Discovery Gaming Community

this is Kyu Akibara, OSI-Employee for half a year now, working both as transport pilot as well as engineer on Nichols Trading Center. I contact you on behalf of the latter, as I see much potential in our station. Right now, Nichols is pretty much depending on the constant import of Food, Water and Oxygen from Planet Gran Canaria. However, as we all are aware of, Canaria will not always be the beloved planet it is right now, as the two suns of Omega-49 are impacting on it’s rotation cycle. The temperature will fall down to a point where the extraction of water will turn into an extraction of ice, and the agricultural fields on Canaria will be critically damaged as well. The prices of food and water will rise and that will force us to either import our food from Planet Cambridge or to buy it at higher cost from Canarian conservatories.

This, and the fact we lower our income by wasting our time with ordering our transports to import Food, Water and Oxygen, as nobody else is supplying Nichols with that, makes me contact you with the following plan:

The Upgrade of Nichols Trading Center to become independent from importing life-sustaining materials - Food, Oxygen, Water.

This contains four upgrades:

• - Oxygen Recyclers
  
• - Water Purifiers
  
• - Food Synthesizers
  
• - Space Farm

The construction of the Oxygen Recyclers and the Water Purifiers are basically the easiest thing. Blueprints on those modules are practically publicly available on the Neural Net, as most capital ships and a wide array of stations use those installations in order to sustain themselves. However, usually, those modules can’t recycle or purify 100% of the material. It is, however, possible to achieve that.

The Space Farm is a rather material-consuming module than a technological puzzle, as most freeports use them to stay independent in terms of Oxygen and Food production. We can easily work out things here, as plans for that are also publicly available on the Neural Net. We maybe need to give it a bit of fine-tuning, but that’s rather easy.

The Food Synthesizers however are the most tricky thing, and while I’m sure we could find a solution on this on our own, that would take a few months to come up with blueprints. About this module, I suggest contacting Synth Foods, Ageira Technologies, Kishiro Technologies or the Ingenuus Research Group. Maybe we can get a team from any of those parties to help us with the blueprints, if they not already have something they could sell us.

Since we clearly not have the free space on Nichols to do the research and development as well as the construction of the modules, I suggest we use our parts of Lanzarote, Gran Canaria and the Vista. OSI’s portfolio allows that without worries. Most things can already be done on Canaria, as we can use our maintenance bays for smaller ships down there, however, the construction of the Space Farm is better done at the Vista, for obvious reasons, as it’s easier to build it there than to have to lift it from the planet. The Oxygen Recyclers can be build entirely on Canaria, as they are small enough to fit into our smaller assets. The Water Purification System however, as we only have so much space on the Vista, needs to be built partially on Lanzarote - not that there is a problem with it.

The project itself is divided into three phases for each of the modules, expect the Space Farm:

• Phase 1: Research
  
• Phase 2: Construction of a prototype
  
• Phase 3: Construction of the modules
  

Phase 1 would require us to get reasonable amounts of working materials from all over Sirius to our operational bases on Canaria, Lanzarote and the Vista. This phase can be a bit time consuming, especially regarding the Food Synthesizer, if we don’t get additional support from the companies I mentioned earlier. However, I’m positive we would manage to finish the first phase in less than six months even without the help from a third party, maybe even a few months earlier.

Phase 2 is simply about the construction of a prototype. After we know what kind of resources we need for the construction, this is the phase where we do not require much material but time, because even if the manage to produce the prototypes without any delay, we will need to stress-test the prototypes for at least one month to see how reliable they are. Let’s be honest here: Things can always cause problems. Our job would be to minimize those problems if not even to make them vanish at all.

Phase 3 is purely about the construction of arrays of said modules to ensure Nichols can maintain its crew without being dependent on imports from Canaria or Cambridge. While this will be surely the most expensive phase, the production of the modules will happen very quickly, as our facilities can easily programmed to work with the blueprints.


Here now the important data: Cost and time estimation.

Depending on how fast we are with the research on a Food Synthesizer System, we can upgrade Nichols in less than a year, maybe even less than half a year. Another aspect we shouldn’t forget about is the transport of working material to our operational bases in Omega-49. There is actually no way to predict how much time that will take. I suggest if OSI can’t do all this on it’s own, we should think about an open contract to every trader out there in Sirius. Maybe after two weeks or a month. A decent transport bonus surely will motivate both our freeroaming pilots as well as anyone else to help our cause.
The cost estimation for this project. That’s a difficult topic, and given we are about to invent high-tier technology, it will be expensive. Nothing the Omicron Supply Industries can’t cover, however. Our team estimates this project will, with everything including, require 4.000.000.000 credits.

Maybe this sounds unreasonably high, but this covers both the costs for all the resources we need but also the transport costs including a bonus, as we don’t want to wait for people to do it but to have people do it as soon and fast as possible. It also includes all the other costs like tools, equipment, rent for space, payments for our personnel and so on. Depending on who will work with us on the Food Synthesizer, additional costs will need to be kept in mind.


Here are the estimates for Phase 1 of each module group:

Oxygen Recycler

Resources	228.803.000 Cr.
Transport	91.500.000 Cr.
Total	320.303.000 Cr.

Water Purifier

Resources	228.803.000 Cr.
Transport	91.500.000 Cr.
Total	320.303.000 Cr.

Food Synthesizer and Space Farm

Resources	248.270.000 Cr.
Transport	100.500.000 Cr.
Total	348.770.000 Cr.

Phase 1 - Total - 989.376.000 Cr.

Based on this, we estimate the cost for Phase 2, as we need less material and less transports, to be 75%-80% less than Phase 1. Phase 3 however will surely be just as pricey as Phase 3, if not even more, given that we will need a high amount of material to produce the finalized modules. However, my team is pretty sure we will not need to go higher than 4.000.000.000 Credits for this project in itself. Remember, however, if we want to work with Ageira, Kishiro, Synth Foods or the Ingenuus Research Corporation, this will probably add another money sink.

This is it. I expect a response from the Board of Directors soon.

I'll contact the companies I mentioned earlier as soon as possible and check what they can offer us technology-wise. We expect the deliveries for Phase 1 to be done in one month, however, the situation in Omicron Delta might impact on this with delays, as I am sure we should prioritize to help our friends on Freeport 11 over this project. Regarding the logistical transports, that is, as our desk criminals will continue their work on the blueprints in the meantime anyway.

In any way, I will keep this channel open to inform you about the progress on this project. At the end of each month, I'll also list the bills on the deliveries here, so our accountants can do their job. I might have a second proposal about boosting the motivation for our transports, making this more a competition.

I remember Detroit Munitions in Liberty once had this offer to freelancing traders. They wanted them to export Detroid Munitions' Light Arms to a number of worlds and battleships outside Liberty. Zoners were invited to do that as well, back then. They were offering "a price" to the best traders, and I think that would be an additional motivation for our people as well. My suggestion is the following:

Rank	Price
1. Place	100.000.000 Credits
2. Place	50.000.000 Credits
3. Place	25.000.000 Credits
Additional funds neeted per month	175.000.000 Credits

I think this will spice up this project for all partaking pilots, and the earlier we can progress, the better it is, as it saves us money and logistical ressources in long-term, given that we can use our teams on other projects faster.

In any case, I'll prepare everything for the already approved aspects.

Transport pilot Karl Broken is doing an incredibly ambitious job right now, shipping the required materials we need to Planet Gran Canaria, and probably after he's done with it, he will continue with the Vista and Lanzarote. More than 50% of all the shipments for Phase 1 have been done. We are now able to start with the research effectively.

This means, we should contact the other corporations now. However, the little fauxpas I caused in our diplomatic contact with the Lane Hackers makes me believe we should have other people do the negotiations. I hereby request a little help regarding that topic. My suggestion is contacting Synth Foods, Ageira Technologies, Kishiro Technologies or the Ingenuus Research Group in order strike deals about technological exchange and maybe get us a few of their experts to Nichols. I, however, advise you to caution regarding the Lane Hackers, as, while they surely have the technology to sustain themselves, given they are known for being some of the brightest heads of Sirius, that however live hidden in some dirty rocks around Liberty, they are also known for their passionate hatred towards everything that is related to a corporation. That means, if they find out we possibly work with Synth Foods, Kishiro and especially Ageira, they could see a reason here to sabotage our work on Nichols.

We need to be really careful with them. While a technological exchange with them might be a very interesting concept, dealing with them is one of the most dangerous things we can do. If anything, we shouldn't have any long-term dealings with them.

And with progress, I really mean progress. Phase 1 of the project is about to end. We're having a great amount of ressources on our bases and our R&D teams have analyzed and re-evaluated how useful they will be for our project. In fact, most of the ressources are of average to above-average quality. Especially the analysis of the technological goods was interesting, as the adaption of the technological know-how might allow us later with an entire new branch of the Omicron Supply Industries: Production. Imagine it. We already have a monopoly of Deuterium. With the Omegas being very rich in terms of ressources, especially ores, we may be able to expand with the production of technological goods.

Maybe it is worth investing more funds in our Research & Develop teams. That is, after the completion of the Nichols Upgrade, as we will need all of their manpower for that. So let me continue elaborating on the current status of the project itself.

Group	Status	Reference
PlanetForm Incorporated	Working	[x]
Ingenuus Research Group	Waiting for Nichols Schematics	[x]
Ageira Innovations	Offer to be discussed	[x]
Synth Foods	No Response	[x]
Kishiro Technologies	No Response	[x]

Neither Kishiro Technologies nor Synth Foods have answered our inquiries. I think it's more probable that we come up with our own solutions before they get in touch with us.

Jack Worth from PlanetForm Incorporated is interested in this project and already sent Planetform teams to Nichols. I made sure they will have everything they need to happily work with our teams. Planetform will work on the Oxygen Recyclers and the Water Purifiers.

Dr. James Erzie of the Ingenuus Research Group is willing to work with us as well, and right now, he is waiting for the latest schematics of Nichols. He will receive them soon, and then we will talk about on how to continue.

Jay Anderson of Ageira Innovations made an interesting offer and I would like to get the opinions of the other directors of the board here.

Jay Anderson, Ageira Innovations Wrote:Ageira could complete the project for you. However, we have some conditions that you will need to meet.

1. An exclusive manufacturing contract for this project. If you want Ageira to handle it, all production is going to happen in our facilities or subcontractors determined by us.
2. Assembly and montage of the station modules will be handled by us and/or our subcontractors exclusively.
3. Transportation and all the logistics are on you. You also provide for security of our teams on site and transportation of personnel and materials en route after Methyr-Tydfill Station.
4. You will have to insure the project and all risks with Interspace Commerce or another comparable insurance entity.

That is both an interesting but also dangerous offer. We already have IRG and PFI working with us. Ageira basically wants to excel them with their offer. One side of the coin would be a competitive approach on this - if Ageira's offer is better than the offers of PFI and IRG, we could hire them. However, we already contracted PFI and IRG, basically. Ten million credits have already been wired to PFI and as soon as IRG gets the schematics, they would send us a cost estimate. Canceling the work with them might damage our reputation.

So, summing it up, we have three options right now:

A) Accepting Ageira's offer and let them handle the Upgrade Project.
B) Staying with PFI and IRG and let them and our teams handle the Upgrade Project.
C) Opening negotations with all three parties to find out who can give us the best offer.

I personally would tend to B). Reputation is everything, my friends, and I think showing a cooperative ambition here is the best we can do, even if Ageira might have the better offer. You could see it as investing in Public Relations. IRG is very well reputated, and PFI could use the additional funds we pay them to get a better presence on Sirius, as they are currently struggling with the Gaians and other unlawfuls in Bretonia and Liberty. It's sort of a shame Ageira doesn't seem to be willing to join this project with a more cooperative approach, however I would like to have Director Mendes to continue the negotations with Jay Anderson in order to find out whether Ageira would be willing to change their mind and work together with PFI, IRG and OSI. They would benefit from it one way or the other, and the only loss for them would be not to accept the offer.

However, I would like to hear the other opinions on this first.