Chapter 257: The Mud Boss
Empress City had grown significantly after Coop claimed the civilization shard in the name of the Lighthouse. While the population had gone unchanged since he left them to reconcile the expulsion of the Endless Empire, the actual physical base was flourishing.
With the change in leadership, the subordinate settlement had refocused its efforts away from ill-advised global conquest, aiming instead at providing beneficial living conditions and safety for its current residents on a longer term basis. They were following the model previously established by Ghost Reef, attempting to build a safe harbor against the assimilation as a unified population, and it was working.
The threat of the Eradication Protocol was enough to initiate teamwork, but the specific efforts that took place bonded them in a way that simple words and promises couldn’t. Animosities faded when fighting side-by-side against alien invaders, and as former rivals helped each other build the homes that would become their shared haven, they found their perceived differences disappearing. The only beings that benefited from their strife weren’t present on the planet at all. It was a changed world and it was better to face the challenges together.
Even from beyond the walls, Coop could clearly see a burgeoning downtown skyline in the center of the airport that would soon eclipse the ruins of the pre-assimilation urban center. Colorful sparkling lights decorated the tops of the new and upgraded apartment buildings, forming a rainbow display that guided the residents home even in the light of day.
They were developing a compact city on the airport grounds that was full of its own character. It contrasted the untroubled vacation vibes of Ghost Reef, replacing it with the hustle and bustle of a spirited population. His island had accepted the refugees from Empress City that were slower to adjust to the assimilation and were indecisive when it came to conflict. That left the mainland settlement with only those that had taken action, one way or another, and the end result was a dynamic population working beneath proactive leadership.
Coop was impressed with how much Empress City had changed. An important factor that made Ghost Reef so successful was in engendering a sense of cooperative pride in its residents. Empress City had somehow captured a similar sense of mutual belonging, applying it on a grander scale than was necessary on his island. In his case, it hadn’t been a completely intentional plan to have the residents feel that way, but starting with himself and Jones, they had set a template for others to follow.
The challenges presented by the planetary invasion combined with the tiny population of Ghost Reef had forced Coop to warn every resident of their need to contribute before committing to the island. It was pretty much the only thing he asked of any of the people that were offered sanctuary. If they were taking advantage of the safety of Ghost Reef, they would have to help ensure that it persisted for those that might follow. The variety of challenges presented to the brand new settlement meant that there was something for everyone to do.
The end result was that all who moved to Ghost Reef had made personal contributions to the ongoing survival of the settlement. They all helped defend against the various challenges, and they all helped build the settlement from the ground up. Other than the fort walls themselves, everything was due to their efforts.
The residents had good reason to feel proud of the settlement, considering all they had accomplished, and that feeling of personal involvement had influenced those that came after. A cycle of experiencing the sanctuary and finding ways to contribute to its continuation had been established. Regardless of personal skills, they had convinced every resident to work hard on their own volition. Between system professions, administration and management of a blossoming city, and constant combat with invaders, there was something for everyone.
Coop tilted his head to the side, mildly concerned over whether or not he had simply peer pressured desperate people into helping him with his own personal mission. In a way, that’s how it started. Still, it was the apocalypse, what else were they going to do? Might as well learn a skill or two and spend time improving their own chances of survival. It wasn’t like he forced them to do anything in particular. As long as they did something, he would be satisfied. It was up to the residents to discover what they wanted to do. Ghost Reef merely provided the opportunity.
Coop reassured himself that it was fine. Derek, the biggest whiner in the apocalypse, hadn’t complained too much about having to contribute, and eventually he had found something he actually seemed enthusiastic about. From what he had heard from Elly, the youngest Cleary sibling, even the children had a sense of purpose that led them to do their best in school while fostering grand dreams once they could participate in protecting their new home.
The circumstances surrounding Empress City weren’t exactly the same as they were on Ghost Reef. They started with a massive population compared to the island sanctuary and the mainland settlement was fertile grounds for internal conflict. Considering they had reformed off the back of a civil war that was only decided through outside intervention in the form of Coop, Camila, and Charlie, it was a shock that there hadn’t been more violence. It was a credit to Jackson and Fabiana that they had managed to apply the same principles to a settlement full of differences compared to the model that had already worked.