Gap Quiz

[StevieG]

I must say that I was thrown by Director Donner too, and then was trying to make some answer pop out of the picture behind...

Ok, on to the next question!

What was the original function of what eventually became the Governing Council for Earth and Space?

[Avatar]

Uh...Managing the belt mining stuff?

--A

[StevieG]

Hmmm, I'll give it to you I guess

Here's the text:

During the period of Earth's history in which commercial enterprises and quasi-commercial conglomerates began to put research facilities and industrial platforms into space, most of the planet's sovereign nations slowly came to recognise the need for an agency to coordinate launches, trajectories and orbits - to ensure, for example, that corporations such as SMI and SpaceLab Inc. didn't build stations which would interfere with each other's activities, or which might - at worst - collide someday.

The original Agency was constituted as nothing more than a clearing-house for launch-and-orbit-related information; as a means for avoiding disasters.

Over to you Av!

[Avatar]

Hmmm, not sure I deserve it for that.

Oh well...

Hmmm...

What would Sixten's bill of severance actually do?

--A

[IrrationalSanity]

Not sure if you're looking for something deeper, or just tossing out a softball...

The softball answer: The bill disconnects/severs the UMCP from the UMC, and makes them accountable only to the GCES.

[Avatar]

You got me, it was a softball.

Your turn.

--A

[IrrationalSanity]

Something that might be a softball, but could be one of those easy points to miss...

Other than the visible elements of the transformation itself, what was a key result common to all of animal tests of the mutagen?

[Avatar]

They all died?

--A

[Cord Hurn]

They turned into primordial pools of genetic sludge?

[Avatar]

Their intelligence increased.

--A

[Shuram Gudatetris]

Their intelligence increased.

--A

I have nothing to add to this, except that we need a new question from IrrationalSanity in the MN quiz!

[StevieG]

They went crazy, then died?

[Sorus]

They became Amnioni at a molecular level.

[IrrationalSanity]

Sorry for the delay - Avatar gave the answer that I was looking for - the increased intelligence, not the death .
(I love some of the other responses, though!)

[Avatar]

Oh great...

Ok...who was the first human volunteer to expose themselves to the mutagen?

--A

[DocTox]

Trick question, right? Only referred to as, "the woman who volunteered" who was hoping for immortality, but the irony was, "Whatever the explanation, her "immortality" could be gauged by the fact that few texts on the subject mention her by name." Further, "...until a young astronomer as crucial, and as forgotten, as the volunteer herself thought to analyze them as galactic coordinates." Forbidden Knowledge, pgs 251-253.

I don't recall Donaldson later reversing himself and giving her a name, but maybe it came up in some other context.

[Avatar]

Hahaha, great entrance to the Gap forum DocTox. Well done. (I specifically didn't ask for a name you'll note. )

Your question, and nice to have you participating.

--A

[DocTox]

Okay, cool. Fact-checking my answer, I'll post the question tomorrow.

[StevieG]

Excellent! A new contributor - and judging by your answer, you have some knowledge of the Gap series. Looking forward to your question

[Avatar]

Yeah...it's past tomorrow...

--A