
                                  TRACKER
                                  -------
                             by Union Software




                              Gameplay  Guide


WARNING
-------
Copyright subsists in all  Rainbird Software documentation and artwork. All rights
reserved. No part of this software may be copied or transmitted in any form or by
any means. This software is sold on the condition that it shall not be  hired  out
without the express permission of the publisher.

                                 Introduction
It wasn't long after the first microcomputers started rolling off the production lines
that programmers began writing strategy games for them.

Strategic simulations were split into two major categories: traditional board games
(such as Chess, Checkers, Go, Tic-Tac-Toe), and war games which were simply
computerised  versions of those battle games involving model soldiers and artillery

The players usually started by deciding how large the two armies were going to be,
and what weaponry they had at their disposal. The soldiers and artillery were then
positioned around a crude map, and the game began in earnest...

The war games became slightly more sophisticated, with the option of the computer
taking the role of your adversary, but they have never been a truly great challenge
to a skilled tactician.

Tracker will change all that.

When Tracker was in the design stage, all the old `rules' relevant to war gaming
were thrown away, and the following design brief was detailed:

   * A computer controlled artificially intelligent enemy using the latest A.I.
      strategy techniques.

   * An exciting real-time three dimensional combat mode.

   * The  facility to save the game and continue with the scenario at another time.

   * A massive playing  area  capable of supporting a high number of enemy units.

This play guide will explain the objectives of the game, and how to achieve them.
Since Tracker employs sophisticated artificial intelligence in response to your
movements, you will find every game requires different strategy.

Following this play guide is a  short novel, "Centrepoint" by Mike  Anderiesz,  which
describes the historical events leading up to the Tracker mission. It is strongly
suggested that you  read the novella first if you wish to fully understand the
background to the mission and the rest of this play guide.




                                           1



                         Loading Instructions
If you are going to use a joystick to play Tracker, then plug the joystick into Control
Port 2 before loading the game.

Commodore 128 users
Tracker only runs in 64 mode on a Commodore 128. To enter 64 mode, either hold
down the Commodore key when you turn on the machine, or enter GO 64 from 128
mode, and answer Y.


Cassette

Insert the cassette in the tape player, and press SHIFT together with the RUN/STOP
key,  then press the PLAY  button on the tape player.


Diskette


Insert the disk in the drive, type  LOAD "TRACKER",8,1       then press RETURN



                                          2


                               Loading Advice
If you're having  any  problems loading Tracker into your Commodore, try the
following:-

Cassette .
1. Try the other side of the cassette.
2.  Load another program from cassette that you know works, to check that
  everything is connected properly.
3. Clean and  de-magnetise  the recorder (following the manufacturer's  instructions).
4. Try another tape player if possible.

Diskette

1. Try again from the very beginning, including removing all disks and turning the
   computer completely off and back on again.
2. Is the disk the right way up ?
3. Load a program from  another  disk to check that everything is connected
   correctly.
4. Have you added any non-standard or peculiar hardware to the computer?
5. Clean the drive (following the manufacturer's instructions).


Guarantee (What to do if the program doesn't work!)

If you have no success in getting the program to run  correctly, return  it to Rainbird
(or Firebird Licencees  in the United States) without the packaging and  we'll replace
it (if you're returning a diskette, make sure that it's safely packed!). Please include
a short letter telling us exactly what the problem is, and what equipment your
computer system  comprises.  Postage will be compensated.

   Software Returns Department                       Firebird  Licencees  Inc.
   Rainbird  Software                               P.O. Box 49
   Wellington House                                  Ramsey
   Upper St. Martin's Lane                          New Jersey
   London WCZH 9DL                                   07446


                                            3

                                The Mission
Fear and panic have been overwhelming the inhabitants of the planet Calibos,  since  a
seemingly sinister force took control of the 12th Generation computer system and
its Cycloid Patrol Craft. Now they roam  the vast network of trackways
surrounding the Pleasure Complex known  as Centrcpoint. The Cycloids wiped out
an exploration team lead by Deestra,  son of legendary fighter pilot Chandos in the
process.

Chandos decided to mount an attack on the enemy controlling Centrepoint, and
hastily assembled a band of notorious star pilots and space bandits, collectively
known as the Tactical Remote Assault Corps (or Trackers).

The Trackers had been practising  on a purpose-built trackway  beneath the
enormous Astrodome, preparing and refining their bulky Skimmer craft to make
them more  manoeuvrable  within the  trackway  confines, and improving the
firepower of their dual-pulse lasers.

The Skimmers were loaded onto a Caliban Military Transport Craft (referred to as
the  mothership),  and the Trackers set off for Zeugma IV and the unknown enemy
controlling the Cycloids within Centrepoint.
The  mothership  is now in geostationary  orbit directly above the Centrepoint
complex, and the Tracker squad are ready to be teleported  down to the planet
surface to battle with the renegade Cycloids...
The objective of this mission is to destroy the Centrepoint computer using the ion
bombs fitted to the Skimmers. You start with three Skimmers at different places in
the  trackways.   Thanks to advanced structural cloning, you have an infinite number
of Skimmers at your disposal, and may place them on the trackway  in the same  place
as another Skimmer already there. You may teleport  down up to eight craft at a
time.
You  may  view all the Skimmers and Cycloids from above, using the zoom cameras
built into the mothership, or you can switch to a view from the cockpit of each of the
individual Skimmers in three dimensions, thanks to the on-board cameras being
used by Network Two.
Good luck, Tracker squad, and may your hulls "ever be eaten through by a Javan
star  pilot.

                                          4

                                The Playing Area

The  Centrepoint   trackway  complex consists of twenty-two interconnected sectors,
split into three main rings:- Central, Inner  and Outer.
Your ultimate goal is to reach the Central ring (the "Centrcpoint"), but this will
involve a complicated  and  contrived progression through the other rings, all of
which are being patrolled by Cycloid units.

The northwest, southeast and southwest corners of the trackways are `safe zones'
and you initially teleport  one Skimmer into each of these safe sectors.
Each sector consists of a large number of tracks, connected to each other by `nodes'.
Owing to an electrical field problem, the Skimmers (and Cycloids) are  unable to
turn  around in the  trackways,  and can therefore only change direction once they
reach a node.
There are approximately 100  nodes per sector, one of which is a Communication
Centre (an area where vital equipment forming  the communications network of the
Centrcpoint is positioned).
Communication Centres  can be destroyed in two ways. The first is by dropping a"
Ion  Bomb in the node, and the second is detailed below...


                                           5

Each sector is linked to an adjacent sector via Communication Links - these are
switching areas for Communication Centres, and are directly controlled by them
Since the Communication Centres  rely upon the Links for their operational
existence, destroying all Links in a sector will also result in the destruction of the
Communication  Centre.

To destroy a Communication Link, simply pass through the link. The plasma jet
exhaust of the Skimmer will fatally damage the Centrepoint computer's data
transmission equipment.




                                 The Cycloids


The trackways of Zeugma  IV  are  patrolled by the Cycloids -  robot  policing vehicles
designed for use on Calibos, but deemed too irrational and unsafe by the Caliban
government.

With the advent of 12th generation computers capable of simultaneously controlling
the movement of a number of robot vehicles, it was decided that the Cycloids should
be  despatched  to Zeugma  IV in an attempt to keep the Centrepoint Complex free of
criminal activity.

The Cycloids were modified for their strange new surroundings, and equipped with
powerful pulse lasers and an advanced plasma jet drive (developed by the
universally renowned Draziw Industries Corporation on the planet Novenia).

As the project neared completion, the Cycloids were sent out into the trackways
under the control of the Centrepoint computer, and now travel around the complex,
searching for intruders.

The Centrepoint computer has the ability to control the Cycloids in both movement
and combat, and also to clone new units as they are required. Up to 32 Cycloids can
be in action at any one time, As a result of this central control, Cycloid units will
work together if necessary to trap and annihilate the enemy and this is why they
are  so dangerous.

                                            7

                          The Screen Display

Tracker features a unique screen layout to display the various maps of the  trackway
complex, and the three-dimensional views transmitted by the Skimmers'  onboard
cameras.

Short-Range Scanner




The top half of the screen always displays a close-up view centred  on the Skimmer
currently being controlled, and the trackways in the immediate area, and this view
will automatically flip to the correct area if another Skimmer is selected.

Communication Links and Communication  Centres   are  distinguishable from
normal nodes by their pink centres  (the same colour  as the Cycloids).

A short pink line is visible at the node which the current Skimmer is travelling
towards.  This is the pointer which indicates which direction the Skimmer is to        l
move when it exits the node.
Skimmers are displayed as their assigned unit number, and Cycloids are displayed as
pink blobs.



                                           8

                          Control Panel


The control panel separates the Short Range Scanner and the Camera Scanners (see
below). It consists of the following instruments and indicators:-

A-Control  Mode  Indicator

This indicator will display one of three letters, depending on the mode used to
control  the  Skimmers. They are...

           N -Normal control
           P -Autopilot
           M - Map scroll

B -Plasma Drive Status Display

This display will show that the Plasma drive in the currently selected Skimmer is
functioning correctly. It will only show movement when the Skimmer itself is
mobile.

C  - Current Skimmer Damage Indicator
This indicator is displayed as  four rows of sawtooth waves. Each Skimmer has a
damage shield, and as damage increases as a result of hits from the  Cycloids,  or if
the Skimmer collides with the trackway, the amount of active shield decreases, until
the shield reaches zero and the Skimmer is destroyed.


D  - Individual Skimmer  Damage  Indicators

These  are situated to the left of each Skimmer's status display. They show  the  leve
of shield remaining for each unit.

E  - Skimmer Status Displays

The  currently active Skimmer unit is highlighted in black on grey,   and   all other

                                            9


units  are  displayed in  grey  on black. If a Skimmer is under imminent attack from  a
Cycloid, the unit number on the Control Panel will flash yellow and grey  as a
warning sign. If an enemy unit is within two nodes of a Cycloid, the unit number
will be displayed in pink.


F - Performance Rating
This numeric display is a direct feedback from the viewers of Network Two, who
are televising  your mission  on their vidimonitors via a direct link-up. If you arc
successful the rating will increase but, if you lose Skimmers or fail to capture
sectors, your rating will go down. If the rating reaches  zero,  the mission will be
aborted by the  Caliban  government.

The bottom section of the screen serves two different purposes as a Long Range
Scanner with a variable view of the whole trackway  complex - and as a
three-dimensional real-time view of the  trackway  from an individual Skimmer.

Long Range  Scanner






Using the Long Range Scanner, the mothership's cameras can display the  trackway
complex in x  1,  x 2, x 4 and x 8 magnification sizes. The Communications Centres
are notably visible from the mothership, since they arc displayed as yellow crosses.


                                           10




The  Communication Links arc displayed as small yellow points on the map. The
Centrepoint  itself is displayed as a yellow ring in the centre  of the screen.

Skimmcrs and Cycloids are displayed on the screen in an identical way to the Short
Range  Scanner. Also visible on the scanner will be a yellow cross-hair cursor.  This
is used  to  set  the destination point for Skimmers being controlled via auto-pilot,

Direct Combat Mode



In the three-dimensional `Direct Combat Mode', you are given a view of the
trackway  from the currently active Skimmer. You must actually pilot the unit
manually around the twists and turns of the trackway,  and attack any Cycloids that
you encounter using your pulse lasers. It is also in this mode that you can release
Ion Bombs to  neutralise  Communication  Centres.



                                              1 1



Normal mode
       Left&Right                  Select next trackway  to travel along.
       Fire                        Start stationary unit moving from its node.
       UP                          Select Auto-pilot mode.
       DOW"                        Select `Direct Combat' (3D) mode.


Auto-pilot mode
      Left/Right/Up/Down          Move cross-hair around the  screen
      Fire                        Move unit towards cross-hair. If pressed when
                                   unit is moving under auto-pilot, and cross-hair
                                   is at unit's destination, normal mode is selected.

Map mode

      Left/Right/Up/Down           Scroll map around screen.
      Fire                         Centre map on currently active unit.

Options when game is frozen

       fl  - Select directional key set   A
       f3  - Select directional key set B

       R -Reset  the game and start again
       S - Save current game position
       L - Load saved game position
   1 to  4 - Change Short Range Scanner  screen   colours
       5 - Select bright colours  on long-range scanner, for monochrome tv's.

Direct Combat Mode

       Left/Right                      Bank left and right
       UP                              Accelerate
       DOWN                            Decelerate
       Fire                            Fire pulse lasers
       ^                               Release Ion Bomb in node
       <-                              Return to Normal mode


                                          14


                             Playing Tracker


Controlling the Skimmer

When the game starts, three Skimmers have been teleported to three unoccupied
`safe' sectors in the trackway  complex. Unit 1 is selected as default.
When in `normal  mode' (selected by pressing N), moving the LEFT and RIGHT
directional control keys (or by using the joystick) allows you to move the pink
direction  selector  on the Short Range Scanner clockwise and anti-clockwise. Once
the  desired  direction has been chosen, pressing FIRE will start the Skimmer moving
towards the next node.
Skimmers (and Cycloids)  cannot stop, or turn around, unless they arc in a node.
Once the Skimmer has started moving along the trackway, you may select another
unit by pressing. the appropriate unit number (1 to 8) and the Short Range Scanner
will centre  on the newly selected unit. The active unit is displayed in white on the
Short and Long Range Scanners, and in black on the control panel. You may start
the Skimmer moving in the manner described above, and then select another unit.
When a unit reaches a node, you may teleport  reinforcement units down to join it by
pressing  <CTRL>,  provided that the sector which the unit is situated in doesn't have
a" active Communication Centrc. Up to eight units may be active in the  trackways
of Zeugma IV at any time.


Auto-Pilot Control mode

Instead of moving   each  Skimmer around the  trackways  manually from "ode to "ode
selecting  a new direction  each time a node is reached, it is possible to set a
user-defined destination for a unit, and then set the unit on auto-pilot control.
To select auto-pilot mode, press P. You can now  move the yellow cross-hair cursor
around the screen using the four directional controls left/right/up/down.

You can centre  the cross-hair around the currently selected unit by pressing  0, and
move it to the nearest Communication  Centre in the cross-hair's sector by pressing
the + key.

When you have selected the destination for a unit, press FIRE and the currently
selected unit will set off on its journey.

                                              15


You may set as many units on auto-pilot as you like, but remember to watch their
movement, as they are much more vulnerable to attack from enemy Cycloids when
under automatic control. You may cancel the auto-pilot by selecting the unit, and
pressing FIRE. The unit will then revert  to  'normal'  mode, and stop when it reaches
the next node. You can select auto-pilot mode from `normal' mode by pressing UP.

Long Range Scanner map control

The Long Range Scanner can be displayed in up to four magnification sizes. They
are selected as follows:-

         f1  -xl magnification (complete map)
         f3  -x2 magnification
         f5  -x4 magnification
         f7  -x8 magnification



        The four sizes of  magnification  available by  using   the function  keys.

                                            1 6




To accelerate forward, press UP, and to decelerate, press DOWN. Banking is
achieved by pressing either LEFT or RIGHT. Try to avoid hitting the walls of the
trackway, as this will inflict damage on your energy shields.

If you encounter a Cycloid in a trackway,  you can shoot at it using your pulse lasers
by pressing the FIRE key. You will be able to tell the whereabouts of Cycloids in


                                           17


your proximity by checking the Short Range Scanner. Remember that the Cycloids
will also attack you, and if you are fatally damaged, your screen will go blank, and
you will have to select another  unit (unless you have no units left, in which case the
game will end).

When you come up to a node entrance, slow down, or you will enter the node too
quickly and crash into one of the node's walls.

There are four types of node: normal (orange), Communication Links (yellow),
Communication Centres (blue), and the Centrepoint itself  (grey),  although it is
believed that the Cycloids use specially assigned nodes as Reinforcement Points, but
the colour of these are unknown.

To destroy a Communication Link, simply pass through the node, and the
communications equipment will be destroyed. However, if a Cycloid passes
through the Link, it will repair the damage and leave the Link fully operational.

To destroy a Communication Centre,  or Centrepoint, you must release an Ion Bomb
in the node, by pressing the ^ key, and then getting out of the node within the five
second time limit. If you don't escape in time, your Skimmer and any other
Skimmers in the node will be destroyed. If a Cycloid enters the node while the
bomb is counting down, the bomb will be instantly neutralised.



In a node, you must fly around and select an exit. The direction indicator on the
Short range Scanner will help you in choosing the correct exit. Slowly accelerate
out of the exit, steering clear of the walls, and you will enter the trackway.

                                             18


Pause mode

The game can be paused by pressing the  <INST/DEL>  key and resumed by pressing
the  <CLR/HOME>  key.  While the game  is frozen,   the following  options are
available:-

Save current position

Pressing S will save your current game position (rather like the save game feature in
most adventure games), so that you can resume play at a later time. Ensure that you
have a blank cassette, or a formatted diskette ready to save the game.

The game is saved under the filename  "TRACKER.POS"
Load saved position

This option allows you to reload a previously saved game position by pressing L
Once the game has loaded, it will continue automatically.

Restart game

This option allows you to abort the current game and start again,

Change  colours

Pressing the numbers 1 to 4 allows you to choose the  colour scheme for the Short
Range Scanner and Control Panel.

Pressing 5 will change the colour of the Cycloids and direction indicator, so that
they are visible to users of monochrome displays.

Directional Control keys

Pressing fl selects key set A, and f3 selects key set B. See the Quick Key Guide for
more details.



                                           19


                        Strategy is the key...

The ultimate objective in Tracker is to destroy the Centrepoint Communications
Node and wipe out the enemy. The foolhardy player might decide to  run  straight
for Centrepoint and wipe it out. This is not advisable, as the Cycloids will attack
you more viciously as you get closer to the centre.

The  best method is to try to take out one sector at a time by destroying its
Communication Centre. Once you have taken over a sector, you will be able to
teleport  down reinforcement Skimmers at any node in the sector (you cannot
teleport  down new units in a sector with a Communication Centre).

It is possible for you to completely isolate a sector, by taking out its Communication
Centre,  and all the Communication Centres in surrounding sectors. Once you have
isolated a sector, the Cycloids will not be able to enter the sector at all. This is the
only way to create a totally `safe' sector where you can retreat if necessary.

Advanced Strategy
Because the Cycloids are controlled by an intelligent opponent who takes all aspects
of your strategy into account, you may find the Cycloids doing some seemingly
illogical things, such as ignoring a Skimmer which is getting close to the  centre,
whilst attacking `harmless' Skimmers in the outer ring. Do not be lulled into a false
sense  of security by this strategy.

Some sectors and some nodes in particular contain reserve  Cycloids (i.e. the enemy
is more likely to create new units there). You will learn which nodes to avoid as
your time playing experience increases - and possibly find a way of destroying these
reinforcement nodes.

Thanks (or no thanks, depending upon how you look at it!) to the intelligence factor.
Cycloids who do not have a chance of winning a combat situation may well flee for
help. However, if there seems to be no alternative strategy, some Cycloids will not
be above making suicide attacks on your Skimmers.

If you are moving several units in a convoy, then take care to protect the units at the
front and back. A Cycloid that destroys these units may well wipe out all the others
before you have  a chance to retaliate.

When you reach the Centrepoint sector, the enemy will do whatever is in their
power to prevent you from destroying their `life force' -  i.e. the computer. Keep a
cool head if you are going to attempt to destroy Centrepoint...

                                             20
                                             21


CENTREPOINT

by Mike Anderiesz

                              PROLOGUE

It was about the time of the third Vortex that someone first
suggested Centrepoint.

Such a simple idea, really: take a useless, airless, mineral-less
slag ball like Zeugma IV and turn it into the biggest
money-spinner this side of the joy-drop. Why it had taken 3000
years to think up was anybody's guess. Zeugma had hung
aimlessly in the night sky for centuries - not that beautiful, not
that bright, too close to demolish, too far away to use as a
docking-point. Like an unwanted blister, Zeugma had survived
as long as democracy and gone through considerably fewer
changes.

But in the near hysteria that surrounded the appearance of a new
Vortex in the adjacent system (such  occurences  were usually
aeons apart) a proposal arrived at Planning Office from a little
known architect named Deag. The proposal, entitled `Zeugma -
options for recreational Nucleus', in itself had little to
recommend it. The expense, for one thing , was phenomenal,
but its political implications were vast, and it was here that the
proposal really scored with the government. Whizzing through
Committee stages, the plan assumed the working title
`Centrepoint' and its hapless author was paid off with a trifling
sum for his work (good ideas on Calibos, as elsewhere in the
galaxy, count for little).

Basically the plan was this: because gambling, excessive
drinking, and female company in virtually any form except
marital had been banned under the Morality Edict of 1263,
Calibos had become a curiously restrained place. At first this
was viciously resented by virtually everyone, but by a
marvellous stroke of luck 1263 was also the year the first
shipment of Qualine arrived. This substance, when refined and

24                                     25

suitably  coloured  became the infamous Joy Drop, a mild
hallucinogen with a lemony flavour (also available with a sugar
coating for children). Within months almost eveyone had tried
it, and most were popping back 40 a week. The most noticeable
effects of this new fad (apart from a proliferation of simpering
grins on the most unlikely faces) was the sudden decline in
protests against the Morality Edict. All of a sudden `real'
pleasure was not so valuable a commodity.

In the Government's eyes, however, real pleasure had one major
advantage over Joy Pills; it was exorbitantly expensive. Calibos
continued to boast a large population of wealthy merchants and
traders. In the past they had been happy to fritter away their
fortunes betting on the Solar Run or drinking at one of the many
Bordello clubs in the exclusive Satin Quarter. All these
pursuits, of course, were heavily taxed. Without them the
government found itself hard pressed for cash (free trade
agreements with the Javans made Qualine untaxable) and quite
unable to take any more from these most privileged and
profitable of citizens.

In the light of this, research also showed that the rich (known as
the Plutocrats) were less addicted to Qualine than the average
`ordinary' person. This led to the obvious question, what did
they do with their money? The obvious answer, of course, was
not very much. They simply got richer and richer, and more of
a burden to everyone. Sulky Plutocrats, with nowhere to spend
their money, became a policitical headache of no mean size.
Centrepoint was a means of correcting that oversight.

The use of Cycloids  to control and apprehend criminals came
later, almost as an after thought. By then most of Centrepoint
was complete and ready for population. No one seriously
thought security would be a problem let alone a major obstacle.
But then computers have a habit of complicating things.


                                26



               CHAPTER 1 - "Like a new penny..."

Transmission Begins -

(12.53) Beamed down to planet surface. Construction of
         Zeugma          transportation bay seems to be complete.
         We notice a lack of overhead shielding which could
         result in atmospheric interference of beam-down. My
         other units are here now, although Telex has suffered
         damage to one Pulse laser.
(12.57) The transformation is complete. Most of the barren
         rock surfaces and plateaus are dotted with distant
         structures, although the absence of lighting makes it
         hard to make out their exact shape or detail. Spreading
         out, like the cast of giant worms, are the Trackways -
         they connect all the visible structures together,
         although it would seem that without power they are
         more an obstacle than an aid to the traveller.
         Movement here, in Zeugma's heavy gravity, is hard at
         the best of times.
(12.59) We must leave our Skimmers here until there is power
         in the Trackway. Centrepoint looms out of the
         darkness about 800 metres behind us. We approach...
(13.01) In the airlock we are scanned for weapons. Radar is
         deprived of his handgun. We enter...
(13.02) Centrepoint has been atmospherically controlled to be
         a pleasant environment. Personally I find it warm, and
         lacking in emotion. Metres of ducts and corridors in
         the same shade of silver - I doubt this part of the
         complex was ever intended for human habitation.
         Fortunately only the computer will have to cope with
         such aesthetics (Comms, however, seems to enjoy all
         the polish - "like a new penny" he says).
(13.04) There is an audible hum in the distance which
         suggests that the construction unit is still operational.
         This is unnecessary as an initial count shows all

                                 27

         Cycloid units arc already built and located around the
         city. I assume human error and will deactivate the unit
         when I reach it.
(13.12) We have reached the computer and I begin activating
         it. Some of its communication vents are operational, I
         find this irregular as they should only be used for
         external transmission or reception of remote
         commands. Once again I assume human error. Once
         activated, the computer will map and co-ordinate our
         movements on the Trackway, although its basic
         defence  functions will not be activated until we beam
         off the planet.
(
  13.23) The construction unit is deactivated. Once fullv
         operational, the computer will be able to turn this unit
         on again to rebuild or repair damaged units but only in
         a Red Alert situation. We proceed to the airlock...
(13.25) Outside Centrepoint I re-brief the other units. Our
         course of action is clear - to move Sector by Sector
         across the complex, checking the  Trackway  and
         powering up the individual Communication Centres.
         The computer will guide us in this process.
(13.30) Radar, Comms and Telex begin their journey. I will
         accompany Optic as far as the inner circle before we
         separate.
(13.34) There is something ominous about this place. I will be
         glad when we leave.


"That's it..." muttered Stera. "He's blown it now.."
Turning to his friend he grinned nervously and spat a piece of
gum across the room. Through the smoked glass screen the
huddled figure of Chandos continued to show no sign of
physical exertion or stress. His shoulders stayed firm, only the
slightest movement of his head and hands indicating that he was
fighting for his life. The Simulator bucked and heaved on its
hydraulic stilts, forcing the pilot back in his seat under the

                                28

uneven pressure of artificial G-force.
"He's too slow, that's his trouble. He doesn't react to danger any
more. He just lets it slam into him. Who the hell goes into a
meteor-storm at that speed?"
Stera's friend nodded in agreement, carried along by his friend's
enthusiasm but not quite drawing the same conclusions. Of
course he wanted Chandos to fail. Every pilot in the Academy
wanted to win a few credits at the expense of the old boy. And
yet Chandos didn't look like someone about to lose his title.

In the middle of the Arena, strapped into the massive, domed
machine, the gaunt figure glanced hurriedly around him.
Meteors spun past him at all angles, some repelling his craft by

their sheer size, and spinning it even further off course. Flying
without one stabiliser meant that the computer's accuracy in
predicting trajectories and speeds was virtually useless. If the
craft was rolling, then the computer-pilot needed constant
manual correction and that called for more than just calm
nerves. All he needed now was a patch of clear space to get the
knack.
"Here they come!" shouted someone in the audience. "Chandos,
here they come!"
Chandos didn't have to look to know. Years of training in these
contraptions had taught him a thing or two about how
predictable the computer could be in certain situations. In fact,
if you were anything like a decent pilot, being damaged was
probably your best chance of beating the system. That was
always hard for a young pilot to accept. Kids have too much to
prove. They want to run for home with every shield intact,
every weapon blazing, every heat-defector shining like new,
and of course the Simulator wants them to try. That's why he
would always beat them. Real combat takes the ego out of you.
Chandos had nothing to show off about. He had wrecked more
prototypes while taking them out of dry-dock than he had in
deep space. You looked like an idiot, of course But Chandos
knew what he could do when he needed to. Put him up against

                                29


any other pilot in the world, and he would be the one who
walked away from it.

Blazing out from behind the largest of the three meteors on his
left came a Blarg Fighter - Mean little bastards with the biggest
frontal torpedo you've ever seen. Legend had it that these guys
patrolled the Tetral system, shooting at anything that moved,
but no one was that interested in finding out for sure. The
Simulator stored their shape, flight-pattern, and firepower and
used the sheer sight of them to scare most pilots into flying
straight into the nearest vortex. If you had the time to think
about it you'd realise that to carry a torpedo that large the Blarg
must be about as manoeuvrable as a can of sardines. Most
pilots, however, never lived that long.

Stera started laughing.
"Holy Java," he said, "It's a Blarg. Why doesn't he just self
destruct and get it done with?"
His friend began to feel a bit like celebrating. Short of a suicide
dive into the enemy, there wasn't a lot Chandos could do. Once
the Blarg ducked in behind him and locked his Syncomp onto
the flight pattern he'd let fly the torpedo and that would be it.
With firepower like that you didn't have to be accurate.

Chandos waited, concentrating on his damaged stabiliser. One
of the Simulator's failings was that it didn't roll like a real craft.
Try some evasive tactics in a Simulator and you'd end up stuck
to the side like a lump of putty. It was best to sit still and let
your enemy manoeuvre himself into a mistake. The Blarg
dropped out of sight.

"That's it," thought Chandos. "He's locking on."

In the auditorium the slow chant of "Chandos" began to pick up
speed. Every second he stayed alive his score crept up towards
the magic million mark, only ever passed once before and then

                                   30

in a far simpler machine. By now, however, the score wasn't
important.

Keeping one hand on his controls Chandos switched off his
flight computer. The craft bucked under the unexpected release
of control and listed towards the damaged stabiliser. The Blarg
became visible again out of his rear right screen, obviously
thrown by the sudden loss of sync. Without the flight computer
to calculate trajectories the meteors seemed that much more
dangerous now, spinning agonisingly close at times. Chandos
armed his torpedos and waited. Now the trick would be getting
a clean shot in.

For minutes the two flew side by side; the one eagerly swerving
to gain a slight pivotal advantage, the other concentrating on the
meteors, calculating the one chance in a thousand that might yet
snatch victory. Occasionally he had to open fire just to survive,
sending a shower of meteor debris burning across his screens.

"He's finished," muttered Stera. "Watch his right."

When the collision came everyone in the auditorium who hadn't
seen it coming leapt to their feet, and gasped in surprise.
Chandos took the impact hard on his right stabiliser, feeling the
power fail even as he wrestled to steady his craft. A rear screen
went dead, both the emergency boosters flared off, one of the
torpedo lights went out. Everything went painfully silent.

"Chandos..Chandos..Chandos.."  murmured the crowd.

In a second it was all over. Childishly simple, really. The craft
had lost so much velocity in the collision that the Blarg simply
shot out into the firing line ahead of him. Chandos had locked
on and fired before his stunned opponent knew there was a
danger. When the flash of white fire died away, Chandos turned
his thoughts to how he would control his craft through the rest

                                31

of the meteor belt and land safely.

"We might as well go home.." said Stera. "He could land it in
his sleep..."

The applause was of course deafening.

In the wings Daios waited silently for his friend. In his day he
too had been a pilot. He too had ridden the solar winds in the
times before flight comps.  and transporter bays. But he was
never in the same league... never one of the greats.
"Well?" said Chandos allowing a sigh at last to escape him.
"What news?"
Daios looked away "We've lost him.. I'm sorry.."
Chandos sighed again. "Not even a beacon?"
"Nothing. The planet is dead."

Chandos turned and gazed into the auditorium where one of the
pilots had flown into the back of his mother ship, to the evident
delight of the crowd.
"There will, of course, be a rescue mission," said Daios. Of
course, there always was. Too slow, too expensive and
invariably too late. In reality the heroics of Simulator search
and retrieve tactics never amounted to anything. There was just
a chance that someone on Zeugma IV, one of the other units
perhaps, had survived, gone to Deestra's aid maybe. But it
didn't look hopeful... someone had slipped up... someone
would pay.
"Keep the lines open..." he muttered.
"I will," said Daios.

The crowd began to chant again, awaiting the inevitable speech.
This conclusion to the Simulator finals had become as
predictable a part of the year as the old Solar Runs.. Then, as
now, the same man picked up the prizes, the same few words
spoken as the honours were received. Chandos climbed the

                                  32

podium and waited for the crowd to fall silent.

"That was one hell of a fight..." he began, his voice
unexpectedly strong and penetrating. "Probably the toughest
yet.. One of these days those lads are going to wipe me out..
and that'11 be the end of me. I only know one way to play these
contraptions, and that's to win.." A ripple of applause spread
out across the floor. "The last time I stood up here, I told you I
was retiring... Well at the time I meant it. I really thought I
ought to get into horticulture or something less demanding.
Hell, I don't need the money - I made all that years ago - and I
don't need the thrill. Don't get me wrong, I think the Simulator's
a great idea. We were all finding real space travel a bit
expensive, a bit dangerous, let's face it, a bit unnecessary. After
all, what the hell's in space? We get all the aliens we need in
cereal boxes these days."
Chandos rubbed his hands against the course fabric of his
uniform.
He shot a glance back at Daios, but his friend was not to be
seen.
"No, it's not that the Simulator's wrong.. it's just  that when
you've done as much real flying as I have, when you've actually
been up there and touched the stuff that kids only see in
arcades, then all this seems a bit trivial.."
"Let me tell you people something, Let me tell you what's
wrong about the way we do things down here. Now I'm not a
politician, I've got no ambitions any more, but it just seems to
take the danger out of life, if you're going to replace the Solar
Run with the Simulator, the Combat Squad with the Academy,
then do the damn thing properly. Stop sending children to do
men's work, stop building machines that no one knows how to
operate. Do it properly, or don't do it at all, right? I mean, what
the hell are we doing up on Zeugma IV? No one's wanted it for
20,000 years, no one takes the responsibility for it now. But
we're out there all the same... You call that safe?"


                                  33


Chandos wiped his upper lip. In the auditorium people were
glancing nervously at each other, wondering where all this was
leading. He felt mildly embarrassed... This was not the time, he
thought, this was not the place.

"Anyway..." he said. "Thanks for the prize."

It was days before Chandos shed a tear for his son.


                                    34


           CHAPTER 2 - "Something wrong down here"

(13.41)      The  Trackway  is fully powered and the Skimmers
            appear to function well. Top speed sometimes
            involves overshooting on curves, but a safety buffer
            returns the skimmer to a steady bearing. The computer
            continues to guide us individually so that all nodes can
            be checked, and all links restored.
(13.44) Once on a section of Trackway, it is impossible to
            turn until reaching a node. We have always known
            this to be a weakness but I still feel that if the Track is
            congested there is a high risk of collision or jamming.
            Much depends on how reliable the computer's
            mapping facilities are.
(13.46) Telex reports catching sight of something on the
            Trackway. No confirmation as yet, I hope he has left
            the Qualine  back on the mothership.
(14.01) Optic splits off to head for Sector 14.
(14.04) I have visual with Sector 9 Communication Centre. It
            is currently in darkness.
(14.09) Switching on the power-grid outside, the Centre is
            activated. It may not now be turned off until all
            Communication links that connect it with other sectors
            have been severed. I have 5 more sectors to check.
(14.17) Telex repeats that there is something moving on the
            Trackway. Perhaps it is debris left by workmen. I
            instruct him to intercept.
(14.19) I am stranded. This area of Trackway  is a dead end
            and I must push my skimmer back by hand to the
            nearest node. The fact that this has happened,
            however, is disturbing.
(14.20) I have lost seven minutes through this error. The
            computer refuses to acknowledge that the error is  due
            to it. Perhaps I should have paid more attention to my
            own instrument map.
(14.24) Comms reports a Cycloid blocking his section of

                                   35


         Trackway. Requesting confirmation.
(14.26) Comms confirms. The Cycloid is inactive, but should
         not be here at all as no instructions have been
         dispatched to relocate Cycloids anywhere but
         Communication centres. The unit may have broken
         down in transit.
(14.27) I instruct Optic to undertake manual repairs.
(14.28) Radar reports a mapping error.
(14.34) Telex has visual contact with his target. It is a Cycloid
         unit, it is mobile.
(14.36) Radar reports sighting a convoy movement of three
         Cycloids in sector 11.
(14.39) Comms reports his Cycloid is both active and armed.
(14.45) Radar is in pursuit of his convoy.
(14.47) Official Report  - "There is something wrong down
          here."



Outside, in the warm twilight, nothing stirred, The odd
police-droid flitted noisily overhead, buzzing in and out of
shadows, searching for suspicious happenings. In general,
however, it was as quiet and warm as evenings usually were.
Knossos, the season of Sun and Rain was nearly here, perhaps a
little more hospitable to the travel than Petu, season of Sun and
Wind. All the same, travel was for the outer regions - the vast
sandy plains that stretched between major cities. Here in the
city, travel was restricted to transportation tubes. The average
Calibon person resented too much exertion.

Hanging listlessly in the sky above the houses the dull shape of
Zeugma IV suddenly attracted new interest. Its complexion
pocked with strange, dark shapes, people took the time to watch
it anxiously for signs of activity. It had been three days since
the public first heard of Deestra's failure, and still the questions
remained. Who had covered up, what had gone wrong, where

                                   36


were the official records? In his day, Deestra had been as big as
Stera, the one who would take over from Chandos when he
retired. Every boy wanted to look, sound and fly like Deestra.
Now those dreams lay in shreds.

Chandos stayed indoors. He made a point of never going out
when Zeugma was full. Inside the far away hiss of the
communication link made the house seem cold and uninspired.
Chandos waited by the viewscreen with his head resting wearily
on his arm.

"Hello Chandos."
An image flashed onto the screen, grinning blandly.
"Hello Regan."
"I must talk with you. I have an idea."
Chandos frowned. The last thing he needed now was one of
Regan's ideas. That pill popping slug had caused him more
problems than he could remember.
"All right," he said reluctantly. "Come over."
One of the dubious benefits of living in Craxton, Calibos'
exclusive property belt, was that most of the government
officials and senior civil servants were crammed into the same
area. Thus it transpired that the very men Chandos spent his
days avoiding, dropped in most evenings for a private
audience.. It was at one of these audiences that Regan first
suggested his fears about security on Zeugma IV, and ironically
Chandos had agreed with him. In the weeks that followed those
fears turned into paranoic  visions of gang warfare, and carnage,
with the helpless plutocrats being systematically butchered by
all manner of petty criminals and felons. In a typically heavy
handed style the solution was the Cycloids, robot defence  units
previously deemed too unstable to be released in populated
areas, now let loose.on the Trackways to hunt down and destroy
criminals. Their movements were to be controlled and
co-ordinated by one of the new 12th Generation computers, thus
making the whole operation completely non-human and

                                37

relatively inexpensive. So started the plan that had cost Deestra
his life.

The door swung open and there stood Regan; a big,
cumbersome man with the kind of overbearing pomposity that
told you how important he had been in the past, Regan looked
as if he had kept count of his good ideas over the years and
never run out of fingers once. Such was the stuff of which
police officials were made the galaxy over.

"Hello... expecting visitors?" he grinned.
"Yes, but you'll do," said Chandos wryly, "Come in."
Regan sprawled unceremoniously across an armchair, his face
relaxing into a yawn.
"Joy Pill?" he asked, extending a small container. Chandos
shook his head. Regan popped a couple into his mouth.
"Great stuff," he exclaimed. "You know, they say the only way
to get 750,000 on the Simulator is to pop half a dozen of these
just before you reach the Asteroids. I can believe it... I can
believe it."
Chandos wondered how long this would take.
"Anyway, what can I do for you, Regan?"
"Ah.. yes.. well just came about this Zeugma affair, damned
embarrassing, I can tell you. Don't know who leaked the
information, but we're going to have to reveal an official
version soon... and that is not going to do anyone any good."
"What will you say?"
Regan fidgetted with a glass ornament.
"We were hoping to blame it on human error, you know, too
much Qualine or something..."
"That's rubbish, and you know it!"
 "Telex took the stuff, he had a reputation for it."
 "Everyone takes the stuff.. Anyway, Telex has nothing to do
 with it. And if you try to pin this on Deestra I'll make you damn
 sorry you did."
 "We need some time, that's all."

                                  38

Chandos stood up.
"We've both seen the transcripts from Zeugma. The whole
mission was badly planned from the start. We sent a poorly
equipped team to take on a potentially hostile opponent. The
skimmers weren't even properly armed, for God's sake."
"Look, Chandos.. Son or no son, Deestra incorrectly assessed
the situation."
"If he'd been correctly briefed in the first place he might have
acted differently - we all would have. I wouldn't have let him go
for a start!"
Regan considered pulling rank, and then remembered where he
was. At the end of the day there wasn't much he could do
against a man like Chandos anyway.
"Say what you will. There's no way I'm going to tell people that
we've got a whole planet down there under the control of a
hostile computer system. Think of the money it will cost us if
we have to abort the project now."
Chandos sat down again.
"Money's the least of your problems. We've already seen what
this computer can do. Those Cycloid assembly lines can as
easily be converted to make missiles, or ground lasers. Before
you know it we'll have an armed outpost within striking distance
of Calibos."
Regan popped another pill.
"You're exaggerating, of course.  There's  no evidence the
computer's that smart."
"It was designed to be, and I'd say that wiping out five
skimmers and then jamming probe communications was a pretty
dangerous start. How much more proof do you need?"
Outside a siren had gone off - perhaps alerted to the unusually
loud voices coming from the house. These police droids were a
mite sensitive to noise. Regan flicked a switch on his belt and
the sirens stopped.
"Anyway," he said. "We need a rescue mission, and this time
there won't be any mistakes. They'll go in, deactivate the
computer and get out. Either that or they'll blow every standing

                               39


structure on the planet."
"Isn't that a trifle excessive?"
"It's better than another election. You'll accept, of course?"
Chandos paused. He had waited days for this.. the chance to
fight back, the chance to recapture some of his former pride.
Yet now there was suddenly a moment of doubt... Twelve years
away from real service can change make a lot of difference.
Was he really still up to it?
"Chandos?" Regan looked at him intently.
"Give me twelve hours."
"To make up your mind? We haven't got that kind of..."
"To give you my list of requirements.. I'm not going down there
as badly equipped as the last lot."
Regan grinned, and popped another Joy Pill into his bland face.
"Now don't go asking for no cruise-ships or military lasers.
Those things cost money you know."
Chandos stood up and opened the door.
"twelve hours," he said.
The siren had started again. Regan walked out into the noise.


                                    40


      CHAPTER 3 - "There's someone on the system"

(14.48)  - General Transmission  - From the various reports I
         am receiving there are obviously unauthorised
         movements of some sort taking place on the
         Trackway. As the computer has not been fully enabled
         I can only assume we are dealing with a human
         presence. It may be a saboteur, or merely someone
         left behind who does not understand the seriousness of
         his actions. Either way, his interference appears to
         have no logical purpose, and if he is an agent he
         displays no skill in utilising the considerable power at
         his command. Nonetheless, he must be apprehended,
         before he triggers a General Alert which would put all
         our units in danger. We must therefore return to
         Centrepoint at once and regain control of the
         computer. Optic, Comms and Radar must return
         immediately by the quickest route, while Telex
         circumnavigates the sectors he has already been
         through in case they send out a Tracer-missile to
         intercept him. I will proceed, down-powering
         Communication centres by cutting them off from
         adjacent sectors. This may only be done by severing
         all communication links between centres.
         Normally this process would be both time consuming
         and hazardous as  Cycloids can still strike from
         adjacent sectors with a functioning Communication
         centre as long as it is an alert situation. As this is not
         such an alert I should have plenty of time.

         Request a thorough planet scan to locate other
         life-forms on the planet and their location.

(NB: Due to a clerical oversight this final request was not
processed until 15.32. The results of the scan were transmitted
back to the planet surface but they were never acknowledged.

                                41

They showed no life-forms on the planet.)
It doesn't take much to make a Javan angry  - insult his flag,
scrape his ship, outrun his hyper-drive, set fire to his wife,
anything really. As far as humanoids go (and we're pushing a
point here) the Javans are just about the most obnoxious people
in the known universe. This and their considerable technical
advancement made life in the early days of intergalactic trading
a pretty hazardous experience.

Bounded in on two sides by asteroid belts of unusual density,
the Caliban universe offered only one convenient route to the
tempting Oridian and Tetran systems. This involved flying
through Maplex 1, a corridor of unclaimed space between
Calibos and the aforementioned Javan Empire. Unfortunately
while everyone agreed on its neutrality, there was broad
disagreement on its exact position. So when a cruiser was flying
through the Maplex, it registered on Javan charts as being
210,000 metres inside their air-space. Oh yes, and another  thing
that makes a Javan angry is infringing his air-space.

Chances were, then, that when you flew freight to Calibos you
would be attacked by any number of D.or E-type fighters.
Stunningly fast ships, they homed in on you using ionic
tracking and locked onto your flight path in a style copied from
the Blargs. Seconds later they would let fly with a variety of
molecular and conventional weapons and no doubt one of them
would send you to an early pension. I say `no doubt' because for
all their advancement the Javans were also a force of legendary
incompetence. The reasons for this are complex, and rooted
deep in history, but warrant a brief explanation here:

Born invariably with some name like Malek, Rambo or Tharn,
the average Javan can just about write his name at the age of
19. This done, he applies to enrol at pilot's college (the other
favoured occupation being silage testing) and after a few
attempts he is accepted and begins training. Eight weeks later

                                  42

he emerges at the wheel of `his first D-type fighter, and when  he
finally gets it out of the hanger (which takes anything between
two and twenty-two attempts) he sets off to bag himself his first
Caliban freight-pod. On that long trip to the Maplex he learns
the basic rudiments of flying and some essential rules about his
ship; what the controls are for, what happens if you explode a
torpedo in the cargo bay, and how to survive sub-zero
decompression (a rare emergency situation, usually brought
about by exploding a torpedo in the cargo bay). What he lacks
in skill, however, he makes up for in sheer agression. Make a
Javan angry (and we've covered this one in some depth already)
and he'll practically eat his way through the hull to get at you.
The average life-expectancy of a pilot, incidentally, was 21, the
usual cause of death being terminal hull-poisoning.

Protecting the trade routes subsequently became a major
occupation for anyone who fancied his skill as a pilot. Flying
old service ships (Delta or Delta1 class) that resembled kettles
with stabilisers, the pilot would sit with both hands around a
strut-gun, waiting for the glint of hyper-drives to signal the
approaching enemy. Then he'd fight for his life, steadying his
controls with his knees while he concentrated on shooting out
the fuel pods of whichever Rambo was closest. If he
succeeded, the convoy got through and he could expect enough
money to upgrade his ship for the next trip. These constant
upgrades spawned the infamous `custom craft' that became the
trade-mark of the successful pilot. Eventually a proficient flyer
or gunner could own a ship that technically rivalled  its Javan
opponent - but few pilots ever got that far. Most continued to
fight their way up and down the Maplex. That was why they
were the best.

So when Chandos started searching for his team, he steered well
clear of the Academy concentrating on the old space-ports,
breaker's yards and doss houses of the equitorial regions. Here a
decent pilot could still scratch a living, ferrying tourists out to

                                43
the satellites for a glimpse of `real' space. Show them  your
money and up would spring an unlikely host of characters,
waving press cuttings of their exploits or photos of their ship.
Some of the more eager would actually show you the little black
boxes that housed the cloaking device that stood between them
and immediate arrest. Push the button and out above some
docking bay would pop the ship, glistening with artificial solar
charge, waiting to be boarded. This was where the deal was
made, and with the passenger safely on board the pilot wasted
no time on jetting off into orbit knowing that every second he
was without camouflage his chances of being arrested
increased. These days it wasn't Javans who were the enemy, it
was police. Interception meant immediate grounding and loss of
licence,  more than a pilot could afford to lose. This left him 3
options: a) Run, b) Fight, c) Fly above the enemy, crop-dust it
with Qualine and hope the air-ducts were open. Needless to say
most ran, the average pilot could barely afford to keep his ship
airbom let alone armed. The only problem was explaining it all
to the hapless tourist.
Some, however, chose a better way. Take Tigran, for instance,
a fat, morose man who swore too much and lost at cards. His
gimmick was to sit around making enemies, generally losing a
fortune in the process. This picked him out as a dead cert for
anyone who fancied making a quick killing at the poker table.
Tigran would finally get in on a big game, win the pot and
insult the biggest loser. To satisfy honour a duel would be fixed
and some accomplice would place a hefty bet on the unlikely
event of Tigran winning. Next morning the two would race off
on speed-bikes in front of a large, derisive audience. Tigran
would swear continuously as he wrestled to get his bike started
while his opponent joked with friends as to how he would spend
the money. Seconds later the opponent found himself missing
an eye, burned out by a needle-ray fired from the steadiest hand
in the business. Tigran would scoop up the money and flee to a
new town - the same trick rarely worked twice.

                                44

Chandos ran into Tigran in a sauna near Chevar.

"Yo Chandos," he bellowed, shaking off a curtain of sweat as
he stood. "How are you, you fetid old bilge bucket?"

Chandos grinned uncomfortably, wondering how many lasers
Tigran was concealing under his massive, toga-like towel.

"Hello, Tigran," he said.

"Why, the last time I saw you you were running scared in the
Solar Run."

Well, who wouldn't? If you saw the best weapons man in the
fleet sneaking up on you, trying to shoot off your fuel pods, you'd run too.
There was half the skill of the Solar Runs;
knowing when to fight and knowing when to back off. Against
Tigran it was best to back off.
"Those were the days, eh Chandos? None of this Simulator
rubbish, just real men and real weapons. You don't see them out
of museums these days...and that goes for us too, eh?"

"Do you run into many of the others, then?" Chandos sat down.

"Oh, now and then. Cynag got mined by the Pogo-droids, just
about the only decent thing they ever did. Ramos still flies for
the Tetrans, but you know what the pay's like up there. No,
we're a dying breed  - not like you Chandos, you're quite a
celebrity, aren't you?"

"Just  making ends meet, you know how it is.."

Tigran nodded vigorously, rubbing his head repeatedly in the
towel. For a moment he paused, his eyes unexpectedly serious.


                                   45


"Sorry  to hear about Deestra - I flew with him once, you know.
He was a great pilot."
The doors opened and in lunged a crowd of businessmen,
arguing about import duties. Tigran eyed them nervously, one
hand resting on his gun, until he was sure that he recognised
none of them. In this game you could never take revenge
lightly.

"Of course," he continued, "None of us believe that `unfortunate
accident' stuff, especially from a jerk like Regan. When are we
going to hear what really happened, or would you rather Insight
did your dirty work for you?"

"Let's just say that there's more to come," muttered Chandos
unconvincingly.

Tigran grunted, visibly losing interest in the whole discussion.

"I've had it with official lies, even from you, Chandos." He
stood up, suddenly feeling a resentment for the older and
greater man. Chandos caught his hand, suddenly intense and
serious.

"How would you like to know the truth?" he whispered.

Tigran shook his hand free.

"Hot enough?" he asked.

"Don't expect me to beg, Tigran. I didn't come here to talk old
times  like some octogenarian. I'm here looking for men, I
thought there may still be some around here."

"Oh! Resorting to insult now are we. Why not talk money


                                 46

first?"
Chandos pondered for a moment on the ridiculous sums a man
like Tigran would ask for his services on a mission like this.
Obviously Regan had given him his budget, and it didn't
amount to much. All the same...

"Name your price," he said.

Three days later the T.R.A.C. Squad was complete.


                              4 7


                                 CHAPTER 4

Of course, the Network was bound to find out.
Purveyor of all that was true and lively, most people could not
recall a time when the Network had not been a major force in
the life of Caliban society. For nineteen hours a day,
programmes were piped into households across the system,
filling in those irritating gaps between Joy Pills with a pleasing
mixture of sport, news and re-runs of old movies. Like
everything else there was nothing overtly sensational, nothing
socially objectionable, nothing in the least controversial, `safety
first' was an age-old Network motto that showed no sign of
becoming obsolete.

In a legendary PR operation 15 years before, the Network had
split into two channels. This marked the introduction of vicious
competition between the new contenders for exclusive rights
and  solus  slots (times when only one channel was allowed to
transmit) often involving sensational smear campaigns against
individual personalities and programmes. This in turn sparked
intense activity in the press, generally using it as an excuse to
show how TV itself was as dangerous to the public
consciousness as alcohol or gambling or any other prohibited
luxury. Needless to say, nothing came of it.

Above and beyond this conflict, however, the two channels
continued to answer to the same bosses, and toe the same
company lines. In the interests of commercial security a
television monopoly remained a necessity, there was simply too
many problems out there that needed a single ruling body to
combat. Was it true, for instance, that  Qualine eventually
eroded the optic nerve  - and if so how would the Network
survive the first generation of blind viewers? Such questions
continued to hang ominously above everyone involved in
television, although the average, partially stoned Caliban had
little time to consider such niceties.

48                                     49

Getting back to the channels, however, the competition for
ratings took a dramatic turn in the 70's,  With Channel 1 winning
the final Solar Run, and the Simulator finals, and recently
exclusive rights to all Astro-Dome events, people at the top of
Channel 2 began to fear for  their  survival. Sport had
consistently been the one thing Calibans switched onto, and
nothing else they tried made any impact on the increasing lead
the opponent was gaining. Legend has it that more marriages
collapsed during this 6-month  period than at any other time (a
remarkable fact when you consider that only 8% of marriages
on Calibos last less than 60 years, and 5% of those are
terminated by death) and when at last the dilemma ended most
of the Network breathed a sigh of relief.

The answer was `Insight'.

"Good evening, tonight on `Insight' we examine the Zeugma
mission; what went wrong, and why didn't the government tell
us the truth? As always we have conclusive proof of a cover-up,
substantiated by intelligence reports, sworn confessions from
high-ranking officials, and exclusive extracts from the
electronic diary transmitted from the planet surface before the
pilots death. At the end of this programme we will demand only
one thing, that the government stand down or explain
themselves. Part of their explanation, no doubt will involve the
crack assault team currently being trained for an attack on the
planet - a team  led by one of the greatest pilots of our time,
Chandos."

The formula was simple; take a man, subject him to intense
surveillance, investigation and finally interrogation, and televise
his emotional breakdown. The methods may be questionable,
but the results made devastating viewing - 37 suicides (12 on
camera), 19 early retirements, 2 armed sieges, 4 mysterious
disappearances  - following a policy of pure callousness


                                50



`Insight's'  favourite  victims  were sportsmen  - no sooner had
Channel 1 run a special on Nexos winning his  eighth
consecutive speed-bike title than Channel 2 found out he was a
closet sadist, with a particular affinity for torturing rodents.
Nexos never rode speed-bike again. Since the `Insight' formula
was discovered Channel 2 had climbed back into the top 3
ratings virtually every week- it was just the kind of
audience-puller they needed.

"Basically the government line on the Zeugma mission, a
supposedly routine line-testing operation, has been that a series
of accidents, compounded by pilot inexperience had led to the
loss of all personnel and equipment on the planet. No one has
really believed this explanation, Deestra was far from the
inexperienced and the operation itself was far from routine, but
up to now no one has discovered a better explanation for the
tragedy. Discovery of extracts from Deestra's electronic diary,
however, has uncovered startling new evidence on the real
cause of the disaster. Here is some of the material we picked up
- the brackets refer to the time of transmission."

(14.53) Proceeding towards inner circle sectors. I am
          increasingly concerned at the lack of communication
          from Optic, Telex and now Radar. Comms continues
         to encounter passive Cycloid resistance to his
         progress.
(14.56) I have discovered Telex  - We are now at RED
          ALERT.
(14.57) Telex is nowhere to be seen, but his skimmer is
          completely destroyed. There is evidence of heavy
         Pulsar bombardment and signs of tissue fused to the
          framework. I must assume him dead. There is still no
          response from Optic or Radar.
(14.59)  RED ALERT  - Central Computer still shows Radar,
          Optic and Telex to be moving on the Trackway. This
          can now only be regarded as erroneous. Are we being

                                51

           deliberately misled, or is the computer
           malfunctioning? Whatever the answer, we are being
           treated as enemies and being systematically and
           ruthlessly hunted down. I have instructed Comms to
           disengage from Central computer, we will proceed
           towards Centrepoint on instruments alone, shooting on
           sight. I hope our firepower is up to it?"

The presenter looked up, his eyes stoney and confident.

"Well," he said, "You heard the words as well as I did. They
paint a very different picture to the one we all received from the
government. The Zeugma mission was no accident, it was a
massacre, originated either by a hostile force or a computer
malfunctioning so badly as to pose a hazard to any life force on
Zeugma.
"Last week we were leaked a top-secret report on illegal
sub-communicative activity in the Maplex. Apparently two
Freighters inexplicably lost control of their life-support
functions while flying through Maplex 1. Within minutes their
crews had been suffocated - the dossier links these events with
heavy interference originating in the Javan
system. We already know the Javans have been experimenting
with remote re-programming techniques, and both cruisers
relied on computers to control life-support and sensory
functions. The dossier therefore concludes that the Javans had
successfully destroyed these ships as a demonstration of these
re-programming techniques. At the stage of writing, there was
no technical explanation as to how this had been achieved.
Since then we have also traced a long period of
sub-communicative activity going on two days before our team
touched down on Zeugma - this activity also originated in the
Maplex. The frightening possibility therefore arises that
Zeugma is now a totally controlled Javan base that has
demonstrated its intention to threaten and destroy any Caliban
force sent to investigate.. If this is true, and the Javans were

                                  52

responsible for the Zeugma disaster, then we are technically
already in a state of war.
In support of this, we have been monitoring the training of an
assault-squad led by Chandos, who are planning to attack
Zeugma within the next few days. Their orders are explicit - to
destroy the central computer and re-possess the Centrepoint
complex. Code named the Trackers, the existence of this squad
is being vigourously denied by the government but we have
monitored their training sessions in the Astrodome over the past
fortnight and can confirm both their existence and their mission.
Chandos himself was unavailable for comment."

Needless to say, Chandos' next discussion with Regan was
unprintable.



                               53

           deliberately misled, or is the computer
           malfunctioning? Whatever the answer, we are being
           treated as enemies and being systematically and
           ruthlessly hunted down. I have instructed Comms to
           disengage from Central computer, we will proceed
           towards Centrepoint on instruments alone, shooting on
           sight. I hope our firepower is up to it?"

The presenter looked up, his eyes stoney and confident.

"Well," he said, "You heard the words as well as I did. They
paint a very different picture to the one we all received from the
government. The Zeugma mission was no accident, it was a
massacre, originated either by a hostile force or a computer
malfunctioning so badly as to pose a hazard to any life force on
Zeugma.
"Last week we were leaked a top-secret report on illegal
sub-communicative activity in the Maplex. Apparently two
Freighters inexplicably lost control of their life-support
functions while flying through Maplex 1. Within minutes their
crews had been suffocated - the dossier links these events with
heavy interference originating in the Javan
system. We already know the Javans have been experimenting
with remote re-programming techniques, and both cruisers
relied on computers to control life-support and sensory
functions. The dossier therefore concludes that the Javans had
successfully destroyed these ships as a demonstration of these
re-programming techniques. At the stage of writing, there was
no technical explanation as to how this had been achieved.
Since then we have also traced a long period of
sub-communicative activity going on two days before our team
touched down on Zeugma - this activity also originated in the
Maplex. The frightening possibility therefore arises that
Zeugma is now a totally controlled Javan base that has
demonstrated its intention to threaten and destroy any Caliban
force sent to investigate.. If this is true, and the Javans were

                                  52

responsible for the Zeugma disaster, then we are technically
already in a state of war.
In support of this, we have been monitoring the training of an
assault-squad led by Chandos, who are planning to attack
Zeugma within the next few days. Their orders are explicit - to
destroy the central computer and re-possess the Centrepoint
complex. Code named the Trackers, the existence of this squad
is being vigourously denied by the government but we have
monitored their training sessions in the Astrodome over the past
fortnight and can confirm both their existence and their mission.
Chandos himself was unavailable for comment."

Needless to say, Chandos' next discussion with Regan was
unprintable.

                         53


                    CHAPTER 5 - Causes for alarm

(15.01) No contact with Comms  - his last communication
           was pretty much the same as Optic's I guess he is
           dead like the others.
(15.03) I'm defending myself at regular intervals. The
           Skimmer is holding up well.
(15.06) I don't know how much of this is reaching you. I can
           no longer afford to boost my signals through
           Centrepoint and so there must be considerable delay
           between transmission and reception of these messages.
           I have not received a proper response from you about
           my request for a scan of the planet, although I suppose
           it's a bit late for that now. If you are receiving these
           messages it is through the courtesy of the enemy, who
           have the power to disable me entirely if they
           wish. Obviously they not only want my destruction
           but they wish you to know about it as well.
(15.09) I'm under attack again. Pressing forward to Sector 3.
(15.10) Now being pursued by two Cycloids.
(15.12) I have discovered Radar's unit. His body is flung clear
           but clearly dead. There will be time for grieving later.
(15.13)    Using a node as a bouncing-pad I have spun round and
           eliminated one of the units pursuing me. Rather than
           risk taking on the other I am pushing on into Central
           Zone.
(15.20) As I go deeper into Central Zone the Cycloids appear
           to be thinning out. I cannot tell now how many are
           around me, or where they are massing.
(15.23) Some of the central nodes appear to have cargo bays
           of some sort.
(15.24) When I reach Centrepoint I intend to blow the
           computer up. There should be sufficient explosive
           charge in the armament unit.
(15.25) There is a loud alarm sounding. 1 do not know what
           this means.

54                                        55

(15.27) The nodes containing cargo bays appear to be
             opening.
(15.29) I am under attack again. Here goes...
(15.31) Pulsars malfunctioning.. must try to stay ahead
(15.34) I'm hit. Activating emergency beacons.
(15.36) Rear motor damaged. Losing forward velocity.
(15.36) . . . . . . . . . . . . (message unintelligible.)



In the next five days the T.R.A.C. Squad (Ramos, Tigran,
Xelig, Chandos and Karn) learned to work together. Training
twice-daily in the massive artificial  Trackway  that had been
constructed beneath the Astrodome they attempted to wrestle
the cumbersome Skimmers into some kind of useful
performance. Day by day, however, it began to take shape.

After the dubious celebrity  they  had enjoyed on the `Insight'
programme, the cameras had been allowed into their training
sessions ("in the interests of public awareness" as the goverment
put it). This resulted in yet another pressure, an awareness of
how imperfect these conditions were, how ridiculous they
would look in the context of the truth being learned about
Zeugma. Yet there was a certain excitement about seeing so
unlikely a bunch of men prepare for this test of their fabled
skill. It was like a good movie in the making, complete with
snarls of "eat this sucker!" from Tigran every time he fired a
Pulsar. They were a difficult enough bunch to control at the best
of times, now with cameras tracking their every move it was
virtually impossible to make them pull together as a team.
Chandos, ever serious, showed no emotion, surveying every
move from his seat high above the Trackway, snapping
instructions to them as they trained, For him this was fast
becoming a nightmare. It was as if only he realised  how great a
danger awaited them down on Zeugma. For their sakes he
hoped the camera would be hit first when the shooting started.

                                            56

Somehow he felt that seeing a man ripped apart by Pulsar fire
was not appropriate peak-time viewing.

Later at night, when they sat down to analyse the details, they
at last began to appreciate a thing or two about the complexity
of the Trackway. Even with Daios feeding them map and
movement information from the mother-ship, it would be a
complex task to calculate the quickest route to the
Communication Centres, and no one knew for certain whether
the computer could jam their scanning devices or not. If the
Cycloids  could not be tracked as they moved on the Trackway,
the task would be impossible. One thing was certain, no scans
of the planet surface had been possible for days - whatever was
going on down there, it was being awfully secretive about it.

Regan, on the other hand, was not in the least secretive. Having
learned nothing from having his flimsy lies exposed on Network
television, he proceeded to make further historic
announcements.

"There is nothing wrong on Zeugma." (Knossos 4)
"There is a major crisis currently taking place on Zeugma IV."
(Knossos 6)
" There is no T.R.A.C. Squad." (Knossos 6)
"Javans are idiots. Their speciality is blowing up mother ships,
usually their own." (Knossos 7) - There is a certain amount of
truth in this one.
"The Javan involvement is something we are all concerned
about." (Knossos 7)
"The T.R.A.C. Squad will leave for Zeugma IV tomorrow  - we
wish them luck." (Knossos 8)

All Regan's announcements managed to do was convince the
Network that there was a further cover-up. Top level
negotiations succeeded in securing the rights to the mission
itself. For the first time ever, a genuine assault mission would

                                57



appear on live Television (Channel 1, incidentally, took this
news rather badly).



                              58


                         EPILOGUE

TO THE ATTENTION OF EMPEROR RAMBO VI

In the 21st Year of your magnificent rule, I, Tharn, humblest
and most meagre slug in your fleet crave permission to make
the following report:

Wonderful News, your Imperial Majesty!

1) Admiral Malek is not dead after all. He merely inhaled all
the Qualine dust released by accident into the hanger and has
been comatose for a fortnight. Reports of him being killed after
single-handedly defeating 23 Caliban ships in deep space can
now be assumed to be exaggerated.

2) After extensive juggling with the figures your Majesty's
birthday can indeed be calculated to have fallen on a
pre-equinoctial juncture, which in some cultures is called a
`Lavian Leap Year'. As this event only occurs once in 18 years
we can now publicly announce your august age to be 27 instead
of 486.

3) Our experiments with Sypos energy continue. If you
remember this strange form of radiation was discovered by
placing Firigian meat cutlets in a micro-wave oven. Somehow
this energy totally erases computer memory banks, a fact we
regrettably learned when the ship carrying the cutlets imploded
without warning or explanation. Later we discovered that a
Caliban ship in the Maplex at the same time was also destroyed.
This led us to experiment further with the energy (always using
ships with only manual control) with similar effects. More
recently we bounced large quantities of this energy off the
Caliban moon of Zeugma IV to see what effect it would have on
an integrated computer-assembly as currently used in the
Centrepoint project, These results were fascinating: Centrepoint

                               59


apparently uses a new 12th Generation computer, a model
stolen in part from our own Delta 7 range. As your Majesty
knows, if this computer loses internal memory or operating
system it fabricates its own from preset electronic parameters.
As the Centrepoint computer was designed for policing
purposes it redesigned its own structure to imitate a
purpose-built  defence sphere.        As it now stands it is
programmed purely to defend and destroy  - something those
ill-prepared and half-witted Calibans have discovered to their
loss. In the light of this discovery we will continue to
experiment with Sypos energy in the hope it may actually reveal
some way to remotely re-program computers rather than merely
erase their memories. It would appear an assault-squad led by
Chandos, an aging but competant  pilot, is on its way to Zeugma
to sort out the problem. We will watch his progress with
amusement.

May I also wish your Imperial Majesty joy and serenity on your
august 27th birthday, which I understand falls next half-moon.

Yours in trepidation,

Tharn - Lowest fetcher  of dung in the fleet.











                                60
