dispite this being sci-fi, I'm beginning to sense bad news for the engineers story.
I find when you place too much emphasis on the society, its going to change the ridley verse dramatically.
It will become too much like star wars and things get out of hand. I simply feel they could have just removed the city altogether.
Too many questions as to : how did the engineers make all this stuff? How did they manufacture it? What is thier currency? What is their economy like? What is their prime rate for lending...etc.etc.
I mean what the hell is that big ass scorpion tale coming out of the ground? Did someone make that? Is it plant, you just add water?