Mar 2110
The repairs on the drive go quickly but not without complications. [14+10] The extra components manage to substitute in all of the needed parts, but a thorough check shows that under areas previously not seen there has been significant stress to the thruster casing and other components. It is clear that the failure is as much from deformation of the acceleration chamber as damage to the magnetic rings and that the problem extends to the entire length of the engine. Estimates are that the system will not last much longer, months or weeks of acceleration could damage it even worse then previously seen. Fortunately it is only needed for a month more to get to the final destination and the crew is more then willing to push it to the limit. Severe failures for thrusters, [Last legs] added.
Tensions aboard the ship continue to deteriorate despite the decision to land, accusation fly about who is responsible for risking the mission, shifts are missed and people stop working altogether, fortunately the large crew allows for slack to be taken up by others.
Morale [4+30-2-8] Critical failure, mitigated
Maintenance [97+8-3] Thruster failure averted
The weather and communications satellites are easily placed into high equatorial orbits, from there they can easily move into geosynchronous orbits near wherever the ship lands. The previously launched geological scanner sat is set in a polar orbit at a 90 degree angle from the first, allowing faster scanning of the planet and more frequent direct scans of wherever the outpost finally lands.
Seven choices are presented as possible landing sites, access to water and a flat area to land on are set as top priorities.
The first is a river valley with steep mountains on both sides. Being near the equator the river is fed primarily by rain rather then snow melt and has created a flat sedimentary basin around it. The area closer to where the river feeds into the larger equatorial ocean has steep cliffs and waterfalls but this upland area is wide enough to land on.
The second is a flat area of land on the southern ocean. Where most coasts on the planet are quite steep this extended beach is in a natural harbor connected to the southern polar ocean. Broken hills, small mountains and cliffs separate this area from the northern landmass, this is the furthest area from the equator considered and some of the hills and ravines nearby still have ice in them. In this region the frequency of copper in the mineral content is an order of magnitude above anything found on Earth.
The third is the largest flat plain on the planet, situated close to the equator. Far from any oceans this area sees infrequent rain and dust storms are common. The area has seen very little recent geological activity and is considered the most stable area to land on, it has not been scanned by the geological satellites so it may be much less mineral rich then other areas.
The fourth is a steep sided canyon half a mile wide and ten miles long dug at most half a mile deep into hilly terrain. Estimates are that it may have been the result of glacial activity in the distant past but more recently it was expanded by wind and water erosion. Most of the knowledge on the planet's mineral frequency was gained by the satellites and ship closely looking at the sides of this mineral rich canyon. While too narrow to consider landing in the side or shallower end have smooth enough terrain to consider landing near.
The fifth is the large crater believed to be the result of a supervolcano. Igneous rock forms a uniform basin only moderately carved by erosion and believed to be rich in several types of rare minerals. A small lake is present inside the crater and just outside past the steep sided walls there is a snow and ice fed river. The area is near one of the active volcanoes on the planet and is frequently showered in volcanic ash.
The sixth is an extensive plateau next to one of the largest mountains on the planet. This is the highest elevation area considered and is currently covered in a layer of ice and snow. While most of the area is flat, canyons have been seen from space and the geological satellite confirmed that there may be extensive cave systems underground.
The last is a flat bowl between several large mountains. It has no drainage to the oceans and is an evaporation basin from the frequent storms that hit the nearby mountains. The sediments are believed to be mineral rich. Right now there are several rivers draining into the area but there may be extended periods without rainfall. This is area is near the other, larger active volcano and gets infrequently covered in volcanic ash.
After the initial meeting presenting the seven sites and talking over their flaws and benefits the crew breaks up into small groups to discuss further the possibilities. The mood is quite positive thanks to the relief that the long journey is almost at an end. Several hours later during a break for a celebratory party of carrot soy cake and vodka the autopilot flashes an alarm warning: Final decent begun, all crew to crash beds.
This time it was not a computer error.
The door to the autopilot room has to be forced open and the saboteur wrestled away from the controls but by the time it is done it is too late, the ship is already irrecoverably falling towards the planet. He is screaming about conspiracies as he fights the crew before he is tranquilized. An investigation into what happened will have to wait.
The crew quickly prepare the ship for the landing, bringing in the external radiators, extending the small wings and bringing the ship into position to abate the landing forces as much as possible.
Event Selection
The TSS Asimov is set to land at one of the top three choices from the initial meeting.
Choose three landing sites:
A: River Valley
B: Southern Beach
C: Dusty Plains
D: Mineral Canyon
E: Volcanic Crater
F: Snowy Plateau
G: Sedimentary Basin
The ship is set on a steep dive, it can be diverted in time to pull up for a slow dive instead if you want. Choose one:
- Steep dive : (Easy insertion, difficult re-entry, easy flight, difficult landing)
- Slow dive: (Easy insertion, difficult re-entry, Hard flight, easy landing)
If the descriptions on the landing sites are unclear just ask for clarifications. If otherwise not stated mineral compounds are unremarkable compared to the planetary norms.
Author
Topic: Outpost: Outcast [Heart of Sky] (Read 37864 times)