Welcome to Gaia! ::

Morgan turned back to the Southern Governor, "Andrew, my main project lies in hunting for, gathering, cataloging, and protecting information that we can find. We have already implemented an education program, and I keep my Library open to those who would come for help. No originals ever leave, but we do our best to make copies of anything that a person may need."

"I believe we have a substantial base of technicians who could help you. We are needing more farmers, and livestock. Our lands in the southern areas of Missouri didn't suffer nearly as much as those in the North, but we don't have the farmers needed to work all the land we have at our disposal. It may be beneficial to start an exchange program between our men and women."

"We really need animals as well, especially breeders. Our livestock wasn't depleted so much by radiation as it was by desperation. Now the animals we have are protected as if they were the sacred cattle of the Hindus we used to be told about. We are trying to breed them back up, and in the meantime, we rely on the relatively large deer and rabbit populations, but even they will become stressed if we rely on them too much..."

Morgan trailed off as she realized that she was hording the conversation.

"Building fireproof organic homes sounds like a good investment, but I would rather import the wood than grow it myself," Suri commented with a small smile. "And I am certain that worker exchange programs will be discussed, for more than one reason. I don't think anyone would be so tactless to call it a human breeding program, but we need to be careful with our own genetics and immune systems."

"You are assuming that the 497 individuals are at peak fertility," Suri reminded her. "After the extensive nuclear radiation, and with our depleted medical testing supplies, we have no idea exactly how fertile any of our residents are."

She fished in her pocket for the wind-up pocket watch she had reclaimed from an old museum and checked the time. Half an hour until the conference officially started in the main lodge.

Andrew smiled, "That is good to hear, I am certain we will have much to discuss, later of course." Pausing to smoke a bit he listened quietly as the conversation went on without him. "There is a fairly easy way to tell how badly the mother and child are irradiated, and thus the chances the child will suffer deformities accordingly." Reaching into his coat Andrew pulled out a small home made Geiger counter and stepped over to Mrs. McKnight, shaking her hand, "Pleasure to meet you I am Andrew Lee, Governor Andrew Lee of the southeastern colonies, a pleasure to meet you. If you would so kindly hold still for a moment." Andrew removed a small metal stylus from the side of the device and ran it in front of Avery. Placing the stylus back in he pressed a button and waited a moment, "Congratulation Mrs. McKnight, your child is more than likely going to suffer no ill effects and your radiation levels are incredibly low." Andrew went back to his seat and returned the counter to its place.

"Pleasure to meet you," Suri said with a kind smile. She had seen wanderers before, without hope or purpose. Her colony had taken in quite a few, so long as their radiation levels were low. "Ever thought of settling in one of the colonies, even for a little while? Life on the hoof is rough on swollen ankles. If you're ever headed out west, you could do worse than visiting us at Old Florence. Our birthing survival rate is excellent--we managed to entice a few of the leading Ob/Gyn's to reside with us, which increased our success immensely."

"I do believe I might be able to aid your people in their endeavor Mrs. McKnight. Radiation does not interfere with short wave radio frequencies. And with my various outposts across less... contaminated regions of the states I am certain I could offer some aid, in exchange for something of course. I will have to agree with Ms. Reynolds though, a woman in your condition should not be wandering on foot. Please allow me to ease your burden if only for a day." Andrew pulled out a slightly damaged and modified walkie-talkie and radioed in a few taps in Morse code. The person on the other end replied with a "Rodger" and horses could be heard in the distance. "I'll have Earl drive you wherever you need to go, he should be along shortly with the horse drawn buggy." Andrew smiled absently as he stuffed his pipe with more kudzu-tobacco.

I was about to suggest something similar. A group of individuals who would be willing to shoulder the responsibility of couriers between colonies. Reliable communication will be the determining factor of whether modern human civilization gets a second chance or not. I think its value to the established colonies would definitely be worth sustaining a network of nomadic groups who are already experienced in the life of travels. I suppose our conference will need to consider such an arrangement and its worth though.

"Sorry, honey, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. I just meant that you didn't have to call the carriage for her just yet, because she probably won't be leaving any time soon," Suri corrected him with a smile and a gentle, reassuring pat on his knee. "She's an able bodied woman who obviously knows her own mind. But then I know that you are ever a gentleman with a heart of gold."