                               P A R A D O X !!
                                   presents

                               Final Countdown
                                complete docs!

                               typed by MERKWooD
                     

THE STORY

After communication at above the speed of light was discovered in the year
2334 by the scientist Nagas Lyrac, who was born and brought up on Mars, the
human race reached out beyond the boundaries of the solar system. In the
course of the next eight years contacts were made with seven nonhuman and
three remotely humanoid races.

As communication at above the speed of light (particle) was diverted or halted
by larger concentrations of matter, two radio relay stations, known as TerCom
I and II, were set up outside Pluto's orbit (in opposition). They pass on the
radio messages they recieve using normal radio. As messages, repeatedly failed
to reach their destination, each message is now coded, given a serial number
and transmitted several times.

Some scientists believe that the messages are intercepted and evaluated by
hostile intelligences. They base their theory on the fact that only 97.543% of
radio interference is due to natural causes, and so 2.457% cannot be accounted
for. However, as up till now nothing pointing to the existence of a hostile
race has been discovered, this theory is now considered false.

At first, however, the contacts with other intelligent beings were confined to
an exchange of information and an extremely limited trade with the systems
within a radius of 15 light years, an it was not yet possible to travel at a
speed exceeding the speed of light.

However, a research project, which was supported by all intelligences, bore
fruit in the year 2397. On 22.08.2397 the brilliant Weganic scientist Ragn
Nietsnie succeeded in carrying out the first matter transfer outside his solar
system at above the speed of light. This meant the way for inter-stellic trade
was open, and two years later the Sol-system was in possession of transmitter
communications to all 10 known civilizations.

Since 2412 it has been possible, due to an improvement in the MaTrans-technique
to undertake a transmission without a reciever. When in two years time the
enourmous Transmitter-circle "HighWay" is completed (diameter 1.2 km), it will
be possible to send whole spaceships into other solar systems. The Vasdagh and
Ghys'Syn, who already use such transmitter equipment, have sent research ships
into 146 solar systems so far.

As the planetary gravitational fields also badly disturbed the transmitter
traffic, the radio relay station TerCom I, which came into operation in the
year 2336, was converted into a trade center, while TerCom II was retained for
communication purposes. It follows its lonely orbit beyond that of Pluto at a
distance of 20 light hours. The permanent crew, consisting of 238 people, is
under the command of Commander Ms. Laira Tyrik.

TERRA NEWSNETWORK 14.08.2437

Today the Vasdagh published the results of their 5-year investigation into
transmitter activity in the galaxy. With the aid of the radiolocator for
transmitter activity which they developed, they could prove that during the
time of observation there was no MaTrans-activity anywhere in the galaxy
which could have been caused by an unknown intelligence. Because it will
probably never be possible to realize the permanent bridging of space at above
the speed of light and no intelligent living organism will be able to set off
on an endless journey through space and time, the supporters of the Evil-Alien-
Theory, who live in permanent fear of the appearance of a conquering fleet,
have finally had the ground cut from under their feet.

COMMANDER LAIRA TYRIK'S PERSONAL LOG, 30.07.2437 - 19:33

Today all extrasolar radio communications suddenly came to a standstill. A
transmitter consignment which arrived at the same moment exploded inexplicably,
killing 16 members of the loading crew. Scientists think that the interference
in the radio communication could also influence the transmitter traffic, and
that the atomic structure of cargo being transported will become unstable. We
have sent radio probes with messages to all friendly solar systems asking them
to cancel all MaTrans-consignments until further notice...

Today the radiolocation discovered an asteroid which had not been registered
before and which has been given the name AST2437/07-01. It has a diameter of
about 3.8 km. It is almost perfectly spherical in shape. In 12 days and 8 hours
it will pass us at a distance of 438900 km and carry on into the solar system
at a - for asteroids of this size unusually high - speed of 30000 km/sec. It
has not yet been possible to discover its chemical composition...

31.07.2437 - 18:59

Although AST2437/07-01 has come nearer, an exact analysis has still nor been
possible becasue the long-distance radiolocation provides no clear results.
Tommorrow a system-check will take place because the radiolocators really
ought to function perfectly at this distance...

The research station on Mercury had to be abandoned due to the high increase
in solar activity. The astrophysicist have no idea of the reason for this
change, especially since the surface temperature of our mother-star has risen
by 3.8 degrees...

Scientific teams in the whole solar system have not so far been able to find
any possible causes of the interference in all activities above the speed of
light. The whole phenomenon seems ever stranger, when one bears in mind that
transmissions of matter beyond a radius of 11 light days still function
perfectly...

01.08.2437 - 06:49

The surface temperature of the sun has continued to rise and this has caused
an expansion by 1/10000 of its circumference. The increase in dangerous
radiation has led to an emergency evacuation of the Mercury mines. This help
probably came too late for 38 miners who were admitted to the NY Medical
Center suffering from extremely severe radiation damage...

According to our maintanance team no fault could be found in the radiolocation
system. So it is still not possible to account for the fact that we do not
recieve any clear location results from the asteroid...

01.08.2437 - 16:43

Terra Newsnetwork has just announced that Miami has been almost completely
devestated by a hurricane of incredible force and extent. The report goes on
to say that none of the approximately 345000 people who were no longer able to
reach the shelters is thought to have survived this inferno... Meteosat 85
reported that a huge tidal wave, 64 meters high, is heading straight for
Hawaii at top speed...

According to scientists the climate of our planet seems to be getting out of
control due to the temperature increase on the sun. On the basis of their
research various astrophycisist teams have concluded that if the temperature
of the sun continues to rise at the present rate, it is likely to explode in
12 days if the cause of the catastrophe cannot be found and eliminated...

Because of this the solar security council has declared the system alarm stage
Alpha 2. From now on government permission is neccessary for all private
extraplanetary operations...

02.08.2437 - 02:49

On re-reading the location data about AST2437/07-01 I established that the
latter simply appeared from nowhere within the rage of our radiolocators. We
cannot help suspecting that there is a connection between the appearance of
the asteroid and the supernova threatening us. We are going to send two robot
space probes to investigate...

05.08.2437 - 16:47

The situation on Earth is deteriorating hour by hour, the natural catastrophes
are continuing. The number of victims is reported to have reached approx. 83
million people. The space stations between Mercury and Venus have had to be
evacuated. The sun's expansion by 8.7% is even discernable from our position...

08.08.2437 - 22:35

The radio contact with our probes was broken off when they came within 328900
km of the asteroid. One second before the break-down in communications a sort
of energy emission of an unknown kind was registered on the surface of the
asteroid. By now we doubt that this bolide is of natural origin. We will inform
our headquarters of our suspicion...

09.08.2437 - 22:56

Our headquarters have notified us in friendly words that "at the moment due to
the catastrophe, there is no possibility" of "investigating our small personal
matters" and checking up on our suspicions. As the future of our planet, the
continuation of our civilization are at stake. I have decided to act...

10.08.2437 - 09:31

(entry by deputy commander Taiska Gerran)

As the commander did not appear for duty this morning we asked our board
computer about her where abouts. According to its information the commander
was beamed off with the transmitter 06.54 after she had been to the equipment
depot. The evaluation of the destination coordinates showed that she had
transmitted herself to the asteroid...

10.08.2437 - 10:05

According to the KI GENYUS the commander's theory has been given a probability
rating of 45.8%. In case her suspicions should be proved correct the trans-
mitter has beamed equipment to the asteroid. This consists of 100 mines and
20 energy cartridges for the return flight aggregates which were distributed
all over the asteroid. However, it is not considered likely that all trans-
ported objects were re-materialized satisfactorily. After the beaming all
TerCom I's transmitters finally broke down...

10.08.2437 - 12:22

The provisions-ship which had been expected at 12:20 did not arrive. KI GENYUS
estimates with a probability rate of 97.9% that we are cut off from every
communication.

As in 12 days and 8 hours our last oxygen reserves will come to an end, our
time is running out......

USERS MANUAL

1. Short summary - The A 9000 commands

CD       - Change / Display of the current path
CLS      - Clear screen
DIR      - Display of the files of a technical device
DISABLE  - Disable a device controlled by the system
ENABLE   - Enable a device controlled by the system
HELP     - Display of all commands
INFO     - Display of own inventory
LIST     - Display of all the devices controlled by the system with information
           about the current state of these subsystems
SHOW     - Display of a picture
STATUS   - Display of the state of the major systems
SYSTEM   - Display of available information about the attached system
TYPE     - Display of a text

2. The commands of the A9000



CD *PATH* 

The CD-command permits interchange between different "directories.
An example:
Let's just suppose that you are connected to a prospector robot called PROSP
on the airvoid planetoid Ceres and are in possession of a module called
Module 1. After looking through the data from PROSP you would like to have
access to the contents of Module 1. So the command is:

     CD MODULE 1

and the response is then

     CURRENT PATH MODULE 1

To get access back to the directory attched PROSP, the input is:

     CD SYSTEM

If the CD-command is given without the path-name *PATH*, the output will be
the name of the current path.



CLS 

The A9000 display is cleared



DIR *PATH* 

The DIR-command shows the contents of the device called *PATH*. If no path-
name is specified, the contents of the current directory will be displayed.
The DIR-command displays for each file what kind of file it is. There are:

ABCDE.TXT   - a text file (see TYPE)
ABCDE.PIC   - a picture file (see SHOW)
ABCDE.PRG   - a program started by input of the name
.ABCDE.TXT  - a file protected by a password

An example:

The current path being SYSTEM

       DIR

DISCOVERIES.TXT
SITE PLAN.PIC
SEARCH.PRG
.SECRET.TXT



DISABLE *DEVICE*

The DISABLE-command permits the disabling of devices which are managed and
controlled by the attached system.

An example:

      DISABLE METAL DETECT 1

will make our PROSP disable its metal detector #1. If instead of the device
name *DEVICE* "ALL" is specified, all controllable subsystems will be
disabled.
DISABLE ALL deprives our PROSP of all perception-sensors. Its mechanical
systems, however, remain active as they can only be controlled through
programs.



ENABLE *DEVICE*

The ENABLE-command permits the initial setup of devices which are managed and
controlled by the attached system.

An example:

To prevent our PROSP from stumbling around blindly, we will first restore its
"sight".

      ENABLE OPTOSYSTEM 2

      OPTOSYSTEM 2 ENABLED

So that our PROSP can later go about its task with its senses alert, it should
also be givin back the rest of its faculties. Analog to the disable-command
this is triggered off by:

      ENABLE ALL



ENDCLI

The Computerterminal is closed.



HELP *COMMAND*

It gives some brief information about a A9000 command. If the HELP-command is
given without parameter, a list of all the available keyboard commands will be
provided.



INFO

The INFO-command supplies the user with all relevant data, like time, air
reserves or the degree of contamination.

An example:

      INFO

AIR RESERVES   :483 A
TIME REMAINING :4.6 hours
EXPLOSIVES     :3



LIST

The LIST-command gives information on all devices controlled by the system.
In addition the current state of these subsystems is given.

An example:

      LIST

OPTOSYSTEM 2      ON     E/D
METALDETECT 1     OFF    E

^system   ^index  ^state  ^access mode
(E can be enabled, D can be disabled)



SHOW

The SHOW-command displays as a picture information which is filed in the
system's storage in the form of bitfields. For this A9000 finds an appropriate
image itself.

An example:

From the examples of DIR-command we know that our PROSP has stored a site plan
of what it has found so far. In order to see this plan the following command
is given:

       SHOW SITE PLAN



STATUS

The STATUS-command shows the state of all systems connected to the system. If
our PROSP was on board a spaceship, we could get information on all board
systems with this command.



SYSTEM

The SYSTEM-command shows the exact name of a system. If we wanted to thank our
PROSP for its good work by giving it a reactor, we would, of course, have to
know which of the many PROSP robots it was.

      SYSTEM

NAME     :PROSP 4812
TASK     :SEARCH FOR VALUABLE METALS
POSITION :CERES, SECTOR IV



TYPE

It functions like SHOW, but can only be applied to text files. The information
is automatically translated as far as it is in any way possible. Concepts that
cannot be translated are replaced by synthetic words. But in reality there is
much more behind this main A9000 command than you will ever see. Whenever cross
references or interesting details come up, the A9000 will always pursue them as
far as possible and decode their meaning. So always watch out for the computers
reports documenting this procedure.

