Solas Station
Solas Station is the primary medical and educational hub for the middle and lower classes of The Fortrop. It houses the ship's largest hospital, its main public archives, and the technical academies responsible for training the next generation of workers.
Its population of approximately 25,000, known as the Solans, is composed of the Fortrop's doctors, nurses, teachers, and archivists. Solas is a sanctuary of sorts, a place where the focus is on the preservation of life and the dissemination of controlled knowledge, standing as a buffer against the physical decay and informational blackout that threatens the rest of the ship.
Daily Life
It's a schedule of shifts at the hospital or academy, followed by private study or quiet family life. There is a sense of purpose here, born from the vital work of healing and teaching.
It is a calm island in the turbulent sea of the Fortrop, though its peace is made fragile by the constant threat of new plagues or resource shortages that would force its doctors into making impossible choices.
Demographics
The culture of the Solans is built around a sense of duty and a deep respect for knowledge and expertise. They are the caregivers and educators of The Fortrop, and their society values precision, learning, and a degree of empathy that is rare elsewhere.
A person's status is derived from their skill and knowledge, whether as a master surgeon or a senior archivist. Weaving in Solas is a tool of incredible precision. Medically trained Alternation Weavers can perform "cellular surgery" by mending tissue directly, while Creation Weavers can synthesise rare medicines on demand. These medical Weavers are among the most respected individuals on the entire ship.
Government
Solas is jointly administered by the Ministry of Civil Affairs, which oversees the educational curriculum, and the Ministry of Science, which governs medical research and protocols.
The station is run by a board of senior hospital administrators and academy deans.
The Wardens here are trained for de-escalation and handling medical emergencies, acting with a professionalism not seen in the lower decks. Their primary role is to secure the station's valuable medical supplies and data archives.
The Watchers in Solas are programmed to assist in public health monitoring, their sensors flagging individuals in public spaces who show signs of fever or distress for mandatory medical checks.
Points of interest
Fortrop General Hospital (FGH) is the largest medical facility on the ship, a massive complex of emergency rooms, surgical suites, and long-term care wards that serves all stations below the Iris.
The Solan Academy is the primary institution for the general and technical education of the middle classes, preparing students for careers in stations like Basalt, Gaia, and Fabrik.
Archive Primus is the most extensive public-access library on the Fortrop, containing a vast, Council-approved collection of technical, historical, and cultural data-slates.
The Sanitarium is a secure wing of FGH where the psychological casualties of the Fortrop are treated. It houses victims of extreme paranoia, and more recently, those afflicted with hallucinations from the Ghost Signal.
Architecture
The design of Solas Station prioritises order, calm, and hygiene. The corridors are wide, well-lit, and often painted in pale, sterile colors intended to be soothing. The layout is logical, with clearly demarcated districts for medical facilities, educational institutions, and residential blocks.
The architecture is functional but less severe than in other stations, featuring curved walls and sound-dampening materials to create a quiet, peaceful environment.
The air is meticulously filtered and often carries the clean, antiseptic scent of a medical facility.
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