Mission Critical/On the Lexington

USS Lexington accompanies USS Jericho on a scientific mission (Mission 161) on Deneb Kaitos. UNS Dharma awaits them on the other side and after a battle, Lexington surrenders. Captain Dayna leaves you behind, leaves some messages for you. As they surrender, Dayna suicides in an explosion that kills all crew as well as Dharma. You wake up alone on Deck 2 with some messages left for you, in order to complete the mission.

First things first, you must repair the ship.

Deck 2
Read the captain's NOTE he left on you. He gives you the VIS override code (A3X5). Go forward and turn right; enter captain's stateroom using the code. Take the CREW MANIFEST and use the computer terminal in order to hear his last Captain's Log. Read the CREW MANIFEST for information on the Lexington crew, their names, and Mission 161 details. The final pages have sketches with the stateroom map and their VIS override codes.

Exit and go forward to the Wardroom. Approach the screen and touch the controls in order to see Tran's message. She tells you to repair the reactor and the central mainframe where her earlier message awaits you. As the video ends, you receive a YELLOW STRIPE CARD.

You can explore the deck and enter some of the rooms. If you visit the Storage Area, you can take some modules but you can also do it later. You can also visit the Communications Center now, and you will see a video with the repeating distress signal sent during the battle. For now, you cannot override it.

Hull Puncture
Return to the point where you woke up in the corridor and turn to the computer terminal. Talk to it and use all available replies. Deck 2 is isolated because of oxygen leak; a hole caused by the recent battle. Open the Emergency Stores Cabinet, right above the terminal, then take the HULL PATCH KIT, and open it.

Enter Renato Olivar's stateroom (2B) using VIS override code B29X. Spray the GEL-FOAM SPRAY on the hull puncture, then put the MOLECULAR GLUE on the PATCH, and plug the hull puncture with the PATCH. Oxygen loss is remedied and you can go to the other decks.

Radiation Leak
Go to the elevator, open it with the button and go inside; use the YELLOW STRIPE CARD and use the controls. Since Engineering is blocked, you can go only to Reactor Spaces.

Deck 5
Turn right and go forward, then turn right again and enter the Medlab. Go on the left where the doctor's console is. Read the note and note down the code 911 for the remote autodoc. Leave the room and go forward to the Science Lab.

Open the storage cabinet marked "FRT" (Fire Research Team) and take the GEIGER COUNTER and the SCANNER. Go to the Elevator and use the controls.

Reactor Spaces
Turn right and go forward. Talk to the terminal and use all replies to learn about the damage. Go down the ladder to the access tunnels and turn on GEIGER COUNTER. You must take the safest route, judging by the counter beeping. It is a cylindrical shaft of five levels (1–5) and 4 sections (A–D). The correct way is the following:
 * 1) A1: Left → B1: Down
 * 2) B2: Right → A2: Down
 * 3) A3: Down
 * 4) A4: Left → B4: Down
 * 5) B5: Right → A5: Down

Engineering
Enter the reactor operations room, go to the ladder and open the equipment storage cabinet. Take the CUTTING TORCH and go up the ladder. Go to the end of access tunnel 2 or 3 and open the manual valve. Return down the ladder and enter the alloy framework to use the engineering console.

You must repair the reactor coolant feeding. The fluid must flow from the Auxiliary Tank to the Reactor Core, then to one of the Heat Exchangers, and then back to the Tank, optionally through the Ion Control Pool. You have limited time till the Reactor heats up. Note that when the fluid reaches the Core, it will cool down a bit, buying you some time. However it will start heating up again, if you don't complete the circuit soon.

There are at least two solutions, depending on which Valve you opened. Their only actual difference is on two valves at the lower left part of the schematic.

Leave and talk to the computer terminal to learn about the condition change.

Computer malfunction
Go to the elevator.

Deck 5
Turn left and go forward to the wreckage in the corridor. Ignite the CUTTING TORCH and clear the wreckage with it; then put it out. Open door to computer room and enter Pi code: 3141. Open the panel in the Cyber Systems control console and read the Post-It.

Press the rightmost of five switches; the system is rebooted clean. Watch Tran's first message about contacting the headquarters. You also learn the code "MELISSA" to override the distress call in order to gain access to the TCS (Tachyon Communication System) and ths IPS (Interstellar Positioning System).

You now have full access from each computer terminal. Find one and use all available replies. You will learn about the malfunctioning parabolic dish and the defective modules (EC2001 and EC2010; possibly a reference to Arthur Clarke).

Communications malfunction
When you finish go to the elevator.

Deck 2
Turn left and go to the Communications Center. If you use the TCS controls, you will override the loop distress message and gain access. You can see the Diagnostics and you will once more see the defective modules. Enter the electronic spares storage area across the hall and open the boxes of EC2010 and EC2001 spares. Read the note from the Spares box; Mark Mulroney took the last spare is in the VR system. Take the elevator.

Deck 3
Turn right to the Mess Hall. In order to see the game's backstory, use the VR system and watch the two videos concerning the war and information of the ship Lexington. Pull the power and data cables, and remove the VR system CPU and open it. When you're done, go out and take the elevator.

Deck 6
Go to the Shuttle Bay control room and open the suit locker, then take the VACUUM SUIT and the VACUUM SUIT HELMET. Disassemble the CUTTING TORCH with the MULTITOOL and attach the OXYGEN TANK to the VACUUM SUIT. Put on the VACUUM SUIT and the VACUUM SUIT HELMET. Use the controls to depressurize the Shuttle Bay (you can skip depressurization; nothing will be affected).

Open the Shuttle Bay door and depressurize the Control Room. Open the Control Room door and exit the Control Room to the right and walk across the Shuttle Bay to exit the ship.

Extra-vehicular activity
Now you walk on the hull of Lexington. Walking is a bit confusing here and you have no map. Note that at some points you can't control with the keyboard; mouse is required for the points you have to "climb" up or down.

As you are outside, three times you'll need to go left, then forward (left, forward, left, forward, etc.). Then turn right and go forward three times. You have reached the TCS dish. Approach it from the other side, turn left and face the access panel and open it. Remove the defective EC2001 and EC2010 modules and plug the E2001 and EC2010 modules from your inventory into the panel (they will be placed automatically in the system bus).

Close the access panel and return to the Shuttle Bay.

Inside the ship
Walk across the Bay and into the Control Room. Use the Controls to close the Control Room Door and pressurize the Control Room. You automatically toss away the oxygen tank and remove your helmet.

Go to the elevator.

Deck 2
Go to the Communications Center and use the TCS controls. If you want, you can run the Diagnostics (3) to verify that you repaired the dish. Choose Establish Relay Link (1).

The point is to choose a TRB and Establish Link until you reach the Erebus colony, and the only way to this is the TRB at 70 Ophiuchi. There are several routes to reach it.. In order to choose the correct TRB, you can click each one, consult the Starchart and see if the suggested communication line is any closer to your target (already marked inside a green). Whenever you find one of the three that seems best to you, press Establish Link and repeat until you reach Erebus.

Note that there are several UN TRBs and if you reach them, they will start tracing your signal back, resulting in game over. Press Back One Node ASAP and if they still trace you, log off to the actual game. Then try again.

With each established link, you also receive some bulletin "News" concerning the war, which disappear after a few moments. However they add to the realism and the backstory feeling of the game. The briefer sequence is:
 * 1) LEXINGTON
 * 2) TRB010
 * 3) TRB291
 * 4) TRB695
 * 5) TRB333
 * 6) TRB905
 * 7) TRB869
 * 8) TRB061
 * 9) TRB442
 * 10) TRB801
 * 11) EREBUS

Once you make it, press Main Menu button and choose Transmit Over Link (2).

You have a dialog with Admiral Decker who tells you about the mission, the supposed alien presence on the planet, and finally the "secret weapon" developed by the rebels which can turn the war in favor for your side. Your replies must say that you must disobey orders and stay and fight in order to complete the mission. Do not accept to be removed. Finally Decker will give you the release codes.