Books

[color=blue][bold]Steering the Sinking Ship 1/3 - The Basics[/bold][/color]
This manual is part of a series about operating civilian ships:
[bullet][bold]Part 1[/bold]: Standard procedures and subspace navigation
[bullet][bold]Part 2[/bold]: Longrange FTL navigation
[bullet][bold]Part 3[/bold]: Disaster recovery and emergency protocols
For further information please refer to your appointed Driving Instructor
[color=blue]A) Preparation[/color]
[bold]1.[/bold] Equip an EVA suit and oxygen
[bold]2.[/bold] Get a crowbar
[bold]3.[/bold] Get a jetpack or fire-extinguisher for zero-gravity
[bold]4.[/bold] Check ship for integrity and power
[bold]5.[/bold] (Optional) Get a long-range handheld radio
[color=blue]B) Warmup[/color]
[bold]1.[/bold] Bolt down all crates or movable objects with a wrench to minimise collateral damage on crashes
[bold]2.[/bold] Close shutters of cargobay to avoid loss of equipment
[bold]3.[/bold] Buckle up on the pilot seat
[bold]4.[/bold] Use the Shuttle-Console
[bold]5.[/bold] Call the space-traffic-controller via radio about undocking / docking. That usually is the Qm or captain.
[color=blue]C) Modes[/color]
There are 3 modes on the ship-console
[bullet][bold]NAV[/bold] - here you can see surrounding things on the mass-scanner, which is important for not colliding with asteroids
[bullet][bold]MAP[/bold] - here you can scan your surroundings over long distances and make FTL-jumps
[bullet][bold]DOCK[/bold] - focused view of the docking-port of your ship, allows you to dock and undock to
[color=blue]D) Docking[/color]
[bold]1.[/bold] Fly the ship close to a docking port of the target (see next section)
[bold]2.[/bold] Enter [color=orange]DOCK[/color]-Mode
[bold]3.[/bold] Select the focused ship-port using its View-Button
[bold]4.[/bold] Approach the docking-port of the target and press the Dock-Button when available
[bold]5.[/bold] (Optional) Switch to and dock with other docking-ports
[color=blue]E) Flying[/color]
[bold]1.[/bold] Always watch on the [color=orange]NAV[/color]-mode to avoid asteroids
[bold]2.[/bold] Accelerate with [color=orange][mono]W,A,S,D[/mono][/color]
[bold]3.[/bold] Turn with [color=orange][mono]Q,E[/mono][/color]
[bold]4.[/bold] Brake with [color=orange][mono]Space[/mono][/color]
Do note that some very bulky ships sometimes need some initial rotation before acceleration.
[color=blue]Other notes[/color]
[bullet]Don't drink and fly
[bullet]Consider contacting a lawyer to state your final will
[bullet]In relation to flight direction: Starboard=Right, Portside=Left
[bullet]Ships with stealth-capabilities or manipulated IFF-transponders might not show up on your radar.
[bullet]Ships arriving from other sectors (so called "visitors") might need to make an initial FTL jump to recalibrate the local NAV Radar. Please refer to part 2 of the manual.
[bullet]Towing other ships while linked to them is possible but it will greatly impact acceleration and possibly add torque/rotation that needs to be countered.

[color=blue][bold]Steering the Sinking Ship 2/3 - Me travel you long range[/bold][/color]
This manual is part of a series about operating civilian ships:
[bullet][bold]Part 1[/bold]: Standard procedures and subspace navigation
[bullet][bold]Part 2[/bold]: Longrange FTL navigation
[bullet][bold]Part 3[/bold]: Disaster recovery and emergency protocols
For further information please refer to your appointed Driving Instructor
[color=blue]A) Preparation[/color]
[bold]1.[/bold] Follow steps outlined in part 1 of the manual
[bold]2.[/bold] Enter [color=orange]MAP[/color]-Mode
[color=blue]B) Getting your bearings[/color]
[bold]1.[/bold] Send a radar-ping using the "Scan for Objects"-Button to identify nearby entities
[bold]2.[/bold] Focus on identified entities by clicking on them in the list of the bottom right corner
[bold]3.[/bold] The view is centered on your vessel
[bold]4.[/bold] Zoom by using [color=orange][mono]Mouse-Scrollwheel[/mono][/color]
[bold]5.[/bold] Move view by dragging with [color=orange][mono]Left Mousebutton[/mono][/color] when not in FTL-mode
[color=blue]C) Short range FTL[/color]
You can jump short ranges using the FTL drive. This can be useful to jump "over" obstacles instead of having to circle around. It can also help to escape in certain situations.
[bold]1.[/bold] Select the FTL drive by clicking the corresponding button
[bold]2.[/bold] Observe the circle indicating the jump-range limit
[bold]3.[/bold] Hover over the position you want to jump to. The color indicates whether the jump is valid
[bold]4.[/bold] Double click to jump
[bold]5.[/bold] Enjoy the jump unless you forgot to buckle up.
[color=blue]D) Long range FTL[/color]
If the ship has advanced systems, long distances can be travelled for the purpose of expeditions and the like. This is relevant for salvagers.
[bold]1.[/bold] Select an expedition in the salvage-console
[bold]2.[/bold] Pick up the resulting navigation-disk
[bold]3.[/bold] Double-check that both your crew and equipment are ready and on board
[bold]4.[/bold] Sit down and buckle up
[bold]5.[/bold] Insert the navigation-disk into the shuttle-console of your ship to start the jump
[bold]6.[/bold] To travel back use your shuttle-console again
[color=blue]Other notes[/color]
[bullet]If you don't know which one of the objects on the map your ship is, you can toggle the FTL-mode to display the range-circle.
[bullet]Jumping while being docked to other ships will leave them behind.

[color=blue][bold]Steering the Sinking Ship 3/3 - Final destination[/bold][/color]
While these things truly never happen, protocol demands education about emergencies, such as:
[bullet]Collisions with micro-meteors, asteroids and other ships
[bullet]Machine- and generator-malfunctions
[bullet]Sabotage and explosions
[color=blue]A) Basic emergency protocols[/color]
[bold]1.[/bold] Equip your EVA and check oxygen
[bold]2.[/bold] Send a simple SOS with your ship's designation and/or coordinates. Use your long-range handheld radio when communication channels are unavailable.
[bold]3.[/bold] Remove any ongoing threats
[bold]4.[/bold] Assess the situation and carefully check engine-thrust in all directions. A pilot must be aware of flight behaviour and adapt steering strategies accordingly.
[bold]5.[/bold] Commit a full report to local authorities. Request help as needed.
[bold]5.[/bold] If all engines failed try for FTL-jumps to get closer to ships or stations that can assist
[color=blue]B) Makeshift Repairs[/color]
For a ship to function you need a powered ship console and  a working thruster. This also requires a working power-supply, which boils down to:
[bold]1.[/bold] Generator / solar panel
[bold]2.[/bold] SMES
[bold]3.[/bold] Substation
[bold]4.[/bold] APC
[bold]5.[/bold] Devices such as thruster and consoles
Now as for what to do, follow these steps:
[bold]1.[/bold] Fix the shuttle-console if broken. Step 4 otherwise.
[bold]2.[/bold] Fix at least one thruster. Step 4 otherwise.
[bold]2.[/bold] Fix wiring between apc and shuttle-console and thruster. Step 4 otherwise.
[bold]3.[/bold] Check the APC
[bold]3a.[/bold] Overloaded: Disconnect unneeded devices by unwrenching or cutting cables
[bold]3b.[/bold] Broken: Repair. Step 4 otherwise.
[bold]3.[/bold] Check the powerflow. You need to be aware whether you are flying on limited time using the buffered energy in the batteries
[bold]4.[/bold] If it still does not work, then you are screwed
[color=blue]C) Being stranded[/color]
For the sake of this manual, lets assume you are indeed stranded. Your goal is to survive until help arrives:
[bullet]Conserve rations
[bullet]Conserve Oxygen, unless you are lucky enough to have landed on a planet with atmosphere. Seal of whatever remains of your ship and don't let out the remaining air.
[bullet]Turn off power on the apc unless needed.
[bullet]Stay near your shelter to avoid the effects of radiation storms
[bullet]Use any borgs in your crew before they run out of power. You can also remove their brain and reinsert it when needed, provided you have the tools.
[color=blue]D) Being stranded... on a planet[/color]
[bullet]Only explore your surroundings when you are sufficiently armed. Use portable mapping devices and PAI-assistance if available.
[bullet]Assist other survivors but prioritise your safety - don't become a liability yourself.
[bullet]Pickaxes and Shovels can be used to cave out shelters, but beware of ore-crabs hidding in the rock.
[bullet]Cut trees if available to craft them into weapons such as baseball bats and spears.
[color=blue]E) Final words, literally[/color]
Make sure to make a final shiplog or write down what happened on a piece of paper. You can always print out the text using the NanoTask-app on your PDA and add text to it using the ejectable pen from your pda. Additionally, praying is also a good choice.

[color=blue][bold]Emergency Cooking[/bold][/color]
Understaffed? Undersupplied? How about trying out these recipes:
[bold]Boiled Rice[/bold] - bland but available
[bullet]15u rice, 10u water, 1 bowl, [color=orange]15s microwave[/color]
[bold]Bread[/bold], since anything sliced stops people from overeating
[bullet]15u flour, 10u water, [color=orange]10s oven[/color]
[bold]Sausages[/bold] to recycle the butchering-wastes (fry for corndog)
[bullet]5u Universal Enzyme, 1 organ, [color=orange]Grinder, then Grill[/color]
[bold]Honk-Meals[/bold], because they are easy and lazy
[bullet]Remember: Heat pockets [color=orange]5s in microwave[/color]
[bold]Boiled Snail[/bold], hon hon hon
[bullet]10u water, 1 raw snail meat, [color=orange]5s microwave[/color]
[bold]Khlav Kalash[/bold], because you never waste meat
[bullet]1u universal enzyme, 2 rotten meat, 1 skewer, [color=orange]5s microwave[/color]
[bold]Onion rings[/bold]
[bullet]1 onion slice, [color=orange]15s microwave[/color]
[bold]Popcorn[/bold], yummy
[bullet]1 ear of corn, [color=orange]20s microwave[/color]
[bold]Cornbread[/bold]
[bullet]1 cornmeal dough, [color=orange]10s oven[/color]
[bold]Lollipop[/bold], enjoy all the diabetis
[bullet]15u sugar, 5u water, [color=orange]15s microwave[/color]
Remember: [bold]Anything[/bold] can be eaten when fried

[color=blue][bold]A honkers guide to the culinary galaxy[/bold][/color]
There are times when your crew just craves the potassium. Make sure to be prepared.
[bold]Banana Bread[/bold]
[bullet]1 dough(15u flour, 10u water), 1 banana, [color=orange]15s microwave[/color]
[bold]Banana Muffin[/bold]
[bullet]15u sugar, 1 muffin tin, 1 dough slice, 1 banana, [color=orange]15s oven[/color]
[bold]Clown's Tears[/bold]
[bullet]10u water, 1 bowl, 1 banana, 1 glass shard, [color=orange]10s stove[/color]
[bold]Monkey's Delight[/bold]
[bullet]5u flour, 1u table salt, 1u black pepper, 1 bowl, 1 banana, 1 monkey cube, [color=orange]10s stove[/color]
[bold]Banana Cream Pie[/bold]
[bullet]3 banana, 1 pie dough, 1 pie tin, [color=orange]15s oven[/color]
[bold]Baked Banana Peel[/bold]
[bullet]1 banana Peel, [color=orange]5s microwave[/color]

[bold]Chess in Spess[/bold]
Chess is an awesome. While you don't have to worry about bolting down the board in zero-gravity due to the MAGNETO-PLUS(tm) piece-system, it can still be a bit more challenging.
1. With all the distractions happening it can be hard to keep track of whose turn it is. An easy solution is moving a token (coin, pen, literally anything) from one side of the table to the other.
2. Some pieces can be hard to tell, which is particularly true for the King and Queen. The King is a bit taller and starts on E while the Queen starts on D (remember: Queen=D=Dame).
3. Always assume that you have no more than 10 minutes to play. Rather play multiple rounds than going for a tournament-style 150min.
4. Normal rules would require a player to make a move with a piece once touched. Try to be less strict to account for the challegning conditions on the station.

[bold]Bobby's Blackjack Bar[/bold]
Blackjack can be a fun game to play on station. Itc  can be played with many players and only requires the dealer to know how to operate the cards. The rules are simple:
[bullet][bold]Goal:[/bold] Beat dealer without exceeding 21.
[bullet][bold]Cards:[/bold] Number cards = value. Face cards = 10. Ace = 1 or 11.
[bullet][bold]Play:[/bold] You bet. Dealer deals 2 cards each (one dealer card face down).
[bullet][bold]Your turn:[/bold] Hit (take card) or Stand (keep hand). Bust if over 21.
[bullet][bold]Dealer turn:[/bold] Reveals hidden card. Must hit on 16 or less, stand on 17 or more.
[bullet][bold]Win:[/bold] Your hand > dealer’s (without bust), or dealer busts. Blackjack (Ace + 10-card) pays 3:2.
Make sure to use a big table so precision for card-throwing does not matter. If you want to bet you can use spesos from atms or use coins and rings - just make sure to define values for them first.

[bold]The ominous pill or the strange pill[/bold]
There is this moment when we have to make a decision. A decision that will determine the rest of our life - The future. Such is the case when finding unlabeled medicine in the maintenance tunnels.
The decision is quite easy - Don't. Not because it isn't worth it, but because you might be missing out. Besides you don't know how the pills might taste.
What you should do is easy: Have the pills tested by the medical's chemist or by the chef grinding it down. The golden grail you are looking for is cognizine, which can unlock the full potential of our beloved pun-pun or hamlet. That is right - imagine the possibilities.
If you still crave pills after that you can always get some more at your local psychologist. You don't even have to pay for the prescriptions, which certainly is nice.

[bold]Seaman Stories - The Resolute Swallow[/bold]
There once was a sailor,
looking for treasure,
not to get rich,
just for his pleasure.
He sailed the seas,
the space he sailed too,
and no matter where he went,
the women remembered who.
For he was the great captain,
steereing one great ship
'twas Resolute Swallow - his 'maiden',
with more thrust than his hip.
To much surprise,
and glory none,
one day he stranded,
the 'swallowing ended,
and gave him his son.

[bold]28 shifts later - how I survived a mutagen accident[/bold]
It isn't the fittest who survives, but the survivor who is fit. Let me tell you how I manged just that in a station abandoned for 28 shifts. Yeah you heard that right - 28.
To protect my identity I can't disclose any names or the station. Don't want internal affairs to track me down after all. So let's say it started in a station - a remote one at that. One day we got a new intern, lets call him Dave. Dave was a nice guy, funny and always trying to help... which was worse than not trying because he was bad at just about anything. As a cargo-technician he accepted any request... including the clown's. So he had to change departments. As a chef he mixed up salt and sugar. As a janitor he cleaned the toilets with the same water as the kitchen... it was a clusterfuck. Still amazed he did not get lynched, even though people tried. Poor guys has been piped into disposal a dozen of times, but he never snitched - gotta respect that. Anyways one day we had a new RD who was hellbent on growing his department... hiring any unassigned Assistant. And as you might have guessed - Dave was unassigned as hell. HoP almost had a heart attack when he saw the stamped form. Tried to object, but was overruled. Two days later it happened. Everything happened. Dave dropped a box. Not any box... the box meant for virology - in the middle of the medbay. I don't know what was in there but judging from the cries on the radio I can only guess how chaotic it must have been.
People started turning into... something else: Zombies. Yes you heard that right, Zombies. Probably not the scientific term, but by any means the most accurate description about what they are and did. Command reacted perfectly: Immediate quarantine protocols, using the bio-suits and had the AI bolt down any door to the east wing of the station. I was lucky not to be there. Cruel but efficient. Almost as if it was standard protocols and they had been preparing for it all their lifes. Then something hit the station, an asteroid as I learned later. And then the power went down. When it came back the doors reset and unbolted for a second. Enough to unleash the undead onto the rest of us. Running for my life I got separated from the rest of the survivors. Security apparently retreated into cargo with them but was eventually overrun.
So what did I do? What was the difference between me and all the others that died? I did not have superior training or better equipment... the biggest variable was luck. However, there are a couple of things i did differently that saved my life. I slipped away and grabbed any supply that could come in handy.
[bullet]crowbar - critical for unpowered or sealed areas
[bullet]EVA suit and a couple spare oxygen-cans.
There are lots of other useful things - tools, welding supplies and magboots. Grab a spare bag and bring them if you can but make sure to stay on the move. Food and drinks are more important for longterm survival - you can always break open vending machines, though I would advise against making noise.
After i got my essentials I headed into the maintenance tunnels. Yes, the scary tunnels. They are narrow and a deathtrap, unless - and that is important - you can see in the dark. Which i could not, but I had a portable station map on me. It turns out that zombies can't see in the dark either. So I broke any emergency light on the way, and disabled my pda light. A couple of times i had to hide in lockers when they were passing by. I slowly made my way to a remote place I remembered from my assistant days - a remote clinic. It became my hideout. I brought in a big oxygen tank to refill my portable cans and stashed my other supplies.
From there I planned my escape. The pods i had passed were done for - full of remains of those who waited for the evacuation-call that never came. First I tried waiting for a rescue as well, hoping for an ERT... but to no avail. I spent my shifts sneaking around the station, slowly gearing up. While weapons are important, don't forget about access. You want some high-ranking ID to get into the few places that might still be powered like the AI core or shuttles. While this worked fine for remote areas, the good stuff like the medbay was overrun and infested.
However there is a way... that is distractions. Zombies seem to be quite intelligent at times. You can lure them with sounds. So you shoot a gun and circle around through space with an EVA. Or you can message peoples pdas, which is also the reason why you should mute yours. Another option is having the AI make station-wide announcements. I made it say that all survivors need to get to the evacutation-shuttle docked west, so i could loot the east. As I said, zombies can be surprisingly intelligent, so make use of that. Cyborgs can also help but will run out of power soon.
When stealth fails and you have to fight with zombies, go for lasers, electrocution, fire and anything heat related. Baseball bats and crowbars are way less efficient than movies tell you.
You might be wondering how I made it out alive. I eventually found a PAi - a personal AI. Yup, those little things that people use to play music. Turns out that you can have it install a mass-scanner. I told it, that helping me and keeping its little mouth shut was the only way to get rescue to come safe its former owner. Since my supplies were running out at that time, I took the gamble and made my escape towards the ATS using an improvised jetpack, pulling a big oxygen tank behind me. You could also use fire extinguishers to navigate but the jetpack was much better. From the ATS I faxed central about not hearing back from the station, so they sent a rescue team. I claimed not to know what had been going on to avoid any kind of "permanent debrief". Luckily I remembered to get rid of all contraband and stolen IDs in time. Otherwise they would have found it during the questioning.
And one last piece of advice: Keep away from dead bodies unless you have to. Some zombies pretend to be done for and will go for your ankles as soon as you get close.

[bold]Document:[/bold] Transcript of emergency broadcast #321438
[bold]Classification:[/bold] Pending

Hello, can anybody hear me? Shit... I... I...my name ins Ben - Botanist of Research-Outpost NT-CX123-A. I am currently stuck in a disabled cargo shuttle. If you can hear this, send help. Send the military, the ERT, anything. Bring all the guns you can and obliterate these monsters!
I don't know what happened. There was an incident in science and suddenly there was red alarm. Screams and gunshots everywhere. The screams. Oh god, the screams. I saw one of... them. The crew turned into monsters, just like in the horror movies. They clawed and gnawed on anything living, turning it into one of them.
Luckily enough there was a cargo-borg scheduled to come by, so I had it carry me through the crowds undetected. It dropped me off in the cargo section of the shuttle, and I am currently hiding in piles of the food I grew. At least I won't starve anytime soon.
No idea who made it on this shuttle, but they are all dead. Earlier there were loud explosions and now the power is gone. Maybe I can sneak out in a couple of hours when these things leave back into the station... and restart the generator. And then I can...
Machine-Voice: Radio-battery low please recharge
Fuck fuck fuck....
Loud banging on metal, glass shattering
Oh god, please no.... someone...AAAAAAAAAh!
Loud screams

[color=blue][bold]Hacking made easy[/bold][/color]
I know, you know, everyone knows that you are reading this to do things you shouldn't. Good news: I don't care, so let's get right into it, but keep in mind that I also don't mind if you get fried or thrown into the brig, so make sure to take care of yourself. So remember these rules:
[bold]1.[/bold] Don't mess with electricity without insulated gloves. Budget ones may be fine for low voltage, but for high voltage you want the good stuff. In times of need they can be crafted, but you will need a couple of budget ones to pull that off.
[bold]2.[/bold] Don't get caught. Try stuff out somewhere remote and hidden.
[bold]3.[/bold] Whatever you do, think of an excuse and plan B beforehand. Because things never go as planned.
[color=blue]So what can you do?[/color]
[bold]1. ID privilege escalation[/bold]
If you microwave an ID (the thing in your pda) it can one of two things: Completely destroy it or randomly add/remove access rights. That is right - you might be able to gain access to the bridge or be doomed to explain to the HoP why you "lost" your pda.
[bold]2. Unpower doors to pry them open[/bold]
Unpowered doors (unless bolted) can be pried open with a crowbar. It would be a shame if someone were to pry open the floor and cut a wire, wouldn't it? Or you can make use of any other blackout on station. Just remember that doors will close when power comes back - keeping it open with a locker/crate can be useful for an escape.
[bold]3. Messing with wires[/bold]
Yeah, yeah... this is what you actually want to do. Use a screwdriver to open the maintenance panel of the device/machine/door you want to mess with. Then use either a multitool or a wirecutter (and also don't forget about those insulated gloves). A multitool is used to temporarily pulse a wire and is more silent. A wirecutter will disrupt a wire until it is mended again with a wirecutter. You want both, since there are some slight differences: Cutting the Bolt-wire will bolt the door, but mending it will not unbolt it - You need to pulse the wire with the multitool to unbolt it. Anyways, you will see a bunch of lights and a bunch of cables. The lights have consistent meanings, but the wires are differnt for every station. Cutting a wire will interrupt the functionality of the device - the change of lights can be used to determine which. Once you have figured out how a door works, you know how all the doors work - that is where testing on doors in maintenance is a good way to get your bearings for whatever you intend to actually do.
[color=blue]Seeing the light[/color]
Alright, so here is a list of what each label means:
[bold]POWR = Power[/bold]. If this light is out, all other lights will too... because of no power, duh
[bold]LOG = Logging[/bold], usually seen on doors. Doors log the id's of people going through... might be relevant to know
[bold]BOLT = Door Bolts[/bold]. When active a door can't be opened or closed. Useful for keeping a door open or preventing crowbar-access during blackouts.
[bold]BLIT = ???[/bold]. Probably "Blitz" for electrocution. Funny prank - never gets old.
[bold]TIMR = Timer[/bold]. Impacts door close speed.
[bold]AIA = Access Control[/bold]. Without it, there will be no check for roles/permissions. Much less obvious than a dead and pried door.
[bold]SAFE = Operation Safety[/bold]. Without it doors will close regardless to people still standing inside the frame
[bold]ACC = ???[/bold]. Maybe accumulator, which would mean power being stored.
[bold]PANC = ???[/bold]. Maybe Panic, whatever that would mean.
[bold]NETW = ???[/bold]. Probably Network
[bold]MNGR = ???[/bold]. Probably manager, unlocking... special items to buy
[bold]SPKR = ???[/bold]. Probably speaker to make that thing shut up?
[bold]VEND = ???[/bold]. Possibly Vending? Whatever that means.
[color=blue]Things to mess with[/color]
A rather unknomplete list but you get the idea. The fun is about finding out!
[bold]Doors[/bold] - POWR, LOG, BOLT, BLIT, TIMR, AIA, SAFE
[bold]Locked crates[/bold] - POWR, AIA, ACC, LOG
[bold]APC[/bold] - ACC, AIA
[bold]Air alarm[/bold] - AIA, ACC, PANC, POWR, LOG, NETW
[bold]Vending Machine[/bold] - AIA, ACC, MNGR, SPKR, POWR, LOG, VEND
Oh and a small word of wisdom: Don't put your screwer into the disposal-shredder by accident.
[color=blue]Professional chaos[/color]
Intelligence services own advanced tools for overriding machines, using built-in backdoors. If you see someone doing that... Run, just run, because they don't like the concept of leaving witnesses. Same goes for any kind of EMP-weaponry.