			    TRAVELLER Digest 482

Topics covered in this issue include:

  1) Re: TRAVELLER digest 480 by library@dss.gov.au (DSS Library)
  2) Re: High Displacment Vessels by merrick@Rt66.com (Merrick Burkhardt)
  3) Re: TRAVELLER digest 476 by PPUGLIESE@pimacc.pima.edu
  4) Of grids and coils and fuel tank games by A.S.Lilly@bnr.co.uk (Andy Lilly)
  5) Artillery in Striker II by Bri <bri@teleport.com>
  6) Radio Astronomy by jamesd@spirit.com.au (James Dempsey)
  7) Re: TRAVELLER digest 481 by "Glenn M. Goffin" <ggoffin@igc.apc.org>
  8) Jump Grid Surface Area by "M.A. Trickett" <mat3@leicester.ac.uk>
  9) Red Zones by Alvin Plummer <alvin.plummer@sheridanc.on.ca>
 10) Re: Aubaine by Charles Collin <charles@hebb.psych.mcgill.ca>
 11) Re: Traveller 2300 by Charles Collin <charles@hebb.psych.mcgill.ca>
 12) Droyne by Christopher_Griffen_at_DMC-SJ3@dmcwave.com (Christopher Griffen)
 13) Re: Airframes and Contra-grav by "Brendan O'Donovan" <Brendan@odonovan.demon.co.uk>
 14) nifty new miniatures by "Glenn M. Goffin" <ggoffin@igc.apc.org>
 15) Re: TRAVELLER 2300 by Joni M Virolainen <jonimv@evitech.fi>
 16) Equipment for Vampires by Joni M Virolainen <jonimv@evitech.fi>
 17) RICE Paper on Gerome/Rhlyanor/Spinward Marches by lewis@chara.gsu.edu

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Mon, 13 Nov 1995 14:11:25 -0600
From: library@dss.gov.au (DSS Library)
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re: TRAVELLER digest 480
Message-ID: <199511140009.OAA00344@babylon5.dss.gov.au>

Dear Folks -

1.	DROYNE WORLDS AND INTERDICTION

[Sorry, Alvin, other people's replies mean that I almost don't need to post
this - but I do have some extra info included!]

In digest 476, Alvin asked:

>First, how can a world be interdicted and have a starport?

I can find nothing prohibiting a starport on a Red Zone world. All system
generators simply mention that class-X worlds are "Generally red travel
zones".

In fact, there is one other Red Zone in the Marches with a starport:
	Djinni/Lanth 2111 (class-E)

A guy called Aleem Vren was building the 'port on Djinni back in _Twilight's
Peak_, c.1105. Note that it has reverted to class-X by 1201.

In 1201, Rhysk/Pax Rulin and Caraz/Pax Rulin are type-E and type-D,
respectively (note that Anomaly 5/Sabine should be shown on the map as "X",
not "A"; Lucifer/Gulf should be a "B", not an "X"). I believe that it IS
possible to be interdicted and have a 'port; it is just RARE (and should have a
*very* good reason).

I would assume that the "rise" in TL, plus the appearance of "An" in the Remarks
section of the UPP, reflects a lifting of Imperial censorship.

Aside: You may be interested to know that the 1117 stats are actually WRONG in
one important respect: the _Spinward Marches Campaign_ (c.1111) and the
_Imperial Encyclopedia_ (c.1117) both include the "An" tag in their listings.
Please note that I am not complaining - collating all the data required for the
RSB, then proof-reading the mountain of stats, then hoping that the printers get
it right, etc etc, would have been a hell of a task (just ask Bill Gates ;-).
I AM impressed at the level of detail which did make it into the book (eg. see
Dinom/Lanth, p 42). I'm just glad we got the thing before Xmas.

However, the whole Andor/Candory thing IS worth a combined RICE Paper. As soon
as Andrew Madden and I finish Tavonni/Vilis, we'll have a gander at it (at the
moment, we are in the enviable position of having to CUT DOWN the amount of info
we have for the system %-).

Of course, if anyone else wants a hack at the Droyne, give it a go!

Points to include:
- the interdiction; why?
- possible Imperial fear of Ancient super-weapons
- Droyne in the Marches (eg. descendants of "The Spud", Droyne trader)
- the rapid rise in TL
- Droyne "hand-built jump drives" (should they really be class-A 'ports?)
- the Ancient sites
- Imperial theory that one of these worlds is Eskayloyt (the Droyne's "Lost
  Home")

2.	THE MYSTERY OF THE MISSING PLANET (soon to be published as "Alfred
	Hitchcock and The Three Investigators book #1999 ;-)

BTW, Can anyone resolve the mystery of the missing planet? In _The Spinward
Marches Campaign_, p27, this listing appears:

Hex  UPP        B Remarks     Data   Star1 Star2
2632 X895674-8    Ag nIn An   R201Im F3 V  M0 D

This listing is repeated in the _Imperial Encyclopedia_.

However, the original _Supplement 3: The Spinward Marches_ and the new _RSB_
do not show this listing.

(Note that this mystery system never appeared on ANY star chart).

Ideas, anyone:
- Ancient site, currently under exploitation?
- Grandfather's Virus trap activated?
- ?!?!?!?

3.	CORRECTIONS TO INTERSTEL I-1102 SOLOMANI SCOUT

In digest 477, Michael Bailey said:

>The redesign is slightly more expensive, but has a small increase in cargo
>space and is lighter...

My original version says Cargo: 63 m^3, and so does the latest posting. Am I
missing something?

4.	LATE-BREAKING NEWS ON GEROME/RHYLANOR

Lewis, during my pursiut of a tag-line, I have actually discovered some data on
Gerome/Rhylanor!

"Gerome (Rhylanor 2818 x-573000-0): A moderate-sized world with a standard
tainted atmosphere and 30% water oceans, Gerome is unpopulated and has no
starport. Further, it is classified travel zone red. The interdiction of
movement to the world could be ofr any reason, but the lack of population
makes it probable that it is to protect as yet untapped mineral deposits.
Rumours or patrons could lead to the world, to prospecting and mining, and to
clashes with the authorities".
"The referee is responsible for creating various tables, maps, and charts which
would regulate the actual conduct of such a campaign".
Marc W. Miller, _Introductory Adventure: The Imperial Fringe_, GDW, USA, 1981.

Not that this could be an ideal site for your paper.

"Looks like a perfect spot for a picnic" - Vice-Admiral Goron Amdon to
Commander Wafoua Syoisuis, during a tour of the 49th Squadron.

5.	MAGYAR

No problem Bruce; I grabbed the stats anyway. Were they formatted OK? My version
has a name "Selig" that is at the bottom of the list, but without data. The
second-last data line is:
Kolin         1534 B244552-D  M Ag Ni              202 So M7 VI M4 D

6.	GRANDFATHER ET AL

I've sent stats on Grandfather and the Sparklers to Iain.

- Hyphen
 (David Jaques-Watson


------------------------------

Date: Sun, 12 Nov 1995 22:03:41 -0700 (MST)
From: merrick@Rt66.com (Merrick Burkhardt)
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re: High Displacment Vessels
Message-ID: <9511130503.AA06181@Rt66.com>

> With BR came a number of high displacement tonnage starships. Where have
> all these ships come from. What CT, MT products are the source for these
> vessels?
> 
> I particularly refer to:
> BB Sylea	BB Voroshilef
> BT Cleon	BT Triumph
> BR Admiral	BR Gallant
> ED Rapier	CA Mercury
> CL Starburst

The Sylea is mentioned in the old Library Data (with a picture if I
remember... a giant Star Destroyer looking critter.  No stats, though.

The Voroshilef is from the _Rebellion_Sourcebook_ (MT), with MT stats.

The Boxy BRs look like ones in the MT _Fighting_Ships_, dunno about the
tenders.

The CL looks like the "Seh" Class in _Rebellion_Sourcebook_.

The CA looks like the "Planet" class in _Rebellion_Sourcebook_.

The "Rapier" looks like a picture in MT _Fighting_Ships_.

Hope this helps.

I haven't seen any FFS designs for these.  They are junky as big ships
anyway.  I posted some BR designs a while back, I'll mail 'em to you if
you want. 

-Merrick

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 13 Nov 1995 00:31:22 -0700
From: PPUGLIESE@pimacc.pima.edu
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re: TRAVELLER digest 476
Message-ID: <01HXKPMNUO8Y8WXQG7@pimacc.pima.edu>

From:	IN%"traveller@MPGN.COM"  9-NOV-1995 12:08:07.65
To:	IN%"traveller@MPGN.COM"  "Multiple recipients of list"
CC:	
Subj:	RE: TRAVELLER digest 476

Date: Thu, 09 Nov 1995 14:04:19 -0500
From: Rob_Prior@nynet.nybe.north-york.on.ca (Rob Prior)

>considering the loooong string of RPG-
>related miscalculations, starting with T:2000 or so, that GDW has commit-
>ted. In fact it seems that the only big score they've had has been CT.  

Actually, T2k made a pile of money for them - nearly as much as CT, in fact,
it ended up generating more profit than CT (which is one reason DGP was doing
CT while GDW was doing T2k).  Apparently there's lots of military buffs out
there...
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Really? I stand corrected then, although this also raises the question
of GDW's failure to capitalize on their 2 succeses. What happened? Why
have they been unable to produce follow-on lines that were as good (read;
profitable) as the predecessors? Why couldn't Trav & Twilight continue
to compound until GDW became a rival for 'that *other* rpg comp.'? Instead
it seems to me that TNE represents a last, desperate, throw of the dice
by a company floundering in financial problems.

Phil


------------------------------

Date: Mon, 13 Nov 1995 10:01:51 +0000
From: A.S.Lilly@bnr.co.uk (Andy Lilly)
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Of grids and coils and fuel tank games
Message-ID: <199511130908.EAA23038@Mithril.MPGN.COM>

Score: GRIDS 99 /COILS 99
First one to 100 wins.
;-) That should get some enthusiastic posts!

"Brendan O'Donovan" (Hi Brendan!) and another person said about grids being
able to take an amount of damage before totally disabling your jump ability.
I was not disputing that the grid can take some damage, merely that it is
easier to damage it given that it is on the outside, than the equivalent
hidden-in-the-engine-room coil thingy. As was then pointed out, FF&S still
allocates surface area for jump drives for... well hell, could it be a grid?
I lay odds on The "Fourth Imperium" (or "Imperium, The Next Generation") -
whatever GDW will call it - having jump grids back in. Anyone want a 1
penny/cent bet, eh? First, though it'll appear in FF&S ed.2 as an 'optional
extra' under the 'alternative design sequences'.

FUEL TANK DISCOS - CAN THE ALIEN PLAY?

Nice idea. Only problem is, I thought the current vogue was to have lots of
baffle thingies in the fuel tanks? Could make a game of squash quite
interesting? More likely they'd be playing Quasar or some equivalent game,
utilising all that confinement and lack of visibility... smoke, laser
flashes (low power of course). Vodern rounds a corner, squeezes off a burst
behind him then curses as a reflected beam sets off the beeper on his chest
unit, telling him he's been hit. He swivels instantly - something behind
him. Ah ha! Someone's reprogrammed the holo-units to add in aliens again.
Nasty critters, but a single burst from his laser hitting the image and it's
programmed to blow apart. He sprays light into the monster, but nothing
happens. Viscous saliva drips from all-too real fangs as the creature's lips
draw back in a feral grin... AAAAAAAAAAAAAAaarrrgh! <blood spirts, special
effects gore... etc.>

Now wait til the others find him and realise they're in a huge fuel tank
with no real weapons and something very nasty...

"Flood this tank and ignite the fuel? Yes Jang, a very good idea - except
I'd like to get out first. Where's the door? Anyone remember which hatch is
out and which leads into the other (full) fuel tank?"
;-)

Andy


------------------------------

Date: Mon, 13 Nov 1995 03:35:11 -0800 (PST)
From: Bri <bri@teleport.com>
To: tml <traveller@MPGN.COM>
Subject: Artillery in Striker II
Message-ID: <Pine.SUN.3.91.951113033426.18193A-100000@linda.teleport.com>

 , the IFR isn't listed for almost all, where is it?
thanks

Bri <bri@teleport.com> 


------------------------------

Date: Mon, 13 Nov 95 22:53:45 
From: jamesd@spirit.com.au (James Dempsey)
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Radio Astronomy
Message-ID: <219b8d6f.808ba-jamesd@loki.spirit.com.au>

Whilst thinking about the usual pocket empire breaking out into the stars
situation, I came up with the following question:

With all of the emphasis of wilds exploration being on "lets just send a
ship out and see what we find", what about the possibilities of radio
astronomy?

Wouldn't it be possible to set up a radio telescope and listen in on the
radio and TV broadcasts of a few years ago for all of the worlds in your
district? What sort of signals would a world be likely to pick up if it
tried to listen in on the worlds around it?

The usual provisos of isolated signal processing computers for protection
from virus would, of course, apply.

BTW: I am still eagerly awaiting my copy of the RSB. I hope that this
isn't just a rehash of the longbow stuff from it.

BFN,
James Dempsey                       ///
------------------------------     ///
 jamesd@spirit.com.au          \\\///
                                \XX/



------------------------------

Date:          Mon, 13 Nov 1995 05:55:29 +0000
From: "Glenn M. Goffin" <ggoffin@igc.apc.org>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re: TRAVELLER digest 481
Message-ID: <199511131404.GAA28650@igc3.igc.apc.org>

> From: Alvin Plummer <alvin.plummer@sheridanc.on.ca>

> Glenn Goffin noted that Red Zones can indeed be on
> worlds with starports, as they can be A) erected for
> temporary emergencies 

Not to be totally flaming you, Alvin, but what I said was
that Red Zones can be designated during emergencies on
worlds with pre-existing starports.  A starport is too
permanent a structure to be erected temporarily.

--Glenn

------------------------------

Date:          Mon, 13 Nov 1995 12:41:05 +0100 (BST)
From: "M.A. Trickett" <mat3@leicester.ac.uk>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Jump Grid Surface Area
Message-ID: <57DC96205F@daisy.le.ac.uk>

>>>Hang on though ..... why do we need to debate whether there is still a hull 
grid? GDW may have informally said that they are moving back to jump coils,
but if so, would they perhaps like to explain why in FFS, page 42 there is the 
reference 'Jump drives .... Surface area: Surface area in square meters equals 
cubic meters of jump drive /3'. If that isn't a reference to a hull grid, then 
what is it? <<<

This could apply to a number of different things.  Yes, it could be 
the Lanthanum grid, but it could also be a "heat sink" (again, the 
physics is shoddy, but...) for the capacitors, or something like 
that.  Any engineers out there would sure know more than a lowly 
archaeologist/historian.

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 13 Nov 1995 11:28:54 -0500 (EST)
From: Alvin Plummer <alvin.plummer@sheridanc.on.ca>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Red Zones
Message-ID: <Pine.OSF.3.91.951113112755.13625D-100000@hubble.sheridanc.on.ca>


Found out that T:TNE actually says that *most* X starports have red zones 
around them.  

Ooops.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alvin Plummer
"Preserve what we created, Norris, and remember what we stood for."
                               - Strephon, 179-1126

Reply to: alvin.plummer@SHERIDANC.ON.CA
------------------------------------------------------------------------------


------------------------------

Date: Mon, 13 Nov 1995 11:58:18 -0500 (EST)
From: Charles Collin <charles@hebb.psych.mcgill.ca>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re: Aubaine
Message-ID: <Pine.SUN.3.91.951113115647.3142A-100000@hebb.psych.mcgill.ca>

Hi.  Your freindly neighborhood Quebecer here.  Aubaine is the french 
word for "bargain".  In french, it is pronounced "Oh-ben".  

	<0>       "Perfection is not a place, but a direction."         <0>
	<0> Charles Collin (charles@hebb.psych.mcgill.ca), 		<0>
	<0> Psychology Department, McGill University.  			<0> 
	<0> 1205 Dr. Penfield, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, H3A 1B1.  	<0>



------------------------------

Date: Mon, 13 Nov 1995 12:07:47 -0500 (EST)
From: Charles Collin <charles@hebb.psych.mcgill.ca>
To: traveller@mpgn.com
Subject: Re: Traveller 2300
Message-ID: <Pine.SUN.3.91.951113115958.3142B-100000@hebb.psych.mcgill.ca>



Hi There.  Someone asked about Traveller: 2300 in the last issue.  I have a 
copy of 2300.  There are a few products out there for 
it (adventures and supplements).  The game is an attempt at a very "hard 
sci-fi" background.  It extrapolates earth history, complete with 
competing nations and such.  The star map it provides is probably the 
best thing about it.  It represents all the stars in a 50 ly radius 
around earth (I may have that figure wrong, but it's close).  The map is 
of 3D space (sacrilege!), and just looks really cool.  

I found it a bit of a rip off to call it "Traveller: 2300", it has 
nothing to do with other Traveller games, and does not fit into the 
CT/MT/TNE history line.  It's a completely different background, with 
different rules and technologies (no jump drives, they have something 
they call stutter warp instead).  I only played one campaign with it and 
then went back to my beloved CT.

Charles.

	<0>       "Perfection is not a place, but a direction."         <0>
	<0> Charles Collin (charles@hebb.psych.mcgill.ca), 		<0>
	<0> Psychology Department, McGill University.  			<0> 
	<0> 1205 Dr. Penfield, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, H3A 1B1.  	<0>



------------------------------

Date: Mon, 13 Nov 1995 10:35:09 -0800
From: Christopher_Griffen_at_DMC-SJ3@dmcwave.com (Christopher Griffen)
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Droyne
Message-ID: <0a791030@MailXFER.DMCWAVE.COM>

Responding to Rob Prior:

>>>Second, why should such a stable people such as the Droyne raise their TL 
>so drastically, so quickly, in so short a time?

Why shouldn't they?  Pogroms, great and frightening changes, and so on. 
Maybe the coynes told them to change.  (Remember the approaching wavefront?) 
Past stability doesn't guarantee future stability, and stability doen't
necessarily mean stasis.<<

You've made a good point here, Rob.  Why should the Droyne be held to the same 
set of limitations humans are?  Remember, they have an ancient history of 
extreme high-tech, extending into the upper 20s.  Maybe technological 
achievement for the Droyne is more an exercise of collective will than it is 
gradual, step-by-step achievement.  My interpretation of the big leap is that 
they collectively chose to advance themselves and drew upon their race's past 
achievements.  They obviously have some sort of big plan, now that they're 
attempting to uplift the Chirper populations to Droyne status.

--Chris

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 13 Nov 1995 18:37:52 GMT
From: "Brendan O'Donovan" <Brendan@odonovan.demon.co.uk>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re: Airframes and Contra-grav
Message-ID: <129@odonovan.demon.co.uk>

Wesley Esser wrote :
>          Hullo..
> 
>          I have been thinking about contra-grav and airframe structures in
>          relation to ship designs and atmospheric landings, and I have a
>          couple of question/thoughts.
> 
>          1)      In TNE Contra-Grav negates the attraction of a massive
>          body (the planet) on another body (the ship) in such a way that
>          the small body seems like it is in a grav field 1% of the normal
>          grav field of the massive body.  If that is the case, why does it
>          take so many G-hours to take off from a planet in a contra-grav
>          equipped ship?  With Contra-Grav, taking off from Earth would be
>          about the equivalent of taking off from a small asteroid in terms
>          of the gravity well.  The figures in the TNE book, which are
>          already higher than what is needed in reality, are out of line by
>          almost 2 orders of magnitude when the contra-grav is considered.
>          Should the tables be adjusted to show this, or can anyone show me
>          where my reasoning went astray?

The rules _are_ wrong. For contra-grav ships the G-Turns expended are 
negligable.

> 
>          2)      Does an airframe hull provide aerodynamic lift?  The 1.3x
>          weight multiplier is suspiciusly similar to the 30% of gross
>          weight for for the hypersonic airframe, and the rules state
>          explicitly that SL and AF designs are hypersonic.  Can an airframe
>          ship take off w/o contra-grav and fly like an airplane?  If not,

Yes it does, check the paragraph at the top right of p.10 FFS

>          Wes Esser
>          wesley.esser@haledorr.com
> 

-- 
Brendan 

------------------------------

Date:          Mon, 13 Nov 1995 11:42:32 +0000
From: "Glenn M. Goffin" <ggoffin@igc.apc.org>
To: xboat@MPGN.COM, traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: nifty new miniatures
Message-ID: <199511131944.LAA27598@igc3.igc.apc.org>

My brother just gave me some very well-cast plastic Star 
Wars figures.  They are Imperial pilots, and he said that 
rebels, iwoks, and something else are available.  They are 
made by Micromachines, and are sold in toy stores (he said 
that he got them at Toys-R-Us).  They are 24mm including 
the base, and, as I indicated, very well done, with good 
proportions and fine detailing.  The few downsides are that 
they are already painted and come in only a few poses.

--Glenn

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 13 Nov 1995 21:54:03 +0200 (EET)
From: Joni M Virolainen <jonimv@evitech.fi>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re: TRAVELLER 2300
Message-ID: <Pine.3.89.9511132138.A13517-0100000@evitech.evitech.fi>

It was republished with name of 2300 AD. To my knowledge it is no longer 
published. 

"I'll be bag"
-Arnie the Alligator

Joni Virolainen
jonimv@evitech.fi



------------------------------

Date: Mon, 13 Nov 1995 22:19:53 +0200 (EET)
From: Joni M Virolainen <jonimv@evitech.fi>
To: Traveller Mailing List <traveller@MPGN.COM>
Subject: Equipment for Vampires
Message-ID: <Pine.3.89.9511132246.A13517-0100000@evitech.evitech.fi>

Are you Vampire? Is your skin too sensitive for ultraviolet light to be 
able to survive in bright day light? Fear no more, because now you can 
have protective skin attached to your skin.

UVskin is biologically crafted black skin like material that can be 
attached on normal skin. It protects vampire's sensitive skin 
completely. Only eyes, mouth, nasal holes and ear holes are not covered. 
But vampires can use advanced sunglasses etc. to protect those exposed 
areas.

Joni Virolainen jonimv@evitech.fi



------------------------------

Date: Mon, 13 Nov 95 16:40:53 -0500
From: lewis@chara.gsu.edu
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: RICE Paper on Gerome/Rhlyanor/Spinward Marches
Message-ID: <9511132140.AA11441@chara.gsu.edu>

 
This is the RICE paper that used to be Lewis/Aramis, I moved it to
Gerome/Rhylanor.  Didn't have to change much, but I did add a few lines
here and there.  This puts it closer to Vanjen or how ever you spell
it, the site of the module Research Station Gamma.  I have the new
paper on Lewis 3/4
of the way done, and will probably post it on Wed.

Lewis Roberts





RICE  Paper							             21-1199
Gerome Rhylanor/Spinward Marches 

Physical Appearance-Gerome orbits a K2 dwarf in a highly elliptical
orbit.  The planet also has an extreme axial tilt. The eccentricity and
the the axial tilt causes severe seasonal changes.  Temperatures range
from 240K to 310K.  The planet is rugged world wracked by extremely
violent storms.  These storms kick up large amounts of metallic dust. 
This dust is very irritating to humans and other sapiens, requiring the
use of filter masks.   Sapiens who breathe the air without the aid of a
filter mask, come down with chronic lung infections as the dust
particles irritate the inner linings of the lungs and throat.  This
wind borne dust constantly erodes man made structures forcing most
dwellings below ground.   Gerome possesses no bodies of water, worthy
of being called oceans, rather it has many huge lakes.  

Biosphere-Gerome has no native animal species.  There are numerous
examples of primitive plants, similar to lichens and algae. 

History-Gerome has been a declared a Red Zone by the Imperial Navy
since 945.   The reason for the red zone were kept classified until
now.  Now under the Regent's new more open government the truth can be
revealed.  Gerome was established as a top secret research base in
charge of finding new military applications for biotechnologies. These
included anti-bacterial warfare agents, creating geneered animals to
serve in both combat and intelligence roles, 
methods in speeding the growth of clones, (TEXT DELETED BY ORDER OF NAVAL 
INTELLIGENCE OFFICE: ORDER 18734945-A) ,artificial RNA learning
techniques and many other projects.  The reason for the Red Zone was
simply to keep away spies and others without the Imperium's best
interest at heart.  In an effort to keep the existance of the base
secret, the Navy released fake UPP data on the system, falsely showing
the planet to be uninhabited.  
	  The results of the scientific experiments were filtered
through other research bases. This way the Zhodani and other enemies
would not even know that a top secret base even existed.  The Civil War
did not disrupt the research, as it was located far behind the Claw.  
In the aftermath of the Civil War, the base did suffer significant
budget cuts, but proceeded much as before.  
	In 1135 there was a major accident which would alter the world
forever.  The base had been doing research into artificial bacterial
symbiotes that would enable humans to exist in a vacuum without a
vacsuit.  The work was still far from finished, but proceeding nicely. 
On 114-1135 an explosion of still unexplained origins ripped through
the lab where the symbiote was being designed.  The symbiote was
released into the atmosphere of the planet. The high speed winds
quickly dispersed the symbiote.  Over the next few days it became
apparent the symbiote was far from finished as it infected several
thousand people across the face of the planet.   Instead of allowing
the infected to survive in a vacuum, the symbiote slowly asphyxiate d
the victim over a 
span of several hours.  By now the symbiote had been spread across the
entire surface of the planet and was thriving in the environment. It
was designed to survive in the cold vacuum of space, the atmosphere
provided more than enough heat and carbon dioxide to thrive.  An
immediate quarantine was placed around the planet.  All projects were
halted, as everyone tried to find an antidote.  Unfortunetly those
scientists who understood the symbiote best where the first to die. 
After six months, no progress had been made towards a cure and over
half the population had died.  What made the task so difficult was the
symbiote had been designed to withstand the extremes of space, high and
low temperatures, high levels of radiation and vacuum.  It could be
killed by extreme methods such as plasma bursts, but this wasn't a
practical method of decontamiating infected individuals.  The populace
holed up small groups in underground bunkers.  
	The Navy Commander in charge of the planet made the painful
choice to permanently close the planet.   Slowly the underground
bunkers became infected, until the population has dwindled to barely 
8000 out of 70,000 former inhabitants.  Estimates suggest that within
40 years the remaining inhabitants will perish.  A small group of
scientists still tries to find a way of defeating the symbiote, but a
solution evades their grasp, as the symbiote continues to mutate and
adapt.  The Navy maintains a squadron in the system to prevent anyone
from violating the quarantine.  It also drops frequent mercy packages
to aid the survivors. The only penalty for violating the quarantine is
life long exile to the planet.  When asked about the severe actions of
the Navy,  Cmmdr Wafoua Syoisuis replied, "Its better then dealing with
another Virus."

Society- Before the release of the symbiote, humans and other sapiens
lived in underground complexes, to avoid the dust storms, and the
extremes in weather.  It was lucky for the inhabitants, because if the
symbiote had been released on a standard world, no one would have
escaped.  Now the complexes have had 70 years to fortify themselves
against the symbiote, through complex filtering and airtight seals. 
For the most part these keep the symbiote at bay, but every 
so often something breaks down, and the complex is infected, usually
yielding a large death toll.  That is if anyone is left alive to count the bodies.  
	There are somewhere between ten and thirty complexes on Gerome.
 The average population is several hundred people.   Each complex has
grown into one extended family, with most people being related through
marriage.  The families govern the complexes through small town
meetings.   Most people never leave their complex; the possibility of
contamination arises each time someone leaves or enters.  Except for
the retrieval of Naval mercy shipments, it is only 
in the most dire of circumstances that anyone leaves a complex.  The
shipments are usually picked up by robots. When someone is forced to
leave the compound it is in airtight ATVs, when they return, the
exterior is scoured with a high temperature plasma  to kill any of the
symbiote that might have attached itself to the vehicle.   	
	The complexes keep in contact through a computer and video
network.  So while they might not be able to leave their complex, they
will be able to meet and become friends with people across the globe. 
Entertainment from around the Regency are beamed to the complexes by
the Navy.  Most inhabitants are a fairly dour and grumpy lot.  They
resent being forced to live on such a miserable planet under miserable
circumstances.  Most couples do not have children, they feel it
wouldn't be right to bring children into such a place.  

System Details:
Primary F8V
 Orbit 	Name	UPP	Satellite Orbit	Satellite UPP
    0   Star   K2 V

    1         	LGG
  			         8		   x-670000-0
			        10		   x-600000-0
			        12		   x-200000-0
            	                35                 x-800000-0          
                                   
                                40                 x-S00000-0          
                                    
                                                                       
                                  
     2          SGG                                                    
                                        
                                 1	           x-R00000-0          
                                                        
                                20                 x-S00000-0          
                                   
                                45                 x-S00000-0          
                                    
                                50                 x-S00000-0          
                                    
                                                                       
                                                                       
                                                                       
                          
3   Gerome  X-573344-8      RED ZONE
			         1		   x-R_00000-0
                                 7		   x-S00000-0	
                                 9                 G-202255-F    
The Navy has built a small repair facility base, to help maintain the quarantine.

End of official RICE Paper.


Naval Intelligence Memo
- ----------------------------------------------------------------

ULTRA SECRET 
From:Cmmdr Wafoua Syoisuis : 49th Squadron  23rd Fleet Gerome
Quarantine	253-1199
To: Vice Admiral Goron Amdon :  Chief of Naval Intelligence 23rd Fleet

	My congratulations on your recent promotion, I look forward to
working with you again.  I have been asked by your predeccesor to bring
you up to date on the situation on Gerome.  We have recently created
and released a RICE Paper for public dissemination.  This paper creates
a cover story that Gerome has become infected with a dangerous
symbiote, of human creation.  For those suspicious individuals in the
press and other organizations we have created false 
evidence that the base on Gerome was researching biological warfare
agents, in violation of Emperor Martin III's edict.  There is nothing
concrete, just enough to suggest.  Hopefully this way suspicious
individuals will be diverted from the truth.  
	The actual story is not that much different than the official
story.  In 945 a research base was established on Gerome, not to study
biological improvements, but the geneering of psionic individuals.  
The base took several years to get established, in its early years it
did not make much progress.  It made a few minor improvements to psi
drugs and psionic shielding,  but 
nothing major.   During the Fourth Frontier War, dozens on noble
Zhodani were captured and shipped to Gerome.  These individuals
provided a large group of psions who shared a common gene pool.   These
specimens showed the researchers new approaches to their problem.  In
1088 the Beta Epsilon batch of test subjects was conceived.  By 1102 an
above average number of specimens showed psionic awareness.  The Beta
Zeta and Beta Eta batches also showed 
increased numbers of psions with increased strengths and variety of
psionic abilities.  The Beta Theta batch had to be destroyed, due to an
unforeseen mutation.  The Beta Iota batch was decanted in 1130, by 1139
the group was showing unheard of levels of psionic abilities.  Seventy
five percent were psioniclly  active, with psionic strengths of five to
ten, with three cases of 
strengths of 18.  The Beta Kappa and Beta Lambda batches were rushed
into production.  During the summer of 1148 the Beta Iota individuals,
turned 18.  In the next year they started to show signs of mental instabilities. 
	The researchers carefully watched the Beta Kappa and Beta
Lambda groups. Both groups showed immense psionic strengths, and not
just in the common psionic abilities, but in many different Arcane
abilities.  Unfortunetly they also developed mental instabilities, even
earlier than in the Beta Iota group.  These include megalomania,
paranoia, schizophrenia, autism, mental retardation, multiple
personality disorder and obsessive compulsive behavior.  Production 
of the Beta Mu and Beta Nu batches were immediately halted, while a
solution was sought.  
	The researchers only had 6 months, before the Betas created
their own solution.  Led by a Beta Iota named Alexandra, they revolted.
 Most of the researchers were killed, the remaining were captured and
held as hostage.  Some of the Betas wanted to trade the hostages for a
ship in which they would roam the galaxy.  Alexandra put a halt to this
talk by incinerating the group's 
chief spokesman.  She then declared herself Emperor of the Known
Universe, and ordered a halt to contact with the "...mind deaf
Imperials."  She ordered that the Beta Mu, and Beta Nu batches be put
into production, and she ordered the creation of a Beta Xi group, which
consisted entirely of clones of herself.  Alexandra suffered from
megalomania and paranoia, a particularly dangerous 
combination in a leader, especially when the leader  is a telepathic pyrotechnic. 
	The Commodore of  the orbiting squadron was on planet during
the revolt and was executed by Emperor Alexandra personally.  There was
quite a debate among the surviving Naval captains on how to react to
the revolt.  Some wanted to act with massive force and crush the
planet.  Others wanted to mount a rescue attempt, and then crush the
planet.  A few wanted to negotiate a settlement.  Finally a rescue
attempt was decided on.  The attempt was a dismal failure.  Two
companies of assault marines landed on the planet.  Though equipped with battle 
dress with integral psionic shielding, the marines were butchered by
the psions. Psionic shielding only slows down a strength 15 psion, and
it does nothing against telekinetic wielded plasma guns. 
	Upon hearing of the defeat, Subsector Command issued orders
calling for a temporary quarantine of the planet.  After several months
of debate, it was ordered that the quarantine be made permanent, and
the planet kept under constant surveillance.  It was thought that the
undesirable mental traits would be winnow ed from the gene pool, by
natural selection.   Even if this did not happen, the Navy would be
able to study to see the long term biological effects of psionics. 
	The quarantine is maintened by the 49th Squadron of the 23rd
Regency Fleet.  The planet is monitored by a series of orbiting
satellites.  Yearly, missions to the planet are mounted, These are
crewed solely by remotely controlled robots.  Each robot has a self
destruct mechanism, in case a 
psion with machine empathy manages to take control of the robot.  These
missions trade needed resources for information that can not be
gathered from orbit.  Some complexes await the missions with
anticipation, others try to destroy the missions, for what ever goals
they might have.  Occasionally the missions capture a psion and bring
back the specimen for in depth analysis.  The 
49th Squadron if fairly strong. That is both to keep intruders out of
the system, and also to keep the Betas from escaping.  In 1183 the Beta
group known as the Avengers of Korn tried to launch a small solid fuel
rocket into orbit.  The cruiser Cranston was able to destroy it, but
several psions were able to teleport to the Cranston, they caused
extensive damage before being eliminated.  
	Since the revolt, life has not been good for the inhabitants of
Gerome.  It is standard procedure for experimental geneered individuals
to be sterilized at birth. This way the gene pool is strictly
controlled by the scientists in charge.  Early Betas such as
individuals from the Beta Beta and Beta Gamma batches, were used as lab
assistants at the research base.  These individuals 
were able to create new batches of Betas, which were fully fertile.  
The other major problem for the Betas was food.  Most food for the
research was grown on planet, but it required a great deal of foreign
assistance.  After several lean years, the Betas were able to create a stable food 
supply.   Though it is precarious and does not make for a varied diet.   
	The society of the psions is quite chaotic, as fits a mentally
unstable population.  The population consists of approximately 12,000
individuals.  These are gathered into 12 major groups of about 800
psions each, and 25 minor groups of varying size.  Each group does not
possess enough food, manufacturing, medical and technological resources
to be self sufficient.  Most groups trade to get access to the
neccesary resources.  A few, especially of the smaller bands, 
resort to raiding, and banditry.  Local manufacturing is at TL 8, with
large amounts of high tech equipment still on planet.  The structure of
each of these bands is quite varied, some are democratic, some are
ruled by self proclaimed Queens, Dalis, Gods, and Lord Emperors, others
are simply ruled by the strongest.  The clones of Emperor Alexandra
have created a complex inhabited solely by clones of the original
Alexandra, who is kept alive in low berth.  It is considered one of the
more insane complexes.  Due to the sheer number of sociopaths, violent
crime is epidemic, most groups have incorporated this into their
society, through ritual challenges,  registered assassins and blood duels.  
System Details:
Primary F8V
 Orbit 	Name	UPP	Satellite Orbit	Satellite UPP
    0   Star   K2 V

    1         	LGG
  			         8		   x-670000-0
			        10		   x-600000-0
			        12		   x-200000-0
            	                35                 x-800000-0          
                                   
                                40                 x-S00000-0          
                                    
                                                                       
                                  
     2          SGG                                                    
                                        
                                 1	           x-R00000-0          
                                                        
                                20                 x-S00000-0          
                                   
                                45                 x-S00000-0          
                                    
                                50                 x-S00000-0          
                                    
                                            		
 
     3   Gerome X-573360-8
			         1		   x-R00000-0
                                 7		   x-S00000-0	
                                 9                 G-202255-F       

The Navy has built a small repair facility base, to help maintain the
quarantine.  The base possess two flights of Rampart fighters.  
The 49th Squadron consists of 5 SEH (Starburst of Extreme Heroism)
Light Cruisers. They are the Cranston, the Bainbridge, the Dzaekh, the
Ying Zhou and the Dirk Teledon.  For details of the SEH Light Cruiser
see the Rebellion Sourcebook.

Reference : The Regency Sourcebook:Keepers of the Flame.
 

------------------------------

End of TRAVELLER Digest 482
***************************
