1 member
Tomasius Space / TSZ
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Exploration -
Scouting
Ex dubium scientia
From doubt [comes] knowledge
History
Tomasius Space originates in a place and culture so far removed from collective UEE experience that our history, beyond these edited highlights, defies all logic. The space exploration organisation you see today, was founded in 2946 but its roots go back to an outfit that originally ran freight on a Freelancer sized ship in 2680, while conducting research on the side. We still carry the motto of House Tomasius, ex dubium scientia, which loosely translates as “From doubt [comes] knowledge” and long predates the space age. Currently, we operate by the lessons we have learned from our collective experience; myself and my cup of espresso, both!
After all, the time we have left is too short to be wasted on things which lack a real benefit. So it is, we value information and knowledge above all other currencies and we use it to make our way in the universe; well, almost all other currencies. As you can see from the coffee bean which has become the sigil of this organisation, there are exceptions to every rule … even this one.
So, what have we been up to between 2680 and the day this article was written? Well, there’s the question. Suffice to say, it involved an accidental collision in space, the discovery of the Vandu’ul, an escape pod with a malfunctioning stasis field, a pilot who was unconscious for almost the entire time and, perhaps, maybe, a little too much drink.
Changing the subject before someone asks who started the war with the Vandu’ul, the Orca is the name of our current research ship and, while we seek a full crew complement, Tomasius Space remains an umbrella organisation for researchers, explorers, scouts, and investigators who share the same secret of success: “doubt before disinformation”.
To this end, we cooperate as a society of friends; of peers. In this sense, our multi-ship operations are not so much a matter of coordination but result from a confluence of independent initiatives in pursuit of a common goal.
Manifesto
Espresso and real life come first.
Tomasius Space is a close-knit society of quiet achievers. This said:
Tomasius Space uses doubt as the key to discover knowledge, especially when that knowledge is hidden by widely accepted assumptions or simply unanticipated. Ex dubium scientia isn’t just a motto; it’s how we succeed, even where others fail. This said, discretion is a major objective of Tomasius Space. The less we are noticed, the less opportunity there is for people, with the inclination, to interfere with our research.
Tomasius Space is based out of one versatile ship, called the Orca, and generally does not engage in formal fleet coordination. Beyond the crew of the Orca, we operate as a society of friends; of peers – and our multi-ship operations generally flow from the confluence of independent member initiative in the pursuit of common goals. This said, we will close ranks and coordinate when complex circumstances dictate strategy over tactics.
For those interested in hanging out at Tomasius Space Head Office, there are places for:- 2x Scanner Technician
- 2x Gunners
- 1x Ship’s Engineer
- 1x Motorman
- 1x Pilot
- 1x Gunnery Sergeant
- 3x Corporals
The Orca won’t always crew with a full planetary survey complement of 12 souls. In fact, sometimes, all she’ll need are one or two people to get the job done. But, we have no idea what the ‘verse will throw at us and, when in doubt, preparation is everything.
Intended activities, aboard the Orca, include:- Deep space exploration
- System surveys
- Jump point charting
- Asteroid surveys
- Planetary surveys
- Finding the Captain’s hidden stash of snable-brew – and hiding it somewhere else!
- Keeping the Captain sober – at least whilst in the vicinity of active shipping lanes…
For less routine research, such as pathfinding, scouting and investigative contracts, Tomasius Space will charge customers a high premium. After all, not only do we get results, we take responsibility for the quality of our work.
Beyond this, Tomasius Space does not engage contracts outside the sciences. This is not to restrict the extracurricular activities of crew members or to disclaim any actions arising from unexpected circumstances or opportunities, but simply to express the goals and focus of Tomasius Space at the outset of any given research project.
Tomasius Space membership is intended to encompass a diverse cross-section of the community and span a wide range of interests, ultimately, with most members running their own operations while benefiting from our comms traffic – in return for their contribution to our comms traffic.
Charter
In this day and age, when technology makes it easy to enact all legislation by weekly referendum (plebocracy), it is the view of Tomasius Space that all government, outside the public service, is entirely obsolete. It is for this reason that Tomasius Space does not recognise the legitimacy of any government other than the entire population, itself. Thus, Tomasius Space considers all jurisdictions outside plebocracies to be lawless and our attitude to “crime” such as it is claimed to “exist” in lawless jurisdictions is “No harm, no foul.”
Thus, there is only one rule mandated by the Tomasius Space Code of Conduct and that one rule is the Rhodium Rule:
Do no harm, except to prevent a specific, instigated harm which is not collateral to rights which outweigh that specific, instigated harm.
This said, we only support and uphold legitimate, plebocratic law inasmuch as it protects people from harm. Beyond this, we do not recognise the legitimacy of policy, regulation, statute, law or any other restriction placed upon the private activities of the individual such as are of no unwelcome consequence to others.
This is not to say that we will ever insist that our crew do anything that violates their ethics, but to say that our loyalty to our crew is limited only by our mandate to do no harm except in defence of self and/or others against harm which is not collateral to more important rights.