I Can Has ROFL Nyao? Or, The ROTFLMAO of the Catgirl

[ECSNorway]

From the still-going-strong-in-debate SpaceBattles "An Entry With A Bang" round-robin, in which TomClancy's Earth is ISOT'ed into the deep Periphery of the Battletech universe:

JTibbs:

coffee was mentioned earlier several times.

Its a very temperamental cash crop, and much loved.

I wouldn't be surprised if actual coffee was somewhat rare across the IS, and most common people have to make due with imitation coffees made of stuff like roasted bran and additives.

Tea, on the other hand, is much easier to grow, and tolerates a wider range of conditions.

Demon_Hunter:

My god, we may just have discovered the real reason for the IS technical decline. Far more damaging than nuclear weapons, lost libraries, and ROM assassins. Engineers forced to work whilst powered by nothing but weak Tea and Chicory.

Caffeine deficiency is also the perfect explaination for the presence of so many obvious design flaws in most military equipment. In such a world Middle Managers would make perfect sense to their employees, every stupid idea would seem clever, and innovation would dissapear as the zombielike scientist completely missed every potential use for new technology, especially the obvious ones.

Ed Beccera:

I can see them experimenting with eucalyptus tea out of desperation.

That would explain why they are all aggressive and crabby, they're likely making it wrong.

After all... the koala tea of mercy is never strained.

--
Sucrose Octanitrate.
Proof positive that with sufficient motivation, you can make anything explode.