City Twenty Seven

When the Combine began their invasion of Earth, Europe was one of their first targets.

Being connected to City Seventeen and Industrial Seventeen, City 27 shares a similar purpose. The gears of industry turn loudly here, thick smog engulfs the skyline and obscures the sun on most days, along with this the air has become deadly toxic to the human population forcing them to wear gas masks constantly due to that fact. Part of this is due to the re-purposed human factory district within the city which is now used to burn down materials and waste into usable resources. Along with this factory district, massive air exchange facilities have been built, which have an unknown purpose, whatever that purpose may be it is certainly not to benefit the human populace. A high number of Civil Protection and Overwatch forces patrol the area, seemingly this facility is vital to the U.U, one can only imagine why.

The area surrounding City 27 is a complete wasteland, all plant life has been asphyxiated by the gas and the ground has been moved by force to make way for large pipes that transport gas around to other areas of Europe.

The city itself is particularly depressing, which is saying something given the situation of the Earth. Little joy is had in the streets as citizens do not even stop to talk to each other for fear of the gas creeping through their poorly made gas masks. Next to no light comes from the sky, and because of this.it resembles at times a gaslight city of the old times. The local Civil Protection units are issued modified respirators to counteract the gas on their daily routines. Many of the pre-arrival structures here have fallen into disrepair, not due to neglect but due to the high acidity rainfall caused by the chemicals produced by the gas being introduced into the upper troposphere. While this ‘acid rain’ is not strong enough to kill a human or even get through their coat in a short period of time, if someone were to stand outside for an extended amount of time, an hour let’s say. It would begin to dissolve the fabric of their clothing and eventually if they waited long enough their skin would begin to be affected.

Despite all of these hazards, the civilian populace is among the most industrious and hard-working in the area, this is because well, they live in the middle of a wasteland escape is impossible and they have nothing else to do in the city, it’s sole use is industrial. As stated before city life is almost non existent, people do not visit cafes or go to the cinemas because there are none, they go to work, get their rations then come home ready for another day of work and this is all they've known since the arrival, no one can blame them for making the most of it.

The city is structured in a rectangular fashion, with several sections that serve specific purposes. The first section (which would be in the top left if there were a map of the city), would be the most important is the main facility, this is where the massive metal chimney-like structure lies along with all its operational counterparts. The second right from the previous one is dubbed the ‘Citizen Bay’ this is where all citizens live, eat, sleep and converse. It’s the smallest section even though the population is rather large, though, quickly declining. The third section is called by the local populace the ‘monster den’ for obvious reasons. This section, unlike the others, is composed of two separate sections, one is a facility for the countless Overwatch constructs used, they calibrate here when they need maintenance, rearming and obvious software related upgrades. The other acts at the Civil Protections outpost, this is where they will hold citizens breaking the strict codes of protocol which govern this city. This area also holds the living quarters, armoury, canteen and any other facility the Civil Protection require. Final section and most easterly, is the processing facility, this area has no civilian workers and is in fact restricted to only Overwatch, it is one of the more heavily guarded areas.