Official: Imminent Research Goal

[AdamTG02]

Our intrepid scientists have only recently discovered the secrets of High Energy Chemistry. Retooling their computers for a new line of research, they were unable to find any compelling leads in either the study of Environmental Economics or Synthetic Fossil Fuels. We are now researching Centauri Empathy, which came in third in TKG's last comprehensive Science Directorate poll. However, this poll was made almost a month ago, and Empathy got only four votes, half of the votes of the second place technology and only one more vote than the fourth place tech. Accordingly, the Science Directorate is posting a poll to either ratify this decision or direct us to change the direction of our research.

Since we know the topics our scientists are able to research, there is no need for a backup tech, and each citizen will have one vote. If we choose to research a different technology, we will lose 14 research points out of 1080 necessary for a research breakthrough. This is approximately 1.3% of the energy necessary to obtain a new technology, and will not delay the anticipated date of the next breakthrough, in 2240.

While retooling our laboratories from their focus on chemistry, our scientists discovered leads on four possible new technologies. These are described in detail, with their expected social impacts, below.

Centauri Empathy is a new social philosophy -- the idea that we should live in harmony with the Planet around us. It draws upon a knowledge of Centauri Ecology and an understanding of the psychic principles necessary to implement this philosophy of harmony -- the Secrets of the Human Brain. Based on our observations of the University's implementation of this ideology, it seems to inspire empathic and telepathic powers among a small subset of Talents, whom Zakharov is collecting to form his Empath Guild. Practical aspects of this knowledge also include means to interact with the environment without disturbing it -- building roads through Xenofungus fields, for example -- and research into the biology of Chironese life forms. Zakharov is believed to have several of these Biology Labs, and to be capable of breeding mind worms in captivity. We could do the same. University Empaths believe that this knowledge allows for a Green economy based around harmony with Planet and further development of psychic powers through "Centauri Meditation." Zakharov is known to have rejected a Green economy; whether he has funded this meditation program is as of yet unknown.

Doctrine: Initiative would apply the techniques of Industrial Automation to expanding and refining our navy. Doctrine: Flexibility allows for a small force, but the technology and infrastructure this doctrine would make possible would allow much larger ships, such as Cruisers and Destroyers. This military doctrine would also allow the training of Marines, who, using Amphibious Pods to cross short distances at sea, would be able to attack directly from a nearby ship. With the use of large-scale automation, Naval Yards could be built to supply our shiops with the best equipment and our troops with the best training. Military scientists even believe we would be able to develop a Maritime Control Center to coordinate naval activity throughout our faction -- a naval counterpart to the Hive's Command Nexus. Though the technologies this would lead to are far off, our scientists predict that the intricate automation processes in our shipyards and Naval Yards would be invaluable for our eventual development of Nanometallurgy techniques to refine metals at the atomic level. Similar nanite techniques in medical science, combined with the boldness of mind Initiative would make possible, might allow evolution of those who choose into a Homo Superior wedding man and machine.

Advanced Subatomic Theory represents a sustained effort to investigate and discover the smallest particles of matter. Data from High Energy Chemistry experiments would be fed into complex, self-modifying programs of Polymorphic Software. Using this method, important insights into the makeup of atoms on the sub-quark and lepton level would be gained. Understanding of the makeup of electrons and photons might very well allow us to develop a Comm Jammer using these principles, which would be invaluable in defense against enemy rovers. The sustained scientific activity represented by this initiative would furthermore allow us to develop Skunkworks facilities where prototype components could be made quickly and for limited cost. It is believed that understanding of the fundamental particles of the universe might shed insight on its fundamental forces, in a theory of Applied Relativity. Our chemists also look forward to Silksteel Alloys designed with understanding of these subatomic principles.

Neural Grafting is a line of research prompted by the relentless drive toward efficiency which swept our faction with the discovery of Industrial Automation. This technology would use our understanding of the Secrets of the Human Brain to implant computers in the human brain itself. Our electronic engineers and neurobiologists believe that a linkage of the human mind to a computer, allowing the processing power of a machine to be wedded to the creativity of a human mind, is possible. If so, this would radically increased computational speed, reaction time, and sensory awareness for those citizens who elected to take part in such a procedure. The boon to our military preparedness would be such that we would be able to train troops with two special abilities. Our technologists also look forward to a true Mind/Machine Interface linking human thoughts with any computerized device, such as a Gatling Rover, and Biomachinery that would assist human metabolism at the cellular level.

The choice of which of these research initiatives to pursue is up to the people of the UN Peacekeepers. This poll will last two days, in order to be complete before the Saturday turnchat. A more extensive poll, listing all technological options, will follow on Saturday.

Edit: Doctrine: Initiative was incorrectly listed as Doctrine: Flexibility in the poll. Please disregard this and treat the second choice of the poll as Doctrine: Initiative. Sorry for the confusion.

Also edited for typographical errors.

[GeneralTacticus]

Centauri Empathy. We should start on the EG ASAP, and the Biology Labs will come in handy.

[Pandemoniak]

Centaury Empathy. We'll have to go green quite soon.

[Drogue]

Doesn't Zak have the EG pretty much sown up? If not, lets get CE and the EG ASAP

[GeneralTacticus]

We have no way of knowing, as we haven't infiltrated him yet. He started it quite a while ago, so you may be right, but there is still a chance that we will beat him to it if we try hard enough, and if not, we can always switch to something else.

[Drogue]

Why don't we start Adams proposal now. Start building a wonder (at NS or Concordia) and then when we get CE switch to the EG, makes as many crawlers as possible and rush it like hell. We can do this!!

[GeneralTacticus]

Good idea, except his proposal was for the PD. Still, a good idea, assuming no-one objects to us pre-building.

[Micha]

CE! As there won´t be a majority for war against Morgan, and the Hive still is too powerful compared to our strike forces, we´ll need to build new bases on our own. Therefore more efficiency´s needed so go for GREEN as soon as possible!!!

[Drogue]

* And the people chant: Green, Green, Green, Green!

[Kirov]

I recall that previous polls always had two options to vote, in case one would be missed...

Anyway, well written, Adam

Voted CE for all the above-mentioned reasons.

[Pandemoniak]

With luck and Gaia, we probably never do the same mistakes that on Earth... Say NO! to FM !

[Comrade Chris]

my vote to CE, green all the way

[DeathByTheSword]

Doc: Init....let us rule the waves of planet

[ooc] it doesnt matter what i vote because the majority is for CE...which i great more units to fight with[/ooc]

[Hercules]

Now let me think. I 'll let you all guess.

[Archaic]

CE. While I'd like NG, the benifits of the Empath Guild must be ours.

[Method]

neural grafting...

[GeneralTacticus]

I recall that previous polls always had two options to vote, in case one would be missed...

Yes, he mentioned that. The point of that was in case the tech voted for wasn't available; in this case, there will be no such problem.

[AdamTG02]

Why don't we start Adams proposal now.

Good idea, except his proposal was for the PD.

I'd certainly be in favor of starting the Datalinks, then switching to the Empath Guild, provided Zakharov isn't only a few turns away from completing it.

[Drogue]

That's what I intended. I need a transport foil and a probe team to probe the University now

[Aaron Blackwell]

centaury empathy.

Biology Labs will come in handy to quickly gives a good boost to our research ( as they are rather quick to build).

When green becomes available, we will finally be able to make one LAST discussion about FM/GREEN and then concentrate on more urgent matter.

Green can allow us to breed/capture mindworms which could nicely complement our forces for both attack and defence operations be it other factions or wild mindworms.

More importantly, centaury empathy is just one step before centaury meditation => which gives us access to empath which are very good IMHO.

Neural Grafting-> Mind Machine interface is also nice but come second to me but is more military offence oriented.

So I think that CE empathy could gives us more direct advantages right now.

[Earwicker]

My vote is for Doctrine Initiative. Construction of the MCC would help us bridge the sea gap between us and the Hive, simplifying the actions of our probe teams and assuring safe passage of transports.

(but I won't be disappointed to see us able to go Green and get us some mindworms!)