Chapter 28
Balanced Production 85%
Twilight almost never visited Hydroponics. But now that she wandered between the rows of identical racks, surrounded by the first green and growing things she’d seen in months, she wished she’d come back more often. The system was mostly automated, with carefully measured spurts of water and precise modulation of the lights from the grow lamps.
Per her instructions, half of the trays were filled only with a reddish green slurry, a paste that looked nothing at all like food and wouldn’t taste much like it either once they processed it. But the smell was alright—like loamy ground, or a fish tank that had been established for a long time. It was a living smell that didn’t resemble a barn, and just now Twilight would welcome even that.
The room was round, with a dozen rectangular trays around the length of the circle, each stacked four layers deep. When the Equinox was fully operating, this chamber was meant to exactly keep up with the food demands of a crew of seven. But now that they needed Geneseed, that conversion was more of an emergency measure.
AS she watched, the grow-arm rotated along to the next stack of trays, and each was carefully sprayed. The “Geneseed” trays actually had roots visible in the dark section under each tray, and that was where the sprayer focused. The tubular bodies tucked underneath looked to be fat and swollen now, just about as full as their crop would get. I get to choose one more crewmember. Who do I want when we arrive? It was something to think about. There would still be the two that didn’t come, the resources she would have to wait months more to acquire.
Unless something else terrible happens in the meantime. Did Cozy have any redundant sabotage we haven’t found yet? It might keep her up at night, like the true meaning of the message. But they’d searched as much as they could. Twilight took a few minutes every week or so to visit cryogenics, just to make sure Cozy’s casket was still filled.
“Twilight!” came a voice from down the hall, Spike’s, overflowing with panic. “Twilight, you need to see this!” He’d already run past hydroponics, probably on his way to the central computer.
Twilight passed through the plastic moisture-guard, then through to the hallway on the other end. “Spike,” she called, not nearly as loud as he was. But he should still hear. “Spike, what’s up? I don’t hear any alarms.”
Spike skidded to a stop, his claws sparking on the deck-plating. He caught himself against a rail, then spun. “Twilight? You’re farming?”
“No,” she stepped all the way through the screen, letting the airlock seal behind her. “I was just… enjoying something green for a bit. I don’t hear any alarms, what’s the issue?”
“There wouldn’t be, no,” Spike said, jogging back towards her, then past her to the lift. “Come on, you have to see for yourself.”
She wasn’t surprised to see him mash the button for central fabrication, and they were moving “down” again. “You could tell me what it is you’re taking me to see, Spike.”
“It’s working,” he said. “The new fabricator.”
Well, that wasn’t her ship about to explode—but Twilight’s expertise wasn’t needed much these days, beyond a few minutes of navigation each day. If going with Spike would make him feel better, then…
Central fabrication was still largely empty—the Prospector was docked outside, which meant they could use this space to fabricate large projects, if they needed it.
Spike’s little corner had a flimsy plastic wall now, made of the shell they’d made for mining on Harmony’s Repast and a few bits of scrap metal. There was no door, just an opening with strands of plastic hanging down over it.
They passed through to the other side, where Twilight got her first look at the “new fabricator.”
It used the standard fabricator shell, or at least several of them linked together in series. They moved quickly, taking the same thin disks of silicon the earlier stage used, slicing them down into rectangles, and running them through a strange series of liquid baths, flashing lights, and tiny wires.
“That’s so… fast.” She muttered, staring in fascination through the clear plastic shroud on the nearest one. “How is it reading the template crystal so fast?”
“There is no template crystal. It’s all digital.”
“Not possible,” Twilight stated, settling down onto her haunches and pointing at the “stage one” device. There, nestled into the housing, was the length of clear silicon the computer had printed during their time “camping.” It’s right there.” The first stage moved the way she expected to, with the hair fine reader gliding along the surface of the template, carefully reconstructing the pattern for the strange disks that emerged.
“No…” Spike said. “These machines aren’t connected, look.” He walked over to one of the new fabricators, and removed the plastic shell. Inside were dozens of those black rectangles, set into a standard pink breadboard that could’ve come from any spare parts bin. Little LEDs glowed and flashed, labeled in Spike’s tiny scrawl. No crystal, just the warmth of heat radiating out.
“The first machine made these things…” He picked one up off the desk, with its little metal prongs gleaming. “I think one of them might be… and I know this sounds crazy, but… I think each of these might be about as powerful as… the Equinox’s mainframe.”
“It does sound crazy.” Twilight walked along the second fabricator, over to the side where its “output” was piling up in a clear plastic tray, and levitated one of the objects out.
Like the plastic rectangles inside the machine, only these were still mostly clear. Lots of tiny lines crisscrossed inside, and instead of fifty or so metal pins, these were covered with a grid of coppery lines, thin wires. “So your theory is—this little fabricator is smarter than our whole ship. And it makes… these little things. What do we do, glue them together into another fabricator?”
“No,” Spike said, folding his arms. “But we do put them together in a machine. And… I don’t know what it does yet. It needs another thousand or so of those.” He lifted something off his workbench—a thin sheet of circuit board, this one obviously newly printed. But semitransparent rectangles covered most of its surface. “Like this.”
Now I see why Applejack didn’t want you using our spare parts. “Just…” she turned, backing slowly out of his corner of fabrication. “Don’t steal parts for this project. It’s interesting, but… I’m not giving up anything for it.”
She had more important things to worry about just now. Spike’s impossible claims about alien computers aside, it was about time she settle on her final crew-member.
- Rainbow Dash (Climatology, Military)
- Pinkie Pie (Geology, Insight)
- Rarity (Physics, EVA Expert)
(Certainty 170 required)
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Pinke, we need a worrning system up and about.
It was a computer chip
Obviously it is very weak by our standards. (A modern smartphone would put the supercomputers of the 80s to shame, and the Eqiunox uses mechanical computers, the stuff we used in the 40s). But the aliens probably didn't want want to give them something so intricate the ponies couldn't make it. And making 1000 very weak chips as opposed to 1 weak one was probably the aliens just playing it safe. Still, exited to see how this pans out.
They're probably gonna be meeting the aliens soon, so Pinkie's probably a good choice.
9317578
Aside from that, primitive VLSI is a good "proof of concept" to touch off a civilization's interest in throwing R&D at it to start a Moore's Law progression.
Oh, who to pick, who to pick…
There's no pressing need for a single skill to help me decide that I know of… Oh well, I'll wait and sed what everyone's rationale.
There's that classic Twilight arrogance. Sure, the aliens might be so mind-bogglingly advanced that they make the ponies look like savages banging rocks together, but processors the size of a thumbnail? Be serious. (Also, looks like I misidentified the earlier one.
)
In any case, I'm pushing for Pinkie Pie. They're landing on a planet, so geological insights will certainly be useful, as will any others Pinkie happens to have. Let's just hope her ESP's more useful than Counselor Troi's. ("I sense Cozy Glow is angry...")
I'm torn between Pinkie and Rarity for the next crew member....Rarity would be useful for anything in orbit while Pinkie's insight could be a boon...
Some may call this paranoid, but... actually yeah that's pretty paranoid. But a paranoid I can understand given our experience with this psycho.
Yes, time to pick the... "final"? Does this mean to say "next"? We can keep growing Geneseed until we have all 6, right?
Rainbow Dash was my last choice in the previous poll, but now that we're headed planetside she should be a lot more useful. Once we have an atmosphere for her to fly though she would be an ace scout. Knowledge of the local terrain will be extremely useful and we can get it in ten seconds flat with her around. If there is any hostile wildlife she can fight them off, and warn us about any incoming storms or just get rid of the storm entirely.
Pinkie. The puzzle of this metallic planet with apparent life but no actual signs of life should be handled by our resident geologist.
Gonna say Pinkie just for insight.
Pinkie for morale boost.
Going to go with Pinkie here. We are about to land and explore the first planet this side of the spacetrip - sounds like a geologist would be good to have along, especially as we still need some specific metals to repair the ship fully. Plus there's a chance the planet might be weird in one way or another, Pinkie Sense might just come in handy.
And ugh, Twilight is being so dense. You know you are dealing with aliens much more advanced than you, but it sure didn't take her even two seconds to proclaim something about their computers "impossible" without actually looking into it for even two minutes.
Maybe that mysterious brain damage is making her dumber than usual
If this pinkie is anything like the one we know then i'd certainly vote for her. Her abilities are useful and she'll be good for morale. Though now that things are picking up dash wouldnt be a bad choice either.
I think we need RD up and running. Since it looks like we’ll make planetfall, having someone who can read the weather will make reentry and camping much safer. Plus there is always the chance of hostile natives.
Is anyone else a bit concerned that the title on that poll is Last crewmember?
9317674
I imagine it means last crew member they can wake up before making landfall.
I hope you mean "Next" and not final, I don't see why we couldn't keep making Gene Seed.
I am, however, finding Twilight immediately dismissing something that can't be done by pony standards... to be dumb but also accurate, and fits her character when you think about it.
Pinkie. Her intuition will prove necessary, is what I think.
Pinkie with Rarity as a close second. Not only because of the chips, but to understand this System.
Something tells me that Rainbow will be a quite frustrated little pony when this is all over.
9317696
Well in this case I really mean "final before arrival at the planet and doing things there." If it happens that Twilight decides to take things slow, or the Equinox encounters more delays for whatever reason, then there's nothing physically preventing more crewmembers from being defrosted.
9317578
I suspect the chips manufactured now are memory. They are described as very regular and rectangular, which fits memory much better than the seeming chaos that is an ALU.
Plus, what use is there for 1000 identical processors in this case, unless the large volume is simply made to account for manufacturing flaws?
9317660
RD is my choice not only for those reasons but because modifying the weather will make growing more genseed and crops on the planet surface easier
Having thought about the message for a while now I think I have come up whit a plousable alternet meaning.
Original: Life is not advised. You must changed into constancy. We will perform it.
My version: Organic life is not advised. You most change your consciousness. We will aide you in this.
This is do to plousible translation errors and decompresion issius. The aliens mostlikely use a different compresion format.
Basecly I think they are uploded consciousness.
9317617
Yeah. It's a shame that Dash is so far out of first place. A habitable planet with a working ecosystem is going to have living hazards, even if they're merely animal predators — and the time to defrost your best fighter is now, so she can heal before her skills are needed. Add that to the climate manipulation (as 9317811 notes) and she's just too invaluable for the upcoming challenges.
Pinkie's a reasonable second choice, at least.
Well, I had been thinking Rarity would be the best next choice, but given they are going to a metallic world and they need certain metals to repair the hull, geology would be a big help. Plus Pinkie Sense is a wild card that could help things out when needed. If they were staying out in the middle of space longer, I'd say Rarity, but since planet time is next, go with Pinkie. Either way, RD is just.. well.... not needed. She can't do enough on her own to really alter the weather, and the ship doesn't even have any weapons for her to use. She'd be going nuts waiting around to figure out what is going on.
9317646
To be fair, she thought it was working a specific way because of how it was set up and looked, but accepted it once Spike 'lifted the hood' to show her things weren't hooked up how she thought, the rest she admits it only 'seems impossible' but seems willing to accept it might be, but only if they have a chance to test it.
9317825
I think it might just be a word goof, that (assuming there even IS a message, which I'm doubtful it's not just randomness forced into a pattern) 'advised' should be 'advanced'. That the ponies aren't advanced enough to conform to the standard for galactic life, and the Senders are trying to help push their tech levels up.
Either Pinkie or Rainbow are good choices, with useful traits. I personally vote for ms. Pie, but that's only because I like her a smidge more than Dash.
Why can't we choose Cozy?
9317938
The problem with RD is - her skillset seems very niche. "Fighting" is something we can't be sure will even happen, having RD there might cause an otherwise non-hostile situation turn hostile because of her rashness and temper alone in the first place, and combat-prowess wise ... well, I sure wouldn't pick RD as my champion before a grown-up Spike and Twilight.
Granted, Twilight has been failing her rolls left and right (I'm half suspecting that mysterious brain damage is giving her a hidden penalty on everything she does), but still. Others can sub in as fighters (and likely do as good or better job ... angry wildlife meet dragon), and if there is nothing to fight (possibly more likely without her there to start a fight) she is essentially dead weight. Weather control doesn't really do too much besides provide water - and I don't think they lack in water. AJ's Earth Pony magic is likely far more important for crop growth. I mean, it wouldn't hurt, but ehh ...
Meanwhile we can guarantee that Pinkies skills will come in handy, locating the right metals for fixing the ship (or discovering some outright interesting alien metals) and restoring weapons is still very important, morale boost is always good to have and one can never know when Pinkie Sense could pick something up, be it a hidden danger or a bonus.
All in all - Rainbow has very niche applications, while Pinkie is guaranteed to be useful.
It's gotta be Rarity for the EVA.
An Integrated Circuit fabrication system that bootstraps itself is a pretty impressive piece of tech.
I still feel like they really need Pinkie.
Pinkie for the win. They are about to land on a planet. They will need a geologist for finding metals to repair the ship and her sense for planetside happenings.
Rarity, Rarity, Rarity. This is exactly the kind of situation where you need those kinds of skills. The aliens are sending advanced tech our way, and we need ponies who can comprehend the basic physical principles behind it.
I find that alternative interpretation of Cozy's translation to be rather intriguing, but still put my money on "patterns applied where none were intended". At least this one fits a race that just gives away the tech behind the computer revolution for nothing, which OMG Twilight you are seriously underestimating the value of this tech!
"We are the Borg. Lower your shields and surrender your ships. We will add your biological and technological distinctiveness to our own. Your culture will adapt to service us. Resistance is futile."
9318181
Just as long as it isn't a self-booting evil from five billion years ago...
9318002
I don't find your arguments persuasive, but I guess we'll have to agree to disagree. Weather control has tons of applications besides water (lightning, for one; and fog/cloudbanks for visual/thermal camouflage…). As OP noted, Dash is also the best scout. I think we just disagree on the likelihood of fighting being necessary, and the likelihood of Dash escalating a situation. And in a fight, mechanically, if she's listed as the military specialist, that implies her actual skills and chances of success are higher than that of other crew members, even if Spike has dragon scales and the stat page lists AJ with a Firearms skill.
Totally agreed on the positives of Pinkie. It's just a matter of priorities.
9317601
The former is the fantastical realm of the unknown, thus allowing for the leeway of possibility, and the latter is cold hard physical science, and thus easily dismissed (assuming you don't know what a microtransistor is)
9317938
You make a good point about Rainbow Dash. I just think that we've been hearing little things periodically about poor morale and while there haven't been real issues thus far I think Pinkie Pie would be a real shot in the arm in that department, to mix metaphors. Also, with specialties in "geology and insight" it's not unrealistic to hope she can draw on knowledge of materials science to help figure out what the heck Spike is making.
[edit: But Pinkie had a strong enough lead in the poll that I decided to try to help secure a second place finish for Rainbow.]
Pinkie's lateral thinking should come in handy soon. Not to mention the Project will need more minerals (and possibly Vespene gas).
Pinkie would be my choice, Insight seems pretty damn useful and if they are going to Metallic planet her geological insight would be invaluable not only in gathering the Titanium for the ship but also for surprising eventualities.
Climate control and military are secondary concerns because they are dealing with people who are far beyond them and they already have biological supplies secured. Small scale but they are there.
EVA is a the moment secondary concern since they are going to a planet, Physics knowledge would be handy though, but as said, planetary environment supports selection of Pinkie more.
9318986
Well, they haven’t gotten to the planet yet, and someone that knows physics will help with things like orbits and atmospheric entry
9318175
I advocated for “enhanced interrogation techniques “ to be used on her, and took some heat for it.
... why is the poll called "last crewmember"?
9319184
Shoot. That's a really good point. Unfortunately, 1) I've already voted and 2) the poll is well past the point of no return in favor of Pinkie.
(deleted on accident instead of editing)
Pinkie is my vote. It's neat that when I voted I saw the numbers jumping. Rarity is my second choice.
Pinkie because insight is sorely needed. A purely military or physics decision leaves to many unknowns. Plus a little knowledge of geology and the unnaturalness of the senders world could help with the that.
Rainbow is awesome and so is Rarity. While both of their skills is undoubtedly useful Pinkies could (probably not but maybe) add the general education decision to keep and over reaction from happening.
Rarity sees new physics in machines and math. Rainbow sees an unknown possible threat (that seems one dimensional for Dash and while I am in a military for purposes of a point system I can see that affecting the outcome) that should be avoided or be too circumspect.
Pinkie is juuuust right I think for doing something unexpected and novel for thought to extract some useful information.
Thinking outside the boxes so to speak from a new angle.
Plus who knows what message the senders computer will send. They don't seem to use magic yet and as long as it has no means to mess with the computer it has already been in and at least pass something along then it would probably be all right.
In my opinion Pinkie could be considered an OP character that would not break a game. A contradiction in itself that just seems to make sense.
9318938
No!!!! Rarity demands more pylons!
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Nah. She was my second choice. Pinkie for the win.
If people have been keeping up, they know my choice already.
Specialist Pinkie Diane Pie, geology and intuition. With her on the crew she can suggest where to find the materials to repair the Equinox until her Cryosickness wears off. And if the Signalers have something foul in the making, Pinkie's intuition can help take a stab in the right direction.
I wonder how powerful the computer will be:
1 Petaflop
1 Terabyte of RAM
1 Petabyte of Solid-State Mass-Storage
Tensor-Processing Units
GRENADES!!!
Oh, I only wish it was...