When Rolf and his friends go to Dezo in PSII, they find a some old newspapers that say there was an evacuation due to a gas leak. Now, I'm sure the evacuation really happened, but do you believe there truly was a gas leak?
I was thinking about how Mother Brain influenced and subtly guided the Algoians into a position where they were almost helpless to stop her. She did this over time, with steps like the bans on sea and space travel. I believe it would be within Mother Brain's power, and fit with her m.o., to fake a gas leak or report one when it never happened. She could have done this to get all the Palmans on Dezoris to return to Palma or Motavia, where she would have more control over them. Dezoris seems almost immune from her touch.
What do you think?