


                           ELITE     by Rainbird



                   SPACE TRADERS FLIGHT TRAINING MANUAL


CONTENTS

1.  Introductory Data ...........................................  2

2.  Navigation and Flying .......................................  4

     Flying and Navigation Controls 
     Leaving the Space Station                                      
     Making for Your Target World 
     Travelling to Other Galaxies 
     Docking Procedure                                              

3.  Interplanetary Travel ....................................... 10

     In-Flight Combat:
          Controls and Tactics 
          Likely Enemies                                         

     Equipping the Cobra Mk III:
          Weaponry and Non-Combative Equipment 
          How to Buy Equipment for Your Ship                     

4.  Intergalactic Trading ....................................... 18

     How to Trade 
     Piracy                                                      
     Bounty Hunting 

5.  Political Profile of the Universe ........................... 22

     Consequences for Trade 
     Alien Races 

6.  Observer's Guide to Ships in Service ........................ 25

7.  Pilot's Log ................................................. 35
















                                   - 1 -






                             INTRODUCTORY DATA

Welcome aboard this Cobra Mk III trading and combat craft.   The  ship  has 
been supplied to you by Faulcon deLacy Spaceways,  by arrangement with  the 
Galactic Co-operative of Worlds whose Space and Interstellar Pilot's  Exams 
you  have just successfully completed.   The small flight  manual  supplied 
with  the  craft is designed to familiarize you with all aspects  of  space 
flight, combat and trading, and we hope that it will be of use to you.

You  begin  your career,  your ship equipped with a  single  forward-firing 
pulse laser,  3 homing missiles,  7 light years of fuel, and the sum of 100 
Credits  (CR),  ready  to embark from a space station in orbit  around  the 
planet Lave.

The Cobra Mk III is the best of the medium-range,  medium capacity fighter-
traders,  and  is  an ideal ship for new traders intent on  building  their 
fortunes, or new combateers who will constantly need to finance the cost of 
both armaments and non-combative equipment.

The  ship  is  highly maneuverable,  has a  good  C-holding  factor  during 
hyperspace transit,  can hold sufficient Quirium H-fuel for a  7-light-year 
single  jump  and  has  full Auto Trading Systems Link  for  use  at  space 
stations.   Further,  it  is  protected by Dual  Zieman  Energy  Deflection 
Shields,  powered by 4 energy banks,  and has a powerful,  rapid-fire pulse 
laser mounted on the forward hull segment.  Flight controls and elegant and 
simple, and ThruSpace GravDistort communications systems.  Its life support 
functions are varied and flexible to ensure maximum comfort during  trading 
or hunting operations.

Pilot  licences  are  issued only at the planet Lave,  and  it  is  likely, 
therefore,  that  you are now docked at a Coriolis station in orbit  around 
that particular world.  Lave is a rich, agricultural dictatorship, but is a 
reasonably  safe world at which to begin your endeavors.   GalCop  and  the 
Lave  Authorities  allow practice docking and departure runs to  all  their 
space  stations here,  and you would be advised to take advantage  of  this 
facility.

INTERIOR OF A COBRA MK III

The Cobra is essentially a single-pilot trade-ship,  but has been  designed 
to  support a second person,  provided that person is of ordinary human  or 
humanoid dimensions and physiology.   The ship itself consists of five main 
areas:

THE  CARGO  HOLD fills the bulk of the mid-space area,  and the  cargo  bay 
doors  open downwards.   The capacity in an unmodified Cobra is 20  1-tonne 
canisters.   Extra cargo space may be acquired by extending the cargo  bay, 
which  does  not  affect  maneuverability.   Tonne  canisters  (TC)  attach 
magnetically  to the cargo arms within the bay,  and 2 AutoShuttles  occupy 
the central space.

THE BRIDGE has seats for pilot and co-pilot,  a MedStim Center, entrance to 
the escape pod,  descent well to living quarters,  communications  console, 
special  suit  locker,  RemLock  supply  case,  attachment  facilities  for 
AutoDock  System and a hand-weapons locker.   The main wall is occupied  by 
the scanner screen, astrogation console and main systems monitors.



                                   - 2 -






THE  DRIVE SECTOR houses the directional thrusts,  the System Space  Kruger 
"lightfast" motors,  and the Irrikon Thru-Space drives.   Also here are the 
rear laser housings,  the ECM capsule,  the Zieman shield  generators,  and 
energy  banks,  and the Witch-Space fuel condensors (Quirium).   There  are 
both internal and external access panels.  Radiation level is high.

THE  LIVING  AND  HYGIENE SECTION is below the  main  bridge,  and  reached 
through a descending gravity well.   Two bunks, food dispensing facilities, 
waste disposal (including high-tox copper exudate for Aonians), SynPleasure 
relaxapads, and videos.

THE EQUIPMENT LEVEL runs throughout the ship,  and houses all energy  banks 
for lasers, plus the missile rests, with dispatch shafts to the lower hull.  
The  communications  center is here,  and the escape pod (with  a  separate 
entrance from the bridge) life support systems,  cryogen tanks (two) and 40 
cubic meters of FacsEnvironment for emergency use.

THE STATUS PAGE

The  "Present  System" refers to the planetary system which  your  ship  is 
currently in; while the "Hyperspace system" refers to the system onto which 
the hyperspace is locked.

There are 4 possible "Conditions":   DOCKED means that you are docked in  a 
space station at the Present System; GREEN means that there is no immediate 
danger; YELLOW indicates enemy ships in the vicinity; Condition RED signals 
a high-risk on-going death-type combat situation.

"Legal Status" refers to your Galactic Police record.  If this is CLEAN you 
have nothing to worry about, but as an OFFENDER or, still worse, a FUGITIVE 
you are likely to be attacked by police ships.

The "Rating" is a dispassionate assessment of your performance in combat so 
far.

Current  cash  and  fuel are also displayed,  along with  a  list  of  ship 
fittings.

The status page is always retrievable by pressing F9.

YOUR RATING AS A COMBATEER

To  become  an  elite combateer requires great skill  and  great  patience, 
because  expert  trading is essential before the  necessary  more  powerful 
armaments  and equipment available to the Cobra ship can  be  bought:  beam 
lasers,   more  missiles,   energy  bombs,  a  docking  computer,  galactic 
hyperdrive, etc.

As  you sail through space between the stars,  and as you trade,  you  will 
live with your combat rating.   You will begin as HARMLESS.  If you survive 
your first skirmish you may be reclassified as MOSTLY HARMLESS.  But on the 
slow climb to a status level that reflects a growing talent for combat  you 
will have to engage many different ships,  in many different skirmishes, in 
the System Space of many different worlds.  You will be classified as POOR, 
then AVERAGE,  then ABOVE AVERAGE,  then COMPETENT.   Then you will  become 
DANGEROUS, then DEADLY.  An at last, a few will become ELITE.



                                   - 3 -






Your kills are photographed and transmitted by TS ComDirect to the  nearest 
GalCop  Federal Law Center.   Your rating as a combateer will  increase  in 
direct proportion.

Fly your Cobra craft wisely and carefully.   Remember:  other pilots may be 
attempting to increase their own combat rating by attacking either innocent 
traders,  or police Vipers (the ships of the GalCop Police Force).   If you 
resort to such tactics (or if your adopt the fast-credit routine and  trade 
in illegal goods) then your combat rating may rise,  but your legal status: 
CLEAN -> OFFENDER -> FUGITIVE,  will make you Public Enemy Number One  with 
the Federation Crime Monitoring Authority and you will not be left alone.

---------------------
KEY FUNCTION - STATUS

  F9 - Status page accessed by pressing F9.


                           NAVIGATION AND FLYING

NAVIGATION

The  Galactic Co-operative is only one - although the largest - of  several 
planetary federations,  and maintains trade and diplomatic links with  over 
2000  planets  spread throughout 8 galaxies.   The political profile  of  a 
planet is an important navigational consideration as many are in a state of 
anarchy and are unsafe to visit in poorly equipped ships.  Important too is 
its economic profile, as will be discussed in the section about trading.

Navigational  strategy depends of course upon your aims in  life.   If  you 
think you have what it take sot become elite,  you will need to chart  your 
path through the galaxies with care and great precision.   You will wish to 
equip your ship as fully and as early as possible.   You  will,  therefore, 
need to study the trading section of this manual so that you can work out a 
profitable  trading  route in order to be able to afford the  weaponry  you 
will require.   You will wish to lead;  in general, the more risks you take 
(travelling  to  dangerous planets or trading  in  contraband  goods),  the 
faster  you may equip your ship but the quicker you will  be  killed.   You 
will  discover that life in the 8 galaxies is a question of  fine  balance.  
Although  it  may seem,  at first,  that indiscriminate carnage is  a  soft 
option  (kills  improve  your  rating,  after  all),  as  your  skills  and 
experience of living in space mature, you will quickly discover that piracy 
is a short-lived career.

Success in this context is a mosaic of talents:  combative,  certainly, buy 
thinking and decision-making talents too.

Here you are introduced to all the controls which will eventually be useful 
to you in developing a route through the 8 galaxies.

NAVIGATIONAL CONTROLS

It is important that you do not press the F1 key for the moment.

GALACTIC  CHART (F5).   This chart shows all registered worlds  within  the 
galaxy, and indicates your own coordinate position.  The star cursor may be 
used to scan the shown worlds for potentially favorable trade sites.


                                   - 4 -






Use the joystick,  mouse or cursor keys to move the small cross over to one 
of the dots, and hit F7.

WORLDATA LINK.   The Orbit Space Authority takes no responsibility for  the 
accuracy of the information registered here,  but the trader may gain  some 
idea  of  the  relative  wisdom of trading with the  world  whose  data  is 
displayed.   The  information shown is distance,  type of main  life  form, 
degree  of  agricultural or industrial  development,  with  industrial  and 
technological  level displayed on a scale of 1-12.   The  government  type, 
ranging from Corporate State to Anarchy, will be a strong indication of the 
danger of trading with the system.

Use F5 again to return to the chart and acquire information about some more 
planets.

The  larger  of the crosses on the chart shows where your ship is  and  the 
circle shows how far it can jump with its current hyperspace fuel.

Hit B key to return the small cross to the larger one.

LOCAL NAVIGATION CHART (F6).   This is a high power chart of all planets in 
the immediate vicinity of your docking world.   Since the Cobra ship has  a 
maximum  single  H-jump range of 7 light years,  the target world  must  be 
chosen carefully.  The target cursor, used in conjunction with the Worldata 
link, will indicate dangerous or likely worlds for trade.

If the cross moves off the screen,  use the B key to bring it back.  Notice 
also that the D key will tell you how far away the system nearest the small 
cross is.

--------------------------
KEY FUNCTIONS - NAVIGATION

   F5 - Galactic chart
   F6 - Local chart
   D  - Distance to system
   B  - Retrieve cursor cross
   F7 - Data on system
   Cursor keys - Cross-sight cursor for local and galactic systems


A CORIOLIS SPACE STATION

Every world registered with the Galactic Co-operative has several  Coriolis 
space  stations  in  orbit at various  altitudes.   Coriolis  stations  are 
"neutral"  territory,  controlled  equally  by  GalCop  and  the  Planetary 
Government.

A new dodecahedral design (the so-called "Dodo" stations) is replacing  the 
Coriolis  design  in  the more advanced  systems.   Coriolis  stations  are 
hexagonal  in  approximate shape.   They spin along a single  axis  running 
vertically from the planet below.  One side of the station always faces the 
planet, and it is on this facet that the access tunnel is located.






                                   - 5 -






Coriolis  stations  were designed at the GASEC  (Galactic  Astronautic  and 
Space Exploration Center) Laboratories on the planet Vetitice.   The  first 
station was in orbit around the world Lave in 2752.

Coriolis  stations have powerful defensive shields (against  pirate  attack 
and inept docking) and a large fleet of Viper fighters,  and several larger 
types of ship.   The inside of the station is free-space, and on each inner 
facet of the station there are berthing and refueling  facilities,  as well 
as cities, hospitals, farmlands and leisure-scapes.

Each  Coriolis station has a diameter of 1 standard  kilometer.   They  can 
berth  2000 ships,  and support a fair-sized colonial life  development  of 
humanoids.

LEAVING THE SPACE STATION  (F1)

On  coding  for Station Depart the pilot is advised to accept  a  10-second 
MemnSomn to dispense with subjective experience of the passage from docking 
bay to Coriolis station egress.  The screen will then show a break-pattern, 
which  is  the  passage  through the protective  field  over  the  Coriolis 
entrance tunnel.

BASIC MANEUVERS

The  Cobra  trade  ship needs practice to fly well,  though  it  is  highly 
maneuverable,  very  fast,  and a good combat vessel.   It accelerates  and 
decelerates rapidly using fingertip control:

     Anticlockwise roll         <, joystick or mouse left
     Clockwise roll             >, joystick or mouse right
     Dive                       S, joystick or mouse forward
     Climb                      X, joystick or mouse back
     Increase speed             SPACE or hold right mouse button 
                                   then forward
     Decrease speed             / (slash) or hold right mouse button down
                                   then back one
     Cancel roll                press on right mouse button

Pitch and yaw maneuver requires bi-digital play on keyboard model (<,>,S,X)

Notice  the small dot moving around inside the large circle on  the  dials.  
This  is  your compass;  the dot corresponds to the position of  the  space 
station.  If the dot is small then the station is behind you.  When the dot 
is  large and in the center of the circle,  you should be able to  see  the 
space station directly in front of you.

Practice rotating the space station off the screen and using the compass to 
find it again.

You  might  see  some Cobra Class ships.   These  are  other  traders  like 
yourself,  and will not harm you unless you shoot at them.   If you do this 
they will either attack or,  alternatively,  run away.  Should you use them 
for combat practice, do not expect the space station to turn a blind eye to 
such unruly behavior.   Nothing will attack you while you are within  sight 
of the space station - unless you make a nuisance of yourself.




                                   - 6 -






It is not possible to land on the planet,  and flying into planets or space 
stations  is  fatal.   The altimeter shows your height above  the  planet's 
surface, and you should not let it fall too low.

(If  you  are  a new pilot,  now is your best chance  to  practice  docking 
maneuvers with the space station at Lave.   The Lave Orbit Space  Authority 
permits an unlimited number of practice runs by newly appointed pilots, and 
does  not charge.   This facility is suspended during attack,  or when  the 
Coriolis station has no free docking space.

CONSOLE READINGS

(bars to the left of the flight grid scanner)

1.  (FU)  Fuel level.

2.   (CT)   Cabin temperature will increase and the console  register  this 
when your ship flies too close to a sun.

3.   (AL)   Altimeter.   You altitude above your destination planet can  be 
crucial.  Flying too near its surface will be fatal.

(flight grid scanner)

4.  (x1 - upper left corner of scanner)  Radar Magnification.

5.  (S)  S refers to the space station and indicates that you are on target 
for it and within its protective range.

6.   Compass (upper right corner of scanner).   This instrument first picks 
up  a target planet while it remains out of range of the  main  flight-path 
scanner.  When the planet's space station nearest to you comes within range 
of  it,  the compass picks up that instead.   When the dot  is  small,  the 
object is behind you;  when large and in the center of the compass  circle, 
it should be visible through your front viewfinder.

7.   Flight grid scanner.   This sophisticated instrument displays a three-
dimensional view of space in the immediate vicinity of your ship, seen from 
a point behind and above it.   The precise position of any ship within  its 
range can be pinpointed.

(bars to the right of the flight grid scanner)

8.   (SP)   Forward velocity should be maintained at maximum  on  planetary 
approach.  Keep it low during space station approach, and minimal for final 
docking.

9.   (RL and DC)  Gyro orient bar indicators show right/left roll and dive/ 
climb status.










                                   - 7 -






MAKING FOR YOUR TARGET WORLD

     Hyperspace and Related Controls

Having  left  the space station you will be in low orbit above  the  planet 
Lave,  moving at low velocity.   Decrease your velocity to absolute minimum 
before coding the astrogation console for Hyperspace Jump.

During space flight only,  F1,  F2,  F3, and F4 provide access to views all 
around your ship.

Use F5 or F6 to display a chart (galactic or local, respectively), and move 
the smaller cross to choose a larger planet, press F1, then hit H.  After a 
short delay, the hyperjump motors will engage.

On arrival in a new planetary system,  after transit from  hyperspace,  you 
will find yourself at some distance from your target world.   This conforms 
with GC Flight Law.

Even  in the safest systems there can be unseen dangers,  and you  will  be 
well advised to approach orbit space,  and the safety of the space station, 
as  quickly as possible.   Increase forward velocity to maximum.   At  this 
point you can take full advantage of the space-skip facility  (J).   Inter-
space jumping does not function (because of interference patterns) if there 
is another ship, a planet or a sun in the immediate vicinity.

Soon  your ship's computer will pick up the beacon signals of  the  nearest 
orbital space station and will re-engage the compass to track that  instead 
of  the target planet.   Once the Cobra is within scanning  and  protective 
range of the Coriolis station,  the flight-grid scanner will begin to track 
it.   Its  own defenses are now available for your  protection.   The  scan 
console will register the letter "S" as long as the space station is within 
range.

     Hyperdrive Across Galaxies

The  intergalactic  hyperdrive is expensive and can be obtained  only  from 
planets  at Tech level 10 or higher.   It can only be used once,  and  will 
take you to a system in a whole new galaxy (i.e.  a new F5 map).  There are 
8 such galaxies and making 8 jumps will return you to your starting galaxy.  
The Inter-Galactic Hyperdrive is engaged by pressing G then H.


















                                   - 8 -






DOCKING PROCEDURE

Docking  with a Coriolis space station is never easy,  unless the  ship  is 
equipped with an automatic  docking computer (in which case C will activate 
it).   The Navy Training Manual recommends the following approach and  dock 
sequence.

Locate the Coriolis station and approach it.   The entrance tunnels to  all 
these stations face the mother planet.  Fly near to the station and then on 
towards  the  planet (monitoring altitude carefully).   By turning  a  half 
circle you will now find your ship orientated towards the entrance.

Approach the final moments of docking at DEAD SLOW SPEED.   Failure to dock 
cleanly  can be fatal but may simply result in your scraping the  sides  of 
the  aperture,  with  consequent  loss of  defensive  shield(s)  and  quite 
possible your cargo.  Manually control the Cobra's roll motion to match the 
rotation  of  the  Coriolis station.   The entry port  must  be  as  nearly 
horizontal as possible.

If docking is successful;  the protective field across the station entrance 
is  penetrated,  and a break pattern appears on the  screen.   Berthing  is 
handled automatically.

Docking  protocol,  and  Orbit Space Regulations,  are  numerous,  and  are 
available  in the GC Orbit and System Space Code,  published by  Federation 
Planet Bureau.


----------------------
KEY FUNCTIONS - FLYING

   F1        - Launch
   SPACE     - Increase velocity
   J         - Space skip
   / (SLASH) - Decrease velocity
   <         - Counterclockwise roll
   >         - Clockwise roll
   S         - Dive
   X         - Climb
   G then H  - Inter-galactic hyperdrive
   C         - Docking computer toggle on/off


















                                   - 9 -






                           INTERPLANETARY TRAVEL


     IN-FLIGHT COMBAT:

COMBAT PROTOCOL

Not all ships in deep space,  even small fighters, are pirates.  Most ships 
will respond to hostile action with hostile action.  If you attack a police 
ship or trade in contraband goods (see Trading),  your legal status will be 
changed  to OFFENDER,  or even higher.   If you destroy  pirate  ships,  or 
Thargoid invaders,  (or asteroids) you will receive a bounty  payment.   If 
you  shoot at the Coriolis space station,  its own defensive  ships  (Viper 
class fighters) will attack you.

MANEUVERING

The  Cobra tradeship is fast,  and has a very tight turning circle  (though 
less tight at full speed);  it is an ideal combat ship against small  packs 
of enemy vessels.   It will outrun many attack craft by speed alone, but it 
will  not  outrun  a  missile.   Spinning,  fast-slow,  and  duck-and-weave 
maneuvers  are very effective against the larger,  less maneuverable  ships 
when  then  attack.   A sudden decrease in speed followed by  a  tight  180 
degree turn and an increase in velocity will often give you a big advantage 
over pursuing enemy craft.

SIGNS OF DANGER

If you cannot make an interspace quick jump J towards the planet,  there is 
a ship in the vicinity.  It could be dangerous.

If the status screen, during flight, shows YELLOW or RED, prepare to engage 
in combat.

Laser  fire striking the defensive shields makes a light screeching  sound.  
Listen for laser fire striking the hull direct.  Through damaged screens it 
makes a low, screeching sound.  DANGER.

An  incoming  missile will be detected,  tracked,  and  a  warning  message 
flashed on main screen.

Some star pilots are braver than others and pirate ships may break off  and 
run  in  the face of stiff resistance.   Some appear to know no fear  -  in 
particular  Thargoid  vessels,  whose captains have had their  fear  glands 
surgically removed.

LIKELY ENEMIES

Lone-wolf  traders  - such as Cobra pilots - are constantly  at  risk  from 
other Spacefaring types.   An understanding of other  loners,  packhunters, 
and bounty killers is essential.








                                  - 10 -






     Bounty Hunters

Unless you have achieved FUGITIVE status,  and especially if you are highly 
ranked as a combateer as well as being a criminal,  bounty hunters will not 
bother  a  ship as insignificant as a Cobra Mk 3.   In  fact,  many  bounty 
hunters  favor Cobra trade-ships as they make an excellent  disguise.   But 
the real killers star-ride in the sleek, and highly efficient, Fer-de-Lance 
Lightspeeder,  in which they live for months at a time.  Bounty hunters can 
always be found outside Orbit Space, especially around worlds classified as 
"dangerous".   They  are  invariably of combat  rating:  DEADLY  or  ELITE.  
Bounty hunters rarely identify themselves to passing ships, and if pestered 
too closely will usually kill.

     Pirate Vessels

There  are  several  ways  of identifying a  space-going  ship  as  "pirate 
occupied",  and this is essential since pirates and renegades will take any 
ship  for their purpose,  from a Worm to a massive Python.   Pirates  exist 
everywhere in the galaxy, but cluster mainly around unstable GalCop worlds, 
especially worlds run on a feudal or anarchic system.

Small ships hovering very distant from a planet are pirates.   Large  ships 
accompanied  by a mixture of small fighter types are pirates.   Ships  that 
refuse  to acknowledge identification signals are pirates.   Around  worlds 
run  by autocracies,  or clans,  pirates will very often have been paid  to 
leave trade ships alone.   Piracy is a huge, and complex, business, and any 
life-respecting trader will learn the tell-tale signs of pirate presence.

     Police

In  a Co-operative of Worlds as complex as the 2040 planets f  the  GalCop, 
the police can be as menacing as they can be helpful.   The typical  police 
vessel  is  a  Viper GH Class PulseShip,  which  is  very  fast,  and  very 
maneuverable.   They  are on constant standby on every Coriolis  and  Dodec 
space station,  and will attack - a pirate,  or a fugitive trader -  within 
seconds.   They  do not make arrests,  they destroy.   There are  different 
police   departments  serving  different  purposes  -   narcotics,   space-
drunkenness, psychotic shooting, piracy, slave trading, etc. - but all have 
small fleets of these very fast Viper patrol craft.

     Thargoid Invasion Ships and Thargons

The Thargoids are humankind's deadly enemy,  and throughout the 8  galaxies 
there are at least 50 war zones between humanity and Thargoid.  This highly 
technologically advanced insectoid race is also at war with 17 other space-
going life-forms.

All Thargoid combateers are ruthless in combat,  and some may be comparable 
with elite-status human combat pilots.

Though  most  of  the  Thargoid Space Fleet is  currently  engaged  by  the 
Galactic  Navy in InterGalactic Space,  a few of the smaller  battle  ships 
make  occasional  destructor-raids  into  human  space.   These  ships  are 
extremely  fast  for  their size and  invariably  have  anti-missile  (ECM) 
Systems.




                                  - 11 -






Additionally,  most  Thargoid  battle ships carry  several  small,  remote-
controlled "thargons", killer-craft each equipped with a single, but highly 
advanced,  pulse-laser.   The Galactic Navy are developing their own  deep-
space  RemCraft,  and  pay a large bounty for any thargon  craft  that  are 
brought to them.

(N.B.  Bounty on Thargoid invasion craft destroyed is very high.   Thargoid 
battle-cruisers believed to be able to "hover" in Witch-Space  (hyperspace) 
and destroy through-coming craft).

OTHER SPACE TYPES

     Rock Hermits

Pirates,  aging bounty hunters,  or planetary outcasts,  who create  living 
space out of asteroids.   They usually choose large asteroids,  and set  up 
signal beacons to warn off miners.   GalCop Law protects Rock Hermits,  but 
since most of the asteroid is hollowed-out, there is little advantage to be 
gained by "mining" them anyway.

     Generation Ships

Before  the  development of the WS Thru-Space drive,  in  all  its  various 
forms,  interstellar travel occurred in large,  self-sustaining environment 
ships  -  Generation Ships - most of which have now been logged  and  their 
progress monitored.   There are more than seventy thousand of these immense 
vessels  ploughing their way through the galaxy,  some of them  into  their 
30th  generation.   The  penalty  for interference with such  a  vessel  is 
marooning.

     Space Dredgers

These immense factory ships are to be found wherever there has been a  war, 
or a Thargoid invasion,  or a natural catastrophe.   More than forty  miles 
long,  the dredgers are a life-form to themselves.   The Dredgers are  huge 
cities in space, feeding off debris and ruination.  Heavily armed, and with 
fleets of reconditioned fighter ships, they are to be avoided at all cost.

COMBAT CONSOLE

(bars to the left of the scanner)

1.   (FS & AS)  Defensive shields take power from two energy bank  sources, 
fore and aft.

2.   (missile)  Missile status depicts the number of missiles on board  and 
whether  they are "targetted" (purple) or "untargetted" (green) or  "locked 
and ready to fire" (red).

3.   (LT)   Laser  temperature will rise during continuous  firing  of  the 
ship's  laser(s).    As  the  central  housing  overheats,   a  laser  will 
temporarily cut out rather than destroy the system.

(flight grid scanner)

4.  The 3-dimensional scanner operates in such as way that you can pinpoint 
a  ship above and below yours,  as well as to the front,  behind or to  the 
sides.  The vertical bars show this clearly.

                                  - 12 -






(bars to the right of the scanner)

5.   (1,2,3,4)   Energy banks will rapidly drain if defensive  shields  are 
taking excessive fire.  Using lasers or an ECM System will also drain their 
resources.   When  the fourth bank is tapped,  an ENERGY LOW  message  will 
flash onto the screen.  Eventually, in normal circumstances, the banks will 
be automatically replenished by surface radiation absorption.

AGRESSIVE WEAPONRY

     ITEM                     TECH LEVEL          PRICE/CR
     Fuel                       always             varies
     Missile                    always                30
     Large Cargo Bay            always               400
     ECM System                    2                 600
     Pulse Laser                   3                 400
     Beam Laser                    4                1000
     Fuel Scoops                   5                 525
     Escape Capsule                6                1000
     Energy Bomb                   7                 900
     Extra Energy Unit             8                1500
     Docking Computers             9                1500
     Galactic Hyperdrive          10                5000
     Mining Lasers                10                 800
     Military Lasers              10                6000

LASERS

Pulse lasers are initially housed only in the front of the ship,  and so no 
sights  appear  across  rear  or side views until such  time  as  you  have 
sufficient  credits  (from combat and trading) to afford lasers  for  these 
mountings.   As we shall see, with sufficient cash you will also be able to 
upgrade pulse to more powerful beam lasers.

The  Cobra  astrogation console accommodates a single laser-fire  key  (A).  
Pilots with joysticks use the fire button of course.   Even fully  equipped 
only one laser may be fired at a time.   If a laster overheats it will  not 
fire (observe the laser temperature bar).

Lasers are the principal armament of all space fighters.

Pulse  lasers will be offered for sale at planets of Tech level 3 or  above 
(see Trading).  Beam Lasers will be offered at Tech level 4 or above.  If a 
beam laser replaces a pulse laser the price of the pulse laser is  refunded 
after the beam one has been fitted.

     Pulse Laser Specification:

Ingram  Model  1919A4 Pulse Laser is recommended for all  positional  laser 
mountings,   but   is  especially  effective  for   rear-shooting.    Fires 
intermittent laser "rods" 610mm in length,  with a cycle rate of 1500 RoPM.  
The  barrel is of high grade Allutium fiber,  lined with tempered  QuQorian 
Silica.   Power  provided directly from inverse energy banks  contained  in 
main  ship's drive.   Each rod is capable of piercing 267mm of  Flux-Locked 
metal.




                                  - 13 -






     Beam Laser Specification:

Ingram Model M1928A2 is highly recommended for front shooting.  beam lasers 
fire continuous laser strands, up to 150 in parallel.  Barrel is Allutium + 
lined with tensioned plastiglass, and as with the 1919A4 Pulse laser, power 
is provided by main drive link.  Beam lasers are capable of slicing through 
410mm FL metal.

Military  lasers are the very height of  sophistication.   Costing  fifteen 
times  the  price of a pulse laser and available only on  planets  at  Tech 
level 10, it is an extremely effective piece of hardware.

(See also Mining lasers under Non-Combative Equipment)

     Military Laser Specification:

Range  and penetration twice as effective as the Ingram Model M1928A2  beam 
laser.   This  is Lance & Ferman's entre into the laser  market.   Hitherto 
known for their highly effective and relatively cheap missile  systems,  in 
the  military laser they have in effect created a whole new  laser  market.  
The LF90 is the current computer-aided model and comes with x4SUSAT sights.

MISSILES

Missiles  are  always available,  whatever the nature of  your  destination 
world,  though no more than four may be carried at any one time.   They are 
extremely effective weapons and are carried by the larger star ships.  Your 
ship's  computer will warn you when one is fired at you with a message  on-
screen.   Unless your ship is fitted with ECM (see below) you will have  to 
outmaneuver  the missile,  which will home in on you  relentlessly.   If  a 
missile hits you,  it can almost completely exhaust a fully charged  shield 
and, if your shields and energy are low, may well be fatal.

Before a missile can be fired it must be locked onto a target.  When fired, 
it  will  home  in  on  that target  and  destroy  it,  unless  your  enemy 
successfully  takes  on of the precautions described  above.   The  missile 
launch  mechanism is very reliable and hardly ever jams.   Missiles can  be 
locked onto targets in any view (F1, F2, F3 or F4).

The targeting sequence is engaged by hitting the T key.  The square missile 
status  indicator on the astrogation console will then turn  purple.   When 
any possible target enters the cross-hair region the missile will lock onto 
it,  the missile status block turning red.  A beep will sound to inform you 
of this.

Pressing  the I key switches on the ship ID computer.   This computer  will 
tell  you the class of the next enemy ship to pass in front of your  cross-
hairs, and then it will automatically Lock a missile onto that ship.

The  M key will then fire the missile.   The U key (Unarm) will  abort  the 
sequence at any time before firing.








                                  - 14 -






     Missile Specification:

Lance  &  Ferman Homing Missiles (4x4) are now recommended  for  all  small 
class  trade-combat  ships,  but can be fitted as part of  a  mixed  design 
weapon  rack.   LF  missiles have 2IL-135 guidance  systems,  and  optional 
manual  directional  control overrides.   Warhead packed  with  Terminal  9 
explosive,  and the 4x4 is invulnerable to all known counteraction,  except 
ECM systems.  Capable of Megazon Destruct Force 7.  Prototype first used in 
2987, during Ineran Wars.

ENERGY BOMBS

An  energy  bomb will be offered for sale at a planet of Tech  level  7  or 
higher, and can be used only once.  It is activated by the TAB key and will 
destroy all other ships, asteroids, and missiles in the vicinity.

     Energy Bomb Specification:

Medusa Pandora Self Homing Energy Bomb (available at Tech Level 7 worlds or 
higher)  is a tactical weapon capable of Megazon Destruct  Force  13.   Has 
heat  radius of 900 km.   Developed by Klaus-Kline laboratories for  multi-
role combat using "launch-and-leave" techniques.

DEFENSIVE MEASURES

SAFETY ZONE

The  Orbit Space around any Coriolis Space Station is safe.   The  Stations 
own defences will come to your immediate assistance.   Entry to safety zone 
is signalled with a large "S" on the astrogation console.

SHIELDS AND ENERGY BANKS

You ship comes equipped with fore and aft shields and  energy  banks.   The 
shields protect your ship from agressive fire,  and will be recharged  from 
the energy banks.   Constant fire will harm the shields.   Once a shield is 
depleted,  enemy lasers and missiles striking that shield will take  energy 
directly from the energy banks and may even destroy items of cargo or  ship 
fittings.   When  all  your  energy  banks are  empty  your  ship  will  be 
destroyed.   Using  lasers or an ECM system will also deplete  your  energy 
banks.

The  ship's computer will keep you informed of any damage to your ship  and 
will also warn you when energy levels are dangerously low.

An  Extra Energy Unit may be fitted at planets of Tech level 8  or  higher, 
and  doubles the energy bank replenishment rate.   This is the energy  unit 
with the copper colored top.   No other unit looks like it,  or lasts  like 
it.

     Defensive Shield Specification:

The shields consist of hi-tense flux webs of Zieman-charged  sub-particles.  
They are weakest where the laser and missile tubes pass through the  ship's 
hull,  and along the central ship bank where the two shields  overlap,  and 
cause a stress zone.



                                  - 15 -






ECM

An ECM System (literally Electronic Counter Measures System) is offered for 
sale at Tech level 2,  and may be used any number of times given sufficient 
energy replacement.  When activated by the E key, ECM destroys all missiles 
in  your vicinity - including any that you have fired.   Some enemy  ships, 
especially  traders,  will have this and may use it against your  missiles.  
Your  ship's  computer  displays an E on the console when  it  detects  ECM 
broadcasts.

     Anti-missile (ECM) System Specification:

Radiant-Magnetic  "wipe-out" using ion-saturation theory developed by  Bell 
and Braben on riedquat 359.  Electronic Counter Measures Systems use minute 
charged particles of InterSpac heavy Element dust,  releasing their radiant 
energy and setting up expanding nuclear flux chains.

ESCAPE CAPSULE

An escape capsule can be fitted in place of your cabin at any world of Tech 
level  6  or higher.   If Q is then hit during combat the capsule  will  be 
jettisoned from the ship, be automatically tracked by the nearest world and 
will  travel  safely  to  a Coriolis space  station.   Your  cash  will  be 
preserved but all your cargo will be lost.

However,  this  item comes with a widely recognized insurance  cover  which 
will guarantee you a new Cobra Class ship,  equipped in like  manner.   The 
contents of the cargo hold is exempt from this protection.

Since  the  unique  IR signature of a ship's hull is used  to  file  police 
records,   abandoning   your  ship  in  this  way  will  have  the   effect 
(unfortunately exploited as much by galactic brigands as trader victims) of 
clearing your police record.

You  may see an escape capsule leaving an enemy ship.   This will not  harm 
you unless you crash into it.

     Escape Capsule Specification:

Recommended model is the Xeesian FastJet LSC 7, which can support two human 
life-forms for seven weeks, in moderate Suspended An.state.

NON-COMBATIVE EQUIPMENT

FUEL

Fuel is always available.  You can refill your tanks to full (7 light-year) 
capacity - no less is permitted.

FUEL SCOOPS

Fuel  Scoops  may  be fitted to the hull at a planet of  Tech  level  5  or 
higher.   These  enable a ship to obtain free hyperspace fuel by  "skimming 
the sun" - flying close to it at high velocity.





                                  - 16 -






Since  fuel  scoops utilize powerful electro-magnetic fields to  guide  the 
solar  winds  into  their converters,  they may also be  used  to  pick  up 
miscellaneous  space  debris.   Almost all pirate vessels are  fitted  with 
these so that they can blast their prey apart and sift among the  wreckage, 
rather than attempt to dock with a hostile craft.

Once fuel scoops are installed, you can scoop up an object (such as a cargo 
canister)  by keeping it in the lower half of the screen view  areas  while 
flying right up to it.

     Fuel Scoop Specification:

Fuel scoops are considered an essential for Deep Space,  and dangerous zone 
trading.   They have a standard design,  and a standard fitment.   They use 
powerful  electromagnetic fields to guide solar wind or small space  debris 
into their ReQax convertors.

CARGO BAY EXTENSION

One cargo bay extension can be bought, increasing the hold space from 20 to 
35 tonnes.

     Cargo Bay Extension Specification:

Standard model is the Mariner Freight Chamber.

DOCKING COMPUTER

This  is available from all Tech level 9 planets;  they are fitted  to  the 
ship's flight control system and enable it to dock the ship  automatically.  
The  auto-docking  sequence is triggered by the C key and switched  off  by 
pressing C again.

     Docking Computer Specification:

The  SinCorn RemLock D&A System is a sophisticated and expensive  piece  of 
gadgetry.  It comes with MemnSomn pilot interaction to induce hi-cram sleep 
during the maneuvers.

INTERGALACTIC HYPERDRIVE

The intergalactic hyperdrive is obtainable only from planets at Tech  level 
10 or higher,  and can only be used once.  The Inter-Galactic Hyperdrive is 
engaged by pressing G then H.

     IGH Specification:

although  a  number of manufacturers have supported a whole  range  of  IGH 
motors,  it is recommended you remain loyal to Xexor/Hikan who provide  the 
standard hyperspace transit drives.









                                  - 17 -






ASTEROID MINING LASERS

Asteroid  mining  involves the fitting of fuel scoops  and  special  mining 
lasers to your ship.  Ships which always carry them are known as "Belters".  
They search for asteroids and, on finding one, use the laser to fragment it 
into pieces sufficiently small to be taken into the cargo bay.

     Mining Lasers Specification:

Kruger Model ARM64 Sp.  Mining laser is highly recommended as both a  trade 
and combat addition.   Uses variable frequency laser rods of 200mm  length, 
fired  in  wide beam,  100 channels/beam.   Automatic  debris-pattern  lock 
ensures  no  fragments  of large size of target asteroid  impinge  on  ship 
space.  can be fitted with a fuel and matter scoop.


----------------------
KEY FUNCTIONS - COMBAT

   A   - Fire laser
   T   - Target missile
   I   - Ship ID computer
   M   - Fire missile
   U   - Unarm missile
   E   - Operate ECM
   TAB - Launch energy bomb
   Q   - Launch escape capsule
   F4  - Equipment acquisition




                           INTERGALACTIC TRADING

The  Cobra Mk III,  designed primarily as a trading ship,  combines  combat 
efficiency  and  maneuverability  with substantial cargo  space  (20  Tonne 
Canisters)  and with scoop attachments for space debris,  jettisoned  cargo 
and space rock.

Most space stations have made the process of trading very simple,  in order 
to  facilitate  a  fast turnover in goods and  ships.   Import  and  export 
tariffs  -  which  are high on some worlds -  are  automatically  added  or 
deducted  and  this  is reflected in the  prices  shown.   The  auto-trader 
system,  employed  by the Cobra,  does not allow for more specific  trading 
deals to be performed.

A selection of the more valuable alien items that are tradeable is given in 
this manual, but the trader must deal with them in person.

Once docked you are linked directly with the CorCom Trade System.   At your 
request you can obtain a list of basic trade items available for purchase.

Slaves  are  measured by the tonne in galactic trading.   This may  seem  a 
little strange,  but it includes the cryogenic suspension system  necessary 
to  keep  them alive during space travel.   The slave  trade,  once  almost 
eliminated by the Galactic government is now returning, despite the efforts 
of the Galactic Police Force to suppress it.


                                  - 18 -





     
                                                               AVERAGE
     ITEM                                                      PRICE/CR
     
     Food          (Simple organic products, see below)          4.4 tonne
     Textiles      (Unprocessed fabrics)                         6.4   "
     Radioactives  (Ores and by-products)                       21.2   "
   * Slaves        (Usually humanoid)                            8.0   "
     Liquor/Wines  (Exotic spirits from unearthy flora)         25.2   "
     Luxuries      (Perfumes, Spices, Coffee)                   91.2   "
   * Narcotics     (Tobacco, Arcturan Megaweed)                114.8   "
     Computers     (Intelligent machinery)                      84.0   "
     Machinery     (Factory and farm equipment)                 56.4   "
     Alloys        (Industrial Metals)                          32.8   "
   * Firearms      (Small-scale artillery, sidearms, etc)       70.4   "
     Furs          (Includes leathers, Millennium Wompom Pelts) 56.0   "
     Minerals      (Unrefined rock containing trace elements)    8.0 kg
     Gold                                                       37.2 kg
     Platinum                                                   65.2 kg
     Gem-stones    (Includes jewelry)                           16.4 g
     Alien Items   (Artifacts, Weapons, etc)                    27.0 tonne
     
* These items are defined as illegal by the Galactic Government, so trading 
  in them is risky.

F8 activates a list of basic trade items at current market prices.

Shown on this list are the quantities of each item available (vertical  bar 
to  the right of the item),  and the current market price per  unit.   Most 
CorCom Trade Systems deal exclusively under blanket  categories,  including 
Food, Machinery, Minerals and Gemstones.

The prices shown at the time of trading represent an offer to you and  will 
be guaranteed while you are in Trading Mode.

F10 offers an inventory of cargo, fuel and cash.
F3 puts you in purchase mode.

If you wish to buy,  numerically indicate the amount you wish to  purchase; 
autoSCAM  modules will immediately load your purchase into the  cargo  bay.  
your screen will indicate your remaining credit facility.

The Cobra trade ship must dock with a Coriolis space station before  buying 
or selling cargo.   It has no Free Space trade facility, apart from routine 
jettisoning of cannisters.

Once  docked,  the  selling  process is automated,  although  there  is  no 
requirement to sell.  F2 puts you in selling mode.












                                  - 19 -






HOW TO TRADE

BUYING MODE FOR GOODS

   F8  - List of goods available on target planet
   F10 - Inventory of your cargo
   F8  - To see again what is available
   F3  - To buy some goods use the mouse, joystick or cursors to select
         item and then press fire or double click either button.  You will
         then be asked to enter the quantity of goods you require on a
         calculator pad.

SELLING MODE

   F2  - To sell some goods use the mouse, joystick or cursors to select
         item and then press fire or double click either button.  You will
         then be asked to enter the quantity of goods you wish to sell on
         a calculator pad.

ADVICE TO TRADERS

The Cobra trade ship can be fitted with four lasers,  four missiles and one 
energy bomb.   This should be sufficient to make trade possible within  the 
System  Space  of  even  heavily piratised  worlds.   But  it  is  strongly 
recommended  that pilots achieve a combat of at least "Deadly"  before  any 
worlds designated "Anarchy" or "Feudal" are approached,  especially if  the 
cargo is high tech machinery or luxury goods.

To make money as a trader is no easy task.  Unless you have backing capital 
you would be well advised to start with foodstuffs,  textiles, minerals and 
luxuries.

Demand  for goods varies widely and prices within  planets  fluctuate,  but 
galCop regulations prohibit planets from advertising their requirements  or 
announcing their market prices beyond their own System Space.   Any trader, 
therefore, approaches all transactions with a certain financial risk.

Trade  depends  upon demand,  and selling prices depend upon  the  level  f 
demand on the planet,  and its available money.   None of these factors can 
be assessed before docking.

Agricultural planets invariably have excess produce at reasonable  purchase 
prices,  and  such  food sells well at  industrialised,  middle-  to  high-
technology worlds.   Raw materials, and ores, will sell well to middle-tech 
worlds,  which are usually able to refine them, and the refined product can 
fetch excellent prices at worlds of very high tech status.

The rules are complex, and anarchy and piracy has its effect on causing the 
rules to change.

In trading with a planet, consider its economic profile:

AGRICULTURAL  WORLDS  need specialist food and raw  materials,  but  mostly 
basic machinery and spare parts.   If they are rich, they need luxuries and 
high  tech  industrial  machines.   They  produce  food  in  quantity,  raw 
materials and specialized "organic" items, like some textiles.



                                  - 20 -






INDUSTRIAL WORLDS need agricultural produce;  raw materials (for refining); 
resource exploitation machinery;  (if rich) high tech goods.   They produce 
basic items of need for civilized worlds:  beds,  seals and gaskets,  power 
storage  units,  basic weapons,  mass produced  fertilizer,  mass  produced 
medicines, etc.

Think about a planet's needs.
Think what might make the society function.
Don't trade expensive trivia to a hungry world.

If the profit isn't worth it, trade it somewhere else.

ALTERNATIVES TO TRADING

Since  the Cobra craft is equipped as a fighter as well as a  trader,  with 
in-built  capacity for strengthening its armaments,  there are  alternative 
life-styles  to  trading  which  may  prove  profitable,   but  which   are 
excessively dangerous.

BOUNTY HUNTING

Galactic banks,  which insure the larger trading convoys,  will pay a large 
bounty  for each pirate ship destroyed.   A ship's computer  will  transmit 
photographic evidence of any kill to the GalCop Bank Federation  Monitoring 
Authority.  The IR signature of the destroyed ship is then tallied with all 
known pirate vessels, and the bounty hunter pilot credited accordingly.

Bounty  hunters commonly have Cobra Class ships in order to  masquerade  as 
traders.   They simply hyperspace into a system (anarchic and feudal worlds 
especially)  and wait to be attacked,  ensuring that they  have  sufficient 
hyperspace fuel (Quirium) for a quick escape.

PIRACY

Piracy is widespread throughout the 8 galaxies,  and many pirates  are  not 
hardened criminals at all,  but failed traders who have turned to this  way 
of life in desperation.   To survive as a pirate, looting freighter convoys 
and  small ships,  requires a high degree of combat experience,  since  not 
just  Police  Vipers will pursue them,  but other pirate ships  and  Bounty 
Hunters, too, prey upon them.

But the rewards are high.  Provided the pirate ship is equipped with a fuel 
scoop,  the  jettisoned  tonne-cannisters of attacked cargo  ships  can  be 
scooped up and traded.

ASTEROID MINING

There  is money in rock,  but to make the most of it a Cobra ship  must  be 
fitted with a fuel scoop and a MinReduc 15 Mining Laser (or some equivalent 
type).   The  mining laser will blast very large asteroids into very  small 
fragments and the scoop can rapidly swallow this tradeable ore.








                                  - 21 -






FREE SPACE CARGO

Trade  ships are often destroyed (by natural catastrophe or  enemy  action) 
and their cargo left ungathered.  Using a fuel scoop such "free bounty" can 
be collected.   The contents of the cannisters will be known until they are 
taken  aboard and examined,  and may be worthless or worth a  fortune.   It 
their  contents  are illegal goods,  they cannot be traded r  sold  without 
legal risk.

(NB:  Pressurized cargo canisters are the Universal means of storing  cargo 
for Interplanetary Space voyaging.  Made of HiFlux Chromon-alloy, they hold 
one Gal Tonne of goods, under variable pressure and temperature conditions.  
Tales have been told of such barrels being discovered after over 500  years 
on  barren  moons,  and  such  "Moon salvage" is  a  remarkable  source  of 
historical artifact material.)

ILLEGAL TRADING

It  is surprising how many planetary systems will allow the  purchasing  of 
illegal  trade  items,  notably firearms,  narcotics  (especially  Arcturan 
Megaweed) and slaves.  Slaves are supplied in cryosuspension in transporter 
coffins,  and  often  turn  out to be old and  sick  specimens  of  vaguely 
humanoid life forms.   Nonetheless,  few systems will allow the selling  of 
these items without taking recriminatory action.


---------------------
KEY FUNCTIONS - TRADE

   F8  - Market prices
   F10 - Inventory
   F3  - Buying mode/trade goods
   F2  - Selling mode/trade goods






                     POLITICAL PROFILE OF THE UNIVERSE

CONSEQUENCES FOR TRADE

To trade successfully, and profitably, will almost certainly require you to 
fly  the  Cobra  trade ship into politically  unstable  planetary  systems.  
Pirate and free-booter activity is high in many solar systems, and adequate 
ship defences are essential if the rewards of higher selling prices are  to 
be reaped.

For the benefit of new traders,  a brief political summary is given  below, 
but reference should be made to Kroweki & Carr's PsychoHistory and Economic 
Theory in the GalFederation, 2845.







                                  - 22 -






Planetary  governments,  or federations, determine the relative  safety  of 
their  Solar  Space.   Ranked  in decreasing  order  of  safety,  the  2040 
officially registered worlds of the Galactic Federation can be classified as

     Corporate States
     Democracies
     Confederacies
     Communist States
     Dictatorships
     Multi-Governments
     Feudal Worlds
     Anarchies

CORPORATE STATES

Like ENGEMA and ZAATXE,  these are well-ordered worlds,  which have usually 
developed  from  settlers who practiced a free trade  form of  competition.  
Taxation  is high on such worlds,  but the living standards are high  also.  
Corporate planets with to protect their trade,  so goods are expensive, but 
luxuries are welcomed.  Import licences are often necessary.

Engema  is  an agricultural world,  run as a single  farming  co-operative.  
Farmers receive a fixed payment for their crops, whether or not the harvest 
is  good,  and  selling prices do not vary greatly.   It  is  a  dependable 
market,  and  customer relations are good.   Luxuries,  machinery  and  raw 
materials sell well here.

Zaatxe  is  an example of a rich,  industrial state (Tech  level  12).   It 
produces  luxury  goods,  elaborate and  innovative  machine  systems,  and 
specializes in Prototype design.  Prices fluctuate depending upon the level 
of  inter-state competition,  but it is always a safe bet to buy  recently-
developed  machine  items  which have not yet spread very  far  across  the 
galaxy.

DICTATORSHIPS

Dictatorships such as the worlds Lave and Enzaer,  are only moderately safe 
to  trade with,  but are well worth the risk (provided the trader  is  well 
defended  and  combat trained).   Very often pirate attack will  not  occur 
because  of  an agreement between pirate fleets and the  world  itself.   A 
proportion of all incoming trade is "allowed" to be stolen by pirates,  who 
will then leave the world alone, and protect its shops from aliens or rogue 
traders.  It is an uneasy liaison, which often breaks down.

Lave  is  an agricultural world,  and Enzaer an industrial  planet,  but  a 
similar  principle  operates  on both  surfaces.   There  are  two  trading 
standards,  that of the People and that of the Aristocracy.   Standards  of 
living are artificially generated,  a veneer of progress, and luxury goods, 
machinery and textiles sell well - usually.   The great demand, however, is 
for basic commodities,  especially foodstuffs,  clothing and raw materials.  
These  will  sell  well when the voice of the People  has  been  raised  in 
protest.







                                  - 23 -






ANARCHY PLANETS

A  trader  can  make  his biggest profits here  and  reach  his  grave  the 
quickest.   Worlds  like Onisou and Xeesenri have vast wreck-yards  in  far 
orbit,  the dead places of ships that came to trade honestly, and fell prey 
to trickery.

These are lawless places,  and have usually become so because the  original 
settlers  completed too hard when there was too little  resource  material.  
Those  worlds which survived holocaust did so because of uneasy and  bloody 
alliances  between clan families.   Pirates and mercenaries were hired  for 
protection and assassination purposes.   Anarchic worlds will trade readily 
in narcotics,  slaves,  firearms and exotica, and the price will be good... 
if  you  get  a price at all.   These worlds are  almost  always  supplying 
invisible Masters, usually elite trader/combateers who have turned to crime 
as the most profitable way of life.  Such form loose federations, and trade 
on the black market extensively throughout the galaxies.

These worlds pay highly for goods they cannot produce  themselves,  because 
they  know that traders avoid them.   Their own products need  specialized, 
illegal outlets:  weaponry,  narcotics,  eavesdropping devices...  if  it's 
covert,  then anarchic worlds are producing it.   Trade in these items  and 
you will get rich quick, or dead quick, or at least become a "Fugitive".

ALIEN RACES

Of the 2040 officially registered planets in the GalCop, all but 45 support 
human colonies only, that is to say, human presence elsewhere is restricted 
to settlements in under-populated parts of the land surface.

Trading at such worlds depends,  for its success, very much upon the extant 
state of co-operation between human and alien.   Human control the Coriolis 
stations  in  orbit,  but the availability of items for  trade,  and  their 
relative expense, can be affected by the controlling life forms.

Most  alien life forms are either too primitive,  or too glad of  off-World 
trade,  to interfere.   Some,  such as the Reptiloid life form of Esanbe or 
the  Amphibioids of Anbeen,  can make a trader's life  very  difficult,  by 
haggling at the point of a laser.

The available planetary information on all worlds will indicate the  nature 
of the inhabiting life form.

BIRD-FORMS.   Dealing  in  alien artifacts on such  worlds  often  involves 
forming  a close liaison with Flight Elders,  or Nest Elders,  and this  is 
very  much  a job for the specialist.   Bird-forms are,  on  the  whole,  a 
delight to trade with,  and the highest form of honor (fairly  universally) 
that  an off-worlder can receive is an (invitation to "keep the  eggs  warm 
for a moment".

AMPHIBIOIDS are usually a lot sharper than their wet,  sluggish  appearance 
would  suggest.   They are usually keen to trade in  narcotics,  or  exotic 
foodstuffs.   Skin creams are always well received.   Technologically  they 
tend to be backward,  but will pay high prices for such middle-range  items 
as automated ponds, croak metres, spawn freezers and swamp purifiers.




                                  - 24 -






FELINES  are dangerous in the extreme.   No matter what sort  of  political 
structures  the  world may have,  feline aliens are  pack  orientated,  and 
feudal,  and  very  unpredictable.   All traders are advised to  wear  body 
suits,  to  prevent secretions of sweat from triggering a feeding  response 
among these hostile and enigmatic life forms.

To win the confidence of a feline alien is almost invariably to be  invited 
to mate, so a certain aloofness is recommended.

INSECTOIDS.   The  most  dangerous insectoidal life form is  the  Thargoid, 
which is mentioned in the Combat section.   Insectoidals are usually highly 
intelligent,  often  existing  as  a  group  mind.   There  is  rarely  any 
individuality among insectoids,  and the trader must beware making deals in 
such a way.   One life form builds earth cities up to four miles high,  and 
over four million drones live in the middle levels.   According to  legend, 
any  trader  who voluntarily ascends the earth passageway  from  ground  to 
upper  surface  of  these immense mounds is honored  with  the  rare  title 
Ascender  of the Scent City.   And then consumed alive.   But trading  with 
insectoids  can be immensely profitable,  as there are so many of them  (to 
trade  in  wrist  watches,  for example,  means two  to  four  watches  per 
individual in a clone-group of perhaps ten thousand).

In dealing with any alien life-form,  for the purposes of trade,  there are 
three cardinal rules:

     Learn the body language of the alien race.

     Cover up your body scent.

     Beware of Carapace concealed weapons.









                   OBSERVER'S GUIDE TO SHIPS IN SERVICE


In  most  trading  and combat  operations,  certain  ships  are  repeatedly 
encountered.    All   ships,   whether  unarmed  cargo  shuttles  or   Navy 
transporters,  are  potentially  dangerous  as pirate  and  bounty  hunting 
activity spreads.  Some ships are potentially more dangerous than others.

The brief guide given here is just an indication of the range of ship-types 
plying  the trade and space lanes.   The illustrations show top,  side  and 
front views of each craft.  Dimension data provide the scale.  For a fuller 
account  see Jane's Galactic Ships and Remote  Colonial  Construction,  5th 
Edition, 3205 pub. Trantor House.







                                  - 25 -






ADDER

Manufactured by Outworld Workshops,  a rogue breakaway company from Spalder 
and Prime Inc. which operates without license from an unknown location, the 
Adder-class craft has dual atmospheric-spatial capability and is often used 
by  smugglers.   Pregg's "wingfolding" system permits landing on  planetary 
surfaces.  Carries one missile.

     Dimensions - 45/8/30 ft
     Cargo Capacity - 2 TC (Tonne Canisters)
     Armaments - Ingram 1928 AZ Beam laser; Geret Starseeker missile
     Maximum Velocity - 0.24 LM (Light Mach)
     Inservice Date - 2914 AD (Outworld Workshop)
     Maneuverability - CF (Curve Factor) 4
     Crew Number - 2
     Drive Motors - AM 18 bi Thrust
     Hull Stress Factor - T Ko 28
     Hyperspace Capability - Yes




ANACONDA

The  largest  known  freighter with a cargo bay designed  by  Beerbaum  and 
ThruSpace  Inc.,  the  Anaconda is the only freighter fitted  with  Dizaner 
SpaceWares  swing-float  platforms.   These load-balance  metering  devices 
enable  the  loadmaster to rearrange the cargo within seconds  to  increase 
maneuverability of the great ship.  Equipped only with laser weaponry (the 
500 Gigazap front-firing pulse),  and sometimes with missiles, the Anaconda 
range  of  craft usually have fighter escorts.   In  trader  parlance,  the 
Anaconda is built as strong as a rogue asteroid, and steers like one.

     Dimensions - 170/60/75 ft
     Cargo Capacity - 750 TC
     Armaments - Front-fire Hassoni HiRad Pulse laser; ColtMaster
        Starlasers; Missiles (Geret Starseekers)
     Maximum Velocity - 0.14 LM
     Inservice Date - 2856 AD (RimLiner Galactic)
     Maneuverability - CF (Curve Factor) 3
     Crew Number - 40-72
     Drive Motors - V&K 32.24 Ergmasters, with under-and-over firing tubes
     Hull Stress Factor - T(ensmann) Ji57 C-Holding Z 22-28
     Hyperspace Capability - Yes















                                  - 26 -






ASP MK II

Galactic  Navy  vessel designed and manufactured in  government  workshops, 
incorporating  secret  self-destruct devices which are primed  to  activate 
when the astrogation controls are used by unfamiliar hands.  Integument has 
chameleon  properties enabling the ship to assume effective  camouflage  in 
any type of environment.   Intended for reconnaissance and the transport of 
high-ranking   military  personnel  from  combat  it  is  very   fast   and 
maneuverable.   Despite  its  hazardous  nature it makes  an  ideal  pirate 
vessel,  primarily   because of the speed,  camouflage and  high  intensity 
Hassoni-Kruger  Burst-lasers.   The  Asp II has room  for  powerful  shield 
generators, but only one missile port.

     Dimensions - 70/20/65 FT
     Cargo Capacity - None
     Armaments - Hassoni-Kruger Burst Laser; Geret Starseeker missile
     Maximum Velocity - 0.40 LM
     Inservice Date - 2878 AD (GalCop Workshops)
     Maneuverability - CF 4
     Crew Number - 2
     Drive Motors - Voltaire Whiplash HZ Pulsedrive
     Hull Stress Factor - TT 16
     Hyperspace Capability - Yes





BOA CLASS CRUISER

Although marginally smaller than the Python,  which it superseded,  the Boa 
has  a greater cargo capacity due to refinements in equipment design  (e.g. 
the  Renold  Astrogation  bloc  is  one fifth  the  size  of  the  previous 
Machanalian  Interspatial Wayfinder) and reduced number of necessary  crew.  
Largely  developed out of the recommendations left by  Commodore  Monty,  a 
Python Captain of 40 years experience.

     Dimensions - 115/60/65 ft
     Cargo Capacity - 125 TC
     Armaments - Ergon Laser system; Standard JK Pulse laser; IFS Seek &
        Hunt missiles
     Maximum Velocity - 0.24 LM
     Inservice Date - 3017 AD (Gerege Federation Space Works)
     Maneuverability - CF 4
     Crew Number - 15-28
     Drive Motors - 4 C40KV Ames Drive motors.  Seeklight Thrust Systems
     Hull Stress Factor - T(ensmann) Yo20 C-Holding K21-31
     Hyperspace Capability - Yes











                                  - 27 -






COBRA MK I

Combat-trader craft favored latterly by pirates,  the Mark I Cobra was  the 
first  trade ship designed and built for the one-man trader.   Its  special 
feature at the time of manufacture (by Paynou,  Prossett and Salem) was its 
Prossett  Drive,  which  incorporated afterburners  with  proton-tightened, 
interior shaft walls.   These are now a standard fitting for both  internal 
and external integuments of all PPS made craft.

     Dimensions - 55/15/70 ft
     Cargo Capacity -10 TC
     Armaments - Hassoni Variscan laser system and early Lance & Ferman
         missile system
     Maximum Velocity - 0.26
     Inservice Date - 2855 (Paynou, Prossett and Salem)
     Maneuverability - CF 3
     Crew Number - 1
     Drive Motors - Prossett Drive
     Hull Stress Factor - T Ji 18
     Hyperspace Capability - Yes





COBRA MK III

Larger,  more  popular  version of the Cobra Mk I (the Mk  2  only  reached 
prototype stage and was abandoned due to a design fault in the hull).  This 
ship  is equipped with several special features,  including  Zieman  Energy 
Deflection  Shields,  fore  and aft,  and mountings for four  Ingram  Pulse 
lasers.  The Cobra is much favored by lone-wolf traders who wish to combine 
potential superior combat qualities with adequate cargo space.

     Dimensions - 65/30/130 ft
     Cargo Capacity - 20 TC
     Armaments - Ingram laser system; Lance & Ferman Seek & Kill missile 
         system
     Maximum Velocity - 0.30
     Inservice Date - 3100 AD (Cowell & MgRath Shipyard, Lave)
     Maneuverability - CF 8
     Crew Number - 1 or 2
     Drive Motors - Kruger "lightfast" motors Irrikan ThruSpace
     Hull Stress Factor - T Ji 18 C-Holding M18
     Hyperspace Capability - Yes














                                  - 28 -






FER-DE-LANCE

A  Zorgon  Petterson Group (Zee Pee Gee) designed vessel favored  by  well-
heeled   bounty   hunter  and  freewheeling   business   corporations.    A 
sophisticated craft,  capable of both limited trading,  combat, and leisure 
function.   The  spacious  hull  is  mainly  given  over  to  sophisticated 
weaponry,  defences  and  navigation  equipment at  the  expense  of  cargo 
capacity.   Cabin  accommodation  is  large and  luxurious  with  extensive 
Owndirt  Inc.  recycling facilities,  encouraging extended live-in  periods 
(useful  whilst  pursuing a quarry).   Fuel scoop is  a  standard  fitting, 
ensuring complete self-sufficiency.

     Dimensions - 85/20/45 ft
     Cargo Capacity - 2 TC
     Armaments - Ergan Laser System; IFS Seek & Hunt missiles
     Maximum Velocity - 0.30
     Inservice Date - 3100 AD (Zorgon Petterson)
     Maneuverability - CF 5
     Crew Number - 12
     Drive Motors - Titronix Intersun Ionic for LT
     Hull Stress Factor - T Ji 10
     Hyperspace Capability - Yes





GECKO

Patented by Robert Bream, but not manufactured until Ace and Faber improved 
upon  the original design specifications after the death of  the  inventor.  
Later the design was stolen and widely circulated to a number of "backyard" 
workshops  who  produced  the ship in vast  numbers  with  many  individual 
variances to protect companies against lawsuits.   Mainly used as a single-
pilot combat craft, typically pirates.

     Dimensions - 12/40/65 ft
     Cargo Capacity - 3 TC
     Armaments - Ingram 1919 A4 laser; LM Homing missile
     Maximum Velocity - 0.30
     Inservice Date - 2852 AD (Ace & Faver HullWorks, Lerelace)
     Maneuverability - CF 7
     Crew Number - 1 or 2
     Drive Motors - BreamPulse Light XL
     Hull Stress Factor - T to 84-94 C-Holding JZ20
     Hyperspace Capability - Not available













                                  - 29 -






KRAIT

Small,  reliable one-man fighter,  common until the standardized version of 
the  Mamba  became available on the open market.   Several of  these  early 
Faulcon  deLacy  designed  craft may still be found in  service  in  remote 
areas,  but spare parts are no longer available and the need to cannibalize 
has reduced numbers still further in recent years.

     Dimensions - 80/20/90 ft
     Cargo Capacity - 10 TC
     Armaments - Ergon laser system
     Maximum Velocity - 0.30 Light Mach
     Inservice Date - 3027 AD (deLacy ShipWorks, ININES)
     Maneuverability - CF 8
     Crew Number - 1
     Drive Motors - deLacy Spinlonic ZX 14
     Hull Stress Factor - C-Holding A20-B4
     Hyperspace Capability - No





MAMBA

Fighter  which  grew  out of custom-built  primarily  designed  for  racing 
purposes  but  adopted  and  armed by pirates due to  its  high  speed  and 
maneuverability.   Cargo  space was added later when Raddlett  and  Rayburn 
Shipyards   (based  at  Reorte)  standardized  the  variences   and   began 
manufacturing the craft in large numbers.

     Dimensions - 55/12/65 ft
     Cargo Capacity - 10 TC
     Armaments - Ergon laser
     Maximum Velocity - 0.32
     Inservice Date - 3110 AD (Reorte Ship Federation)
     Maneuverability - CF 9
     Crew Number - 
     Drive Motors - Seeklight HV Thrust 
     Hull Stress Factor - TKi 10 C-Holding B100+
     Hyperspace Capability - No


















                                  - 30 -






MORAY STAR BOAT

Developed initially as a submarine flyingboat,  Marine Trench Co.  soon say 
the  possibilities for extending their operations into space and the  Moray 
SFB became the "Star Boat" after its ingenious adaptations were  completed.  
Aquatic space-faring races are the main users of this multi-purpose vessel, 
whose  hull  is  able to withstand the pressures of depths of  up  to  5500 
fathoms.   Standard fittings include: highpower seal locks, 2 torpedo tube/ 
single missile pods and flood-lock cabins for subaquatic life-forms.

     Dimensions - 65/25/60 ft
     Cargo Capacity - 7 TC
     Armaments - Geret Starseeker missile system
     Maximum Velocity - 0.25
     Inservice Date - 3028 AD
     Maneuverability - CF 4
     Crew Number - 6
     Drive Motors - Turbulen Quark Re-charger Mode 1287
     Hull Stress Factor - T Ko T24
     Hyperspace Capability - Yes





PYTHON

One  of  the larger trading vessels manufactured in Inera  Orbit  Space  by 
Whatt  and  Pritney  ShipConstruct.   Cabin accommodation  is  cramped  and 
spartan  in  contrast  to  facilities for  cargo  and  "alien  environment" 
transport.   Though slow and ponderous,  the craft has powerful CC-Voltaire 
shields and  Volt-Variscan Pulse lasers,  earning it the  nickname  of  the 
"space porcupine".   Not commonly attacked by pirate ships,  but a  popular 
craft for freebooters, usually used as a way-station and storage hulk.

     Dimensions - 130/40/80 ft
     Cargo Capacity - 100 TC
     Armaments - Volt-Variscan Pulse lasers
     Maximum Velocity - 0.20
     Inservice Date - 2700 AD (Whatt and Pritney ShipConstruct)
     Maneuverability - CF 3
     Crew Number - 20-30
     Drive Motors - 4 C40K V Ames Drive Exlon 76NN Model
     Hull Stress Factor - T(ensman) YO 20 C-Holding K21-31
     Hyperspace Capability - Yes














                                  - 31 -






ORBIT SHUTTLES

These  unarmed  and often unmanned craft are built under license  in  every 
planetary   system.    Based  on  a  prototype  developed  by   Saud-Kruger 
AstroDesign,  they  are  used for cargo ferrying between planet  and  space 
station,  but  can  be modified to hospital  ships,  or  orbiting  prisons.  
Favorite targets for small-time criminals,  because of their  instantaneous 
release  of  cargo canisters,  they are often followed  by  single  fighter 
patrol ships.

     Dimensions - 35/20/20 ft
     Cargo Capacity - 60 TC
     Armaments - None
     Maximum Velocity - 0.08
     Inservice Date - 2856 AD (Saud-Kruger AstroDesign)
     Maneuverability - CF 4
     Crew Number - 6
     Drive Motors - V & K 20.20 StarMat drive
     Hull Stress Factor - T Ko 28
     Hyperspace Capability - No





SIDEWINDER SCOUT SHIP

Designed  by  Faulcon deLacy and built in the Onrira Orbital  Shipyards  by 
Spalder  and Starblaze Inc.  to Galactic Navy specifications for  a  multi-
purpose  support craft.   Mainly used for atmosphere and planetary  surface 
scouting,   but  extensively  too  for  city-strafing,  reconnaissance  and 
infantry air support (and by pirates who favor speed and  elusiveness,  its 
primary  advantage).   Has  some interspatial  capability    not  including 
hyperspace, and must be carried through hyperspace by jump-capable vessels.  
Hull  is too small for the installation of fuel scoops,  or more  than  one 
missile pod.

     Dimensions - 35/15/65 ft
     Cargo Capacity - None
     Armaments - Dual 22-18 lasers; Seeker missiles
     Maximum Velocity - 0.37
     Inservice Date - 2982 AD (Onrira Orbital/Spalder & Starblaze)
     Maneuverability - CF 9
     Crew Number - 1
     Drive Motors - deLacy Spin Ionic MV
     Hull Stress Factor - Not available; C-Holding C50
     Hyperspace Capability - No












                                  - 32 -






THARGOID INVASION SHIPS

Though  most  of  the  Thargoid Space Fleet is  currently  engaged  by  the 
Galactic  Navy in Intergalactic Space,  a few of the smaller  battle  ships 
make occasional sorties into Human Space.   These ships are extremely  fast 
for  their  size  and invariably have ECM Systems (this  was  originally  a 
Thargoid  invention to counter Navy missiles,  subsequently copied  by  the 
Navy from captured Thargoid ships).
     Additionally,  most  Thargoid battle ships carry a few  small  remote-
controlled ships,  each equipped with a single pulse laser.   It is rumored 
that  the Galactic Navy are designing their own remote-controlled  fighter, 
and will pay well for Thargoid ones to study.

     Dimensions - 180/40/180 ft
     Cargo Capacity -
     Armaments - Widely varying.  Mountings available for most systems.
     Maximum Velocity - 0.20 LM
     Inservice Date - Uncertain
     Maneuverability - CF 6
     Crew Number - 150
     Drive Motors - Thargoid invention
     Hull Stress Factor - Uncertain
     Hyperspace Capability - Yes




TRANSPORTER

The  Lakon  Spaceways  MC15  QuikTransport Shuttle  is  the  most  commonly 
encountered  intermediate range shuttle,  with a range of 0.1LY and a  full 
HiGrav  Loading facility.   It can carry up to 100 passengers,  and  has  a 
cargo capacity of 10 tonnes undefined bulk.   Can land on asteroids,  space 
stations,  and can skim atmosphere, and touch down on land surfaces and all 
liquid surfaces except acid.

     Dimensions - 35/10/30
     Inservice Date - Unknown, but probably pre-2500 AD.  Known prototype
         built on spaceLink Shipyards, Mars orbit (Old Earth).




















                                  - 33 -






VIPER (POLICE SHIP)

Small,  highly  maneuverable  short range "hunter-killer",  the  Viper  was 
specifically  designed  for  GalCop  Space  Policing  purposes  by  Faulcon 
Manspace and are built under licence on all Medium Tech worlds.   The Viper 
is a single pilot craft,  but can carry up to ten humanoid  passengers.  It 
has no cargo space, but has a "tug" capability, and can tow a ship of up to 
140,000  MTS mass (including the Cobra Mk 3).   This popular ship  is  also 
carried by large freighter convoys, for defensive purposes.

     Dimensions - 55/80/50 ft
     Cargo Capacity - Zero
     Armaments - Ingram MegaBlast Pulse Laser; Seeker missiles
     Maximum Velocity - 0.32 LM
     Inservice Date - 2762 AD (Faulcon Manspace, Reorte)
     Maneuverability - High (CF 7.4)
     Crew Number - 1 (up to 10)
     Drive Motors - deLacy Super Thrust VC10
     Hull Stress Factor - Varies
     Hyperspace Capability - No





WORM CLASS LANDING CRAFT

A  small  landing  craft  carried on larger ships,  for  use  as  either  a 
lifeboat, or for landing parties.  Lightly armed, the Worm is occassionally 
employed  as  an  attack  and/or  decoy  craft  during  combat  conditions.  
Manufactured to specific requirements dependent upon the Mother  Ship,  the 
Worm is highly adaptable.

     Dimensions - 35/12/35 ft
     Cargo Capacity - None
     Armaments - Ingram Pulse laser
     Maximum Velocity - 0.23
     Inservice Date - 3101 AD
     Maneuverability - CF 6
     Crew Number - 2
     Drive Motors - Seeklight HV Thrust
     Hull Stress Factor - T Ki 10
     Hyperspace Capability - No














                                                                      rmh

                                  - 34 -






                                PILOT'S LOG


Date:                                          Filename:

Name:                                          Status Combat/Legal:

Planets Traversed:







Current Equipment:  




Purchases and Prices Paid:

Item/Planet         Av.price        Price paid         Quantity ordered












Trading Profits:

Kills:

Credits:

SPECIAL NOTES:

















                                  - 35 -






                                PILOT'S LOG


Date:                                          Filename:

Name:                                          Status Combat/Legal:

Planets Traversed:







Current Equipment:  




Purchases and Prices Paid:

Item/Planet         Av.price        Price paid         Quantity ordered












Trading Profits:

Kills:

Credits:

SPECIAL NOTES:

















                                  - 36 -




