Day 154: OROTHO gets dangerous

     A full day of preparing for the journey to the HoN Co. headquarters and we're still nowhere near ready! Not only have we got masses more planning and preparation to do, but we've also got all of the phases changes to deal with when SERVERE returns with the maps and blueprints we asked for. We're assuming though - for the time being at least - that there is a direct link to the new extensions that can only be accessed from the main building. This drastically reduces the risk of security leaks from the extensions and makes it easier to manage for them. However, for us it makes things infinitely more difficult; they're likely to have a whole host of security systems in place, as well as HoN Co. guards and civilians everywhere. The guards would technically be the easiest bit to deal with as they are susceptible to the darts, but only if the numbers are in our favour. As for the security systems, we still haven't determined how to get around those, although Amie jokingly said that we should be "very fast the entire time"... Not a helpful comment but there was little else to really say or do for the time being. We can only guess what we'll have to contend with until SERVERE returns, and anything missing from the blueprints we can ask of him ourselves. It's impossible for him to have been around that long without being given access to certain codes, or areas which we may be able to exploit... I'm now beginning to think that more planning is going to be needed after we know the layout than before, despite breaking everything down into phases...

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     Yesterday had ended up being a rather late day as we had all lost track of time. We had prepared quite a bit already but still had plenty to go. Today though, everything had seemed to slow down to a crawl. Well, everything except OROTHO. He had had this idea about modifying the blowpipe to be more efficient, accurate and shoot over greater distances. From the outset it sounded like a great idea; we needed to put as much distance between the guards and any creatures we came across as possible. His idea wasn't so much of a modification as it was a total overhaul of the blowpipes operation. It was a very simple delivery method: insert dart, place blowpipe to lips, inhaling beforehand, and exhale forcefully into the end. Effective and quick, not to mention silent, and then he modified that with the attached magazine which loaded a new dart into place automatically using a spring. This drastically improved the efficiency of it as the darts were small enough to be fiddly, and it was easy to fumble with them if put into a tight spot. The magazine removed that issue. But now he wanted to make the system fully automated so there was no need to rely on the human lungs as a propellant. When OROTHO started talking about "propellants" it was never a good thing...

"I'm sure you're all aware of the downfalls to using our breath to project these darts from the barrel of these blowpipes. It's purely reliant on the user, and allows a large degree of human error to creep in. However, if we alter the propellant format to something more mechanised, it would be easier to regulate and would be more efficient. I propose two possible methods, both an upgrade from the current system."

"Why do I get the feeling I'm not going to like this...?"

"Save your scepticism until after I submit my ideas... My first is based on the BB rifles that we all had and used when we were young, and makes use of a similar firing mechanism used in those, and in the magazines used for the current blowpipes. Spring powered! A large, coiled spring with a high tension should allow us to project the darts over a greater distance with a greater degree of accuracy. The previous method relied on us have an air tight seal around the dart to get the maximum effect, whereas this method initiates direct contact with the dart itself..."

"What about the other method?"

"The other method is a little harder to design and develop, but would definitely be a step-up from the spring-powered version. Also a format of BB rifle, instead of using a spring to fire the dart, use a form of compressed gas. It allows for a direct and concentrated explosion of gas in a single direction to force the dart down the barrel."

"Both good ideas, but how exactly are we going to acquire pressurised gas? Call me an idiot, but we can't just run around with a bottle scooping up air and then quickly ramming a top onto it!"

"You're an idiot... No, that's why I said it would be harder to develop. For now a spring powered version is a lot more feasible for us, especially in terms of building them in time. Well, at least a prototype... There are a few disadvantages to using a spring powered one, but these can easily be rectified with adjustments or repairs. Obviously with a high tensile spring there are bound to be massive pressures exerted on it, causing it stress which may cause it to break, If we make the spring accessible, we should be able to swap them out as and when it's necessary."

"Any other issues we need to iron out before it goes into the development phase?"

"Well we've got plenty of materials to make the body and springs for these rifles, and we'd need to make a cocking mechanism that slides the spring back and delivers a new dart into the chamber at the same time. Although that should be the easier bit to design..."

"How soon can you begin the designs and development of this? It's a great idea, and whatever we can get done now that helps later the better."

"I can get started straight away if you want..."

"Brilliant. Although that leaves risk assessment one man down. I'll join your team, and OROTHO, you join UOPETA and THEROS>"

We swapped people and got back to work whilst OROTHO disappeared into the lab to begin work on the new spring powered dart rifle. We were all eager to see what came of these grand plans of his, and hopefully they would help us massively during the actual operation. We hadn't been working long until we were interrupted, but by someone we had been waiting for.

"Do you want the good news or bad news?"

Syeonyx signing off