Wildfire

"The worst pandemic in modern history was the Spanish flu of 1918, which killed tens of millions of people. Today, with how interconnected the world is, it would spread faster."

- Bill Gates

Wildfire is a Hard Mystery storyline in .

Overview
This scenario focuses on countering a new pestilence, Wildfire, that ravages Mars and has the potential to cause an extinction-level event.

Wildfire: Contamination!
"The security log shows that everything started with a malfunction in the storage unit where the analysis samples were stored. After that the internal systems of the laboratory began to rapidly fail one after another. Suspiciously, the damaged systems were all made of plastic and organic polymers, all corroded away within mere seconds.

Our operatives are puzzled with the cause of the chain reaction but the Chief Engineer has pointed out a fact which eluded our attention until now - the remains of the Scoop XI satellite were held in the storage unit of this facility. We didn't take any chances and ordered an emergency decontamination of the building. Let's hope that whatever was in there has been destroyed."


 * Effect: A Laboratory has mysteriously malfunctioned.

Wildfire: Infection!
"The medical examination shows they all suffer from a form of hypercoagulation. Anti-coagulation medicines have been issued but the symptoms remain. Primary analysis of the patients' blood samples hasn't found the cause behind the symptoms, but the level of damage to the erythrocytes leads to the workings of a virus-sized or smaller agent. We're currently running a thorough check on the patients' background information and behavior to find the source of the infection."


 * Effect: Several Colonists have gained the Infected trait.

Wildfire: Mars Aflame
"All attempts to isolate the sources have failed. We can assume that the virus is traveling all across our life support and maintenance circuits. The only way to stop it is to turn off all systems, but this would be a death sentence for the colonists. We've ran out of options."
 * This event fires if you fail to research a cure for the infection.

Wildfire: Quenching the Flames
"The challenge would be monumental as our researchers lack any epidemiological data on which to step up. The medical records we've gathered point out the symptoms, but the chemical structure of the agent is so alien that it cannot be compared to anything known to science. To make things worse, the nano-scale of the agent makes analysis even harder. Only by diverting enough resources to the task we can hope to make any breakthrough."


 * Effect: The Wildfire Cure research has become available. Each newly constructed Medical Building will grant a 5% Tech Boost to the Wildfire Cure research (maximum 50%).

Wildfire: The Cure
"A genetically modified strain of the Martian Wildfire interfaces with the RNA of the virus and effectively stops it from coagulating the blood plasma of the host. The intake of only a small amount of the cure is enough to halt the development of the disease, even though it wouldn't repair the tissue damage suffered so far.

The scientists experimented with multiple growth mediums and discovered that the most effective way to proliferate the medicine is by introducing it in mold cells growing on potatoes. This is great news because we can provide enough biomass for the modified mold to grow and if we do it quickly, we can still stand a chance to end the suffering on Earth."


 * Effect: The Curetato Crop has become available. Harvesting it will produce Cure for the Wildfire infection, which in turn has to be exported to Earth to end the crisis.


 * Effect: Colonists with the Infected trait will be cured permanently after their first visit in a Medical Building.

Wildfire: Wings of Salvation
Some time after the Curetato has been researched:

"A cargo rocket is on its way to gather the Wildfire cure. People on Earth depend on our efforts to create a steady supply chain for the cure.

The amount of Wildfire Cure we have to return to Earth depends on the severity of the situation there. If the situation demands it, we should expect potential future requests for the cure."


 * Effect: Load Cargo Rockets with the Cure and Fuel and send them back to Earth until the Wildfire infection is completely eradicated.

Wildfire: Safer Together
"Our efficient medical program has managed to cure all cases of the Wildfire infection. Mars has become a much safer place. We informed Earth and after a careful selection and medical checks they are ready to launch an emergency flight with healthy survivors aboard.

These are ordinary people who survived the Wildfire crisis somehow and managed to get to safety. None of them has passed the initial training required for arriving on Mars so we expect them to have a hard time acclimating to the life in the colony. But at least they would be safe from harm with us."


 * Effect: A rocket with  Refugees aboard is inbound to Mars.

Extinction event

 * The following chain of events occurs if you let the infection spread to Earth by allowing an Infected colonist to leave the red planet - and later fire if you fail to develop the cure.

Wildfire: Countdown to Extinction
"Several small settlements in different regions have been infected. The authorities report that the victims have deteriorated within mere hours, something which doesn't match our medical records. On Mars it takes Sols for the Wildfire to kill its host. We suspect some form of rapid mutation due to the changes in the environment.

The infected areas have been placed under quarantine and we can only pray that the authorities manage to prevent the disease from spreading any further."


 * Effect: Infection Level on Earth has been set to the Contained level. If it reaches the Extinction level, the human population on Earth will be obliterated. Discover the Wildfire Cure and supply it to Earth to prevent this!

Wildfire: Infection Level - Endemic
"Scientists on Earth are desperately trying to discover a solution, but so far in vain. The virulence of the local strain is so high that sampling and transporting infected material is a death sentence. The nanoscopic size of the agent makes containment equally hard - biological filters fail to stop it effectively, threatening the safety of any laboratory which attempts to study it. The only solution is to analyze the original strain - the one we have on Mars - in order to find the cure. Time is running short!

Meanwhile, Third World countries are in a state of panic as the Wildfire strikes the poorest communities. Waves of refugees flee the affected regions and many resource operations are simply abandoned by the scared personnel. The market feels the hunger for raw resources and multiple demands have been filed for imports from Mars."


 * Effect: Infection Level has reached the Endemic state. Export prices have increased for the next ?? Sols as the First World economies feel the hunger for resources.

Wildfire: Infection Level - Epidemic
"Wildfire has hit the Third World hard. The crisis can be felt across the developing countries and the First World as well. The chaos in the poorest countries resonates across the globe as the raw materials markets are plummeting. Entire resource operations in the Third World countries are abandoned as the workers flee the areas hit by the virus. People in the rich countries vocally support actions to relieve the struggling regions of the Earth and many companies divert resources for charity. Probably there's still hope for humanity when so many of us refuse to ignore the tragedy of complete strangers."


 * Effect: Infection Level has reached the Epidemic state. Applicant pool is depleted for the next ?? Sols due to quarantine measures.

Wildfire: Infection Level - Pandemic
"The tragedy in the Third World has struck some of the richer countries as well, as the Wildfire infection has spread across their populations. People stay inside, fearing for their lives. Refugee camps are filling to the brim as entire areas of the world have been depopulated. Despair has brought the worse in some of us and looters raid the stores in the cities while the police and the army are trying to quell the violent riots. The economies of the First World are failing due to the growing crisis and our Sponsor wasn't spared as well. I'm afraid we're running out of time..."


 * Effect: Infection Level has reached the Pandemic state. Next level - Extinction! All resupply costs are increased for the next  Sols due to supply shortages.

Wildfire: Extinction Epilogue
"Earth has become an uninhabited mausoleum of our past greatness - the barren, lifeless husks of the once overcrowded megalopolises, the abandoned derelicts of our once great industrial might, the meadows where no children would ever play. The shroud of silence has covered the surface of the Earth and only the wind chimes through the ruins of our past, whispering stories no one is there to listen.

Is this the end? Is the Wildfire infection over, dead in its rampant destruction alongside its human hosts? Or would it mutate further, consuming all life on Earth? Only the children of our children will be able to answer these questions, watching from afar."


 * Effect: Earth population is devastated by the Wildfire infection! Export, Resupply, Research Outsourcing and Applicants have been disabled indefinitely.

Wildfire: Dawn of Earth
"The survivors of the Wildfire gathered in remote places of the planet and inside protected facilities and began to re-emerge into the world when the signs of the infection began to vanish. They are unsure what happened with the disease, and so are we, but they claim that it appears gone. Earth is welcoming to humans once more!

The survivors have just began restarting abandoned factory complexes and power plants to fuel the industry needed to rebuild the civilization from the ruins. People move into the cities and repopulate the farming areas. The economy is starting to build up momentum - and they want us to become part of the exchange once more!

The survivors have their spirits high, but still the fear of the Wildfire lies in all of them - what if it comes back? This is the reason why they've requested us to send them as much of the Wildfire Cure as we can."


 * Effect: Communications with Earth have been re-established. Resupply, Research Outsourcing and Applicants are available once more. Export prices are reduced for the next ?? Sols while the economy is recovering.


 * Effect: Cargo Rockets will be sent from Earth to be loaded with Wildfire Cure. When they reach Earth you will be granted ??? Funding.