Colonial Reconnaissance Corps: Chapter 4: The 'No Capture' Policy

From SSDC, Inc.

Each cruiser of the PRC is outfitted with the best technology and minds the Alliance has to offer. As such if one were to fall under hostile control it could be an utter disaster to the Alliance. Thus such an outcome is not to be allowed under ANY circumstances.

In the event that a RPC cruiser is threatened with capture by unknown hostiles, the command staff has strict orders to avoid it by ANY means. Each PRC is outfitted with a 400 megaton thermonuclear destruct device which the command staff is expected, and indeed conditioned, to use if necessary.

The 'NCP' is enforced by 'the odd man hypothesis'. The captain of the cruiser can enact the policy by setting off the bomb. However, at least two other people on the ship will also have the ability to engage the bomb, and these people are unknown to everyone else on the vessel. They are called 'oddmen' after an ancient Terran concept called “the odd man hypothesis”. This was based on a study conducted by the military in the 20th century which concluded that in cases involving the use of a nuclear weapon that would also kill the person triggering it, a certain type of person was most likely to make the right decision. The person most likely to make the right decision was found to be an unmarried male with a high I.Q. who had few, if any, relatives, friends or other personal attachments. Such a type of man was called 'the odd man'.

So, there will be at least 2 'oddmen' on each PRC vessel who are only known to themselves, not each other. Either of them or the captain can trigger the nuclear destruct device from any terminal on the ship, or from a piece of equipment each carries. In the case of the oddmen, this device will be disguised as something: A watch, calculator, pen, etc. It can be triggered only by a command from the oddman it is assigned to.

Most oddmen are Human, Gen human, Eridani or Mutzachan. While Pythons would have the courage to nuke a ship they were on they might not be best suited to be certain it was the best thing to do. Zen Rigellians are loathe to take lives and no one in his right mind would give an Orion Rogue control of a nuclear device.

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Colonial Reconnaissance Corps: Chapter 5: A-Team General Rules and Policies

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