More on Weinbaum scenarios
Jul. 5th, 2010 12:24 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ffuturesFor the campaign framing thing I've been talking about the main player handout is a newspaper story that I posted here a while ago:
http://ffutures.livejournal.com/675811.html
I've since made a few changes but the main idea is still the same. What I'm trying to do now is put together some scenario ideas based on the hints in the story - so far I've got one based on finding fugitives, two about smuggling, one about the patrol's primary mission (preventing war), and one about something that isn't in the story.
What I don't have is anything convincing based on the union opposition to automated spaceships thing. I've never been very good at union politics, and I don't know very much about the US unions though I've read up a little on the AFL, CIO, Teamsters etc.
The obvious plot is the ship being "blacked" by unions who refuse to refuel it etc., but I'd prefer something a bit more subtle. On the automation front, I really DON'T want to go the HAL 9000 route.
Any suggestions?
http://ffutures.livejournal.com/675811.html
I've since made a few changes but the main idea is still the same. What I'm trying to do now is put together some scenario ideas based on the hints in the story - so far I've got one based on finding fugitives, two about smuggling, one about the patrol's primary mission (preventing war), and one about something that isn't in the story.
What I don't have is anything convincing based on the union opposition to automated spaceships thing. I've never been very good at union politics, and I don't know very much about the US unions though I've read up a little on the AFL, CIO, Teamsters etc.
The obvious plot is the ship being "blacked" by unions who refuse to refuel it etc., but I'd prefer something a bit more subtle. On the automation front, I really DON'T want to go the HAL 9000 route.
Any suggestions?
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Re: Pilots' strike
Date: 2010-07-05 03:16 pm (UTC)ROCKET SCIENTIST IN WORLD-RULE BID?
Dr. Willem Jan van Hoorn, Dutch rocket genius, recently announced that "the age of manned space travel is through! Today begins the Reign of the Robot!"
He was referring, of course, to the recent launch and landing of Autorocket 4X., the world's first fully-automated spaceship.
We consulted our house experts, Dr. Helmuth Oberst, retired head of the Experimental Rocket Group, and Warren Brown, President of the Teenage Space Travel Federation.
"This represents a huge step toward exploring the cosmos," Dr. Oberst intoned. "Robot ships can explore planets where humans could never survive. Immune to heat and cold and differences in pressure, they could dive into the icy oceans of Neptune, or fly among the clouds of Saturn. Undying, they could spread out to the stars, propagating themselves along the way -- a new form of unhuman life, conquering the Galaxy!"
"Aw, nuts!" responded Brown. "Space travel's no fun unless there's a guy -- or a gal -- in the cockpit. You need a real pilot to react with instantaneous reflexes to whatever happens -- here a comet, there a meteor, smash, bang, a blast with the port jets and you're flying free! No robot'll ever do that. I tell you, I don't like the sound of this van Hoorn feller at all. What does he really want with these radio-controlled rockets? I'll tell you. If he can send them up into orbit and control them from the ground, then he can bring them smashing into any place he likes -- like big, flying bombs! With that kind of power, he could rule the world!
What do you think of Dr. van Hoorn's invention? Write to us here at the Daily Moon, and if we print your letter, you'll get six months' subscription to your choice of Fly Fishing and You or Clean Kitchens Quarterly absolutely free!
Re: Pilots' strike
Date: 2010-07-05 04:10 pm (UTC)