Mission Critical/Transcriptions

This is a transcription of the speeches heard/seen in the game. It is intended to help players since the videos don't provide subtitles.

Dayna's captain's log

 * (Capt. Dayna's last log; can be heard when you activate the computer terminal in his room)

USS Lexington, Captain's log. I don't have much time. The bridge recorders and comm logs will have full transcripts of the events that led to the current situation. This is a subjective account intended for the Captain's Log only. I'm afraid any gaps must be filled in later using previous entries.

A lot has gone wrong since we first arrived in orbit around Persephone, a Godforsaken world at the end of a 68 light-year voyage that has tried my ship and my crew. The details of this mission are known only to myself, my Χ. Ο. Lieutenant Commander Tran, and the Captain of the ''Jericho," the science ship we've escorted from Earth. The three of us have carried this secret, a burden that has gotten heaver during each week of the trip out. We knew that what we might find on Persephone could well help us turn the tide in the war with the United Nations. We knew that it might even change the course of human history.

Things haven't worked out that way. And as strange as it seems, I think the crew knew towards the end that this was going to be an one-way trip. A sense of foreboding crept over the ship as Persephone came into visual range. As we got closer, I could see it in their eyes, in their drawn and exhausted faces. I could feel it in myself. An almost palpable dread that permeated every corner of the ship. It was justified. Nothing could had prepared us for the hell that waited for us on the other side of Persephone.

Distress message

 * (video of Kimbely Falcon during the battle; it is seen if you attempt to use the Comm Room controls, until you learn the code to override it)

All Alliance ships: This is the USS Lexington -- hull ID: Lima Charlie Bravo Hotel Zero Niner.

Here is one of the only clear errors that I have ever noticed in this game -- at least, judging on the basis of how the U.S. Navy goes about using agreed-upon abbreviations to indicate the types of ships of today. It should be noted that this standarized system itself is just called "the U. S. Navy ship classifications," and the average U. S. Navy person will know what you are talking about. Even though, obviously, you do say "light cruiser" in normal English, the most formal way to write it down in the Navy is still to write down "cruiser, light." This is from the general military custom of using alphabetized lists. so that the person in authority can read quickly and see, for example, what things are available, what things are needed but not there, and thus what things should be sent where. As for the "bravo hotel", it is supposed to refer to the Bunker Hill class, but in real life the class of ship be considered obvious to whomever would receive, and also not essential to be understood at once, therefore it would not be included. From how things are done in the US Navy and some other places, a class of ship is named for the first example, so we can know definitely that hull number zero one, the first ship of this class, was called USS Bunker Hill. If the recipient of a message did not know, and for some reason it was important, he would be expected to look up what class of ship the Lexington was. If he asked someone who did know the answer, he would be told, but they might punish him with remedial drill -- that is, he would be ordered to study again, since he should have known without being told. Today, for example, the destroyer called USS Overhill, out of Apra Harbor, is formally written down as "DD-477 Overhill." That is, "destroyer, normal kind, at least theoretically but not necessarily 477th one to be made, called Overhill." Today there is only one kind of destroyer, therefore no destroyer, light (which would be DL), etc. On the outside of the hull would be painted in huge letters "477." If there were a war, the numbers would be removed -- for one must try to make the enemy not know which one is which, who commands each one, which ones have been destroyed, how many remain, etc. When the war was over, numbers would be put back.

So, judging by established procedure of today, one must begin by saying the most important part, which is that this is a catastrophic distress call, so that that the "Mayday, Mayday," should have been the very first thing to say, even before saying who is sending the message. Only 'after that should have come "This is Charlie Lima zero niner Lexington. Next it would have been absolutely essential to give an authenticator, which is a required code, changed very frequently, to prove that it is really the Lexington that is sending, rather than an enemy impostor. For example, Adm. Charles Decker, at the Alliance HQ on Erebus, responds to the player character's message and gives an authenticator almost immediately -- this is not only perfectly correct, but required, and it would be a serious offense not to do it in time of war. It is usually not done in time of peace.

Further, the proper response would never be to just say "Go ahead," and definitely not to say "Whatever." The proper response is to begin by saying "Actual." This means "I have two-way communication with you." In this case, of course, one should add "sir," and probably say "five by five." This means not only receiving the signal very strongly, but that what is received does not have much static, and it is by increasing these respective numbers up to five that one explains wether the two conditions are good enough for communication. If he had known what it was, then the player character would have been expected to give that day's authentication code for the Lexington. Finally the player character should have said, "Send your traffic," which means "You should begin what you have to say now." but since you are speaking to an admiral, it would really be good to say "please."

It makes sense that as a mere supply officer, he would not have been told what these codes were. Because the player character does not give any authenticator, that is why it makes sense that the admiral said, "I assume this is the Lexington," though he should have given an order to authenticate, and he should have broken the connection when none came.

Mayday, mayday! We are under attack by a UN Geneva-class heavy cruiser. Our defensive screen is being penetrated, our mission is being compromised. The ship has sustained serious damage. The electronics in the external communications array were shorted out by an enemy strike while we were moving the dish to acquire a new transmission. Our dish is now locked in a useless position. If you receive this message, please re-transmit to the Alliance base on Erebus as soon as possible. Stand by for a coded telemetry burst with mission data under "Paradox" encryption.

Tran's 1st message

 * (seen on the Wardroom monitor)

I'm sure you're wondering what's going on. I'll explain. You're probably aware that the Lexington was attacked by a UN ship. We were outgunned and on the verge of being destroyed when Captain Dayna notified the UN captain of our desire to surrender. Garrick agreed to take the crew of the Lexington and Jericho aboard before destroying both ships. As I record this message, Garrick is waiting for us to transfer over to his ship on the Lexington shuttle. You are the only one left behind. If we're lucky, the UN bastard will ignore one crewman left onboard the Lexington.

We intend to detonate a thermonuclear device after our shuttle has been taken aboard the UN vessel. This will completely destroy their ship -- it will also kill everyone onboard both shuttles. This will leave you free to complete our mission. There is nothing more important than this mission ... including the lives of the crew. We died so that you could finish what we started.

[static]

Our ship was badly hurt during the UN attack. The first thing you must do is deal with the worst of the battle damage. There are problems which directly threaten the survival of the ship. Now first of all, the primary power reactor is headed for a meltdown because the coolant system has failed. The molten core will eat through the containment vessel of the reactor and set off the fuel for the fusion engines. The resulting explosion will completely destroy the Lexington and the nearby Jericho. You need to get to Engineering and stop the runaway chain reaction.

The meltdown is the top priority. When you deal with that problem, then you must get the central computer back online. Without that you cannot complete the mission.

[static]

Currently all computer processing has been delegated to the smaller decentralized computers that exist on each deck of the ship. They do not communicate with each other except on a very primitive level, enough to keep what you might think of as "subconscious" ship functions going. There is no overall intelligence in these autonomous systems.

The ship's central computer is made up of Turing cores and is home to the complex software that gives this ship's computer its smarts. The higher functions of this ship's brain resides on the central computer cores. These cores are currently inoperative. The primary cores were destroyed and the secondary cores failed to activate the way they were supposed to.

You must get the central computer back online.

I've recorded one more message. You' ll hear from me again when you get the central computer back in operation. I've key-coded the message so that the higher functions of the main computer will pick it up and display it for you as soon as the central cores are once again operational.

Good luck. And be careful.

Tran out.

Tran's 2nd message

 * (seen right after you repair the central computer; unfortunately it's played only once and can't be played back)

Congratulations. You got the Central Computer back online. Now you must figure out a way to get the communications systems back in working order.

The Tachyon Beam Transmitter is a large parabolic dish on the outside of the hull. The control systems for that dish have been rendered inoperative. You must figure out how to get the targeting and control mechanism working again. Once the system is up, override the looping distress call by entering the following code: M-E-L-I-S-S-A. Melissa. Then ask the Central Computer to run the IPS {interstellar positioning system} program, and use it to align the dish on the Tachyon Relay Beacon sitting near the jump-point in this star system.

You will have to establish a relay connection through a web of jump points to reach any bases or ships. You will need to talk to the Alliance base on Erebus. They will explain the Lexington's mission and can help you finish that mission in real time. I have done everything I can. Good luck. Tran out.

Poole's message

 * (the following can be heard from the covert transmitter device hidden inside the ship miniature)

Scramble Blue. Attention SWORD. Codename: DAMOCLES

Authentication: Echo-2-Alpha-3-5 Transmitting at two-two-point-five-niner with a periodic low power MGCS burst {perhaps meaning so kind of "magneto-gravitational communications system."

This is James Poole on the USS Lexington. Message follows:

Per the last transmission from Dharma, I armed the bomb this morning before the officers' briefing, when I had the room to myself. If you intend to board the Lexington you will need to disarm the bomb immediately upon arrival. The timer has been set according to instructions.

Poole out. Message repeats.

"Why we fight"

 * (the voice over of the "why we fight" briefing cutscene that offers some background information. It is seen when you use the VR system in the mess hall; it can't be heard again after you pull its cables to solve a puzzle)

We are all familiar with the short version of the events that led to this terrible war. During the second half of the twenty-first century, the leaders of the world's governments got a glimpse of the shape of things to come. They were afraid of what they saw. Their reaction was to deny the inevitable, slamming the breaks on all technological progress.

In 2082 a group of states led by the United States, Canada, Australia and Japan decided that the cure was worse than the disease. The UN power structure reacted violently to the rebellion. States participating in the rebel campaign were targeted for brutal suppression by UN Enforcement.

Signators to the Singapore Treaty formed the Alliance of Free States and announced their secession from the United Nations. They were joined by every major planetary colony settlement and orbital habitat.

In 2085, large scale armed conflict returned to Earth for the first time in a hundred years. The UN immediately invaded the territory of the seceding nations on Earth. UN hovertanks, troops and ground support aircraft clashed with new Alliance military units made up of men and women from Alliance states who defected from UN control.

The war ground to a halt in less than two months as both sides ran out of soldiers, weapons and materiel. The Alliance states managed to hang onto their home territories. An uneasy truce was negotiated between the UN and the Alliance, and the world entered an uneasy period known as the New Cold War.

In 2111 the UN attacked again, and war returned on an interplanetary scale. Population centers on Earth and the colonies were bombarded from space by particle beam weapons. Armies fought tank battles supported by buzzing swarms of aircraft. Starships battled each other over asteroid mines, orbital habitats and planetary installations. The furious pace of the war once again chewed up the stocks of men and materiel in a matter of months.

This time, there was no truce. In spite of economic exhaustion, the two sides continued to fight a war of attrition, a war that has since lasted more than twenty years, and shows no signs of ending. The war has continued despite the price paid by both sides, because all of the combatants are convinced that they are on the right side. The UN firmly believes that unchecked technological development will kill off the human race. The Alliance states are just as firm in their convictions that death is better than life without freedom, and without forward progress.

"Lexigton Orientation"

 * (the voice over of the "Lexigton Orientation" briefing cutscene that introduces you to the ship structure. It is seen when you use the VR system in the mess hall; it can't be heard again after you pull its cables to solve a puzzle)

Welcome to the USS Lexington Orientation

The US Congress authorized the development of a new class of warships in 2109 as new Cold War tensions between Alliance states and the United Nations escalated. These ships were designated as light cruisers, Bunker Hill-class, and were designed to be fast, lightly armored, and heavily armed. The USS Lexignton is one of 9 Bunker Hill light cruisers built between 2111 and 2127. During the first half of 2133 the Lexington was the first Bunker Hill class ship to undergo an extensive modernization at the McHenry yards around Starhome. She was equiped with brand new weapon systems, an improved interplanetary drive, a new computer system, and an upgraded communications system.

The Lexigton is equiped with 3 propulsion systems.


 * The first propulsion system is the Orbital Maneuvering System, or OMS. The OMS consists of several chemical reaction thrusters for use when in orbit, or when maneuvering in close proximity to other ships.
 * The second propulsion system is the interplanetary drive, used for travel inside a star system. Four deuterium-tritum fusion pulse drive engines are fed by a linear accelerator that runs down the spine of the ship from fuel tanks mounted near the bow. A continuous stream of microscopic deuterium-tritium fuel pellets is accelerated into the four thrust chambers, with magnetic containment at the stern of the ship. High energy lasers bombard the fuel pellets and create a fusion reaction by implosion. Thrust is channeled backwards. A fraction of the resulting energy is fed back into large capacitors which are used to fire the lasers for the next explosion. The interplanetary drive can produce and maintain a constant acceleration of up to 6 gravities for extended periods. Large radiator fins on the outside of the ship help to regulate temperature.


 * The third propulsion system is the Tal-Seto Faster Than Light jump drive, located on the boom forward of the bow. The jump drive allows instantaneous travel along threads of spacetime deformation that exist between the Tal-Seto jump points found in many star systems.

A conventional liquid-cooled nuclear reactor is mounted forward of the engineering compartments of the ship, used to charge the capacitors for the infusion of the fusion engines and provide power for the linear accelerator, life support, and all of the ship's electrical system.

The Lexington's principal weapons system is a complement of 18 Lockheed-Martin RC09 "Basilisk" Multimission Autonomous Strike Craft, also known as battle drones. Up to 9 of the 18 drones can be active at one time. The drones are deployed using rotary launchers mounted in 3 weapon bays. These bays are arrayed in an equilateral triangle around the core of the ship.

Each drone is capable of carrying several types of ordinance mounted on standard hardpoints on the dorsal and ventral surfaces. Drone weapons include antiship missiles, torpedoes, particle beam guns, railgun cannons, and lasers. A Basilisk drone with a full combat ordnance load is capable of accelerating at 100 gravities.

The Lexington is also armed with a Close-In Combat System, or CICS, which serves as a weapon system of last resort if any enemy drones or long range weapons penetrate the defensive screen of Basilisk Drones. The CICS consists of 8 missile launchers, 2 railgun turrets, and several chaff ejectors mounted on various points of Lexington's outer hull.

The Lexington's standard crew complement is 20. Her maximum compelement is 25. The crew is housed in the habitat module of the Lexigton, a large rectangle structure mounted well forward of the reactor and fusion engines. The Habitat Module includes the bridge, crew quarters, communication center, medical and science labs, mess hall, computer center and storage areas.

With a combination of speed, range, and firepower, the USS Lexigton is able to project Alliance military strength out to the furthest star systems. She has proven herself in combat, and has a distinguished service record built over a period of years. Yet she also has some of the newest and best technology available. Veteran officers and enlisted personnel vie for the privilege of serving on the Lexington and contributing to the continuing story of one of the most capable ships in the Alliance Fleet.