Chronology

This account is an attempt by the U.N.F.A. Central
Committee to briefly explain those events that have
led to the apparent disappearance of planet Earth.
This chronology has been compiled in hopes that it
may be of use to the crew of the now code
named "Planet's Edge" mission.

9 MAY 2045

10 MAY 2045

15 MAY 2045

16 MAY 2045

18 MAY 2045

Five hours prior to the scheduled launch of Unity,
a Level 2 pre-flight diagnostic of the lonic Propulsion
System reveals a .976% deficiency in the drive's field
strength. The countdown is halted. Atter seventeen
hours, the ship's 10 man crew is ordered to disembark
the ship. The joint U.S. - New Soviet mission to Mars is
placed on a 240 hour hold for an evaluation of the
problem.

An object discovered by ElectroOptical Blink
Comparison Automated Sky Survey. The master sky
survey computer (SkyServComp) designates the
discovery 'comet 2045 jun22:72:08:66'.

Object is resurveyed. Range and trajectory are
tentatively established; path is approximately
hyperbolic. SkyServComp renames the apparently
extrasolar object 'ESO 2045-At'.

Numerous anomalies cause SkyServComp to bring
ESO 2045-A to the attention of a human supervisor. No
coma gasses are detected despite extraordinary
brightness, suggesting albedo on the order of polished
metal . Doppler velocity calculations confirm extrasolar
origin. Tracking observations differ significantly from
calculated trajectories. No record of any probe or
cratt ever sent out from Earth can be made to match
ESO 2045-A.

Various government offices are contacted, including
the United Nations First Approach team headquarters,
on darkside Luna. The base's 20 meter optical
observation instrument is trained on the object. An
Emergency Reaction Teleconference is convened,
bringing government, academic and private experts
from two worlds together in an electronic convention.
Consensus is reached soon after the first images are
relayed from Moonbase: the pictures are somewhat
fuzzy, but the object is judged to be a powered cratt
of extrasolar origin.

The object is now referred to as the ' ETS' (extraterrestrial
ship). Debate rages over whether or not to attempt to
contact the ETS, and what sort of message to send if
the attempt is made. Due to the crisis, U.N.F.A.
indefinitely suspends the launch of the Mars expedition .

Official United Nations messages of peace and
friendship are relayed on all frequencies, but evoke no
response. Refinements of the ETS's trajectory analysis
indicate that with its present course and rate of
deceleration, it will arrive near Earth's vicinity on or
around 23 June.


Transmissions gradually change in tone. With increasing
forcefulness a warning is sent and repeated that
approaching the Earth without communication or
authorization may be considered a hostile act.

19 MAY 2045

20 MAY 204S

24 MAY 2045

4 JUNE 2045

15 JUNE 2045

16 JUNE 2045

23 JUNE 2045

23 JUNE 204S
08:09 C.L.S. T

23 JUNE 2045
1 1: 19 C.L.S. T.

24 JUNE 2045

All known space-effective weapon systems are put
under a unified United Nations command and brought to
a high state of readiness. Strict orders are given to not initiate
hostilities, and warnings are issued to all nations to take no
unilateral military action under pain of severe UN counter-
reaction. Public reaction is predictably mixed. Millenarian
movements stage a number of public demonstrations as
general hysteria mounts.

The United Nations First Approach bureau assembles
a contact squad from their available astronauts.
Officers Dean, Tsakafuchi, Ngatadatu and Mershova
are selected and placed on standby. Captain Wes
Alan- Klarr is chosen as Captain.

ETS reaches Earth, and establishes itself in orbit. It
begins to mimic the peace and friendship messages
relayed by earth in a series of "monkey transmissions".
Tracked by all major stations on earth and Luna, the
telemetry is fed instantly into a network for distribution
to military, government and scientific centers.

Fast orbital interceptors launch from the Wu Chen
station despitewarningsfrom the U.N. The pre-emptive
strike is ineffective and is followed by a chilling
ceasation of the ETS' imitative transmissions.

ETS completes two circuits around the Earth and begins
a third when observation instruments record a flash
originating from the alien cratt followed by a burst of
radio static. Personnel at Moonbase at first believe
that it is the ETS re-establishing communication, but
the static crackle quickly becomes an overwhelming
roar of white noise, pouring through every channel on
every band of the electromagnetic spectrum. Data
links with Earth suddenly fall silent. Most satellite
telemetry is also lost in the same instant. Operators
refuse to believe what the orbital instruments tell
them. Reports filter in from human observers at Luna
nearside outposts. Every communication channel on
Luna is occupied for ten minutes as U.N.F.A. base
commander solemnly announces the disappearence of 
the planet earth.
of the planet earth.

Day of Mourning proclaimed. Observers note that the
ETS was destroyed, but a sizable hulk remains.
An immediate concern arises that Luna, without Earth 's
gravity to anchor it, might be flying away on a new
orbital path . Observations and calculations are quickly
performed. Scientists are confused about the new
data which seems to suggest that the Earth is still in
place.

26 JUNE 2045

A plan is devised to use weather satellites to further
study the new anomaly. Repeated gravitational stud-
ies indicate that the Earth's mass seems to be present.

Base Commander Polk orders a logistical analysis in
depth of all remaining resources.

Weather satellites are observed moving through the
space formerly occupied by Earth. Telemetry and
images from the satellites return unaffected, but their
paths are warped just as they would have been by
the missing planet's gravity.

A scientific board concludes that the Earth has been
trapped in a space-time warp whose exact nature is
unknown .

Base Commander Polk orders a gig dispatched to the
wreckage of the ETS for fact-finding purposes. Captain
Wes Alan-Klarr of the contact squad killed by radiation
poisoning. No new Captain assigned.

More personnel sent to ETS to begin large scale
investigation of the vessel and its contents. Several
discoveries of importance are made, including the
retrieval of alien artifacts and information.

The alien Standardized Symbolic/Cognitive Logic Unit
found aboard the ETS is finally coded with English,
German and Japanese dialects. With a relatively low
error margin it begins to translate alien scientific
documents into a comprehensible form.

27 JUNE 2045

28 JUNE 204S

29 JUNE 2045
21:00 C.L.S. T.

23:43 C.L.S. T.

30 JUNE 2045

3 JULY 2045

20 JULY 2~45

U.N.F.A. calls a crisis meeting to discuss the future of 29 JULY 2045
Luna. The entire population of Luna (823) is in
attendance. It is announced that Luna only has the
resources to maintain itself for three years before it
collapses. Alternate plans are called for.
 MISSION Briefing

From: Mason R. Polk, C. - Cmdr Moonbase
Re: Objectives of mission "Planet's Edge"
To: Captain & Crew of U.N.F.A. Exploration Vessel Ulysses
Recorded 0730 ZU 14 August 2045

Please note that the following document is a written transcript
of the transmission NLUN-ULY2045. 148 exchanged between
the captain of the Ulysses and Luna Base Commander Mason
Polk. All information contained herein was transmitted with no
linguicoding and on an unsecured channel

Begin Transcript

Good morning Captain. Or at least let us hope that someday soon
we'll be able to have good mornings again.

I'm giving you this briefing verbally now, but it's being recorded
and transcribed so that you can refer back to it later. This will also be
included in the "handbook" that Records is collating for you.

Everyone on Moonbase knows roughly what's been happening
over the last months. We've all been working double shifts ever since
ETS blew up. When the Earth disappeared, I couldn't see any hope at
all of anyone here at Moonbase being alive in six months. I don't know
how many times the argument's been made that we ought to be self-
sufficient, but the people in charge back home kept putting off
making a commitment, so here we are...

As base commander, I knew I had to keep people busy to help
them cope with the shock. I had to keep morale up. Just between us,
I admit that I myself was convinced that everything we were doing
would turn out to be futile in the end. But I am not about to let our
people suffer a total loss of hope.

The logistics staff has taken stock of our resources and options. It
would seem that by exerting a maximum effort we could keep going
for the next three years. I see on my monitor that that surprises you as
well. The drawback is that this option required every gram of material,
every watt of power, and every last waking man-hour be devoted to
nothing but sheer survival. There would be nothing left over for
anything but barely holding on to life, for just a few days longer.

While I was sitting at my desk contemplating this bit of news, my
autosec signaled that it had a report from Gregory Cole for me. As I
read it, some wheels began to turn in my head. As you know, he found
the alien ship a total wreckage...as far as we can tell the crew simply
disolved.
What I did next was to send more people down to that ship. I had
a hunch that if Earth's mass was still out there, maybe the rest of the
planet, and its people were . . . somewhere. Maybe somewhere where
we could reach out and yank them back. The knowledge of how to
do that existed in only one place, if it existed at all, and that was
aboard the ETS.

What I really wanted to tell you in this briefing is that some of us now
think that there may be some hope after all. You, Captain, are going
to be a large part of that hope.

Lately, you've been helping out in the rebuilding of our shops and
shipyards. A lot of that, and all the other activity that's been going on
since the Event(oh yes,that's what we're calling the ETS disaster now)
has been concerned with survival, now that we're cut off from
resupply. But most of our effort over the last four weeks has been
devoted to decrypting documents and other information sources
found aboard the ETS, and trying to figure out what it all means. A
great deal of the data on that ship was lost or scrambled during the
Event, due to the semi-volatile nature of its recording media, but
some usable data remained. From that we've pieced together a
partial picture of the culture the ET ship came from, and from that,l've
come up with a plan. You will forgive me if the plan seems a little
desperate, but we are a people in desperate situation. I also believe
that it offers the only hope that I can see for saving all our lives and,
more importantly, restoring the Earth.
  I want you, Captain, to take a crew of four   ~AutoS~c Note:
of the best people we've got and head out        Klarr's death is
into the galaxy. The contact team is already    noted as 30 June
well suited to the mission and I believe their  2045. Cause of
assistance would be invaluable. Since            death listed as
Captain Klarr's death' the team has been           radiation
very committed and they will follow your          poisoning
orders explicitly as they followed his.

As you well know we have an extensive "Boneyard" of ship parts.
I want you to put together a ship from all the scrap we have, and from
any other ship you need to cannibalize, and from parts of the ETS that
we were able to salvage. Oh yes, we were able to get a working star
drive for you from the wreck. I want you to lift off next week by the
twentieth, by Space Day.

Since it's your life on the line,l'll leave the final configuration of 
your ship up to you. We've got the yards operating well, and the
'Boneyard Crew' can quickly provide you with any ship that is
physically possible for them to assemble. At the moment we can only
build out of the parts we have on hand, but Chief Engineer Pleadwell
has been pouring over the alien information we've salvaged, and
she's promised miracle ships if we can just get her the resources, and
the complete specs.
Your main mission is, of course, to help recover the Earth.

There is a machine aboard the ETS that we're pretty certain
caused the Earth's disappearance. Or I should say, there was a
machine. As the pictures sent back by Cole indicated, it melted into
a slag heap and most of it was fused with the floor grates. The only
reason we know that it was a part of anything is from the blueprints
that the S.S.C.L.U. translated for us. After raking over the thing we
have determined that the aliens, whoever they were, were in the
midst of conducting a scientific experiment with a new drive system,
an experiment that sadly went very wrong and unintentionally shoved
the Earth into some kind of space-time rift.

At first Lt. Ngatadatu of the Contact team thought that the device
was a FTL (Faster Than Light) device but they concluded that the
Centauri Drive's principles were far more complicated. Since our last
survey indicated that it seemed to have come from near Centauri,
the device has been nicknamed the 'Centauri Drive. ' In any case, we
believe that our only hope lies in recreating that fatal experiment in
our laboratories here on Luna. To do that, we'll need parts and more
information and the only place that those commodities can be
found is out there...somewhere.

We need you to go out into the galaxy, Captain, and do whatever
you have to do. Find the parts so that we can fix the 'Centauri Drive. '
The advice we can give you on how to go about doing this is limited.
You 're going to have to wing it a lot, my friend . Find out what you can,
make the best decisions that you can, and if it comes down to the
wire, play your hunches. Our Records people have compiled a star
map for you with information retrieved from the ETS. As you will notice,
it is a survey of the immediate "neighborhood" of 128 parsecs. We
have only presented on it those star systems that have been cross-
referenced against the ETS "active" systems database. If there are
any closer inhabited stars, they have been uncontacted by the crew
of ETS.

You and your crew will have more in common with the ancient
Greeks than you will with the astronauts of NASA or ESA. Like the
argonauts you'll go sailing off into the unknown with virtually no
contact with us until youre turn. Incidentally,that's why we christened
your ship ' Ulysses. '

Before I end this transmission there is something I feel I need to tell
you. Although we have determined by analysis that our somewhat
unwelcome visitor was from a benevolent race, we have been able
to determine that other races out there are not so friendly. Of the
images that we have managed to retrieve from the alien databanks.
a number seem to chronicle what could only be called technological
barbarism. I am transmitting now what is undeniably a space battle
in progress. The picture should appear on the right hand of your
screen.
The reason that I bring this up is so that you may be aware of the
dangers that lie ahead for you and your crew out there. I realize that
your are no innocent child. but at the same time I realize the certain
naivete that comes when a people embark on a voyage to a new
world. I also state this so that I can make clear the position of U.N.F.A.
and that of the absent Earth. We are a peaceful people on a
peaceful mission, but if your lives are unduly endangered, then you
are authorized to use whatever force is necessary to achieve your
mission objectives. A copy of these mission orders is to be kept in your
handbook.

I've lost a lot of sleep agonizing over the decision to send you out.
By committing our resources to this slim hope, we won't be able to
keep going for three years. . . at most we will be able to keep alive for
eight to twelve months more . By next week we'll be committed . As of
Space Day we will irrevocably become members of the galactic
community. At this point there can be no turning back. When you lift.
we'll be past the point of no return!
To the Captain of U.N.F.A. Exploration Vessel

Ulysses

Porl of origin: Moonbase - Luna - Sol 3/1
To be commissioned and launched 20 August 2045

------ MISSION ORDERS ------

PRIME MISSION--FIND THE MEANS TO RESTORE THE
PLANET EARTH AND ITS People UNHARMED.


return them to Moonbase.

4

Supervise the assembly, supply, Commissioning and
periodic reffiting of an interstellar exploration vessel
using whatever materials and components of
terristrial or extraterrestrial origin are available.

Attempt to make peaceful contact with helpful
elements of the local galactic cultures for purposes
of furthering the Prime Mission.

5 You may at any time use force in self-defence.

6 You may use force preemptively against elements
previously determined to be consistently hostile, if
contact is unavoidable.

7 Secure materials, supplies, devices and components
to enable future expansion of your vessel's and crew's
capabilities, and return them to Moonbase.
8 Secure technological intelligence data relevant to
the accomplishment of the Prime Mission, and return
it to Moonbase.

9 Secure political and cultural intelligence data
concerning galactic cultures relevant to the
accomplishment of the Prime Mission, and return it to
Moonbase.

10 Continuously evaluate your status and return to
Moonbase when significant data and/or materials
have been obtained to advance the Prime Mission
and/or refit your ship with new capabilities.

11 At all times protect the safety of your command.

12 Your ship may not be put at risk by landing on planets .
Planetary exploration shall be executed by
extravehicular teams matter-transmitted to planets'
surfaces.

13 At no time may you leave your command. All
extravehicular exploration shall be done by
crewmembers.

14 All crewmembers engaged in extravehicular
exploration shall maintain continuous
communications contact with the ship in orbit.

ù-- END OF ORDERS --------

Mason R. Polk, Cmdr Moonbase
authcode alpha-436-h~st-9924-im-6598
Personality PROFILE

D.O.B.: 17 October 2013

Residence: Tulsa,
Oklahoma. U.S.A.

Age: 31

Height: 184 cm

Mass: 93 kg

Gender: Male

Academic credits:
2036 - M.A. Linguistics/
Anthropology- University
of Tulsa

2037 - Cerlificate of
Xenological Studies-
S.E.T.I. Foundation

Commission: U.N.F.A.
Contact Specialist

Mission Duties:
Ship s Pilot
Commander, Contact
Team
Flight Communications

Authorization Code: A76-BV4.3 Confirmation Officer: Steed, Ben F.

The following is an excerpt from the S.E.T.I. Journal, published May24,
2044. The article was later reprinted in expanded form under the title
of "Operation Disbelief" in the August issue of CLU's Cultural Review.

After a grueling ten-day session of simulated talks. negotiations,
and near disasters, William Dean of the S.E.T.I. Foundation was
awarded the golden diplomacy star awarded by the World Crisis
Diplomacy League. Every year the league awards the winner of its
yearly "competition" for best resolution of a geopolitical crisis.

This year's competition was of particular interest to Dean because
of its unusual theme.

"They decided to try something different this year and focused on a
very fictional situation," Dean explained. "Instead of the usual Mid-East
crisis, they posed a scenario which featured multiple alien cultures
feuding over the mineral rights possessed by the earth. Most people
approached the problem wondering what their logic was. I however
felt that they probably wouldn't operate under a "logical" process. You
had to discover how they emoted to solve the situation."
D.O.B.: 16 February, 2019

Residence: Toshima-Ku,
Tokyo: Japan
Age: 26

Height: 165 cm

Mass: 59 kg

Gender: Female

Academic credits:
2037 - B.S. Biophysics-
Nagasaki National
University:

2041 - M.D. - University of
Edinburgh

Commission: U.N.F.A.
Medical Specialist

Mission Dutiies:
Ship's Physician
Ship's Chief Scientist

PERSON LITY PROFILE

~BM7.8 Con ~ n 011 c ~ ood e~ ~

In recent years. Ms. Tsakafuchi has gained worldwide attention for her
learning studies. studies which make her a prime candidate for
dealing with whatever cultures we may find out there. The following
transcript is derived from a biography about her years with the World
Disaster Relief Team, While The World Waits by Marsha Walker.

When she was seven, Osai's father thought that he had lost her. In
the midst of the most destructive typhoon to ever make landfall on
Thailand she had wandered off in the chaos, disappeared into the
scrambling masses as they taped windows, barred doors, stored food.
Like migratory birds, trees loosed from the earth and hurled headlong
into parked cars. And in that horrifying storm, by fortune, he found her
in a sheltering alleyway. Even as the city howled around her, she was
mimicking what she had watched her doctor father do on so many
occasions. By a tenuous thread, she was nursing a man back from the
brink of death.

In the course of her life, Osai Lin Tsakafuchi has made a number of
such selfless lifesaving rescues, often endangering her own welfare...
Ngatadatu, Nelson T.

D.O.B.: 23 September 2009

Residence: Babaishanda.
New Gwelo

Age: 35

Height: 193 cm

Mass: 100 kg

Gender: Male

Academic credits
2029 - B.A. Statistical and
Probability Mathematics -
lekiku College

2032 - M.E. Material
Science- Batu University

2038- Ph.D. Physics -
World University

Commission: U.N.F.A. Space
Engineering

Mission Duties:
Ship's Engineer
Alien Technologies
Specialist

PERSONALITY PROFILE

Authorization Code: A76-BS2. 1 T Confirmation Officer: Steed, Ben F.

Confirmation Officer Note: Matenals on Officer Ngatadatu's life are fairly
scarce as he has been fiercely devoted to retaining privacy. This is the
sole public document that describes him in any detail. Published in an
issue of Africaas. August 10, 2043, Pg. 45 in personalities section.

In an anachronistic setting of Zuiu spears and Baeler Computer
Systems, Nelson Ngatadatu works his curious magic that he calls "life-
space engineering". Far more at home in his bungalow in the
Babaishanda than the life support domes of the Luna moonbase, it
seems utterly ironic that an individual so dedicated to the preservation
of the past would play such a major role in the development of the
future. Nelson, however, believes that there can be no contradiction.

"Some believe that life is simply a now, a point that is constantly in
motion without connection. But it is a line, yes?" He pauses for a moment
to take a drink of orange juice. "Each mechanism is travelling in a line,
alive with its own needs, its own personality, with its own desires. if you
will. A good engineer will see this, understand and he or she will help the
machine reach that goal."
D.O.B.: 4 June 2020

Residence: Ploesti.
Muntenia Romania, U .S. E .

Age: 25

Height: 168 cm

Mass: 69 kg

Gender: Female

Academic credits
2041- B.S. Organic
Chemistry - Ars
Acadaemia. St.
Petersburg

2041 - Master of Somatic
Arts - Ars Acadaemia

2043 - Certificate of
Explosives Science - Funze
Acadaemia

Commision: U.N.F.A.
Combat Master 2nd Class

Mission Duties:
Ship's Weapons Control
Ground Combat Specialist

PERSONALITY PROFILE

Authorization Code: A76-BO3.6 Confirmation Otticer: Steed, Ben F.

The following report was filed by her recommending officer when Katya
Anninina Mershova volunteered for duty on the Unity Mars mission. She
was approved on August 14, 2044.

"The officer that now requests transfer to the Unis Projekt has led an
exemplary life as I have watched her grow from a child into an
incredible young woman.

Striking even as a child, she was a gregarious individual, known by
many of her relatives as a "vibrant nuisance". Half-German, she has
always been very proud of her parents, though they were killed when
she was ten. Her brother, Stavi, a tutor at the Ars Acadaemia in St.
Petersburg raised her. At a young age she became entranced with the
idea of becoming a gymnast and she displayed incredible promise. She
was even under consideration for a spot on the Olympic team until an
accident lett her with a shattered collarbone. Eventually she turned her
mind to more serious pursuits and excelled in chemistry: she was a better
chemist some think. She eventually entered our service and became a
fine officer. I shall miss her contribution to our state."
SHIP Systems

To: Captain of Ulysses

From: Maria Pleadwell - Moonbase Chief of Engineering
Re: Ship's Systems aboard Ulysses

Your ship's systems will be in a constant state of flux, since nothing
like it has ever been built before, and we anticipate major refittings
almost every time you come into dock.

Some things will remain fairly consistent. however.

The central core section of your ship, where you and your crew will
be living and working, is a modified scout class cruiser of Terrestrial
origin. Using a human built ship for your central core makes many
necessary ship's functions much easier to engineer, particularly
with the extremely tight schedule we must work with. Atmosphere
regeneration, food, waste recycling, bunk space, control
ergometrics and so on are all standard and well known to you, so
you shouldn't have any problems maintaining them.

We are treating ship's components of alien origin as black-box
modules. There seems to be a great deal of standardization in
control input ports for engines, energy shields and so on. We can
'plug them into' your ship as a unit and use them without really
having to understand in detail how they work. From tests we've run
it seems that the ET machines are either fail safe, or self-maintaining .
You should seldom if ever need to effect a repair on them, as they
never seem to break down under normal conditions.

Of course, there is no guarantee that they won't break down if
someone vaporizes them in combat. Laser beams and atomic
bombs are not normal operating conditions. We hope.

From your command chair, you will have a good overview of the
ship's bridge, including the main viewing screen and all of your
crew's duty stations. The main screen can be used to monitor
ambient space while you are in flight; also it can give you a
computer generated tactical view simulation. This is particularly
important during ship to ship combat operations. Using input from
certain extraterrestrial remote sensing instruments, you will also be
able to visually monitor Your crew on the main viewing screen, while
they are on planetary surfaces.

Also visible from your
command chair is a smaller
navigational screen. Your
orientation computer will
output directly to this screen,
identitying the destination star
system that lies closest to your
current flight path.

Most routine operations will be
handled by your crew as you
direct them, but you will also
be able to monitor many of
their operational screens and
readouts ' over their shoulders, '
as it were. This is a redundancy
that will enable you to perform
certain functions, such as
maneuvering your ship during
combat, yourself, directly from
your command chair.

We've been unable to flight-
test your Faster Than Light
engine, for obvious reasons.
Your pilot and engineer are
undergoing intensive briefings
on all we know about it, both
from the alien documentation,
and from our own static tests.
They will be able to control it at
your orders. We know that this
current engine can be
improved upon, so you might
keep your eyes open when
'out there' for plans and raw
materials so we can soup you
up.

Good luck and God speed.
~Supplies & Weapons

To: Personnel of Ulysses
From: Cpt. Gwen Stroud - Chief of Moonbase Logistics
Re: Available equipment / supplies / small arms / munitions

I have been directed by Base Commander Polk to make all
equipment and supplies in stores available to your expedition.
You may find the following items to be particularily useful. Note
that quantities of all items are limited, though we have produc-
tion facilities to replenish or expand our inventory of certain items
as/if resources become available.

ù Ammunnition, Automalic Pistol, cal 9 mm
inven control no. J58-8776-777p mod 3, 29-1-42
quantity on hand -109 boxes / 36 each - - - 3924 rounds
Note:Unjacketed depleted uranium standard velocity loads.
Resources for manufacturing in quantity available.

ù Arnmuniffon, Viral Agent Dclhery System
inven control no. V43-8276-465k 1-1-45
quantity on hand -1 0 boxes / 4 each - - - 40 rounds
Note:Uses Broad Spectrum Viral Infectious Agent V-2; kills or
disables quickly but not instantly. Agent quickly becomes
bio-inert after initial target injection.
Refrigerate if possible.
Room temp shelf-life 6 months.
Resources for manufacturing in very limited quantity available .

ù ARMOR, Sody, Individual
inven control no. A87-8462-681m 25(sm) 26(me) 27(1g) 28 (xl)
quantity on hand - manufactured as needed
Note:Stock kevlar w/ titanium mesh reinforcing, nylon cover.
Provides good protection against low velocity soft metal
projectiles, shrapnel, edged weapons and concussion.
Provides limited protection against high velocity hard
metal projectiles.

ù Devke, Ice Excavating, Thermal-type
inven control no. G65-5844-61 ldx
quantity on hand -1
Note:Shovel blade heats and vibrates to cut quickly through ice.
Difficult to manufacture with resources at hand.
ù Device, Incendiary/llluminating, Individual, Match-Type
inven control no. J56-2675-747q
quantity on hand - 500 boxes / 100 each - - - 50000
Note:'Strike anywhere' type matches, store and use with care.

ù Device, Incendiary/llluminating, Indilvidual, Torch-type
inven control no. M67-1112-4522
quantity on hand -1 00
Note:Torches may be used for incendiary and/or illumination
purposes when atmospheric oxygen is available in
concentrations between 30ø/O and 65%.
Resources for manufacturing in quantity available.

ù Flame Thrower, Type: Individual Small Arm
inven control no. M45-5161-523y
quantity on hand -1 2
Note:Use with caution in atmospheres with high oxygen
concentrations.
Resource for manufacturing available.

ù Kit, Medical, Individual
inven control no. B45-1356-152j
quantity on hand - 314
Note:To be carried by individuals at all times for self treatment
and treatment of others.
Limited but fairly sophisticated auto-diagnostic capability.
Resources for manufacturing and replenishing in quantity
available .

ù Mask, Breathing Filtration, Individual Protection
inven control no. D56-3132-662z
quantity on hand - 628
Note:Provides complete protection against known toxic and
debilitating aerosols and gasses.
WARNING - this device does not provide breathing oxygen to
user, but acts as a filter of ambient atmosphere only.
Resources for manufacturing in quantity available.

ù Pick-Axe, Pikor-type
inven control no. WS8-561 1-115a
quantity on hand - 4
Note:Multipurpose digging tool / close-in weapon.
Resources for manufacturing in limited quantity available.
ù Pktol, automatic, cal 9 mm
model 1997 General Service Mark V
inven control no. F45-4651-51 ld
quantity on hand - 18
Note:General service side arm, limited range.
Uses 12 round clips.
Resources for manufacturing in limited quantity available.

ù Pktol, Viral Agent Delivery System
inven control no. A25-5841-455x
quantity on hand -1
Note:Broad Spectrum Viral Agent V-2 delivering hand weapon.
Projectiles are CO2 propelled.
Uses 8 round clips.
This weapon has limited range.
Resources for manufacturing in very limited quantity available.

ù Rop-, Climbing, 11 mm, Nylon/Kevlar, Kemmantlel-type
inven control no. B15-1222-1 12f
quantity on hand - manufactured as needed.
Note:Static load rating 40,000 newtons.
Shock load rating 122,000 newtons
Elongation 11%.
Discard after one maximum shock event or three half-
maximum shock events or if jacket is worn through.
Resources for manufacturing in quantity available.

ù Sult, Enviromental Rrotoctbn, Indvldud
inven control no. SEP-1244-258 Mark XXVII mod 2
quantity on hand - 314
Note:Fits UN SpecStandard Body Sizes G - M.
Provides individual wearer protection against low pressure
and hard vacuum conditions.
Provides individual wearer protection against unbreath-
able atmospheric conditions up to 2500 milibars.
Temperature comfort range 81 K - 390ø K.
Temperature survival range~ K-450ø K.
Semi-hard construction provides wearer some limited
protection against impact and projectile injury.
WARNING - not to be considered protective against high
levels of penetrating ionizing radiation.
Resources for limited manufacturing available.
To: Cpt. Gwen Stroud
From: Major Moummed Gunkle - Chief of Moonbase
Support Science and Engineering Section
Re: Alien equipment / future equipment upgrades

After reviewing your report, I felt that I should also include a brief
listing of projects that we have underway that may be of benefit
to the crew in the future. The progress on these projects will of
course be largely dependent on what resources they can make
available to us.

We should perhaps provide them with a description of the scanner
since they will use it fairly often. I will forward a copy of this memo
to the captain of the Ulysses as well.

ù SCANNER: Certain items of Alien equipment that might be necessary
to your mission, or at least useful, have been salvaged from the
wreck of the ETS, You are advised to familiarize yourselves in
particular with the device known as the Standardized Symbolic/
Cognmve Logic Unit (S.S.C.L.U.). Around the lab we've been
calling it "the scanner" for short. This unit appears to use a very
dense language database and a specialized Artificial Intelligence
capability to translate spoken words and written text. The scanner
is able to add new languages heuristically. In a matter of a few
weeks we taught it English, and it already seemed to be
programmed with all the languages that you are likely to encounter
on your mission. It can input either via ambient audio or via built
in optical scanner. The device has been invaluable in translating
documents found aboard the ETS.

Also included in the scanner" package is a small array of sensors
that can pick up movement, radiations, and do minor chemical
analysis. We have not yet calibrated all these functions as well as
we would like, but the scanner should be able to tell you if certain
basic elements are nearby, or if the air is toxic to humans. There
may be other functions that we haven't run across yet.

ù EQUIPMENT UPGRADES Please find attached with this memo a list
of items that we are attempting to build. Please note that these
items are not currently available.
Assault automatic Weapons

These fire clip fed 8 mm expanding bullets at a high rate (600
rpm) and high velocity (900 m/s). A recoil damping system
allows the weapon to be fired while held.

Fragmentation Grenades

These cause damage primarily through the action of high
velocity metal fragments propelled radially outward from the
point of detonation, and secondarily through the concussive
effect of the detonation.

Laser assault Rifles

The beam from these weapons causes damage through thermo-
kinetic shock. It vaporizes a spot on the surface of the target,
turning it into superheated gas. The reaction from the expansion
of this gas transfers energy to the rest of the target in the form of
a concussive shock wave. Accuracy is limited only by the
sighting system and by the skill of the user. The effectiveness of
this weapon is drastically reduced by foggy /dusty conditions,
and by reflective surfaces on the target.

Semi-automatic Assault Rifles

Fires 5 mm hypervelocity expanding bullets from an eighteen
round clip. (Artist sketch shown below.)

With additional information, plans, and improved manufacturing
technology, we could also provide you with:

Heavy Assault Laser Weapon

The sights on this weapon are not as easy to use as on the
standard Laser Assault Rife, but it packs considerably more
punch in its beam.

High Velocity Augmented Pistol

The cartridge for this weapon uses the same bullet as the 9 mm
model 1997 Mark V, but with a hypervelocity powder charge
and a secondary firing chamber for a booster charge, the bullet
has approximately four times as much kinetic energy as it leaves
the muzzle.
22
Kinetic Mass Shield

This is a purely alien design, one that was hinted at in the ETS
documents. It takes the physical form of a belt with an attached
power (?) and or control (?) box. The apparent effect is to
surround the wearer with a force screen of virtual mass. It would
function well against kinetic energy weapons, but poorly against
beam weapons.

Mass Gun

This is another alien design . Through a poorly understood process,
this weapon generates a collapsing magnetic and/or electrical
(?) field that propels a spherical projectile. Range, accuracy,
muzle velocity, efficiency and effectiveness compared with
chemically propelled projectile weapons unknown.

Nixol Launcher

This is a launcher for canisters of noxious, corrosive gas. Details
of its functioning will be delayed, pending actual construction
and testing.

Reflec Armor

Mirrored body armor that is quite effective against beam
weapons, but is less effective against other types of assaults.

Trauma Kit

With the addition of alien medical technology, and certain
hinted at materials and methods, we should be able to upgrade
the capabilities of your personal first aid kits to the point where
they can effectively treat much more severe cases than they
can now.

Please realize that what we 've outlined above just barely begins to
scratch the surface of the possibilities that galactic technology can
open up for us. (Below: Artist's conception of a device found in the
alien data banks).
Ship Protocol

To: Captain and crew of U.N.F.A. Exploration Vessel Ulysses
From: General Curtis Wade (Ret.) - Lt. Cmdr Moonbase
Re: Ship contact protocol

In spite of the dire times, I envy each and every one of you. In spite of
the circumstances, you are making history. As the first of Mother
Earth's children to leave our own backyard, cosmically speaking,
your names will shine alongside Armstrong, Collins, Aldrin, Messer, and
Po as long as the human spirit exists. We are all behind you one
hundred percent team.

Now, let's get down to brass tacks.

The ship that you are flying, aside from being a bastard hybrid, is
actually a more complicated bird than anything we've ever flown
before. You have mankind's first FTL drive (albeit a borrowed one),
you have powerful means of defence and offense, you have remote
sensing devices that work like magic, and you have advanced
automation systems that enable a small crew to handle all of the
above and more. With all that in mind, I want to remind you to also
keep in mind that you are taking baby steps. There are ancient and
powerful species of thinking beings in the galaxy, whose best efforts
we won't be able to match for thousands of years. However, the
galaxy is a big playground, with room for a lot of kids. Including
mankind, if we can just pull off this stunt.

It seems from what we can understand of the ET's documents, you
can run into just about anything in the depths of space. There are
ships that will befriend you and trade with you; ships that will fire at you
for no better reason than the cussedness of the creatures flying them,
and ships that will ignore your very existence. You can find wrecks and
space junk floating between worlds too. There may even be 'cops'
keeping the peace in one or two little sections of this spiral arm.

If we were all powerful and had no conscience, a simple-minded
strategy of blasting everything in sight would be the easiest and safest
course to follow. But this is no arcade game. This is real life. If you tried
anything like that I ' m pretty sure the galactic SWAT team would move
in and finish you off in short order. On the other hand, there are hungry
sharks prowling the space lanes, and I ' m afraid pacifists get swallowed
up too.

The tactical advice I'll give you is to try the tit-for-tat method. Give
everyone the benefit of a doubt at your first meeting... screens up,
weapons hot, but ready to be friends if they want to be . Will this be the
best strategy all the time? Of course not. Nothing works all the time.
But you're the best we've got, so we trust you to use your judgement
and do the best that can be done.
Alien Contact

To: Captain of the U.N.F.A Exploration Vessel Ulysses
From: Mason Polk - Cmdr Moonbase
Re: Planetary Exploration and Alien Contact

As Captain of the Ulysses, it is your duty to protect the safety of those
under your command, and to lead them in the successful completion
your ship's mission.

You are no doubt aware that due to the nature of your mission and
the heavy responsibility that accompanies it, as stated in your Mission
Orders, you are forbidden to leave your ship other than after a return
to Moonbase. This is to insure that there is always someone on board
to bring the ship and its cargo back, no matter what happens on a
planet's surface. Furthermore, you are forbidden to put your ship at
risk by landing on a planet's surface, for the same reason . Fortunately,
we have acquired extraterrestrial technologies that will enable you
to circumvent the difficulties arising from the seeming conflicts
between your various orders.

The first new technology is matter beaming. We don't yet understand
it, but tests show that we can use it. It's range is limited, but it can
transmit matter (including living human beings) from an orbital
altitude down to a planet's surface and back again.

Our researches into the alien documentation leads us to believe that
most inhabited planets with interplanetary commerce have
established 'beam down' stations marked by a beacon that your
teletrans can detect and lock onto.

Once your crew members are on the ground, you and they should
keep one thought foremost in your minds... TAKE NOTHING FOR
GRANTED. Humans have never done anything like this before. It will
probably not be like people from two different terrestrial cultures
meeting for the first time. The alien people you meet may indeed
have a great deal in common with us, but to assume that to be the
case in advance could easily prove fatal. Be circumspect. Avoid
drawing attention to yourselves. Talk to those you need to talk to to
accomplish your mission, but don't stir up trouble.

Fortunately, a second ET technology will enable you to establish
communication with minimal difficultY.
Please take time to review the 'scanner' that you've all been using
and getting familiar with over the last couple of weeks...

(~AutoSec Note: For a more detailed description of the S.S.C.L.U.'s
operational description, please review the addenda by Major Gunkle
on page 21).

...You should be able to understand and be understood, at least as
far as the actual words that are spoken go, but be careful not to
misinterpret the cultural context of what is being said. If an alien tells
you he'd like to have you over for lunch, think twice before taking him
up on it.
The third command enabling technology is actually a blend of
human and ET science. As Captain, you will have at your disposal
communication and surveillance devices of such power that you will
be able to follow your crew members' every move, visually, on your
main view screen. It will be as if you were hovering about twenty
meters over them as they explore the planet's surface. You will be in
constant voice communication with them, and with your superior
vantage point, you will often find yourself in a position to advise them
as to their best course of action.

The ethics of what you will be attempting to accomplish are complex.
To save the Earth and the human species is an overriding moral
imperative, from a human point of view at least. If necessary, do
whatever will accomplish the retrieval of the parts to the "Centauri
Drive. HOWEVER, many of us feel that the Golden Rule may in truth
be universal, and that you will in many cases accomplish more with
politeness than with firepower. When it comes down to the question
of when to fight, our considered advice is to try the 'tough but fair'
negotiation strategy or 'tit for tat' as Gen. Wade says . This strategy
should be as effective on the ground as it is in ship-to-ship meetings.
If the other party initiates hostilities, however, then react immediately
and decisively
~Intelligence Reports

To: Captain of U.N.F.A. Exploration Vessel Ulysses

From: Major Nagaraja Kirumaki - Moonbase Internal Security
Re: ET database analysis aka Space Rumors

Due to the nature of the Event, virtually all of the documentation
aboard the ETS was damaged to some extent. By correlating a bit of
data found here with a snippet of information found there, we have
been able to build up an intelligence analysis of sorts. One thing that
we are quite certain of, however, from our own scientists' analyses, is
that you will need to locate eight distinct components to enable us
to rebuild the Centauri Drive.

The rest of this report has been prepared by sifting through all
documentation of all types found aboard the derelict ETS. Since time
was in critically short supply, and since we had no independent
source for confirmation of any of the conclusions put forth herein, I
cannot endorse the contents of this report with any high degree of
confidence.

Some of the alien references that we worked from were clearly
fictional, others were judged probably so. These works were useful in
a way, as if we were trying to learn about the history of the United
States of America 's nineteenth century Civil War by reading Gone With
The Wind. However, a better example of what we were working with
might be; getting to know late Victorian England from the way it was
depicted in War of the Worlds. There is just no way for us to be certain
at this point how accurate scenarios developed from these sources
are.

In addition to the works of fiction, there were incomplete charts and
navigational documents for various sectors in space and for certain
planets. There was even a scrambled portion of what could only have
been an encyclopedia, but while it helped to fill in some gaps, its
fragmentary nature tended to raise more questions than it answered.

Once again I urge you to view the report that I am presenting with
some degree of skepticism. I can only hope that it turns out to be of
at least some aid to you.

First, concerning Galactography, even though the ETs have a FTL
drive, it is not an infinitely fast drive. It appears that galactic
culutres
range from a few dozen to a few thousand stars in extent. This is out
of the 'billions and billions' of stars in our galaxy alone. Many interstellar
cultures 'overlap' each other in space, thus any given volume may
be simultaneously 'in' several spheres of influence: thus you may
encounter more than one type of ship at any given point in space. For
navigational purposes, it seems that there is an interspecies convention
to divide space into 'sectors'. Cultural boundaries may or may not
coincide with sector boundaries, this point was not very clear. Since
crossing sector boundaries may involve something like crossing a
customs barrier, we advise you to restrict each of your forays to one
sector at a time.

Sol and Earth, by coincidence, lie very close to where at least eight
different sectors converge. We 've reached some sketchy conclusions
about what conditions likely prevail in each of these sectors, and we
will cover them later in this report. (As to the significance of this
convergence, we can't tell at the moment, but have reason to
believe that Earth may have been under some kind of "contact
embargo". Fragments of data held in the ETS' computer banks seem
to indicate that the experimenters had to acquire permission to enter
the Sol system. The reasoning behind this was unfortunately withheld
as was the identity of the person from whom permission had to be
obtained).

Sadly, we must report that certain long held xenological theories are
now known to be false. Advanced civilizations are NOT necessarily
peaceful. Some are, some aren't, some are some of the time or only
with some certain other species. All we can advise you is. whether in
space or on the ground, keep your guard up and be prepared to
defend yourselves or run away at all times.

On a brighter note, it seems that trade is widespread, and there are
so many traders of so many species doing business, that you will
probably not be too overly conspicuous on many of the planets you
visit. You may be able to trade for many of the goods we need. We
were unable to determine what the standard galactic medium of
exchange is (if any), nor are we able to shed much light on what trade
goods would be well received . Use your judgement and experiment.

Here are the eight local sectors, listed by their apparent names, and
what conditions YOU may find in each:
r

ù Sector Kornephoros--Mining seems to be an important economic
activity in this sector, and output seems to be booming. Several
colonies in this region seem to be having problems with poor
communications.

ù Sector Izar--A coercive government, gang or individual is active
in this sector, exerting power and influence by some kind of reign
of terror. It is very possible that whoever is running this sector is
responsible for the "contact embargo" on Earth.

ù Sector Caroli--Data seems to indicate that this is a fairly wild
sector that is still only sparsely populated. ETS records make
mention of a zoo planet.

ù Sector Algieba--There are several images stored in our banks that
have been correlated to this area. It is fairly populated and has
been known for violent geopoiitics.

ù Sector Alhena--Most of the star systems in this region are given
"catalogue" numbers instead of names. This perhaps means that
it is some kind of undeveloped space tract.

ù Sector Zaurak--Virtually nothing known about this sector.

ù Sector Ankaq--A very densely populated region of space.
Technology levels are vastly variant. We speculate that this may
be the extension of a larger government that operates beyond
our map frontier.

ù Sector Alnasl--Of the eight sectors, the inhabitants of the Alnasl
Sector seem to have the most advanced technology, but it is
doubtful if even they can provide you with all the components we
need to rebuild the Centari Drive. ETS records indicate recent
disturbances in that sector.

Finally, we have one bit of very low confidence information. It seems
to indicate that the Event was no accident. It has been implied that
someone or some group of people may have sabotaged the
equipment that the experimenters were trying to use . Several suspect
communiques were discovered in the ETS' black box that indicate
covert communiques on a secured channel. And although we can
translate alien texts, we don't have keys to their confidential codes.
In this transmission there is one phrase that we discovered that seems
to have some significance as it is repeated several times... Ipremi...