Re: Destination: Foreven
With no real consensus about whether to stay or go, where to go, or what to research first, Captain Wechsler opts to continue with the last 'plan'--on to Foreven.
This far out from the main planet/habitat, there really wasn't any reason to deal with a flight plan, but Luise did it anyway... mainly to file Arlo's official resignation--they just made him a better offer.
After double checking everything to make sure all was secure, it took about 3 hours to reach the moon's jump limit and then it was back into J-Space.
During the week in J-Space heading to Thanber, research is begun in three areas: Insta-pills, computers and quantum invisibility. Who works on what is left up to you to determine. Here's what the week of research gives you:
INSTA-PILLS:
You are able to learn that the process does involve creating an artificial organic neural net and then writing specific engrams into it. Correctly built, the net attaches itself to your own brain in the proper place to make use of it.
STATUS: It'll take about a week to extract, verify and overwrite the 'skill' onto the new net. Stability was an issue, which is why there was a duration.
COMPUTERS:
Directly tied into the Electronics research, it delved into 'molecutronics' and 'positronics'. While the former is intriguing, it would require inventing a whole new set of tools to use. There was still disagreement on whether the latter would be an improvement. It would be faster and have more memory (?) but 3D processing would probably lead to more self-aware machines.
STATUS: Dubbed 'Cloud Nine', you have a working prototype among the devices recovered.
QUANTUM INVISIBILITY:
Apparently the basis for this is someone's peculiar theoretical concept of being able to 'grab a handful of space-time and pulling it over you' to become invisible to the rest of the universe.
STATUS: No one outright discounted the theory, but neither could it be confirmed as a possibility. Of course, the actual process really didn't match the analogy anyway.
The local protocols (Technocrat's Paranoia) has J-Space exit at least 1.5 planetary diameters out from the planet. That puts approach time up to 7.7 hours.
The e-shake (transponder ID exchange) produces no problems, and you are given an approach vector and docking bay assignment. However, it is accompanied by a few warnings: law level is strictly enforced and the prices of everything--including fuel and docking fees--are doubled.
Although there aren't many ships currently in system--only 7, three of them are warships. The entire population lives in the three orbital space stations: Hub, (Big) Wheel, and Spinner.
There's no Downport only a Highport because the planet below is uninhabitable. Some 'crop-dusting' is done for the bio-chemicals that produce Rejuve, starspice and SIN (recreational drug).