Mountain Home

Mountain Home is the capital city and largest municipality of Rainier III. 
The city is carved into and on the face of a Mountain Range in the planet's northern hemisphere. The city began as a sheltered complex within Mountain Range 427, from which 
Terraforming operations on the hostile planet were directed. The central core of the city was built over a period of centuries. Tunnels and chambers were built deep into the mountainside. Later, as the climate became less severe, the outer face of the mountain was carved and shaped, and portals were built providing views of the plains to the west. 
When engineers estimated that further tunneling would compromise the structural stability of the mountain, development spread into the hills and plains south and west of the city; often using rock previously tunneled from the mountain as building material. 
The tempestuous climate of Rainier III has resisted human attempts to stabilize it artificially; primarily due to the planet's unstable axis. However, the atmosphere around Mountain Home is breathable, most of the time. And while rainstorms are frequent and cloud cover constant, the city has experienced an increasing number of sun-visibility days in recent years as Terraforming technology from Loki and St. Fionan has helped moderate the climate. 
The city derives most of its power from geothermal sources thousands of meters under the mountain. The valley between Mountain Range 427 and the adjacent range 438 has been transformed into a freshwater reservoir, assuring the city of a constant supply of water.
The city has a highly efficient waste reclamation process. On a related note, the City features one of the most extensive areas of hydroponic gardens in the galaxy. And the Night Soil gardens, developed from centuries of collected human feces, are also quite impressive. Tourists are advised not to think too much about where their food comes from. 
The city has an extensive network of Magnetic-Levitation based transport pods, called the "Blue Train." The trains are actually gray, mostly, but the tunnels are illuninated in blue light. They travel horizontally and vertically to connect the various levels and areas of the city. Nearby cities are connected by longer MagLev lines. 
[Worlds Apart Book 11: Charlemagne]
Category:Cities