NationStates Jolt Archive

Your shuttle has crash-landed in the asteroid belt, and only you and four other people are alive. You have managed to call for a rescue team, but you do not know your exact location, and it will take them anywhere from 1-10 days to reach you depending on whether there are other ships in the area or whether they immediately launch from home. In total, you have 12 days worth of air for 1 person, or 6 days for 2, etc. Without air, you will die in minutes.
You also happen to have a gun.
What do you do?

Your shuttle has crash-landed in the asteroid belt, and only you and four other people are alive. You have managed to call for a rescue team, but you do not know your exact location, and it will take them anywhere from 1-10 days to reach you depending on whether there are other ships in the area or whether they immediately launch from home. In total, you have 12 days worth of air for 1 person, or 6 days for 2, etc. Without air, you will die in minutes.
You also happen to have a gun.
What do you do?
Make sure we're either all rescued together, or all suffocate together.

Why shoot someone when they'll just suffocate and freeze in space?
I'll hibernate because we have spaceships and all that fancy stuff now.

Why shoot someone when they'll just suffocate and freeze in space?


Because they will breathe the air you need and then you both suffocate.
If you shoot someone, then your air will last longer.

Your shuttle has crash-landed in the asteroid belt, and only you and four other people are alive. You have managed to call for a rescue team, but you do not know your exact location, and it will take them anywhere from 1-10 days to reach you depending on whether there are other ships in the area or whether they immediately launch from home. In total, you have 12 days worth of air for 1 person, or 6 days for 2, etc. Without air, you will die in minutes.
You also happen to have a gun.
What do you do?
Hmmm. Well, first it depends on what type of gun I have. If we're confined to the shuttle and I have a standard pistol, well, that doesn't do me shit, does it? The last thing I'd need is an explosion in the oxygenated environment. I'd probably talk them into drawing lots for random self-sacrifice, weed us to three people, then set the other two against each other in short order. Hopefully they'll kill one another and I'll have almost the full 12 days' worth of air to myself.

As for food, no clue what I'll do, 'cause I couldn't eat the people. I mean, I could probably bring myself to eat the people, but I'd just be throwing them up and making a mess of my space suit and all sorts of problems, so I'd be screwed for food.

If you shoot someone, then your air will last longer.
Why waste a bullet when I could just press "open" on the spacesuit to kill them? That is when the suffocating and freezing comes in.

Because they will breathe the air you need and then you both suffocate.
If you shoot someone, then your air will last longer.
I go for both suffocating. Unless the other person goes all altruistic and commits suicide, but I'm not gonna toss in the idea first.

Simonist']As for food, no clue what I'll do, 'cause I couldn't eat the people. I mean, I could probably bring myself to eat the people, but I'd just be throwing them up and making a mess of my space suit and all sorts of problems, so I'd be screwed for food.
A human being can survive 1-10 days without food without any fears of serious health problems, as long as there's water to be drunk. At worst you'll lose a couple of pounds that'll grow back when you start nourishing yourself again.

Heck, people go on hunger strikes for 20-30 days and arent crippled by it.

Simonist']Hmmm. Well, first it depends on what type of gun I have. If we're confined to the shuttle and I have a standard pistol, well, that doesn't do me shit, does it? The last thing I'd need is an explosion in the oxygenated environment. I'd probably talk them into drawing lots for random self-sacrifice, weed us to three people, then set the other two against each other in short order. Hopefully they'll kill one another and I'll have almost the full 12 days' worth of air to myself.

As for food, no clue what I'll do, 'cause I couldn't eat the people. I mean, I could probably bring myself to eat the people, but I'd just be throwing them up and making a mess of my space suit and all sorts of problems, so I'd be screwed for food.


Firing the weapon poses no safety risk to anyone, except for the target you are aiming at, of course.

You were already travelling in space, you have food and water rations that will last until rescue. Your problem is that you are running out of air because of the crash.

A human being can survive 1-10 days without food without any fears of serious health problems, as long as there's water to be drunk. At worst you'll lose a couple of pounds that'll grow back when you start nourishing yourself again.

Heck, people go on hunger strikes for 20-30 days and arent crippled by it.
Huh. I thought if I went that long without food there would be problems. My bad.

Firing the weapon poses no safety risk to anyone, except for the target you are aiming at, of course.

You were already travelling in space, you have food and water rations that will last until rescue. Your problem is that you are running out of air because of the crash.
Naw, I still don't think I'd use the gun, I'm not too keen on those.

Why waste a bullet when I could just press "open" on the spacesuit to kill them? That is when the suffocating and freezing comes in.


There are no spacesuits, you're in the shuttle still, but you have no propulsion to leave and your air supply is dwindling.

There are no spacesuits, you're in the shuttle still, but you have no propulsion to leave and your air supply is dwindling.
But it stands to reason that one would certainly have to have space suits even on the shuttle, especially in a situation where it's mostly incapacitated. Especially considering the likelihood, as well as the unknown factors influencing said likelihood, that the air could run out at any time, or the life-supporting systems should fail entirely, etc.

There are no spacesuits, you're in the shuttle still, but you have no propulsion to leave and your air supply is dwindling.
What about my Wonder Powers?
http://www.tvcrazy.net/tvclassics/wallpaper/cartoons/superfriends/wondertwins.jpg

I'd draw lots to see who dies. Of course, if I get picked, I'd just kill everyone.

There are no spacesuits, you're in the shuttle still, but you have no propulsion to leave and your air supply is dwindling.
Then, I'll trick them into going into the part of the ship that opens, lock them in there, and eject them. [NS]Simonist's reasoning is dead on. Wohoo!

Your shuttle has crash-landed in the asteroid belt, and only you and four other people are alive. You have managed to call for a rescue team, but you do not know your exact location, and it will take them anywhere from 1-10 days to reach you depending on whether there are other ships in the area or whether they immediately launch from home. In total, you have 12 days worth of air for 1 person, or 6 days for 2, etc. Without air, you will die in minutes.
You also happen to have a gun.
What do you do?
Hmm... you could kill all except one person and if the rescue team doesn't arrive by the third day shoot the remaining person. You'd still have enough air left if it takes them ten days, and you avoid having to kill everyone instantly, with the bonus that two people would survive if the rescue team arrived with three days. Alternatively kill all except two others, and then kill them if the rescue team doesn't arrive by the second day.

Simonist']Huh. I thought if I went that long without food there would be problems. My bad.

Well, it's not exactly healthy to lose a dozen of pounds due to being underfed, but being in that situation once will not have any permanent effects on your health as long as you're cared for properly once you're rescued.

Again, hunger strikes are examples of that. 10 days without food doesn't kill someone, as long as you have water. However, if you lack water, it's safe to say you probably won't last 3 days at best.

Then, I'll trick them into going into the part of the ship that opens, lock them in there, and eject them. [NS]Simonist's reasoning is dead on. Wohoo!
The happiest moment of my life..... *tear* :p

Well, it's not exactly healthy to lose a dozen of pounds due to being underfed, but being in that situation once will not have any permanent effects on your health as long as you're cared for properly once you're rescued.

Again, hunger strikes are examples of that. 10 days without food doesn't kill someone, as long as you have water. However, if you lack water, it's safe to say you probably won't last 3 days at best.
I was going to comment in reference to drinking urine, which I heard will get you by (actually I don't even think I'd be able to do that, but I was watching Moral Orel the other night and the urine episode squicked me out, so it's fresh in my mind). I guess, with lack of water, that could at least sustain you and give you the barest of chances....?

Where we on a search for the delicious space cabbage? If so, then I'll just eat my big bag of 'shrooms.

/Weebl 'n Bob

Astronauts are highly trained, surely they can come up with something?

Simonist']The happiest moment of my life..... *tear* :p
*is proud to give someone the happiest moment of thier life...* *tear*

On the urine, I don't think it would be good. There's some good stuff, but the most is waste fluid, so its pretty pointless to drink.

Hmm... you could kill all except one person and if the rescue team doesn't arrive by the third day shoot the remaining person. You'd still have enough air left if it takes them ten days, and you avoid having to kill everyone instantly, with the bonus that two people would survive if the rescue team arrived with three days. Alternatively kill all except two others, and then kill them if the rescue team doesn't arrive by the second day.

Of course the surviving person(s) will most likely figure out what's going to happen to them/him/her and try to grab the gun from you, eventually resulting in you shooting them all anyway.

Way to go.

Your shuttle has crash-landed in the asteroid belt, and only you and four other people are alive. You have managed to call for a rescue team, but you do not know your exact location, and it will take them anywhere from 1-10 days to reach you depending on whether there are other ships in the area or whether they immediately launch from home. In total, you have 12 days worth of air for 1 person, or 6 days for 2, etc. Without air, you will die in minutes.
You also happen to have a gun.
What do you do?
Take a crash course in Yoga breath control. :p

Okay, so 12 days of air for one, 6 days for two... so three days of air if we all sit there and wait it out.

I wait until the last day of air before I shoot them all. After all, I don't want to shoot them, then have the rescue team turn up 5 minutes later with extra air and everything.

Before that happens, we spend the time we have working on trying to cut down on the loss of air - trying to repair the oxygen tanks and what have you. If none of that's possible, then we just sit there and conserve all the air we can. One person always monitors the air levels, the other two sit where I can see them, and no one touches the gun but me.

On second thought, I would shoot myself. At least, I'd like to say that I'd shoot myself, but I probably wouldn't be able to bring myself to do it. Yeah, I'd have to kill them all about a day in.

Ha! I've got you all beat because Zombies don't need air! (thought it does help for talking and such)

Simonist']But it stands to reason that one would certainly have to have space suits even on the shuttle, especially in a situation where it's mostly incapacitated. Especially considering the likelihood, as well as the unknown factors influencing said likelihood, that the air could run out at any time, or the life-supporting systems should fail entirely, etc.


OK, there are spacesuits on the shuttle, but no one is wearing one and you're still in the shuttle's air.
The air the spacesuits can provide is part of the known 12 day supply.
(spacesuits don't magically make air for you to breathe)

What about my Wonder Powers?
http://www.tvcrazy.net/tvclassics/wallpaper/cartoons/superfriends/wondertwins.jpg


They still work fine, but you still need to breathe.
Of course, your powers are useless here because neither your twin, nor even Gleep is with you.

Then, I'll trick them into going into the part of the ship that opens, lock them in there, and eject them. [NS]Simonist's reasoning is dead on. Wohoo!

Sooo, you still kill them all, but you just don't want to shoot them??

All of us will just let our Sus-an Membranes kick in and we will wait for our battle brothers to pick us up. Problem solved :D

Simonist']I was going to comment in reference to drinking urine, which I heard will get you by (actually I don't even think I'd be able to do that, but I was watching Moral Orel the other night and the urine episode squicked me out, so it's fresh in my mind). I guess, with lack of water, that could at least sustain you and give you the barest of chances....?
Yes, I hadn't thought of that, and it might delay the inevitable a bit. But bear in mind we lose most of our water due to perspiration and other bodily function, so you couldn't survive indefinately. Still, it might be enough to keep you alive until the rescue crew arrives, yes.

*is proud to give someone the happiest moment of thier life...* *tear*

On the urine, I don't think it would be good. There's some good stuff, but the most is waste fluid, so its pretty pointless to drink.
It's not waste fluid, it's waste nutriments and sometimes toxins that your body is rejecting. The water contained in urine is perfectly fine. It's all the other stuff mixed in it that's icky. All the things your body decided it didn't need to function.

Your shuttle has crash-landed in the asteroid belt, and only you and four other people are alive. You have managed to call for a rescue team, but you do not know your exact location, and it will take them anywhere from 1-10 days to reach you depending on whether there are other ships in the area or whether they immediately launch from home. In total, you have 12 days worth of air for 1 person, or 6 days for 2, etc. Without air, you will die in minutes.
You also happen to have a gun.
What do you do?
Two words: Kelno Reem! :D

Guns won’t be taken into space for reasons like this. Shooting guns in space capsules is very bad for everyone’s survival including the shooter. As someone has already mentioned if you didn’t destroy a vital system or cause a critical breach in the shell, you’d be possibly looking at setting a fire in the capsule.

Besides in space musical chairs around the flight cabin is much more civilized. :)
Given the time constraints you’re all probably going to die anyways, you might as well die with some dignity or go for a space walk: “I may be gone for some time…”

The Bruce

Guns won’t be taken into space for reasons like this. Shooting guns in space capsules is very bad for everyone’s survival including the shooter. As someone has already mentioned if you didn’t destroy a vital system or cause a critical breach in the shell, you’d be possibly looking at setting a fire in the capsule.

Besides in space musical chairs around the flight cabin is much more civilized. :)
Given the time constraints you’re all probably going to die anyways, you might as well die with some dignity or go for a space walk: “I may be gone for some time…”

The Bruce


Space vehicles aren't made of rice paper.
If it can't handle a random gun shot, how can it handle the pressure and I'm not about to put my life in one if it can't.

Given the time constraints, you will easily live with a minimum of 2 days of air to spare IF you opt to kill everyone else to ensure your survival.

Two words: Kelno Reem! :D


You're not a Jaffa.

They still work fine, but you still need to breathe.
Of course, your powers are useless here because neither your twin, nor even Gleep is with you.
Wonder Powers...






dwindling?