Residence

Residence, Advanced

Residence, Reinforced

While their function may not be glamorous, Residences are possibly the most important structures in the colony, and they are deceptively sophisticated in their construction and functions.

The interior of each Residence structure is divided into two major sections: the living level(s) and the lifeworks. The living level is in turn divided into the commons and the living suites. The commons is a shared living area usually located in the center of the structure. It provides lounging and play space, along with limited entertainment and educational facilities. Potted plants located around the commons help boost Morale, contribute atmosphere purification, and even provide occasional fresh vegetables.

Men's and women's communal bath areas are located at one end of the commons, along with a small exercise room. At the other end of the commons are small privacy rooms, which provide Colonists living in shared quarters an oft-needed retreat. Use of the privacy rooms is much in demand, and time is granted through a lottery system.

The area devoted to living suites can be flexibly subdivided according to colony needs. The various suite configurations include singles (housing one or two unpartnered singles), doubles (housing childless couples), and quads (for families with up to two children). While a quad can also accommodate a family with two older children and an infant, larger families are generally given a quad plus an adjoining single. There are also VIP suites for Elders and a few of the colony's elite. While such suites generally aren't vastly larger than normal suites, they do have more flexible space and luxury furnishings. Most are located on the outside of the structure, incorporating at least one window with a view. VIP suites are built to individual specifications, and vary considerably in floor-plan and size.

More than just apartments, the living suites provide extensions of many colony services. Computer links and smart-paint wall-sized screens can be used for entertainment and education, as well as job-related and personal communications. Bio-sensors built into the beds can be used to monitor Colonists receiving out-patient care from the Medical Center, and can even occasionally be used to make a remote diagnosis of a minor ailment. Simple exercise equipment is built into the walls, as is a small personal cooking facility (while most colony meals are centrally prepared, access to home-cooking is again a Morale issue).

While quarters are small and crowded, human-factor engineering is used to make them as comfortable as possible without sacrificing efficiency and utility (the Plymouth colony seems to be better at this than Eden).

In an emergency, Residence capacity can be temporarily increased by installing beds in the common areas, removing some partitions to create larger suites, and hanging hammocks for additional bedding. While this is possible, it should be a matter of last resort, due to its detrimental effect on Morale.

Hidden from view is the other vitally important section of the Residence, the lifeworks. The lifeworks is an integrated life-support system for human habitation. It provides climate control, air recycling, water recycling, waste treatment, automated food preparation (supplying dispensers located in the commons), and even clothing (made to order from syntharoy fabrics, which are synthesized and cut on-site, then assembled using laser-welded seams).

Each colony has developed its own specialized variation on the basic Residence design. Eden has created an Advanced Residence. Its redesigned lifeworks serves a larger structure, housing more Colonists, but with the same Power and Worker operational requirements as the earlier Residence.

Plymouth has developed the Reinforced Residence. This version incorporates increased shielding, self-sealing bulkheads, extra safety gear, heavier construction, and a quake-resistant foundation to help the structure survive in especially hostile and dangerous conditions. While this structure has less interior space than the standard Residence, Plymouth's advancements in human engineering have made it no less comfortable.

Operational Notes: The Residence, Advanced Residence, and Reinforced Residence house Colonists and improve Morale. The Residence is designed to hold up to 25 Colonists. The Advanced Residence is designed to hold up to 50 Colonists. The Reinforced Residence is designed to hold up to 40 Colonists. NOTE: The Advanced Residence is available only to Eden. The Reinforced Residence is available only to Plymouth.

Tales from New Terra

The ground quake knocked Jensen clean out of his bunk. He rolled around on the floor in a heap of blankets, trying to catch his breath.

His instincts screamed for him to run for a shelter, but he'd been told it wasn't necessary. This new Reinforced Residence was supposed to resist all but the most intense of quakes.

He untangled himself from his bed-coverings and climbed back onto the mattress. He looked at the chrono over the bed, and saw that he had to be on-duty in the lab in two hours. He sat there, half awake, trying to decide if it was worth going back to sleep or not.

Finally, he laid back down and pulled the blankets up over him. Reinforced or not, this Residence design still needed some work. He dozed back off, dreaming of giant springs that let him sleep through quakes.

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