Research Director
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Research Director
Superiors: Captain
Difficulty: Hard
Guides: Guide to Genetics, Guide to Research and Development, Guide to Toxins, Guide to Xenobiology, Guide to Xenoarchaeology, Protolathe, Circuit Imprinter, Standard Operating Procedure (Science)
Access: All Research Departments, Genetics, Robotics, Bridge, Research Director's Office, Teleporter, Telecoms Satellite, Tech and Secure Tech Storage.
Duties: Lead Research and Development, supervise your Scientists, monitor Genetics research, make sure Roboticists are building borgs or mechs.
The Research Director in charge of what is (theoretically) the reason the station is around. You job is to direct research into new things. And you have a group of Scientists to help you do that.
Overview
Unlike most Heads of Staff, your job isn't so much to keep your staff working as it is to keep them from doing so. Or, at least, to keep them from doing so badly.
Technically speaking, your job is the least vital out of any of the Heads of Staff. The Science division isn't vital to the continued operations of the Cyberiad, even if it is why it's there in the first place. The station won't fall apart if the slimes die, alien artefacts never get studied, and bombs never get made. It will, however, fall apart if the slimes escape, if dangerous alien artefacts aren't well-monitored, or if a poorly-made bomb destroys the Escape arm.
Your job, then is to keep them from accidentally killing themselves. Toxins Mixing and Xenobiology in particular are highly-dangerous areas, and should be monitored at all times.
You're also the foremost expert on strange phenomena on the station. When something strange shows up, it's your job to figure out what it is and how best to deal with it. The other Heads of Staff will rely on you to figure out exactly what it is and what to do about it.
So, in short, keep your staff from screwing everything up royally and keep the other Heads informed about anything weird going on.
You arrive on the station inside your office next to toxins. You have the front seat. So sit back and enjoy the view. Remember that you have two of the most important things on the station, Robotics control and the AI integrity restorer.
For Standard Operating Procedure for this role and other science roles, please see Standard Operating Procedure (Science).
Directing Research 101
As the Research Director, your job is obviously to direct research. You have access to anything scientific.
There's No I In Team
Your official responsibility is to ensure that nobody does anything they shouldn't. This means making sure the Geneticists don’t run rampant with powers, that Roboticists don’t cyborg people without good reason, and that Toxins does not destroy the station.
Try to stop Toxins from igniting. Teach your scientists the proper way to handle plasma.
Computer Maintenance And You
In the event of AI damage on an Intelicard, there is a computer in your office which can be used to repair its systems. This is a long process, but it is still usually better than having no AI at all. In addition, it is possible to build a new AI from the circuit also found in your office. Using plasteel and glass, it is constructed just like any other computer up until the human brain is inserted. Keep the existence of the human component hush-hush! It's a trade secret! Please be aware that a freshly constructed AI comes with the default NanoTrasen laws.
AI Overpopulation: The Core Circuit And You
Whether to reduce the load on primary AI or just to increase information chaos, with this nifty AI Core circuit board found in your office you can make a second, working AI. You need the following components first: a screwdriver, a wrench, 4 sheets of plasteel, 2 sheets of reinforced glass, the circuit board, and, of course, a brain in an MMI.
Make AI Core frame with plasteel, wrench it in a preferably secure place near an intercom (or a radio), add circuit, screwdrive, wires, MMI, glass, screwdrive again. Voila! Now there're two working AIs on station!
Your plastic pal who's fun to be with!
As Research Director, while it's not your job only, you are expected to know how to be able to deal with malfunctioning, rogue and traitorous AIs and cyborgs. Remember, AIs sometimes CAN be tricked into revealing badly written zeroth laws. Also, you will typically be asked to perform routine maintenance and checkups on the AI. It's also worth studying what each lawset implies, and how AIs and borgs generally act when following them.
Assistant with Science
You can be of great help as an assistant with large amounts of access. Collecting flashes and power cells for robotics and other items for research. You should also be constantly bugging the HoP to whip the miners into working harder.
Anomalies
Sometimes, strange anomalies are spotted on the Cyberiad. While it's not exactly your job only to stop them, you staff will usually be too busy or incompetent to do it. So grab an analyzer and a remote signaler, scan the anomaly with the analyzer, and signal the appropriate frequency. If you're successful, you will receive an anomaly core which can be stuck into the deconstructive analyzer.
Telecommunications
One of the greatest boons of the Research Director is the telecommunications access. You have a joint authority over the satellite with the Chief Engineer, but while his job is maintenance and repair, yours will typically be to upload helpful telecomm scripts. So look up or write one, and be a huge credit to the crew!
Lamarr
Inside the display case in your office is a surgically modified facehugger. It can no longer kill and implant its embryos inside a host body, but it still feels the need to leap on anyone in reach. It's usually best kept in its case. With a chameleon projector, Lamarr can be scanned to act as a fearsome disguise. Lamarr also makes an excellent breath mask.
Traitoring
The Research Director, like all Heads of Staff, make extremely dangerous traitors just by virtue of their access and departmental loyalty. While your underlings are less likely to fall in line than Security most of the time they'll listen to what you want them to do.
Toxins will be your best bet, with all those explosives you'll probably be able to hold the station hostage. Since you have access to it, Genetics could be useful, but the Chief Medical Officer will be overseeing it more often than not.
You hold a lot of power, and at the same time, a decent amount of responsibility. It is easy to bring the Station to its knees, if you know what you’re doing. Great if you’re a traitor, dickish if you’re not.
Less useful but still dangerous, robotics is a useful stopping point.