Survey Closed. Apologies for the delay, a lot of stuff came up.
Here's what you got.
Tactical Turn Results
[X] Stomach Contents
Probing the stomach contents of a filter feeding organism the size of a football field was an interesting experience for most of your scientists. And by interesting, they meant creepy and unnerving. Still, they did discover a lot about the whales diet. It seems that they mostly feed on the gases of the jovian-like environment itself, filtering in heavy particles that then get broken down and digested by various enzymes and acids, same as most any other living organism really. Such particles can vary from micro-fine dust not all to different from proplyd material to chunks as large as their mouths can stretch.
Fortunately it seems that the whales themselves have no teeth, so it's highly doubtful that they're carnivorous. That seems to be the Manta's evolutionary niche.
Further investigation did reveal something quite useful though. A beneficial gut bacteria was found that is highly efficient at breaking down organic molecules. Samples and testing reveal they could have an enormous benefit to any organic recycling measures you care to implement.
Reward: Stomach Contains Beneficial Microbe, +100% to Recycling Tanks
[X] The Brain
Whales on Earth are believed to be intelligent, even if their language is an uncrackable mess of metaphor and impenetrable cultural references to which you have no reference points. Many of your scientists were both excited and afraid that they'd gone out and killed the Whale's equivalent of Mozart, Picasso, or Einstein.
They needn't have worried. The whales are as dumb as a doorknocker. Dumber in fact. Though their brains are quite large in comparison to even the brainiest terran creature, the neurons are too spread out for them to have any sort of coordinated and focused intellect, being more akin to dullest cows. They have enough intelligence to smell out new sources of food, to breed, to recognise danger, and so forth, but abstract reasoning, language and even self awareness are questionable. As one report put it "They have more in common with a terran fish than they do a terran whale."
Reward: Knowledge on Whale Intellect, +10 to future Whale Hunts
[X] Strange Corkscrew Structures
While your other research teams were covering the more familiar structures to expand your knowledge about the whales in general, these structures piqued the interest of many, having no earthly equivalent of any kind.
They set to work eagerly, though carefully, dissecting the structures in order to determine precisely what they were for.
After much consternation and debate, along with some plain observation, your scientists have determined that these corkscrews are a unique form of propulsion. A series of microstructures cover the surfaces of the corkscrew. As gas passes over them, a strange electrochemical effect occurs, with the resulting gas escaping the structure faster than it entered. The result is propulsion, allowing the whales to move their bulk with much more agility than a mere flipper could muster, though they seem to have retained those structures for attitude control.
The corkscrew propulsor is able to vary its width and length, and thus the strength of its propulsive effect, as well as close off altogether, allowing the whale to stop. Reversing the direction of the corkscrew seems to have the reverse effect, allowing the whales to slow down without turning.
Your scientists believe that they can replicate the structure for the most part for incorporation into the drone designs that were drawn up a while back. Additionally, they believe that a propulsion module could be added onto the L'Amour's outer engine block that would allow for faster transit within the Briar Patch. For obvious reasons, this propulsive method only works within your home region of space.
Reward: Unique Propulsion, Corkscrew Propulsion Module (Requires Drydock): Reduces transit time to exit Briar Patch down to one week (two months by default), +200 Drone Research
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So, you got some fairly nice bonuses, and there are definitely more in the wings. Whale hunting will be a repeatable military action which will result in further tactical turns, but bear in mind that while the whales are essentially stupid, they're not completely dumb and will wise up to your hunting them over time or if you roll poorly.
As an aside, if you succeed on your next whale hunt, you can repeat these actions again, though your bonuses will be slightly lower.
I need to do some bookeeping cleanup and rolls for the end of your first year as a colony. So far you've done well.