The City of Kythera

IC NOTE: The following text is excerpted from the Northern Leonis volume of the Solitary Globe series of travel guides, whose editors bill themselves as "edgy, comprehensive, and awesome." The book (with its distinctive blue-green cover) is available along with the rest of the set in the Cerberus' library. Black-and-white copies of the following information have been produced as supplementary briefing materials for relevant members of the crew.

Reconnaissance imagery of the city captured by the Cerberus' Raptors can be found here.

Kythera is, for lack of a better term, generic. Its men live in mass-produced brownstones on the outskirts of town, commute to work on mass-produced maglev trains, eat mass-produced food in mass-produced cafeterias, and come home to bottle-blonde wives that might as well have been mass-produced themselves. It’s also the single fastest growing municipality this side of the province of Aspasia, thanks entirely to the horde of biotech companies that have descended upon it over the past ten years. Best of all (from a yuppie's perspective), the urban poor is content to stay out of the way of the city’s newfound prosperity — to the infinite regret of a police force renowned for its willingness to shoot first and not ask questions of any sort.

City Plan

[+] Display City Plan

Districts

[+] Kythera: From Alpha to Omega

[-] Kythera: From Alpha to Omega

Center City

Home to venture capitalists, investment bankers, and various sundry barons of industry, Center City — packed with more skyscrapers per square kilometer than Caprica City — can feel more than a little anesthetized, particularly during the day. But once you look past the horde of impeccably dressed men and impossibly attractive women, you'll find more than enough to keep and hold your attention.

Start your day at Kythera's newest attraction: the magnificent Botanical Gardens, whose six geodesic domes hold rare species culled from all of the Twelve Colonies. Rub shoulders with Leonis' moneyed elite at the hot-dog stands that seem to populate every corner of the city's downtown before spending your afternoon admiring the wonders of the Museum of High Technology in Prometheus Square — not, despite its reputation, a place for kids alone. Enjoy the chef's fixed-price meal at Gareth's, a five-diamond establishment helmed by the inimitable, indomitable Sir Gareth Edwards (be sure to book in advance!) and catch a late performance at the Majestic — far less pretentious than the other theaters in the area. Finish off with a cocktail at the Bar in E-Flat, a former bank vault converted into a smoky jazz bar that's well off the beaten path.

Morningvale

A residential neighborhood in northeastern Kythera, Morningvale is home to the city's upper crust. Frankly, there's not terribly much to do in the home of the Noise Complaint Filed Before Ten O'Clock at Night, but it's worth a trip if only to see the majestic three-story mansions that house Leonis' resident celebrities. A few of the older houses have been converted into privately-owned art museums at the behest of their owners, and Mulberry Road — a playboy's paradise — is packed with organic supermarkets, trendy wine bars, and the occasional gentlemen's club. Don't expect to be titillated for cheap.

Cross the River Elpeus, however, and you'll discover a far more interesting place. Fisherman's Quay, crammed full of pleasure yachts and rowboats alike, is home to the best (and most expensive) restaurants in the city. Winner of Caprica Living's Most Romantic Locale award for the past four years running, its Boardwalk — old, wooden, and creaky — brings back images of a far more innocent day. Buy a popsicle from a teenage street vendor; ride the rickety roller-coasters overlooking the river; stroll past faded arcades packed full of pinball wizards at four in the morning. And if you can afford it, book a room at the Hotel Paramount, a four-star affair on the Boulevard of Confederation. Since you're splurging, grab the penthouse suites on the seventieth floor, from which can be had a glorious view of the forests and mountains ringing Kythera proper.

Ocean Heights

After lingering in the doldrums for decades, this former hub of manufacturing has undergone a renaissance of sorts. Crumbling buildings have been prettified, cutting-edge restaurants have sprung up, and designer bars have begun to occupy sites that were, until recently, abandoned. Mix in the work of guerilla graffiti artist KZK and a bass-heavy club scene and you get something real, authentic, and rough around the edges. Do your best not to look like a tourist (see p. 14 for tips) and you'll find yourself having a rollicking good time.

It'd be a tall task indeed to come up with a day plan for a place like this, as most of its charm lies in those magical moments of discovery. Don't miss the Stadium, an architectural marvel at the center of Mayor Rayburn's program of urban renewal: a former indoor track built for the Pan-Leonisian Games and converted into the city's newest maglev station. For a cheap bite, try Happy Eats, which absolutely nails its greasy-spoon diner image. Students on a budget should seek out one of several Wholesale 2 Yous in the area, a local supermarket chain that prides itself on its discount prices.

Parkside

Parkside is named after the wide-open common around which its suburban communities have arisen. A former royal hunting ground, Herald's Green was converted to a people's park at the behest of Frederick Baumgart, known variously as a local boy made good and the populist dictator who inaugurated the Great Civil War. Whatever your feelings about its creator might be, you'll find it hard to deny that it's one of Kythera's loveliest open spaces — at once serene, local, lively, and cosmopolitan.

The Temple of Argeiphontes is the logical place from which to base your visit, a massive neo-classical edifice where worshippers gather every morning and night for their daily devotions. Next to it is the Open Air Theater, which hosts performances of local artists in spring and summer evenings. On the street directly opposite begins the famous Colonial Row, which hosts several secured embassies — eleven representatives of the ideal Kytheran brownstone, their fortified compounds located adjacent to museums of culture that are definitely worth a gander (or eleven, depending on just how cosmopolitan an experience you want). For an easy and relaxing walk, proceed east down the government buildings on Prospect Avenue to reach Hyperion Square, a towering column built from the finest Aquarian marble and rimmed by the flags of all twelve colonies. Swallow your pride and order an overpriced ale from the Forester Pub, which — despite its undeniably kitschy atmosphere — still serves some of the best traditional brews this side of Leonis.

Starfall Place

Starfall Place isn't exactly known for its beauty. A combination of soulless architecture and oft-deserted streets identify this as a solidly working-class neighborhood, and on a cloudy day it's hard to avoid the occasional pang of melancholy. Junkyards, repair shops, fast-food restaurants, cheap apartments, and student hostels are mashed together in an incoherent array of buildings, thanks to lax zoning laws and the fact that nobody with money wants to live directly north of the city's main transit hub: Bradley D. Leyman Starport, located in the southeasternmost corner of Kythera. Our advice? Avoid like the plague, unless by some unfortunate accident of finances you're forced to snag one of the hostels that rise like cankers from each city block. Thankfully, the district's many H-Train stations make it easy to leave all that business behind.

Practicalities

Transport

H-Train en route to the Stadium. CHOO CHOO, motherfrakker.

Even if you're not coming from off-planet, the best way to get to Kythera is still by passenger liner. Bradley D. Leyman Memorial Starport is the busiest transport hub on all of Leonis, and on a sunny day its soaring spires can be seen gleaming like modern-day obelisks beside the east bank of the River Elpeus. Trains to the planet's other major metropolitan areas run out of Leyman as well, though their passengers count themselves lucky if these outdated government-run clunkers are only five hours late.

As far as Kythera itself is concerned, the city's public transportation system is beyond compare. Its pride and joy is the Hermes Connection, a subterranean network of automated maglev trains designed by the famed Gaius Baltar and completed thirteen years ago. These sleek people-carriers run twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, and they're considered late if they arrive fifteen seconds behind schedule. The last time that happened was six years ago, and the epic traffic jam which resulted haunts to this day the corporate apparatchiks caught within.

For those without enough cash to ride the H, the Kytheran Transit Authority (KTA) runs a system of buses that mirrors above the ground what the H-Trains do below it. Private industry has also stepped up to the plate: taxi companies with boring names and memorable phone numbers are available around the clock, though their rates have recently gone up thanks to Mayor Rayburn's deregulatory program.

Safety

Kythera is a remarkably safe place, especially in light of the wealth disparities evident in areas such as Ocean Heights and Starfall Place. Crime is certainly not unknown so do take care, particularly at night; indeed, you should avoid walking alone in unlit areas, particularly if you're a woman. Beware of unlicensed taxis — which, though safe, have an annoying tendency to drive around in circles before charging you an enormous fare. Phone a reputable minicab company in advance: though it'll cost you a pretty cubit or two, you'll thank yourself the next time you hear of a rape/kidnapping in the morning papers. Mugging and bag-snatching are common in crowded public places like H-Train stations, bars, and museums, so make sure your valuables are kept close to your person.

In case of emergency, call 99999 on your mobile phone or any public telephone booth to summon Kythera's Finest. The Kythera Police Department is headquartered in Center City but has precincts all over town, and rare is the case when a patrol car will take more than five minutes to respond to your call. The city's main hospital — Kythera General — is located near Herald's Green, and its emergency room is open twenty-four hours a day.

Government and Politics

Mayor

Mayor Allen Harris Rayburn. He is not to be frakked with.

The City of Kythera possesses a popularly elected executive and legislative: a mayor and a unicameral city council, respectively. The mayor has almost total administrative authority and a wide range of political independence, with the power to appoint and dismiss department heads without council approval. Each mayoral term lasts for four years, and past holders of the office have respected an informal three-term limit.

The current mayor is Allen Harris Rayburn, sixty-five, elected to his current office eleven years ago after over three decades in the Kytheran Police Department. Though he swept to power on his anti-crime credentials, having spent most of his professional career in charge of the Ocean Heights precinct, his recent campaigns have emphasized the role of low taxes and deregulation in developing Kythera’ economy. A pugnacious politician who favors straight talk, pinstriped shirts, and backdrops bedecked with flags, Rayburn has presided over the greatest economic expansion in the history of this city, though that hasn’t stopped mounting criticism of his unprecedented campaign for a fourth consecutive term. Mayor Rayburn is played by Ben Kingsley.

The Kytheran Council

The Kytheran Council is comprised of five elected aldermen serving terms of two years. Though the Council proposes bills and laws, the mayor retains veto power over all legislation; needless to say, this structure severely restricts its power when confronted by a chief executive with significant popular support, as it has been in recent years. Today, the Council is little more than Mayor Rayburn's rubber-stamp, as at least three of its members can be counted on to vote in favor of nearly anything he proposes.

The five districts (and their associated representatives) are:

District	Alderman	Mugshot	Biography
Center City	Mr. James Malley, Esq.		Yes, he's that James Malley: the multi-millionaire tort lawyer who made his name (and fortune) in Mary Rinn et al. v. Tantalus, Inc. almost a decade back. Malley makes no secret of his ambition — President of the Colonies — and sees his two-term jaunt with the Kytheran Council as the first step in this grand project. As far as his politics are concerned, he's shown himself to be a master of taking convenient (and occasionally contradictory) positions without being tagged as a man with no principles — though that may just be because he's bought off all challengers to date. Played by Christian Bale.
Morningvale	Ms. Camila Felix		Camila Felix is the only child of Alastair Felix, founder and CEO of the Sigma Fund — named one of the Colonies' ten most successful hedge funds by Finance Magazine for seven consecutive years. She inherited the seat after the untimely death of her husband some nineteen months ago, and — to the surprise of most political observers — chose to run for reelection instead of exiting stage right. Along with Thun and Malley, Ms. Felix is one of Mayor Rayburn's staunchest allies on the council — for indeed, it was he who convinced her to run in the first place. Rumors about the true nature of their relationship have swirled about them since. Played by Maggie Q.
Ocean Heights	Dr. Raymond Barron		Dr. Barron is the local boy who made good. Born to parents who couldn't speak a word of Colonial Standard, he clawed and scratched his way to an M.D. before coming home to open a community clinic in Ocean Heights. The longest-serving alderman on the Council, Barron has been a thorn in the mayor's side for the better part of ten years, and his remains the most eloquent voice for social justice in the whole of the city. Played by Ian McKellen.
Parkside	Mrs. Jennifer Thun		A formerly-retired grandmother with four daughters and three times that number of grandchildren, Jennifer Thun (née Archwell) is the newest alderwoman on the Council. She's also become Mayor Rayburn’s most reliable supporter. Her greatest legislative accomplishment to date is a bill permitting concealed carry of handguns within the city limits. Played by Helen Mirren.
Starfall Place	Mr. Frank Pindel		Before launching his political career, Frank made a living as a shock jock on satellite radio, and his controversial views on issues as varied as the age of consent ("Just face it: fourteen-year-olds sure look mature enough to say yes!") and taxes ("Anybody who owns a yacht and more than one television deserves to be taxed like the asshole he is.") have earned him the reputation of a loose cannon. Nevertheless, the past six years have proven him to be a canny legislator in his own right, particularly as regards the allocation of funds to neighborhood improvement projects. Played by Chris Rock.

Culture

Theater

Average singers and mediocre actors have to be employed somehow, and Kythera is glad to take them. A number of independent theaters have carved out little niches for themselves in a neighborhood east of downtown, all of them sponsored by wealthy benefactors racing to prove themselves more cultured than their peers. The most popular ones are the Fin-de-Siecle, which bills itself as a "postmodern re-imagining of classical tragicomedy," and the Majestic, which bills itself as precisely the opposite. Consistency in tastes: the nouveau riche ain't got it.

Street Art

Nobody knows what this says. That's what makes it art.

Though Kythera can't hold a candle to Caprica or Virgon when it comes to this sort of thing, the city has seen something akin to an artistic renaissance over the past five decades. The first to arrive were hipsters from the suburbs, their spirits stirred by post-industrial decay (for indeed, Kythera suffered considerably during the First Cylon War), and with them came a flood of vagrant poets, indie musicians, and itinerant painters, all of whom soon set up shop on Herald's Green. Though most of those have long since moved on, a few old-schoolers are still kicking about the city, and if you buy them a drink — preferably a microbrew, but their poverty means they can’t afford to be as snobby as they’d like — they'll be glad to sketch a picture of you in prose, song, or ink.

Today, the tradition of street art is carried forward by youth from the less advantaged parts of town. Graffiti is everywhere in Ocean Heights, and while most of it has no redeeming artistic value, the same cannot be said about the man (woman?) known only as KZK. His (her?) spray-painted murals decorate bus stops, maglev stations, and other areas crawling with police, who either can't or won't stop the "vandalism" from occurring. KZK's most recent work is known only as LISTEN!, and magnificent variations upon those seven characters have started to spring up even outside the confines of the inner city. As to what KZK is telling people to listen to — well, if you have to ask, you're not part of the target audience.

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