>>3398746
The away team quickly packs up, the promise of a proper bed instead of being stuck on this moon works wonders for morale. However, your plan of sending them back out will have to wait till the next week, as their return trip will take till the weekend and your explorers will need a little bit of rest.

In the meant time, you review last weeks reports: R&D has successfully set up a quarantine area inside the cargo bay, where they have been trying to figure out what the damaged object from the asteroid belt is supposed to be. “As far as I and my colleagues are concerned, we have found some sort of resupply pod. It holds various stores of basic elements like oxygen, hydrogen, and a few others, as well as a large fusion battery.”, the head of the R&D department, the Fidgety Doctor, had written, “While we have never seen such a design, we are fairly certain as to its function: A pod like this would be filled up with its cargo and then ‘shot’ into FTL via a FTL accelerator. The pod would drop out of FTL at a pre-programmed point in space and navigate to its destination. Unfortunately, our pod seems to have hit an asteroid right after dropping out of FTL, resulting in the damage observed.” R&D proposes that a similar system could be used for our station as well, to send and receive cargo on a ‘on demand’ basis, instead of waiting for the monthly resupply.

Speaking of it, you review your current quotas: you still have this and the following week to meet your 10 shipments of alloys produced - while you only have 3 thus far. At the rate of two per shuttle per week, you’d have to keep both shuttles on mining duty to fulfill your quota - That is, unless you don't mind whatever Corporate is going to do if you send them shipments short of the quota. However, you are on track with the second objective of surveying the three planets and two anomalies inside the asteroid belt. Two of those are down, only three more to go, and six more weeks till you need to be done with those.

>>3398748
Next, your engineers have reported back on the prospect of making the small frigate - the ghost ship - run again. “We’ll have to rip out a lot of things.”, the head engineer reports “Automations has come a long way since half a millennium ago. But we reckon that, with the right materials and two weeks to give it a full overhaul, it’ll be back cruising around with only a fourth of its original crew requirement, about 10 people.” You review the parts he requests for this task and you think that 50 requisition points would be enough. That would be half of what you’d get with your mining quota fulfilled.

And lastly, a report from medical. Several people from the team exploring the ghost ship have complained about various ailments: feeling increased stress, restlessness, and general uneasiness when alone. The doctor found no actual illness and simply perscribed rest and recreation to combat the symptoms. He is of the opinion that “this is no cause for any alarm, and quite normal on prolonged stays aboard.”
>Terror increased by 5.
>Terror is the inverse of moral. It increases with every time your crew encounters weird and/or terrifying things out in space. The higher terror is, the weirder your encounters may get. However, terror is reduced on a weekly basis. Recreational modules increase this amount, as well as certain policies and events. Terror is reduced before newly gained terror is added.

>Send an away mission to survey one of the planets [Write in which, and what crew]
>Send an away mission to survey one of the anomalies [Write in which, and what crew]
>Send an away mission to the hidden lunar base with something to power the base [Write in which, and what crew]
>Keep shuttles on standby. Let's see what the week brings.

File: week 3.png (38 KB, 1123x521)

38 KB PNG

>>3398752
>Station Overview incoming...

>>3398752
Time for mining
>keep both shuttles on mineing duty gotta match that quota.
>see if what museum worthy tech we can scrounge up from the ship that we can sell when the requisition shows up.

>>3398752

>>Keep shuttles on standby. Let's see what the week brings.

>Set up a system where the crew gets a buddy to talk about the problems and fears

>>3398752
We'll keep our shuttles on mining duty to fulfill the quota.

>>3398807
>>3398806
>>3398804

You inform the crew of your plans to catch up with your mining quota. To no one's surprise, everyone is on-board with that decision, with the weirdness of last week still fresh in most minds. R&D reports beginning research on the dead container brought back from the frigate, analyzing the shilding as well as trying to find a way to actually open it. In addition, you have a talk with the Fidgety Doctor about your buddy-system idea. “That… is actually not bad.”, they respond, playing around with a pen, annoying the hell out of the other researchers with its infernal clicking noise. “I’ll review our crew’s files and compile a list of crewmen I suppose to be most fit for the task and refer new patients to them.”
>New Policy:
>Buddy System: Reduces terror by an extra point per week as long as terror is half that of the amount of crew.

Additionally, you check in with the head engineer about your idea of making the most of the ships remains, considering the potential refit. “I’ll have a redshirt or two do some inventory and send an FTL message to Requisitions at Corporate, maybe they have some contacts interested.”, he snorts, “Those Execs usually have weird tastes, I’d surprise me if no one would be interested in some ‘vintage space ship decor’ or some shite.”
With that, you prepare yourself for a quiet week, with no unexpected events. You finally get to work out, have a decent meal with the Scarred Officer - Who is actually very well versed in the culinary arts, and finally get to relax and enjoy a good bo-
“Command center to the commander - We got a… uh, situation.”

Grubling about not having a day to yourself, you make your way to grab a synthcoffee and head to the command center. There, your assistants are already pouring over reports and mappings. “Commander - We got word from Engineering. The two crewmen they sent into the ship… they haven’t reported back in. We have been unable to pin-point their location either, although our scans do indicate that they should be somewhere on the ship… just… Not where our schematics say they should be able to be.” You give both of them looks as if they just told you Santa was real. “Like, one seems to be phasing through walls, another technically should be in space by now. He isn't, according to the shuttle.” You groan and sip from your coffee.

>Have a team of security and engineers board the ship and search for the redshirts. Cant have people break the three spatial dimensions this early in the week.

>Send in an additional redshirt, have him tethered in order to reel him back out should he not return.

>Have engineering rip out a chunk of the hull and see if you can extract the crewmen that way.

>Wait and see. They are smart, they’ll find their way out eventually.

>Dimensional warping needs out-of-the-box thinking, you have a better idea. [Write in]

Also, that's all updates for today, more to come tomorrow!

>>3398946
>>Send in an additional redshirt, have him tethered in order to reel him back out should he not return.

I dont trust this

>>3398946
>>Dimensional warping needs out-of-the-box thinking, you have a better idea. [Write in]
See if there is a way to reverse the polarity surrounding the space localized around the ship.

If not,>Have a team of security and engineers board the ship and search for the redshirts. Cant have people break the three spatial dimensions this early in the week.

Rolled 1 (1d2)

quick tie breaker

>>3399364
>>3399828

This isn't your first rodeo with some sort of warped dimensions. After all, you are but hairless monkeys playing with bleeding-edge technology. Things go wrong, sometimes more, sometimes less. Calmly, you get the Head Engineer on the radio, asking him if you can reverse the ship’s and surrounding space’s polarity to collapse the unstable warping of the spatial dimensions back into a stable state. Your Head Engineer agrees, that might have the desired effect. “Unfortunately, our basic station does not come with a field emitter beyond what we have on the station, like the localized gravitational field generator, keeping your feet on the ground.”

After a short while of pondering how to retrieve your missing crew, you come up with a solution. You have engineering pick up a redshirt “volunteer”, have him outfitted with a tether and a wired camera to keep visual and comms up and running, even inside the warped structure. The station's basic fabricator quickly churns out the rather unconventional equipment, which is then given to your lucky crewman. A couple of minutes later, the shuttle drops him off at the ship's airlock. The widescreen displays his camera, as he slowly ventures into the ship, cross-referencing the schematics Engineering had made while tracking the relative positions of the missing crewmates.

For the first few meters down the corridors, nothing seems to be out of the ordinary, only when the redshirt tries to access a maintenance shaft, leading to the engineering deck where one of the two missing people currently are, something unexpected happens. Behind the access hatch lies the bridge. “Okay… I think we all see that, right command?” You confirm his sighting and tell him to block all doors he goes through to keep the ship from further changing. “Roger that, guess this will require some good old trial and error...” He immediately turns off the automatic door and proceeds to the next door.

>[1/2]

>>3401679

True to his words, and a couple of hours watching the crewman stumble through hatches, doorways, and openings into unexpected rooms and hallways, he manages to find the first lost crewmate by painstakingly mapping the warped layout of the ship. Still, there are a few moments that make you chuckle when he trips over his own tether or finds himself inside a room, only entering from a different angle.

The rescued crewman seems a little shaken, reporting to have been stuck inside a labyrinth of corridors all feeding back into the mess hall depending on how you entered the doorway at the end. You ask your brave explorer to get an explanation out of the crewman. “Not sure. I was having a look at the dorms when I noticed a slight influx of energy readings on my scanner. Thought it was a small energy surge, some shorting circuit or something. Right after, trying to exit the dorm I was in, I stood inside the mess hall, unable to contact command.”

After comparing notes on the new layout of the ship, the explorer sends the crewman back down the tether, telling him to not close any door on his way out. He himself ventures onwards with the new information he had gained. While chasing the life signal of the other missing crew, the first one successfully reemerges from the craft, boarding the shuttle.

Another handfull of hours pass, watching the explorer attempt and fail at trying to catch up with the signal and to occasionally try to establish communications through terminals, knocking on the walls or plain radio contact. Luckily, however, he does manage to catch up when he finds a shortcut through another access hatch directly connectin into the cargo hold. On screen, you can see the headlights of another suited-up crewmate, making his way to the cargo bay door controls, muttering to himself on direct radio how he “really needs to get out of here, man!”. Your crewman tries to calm him from afar, slowly advancing across the room, pulling his tether behind him, without success. “Command, he looks like he’s trying to vent the bay! Without depressurizing it, we’ll get sucked out with container tumbling all around us!”

>Order the crewman to unteather and get that fool off the controls!

>Order him to keep tethered and brace for rapid depressurization!

>>3401680
>>Order the crewman to unteather and get that fool off the controls!

>>3401680
>Order him to unteather and stop the vent

>>3402113
>>3402415
Quick heads up: no update today, scheduled updates resume by tomorrow eve!

>>3401680
Does redshirt have a gun? With a stun option?

>>3406246
While redshirts are trained with weapons - as is any other crewman - only security comes readily armed in any situation. There is a case to be made for shuttles and the likes to carry arms for emergencies, but it's unlikely the redshirt would have grabbed some sort of stun gun for a mission where no hostiles are to be expected.

You shout your command. The camera jiggles as the crewman messes with his tether. Then, static, connection lost. The wired camera unhooked with the tether, you have gone blind. You shout at the assistants to give you accurate readings of the scanners, but they can't ascertain what's going on in this warped space. A silent moment washes over the command center before one of your assistants shouts out: “The warped space is collapsing again!” You demand visual, the screen turns back on with the ship in view.

The image looks like it has been digitally distorted for a moment before the cargo bay pops open and a number of containers start spilling out. The assistants report two crewmen moving about inside the mess of containers having spilled out of the cargo bay, until: “Oh. Oh no.” You wait a moment, staring at the assistant as if you could squeeze the answer to your now numerous questions out of them by staring at him.

“W-we just lost a life signal. Between t-two containers.”, he stutters before the other reestablishes communications with the remaining crewmate, your explorer. “It… was either him… or this special container”, he radios in, somewhere between breathless and deeply disturbed. You are, indeed, glad that the live container of whatever the ship was carrying was saved by your crewman - but losing a life is unfortunate. Sure, nothing you couldn't replace next month, but still. You order the Shuttle to gather the containers back together for transfer back into the cargo bay, while also fishing out the remains of the dead redshirt for a proper funeral.

Once your shuttle returns and the crewmans remains have been properly sealed away in a funeral capsule awaiting the next monthly resupply to be returned home, you finally have the time to gather the reports the lost redshirts were to compile in addition to what Engineering found after they swept the ship once it had stabilized again. The results are surprising: The head engineer reports on multiple of the remaining systems flagged for scrapping that found some sort of interest back with Corporate. His estimates add up to about 20 requisition points in total. As proposed, you order him and his crew to pack up the systems in question for shipment and they eagerly get to work.

>[1/2]

>>3406246
>>3402415
>>3402113

Still, as the week passes, the misfortune on the ship lingers in the crew’s minds, as the Doctor concludes in his end of week report. “Yet, I have to note that the Buddy system has worked well to compensate such unfortunate accidents.”, they note in their report.
>Terror increases by 5
>Terror was decreased by 4
>New total: 6

However, the end-of-the-week report regarding your mining operation is much better: With seven units of alloys ready for shipment, you are back on track to reach your goal of ten. This sill leaves you with the survey report two-fifths finished, something very much so achievable by next month’s deadline.

Last, but not least, you receive the research report - very close to your deadline for these to be sent to you. “While it has proven to be rather laborious to ascertain the nature of the container, let alone open it, the department is now agreeing that we have found a specialized containment unit. After having to magnetically unlock the containers cover, the underneath revealed a rather elaborate field projector for the time. However, we had to note that the containment itself seemed to be empty at first. Only a molecular scan showed traces of a hypothetical element in a state of constant flux. While we cannot fully deduce if this was the original content of the container or if this was produced during the ship’s time lost in FTL, we do believe that it has some connection to the recent events.”, the Doctor concludes. This does leave you to ponder, as you begin assigning next weeks resources.

>Send an away mission to survey one of the planets [Write in which, and what crew]
>Send an away mission to survey one of the anomalies [Write in which, and what crew]
>Send an away mission to the hidden lunar base with something to power the base [Write in which, and what crew]
>Keep shuttles on standby. Let's see what the week brings.

Also, choose a new research project:
>Retrieve the live container and have a look at its contents.
>Devellop a new way of sending small, automated probes through FTL, based on the broken resupply pod retrieved from the asteroid field.

File: week 4.png (39 KB, 1124x523)

39 KB PNG

>>3407373

Next Update can be expected on saturday, friday will most likely see me away from the computer. This as well might become a regular occurrence.

>>3407373
We have to finish the quota. We'll keep the shuttles on standby to mine.

Retrieve the live container and have a look at its contents.

>>3407373
>>3407422
This gotta quota and find out wants in there.
I hope we get that third ship soon should help a ton with the quota

>>3407373
>Keep shuttles on standby. Let's see what the week brings.

>Retrieve the live container and have a look at its contents.

Second

>>3407422
>>3408267
>>3408655
>>3413863
Quick heads up, update will be provided on Monday. A change in my schedule might exclude me from posting on weekends for the foreseeable future, as regrettable as it is. See you all tomorrow.

>>3407422
>>3408267
>>3408655

You let R&D know that they will need to prepare for the live container. The Fidgity Doctor seems a little too stoked about this prospect. Still, they give you an estimate of two weeks for this project at the current manpower. “I will see to having the other researchers work extra shifts!”, the proclaim, “Very exciting to be working on something like this! They might not be - yet, but I’ll be sure my enthusiasm will catch on quickly!”. You respectfully advise against pressing the researchers for longer hours, not wanting to admit that the Doctors motivation is creeping you out a little at this point.

In the same vein, you have Engineering keep both shuttles on mining duty after retrieving the live container to get on top of that quota. Other than that, you have everyone else perform their normal duties and as the week continues on, your station quietly floats along through space, peaceful and undisturbed. Shuttles go out and return with asteroids, the botanists proclaim to have “perfected the tastiest strand of potato!” You, however, don’t taste the difference. Still, the botanists seem overly proud of their new creation. You don’t question it further, as something else requires your attention back at the command center.

“Commander - Shuttle Alpha has reported on something having appeared near the asteroid belt. Our scans have confirmed the existence of an unknown object, possibly having dropped out of FTL.”, your assistant informs you, “Judging by its size, it’s no wonder we didn’t notice it dropping out of FTL. However, it’s now moving. Current trajectory seems might indicate a route towards the moon base discovered the week before last.” You have your assistants assertain the nature of the object while cross-referencing the report from the shuttle spotting it. After a short while, it’s becoming clear that you have spotted one of the resupply pods you had previously found inside the belt. “Seems like this one didn’t collide with the belt - Maybe some course correction by the sender?”, the assistant thinks out loud, before the shuttle radios in. “Shuttle to command - I think I could catch up to that thing and scoop it with the asteroid catcher net if I leave now. What's your order?”

>Have the shuttle pursue the pod and try to catch it.

>Have it continue on but monitor it. Let’s see what happens.

>Scramble an expedition to the moon base. You want to see what that thing does, should it be going there [Specify crew for the mission]

>>3418212
>Have the shuttle pursue and try to catch the pod.

>>3418212
>let's not potentially bother another group just yet. Let's monitor it very carefully and if possible put every tracking marker we can on it before it leaves.

>>3418212
>>Have it continue on but monitor it. Let’s see what happens.

>>3418247
>>3418250
>>3419845

Ordering your assistants to keep the long-range scanners pointed towards the pod as it undergoes its journey, the shuttles go back to their assigned task. As expected, the pod does slowly continue on to maneuver towards the moon, using the gas giant to slow down while catching up to the base itself. As the pod hurtles towards its destination, the station does get its very much so deserved rest from the events of the past weeks. With R&D busy with analyzing the container, Engineering working at full capacity to process minerals into alloys and everyone else just milling about, even you as the station's commander finally get your hours to retire and get some rest.

Yet, your easy-going life would not continue on for too long, when the command center called for your presence. “Commander! The pod just presumably touched down at the moon base. We did lose sight of it as it approached the gas giant due to interference, but now the moon seems to be emitting faint signals.”, one assistant explains, before the other chimes in, “We would have totally missed those transmissions if our scanners weren't pointing that direction already. Whatever it is, someone wanted to make it as low profile as possible.” You inquire if the two were able to attain any information about the transmission.

Sadly, they shake their heads. “Even if we were sure that we are receiving without interference, there seems to be some unknown encryption.” You suggest that the eggheads at R&D might be able to pour over the bit you have on record, your assistants will add it to the research possibilities. And while you consider sending an away team this close to the weeks end, you not only want to have them enjoy their rest and uneventful workdays, but you’ll also need as many hands as possible for the monthly resupply incoming in a couple of day.

>>3420583
As such, the last days of the week come and go until the command center announces the resupply incoming over the intercom. As the station springs to life a little more than the last few days, you oversee the entire preperation comfortably seated in your commander's chair. Like clockwork, the gigaliner drops out of FTL right on time near the FTL beacon, before making its way over to your station. The large automated cargo ship is then stripped of its containers hanging off the spine of the ship before your precious cargo oif alloys and reliques for Corporate are reattached.

Going over the manifest, you notice that you had some inbound cargo that was not part of your crew allowance: An automated mining drone and a drone controller. Attached to the manifest is a message from Corporate. Back in your office, you review the message: A familiar person in a different suit appears on your holo-scree.

“Hello,Commander. Against most opinions amongst the management staff, your little outpost has endured so far - and even met the demanded quotas for the month. As such, I’ve seen fit to grant you a small quality of life improvement. The automated mining drone should help with increasing your productive output while your shuttles are concerned with different tasks. However, nothing is free. With your on par performance, we saw fit to raise your next quota by two units as well. To compensate you for any over-quota production that you might have lost due to this, we also raised the bonus for such shipments. We are curious to see how you will spend your first round of requisition. As always, good luck Commander, and we will be in touch.”

File: week 5.png (41 KB, 1120x583)

41 KB PNG

>>3420587

You instruct engineering to have the new module attached as soon as possible in order to get the mining drone up and running for the coming week. With that and fully loaded up, the gigaliner departs on schedule, going back into FTL when reaching the beacon. After reviewing the reports - which are uneventful, as expected - you concern yourself with the resource allocation for the coming week.
>The new drone controll center is staffed by one engineer keeping the Controller AI up and running. This AI is what keeps the drone in check in the end. No human interference needed. Neat.
>The mining drone will constantly go back and forth between the ateroid belt and the refinery to produce precious alloys. It counts as a shuttle for the calculation of the output.

>Terror reduced by 2, the new total is 0.

First, choose your shuttles duties:
>Send an away mission to survey one of the planets [Write in which, and what crew]
>Send an away mission to survey one of the anomalies [Write in which, and what crew]
>Send an away mission to the reactivated hidden moon base [Write in which, and what crew]
>Keep shuttles on standby. Let's see what the week brings.

R&D is still working away at the Live Container.
>Change the Project, you got better things to do! [Will allow to assign a new project in the next post]

Last, but not least, you may spend your Requisition Points. Your current amount is 135.
>Anything you requisition will be delivered at the end of the month.

>Upgrade or expand an existing module [Write in the department and what kind of upgrade you want, ca. 25 RP]
>Requisition a new module for a department [Write in what kind of module you want, ca. 15 RP]
>Requision new redshirts [2 RP per crew]
>Requisition the parts needed to restore the frigate [50 RP]
>Requisition something else [Write in and describe your new toy]

>>3420589
How much would more drones or shuttles be?

>>3420589
Also is there a pastebin of all our current moduals. And how much are the non redshirt recruits?

>>3420596
A new shuttle should be 40RP, a new Drone 25RP. Should have included those in the options, my bad.

>>3420600
I am currently working with this table. The Modules are sorted into the different departments, down in the tabs.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1AG4CALpRfqh5ttDtJCdE_neLETi8HX-U6po5mXxFGZ8/edit?usp=sharing
For the next thread, I'll see to writing down the basic concepts of our little adventure in a Doc of sorts to refer to.
For now, and to answer your question: Redshirts become specialists when they fill a job position in a department. They are basically your buffer to replace people not on duty for whatever reason, to keep the station working at maximum efficiency, while also being your canon fodder you can just throw at a given problem without sacrificing a specialist when you cant replace him. This would be the case on an away mission, for example.

>>3420641
With that info I'm gonna vote for
>2 drones - 50req
>parts to restore frigate - 50reg
>a manufacturing block for engineers weapons, specialized equpment, tools. -15 req
10 redshirts - 20 req

135req total

Also, before I vanish into the void until tomorrow: I will open up a new thread with the update, seeing how this thing here will probably die the day after tomorrow. I hope you have enjoyed this quest-thing and can endure the mild spreadsheet autism. Cheers!

>>3420721
Dude I love spreadsheet autism it's my thing. I had a ton of fun looking forward to you continuing! If it's still up please link to the new one in this. Also if you havent make sure to archive.

>>3420589
Let's meet our quota first.
>Keep shuttles on standby. Let's see what the week brings.
>Requision new redshirts [2 RP per crew] match the expanded living space and increased provision common demoniator
>Requisition the parts needed to restore the frigate [50 RP]
>Upgrade Botany-increase provision output 25
>Expand living space 25

>>3420721
It's the best part! Thank again.

>>3420589
>>3420850
Oh right actions

>>3420671
Along side this we should
>survey a planet
>survey a anomalie
What are the options
I reccomend one of each type of crew execpt 2 sec and 3 redshirts.

>>3420931
Options are to survey one of two volcanic planets and checking out the last of two anomalies hidden in the asteroid belt. I'll have those included in the next version of the spreadsheet.

>>3420931
>>3420850

and the new threads is up! >>3422799