X E N O M O R P H
(By Pandora)
ALL DOCS, AS EVER, TYPED BY THE ONE AND ONLY...
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Welcome to Xenomorph, a whole new world will open up before you when you
take your first steps from your space ship.
To help you survive why not try out the game controls within the confines
of your ship the Mombassa Oak.
Once you are familiar with the game controls detailed in the intro section,
sit back and read the Novella.
The Novella contains a history of events leading up to your present
position.
The sections on Equipment and Weapons are intended to be used as reference
so why not leave those sections until you find objects with which you are
unfamiliar.
The Appendix section is contained on a seperate sheet and contains extra
instructions that may be relevant to your machine. It also contains a
useful keyboard control guide.
Xenomorph is not just a game but a test of survival, your ultimate aim is
to return to civilisation (ALIVE!).
Hint: remember, short controlled bursts.
SCREEN LAYOUT
-------------
The game screen is divided into one large area and five smaller ones.
AREA 1 (Large Section) : is the main view of the outside world.
AREA 2 (Top Left) : is the statistical area.
AREA 3 (Middle left) : is the special equipment area.
AREA 4 (Bottom left) : shows what is contained in the left hand.
AREA 5 (Cursors) : contains the movement icons.
AREA 6 (Bottom right) : shows what is contained in the right hand.
The six movement icons allow you to move about the ship and mining colony.
ARROW 1 : Rotates you anticlockwise through 90 degrees.
ARROW 2 : Moves you forward 10 feet.
ARROW 3 : Rotates you clockwise through 90 degrees.
ARROW 4 : Moves you left 10 feet whilst maintaining the direction you are
facing.
ARROW 5 : Moves you backwards 10 feet.
ARROW 6 : Moves you right 10 feet whilst maintaining the direction you are
facing.
Simply place the mouse over the respective movement icon and press the left
mouse button. Holding down the mouse button will continually move you in
the chosen direction.
Alternatively use the keyboard controls to emulate the mouse icons.
(refer to keyboard control card).
THE INVENTORY
-------------
Objects may be stored for later use by entering the inventory scree. To do
this press the right mouse button.
The main view area of the screen will be replaced by your inventory screen
and now you can place objects in the pack of the inventory screen.
Objects may be carried in your back pack and placed in any one of the
twenty five zones within it. Placing an object on an already occupied zone
will exchangee your currently held object with it.
You can place objects quickly into your pack without accessing the
inventory screen by placing the object onto the stats screen and then
pressing the left mouse button. The object will be thrown into the pack's
next available zone.
MOVING OBJECTS
--------------
To pick up objects the hand pointer must be visible. If it is not then click
on the right mouse button once, so that the hand icon appears. The reason
the hand icon is not visible is because you are in fire mode.
Point at the object you wish to pick up and press the left mouse button.
The hand icon will disappear and it will be replaced by the objects image.
Failure to successfully pick up an object off the floor usually means you
are standing to far from it. Try moving closer to the required object.
Objects can be stored in the packs inventory for later use.
Try experimenting with objects you are unfamiliar with to see what they do.
STATISTICS
----------
When you choose your character he or she will have five sets of statistics
which describe how well they are. Each column cannot be increased above its
maximum, e.g. you cannot by artificial meanss increase your health beyond
100% by continually taking drugs.
The red column displays HEALTH.
As you suffer damage from attacking aliens your health decreases. When the
red column reaches zero you will die. Your health can be increased with the
correct medication.
The blue column displays STAMINA.
As you rush about the mining colony you will become tired and your stamina
will decrease. When your stamina reaches zero you will be too exhausted to
carry on. You can regain you stamina by simply resting or by use of certain
types of drugs.
The white column displays RADIATION ABSORBED DOSE.
Due to the widespread use of radioactive elements in many day to day items,
leaks are inevitable.
Some areas aboard the ship also have high background level of radiation.
The white column indicates the cumulative amount of radiation recieved by
you. As it reaches a maximum your health and stamina will begin to suffer.
As time goes by you will become progressively more and more poisoned by
radiation.
To decrease the amount of radiation poisoning a series of drugs have been
developed and these can totally counteract the effects of radiation
sickness.
The green column displays FOOD LEVEL.
Food is an indication of how starving you are. When you run low on food
your stamina suffers as well as your health.
Eating food will increase your food level up to a maximum of 100%.
Eating food when your food level is at a maximum is wasteful and has no
effect.
The yellow column displays WATER LEVEL.
Water is essential to life and how thirsty you are will effect your stamina
and eventually your health.
Dehydration is increased when you run or wear enviromental suits.
Dehydration is also enhanced by the air conditioning units.
Drinking will increase your water level.
LOAD / SAVE GAME
----------------
Select the inventory screen by clicking on the right mouse button.
Select the small disk icon at the top of the inventory screen.
To save your current game position, select the save game icon and follow
the on screen prompts.
To load a previously saved game select the load game icon and follow the on
screen prompts.
To return to the game select the game icon.
NOVELLA
-------
The fresh glass of beer in front of me was my thrid, and already I was
enjoying myself. I took a mouthful of the sweet brew and returned to the
conversation.
"That was the old Hypersleep 2-21s. They don't make those anymore," Zena
was saying.
"Still," I shrugged, "At least they were better than the Zion 14s.
Remember the Beijing San?"
"What happened to the Beijing San?" Sam Ansell looked woried. I could
swear he had turned a shade whiter since we started drinking. It was his
fault really. He should know better than to ask a couple of old star
jockeys like Zena and myself about interstellar travel. He was making his
first trip out in the morining and wanted a little reassurance. Could we
help allay his fears?
How could we refuse? He had brought the first round after all. I had
started with the old story about the XP-17A, which he had heard anyway. I
embellished it slightly, mentioning that since then onboard sensors had
occasionally caught sight of the missing test flight while in the Big
Empty.
That lead onto other missing flights. We had since moved onto
malfunctions in the cryogenics. The Beijing San was quite a good one, if a
little fantastic.
"Well, nobody really knows," said Zena. "The Beijing San turned up at
Procyon on schedule but something has gone wrong with the freezers."
"The Zion 14s?"
"Exactly. Nobody knows how they malfunctioned, but instead of freezing
the crew and passengers, the 14s cooked them instead. Eighteen months of
slow cooking reduced everyone aboard to a thick redish slime. It was
disgusting."
"But I wouldn't worry about that," I added seeing Sam's face turn a
shade whiter. "We haven't lost anyone in the freezers for about three years
now. They're perfectly safe. Don't worry." I hid a smile in my beer.
This was fun. I was glad I accepted Zena's invite for a last drink
before my trip. It promised to be spectacularly dull - a routine supply
drop to a bunch of grubby miners in the Sirus system.
That was tommorrow, for now we werer propped up in Roxy's, one of two
gravity bars in the Vetz orbital dockyard complex. We sat by the window
overlooking a shadowed earth below us.
"Well. You could cop out." Zena casually took a swig from her glass,
waiting for Sam to take the bait.
He did not disappoint her, "Cop out? What does that mean?"
"Cross Over Psychosis. C - O - P. Cop out, "she said, as if that
explained everything.
Sam still looked blank, so I elaborated. "You see the Big Empty drives
you mad. Scrambles your-" I stopped seeing the blank look on his face.
"The Big Empty?"
Zena sighed. "Hyperspace."
He nodded knowingly. It had dozens of names: hyperspace, warp,
nullspace, jump, spaceminus, spaceplus. That mystery region of imaginary
physics beyond Crossover which permitted mankind access to the stars.
"Call it what you will, it's the Big Empty to us. You see." she stared
straight into his blue eyes, "There's nothing there."
He stared back, locked by those entrancing eyes.
"Anyhow," I said a mite testily, "the Big Empty scrambles your brains.
the effect has been known about ever since the first tests. That's why we
have the freezers. Didn't you learn about this?"
Sam coughed embarrassedly. "No, I never expected to leave the Halkan
Services metroplex."
"So what are you doing here? What do you want with a hell hole like
Edenia?"
"I'm escorting the new third generation Tashita Central Nervous System
to Halkna on Edenia. I'm an analyst, but I can perform the required
hardware surgery in a pinch. I wasn't supposed to go, but the girl I'm
replacing was arrested yesterday."
Third generation CNS was new to me. My last ship was fitted with a first
generation system. I didn't even know that there had been a second. That
was the only problem with jockeying. You spent so long away from
civilization that everything changed. Still, the money was good.
"You were telling me about cop out," prompted Sam.
"Yeah, right. Where was I? Oh yes, the Big Empty. Well, it affects
something in the brain. It's something to do with mylar coating on the
nerves, or something like that. Anyway, you go vegetable if you don't
freeze, it's as simple as that."
I finished my drink and called over the barkeep. Sam must have figured
that we were only jestering, he had finally finished his first glass.
"However," Zena said as I ordered another round, "Big Empty can still
hit you in the freezers. You're supposed to be safe, but there's always
that small percentage that you're going to cop out. There was that guy on
the Midnight Ice. he thought there were little green men living inside his
head, so he tried to chop his skull open to get them out. Cop out."
"So much of it depends on the ship," I said, handing out the beer.
"Which one you booked with?"
"Ah, the Alder."
Zena sat back and laughed, "Well, you've got no worries there then.
That's a german ship - she wont fail on you."
"Mind you, the ship maybe safe but the food certainly isn't. I'd slip
straight into the freezers and avoid the pre-freeze meal if I were you."
the germans were great engineers but lousy cooks.
Sam shifted on his stool. "So, don't you worry? I mean, with all these
terrible things that can go wrong. Don't you ever think that your next
trip might be your last."
"Not really," answered Zena. "Ships are getting safer everytime. I mean,
you go out on a three year round trip and when you get back a new ship
that's three years more reliable."
"Not only that," I added, "but you won't find a star jockey without his
lucky St Kopek."
"The patron saint of spacemen," he smiled. he knew that one.
I reached around my neck and pinched through the cord around my neck
with my nails. I pulled the cord and the medallion out and rolled the
several ends of the cord between my fingers. In moments they had healed so
there was no scar. Cellular plastic, one of the new wonders surprising me
this time. I wondered what would change when I returned again in two years.
I passed the medallion over to Sam. "Three kinds of beans." he read. he
flipped it over to see the three coffee beans on the other side. He looked
at Zena, "Have you got one?"
"Of course, a tattoo. But I'm not showing you here," she raised her
eyebrow suggestively.
I felt a faint tinge of jealousy as he smiled briefly and blushed.
Tugging my medallion away from his grasp, I slipped it around my neck and
glanced at my wrist implant. "It's time I made a move. Early start in the
morning." I tipped back my head and emptied my glass, then stood.
"Hey, hold on-" said Sam.
"Yes. Just one more drink. I'll get it." Zena looked around for the
barkeep and tried to catch his eye. I returned to my stool.
"So, where you going?"
"Sirius," I said once I had settled down again. "Supply run to an Essen
mining platform, the Atargatis. Year out, year back. Sleepwalk."
"On the Mombassa Oak, did you say?" Zena finally caught the barkeep's
eye. "Isn't that an old Vetz design?"
"The 33a," I told her. "It's being scrapped after this run. I cast an
eye over her last week. They're doing some serious work kitting her out for
this job." I looked over to Sam. "I'm getting a first generation CNS-e7.
Anything I should know?"
He shrugged. "Not really. They're pretty reliable. Take care of itself."
"Well there's a surprise," Is said sarcastically. "Like everything else.
We're nothing more than janitors, you know. We don't do anything. the ship
takes off, navigates itself through the Big Empty and docks at the other
end. I don't have to press so much as a single button. Sometimes I just-"
"No." said Zena sharply. "Don't wish or it might come true. Ah, here are
the drinks." She started to take them from the barkeep.
"Sirius," mulled Sam. "Isn't that a double star?"
I shrugged. It did't matter to me. One destination was pretty much like
any other. Black, empty and cold.
"You going to Sirius?"
I looked up at the barkeep and nodded.
"Atargatis?" He said it in a thick accent that I couldn't place.
"Yeah. Why?"
"You supply ship?"
"Yeah. So?"
"Shadowfaith left for Sirius five month back." he turned to leave.
"Whoa," called Zena, halting him. "How do you know?"
"Crew here. Drink. Talk." The barkeep left.
I looked down at my drink and thought. Shadowfaith was Osaka's ship.
What was one of the Essen board members doing in a tiny mining outpost in a
dead end system?
Sam coughed, "I heard rumours recently. Through Halkan."
I looked up at Sam, "Rumours about what?"
"Osaka was buying weaponry recently. State of the art firepower. Sonita
12.64mm Close Assault Weapons. Optik Laboratories 70 Megawatt Auto-Laser.
Heavy stuff."
Zena stared incredulously, "It's just a mining platform. What do they
want with all that hardware?"
"Rumour around Halkan had it that Essen had discovered some form of
actuated liquid superconductor. Chezalure Chemicals has somehow got wind of
it. I think you'll find the Spirit of St Louis headed out that way just
before Osaka left."
I rolled my eyes ceilingwards. I hoped I wasn't walking into a warzone.
That would be fun.
"Great. Anything else to cheer me up?"
"Just getting my own back," he smiled smugly.
Zena looked at him and raised an eyebrow.
"For those horor stories," he elaborated. "You had me there for a
moment," he added seeing Zena smile mischievously.
"So," she said, "We embellished them a little. Here and there."
"If you want some fun, get hold of Crossover by a guy called Smythe.
It's superb for lurid accidents and mysterious happenings. You can get
great reactions from idly dropping them in casual conversation." I laughed,
"What we've said is the tip of the iceberg."
He sudenly looked a little less certain.
"Perhaps," I added, "You has best read it upon your return." I stood,
"Now, I really must get away." I finished my drink and left Zena and Sam
behind. I weaved through the almost empty bar and out into the corridor.
Now, could I get to my quarters without entering a zero-gee area? The Vetz
dockyards had changed a little since I had been here last and I doubted I
could mamage to find my way back at all. I consulted a wallmao and
eventually found myself a rout that I could walk.
A de-tox tab would prevent a hangover in the morning. I popped one in
the communal bathroom and splashed water on my face. It was a smahe the
de-tox took so long to act. Head swimming slugishly in a thick syrup, I
stumbled to my coffin sized quaters and fell asleep.
Unfortunately, there was no way of avoiding the zer-gee areas in the
morning. I has to catch the shuttle that would ferry me over to the
Mombassa Oak, and that meant zero gravity. I packed slowly, trying to delay
the inevitable moment. It's really embarrassing. Space nausea is suffered
by dirtsiders, not experienced spacers. My other patron aint is whoever
invented artificial gravity. I could not have been any of those early
astronauts (Hell, they didn't even have Kopek watching over them).
I stood at the door between the two sections and took a deap breath.
reaching down I peeled off the soles of my shoes, revealing the velcrose
layer beneath. I shoved the soles in a ziptight pocket on my kitbag, and
slung it over my shoulder out of harms way. Moving forward, the door opened
automatically and I stepped out into nausea.
As usual, I felt fine at first but after a few minutes I began feeling
queasy. I walked dead straight along the 'bottom' of the corridor. Ohters
walked along the walls and ceiling, ignoring my discomfort. The sound of
footsteps was replaced by the risp-rasp of repeating velcrose. And the
pounding of my heart.
I should be used to this. I've been a spacer for 18 years now. Ah but, I
told myself, at least thirteen of those have been asleep. That left five
years, most of which was spent in artificial gravity. So I suppose mu space
sickness was not that shameful. Still, it was embarrassing.
It was none too soon before I strapped myself into the comforting,
padded acceleration couch on the shuttle. It was not compulsory - we would
not be accelerating anywhere fast. It was psychologically comforting
though.
"You okay?" The pilot twisted around to watch me strap myself in. he
looked older than I ded but his shoulder patch only indicated eight years
of service. Hell, anyone with eight years of service was older than me. I
supposedly had ten years experience on him, but had only lived five of
those.
"I'm fine. Just a touch of space sickness."
He grinned and turned away. I listened idly to the professional banter
between him and the traffic control and breathed a sigh of relief as a
faint pressure against my back told me we were moving.
The view outside slowly rotated until we were facing the westerm
drydocks. The Mombassa Oak was out there, somewhere. The pilot guided us
gently through ratlines and crowded space. Spacers on flybuggies darted
past. Robots tugging lumps of machinery drifted towards half completed
ships. New ships, not like mine.
"See that one," the pilot pointed towards a half completed ship in the
nearest drydock. "That's going to be the new Fly By Night. She's going to
be one mother of a mover." There was awe in his voice.
I craned my neck to get a better view. Sure, the Fly By Night was going
to be an impressive ship by any standards. I could tell this already. The
drives were shrouded from view, but the crew section was open to view.
Heavily plated, the nose of the ship had a feral, dangerous line.
"She's going to be fast. They say she's got some experimental Crossover
Drive. Expected to do Barnard's Run in under three months."
I whistled appreciatively. That was fast, knocking over a month off the
best times. I looked harder at the unfinished ship. Specks of light
reflected off robots and dockers working on her. I noticed the dark shape
of a patrol droid floating protectively near the shrouded drive section. I
doubted it was alone. Vetz was keeping this one under wraps.
I watched until we drifted out of sight, then turned my attention on
ehat appeared to be a piece of metallic driftwood. The Mombassa Oak was not
a pretty craft by anyone's standards. The Vetz 33a was not an elegant
design at the best of times, but the Mombassa Oak had been retrofitted on
numerous occasions and her origional lines could only just be discerned
beneath a mass of additional equipment.
The Mombassa Oak had been tugged out og her drydock and sat in open
space, just waiting for her skipper. Me. The supply pod dwarfed the ship by
comparison. It locked onto a dorsal mount, above the Oak's massive drive
section and was at least ten times the length of my fifty metre ship.
There, I was already calling her 'my' ship.
If the Mombassa Oak looked like nothing more than a pice of metal and
plastic space debris, the pod looked like a long bloated sack. Blisters and
warts decorated what might have been an elegantly tubular surface. One
particularly unsightly mess towards its end was the Crossover Booster,
ensuring that the Crossover field stretched tight around the pod.
Together, the Oak and the pod looked like a vast queen termite loaded
with eggs. As a drone approaches its queen, we slowly crept closer to the
massive ship. The pilot concentrated on the controls, recieving information
from his onboard. With a slight nudge we mated.
I scrambled out of the couch and pushed through to the docking ring.
There was graity aboard the Mombassa Oak.
"Welcome aboard, skipper," said a black girl with 'Smith F.J.'
stencilled above her breast pocket and three years service on her shoulder.
"Thank you Smith. F.J." I said with more feeling than was neccessary. I
had wieght again.
She laughed, "It's Fiona, please. Let me show you around."
"You can go if you like. I'm sure I can find my way."
"Maybe," she said opening the pressure door to the interior, "But I had
best show you around anyway."
I followed her through, relishing the sensation of weight again. Tossing
my kitbag on a bunk, I sat myself beside it and replaced the soles on my
shoes.
"Okay," Fiona popped open a panel revealing a mass of circuitry. "This
is where we've hidden the CNS. Do you want to give it a name?"
"No, Computer will do."
"Okay." She reached over and tapped buttons on the command panel."
CNS-e7. Keyword is 'Computer'."
"Keyword is Computer," repeated the sexless voice.
"I can do this myself you know," I said.
"Ah, I guess you can." Fiona popped the panel closed and shrugged. "If
you have any difficulties the manual is in the infeed." She pulled open the
hardcopy feed to reveal a mass of paper." It's pretty reliable,so I doubt
you'll need it."
She walked pas me to something I didn't recognise. "This is the only
non-standard piece of kit. It's a dispenser for stuff from the cargo pod.
Anything you want, just ask for. There's five years worth of supplies for
two hundred and fourteen people in there, so I doubt there's anything it
can't supply. There's a list on file if you need it."
I watched, then my eye caught sight of something else and I started
rummaging through my kitbag. Fiona, looking through the viewscreen at the
orbital dockyards had not noticed.
"And that's about it. Ah no. Except for one more thing. Now, where is
she?" Fiona stared opening lockers hunting for something.
I ignored her and concentrated on a gleaming white appliance in the
corner. Standard equipment on any spaceship, intersellar or otherwise.
There was more feeling generated by this item than any other, including
Crossover Drive. If the Kopek patent zero-gee coffee perculator failed, the
ship failed. It was coffee that ran the ships, not the Crossover Drive.
I slotted my own supply of coffee into the machine and waited. Lights
flickered green, but the real proof was in the tasting. While I waited
something nudged my legs. I looked down to see green eyes framed by smokey
grey fur. The ship's cat.
"Ah, I see you've found Hydrant."
I knelt and scratched the cat behind the ears. "Well Hydrant, are you a
boy or a girl?"
"Girl," supplied Fiona. Hydrant siad nothing, as was the way of cats.
"That's about it, I think. Time I went. Have a good trip."
"Thanks," I muttered absently. The coffee was almost ready.
Behind me the pressure door slid open and shut as Fiona stepped back to
the shuttle. As I took my first sip of the piping hot liquid a low clank
echoed through the ship. The shuttle had left. I sat in the command couch
with my feet on the console, watching the shuttle disappear into the
drydock maze. Hydrant sat on my lap, washing herslef.
"Computer."
"Yes skipper?"
"I think it's time we left. Run diagnostic."
"Running," the CNS replied.
I dedn't really have to tell the computer to do that, but it was
reassuring to actually do something on board. A row of lights lit a uniform
green on a board above me.
"Diagnostic run and complete. All systems functional," the CNS said
unnecessarily.
"Okay, let's go."
"Interfacing with flight control. Prepare for acceleration. Countdown
Running. Three, two, one, go."
Almost imperceptibly the low background hum deepened as the reaction
drive pushed the ship out of orbit towards Crossover. Vetz dockyards slid
past slowly as the Mombassa Oak started its one year voyage to another
star.
"Adios," I said softly.
I didn't do anything for the first couple of hours except stare out of
the viewscreen. Not that there was much to do anyway. We would reach
Crossover point in two days. I could go straight to sleep now, but I
preferred to stay awake as long as possible, checking and double checking.
The yards might have given the Oak a clean bill of health, but they weren't
the ones trusting their lives on it.
3 JANUARY 2134. FIRST DAY OF VOYAGE.
------------------------------------
All systems green.
I couldn't think of anything else to put in the log. I had spent a
couple of hours checking the freezer, but it checked out green. There were
three other freezers, relics from back when a crew of four was carried as
standard. Back when the companies realised that they were paying four
people too much for doing to little. The three other freezers were old but
serviceable. One was littered with cat hairs. No guessing which was
Hydrant's.
Highlight of the second day was an unplanned spacewalk. I didn't have to
do it, but it made a change. The dispenser had developed a glitch. I asked
for drypack pizza and got a pair of size 44 mining boots. They didn't even
fit.
I found one fault in the hardware - one of the pop-chips had come loose.
I pressed it back home and dialled another pizza but something must have
caused a bloackage. I could have sent one of the robot drones out ot take a
look, but I was restless already. The CNS located the blockage quickly
enough and it looked an easy job.
Sure enough, it took me little more than an hour, most of which was
spent sightseeing. The blockage itself was a couple of pizzas, the ones I
had ordered. They were jammed in the delivery chute running between the
cargo pod and the dispenser aboard the Oak.
4 JANUARY 2134. SECOND DAY OF VOYAGE.
-------------------------------------
Minor hardware failure in dispenser unit causing chute blockage. Diagnosed
and repaired successfully. All systems green.
The rest of the day I composed letters to various friends and relatives
and fired them back to Vetz for posting. I watched an old movie before
hitting the sack. It was one I had brought with me, and one I had seen
serveral times already. There was surprisingly few movies in the pod, until
I realised earlier ones would have been taken when the miners first went
out. All the entertainment packages aboard were under two years old.
That night I had a dream about two ship linked fatally by threads of
lethal green and red. An imaginary space battle between the Shadowfaith
and the Spirit Of St Louis. I woke in a sweat hunted for the weaponry
locker. I checked the Armstrong 35 MW hand laser and tried it out on the
mining boots, blasting them to slag. Pity the power cell was only half
chraged.
Four hours from Crossover and it was time to go to sleep. I ran a quick
eye over the Crossover drive, but it was beyond me. I knew where the
antimatter pellets were loaded, but that was about it. All the lights were
green, and that was good enough for me.
4 JANUARY 2134. THIRD DAY OF VOYAGE
-----------------------------------
Approaching Crossover. Another minor glitch in dispenser, but otherwise all
systems green.
I discovered the glitch as when I ordered the pre-freeze meal the
dispenser delivered considerably more than I had asked for. Hydrant and I
both ate well, and there was plenty left over. I didn't worry about the
glitch, I was quite happy for it to deliver more than I asked for,
After the meal it was time for the big chill. I knew better than to try
and put a freezerbag on an alert Hydrant, so I put her to sleep first
before bagging her up and shoving her in the freezer. With greens all over
her board I started to undress.
I sat in the freezer, with the freezerbag as far as my waist. I held the
syringe in my hand and aimed carefully. I don't know what it is in the junk
they pump into you, but it leaves a black circle. Spacers love them, scars
of their profession. I had arranged mine into a hexagon. Others did things
differently. Zena, I knew, was creating a lewd join-the-dots picture on her
thigh.
The syringe had to stay for the duration, allowing the CNS to pump me
full of all sorts of drugs it I went critical. It had been known. I taped
the syringe to my arm and pulled the freezerbag over my head, sealing it
shut. Tubes snaked out from the bag and into the freezer, one carrying my
syringe feed.
I lay down and the freezer hood sealed over me. "Good night computer."
There was no reply. I started to feel tired, closed my eyes and fell
asleep.
Three hundred and ninety-one days and eight point seven light years
later, I woke up.
Everything was cold. My arm was aching where the hypodermic had injected
me with something to wake me up. But why was it so cold? I opened my eyes
to see red lights everywhere. Emergency!
The freezer hood had already swung open and I sat upwards and tore the
freezerbag away. I was in no mind for being tidy - the CNS needed a damn
good reason to put me through emergency defrost. I was not about to hang
about tidying up. The freezing jelly had not yer drained away and it
splahed liberally across the deck as I leapt for the nearest pressure suit.
"Computer, what's going on?" I grunted, still groggy from the abrupt
waking. I could faintly smell burning.
"I hurt," came the reply.
I hurt? What kind of programming was that? I scanned the console while
struggling into the pressure suit. Pressure had not yet been lost, but if
this was a real emergency it could go any second. The console was littered
with little red lights. What had happened?
My mind reached back and dragged forth memories of a dream about a
battle between the Shadowfaith and the Spirit Of St Louis. I almost shouted
my surrender at that point, but that waould have been foolish. "Computer,
scan area."
"Scanning..." There was a brief pause while I clicked my helmet into
place. "Nothing in range -kipper."
I looked in concern at the computer, "Where are we?"
"C-Crossover point."
"Run diagnostic."
"Running. Crossover Drive malfuntion. -ooster Drive failed. Cargo still
in Big Empty. Resulting energy surge d-damaged Crossover Drive. Secondary
power -estroyed. CNS fatally -ounded. Background silicon -eriation setting
in. Backup component failed."
I swore. That made me feel better, so I swore again. At least it wasn't
battle damage, so I would not have to contend with anything so friendly as
a boarding party. Heat from the suit began to filter through to my cold
flesh. All that was missing was coffee.
"Computer, have we enough fuel to reach Atargatis?"
"Confirmed."
"Are the reaction drives still functioning?"
"Confirmed."
"Are we on rendezvoud course."
"Confirmed."
That was something. "Estimated time if arival?"
"Two point four days."
Excellent. Now I had to get in touch with them. They would have enough
parts to get me back, I only hoped that had enough supplies to last them
another two years. I doubted it, but perhaps they had enough freezers. I
doubted that as well. This fateful voyage was probably their death knell.
"Computer, cancel mayday." The distree call was automatic and would have
sounded immediately the CNS registered the malfunction. The Atargatis
should have been responding by now though.
"Distress call not sent. Transmiss- damaged."
"Great," I muttered. I still needed a coffee and programmed the Kopek
before starting my own tour of damage inspection. The computer panel Fiona
had checked when I arrived proved to be a real mess and the source of the
smouldering I could smell. I slid out the circuit boards and looked
forlornly at the chips. All sorts had gone, not least of which was the
navigation routines. Without that there was no way of getting back through
Crossover and to home. Still, Atargatis would have that sort of stuff.
Several other chips were obviously fried, and if background silicone
deterioration (whatever that was) was setting in then I could expect more
to go. There should be a chip-analyser somewhere aboard the Mombassa Oak.
Intelligently enough, it was sitting behind an adjacent panel. With my
coffee by my side, I sat on the floor and proceeded to check the chips.
I would have to check them again later, but for now I definitely knew I
needed the navigation chip, the Crossover power-regulation chip, and the
freezer control chip.
That done I cast an eye over the drive. The lights were green and it
looked okay. Still, it would be best it I asked one of the Atargatis's crew
to check it over. I didn't know what use the mining platform had for
antimatter pellets, but I certainly needed a few more. I had half a
canister helf, which would only throw me a couple of light years. I needed
at least two more.
Some of the freezers were damaged. I was lucky, Hydrant was less
fortunate. I left her there for the moment, I'd do something about her
later.
Food was a bit of a problem. All that I had to eat was the remains of
the pre-freezer meal, and only that which I had left in its drypack. A
pizza, three sandwiches and two tins of prime catfood. Not a feast to set
before a king, but it would keep me alive.
The artificial gravity was still working, which meant there was nothing
wrong with the reaction drive. There was obviously nothing wrong with the
pressure. The failure had not ruptured the hull, a fact for which I was
eternally grateful. More than a couple of hours in a pressure suit is
enough for anyone to cop out.
Which left the radio. Which I had to repait.
It turned out to be really trivial. I checked the physical components
after persuading the CNS to tell me where they were. They checked out and
eventually I traced the fault to the antenna outside. The diagnostic chip
had given up the ghost long before I found it. I didn't mind. A little hard
work wasn't doing this janitor any harm.
I suited up and went for a spacewalk. The missing cargo pod shocked me.
It had seemed to familiar and reassuring on my last trip outside. I studied
the torn and twisted mountings before turning away. As I did, something
caught my eye - a package somehow wedged under the broken dispenser. It was
a drypack cactus. I couldn't think of anything more useless, and tossed it
into the inky darkness.
"Well there's another one for Crossover."
The unfamiliar stars barely fazed me, but the huge gas giant in the
distance did. I had forgotten about that. A drwon drarf, or something. Why
on earth was it called a brown dwarf when it was so radiantly blue? I
eventually dragged my gaze away and scambled over the ship to where the
antenna was pointing towards the still visible Atargatis. The broken
connection was easy to find and took only a moment to weld tight.
I chinned the mike, "Mombassa Oak to Atargatis. Come in Atargatis, this
it the Mombassa Oak."
I waited several minutes, but there was no reply. Perhaps the radio was
still broken? Still, I should have been getting icoming calls. Surely they
would have spotted me by now?
"Mombassa Oak to Atargatis," I repeated a little more desperately. Why
didn't they respond?
It puzzled me, but not enough to stay out here. The thought of another
coffee spurred my actions onwards and in a few minutes I was through the
airlock and out of the auit. Moments after that I was relaxing in the
acceleration couch with my feet up and a coffee in my hands. Suddenly the
problem of not being able to contact the mining platform did not seem to be
so urgent. It was probably a faulty transmitter on their part.
I tried again to raise them, without success. Worries gradually crept in
again. Why weren't they answering? Perhaps the Spirit Of St Louis had
destroyed the platform?
"Computer, run me a visual scan of Atargatis, as much detail as you can
give me."
"-firmed."
At least the CNS was still taking orderes. I wondered how long that
would last. The scan would take a while to build up a detailed image, si I
decided to attend to Hydrant.
There's a popular myth perpetuated by the movie industry that spacers
traditionally bury their dead in space, leaving them to float eternally in
the heavens. It doesn't work like that, but I honestly couldn't think of
anything else to do with Hydrant. I scooped her lifeless body out of the
lukewarm gloop and dumped it in the airlock. I said a few dumb words then
hit the manual override, opening the outer doors. She was gone.
31 JANUARY 2135. THREE HUNDRED AND NINETY-FOURTH DAY OF VOYAGE.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Severe malfunction in Crossover Drive. Cargo lost, CNS failing. Fuel low.
Am unable to reach Essen mining platform Atargatis, they don't respond.
Atargatis appears undamaged. Ship's cat died in freezer malfunction, buried
at sea.
Sure enough the image had shown the base to be perfectly intact. No
battle damage was evident. Perhaps they had all gone stir crazy? Why didn't
they respond?
After I had slept I started theorising wildly. Perhaps UFOs had visited
and carted them all away? Perhaps the Spirit Of St Louis had boarded and
taken the Atargatis. Perhaps I had copped out after all?
To relieve the boredom, and to take my mind wawy from increasingly
strange ideas I hunted through the library for information on Atargatis and
Sirius.
Sirius was a double star. Sirius-A was a type A1 star. Sirius-B was a
more interesting A7 white dwarf. Each orbited the other about a common
centre. The rest of the system was fairly dull, a collection of rocks, ice
and gas giants. The platform was located on something called a shepherding
satellite, part of an acient wolrd which had been torn apart by tidal
forces. The rest of the world was scattered in the brown dwarf's orbit.
Damn clever whoever it was that had figured all this out. They even
reckoned that the world had an atmosphere.
I forwarded through the technical stuff, it was all greek to me anyway.
Following that were a couple of legends about the 'Dog Star'. The funniest
was about a tribe of ancient africans that believed a bunch of intelligent
frogs had descended from Sirius and told them what a wonderful place it
was. Their knowledge of the double system was quite uncanny - the africans
(they called themselves the Dogon tribe) apparently knew about it long
before a gut called Bessel announced the presence of Siriurs-B in 1844.
Weird.
Over my second coffee of the day I browsed through the data on
Atargatis. It was a standard Essen construction, modular design and built
be Essen VN-II von Neumann machines. Work had started five years ago and
was already to start production after that.
The Atargatis mined a Nipolar Cobalt Lattice which was essential for
the new level of theoretically intelligent CNS computers. The lattice could
be produced in the labatory, but only minute quantities as it required
incredible pressure, staggering temperatures and a very long time. The
material crystallised at an agonisingly slow rate. To get a crystal the
size of a pinhead would take something in the order of five thousand years.
Crystals the size of thumbnails had been found by an Essen probe on the
shepherd. Theorists predicted crystals the size of footballs deeoer in the
satellite, and maybe on ther rocks as well. No wonder Essen had set up
Atargatis.
As yet, there had been no further exploration, but the file said it was
a future possibility if the Atargatis was a success.
I called up the plans and browsed through them. It seemed as everything
I needed, the chips and the fuel would be there. The food was bound to be
there, two hundred men had to eat something. They still didn't answer my
calls for help, but J had given up thinking of reasons. I'd find out
tomorrow.
1 FEBRUARY 2135. THREE HUNDRED AND NINETY-FIFTH DAY OF VOYAGE
-------------------------------------------------------------
CNS deteriorating. Atargatis still refuses to break radio silence. Food
very low.
In fact, I had eaten the first of the tins of catfood just before I
slept. I was saving the second for later and was beginning to look forward
to it. It wasn't all that bad, certainly tastier than the drypak
sandwiches. Probably more nutritious too.
I could see the shepherding satellite when I woke. I could also see
that the Mombassa Oak had inherited some unwelcome stabalization problems.
"Computer, we're spinning."
"-n. -. -rol."
Damn, the computer was just about dead. "Computer, give me control," I
ordered.
No reply.
"Computer," I shouted. "Give me control!"
"Y-you... -ontrol."
Thank you. "I have control," I confirmed.
The controls were dead, the computer had not heard me. "I have control,"
I shouted desperately. The spin was increasing.
"Confirmed." The controls suddenly responded and I was flying the
Mombassa Oak alone. Calling on skills I hadn't used in years I brought the
ship back on course.
"-ek. Na-... -in."
I didn't understand a word, but I knew what it meant. I needed a new CNS
board as well. I hpoed the mining platform had a spare, the CNS was not
something I could live without. There was no sense in worrying about it
now, I had a ship to pilot.
Four hours and as many cups of coffee later I made final course
corrections. Essen mining platform Atargatis lay silent below me. The
complex had power, but apparently no life. Not if the radio silence was
anything to go by.
A few gentle nudges on the control column and the Mombassa Oak mated
with the Atargatis with nothing more than a slight bump. I permitted myself
a gentle smile, "Not bad for a janitor."
I unstrapped myself from the acceleration couch and stared outside at
the platform complex. Where was everybody? That mystery would soon solve
itself, and then I could return to the problem of fixing the Mombassa Oak
and returning home.
Perhaps this time I'd get a promotion.
END
THE SHIP
MOMBASSA OAK
Ship Name : MOMBASSA OAK
Ship Type : VETZ TYPE TU/3C
Owner : CONLANE (58% Essen owned charter firm)
Layed Down : 13th May 2129
Length : 180 ft
Height : 65 ft
Width : 80 ft
Weight : 2150 tons
COMPUTER : Second generation Tashita central nervous system (CNS)
--------
HAULAGE RATING
--------------
0.1% failure 9800 tons
50% failure 20127 tons (estimated)
DRIVES
------
In-system
: Villards 49 Reaction drive
Max 4.9g acceleration (unladen)
Crossover
: Nysan type 5/knb Fueled by
Nysan CT pelltes (CT/5/knb)
CREW 4 max. (Normal deep sleep compliment for routine hauls 1)
----
MOMBASSA OAK LOG
----------------
Shakedown tour
--------------
Date left : 22nd Oct 2130
Returned : 18th Oct 2131
Destination : New Bali, Proxima Centauri
Distance : 4.5 ly
Time : 326 days in crossover total.
Carrying out : 5000 tons seeds/microchips/organoplasms/medical supplies.
Carrying in : 6700 tons Biospecimens/mineral samples/letters/videos.
Notes : Orbital rendezvous with the 'Ghost of Komodo' Ship performed well,
on outward leg crossover drive showed reluctance to re-enter normal
space, estimated 0.002 milliseconds delay. No structual damage.
No problems on return leg.
Date left : 23rd Jan 2132
Returned : 5th April 2133
Destination : Part of Survey Convoy to Barnards star
Distance : 6 ly
Time : 436 days in crossover total.
Carrying out : 9600 tons (300 people(deepslumbers + personal
effects)/scientific equipment).
Carrying in : empty.
Notes : Uneventfull outward leg.
Inward leg : 0.001 millisecond delay in crossover on re-entering normal
space.
Fault untracable.
Date left : 1st Jun 2133
Returned : 26th Jun 2133
Destination : Deep range 7, Oort cloud
Distance : 0.2 ly
Time : 18 days in crossover total.
Carrying out : 3200 tons basic supplies/luxuries
Carrying in : 9800 tons petrochemicals/plutonite slabs
Notes : Food dispenser malfunction, fixed easily.
Date left : 10th Sept 2133
Returned : 5th Dec 2133
Destination : Testudo nine slowboat
Distance : 1.2 ly
Time : 92 days in crossover total.
Carrying out : 4000 tons basic supplies/luxuries
Carrying in : 415 returning opt-outs (deepslumberers).
Notes : Outward bound slight crossover failure, overshoot by 600
million miles.
No tracable cause.
Return leg : uneventful.
Date left : 3rd Jan 2134
Returned :
Destination : Atargatis mining station Sirius system
Distance : 8.7 lytime
Carrying out : 9800 tons water/basic supplies/luxuries
Carrying in : ?
Notes :
EQUIPMENT
---------
MOTION DETECTOR :
This device detects micro changes in air density caused by the motion of a
body.
It emits radar beams in the xe band and triangulates using doppler and
phase shift.
It has three position coordinate switch used to select scan direction.
Position 1 is used to scan in front of you. Your position is located at the
bottom of the scanner.
Position 2 is used to scan behind you. Your position is located in the
centre of the scanner.
The detector has a power level indicator which will tell you when to change
the power module. The power modules is of the universal type 1.
The main screen shows points of light corresponding to the approximate
direction and distance of the moving object. Each square on the scanner
represents 10 feet in distance or one move location.
**************************************************************************
** Square object with grid of squares in centre. Power level above and **
** battery slot and position indictors on the left. On/off along bottom **
**************************************************************************
ATMOSPHERIC ANALYSER
Determines whether or not the atmosphere is capable of sustaining human
life.
When activated many litres of air are sucked in and sampled in only a few
seconds..
A miniature spectrum analyser determines the presence of various chemicals
in the sample and displays them on a bar chart.
As long as the chart only reads in the green zone then the air is safe to
breath.
And LED indicator is porvided on the power module to indicate charge
remaining. The power is of the universal type 1.
**************************************************************************
** Square object with square panel in centre. Power level above and **
** battery slot and position indictors on the left. On/off along bottom **
**************************************************************************
PERSONAL COMMUNICATOR
Everyone has a personal communicator. Not only does it enable you to talk
to any other communicator in range but it also updates the ships computer
of your health and location.
The communicator runs from a standard power module and an LED indicator
shows the power remaining.
Switch one sets the device to the local band and enables you to communicate
with the ships crew and computer.
Switch two sets the unit to wide range and allows contact to be established
with those within a hundred mile range.
Switch three allows you to place calls via a main computer to anyone
anywhere there is a local network
**************************************************************************
** Square object with a joystick style radio in centre. Power level **
** above and battery slot and position indictors on the left. On/off **
** along bottom. **
**************************************************************************
STANDARD POWER MODULE
Used to power all types of equipement. It actually consists of a miniature
cold fusion chamber able to provide megawatts of energy for short periods.
The power modules come in four different power capacities, from low
capacity as used in domestic electrical equipment, to high capacity ones
such as those used in heavy weapons.
Simply plug one into the appropriate slot on your device and your ready to
go.
**************************************************************************
** Looks like a battery !! **
**************************************************************************
SECURITY PASS
Basically an electronic key in the shape of a standard credit card.
the Pass enables access to various parts of the ship. Each card is colour
coded and each colour represents a different level of access.
The lowest card level, as issued to loaders etc would not enable them to
access the flight deck.
Security droids are also linked in with the security system to protect the
most sensitive installations.
**************************************************************************
** Looks like a credit card with a 'P' on the front **
**************************************************************************
I.D. CARD
Everyone is issued with an I.D. card. It contains personal data about the
holder including their medical records.
The cards built in circuits also monitor the holders life functions and can
advice computer central of any anomalies.
The card enables access to various ships equipment such as the store and
medical units.
Each card contains a retina scan of the holder so that the card can only be
used by the person to whom it was issued.
The card also contains a special transponder that transmits the location of
the user and his health stats.
**************************************************************************
** Looks like a credit card with a picture on the front **
**************************************************************************
CREDIT CARD
Everyone is issued with a credit card. It conatains a record of the holders
bank balance.
The crad is automatically updated by his employer when the user works and
is automatically debited when the holder purchases items.
The card had totally replaced cash and now the credit is the standard
monitary unit throughout the system.
Like the I.D. card the credit card containd a retina scan of the holder but
this is only used for purchases of over 50 credits.
**************************************************************************
** Looks like a credit card with a Triangle on the front **
**************************************************************************
COMPUTER CONSOLE
This device allows you to interrogate the ships data banks.
To operate simply insert your data disk and the disks contents will be
displayed.
Scroll up and down the message using the arrow keys provided.
Special programme disks can be inserted to reprogramme the ships computer.
For instance say you wanted to update the navigation system destination.
You would just insert the appropriate disk and the data will be uploaded
automatically.
**************************************************************************
** Black screen with disk slot and text scroll buttons along the bottom **
**************************************************************************
MEDICAL
The medical unit is able to dispense almost any drugs required from
headache pills to birth control pills.
However to stop the abuse of such items you have to insert your I.D. card
in the slot provided and tap the appropriate code for the medication
required.
Caution medication should be taken seriously and proper medical advise
should be sought as soon as possible.
The medications I.D. code can be provided by a qualified docotr or the
ships computer.
Warning keying the wrong code could be very dangerous.
**************************************************************************
**First aid sign, with I.D. slot and numeric keypad. Dispenser on bottom**
** left **
**************************************************************************
C.N.S
The Central Nervous System is the ships "brain". It controls all of the
ships functions from lighting to life support.
Should in the unlikely event that one of the C.N.S units become damaged
then spare C.N.S boards and chip can be easily substituted by a skilled
technicain.
C.N.S circuits are self configuring and any chip can be substituted for any
other chip. The unit programs the chip to provide whatever fuction is
required.
**************************************************************************
** Maintenance printed along botton, slots with circuit boards in **
**************************************************************************
KOPEK COFFEE MACHINE
Remember if the Kopek patent zero-gee coffee perculator fails, the ship
fails.
This machine allows you to purchase Kopek coffee.
Drinking coffee reduces thirst, but Kpoek coffee does much more than this.
To operate the machine insert your credit card in the slot and click on the
button next to the coffee type required.
The cost of the purchase is indicated next to the button and this amount
will be debited from your card.
**************************************************************************
** Looks like a coffee machine !!! **
**************************************************************************
DRINK-O-MAT
This machine allows you to purchase drinks.
Drinking reduces thirst. Becoming dehydrated will effect your health and
could eventually kill you.
To operate the machine insert your credit card in the solt and click the
button next to the name of the purchase required.
The cost of the purchase is indicated next to the button and this amount
will be debited from your card.
**************************************************************************
** Looks like a drinks machine !!! **
**************************************************************************
SNAK-O-MAT
This machine allows you to purchase food.
Food will increase your stamina level and make you less susceptible to
damage attacks.
To operate the machine insert your credit card in the solt and click the
button next to the name of the purchase required.
The cost of the purchase is indicated next to the button and this amount
will be debited from your card.
**************************************************************************
** Looks like a food machine !!! **
**************************************************************************
ANTI-MATTER DRIVE
This is the heart of the ship. It suppies all of the energy needed to power
the ship and the crossover drive.
The unit is heavily shielded so that the anti-matter fuel rods cannot come
into contact with the outside world.
Three such units drive the Oak and all three must contain an anti-matter
pod to allow the ship to function correctly.
Anti-matter pods are extremely dangerous and very fragile, only qualified
personel should attempt replacement of drained or damaged pods.
**************************************************************************
** Has DANGER and Anti matter written on it. Slot in centre for pod. **
**************************************************************************
FIRE EXTINGUISHER
A standard 14 lbs of solid carbon-dioxide fire extinguisher.
The Co2 is released on activation of the button and lasts for several
minutes.
Although the bottle itself only weights 14 lbs a small built in anti-grav
device enables the bottle to contain over 200 lbs of solid carbon-dioxide.
Although carbon-dioxide is non toxic caution should be exercised, as use
within a small compartment could cause all the air to be expelled.
**************************************************************************
** Looks like a fire extinguisher **
**************************************************************************
ANTI-MATTER POD
When matter and anti-matter come together, huge amounts of energy are
released. In the process both the matter and anti-matter annihilate each
other. If this process were not controlled, one pod would release the
equivalent of a trillion mega tons of explosive energy.
Large power plants control the interaction of the matter and anti-matter to
provide several petawatts of power continuously for years.
The Mombassa Oak has one of these anti-matter power plants located in the
main engine room. If this fails the emergency nuclear power backup comes
into operation. This will not have sufficient power for hyper-space travel
or for a take off from a planets surface.
Special shielded containers are used to transport the pod containing the
antimatter as the pod itself is very unstable.
**************************************************************************
** Looks like the fusion chamber in the car in 'Back to the Future' **
**************************************************************************
WEAPONS
-------
10 mm PISTOL ACP
Standard side arm for flight crew it is a gas operated, recoiless pistol
firing mainly teflon coated uranium, caseless 10mm ammunition.
The magazine holds 15 round and an LED indicator on the weapon shows how
many rounds remain.
The rate of fire is selectable via a three position switch.
Setting 1 : One round is fired every time the trigger is pulled.
Setting 2 : Three rounds are fired every time the trigger is pulled.
Setting 3 : Rounds are continuously fired until the trigger is released.
10 mm ASSAULT RIFLE
Standard rifle issued to armed forces. Like the 10 mm pistol it is gas
operated firing caseless teflon coated ammunition. Unlike the pistol it
fires a longer round and the two are not interchangeable. Rounds are fired
at a higher rate than in the pistol.
The magazine holds 30 rounds and an LED indicator on the weapon shows how
many rounds remain.
The rate of fire is selectable via a three position switch.
Setting 1 : One round is fired every time the trigger is pulled.
Setting 2 : Three rounds are fire every time the trigger is pulled.
Setting 3 : Rounds are continuously fired until the trigger is released.
LASER PISTOL
A high power chemical laser whose beam will cut through plasteel in
seconds.
The high power is derived from a small fusion reaction in the power module
which runs out quickly with continuous use. However in stopping power it
more than rivals a 10mm round.
The laser will penetrate body armour where a 10mm round will be defeated.
An LED indicator is provided to indicate charge remaining.
The power module is of the universal type.
LASER RIFLE
A very high power chemical laser whose beam will cut through plasteel in
milliseconds.
The high power is derived from a small fusion reaction in the power module
which runs out quickly with continuous use.
This weapon is not usually carried aboard ships because of the very real
danger of breaching the outer hull and causing explosive decompression.
It is normally only used by the military in ground based operations.
The power level is selectable from medium to high to very high each level
being double the power of the previous one.
An LED indicator is provided to indicate charge remaining.The power module
is of the universal type.
20 mm SUPER MAGNUM
This weapon can really make your day.
Origionally designed for the police and security forces it had found much
favour with all who use it, as its stopping power is unrivalled by any
other similar sized sidearm.
Since the weapon fires a 20 mm exploding shell don't expect to question the
target after he has been shot.
The standard row of LED's displays the current load status.
NEEDLE GUN
This weapon fires tiny needles at high velocity. On impact with soft tissue
they inject a fast acting sleep agent or poison.
The needles will not penetrate body armour but will pierce a space suit.
The rupturing of a suit with such a small hole is not dangerous as suits
have an automatic sealing system that can cope with such an event.
The needle gun once loaded with a suitable magazine displays ammunition
remaining via a row of LED's.
STUN GUN
This weapon discharges a huge electrical charge into a target. It will
disrupt neurological systems of a lifeform to such an extent that it will
render the subject unconcious.
It will stun a man size target for several minutes with no lasting damage.
Its effects on robotic systems is not recommended as it can cause
unpredicatble results.
A three position switch allows the charge to be adjusted from level 1 (a
painful zap) to level 3 (comatose for several minutes).
The weapon has the standard row of LED's to indicate charge remaining and
it is powered by a standard power module.
75 mm ROCKET LAUNCHER
Designed for anti-matter use, this weapon can be loaded with a variety of
shell types.
1. FRAGMENTATION
2. SMOKE
3. INCENIARY
4. HIGH EXPLOSIVE
5. TEAR GAS
6. NERVE GAS
See the section on grenades for the effects of each round type.
To use this weapon simply load it with the required sheel type and push the
fire button.
PARTICLE ACCELERATOR
A very powerful weapon whcih accelerates a beam of fast neutrons towards a
target. This weapon will punch a hole through almost anything but uses
large amounts of power.
The device is powered by a heavy duty power module and a row of LED's shows
how much power remains in the weapon.
The three position switch is used to select the power level used, each
level being twice the power of the preceding level.
Extreme caution should be employed when using this device as firing it
aboard ship can cause a hull breach and the associated decompression of the
compartment.
GRENADES
There are many types of grenade but all have common features. They are all
the same size, they all have a 5 second fuse and are not reusable.
1. FRAGMENTATION:
100 grams of high explosive send wire shrapnel in all directions. It has
a kill radius of 50 feet and will not rupture plasteel walls.
2. SMOKE:
A cloud of coloured smoke issues forth for 10 seconds. In an enclosed
compartment with no ventilation asphyxiation may occur.
3. INCENDIARY:
20 grams of high explosive send 100 grams of pyrophoric material in all
directions setting fire to anything flammable within 50 feet. It will not
rupture plasteel walls.
4. HIGH EXPLOSIVE:
This definitely will rupture plasteel walls and as such may never be
used in pressurised compartments. Used mainly in demolition this advanced
phenolic nitrate explosive is five times more powerful than TNT.
5. TEAR GAS:
Not actually a gas at all but a very finely powerdered lachrymatic
irritant. When the "gas" comes into contact with the body's moisture it
reacts causing extreme irritation. Not usually fatal.
6. NERVE GAS:
Always fatal to man, flurooisoporopxymethylphosphine (YA HEARD IT HERE
FIRST.) oxide is kept under pressure and on activation will fill a room of
20 cubic metres with a lethal dose. The gas will oxidize in a few minutes
due to the action of the catalyst rendering it harmless.
PROXIMITY MINES
Once activated and after a delay set by three position switch the device
will detonate when an object enters its location.
A variety of types are available:
1. FRAGMENTATION
2. SMOKE
3. INCEDIARY
4. HIGH EXPLOSIVE
5. TEAR GAS
6. NERVE GAS
Refer to the section on grenades for the effects of each mine type.
GRAVITY MINE
When activated and after a delay set by the three position switch the mine
remains passive unitl something steps on it, whereup it will exert a huge
gravitational field above itself. This will squash anything completely
flat.
The device functions only once (squashing itself in the process) and is
completely safe for use aboard ship.
It is now much favoured over the standard proxmity mine as it produces no
collateral damage to nearby sensitive systems.
ROBOMINE
When activated this mine will sprout legs and go in search of moving
objects. When it enters the moving objects location it detonates its high
explosive charge.
A three position switch sets the time delay before the robomine starts
searching for targets.
CAUITON THIS DEVICE TRACKS ALL MOVING OBJECTS INCLUDING YOU.
The Robomine is powered by a standard power module and an LED indicator
shows the power remaining within the device.
ATARGATIS
---------
SIRIUS system
The Sirius system is normally considered to be binary.
The primary Sirius A is of special class A7, and seen from Earth is the
brightest star in the sky.
Sirius B, a white dwarf of class A1, is much fainter. From Earth Sirius B
is invisible to the naked eye.
The presence of Sirius B was postulated by F.W. Bessel in 1834 to account
for irregularities in the proper motion of Sirius, it wasn't until 1862
that A. Clark actually observed it.
Not surprising considering it is vastly outshone by its primary: the ration
is 10,000 to 1.
However the Sagan telescope launched in 1997 clearly showed a massive
planet and a haze of debris orbiting Sirius B.
The planet was obviously a gas giant, but vary large, this led onto several
astronomers classifying it as a brown dwarf.
This debate gained momentum when early probes discovered that it radiates
several orders of magnitude more energy than it recieves.
The Sirius B system including the Brown dwarf (Some now call Sirius C) are
currently under license to the ESSEN mining platform group (until 31st Dec
2140).
This licence was granted by the Earths Stewardship board for exploration,
and small scale mining after an Essen probe had discovered large (1 cm)
crystals of Leighgnarium on the surface of the Shepherd in 2120.
Leighgnarium is a Bipolar Cobalt Lattice used in CNS computer production,
it crysatallizes extremely slowly (roughly 1 mm per 5000 years) and
requires high pressure and temperatures.
Induatrial production is thus impractical.
The shepher is around 150 miles across, its composition indicated to ESSEN
that bigger crystals may be found deeper in.
In 2129 after lengthly negotiations ESSEN gained the license and dispatched
one of their VN-II Von Neumann machines to pre-build the mining station.
The Vn-II takes about a year to get a fully livable environment setup, at
the ned of this time it shuts down leaving a modular constructed habitat
for the first workers.
The mining base built on the Shepher was namer Atargatis.
ATARGATIS Stage 1
The licnece agreed limits the exploration to Sirius C orbitals within 1.5
AU's.
Size : Standard multi-level VN-II construct.
Commissioned : Jan 2131
Workers : 200 (inc 50 research staff)
APPENDIX
KEYBOARD CONTROLS ATARI ST/AMIGA
P : PAUSE
Up Arrow : MOVE FORWARDS
Down Arrow : MOVE BACKWARDS
Right Arrow : TURN RIGHT
Left Arrow : TURN LEFT
WELL THATS IT !
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