Strangelove
Inactive Member
The Center for Science Enrichment and Information Acquisition
1. Basic Information
The CSEIA, pronounced "See-See-Ah", is an institute originally founded several decades ago by an independent think tank. The Center itself is a large station far from any nation's influence, riddled with additional modules and sensor equipment giving it the appearance of a patchwork starport. The Center was originally intended as a research center where scientists could work without being restricted by society, whether it be tradition, morality, or politics. In this they were successful. Today the Center is considered both a hi-tech research firm as well as one of the most prestigious universities in the galaxy.
The Center tends to be very selective about choosing students, and ends up turning away the majority of applicants. Those that do get chosen are usually picked based solely on their submitted designs and research rather than their training, education, or wealth. Because this is one of the only high tech research center that doesn't require any official credentials or education, they are a haven for freelance inventors and criminal scientists.
The other major branch of the Center is it's research division. The majority of students to graduate from the Center usually stay on as staff or to continue research, as the open-minded intellectual community and the seemingly unlimited funding is any scientist's paradise.
Due to CSEIA "no questions asked" policy, and the fact they are one of the only corporations in the entire galaxy that openly deals in illegal technologies, the Center acts as a black market hub of sorts. While not a 'true' market, CSEIA's limited industry can manufacture quantities of weapons for those without the credentials to purchase them from truly legitimate corporations. This makes them quite popular with terrorist factions, crime syndicates, minor warlords and nations, and so forth. However, since they operate a considerable distance from any major nation there has been little actual evidence of their wrongdoings. Thus, while they have shaky relations with most major powers, there isn't enough evidence to warrant a military attack.
In addition to its dealings with shadier customers, the Center's infamy was further boosted by it's open minded policies, which raises more than a few eyebrows. There are rumors abound about some of the Center's more questionable research projects, including highly addictive wonder drugs, abominable biomechanical life forms, even mind control technology. While the Center neither denies or openly acknowledges these claims, they still continue to attract the aspiring scientists and the suspicious glances of nations all over the galaxy.
2. The CSEIA Station, or "The Center"
[Click here for visual reference]
About the Center for Science Enrichment and Information Acquisition
The station itself was originally a command center station module, but as it's population and operations grew it expanded exponentially. Today the 'station' is a cluster of sensor systems, laboratory modules, as well as housing and classroom facilities.
Dimensions and Crew Complement
Organizations Using This Station: The Center for Science Enrichment and Information Acquisition
Type: Research Station
Class: Improvised modular design
Designer: The Center for Science Enrichment and Information Acquisition
Manufacturer: Independent contractors and students
Crew:
500 Academic Staff
200 Administrative Staff
700 Technicians
4000 Scientists
6000 Students
Appearance:
Length: 5000m at farthest points
Width: 8000m at farthest points
Height: 6500m at farthest points
Decks: Varies due to modular construction
Station Modules and Systems
The Bureau of Bureaucracy (Command Center): The Bureau is the station's heart and brain, acting as the center for administration and maintenance for the entire module network. It contains the station's communication systems, house of records, bureau offices, and life support systems, backup reactor and emergency communications beacon. In addition there is a small prison facility where a number of slaves and condemned criminals kept here that CSEIA uses for experimentation on live subjects.
The Heart of Gold (Power Plant): This module is a unique fusion-fission reactor that feeds off of a nearby asteroid belt containing vast thorium reserves. While a crude method of creating power, the lack of environmental regulations and the high cost of ordering equipment from far off nations has made this ordinarily obsolete technology a prime power source. The Heart of Gold also contains basic smelting facilities to process thorium directly before use.
The Cradle of the Mind (University): The Cradle of the Mind acts are the central hub for the university sections of the station. It includes student dormitories, basic lab facilities, classrooms, and forums.
The Asylum (Residence): Asylum contains the recreation facilities, forums, housing, and even shopping district for the research staff. While not exceptionally glamerous, they can be described as 'cozy'. Each deck has numerous apartments arranged around a common room which provides lounging and play space, along with limited entertainment. This module also houses many basic laboratories used for smaller scale experiments.
The Cathedral of Error (Reinforced Laboratory): The Cathedral of Error, often known as the "Hot Lab," is an outgrowth of the limited laboratory facilities that other modules provide. The Cathedral has been custom built and designed specifically to handle dangerous technologies, such as plasma physics, weapon research, and high energy physics. All sector doors are protected by a triple blast door system with hazard sensors housed in the administration buildings. The Cathedral is completely self-contained, with none of the standard water or air connections with the rest of the station. The structure and bulkheads of the Cathedral are lined with special composite fibers that help contain explosions within the structure. Reinforced walls with self-sealing liner helps prevents leaks into the rest of the structure in the event of damage. But despite the advanced safety technology used in the construction of the Cathedral, the submodules of this section have to be replaced more often than any other section of the station.
The Gateway to Heaven (Spaceport): This module contains both the shipyard and docking facilities for the Center's limited fleet of shuttles and frigates used for research purposes. The Gateway also houses a pair gantries used to house the Center's multistage Rocket Launch Vehicles (RLVs), which are commonly used for propulsion-related research.
The Silent Witness (Observatory): The observatory module contains a computer-guided x-ray telescope. It's primarily used for observing stellar phenomena, but on the rare occasion it is used to track and help intercept asteroids that may pose a threat to the station. This same tracking software can also be converted to make a crude targeting computer when the Center encounters the occasional marauding pirate, helping to calculate firing solutions for the station's defenses.
The Savant's Guild (Computer Center): The Savant's Guild is also known as the teleoperation command center. It supplements the main command center in opertaing weapons platforms and maintenance drones. Using a network of supercomputers and powerful communications array, the Savant's Guild can even operate vessels remotely. Due to the fact the supercomputer cluster contained here is the most powerful on the station, it's processing power is often diverted to other tasks and experiments around the station when it's not performing intensive tasks.
The Crown of Thorns (Weapons Array): The Crown of Thorns is large ring that surrounds the outer perimeter of the station, covered with dozens of weapon systems. Virtually all of these are the projects of former students, obsolete prototype weapons, and repurposed laboratory equipment. Mass drivers, particle accelerators, lasers, masers, and countless other devices. The vast range of weaponry makes calculating fire solutions extremely complicated, even with the help of the Center's supercomputers. Fortunately, a proper targeting system is rarely needed, as simply firing in the general direction of a marauding pirate is usually more than enough to scare them off.
Primary Purpose: Anti-fighter, limited anti-frigate defenses
Damage: Light damage at maximum range, but increases exponentially as distance decreases.
Range: Longest range weapons can reach up to 0.5 AU
Rate of Fire: Variable
Vehicle Complement
Maintenance Drones (1000)
Combat Drones (200)
Rocket Launch Vehicles (2)
Shuttlecraft (575)
Sensor Frigates (15)
3. In Character Brochure (For RP purposes)
What is the CSEIA?
The Center is one of the only places in the entire galaxy where scientists are truly free. No government regulation to hold us back, no prejudice of the unwashed masses to scorn us. There is no technology too taboo to research, no experiment too sinister to perform. For this reason an open mind is nearly important as creativity and intelligence.
History
Education
Students in the Center can expect an open ended curriculum. You choose what you want to learn and how fast you want to pace yourself. Attend several classes a day and graduate in only a few years, or pace yourself and take time to immerse yourself in our digital library, research apprenticeships, or other clubs. But no need to dawdle if you enjoy life at the Center, as education is only the beginning.
Research and Development
Self-Government
The Center operates on a type of digital democracy. When ever an issue needs to be resolved, a notice is sent out on an issue via the internal datalink network. Then online debates take place and papers are published to educate the populace on the specific issue. Finally, votes are cast via the datalink and the final issue is decided. The time the process takes varies, taking only a single day for student acceptance issues, but up to a month for annual budget balancing.
A council of Deans also exists. Each department has a single Dean, with the exception of Science Enrichment, which has a Dean for uncategorized research (Scientific Enrichment), as well as one for each specialized School: Boundless Creations, Synthetic Intelligence, Plentiful Harvest, Spatial Engineering, and Cryptic Theory.
Each Dean wields heavy executive power in his or her respective department, but are kept in check by the fact their decisions can be overturned by a 2/3 majority via digital voting. In addition each Dean has unrestricted access to any sector or piece of information on the station regardless of department. This prevents the occurrence of corruption and espionage within the confines of the Center, and to date this system has never failed. Each Dean also has the ability to wield emergency supreme executive power in the event of a security breach or attack on the station.
Interstellar Relations
While most nations openly condemn the unethical research programs performed, the Center still maintains peace with nearly all factions it has encountered thus far. It's ever popular neutrality and 'no questions asked' policies have given it a monopoly on black technology, as well as healthy sales in legitimate research fields. The wealth and political clout earned through these transactions have allowed us to intimidate and bribe local pirates into non-aggression pacts. These marauders solely pirate on foreign vessels, making them an defensive buffer and early warning system for the Center.
CSEIA Schools
For further information on a topic, please contact the relevant division of The Center:
1. Basic Information
The CSEIA, pronounced "See-See-Ah", is an institute originally founded several decades ago by an independent think tank. The Center itself is a large station far from any nation's influence, riddled with additional modules and sensor equipment giving it the appearance of a patchwork starport. The Center was originally intended as a research center where scientists could work without being restricted by society, whether it be tradition, morality, or politics. In this they were successful. Today the Center is considered both a hi-tech research firm as well as one of the most prestigious universities in the galaxy.
The Center tends to be very selective about choosing students, and ends up turning away the majority of applicants. Those that do get chosen are usually picked based solely on their submitted designs and research rather than their training, education, or wealth. Because this is one of the only high tech research center that doesn't require any official credentials or education, they are a haven for freelance inventors and criminal scientists.
The other major branch of the Center is it's research division. The majority of students to graduate from the Center usually stay on as staff or to continue research, as the open-minded intellectual community and the seemingly unlimited funding is any scientist's paradise.
Due to CSEIA "no questions asked" policy, and the fact they are one of the only corporations in the entire galaxy that openly deals in illegal technologies, the Center acts as a black market hub of sorts. While not a 'true' market, CSEIA's limited industry can manufacture quantities of weapons for those without the credentials to purchase them from truly legitimate corporations. This makes them quite popular with terrorist factions, crime syndicates, minor warlords and nations, and so forth. However, since they operate a considerable distance from any major nation there has been little actual evidence of their wrongdoings. Thus, while they have shaky relations with most major powers, there isn't enough evidence to warrant a military attack.
In addition to its dealings with shadier customers, the Center's infamy was further boosted by it's open minded policies, which raises more than a few eyebrows. There are rumors abound about some of the Center's more questionable research projects, including highly addictive wonder drugs, abominable biomechanical life forms, even mind control technology. While the Center neither denies or openly acknowledges these claims, they still continue to attract the aspiring scientists and the suspicious glances of nations all over the galaxy.
2. The CSEIA Station, or "The Center"
[Click here for visual reference]
![[Click here for visual reference]](https://stararmy.com/starchan/starships/src/1163112274889.jpg){kind=link}
About the Center for Science Enrichment and Information Acquisition
The station itself was originally a command center station module, but as it's population and operations grew it expanded exponentially. Today the 'station' is a cluster of sensor systems, laboratory modules, as well as housing and classroom facilities.
Dimensions and Crew Complement
Organizations Using This Station: The Center for Science Enrichment and Information Acquisition
Type: Research Station
Class: Improvised modular design
Designer: The Center for Science Enrichment and Information Acquisition
Manufacturer: Independent contractors and students
Crew:
500 Academic Staff
200 Administrative Staff
700 Technicians
4000 Scientists
6000 Students
Appearance:
Length: 5000m at farthest points
Width: 8000m at farthest points
Height: 6500m at farthest points
Decks: Varies due to modular construction
Station Modules and Systems
The Bureau of Bureaucracy (Command Center): The Bureau is the station's heart and brain, acting as the center for administration and maintenance for the entire module network. It contains the station's communication systems, house of records, bureau offices, and life support systems, backup reactor and emergency communications beacon. In addition there is a small prison facility where a number of slaves and condemned criminals kept here that CSEIA uses for experimentation on live subjects.
The Heart of Gold (Power Plant): This module is a unique fusion-fission reactor that feeds off of a nearby asteroid belt containing vast thorium reserves. While a crude method of creating power, the lack of environmental regulations and the high cost of ordering equipment from far off nations has made this ordinarily obsolete technology a prime power source. The Heart of Gold also contains basic smelting facilities to process thorium directly before use.
The Cradle of the Mind (University): The Cradle of the Mind acts are the central hub for the university sections of the station. It includes student dormitories, basic lab facilities, classrooms, and forums.
The Asylum (Residence): Asylum contains the recreation facilities, forums, housing, and even shopping district for the research staff. While not exceptionally glamerous, they can be described as 'cozy'. Each deck has numerous apartments arranged around a common room which provides lounging and play space, along with limited entertainment. This module also houses many basic laboratories used for smaller scale experiments.
The Cathedral of Error (Reinforced Laboratory): The Cathedral of Error, often known as the "Hot Lab," is an outgrowth of the limited laboratory facilities that other modules provide. The Cathedral has been custom built and designed specifically to handle dangerous technologies, such as plasma physics, weapon research, and high energy physics. All sector doors are protected by a triple blast door system with hazard sensors housed in the administration buildings. The Cathedral is completely self-contained, with none of the standard water or air connections with the rest of the station. The structure and bulkheads of the Cathedral are lined with special composite fibers that help contain explosions within the structure. Reinforced walls with self-sealing liner helps prevents leaks into the rest of the structure in the event of damage. But despite the advanced safety technology used in the construction of the Cathedral, the submodules of this section have to be replaced more often than any other section of the station.
The Gateway to Heaven (Spaceport): This module contains both the shipyard and docking facilities for the Center's limited fleet of shuttles and frigates used for research purposes. The Gateway also houses a pair gantries used to house the Center's multistage Rocket Launch Vehicles (RLVs), which are commonly used for propulsion-related research.
The Silent Witness (Observatory): The observatory module contains a computer-guided x-ray telescope. It's primarily used for observing stellar phenomena, but on the rare occasion it is used to track and help intercept asteroids that may pose a threat to the station. This same tracking software can also be converted to make a crude targeting computer when the Center encounters the occasional marauding pirate, helping to calculate firing solutions for the station's defenses.
The Savant's Guild (Computer Center): The Savant's Guild is also known as the teleoperation command center. It supplements the main command center in opertaing weapons platforms and maintenance drones. Using a network of supercomputers and powerful communications array, the Savant's Guild can even operate vessels remotely. Due to the fact the supercomputer cluster contained here is the most powerful on the station, it's processing power is often diverted to other tasks and experiments around the station when it's not performing intensive tasks.
The Crown of Thorns (Weapons Array): The Crown of Thorns is large ring that surrounds the outer perimeter of the station, covered with dozens of weapon systems. Virtually all of these are the projects of former students, obsolete prototype weapons, and repurposed laboratory equipment. Mass drivers, particle accelerators, lasers, masers, and countless other devices. The vast range of weaponry makes calculating fire solutions extremely complicated, even with the help of the Center's supercomputers. Fortunately, a proper targeting system is rarely needed, as simply firing in the general direction of a marauding pirate is usually more than enough to scare them off.
Primary Purpose: Anti-fighter, limited anti-frigate defenses
Damage: Light damage at maximum range, but increases exponentially as distance decreases.
Range: Longest range weapons can reach up to 0.5 AU
Rate of Fire: Variable
Vehicle Complement
Maintenance Drones (1000)
Combat Drones (200)
Rocket Launch Vehicles (2)
Shuttlecraft (575)
Sensor Frigates (15)
3. In Character Brochure (For RP purposes)
What is the CSEIA?
The Center is one of the only places in the entire galaxy where scientists are truly free. No government regulation to hold us back, no prejudice of the unwashed masses to scorn us. There is no technology too taboo to research, no experiment too sinister to perform. For this reason an open mind is nearly important as creativity and intelligence.
History
Education
Students in the Center can expect an open ended curriculum. You choose what you want to learn and how fast you want to pace yourself. Attend several classes a day and graduate in only a few years, or pace yourself and take time to immerse yourself in our digital library, research apprenticeships, or other clubs. But no need to dawdle if you enjoy life at the Center, as education is only the beginning.
Research and Development
Upon graduation, every student is guaranteed an opportunity to join a research team. Or, if the student displays exceptional potential, they will be granted a lucrative research grant. Since the Center is not bound by traditional treaties and laws, it has become a leader in 'black technologies' research, including neural stimulants, psychological warfare and domination, real time genetic mutation, nanowarfare, and even military-grade weapons and defense systems. However, if the thought of working in such fields intimidates you, do not despair. The Center has an even larger array of legitimate scientific fields for students that are so inclined.
Self-Government
The Center operates on a type of digital democracy. When ever an issue needs to be resolved, a notice is sent out on an issue via the internal datalink network. Then online debates take place and papers are published to educate the populace on the specific issue. Finally, votes are cast via the datalink and the final issue is decided. The time the process takes varies, taking only a single day for student acceptance issues, but up to a month for annual budget balancing.
A council of Deans also exists. Each department has a single Dean, with the exception of Science Enrichment, which has a Dean for uncategorized research (Scientific Enrichment), as well as one for each specialized School: Boundless Creations, Synthetic Intelligence, Plentiful Harvest, Spatial Engineering, and Cryptic Theory.
Each Dean wields heavy executive power in his or her respective department, but are kept in check by the fact their decisions can be overturned by a 2/3 majority via digital voting. In addition each Dean has unrestricted access to any sector or piece of information on the station regardless of department. This prevents the occurrence of corruption and espionage within the confines of the Center, and to date this system has never failed. Each Dean also has the ability to wield emergency supreme executive power in the event of a security breach or attack on the station.
Interstellar Relations
While most nations openly condemn the unethical research programs performed, the Center still maintains peace with nearly all factions it has encountered thus far. It's ever popular neutrality and 'no questions asked' policies have given it a monopoly on black technology, as well as healthy sales in legitimate research fields. The wealth and political clout earned through these transactions have allowed us to intimidate and bribe local pirates into non-aggression pacts. These marauders solely pirate on foreign vessels, making them an defensive buffer and early warning system for the Center.
CSEIA Schools
For further information on a topic, please contact the relevant division of The Center:
- Bureaucratic Operations - Administrative and diplomatic center, traffic control, funding management
- Academic Cultivation - University and academics
- Information Acquisition - Clandestine operations, foreign intelligence
- Rapid Assembly - Manufacturing
- Scientific Enrichment - Research division, containing several specialized schools:
- Boundless Creations - High energy system design; Reactor technology, FTL travel technology, weapons and superweapons design
- Synthetic Intelligence - Robotics, cybernetics, and computer systems
- Plentiful Harvest - Genetic engineering and biotechnology
- Spatial Engineering - Mechanics, engineering, architecture
- Cryptic Theory - Psychology, sociology, political sciences