The Rust At The Edges
Ereshkigal was dead though no funeral pyres burned for her and her crew. Mars did not allow for that yet. Instead, fires raged on Earth. Protests from the Andes to Chukotka arcologies choked already cramped cities. It was the greatest challenge to the UN’s authority since the start of the Twin Struggles.
The protests exploded into being following a UN Mandate to reduce Universal Basic across the board, a decision that would fund the expensive safety overhauls for the remaining fleet of Transports.
The Security Council was quick to act, mandating an immediate and heavy-handed response. It became the norm to see Karkanda Exo-Transports bullying their way through congested streets, disgorging heavily-armed Peacekeepers.
UN blue was quickly stained red in the pursuit of peace.
The General Assembly’s decision to continue with UNJAM only served to intensify the protests.
For the colonists on Mars however, a new problem reared its head.
UN Transports sat in drydocks undergoing overhauls leaving Mars without access to Earth’s industrial capacity and colonists. Mars’ ongoing colonisation efforts would be hampered, perhaps decisively, without further action.
Fortunately for Mars, the United Nations found a stopgap solution in the form of CV Pat-Chem AB’s Titan Mk.II robots.
Each Mk.II robot is capable of exploring and mining on behalf of their users in addition to specialised functions:
Titan Mk.II: R3FN-3R - This is capable of refining raw materials allowing their processing by the CR4F-7R model.
Titan Mk.II: CR4F-7R - This model takes goods refined by the R3FN-3R model and produces components for use by the W4R-SM7H.
Titan Mk.II: W4R-SM7H - The last model in the three tier production chain, the W4R-SM7H model takes refined materials and components to craft a variety of weapons and ammunition.
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