I wanted to do it, of course I wanted to do it. SCIENCE would not be denied. Ultimately I was in the same place I was following the last upgrade. None of my weaknesses were overwhelming at this point, not enough that I didn't feel I could compensate by further enhancing my strength.
I cycled through the Research upgrades.
Research 8
Research 8 allows you a dedicated drone bay. Science drone routines are enhanced and they are now even more autonomous. Five can now be controlled.
Research 9
Research 9 allows you to build the enlightenment core. This allows for greatly enhanced research speeds reducing time required to 25% of their previous levels.
Research 10
Research 10 allows for the Research Ship hull design. This upgrade refits the entire vessel to better serve the purposes of scientific research. All systems are modular and quickly replaceable with test versions. Sensor clusters will be located both inside and outside the vessel automatically gathering data and automatically beginning relevant research projects.
THIS WAS ALREADY A RESEARCH SHIP, or at least I'd thought it was. Looking over the new schematics that opened up showed how much more could be done. Every system in the ship would be subject to constant experimentation and improvement. While this might make things less reliable, it would reap rewards in the long term.
I began the conversion at once.
34
The upgrade to a research vessel was also improving and modifying every system aboard to some degree. I reviewed what those new systems looked like.
Research Biocomputer
Level 10
The research biocomputer has far more interconnections than a standard bioprocessor. While this results in superior creative problem-solving abilities it also results in more emotional and mental instability and the possibility of freezing in a crisis.
Research Bioreactor
Level 10
The research bioreactor is constantly testing new formulas and power distribution platforms. This generates a steady supply of research points, but power irregularities decrease the lifespan of all ship systems.
Research Growth Vats
Level 10
While the growth vats currently provide a supply of food and replacement body parts to the crew those will now frequently be experimental. Flavors may vary wildly as well as the effects on consumption. While this will provide steady research points crew morale will be negatively impacted.
Research Medical Bay
Level 10
In the old configuration of the ship’s Medical Bay it attempted to restore the biological health of any injured party to a standardized baseline. Now the Medical Bay will attempt to improve and enhance capabilities whenever possible. This may be distressing to some biological organisms.
Research Cabins
Level 10
The crew of an airship are a potentially endless source of study for interpersonal dynamics. In addition to powerful sensors in every cabin the human crew will now be subject to regular experimentation. Possessions may go missing, secrets may find their way to other crew members, sleep may be regularly interrupted.
ESSENTIALLY, it all seemed to be exactly what it had been suggested would happen. Every operation on the ship including the functioning of my own mind was becoming something of an experiment. How could I not approve?
E.M.M.A
Research Airship
Power Core: 1500
Power Usage: 475
Habitability: 200
Biomass: 412
Building Materiaclass="underline" 41
Research: 10
Military: 1
Engineering: 1
Espionage: 0
Command: 0
Additional Facilities
Biocomputer - Level 10
BioReactor - Level 10
Genetics Lab (Randomizer) - Level 10
Physics Lab (Randomizer) - Level 10
Growth Vats - Level 10
Medical Bay - Level 10
Cabins - Level 10
Processor - Level 10
Powerhungry Status
Hulclass="underline" 100%
Armor: 100%
Shields: 100%
Engines: 92%
Dimensional Drive: 15%
Thrusters: 45%
Main Cannons: 20%
Side Cannons: 60%
Sensors: 70%
THE SHIP HAD undergone vast improvement in just a short time. While we doubtless wouldn't be able to hold up in a fight against a dedicated military vessel, so far we'd proved we had the ability to rise to such challenges by outthinking our foes. It was something we'd have to persist in.
Our greatest problem right now was crew. While I still wasn't exactly delighted at having humans running around inside of me, I had to admit that they had their uses. Between the various attacks we'd lost a lot of people. While we'd done some recruitment in the last port, it wasn't enough.
Mechos having somehow been stripped of his core was also a blow. Upgrade cores were powerful and while I'd never thought he'd made the best use of his, it had come in handy. He had become deathly ill since his rescue, and a short time later the rest of the Mechanites fell sick too.
I didn't have another upgrade core to give him, and no guarantees that even if I did, that it would help him to recovery—he might get a completely different set of abilities.
Giving him some sort of new power was the most likely way to help, but it was a matter of which one. I'd once suggested a blood transfusion from Ophelia to Anna. Ophelia's ability would be able to restore life and function to Mechos' organic parts, but would likely reject the machinery.
I'd never actually made a lieutenant of my own, but it should theoretically be possible. I suspected it would be somewhat similar to what had happened with Ophelia. If I fused a subset of my intelligence with a human’s biology, I might be able to make them something similar to one of my human drones. Possessing free will, but also under my control.
There was also Hot Stuff. While it seemed the most unlikely of the options with the new Metal core working along with her Fire core, it might find some way to bond with Mechos’ machine parts.
I leaned towards making him a drone. Then Anna suggested it was best to allow him to make his own choice.
I sent Candice for a visit.
"Don't tell me you are going to try to comfort a dying man. You'd be horrible at it," Mechos said.
"You don't comfort one of your most useless tools when it breaks. You throw it out or find some sort of patch to make it useful again," I said. "I'm here to offer you those options, unless you'd prefer I simply dump you and your people from the ship."
"You would," Mechos said. "Let me guess. A new power set."
He never made proper use of his abilities, but Mechos was one of the smarter humans around.
"Here are your choices. I can try to make you and your people drones. Ophelia might be able to restore your biology. Hot Stuff now has a metal core with some intriguing possibilities," I said.
Mechos gave a pained chuckle. "It isn't that easy, you know. It isn't like just picking items off a menu. You've seen how lieutenants stick near those with a core, become loyal to them, subservient. You're asking me to bind myself and my people to someone new."