Play by Committee technobabble. (use spectator | spectator to log in)
Presentation of New Discoveries (2404.1 maybe?)
The Grand Auditorium of the Ministry of Science on Avalon Central Malfadoris Prime is like a huge sports arena with many basements and subbasements below the field and the seats. Today the field and the stands are both bathed in the soft golden shade of sunlight filtered through the overhead force shield that keeps out both the rain and the pesky native djenck birds.
On the field are scaled down Versions of two of each of the point-defense cannon and depleted uranium cannon that might be found on the Republic's ships of war. They are positioned at one end of the field, with a large wall of metal plate set up across the field in front of the DUCs, and a large whitewashed wall sits thirty meters or so in front of the pair of PDCs.
This presentation is invitation only, but many, many invitations were sent. The newer, more open attitude of the Ministry of Science has attracted quite a crowd, though no one is sitting in the stands opposite the large guns.
Down on the field itself, VIPs mix in with the staff both wearing hardhats. Business suites and lab coats mill around the devices, talking with each other and making notes on clipBoards and stylish holo-PDAs. Some of the VIPs have small blue sphere hovering over their heads indicating they are only virtually present and do not need to be reminded to wear their hardhats, some of these wear hardhats anyway.
Dr. Loser is out on the field, talking with VIPs. Occasionally a lab coated technician will approach him, he will excuse himself from the conversations, and accompany the technician back to one of the guns, where Dr. Loser will fiddle with a setting of discuss, sometimes animatedly, issues with the technician.
Eventually everyone gets seated, the VIPs are ushered to seats on the field behind the guns, and Dr. Loser walks to and stands behind a small podium. As he begins speaking, a twenty-meter holo-projection of him, and the podium, appears above him. The projection is only from the knees up, so that people on the field, such as those in the VIP seating, can interact directly with Dr. Loser.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, citizens all, I am Doctor Emmil Loser. As you may know, I have recently been trusted with the development of the research, science, and education program of our Great Republic. I invite you here today to display some of the results my staff have achieved in only the first month.
"You may recognize, on my right, the scaled down, demonstration Versions of those Point-Defense Cannon created for our military to defend ships against both trans-atmospheric Fighters and Missile weapons. You might even notice that one of the cannons has a heavier ball-turret and wider barrels.
"This is our new Scattering Point-Defense Cannon. To explain what makes this improvement viable, I should first explain why the point-defense concept works.
"Flying machines have always been terribly delicate things, especially when they are designed for agility and speed, like a missile or fighter-craft. Both older flying machines and the fast, agile craft used outside the atmosphere are stripped of all unnecessary weight and redundant systems and are built of the lightest materials in minimalist construction style. These days fighters and missiles are built this way because speed, agility are made hard to get by the basic facts of physics, so the designers squeeze out every bit they can get. Back in the beginning, flying machines were build that way because it was very difficult to get of the ground, with their understanding of internal-combustion and aero-dynamics."
As the doctor speaks, a large holo-display of fighters and missiles attacking a large naval craft is shown, both just above the real Doctor's head and high above the gigantic holo-Doctor. The display slows down, zooms in on the Point-Defense Cannons and, using overlays, highlights, and notes, follows the Doctor's lecture.
"So, because of their slight build and delicate structure, fighters and missiles should be simple to destroy and no real threat. And that's how it would be, if we could hit them. This is where the Point-Defense Concept comes in to play. A large-scale chain gun with multiple barrels is placed on a ball turret controlled by a computer which targets by microwave tracking. This device can pick out small and fast-moving targets, move to align itself with them perfectly, and throw out a large volume of flechette rounds to secure a kinetic kill on the target."
The holo-display shifts to a close up of a Point-Defense round. The caseless round is shown without the chemical propellant adhered to the back. The flechette round is broken up into it's various pieces as the Doctor continues talking.
"The cannon fires a round that breaks up into smaller pieces so that it can cover more area and has a greater chance of hitting it's target. Even a small piece of material can heavily damage or destroy a missile or fighter, as both the projectile and the missile or fighter are moving at high speeds, and generally in opposite directions.
No a different round is shown. Once the propellant is removed the round is seen to be spherical. This round breaks up along lines that would describe the edges of a icosahedron (twenty sided three-dimensional shape), and the abbreviated triangular pyramids the sphere breaks into are pulled apart. It can been seen that there is another sphere in the center, composed of a different material. The triangular pyramids, which do not come to a point, but have a flat 'top', then break up into smaller flechette rounds
"By starting the round out as a sphere and breaking it into these regular shapes with a secondary charge, we spread out the hit-area. These secondary projectiles then break down into their own flechette-Groups, creating an expanding sphere of destruction traveling through space and a far superior hit spread."
Dr. Loser gestures at the two point-defense cannons.
"He have, here, a scaled down model of both the standard Point-Defense Cannon and our new Scattering Point-Defense Cannons. For safety and visibility reasons they are firing paint rounds to simulate their typical projectiles.
"Mr. Leuis, if you will fire one shot from each..."
Both of the cannons spin their barrels up to a certain speed and then fire what is apparently a single round. Their barrels spin for minute or so afterward, as Virtual VIPs, mostly Military pop up and gather around the white target wall. After a second or two, their virtual bodies are made translucent so that everyone can see the wall. The paint on the wall is of many colors, as the projectiles were of different colors than their close neighbors to aid in their differentiation.
The wall in front of the standard Point-Defense cannon has a fairly wide circle of paint, mostly clean in the middle but almost completely contiguous and so think it is dripping around the outside, with each large spot of paint touching it's neighbors.
The wall in front of the new Scattering Point-Defense Cannon has a far wider circle of color, with many small white areas spread throughout it, none larger than a man's hand.
"This new round is so effective that not only will it do more damage to a fighter or missile, it increases the range at which they can be damaged."
There is some applause, hands are raised, and a couple of the VIPs approach the podium.
"After the demonstration is over both the teams responsible for these weapons and I will field questions. For now, let us move on to the new Cold Cast Depleted Uranium Cannon.
"The overhead holo-display shifts to a diagram of a depleted uranium cannon which following Dr. Loser through his talk on the workings of depleted uranium cannons.
"The basic Depleted Uranium Cannon works by magnetically accelerating a super-dense slug made of a ferromagnetic uranium alloy. A series of electro-magnets pull the slug forward, shut off as the slug passes them, and then repel it while it is ahead of them in the barrel.
"In the past we have improved on this design by improving the shape of the barrel, the make-up of the slug, changing the luberative coating inside the barrel and redesigning the power plant that drive the magnets. This month, we have finalized a new method for manufacturing the magnets that increases their reaction time and strength without increasing their weight."
The only perceivable difference between the two depleted uranium cannon to the Doctor's left is that the magnetic rings around the barrel of one are a bright white, while the other's are a more typical dull blue.
"By combining a specialized catalyst with compounds already proven in our electromagnets and traumatically cooling the ring just after it acquires firmness we arrive at a crystalline structure with extraordinary potential for electro-stimulated magnetism.
"With these new magnets the Depleted Uranium Cannon fires its slug at a higher speed, which delivers not only a greater amount of damage, but also greater effective range.
"in order to demonstrate this, we have prepared a scaled down Version of two Depleted Uranium Cannons, one using the old electromagnets, one using the new ones. With a close and carefull surface scan you will be able to observe the distance that the different slugs drop before they strike their target as an indication of their different speeds. We will also make microwave tracking telemetry of the demonstration available.
"This is a live fire exercise of projectiles that travel at hypersonic speeds. We will have a dampening field over the path of the projectile and the target wall, but we ask that, if you are attending this presentation in the flesh, you use the hearing protection at this time."
A veritable herd of spokesmodel-types descend on the VIP seating area to assist those actually present with the use of the earplugs and ear-covering padded headphones. Overhead, the Doctor's image is replaced with an image of two of the young ladies. Once puts the earplugs in herself and puts the headphones on, then she shows how to put the earplugs in another's ears and secures the headphones. The second young lady then shows how to check and recheck the headphones on the first.
A dull orange glow forms in a corridor between the depleted uranium cannons and the target at the end of the field.
After everyone gets situated, Dr. Loser comes back up on the overhead. As he speaks, a somewhat muffled but clear transmission of his voice can be heard through the provided headphones.
"Everyone should be ready now. We will be firing the cannons at the same time."
Even through the dampening shield, the headphones, and the earplugs a CRACK is heard. The air around the slugs is heated by their hypersonic passage as a wavering trail can be seen between the guns and the target, even after the dampening shield is lowered.
Even before the guns were fired, a number of virtually attending military men were downfield around the target and one Navy ordinance man was directly in front of the new cannon, watching it fire through him.
Data from the microwave telemetry is projected overhead clearly showing the projectile form the new cannon moving at a high speed. As well a microwave scan of the target wall clearly shows that the slug from the older cannon torn into the wall at a lower elevation, though of course unseen to the naked eye.
"This concludes the demonstration. I would like to direct any praise toward the incredible teams that developed these technologies and would like to personally thank Minister Executron and the Ministry of Construction for their assistance in recovering the Ministry of Science."
"The teams and I will now take questions."
As each inquisitive person is call on to ask their question, a holo-image of each is projected above them in a matter identical to that used by Doctor Loser.
OoC: Ask away, or whatever's clever.
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puke
Ambassador
Joined: 19 Dec 2002
Posts: 1014
Location: San Francisco, California
Posted: Fri 03 Oct 2003, 16:15 Post subject:
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A spotlight highlights the holographic representation of System Lord Puke, and his image is magnified significantly as he speaks:
"Doctor Loser, this is quite an impressive display of inovation. I am most impressed by the technology that has gone unmentioned. This force shield that is protecting the more corporal attendies from the weather and the local fauna is doubtlessly based on Drushoka technology - as it would have been impossible even a few months ago. Can you tell us anything on that? How many direct hits from an improved DUC will a ship-scale Version of this field be able to sustain? I also understand the beam weapons of the Drushoka and EEE dwarf the power of even our improved Uranium Guns. How goes our efforts into recreating this technology? Do our replicas of their weapons yet equal the power of our conventional weapons?"
Puke's hologram flickers back to regular size as he concludes his question, and the audiences attention is directed towards the podium...
_________________
Regent System Lord of Calonica
Chief of Staff of the Offices of Ambassador Ragnarok
puke
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OOC and FYI:
our current shield technology came from analyzing a druk ship, as did our level 1 PPB (though we analyzed a ship loaded with level-4 PPBs...) I think this happened before you joined the game, so just letting you know.
_________________
Regent System Lord of Calonica
Chief of Staff of the Offices of Ambassador Ragnarok
Doctor Loser
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Dr. Loser glances at his notes before answering.
"It's true that this Shield technology comes from the alien device. But the Shields used here at the Auditorium are slight and petty compared to what we could produce for a spacecraft.
"And even what we could produce for a spacecraft would not stand up to our own weapons. The larger Version of the Cold Cast Depleted Uranium Cannon that we can house in a Light Cruiser hull would rip through the protection provided by a single Shield Generator and would decrease by seventy percent the protection generated by two such generators. Again, ladies and gentlemen, that is a single shot.
"For this reason the Ministry of Science considers our current shield technology to be immature and requiring months, if not years, more research before combat implementation. In the mean time we will have to settle for the more ... down-to-earth implementations such as the ones you saw here today."
Doctor Loser gestures to another lab-coated scientist, apparently attending in digital. His image springs to the same scale as Dr. Loser's.
"In regard to the 'Shield' technology, I'd like to direct your attention to Dr. Vinarian Raunch, as seasoned a Frontier Sciences researcher as we have. Recently relocated to Pax Universalis Primus, he has more experience with alien technology than anyone else, having been the first member of my staff to actually lay hands on the disassembled alien ship."
Dr. Raunch is a young man with an eager demeanor, a clean-shaven face and all the hair he's ever had. He starts speaking as soon as Dr. Loser nods at him.
"We can only guess that the Drushoka were field-testing this device when they had it on that ship. Either that or they did not expect to meet anything with technology anywhere near their own. While it would have taken three direct hits from the guns they were carrying to punch through their shield, the ship is equipped with five such guns."
"And as for their weapons..."
He taps at his clipboard. Dr. Loser immediately looks down at his podium and, after the briefest of moments, taps once at his podium. Dr. Raunch then resumes.
"While we wait on confirmation from the Intelligence Community, we believe our Cold Cast Depleted Uranium Cannon currently delivers seventy-five percent more energy, or 'punch', than the Version of the Anti-Proton Beam, of the same tonnage, most recently seen in Drushoka use. That is, of course, the Version we found on the 'Gulkana 0001'."
He hesitates again, but this time proceeds without fidgeting.
"Our rough estimates, based on the device itself and unreliable data gathered through casual contact with the Drushoka is that they are able to produce their Anti-Proton Cannon for a much lower cost than we are able to produce our Depleted Uranium Cannon."
Dr. Loser takes over again from this point.
"Again, we suspect that the Drushoka had this weapon on a combat ship as part of some sort of 'field testing'. While we foresee that our ability to improve the Depleted Uranium Cannon will hit a plateau very soon, it appears that the Anti-Proton Cannon could be improved by many more iterations of refinement, both as we have it and as we have seen the Drushoka use it. For the moment, however, our weapons are superior.
"On the other hand, we have seen few ships fielded by our neighbors, and our attempts to duplicate their technology pale in comparison to the equipment they produce with relative ease. It is more than possible, it is likely that they posses vastly better technology than do we. We must obtain this technology. To this end, the Ministry of Science seeks to obtain more alien ships, especially war ships, for study.
"We see this as paramount to our survival."
"Next Question"
Doctor Loser
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OoC: we have Shield 1, APB 2, and PPB0, just to let you know.
PPB would be so much more worthwhile than APB right now.
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puke
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ooc: you're right, I had meant APB. long haul, the APB is the superior weapon. early-mid game PPB would be, but research investment... well, lets not debate se4 combat doctrines here.
ic: A military officer stands up and is acknowledged. "How long will it take a orbital or planetary construction yard to produce a modern warship equiped with a full compliment of these new cannons? And, what sort of performance can we expect on a fighter sized Version of this new Cold Cast Cannon?"
_________________
Regent System Lord of Calonica
Chief of Staff of the Offices of Ambassador Ragnarok
Doctor Loser
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Dr. Loser fiddles with his podium for a brief moment before answering.
"I'll deal with the Fighter question first.
"Unfortunately, the cold cast electro-magnet components do not take well to being jerked about or jarred. While on a Ship or a Satellite, the Cold Cast Depleted Uranium Cannon is installed with additional shock absorbers of negligible mass but that take up significant space."
The overhead holo-display comes back up at this point, showing a fighter moving through combat. Stress indicators are shown in various colors as it maneuvers madly. It changes to follow Dr. Loser as he speaks.
"In order to install a Small Cold Cast Depleted Uranium Cannon on a Fighter, where it would be guaranteed much more maneuvering stress than it's parent model on a Ship, we would need shock absorbing apparatus rivaling the original Fighter body in size and comprising such mass that our current Version of the Small Depleted Uranium Cannon works out to deliver more 'punch' per ton.
"Our theoreticians suggest that, where fighters are concerned, we will have a very hard time improving on the Small Depleted Uranium Cannon. It is a very respectable weapon and they project that we will not develop anything better than it for several decades. Of course, little surprises like those we find on alien spacecraft may work outside this projection, who knows."
The overhead holo-display fades, leaving only the Good Doctor and the military man questioning him.
"Our estimates on the build time of a proposed Light Cruiser design that includes five of the larger mounted Cold Cast Depleted Uranium Cannons, a Scattering Point Defense Cannon, and a single Capital Shop Missile tube indicate that an orbital shipyard could produce two a year, a small planetary shipyard such as Pax Universalis Primus could produce three and year, and a major shipyard like the one on Avalon Central Malfadoris Secondus could produce five a year."
"Next Question."
Doctor Loser
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More questions are asked and answered, some involving the manufacturing process of the cold cast electro-magnets, some involving circumstances of military deployment, and at least one scandalous journalist hostilely questioned Doctor Loser about his past. This man was then escorted out of the building and off the grounds of the Ministry of Science Compound.
In the end, Dr. Loser thanked everyone for coming and delivered the following announcement.
"In the coming weeks, we will be testing some exciting new technology. The first manned test of our new exo-atmospheric troop delivery system will be broadcast. I can promise it will be very exciting."
Progress Report 2404.1.5
Honorable Ladies and Gentlemen,
The Ministry of Science has been working on the XT-57a Viper EXo-Atmospheric-Deployable HoverTank (EXAHDT) for some years now. The concept was proposed many years ago, but only became feasible with the revolutionary Construction techniques developed in conjunction with the “corvette” project.
Currently we have a chassis that, surrounded by a reentry-hardened shell, can be dropped from orbit with a modest survivability rate, a magneto-repulsive means of levitation that proving rather problematic, and a number of proven technologies translated from the "corvette" project.
With some trouble, we have adapted the power plant from our trans-atmospheric Fighters to the new chassis. There are some issues with consistent operation in denser atmospheres, but progress is being made.
Adapting the Fighter weapon systems was not only simple, but has nearly resolved the 'back bLast' issue prevalent in earlier Viper EXAHDT tests. Since the Fighter, as well, operates without any sort of anchoring or friction it is a wonder that this technology was not put into play years ago.
The Fighter's neuro-cybernetic interface has proven much more reliable than the 'from-scratch' model the EXAHDT program was working with. Much to my surprise, the Fighter interface appears to be built on an inverted and refined Version of the Subversive Mind Control Shunt I designed and made some regrettable use of almost twenty years ago. It is an excellent and mature design and supplies a higher resolution of input than would be required by an EXAHDT pilot.
Much like Fighter pilots, the EXAHDT pilot must undergo a full month of intensive training with the interface. During this time the pilot is heavily medicated with neuro-stimulators to accelerate the growth of new brain cells and the development of new neural pathways to accommodate the new input from the interface. It is projected that rushing the program any further will be beyond our abilities for many decades to come. For this reason, like Fighters, it will not be possible to produce a usable EXAHDT in less than a month, though many could be produced in parallel.
We project that the Interface Adjustment Program for the EXAHDT will face the same ~94.75% drop rate faced by the same program for Fighters. This drop rate is due both to resistances to the medications, allergic reactions, and psychiatrically unsuitable applicants. We do not expect this to be a problem.
The magneto-repulsive means of levitation used on previous implementations of the EXAHDT has been deemed inadequate if the EXAHDT is expected to operate on all worlds. The huge levitation device works by interacting with the magnetic field of the planet. This has, so far, not caused any additional problems, as the worlds on which it was tested had healthy and robust magnetic fields. But on worlds with weak or negligible magnetic fields the distributed EXAHDT prototype design has been inoperable.
Based on data from the Ruins research team on Isaiah IX, it had been suggested that levitation could be achieved by manipulation of a planet's gravitational field. So far, however, funding has not made its way to Isaiah IX and so such research has been limited.
However, while investigating the incredible EEE Gas Giant Colony on Palaquin II, it was found that a similar concept was used to assist in holding their larger facilities aloft. With the wise distribution of research grants and educational loans to our new fellow citizens we were able to unlock some of the secrets of this technology.
While we do not yet have enough information to duplicate their Gas Giant Colonization technology, we have been able to implement a Version of the Gravitic Repulsion Drive small enough to support the fully outfitted EXADHT chassis. This technology is only useable deep within the gravity well of a planet and, thus, cannot be used to lift its own mass to orbit and cannot be used for propulsion in microgravity situations.
As well we believe that attempting to operate the drive within the well of a star or other massive stellar body would result in a catastrophic failure due to operational stresses.
We are currently working the Gravitic Repulsion Drive into working EXADHT prototypes on a dozen worlds. Further information will be distributed as it becomes available.
The Ministry of Science is working on a larger, more powerful projectile cannon based on certain side effects of the Gravitic Repulsion Drive. We believe that this weapon will prove superior to the Small Depleted Uranium Cannons borrowed from Fighter technology and currently planned for the EXADHT. This technology will not be available until some time after the EXADHT design is finalized and perhaps even in production.
Thank you for your support and continued assistance in the advance of Science and Education in our Great Republic.
Your Faithful Servant,
Doctor Loser
Emergercy : Medical research (2401.2)(maybe)
Adrian Executron
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Maybe Doctor Loser from his many weapon design has some mediacl technology... maybe some components for a ship to help rescue the poeple who are dying from The Great Plague
_________________
Nexus Lord Adrian Executron
System Lord of Nexus
Construction Minister
"Desolation as humanity fades into oblivion"
puke
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Such things are only speculative, as far as I have heard. Surely the medical personnel on the planet will be able to contain and cure the plague on their own?
If it would help to cure this plague, I would not be opposed to diverting scientific resources into the areas of Biology and Medicine.
_________________
Regent System Lord of Calonica
Chief of Staff of the Offices of Ambassador Ragnarok
Doctor Loser
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Some of you might remember my previous work with super diseases. However, after the ... 'incident' involving my work with the Running Man's Super Flu, an incident with cost me the best of my bio-medical staff, I avoided schemes with infectious agents in my... private work.
The Hajen's Prion, now so named after the late Dr. Hajen who isolated it, is not going to be easy to combat. It is using an unstable bacterium as it's carrier vector. This Soft Flu bacterium was already causing sweeping the empires, causing flu-like symptoms and resulting in little more than lost productivity. On Tarquinius I we first found the symptoms of Hajen's plague. We do not know how the prion began to use the bacterium, but it started there.
The Soft Flu bacterium does not maintain it's genetic code or even it's physical structure. This leads to some difficulty in treating it, but also makes it fairly gentle to it's host, as many bacterium it produces are inert. However, the Hajen's Prion more than makes up for the lethality lacking in the Soft Flu.
Our current approach to the problem is to treat the Soft Flu, as the prion is dependant on it to infect new hosts, however treating the Soft Flu bacterium will require leaps and bounds in medical theory and technology.
We are working on it, but it seems it will take some time.
Broadcast EXADHT Test Flight
The program starts with a long opening that briefly covers the history of warfare and dwells longer on the difficulty of fighting under different gravities and in harsh environments.
The program introduces Roy Henton as the pilot for the first manned drop. After his introduction the programs briefly goes over his well-known heroics from those petty but well publicized conflicts leading up to the total unification of the Republic and man's long awaited journey into the stars. The program does not mention Henton's reputation as a dangerous glory hound or the events that have kept him from rising further than the rank of lieutenant commander and eventually led to his untimely but honorable discharge.
Henton is shown in the flight suit. The suit is one typical to the Fighter program in cut and materiel, but without the military insignia. When he turns, or is shown from another angle, his name is visible in flashy letters across the shoulders. An attractive young female reporter carries an inane and meaningless interview with Henton, covering nothing of any import.
Drop time is announced and a timer counting down is overlaid onto the lower right corner of the display. The interview is ended and Henton gets up to leave.
The view cuts to the inside of a darkened hanger. As the lights come up, a dark, sleek lifting-body craft is displayed. This is not the EXADHT itself, as those few who have seen it would testify, this is the atmospheric insertion shell from deploying the EXADHT into a world with a significant atmosphere.
There is a coffin-sized opening in the top of the craft, into which a pair of tracks lead, at the other end of the tracks is the cockpit, a torrent of lights and displays crowed around a reclined seat.
The build-up to the uplifting and well known Overture of Questionable Victory from the ancient surrealist rock-opera A New Pair of Pants begins playing in the background as the voice-over announcer explains that the entire test-bed troop carrier is being brought into a low a slow orbit. The entire ship is, in fact falling toward the planet. It will lower itself dangerously close to the atmosphere at a orbital speed that would normally lead to the entire ship falling in to the atmosphere and likely impacting with the planet itself. But, using the ship's engines in a maneuver unique to this operation, the ship will pull itself back up to a stable orbit after releasing the drop-craft to fall on it's own.
The troop carrier performs this crazy orbital dance to lesson the single greatest source of reentry damage, the heat generated by entering the atmosphere at orbital speeds. By coming in low and slow, at a ground-relative speed only just fast enough for the gliding drop-craft to steer itself on the way down, the drop-craft doesn't need to carry near the heat-protection required by normal reentry craft and the mass can be spent on the EXADHT itself.
Henton climbs into the seat and technicians secure his limbs and attach the neuro-cybernetic interface in the helmet into the base of his skull, the helmet is then plugged into the cockpit itself. Once he is securely fastened to the cockpit and the technicians have confirmed numerous things a transparent canopy is lowered from overhead and fasten on as well. After the canopy is confirmed to be secure the whole cockpit is carried up the tracks, over to the nearly black drop-craft, and down into it.
A video feed from inside the craft shows Henton's helmeted face, arrogant as usual, with his prominent jaw thrust forward and his trademark smirk proudly displayed. the technicians scurry out of the hanger as red lights flash and klaxons blare.
The buildup to the Overture of Questionable Victory has just ended and the overture itself carries into full swing as the hanger is decompressed at a terribly high speed. A door opens under the Drop-craft and the surface of breathable moon Avalon VI B is visible below. The ground view seems stationary, as the ground-relative speed is insignificant at this height. Arcing and crackling sparks fly around the edges of the opening, as stray bits of atmosphere take and leave electrons in their passing.
The Overture reaches it's first high-point as the countdown reaches zero and the EXADHT is released from it's moorings and appears to fall away from the hanger at high speed. The display switches to an outer view, zoomed in form a satellite in a high orbit over the primary, Avalon Central Malfadoris Prime, roughly perpendicular to the troop carrier. When the view switches, the carrier can be seen to be moving away from the drop-craft and gaining altitude at a higher speed than the drop-craft falls away from it.
The view zooms in on the drop-craft and follows it until it is obstructed by the fireball of reentry that surrounds it. Just after the drop-craft itself is no longer visible, the Overture of Questionable Victory reaches it's tantalizing cliffhanger ending and trails off, beautifully designed to leave the listener wanting more, expectant and anxious.
The display move the fireball-view of the EXADHT and the cockpit view of Roy Henton's calm resolve to small windows in the lower right and show Dr. Loser prominent on the screen. He is not on the troop carrier test bed, but rather at an outdoor location., speaking to a group of people in an amphitheater.
Dr. Loser describes the concept behind the EXADHT, it's gravitational repulsion drive, and how this drop would have been different if it were over a world with no atmosphere, where the drop-craft would be only an armored lozenge with steering thrusters.
Asked why the EXADHT needed the drop-craft at all, Dr. Loser explained that the drop-craft gives the EXADHT tons heat shielding that the EXADHT then does not have to carry around the battlefield. And on both atmospheric and non-atmospheric insertions the drop-craft steers the EXADHT so that large numbers may make landfall in exact locations in formation.
Asked whether Mr. Henton was in control of the drop-craft Dr. Loser answered that no human, even the amazing ace pilot and war hero Roy Henton, has the reaction time and resolution of input to steer a vehicle during atmospheric entry, the pressures and vectors to which the hull and control surfaces are subjected are so great and so dynamic that computer control is necessary, especially if you intend the craft to land in a specific place.
After a short time, Dr. Loser is given an off-screen cue and announces that the drop-craft has slowed and descended enough that it will again be visible, and that they are returning to the satellite visual feed.
Another sample from A New Pair of Pants, this time The Unnecessary Chase, begins playing the satellite view of the drop-craft, with the plasma cloud faded to a light nimbus around it's heat shield. Roy Henton's face, a study in concentration and cleft chins, remains in the lower right of the display. A careful eye can pick out, occasionally, the subtle signs of digital image clarification, as the optical data the satellite collects is clouded or lensed by the intervening atmosphere.
The announcer, Dr. Loser is not speaking again, proclaims that Mr. Henton is now in control of the craft, and will demonstrate is maneuverability. The drop-craft immediately executes a barrel roll and begins banking and jerking in a mad show of aerodynamic design quality and piloting skill, in time with the Unnecessary Chase. The maneuverability demonstrated is not impressive compared to what a trans-atmospheric Fighter is capable of, but is much more than one would expect from a glider.
The announcer then declares that the EXADHT will now leave the drop-craft. On the display Henton can be seen grinning in the lower right while the drop-craft flies apart separating at unseen seems, and the EXADHT itself is not visible. A side window pops up to track one of the components, to show that it has thrown out a chute and is slowly descending to the ground.
the body of the EXADHT resembles a low dome, only a fifth or so as high as it is wide and flat on the bottom. The curve of the dome is broken twice, once by the cockpit and once by the triple-mounted Small Depleted Uranium Cannon.
The EXADHT is flying, or rather levitating, by means of its gravitational repulsion drive, and so it is now able to maneuver in ways that would make an aerodynamic engineer blush, turns, rotations, flips, and angled banks that would not be possible for any craft dependant on interacting with the atmosphere.
It approaches the ground and zips along a prepared course, shooting targets with the cannon and dodging around obstacles, again in time with the music, until it comes into a at the center of a hastily prepared amphitheater carved out of a hillside. In attendance are numerous persons of note and power in government and industry, their representatives, and jounalists. Dr. Loser as well is here, though only virtually. This showing is much smaller and more intimate than the Last, with a smaller venue and crowd.
As the EXADHT slows, the cockpit opens and Roy Henton waves at the crowd, his helmet now removed. A frown crosses Dr. Loser's face, for just a moment, when he notices the test-pilot's lack of head protection.
Henton brings it to a stop, and after working the straps and restraints for a moment, climbs out, continuing to wave to the crowd. Two pockets of journalists form, one around Roy Henton, and another around Dr. Loser, as the question-and-answer portion of the demonstration begins.
Doctor Loser
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OoC:
I do not actualyl expect any questions or comments on this one. In fact I'm not sure anyone will read the whole thing. Kind of got carried away again. Very little I can do once I start...
SuicideJunkie
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Most impressive, Doctor.
One thing that does come to mind is the question of return fire.
How well will the EXADHT stand up to enemy firepower? In particular, any potential enemy ground forces or militia.
I also note that on a planetary scale, any single-person craft can't help but be insignificant alone. How many can we deploy at once from a dropship, and how many can land and operate together without interfering with each other's operation?
puke
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A news reporter queues his question after the Secretary of State's. Is this the final production design, or just a test platform? Will production models be drawn from the civilian sector? How many will we be able to produce on colony worlds, or will this be another industrial project reserved for homeworlds and other locations with spaceyards? How will construction contracts be awarded? I understand that the Primus corporation has been accused of jumping the gun by submitting designs for a craft built on this design to the Department of Defense.
_________________
Regent System Lord of Calonica
Chief of Staff of the Offices of Ambassador Ragnarok
Doctor Loser
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"While our knowledge of the military practices and capabilities of other races is limited, especially within the Ministry of Science, we estimate that only three of these vehicular wonders would be required to whittle down the conventional military mustered by a world of eighteen million of less."
There are gasps in the crowd at this ridiculous claim.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please. Look over the schematics and simulations we've provided you. Please allow me to summarize our reasoning.
"The gravatic repulsion drive that powers each EXADHT can create an extraordinary amount of lift. In fact we have designed the hull and components of the craft with the same super-durable super-heavy materials used in the Fighter program. I'm sure many of you are aware that the Depleted Uranium Cannon on the Fighter is capable of massive amounts of destruction and the killing of millions of people from orbit. This is the same cannon on this EXADHT prototype. It is somewhat less destructive on the surface, but it doesn't have the Gravity well on it's side.
"As well, we surmise, it would take the army mustered by nineteen million people or more to destroy a single EXADHT under the worst conditions. Under favorable circumstances that single EXADHT would persist in an operational capacity on the surface of a hostile planet in a hostile environment for a very long period of time. With the ingenious life support system, simplistic non-radioactive fusion engine, super lubricants, and automated Harvester Apparatus we estimate that the machine could Last and support it's pilot for years.
"In fact, we estimate that, even with our brilliant psychological tests and warrior-pharmaceuticals, the pilot would become mentally unfit to operate the machine, due to isolation and alienation, before the machine would fail him.
"Of course, all these are just estimates. At the Ministry of Science we depend on the Ministry of Defense for field, live fire, and endurance tests.
"And we'll move on to the second half of your question. These craft are quite able to coordinate flight paths and avoid 'friendly fire' situations. The real limitation come to how many a troop transport can drop at one time.
"The design for a troop transport put through by the Primus corporation, which I'll address further in a moment, is a respectable one. While the Ministry of Science continues to warn against using a warship's valuable tonnage for our primitive shield generators, their use on a transport vessel is more appropriate. Most especially appropriate on a transport vessel may approach a planet under fire.
"Based on the designs I've seen, the Imminent will be able to carry around two hundred twenty-five EXADHT much like the prototype you saw Mr. Henton pilot. They can all be dropped within a very short period of time, nearly at once. They should be able to make their approach together without any problems, though I should point out that we have dropped no more than four unmanned prototypes together at one time.
[OoC: I've seen more troops than a planet should be able to carry on a world because they were all dropped on there. I can edit this next part out or leave it the same, depending on what really happens and how it feels.]
"Due to the voracious Harvester Apparatus, a planet can support more EXADHT-type units during hostilities than it could comfortably support during peace. We do not currently have a good estimate on the maximum number that could be fielded at one time. It may depend on the details of the planet itself."
SuicideJunkie
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You mentioned the possibility that planets could support more troops during conflict than during peacetime...
Given the harvesting capabilities and internal supplies, is that related to the psychological effects referred to before?
Doctor Loser
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SuicideJunkie wrote:
You mentioned the possibility that planets could support more troops during conflict than during peacetime...
Given the harvesting capabilities and internal supplies, is that related to the psychological effects referred to before?
Not exactly. Our concern is more for the population of the planet.
Certain effects of crowding and military presence will be acceptable when a planet is under attack, but would be most intolerable were a voting population of citizens of the Republic subject to the same effects.
Doctor Loser
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"The design submitted by the Primus corporation is virtually identical to the prototype manned craft you see in front of you. The Ministry of Science has been working closely with various corporate and government bodies and you can be assured that, while the manned test had not yet taken place, it's result was fairly assured and the Primus corporation was not 'jumping the gun'.
"The Primus corporation’s 'Dominator' design can, indeed, be built on worlds lacking a spaceyard. Such a would could likely produce more than ten a month, while an orbital construction facility could produce seven or so and the industrial wonder of the Avalon Central Malfadoris Secondus spaceyard could produce almost a hundred in four months time.
"As usual, the awarding of construction contracts is not the domain of the Ministry of Science. Perhaps it would be better to ask that question of the Construction Minister?"
Meta-Medical Breakthrough! (not sure of date)
The Ministry of Science is proud to announce the development and implementation of new medical technology. Founded on the old theories put forward by our ancestors that proposed the existence of then-undetectable 'prions', built on the hard work of generations of medical practitioners and researchers, fed on the sweat and lives of countless healers and scientist striving to combat the deadly Hajen's Plague ravaging the people of Tarquinius I, the devices and procedures made possible by this New Science will save countless lives and change untold millions of others!
While the processing required to separate Hajen's Prion out from the background noise and clutter of biology for physical viewing remains lengthy and expensive, a new alternative detection method has been put forward. Using cutting edge nano-assembly technology, the researchers of the Ministry of Science have modified a phosphorescent bacterium on the molecular level and, atom by atom, have built a custom virus from scratch to locate the deadly scourge. While the prion is too small for any bacterium to interact with, a virus was built that infects this bacteria exclusively.
This virus was specifically designed so that it is broken down by the curious structure of Hajen's Prion. When the virus breaks down, one of its constituent parts is taken as a chemical signal by the modified bacteria. This in turn changes the phosphorescent process in the individual bacterium, which then radiates at a different frequency.
The hardy bacterium chosen for this modification can survive for years at a time in normal water, and so can be administered quite simply though pressure-spray devices, handheld or attached to vehicles. Through the use of UV detection equipment, it can be visually confirmed that an area or individual has infected, or if they have been exposed to the detection solution and remain free of Hajen's Plague.
Our normal urban and rural antibiotic processes and procedures will clear out the modified bacterium within a matter of months, during which time ill effects should be felt only by certain exotic pet plants and animals, and should rarely lead to fatalities, even in those cases.
While this incredible tool will allow us to identify and isolate carriers of the deadly prion, it will not facilitate treatment.
Dr. Vinarian Raunch, who with his staff has bravely put their own health on the line by traveling to Tarquinius I to study the plague, has synthesized and anti-prion to Hajen's Prion. This clever arrangement of molecules is a prion in it's own right, specially designed to break down Hajen's prion wherever it encounters it. To prevent a reactive outbreak, and partially because of the nature of Dr. Raunch's ingenious prion-building techniques, the anti-prion has a very limited lifespan and is limited to less than ten generations.
This means that many tons of the anti-prion must be manufactured and distributed immediately to the infected area, as they will not Last long, and will only reproduce a few times (though, of course, each reproduction will result in countless thousands of copies). While Dr. Raunch has been able to produce limited quantities of the anti-prion on the surface of Tarquinius I, certain facilities will be required to produce the substance in appropriate quantities.
Microgravity has long been known to provide the ideal environment for microbiotic studies and production, and this remains the case. A facility must be built in orbit of Tarquinius I, or brought to the orbit of Tarquinius I. The designs for this facility have been made available to various corporations and non-profit Groups of the Republic, and has already been incorporated into the St. Mary ship design now available for construction.
Within mere weeks of its construction over, or arrival at an infected world, this incredible laboratory and microbiotic fabrication facility will be able to cure any plague caused by prions similar to Hajen's.
The development and design of this Facility would not have been possible without the Priceless efforts and sacrifices made by Dr. Vinarian Raunch and his staff, not all of whom have survived their work on Tarquinius I.
Stunning advances in Shield Technology (I should have dated these things from the beginning)
The Ministry of Science reports that it has improved upon the amazing alien Shield technology obtained from the Drushocka. And excerpt follows.
"The Shield is basically a safe battery for energy. It slows or dissipates particles that pass through the projected field and stores this energy by plasmiating heavy metals in a magnetic bottle. When the plasmatic battery can hold no more, the shield fails and projectiles and energy beams both will pass through the shield and impact the ship itself.
"Should the shield component itself be hit, it is designed to vent the heavy-metal plasma into space, preventing the ship from taking damage from all the energy so far soaked by the shield.
"The shield component consists of a number of sub systems: the magneto-gravitic agitator supplies the field that is channeled through the projectors which in turn feed the heavy-metal plasmatic battery with the energy they leech from intercepted sources, while the super-dense shaped casing ensures that, should the shield component become damage, debris will be vented into space and a near-sentient super-computer monitors and manages the agitator and the fields themselves, preventing the chaotic vortices that plagued our own attempts to develop this technology.
"For now the bottle-neck in this system has not been the computer, the agitator, or even the battery, but the projectors. Our current projectors, somewhat primitive Versions of those we obtained from the Drushocka, overload and fail even before the plasmatic battery is filled. To prevent catastrophic overload and collateral damage to the ship, the projectors have to be shut down before heat-related metal-fatigue causes them to fail and invert the projected leech field onto the ship itself.
"While working to address this issue a researcher on Avalon VI B came up with an excellent work-around: why not use more projectors? The idea is to retool the computer and other systems to handle the additional manipulative forces, and simply add more projectors. We have found the other subsystems limited us to only twice the number of projectors use on our original model, but this remains a significant gain.
"By doubling the number of projectors in a shield system, we are able to double the capacity of the shield while increasing its mass by only one third. This tremendous gain in protection brings our shield technology to the beginning of viable implementation, finally it beings to be truly useful to the warships of our great republic."
Advances in Military Technology!
The Ministry of Science, in cooperation with the Ministry of Defense, is pleased to announce the development of two new technologies: the massive Crew and Flag Officer Training Facilities and promising Ship-to-Ship Boarding Techniques.
While the various academies and marshal academic institutions around the empire are easily capable of staffing the ships of our navies with capable crew members, these uninitiated officers and enlisted personnel remain green and far less skilled and efficient than those personnel that fought in the wars of our past. The easy and safe life made possible by our modern technology has made our people soft.
Working with the Ministry of Defense to improve the effectiveness and survivability of our military, the Ministry of Science has developed plans for a colossal Naval Academy. This gigantic compound will require a significant share of the total space available on any world, and is certain to attract the hopeful and the dedicated from all corners of the empire.
By drawing upon the most violent and lethal periods of our past, upon the strict and efficient feudal structures of our history, upon the isolated and deeply disciplined monastic movements that Lasted centuries, and upon the brutal and unforgiving environment of the nomadic cultures that some of us can call ancestors, we have scientifically created a warrior culture from the ground up, one that indoctrinates new troops swiftly and encourages excellence in ways our people will respond to on a biological level.
The size of the massive compound guarantees this warrior culture the isolation and independence it requires. Students will fill all roles within arcologies specific to the compound, ensuring that the are always surrounded by and part of the culture. The Spartan, disciplined, satisfying lifestyle of the Academy will attract exactly the kinds of people best suited to the training.
Entrance in the Academy is open to anyone who is willing to commit themselves to the dedicated way of life taught and practiced there. Once enrolled, the life-student is subjected to a highly specific regimen of diet, activity, and even sleep patterns that maintain their mind in its most malleable state, ready to learn all the institution has to offer. Training teaches the students not only how to fight, but how to be productive and contribute to society, how to live and how to die.
The massive population of these training centers ensures a steady trickle of highly capable officers and enlisted personnel, ready to fill the crews of nearby ships. The crew of any ship in orbit over a planet with such a facility will be able to cycle its crew out as their reach the ends of their tours, taking on the most capable and gifted warriors trained on the planet below.
This warrior culture and the technology and materials that support it are very finely tuned to training enlisted crew and officers up to the rank of Captain. However, certain priorities and ways of thinking are sacrificed to provide the highest quality personnel for those specific positions. Therefore, the Naval Academy is not the appropriate place to train Officers of the Flag.
To satisfy the need to produce and retrain strategists and tacticians of the highest caliber of skill, a different culture was required: the Strategic Think Tank. This massive facility will take up about as much space as the Naval Academy, but will house a different type of people, will encourage a different type of culture. This will be the City of Intellectuals, a huge complex made to provide for and challenge those whose minds function on a higher, more abstract level. Intellectuals of all types will be provided for in this complex, but the entrance exams will be harsh, and we do not expect to support even a million 'thinkers'.
Most of the population of this complex will be in the service industries, supporting the 'thinkers' as they contest among themselves in areas of philosophy, strategy, tactics, and art. There will, however, be none of the spoiled-brat, snobbish, unwelcoming attitudes that have been attributed to the intellectuals of history. By the administration of specialized 'smart drugs', to which the applicant much consent for admittance, the super intelligent inhabitants of the megapolis will be turned into courteous super-educators, filling the same role filled by the best of our past geniuses.
By spending time in this city with its tutorial elite, a flag officer will expand the horizons of his mind, learn new tactics, new ways of thinking, new ways of responding to stimulus. This will turn our Commodores and Admirals into super-leaders, capable of leading their fleets to victory against forces they previously would have had little chance of defeating.
Still, our navy will not be dependant on either of these facilities. Ships can still be staffed by citizens enlisted and commissioned in the conventional fashion. Fleets can be commanded by Captains taught in the school of experience.
boarding
In ages past, our ancestors did not have significant weapons with which they could fire at other ships. In these times, naval battles were fought by men moving from one ship to another and fighting other men with weapons in their hands. In this way a ship might be captured, rather than simply destroyed.
The rigors of space combat have, until now, made this highly impractical. Now, in cooperation with the Ministry of Defense and the Primus Corporation, the Ministry of Science has developed a whole suite of technologies that will make the boarding and taking of ships quite practical.
Within minutes of combat, even when surprised, crew members can don protective hardsuits hemmed with newly developed Adhesive Quickseal Gel. Each hardsuit has water, nutrients, medicine, power, and a removable jetpack for movement independent of craft or tether. Firearms, short-hot-focus lasers and melee weapons are built into the forearms of the suit. Actuators in the joints and back magnify the strength of the wearer tenfold.
An additional hurdle is the operation of a ship designed for another race. We have overcome this with a near-intelligent neural net that examines the interface and control systems of a ship and, within minutes, is able to control that ship based on instructions from any surviving boarder. Each blackbox controller can serve multiple purposes, but can only manipulate the interface to which it is attached or the data-conduits which it is intercepting. Certain craft, like the highly decentralized Druk ships, will require surviving boarders to install five of these devices or more (Life Support, Engineering, Fire Control, Helm, and Tracking for the typical Druk ship), based on our analysis of those craft we have obtained from them.
These same hardsuits can be used to defend a ship from boarding attack, while a more specialized Version of this technology heavily integrates with the systems native to our own ships to provide highly superior defensive capabilities. This Security Station technology, unfortunately, is quite confined to the interior of a ship, and cannot serve the dual roles that our Boarding Parties can.
With these new technologies we will be able to face down the Druk aggressors, beat their ships, take their colonies, learn their secrets and preserve our great republic.
New Technology for 2404.8
Supercooled Shield Generators
As you may have already known, the bottleneck in our shield systems remains the dual shield projectors. While increasing the number of projectors allows them to transfer more energy into the plasmiated heavy-metal battery, the projectors themselves still approach their fail-temperatures long before filling the battery to its capacity. If heat is allowed to build up in the projectors to the point that they experience metal-fatigue they will invert the projected field onto the generator itself, and whatever is attached to it. This would result in significant damage, both to the generator and collateral to surrounding structures.
To overcome this obstacle, it was proposed that we transfer the heat-energy from the projectors into the plasma battery, and while this seemed an obvious solution, the troublesome question is "how?".
A solution was reached earlier this month: liquid helium coolant. Refrigeration technology still works on the same principals that freed us from local food sources five hundred fifty years ago: a compressed gas is passed through a condenser, where its heat is extracted and it is turned into a liquid; the liquid is then passed into the area you wish to cool and is pumped into a relatively low pressure chamber where it evaporates and turns into a gas, taking heat from it surroundings onto itself; the gas is then passed into a compressor and back into the condenser. The main difference, in the case of our helium coolant system, is that the cooling system itself needs a secondary cooling system to keep it at operational temperature.
The heat from both the primary and secondary cooling system is transferred through active condensers into electrical power and is then shunted into the plasmiated battery. While this means that some of the capacity of the battery is taken by forces other than the 'soaked' momentum of incoming particles, waves, or projectiles, it still increases the amount of force that the generator as a whole will be able to divert before the component fails. In this case, this 'soakable' force is increased by fifty percent.
This innovative cooling system does not add any weight to the component, as it merely replaces the older, less effective cooling system. There is a negligible difference in mass. However, the liquid helium cooling system is much friendlier to miniaturization than its predecessor, and this has allowed us to build a new Version of this hardware, the Small Shield Generator.
The Small Shield Generator is actually more efficient than the Version we are currently able to install on warp capable ships. Because the projected field is not required to cover so much space, it can different surface arraignment, think of it as a texture, allowing it to deflect more momentum in addition to what it 'soaks' into the battery.
These Small Shield Generators can be used on the trans-atmospheric Fighters and our exo-atmospheric deployable Hovertanks, increasing the s
Story(-ish): The Babble Files (updated 2408.5)
When it becomes clear i'm sure going to regret Appealing for his pardon and enstatement as System lord of Avalon... 
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