Rensa's History - A Working Conversation

Having looked at what most people who made suggestions for the subject of the background piece wanted, I came up with this.

Silverwater is a southern province of the Empire which has had at least one passing mention in the series.

“The optimal settlement pattern is laid out in the Colonial Development Plan.”  The computer went on, “Variations to the Plan promote inefficiency.”

“It is inefficient to try to put a town in the middle of a swamp-ringed lake or halfway up a thousand metre escarpment,” retorted Emperor and Senior Active Administrator Genad, brushing back his agouti hair with one hand.  “We don’t have the resources to build the supports for one or the access to either.”

“Sites JL529 and JS845 are suboptimal building locations,” the Central Unit of the Colonial Development System noted.  “There are always potential issues when designating settlement locations without having actual terrain data that appear to have been ignored by the Plan’s developers.”

“Or they expected human intervention to make any necessary adjustments,” retorted Genad.  “Okay, accepting that we need population centres in both these localities but not necessarily on the precise designated points, based on all available data where would you recommend construction?”

“Calculating.”  After five minutes it announced, “The recommended alternate construction sites are JL529.36 and JS844.90.”

“So,” Genad consulted the map, “JL529.36 is the only really solid piece of lake shore and JS844.90 is at the base of the escarpment, near the waterfall.”

“Both locations are within parameters,” the Central Unit commented serenely.

“Is there enough space at JL529.36 for a provincial administrative hub?”  Genad tapped the map with his finger.

“The designated provincial area has a disproportionately high percentage of surface water and water-logged terrain types,” advised the Central Unit.  “If you were prepared to compromise the location of the settlement at JL527 to JL527.12, then it would be on a hill beside the junction of two potentially navigable rivers.  It would seem to be a location of future economic potential.”

“Agreed,” sighed Genad.  “Shift the provincial administrative centre to JL527.12.  Name the designated provincial area ‘Silverwater’ and pass the provincial plan to Population and Construction.”

“Done.”  The Central Unit was efficient.

“Very well,” Genad rolled his shoulders.  “What else needs to be decided in the JS space?”

June Prompt Request Summary

Thanks to everyone who participated in my June Prompt Request, I wrote the following stories:

A Frank Discussion
A Question of Etiquette
The Work
Unicorn Hunt
Grand Designs
About That Bet
Anger Food
Slow Mail
The Atlanteans' Return
Night Call Out
A Dream of Childhood
Origin Story
A Confession
When Times Get Tough
Too Much Fuss

Fifteen stories meant that I also wrote a background piece set in the history of Rensa's world and titled A Working Conversation.

The Prompters' Story continues!

All finished just in time to start again.

Thank you again to everyone who prompted and signal boosted.

July Prompt Request

The Prompt Request is open from now (Saturday, 28 July, my time) until sometime Tuesday, 7 August, my time. is now closed.

If you give me more than one prompt you need to know that I will work through the list in order starting at the top.

The rules and parameters:

1. Each prompt will be:
   1.  a short sentence or phrase;
   2. a story of mine posted to LJ you want to see more of – it does not need to come from a Prompt Request; or
   3. characters of mine from stories posted on LJ – they do not need to come from a Prompt Request.
2. For each prompt I write to I will write 300±50 words.  If you want to see something I’ve done along these lines before, please see the results of my April and June Prompt Requests.  I have found that stories sometimes carry me away and you may get more than 350 words due to no fault of yours.
3. I will write one prompt per person, unless you signal boost this Prompt Request or a story from it , in which case I will write an additional prompt per site/platform you boost on i.e. one prompt each on LJ, Twitter, Dreamwidth, etc, for each day of the prompt request you signal boost.  I am setting an arbitrary limit of 14 extra prompts per prompter from boosting.  You will need to tell me about your boosts because I am not across every site and platform.
4. For each prompter I get, I will write 50 words in a prompting reward serial story;
5. No fanfic, I just don’t know enough about enough current series and settings to do your favourites justice – give me a name or names and I promise what you get will not be the people you know and love; and
6. Please, nothing that has to be porn – I have to be in the mood to write that sort of thing and I would like to be able to post these stories without warnings.  (Yes, I know, 1b & 1c could produce prompts that are almost like that.)
7. For every ten prompt-based pieces I write I will I write a background piece on a world or character, subject to be chosen by audience poll.

Why am I doing this?  Practice!  Plus I’ve found that I enjoy the interaction with all of you.

And yes, there is a tip jar.  This is for extensions.  I will write extensions at 500 words per $5.00.

1. If I receive any money for extensions I can no longer be flabbergasted because that’s already happened but I will be very surprised. J
2. For every $15 I receive for paid extensions I will write to one more prompt, chosen by those who have paid for extensions, from any ‘unsupported’ prompts received in the Prompt Request.  This will occur after I have written the paid extensions.  An ‘unsupported’ prompt is one which does not have a signal boost to support it.

If you are kind enough to give me more signal boosts than you want to prompt, I will use each of your ‘left over’ signal boosts to power another 50 words in the prompt reward story.

Please tell me where you’ve signal boosted as a reply to your comment giving me prompts.

Thank you for participating.

<input ... >Prompt Extensions

<select ... ><option ... >100 words$1.00 AUD</option><option ... >200 words$2.00 AUD</option><option ... >300 words$3.00 AUD</option><option ... >400 words$4.00 AUD</option><option ... >500 words$5.00 AUD</option><option ... >600 words$6.00 AUD</option><option ... >700 words$7.00 AUD</option><option ... >800 words$8.00 AUD</option><option ... >900 words$9.00 AUD</option><option ... >1000 words$10.00 AUD</option></select>

<input ... > <input ... >