Editing A Future Imperfect (section)

===North Head===

'''North Heads/Manly''' - The Rainbow Alliance.

'''North Head.'''

By the year 2040, North Head and Manly were very different. The old barracks had been reactivated to house federal security personnel, mainly those who administered the camps, overcrowded housing for refugees from 30 different Island nations. These were scattered along the harbour bay, mostly reactivated barracks, quarantine stations and schools. A massive part of this effort was funded and coordinated through the St Johns organisation, Red Cross, Red Crescent and Medicine Sans Frontieres who reactivated old St Johns facilities in the 30's to provide administration and coordinate relief efforts. North Heads quarantine station became camp Alpha, first port of call for new refugees and a disease screening centre.

As older survivors will know, fashionable Manly, with its microdomed main streets and green housing initiatives, was in stark contrast to the overcrowded conditions on the head. Both the media and the Federal government put pressure on local authorities to improve the situation, but by 2038 there was little anyone could do. The Army had reactivated some of its land and facilities to house new local SenseOps and drone/antidrone targetting facilities, and this being butted up against almost 5000 refugees was seen as less than desirable.

Then the Change hit, and 95% of the local population died...

'''North Head now [2066]'''.

North head is known to be the Headquarters of the Knights [of the Southern Cross]. They follow a fairly simple creed, based around the idealised notions of both the Armed Forces and the ethical codes of the relief organisations. They are founded around a core of care workers from the Manly Hospital, the St John quarters, military survivors and locals. Their political structure is deliberately dual...there is the military side of things and the civil/medical. A governing council is made up of equal representatives from both 'orders'.
It is important to understand that, while many outsiders see the Knights as a christian order, it is actually a fairly open philosophy. There are Christians, Muslims, Buddhists and Pagans in fairly large numbers in the knights, but that is seperate to the aims of the Knights, which are to restore a decent and safe standard of living to all humans.

Through Mitchell, you'll know that there are various small farming/salvage communities based along the north shore streams and dams. These are pretty much the protectorate of the Knights, who ensure they aren't trouble by gangs and bandits. In return, they provide crops and recuits to the order.
In Manly itself is an intricate community made up largely of survivors from the camps and a few locals. They have used the remnants of the once high class green housing Homiciles and biomed streets to create a diverse agriculture of small gardens, ponds, pools and living areas. This area is heavily invested with the Knights presence, but it is also a trade community and produces a plethora of local crafts. It is known locally as the Rainbow and the community is a hodge-podge of people from over 40 nations and backgrounds.

The reputation of the Knights is odd. They will treat the vilest slaver lord as equably as they treat Free communities...as long as they may open their hospices within their community. This is the work of the medical orders [The knights of the Hospital] and they teach hygeine, first aid and practical medicine to anyone who will listen. They also provide medical services. Those communities that have turned on or destroyed a hospice have met the other arm of the Knights - the militant order [the knights of the Southern Cross]. These are the folk that provide the protective role of the Knights and they are well trained and well armed, even though most are trained in medical arts. The knights also seem to have pretty good intel on what is happening around Sydney - they are famous for providing early warning to over a dozen communities caught in the great bushfire of 2055.
They are a solid trade partner of the Domain. Mitchell knows how they do this, but probably wouldn't mention it.

Mitchell would also know that the Knights sit on a couple of caches of old Military equipment - including two of the new Kookaburra triphibian vehicles introduced in 2036.