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https://github.com/historicalsource/seastalker
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303 lines
14 KiB
Plaintext
303 lines
14 KiB
Plaintext
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@style(spacing 1)
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@title (SEASTALKER - PACKAGE)
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@pageheading(DRAFT)
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@majorheading (SEASTALKER DATA CARDS)
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@heading (PLACES)
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@begin (itemize)
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FROBTON BAY -
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"Frobton Bay is roughly circular in shape. One arm of the bay ends at
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North. The other arm of the bay ends at East. The harbor is protected by
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a concrete seawall extending from one arm to the other. The opening in
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this sea wall -- through which all vessels must pass in order to enter
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or leave the bay -- lies NE of the test tank, about 30 grid squares away.@*
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North of Inventions Unlimited, along the shore of the bay, lies the town of
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Frobton, fronted by its commercial docks and fisheries -- then a
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boatyard, and finally the North Point lighthouse.@*
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East of Inventions Unlimited is a marina, a resort area, and the East Point
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Yacht Club.@*
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Frobton is a busy seaport. The waters are dotted with pleasure boats,
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fishing craft and commercial shipping. Vessels are constantly moving
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into and out of the harbor. Observe all Rules of the Road -- unless you
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prefer to submerge."
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INVENTIONS UNLIMITED -
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This vast scientific enterprise was originally founded by your father,
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himself a world-famous inventor. You have since added even greater luster
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to the family name with your own numerous and unique inventions.@*
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The purpose of Inventions Unlimited is to advance the frontiers of human
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knowledge in every field of science, and to increase our awareness of and
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adjustment to the physical world on land, under the sea, in the air, and
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beyond Earth's own life-supporting atmosphere into the remotest reaches of
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Outer Space.@*
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There are five main units of Inventions Unlimited -- namely, the original
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research laboratory near the town of Frobton on the east coast of the
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United States; the Psycho-Biological Laboratory in Arizona; the undersea
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research station known as the Aquadome; the IU spaceport on a previously
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uninhabited island in the Caribbean; and the IU Satellite Network, consisting
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of an inhabited orbital space station and two communication satellites.
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Together, these three satellites provide the IU Videocom Network with
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global television and radio communication.
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@end (itemize)
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@heading (THINGS)
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@begin (itemize)
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COMPUTESTOR -
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The Computestor is for troubleshooting any invention, machine or system.
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It is connected by wires to all the ones in the lab.
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To consult it, you type "ASK COMPUTESTOR ABOUT (a device)."
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MICROWAVE SECURITY SCANNER -
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This device is located at the East Wall of your laboratory. It sweeps
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the entire grounds of the research facility with harmless microwaves.
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All legitimate personnel carry special identification amulets which are
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automatically "read" by the microwaves. But any human configuration
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not so equipped will cause the scanner to beep loudly.
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POWER SUPPLY -
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Inventions Unlimited generates its own electrical power by nuclear fusion.
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This power is transmitted to your lab via the building's Electrical
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Power Panel. This panel is located in the corridor just east of your
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lab.
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CIRCUIT BREAKER -
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This breaker controls the power supply to the Videoscope and other
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equipment related to the private Television Network.
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RADIO - for communication while on the surface
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SONARPHONE -
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Since ordinary radio waves cannot travel very far through water, a
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submerged submarine must rely on the transmission and reception of sonar
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waves for most underwater communication. This is done by a sonar
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transceiver, entirely separate from the sonarscope used for ranging and
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searching the underwater environment.@*
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The sonar transceiver has a sonarphone to speak over, plus a loudspeaker
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and headset. The speaker and headset are automatically activated by
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incoming signals.
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HYDROPHONE -
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This device picks up and amplifies all sounds in the surrounding
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undersea environment -- including possibly meaningful noises emitted by
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whales, dolphins, and other aquatic mammals. Inside the submarine, these
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sounds can be heard over either a loudspeaker or earphones.
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SUBMARINE -
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This revolutionary new undersea craft has a special monocoque hull
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design which can withstand tremendous pressure. If your computations are
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right, it will be strong enough to explore any ocean trench
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-- and its searchlight will be able to pierce the
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sub-ocean darkness for 1000 meters in any direction.@*
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Its extensor claws, jointed like a lazy tongs, will be able to seize and
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transport not only mineral samples but also live biological specimens of
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considerable strength and size. However, you purposely made the pilot
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model of small, two-seater size so that Tip and you can test it thoroughly
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before undertaking larger commercial versions.@*
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REACTOR -
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The craft is powered by a midget plasma-fusion reactor. This generates
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the electricity needed to power the Bioceptor's hydrojet propulsion
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system. The secret of the midget reactor is a special catalyst capsule.
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This capsule must be inserted into the reactor by the push of a lever in
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order to start the fusion process.
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EMERGENCY OXYGEN GEAR -
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This is a little canister of oxygen that you can wear slung around
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your neck. When you turn the valve, you can suck air through a rubber
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straw at the top.
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Two canisters are in the "Scimitar", just like in all Inventions Unlimited
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submarines.
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SEARCH BEAM -
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A yellow search light is switched on automatically by an
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electronic eye in the hull, when you descend beyond the depth
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to which daylight easily penetrates. You can aim it left or right
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(also called port or starboard) to illuminate objects up to 1000 meters away.
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DEPTH FINDER -
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This device uses echo-sounding to determine the depth of the water
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below the sub. It is automatically activated whenever the sub is in
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motion. The depth is displayed in the form of a digital readout.@*
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During a dive, an orange warning light comes on and a warning buzzer is
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heard when the sub comes within 10 meters of the bottom.
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The light turns red, and the buzzer becomes louder and shriller when the
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sub comes within 5 meters of the bottom.
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EXTENSOR CLAWS -
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These are the remote-controlled manipulating devices that make your
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revolutionary new submarine a true hunter and prober of the ocean depths.
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The claws are mounted on arms, which are jointed like lazy tongs and
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can be extended out to a maximum length of 10 meters from the hull of the
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submarine. The Ultramarine Bioceptor is equipped with two such claws.
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They can, of course, be swiveled and aimed in any direction.
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EXTENSOR CLAW CONTROLS - (extend, retract, take, drop, aim, shoot)
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REMOTE-CONTROL BUTTON - for signalling gates and airlocks to open or close
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VIDEO CAMERAS -
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There are four video cameras installed in the hull of the Bioceptor.
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They are specially designed for underwater operation at great depths,
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and they have both infra-red sensitivity and image-enhancement features
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in order to obtain the best possible picture under the darkest, most adverse
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conditions.@*
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The cameras are so positioned on the hull as to command a full spherical
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view of the undersea environment. They are also equipped for immediate
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closed-circuit viewing on monitor screens inside the cabin, or for
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videotaping and playback.
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SONARSCOPE -
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The sonarscope shows you solid objects at the same depth as the "Scimitar"
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within 2500 meters in any direction.
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A yellow warning light indicates that the bearing of an underwater blip
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is not changing, even though your sub and/or the object causing the blip
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are moving. This means you are on a collision course!
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The light will turn red and a loud alarm buzzer will sound when you
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and the approaching object are within one turn of a collision!
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SONAR TRANSDUCER -
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This is the device that converts electrical oscillations into
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ultrasonic search pulses which are beamed out through the water and
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reflected from surrounding objects to produce "blips" on the sonarscope.@*
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A similar but separate transducer for the sonarphone system emits a
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continuous ultrasonic signal which can be used as an underwater carrier wave
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and modulated to transmit voice communication.
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TEST BUTTON -
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All of your inventions, such as the Videocoms and the Ultramarine Bioceptor,
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have a built-in capability of testing themselves to discover the cause of
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any possible operating trouble. This troubleshooting circuitry is activated by
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pushing a test button. The results of the test are instantly displayed in
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the form of an electronic readout.
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ENGINE COMPARTMENT -
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"It is located via an access door in the bulkhead just below and to the
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right of control panel."@*
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"The space is dimly illuminated by small work lights."@*
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"CRAWL CAREFULLY: Too large a waist or hip circumference, or
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too violent wriggling may pose SERIOUS DANGERS!"
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1-- Tight space presents risk of knocking delicate bearings out of alignment.
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2-- Hot, sharp or moving parts present danger of personal injury.
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ESCAPE POD EJECTOR UNIT -
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This unit includes three parts:@*
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(1) an electronic monitor and alarm, designed to alert the user to any
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deterioration in the environment - oxygen, air pressure or whatever;@*
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(2) a hypodermic stimulant, designed to jab the user in the buttock
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in case s/he has passed out and does not respond to the warning alarm
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within two minutes; and@*
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(3) a pod and ejector system, designed to enclose the user in a watertight
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pod and eject him/her from the sub unless s/he manually deactivates
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the escape system within two minutes after the stimulant has been
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administered.@*
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The pod will contain a 12-hour air supply and S.O.S@. sonar signal
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transmitter. If reliably installed, these pods will offer you and Tip
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a chance to survive if a battle turns out disastrously.
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AQUATIC DART GUN -
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The aquatic dart gun was originally designed for use as a handgun by
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individual divers in order to capture or temporarily immobilize large fish
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or other undersea creatures for purposes of scientific study. The dart is
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projected from the gun by means of a carbon-dioxide cartridge.@*
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Each dart contains a medical substance known as a "tranquilizer" which
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tends to soothe and make drowsy any creature into which it is injected.@*
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In this adventure, the dart gun is adapted by certain small changes so that
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it can be held and fired by one of the extensor claws on your new submarine,
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the Ultramarine Bioceptor.
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PROSPECTING BAZOOKA OR 49-ER -
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Originally invented by you for use by individual miners and prospectors
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on land, you have since adapted it for purposes of prospecting for undersea
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minerals. Unlike the military weapon, the prospecting bazooka has a rifled
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launching tube and a screw-threaded projectile which has sufficient rocket
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power to bore a dozen feet into bedrock. The projectile is hollow and yields
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a core sample which can be reeled or winched up to the surface of the sea bed
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by means of a slender steel and nylon cable.
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The 49-er is usually fired by the diver from a shoulder-held position.
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@end (itemize)
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@heading (PEOPLE)
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@begin (itemize)
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TIP BERKELEY -
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Tip is your closest pal and constant companion. A 19-year-old native
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Californian, he's an expert flier and often serves as test pilot of your
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futuristic aerospace craft, as well as land vehicles and undersea craft.@*
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Blond-haired, muscular, compactly built and good-natured if sometimes
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quick-tempered, he's more of a jock than a theoretical science buff of
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your caliber. Nevertheless, his rollicking high spirits and bulldog
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courage in tight spots make him an ideal sidekick and participant in all
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of your thrilling adventures.
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SHANA KEMP -
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Shana is 21, red-haired, highly attractive and scarcely a year out of
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college.@*
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She acquired a degree in biochemistry at MIT, where her keen
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intelligence and inquiring mind quickly gained her a working familiarity
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with most other fields of science. Her late father, a professor of the
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history of science, was an old friend of your father. This led to her
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hiring at Inventions Unlimited, where she has since become a valued
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associate of you, the famous young inventor.
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LOU PERELLI -
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Lou Perelli was trained as a military
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intelligence officer and later, after leaving the Army, became a private
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security expert before joining Inventions Unlimited. He has since undergone
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further training by both the FBI and CIA, and has a first-hand expertise
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in all phases of police work and counterespionage.
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COMMANDER ZOE BRENT -
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Small, slim, with curly dark hair and the delicate beauty of a China
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doll, Zoe Brent is astonishingly strong and agile for her size and sex.
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Going by looks alone, it would be easy to forget that she's been a
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champion athlete since girlhood and is every bit as much physical as she
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is mental in her behavior and outlook.@*
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Already an Olympic-class swimmer and expert scuba diver while still in
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her teens, Zoe Brent joined the Naval ROTC program at UCLA and was
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commissioned Ensign USN. She then served two years on active duty and
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underwent training at the Navy's Frogman School. Later she got her
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doctorate in marine biology at Caltech and did research at Scripps
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Institute of Oceanography before joining Inventions Unlimited.@*
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Now 29, she has been in command of the Aquadome for the past three
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months. Reportedly not all personnel are happy to be serving under her.
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Aside from sexist prejudice, perhaps her own superb mental and physical
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capabilities, combined with her eagerness to carry out important
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undersea research, may tend to make her somewhat impatient and
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short-tempered with more plodding subordinates.
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MICK CASEY -
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Mick Casey is a frogman-technician who's also a laser expert.
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WALT NOVAK -
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Walt Novak is a young marine biochemist.
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DOCTOR JEROME THORP -
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Dr@. Jerome Thorp is a distinguished marine biologist.@*
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"This is a copy of a magazine called 'Science World.' It is a popular
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magazine, not aimed just at scientists. It reports on interesting new
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scientific developments.@*
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The cover bears a picture of Dr@. Jerome Thorp, noted marine biologist,
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surrounded by an artist's imaginative drawings of weird new undersea
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life forms. The cover blurb says:@*
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HOT FLASH FROM THE MARINE BIOLOGY FRONT!@*
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... NEW SEA CREATURES SPAWNED BY TEST TUBE?@*
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The cover story is about Dr@. Thorp, who has
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reportedly created synthetic forms of marine life by means of genetic
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engineering. Reading further, you learn (1) that Dr@. Thorp has
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disappeared and apparently gone into hiding to duck the publicity
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resulting from his sensational feat; and (2) that before going into hiding,
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Thorp confided to close friends that he would soon marry a young
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American woman, Shana Kemp."@*
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"Size and appearance of synthetic creatures unknown.@*
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Their movements are said to be stimulated by ultrasonic pulses. Reportedly
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they can be trained to respond to such pulses.@*
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Because of secrecy, many scientists are skeptical of Thorp's experiments.@*
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Earlier technical papers by Thorp claimed that one-celled organisms
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had evolved in his lab from a bio-chemical called AMINO-HYDROPHASE or AH.@*
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If present rumors are true, these synthetic sea creatures presumably
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must also be based on the AH molecule."
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@end (itemize)
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