The Nishitama Thought Experiment was a roleplay started on December 13, 2010, with Toshiro as its Game Master, and ended on August 25, 2012 when it transitioned into the succeeding YSS Sakura II Plot plot. Unlike most RPs, it was technically civilian, though it used acting and retired military personnel where possible. The plot was based out of Nishitama and the ships and craft which operated out of a research facility there.

The crew participating in the experiments and the R&D of Project THOUGHT are dedicated to testing and refining next-generation technologies intended for the Star Army of Yamatai while also preventing their premature discovery. The tactic planned by the Project THOUGHT team involves a small and secure site developing designs as fully as possible before submitting them for full-blown production – an effort to use a surge of new technologies all at once to obtain an advantage. For this to work, as well as due to concerns of intelligence leaks within Star Army Intelligence or the First Expeditionary Fleet, it is required to even conceal the research from the Star Army until the time is right. Intelligence operations in the form of Office 8412 may occur or provide information to the crew, and they may even assign missions or testing locations for the Project THOUGHT test pilots.

It should be noted that the wartime status and the testing of military-grade hardware may easily require the crew to see actual combat, especially if the enemy pays more attention to the Nishitama area.

Part 1: Fresh Blood

New crew members arrived, lured by a construction advertisement, but were offered a second and different role in the Research and Development Program called Project THOUGHT. They were given their job descriptions, signed their contracts, were given their apartments, and had the chance to explore Nishitama before their first day of work. The next morning, they were led into a hidden room with simulator pods and got a tutorial in their use after a general introduction to Project THOUGHT and its purpose. The simulators were connected to a group of CAMIE Mecha outside Nishitama, and they were instructed to use the awkward and ungainly craft in a maneuvering test to gain experience piloting non-humanoid craft and prepare for future tests.

When an illegally docked Ge-F6-1A - Light Freighter known as the SS Tachibana attempted to escape without permission to leave dock when noticed during the test, it was stopped by sacrificing the remote controlled CAMIE and the swift actions by the Star Army of Yamatai ships stationed at Nishitama. Slaves of various races were fund aboard, crammed like sardines and killed. This sparked protests by anti and pro Neko groups, and resulted in a bombing at a police station nearby which freed some of the captured prisoners and killed multiple protesters. These events started what would become known as the Tachibana Incident.

Part 2: LAMIA Reborn

As protests and limited instances of armed conflict mounted, Hisa and the newly formed Test Team One left Nishitama for the Yui Nebula in the Bellystabber 2-Class Raider Ship SS Atsureki. The group headed to the Yui Nebula to test out the newly developed LAMIA Kai in the remains of an SMX Ghullfrashirv Escort damaged and gutted in Uesu's YE 30 clearing of the area. Upon arrival they learned that it was being used by some other party that had no business being there, and encountered what appeared to be salvaged Black Spiral Black Mindy units with purple capes. Combat followed, in which the older Mindies were pitted against the new LAMIA Kai in the latter's first true test. After they were victorious, the team entered the ship proper and found a skeleton complete with clothing, and their armors were contaminated with the prototype SC Agent 04. To protect the secret of SCA-04, the Tachibana engaged in a hopeless battle against Test Team One, without any form of Power Armor. They were taken out successfully, save for one who surrendered without resistance. With samples of SCA-04 and one of its developers, Test Team One returned to Nishitama, where trouble was escalating.

Part 3: Interrogations and Manipulations

While the Mayor was being kidnapped, and the Vice Mayor supported the YNP's push for jurisdiction to allow them to save face and avenge their comrades killed in the explosion, the Star Army was being forbidden from taking jurisdiction within Nishitama. The Tachibana crew were actively stirring unrest in Nishitama, opening old wounds from the first war in its population, which consisted of both honorably discharged veterans and those kicked out by the Species Restriction Order by the Nekos. Test Team One would interrogate their prisoner, who told them of the Selective Consumption Agent, the Tachibana Clan's ties with Black Spiral, and their strong pro-Neko ambitions. They were also informed of efforts at peace with the NMX and possible integration with the NMX Neko population in the future, and the hope to cause a second plague which would force others to convert to the Yamataian body type or perish, extending the reach of the Empire. The Engineer even allowed her ST Backup to be used as evidence, honestly regretting her crime, which she seemed forced to do.

After this and a brief look at the new Kirie and Keiko prototypes, Test Team One save for Hisa went to dinner at a restaurant only to hear the Police Chief and his subordinate discussing the matter. Things were unclear until Kuroi appeared in a waitress outfit and explained to her comrades the unique situation in Nishitama's populace. At that point, Hisa announced Yamatai's invasion by the NMX, and it had a unifying effect on the populace against the wishes of the Tachibana. Forced to guard against vigilantism and maintain order, the YNP was forced to accept SAoY aid, though their involvement would be limited to mention as 'contractors' to save face.

After learning that the Tachibana Clan cell operated deep in the lower elvels of the city-ship, and had the Acting Mayor with them, Test Team One left to participate in an extraction while the YNP initiated a battle in the subway system and the upper basement decks. At this point, the SAoY used their hacking capabilities to aid in battling the older-yet-superior machines to great effect. The lack of the new SACN Access Nodule and access to the Type 33 Star Army Communications Network Encryption System hurt the Tachibana greatly not only in their combat efforts, but heavily restricted their access to SAINT and SAoY data, in addition to active but cloaked information control efforts on the part of SAINT.

Test Team One initiated combat with the less experienced and less equipped forces remaining behind while the YNP and SAoY dealt with the main group, and managed to annihilate these forces relatively simply, until a salvaged NMX Ripper appeared. This Ripper was hastily modified to hold a pilot in much the same way as the LAMIA Kai, and proved formidable. It was, however, destroyed due to its ineffective armor and the presence of vacuum. After recovering the Mayor and Vice Mayor, the control room was accessed and it was learned that a variant of SC Agent was present and in preparation for deployment. After having the teleportation of the Mayor, Vice Mayor, and Kuroi facilitated by Star Army personnel; the area was decompressed. Hostiles in the immediate area were exposed to vacuum, only able to fight as long as they could hold their breath.

While Hisa and Yaiba returned to the SS Atsureki to swap into fresh LAMIA Kai Units 5 and 6, Amelia went to Rajio-cho to help YNP and SAoY personnel evacuate civilians to shelters in preparation for the decompression of Nishitama to prevent the distribution of the missing SC Agent. Tachibana Clan forces had taken over a shelter with another modified Ripper and some surviving Power Armor, and were holding back the civilian forces while they configured the SC Agent into the ventilation system of the shelter. This was prevented, however, by Test Team One along with the timely assistance of former SAoY soldier and UOC Peacekeeper Lolion Reglo.

Seeing themselves losing the conflict, a small group of Tachibana forces seized control of the YINN building next door, and made an announcement over the radio, declaring their existence and intent in a desperate effort to draw others to their cause. This was counter to the wishes of the older Tachibana forces, who wished them to simply fight to the end without volunteering information.

Test Team One worked in conjunction with the by then mobilized Star Army forces to reclaim the building, the recovered mayor having rescinded the orders given in his absence regarding jurisdiction of the Tachibana Incident. Test Team One acted as a distraction while the Army ambushed the enemy and swiftly loaded the space suit-clad survivors onto shuttles. The enemy resisted heavily, though the civilians were successfully evacuated. The colony was gradually depressurized as a precaution against the SC Agent, and gravity was lowered in the area after the YINN building sustained damage and turned out to be near collapse. Eventually, to save falling civilians, the gravity was completely nullified.

Explosions set off when the last of the Tachibana in the YINN building ceased to give off life signs, thrusting the building over into the next door structure and releasing SC Agent. The lack of gravity and the force of the blast and collision left SC Agent and building fragments adrift in the colony, forcing the colony's hull to be opened and the adrift contents vented out with the remainder of the atmosphere. Test Team One's shuttle docked with the YSS Sakura II Plot, at which point this plot transitioned to that ship's plot.

Ending Location: YSS Sakura II

It should be noted that ranks are not always uniform here and are less relevant here, but still form a rough chain of command.

Rank		Name	Position	Color	Player	Notes	Pay
	Taii	Takeda	Site Director		Toshiro (GMNPC)	Never seen, liason to Administrator	? KS/month
	Shoi	Minaroi Hisa	Nishitama Port Authority Management (SAOY), Test Team Commander		Toshiro (GMNPC)	De facto CO	? KS/month
	Nitô Heisho (retired)	Takadaroga Amelia	Star Army Starship Operator, Test Pilot		Kyle	Veteran of First Mishu War, fought in Power Armor before	1300 KS/month*
	Jôtô Hei	Yaiba	Star Army Infantry, Test Pilot		Nashoba	Survivor of YSS Freedom	1500 KS/month*
	N/A	Kuroi	Janitor	N/A	Toshiro (GMNPC)	Unexpectedly reliable, known to keep Hisa in line	? KS/month

* Crewperson may have active military income or retirement income to add to this wage. Use the Pay Scales for your base faction to determine monthly income.

Veteran players (recruiting from inside) is preferred due to the need for veteran and trustworthy characters on good standing with the SAoY as an IC prerequisite, though exceptions for certain characters may be made on a case-by-case basis from civilian or other factions depending. I ask that interested players PM me and OOCly ask if their character meets the requirements to join. An IC interview may occur. This plot is not an 18+ plot.

I require posts at least every 7 days, though am willing to make allowances for holidays or for personal issues if informed in the OOC thread. After that I reserve the right to post for your character to keep things going, and may elect to remove your character from active participation after 10-14 days.

This plot has ended.

These are wiki articles which are important to the RP and its setting, and are recommended reading:

Project THOUGHT: Page outlining Project THOUGHT, its goals, and its technologies. Players are typically within this group. Office 8412: Page outlining Office 8412 a.k.a Bad Office, and its goals and structure. Supports Project THOUGHT as well as gathering general intelligence. Nishitama: Page for the YSS Nishitama and the city within of the same name. Subject to update as locations are defined in RP.

These are where OOC and IC posts can be made:

OOC Thread Part 1: Fresh Blood Part 2: LAMIA Reborn Part 3: Interrogations and Manipulations

2011/02/01 - 67 C 2011/04/17 - 76 B- 2011/01/14 - 86 B 2012/04/14 - 91 A