Kansas City

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Settlement data
Name Kansas City ("KC")
Location Southern Midwest
Population 260,527 (2170)

est 260,527 (2175)

Type Underground

Sanctioned

Kansas City is a city the United States and the capital of Southern Midwest. In the 2170 census the city had a population of 256,890 and is now estimated to have 260,527 residents, making it the third largest city in the country. Modern Kansans are well integrated into American society, and the city is a hub of commerce, education, and industry.

Layout[edit | edit source]

Kansas City began as an underground quarry in Preglacial days. It was expanded into a tourist attraction in the late twentieth century, and only became a population center when Skyblanket had already made average temperatures in the continental United States drop ten degrees Fahrenheit, so its uppermost levels are not very well-organized when compared to modern city layouts. This area is only zoned for agriculture and storage.

The inhabited parts of the city are arranged in a typical hub-and-spokes design, with the residential spokes working in the hubs, which themselves encircle the main shaft. Heavy industry is located at the bottom of the city, as well as the city's administrative offices and mayor's residence.

Government and society[edit | edit source]

Government[edit | edit source]

The mayor, who is directly elected, collaborates with the city council and Department of Resources in a fashion which resembles that of the federal government of two centuries ago. Each habitation wheel is allotted one seat on the city council; currently there are 151, although that number will be expanded to 160 when the new Lopez Branch is completed in 2182. Kansas City lacks a party system, which makes it unusual among the democratic cities; of the 151 sitting councilmen, only five are endorsed by a national party.

Members of the Department of Resources are not elected, choosing instead to from university graduates. The DoR retains the right to veto any actions which may drain the city's resources at an unsustainable rate, including, unusually, war.

Society[edit | edit source]

Kansas City is a hub in the North American Rail System, giving it regular exposure to Americans from settlements from across the continent. Because of this, the city is by necessity tall, and genetic manipulation in humans is restricted to removing hereditary diseases and severe birth defects. This prohibition is strongly supported by the city's religious minorities, particularly Christians. Short people are allowed to reside in the city, but are subject to strict eugenics regulations which prohibit breeding without the restoration of manipulated genes in the offspring.

It is one of the least ethnically diverse cities in the nation. 79.5% of the population are white, with Hispanics constituting most of the minority. English is the only language used in education, and accommodations for non-native speakers are banned by city statute.

Periphery[edit | edit source]

There are several peripheral establishments. The most important is a private town owned by Dymaxion Electronics, the largest electronics manufacturer in North America, and is home to an estimated 2,000 workers and their families. Several autonomous settlements are also known to exist within 50 miles of the city which only rarely contact the wider world.