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[Empiricist]

Understood, I presume you as always shall be joining one of those missions?

Are there any long-term side-effects for the Charisma battle stimulants? Is it possible to create some sort of modified organ or mechanical apparatus that helps mitigate the side effects and, if possible, produce that stimulant on the spot?

Charles obliviously queries the encroaching Flesh Horror Avatar of Parathun Doctor.

He also checks the data of inmates who have seen the Sheep and injuries or other records of them afterwards, asking ARESTEVE to compare it to 'normal' inmates.

If possible he gets an Advanced Armor Package and Enchanced Charisma Capacity unit installed. Along with an MkIII and the Piezoelectric Shard solidification chamber (that was discussed in IRC) for personal protection reasons just in case a prisoner tries anything funny.

[PyroDesu]

((Let's just call it official now and roll with it))

Judging by your tone, I'm not going to ask what exactly you were doing. I believe that if you want me to know, you'll tell me without my needing to pry, so I won't. I am glad that you came through it and are going to be joining me and the others working here on Hephaestus (and I do hope that you do end up staying for quite some time).

I do have to ask, though - why is the Doctor coming along? Isn't he needed aboard the Sword?

General, you are aware that we can produce implants that control his powers - specifically, prevent him from using them at all, and knocking him out if he tries (able to be remotely deactivated, of course)? When we pulled the current one out of stasis, he was fitted with one, though I presume he had it removed once aboard the Sword - that is something you could stop him from doing. While I agree that he is quite dangerous, properly restrained he can be useful.

Though to be entirely honest, I would not hesitate to release him into your custody on ice. I gave him clonespace here because I feared that if I did not let him do it under my supervision, he would do it anyway in a fashion much more difficult to control.

[Radio Controlled]

Hmm. I didn't know the details of that, no. However, it seems that last time he got rid of it without me knowing and without much trouble, so I'm unsure if that would be a safe way to do it. Either way, it's not really gonna be up to me to decide what happens, in a way.

Also, did you see my request for a detection device? Just in case he managed to leave traces of himself somewhere. Can't be too sure with cases like these.

(For the record, xan is already on ship, and his fate decided. Was gonna post the entire thing in the ooc thread soon. Just so you know.))

[Nikitian]

It appears that his research requires him to come down to the planet, although it might also be that the Sword itself is not safe to be aboard anymore. There is also the recent incident of General Jim's sudden death at suspicious circumstances on one of the latest missions which he has been investigating on orders of Steve, and I think he's taking the body along.
Sorry, Simus. I still have little actual idea on what he's up to.

[PyroDesu]

He would have had to go to the medical bay to have it cut out by one of the staff or more likely, the Doctor himself (he is, after all, one of the Doctor's creations, I believe). Or convince another inmate with medical talent to do it. He certainly can't have done it alone. Besides, then, it was only under my authority, I simply didn't want him having his powers while on Hephaestus. As I said though - I won't be displeased to see him gone.

As for some kind of detector, it would probably be best to let the Doctor handle that - I certainly have no ideas about it. He's coming here anyways.

Jim's dead? How - never mind, you probably don't know, if the Doctor is the one investigating. I'd hate to know what could kill him.

Well, I see no reason that the Doctor shouldn't come, and I likely couldn't stop him if I did. Especially as I'm not the sole authority anymore (not that I likely could have anyway). He may be unsettling, but he's certainly helpful, in his own twisted way.

[Radio Controlled]

I don't know who took it away, and to be frank I don't wanna deal with it right now. Just keep him on ice and send him over, that'll be one worry less for you and easiest for me.

Can I ask you to check with the Doctor on that detector? The next mission is coming up, and frankly, it looks like there'll be a lot of planning involved, so I'll be rather busy.

[Nikitian]

Actually, I was there on that mission. A bit away from him when it happened, but had the chance to investigate the place and saw the body from up close. This is the creepy part about it: as it appeared, there were no external causes for his lack of activity. Steve just at some point announced that Jim died, and that was it. Now, being as reserved as Jim was about giving medical (or any other) sensor data - I asked him before the mission, just as everyone else on the team - makes troublesome to see what exactly happened to him and in what way, but I can tell you this: unless it was a very clean, very high-grade assassination attempt (and a very chancy one at that, you know how mission teams are assembled most of the time - no guarantee he would have come with us on that mission), there wasn't an amp or manipulator user there that could have caused his death. We swept the place thoroughly, and not once had we encountered resistance or any signs of activity on that power level.
It had to come from something on the inside of his synth-flesh shell;   ...
Looking forward to meeting you in person.

[tryrar]

Attached are the blueprints to a man-portable guided missile launcher for your evaluation and prototyping. If you could please make a quick evaluation at your convenience, that would be most appreciated. Thank you!

Kugelblitz GML(guided missile launcher)

Stat req:exoskeleton str, aux +0
Cost:2-3 credits for the launcher, 2 per missile(4 for nuclear rounds). Launcher comes with missile

The Kugelblitz is a 100mm, 1.5 meters long missile launcher with an offset firing tube attached to a scope and guidance package the user holds(think Stinger, but slightly bigger). Missiles are radar guided by default, and come with a backup laser guidance system for when that isn't practical, applicable. Missiles come in standard HE, HEAT, and incendiary, and have optional 1/8th kiloton nuclear warheads.
 

[tryrar]

Edited launcher stats to reflect council findings and suggestions

[PyroDesu]

That is very suspect. Could it have been a simple life support system failure, by accident or... intentional sabotage?
Well, I suppose we'll find out. Or the Doctor will, at least - whether he tells us, I don't know. I somehow doubt it.

I eagerly await your arrival - there is much to do.

Seems fairly simple. Fills roughly the same role as the gauss canon, but somewhat more flexible, cheaper but for ammunition, and less effective. Carrying multiple rockets would rapidly end up infeasible, both in price and bulk. Good for one or two shots, but only in desperate need. Tokens don't come freely aboard the Sword. Nuclear missiles are out of the question - even a 1/8th kiloton warhead (which wouldn't fit very neatly - the diameter is larger than the missile, I think) will more than likely kill the user with such little rocket (nuclear warheads weigh a lot more than chemical, so it won't have the range you would expect of your other rockets). I could prototype it, but I doubt its use. Maybe if it were cheaper per-missile, but then it is less effective.

[tryrar]

That is very suspect. Could it have been a simple life support system failure, by accident or... intentional sabotage?
Well, I suppose we'll find out. Or the Doctor will, at least - whether he tells us, I don't know. I somehow doubt it.

I eagerly await your arrival - there is much to do.

Seems fairly simple. Fills roughly the same role as the gauss canon, but somewhat more flexible, cheaper but for ammunition, and less effective. Carrying multiple rockets would rapidly end up infeasible, both in price and bulk. Good for one or two shots, but only in desperate need. Tokens don't come freely aboard the Sword. Nuclear missiles are out of the question - even a 1/8th kiloton warhead (which wouldn't fit very neatly - the diameter is larger than the missile, I think) will more than likely kill the user with such little rocket (nuclear warheads weigh a lot more than chemical, so it won't have the range you would expect of your other rockets). I could prototype it, but I doubt its use. Maybe if it were cheaper per-missile, but then it is less effective.

Is it possible if the missiles were made in bulk, would the price of them be reduced? As for the nuclear round issue, it might be expensive, but if the user doesn't stupidly fire in close quarters, the missile should have a theoretical range well outside the blast area and dangerous overpressure areas of a 125 ton blast; I did remember to describe the missiles correct? They use plasma thrusters to achieve high speeds and great efficiencies, so they should be longer ranged than their relatively short missile bodies indicate. In any case, a prototype would be appreciated, so we can at least see real world data for it rather than theory and simulations.

[syvarris]

((I'm assuming you guys kept CCing the other Heph admins))

Hargraves, the price already factors in the discount from mass-production.  It is possible that we could figure out some flaw which could be corrected to cheapen the price, but that's only a possibility.

Also, you mentioned that a nuclear missile wouldn't be dangerous as long as the operator doesn't "stupidly fire in close quarters".  Looking at your file, you haven't been on a mission, so I'll explain why we don't design weapons assuming the operators are intelligent; Your teammates' adeptness at getting themselves killed is only rivaled by their adeptness at killing everything else around them.  There are exceptions, but everyone has access to the same weapons.

((The prices you got were given as final production prices, Tryrar.  That's how things work now.  If you were going to build one yourself, the price would be a lot higher.))

Simus, I don't mean to question your judgement, but I think it would be a good idea to manufacture a few copies of his device for basic testing on Hephaestus.  There isn't much data on how effective it really is, so we don't have sufficient information to fairly say that the device shouldn't be prototyped.

Besides, I've long thought that we should try making some cheaper alternative to a gauss cannon.  We both know that that horrible example of engineering is a pointless waste of resources, so we should really make an effort to replace it.  Hargraves has potentially done a lot of the work for us here, so it would be a shame if we dropped the design now only to come up with something similar later.

((I didn't see any quotes from PW about how damaging the missiles are.  I very easily could have missed them, but if I didn't, we really should check.))

[tryrar]

((I'm assuming you guys kept CCing the other Heph admins))

Hargraves, the price already factors in the discount from mass-production.  It is possible that we could figure out some flaw which could be corrected to cheapen the price, but that's only a possibility.

Also, you mentioned that a nuclear missile wouldn't be dangerous as long as the operator doesn't "stupidly fire in close quarters".  Looking at your file, you haven't been on a mission, so I'll explain why we don't design weapons assuming the operators are intelligent; Your teammates' adeptness at getting themselves killed is only rivaled by their adeptness at killing everything else around them.  There are exceptions, but everyone has access to the same weapons.

((The prices you got were given as final production prices, Tryrar.  That's how things work now.  If you were going to build one yourself, the price would be a lot higher.))

Simus, I don't mean to question your judgement, but I think it would be a good idea to manufacture a few copies of his device for basic testing on Hephaestus.  There isn't much data on how effective it really is, so we don't have sufficient information to fairly say that the device shouldn't be prototyped.

Besides, I've long thought that we should try making some cheaper alternative to a gauss cannon.  We both know that that horrible example of engineering is a pointless waste of resources, so we should really make an effort to replace it.  Hargraves has potentially done a lot of the work for us here, so it would be a shame if we dropped the design now only to come up with something similar later.

((I didn't see any quotes from PW about how damaging the missiles are.  I very easily could have missed them, but if I didn't, we really should check.))

Noted and noted. I admit I thought this was a good idea for delivering heavy ordinance to a target(rather than rather inefficient delivery methods we currently have for nuclear devices), but I forgot that you have to design with the idea that your weapon would be used by the stupidest person imaginable. I personally still think the 1/8th kiloton missile should be an option, but if you don't see it happening, I won't push it.

[Sean Mirrsen]

Simus, I don't mean to question your judgement, but I think it would be a good idea to manufacture a few copies of his device for basic testing on Hephaestus.  There isn't much data on how effective it really is, so we don't have sufficient information to fairly say that the device shouldn't be prototyped.

Besides, I've long thought that we should try making some cheaper alternative to a gauss cannon.  We both know that that horrible example of engineering is a pointless waste of resources, so we should really make an effort to replace it.  Hargraves has potentially done a lot of the work for us here, so it would be a shame if we dropped the design now only to come up with something similar later.

Easy solution for ammo size and max range. Hybrid rocket/gauss. We've already got the Sibilus. Scale the HGC down to the launch tube, so you can have the rockets carry less fuel and be accelerated faster. Weapon won't be near as expensive as the HGC, ammo will be cheaper than the proposed design and easier to carry. Can use Hammerheads instead of nuclear-tipped warheads. Lots of options.

[tryrar]

Looking over my design, I have spotted some areas I could improve it and reduce costs at the same time. By going with a half-meter to 3/4ths a meter long missile instead of the huge 1.5 meter design I originally had, I think the missiles can be made cheaper while significantly reducing the bulk of the launcher itself, AND allowing for more reloads to be carried. As well, incorporating a low-to-mid power gauss launching system into the launcher for initial velocity should mitigate some of the range loss by smaller missiles and still allow for safe usage of 1/8th kiloton warheads-for a reasonable definition of safe when dealing with nuclear ordinance at least(barring operator error). As such, here is the revised design:

Kugelblitz GML
Stat reqs: Exoskeleton STR and +0 aux
Cost:2-3 for the launcher, missiles ??(not going to assume a price)

This guided missile launcher fires 100x750mm ordinance, with an initial boost provided by a low-power gauss coil system. The missiles track a target by a combination of radar homing and manual laser targeting, and come in HE, HEAT, and namite incendiary. There is also the option of firing 1/8th kiloton warheads for an additional cost.

PS:I had an idea for an improved HEAT warhead using magnetohydrodynamics and electromagnetic pinching for forming stronger and higher velocity penetrators and hot metal jets, but I haven't had time to test with missions gearing up on the Sword. I'm fording this concept to you to see if it is viable or not, and if there are any improvements. And any more questions with the launcher I'll try to answer as best I can until launch time.