MINISTRY OF SURVEY #1

[ardem (OP)]

Chuck Winston looks around his brand new office, rock back and forth on his chair a few times, and was very pleased with his surroundings. His small holo projected intercom in front of him pulsed lightly, he always laughed at these new gadgets, how can this compare to a real solid tablet, made from human blood.

Chuck punched the holo button for his chief of staff personal comm earpiece, who was obviously outside trying to get the mountain of furniture and equipment sorted, as well as getting people moving on assignments. Chuck smiled, first days you got to love the feeling and fresh aspiration of hopes and dreams, not only from himself but all the newly appointed Survey staff.

"Joe Detjen, could you come into my office please"

Joe enters, his a slim 5ft 9 frame and tailored made suit, made Joe look more like an undertaker then a chief of staff, it made Chuck smirk, although, it also made him more self conscience of his considerable girth, at least his broad shoulders kept him with some semblance from not looking like a pork chop from the side.

"Joe, I need to get stuck into some work, I need astrometric charts of our solar system, current mineral resources and ability to mine them on this planet, and need to get a list of all personnel that can study a rock and tell me if it worth something, and find out who is in charge of these personnel, cause I will want a team ASAP studying earth."

"Is that all, minister"

"No send in that sweet darling of a PA I have, we got to work on the survey policy and plans for this ministry"


edit: OOC Detjen move this if this is not the forum you want these in.I will make all posts about surveys in one post as suggested

[Detjen]

OOC: Im holding off on creating a new board for it now because a motion has been put forward to rename everything in Capitalist fashion and I didnt want to get a board put up to just change it again.  once thats been settled I will create a board for Ministerial duties.  for now


  A few hours later a young intern came knocking through his office delivering a slip of E-paper and a cup of coffee "Home brewed" the intern bragged cheerfully before was off to finish a busy work scheduled.  60 years ago someone would have thought there was either no information or wonder why they bothered to deliver it on paper if it was so short,  but this was E-paper.  each slip of so called "paper" was in reality a thin quantum computer.  it didn't have great computing abilities, no games for example,  but on that sheet of appear it contained everything the minster could need along with a note from Joe "It would seem the Navy has all of our survey capable personnel and good luck getting the admiral to dirty his uniform digging up rocks"
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a365/Detjen/Aurora/Surveyers.png Surveyor Data
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a365/Detjen/Aurora/Mineral.png Mineral reports

[ardem (OP)]

Senator Winston walked over to the press conference podium, adjust the microphone fractionally. Looking around the room a number of people milled with various recording devices.

"Thank you for coming today, it is my great privilege to announce the policy direction, for the Ministry of Survey, for the next 2 years."

"Our resources on this planet in many respect is a blessing, we have at our disposal all the minerals necessary to propel us into space, yes there is some concerns about quantity and access to some of these elements, but we plan to put forth a team to do a much more detail analyse on Earth as a first priority, once absolutely sure of our Mineral resources, then we will look to our solar system to provide the elements we need"

"Minerals is a priority for our race, to expand and to use, this is why before we waste resources on interstellar travel, we look into our own backyard, we may be sitting on a Gold mine and never know it."

"I understand the President desire to reach for the stars, and we plan to, but first we need to build a solid foundation built on the foundation of solid blood sweat and tear of a geologist, analysts and eventually miners."

I am please to announce also today, the Ministry has also appointed Senator Gagarin, as our Deputy Minister, as you all know he was my opponent in the election adn ran a fair and hard campaign, and I cannot think of a better Deputy, then Senator Gagarin, with his drive and passion in this field.

With that note I hand the floor to Senator Gagarin.

[vergeraiders]

Thank you Minister Winston.

The mineral report provided by Dr Vendar has compelled me to completely agree with my new boss that we must focus on finding more of the new minerals as close to home as possible, as quickly as possible and as efficently as we can. I support the plans to make our initial quest for more resources a quasi-civilian endeavour, though hopefully with key trained personnel on loan from our navy.

I reiterate the call for proposals for some civilian engined survey ships. I am conducting some preliminary studies to determin parameters on which to evaluate any we receive. If we receive none soon, we may be forced to design them ourselves.

I would also like to aks our President for a clear statement of our budget so we may put whatever resources we have available to the best use.

Again thank you Minister Winstion for this opportunity to server our people. I have always wanted to explore space and for many years helped through the various telescopes and robotic probes launched by the Tsiolkovsky Center. It is a dream of mine come true that we now get to go there in force. With new and amazing technology. I am only a bit dissapointed that I cannot lead this adventure in person, but my commitment to all the men and women who do is absolute.

Ladies and gentleman, to the stars!

[Panopticon]

The military is happy to loan personnel to other services, this will provide useful training in ship handling techniques that are otherwise not available given our current lack of, and the expense of building military vessels.

[ardem (OP)]

Senator can I take that as a Yes to the people I have requested. if so i will request fro HR to assign them as a Survey Team straight away, and start working on Earth.

Senator Winston

[ardem (OP)]

Chuck Winston sits down at his desk and mutters "a new day a new dollar". He briefly enjoys a sip from his jasmine tea, with a satisfied smile, he press the button once again to contact Joe Detjen.

"Joe, thanks for the survey and personnel data, I made a selection of  personnel I am after and no it does not include the Admiral, I believe the Military Minister approved, well atleast he seemed to." Chuck rocked back in his chair.

"Please create the survey team to get started on Earth right away. I am posting the list to you now, also if they find something I do not want it public knowledge I would prefer it get send to me first for vetting, and announcement from the ministry"

Commander Harriette Forry
Commander Rob Friskey
Lt Commander Connie Hertel
Lt Commander Quinn Harbison
Lt Commander Christian Buskey

"Also I still do not have geometric data of our system, you know the planets, moons, asteriods. Yes I know I could grab a school book journal but I am unsure about if asteroid data changes."

I think that about is all I can request for the next few months anyway, we still waiting for a civilian shipyard to be built and my deputy to either pick, design or steal a design for our geo-survey ships.

[ardem (OP)]

[ooc]Please move to Ministry Board[/ooc]

[vergeraiders]

There was a quite celebration occurring in the Ministry of Survey. When the Minister had gathered almost the whole staff together, either in person hear at the headquarters or electronically at the various design and test or training locations all over the world he had announces wonderful news. The first two Columbus class ships had been approved for immediate construction! With the possibility of more. The response was immediate, but restrained. Nothing had been done yet but the portal had been opened and everyone could see the way to the future. Minister Winston had told Sasha privately that indeed 2 more of the survey ships were 'on order', but that was not part of the public announcement.

The minister had arranged for a catered lunch at the main facility and it had lasted the entire afternoon, employees and contractors, personnel on loan from the navy, technical, administrative and politicians all mingling freely. Fortunately with modern communications everyone was still free to answer calls and take care of routine business while all this was going on. Nevertheless Sasha Gagarin was quite sure as he looked out over the main bay of what was at different times meeting room, control center and common area that more important work was being done this afternoon then in most weeks. People moved freely between their normal work groups discussing anything and everything, yet most of the topics were at least partially related to the mission of the Ministry . The spirit of the organization was shifting from 'how can we get out there' to 'what can we do once we are there' and as whenever a group of generally brilliant and passionate people mingle with a goal before them, ideas and dreams were flying about. To be sure more than 90% of them would amount to nothing, most of the rest would eventually be included in some operations manual, contingency plan or inspire an unplanned response at a critical time. A small fraction of them would shape the future.

Sasha decided to return to the DepMin office, there was a toast to make to absent friends for a debt had been paid. The first of this new generation of spacecraft would be launched and they would be ships of exploration, not of war. Sasha owed that to all of the colleagues, friends and even family lost in time of troubles so recently passed. Humanity needed a goal, a frontier something to challenge it, otherwise those tendencies tended to turn inward. When it looked like the pie was always the same size, the only way to get more was to take someone else's, if that pie was ever expanding, you could reach out for what was unclaimed. Vodka was the only proper drink for this toast, but Champaign, and lots of it would be needed in just a little under nine months . At least 2 of the bottles would be opened in spectacular fashion. Sasha briefly wondered how the bottles would handle a vacuum. It would be quite embarrassing if they exploded too soon, a study would have to be conducted.

[mavikfelna]

Orion knocked on the frame of the partially open door to the office. He looked like he should be chewing on the end of a thick cigar, standing there in his white "Mark Twain" suit, shoes and flat brimmed hat. The popular "energizing fruit drink" in his hand rather than a whiskey went further to spoil the Mark Twain appearance, but then Starion was a well known teetotaler.
  "Minister," Orion called as he pushed the door open after a quiet "Da" from inside, "I don't want to take much of your time but I just  wanted to thank you for your support of the Columbus design. It means alot to me, personally, that one of our designs is going to be the first true spaceships of Humanity. I know there's lots left to do and we haven't even started the real work yet but great things are going to happen."
  He walked up to the desk and set a small plaque down, pushing it over. The dull metal was unpolished durasteel cut very thin, about 15cm by 10 cm tall. The Starion family crest, the constellation Orion, was picked out with small diamond shards and in flowing script across it was written, "To the stars, to the future", the Starion family motto.
  "This hung in my office, I figure it's time someone else looked at it."
  With a smile and a tip of his hat, the senator turned about headed out the door. With a quick wave, he was gone.

[Detjen]

  Orion wasn't the only one to visit their little party,  a little while later one of the Aides from the president came by with a small letter.  "The president asked me to read this to you" he said, taking a few minutes to get the room to settle and into a position to actually hear a speech.  but when finally the aide was given the chance, he stood on a table and unfolded the letter

"You'll have to excuse me as I have little experience reading speeches,  but the president was busy with his interview, and regrets not being able to give this in person" he then cleared his throat  "To the Ministry of Survey I applaud your quick efforts.  When I set forth on my plan to see our people reach into the stars, I did not know who would be with me, and where i would have to push.  I did know that the survey of ministry would be an important function.   The ships that will be launched from the Sori Shipyard shall be the first manned craft to explore beyond the moon,  and those ships shall be directed by your office.  the search for minerals is important,  but so is exploration,  you all have the hearts of explorers,  and it is your drive to get us into our solar system that will push us even further.  from here to the moon, the moon to mars,  mars to the great beyond.   Naturally this isn't a one ministry effort,  indeed if there is one goal on our list that requires the cooperative effort of all our ministries, it is this,  but you are the ministry that supports it all, this ministry that must see it through."

 "One final note if you will allow me the time,  as a boy I have always been interested in the stars,  when i was about 7 my father gave me a book.  the book itself was new, but it was written a long long time ago.  the 1970's if I remember it right.  now I never possessed any sense of extraordinary intelligence, and at 7 this book went far over my head. But I read it,  bothering my father many times a day to learn exactly what this line meant, what that word was, yet i was still somehow drawn in.   as I grew older I was able to understand his concepts.  I even begged to get a copy of his tv show,  despite how odd old 1970's television looked on a holographic television.   I strongly believe that if I were a bit smarter I would have become an astrophysicist,  or a bit more physical, an astronaut.   To this day I still read his books and occasionally rewatch his television shows.  that man,  Carl Sagan, has been a longtime hero of mine.   so here is where I throw myself humbly at my Minister and vice President,  Mr. Winstons feet, and ask that he consider adding that name to a future ship,  perhaps someday it will unlock the secret of the stars, and allows to explore new systems.  think on it,  for now enjoy your party,  and I hope to be there when the first ship is finally launched, that should be a real party."

[ardem (OP)]

Chuck step forward from the crowd of people, who were enjoying the celebration, and extended a hand to the Aide, "You can tell the President, the first ship that will leave this solar system to search for new solar system, will be called the Carl Sagan, this will be my solemn vow"

 "I think there should be a number of Science Fiction writers that will also be added to that list of ships to journey into our dreams"

With that Chuck place a drink in the hand of the Aide, I propose a toast "For the vision, the courage and dedication that made this all possible"

"The President"

[Detjen]

For your perusal at your convinience mineral report as of 6-1-63

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a365/Detjen/Aurora/Mineral6163.png

As you can see our usage has outstripped our capacity to some extent but not as much as I had feared, nor is anything critically short at this point.  still no word from your survey team here on earth?  I heard they had begun their surveys of east Asia, perhaps they got caught up in some of the ancient architecture, or some of the majestic geology they have there.

[ardem (OP)]

Thank you Joe,

Joe I have another task for you, there will not be much time before the ships are launched and prepared a preliminary flight plan for our two survey craft.

John D Rockefeller is to proceed to Mars or Saturn dependant on which is closer, then to the later.
Peter Munk is to proceed to either Mercury or Venus dependant on which is closer, then to the later and then back to earth

[Sheb]

May I suggest making Mars a priority? Our planetologists in the Dept. of New Homeworld affirm that it is the prime target for colonization in the system, and knowing which minerals are there should be a priority.