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[syvarris]

((Wifi at home died, so I'm posting from a phone.  Not gonna update the Heph page until it's fixed, because it's hellish to try with the phone.

Also, I don't see anything else that I can do for the SM facility.  We don't have a crew, and Sean's more in charge of the ship building facilities; I don't want to mess with those.))

Hephaestus management:

1.You say we need germ cells- can we just use germ cells from our human workers?  Or are they too irradiated/stasis insane?

2.You say we can manufacture the spears if we have a "very VERY fine manufacturing plant".  We don't yet have a free constuction crew, but could we have a science crew make sure we have a good blueprint that will work and won't accidentally cause a ⁹ incident?


Science:

3.Remember the 'termite gun' that we got from M14?  I want to science it.  Do all this in a containment room, with no living things inside it (only possessed bodies), and make sure the gun is always secured inside a containment box whenever the door to the room is opened.  Station ten robosods with goop throwers outside the room, in case of problems.  Ten more behind them with neotherm throwers.

4.Have a sod possess a lone unoccupied robobody, and pick up the gun with it.  No firing yet.  Analyze the body for any anomalies for ten minutes.

5.If nothing goes bad, have the sod shoot a metal containment container with the weapon.  Watch what happens.

6.If nothing goes bad, have the sod shoot a securely tied up and unoccupied robobody with the weapon.  Watch what happens.  Analyze the body while this happens.  Also, make sure that that body doesn't have the possession software on it.

7.If nothing goes bad, analyze the weapon in detail, externally.  What control surfaces does it have?  What do you see if you look down the barrel?  Is there anything unusual/interesting at all about this gun?



((@Toaster  I'm only sending this if Sean doesn't send something himself.  He's more aware of where our ship building capabilities will be in the future.))

At the moment, our FTL power projection abilities are nonexistant.  Hephaestus wasn't designed to build ships at all, or even the FTL automanipulators.

I can't give you an accurate ETA on when we'll have a significant number of ships, or even the facilities required to produce them, but I can say that we probably won't have either before you leave the planet you're on.

We may even need to import certain difficult-to-obtain resources before we can produce ships- namely, undamaged human germ cells.  You may be able to propose that as a trade; They get us germ cells, we give them a navy that would surpass a top UWM defense fleet.  I'm sure that once we have the required facilities, we could produce a fleet of that level within a year.

[Radio Controlled]

((@ Syv: I was going to ask PW to what extent or what situations we can use our science crew to help with artifact research. I gave the termite gun as an example, but if you want to work on it for now that's even better. It is good to see someone try his hand at one of these things, I am curious as to what will come of it.


One thing I was gonna ask pw next: see if the process that the biochem forge scanning process uses can be modified to also be usable on nonliving matter, thereby getting easy access to blueprints. Seeing as how one can scan an organic brain and use it to manufacture a synthetic one, there might be a way. Of course, this would probably destroy the artifact (if it even works at all) so it wouldn't become the 'go to' method, but it might serve as a way to duplicate certain artifacts so that, if one gets destroyed during testing, a backup can be used to continue analysis.))

[syvarris]

((I'm pretty sure PW has said that we aren't allowed to use science crews on these things, because that's less interesting and fun.  Besides, it's low hanging fruit, especially since you handed me the actions already.

That's a good idea, but I've been figuring we could try using automanips to do that instead, since they have some ability to sense changes in the environment.  The Biochem forge probably deconstructs the stuff that it 'scans', which would be... very dangerous to do on devices we don't understand.  Deconstructing a nuclear device layer by layer is probably a bad idea, imagine what it'd do to a device using space magic?))

[Radio Controlled]

((I'm pretty sure PW has said that we aren't allowed to use science crews on these things, because that's less interesting and fun.  Besides, it's low hanging fruit, especially since you handed me the actions already.

That's a good idea, but I've been figuring we could try using automanips to do that instead, since they have some ability to sense changes in the environment.  The Biochem forge probably deconstructs the stuff that it 'scans', which would be... very dangerous to do on devices we don't understand.  Deconstructing a nuclear device layer by layer is probably a bad idea, imagine what it'd do to a device using space magic?))

((If my memory serves me right, I though the restriction was only for Nyartifacts, to prevent us just buying en-masse and shipping to Hep to get free superweapons (and because Nyars is really one of those things that is fun in-game but makes no sense whatsoever in-universe). Not sure if it also counts for artifacts gathered on mission, which is why I'm asking pw to be sure.

And yeah, that was the backup plan in case the first thing didn't work: once we have amp factory, build a big specialized automanip that can literally copy something. Idea would then be that copying takes quite a lot of resources (so not a viable method for mass production) but it would allow for some 'wiggle room' when testing artifacts, to keep things balanced (and help prevent pw from going "nope, too OP"). At this stage I'm still just gathering information, we can see what is the most safe and reliable method once we know more.))

[syvarris]

((Oh, yes, he might have specified nyartifacts.  I tend to think of all artifacts as one thing.  Considering the small amount of understanding most nyartifacts have, I tend to think that the science teams are very very careful when researching them, to the point that if there's any danger they just decide 'nope'.  Following that, having science teams work on mission artifacts would probably just get them to put a sticker on it with a shape, color, and line.

I didn't mean we should literally copy the artifacts with a AM, just that we should harmlessly 'scan' them with one.  Once we have the data, we can research and hypothesize what certain parts do, using VR, and possibly use a normal 3d printer to make just certain sections for testing.  That seems more like it would allow actual understanding of the principles behind the weapons.))

[piecewise]

((Which prisoner was @PyroDesu referring to? I didn't even know we had more than one.))

((I'd interrogate Leo first, the headless cultist can be dealt with later.))

((Wait, there's a headless cultist? Is it bad that the first thought that comes to mind is to give him a Xanling head?))

Which prisoner? Headless or our favorite suicide bomber?

Suicide Bomber.

We'll exactly what do you want to say to this suicide bomber because right now all he's doing is spitting, cursing at you, and using some very unfriendly gestures that frankly, are just plain hurtful.

((Wifi at home died, so I'm posting from a phone.  Not gonna update the Heph page until it's fixed, because it's hellish to try with the phone.

Also, I don't see anything else that I can do for the SM facility.  We don't have a crew, and Sean's more in charge of the ship building facilities; I don't want to mess with those.))

Hephaestus management:

1.You say we need germ cells- can we just use germ cells from our human workers?  Or are they too irradiated/stasis insane?

2.You say we can manufacture the spears if we have a "very VERY fine manufacturing plant".  We don't yet have a free constuction crew, but could we have a science crew make sure we have a good blueprint that will work and won't accidentally cause a ⁹ incident?


Science:

3.Remember the 'termite gun' that we got from M14?  I want to science it.  Do all this in a containment room, with no living things inside it (only possessed bodies), and make sure the gun is always secured inside a containment box whenever the door to the room is opened.  Station ten robosods with goop throwers outside the room, in case of problems.  Ten more behind them with neotherm throwers.

4.Have a sod possess a lone unoccupied robobody, and pick up the gun with it.  No firing yet.  Analyze the body for any anomalies for ten minutes.

5.If nothing goes bad, have the sod shoot a metal containment container with the weapon.  Watch what happens.

6.If nothing goes bad, have the sod shoot a securely tied up and unoccupied robobody with the weapon.  Watch what happens.  Analyze the body while this happens.  Also, make sure that that body doesn't have the possession software on it.

7.If nothing goes bad, analyze the weapon in detail, externally.  What control surfaces does it have?  What do you see if you look down the barrel?  Is there anything unusual/interesting at all about this gun?



((@Toaster  I'm only sending this if Sean doesn't send something himself.  He's more aware of where our ship building capabilities will be in the future.))

At the moment, our FTL power projection abilities are nonexistant.  Hephaestus wasn't designed to build ships at all, or even the FTL automanipulators.

I can't give you an accurate ETA on when we'll have a significant number of ships, or even the facilities required to produce them, but I can say that we probably won't have either before you leave the planet you're on.

We may even need to import certain difficult-to-obtain resources before we can produce ships- namely, undamaged human germ cells.  You may be able to propose that as a trade; They get us germ cells, we give them a navy that would surpass a top UWM defense fleet.  I'm sure that once we have the required facilities, we could produce a fleet of that level within a year.

Workers should work. We'll need a fair amount of it though. That shouldn't be hard for guys, might be harder for women. Do as you see fit.

Blueprint of the spears of of the facility?

Good containment procedures are always the hallmark of quality science. Consider it set up and the remote body in the room.  What tools and machines do you want in there, by the way?

4. As soon as the sod picks the gun up there are immediate spikes on his brain monitor, and then his connection to the body is severed.  Sensors in the room show that the body with the gun is still moving though.

[Radio Controlled]

We can begin it now. I'm not sure if there are crews available, but they would speed it up.

there are currently 3 crews available. I'd like to start the project using 1 of them. Could you give me the date it's done?

Secondly, we have a rather large backlog of artifacts. To what extent are we allowed to use science crews on them? Should we do preliminary research ourselves, and then let them reverse-engineer it? Because doing it all manually will take very long (especially seeing how our two most active members both don't seem to like doing that). Do you make a difference between mission artifacts and Nyartifacts in terms of whether we can use a sciene crew on it?

Wait for it...I can't give you missions until there are things to fuck up and there's been nothing to fuck up yet besides the fleshhorror.

And if we thought of a mission ourselves, could that count?


It's good to know what still needs to be done for the facility, thanks for checking that. So, what planet shall we sacrifice to the spess magic god? I'd think one of the (sub)jovian ones perhaps?

Missed me I think.

[Empiricist]

Charles stands in position, motionless, his emoticon display inactive. He stares back, blankly, ensuring that the lens of the cameras built into his head remain locked in pseudo-eyecontact with the prisoner. Patiently, he waits, he waits until the curses, the spitting and gestures cease, or at least, until sufficient time has passed to indicate that the subject has some kind of strange supernatural ability to continuously offend people indefinitely without getting a sore throat or running out of ways to word their insults. It is only then that he speaks, attempting to calm them down as if they were just an unstable patient.

Alternatively, if they are being too uncooperative, he just tries to speech roll the bastard into submission using whatever psychotic thoughts involving bolded text, sheep, Xan and/or dice that happen to pop into his mind at the time.

[Xantalos]

((Just remember, if you need, say, someone to directly hook up with his nervous system and make him do whatever you want, I'm available.))
^{technically of course}

[Empiricist]

((Just remember, if you need, say, someone to directly hook up with his nervous system and make him do whatever you want, I'm available.))
^{technically of course}

((Noted. Edited my post to reflect that option.))

[Toaster]

Another message comes in from the field.

Specifically, what can we offer that can stop a planetary bombardment by any means, including destroying the attacking ships before they fire their weapons?  This is an urgent request.

Brother Lars.

[Radio Controlled]

((You could mention Hammer cannons and point out how effective it was, as well as hermetically sealing the FTL choke point with turrets and mines, like how we did for Hep.))

[Sean Mirrsen]

Another message comes in from the field.

Specifically, what can we offer that can stop a planetary bombardment by any means, including destroying the attacking ships before they fire their weapons?  This is an urgent request.

Brother Lars.

How soon would they require those defenses? Right now, there is exactly nothing we can do to defend them, bar parking the Sword in their orbit. In the near future, perhaps a few years depending on how long a freighter would be getting from us to them, we could create a minefield around their nearest jump point, and maybe transport some defense satellites and small craft like the Black Death. Longer-term, if we manage to build our offworld eldritch facility and get this planet really working, we'll be able to provide custom defense ships and all the anti-orbital defense weapons they might want. It all depends on the timeframe.

And of course, any qualified workers they provide us with will substantially increase our productivity.

[Toaster]

((I'm unconvinced we have the resource potential to build a Hammer of Q'Baja.  Is the technology transferable?  The mines and turrets is more doable, but what about civvie traffic?  I assume they get a lot, unlike Heph.))

[Sean Mirrsen]

((I'm unconvinced we have the resource potential to build a Hammer of Q'Baja.  Is the technology transferable?  The mines and turrets is more doable, but what about civvie traffic?  I assume they get a lot, unlike Heph.))

((We have the capacity to build maybe four more large FTL ships, using the leftovers from the fleet battle. With the Spirit of Communism, that makes five total, so we can arrange for fairly regular transit.

Also, we can build more Hammers. We just need lots and lots of automanipulators.))