seastalker/package.gr

@style(spacing 1)
@title (SEASTALKER - PACKAGE)
@pageheading(DRAFT)

@majorheading (SEASTALKER DATA CARDS)

@heading (PLACES)

@begin (itemize)

FROBTON BAY -
"Frobton Bay is roughly circular in shape. One arm of the bay ends at
North. The other arm of the bay ends at East. The harbor is protected by
a concrete seawall extending from one arm to the other. The opening in
this sea wall -- through which all vessels must pass in order to enter
or leave the bay -- lies NE of the test tank, about 30 grid squares away.@*
North of Inventions Unlimited, along the shore of the bay, lies the town of
Frobton, fronted by its commercial docks and fisheries -- then a
boatyard, and finally the North Point lighthouse.@*
East of Inventions Unlimited is a marina, a resort area, and the East Point
Yacht Club.@*
Frobton is a busy seaport. The waters are dotted with pleasure boats,
fishing craft and commercial shipping. Vessels are constantly moving
into and out of the harbor. Observe all Rules of the Road -- unless you
prefer to submerge."

INVENTIONS UNLIMITED -
This vast scientific enterprise was originally founded by your father,
himself a world-famous inventor. You have since added even greater luster
to the family name with your own numerous and unique inventions.@*
The purpose of Inventions Unlimited is to advance the frontiers of human
knowledge in every field of science, and to increase our awareness of and
adjustment to the physical world on land, under the sea, in the air, and
beyond Earth's own life-supporting atmosphere into the remotest reaches of
Outer Space.@*
There are five main units of Inventions Unlimited -- namely, the original
research laboratory near the town of Frobton on the east coast of the
United States; the Psycho-Biological Laboratory in Arizona; the undersea
research station known as the Aquadome; the IU spaceport on a previously
uninhabited island in the Caribbean; and the IU Satellite Network, consisting
of an inhabited orbital space station and two communication satellites.
Together, these three satellites provide the IU Videocom Network with
global television and radio communication.

@end (itemize)
@heading (THINGS)
@begin (itemize)

COMPUTESTOR -
The Computestor is for troubleshooting any invention, machine or system.
It is connected by wires to all the ones in the lab.
To consult it, you type "ASK COMPUTESTOR ABOUT (a device)."

MICROWAVE SECURITY SCANNER -
This device is located at the East Wall of your laboratory. It sweeps
the entire grounds of the research facility with harmless microwaves.
All legitimate personnel carry special identification amulets which are
automatically "read" by the microwaves. But any human configuration
not so equipped will cause the scanner to beep loudly.

POWER SUPPLY -
Inventions Unlimited generates its own electrical power by nuclear fusion.
This power is transmitted to your lab via the building's Electrical
Power Panel. This panel is located in the corridor just east of your
lab.

CIRCUIT BREAKER -
This breaker controls the power supply to the Videoscope and other
equipment related to the private Television Network.

RADIO - for communication while on the surface

SONARPHONE -
Since ordinary radio waves cannot travel very far through water, a
submerged submarine must rely on the transmission and reception of sonar
waves for most underwater communication. This is done by a sonar
transceiver, entirely separate from the sonarscope used for ranging and
searching the underwater environment.@*
The sonar transceiver has a sonarphone to speak over, plus a loudspeaker
and headset. The speaker and headset are automatically activated by
incoming signals.

HYDROPHONE -
This device picks up and amplifies all sounds in the surrounding
undersea environment -- including possibly meaningful noises emitted by
whales, dolphins, and other aquatic mammals. Inside the submarine, these
sounds can be heard over either a loudspeaker or earphones.

SUBMARINE -
This revolutionary new undersea craft has a special monocoque hull
design which can withstand tremendous pressure. If your computations are
right, it will be strong enough to explore any ocean trench
-- and its searchlight will be able to pierce the
sub-ocean darkness for 1000 meters in any direction.@*
Its extensor claws, jointed like a lazy tongs, will be able to seize and
transport not only mineral samples but also live biological specimens of
considerable strength and size. However, you purposely made the pilot
model of small, two-seater size so that Tip and you can test it thoroughly
before undertaking larger commercial versions.@*

REACTOR -
The craft is powered by a midget plasma-fusion reactor. This generates
the electricity needed to power the Bioceptor's hydrojet propulsion
system. The secret of the midget reactor is a special catalyst capsule.
This capsule must be inserted into the reactor by the push of a lever in
order to start the fusion process.

EMERGENCY OXYGEN GEAR -
This is a little canister of oxygen that you can wear slung around
your neck. When you turn the valve, you can suck air through a rubber
straw at the top.
Two canisters are in the "Scimitar", just like in all Inventions Unlimited
submarines.

SEARCH BEAM - 
A yellow search light is switched on automatically by an
electronic eye in the hull, when you descend beyond the depth
to which daylight easily penetrates. You can aim it left or right
(also called port or starboard) to illuminate objects up to 1000 meters away.

DEPTH FINDER -
This device uses echo-sounding to determine the depth of the water
below the sub. It is automatically activated whenever the sub is in
motion. The depth is displayed in the form of a digital readout.@*
During a dive, an orange warning light comes on and a warning buzzer is
heard when the sub comes within 10 meters of the bottom.
The light turns red, and the buzzer becomes louder and shriller when the
sub comes within 5 meters of the bottom.

EXTENSOR CLAWS -
These are the remote-controlled manipulating devices that make your
revolutionary new submarine a true hunter and prober of the ocean depths.
The claws are mounted on arms, which are jointed like lazy tongs and
can be extended out to a maximum length of 10 meters from the hull of the
submarine. The Ultramarine Bioceptor is equipped with two such claws.
They can, of course, be swiveled and aimed in any direction.

EXTENSOR CLAW CONTROLS - (extend, retract, take, drop, aim, shoot)

REMOTE-CONTROL BUTTON - for signalling gates and airlocks to open or close

VIDEO CAMERAS -
There are four video cameras installed in the hull of the Bioceptor.
They are specially designed for underwater operation at great depths,
and they have both infra-red sensitivity and image-enhancement features
in order to obtain the best possible picture under the darkest, most adverse
conditions.@*
The cameras are so positioned on the hull as to command a full spherical
view of the undersea environment. They are also equipped for immediate
closed-circuit viewing on monitor screens inside the cabin, or for
videotaping and playback.

SONARSCOPE -
The sonarscope shows you solid objects at the same depth as the "Scimitar"
within 2500 meters in any direction.
A yellow warning light indicates that the bearing of an underwater blip
is not changing, even though your sub and/or the object causing the blip
are moving. This means you are on a collision course!
The light will turn red and a loud alarm buzzer will sound when you
and the approaching object are within one turn of a collision!

SONAR TRANSDUCER -
This is the device that converts electrical oscillations into
ultrasonic search pulses which are beamed out through the water and
reflected from surrounding objects to produce "blips" on the sonarscope.@*
A similar but separate transducer for the sonarphone system emits a
continuous ultrasonic signal which can be used as an underwater carrier wave
and modulated to transmit voice communication.

TEST BUTTON -
All of your inventions, such as the Videocoms and the Ultramarine Bioceptor,
have a built-in capability of testing themselves to discover the cause of
any possible operating trouble. This troubleshooting circuitry is activated by
pushing a test button. The results of the test are instantly displayed in
the form of an electronic readout.

ENGINE COMPARTMENT -
"It is located via an access door in the bulkhead just below and to the
right of control panel."@*
"The space is dimly illuminated by small work lights."@*
"CRAWL CAREFULLY: Too large a waist or hip circumference, or
too violent wriggling may pose SERIOUS DANGERS!"
1-- Tight space presents risk of knocking delicate bearings out of alignment.
2-- Hot, sharp or moving parts present danger of personal injury.

ESCAPE POD EJECTOR UNIT -
This unit includes three parts:@*
(1) an electronic monitor and alarm, designed to alert the user to any
deterioration in the environment - oxygen, air pressure or whatever;@*
(2) a hypodermic stimulant, designed to jab the user in the buttock
in case s/he has passed out and does not respond to the warning alarm
within two minutes; and@*
(3) a pod and ejector system, designed to enclose the user in a watertight
pod and eject him/her from the sub unless s/he manually deactivates
the escape system within two minutes after the stimulant has been
administered.@*
The pod will contain a 12-hour air supply and S.O.S@. sonar signal
transmitter. If reliably installed, these pods will offer you and Tip
a chance to survive if a battle turns out disastrously.

AQUATIC DART GUN - 
The aquatic dart gun was originally designed for use as a handgun by
individual divers in order to capture or temporarily immobilize large fish
or other undersea creatures for purposes of scientific study. The dart is
projected from the gun by means of a carbon-dioxide cartridge.@*
Each dart contains a medical substance known as a "tranquilizer" which
tends to soothe and make drowsy any creature into which it is injected.@*
In this adventure, the dart gun is adapted by certain small changes so that
it can be held and fired by one of the extensor claws on your new submarine,
the Ultramarine Bioceptor.

PROSPECTING BAZOOKA OR 49-ER -
Originally invented by you for use by individual miners and prospectors
on land, you have since adapted it for purposes of prospecting for undersea
minerals. Unlike the military weapon, the prospecting bazooka has a rifled
launching tube and a screw-threaded projectile which has sufficient rocket
power to bore a dozen feet into bedrock. The projectile is hollow and yields
a core sample which can be reeled or winched up to the surface of the sea bed
by means of a slender steel and nylon cable.
The 49-er is usually fired by the diver from a shoulder-held position.
@end (itemize)
@heading (PEOPLE)
@begin (itemize)

TIP BERKELEY -
Tip is your closest pal and constant companion. A 19-year-old native
Californian, he's an expert flier and often serves as test pilot of your
futuristic aerospace craft, as well as land vehicles and undersea craft.@*
Blond-haired, muscular, compactly built and good-natured if sometimes
quick-tempered, he's more of a jock than a theoretical science buff of
your caliber. Nevertheless, his rollicking high spirits and bulldog
courage in tight spots make him an ideal sidekick and participant in all
of your thrilling adventures.

SHANA KEMP -
Shana is 21, red-haired, highly attractive and scarcely a year out of
college.@*
She acquired a degree in biochemistry at MIT, where her keen
intelligence and inquiring mind quickly gained her a working familiarity
with most other fields of science. Her late father, a professor of the
history of science, was an old friend of your father. This led to her
hiring at Inventions Unlimited, where she has since become a valued
associate of you, the famous young inventor.

LOU PERELLI -
Lou Perelli was trained as a military
intelligence officer and later, after leaving the Army, became a private
security expert before joining Inventions Unlimited. He has since undergone
further training by both the FBI and CIA, and has a first-hand expertise
in all phases of police work and counterespionage.

COMMANDER ZOE BRENT -
Small, slim, with curly dark hair and the delicate beauty of a China
doll, Zoe Brent is astonishingly strong and agile for her size and sex.
Going by looks alone, it would be easy to forget that she's been a
champion athlete since girlhood and is every bit as much physical as she
is mental in her behavior and outlook.@*
Already an Olympic-class swimmer and expert scuba diver while still in
her teens, Zoe Brent joined the Naval ROTC program at UCLA and was
commissioned Ensign USN. She then served two years on active duty and
underwent training at the Navy's Frogman School. Later she got her
doctorate in marine biology at Caltech and did research at Scripps
Institute of Oceanography before joining Inventions Unlimited.@*
Now 29, she has been in command of the Aquadome for the past three
months. Reportedly not all personnel are happy to be serving under her.
Aside from sexist prejudice, perhaps her own superb mental and physical
capabilities, combined with her eagerness to carry out important
undersea research, may tend to make her somewhat impatient and
short-tempered with more plodding subordinates.

MICK CASEY -
Mick Casey is a frogman-technician who's also a laser expert.

WALT NOVAK -
Walt Novak is a young marine biochemist.

DOCTOR JEROME THORP -
Dr@. Jerome Thorp is a distinguished marine biologist.@*
"This is a copy of a magazine called 'Science World.' It is a popular
magazine, not aimed just at scientists. It reports on interesting new
scientific developments.@*
The cover bears a picture of Dr@. Jerome Thorp, noted marine biologist,
surrounded by an artist's imaginative drawings of weird new undersea
life forms. The cover blurb says:@*
HOT FLASH FROM THE MARINE BIOLOGY FRONT!@*
... NEW SEA CREATURES SPAWNED BY TEST TUBE?@*
The cover story is about Dr@. Thorp, who has
reportedly created synthetic forms of marine life by means of genetic
engineering. Reading further, you learn (1) that Dr@. Thorp has
disappeared and apparently gone into hiding to duck the publicity
resulting from his sensational feat; and (2) that before going into hiding,
Thorp confided to close friends that he would soon marry a young
American woman, Shana Kemp."@*
"Size and appearance of synthetic creatures unknown.@*
Their movements are said to be stimulated by ultrasonic pulses. Reportedly
they can be trained to respond to such pulses.@*
Because of secrecy, many scientists are skeptical of Thorp's experiments.@*
Earlier technical papers by Thorp claimed that one-celled organisms
had evolved in his lab from a bio-chemical called AMINO-HYDROPHASE or AH.@*
If present rumors are true, these synthetic sea creatures presumably
must also be based on the AH molecule."
@end (itemize)