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Saint Tyraine Caribe's corner of Tirane By Scott Ash, based on Ben Levy's "Caribe" Thanks also go to Bill Bacon for his original notes regarding Tiranean botany, which I hope the flora of Saint Tyraine is able to fit into.
Above: map of St Tyraine by Dave Malesevich. (detailed maps of all the islands in ZIP format, right click to save)
Occupying a cluster of islands north and east of Tirania, Saint Tyraine was the first interstellar settlement of the Caribbean government since Humanity first began leaving Earth. With the mainland only 220km at its closest point, Saint Tyraine is easy to reach from anywhere on Tirane through connections in Tirania. While the bulk of the population lives on Nesta’s Cay, particularly in the settlement’s capital of Beauregarde, other islands also offer residents and visitors numerous opportunities for relaxation and adventure. With the tropical climate and lush soils available, the Caribbean government felt that the Saint Tyraine archipelago was the ideal location for their first interstellar settlement. Called simply the Gulf Islands originally by Tiranian colonists, Saint Tyraine was both remote enough from the larger powers colonizing Tirane that they’d be essentially left alone, yet close enough to at least one of the colonizing powers that assistance could be requested if necessary. However, the independent spirit of the Caribbeans made those requests few and far between, which has both helped and hindered the development of the archipelago. The Gulf Islands were for a time considered part of Tirania, and had been slated for eventual expansion during the initial colonization of the American colony. But cutbacks, distrust of the corporations, and the greater availability of nearby real estate left the Gulf Islands without any permanent "official" settlement for nearly a century since the first landings on Tirane. In fact, no official claim had been made on the Gulf Islands by any nation, and the major and most of the minor colonizing powers found limited potential in developing them. While Tiranean fishing fleets operated in nearby waters, only once was a vessel forced to make a landing for repairs, only to be rescued by an American Navy ship within three days of arrival. However, the first Caribbeans to settle the main island, called Nesta’s Cay, weren’t officially recognized by Caribe’s government at all. These were itinerant "barani" labor brought by a Wellonese company who jumped the research vessel they were crewing and escaped into the rugged hills of the island. When the company who hired the crewmen attempted to bring the contract-jumpers into custody, Caribe’s consular representative in Free Haven, Amos Beauregarde decided to intervene. "Have you any plans for the Gulf Islands?" he asked of the Consortium in the Free Haven Federal Court, "Because if not, then it would seem that they have been claimed by right of settlement by the people of Caribe." The judge, using the Melbourne Accords as a guide, decided in favor of Consul Beauregarde, thus recognizing Caribe’s claim to the archipelago. As the American government had no objection to Caribe opening a new settlement no further efforts were made to challenge the ruling. It would be nearly two years before the first "jumpers" would hear about the decision, however, and in the meantime they started a small village, known as "Zion Town," in what is now "Jumper Country." Others followed, mostly from the Caribbean diaspora on Tirane, but non-Caribbeans also escaped to Nesta’s Cay, both literally and figuratively. Since many of those who "literally" escaped to Nesta’s Cay came from nations with extradition treaties with Caribe, it fell upon the Caribbeans to make good on their claim and extract the fugitives. Several of those who went to Nesta’s Cay under suspicion turned to piracy to make a living, and both the Tiranian and Wellonese governments wished such activity to be stopped. By the time the first Caribbean soldiers, administrators, and policemen arrived at Emerald Bay, Tirania to move onto the islands the population had been rumored to be in the hundreds. After recognizing that the squad of policemen and company of Jamaican Rifles sent would be insufficient to do the job Caribe’s government enacted a treaty with the Americans whereby America would join in the defense of the archipelago, provided they also support the operation to clear out the pirates. The deal struck ensured that any "jumper" from the various commercial ships would be left alone, if permanently unable to return to their home colony under pain of prosecution, but that anyone who went to Nesta’s Cay and the other Gulf Islands to flee prosecution would be captured and extradited. Caribbean law would apply to anyone who participated in piracy, if they weren’t already fleeing justice. This suited the Caribbeans just fine, and Operation Housecleaning took place over a three-month period in 2255. A platoon-sized American, and later Tiranian, liaison force has remained ever since. Zion Town was not the ideal place for a permanent habitation, so when Caribe’s government finally set out to formally settle the island in 2256 a small harbor was chosen. The first official town was called "Saint Tyraine" after the Caribbean pronunciation of the planet’s name, though no real consensus on pronouncing "Tirane" had yet been set. (Many Tiraneans call their homeworld "Tih-RAH-nay," though another common pronunciation is the French "Tee-RAHN," or the English "tih-RAIN." Even now this consensus has yet to be achieved.) Once the pre-fabricated habitats were laid out and the first Council took their seats efforts were taken to honor the first "claimants," who were by then recognized as Caribbean national heroes. Within two weeks they had been located and brought into the new town. (To this day, the first three men and two women who jumped ship to "claim" the island are memorialized on the Caribbean twenty-five dollar note, as is Amos Beauregarde.) "Jumper Country" wasn’t entirely abandoned, though. Efforts were made to grow coffee, sugar cane, and other crops, but it was the native Tea Nut tree that kept the hills linked to the economy of Saint Tyraine. In addition to growing the food necessary to keep the populace alive, a small shipbuilding capability was set up to meet the transportation and aquaculture needs of Saint Tyraine’s slowly growing population. With Amos Beauregarde’s passing in 2264 the town of Saint Tyraine was renamed in his honor. By this time the name Saint Tyraine had become current for the entire archipelago, and the Caribbean settlers formalized this in the same proclamation that change the town’s name to Beauregarde. A small fishing fleet was built using local materials, and the new settlers began to replicate Caribbean life on Tirane. In maintaining their independence, little trade took place between Saint Tyraine and the rest of Tirane. The local council had been approached on several occasions by American and British corporations and individuals for investment ideas ranging from banana plantations in the eastern part of Nesta’s Cay to a large tourist resort on Morgan’s Point, to the east of Beauregarde, but few of these had been approved. In fact, aside from branches of the various Canadian banks that have served Caribe since the British colonial period of the nineteenth century, the only "foreign" corporate investment in Saint Tyraine for decades was the Texan-owned Red Star brewery in the outskirts of Beauregarde. Several individual non-Caribbeans had set up small businesses ranging from specialty food distribution centers to small hotels for the growing tourist industry, but these compliment, not dominate, Saint Tyraine’s economy. Banana plantations and tourist resorts were built, along with fish canneries, a sizeable fishing fleet, "Radio Free Tyraine," and numerous small farms raising everything from goats to cannabis, but the vast majority of these were done by Caribbean settlers themselves. To meet the definition of "Colony" according to the Melbourne Accords the founding nation or organization needs to put an orbital station into place, or have at least a million residents. Caribe, not having the population or the monetary and technical resources for space construction, fails to meet the qualifications for "colony," which suits the Saint Tyraineans just fine. They are not a "colony," they are just another component archipelago in Caribe, albeit a little further away than most. However, when approached by the Tirane Council in 2275 as to whether or not they would take seats as members both the Saint Tyraine Council and the government of Caribe decided they didn’t want any part of "Babylon politics." After all, whatever views they had would likely be dismissed by the larger powers, particularly France, while still having to provide a pro-rata share of the funding the Council’s operating budget. Still, Saint Tyraine believed it needed to make its voice heard in pan-Tiranean decision making. As a result of close ties since the settlement’s founding Caribe and the Saint Tyraine Council asked the Tiranian delegates to represent their interests in the Tirane Council as well. Caribe’s diplomatic service would open a small consular office in the Tirane Council’s seat in Bennelong, New Canberra, and the Tiranian delegate (later Representative) would meet with the Caribbean staff there for input. When in 2297 the Tiranian government opened Tirania’s Council seat to open election in both Tirania and Saint Tyraine, the young Annette Li was the only candidate to visit the archipelago to solicit votes. This went some way in helping the then twenty-three year old win election, and ensured that Saint Tyraine, while not occupying a seat of its own, still is heard in the Tirane Council. Representative Li also visited Saint Tyraine, making a full tour, during the 2302 election, and again secured their votes. Clayton Bennett, Tirania’s Reagan Society President and bitter opponent of Annette Li, also made a stop in Beauregarde, though without gaining much support. ("’Satan’s’ no more welcome here than he’d be in Heaven," said one Beauregarde voter during exit polls.) Hurricane Leanne in 2298 provided a watershed event to the people of Saint Tyraine. While similar storms had brought death and destruction to the settlement, none had done so with Leanne’s ferocity. Five hundred died and another twenty thousand became homeless, while aside from some valleys in the interior of Nesta’s Cay much of the economic infrastructure of Saint Tyraine was simply wiped out. Considerable relief assistance came from Caribe along with the other colonies and nations of Tirane, while earlier preparations such as modular, collapsible construction; strong shelters, and aggressive planning and preparation mitigated much of Leanne’s worst effects. Lessons learned from the 2298 hurricane continue to be debated throughout Saint Tyraine, including and especially the evacuation of two of the easternmost Outer Cays. Today Saint Tyraine remains a strongly Caribbean outpost in Tirane, and has recently become more popular with tourists and other visitors. However, with the onset of Grandsummer, temperatures have risen considerably, while the cooling winds from the north have started to dwindle. Many who can afford to leave Saint Tyraine during the heat of the "regular" summer are either preparing to or have already done so. The wealthiest of Saint Tyranean families have homes in Caribe, but the majority of those leaving go either to Tirania or Wellon to live among the Caribbean diaspora in both places. Those who remain will have to endure the heat, but will do so with their pride and independent spirit intact. Regardless of the rising temperatures and precipitation levels, hundreds of Caribbeans will still emigrate to the archipelago, and visitors will still enjoy the charm and spirit of Saint Tyraine. Most visitors to Saint Tyraine pass through Tirania to catch the air connections from Chinook, Emerald Bay, or Free Haven, or take a ferry from Emerald Bay. From Wellon direct flights to Beauregarde take place twice a week from Point Sterling. Luxury airships also fly to Beauregarde from Emerald Bay and Free Haven weekly, though only as part of five-day tours through the archipelago. The ferries from Tirania are not equipped to take personal vehicles by arrangement with the Saint Tyraine Council, thus visitors will have to rent their own upon arrival. That isn’t to say that one can’t bring their own vehicle, it’s just that they’ll have to hire private cargo services to move it. Whether they arrive by sea or air, visitors to Saint Tyraine must pass through Caribbean Customs. As in Caribe itself many items that are openly for sale and use on the street are prohibited from being brought into Saint Tyraine without duty being paid. Personal weapons are prohibited, and will be placed in a secure location upon arrival. Arguing with the customs officers over such confiscation will result in detention and eventual deportation, without the weapon taken. Visitors who accept the situation peacefully can have the weapon returned upon departure, following payment of a storage fee. Oddly enough, Caribbean Customs will not check personal electronics for the presence of harmful viruses, trusting the user enough to not infect any of the local systems. While the local ‘net is free and accessible to all, any link within Saint Tyraine can be traced to a specific computer. Several visitors, hoping to take advantage of Saint Tyraine’s liberal outlook on electronics to do damage outside of the archipelago, have found themselves being arrested for computer security violations. The Caribbean Dollar is the primary medium of exchange, and unlike Caribe proper the electronic payment network doesn’t reach every corner of Saint Tyraine. Therefore visitors are advised to purchase Caribbean dollars if travelling beyond Beauregarde, and rates are updated weekly as the information arrives from Earth. Speculation, however, is not recommended. The Saint Tyraine People’s Bank is slowly upgrading their facilities throughout archipelago, but showing a plastic card with a fancy hologram on distant Cockpit Cay will not help purchase a ride back to Beauregarde. American and Australian dollars will reluctantly be accepted, often at a sizeable discount, beyond the Beauregarde town limit, but only at the discretion of the recipient. Plan ahead! Caribbean currency comes in the following denominations: coins of one, five, ten, fifteen, twenty-five, and fifty cents and one dollar, and banknotes of three, five, ten, twenty-five, forty, one hundred, and two hundred-fifty dollars. As mentioned above, exchange rates vary from one week to the next, depending on trends on Earth. While always richly colored and bearing Caribbean symbols and wildlife, designs change with increasing frequency as new trends in art and security technology become available, thus it is incumbent on the visitor to check each note given for the standard anti-counterfeiting measures. The weather throughout Saint Tyraine is humid tropical, with frequent rains. During the regular winter rains fall more frequently, as cold air interacts with the warm air held from the equator by Tirania’s Lefthook Peninsula directly over the archipelago. Conversely, warm air from the tropics pushes northward towards Saint Tyraine during the summer, bringing warmer conditions and even more precipitation as evaporation from the southern Gulf of Tirania slams into the higher elevations of the various Cays of Saint Tyraine. Thus the best times to visit the archipelago are spring and fall, according to the Tiranean calendar. Though the two planets are similar, the four-hundred day year of Tirane extends the seasons by an extra five days each, making the winter and summer extremes that much greater. The Tiranean grandseasons also effect Saint Tyraine’s weather, sometimes to disastrous extremes. The site of Beauregarde was selected mainly due to its relative safety in comparison with many of the Outer Cays. Tropical storms of great intensity have been recorded during the recent Grandspring, particularly Hurricane Leanne, which has caused the evacuation of two of the easternmost islets of the archipelago. Two other islands in the same area, Desolate Cay and Irie Cay, suffer similar intense wind and precipitation when Hurricane Leanne hit, but are sheltered somewhat from the worst by the abandoned islets. Still, with the onset of Grandsummer the Saint Tyraine Council may elect to temporarily abandon Irie Cay- a decision guaranteed to upset the sizeable Rastafarian community there. Desolate Cay, however, will remain inhabited by the convicts sent there, along with their warders. The opposite extreme is felt on the westernmost islands. During Grandautumn and Grandwinter the western third of the archipelago goes through extended dry periods, which have disastrous effects on crops of Earthly origin. Native crops, those that humans find palatable at least, become the focus of farmers of the western Outer Cays, as water conservation takes on greater meaning. Overall, during the cooler periods of Tirane’s grandseasons, precipitation decreases, though only in the western Cays does this decrease has a major impact on day to day life. Weather conditions and forecasts are ‘netcast continuously on Radio Free Tyraine, with broadcasts taking place every two hours during normal Saint Tyraine waking hours, generally 0600-2100 Lefthook (Tirania) Standard Time. Updates occur less frequently overnight, and usually are required only when a potentially dangerous storm approaches. Weather does affect transportation to, from, and within Saint Tyraine, and visitors are advised to be flexible. Visitor’s assistance is offered by the privately maintained Visitor’s Bureau at the ferry terminal at Morgan’s Point, 8km from the city center, and at the airport. As the Visitor’s Bureau gets its support from subscribing businesses, only those that support the Visitor’s Bureau are mentioned in the brochures produced by it. Independent guidebooks, both downloadable and hardcopy, can be purchased in the bookstores at the airport and ferry terminal, usually a fair walk away from the Visitor’s Bureau kiosk immediately outside the customs inspection area. Should consular assistance be required, small consulates are available in Beauregarde for citizens of Tirania and Wellon. The two offices also assist American, Australian, and British citizens as well. Citizens of other countries are advised to contact their consular officials in Free Haven, or New Camelot if their country isn’t represented in the Tiranian capital. Due to Caribe’s infrequent confrontations with Mexico, citizens of Mexico are required to obtain a visa from a "full" Caribbean embassy before arriving at Beauregarde. Currently the only one on Tirane is at New Camelot, though one is being planned for Freihafen. The people of Saint Tyraine come mainly from the islands of Caribe, and mostly reflect the origins of the people thereof. However, some differences become apparent as Saint Tyraine is explored further in depth. For example, while Haitians make up nearly a quarter of Caribe, Haitians on Saint Tyraine make up less than a sixth of the total. Conversely, East Indians from Trinidad are represented to a greater degree than in Caribe as a whole, and are currently a fifth of Saint Tyraine’s population. Saint Tyraine also attracts those of Caribe’s more unusual communities. Rastafarians, practitioners of Voudun (or "Voodoo"), Ethiopian Orthodox Christians, descendents of United Empire Loyalists from the Bahamas, and many others seeking additional elbow room to live their own lifestyles find Saint Tyraine perfect for their purposes. Despite differences between all these groups, Saint Tyraine’s people tolerate all manner of eccentric behavior. Though equality before the law is guaranteed under both the Caribbean Constitution and the Saint Tyraine Charter, the economic and social pecking order of the settlement can be fairly well generalized. Immigrants from wealthier Caribbean states such as The Bahamas and the Dutch Antilles comprise much of the upper class of Saint Tyraine, as business people and retirees from these islands are generally more prosperous than those from the other Caribbean island states. All spectra of the middle class have their origins in the larger, more populous states such as Jamaica and Trinidad, though all other island states are represented. Trinidad’s East Indians, in particular, have found their unique niche on Saint Tyraine as small shopkeepers, and are found throughout the archipelago trading and becoming valued members of the various communities of the settlement. The lower economic strata come mainly from lower-income Jamaicans, Haitians, and Trinidadians, with smaller numbers of poorer immigrants from Antigua, Grenada, St. Kitts & Nevis, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. However, these differences have little effect on the overall egalitarian nature of Saint Tyrainean society. A prosperous employer originally from Eleuthera, The Bahamas can be found at a beachside watering hole alongside his employees originally from Jamaica, while the Trinidad East Indian proprietor and his Haitian employees become just as much a part of the conviviality as the patrons. Conspicuous consumption and display of wealth is the exclusive preserve of tourists, and the odd unsolved muggings and robberies go a long way to show the displeasure of the Saint Tyraineans toward such behavior. Holidays and other special events are celebrated with considerable zeal throughout the archipelago, with Beauregarde’s Day and the Jumper Festival being the most raucous. In addition to being Tirane’s center for such Caribbean music forms as Iron, Onzi, Reggae, and Ska, Saint Tyraine’s unique history and outlook has spawned the indigenous musical form Tikki-rai, known for its rapid, rhythmic beat and anthemic lyrics. Tikki-rai provides the musical backdrop of the various festivals of Saint Tyraine, and popular Tikki-rai artists such as Irie Eubanks, Nesta Hubert, and Colin "Two Moons" Lemaitre find success sharing the unique sounds of Saint Tyraine throughout the rest of Tirane. Saint Tyraine celebrates the following holidays throughout the Terran and Tiranean years: Terran New Year, Chinese New Year, Beauregarde’s Day, Carnival (weekend before Lent), Good Friday and Easter, Caribbean Unity Day, Tiranean New Year, Eid al-Fitr (Muslim), Diwali (Hindu), the weeklong Jumper Festival, Discovery Day (the day Tirane was discovered by humans), First Landing, and Christmas. While the local and Caribbean holidays are celebrated with more vigor, the religious holidays are also days off for most workers as adherents of the various faiths open their homes to their neighbors and visitors. Chinese New Year was declared a holiday not simply because of the small Chinese-Caribbean community in Beauregarde but because it offered another reason to throw a party. The Jumper Festival, celebrating the first landing of Saint Tyraine’s first settlers, by necessity covers an entire week, and over the years of celebration has become a popular tourist draw to the entire archipelago. It may be difficult to find a hotel room during this time, but fortunately for most short-term visitors restrictions against camping on the beach are unofficially waived. After all, the person you pass out next to at Back Beach may be an off-duty police officer. 4. Government, Military, and Law Enforcement Saint Tyraine’s government, like Caribe’s back on Earth, is a fairly straightforward representative democracy. Elections are held every three Tiranean years for representatives to the Saint Tyraine Council, chaired on a rotating basis every month. To the amazement of political scientists, the Councilors are unpaid, and must hold "day jobs" to support themselves. This makes Council meetings fairly short, as one or more Councilors often have to return to their workplace before a certain time. Unlike Caribe’s district-based representation, Saint Tyraine’s Councilors are elected at large on a non-partisan basis. This concentrates most of the political power into Beauregarde, having over a third of Saint Tyraine’s overall population, but the residents of the outlying cays and even the far ends of Nesta’s Cay prefer it that way. After all, if the government spends all of its time worrying about Beauregarde, there’s less interference away from it. Most of the functions normally handled by a central government in most other locations are the domain of the private sector on Saint Tyraine, thus road construction, the sea- and airports, water and electrical infrastructure, the communications network, and transportation throughout the archipelago are managed by private corporations. In fact, the only employees hired by the Saint Tyraine Council are the Saint Tyraine Police and various administrative staffers. The Caribe government oversees the Customs Service stations, the military presence, any licensing, and the court system of Saint Tyraine. Both the Caribbean and local governments operate out of the same building, the Amos Beauregarde Center (or "ABC"), and there’s little tension between the two. The Caribbean government is represented by the District Administrator, Ernestine Hamilton, who sits on Council meetings as an ex-officio member, and as the current Council is made up of sixteen members (one per ten thousand residents) has given tie-breaking votes. However, Ms. Hamilton is eager to see at least another ten thousand emigrants move to Saint Tyraine, as it will absolve her from breaking impasses within the Council as the seventeenth Councilor is elected. There were efforts to make Saint Tyraine a full State of Caribe, like Jamaica and Trinidad, but these efforts took place with more emphasis in Bridgetown than Beauregarde as most Saint Tyraineans are ambivalent toward politics. Over the past two decades the Saint Tyraineans elected an Ethiopian Orthodox priest, two Rastafarian elders, several popular musicians, and a homeless man who jokingly asked people to vote for him. Most of the time, however, Councilors are independent businesspeople who simply desire the opportunity to serve or change the laws to better help them advance. Four locally raised Saint Tyraine Militia companies, six conventional patrol craft, and a helicopter squadron represent the Caribbean military on Saint Tyraine. They are complimented by the Tirania National Guard’s liaison platoon, which assists in training the various forces in homeland defense. While Texas does most of the training back on Earth, on Tirane Caribbean forces are trained by the Tiranians, though the two do confer on lessons learned and best practices when dealing with their Caribbean counterparts. Occasionally Texan advisors join their Tiranian counterparts during the training exercises, and the three sides usually make the time as much a show of camaraderie as capability. Of importance to the Caribbeans is the mutual defense treaty they have with the American government. While on Earth this is manifest in a joint base on Grand Cayman Island, on Tirane the Caribbeans show their willingness to defend Tirania not simply by hosting the liaison platoon and allowing US Navy vessels to visit Beauregarde. It is expected that any threat to Saint Tyraine would come from Tirania, thus it was decided that Saint Tyraine would provide forces in Tirania’s defense should the need arise. Also to best prepare for that unlikely eventuality, the Caribbeans asked to join in exercises performed by Tiranian and American forces. Thus after careful planning by all sides, the Mobilization became part of the biannual joint exercise of the American, Australian, Korean, Tiranian, and Wellonese forces. While one active company of the Saint Tyraine Militia would be flown in by helicopter, the three Reserve militia companies would arrive by private conveyance. Under Caribbean law private vessels could be sequestered for legitimate defensive needs, and the many fishing and pleasure craft could easily move the three reserve companies to Emerald Bay. Also, while active-duty forces in the Caribbean military do adhere to strict guidelines of grooming and dress, reserve forces are under no such order. Thus when an American Marine captain referred to the arriving Caribbean troops as "well-armed Rastas in sailboats," he wasn’t doing so in derision. The Caribbean troops aren’t allied with too many forces, but those they do ally with can expect the full measure of their capability and zeal in any situation. The Saint Tyraine Police is a two hundred-man operation based in Beauregarde, with several smaller substations throughout the archipelago. Efforts are made to make the officers responsive to the communities they serve, but often in Beauregarde’s rougher neighborhoods like King’s Town this rapport is hard to achieve. Still, Saint Tyraine has nothing on Jamaica, or even the Caymans, in terms of crime. As a subsistence existence is quite possible on any of the various outer cays, very few get involved with criminal activity, and those that do get arrested get sent to the jail on Desolate Cay- for a considerable amount of time. Parolees are then released on one of the outer cays and warned not to return to Beauregarde or their original starting point within Saint Tyraine during their parole period on pain of life imprisonment. The idea behind the relocation is based on removing temptation from the offender. There’s little to steal in any of the outer cays, the residents are a tough, no-nonsense lot, and after some time the parolee learns to either fend for himself, work with the new neighbors, or starve to death. Non-residents, however, are deported to their home country upon release, with the same warning not to return. Police uniforms are simple khaki shorts and shirt, with a peaked cap. Often policemen will work in plain clothes, wearing only a badge to identify them. Dress uniforms include a white tunic, black trousers, and a tall white "bobby-style" hat, though these are worn only on ceremonial occasions. Recently officers were issued handguns, though most prefer using batons alongside their considerable martial arts knowledge. Part of the training is progression in Tae Kwon Do, and those that achieve Black Belt status are allowed to wear a black belt as part of their uniform. Otherwise belts matching the color of the uniform worn are to be used. As mentioned above, the only consular offices in Saint Tyraine are the Tiranian and Wellonese consulates in Beauregarde’s Canada Square. Freihafen has an honorary consul available, operating from a travel agency near the Morgan’s Point terminal, but Herr Kwiatkowski isn’t accredited to assist Freihafenians who find themselves in trouble. Australia and America have accredited the Tiranian office to represent their interests and assist their citizens, while British citizens are directed to the Wellonese office. Freihafen has planned to open a full consulate in Beauregarde, but budget constraints have put the new office on hold. Saint Tyraine is represented abroad at Caribbean consulates and interests offices throughout Human Space. However, given Caribe’s limited resources, these are few and far between. On Tirane Caribe has an embassy at New Camelot, and consular offices at Free Haven, Tirania; Hauptstadt, Freihafen; and Bennelong, New Canberra. For other colonies on Tirane, British or Wellonese offices provide consular services to Caribbean citizens and visa information to prospective visitors to Saint Tyraine. As mentioned above, people arrive from Saint Tyraine from either Tirania or (less frequently) Wellon, either by air or ferry. Once at Beauregarde options are fairly more limited. Ferry services connect the outer cays infrequently, depending on customer base, while two rental car agencies exist for self-drive options. Minibuses connect the various small villages on Nesta’s Cay on fairly regular intervals, but for most drivers of these minibuses "on-time" can mean arriving within an hour of the scheduled time. Taxis can be hired, and most of the drivers are honest, but occasionally unscrupulous taxi drivers have placed visitors into dangerous situations. Also, there are no meters in the taxis. Fares must be negotiated beforehand. Two ferry companies operate in Saint Tyraine: Cool Runnings and Tirania’s Three Star Lines. Cool Runnings connects Beauregarde to all the outer cays, but on an as-required basis. Those that wish to leave any of the outer cays contacts the local office of Cool Runnings and a stop is scheduled on the next run. This can take up to three days, or if time is of the essence (an alien concept to Caribbeans, by the way), then a boat can arrive sooner for an extra fee. From Beauregarde passengers inform the purser of their desired destination upon boarding and a route is mapped out, with estimated arrival times, once the ship is underway. Since docking and underway times are set by the port authority, the earlier practice of waiting for a certain number of passengers before leaving was reluctantly given up. On the other hand, Three Star Lines operates two circuits throughout the archipelago allowing the ferry to stop at every settled island at least once every ten days. The service is somewhat costlier than Cool Runnings, but you’ll know when a Three Star ferry will arrive. Three Star Lines also makes two daily runs between Beauregarde and Emerald Bay, one each way. Ferries to Beauregarde leave Emerald Bay in the morning and arrive in Beauregarde in the late afternoon, when passengers are more likely to want to go to bed. This helps the hotel proprietors of Beauregarde, guaranteeing at least one night’s stay from each visitor. Conversely, the boat back to Emerald Bay leaves in the evening, allowing the passengers to get a fair night’s sleep before arrival in Emerald Bay in the morning, just before the workday starts. The return service costs a little more, as beds are available, but many simply extend their Saint Tyraine experience by partaking of the onboard lounge as they return to Tirania. Three Star also runs a ferry between Tirania City and Beauregarde weekly, with the trip taking 24-28 hours. Most simply take the maglev to Emerald Bay and catch the ferry there. Faster hydrofoil and wing-in-ground craft, while available throughout Tirane, seldom stop at Saint Tyraine primarily due to the lack of advanced capability at Beauregarde, though erratic weather and sea conditions in the southern Gulf of Tirania also negatively affect fast shipping.. A fast hydrofoil cargo and passenger vessel makes the route between Emerald Bay and Beauregarde once every two weeks, weather permitting, and has become Saint Tyraine’s lifeline for bulk goods the settlement is unable to produce itself. With the onset of Grandsummer and the increased threat of hurricanes Saint Tyraine is working hard to stock up on important items, supplies of which may be cut off due to weather-related transport cancellations. The inhabited outer cays are also connected to Beauregarde by short haul aircraft. Air Tyraine operates thirty-seat propeller driven craft to all the inhabited islands at least weekly. Fares are costlier than similar services on Tirane, but then Saint Tyraine has a smaller customer base to work with. No island is more than two hours away from Beauregarde, which is a good thing, as the crowded, propeller-driven ‘planes do not offer a comfortable flying experience (in the author’s opinion, of course). Besides the Ring Road, circumnavigating Nesta’s Cay, other roads include the Jumper Country Road into the hills above Beauregarde, Blue Mountain Road in the southern part of the island near the airport, and Back Beach Road, paralleling the Ring Road along the western shoreline of Nesta’s Cay. The first three roads are paved, two lane affairs making for easy access to the various villages along them. The latter road, Back Beach Road, is currently a dirt track barely passable by standard wheeled vehicles. However, as three new resorts are planned for the Back Beach area the supporting road should improve. The Back Beach area is also slated for a new ferry terminal to the westernmost outer cays to relieve the pressure on the Morgan’s Point facilities. Other islands have dirt tracks as necessary. Often, they aren’t. Saint Tyraine for all its potential has a grossly underdeveloped economy. At least a quarter of Saint Tyraine’s residents lives a subsistence lifestyle, usually in the Outer Cays or remote areas of Nesta’s Cay. However, to the people of Saint Tyraine this is less a problem that would be to the economists and businesspeople of Tunghu, for example. They’re living their own lives their own way, and those who feel the need to live a dog-eat-dog existence and climb a difficult ladder to someone else’s idea of success can catch the next boat to Emerald Bay. Still, Saint Tyraine does offer a lot in terms of products and services. Niche agriculture and aquaculture are common throughout the archipelago, while tourism is starting to pick up. However, to keep the ratio of tourists to residents at a happy medium large scale resort development is not on the long-range plan. Simple bed-and-breakfast inns dominate the tourist industry, with only the Henry Morgan Hotel and the smaller luxury suites in Canada Square’s mini-towers offering anything close to four-star lodging and services. Seaside and mountain lodges compliment the city’s inns, and all offer visitors unique surroundings with Caribbean charm. Coral seeding, much like what is taking place on Earth, has been introduced to Saint Tyraine to mixed results. The salinity of Tiranean seas is somewhat lower than that of Earth’s oceans, thus reducing the amount of minerals corals can pull out of the water to build with. As such, what has taken fifty years to create on Earth will take nearly three times as long to form on Tirane. Research is underway in both Beauregarde and Free Haven to possibly genetically modify the corals intended for Tirane, but for the time being Earth corals have a much harder time taking hold on Tirane. Another problem for the coral-seeding project of Saint Tyraine involves the effects of the Grandseasons on water temperatures. While Saint Tyraine is in the tropical zone of Tirane, with fairly stable water temperatures near the surface, temperature changes in deep water currents affect that of the normal depth used by the coral seeders. Logging, especially on some of the outer cays, has become far more lucrative, but an outright ban on clear-cutting makes the process more difficult. Still, it does keep the islands natural beauty mostly intact, and drives up the prices of both standard and specialty hardwoods, many found only in Saint Tyraine. Since it’s outsiders that want the rare blackwood lumber for furniture and other specialty items, then Saint Tyraine can deliver it at its own pace. However, as the blackwood trees only grow on five cays to the east of Beauregarde, little is known about their life cycle, thus what remains after thirty years of harvesting must be husbanded carefully lest humans drive another species into extinction. The primary building material in Saint Tyraine is pre-cast concrete. Construction makes up nearly a fifth of the overall economy, with much of that mixing and forming concrete. While the economy is otherwise slower than others on Tirane are, new arrivals from Caribe need places to live, and the construction industry works very hard to keep up. Still, architecture reflects a Caribbean exuberance, so while three-story apartment blocks fill the growing needs of Saint Tyraine, there’s no possibility they’ll resemble the bland Communist-bloc housing of the pre-Twilight period. Bright colors, unique shapes, faux-wood siding all add character to otherwise dull construction. Factories and other utilitarian facilities, on the other hand, don’t require such attention to detail. And none have it. What the factories and other working facilities share with the apartment blocks are underground storm shelters intended to protect residents and workers in the event of hurricanes. While no one is allowed to set up permanent residence in the basements, many host small taverns and restaurants serving those working and living in the buildings. These establishments receive numerous tax breaks and business incentives in exchange for their maintaining standards of emergency provision and support equipment, and assisting free of charge anyone weathering storms in their areas of responsibility. In fact, as a result hurricanes are often the basis of underground "storm parties," where as a result of public policy all food and (non-alcoholic) drink is legally "on the house." Refugees thus have more money to spend on strong drink, and often a good time is had by all until the "all-clear" alarm is sounded. Individual homes are built to withstand the hot, humid climate of the southern Gulf of Tirania. Similar to homes in Emerald Bay and the rest of the Lefthook Peninsula, most of Saint Tyraine’s family homes are elevated anywhere from 2m to 3m to maximize airflow underneath them, and those Saint Tyraineans with private vehicles usually park them in the available empty space. Windows feature louvers vice sliding windows, allowing 40% more airflow into the home, while roofs are peaked with screen-covered vents at each end. Due to the possibility of strong storms, these homes are modular, collapsible structures that allow for quick disassembly and storage in concrete shelters included with each property. Wealthier residents build low, aerodynamic concrete homes with air conditioning and individual storm shelters. By law, owners of these homes must provide shelter to anyone requiring it during storms, though can charge reasonable amounts for any food or drink consumed. Agriculture and aquaculture employ half of Saint Tyraine’s residents, with many of them raising enough to simply support themselves. Bananas are grown for export, mainly to specialty shops in Wellon, and tea nut plantations have begun to fill a growing market for the tea created from the tree’s fruit, but specialty products like Tyraine Jerk Sauce are the main agricultural export. Other exports are alcoholic beverages such as the Tea Nut Rum, distilled from the juice of the tea nut fruit mixed with locally grown sugar cane, Red Star lager (with a wide following among the Caribbean diaspora throughout Tirane), and standard rums of varying quality. White "overproof" rums remain as much a staple of Caribbean life on Tirane as they do on Earth, thus local demand often keeps these beverages from broader export. Thus anyone outside of Saint Tyraine that wishes to sample these elixirs must travel to Saint Tyraine to obtain them, or pay exorbitant (extortionate?) amounts to have them shipped elsewhere- including Caribe itself. As a result of the erratic climate, most farms operate with extensive systems of "drip" irrigation pioneered in pre-Confederation of Palestine Israel. While not required most of the time, the irrigation networks allow proper watering of crops during the drier parts of the seasons and rain storage when precipitation is present. While this represents considerable investment by individual farms and cooperatives, the Saint Tyraine and Caribbean governments believe the self-sufficiency this provides Saint Tyraine’s agricultural capacity far outweighs the costs. As a result, farmers and cooperatives receive low- or no-interest loans to pay for the new equipment, though repayment still cuts into funds that can be used for other things. Recently Saint Tyraine has followed its Caribbean counterparts back on Earth in offering offshore banking services. In conjunction with Canadian banks that have had centuries of association with the various Caribbean states before and after unity, Saint Tyraine offers those who can afford the initial deposits a tax-free environment in which to invest in. While the one settlement-wide commercial bank, the Saint Tyraine People’s Bank, focuses its efforts on serving the settlement’s residents, the four other banks present in Beauregarde are more keenly interested in serving anonymous, offshore clients. The five banks of Saint Tyraine, three of which are Canadian, maintain their headquarters and central information hubs in the one high-tech business area in the center of Beauregarde. While not the tall towers of Bennelong, Mirambeau, or Point Sterling, Canada Square provides what little skyline Beauregarde has to offer. As the banks themselves need little room to operate, the remaining space in the five six-story buildings are open to hotel operators, legal firms, upscale shops and restaurants, and the small consular presence of Saint Tyraine. With the infrastructure needs such as communications networks, electricity, sewer and water being met by internal sources, and the strict security measures taken to protect the banks and other businesses, Canada Square effectively cuts itself off from the rest of Beauregarde, though during business hours it is open to all Saint Tyraineans who wish to do business there. With Saint Tyraine’s proximity to Emerald Bay, Tirania, at times the wealthy investors of the offshore banks fly out in personal VTOL craft to interact directly with their account handlers. As a result, when such visits are planned Caribbean Customs officers station themselves at the rooftop landing pads to inspect luggage and ensure money-laundering laws are strictly adhered to. With this unique means of access, along with the available hotel rooms it is possible for a visitor to spend time in the Canada Square with the only uniquely Caribbean aspect they encounter being the accent of the people working nearby. (Of course, why anyone would want to sequester himself or herself in Canada Square is beyond the comprehension of the author.) The only media outlet indigenous to Saint Tyraine is Radio Free Tyraine. While it is possible to receive broadcasts from Tirania and Wellon, as well as satellite and cable feeds from elsewhere on Tirane, only Radio Free Tyraine offers similar services from Beauregarde to the rest of Tirane. Other than bringing Caribbean culture to Tirane, broadcast licensing laws in Saint Tyraine give wide leverage to news reporting and expression of opinion. Thus entire blocks of time, usually when Saint Tyraineans are asleep and their counterparts in Wellon, New Canberra, the estados of Provincia do Brasil, Tundukubwa, and so forth are awake, are offered to organizations and individuals who would otherwise be proscribed from their own media outlets. Thus news and opinion critical of the Church, and thus banned in Provincia do Brasil, is broadcast via satellite in Portuguese to the intended audience. Tundukubwan tiranista sympathizers can broadcast to their home colony in Afrikaans, English, Xhosa, or Zulu. Minority communities from Amaterasu can reach their audiences free of interference from the Japanese authorities. All by simply buying a block of time from Radio Free Tyraine. This hasn’t endeared Radio Free Tyraine to many of these governments, or even some individuals elsewhere. While Bob Marley retrospectives, calypso, gumbay, and tikki-rai programs, and so forth are acceptable (or at least tolerable) to conservative elements of the various societies on Tirane, someone criticizing government policy, a certain elite, or the status quo in general in the native language of the offended listener goes beyond the pale. Even those from more open societies take issue with Radio Free Tyraine’s "open mike" policy, as in the case of Clayton Bennett over an editorial against the Reagan Society’s new orbital shipyard. ("’Radio Free Tirade’ needs to ensure the facts are straight before opening their studio to malcontents. Either that, or stick to tikki-rai," was his response to "Control From Above: Ronald Reagan Station and a Free Tirania" by a radical member of Tirania’s Frontier Values Party.) Radio Free Tyraine, for its part, offered a similar deal to Bennett and the Ronald Reagan Society to air their views. Income from the "open mike" goes to fund a competent, well dispersed core of reporters throughout Tirane who report with little editorial interference. Radio Free Tyraine believes that news organizations should not act as censors, either in favor of a government or corporate policy, but simply allow the news to be reported. Thus all of the news and opinion broadcasts open with, "The views and opinions of (x individual or organization) to follow do not necessarily reflect those of Radio Free Tyraine, other than the general right of the speaker to express them. If the listener doesn’t care for what is to be broadcast, they are free to change the channel now. " As the policy is "if you have the money, we’ll sell the time," odious broadcasts from anti-immigration activists, avowed racists, and others who espouse hate are allowed to buy time as well. Since those purchase rates are kept secret, the worst of the worst are charged considerably more than others, and their broadcasts are preceded by the same warning above modified at the end by, "Many of us here at Radio Free Tyraine plan to do so ourselves." Still, the vast majority of Radio Free Tyraine’s programming is rooted in Caribbean culture, and their home page gives the broadcast schedule for the month. Thus it is possible not only to hear what is being broadcast through a download into personal computers, one can learn in advance what will play over the next month. Reports from Radio Free Tyraine reporters are also found on the home page, usually before broadcast. However, in the interest of saving valuable data storage space, opinion and editorial broadcasts are not posted on Radio Free Tyraine’s ‘net site, regardless of the popularity of the speaker. Radio Free Tyraine also publishes a daily hard-copy newspaper, the "Radio Free Tyraine Journal" sold in shops throughout Saint Tyraine, which incorporates the news reports from the field. This is seldom exported, making a copy of the Journal a popular souvenir of the broadcasters’ fans visiting Saint Tyraine. Advertisement space within the Journal is sold solely to local businesses and individuals, and often includes information not broadcast by Radio Free Tyraine, or hosted on their ‘net site. Ernestine Hamilton, District Administrator Ms. Hamilton represents the Caribbean government on Saint Tyraine, and as such she carries herself with an air of determined elegance. She is never seen in public with less than a chic suit, two assistants, and her digital notepad. Despite that, Ms. Hamilton has no problems visiting churches and community centers anywhere in Saint Tyraine, particularly in the worst sections of Beauregarde. Capable of connecting to her fellow citizens with ease regardless of socioeconomic levels, she believes that she represents the people of Saint Tyraine as much as she does the government back at Bridgetown. In her official capacity she is also the primary Caribbean diplomat on Tirane, and thus must travel infrequently to the other colonies and nations. While Caribe and Saint Tyraine have refused seats on the Tirane Council, she has had to speak to the Council directly on more than one occasion to defend Saint Tyraine’s interests, with the support of the Tiranian Representative, Annette Li. The occasions for her visits usually relate to a broadcast of Radio Free Tyraine one or more of the other colonies find offensive, making her one of Tirane’s most visible spokeswoman for a free press. Originally from a wealthy suburb of Kingston, Jamaica, Ernestine Hamilton has just in the past three years married a program director for Radio Free Tyraine, and has two daughters from a previous marriage back on Earth. One of them recently gave birth to her first grandchild. Ms. Hamilton and her husband currently live in Government House at Beauregarde, though they also own a small house in Jumper Country. Motivations: Ernestine Hamilton offers sound advice and works hard for the best wishes of the people of Saint Tyraine. With her current husband tied to Saint Tyraine by birth and employment, it is quite likely she will retire there when her term expires in 2305. Malcolm Eubanks, Saint Tyraine Councillor Malcolm Eubanks owns the company that manages both the Morgan’s Point terminal and the airport, as well as the largest minibus company operating on Nesta’s Cay. Known throughout Saint Tyraine as a tireless businessman, he nonetheless stood for election on a platform of "giving back to my community." And for the most part, he has. In addition to fronting much of the construction costs for a new clinic in Beauregarde, he was also present with District Administrator Hamilton when it was opened and named in his honor. Still, while he favors the new ferry terminal in the Back Beach area, he opposes the efforts to open management of the new facility up for bid. "There’s already a competent firm managing Morgan’s Point and the airport, why not extend the existing contract to Back Beach?" As the issue directly involves him, however, he’s ineligible to cast a vote himself, thus he’s using whatever means at his disposal to influence the other Councilors. Over the years Malcolm Eubanks has been used to getting his way. He believes now is no exception. A second-generation native of Saint Tyraine, his family origins are in the Cayman Islands. He is divorced and raising a teenaged son that manages to get in trouble with the law on a regular basis. While Eubanks manages to buy his kid out of trouble, what the boy really needs is some parental attention. Motivations: Malcolm Eubanks is a shrewd man, doing all in his power to gain wealth, and ruthlessly opposes anyone who keeps him from what he deserves is his. Over the years that included his ex-wife, whom he pressured into signing over custody of their child in exchange for a one-way ticket back to Earth, and may soon include his son, whom Eubanks is considering abandoning should he get in trouble again. Brigadier Anerood Panaday, Caribbean Defence Force Brigadier Panaday was recently transferred from the Trinidad Regiment to take command of the Saint Tyraine Militia. Like his Tiranian counterpart, he has responsibility not only for ground forces, but the air and naval forces as well. Given that responsibility, Brigadier Panaday seems somewhat out of his league, but soldiers on as best he can. To his credit, he has appointed several outstanding staffers to assist him, and he has made himself well liked by both the men and women under his command and his peers throughout Tirane. One issue that bothers him is the requirement of the helicopter squadron and the patrol fleet to lease space at privately managed facilities, while at the same time providing the security for those locations. What he would like to see are permanent, government owned bases for the troops under his command, or at the very least recognition of the Saint Tyraine Militia’s services to the private landlord. Panaday is married, with his wife and daughters back in Port of Spain, Trinidad. When not on duty he will be found volunteering at the construction site for the new Hindu temple being built in Beauregarde, or visiting with his troops at the various small garrisons throughout Saint Tyraine. Motivations: Brigadier Panaday is a charismatic military strategist. While he recognizes his shortcomings in out-of-branch operations, he knows well enough to find and use the best advice possible. His friendly yet determined manner has made Panaday very popular among his troops, despite his East Indian heritage, and a visit from him can lift the morale of even the most defeatist soldiers. Commissioner Patrice Alexandre, Saint Tyraine Police Many rumors circulate through Saint Tyraine about their Police Commissioner. Sadly, many of them are based on facts. Commissioner Alexander is the quintessential hard-ass cop. Despite her rank she chooses to conduct many of the high-profile interrogations herself, often to disastrous results. With her considerable skill in Tae Kwon Do many prisoners have been coerced into confessions that fail to stand up to judicial scrutiny, though often the threat of being struck alone leads many to talk. When challenged by superiors regarding her methods she responds, "These worthless scum cause Saint Tyraine pain; why shouldn’t Saint Tyraine return the favor?" (The usual response, "Since when are you Saint Tyraine?") Alexander managed to work her way to the top by the judicious application of discrimination complaints, to the point where her superiors simply to avoid trouble promoted her. However, once in the Commissioners’ seat Alexander has become increasingly stubborn and abusive; with her retirement age soon approaching there’s little she can do to avoid being replaced. With any luck Saint Tyraine’s police force can avoid damaging lawsuits and the loss of the people’s confidence before Commissioner Alexander is put out to pasture. Patrice Alexandre never married, devoting her entire life to "cleaning up Saint Tyraine." Originally from Cap-Haitien in Haiti, she arrived as part of the police contingent to clean out the archipelago before settlement. Once on Nesta’s Cay, she never left. Motivations: Patrice Alexandre loves to inflict pain, and accepts violence as a means to solve problems. If it were in her power, Saint Tyraine would be the first place on Tirane to restore the death penalty. She would then appoint herself executioner. "Green Stuff" (Acquaverde tyrainii [Alpha Centauri A I]) The local example of Tirane’s Hydrophyla taxonomic division, this consists of clusters of single-celled organisms which wash up on Saint Tyraine’s beaches. As the original "Jumpers" of Saint Tyraine were unclear as to what was and wasn’t edible in the archipelago, the "green stuff" eventually formed the basis of their diet. While having a lesser concentration of the vitamins and minerals of Earth’s seaweed and kelp, nonetheless green stuff is edible, if almost totally unpalatable. One factor keeping processed "green stuff" on store shelves is a perceived aphrodisiac effect held by many in Saint Tyraine to be true. Blackwood (Diversifolius rastaii [Alpha Centauri A I]) Another example of the Constanphyla division, the Blackwood produces a hard, nearly black-colored wood used in furniture and trimming of concrete buildings. Government House in Beauregarde was also constructed with blackwood as well. A slow-growing tree that is found only on three of the easternmost Outer Cays, blackwood was nearly logged to extinction until measures to protect the remaining stock were enacted. Some blackwood continues to be harvested, as elderly trees are cut to make room for newer saplings. The name came from its appearance, as the branches with their dark leaves hang at sharp angles towards the ground, resembling a dread-locked Rastafarian. The fact that the wood inside matches the color outside only emphasized use of the name. Tea Nut (Nococous mysticii [Alpha Centauri A I]) Saint Tyraine’s main example of the Clematisphyla division, the Tea Nut produces a fruit resembling a coconut. While inedible otherwise, this plant is dried and ground into a powder, which is then used to make a uniquely flavored tea. This nutty tea, however, contains a strong stimulant, which in a single 200ml mug is equal to two liters of strong espresso. Widely available on Saint Tyraine, the tea of the tea nut is not yet produced for mass distribution beyond the archipelago and Tirania’s Lefthook County. This suits coffee producers just fine, as it gives them time to solidify their markets and prepare for the Tiranean usurper. (Still, many believe they have nothing to worry about. Coffee never replaced tea in the British Commonwealth, despite its widespread use on the Continent and the Americas. It’s not likely that "T-Nut Tea" will replace coffee on Earth.) Screechers (Tacquilae tyrainii [Alpha Centauri A I]) A brightly colored bird of prey with a 1m wingspan, screechers are named for their distinctive sound. In fact, one of the major drawbacks to a quiet nap in the hills of Nesta’s Cay is the cacaphony of screechers seeking either each other or their next meal. Fortunately for the screechers the aren’t nocturnal- otherwise there’d be many Saint Tyraineans willing to exterminate the entire species for a good night’s sleep. Still, despite their cries screechers are beautiful birds, and they do help keep the introduced rodent population to a minimum. Pouncer. Number appearing: 1, Initiative: 6, Melee hit chance: difficult, Size: 1d10/2 kg, Speed: 40, Armor: 0.1, CON: 2, LIFE: 5 Chameleon Roach (Noqinsectae vividii [Alpha Centauri A I]) Chameleon roaches are similar in size and appearance to their terrestrial counterparts, yet have the unique ability to change color as necessary to avoid detection by leckos (see below) and others who wish to kill them. Thanks to the chameleon roach, the terrestrial variety has been prevented from gaining a foothold on Saint Tyraine. Unfortunately, the local variety is just as despised if not more so due to their color-changing ability. Normal pesticides do work, but most Saint Tyraineans keep leckos in their homes instead. Lecko (Tizardae toshii [Alpha Centauri A I]) Leckos are lizard-like creatures with six legs and a forked tail that have voracious appetites for any insect-like creature. Using a powerful sense of smell, they can find chameleon roaches that humans miss. As a result, humans keep leckos in their homes to keep pests to a minimum. In fact, at times leckos can be so successful that their human keepers must let some insects in to keep them fed. Dead insects don’t work; their meal must be alive before a lecko will consider eating it. Pouncer. Number appearing: 1, Initiative: 6, Melee hit chance: difficult, Size: 25-100g, Speed: 40, Con: 1, Life: 3 |
