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Ecb — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 02:52:11 GMT

Created page with 'Quito is a city of contrasts, an island of Fifth Wave civilization in the midst of the developing world. It has a proud cultural history stretching back over 500 years. Ironicall…'

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Quito is a city of contrasts, an island of Fifth Wave
civilization in the midst of the developing world. It has a
proud cultural history stretching back over 500 years. Ironically,
the city is on the forefront of today’s colonial expansion,
serving as the busiest spaceport on Earth. Millions
have passed through Quito on their way into deep space.
Meanwhile, for most colonists returning to Earth for a
visit, Quito is the first (and often the only) city they see.

== Overview ==
Quito’s current prosperity is built on the same commodity
as that of many other major cities: strategic location.
This was not obvious for much of the city’s history.
At one time, its position high in the Andes and almost on
the equator meant that it was one of the most isolated
places on Earth.

=== History ===
Quito was established as early as the 11th century by
the indigenous Quitu people. They established a kingdom
which came into conflict with the expansionistic Incas during
the reign of Inca Tupac Yapanqui. Quito was conquered
by the Incas, and became the northern capital of
their Empire in 1487. Tupac’s son Huayna Capac
conquered the rest of the tribes of the Quito
region, making Ecuador the northernmost
province of the empire. Unfortunately Huayna’s
two sons divided the kingdom.
Atahualpa, whose mother had been a
Quitu princess, established his power
base in Quito. Meanwhile, his half-brother
Huascar held the Incan heartland.

It was during the subsequent struggle
that the Spanish conquistadors
arrived, led by Francisco Pizarro. In 1532,
Atahualpa was captured by the Spanish
and executed, even after raising a king’s
ransom in treasure. Atahualpa’s brother
Rumiñahui led a gallant defense against the
conquistadors, but after being defeated he withdrew
to the south. Before leaving Quito he had its
remaining treasures removed, and put the city to the torch.

The modern city of Quito was founded on the site of
Incan Quito’s ruins, in 1534. For a time it was the capital
of a conquistador state, but by 1548 it had been brought
under the direct authority of the Viceroy of Peru. Spanish
rule lasted until 1822, when lieutenants of Simón Bolívar
liberated Ecuador. For a few years Quito was part of the
Republic of Gran Colombia. In 1830 Ecuador declared its
independence and Quito became the capital of the new
nation.

For the next two centuries, Quito served as a rallying
point for the country’s conservatives. Most members of
this faction were wealthy landowners, from old families
that had lived in the Andes highlands since colonial times.
Quito was often at odds with the more progressive, liberal
coastal populations centered around the city of Guayaquil.
Ecuador was ruled by a series of conservative caudillos
(dictators) through most of the 19th century. Although
democratic reforms slowly took hold, episodes of dictatorship
or military rule continued well into the 21st century.

In 2016, the American corporation Columbia Aerospace
opened negotiations with the government of
Ecuador. The immediate plan was to build a premier
orbital-launch facility outside Quito – the first major
spaceport to be operated by a wholly private organization.
The location was ideal, high up and on the equator.
Meanwhile, Ecuador agreed to provide tax incentives and
a very favorable regulatory regime. In return, Columbia
Aerospace would effectively create an Ecuadoran space
program from the ground up, while making substantial
investments in the nation’s infrastructure and industries.
The new Atahualpa International Spaceport went operational
for the first time in 2021, and soon became one of
the busiest launch sites in the world.

At first the relationship between Columbia Aerospace
and Ecuador had little effect on international affairs. The
corporation was openly making an “end run” around U.S.
taxes and regulations by basing its operations in
Ecuador, so relations with the United States were
sometimes stormy. Still, by the 2040s many of
the disputes between Columbia Aerospace
and the U.S. government had been
resolved, and American customers were
funding rapid expansion of Atahualpa
Spaceport.

Quito and the rest of Ecuador
thrived on the economic stimulus of
the spaceport. By the 2070s Quito had
become a very cosmopolitan city, one
of the major commercial, industrial,
and cultural centers of South America

=== Quito Today ===
The population of Quito and its surrounding
suburbs is about 6 million. The Quito
metropolitan area has become the largest in
Ecuador, surpassing rival Guayaquil sometime in the
2070s. Quito has grown to several times its 2000 area,
absorbing nearby cities such as Sangolqui and throwing
out small suburbs north almost to Cayambe.

The average annual income for residents of Quito is
about $45,000, somewhat above the world average. The
typical resident has Average wealth and is Status 0.
Incomes are distributed rather unequally in the region. The
political and technical elites are usually Wealthy or better,
while citizens not directly involved in the spaceport
or advanced industries are often Struggling. Quito supports
a significant fringer population, many of whom
are Quechua (nearly pure-blooded descendants of the
Incas) or poor mestizos (persons of mixed race).

The local standard of living is modest by global standards,
but fairly comfortable. All but the poorest citizens
have full access to adequate food and housing, excellent
medical care, common genetic therapies, and the global
web. Land and housing costs are relatively low, slightly
below the base cost. Only in the densest parts of the city
are residents likely to be crammed into apartment complexes,
and there are no arcologies in the region.

The overall Control Rating in Quito is 2, indicating
an open society and unobtrusive government.
Local law has been somewhat influenced by American
constitutional practice in recent decades. Police enforcement
is usually scrupulous and effective, but is marred
from time to time by police abuse. Weapons laws vary
from place to place: CR 3 within the city limits, CR 2 in the
surrounding country, and CR 6 on the grounds of Ahatualpa
Spaceport.

Most of Quito’s population are mestizos, descended
from both the indigenous population and the Spanish colonialists.
Perhaps 20% of the people are culturally indigenous,
descended primarily from the Inca or other local tribes,
maintaining some of the old ways. Other groups include
Afro-Ecuadorans (about 10%) and expatriates from the
United States and elsewhere (about 5%). Despite decades of
social progress, there remains a noticeable class distinction
in Ecuadoran society. Wealthy mestizos and expatriates
dominate the community, while Afro-Ecuadorans and
indigenous citizens are regarded as lower-class. Gender
equality also remains imperfect, with women and transgendered
citizens facing subtle discrimination.

Spanish is the official language, but most residents are
also fluent in English. Quechua and other Native American
languages are spoken privately by some of the indigenous
population.

There remain a significant number of baseline humans
in and around Quito, mostly poorer residents whose ancestors
never invested in genefixing. The national government
is currently mounting a program to make genefixing universal
by 2115, but this effort is meeting some resistance.
Genetic upgrades are becoming increasingly common
among the social elite; naturally, they are already quite
common in the expatriate community. Bioroids, bioshells
and cybershells can all be found in Quito, most of them
attached to the spaceport or other institutions with heavy
foreign involvement. Ecuadoran law tends to follow that of
the United States in determining what rights are due to non-humans.

== Places ==
Quito is a blend of the old and new, a major focus of
systemwide commerce but also one of South America’s
foremost cultural centers. Although the city has grown considerably
in the past century, many of its older districts
retain their original atmosphere.

=== Mariscal District ===
North of the Old City are the more recent districts,
stretching north and west toward the New City. The
center of this area is the Mariscal de Sucre district, an
important commercial and tourist area. The district has
many business offices serving multinational firms, importexport
shops, and hotels accomodating foreign visitors.
Quito’s main airport is also close by.

Even before the close alliance between Ecuador
and the United States, the Mariscal district was sometimes
called “Gringoville” for the number of American
visitors (and expatriates) found there. Today many neighborhoods
are dominated by expatriates, who maintain a little
corner of American culture in the heart of Quito. The
American community in the Mariscal district sometimes
has tense relations with the rest of the city, primarily
because the expatriates who live here are likely to keep
Ecuadoran society at arm’s length. Expatriates living elsewhere
in Quito are usually more willing to interact with
local society, and have less trouble as a result.

=== New City ===
Built almost entirely since the 2050s, New Quito is a
thoroughly modern and very beautiful place. Local architecture
is heavy on steel, glass, and biocements, all in a
pseudocolonial style. Many city blocks in the district are
divided by pedestrian greenways rather than paved
streets. Residential and commercial neighborhoods are
carefully balanced. The entire New City is the brainchild
of Pablo de Estrada, one of Ecuador’s greatest and most
eccentric architects. De Estrada planned the layout of the
New City to take advantage of “new objective conditions,”
his catchphrase for the social and economic changes
caused by the spread of the global web. He died in 2063
before most of the New City was complete, but the city
government used careful planning and regulation to ensure
that his vision would be carried out.

The focus of the New City is the Columbia Aerospace
complex, including corporate headquarters and the campus
of Quito Polytechnic Institute. These form the hightech
center of Quito, where most of the city’s Fifth Wave
jobs are available, and where most of the city’s high-level
AI are located.

South of the New City center is the “new capital”
of Ecuador, where many of the city and national
governments’ offices are located. This part of the city is
subtly designed for high security, with plenty of secure
vantage points commanding a view of the entire district. A
unit of the Presidential Guard is always barracked nearby,
ready to act at a moment’s notice against any attack.

=== Old City ===
Quito has an extensive Old City, which dates back to
colonial times and still retains a great deal of ancient architecture.
The center of the Old City is the Plaza de Independencia.
Although the commercial center of Quito has
long since moved away, the Plaza is still the cultural and
political heart of Ecuador.

Adjoining the Plaza is Quito Cathedral, the oldest
cathedral in South America and one of the most beautiful.
Several other churches are in the immediate area, notably
the massive Iglesia de San Francisco, said to be the first
church ever built in the Americas. All of Quito’s old
churches are still active religious institutions, in a country
where Catholicism remains vitally important. They are
also major cultural centers, housing a tremendous array of
art from as far back as Inca times.

The Plaza is also bordered by Government Palace,
official residence of the President of Ecuador. The Palace’s
facade remains unaltered, but its interior has been extensively
renovated with modern technical services. Security
is very tight. More of the elite President’s Guard are constantly
on duty here, and the building has sophisticated
modern defenses. At a moment’s notice, the President
could stand off any attack short of the destruction of the
building. There has been no coup in Ecuador for decades,
but the country’s sometimes-violent history teaches its
leaders to be cautious...

Opposite the Government Palace is the Municipal
Palace, center of Quito’s city government. The Municipal
Palace is a fairly recent building, completed in the 1970s.
City administration has long since outgrown this building;
several departments have moved their offices to a complex
in the New City.

=== Plaza de Toros ===
Close to the Old City is one of Quito’s more controversial
attractions, the Plaza de Toros. Bullfighting is still
popular in Ecuador, and corridas de toros are held in the
Plaza on a regular basis. In fact, since the sport has been
banned in Spain and much of the rest of Latin America,
the Quito ring is almost its last refuge. Even here it is
under attack from animal-rights advocates (and many
expatriates).

Bullfights in the Quito ring are still brilliant spectacles,
and indeed the current crop of Ecuadoran matadors
are considered among the most talented in history. They
need to be; the bulls who fight in the ring today have
been bred and engineered for grace and aggressiveness.
There have been some experimental shows using
cybershell bulls. Although the technology is apparently up
to the task, purists have so far rejected the artificial bulls as
inappropriate.

== Current Events ==
Recent rumors have it that Columbia Aerospace is
preparing a shift in corporate strategy, which may involve
selling off or abandoning several local subsidiaries. The
targeted companies have been struggling to produce profits
for years, but they employ many Ecuadorans, and any
change in their situation would likely threaten thousands of
local jobs. Many of Quito’s labor and political leaders are
trying to pressure the company into revealing its plans (and
possibly changing them).

Relations with Peru and Colombia, always strained,
have recently taken a turn for the worse. In particular, Peru
is believed to be placing missile batteries east of Quito,
close to the flight path for ground-to-orbit craft launching
out of Atahualpa Spaceport. No one in Quito really
believes the Peruvians would try to shoot down a shuttle –
but the mere possibility is causing grave concern. It would
take very little to create a real “war scare” in the city.

The Church has announced that Pope Zachary II will
soon be making a pastoral visit to South America. He will
spend three days in Quito, meeting with political and
social leaders, Columbia Aerospace officials, and the local
priesthood. No major pronouncements are expected, but
the faithful are already preparing for a great celebration.
Meanwhile, both papal and Ecuadoran security forces are
already planning for the event.

Quito’s municipal police force has
recently (and quietly) invested in a
stock of state-of-the-art surveillance
drones. The new cybershells
are intended for everyday
patrolling, as well as for close
surveillance of suspected
criminals or dangerous parts
of the city. Most citizens are
un-aware of the move, but a
local civil-rights group has
caught wind of it and is preparing
to rouse public opposition.

People in some of the city’s
poorer neighborhoods have been
reporting sightings of a “demon”
late at night. The apparition appears
only vaguely humanoid, skulking around
and avoiding the light. No one has been attacked, but there
have been several burglary reports involving homes and
small shops. Municipal police suspect that an escaped
bioroid is hiding in the city, surviving by theft.

Quito - Revision history

Ecb: Created page with 'Quito is a city of contrasts, an island of Fifth Wave civilization in the midst of the developing world. It has a proud cultural history stretching back over 500 years. Ironicall…'