22 M1 - Term: 1, Round: 1 (1/2)
Attendance at Fortescue Military Academy M1 Y:2142
House Thoth, Squad Zero
M1 Rank: ?/1275, Tier 3 M-Rank: Null
Term: 1, Round: 1
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”Etana!” Cisse exclaimed giving him an embarrassing hug. She managed this by leaning out and pulling him in from her floating chair.
”Argh, it's Daedo here,” Daedo said pushing her off him. Since he had been working on exos all weekend, he wondered why she rode her hoverchair. It would be a simple thing to make her robotic legs with cybernetics and even an AI to control them.
He looked at her seriously for a change, ”why do you use that chair?” he asked bluntly.
For a moment she looked confused and shocked by the question, but she quickly recovered smiling. ”There are many reasons, but mainly because I prefer it,” she answered.
It wasn't really an answer. Obviously, she preferred it as it was her choice, he wanted to know why she preferred it. But if she did not want to share, he was not going to pry. If Daedo could empathize with one thing with others, it would certainly be the lack of a need to share.
He plonked the compact cold fusion reactor onto her lap.
”This is what we have right now, it is capable of a hundred and twenty kVA, which is ample for the systems and subsystems, but even a heavy exo only carries enough plasma for a hundred and thirty megajoules of deliverable power,” Daedo said.
”That's thirty percent utilization, that is terrible, is this a gen two reactor?” Cisse asked.
Daedo shrugged.
”The magnetic field containing the plasma is probably the issue as the reactor is encapsulated in the field. The magnetic field surrounds the plasma with the next layer being the transfer blanket with the reactor at its core. A spherical shape is the standard design for this sort of small reactor. Do you need any thermal energy output of the reactor or just electrons?” She asked.
”Quite the opposite, I would prefer a heatsink if it were possible, some systems already generate heat, especially ordnance such as plasma cannons,” Daedo replied.
”What is the scope?” Cisse asked.
Cisse was effectively asking Daedo to outline what he wanted for an outcome and any limitations that were applicable. He thought about the question for a moment.
”The main energy consumers are the jump jets. We also have to power systems for the strength and speed of the exo as well as all weapon systems. The physical enhancements are delivered from the backpack via hydraulics, as well as the jump jets. The main energy consumers not on the back are the weapon delivery systems, which are usually handheld or attached to the shoulder at best,” Daedo pulled up his exo schematic and dropped all layers other than the power delivery schematic.
”Are we limited by size or technology?” Cisse asked.
”There are no rules that limit the reactor specifically. However, the overall suit has design limitations in regards to size and weight. We can afford more weight if we have more power, but this shape and size is limited to this outline,” Daedo pulled up a new schematic showing how much space the reactor could take on the back.
”What is the max power draw of all systems combined?” Cisse asked.
”That changes based on the weapon loadout, but if we assume a rail gun, two jump jets and all other systems we are aiming for over seventy megajoules,” Daedo said.
”Are you not making these systems more efficient?” Cisse asked.
”No, on the contrary, we want to increase their power. And we really want to increase the runtime on the jump jets,” Daedo said.
”When do you need it by?” she asked.
”We need seven by next Sunday if possible. But if it takes more time we can use the reactors provided,” he answered. ”It could be possible to tweak what we have to deliver a superior solution in a few weeks as well,' he suggested.
”A few weeks?” Cisse asked rhetorically, ”you are a hard taskmaster. There are off the shelf products you could buy, but they aren't cheap.”
The latest generation of compact Cold Fusion reactors of this size were not cheap at all, they would cost more the Daedo's home, in the thousand bitcred range.
”We have already spent too much on this place, and we are supposed to be engineering our equipment as part of the Academies projects. I was hoping you could throw a few together for us?” Daedo asked politely.
”You are supposed to build your own reactors as part of an M1 academy project?” Cisse asked incredulously.
”No,” Mace walked in chuckling at the question. ”That is just Daedo. We are meant to look for ways to improve our equipment and take on a project for tech studies. Only Daedo wants to rebuild a whole new exo in his first week. I am Mace by the way,” She held out her hand for Cisse to shake.
”Oh,” Cisse said summing up Mace and shaking her outstretched hand, ”I am Cisse. I am Daedo's Aunt, sort of.”
”Oh I know about you, he mentioned you earlier when we discussed our power problems. He said you would sort it out,” Mace said smiling. She left out the part were he mentioned her in his letter on their first day.
”If it is meant to be a project and I do all the work, isn't that cheating?” Cisse asked.
”The Academy expects us to use all resources available. There is no such thing as cheating in war,” Daedo answered using Chief Albert's logic.
”Let me think of a cost-effective solution then. As for tweaking and tuning your current reactors that will not be hard, I could change the magnet conductor outer casing and inject more plasma increasing its efficiency. The reactor will not need to change since it is already seventy percent over capacity,” Cisse said.
”I knew it would not take you long. Where will you build the new reactors, can you do it here?” Daedo asked.
”I have no idea what you have here, and you need to show me around,” Cisse said.
”Oh how rude, and he needs to introduce you to everyone,” Mace said.
Mace calling Daedo rude for not interacting socially in a proper manner was a low blow, she was the one who usually said nothing unless pressed.
After a tour and a round of introductions, Cisse gave her verdict.
”I can bring a few pieces of equipment and calibration instruments from my lab to complete the works here. The fact you can manufacture the superconductive materials is fantastic. I have a program we can put into a robot assistant as well,” Cisse said.
”We don't have any robots,” Vannier answered.
”Ah, we can remedy that,” Ikaros said, ”I will bring in three tomorrow. Once programmed they can work all week, even when you are at the Academy.”
”So as long as we order supplies, they can keep manufacturing fibres and materials day and night,” Daedo thought out loud, ”that's awesome.”
”The first exo is almost ready; it just needs the interface, reactor, accessories and weapons added,' Ikaros said.
”Let's get cracking, I really want to test this before we go to bed,” Daedo said.
”Who's going to bed? I am too excited,” Axelzero said.
”I will be, I am beat,” Daedo said. He had been working nonstop since his twenty kilometre run in the morning. It had been twelve hours of problem-solving, tweaking, designing and being the central resource for everyone. He had only stopped to eat a few times, and that was only to scoff something down in ten minutes.
”We should go down to the river for a run,” Picard suggested, ”that will refresh you.”
Daedo stared at her like she was crazy.
”I do my best thinking when I run,” Barran suggested.
”You should run more often then,” Picard teased.
”Daedo, I can put this together, you should go for a run and clear your head,” Ikaros offered, ”when you get back you can test it out.”
”Ok, ok,” Daedo felt cornered and manipulated into taking a break.
”I'm coming too,” Mace said followed by a chorus of me toos. All the cadets left Cisse and Ikaros behind at the workshop.
The path along the river Seine was lit, but even if it wasn't they cadets had enough sensors on the bodysuits to run in complete darkness.
”I had an idea,” Picard said running behind Daedo, keeping up with his pace easily.
”What's that?” he asked between breaths.
She pulled alongside him and pointed to a metal armband she was wearing, ”I have these on my arms, legs, back and stomach. In all, it weighs twenty kilos, but you could start at ten. Even ten is difficult and will make a big difference.”