You are assuming it is being treated like a simple software package where I am envisioning a "creature" with a "body" of energy.
So ... basically ... you want a
PLOT HOLE.
Got it.
I am relying on the historic fact that advances of staggering scale have been made by accident.
And that many of those same accidental advances have not been duplicatable
"Accidents" like that
rarely happen ON DEMAND.
Just because you've got a research project underway somewhere, that doesn't mean that the impossibly long odds will just "happen" to fall into place there.
The circumstances for your adventure demand a suspension of disbelief AND reason.
Set aside your arrogance and join the party
I'm not the one saying that TL=17 stuff can be "cooked up in a megacorp lab" hidden at Ghandi/Lanth that is so obscure no one knows about it and which defies all conventions of tech level consistent with the setting.
Set aside your arrogance and join the party
And if I rightfully pointed out that I'm NOT the "arrogant one" in this conversation ...?
![Unsure :unsure: :unsure:](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
I'm adhering to precedent.
You're wanting to defenestrate precedent the moment it becomes ... inconvenient.
You asked for feedback.
I gave it to you.
You've refused to listen or be reasonable.
There we are.
Good day.
Hell, Fermi built chicago pile-1 under the University of Chicago's Stagg Field.
Where were all their advanced tech workshops and supplies??
{ pitying look }
ON THE SAME PLANET.
Now try building that "chicago pile-1" ON A DIFFERENT PLANET where you have to export everything.
Now try building that "chicago pile-1" IN A DIFFERENT STAR SYSTEM where you have to export everything to ... a subsector away from the nearest supplier and industrial base.
Oh and your research budget is not INFINITE ... even if the research is being funded by a megacorp, because the dirty little secret is that megacorps want to see a return on their investment into your little research project (shocking, I know
![Astonished face :astonished: 😲](https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f632.png)
).