Discovery Gaming Community

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*BPA Inspector Hone Nathan*
*Re CNS Nuclear report*


Good day, many of you may have heard the recent news that that certain "Major Nuclear Physicists" have apparently concluded a study that proves ALGs nuclear devices are harmless. We at the BPA, always keen to keep up to date on matters of public safety, wish to establish the validity of this statement ourselves. We therefore are looking to hire researchers, to run our own study on the nuclear devices, and determine how reliable this report is.

To apply, please reply here, stating your qualifications and background, thankyou.

[color=black]Comm ID: Prof. Terry Chambers
Location: University of Cambridge, Planet Cambridge, Cambridge, Bretonia
Subject: RE: To Bretonian scientists
Encryption Level: HIGH

"Good day Inspector Nathan,

I would like to provide my services to the Kingdom of Bretonia in validating the claims brought forth by the these Nuclear Physicists, I am an astronomer here at the University of Cambridge and I have degrees in both Ultraviolet Astronomy and Gamma-ray Astronomy.

You can reach me via this comm-link, and I'll reply as soon as I get the chance."

Comm ID: Savage Salvage

Good morning sir,

My crew and I have no fancy degrees, nor important-sounding academic appointments.
We have no close connections with the Bretonian Empire.
Why, then, should you consider hiring us?

Precisely for those reasons. Any research involving nuclear devices is likely to be very risky, and the last thing you want to do is risk the lives of high-ranking Bretonian scientists. If something happens to my crew and I, you have plausible deniability, and nobody will miss us.

Although I do not have a strong scientific background, my crew and I are capable of following instructions. And as Junkers, my crew and I are quite good with machines. Perhaps you can hire a scientist to provide the project with some legitimacy, while hiring us to actually do the dangerous dirty work.

Just think it over and let us know.

Sincerely,
Addison Savage, Junker

' Wrote:

.:=Incoming Transmission=:.

[color=black]Comm ID: Prof. Terry Chambers
Location: University of Cambridge, Planet Cambridge, Cambridge, Bretonia
Subject: RE: To Bretonian scientists
Encryption Level: HIGH

"Good day Inspector Nathan,

I would like to provide my services to the Kingdom of Bretonia in validating the claims brought forth by the these Nuclear Physicists, I am an astronomer here at the University of Cambridge and I have degrees in both Ultraviolet Astronomy and Gamma-ray Astronomy.

You can reach me via this comm-link, and I'll reply as soon as I get the chance."

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*BPA Inspector Hone Nathan*
*Re CNS Nuclear report Application*


Thankyou sir, you are being considered, any more details about your qualifications would be appreciated whilst we continue to look for researchers.

**** Incoming Transmission ****
From: Kevin Williamson, Cambridge University, Nuclear Physics department
To: Officer Hone, BPA Constabulary
Subject: Nuclear device safety
Encryption: Civilian

Sir,

I am curious, why has the Constabulary not simply commissioned the Cambridge University to conduct a field study? We are, without a doubt, the leading entity in Bretonia in regards to theoretical sciences, and practical applications thereof. My department could be of assistance, however, your description is rather vague. "ALG Nuclear Devices" as you claim them, come in a wide variety - from medical isotope storage containers, to low-yield gamma radiation modules used mainly in medical imaging devices, to fullblown plutonium-238 power cores and anything in between. While the former pose little risk, both to the environment and as a military threat, the latter category is less innocent. I've attempted to look up this report you mention, but all I could find in the recent past is a certification for a new type of gamma emission coil, for use in certain security scanners at spaceports throughout Bretonia. Surely the Armed Forces have not applied the conclusions drawn in this report to be appliccable to any "nuclear device" in existance? Such would be a capital blunder indeed.

The matter is simple: Anything that can be used as a high yield powersource, can be used as a weapon, with proper modifications. And with fissile materials used in an improvised explosive device there is the added risk of radiation. No doubt you have read some of the reports of the LD14 installation workforce.

Regards,
Sir Kevin Williamson, Cambridge University, Nuclear Physics department

**** Transmission Closed ****

' Wrote:**** Incoming Transmission ****
From: Kevin Williamson, Cambridge University, Nuclear Physics department
To: Officer Hone, BPA Constabulary
Subject: Nuclear device safety
Encryption: Civilian

Sir,

I am curious, why has the Constabulary not simply commissioned the Cambridge University to conduct a field study? We are, without a doubt, the leading entity in Bretonia in regards to theoretical sciences, and practical applications thereof. My department could be of assistance, however, your description is rather vague. "ALG Nuclear Devices" as you claim them, come in a wide variety - from medical isotope storage containers, to low-yield gamma radiation modules used mainly in medical imaging devices, to fullblown plutonium-238 power cores and anything in between. While the former pose little risk, both to the environment and as a military threat, the latter category is less innocent. I've attempted to look up this report you mention, but all I could find in the recent past is a certification for a new type of gamma emission coil, for use in certain security scanners at spaceports throughout Bretonia. Surely the Armed Forces have not applied the conclusions drawn in this report to be appliccable to any "nuclear device" in existance? Such would be a capital blunder indeed.

The matter is simple: Anything that can be used as a high yield powersource, can be used as a weapon, with proper modifications. And with fissile materials used in an improvised explosive device there is the added risk of radiation. No doubt you have read some of the reports of the LD14 installation workforce.

Regards,
Sir Kevin Williamson, Cambridge University, Nuclear Physics department

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*BPA Inspector Hone Nathan*
*Re CNS Nuclear report Application*


Dear Mr Williamson, your offer of help is welcome, here is a copy of the news report you have been unable to find:



http://i45.tinypic.com/3492liw.jpg

http://i46.tinypic.com/14mdlhy.jpg

http://i50.tinypic.com/uaghz.jpg


What we wish, is for an independent group of qualified, trustworthy, and reliable scientists, to study the same nuclear devices mentioned in that report, and see if the results are repeatable, and if they do conclusivly prove that ALG Nuclear Devices are completely Harmless.

**** Incoming Transmission ****
From: Kevin Williamson, Cambridge University, Nuclear Physics department
To: Officer Hone, BPA Constabulary
Subject: Nuclear device safety
Encryption: Civilian

Sir,

What you have sent me is little more then an advertisement from the manufacturing company, in this case ALG. I'm not surprised it never reached me - our university has spam filters to block such... unwanted and biased content. There are a few halftruths and a couple of blatant untruths in the text. I will go by them step by step.

The press conference in question was held during the annual science expose on New Berlin. Naturally, many organizations, including the Cambridge University, send a delegation, to further the exchange of ideas and knowledge. Especially Kusari is making strides in the field of nuclear and subnuclear physics, and at the time our regular contacts with Kusari scholars were... Limited at best. I'm sure you are aware of the reasons. The conference was interesting to many of us due to the introduction of a new ALG hazardous materials containment device. The so-called "HazMat Containers", which have since began to find their way on the open market. Ingenious devices, and I must admit their invention has made the containment of radioactive materials much more robust and reliable. But these are waste products we speak of. Not the reprocessed, active components.

Nuclear Devices do indeed have an elaborate security mechanism that can prevent tampering with the actual device. However, there is one distinct difference from an Ageira whitebox: The core materials cannot be rendered inert. To do so would require the release of all their energy, which typically would result in a one kiloton explosion (actual energy per device varies, I am using a very rough average). I wager they would saturate the fissile materials with a reaction blocker to prevent the material from being useful as a power source. This does not destroy it's energy potential, nor it's lethal potential in terms of radiation. If anything, it would make such a spoiled core more potent when used as a "dirty bomb". That is, a conventional explosive designed to contaminate a large area with radioactive materials - irradiating surface materials and basically creating a large area that is unsuitable for human life for dozens, maybe hundreds of years.

There is also the possibility of re-purifying the fissile material, although this would require a high-gravity environment, as well as sophisticated refining equipment. I'm not talking your average smelter unit on Graves - I mean a high pressure, high gravity furnaces such as the ones in use on LD14. I am confident that ALG will have taken every possible measure to prevent their units from being able to suffer a thermal runaway, resulting in a meltdown while in operation. I am not so certain that they have been, or can be, able to prevent the use of radioactive materials within the core as a poison instead of an explosive. It is my personal opinion therefor, that the transport of such materials should be restricted, especially when transferring high energy devices meant for fueling ships or equipment. BMM, Bowex and of course ALG itself all have experience handling such materials.

"Shut down all fission activity as their default state"... now that actually made me laugh. Even in highschool, our children are taught that these materials have a halflife, due to spontaneous, natural fission. The only way to reduce this rate to zero would be to store the materials in a cryogenic state, at or close to absolute zero - which is quite difficult since the fission process produces a significant amount of heat. I wager they instead saturate the fuel with a control material to inhibit chain reactions as much as possible. Effective, but hardly "shutting down fission". Another sign that this report was written by their sales department, not by a scientist.

In short, sir. At a glance, I wager these devices are safe to be handled by personel with moderate training, yet physical access to the devices should be restricted, to the same level of security we require of the MOX fuel transports. Additional analysis can only be done once we obtain a few sample devices, both active and inert, for study. As I said, my department can be made available - simply forward the request through the established channels. I'm sure Her Majesty's government would approve of a study to determine the risk to our house, aye?


Regards,
Sir Kevin Williamson, Cambridge University, Nuclear Physics department

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*BPA Inspector Hone Nathan*
*Re CNS Nuclear report Application*



Dear Mr Williamson and Prof Terry Chambers,
I am pleased you are so enthusiastic about this project, would you be interested in working together, as I believe you are both on the staff of the same university, and have both expressed interest?

If you accept, the BPA could arrange to have a shipment of nuclear devices sent to planet Cambridge, where you could study them in a secure environment. You would (both) be free to assemble your own choice of science teams, and I am further authorised to offer a research grant of 2 million credits, 1 to each of you if you form separate teams, (Although we would insist on the teams working together, the benefit of two teams checking each others work is undeniable.) or shared if you form a joint team. The Grant would be payable half in advance, and half upon production of a reliable, testable and convincing conclusion.

You mentioned "Proper Channels" But being just a humble copper, I am sadly ignorant of matters of ettiquette. Please direct me to them if this channel is not sufficient. Thankyou