"Regarding power," Dr. Hanson continued, "we rely primarily on a few fusion reactors scavenged from transport ships and old equipment; their output is barely enough to keep the lighting and basic laboratory gear running.
The water purification system was assembled on a temporary basis, and its filtration efficiency is dropping. Medical stock at the clinic is running critically low, especially antibiotics and chronic disease medications."
They arrived at a small elevated rise on the edge of the colonial zone.
Dr. Hanson pointed toward the faint contours of a distant mountain range: "Security is another issue. We organized a thirty-person self-defense force equipped with only light firearms and a handful of frag grenades.
Last week, a large feline predator emerged from the eastern forest and attacked one of our foraging teams, leaving one person severely injured.
The defense force rushed out to drive it off, but with their unfamiliarity with the terrain, their effectiveness was limited.
Furthermore, orbital sensors indicated that unidentified light vessels have appeared twice on the outer rim of the star system recently. They didn't close in, but it leaves us deeply uneasy."
She turned to face Osiris, her eyes earnest and pressing: "We need food, construction materials and engineering for settlements, reliable energy and water purification systems, as well as a defense system capable of early warning and repelling low-intensity threats.
Consultant, I know these are extensive requests, but the survival of over four thousand people here hinges on securing this foundational support as quickly as possible."
Osiris listened in silence, his gaze slowly sweeping over the scene before him while cross-referencing and evaluating preset assistance models within his internal database.
He noted faint signs of fatigue and emaciation on the faces of several colonists—early indicators of nutritional deficits. He observed redundancies and delays in their work routines, revealing suboptimal operational efficiency.
The fragile nature of those shelters and facilities pieced together from scrapped materials was self-evident, while the settlement's overall perimeter defense relied solely on a few fixed patrol routes, lacking depth in early warning and buffer zones.
"The baseline situation is understood," Osiris spoke, his voice steady. "The Far Star Alliance can supply emergency food rations, modular housing and sanitation units, along with standardized water purification and energy modules.
For defense, automated surveillance sentry towers and low-yield shield generators can be deployed to cover the core district.
Agricultural technical support will require a customized framework tailored to local soil and species data."
Dr. Hanson's eyes lit up: "All of these... can truly be provided? What about the timeline—"
"The first shipment of emergency supplies can arrive within seventy-two hours at the earliest," Osiris refrained from making immediate promises, offering a tentative timeframe instead. "However, this remains contingent upon the findings of the on-site survey and the final evaluation from company headquarters."
He paused briefly before continuing: "Before I formulate a formal recommendation, I require more detailed data to support the decision.
Specifically: a population distribution map mapped down to individual housing units, analytical results of soil and water samples across different sectors, a detailed inventory listing all existing equipment alongside their operational status, and skill assessment dossiers for members of the self-defense force.
Additionally, I wish to understand your specific vision for Haven's long-term positioning."
"I'll have my team prepare all the data immediately!" Dr. Hanson turned without hesitation to instruct her assistant, then turned back to Osiris with earnest eyes. "As for our long-term positioning... I hope this place can eventually become a self-sustaining research community.
We want to focus on eco-medicine and xenobiological research, maintaining political neutrality while engaging only in limited, purely technological exchanges with other factions in the sector.
We have no desire—nor the capability—to be dragged into any war. All we seek is a place where we can work in peace and save lives."
"A neutral research outpost," Osiris repeated the concept, his tone calm. "The feasibility of this objective fundamentally depends on your ability to establish self-sufficiency, and whether the external environment permits such an existence.
External material aid can only resolve the immediate survival crisis; long-term stability must rely on an internal, healthy production loop coupled with an effective external risk-isolation mechanism."
He brought up a detailed map of Haven on his portable device and began plotting key nodes.
"Over the next forty-eight hours, I will conduct an on-site survey to gather essential environmental and baseline parameters. This will assist both parties in clarifying genuine requirements and viable avenues. Afterward, I will submit a comprehensive assessment report and proposal recommendations to the company."
"You have my full cooperation," Dr. Hanson nodded solemnly. "If you need any personnel accompaniment, equipment support, or clearance, just let me know directly."
Osiris nodded, his gaze remaining on the map as he circled the initial locations requiring inspection: primary water sources, representative soil sample collection zones, potential threat sectors with recent reports of unidentified activity or suitable habitats for large fauna, and key terrain locations structurally suited for establishing early warning or defensive nodes.
The mission entered its substantive evaluation phase.
Deep within his mind, a preliminary assistance framework was taking shape, though all fine details and final decisions would await the conclusions of this forty-eight-hour on-site survey.
He first thoroughly reviewed all existing records Dr. Hanson's team could provide.
This data was imported into his analytical model, the cold numbers gradually piecing together a clear picture.
Among the thousands of survivors, the proportion of elderly, weak, women, and children was considerable. Every line in the supply manifests marked with various expiration dates bled urgency; the status reports for those pieced-together, barely functioning machines read more like fault warnings.
The self-defense force, consisting of thirty-two members, came from wildly varied backgrounds, with very few possessing actual combat experience.
This starkly reflected the dire state of Haven's security—relying on a team of thirty-odd individuals to safeguard thousands was no different than expecting a sheet of paper to hold off a wild beast.
Everything confirmed his initial assessment: this was an extremely fragile, heavily dependent temporary community with a severe deficit in specialized capabilities.
Out of security considerations and at Dr. Hanson's insistence, two members of the self-defense force accompanied Osiris on his outbound field survey.
They first visited the river running along the eastern flank of the colonial sector, which served as their primary lifeline.
Osiris collected water samples at different stretches of the river, conducting rapid testing with portable analytical gear.
The results indicated that while upstream water quality barely met safety standards, the moment it flowed past the residential area, microbial indicators deteriorated rapidly and suspended solids surged significantly.
The existing water treatment setup was pitifully primitive, virtually incapable of dealing with this level of contamination.
The condition of the experimental fields proved equally unpromising.
Soil sample analysis reports showed poor fertility with unbalanced pH levels and a lack of essential nutrients.
The personnel tending the crops possessed ample enthusiasm, but they clearly lacked systematic agricultural knowledge; their farming methods were crude, and they possessed no contingency plans for potential future pest infestations.