Black Mesa Dragon Rookery Main Structure

Black Mesa is a modern facility with hydroelectric, geothermal, nuclear, solar and other standard technological power supplies, modern medical facilities, food production, and defense/offense capabilities. Most of the items found in Black Mesa are common to 21st century Earth, however much of the world surrounding the specific location is in ruins. The nearby scrub desert is drier than it used to be, due to the lowering of the amount of actual water around the planet. However, since there is no further water use in the area any longer, all that can be diverted (from a variety of sources not the least of which is the Pecos River) has been purified and supplies the area once more. Power produced from the dam is transmitted via ground cables; there's no point in trying to assemble towers, as they would get in the way of flying dragons. Solar panels will only be put into full use a few years after the Combine are defeated - so, in a number of years the area will have a brightly reflective patch here and there. The nuclear energy as well as geothermal is produced far below the surface, in what Lane assures everyone is a 'safe' manner.

The Mesa itself is a semi-natural feature. The coloration of its walls is different than the other rock formations in the area - and is artificial. Originally named Black Mesa for the brush and plant life near and on it, it used to be the same striated red and sand-color that is common to the New Mexico / Utah / Arizona / Oklahoma area. There are no longer any paved roads in the area, mostly having been destroyed during the Portal Storms, and having been fully covered by normal wear and wind in the meantime. A dirt road exists from the Mesa toward the Ranch. What few chunks of asphalt still poke out now and then are gathered and repurposed into whatever needed, to keep them out of the way.

The facility was used from the 1950s through the 1980s for military research on power, fuel, rocketry and weaponry, and from the 1980s into the 2000s with a heavier concentration on theoretical physics and engineering. After the discovery of Xen and its exploration, xenobiology labs were also created to house alien life forms safely for observation. The facilities therefore are split into several distinct eras, and it's easy to see when parts of the older facility stopped being used, in favor of their newer, slightly safer counterparts. 'Slightly' safer.

Currently, the location has undergone a radical transformation that has rid it of its disaster-area designation. Through the use of his considerable power over matter, Kallah Vahh, aka Keenan Lane to Humanity, has taken the radioactivity away from the parts which shouldn't be glowing, and has purified the tremendous amount of toxic sludge that plagued the place (for years before and after the Resonance Cascade, anyway). That's not to say that the facility isn't completely terrifying in places. But the machinery has for the most part been turned off, senseless factory floors no longer pound loudly or burn out of control. Plenty of locations are still scary with those machines and the Vortal ghosts that haunt them, but the more pressing dangers include alien wildlife as well as the ever-present possibility of falling into one of the huge, seemingly bottomless caverns below many of the transit hubs.

To be fair, they're not all actually bottomless. Only some of them. They're quite deep, and lead to distant unexplored caverns to the west, which are currently filled with Antlion colonies. So far, the Antlions have not made it to Black Mesa proper, and they are herded at the Ranch on a regular basis, along side the cattle on which they prey. The surrounding land has a small amount of cultivation done by the people living in the Dry Cove, what remained of the dorms and exterior township has been moved to this location at the base of the Mesa. No large-scale farming is done at this point, to avoid being spotted by Combine forces, and further to avoid being ruined when those forces attack. Smaller scale farming, gardening, and hydroponics are done within the Mesa itself. That said, almost all the exterior of Dry Cove has food plants growing on it, and seen from above would be nothing more than an overgrown natural area.[1]

The functionality of the larger spaces within the Mesa remains important. While most if not all of the industrial manufacturing cannot be continued, some of the machinery cannot be remade and will be of use in the future. Entire sections of the Mesa have therefore been sealed off with stone encasements, and are occasionally patrolled by teleporters like Lane in order to make sure that no one or nothing has made it in to damage them. Going from a largely militarized and industrial facility to a scientific outpost in the 80s means that the medical and social centers are far more habitable than the older portions below. The oldest sections of the Mesa are still accessable via twisting mine-car rails. Many of the dorms which were moved still have old belongings in them, and most of the facility still has yet to be rid of the presence of several thousand dead bodies - human and otherwise. Keenan's working on that. Most of the weaponry and all of the mine fields that had been found at Black Mesa in the past were destroyed when the location was nuked [2] just after the Resonance Cascade. Those which were left have been filtered through for functionality, and the grounds are effectively fresh for use at this point.

The biggest outright changes to the Mesa's interior as well as exterior is that there is now space for permanent on-site inhabitation, and larger scale interiors because of the dragons coming with those inhabitants. Flooring and wall structures have all been reinforced so there is very little danger of any dragon poking its foot through the floor and into the rooms below. The sides of the Mesa are visibly open in numerous spots - dragon rooks with ledges for flight, and within those areas the living spaces for their riders. Also there are huge hidden 'windows' which are actually panes of crystal that allow quite a bit of light to come in, without being seen through from the outside. Interior lighting, while common enough with light fixtures, is aided by these great panes, as well as the existence of Xenian wildlife that glows by itself. Typical ceiling heights in the modern Mesa run from 20 to 50 feet, where they would normally have been 12 to 20 feet. A normal housing or bipedal-only area still has ceiling spaces around 10 to 12 feet, and locations which haven't been altered are still fit only for Human sized people. The dragon-inhabited areas are much broader as well as higher, but most dragons must still fold their wings down and keep their heads from bumping things.

The other significant and very visible change is the creation of an artificial lake at the top of the Mesa, which cycles downward feeding through the entire facility after about 200 feet. As it used to be one (or more?) of the missile silos made in the 60s, moved from the ground level to a much higher spot, the lake is round, and can be covered from above to avoid detection, but usually is open-air. Though this is a fresh water source there are no fish in it (at least, none should be there). Fish have been stocked in the river and reservoir below (and not those electric-leech things which came with that gigantic Icthyosaur creature, which has been killed). The lake serves as a meeting point as well as the primary cooling and drinking/use source for the entire facility. Where the water comes from is nobody's business. Keenan won't say. It definitely drains into the same basin which the river nearby feeds from.[3]

Black Mesa itself is a massive half-mile wide cube. While it is not hollow by any stretch, it certainly has a lot of interior space. Perhaps 1/3 of the volume of the locale is hollow, the rest is either too difficult to move around, or needed for structural stability. The old sections of the interior are not where anyone spends time at this point, aside from a number of the original scientists who now reinhabit the place, and their counterparts who had been found in other Cities or even other dimensions and relocated here. The living spaces inhabited by dragon riders or potential riders are those Rooks along the walls of the Mesa, while those who don't intend to or won't be able to bond a dragon generally reside in Dry Cove. Most of the interior's powered vertical and horizontal conveyances - elevators, escalators, funuculars, and trams - have been replaced or removed entirely, in favor of safer balconies, walkways, or ramps. In some areas, tram rails have been removed completely in order to allow flighted beings free roaming space. Does it cause trouble when you need to get from one part of the facility to the other? Why, not at all...

One feature which is present on this Mesa that isn't necessarily there anywhere else, are Aperture-made portal panels. For individuals who lack wings, or cannot do it themselves (in other words, 'everyone else') these white panels with push-button controls have been put in strategic locations around both the exterior and interior of the Mesa. They are portals, able to instantly convey the user from one spot to another without the distressing use of the Lambda Xen relay portal (which aside from the generators and overall power supply, is currently the only major piece of equipment still in use. Technically it zaps people to Xen, but functionally leading directly to Aperture's Enrichment Center on this world). From meeting rooms and social gathering spots, to the Dry Cove and up to the Lake, these portal panels have made it possible to instantly convene or disperse as needed. Like many items in the Mesa, however, those panels are fitted with self-destruct codes. Should the Combine ever reach this location unhindered, the entire place will be destroyed again. This time, completely.[4]

The Rooks themselves are designed according to Lane's observations of other dragonries. From Weyrs on Pern which have either one large or two smaller dragons and a shared living space for their riders, to Alskyran and Dragonstake group arrangements which allow younger dragons enough space but their bonds to continue their studies without the need to support themselves. Generally speaking the smaller, younger, flightless, or less adept dragons and their riders or bonds are found on the lowest of the Rook levels, while their larger, experienced, or more flight-capable companions are allowed access to the higher Rook rooms. By design, larger dragons generally require more air below their wings to fly - and smaller, lesser able ones won't have as far to crash if they can't lift off properly. The walls of the exterior are angled very slightly, and while it's still a very steep fall, plenty of ledges and walkways have been put in - generally by request of the inhabitants - to break those long falls. One exterior access route is available on the south-east side of the Mesa, from ground to plateau, but it's a very long hike upwards. Though it seems from the outside that the entire place is just riddled with openings, the Rooks are served from within by numerous long and often cris-crossed tunnels. They do not open directly into the interior of the Mesa except in very few cases.[5]

Each Rook is actually quite a lot more spacious than many dragon dens elsewhere. Since there is no intention of having a hatching sands or eggs here (though everyone knows it's only a matter of time[6]), the luxury of simply living with a dragon is present in each one. Without the rigid need for military style 'Wings' [7], essentially anyone can reside wherever their dragon and skill is appropriate. Though smaller, the single-person Rooks on the bottom levels are still the equivalent of a modern 2-bedroom 1 bath home. These give that single person room to have their own hobbies or extra space, or guests as they wish, as well as enough room for up to a mid-sized dragon. Also on this level are the multiple-dwelling group arrangements which have wider areas for several small dragons, and a series of large 2-room dorms. They have restroom and bathing areas one for every three dorms. The middle level Rooks have more or less 3 bedroom 2 bath housing, with space for either one larger or two mid-size dragons on their ledges. Several family Rooks are available on this level. Those on the top tend to be more sprawling and luxurious though still have anywhere between 2 and 4 bedroom areas, plus larger gathering spots - these are essentially 'executive' suites that aren't always inhabited by locals. Visitors and guests are often served in these highest Rooks, and they are furnished in a variety of ways to accomodate different cultures and expectations.

All Rooks except the group dorms have their own kitchen and bath, are fit for dining and living space, bedrooms with closet space, and the like. Shared areas for dorms include libraries, game rooms, group kitchen and dining halls, large bathing and private restroom facilities, as well as slightly larger 'crash' rooms for parties or visiting guests who just can't make it back to their own domain. Note that most if not all of the existing plumbing and closet spaces are still intact and serve exactly the same purpose as they always have. Executive washrooms are quite nice, janitorial rooms are well serviced. Communication, security, and information centers are found on every level, generally containing a video phone unit, computer access, and in some cases a portal area; they serve around one for every 50 inhabitants. Primarily the difference in space and provisions, between the Rookery and most other Dragonries, is modernization. While other places like Dragonhope and Alabaster Weyrhold may have comparitively modern equipment like 'electric lighting' or centeral heating, almost everyone living in the Mesa is from 'modern Earth' and thus expects privacy, self-sufficiency, and 'a place for their stuff'. Most of the people bonded to dragons from other worlds find those conditions they had to endure while waiting for their dragon to hatch to be unbearably primitive, and this is coming from people who've had their entire world ruined by the Combine.[8]

The dragon areas, specifically their sleeping arrangements, are often made of either the stone found in the Mesa or its environment, or concrete and wood as a base, but then have added layers of the springy, slightly spongy 'dirt' that is common to Xen: it makes for excellent soft material that can withstand quite a bit of weight, claws and sharp bits, and also can be shaped easily by a variety of methods. From psionic power among the Pantheon, to pressing it into shapes and slightly heating it with tools, this material is very useful. Also in some locations (typically nearer the Ranch or underground, but also brought in for some inhabitants that desired it) the Antlion 'crust', a yellowish fiber goo that solidifies into a slightly brittle but very strong layer, is added to provide a more 'cave-like' interior space, smoothing out any corners and lines, but also it's a little unnerving to walk through. (The background image of the Rookery website pages is 'made' of this stuff.) This obviously requires an antlion or two to create, but they are in plentiful supply and can be controlled by several members of the Rookery staff for laying down new coats. Or for creating new tunnels between areas, or encasing stray headcrabs and ammunition for later use...

Also required for the dragonry have been 'communal latrines' for the dragons to use if they aren't able or willing to go outside to evacuate their bowel, and in Black Mesa, that means 'finding the nearest bottomless pit' - and there are dozens of those. The smell or occasional overflow of these isn't a problem yet, but the inhabitants are thinking of ways to move that waste around and use it for fertilizer or other needs. Numerous species of small creatures, such as 'chumtoads' and 'glowbacks' seem quite happy to sort through the dragon (and other) wastes, and a variety of mostly-Xenian plant life also seems to grow well on it, so this will definitely work to the Rookery's advantage in the long run. Of course, Snarks and other more volitile creatures make use of this space too, so be warned, don't go wading through the dragon pits without serious protection...

Closer to the center, away from the exterior wall of the Mesa where the Rooks are carved, it's hit or miss whether the area opens into the center of the Mesa. Most portions which had been manufactured or physically carved are still easily available, while more natural caverns and solid stone remain where they are and largely inaccessable. Only two portions of the 'full' interior of the Mesa can actually be seen. One is from the Rook level 2 (down from top) as it joins the artificial lake's water system with pumping stations, a large atrium with waterfalls, and enough space for dragons to actually fly around in. This area has a surprising amount of light in it given that it seems to be around 200 to 300 feet into the interior of the place. The other is where a number of older labs and mechanical equipment had been moved away and the walls effectively condensed into large smooth curving archways. The entire population of the Mesa - both dragon and bipedal - can fit in that spot and overlook the nearest natural cavern below. Water is carefully guided through this area as well, keeping the entire location cool and pleasant regardless of the temperature outside. The water system has almost fully replaced the original air conditioning system, alleviating the need to draw power for that use in the bulk of the facility. There are still numerous levels including the Medical wing that has its own heating and cooling system in place.[9]

The layout of the medical and currently-used facilities follows the Rooks and is duplicated in the area near Dry Cove. Medical sites for the dragons are available on every Rook level, one on each face of the Mesa with an added area in the bottom-most level for the youngest of the dragons care.[10] Other features which are slightly different from those found in less modern Weyrs or Dens include fast food shops, clothing and talioring areas, a weaponry workshop and firing range (run by Mars), as well as a 'junk shop' which like its clothing counterpart has been gathered from the surrounding countryside as well as far distant places, and serves as a sort of one-stop shop for anything else you'd need that is no longer manufactured. Pots and pans, table settings, desks and beds, furnishings and artwork, anything that was discarded by people in the prior era can be found here for barter or just up for grabs. Most of the time these aren't 'the clothes off dead people's backs', but ... eh, don't think on it too hard. All these things were looted from empty homes and City ruins. Sometimes smaller dragons and their riders will head into those same ruins, and restock the junk shop's shelves with the stuff they bring back.

The other thing which does distinguish Black Mesa from its counterparts on other worlds is that there is virtually no money exchanged. Money has been meaningless for more than a decade fully on that world, almost two given when the Resonance Cascade occurred and people had to scurry away from their comfortable homes. While barter is common enough on many worlds, it's also not the main way of life in Black Mesa. It is more or less a collective - that's the influence of the Pantheon's inhabitants who have chosen to come here, and the Color Guard's lack of prior knowledge of money doesn't hurt. To share is to live, here; selfishness isn't common but it definitely isn't completely gone. You're just more likely to see someone being laughed at for hoarding their old world money, than able to use it to 'buy' anything now. (Just wait until those people from New Vegas try trading bottle caps for stuff!)[11]

When the needs outweigh the ability to produce, particularly for food, dragons as well as other sources will head out to collect more. The eventual goal of this Rookery is to have a thriving and well-defended city below the Mesa. That will be years in the making, but it's well planned. (see also: Lane Mansion's Coffee Grounds, 10 years pass!) When it became apparent that there were portals opening to other worlds seemingly at random and dropping dragons here to the planet in places that the Combine might discover, the Lanes along with a couple of the Protectorate's stronger dimension hoppers and technicians created a 'Collection Plate' portal which would attract those randoms rather than allow them to wander into the wrong hands. Built basically overnight in RY5, this is located north-west of the main Rookery and slightly off the path toward the Ranch, about 4 miles away from the Rookery proper, in what used to be a cavern that opened to the surface during a Portal Storm. The area was cleared out of dangers, reinforced and isolated from the rest of the caverns nearby, and contains the tech for reception as well as some creature comforts for newly arrived dragons. There is always some kind of fresh meat, water (Xenian, because the travel between worlds is often both painful and disorienting), and camouflaged but open-air shelter above the pit. It is very clear from the location, that it's meant to be a rest stop and not a trap, as there is an obvious and easy way out of it, along with the frequent presence of other dragons and riders to help when the portal powers up.

--Notes--

[1] In transition periods before the end of the Combine rule but after the Rookery is established, Eden, the Pantheon's best plant shaper, is called on board to produce a lattice for the plants, which not only shields the 'town' under itself, but is extremely pretty and considered a nice 'date' spot for the locals.
[2] This nuclear blast was set off by that world's Local Keenan Lane, and is canon to the Half Life timeline; however, it is not canon to the Repurposed timeline, and Repurposed Lane is a bit angry that they would have destroyed this place outright. Not that the blast did all that much damage, they'd had worse accidental incidents with nuclear warheads or the power plant, before then.
[3] The water in this 'lake' cycles somehow, though not so strongly as to produce dangerous currents, except at the bottom third of the interior of its 'well' - there are intake tubes and those have hatches and grills that require manual cleaning on a semi-regular basis. The occasional electric leech does make it into the water supply, but this is a very rare occurrance, and likely due to persistent Portal 'stormlets' that drop aliens into odd spots even long after the Resonance Cascade.
[4] Aperture's technology has enabled virtually the entire Rookery venture, actually. Because GLaDOS in this universe is more curious than threatening, and was in fact responsible for the creation of the Color Guard, it's possible that Lane will move on to the Enrichment Center near Munising, Michigan, and potentially utilize the massive underground salt mine shafts and Testing Spheres, for further inhabitation. That will absolutely require a lot more effort than cleaning up Black Mesa, though - as Aperture's safety record is... less than stellar. (This is fully enabled within the first decade)
[5] Look, when there's a chute from the higher level to the middle of the facility's bulk, people use it to travel... Even with the Teleport panels, there are often half a dozen accidents a month involving people who just love the feeling of sliding down 500 feet and crash-landing into the netting now lining every single one of those access points. Even small dragons can fit into them. That's not a challenge, nor a hint.
[6] The moment that half a dozen 'proddy females' discovered the existence of the Mesa's naturally occurring and extremely warm 'sand dune' on the north-west side of its exterior, they started looking for mates. There absolutely will be dragon eggs and bonding ceremonies here.
[7] While the 'need' for military style wings certainly exists, there is only the barest presence of such a thing here. Paxton and Geoff, along with Shephard, Renee, Dante, and Becket, maintain a reasonable semblance of order among the Rooks, and have made it perfectly clear that each rider and dragon have their duties laid out for them should the need arise. They do not do 'drills' though if Pax had his way they absolutely would. (Notably after the other Rookery locations are firmly established, there is a much more military-feel to the location. Though plenty of non-riders are still on site, the majority of inhabitants as of RY7 are combat worthy.)
[8] The number of people who have actually been offworld for a dragon hatching is remarkably small considering how many dragons there are in the Rookery. The original 15 Clone Girls and a few of their male companions are among them, but for the most part the eggs and dragonets, and sometimes full grown dragons, have found their way to the Rookery. Somehow.
[9] Add to this the amount of naturally occuring as well as imported moss, algae, fungus, and other assorted plant life, there is never a shortage of fresh air growing from the plants here. Eden has made sure that all of the invasive plants are safe to be around, though she has had to warn people that some of them are a bit on the 'make you hear the number five' kind of edible...
[10] Note that medical professionals from Earth (regardless of which dimension's) have easy access to each of their work stations. There aren't enough of them to really go around, so anyone with medical training of any kind (be it for human, animal, pharmacology, or forensics) is encouraged to continue their education and focus it on those living here. Dragon healers, on the other hand, are extremely rare, and though there are nine spots with dragon-related equipment, there may be two or three people actually running those stations. With several of the imported Mudwings capable of healing their own kind, they are afforded whatever splats of boggy mud or shore space they want. Specifically, the Bayou now has an extended Mudwing Sauna that has been turned into a day-spa and combat healing facility!
[11] On the other hand, most of the tangible money that's available just by flipping through a dead guy's wallet is good elsewhere... There are plenty of Earths after all, that don't check too hard when they see small bills or coins that have a faintly 'wrong' carving of a president that they'd never recognize.