The Stack of Cards [Marrlan IA Thread]

[Artsy Astra]

<<3rd of Vaylien, 1931, Plainery Region, City of Hillian>>

A middle aged man sighed as he entered his office. He was barely through the start of his work day and was already feeling a headache coming on. The same old supply shortage and the same old "reallocate to this instead." He plopped down into his chair and began rubbing his head slowly. His drained eyes would vaguely scan his desk until his eyes finally rested upon an old framed photo. Four figures were visible, a Rel man bending town to fit within the cameras view with a rifle slung over his shoulder that looked quite small for him, a human man leaning up against a Shazzak man both holding their rifles pointing straight up, and a Shazzak woman holding a shotgun at the receiver. All of them were smiling. He traced his fingers over the bottom slowly, names scrawled at the feet of those within the frame. PFC Craig Waves, LCpL Aaron White, PVT Alma Steele, and himself SPC Jeffery Kells. Jeff sank into his seat slightly, a smirk breaking out across his face when a knock came from the other side of his office door.

His smile broke into a neutral if pained expression as he whisper yelled, "Come in." His quick reprieve was over.

A short human man came into the room with a scornful gaze and he spoke with a boorish accent, "The suits are ready to see ya Gillie." He got up with a groan not even bothering to react the Bordhanians remark. He made his way to the large meeting room in short time and soon he was looking at the other heads of the reconstruction department. "Same news?" He muttered as he entered. "Same news." A man at the end of the meeting table responded with a similar look of disappointment.  A glance around the table would show the rooms overall attitude was less sad, more tired and running on coffee alone. "Any ideas?" The rooms volume would slowly rise as brain storming commenced along with the pain from Jeffs headache. Someone piped up, "Maybe we could ask for spare building supplies from Roskana? Or atleast a loan." Another would butt in, "What about a trade deal with the UKUG? They have a surplus of alot of things, maybe they'll be willing to make a deal?" Some other ideas would be tossed around before they would settle on the UKUG trade deal.

A telegram would be sent to the Head of Foreign Affairs and preparations would be made for new infrastructure construction should they accept the proposal.

[Artsy Astra]

<<1st of Sablien, 1931, Plainery Region, City of Hillian>>

Despite the cold slowing him down, Jeff moved with more purpose than he had before. A new fire burned within him as he tossed his scarf over his shoulder in the chilly wind. He trudged down the street to his office and made a quiet entrance. The office was abuzz with more activity than ever before. With actual resources to actually use and delegate, the staff of the Department of Infrastructure were energized with something more than coffee. He made his way through the building and reached the meeting room. He rang a small bell near the door and when he had roughly everyone's attention he spoke, "The shipments have come in full. It's time we get this show on the road proper."

The DoI would begin construction of roughly 500 general factories and a minor effort to expand electrification. Workers would finally receive steady lines of supplies. With no delay, they would eagerly begin work.

[Artsy Astra]

<<2nd of Vaylien, 1931, Plainery Region, City of Hillian>>

On another cold evening in the DoI offices, the atmosphere remained more warm than the coldest of storms. Where before it was a dreary slow husk, it was a much more lively bustling building. A shared space where workers who had fought for their home could now properly go beyond just reconstruction, but development and further growth. He ascended the stairs and rang the floor bell before entering the meeting room. As his colleagues filled the room he brought out a board with a few papers affixed to it and set it on a display stand. "Ladies and Gentlemen, the ball continues to roll. We're turning the lights on for even more people. Starting this week we'll be directing KAT to begin focus here-" He continued to detail a new electrification plan to start leaving the larger urban centers and getting to the little man. Beyond the suburbs, the more rural peoples were to be shocked with the awe of electric lights in their own home. After a lengthy brief with alittle back and forth on optimizing the plan before a final ideas were added to the draft and finalized. As the office workers gathered their things and left a smile crept across Jeff's face, "Maybe things'll start being alright again."

The DoI begins a medium electrification effort focusing on rural areas. Veteran dense regions are prioritized.