¶ The City of Calypso
Writer and Loremaster: Ryanatorx
¶ Geography
Calypso is a floating city built into the upper atmosphere of the gas giant of Lapetus. Held afloat by a combination of buoyancy, anti-gravity generators, and chemical thrusters. Ships come and go at all hours from the busy ports on the exterior. ‘Outdoor’ balconies are a status symbol for business owners and residents lucky enough to get a permit to operate where they’re possible; they are maintained by use of atmospheric generators. This is also the cause of the frequent rain, as hydrogen fuses with the generated oxygen field to sprinkle these exposed areas.
Away from the ports, Calypso is organized in a labyrinth of narrow streets dividing blocks with individual designations and purposes. The most common layout leaves streetlevel for small shops, with the rooms above and below packed with apartments to fit the population in such a tight space. Space is, after all, a most valuable resource on a station. Specific block-types and subsets are specified in the ‘blocks’ section.
The ‘understation’ is where the government activity of Calypso is undertaken. Here, the tall passages between housing blocks are replaced by tight halls, bureaucratic offices, barracks, and server rooms. In the deepest, most secure parts of the station are the nuclear power stations which ensure that there are never blackouts or shortages and the housing for the Opus Animo- the administrative VI which automates much of the station’s operation.
Despite not being terribly large, the design of Calypso sometimes makes navigation time consuming and difficult. As a result, an electric tram system charts through the upper layers of the understation, allowing both goods and people to swiftly move from one side of the station to the other.
¶ Blocks and Designations
The most common type of ‘block’ is the HOUSING BLOCK, as the population is significant compared to the size of the station. The Opus Animo assigns housing based on a number of factors. Family, occupation, and political leanings are all weighted in deciding where a person will find themself. Should, for any reason, someone decide they would like to move to another housing block, they can fill out the necessary paperwork. Vacancies are not common, however, and it is very likely that there will simply be nowhere else to move. Quality of housing is constant across nearly all of the station. Windows to streets are valued below windows to Lapetian skies, for instance, but this is not considered in calculations of housing placement. Not all apartments are sized the same- families are given larger apartments to accommodate children. All apartments are slightly on the small side.
Those sharing an occupation are likely to find themselves housed together and close to their place of work. The common political leanings are slightly harder to tell at a glance, but show up particularly in the election of Councilors: those who share views are likely to have a representative count proportional to their population size, and few people find themselves in blocks of people they politically disagree with.
For certainly no reason that can be easily traced, bureaucrats tend to be found in the housing blocks with the cloud views and balconies on the edge of the station.
The second most common block type is the INDUSTRIAL BLOCK, many of which are more centrally located. Here are the factories of Calypso, reaching down into the understation as they are worked by various engineers and technicians. This designation also covers certain state industries that do not have material products and are instead focused on providing valuable services to the population, such as schools and libraries.
The least common block type is the RECREATIONAL BLOCK, which are widely varied in their exact purpose and design. Some are parks, others contain clubs, or shopping malls. They occupy entire blocks so as to reduce the need for soundproofing, and allow larger sizes. ‘Drug bars’ exist within some of these due to the lack of drug legislation when compared to Haven, making Calypso a popular ‘party’ destination due to the ‘de facto’ legality of many controlled substances. People tend to refer to them as ‘beak-easies,’ called such due to the most popular one being run by a penguin.
The Port Designation refers to the shipping of Calypso. Cargo comes and goes frequently, and this is where it is done. The port is administered by the Port Authority, which itself is managed by the Calypso Authority. Much of the exterior of the station falls under this designation.
The Understation Designation refers to areas of the station which are run directly by the state. They are, as the name implies, mostly within the underbelly of the station. Narrow halls and offices of minor bureaucrats and managers are the most actively occupied areas. Cold server rooms and reactor sub-bays are managed only by their technical staff, watched carefully for signs of sabotage by The Observer and the various combat ATL who patrol.
The Calypso Medbay receives a special designation as the largest medical facility on the station and the most advanced medical facility in the Empire. It offers some of the highest quality of care in the Fringe to Citizens who enter it for free, and at a price to Advena. A large amount of medical research is known to be conducted in the many labs of the Calypso Medbay. Despite its name, it is more adjacent in size to a small hospital. Within the medbay is also an engineering bay, which offers treatment to synthetics and androids who are injured in a more clinical setting than a workshop.
¶ Economy
Though it would never be publicly admitted, Calypso uses a planned economy. The majority of businesses are owned by the state, and those not owned by the government are mostly contractors working for the government indirectly. Most of the truly private industries provide services to the residents of Calypso, or export their goods to either Haven or the Greater Fringe. Though the public doesn’t know it, the economy is planned by the Opus Animo, which takes direct requests from the Calypso Authority as certain quotas need to be made or legislation changes how things work. The economy is planned alongside the rest of urban planning, ensuring there is no homeless population and extremely low unemployment. To those on Calypso or those looking from the outside in, it just appears as a well oiled economic machine, with changes made from the top-down without always offering explanation.
Following the Ascension of High Atlas Aleksandr, unions in state industries are officially legal. Prior to his ascension, they were ‘de facto’ legal, in that as long as they did not refer to themselves as unions.
Foreign businesses are allowed to operate on Calypso after acquiring a business license, which are granted with a simple operational fine. Local businesses must also apply for this license, but at a lower price. In both cases, the areas which they are allowed to operate are decided by the Opus Animo, and must fit the urban planning design. Shipping licenses are required to make any deliveries too and from Calypso. Much of the shipping is done by Atlas itself or Atlas affiliates, but given the market, many traders are willing to pay a small fine for the large profits to be made selling on Calypso.
There are a few major exports from Calypso. In no particular order, the state industries include harvesting of nuclear material from the atmosphere, creating of nuclear fuel, creation of solid hydrogen for various applications, robotics, ship manufacturing, and ship salvage (colloquially known as ‘shipbreaking.’) Hydroponics are also significant. Tech goods, components, drones, and weapons are among the varied products produced. These are all exported and used internally. This is not a comprehensive list, but serves as a basic guideline.
Calypso is a city in the sky, and as a result, is heavily reliant on certain imports in order to remain afloat. Parts for manufacturing and repairs require raw material imports to be made. Thanks to a vertical integration scheme, the price of these goods is low, but shipping must still be covered. Food in particular is a high-demand item, as the amount produced by the station is not nearly enough to feed the population. It is the single largest import.
¶ Government
The government of Calypso is, technically, an absolute dictatorship. The Viceroy has complete control over the government and the VIs. That said, much of the day to day governance is in the direct hands of the people doing the day to day living. Most of this information is available to the public, with the exception of any mention of Observer.
The ‘Calypso Council’ is an elected advisory body. Each housing block elects one councilor to represent their interests in a monthly meeting with the Viceroy. This is a time where small disputes are settled, suggestions are made, and more often than not, legislation is conducted. However, it is not the solitary duty of the elected Councilor to serve in this position. They also fill the role of landlord and civil judge. They are the first line of defense for the government as far as who is complained to. They are responsible for ensuring the upkeep of their housing block, and settling civil disputes between residents, and deciding on punishments for minor crimes. The result is that punishments sometimes vary between blocks. Graffiti on one housing block might result in a small fine and being forced to clean it up. Another housing block might respond by having the perpetrator finish the art piece, or complete another one.
The Viceroy tends towards making decisions on civil matters based on the advice of the Calypso Council. They have little sway in regards to foreign policy, however. Policy decisions are often made, indirectly, by the Magistrate. Issues that are raised often end up before them even beyond criminal proceedings, making them one of the more powerful groups on the station. Even so, they serve as the behest of the Viceroy, and are subject to be overturned if an issue catches the attention of either the Viceroy or the Chancellor.
Criminal Justice is done through this primarily bottom-up system. When a crime has been committed, both the perpetrator and the victim are asked for their preferred settlement method.
As it involves an elected official, Arbitration is often chosen. This is the legal path within which Councilors make legal calls. The Councilors tend to make popular decisions. They want to be re-elected, after all. They do not have access to criminal punishments like jail time. If either party is displeased enough to risk more serious consequences, or if the criminal offence is not a civil offence, they may opt out of the process of Magistration.
The Magistrate is comparable to inquisitorial criminal courts in other locations. However, there is no ‘jury of peers.’ The investigation is completed by the Magistrate with assistance from the stationed Civil Enforcement Militia with access to the main security footage of the station. They are able to make decisions without any concern for the most popular outcome. They often make unfavorable decisions for both applicants: if the Magistrate in charge of the case believes its a frivolous case, they might fine both parties for wasting the time of the Magistrate. However, the Magistrate has the power to apply criminal charges that the Councilors do not. Serious crimes end up in their ballpark. If a party is displeased with a Magistration, they can Appeal all the way up.
At this point, the Viceroy or Chancellor can end up deciding the case. They have access to the secretive Observer footage for a given case, allowing them to make decisions with complete information of nearly any crime committed on station. Crimes that end up at this level are generally pursued by the very passionate about an issue, feel they have been deeply mistreated, or feel justice has not been done. The family of a murder victim might appeal to this level if the Magistrate does not find sufficient evidence for a conviction, for instance.
The purpose of a lawyer in the Calypsonian Justice System is to research the Arbiter or Magistrate making a decision, then form an argument that will be persuasive to that individual. Should it reach the top, they look at past decisions of the Viceroy or Chancellor and attempt to create a persuasive argument from that. They tend to be less effective at defending ‘guilty’ parties as the level of official making the decision goes up, as they have access to more evidence.
The deep flaw in this system is, while significantly more efficient than traditional criminal justice, it also has more room for corruption. Those in the Magistrate are hand-picked by the Viceroy to enact her legal will, but they are only people. They both make mistakes and have personal biases which influence their decisions. At the highest level, a case might ultimately come down to who can better persuade one woman.
Much of Calypso’s operation relies on an efficient bureaucracy. This oxymoron is only possible to be true because of the Opus Animo. There are still people in the system, however. They form the bureaucratic backbone of Calypso, manually processing paperwork which requires manual review. Many forms and documents, ranging from guest passes to appeals, require this manual review.
¶ VIs
There are three major VIs which operate on Calypso. One has known public existence, one is semi-known within Atlas, and one is secret: the Opus Animo, the Overseer, and the Observer accordingly.
The Opus Animo operates using similar principles to the Atlas commander VI, the Preolium Animo. It automatically assigns tasks to ATL on-station, places work orders, ensures regular maintenance is followed, and numerous other small tasks necessary to run a city, including the tasks which mention it above.
The Overseer is used to manually interface with ATL command menus by Atlas officials with command access. It converts commands to instructions, and has widespread use throughout the Empire, from squad leaders to foremen.
METAGAME WARNING:
The Observer is a secret VI that monitors ALL the activity on Calypso. It is unknown to all but a select few, but the station has significantly more devices monitoring the populace than is known. There are cameras and microphones in the walls, the ceiling, the floors- everywhere. There are extremely few blindspots. This mass-data is collected and processed by the Observer, who is looking for very specific stimuli: things that are deemed a threat to the station as a whole. Bombs, Occasus symbology, and other extreme crimes are detected and flagged for review. Other serious crimes, like murder and kidnapping, are also flagged- but instead of being flagged for potential death squad deployment, they’re flagged for ‘anonymous tips’ to be placed for the CEM to deal with them through normal action.
¶ Existing Legislation of Note
As with any state, there is a great deal of legislation within Calypso. Some of it is rather arcane, some of it is rather strange. This exists as an OOC reference guide to some of the outstanding legislation. Things like ‘murder and theft are illegal’ are not listed, and even these have varied punishments. Convincing a Magistrate that your murder was justified is not impossible.
- It is illegal to worship enemies of the state. This particular piece of legislation looks strange until one realizes it is a roundabout way to outlaw Occasus.
- The distinct LACK of drug laws. This does not mean all drugs are legal, only that very few drugs have any laws on them at all.
- Unions are legal. They used to be explicitly illegal, and de facto legal. Now, they are explicitly legal!
¶ Subfactions
There are three distinct political subgroups of Calypso. Their existence and detailing tends to be of limited knowledge outside of Calypso. In descending order of size, they are the...
Orange Scarves - Around 100 members
Atlas Fundamentalists - Around 50 members
The United Workers of Calypso is the largest political subgroup on Calypso due to its relatively widespread collectivist appeal. They find their membership mostly in technicians, engineers, medical personnel, and blue-collar work such as dock-work, shipcraft, and ship breaking. Their goals primarily focus on fair and safe working conditions for the working class of Calypso. They also desire due representation for wants and needs.
The Orange Scarves are the second largest political subgroup on Calypso. They find their membership mostly amongst the bureaucrat class, along with some managers and officials. The common binding factor is people who wish to have more impact on government action and governance as a whole. Like the UWC, they are strong advocates for representation for wants and needs of the people. They often identify each other by wearing Stùiricke, a brand owned by notable Havenite Lesslyn Stùiricke; additionally, their signature ‘orange scarves.’
The Atlas Fundamentalists are the smallest of Calypso’s political subgroups. They are interested in self-sufficiency and traditional Atlas values. They tend to have strong views on foreign policy, and disagree with close relations with other powers. They are interested in a stronger Atlas that is strong on its own. Members include some members of the Civil Enforcement Militia, and a spattering of others from various backgrounds.
¶ Culture
Calypso is a melting pot, as it is composed entirely of immigrants. Many of those immigrants came from Olympus after the Reclamation was complete, while others came seeking work and safe conditions. Ultimately, the finite space of Calypso made the process of being accepted to live on-station rather rigorous, and far from guaranteed. The quality of life is rather high due to a mixture of government programs, extremely low unemployment, and high-paying jobs. Most unskilled labor is delegated to ATL, leaving safer and higher-paying jobs to the remaining population.
Calypso heavily focuses on the overall comfort of life for the civilian population. Free healthcare is provided to all citizens. Advena are able to receive medical care at cost. Thanks to Flavenol and other artificial nutrients, as well as advances in texture technology, food is able to be delicious despite often being made of versions of nutrient paste. This paste is creatively formed into the shapes and textures of real food, making it a fairly believable substitute. ‘Real’ food, especially meat, remains a somewhat expensive luxury due to import costs. The homes of citizens are compact but comfortable apartment blocks, with larger ones available for ‘families,’ a type of passive encouragement to procreate and make more citizens. Vertical gardens are common in housing blocks, with individuals growing their own gardens in small greenboxes on windowsills and balconies.
Despite this focus on comfort, waste is kept to a minimum. Food waste is returned to organic processing to be repurposed. There is very little trash- most material can and is recycled as a cost-reduction method. What isn’t recycled is usually deposited into the gas giant below, where pressure deals with the disposal.
There is a general encouragement by both propaganda and education to place heightened value on the whole over the self. That is to say, Atlas and her people are more important than any single person. This primarily manifests with neighbors treating each other well, and sometimes a level of nationalistic zeal.
While everyone is encouraged to consume what Calypso has to offer to live there and thrive you also have to put in. Most people who live on calypso work in the government or one of the small businesses which operates out of Calypso. The government is the number one employer on-station, and receives the profits from most of the exports. Everyone is involved in the daily business.
Due to being a society of immigrants by definition, there are a great variety of diverse subcultures in Calypso. It is not uncommon to run into de facto segregation, where groups of hylotl or florans might group together and petition to share a housing block. By doing this, groups of immigrants are able to form small ‘towns’ within the city, not unlike Chinatowns of old.
The legal gray status of narcotics has allowed a ‘pro-drug’ mentality to form among much of the population. Soft drugs are viewed as socially acceptable ways to unwind, while some hard drugs are not. These hard drugs, instead, are most commonly consumed in ‘dens’ specializing in the sale and moderation of drugs. These are licensed in the same way a bar gets a liquor license, and are able to ‘cut off’ people who are risking an overdose. When overdoses do occur, the excellent healthcare of the station is generally able to recover individuals and prevent death. The general government view is that what people do when they aren’t working is their business, so long as it doesn’t interfere with their productivity. This outlook tends naturally towards the legalization of prostitution and gambling. These legalities make Calypso a popular place to visit for the purpose of a good party from those who live in law-abiding parts of the Fringe who aren’t willing to risk the danger of partying without any safety net at all.
From the inside looking out, Calypsonians tend to not think highly of the rest of the Fringe. Despite being the largest trade partner, Haven is viewed with suspicion, and the Greater Fringe a place of significant danger. Many Calypsonians remember the Reclamation, and are inclined towards the political status quo because of it. After all, this government appears stable and keeps them safe, while other governments have failed in both of those respects.