Hello all! I decided to put my $0.02 into this discussion.
I purchased _Survival_Margin_ a couplea weeks ago and LOVED it, and I
have a few comments and questions to add to the group.
First, I feel the spread of the virus was not stopped dead in its
tracks: Norris and the Deneb domain contacted its neighbors in a
state of panic. The Zhos no doubt would scan the messangers and maybe
even Norris and verify that he was not lying. The Aslans, despite
appearances, were only recent additions to the area and were in the
process of absorbing their 'new' conquests. The Vargr were probably beyon
d hope. But like Greece in the ancient times you could get a few allies
and use intimidation and threats of a combined Zho-Deneb attack to get
at least cooperation.
Sealing borders is a formidable task for the governments, but when the
first virus ships arrived and a few infections took place (and the
advance warning the Domain got) the whole Regency would understand the need,
and the political will would then exist. The economy for the next few
years would be totally geared to stopping the virus and setting up a
"sealed border." Downgrading starports to E in certain low population
frontiers, occupying certain systems, guarding gas giants in frontier systems,
and putting huge defense boat contingents in strategic trading center.
Also a joint RDF-type force would be placed in certain systems to respond
to threats. The diversion of resources would stunt technological progress
for awhile as nearly every credit surplus would be used to combat the
virus threat. The years from 1131 to about 1155 would be the worst of it,
beyond that, most of the bigger ships would break down for lack of repair.
I also formulated that perhaps the virus would be attacking computers
from TL10 or more, as the computer coordination of ships would be
absolutely neccesary to perform more than J-1. The use of Synaptics,
or self-reprogramming computers would allow the virus to spread, first
making the computer schitzophrenic, then taking over as the dominant
personality. As I understand it, synaptics mimic neurons, which do
not distinguish between DATA and PROGRAMS as clearly as our clunky
TL8 machines do... :) I would think that the most the virus could do
would be to lay and egg into the non-self programming computers.
As far as hardwiring - I think GDW is a bit silly. Maybe with
synaptics, and EEproms, but most TL9- machines would not be
vulnerable.
I would think that in the Regency, ship design would change, having
independant computers for every system (since I would think that
the Domain was not always as virus free as it is now -- it was just able
to stamp it out and not lose its technology in the process) with
data-links between non-synaptic systems (They would have gone back to
TL10 and re-developed to about TL15 along non-synaptic technologies)
allowing more than wimpy J-1.
Outside the Regency, I would think that only now would Jump technology
be coming back (thanks to some Hivers and a few planets that were less
than TL9 before the Virus -- they wouldn't have the Frankenstein syndrome
as bad as theformer high-tech worlds), and only Jump-1 at that. The
computers required to do more than that would require development of
parallel, but different technologies that were virus-resistant.
I feel that the reason the Imperium fell so badly is the confusion of
the war and the destruction of communication links did not allow the
virus (which is not a virulent as GDW wants to make it -- just would
infect computers and such above TL9-10 that used synaptics) to be
stamped out the way it was in the Regency.
[Also GDW wanted a 'preserve' for hard-core Classic Traveller Fans! :)]
Now for a few questions:
What the heck do you all think the "Black Curtain" was? A special mutant
virus that thought it was Lucan infected everything and enslaved the core
area, working them to death, making things a living Hell for them? Or did
Lucan somehow control Viral forces who had a love/hate/awe for their
'creator?' What do you all think?
Would Terra be thrown back to TL5-7?
Thanks for listening/reading!
Have Fun!
Brent Irvine