Turn 11
Before you go, you decide to shore up your defenses. It will mean sacrificing some mobility, but in the long run will probably pay off. You want to create a cell wall around your membrane. Cell walls are made of glucose, but you don't have enough glucose to convert into cellulose. You burn about seven Energy finding enough glucose to turn into cellulose. With the conversion done, you go dormant while you build up the wall. Once your new wall is complete, you also decide to compress your genetic material into a nucleus to keep it safe from pesky things that might want to steal it. With all that in place, you build a small series of logic gates to help process information. It is built directly around and partly in the new nucleus.
Onward! To glory! You make your way into the light of the crevice. The cell has little time to savor its first great step before the world starts spinning. No sooner than it emerged in the light, it is doused again in darkness. Large objects trap the cell in a tiny area.
Hemmed in on all sides by huge floating objects, another sudden swirl of the water sends the little microbe hurtling around and around. Barely able to comprehend what is going on anymore, the spinning finally stops. Several of the objects (you recognize them as the same thing you were in before- ice) slow to a stop in your range of vision. At first, everything is dark, but then light bursts out over the things. You detect that the light is coming from above.
You slowly start swimming towards one in a daze... Perhaps these will have some of those tasty cyanobacteria you crave.
Cell Basics
Common Name: Lifespark
Scientific Name: Vitascinti basus
DNA: 6
RNA: 4
Amino Acids: 9
Fat: 17
Glucose: 0
Energy: 70
Sentience: 7/10
Cell Stats
Size: 1
Defense: 6
Structure: 1
Movement: 6
Detection: 6
Production: 2
Cell Organelles:
Basic > Improved > Complex
Basic Cytoplasm (+1 Production, +1 Size)
Basic Cytoskeleton (+1 Structure, +1 Movement)
Complex Flagellum (+6 Movement)
Improved Membrane (+2 Defense)
Basic Ribosomes (+1 Production)
Basic Sensory & Chemical Cilia (+1 Movement, +3 Detection, +1 Detection from Chem. Proteins)
Basic Mitochondria (Allows for Energy production on a 1:10 ratio as opposed to the 1:2 ratio performed with glycolysis)
Basic Nucleus (Stores genetic material)
Basic Photoreceptor (+2 Detection, Allows for sensing of presence or absence of light)
Basic Cell Wall (+4 Defense, -2 Movement)
Basic Data Processing Organelle (+1 Sentience)
Blueprints:
Cell Wall: A thick layer outside of the membrane that protects the cell. It is stiff, but gives good defense. Cellulose (the primary component) is made of glucose. (20 Glucose, 2 Amino Acids; +4 Defense, -2 Movement)
Chemical Detection Proteins: Detects chemical changes. Embedded into the cell membrane. (4 Amino Acids, 2 Energy; +1 Detection)
Cytoskeleton: Gives structure to the cell and lets it change its shape. (12 Amino Acids, 6 Energy; +1 Structure, +1 Movement)
Cytoplasm: The cell's "filling". Transports materials and performs glycolysis. (4 Amino Acids, 4 Fat, 4 Energy; +1 Production, +1 Size)
Data Processing Organelle: A series of logic gates that function as basic neurons that process information. (10 Amino Acids, 5 Energy; +1 Sentience)
DNA: Gives an enormous boost to your cellular storage. Renders RNA obsolete for storage. (1 RNA, 6 Amino Acids, 8 Energy or 5 RNA, 5 Energy; Makes you smarter)
Fat: Can be created with glucose or harvested from cells. (10 Glucose)
Flagellum: A long tube of protein that spins rapidly. (8 Amino Acids, 4 Energy; +2 Movement)
Membrane Structural Proteins: Makes the membrane tougher, but stiffer. (8 Amino Acids, 2 Energy; +1 Defense)
Mitochondria: The main energy producer of the cell. Converts Glucose to Energy much better than glycolysis. (10 Amino Acids, 5 Energy)
Nucleus: Stores and transfers the genetic material of the cell. (DNA, 5 Energy; Allows more complex things)
Photoreceptor: Detects when lights hit the cell. (15 Amino Acids, 10 Energy; +2 Detection)
Ribosome: A protein "factory". Converts Amino Acids into proteins for building organelles. (4 Amino Acids, 2 Energy; +1 Production)
RNA: Stores a single bit of cellular information; now obsolete. (5 Amino Acids, 4 Energy; +1 Information Storage)
Sensory Cilia: Lets you detect changes in water and feel around your environment. (10 Amino Acids, 5 Energy; +1 Movement, +3 Detection)
Location:
Mineral-rich ice water.
Nearby:
Ahead, some ice chunks. Light from above.
Tell me if I make a mistake with it!