Ascension. Progression. Deliverance. Struggles and quirks of Permeable Ceiling LLC

[Permeable Ceiling]

Ascension, Progression, Deliverance: Struggles and quirks of Permeable Ceiling LLC’s colonies

Index

• Cislunar Space
  • LEO
    • Powell – pop 190 – notes: puddle lakes 
      
  • HEO
    • Pernell – pop 160 – notes: dawn lighting, crime alley, future home 
    • Looking Glass – pop 490 – notes: vomit comet for police
      
  • L1
    • Society – pop 2300 – notes: 
      
  • L4
    • –
      
  • L5
    • –
      
  • LLO
    • Moonscape – pop 2400
      

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Permeable Ceiling LLC decided to enter the field of space colonisation at the behest of its founder, a multibillionaire and odd duck, whose quirks and struggles in life were curiously reflected in her company’s history as well. But rather than tell you this, see for yourself.

Before they shot many hundreds tonnes of parts into space to build a space colony, PC needed to design it first. Figuring out the design software took its time, as particularly the edge cases ran into the first unexpected quirks.



The first colony, Powell, was… off to a rough start, and almost bombed the whole enterprise.

Due to minimum size requirements unmentioned in the technical documentation the atmosphere regulator went into a feedback loop that lead to fluctuations in the CO2 content, which was reflected in the now ongoing wilt/bloom byplay of the local grasses. Thankfully trees don’t seem to be affected as well.


A learning experience was also the water level. At mere 5 centimetres above the superstructure, the lakes here displayed would be more accurately described as particularly vast ponds.

More strikingly was the discovery of city planners that population density so highly correlated with crime rate. Thankfully there have been no crimes reported so far. Which doesn’t mean there aren’t, just that none are reported. On the other hand, the police is on top of this.


As for fire…


Which might actually be a reason only half the houses are filled.
Curiously enough, following a recent fire in the recently named Phoenix Lane, which burned down a duplex and triplex…


…a zoning change in the adjacent puddle finally drew in an investor, who built a department store. In the puddle.



The PC colonist recruitment department is still trying to figure how this zoning change spurred an influx of settlers that forced established families to sublet unused rooms. Well, good for them, more discretionary budget to spend.

[Permeable Ceiling]

While the LEO colony “Powell” was merrily struggling along with its water problems, “Pernell”, a High Earth Orbit colony established as a retreat for personnel servicing GEO satellites, had to face its own problems.



Namely, that of a designer that preferred the early dawn hours. The colony’s light levels hover about at 55% normal, which according to that unnamed designer is excellent relaxation conditions, but for most everyone else is just on the edge of annoying.
This is tentatively described as one of the factors for the high crime rate in domestic parts of the colony.



We can’t conclusive prove a causal connection to the lighting conditions, but it makes one wonder if the colony designer intended these conditions.
Especially in light of the Primary School.



Young children, a crime alley, a quirky billionaire… one hopes the designer didn’t intend to raise their own Bruce Wayne.



Given the prevalence of game stores, vigilantism at least doesn’t seem to be the escapism of choice.

Well, at least the valley looks nice, even if it’s a crime infested shore hive that curiously has yet to draw action by the police.

[Permeable Ceiling]

Originally the construction of additional mirrors for Pernell was contemplated, but at the insistence of a slight majority of the population these plans were scrapped. They were arguing in favour of habitats with a diversity of conditions to accommodate subpopulations with certain diseases or preferences. 
Thus Looking Glass was designed, to take up some of the workers that were previously housed at Pernell. Situated at the same High Earth Orbit as its predecessor, it’s lighting conditions were comparable to equatorial regions of Earth, and the general design, while based on Pernell, was changed. To make room for the increased demand, slightly inverted endcaps were used for the first time, a decision that had later repercussions.


The alure of waterside duplex and triplex buildings was taken into account while planning the layout of the colony, as was the need for a certain ecological autonomy. One notes the proximity of the essential colony buildings in the image; Water Treatment Plant, Atmosphere Regulator, Colony Hall, Fire Station, and Police Station. A prime settling location indeed!



As one can see, the manager of the agricultural towers likes to have a view of her responsibilities.



Since she had first choice over her lodgings, Permeable Ceiling LLC was a bit surprised she chose the topmost floor of this apartment complex, rather than one of the apartments provided near the commercial district.



Given the regular presence of the police in these parts, it isn’t that surprising, though.



Actually, while we’re on the topic, the crime valley aspect of Pernell seems to have repeated in Looking Glass. 



When even upon orders from colony hall no police officers arrived, and given there was a police station all but right next to it, PC LLC started to investigate.

The culprit was soon found in a faulty police cruiser autopilot software, that kept steering the cruisers closer and closer into the axle tubes, spiralling around the axis at speeds that would be more accurately described in hertz than rpm. 





The injured officers have been delivered earthside for treatment, and PC is considering pressing charges with the police vehicle provider.


On a more positive note, we have finally figured out waterslide technology.

[Permeable Ceiling]

Society, orbiting the 1st Lunar-Earth-Lagrange Point, began as a joint venture between the L1 society and Permeable Ceiling and proved to be a resounding success.



Since it was PC’s first step outside of proximate Earth orbits, ferrying the needed materials to the colony was an expensive endeavour. The experiences gained over the course of the previous colonies did more than make up for it.  

With the emphasis on the agricultural installations the L1 society insisted on the economic basis was very solid.



Even accounting for plateauing of current income, the governmental grant would be paid back in full in five decades. Given the expected technological and societal progression, it stands to reason it will take less than that.

As in previous colonies, the duplex lakefronts turned out to be breeding grounds for the less legally inclined, but police presence is seldomly requested.



Of note is the high demand for workers, both agricultural and industrial, that cannot be met by the local population. As is the job market outstrips the number of residents by a factor of two.

Despite the agricultural foundation of “Society", the colony manager decided to stay in the repurposed top floor of the office building, overlooking the commercial district.