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Description

The small colony- now called "Copernicus" has grown in appearance. Boasting small wooden houses- thatched with grass and soil, around its perimeter a crude circle extends, drawing the 'border' of the settlement and with it basic barricades have come up. Dirt, sand, ruddy and unusable wood, and even supply cabinets no longer in use. The town is small, its supplies low, its strength barely noticeable on the tiny island it resides on. And yet, its spirits remain high. This colony may be a tiny settlement, but its impact grows bigger and bigger day by day. It has seen a year on Venus through, nobodies died, very few have been injured, and some very interesting discoveries have been found.

These discoveries are small on Venus themselves- fruits, plants, even some of the more skittish animals- but for Earth its massive. New life, new animals and plants. That and the potential for New Years jokes in August has lightened the control teams at NAETA. The creatures of Venus appear to've taken a much different evolutionary path than Earth. Reptile-like creatures dominate the planets animal kingdom, at least from what we've seen. "Scaled rabbits" are interesting creatures. While they lack the large ears normal rabbits have, they do still hop around and are just as skittish as a rabbit. Birds are a much more common sight in Venus's skies, the lower gravity likely allowing more varieties of flight to take form we haven't been able to fully study yet.

However little scouting or reconnaissance outside of the initial colonial touchdown has allowed some of the initial paranoia to fester and build up. Fears of Venusian tribes and settlements being host to armies and bandit camps looking to ransack the colony- despite it being a year on Venus, and little contact has been had with the Venusian population. With such little contact, NAETA's control station and the colonists have hypothesized that the colony was settled in a more remote and unusually sparse area of the island. Only 4 recorded contacts have been had with Venusian peoples. Three on land, and one over the sea. All of them isolated singles. Startled and confused- and quickly back on thier way.

While we didn't get to interact and talk with the locals through these interactions, it has spurred on some form of hope, but a fair amount of worry. Potential legends of "tall scale-less people in the forest with shiny metal gadgets and a shiny metal tower." Though with the sparse contact, all four of them seeming to be by accident/happenstance it is likely Venusian settlements on this island- or within proximity of the colony are far and few between- or are just as small as our initial colony and can't afford to explore the land in great detail. If thats the case. . .

. . .lets take advantage of it!

(A) Load-Bearing Lookouts The Venusians- even in the small singles they are, keep surprising our colony. If we don't do something about these surprise visits or prepare for them- the next surprise visit might be the last. Even if we don't scout the land out and survey it, we should at least have patrols or watchmen, what is a nation if it can't defend its borders, on Earth or elsewhere?

Lets take three options here, our city's borders will always be important, be it here and now with just 20, 200, or 2000. And we should take it seriously now.

A Byzantine Idea!- Having watchtowers scattered at a fair distance from the main colonial body would allow us to better prepare for incoming attacks and if possible- absorb the brunt of attacks outside the colonial center. Obviously fortifications will still be constructed, but they'll be split between the 'frontline' and the 'inner' parts of the colony.
(Watchtowers will be prioritized in construction. Rather simple they'll be at first, they'll prove invaluable long-term. One in the north, one in the west, one on the coast, and potentially- once we can scale Bunker Hill- one atop it. Being both temporary residences and patrol infrastructure- these towers should help defend our colony by allowing us to never be surprised.)
(or)
Make Venus Great Again- A wall around the colonial perimeter, likely not where our little dirt circle is, but a fair ways away. We'll build this colony as a fortress, able to exist peacefully outside it, but able to survive plenty within its walls should the time arrive. And given the state of technology on Venus the further out from the Celestial Empire we go, cannons and artillery should be non-existent- save for within our walls.
(Walls will surround the colony, providing a constant defensive barrier to the outside Venusian environment, and being able to hold most of our resources within its boundaries, Copernicus shall become 'Fort Copernicus', at least for now. Morale will also shoot up by 5% and its base resting point will be at 65% instead of 60% once fully constructed.)
(or)
More Than Lines in Sand- Proper sets of boundaries for this colony should be decided upon, send out a few more scouts and sniff out the land. We have the sea to the east and south, Bunker Hill to the northwest, now what else? Our natural borders are just as important and more understandable to all than crude walls or vague zones around watchtowers. Find us some rivers or hills, and that we'll defend.
(The colony will claim all territory between Bunker Hill, the coast, and whatever northern and western boundaries there are, establishing itself as a quasi-city state with a definitive claim to the territory. Any future fortifications will be more defensible along these natural barriers, but this 'claimed land' will also mean any would-be 'imperial powers' may come into conflict more often than not with us.)

Dedicated Patrol Company- Granted, the colonists are trained in various survival courses, these fine men and women are some of the best the United States has to offer. But isnt it better to have a dedicated patrol corps than 20 jacks of all trades?
(A dedicated portion of the population will be made into patrols without possible payroll. Around 3-4 dedicated colonists will be made into the Copernicus Colonial Patrol. This will increase security around the colony, but will also remove these few critical people from other potential projects unless totally necessary.)
(or)
A Well-Regulated Militia- Everyone will take shifts in watching over the colony. We got plenty of coffee-flavored water flavorers and energy bar rations. Obviously not a permanent solution, but 40 eyes are better than 4, no?
(Every colonist will be made to serve at around 'mall cop'-ish levels. Not dedicated patrolmen or scouts, but alert and able enough to spot danger and warn the wider colony about it. We don't need proper soldiers here, we just need proper survivors.)

A Dish Best Served in Geocentric Orbit- Satellites have gone across Venus before, scanning its surface and allowing us to better position our colony. Such satellites however were more 'broadstrokes'. We need a few satellites in orbit that can do the same dirty work they do for the IAIS when they see the Kaiser get out of his palace and down to his favorite sandwich shop and orders a sandwich with 3 tomatoes and is lightly burned. We need to be able to see every damn thing.
(The Feds and NAETA will generously donate a few geocentric surveillance satellites to Venus, allowing us more information and properly detailed information as well. While it can't beat on-the-ground information, being able to see far and wide while having the accuracy of a bullseye on every major rats nest near us.)
(or)
Check the Cams, Wind up the Box- Orbital buddies may not be what we need, its boots- or rather wheels and treads on the ground. Probes and rovers to allow for better scouting or even additional defense (gun-rovers anyone?), drones could also serve the same purpose. Semi-invisible watchers of the surrounding area, or some extra firepower.
(Along with your usual supply of extra rations, batteries, ammo, and repair kits, you'll be able to choose next Resupply Period between 15 modified civilian drones, 2 landers modified with limited combat and surveillance capacity, or a small 1-man scouting rover to assist the colony.)
(or)
Adept Biological and Adept Mechanical- What may be easier to bring along would be some tactical gear. These colonists are effectively trained just as much- if not more than most special forces. But they lack most of thier gear beyond good ol' guns. Nightvision- especially given Venus has no moon would prove effective. Some rather light mortars, camouflage, more 'professional equipment' should be shipped over to Venus.
(Some of America's finest spec-ops equipment will be sent to Venus, nightvision googles, a mortar or two (with appropriate ammo), and tailor-made camo. Obviously we'll send this along during the Resupply Period, but while the colony may not be hidden, we'll guarantee its population can.)

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(B) Economy? I Hardly Know-ey- Well, building log cabins is nice, and once we determine what's properly edible around here, we can start farming. But what's the long-term goal of the city of Copernicus? Sure, building a beautiful city is one thing, but having it be functional is whole 'nother beast. Besides, if we wanna integrate into Venus- we need to show we're worth more alive and independent than any of the other 'fun options' one may have in store for us.
Less a 'do it right now' shtick and more a general idea for our future. Three options oughta be enough to make a vague idea and the boys at NAETA can help speculate.

A Lumbering Giant- With the forests around us and the abundance of trees in the area, why not build up Copernicus as a giant lumber mill? Asking NAETA for some higher quality axes and saws oughta help us speed up production and construction of our city and any potential trade routes. We'll cut down so many trees and de-forest so much land we'll put the Borealians to shame.
(Copernicus'll become a lumber town, a small but robust town that produces logs, lumber, and raw wood products at a rate faster than the other lumber settlements considering we're working with more modern techniques and modern technology. Besides, a simpler more 'colonial' economy could allow us more wiggle-room in the future than a more 'industrious' economy.)
(or)
The Venice of Planks- Woods good and all, but any idiot can chop down a tree. But could any idiot make and craft beautiful wooden items? If we want to make this colony comfortable and earn the favor of the local Venusians, what we should sell ourselves as shouldn't be some basic resource extraction site, we should be manufacturers and industrialists.
(What good is a lumber mill if we can't make anything of it? Every colonist should at least be trained in how to make planks and usable wood for making cabins or other structures anyhow. With a small army of trained loggers and carpenters, Copernicus could become an economic powerhouse within the Far Indies for finely crafted wood.)

Rock And Stone!- Hollowing out Bunker Hill- aside from being a potentially nice place to hole up if shit hits the fan, would allow us access to stone. Sturdier walls, tools, and trade routes would be the benefits of such a venture, though we might need to pester mission control for a few picks, shovels, and drills to help us with the heavier rocks. We may need to shrink 'em a bit, but still tools are tools.
(Digging out the 'Bunker Hill Quarry' not just for simple rocks and stones, but for potential beauties like limestone, basalt, and other little not-so-shiny treasures would allow us to build up the colony and fortify it easily, and if the Venusians like marble the same way we do, we can turn Copernicus into a privy little quarry.)
(or)
Ore Else What?- We have seen some surface deposits of iron in Bunker Hill, aside from being promising that Bunker Hill may be rich in minerals- iron's useful in helping repair and maintain more complicated materials. Smelting it into cheap ammo, fixing covers on the rocket, or some nice defensive attire. Course we will need a furnace and some fuel. Though given how many trees are around, it may just be a problem of a furnace.
(Iron, gold, and other 'Rare Earth Minerals' will be the primary resource gathered from Bunker Hill, Both for our sake of repairing and maintaining our technology, but for giving away to the Venusians- or Hell if we feel like it, decorating ourselves with some nice bling.)

Port Copernicus- Building out and reaching towards the sea would give us a major advantage, shoring up our eastern flank. Once we clear up the coral and the 'mangroves', we'll be able to have nice easy access to the ocean. While our port may be small and shallow, it would be a more visible and understandable indicator we're open for trade, business, visitors, whoever.
(Having a port will as said- open Copernicus up to potential stowaways, washed-up Venusians, or any other willing ships. This will in turn do two things- the first is also allowing us access to potential naval drones/floating probes. The second and more exciting is that we will be put on the map by Venusian sailors and traders- for better or for worse.)

Like Paw Used To- Earth food may not be able to grow on Venus, a real shame. But hey Venusian food grows here, why not grow that? And if it turns out we can eat Venusian food, all the better! A self-sustaining colony that can also export large quantities of food would be an instant hit with local Venusian populations- they may not understand us or our language- but they can understand food.
(A farm will be made of local rooters and tubers we've found mostly scattered across the plain. If we can eat 'em thats an extra plus as well. If "Port Copernicus" is chosen we'll also farm the coral and algae around there and dip our toes into limited aquaponics.)

Orchard a la Venaux- Same as with our smaller plants, Earth trees wouldn't be able to grow here- not without any major genetic modifications anyhow. But if we can grow more of those mangroves or those "Venusian apple trees", we could make a fortune selling delicious fruits, syrups, and maybe even a little wine on the side? It'll be even better if we can eat 'em.
(Orchards of fruiting body trees will be cultivated, obviously this should take longer, but the reward should be sweeter- hopefully if Venusian 'apples' are anything like Earth apples Obviously we can't east only Venusian apples, but still, better than eating only MRE's. If "Port Copernicus" is chosen the mangroves with thier seemingly enticing vines will also be cultivated in limited numbers as well.)

Dealing Manhattan- What we should be investing in is some light manufacturing. Making little Earthly baubles or repairing our current stockpile for our colonists to entertain themselves with and perhaps even trade to the Venusians once we get production going. Maybe we should start with making some clothes and paper first. Winter never seems to be a problem on Venus- or at least the Far Indies, but it'd be nice to not wear the same 7 clothes.

(Knick-knacks and baubles will be manufactured within the colony. Globes, small pamphlets, little wooden figures and all. Copernicus will be a nice little hub of entertainment and intrigue, almost like a little tourist destination or a gift shop if one would call it.)

Alright You Primitive Screwheads- Asking NAETA and the Feds for some (obviously outdated) weaponry or extra ammo- and maybe making a few bows and spears of our own to give to the Venusians, they may not understand a gun, but they'll certainly know what happens when you sink a shot into someone.

(Guns, ammo, and weapons galore will be shipped to the colony- both for obvious extra defense, but also to trade with the local Venusian population. Morally questionable? Sure. Profitable? Guaranteed. And best of all our good ol' fashioned 'boomsticks' will come from good ol' Grand Rapids, Michigan. If "Well Regulated Militia" is chosen, we'll be a lot more cautious in giving the locals guns and make it very clear that we can give 'em guns and we can also give 'em Hell.)

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(C) Diplomacy, a Hard Pill to Swallow- With the Venusians coming to us, we should expect a fair few more straggling Venusians soon. But having them come to us and surprising us is 'less than ideal'. What if we got the jump on them little lizards and said 'Howdy' to 'em first? Though the first step is always the hardest, especially if the language in question cannot translate a "Howdy".
We should be cautious about how we approach the situation. Given the limited amount of people we have and the resources we got, we don't have much. Take two options and go.

Follow Their Footsteps- The majority of Venusians (2 out of the 4) came from the southwest. Now, these could've easily been wanderers or people who made a wrong turn, but it is also where most of them came from according to our scouts. It might be wise to send a scouting party into the southwestern interior, we may find ourselves with some locals that way- and a couple may recognize us.
(A scouting party shall venture out south and west, following the general direction of the two Venusians. Obviously armed to the teeth, and with bags of small knick-knacks, and maybe some food we've gathered from the surrounding trees. The locals should understand what we're trying to do.)
(or)
Up Yonder Coast- The island we're on isn't all the big, Copernicus being a small 'coastal' town should probably get acquainted with the coast itself. Despite it being a year on Venus, little has been done to survey and mark the coastline beyond range of the initial rocket landing point. With a Venusian castaway passing by and staring at the colony for a solid few minutes, we shouldn't be surprised to see more, and we should be less surprised to find other towns along the coast.
(A scouting party will go up the coast to where the Venusian raft sailed off to. Collecting corals and some of those nice-smelling vines should help us appear in thier good graces. As well as the standard thoroughfare of course.)
(or)
Circle the Hill- Bunker Hill- at least from satellites seems to be the largest landform of the area. Circling it shouldn't take more than a few days and hopefully we can find out where our fourth Venusian came from and surprise him with a little visit. Heck, if we're smart enough we may not even be seen and may be able to observe some 'standard Venusian behavior'.
(Bunker Hill will be circled around and scouted on top of, scouting will take much longer given its size and uncertainty. But given the chance said Venusian straggler seemed to pass through Bunker Hill rather than coming from it- we may find ourselves lacking potential diplomatic measures. Never hurts to make sure however.)

A Dedicated 'Welcoming Party'- Guns up front and visible, look tough, ready to fight. We must strike fear now so we can avoid needless bloodshed later. We shall intimidate first, and humble ourselves later. We shall speak to you not as those who shall kowtow- but as those who shall shake hands and carry one another side-by-side.
(An armed force will be sent out firstly, it is likely the Venusians will not understand guns by themselves, we should also carry some spears, maybe a shield or two. A live fire test of our weapons should help the Venusians understand. They need to understand that a P90 is a weapon of war, and some sharpened stick is a weapon of terror. Choosing "Alright You Primitive Screwheads" will see the Venusians properly intimidated, the tales of things from out of this world with magical killing sticks will spread, the Venusians will be intimidated; if you have "Dealing Manhattan" on its own or this and the previously talked about option- the Venusians will be interested in potential weapons trades with Copernicus.)

(or)
We Are But Humble Merchants- Showing we carry goods- willing to trade for any potential purpose- from books to baubles. We are concerned with first impressions after all. We are not defenseless obviously, but better to show we bring peace first, and can carry war later. Trading with the Venusians will hopefully open them to the idea of visiting our colony- be it for further trade, diplomacy, or even simple visitations.
(Offering up odd trinkets, some books, maybe even a pocket Bible, the Venusians will be introduced to our culture and our traditions. Engaging in in business with the locals should be preferable to showing them the business end of a gun first. Choosing "Like Paw Used To" or "Orchard a la Venaux", we can include food in our future diplomatic endeavors, giving another option to future diplomatic missions to win over the locals.)

(or)
Bring Us to Your Leader- We will try our best to signal we wish to speak with whoever's in charge. Chief, priest, mayor, whoever. We are diplomats are we not, and we shall wish to be treated as diplomats. Though given our limited language skills- we may not get far with this approach, our presence almost surely should be of the local leaderships concern.
(The scouting parties will be guaranteed to grab the attention of those in charge, for good or for bad. We shall speak directly to them as best we can. Obviously at first it'll be difficult, given our limited knowledge of language and customs, we may fumble up. But we should get to the proper leaders to properly align with and properly stake our claim on the land. Choosing "Ore Else What" or "The Venice of Planks" will see leaders of the tribes and cities around us to be more receptive of potential trade and claims.)
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And with that, comes the end of the decisions for this episode.
I am sorry for the delays. As said in the poll. Laptop problems, and now I have family visiting.
Voting ends August 2nd, the usual stipulations and rules apply.
And feel free to ask questions!

Description

The small colony- now called "Copernicus" has grown in appearance. Boasting small wooden houses- thatched with grass and soil, around its perimeter a crude circle extends, drawing the 'border' of the settlement and with it basic barricades have come up. Dirt, sand, ruddy and unusable wood, and even supply cabinets no longer in use. The town is small, its supplies low, its strength barely noticeable on the tiny island it resides on. And yet, its spirits remain high. This colony may be a tiny settlement, but its impact grows bigger and bigger day by day. It has seen a year on Venus through, nobodies died, very few have been injured, and some very interesting discoveries have been found.

These discoveries are small on Venus themselves- fruits, plants, even some of the more skittish animals- but for Earth its massive. New life, new animals and plants. That and the potential for New Years jokes in August has lightened the control teams at NAETA. The creatures of Venus appear to've taken a much different evolutionary path than Earth. Reptile-like creatures dominate the planets animal kingdom, at least from what we've seen. "Scaled rabbits" are interesting creatures. While they lack the large ears normal rabbits have, they do still hop around and are just as skittish as a rabbit. Birds are a much more common sight in Venus's skies, the lower gravity likely allowing more varieties of flight to take form we haven't been able to fully study yet.

However little scouting or reconnaissance outside of the initial colonial touchdown has allowed some of the initial paranoia to fester and build up. Fears of Venusian tribes and settlements being host to armies and bandit camps looking to ransack the colony- despite it being a year on Venus, and little contact has been had with the Venusian population. With such little contact, NAETA's control station and the colonists have hypothesized that the colony was settled in a more remote and unusually sparse area of the island. Only 4 recorded contacts have been had with Venusian peoples. Three on land, and one over the sea. All of them isolated singles. Startled and confused- and quickly back on thier way.

While we didn't get to interact and talk with the locals through these interactions, it has spurred on some form of hope, but a fair amount of worry. Potential legends of "tall scale-less people in the forest with shiny metal gadgets and a shiny metal tower." Though with the sparse contact, all four of them seeming to be by accident/happenstance it is likely Venusian settlements on this island- or within proximity of the colony are far and few between- or are just as small as our initial colony and can't afford to explore the land in great detail. If thats the case. . .

. . .lets take advantage of it!

(A) Load-Bearing Lookouts The Venusians- even in the small singles they are, keep surprising our colony. If we don't do something about these surprise visits or prepare for them- the next surprise visit might be the last. Even if we don't scout the land out and survey it, we should at least have patrols or watchmen, what is a nation if it can't defend its borders, on Earth or elsewhere?

Lets take three options here, our city's borders will always be important, be it here and now with just 20, 200, or 2000. And we should take it seriously now.

A Byzantine Idea!- Having watchtowers scattered at a fair distance from the main colonial body would allow us to better prepare for incoming attacks and if possible- absorb the brunt of attacks outside the colonial center. Obviously fortifications will still be constructed, but they'll be split between the 'frontline' and the 'inner' parts of the colony.
(Watchtowers will be prioritized in construction. Rather simple they'll be at first, they'll prove invaluable long-term. One in the north, one in the west, one on the coast, and potentially- once we can scale Bunker Hill- one atop it. Being both temporary residences and patrol infrastructure- these towers should help defend our colony by allowing us to never be surprised.)
(or)
Make Venus Great Again- A wall around the colonial perimeter, likely not where our little dirt circle is, but a fair ways away. We'll build this colony as a fortress, able to exist peacefully outside it, but able to survive plenty within its walls should the time arrive. And given the state of technology on Venus the further out from the Celestial Empire we go, cannons and artillery should be non-existent- save for within our walls.
(Walls will surround the colony, providing a constant defensive barrier to the outside Venusian environment, and being able to hold most of our resources within its boundaries, Copernicus shall become 'Fort Copernicus', at least for now. Morale will also shoot up by 5% and its base resting point will be at 65% instead of 60% once fully constructed.)
(or)
More Than Lines in Sand- Proper sets of boundaries for this colony should be decided upon, send out a few more scouts and sniff out the land. We have the sea to the east and south, Bunker Hill to the northwest, now what else? Our natural borders are just as important and more understandable to all than crude walls or vague zones around watchtowers. Find us some rivers or hills, and that we'll defend.
(The colony will claim all territory between Bunker Hill, the coast, and whatever northern and western boundaries there are, establishing itself as a quasi-city state with a definitive claim to the territory. Any future fortifications will be more defensible along these natural barriers, but this 'claimed land' will also mean any would-be 'imperial powers' may come into conflict more often than not with us.)

Dedicated Patrol Company- Granted, the colonists are trained in various survival courses, these fine men and women are some of the best the United States has to offer. But isnt it better to have a dedicated patrol corps than 20 jacks of all trades?
(A dedicated portion of the population will be made into patrols without possible payroll. Around 3-4 dedicated colonists will be made into the Copernicus Colonial Patrol. This will increase security around the colony, but will also remove these few critical people from other potential projects unless totally necessary.)
(or)
A Well-Regulated Militia- Everyone will take shifts in watching over the colony. We got plenty of coffee-flavored water flavorers and energy bar rations. Obviously not a permanent solution, but 40 eyes are better than 4, no?
(Every colonist will be made to serve at around 'mall cop'-ish levels. Not dedicated patrolmen or scouts, but alert and able enough to spot danger and warn the wider colony about it. We don't need proper soldiers here, we just need proper survivors.)

A Dish Best Served in Geocentric Orbit- Satellites have gone across Venus before, scanning its surface and allowing us to better position our colony. Such satellites however were more 'broadstrokes'. We need a few satellites in orbit that can do the same dirty work they do for the IAIS when they see the Kaiser get out of his palace and down to his favorite sandwich shop and orders a sandwich with 3 tomatoes and is lightly burned. We need to be able to see every damn thing.
(The Feds and NAETA will generously donate a few geocentric surveillance satellites to Venus, allowing us more information and properly detailed information as well. While it can't beat on-the-ground information, being able to see far and wide while having the accuracy of a bullseye on every major rats nest near us.)
(or)
Check the Cams, Wind up the Box- Orbital buddies may not be what we need, its boots- or rather wheels and treads on the ground. Probes and rovers to allow for better scouting or even additional defense (gun-rovers anyone?), drones could also serve the same purpose. Semi-invisible watchers of the surrounding area, or some extra firepower.
(Along with your usual supply of extra rations, batteries, ammo, and repair kits, you'll be able to choose next Resupply Period between 15 modified civilian drones, 2 landers modified with limited combat and surveillance capacity, or a small 1-man scouting rover to assist the colony.)
(or)
Adept Biological and Adept Mechanical- What may be easier to bring along would be some tactical gear. These colonists are effectively trained just as much- if not more than most special forces. But they lack most of thier gear beyond good ol' guns. Nightvision- especially given Venus has no moon would prove effective. Some rather light mortars, camouflage, more 'professional equipment' should be shipped over to Venus.
(Some of America's finest spec-ops equipment will be sent to Venus, nightvision googles, a mortar or two (with appropriate ammo), and tailor-made camo. Obviously we'll send this along during the Resupply Period, but while the colony may not be hidden, we'll guarantee its population can.)

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(B) Economy? I Hardly Know-ey- Well, building log cabins is nice, and once we determine what's properly edible around here, we can start farming. But what's the long-term goal of the city of Copernicus? Sure, building a beautiful city is one thing, but having it be functional is whole 'nother beast. Besides, if we wanna integrate into Venus- we need to show we're worth more alive and independent than any of the other 'fun options' one may have in store for us.
Less a 'do it right now' shtick and more a general idea for our future. Three options oughta be enough to make a vague idea and the boys at NAETA can help speculate.

A Lumbering Giant- With the forests around us and the abundance of trees in the area, why not build up Copernicus as a giant lumber mill? Asking NAETA for some higher quality axes and saws oughta help us speed up production and construction of our city and any potential trade routes. We'll cut down so many trees and de-forest so much land we'll put the Borealians to shame.
(Copernicus'll become a lumber town, a small but robust town that produces logs, lumber, and raw wood products at a rate faster than the other lumber settlements considering we're working with more modern techniques and modern technology. Besides, a simpler more 'colonial' economy could allow us more wiggle-room in the future than a more 'industrious' economy.)
(or)
The Venice of Planks- Woods good and all, but any idiot can chop down a tree. But could any idiot make and craft beautiful wooden items? If we want to make this colony comfortable and earn the favor of the local Venusians, what we should sell ourselves as shouldn't be some basic resource extraction site, we should be manufacturers and industrialists.
(What good is a lumber mill if we can't make anything of it? Every colonist should at least be trained in how to make planks and usable wood for making cabins or other structures anyhow. With a small army of trained loggers and carpenters, Copernicus could become an economic powerhouse within the Far Indies for finely crafted wood.)

Rock And Stone!- Hollowing out Bunker Hill- aside from being a potentially nice place to hole up if shit hits the fan, would allow us access to stone. Sturdier walls, tools, and trade routes would be the benefits of such a venture, though we might need to pester mission control for a few picks, shovels, and drills to help us with the heavier rocks. We may need to shrink 'em a bit, but still tools are tools.
(Digging out the 'Bunker Hill Quarry' not just for simple rocks and stones, but for potential beauties like limestone, basalt, and other little not-so-shiny treasures would allow us to build up the colony and fortify it easily, and if the Venusians like marble the same way we do, we can turn Copernicus into a privy little quarry.)
(or)
Ore Else What?- We have seen some surface deposits of iron in Bunker Hill, aside from being promising that Bunker Hill may be rich in minerals- iron's useful in helping repair and maintain more complicated materials. Smelting it into cheap ammo, fixing covers on the rocket, or some nice defensive attire. Course we will need a furnace and some fuel. Though given how many trees are around, it may just be a problem of a furnace.
(Iron, gold, and other 'Rare Earth Minerals' will be the primary resource gathered from Bunker Hill, Both for our sake of repairing and maintaining our technology, but for giving away to the Venusians- or Hell if we feel like it, decorating ourselves with some nice bling.)

Port Copernicus- Building out and reaching towards the sea would give us a major advantage, shoring up our eastern flank. Once we clear up the coral and the 'mangroves', we'll be able to have nice easy access to the ocean. While our port may be small and shallow, it would be a more visible and understandable indicator we're open for trade, business, visitors, whoever.
(Having a port will as said- open Copernicus up to potential stowaways, washed-up Venusians, or any other willing ships. This will in turn do two things- the first is also allowing us access to potential naval drones/floating probes. The second and more exciting is that we will be put on the map by Venusian sailors and traders- for better or for worse.)

Like Paw Used To- Earth food may not be able to grow on Venus, a real shame. But hey Venusian food grows here, why not grow that? And if it turns out we can eat Venusian food, all the better! A self-sustaining colony that can also export large quantities of food would be an instant hit with local Venusian populations- they may not understand us or our language- but they can understand food.
(A farm will be made of local rooters and tubers we've found mostly scattered across the plain. If we can eat 'em thats an extra plus as well. If "Port Copernicus" is chosen we'll also farm the coral and algae around there and dip our toes into limited aquaponics.)

Orchard a la Venaux- Same as with our smaller plants, Earth trees wouldn't be able to grow here- not without any major genetic modifications anyhow. But if we can grow more of those mangroves or those "Venusian apple trees", we could make a fortune selling delicious fruits, syrups, and maybe even a little wine on the side? It'll be even better if we can eat 'em.
(Orchards of fruiting body trees will be cultivated, obviously this should take longer, but the reward should be sweeter- hopefully if Venusian 'apples' are anything like Earth apples Obviously we can't east only Venusian apples, but still, better than eating only MRE's. If "Port Copernicus" is chosen the mangroves with thier seemingly enticing vines will also be cultivated in limited numbers as well.)

Dealing Manhattan- What we should be investing in is some light manufacturing. Making little Earthly baubles or repairing our current stockpile for our colonists to entertain themselves with and perhaps even trade to the Venusians once we get production going. Maybe we should start with making some clothes and paper first. Winter never seems to be a problem on Venus- or at least the Far Indies, but it'd be nice to not wear the same 7 clothes.

(Knick-knacks and baubles will be manufactured within the colony. Globes, small pamphlets, little wooden figures and all. Copernicus will be a nice little hub of entertainment and intrigue, almost like a little tourist destination or a gift shop if one would call it.)

Alright You Primitive Screwheads- Asking NAETA and the Feds for some (obviously outdated) weaponry or extra ammo- and maybe making a few bows and spears of our own to give to the Venusians, they may not understand a gun, but they'll certainly know what happens when you sink a shot into someone.

(Guns, ammo, and weapons galore will be shipped to the colony- both for obvious extra defense, but also to trade with the local Venusian population. Morally questionable? Sure. Profitable? Guaranteed. And best of all our good ol' fashioned 'boomsticks' will come from good ol' Grand Rapids, Michigan. If "Well Regulated Militia" is chosen, we'll be a lot more cautious in giving the locals guns and make it very clear that we can give 'em guns and we can also give 'em Hell.)

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(C) Diplomacy, a Hard Pill to Swallow- With the Venusians coming to us, we should expect a fair few more straggling Venusians soon. But having them come to us and surprising us is 'less than ideal'. What if we got the jump on them little lizards and said 'Howdy' to 'em first? Though the first step is always the hardest, especially if the language in question cannot translate a "Howdy".
We should be cautious about how we approach the situation. Given the limited amount of people we have and the resources we got, we don't have much. Take two options and go.

Follow Their Footsteps- The majority of Venusians (2 out of the 4) came from the southwest. Now, these could've easily been wanderers or people who made a wrong turn, but it is also where most of them came from according to our scouts. It might be wise to send a scouting party into the southwestern interior, we may find ourselves with some locals that way- and a couple may recognize us.
(A scouting party shall venture out south and west, following the general direction of the two Venusians. Obviously armed to the teeth, and with bags of small knick-knacks, and maybe some food we've gathered from the surrounding trees. The locals should understand what we're trying to do.)
(or)
Up Yonder Coast- The island we're on isn't all the big, Copernicus being a small 'coastal' town should probably get acquainted with the coast itself. Despite it being a year on Venus, little has been done to survey and mark the coastline beyond range of the initial rocket landing point. With a Venusian castaway passing by and staring at the colony for a solid few minutes, we shouldn't be surprised to see more, and we should be less surprised to find other towns along the coast.
(A scouting party will go up the coast to where the Venusian raft sailed off to. Collecting corals and some of those nice-smelling vines should help us appear in thier good graces. As well as the standard thoroughfare of course.)
(or)
Circle the Hill- Bunker Hill- at least from satellites seems to be the largest landform of the area. Circling it shouldn't take more than a few days and hopefully we can find out where our fourth Venusian came from and surprise him with a little visit. Heck, if we're smart enough we may not even be seen and may be able to observe some 'standard Venusian behavior'.
(Bunker Hill will be circled around and scouted on top of, scouting will take much longer given its size and uncertainty. But given the chance said Venusian straggler seemed to pass through Bunker Hill rather than coming from it- we may find ourselves lacking potential diplomatic measures. Never hurts to make sure however.)

A Dedicated 'Welcoming Party'- Guns up front and visible, look tough, ready to fight. We must strike fear now so we can avoid needless bloodshed later. We shall intimidate first, and humble ourselves later. We shall speak to you not as those who shall kowtow- but as those who shall shake hands and carry one another side-by-side.
(An armed force will be sent out firstly, it is likely the Venusians will not understand guns by themselves, we should also carry some spears, maybe a shield or two. A live fire test of our weapons should help the Venusians understand. They need to understand that a P90 is a weapon of war, and some sharpened stick is a weapon of terror. Choosing "Alright You Primitive Screwheads" will see the Venusians properly intimidated, the tales of things from out of this world with magical killing sticks will spread, the Venusians will be intimidated; if you have "Dealing Manhattan" on its own or this and the previously talked about option- the Venusians will be interested in potential weapons trades with Copernicus.)

(or)
We Are But Humble Merchants- Showing we carry goods- willing to trade for any potential purpose- from books to baubles. We are concerned with first impressions after all. We are not defenseless obviously, but better to show we bring peace first, and can carry war later. Trading with the Venusians will hopefully open them to the idea of visiting our colony- be it for further trade, diplomacy, or even simple visitations.
(Offering up odd trinkets, some books, maybe even a pocket Bible, the Venusians will be introduced to our culture and our traditions. Engaging in in business with the locals should be preferable to showing them the business end of a gun first. Choosing "Like Paw Used To" or "Orchard a la Venaux", we can include food in our future diplomatic endeavors, giving another option to future diplomatic missions to win over the locals.)

(or)
Bring Us to Your Leader- We will try our best to signal we wish to speak with whoever's in charge. Chief, priest, mayor, whoever. We are diplomats are we not, and we shall wish to be treated as diplomats. Though given our limited language skills- we may not get far with this approach, our presence almost surely should be of the local leaderships concern.
(The scouting parties will be guaranteed to grab the attention of those in charge, for good or for bad. We shall speak directly to them as best we can. Obviously at first it'll be difficult, given our limited knowledge of language and customs, we may fumble up. But we should get to the proper leaders to properly align with and properly stake our claim on the land. Choosing "Ore Else What" or "The Venice of Planks" will see leaders of the tribes and cities around us to be more receptive of potential trade and claims.)
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And with that, comes the end of the decisions for this episode.
I am sorry for the delays. As said in the poll. Laptop problems, and now I have family visiting.
Voting ends August 2nd, the usual stipulations and rules apply.
And feel free to ask questions!