Preface to the Story In Seastalker, you are a famous young scientist and inventor. As the story opens, you are working in your private lab when the commander of the Aquadome calls you for help. The Aquadome is being attacked by a huge mysterious sea monster! It's time for action! To get to the Aquadome, you'll have to travel through Frobton Bay to the ocean in your latest invention: a two-person submarine called the Scimitar. It's equipped with many features useful for research, including a searchlight, grasping extensor claws, sonarscope, depth control, and automatic pilot. But it has no weapons, so you'll need help to make it ready to deal with a monster. Fortunately, your good friend "Tip" will keep you company and assist you on your rescue mission. Soon, though, you'll find yourself in a real pickle: while the sea monster attacks the Aquadome from the outside, a traitor may be sabotaging it from the inside. You'll have to be clever and quick to save the Aquadome from this double danger. The object of the game is to save the Aquadome from danger. You'll have to navigate your sub, the Scimitar, to the Aquadome, and then start solving the mystery with the help of the people that work there. Some clues to help you get started. 1. Answer the videophone 2. Turn on the videophone 3. Ask Bly about the problem Your sub moves at three speeds: SLOW, MEDIUM, and FAST. To set or change your speed, just type SET THROTTLE TO SLOW (or MEDIUM or FAST) and press the RETURN (or ENTER) key. If you want to DIVE TO 5 METERS, just type it in. (Your sub dives in multiples of five meters: 5, 10, 15, 20, etc.) If you want your sub to SURFACE, just type it in. Inventions Unlimited -------------------- Personnel File Tip Randall - Tip is your closest pal and constant companion. Basically, there's nothing this guy can't do. He's expert pilot, submariner, surfer, and swimmer. He's more of a jock than an inventor such as yourself, but his bulldog courage and rollicking high spirits make him a great companion in any adventure. Commander Zoe Bly - This woman's delicate beauty is hard to resist, but when you start talk to her - wow, what a tough one she is. For one thing, she's a champion athlete and a superachiever. For the past three months now, she's been commander at the Aquadome. She's an honor graduate of the Navy Frogman School and the Galley Institute of Technology. You'll see soon enough that she doesn't have much patience with people who don't meet her standards. And that attitude tends to make some people real mad. Mick Antrim - Mick was probably out earning a buck before most of us were even born. In fact, you won't find anybody who knows more about nuclear power, undersea navigation, or communications. That's pretty good for a guy who never had a formal education. But Mick doesn't like to settle arguments with his tongue; he'd rather use his fists. Naturally, he doesn't take well to Commander Bly's kind of discipline. Marv Siegel - This guy knows more about sonar gear than anyone at Inventions Unlimited. His experience comes from having worked for the Defense Department. He fits in well with his co-workers at the Aquadome, and he's even learned how to scuba dive. Bill Greenup - Bill comes from a different background altogether. Basically he used to be a beach bum with a knack for scuba diving and "shade tree" mechanic work. Now he's joined society in a big way. He's cut his hair and found himself a job as a crack scuba diver at the Aquadome. Walt "Doc" Horvak - Walt's probably the most dedicated scientist around, so dedicated that sometimes you get the impression he's a loner. He's always working on some new experiment or scuba diving. Walt doesn't look like the "doctor" type, but he spent a lot of time working in a hospital before he got interested in marine biochemistry. If you're looking for any kind of medical advice, he's the one to ask. Sharon Kemp - She's fresh out of college - the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Naturally, she's pretty familiar with all types of science and technology, and this job as an inventor's assistant fits her well. Her father was a famous college professor and an old friend of your father. In fact, sometimes you get the feeling that she's your own sister. But there's something about her that you just can't get close to. Amy Lowell - She's a Navy woman through and through. Always a tomboy at heart. Amy's been to the Navy Frogman School and had lots of neat jobs like this one. She's still in college at Columbia University and works at the Aquadome during the summer. Dr. Jerome Thorpe - Dr. Thorpe is one of those scientific geniuses who lock themselves up in their labs and discover things. Unfortunately, sometimes the things they discover or create aren't too good. Thorpe's claim to fame is his AH (Amino-Hydrophase) organisms that he supposedly manufactured from the AH molecule. There's an interesting article about him and his experiments in the Science World magazine. Equipment and Controls Lab Equipment: Computestor - It's a machine for troubleshooting your inventions, machines, or systems. It is connected to several other machines in the lab. To use it ASK COMPUTESTOR ABOUT (a device). Microwave Security Scanner - It sweeps the entire ground of the Research Lab with harmless microwaves. Any human not wearing a special identification badge will be detected if they are on the property. If intruders are detected, the alarm will beep loudly. Electric Panel - Inventions Unlimited generates its own electrical power. Your Lab receives its power through the electrical panel that's located in the corridor just EAST of your lab. Circuit Breaker - This breaker controls the power supply to all videophone equipment in the lab. It can be tipped by anyone inside the lab by simply flipping the switch. Videophone - This communications device is connected to the Aquadome and all other Inventions Unlimited buildings. It's in the middle of your lab and it works like a telephone. But instead of just listening to other people, you can look at them on the screen. Answer the videophone by turning it on, then turn the knob to tune it in. Sub Equipment and Controls: Brass Search Light - This light comes on automatically when your sub descends beyond the depths of sunlight penetration. You can aim it left or right (port or starboard) to illuminate objects up to 1000 meters away. Reactor - The Scimitar is powered by a midget nuclear reactor. The secret of the reactor is a special capsule that must be inserted into the reactor by the push of a lever that starts the fusion process. Sonarscope - This instrument works like radar and shows you solid objects or Sea Cat sonar signals within 2500 meters in any direction and at the same depth as the Scimitar. Reading the sonarscope is like reading the nautical chart in this package. As you read it, remember that your sub always appears directly in the middle of the screen. So, as you move, it may look as if the land is moving instead of you. If you're on a collision course with something, a yellow light will come on. This light will turn red and a loud buzzer will sound if you're within one turn of a collision. You should change course any time a yellow or red light appears. Sonarphone - Underwater communications relies on sound waves that are sent and received over this sonar transceiver. The sonarphone has a loudspeaker for communicating messages. It comes on automatically when signals are incoming. Depth Finder - This device uses echo soundings to determine the depth of water under the sub. It is usually turned on when the sub is moving. During a dive, an orange warning light comes on and a warning buzzer sounds when the sub comes within 10 meters of the bottom. The light turns red and the buzzing becomes shriller when the sub comes within 5 meters of the bottom. You must take immediate action when this happens. Test Button - Many of your inventions have built-in self-testing devices. This troubleshooting circuitry is activated by pushing a test button. The test results are then displayed on a readout. Engine Compartment - It is located through an access panel in the bulkhead just below and to the right of the control panel. If you have to enter this area, be careful. Too much movement or wiggling around may pose serious dangers. Emergency Oxygen Gear - This is a little canister of oxygen that you can wear around your neck. When you turn the valve, you can breathe air through a straw at the top. There is one canister in the Scimitar. Extensor Claws - These are remote-controlled devices on the outside of your sub and are used for hunting and probing. They can be swiveled and aimed in any direction. The commands for moving the claws are TAKE, DROP, AIM, SHOOT. Aquadome Equipment Emergency Survival Unit - This equipment can save your life should your sub develop major problems. It has two parts: 1. an alarm that goes off if your sub runs low on oxygen or the air pressure starts to drop; 2. a needle that jabs you and wakes you up if you've passed out or don't answer the alarm. Aquatic Dart Gun - Originally designed as tranquilizer gun, this dart gun may be helpful if you encounter a large creature. Each dart contains a tranquilizer and can be shot at a fish to make it drowsy. The "49er" Prospecting Bazooka: This bazooka is useful for prospecting in undersea rock formations. Instead of a bullet, it fires a hollow tube that bores into rock. When it's removed from the rock, this tube contains a core sample that can be raised to the surface with a winch. The 49er is usually fired by a diver from a shoulder-held position. Sea Cat - This interesting little craft is an Inventions Unlimited creation that crawls along the sea bed like an underwater bulldozer. The Sea Cat is segmented into two parts, the main body that crawls along the bottom, and a rear power pod that propels it. Mounted directly above the main body is a single rocket pod that can be fired in any direction ahead of the craft. The Ultramarine Bioceptor "Scimitar" Operating Controls for the Two-Seater Test Sub Throttle controls the Scimitar's speed. There are four speed commands: STOP, SLOW, MEDIUM, FAST. If you SET THROTTLE TO SLOW, the Scimitar travels through one "sea square" each turn. (You can see these "sea squares" on the nautical chart of Frobton Bay. Each side of a square is 500 meters long. That's about 1/3 of a mile.) Depth Control directs the Scimitar's automatic guidance system to keep you a certain depth below the water's surface. When you SET DEPTH TO (a number) METERS, the Scimitar starts moving to that depth. It will change depth meters for each "sea square" that it moves through, or, if the throttle is closed, by 5 meters for each turn. Joystick turns the Scimitar to face any of the eight compass directions. Auto Pilot switches all the sub's operating controls, except the throttle, into automatic, so you don't have to pilot the sub yourself. Reactor-Catalyst Capsule - Reactor Lever. The secret of the sub's power supply is its midget plasma-fusion reactor. To make it work, you put a catalyst capsule into the reactor and push the reactor lever. The sub will not move without a catlyst capsule in place. Engine Starter Button works like a car key to get the Scimitar running. If you want more detailed descriptions of the Scimitar's guidance and exploration equipment, see page 6. Note: It's more to convenient to steer the sub with short commands like UP, DOWN, FAST, MEDIUM, SLOW, STOP, LEVEL, NORTH. By the way, the package includes maps of Frobton Bay, of your lab and of the Aquadome. Well, draw your own maps. To get to the Aquadome, cross Frobton Bay in NE direction. The logbook, which you'll find in your inventory, is also included in the package, but it's really just an empty logbook. Use the following only when indicated by Seastalker. Infocard #1 1) Look inside that "__________." 2) Tell me about the __________ in the Scimitar. 3) Put the black box on the sonar equipment. Then send __________ to check the sonar system. See if he reports the black box. Infocard #2 1) __________ is in his dormitory locker. 2) Ask __________ to fix the Scimitar. 3) Look at the __________ that Tip brought along. Infocard #3 1) Check the __________. 2) Has the __________ been sabotaged? 3) A __________ must be inserted in the reactor. Sharon was supposed to do it. Infocard #4 1) Who removed the __________ while you were in the docking tank? 2) Get behind __________ and shoot the power pod. 3) Tip says, "We know what was causing it - but __________ doesn't know what we know." Infocard #5 1) Check the __________ under your seat. 2) The gate won't respond to remote control signal without __________. 3) Don't forget the __________. Infocard #6 1) __________ has a Universal Tool that fits anything. 2) The __________ was last seen to the southeast. 3) If you shot the Snark with the __________, it will be intact for scientific study. Infocard #7 1) Try the __________, it can probably dent anything. 2) "Doc" may be able to make a Snark __________. 3) Fit the prospecting bazooka to the Scimitar's __________. Infocard #8 1) The Aquadome needs help! Take the __________ there at once. 2) Turn on the __________. 3) There's no response because there's no __________.