New
Canberra will be covered in future regional articles.
INDEX
10.
Major Cities
These
will be covered in greater detail in future regional articles, yet
below are quick overviews of New Canberra's largest cities.
Anchorhead
Anchorhead,
and the rest of Pulau Timor Bahru, has become popular with retirees
from all over New Canberra, though many of the youth-oriented resorts
keep the nightlife and overall culture fresh. The island's largest
town, Anchorhead, has lately become popular with young musicians and
popular music lovers. The "Anchorhead Sound," derided by many (usually
older people) as "gamelan salsa," is a popular blend of many of the
indigenous music styles. Only New Canberra can produce a lively form
of music using Nigerian percussion, Indonesian gamelan melodies, Argentine
guitar, and three hundred fifty years of Australian rock styles, sung
in English, Indonesian, and Spanish almost interchangeably.
The
city, built around New Canberra's best natural harbor, has lately
been the colony's fastest-growing city. A bridge linking New Canberra's
mainland with Pulau Timor Bahru will bring better connections between
the island and the rest of the colony, a situation Anchorhead is uniquely
poised to take advantage of. Within Anchorhead are several ethnic
neighborhoods, for the most part made up of young single people and
new families, that go some way to capture the essence of "home" to
the newer residents of the city. Much of these neighborhoods, referred
to as "kampongs" or "barrios," were built within the last twenty years,
as was the center of the city. This is a result of a devastating tropical
storm that tore over the northern portion of Pulau Timor Bahru in
2274. All the newer construction has been certified cyclone-resistant,
and the lessons learned in Anchorhead as a result of the cyclone have
been noted not only by the local city planners, but by officials from
all over Tirane.
Bennelong
The
oldest "Australian" city in New Canberra, and the capital, Bennelong
attempts to showcase the best in Australian and New Canberran architecture
and landscaping. The city inspires many urban planners from througout
Tirane and the rest of Australia with its award-winning architecture
and spacious garden parks. Often the first city visited by new arrivals,
Bennelong's wide streets, pedestrian-friendly city center and Mediterranean
climate have created a progressive, friendly atmosphere.
Bennelong
is unique in having two distinct centers, one for government and the
second being the commercial center. As such, the subcultures present
in each show distinct differences. Those living and working near the
government center often work for either the colonial or local governments,
and take their benefits, pay, and work schedules very seriously, and
often are either idealistic or exacting in their duties. Those involved
with the commercial center often find the civil servants across Commonwealth
Promenade to be lazy, overly optimistic, or overly bureaucratic. Often,
as is the case in other capitals, both sides have a basis for their
opinions.
Kosciusco
Kosciusco
rests in a mountain valley in the southern part of Duffer's Strip,
and is New Canberra's second largest city in terms of population.
As the valley has little room for expansion, the city shows signs
of high population density and accompanying crowding. While the factories
and mines of the city endeavor to maintain high standards of environmental
protection, the sheer numbers of people in such a small space have
created an unhealthy haze filling the valley. With all the problems
apparent in a crowded, tropical city, visitors therefore often intentionally
overlook Kosciusco.
However,
one very positive aspect of the city is the diversity and flexibility
of its people. While Kosciusco's largest community is Indonesian,
every other ethnic group can be found in the city, often in mixed
neighborhoods. This has created a unique "kozzie" identity among many,
and has inspired many writers and artists. The most popular batik
styles found throughout New Canberra were often created in Kosciusco,
and the architecture of the city shows distinct Indonesian influence.
Kosciusko,
though, remains the center of Duffer's Strip, and in anticipation
of future devolution has expanded the regional council's complex of
adminstration and support buildings. While this has had little effect
on job creation, Kosciusko is beginning to see rays of hope come through,
and the inclusiveness of the local adat may bring resolution to the
city's longstanding issues.
Mt.
McDonald
Mt. McDonald is clearly New Canberra's largest city,
and as such receives much derision from the remaining urban centers
of the colony. Nevertheless, Mt. McDonald remains the commercial and
industrial center of New Canberra. With a population of nearly nine
million people, with several million more in the surrounding suburbs
between Duffer's Strip's mountains and the sea, Mt. McDonald and the
surrounding metropolitan area have nearly twelve percent of the colony's
overall population. While it shares the same sorts of urban problems
as its nearest Duffer's Strip neighbor, Kosciusco, with its greater
economic diversity Mt. McDonald is able to better withstand the current
industrial slowdown. The pollution problems aren't nearly as great
as Kosciusco's, either, as winds cutting in from the sea to the south
and east prevent the stagnation found in the mountain valleys.
While Mt. McDonald is a large city it attempts to
be people friendly, though the clannishness of the mostly-Indonesian
population prevents visitors from digging too deep into the culture
and life of the kampongs. Therefore the ethnic divisions and mutual
distrust of such isolated communities bring many resentments and conflicts,
though the municipal and regional governments work hard to break down
barriers. Often visitors from other areas find a warmer welcome in
the kampongs than non-Indonesian Mt. McDonald residents, as the Indonesian
community sees them as neutral sounding boards. As in most urban areas
with similar problems over history, the suburbs of Air Desa, Drukey
Hill, and Sandy's Beach have a greater population of non-Indonesians,
while Indonesians make up more than 55% of Mt. McDonald's people.
Mt. McDonald is also the headquarters of Southern
Cross Proprietary. Currently the largest private employer in New Canberra,
Southern Cross has investments in a broad range of economic endeavors,
especially in commercial and residential construction. The Southern
Cross Tower, Mt. McDonald's tallest structure and second only in height
to Bennelong's Needle in New Canberra, houses not only the offices
of Southern Cross' various administrative departments but often middle
and upper-rank employees and their families as well. Covering a full
square kilometer on the edge of Mt. McDonald's urban center, the Tower
also contains the largest shopping mall in Mt. McDonald, Austral Broadcasting's
main broadcast studios, and spacious private conference facilities.
Two underground stations service the Tower, and a wide, five-story
tunnel was created through the center of the building to allow easier
access to the city center, as well as the various amenities within.
In fact, Southern Cross Proprietary's Tower is so large it has been
granted its own postal code and NCP Precinct, the latter to prevent
Southern Cross Proprietary from using private security forces as law
enforcers within.
Nueva
Cordoba
Nueva
Cordoba was founded in the late 2180's by Argentines from Santa Maria
wishing to avoid annexation into New Canberra, and for a time was
de facto independent. As such, there's a greater attachment to Argentina
and its cultural styles than found anywhere else in Tirane. With wide
boulevards and a vibrant cafe society, Nueva Cordoba has become a
unique destination for visitors, and the tourist industry has benefited
from the number of visitors from throughout Tirane. Often many Latino
NovoCanos from other parts of New Canberra visit, in order to get
a better taste of their ancestral Argentine culture. Non Spanish-speaking
NovoCanos also take advantage of the opportunities to learn Spanish
from the various collegias and the Universidad Autonomia de las Nuevas
Malvinas (Sp: Autonomous University of the Nuevas Malvinas).
However,
the friendly front put up in the city center and the more prosperous
barrios (Sp: neighborhoods) hide the darker side of Nueva Cordoba
and the Nuevas Malvinas. The city is the center of pro-INAP separatists,
working to separate the Nuevas Malvinas and all the Latino regions
of New Canberra from Australia and reunite with Argentina. During
the Brazilian occupation of the First Rio Plata War, the Argentine
"government in exile" was based here, and many of them never left.
Their descendants today are the most vociferous in their support for
INAP, and their hatreds of Brazil and the ESA. Indeed, it was an assassin
from one of the more notorious barrios that killed Tiranian Governor
Alana Boucher in 2301, though the main separatist leader, El Draco
Rojo (Sp: the Red Dragon), otherwise known as El Galego (Sp: the Welshman),
denies any involvement. Additionally, the schism between the Roman
Catholic Church and the INAP-sponsored Novo Catolico church makes
a greater impact in Nueva Cordoba than anywhere else on Tirane. While
many Malvinos support INAP and Argentina, they were not willing to
break with the faith of their ancestors. Therefore frequent sectarian
violence takes place even in the barrios most in support of separatism.
This makes law enforcement difficult, as while the sectarian gangs
may battle with each other frequently, they both see a common enemy
in the "occupying" New Canberra police. As a result of the instability
and violence, the Nuevas Malvinas is the poorest region of New Canberra,
with little hope for it's immediate future.
Port
Bagaaybila
Port
Bagaaybila, built where the Barton River meets the sea, is New Canberra's
largest port. With nearly four times the capacity of the second largest
port at Ciudad Santa Maria, Port Bagaaybila sees ships from all over
Tirane, the agricultural and manufactured products of New Canberra
leaving and imported items coming in on a daily basis. This has created
a unique cosmopolitan society, one popular with visiting tourists
and sailors from all over Tirane. "Port B," as the locals call it,
is the home to much of Tirane's Thai community, as Thai engineers
were brought in the early 2260's to assist in flood control and building
of the actual port. As a result of both the Thai influence and the
city's position on low-lying delta lands, many deep salt-water canals
cross the center of Port Bagaaybila. Road and rail networks are above
ground, yet for short trips residents and visitors alike take advantage
of the many canal ferries and other smaller boats plying the canals.
One of the most popular attractions is the floating market, found
on the main canal between downtown and the port district. Here are
all sorts of agricultural goods, both from New Canberra and the reset
of Tirane, sold at a discount compared to the local supermarkets,
as well as unique gifts and more practical items. While many of these
items can be cheaper in establishments on dry land, the social interaction
found in the market is the main reason people take advantage of it.
The
Thai community is building south of downtown a large wat, or Buddhist
center of worship and study. Surrounded by gardens already complete,
Wat Bagaaybila will contain the largest Buddha statue found anywhere
on Tirane, as well as a 2000 square-meter Buddhist and Thai-language
school, open to all. Already the conical building to contain the statue
has begun taking shape, though neither is yet completed. Upon completion
of the Wat and Buddha statue, it is expected that the Thai King will
come to consecrate it.
It
is also rumored that the entire Thai Royal Family will also seek refuge
in Port Bagaaybila, as divisions between Thais and Vietnamese within
Indochina are forcing many Thais to flee their homeland. Cantonese
preference for the Vietnamese over the other nations merged (forcibly)
into Indochina has spurred many other Thais to move, often to Australian
colonies throughout Human Space. Port Bagaaybila, then, has opened
up to welcome many of these Thai refugees of both Cantonese/Indochinese
and Indonesian aggression. However these conflicts aren't carried
over into New Canberra, as Indonesian and Thai NovoCanos cooperate
to a degree that surprises both communities.
Rum
Jungle
Rum
Jungle, 20km from the Amaterasu border on the northwest corner of
New Canberra, is the clearly most Japanese-influenced city in the
colony. A sizeable Japanese community lives there, working in the
employ of Monami Honshu Kigyo on nearby mines. While it can be expected
that some conflicts exist between the Japanese and non-Japanese communities
of Rum Jungle as a result of the inter-colonial conflicts of the early
period of settlement, in fact both sides get along quite well. Indeed
the only major rivalries exist in the sporting realm, as Amaterasu
and New Canberran teams play in the local stadium on a regular basis,
often filling the stands with barrackers from both sides. One of the
largest Japanese gardens outside of Amaterasu is found in the city,
and it is a popular tourist destination for Amterasujin.
Two
notable landmarks deserve mention. The ANZAC Memorial, on a hill overlooking
the city to the south and the Rum Jungle Agreement Memorial, on the
northern approaches to the city, draw an increasing number of visitors
interested in Australian and New Canberran history, as well as unique
architectural styles. The domed ANZAC Memorial lists all ADF personnel
whom have perished while on duty beyond Earth, and consists of three
large granite walls with the names of these brave Defenders inscribed
upon it. The underside of the dome is painted with a representation
of the heavens as seen from Australia proper, with a red ochre soil
floor. Surrounding the monument is an assortment of native Australian
flora, such as spinifex and wattle, with each of the State and Territorial
flowers represented in the memorial garden. Of late a New Canberran
garden has been included, with the native glitter fern most prominent.
On each ANZAC Day, 25 April, the Administrator and many other notables
gather at the monument to pay their respects for Australia's war dead,
and the solemn task of reading the latest names being inscribed on
the Walls. Normally this is done by the Chief Minister, with the Administrator
presenting the Australian Flag to family members in attendence. The
latest ANZAC Day ceremony was no different, though Chief Minister
Torres did have some difficulty reading her late husband's name.
The
Rum Jungle Agreement Memorial is a single building incorporating Japanese
and Australian styles of the late 22nd century, and memorializes the
agreement reached by Japan and Australia over Duffer's Strip. Additonally,
the names of the dead on both sides of the conflict are remembered
with a small plaque in the center of the building. This is found in
the Japanese gardens mentioned above. While a much smaller affair
than the ANZAC Day service, each August 22nd is remembered by the
Australian and Japanese governments at a memorial service held at
the Rum Jungle Agreement Memorial, as the anniversary of the signing
of the agreement and a moment of silence for the dead. Tasmanians
from Shin-Hobaruto avoid this particular ceremony, holding their own
across the border in a particularly anti-Australian manner.
Port
Essington
Port
Essington is the main city of the Spice Islands, with numerous ferry
and cargo ship arrivals at their sizeable port facility near downtown.
The center of the city is dominated by New Canberra's largest mosque,
and has become the colony's center for Sufi learning and overall Islamic
thought. Using a technique developed by Arabia's Hajji Amir ibn Hassan-Farouk,
noted astronomers work around the clock to determine the direction
of Sol from Tirane, in order to orient the faithful toward Mecca during
the five-times daily prayers. The mosque itself is built in a circular
manner, with the direction of Mecca determined by a moveable mural
capable of rotating completely around the interior. The Imam speaks
from a balcony encircling the interior, in order to be visible to
all worshippers during the Friday services. Continuing Muslim tradition
of segregating the sexes, curtains are hung from moveable beams that
are also moved in relation to the position of Mecca.
The
remaining parts of the city center are composed of small commercial
centers and the vast open-air market. While other, more ordinary facilities
are available, many residents and visitors use the open-air market
more for the social aspects found there than the variety of goods
found there. Indeed, many of the unique products of the Spice Islands
can be found at the market, sold by the artist or farmer who created
or grew them. Additionally, the life of the Islands is based around
the market, and a day spent there can give a visitor a sense of what
makes the local society tick. While the majority of the mostly-Nigerian
population speaks Peul/Fulani or Hausa among themselves, English is
the widespread lingua franca. Therefore the islands have become popular
among many NovoCanos seeking a quieter lifestyle and unique local
culture.
San
Diego
San
Diego, 40km east of Ciudad Santa Maria, is one of New Canberra's most
diverse communities, with no one single ethnic group with a substantial
majority. As such, San Diego offers residents and visitors a variety
of possibilities for shopping, dining, and activities. Connected to
Ciudad Santa Maria and Windbourne by airfilm lines and highways, as
well as the home city of the San Diego Puerto Espacial, San Diego
has become a popular starting point for many interstellar visitors.
This has given the tourist industry of San Diego a healthy boost,
and its multi-lingual nature welcomes many to its slower pace of life
and proximity to nature.
The
most notable landmark of San Diego is the San Diego Xenobiology Research
Center and Zoo. Headed by Tirania's Dr. Randi Adams, the primary focus
of the center is research on a variety of Tiranean and other extraterrestrial
flora and fauna, as well as adequate displays of each in settings
that most closely match their natural environments. Support for the
Zoo come from a variety of sources, and has been designated by the
Tirane Council as a Tiranean Heritage Site. Originally the primary
maneuver area of the Argentine military during the period of their
colony, it was a conscious decision by the former Argentine residents
to convert the area into a park, in order to repair the damage done
by the Ejercito Colonial Argentino y Mexicano. The San Diegans constructed
the Zoo and Xenobiology Center thirty years later as the growth of
the surrounding area necessitated new development in the protected
area. Since the Zoo's foundation, new residential areas have been
created further north, which now surrounds the Zoo and the surrounding
park. Across the New Silver River from San Diego is the Windbourne
suburb of Nordmark, New Canberra's predominantly Scandinavian town.
Ciudad
Santa Maria
New
Canberra's third largest city, Ciudad Santa Maria has grown beyond
what it's original Argentine settlers ever imagined. Being prosperous
only since the annexation referendum of 2183, CSM has remained the
clear center of the NovoCano Latino community. Spanish is the dominant
language on the streets and in business, and Latino culture dominates
the media. However, unlike Nueva Cordoba, sizeable communities of
non-Latinos live and work in the city and surrounding area, particularly
Windborne across the New Silver River. The city center has some of
the least-expensive office space in New Canberra's main population
zone, along the East Coast, and therefore has attracted many new businesses.
These have formed the foundation of Santa Maria's current economic
growth.
Santa
Maria, though, remains poorer than the English- and Indonesian-speaking
areas of New Canberra, as the recent economic growth has yet to affect
the poorer barrios of the city. Still, the new influx of capital and
interest in the region have brought a measure of hope to Marianos,
as well as other residents of the Llano de Tierra Negra. In response
an effort by many Marianos to improve their English skills has been
seen by demographers and business leaders. This may well lead to Santa
Maria's renaissance and future prosperity.
The
Santo Cristophos Shrine and Cathedral was built in the late 2180's
in memory of the schoolchildren killed as a result of poor engineering
on the part of Argentine colonial planners, which resulted in a large
sinkhole destroying the school. Currently the property of the Roman
Catholic Church, a number of Novo Catolico pilgrims do visit from
time to time to remember the disaster that forced Argentina from Tirane.
While Marianos feel that their city had been abandoned by Argentina
in 2183, and therefore more loyal to New Canberra and Australia by
association, Novo Catolico adherents are mostly of Malvino origin,
and use their pilgrimages to Santo Cristophos to rally in favor of
Argentina and INAP. These bring about much larger counter-demonstrations,
and the New Canberra Police are often tasked to break up these disturbances.
Also, the New Canberran courts are currently deliberating over the
Novo Catolico church's suit to revert ownership of the shrine and
cathedral to Novo Catolico ownership, a move greatly opposed by Marianos.
Windbourne
Windbourne
sits at the mouth of the New Silver River, on the northern bank facing
Ciudad Santa Maria. Considered the more "Anglo" of the two cities,
Windbourne has until recently offered more economic opportunity than
its Latino counterpart, hosting the lion's share of the commercial
shipyards and port facilities. However, as these are quickly reaching
capacity, accompanied by lower real estate costs in Ciudad Santa Maria,
Windbourne finds itself having to rethink its place in the economic
realm. Lately a number of arms manufacturers have moved to the city
as a result of its hosting the Tiranean headquarters of the Union
of Professional Soldiery, or the "Mercenary's Guild." These firms,
and the Union, unite in showing their wares to potential customers
and the general public annually in the Pan-Centauri Arms Fair. Also
known as the "Windbourne Gun Show," the Arms Fair attracts all sorts
of people, from military purchasing agents, "private security firms"/mercenary
units, and collectors from throughout the Core. While much of the
merchandise is proscribed to private individuals and organizations
according to New Canberran law, anyone can make payment at the "Gun
Show" for delivery elsewhere, provided the purchaser is willing to
pay for shipping.
INDEX
11.
Flora and Fauna
(creators in parenthenses)
Druqui(Sp)/Drukey(Eng)
"droo-key" (Randi Adams)
(Timonotremus
avius [Alpha Centauri I])
A
bat-like creature with additional fingers at it's "hand," the drukey
is found in the southern areas of New Canberra, particularly in the
Llano and Nuevas Malvinas regions. Subsisiting on local and introduced
Terrestrial fruits, unlike Earth bats drukeys use their manipulative
fingers and their legs to grab their food and take it to their nests.
Their wings have a strength greater than their terrestrial counterparts
to provide extra lift for carrying items as large as cantaloupes.
Monotremes like most advanced Tiranean lifeforms, this carrying capacity
is necessary to feed hatchlings. Drukeys are particularly interesting
to xenobiologists, as they allow the scientists to a link similar
to that which might have existed on Earth between bats and birds.
However, the apple, pear, and modified peach growers of southern New
Canberra find drukeys to be pests, and one of the chores orchard operators
face is untangling drukeys from the nets covering the orchards.
Type:
chaser, No. appearing: 1d10+4, Size: 1 (1-2kg), Initiative: 2, To
hit: difficult(flying) or easy(resting), consciousness: 2, Life: 4
Gatto
"gaht-to" (Randi Adams)
(Tirachat
santamarienses [Alpha Centauri I])
Found
in the high country within New Canberra's Llano de Tierra Negra and
the Pampa, gattos form the pinnacle of the area's food chain. Though
with rounded ears and a somewhat different facial structure, with
their similarity to Terran cats the original Mexican and Argentine
settlers called them "gatos (Sp: cats)," and with the addition of
the extra "t" the name stuck. (It should be noted that "gatto" is
also the Italian word for cat. As many of the original Argentine settlers
were of Italian descent, this may provide the entomological basis
for the current common name of Tirachat santamariensis.) While their
size may belie it, gattos have a fearsome reputation, due to a special
attack form that equalizes it against larger prey. Within their claws
is a virulent poison, which causes the victim to convulse and die
within ten minutes of injection. The gattos themselves are immune
to the poison, which allows them to partake of the kill and which
also provide medical scientists to develop an appropriate anti-venin.
This protects residents and visitors alike in the gatto's range.
Type:
pouncer, No. appearing: 1-3(if more than one, at least one will be
young), Size: 2 (3-5kg), Initiative: 2, To hit: routine, Conciousness:
3, Life: 6(elevated due to the animal's intelligence), Attacks: bite,
claw, poison(special, see below).
Poison
will call convulsions upon injection via scratch within five minutes
of exposure, and death within ten. Anti-venin, if applied in time,
will negate the effect within one minute of treatment.
Jumbuck
"jum-buck" (Randi Adams)
(Dranta
pampases [Alpha Centauri I])
A
deer-like animal, native to New Canberra's flatlands of both the Llano
de Tierra Negra and the Pampa, has over the past few decades been
domesticated for milk, meat, and eggs. However, unlike similar dranta
species found elsewhere on Tirane, the jumbuck has developed a pouch
in the underside of the female's body where the eggs are kept until
hatching, as opposed to the creatures building nests. This allows
jumbucks to live a nomadic, grazing lifestyle, and protects the eggs
from drukeys and gattos that may come by. "Jumbuck" comes from the
original Australian slang word for "sheep," based on Aboriginal terms
for rams and ewes, and was applied to the native fauna as colonists
began domesticating them. So, with the slang word for "sheep" now
being used to name another creature, what do NovoCanos call actual
sheep? Sheep.
Type:
grazer, No. appearing: 6d10, Size: 5 (35-55kg), Initiative: 2, To
hit: difficult, Consciousness: 1, Life: 5. Will flee rather than attack.
Deathleaper
(Abraham Gubler)
(Arachnoid
tiranis dufferi[Alpha Centauri I])
One
of the arachnid-like insects filling various niches in Tiranean ecosystems,
the deathleaper is unique in its hunting style. With legs having wing-like
appendages which are flapped to generate lift, the deathleaper is
able to make enormous leaps of up to 5m high to catch avian creatures
which are it's main prey. Upon detection, the deathleaper makes it's
jump, and sprays it's venom up to one meter away at the intended target,
then, as it reaches the top of it's jump, uses it's wing flaps to
follow the victim to the ground. Deathleapers wait for their prey
in the undergrowth of Duffer's Strip's jungles, using manipulative
eystalks to scan above it. Deathleaper poison, while not lethal, will
still cause acid-like burns on unprotected human skin.
Type:
pouncer, No. appearing: 1, Size: .05(3-5g), Initiative: 1, To hit:
difficult(if flying) easy(if underfoot), Conciousness: 1, Life: 2
Dust
Reaper (Abraham Gubler)
(Arachnoid
tiranis pampases [Alpha Centauri I])
The
dust reaper's range is the Pampa, particularly in the as yet undeveloped
regions further away from the rivers of the region. They move from
place to place within the swirling low-level air currents found throughout
the Pampa, in dust kicked up by it. Subsisting on plant matter, dust
reapers have found Terrestrial grains and plants unpalatable for some
inexplicable reason, and thusly their range is increasingly being
narrowed, as more of the Pampa come under human cultivation. Tiranean
grains raised by human farmers, though, are finding dust reapers to
be unwelcome pests. Indeed, it is the dust reaper's fondness for a
native grass, also edible to humans, that is encouraging the conversion
to Terran wheat, corn/maize, and other grains.
Type:
grazer, No. appearing: 2d10 per 1 cubic meter of dust above surface
up to 2m high, Size: negligible, To hit: routine(with repeated swatting),
Conciousness: negligible, Life: 1
Stickybush
(Randi Adams & Bill Bacon)
(Toxica
dufferi [Alpha Centauri I])
The
stickybush is found in the jungles of Duffer's Strip, another of the
unique dangers of the region. Part of the Clematrsphyla division of
Tiranean taxonomy, the stickybush is a soft, spongelike toxic plant,
part of the ground cover of the rainforest. Shining with a viscious
fluid that it uses to attract insect life such as the deathleaper,
the plant traps it's prey in the fluid and begins dissolving it for
absorption into it's leaf pores. This augments the energy generated
by photosynthesis, an evolutionary reaction to the low light levels
found at the forest floor. As for human and other larger-animal interactions
with the plant, it is advised that any fluid that contacts skin be
immediately washed off with a soap-and-water solution, as exposure
of greater than fifteen seconds will result in symptoms similar to
an acid burn. ADF personnel training in Duffer's Strip, therefore,
wear long pants kept tucked into their boots, and must replace both
frequently. However, areas above 1m are fairly safe, as these plants
are not known to grow higher than 1m.
Knight's
Tree ("Sword and Shield Tree") (Randi Adams & Bill Bacon)
(Diversifolius
randii [Alpha Centauri I])
Native
only to the southernmost coast of New Canberra, the knight's tree
displays all the features of Tirane's Constanphyla division, with
its two types of photosynthesizing leaves. Alternating a deciduous/evergreen
life pattern, the "sword and shield" aspect comes in the knight's
tree having both evergreen needles that remain in place regardless
of the season and the broad 4-6cm deciduous leaves that fall as temperatures
change. While the leaves themselves are unremarkable, the tree has
devised a unique method of gauging the current and near-future weather.
The evergreen needles vary in length throughout the year and granseason
cycle, not reaching more than 5mm in summer/grandsummer and up to
5cm in winter/grandwinter. These trees are believed to have a thousand-year
lifespan, and in the later stages of the knight's tree's life form
a strong hardwood, popular in cabinetry and wall siding. Due to the
limited range of these trees the New Canberran government has restricted
further logging, as excessive harvesting endangers their continued
survival.
INDEX
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