BAGHDAD SYSTEM (37)

Adjacent Systems: Belter (31), Doppler (38), Geneb (8)

		        Metals	Fissio-	Fossil	Pulac 
Name of body  Location	Nonmet	nables	 Fuel	Crystal	Thorlium Other

(M) Acute	1244	 4	 7	19	 0	 0	 0
(P) Bobalu      0160	87	 0	 0	 0	10	 0
(G) Kopa	2044
(G) Lewcrnez	2155
(M) McGill	1244	 4	 0	 0	 0	 0	 0
(G) Missus	1244
(P) Lister	2243	 7	 6	 0	 0	 0	 0
(M) Rike	2155	11	 3	 8	 0	 0	 0


*******************************************************************************

		Planetary Data

(P) Bobalu:
Bobalu, 9 X 18 sectors, has an atmosphere of carbon dioxide/nitrogen, a 
temperature of 90 to 190 degrees Fahrenheit,and the gravity is .8 G.  This 
planet shows obvious signs of geothermic activity, such as large areas 
undergoing volcanic eruption and seismic disturbances.  The atmosphere is full 
of ash from the volcanoes.  There are no moons around Bobalu.

(G) Kopa:
Kopa is a medium sized gas giant with a hazy white surface.  One large red spot
can be seen moving around its equator.

(G) Lewcrnez:
Lewcrnez is a relatively small gas giant, with many obvious storms swirling 
across its surface.  It has one moon, Rike.

  (M) Rike:
  Rike, 22 X 44 sectors, has an atmosphere of carbon dioxide/oxygen 
  (breathable), a temperature of 90 degrees Fahrenheit, and a gravity of 1.0 G.
  It has 2 islands and is 95% liquid.  Rike is a large moon possessing both an 
  atmosphere and free standing water.  The proximity to Lewcrnez causes drastic
  tidal movement.

(P) Lister: Colonies -	IND Medico
Lister, 13 X 26 sectors, has an atmosphere of argon/oxygen (breathable), a 
temperature of 60 to 105 degrees Fahrenheit, and a gravity of .7 G.  Lister has
one sea which takes up about 20% of the planet's surface.  Lister is a medium 
sized world with breathable atmosphere.  The majority of the planet's surface 
is composed of bare soil.  There is little sign of vegetation.

(G) Missus:
Missus is a large gas giant with multicolored bands moving across its surface. 
The planet has two moons, Acute and McGill.

  (M) Acute:
  Acute, 5 X 12 sectors, has no atmosphere, a temperature of -310 to -250 
  degrees Fahrenheit, and a gravity of .3 G.  Acute is a small barren moon with
  no atmosphere or gravity.  The moon appears to be an asteroid captured by the
  gravitational pull of the gas giant.
 
  (M) McGill:
  McGill, 11 X 22 sectors, has an atmosphere of trace hydrogen/ methane, a 
  temperature of -50 to -10 degrees Fahrenheit, and a gravity of 1.9 G.  McGill
  is a moon possessing only trace amounts of atmosphere and no free standing 
  water.  There is a sheet of ice covering the south.


Additional Information

Acute
Core samples taken in sector 2-3 square 5D reveal that the moon Acute 
apparently once had an atmosphere, and even life which left a fossil record. 
Considering its current condition, Acute may be a fragment of a larger world 
that may have broken up long ago.

Bobalu
Bloaters:  These huge (300 yards long) gas filled animals float through the 
atmosphere of Bobalu feeding on ash particles.  They have clusters of immature 
bloaters attached to their underside.  The young drop to the surface of the 
planet where they root into rocks until they grow into adults, when the 
absorbed helium causes them to float away.

Bloater biolab analysis:  The bloaters are an unusual lifeform which be means 
of active membrane transport accumulate helium gas from the atmosphere.  The 
bloaters that are rooted appear to have a rudimentary nervous system.  The 
large adults most likely will be slightly sub-sentient. The pose no threat to 
humans.

Ash Dragons:  These animals live under the ash covered areas of Bobalu. They 
normally feed on the immature bloaters which land on the ash of the rocky 
areas.  They will sense the vibrations from any movement on the ash and will 
attack from below without warning.  They can eat a man on foot whole.

Sectors 1-18 thru 4-18 show nothing but ash on the sector map.  Sector 7-9 is 
mostly hills, 2-7 is mostly rough, and sector 2-3 is mostly rough with some 
mountains.

The ship conducting the investigation of Bobalu landed in an area that has 
little in the way of seismic activity.  It appears that the majority of the 
seismic and volcanic activity is centered along the equator.  But it is safe to
land.  The hilly area is relatively devoid of life except for the isolated 
rooted bloater plants.  The surrounding ash is firm enough to enough to travel 
across but instruments indicate that the ash is extremely deep with odd sonar 
images indicating items buried beneath the surface.  These buried items are 
presumably Ash Dragons.  These dragons (80 mu's) attacked without warning and 
killed 3 crew and 1 marine while totally destroying a crawler and the equipment
inside.  Concentrated blaster and stun fire had apparently no effect on the 
dragon.  Instrument readings on the dragons revealed that they may have scales 
of a thorlium nature which would aid the beasts in absorbing fire.

Lister
Lister's Soil:  Absolutely nothing will grow in the soil on the surface of 
Lister.  Even after analysis you cannot find out exactly what sterilized the 
planet other than it was an undetermined chemical agent.  Tests indicate that 
the sterilization occurred long ago.

The sector scan of 8-14 shows that the area around the colony IND Medico has 
grass covering the soil, meaning the sterilization can be at least partially 
reversed.

McGill
The ice sheet ends in the lower part of sector 5-10, so it could be that 
everything above row 4 is free of the ice.  The ice sheet ranges from 0 to 7 
miles in thickness.

Rike
Rike forest exploration:  The forests of Rike are composed entirely of small 
trees with extremely wide leaves.  The air is extremely moist and all the trees
are dripping with condensation.  There is no obvious sign of any other 
lifeforms except for a cut on a tree trunk every once in a while.

Rike pump trees:  Analysis of the trees on Rike indicates that they are 
actually aquatic plants that are now growing on land.  They need the high 
humidity to survive.  It appears that the exact same type of tree grows on the 
ocean bottoms.  It has no other unusual characteristics.

Rike coastal exploration:  Along the shore of the ocean your men detect what 
appears to be webbed footprints of some creature that is apparently bipedal.  
The prints lead to the forest where a trail has been blazed through the trees.
The trail is not fresh and many of the prints are obscured.  You do find an 
area where something heavy was set down.  It appears to have been a box 
weighing about 1/4 a mu.

Metal well:  at Sector 8-20, square 5F, metal well 2-3 miles deep.  It is an 
unremarkable stone shaft, with radiation levels increasing as depth increases.
Liquid in bottom appears to be the same as the ocean.

Several paths lead up to the well, and all paths dead end at the ocean.  While 
exploring the sector, the GP detected movement ahead in the forest. It appears 
that someone or something is running away from you.  You investigate and 
discover footprints and a box that was apparently dropped in the haste of 
leaving.  Box has no writing or symbols, and contains nuclear waste. 

Rikian natives:  The natives here are humanoid and they stand 2 meters tall and
weigh 125 to 150 K.  They are scaled with webbed appendages and gills. They are
amphibious.  (They resemble the creature from the black lagoon). The amphibians
appear to be deep sea dwellers.  They are a dark blue in color and are carrying
hand guns of unknown properties.

Rikians appear to be amphibian, capable of breathing both water and air and of 
surviving for extended periods of time without one or another.  They are 
evidently advanced enough to possess atomic power and hence are clearly 
intelligent, although their means of waste disposal (down an artificial pit) 
does not speak highly of their common sense.  Most of their structures and 
machinery are probably underwater, deeper than crawler depth.  They appear to 
be very shy about contact with humans.

Sounds detected underwater, like that of machinery.  After a more detailed 
analysis of the sounds, it becomes possible to determine that the sounds are 
coming from a location about 11 sectors to the west (of 8-20).  There appears 
to be more than one location, and you are too far away to get exact locations.

Loudspeaker rigged up to broadcast message out over the water.  Instruments 
detect some aquatic life approaching and far off you observe a humanoid 
creature.  It does not approach any closer.  They are a little shorter than a 
man but weigh almost as much.  They have webbed feet.

You find a primitive (nuclear) powered submarine.  What is unusual is the fact 
that only the engine section and 25% of the rest is enclosed.  You explore 
craft but find no one.  One of your crew does find several footprints leading 
inland.  You wait 37 tu's, when you see a group of half a dozen creatures 
approaching your ship and the sub.  When the see you they stop and stare and 
the emit a loud squeal or screech.  Four start to run!  Your crew starts to 
give chase.  Three who had remained frozen now start to run, not towards the 
water like the first group, but towards the forest.  Two of the first group 
make it to the water and dive into it.  One stumbles and falls and another 
stops to aid it.  However as it looks over its shoulder and sees how close your
pursuing crew is, it draws a hand weapon and points it at them.  All crew stop 
except one trainee who ignores the implied threat.  There is a soft click sound
and the trainee is hit in the abdomen by a small spear (?) followed a half 
second later by a small sharp explosion.  The trainee has a very large hole in 
him.  The remaining crew freeze and the two aliens enter the water.  The aliens
who fled toward the forest have disappeared.  One of your crew finds an item 
dropped by the Rikians.  It appears to be some sort of communications device.
Another crew suggests that the idea of sudden confrontation on unprepared 
primitives might not have been such a good idea.

Successful face to face talks have begun with the Rikians.  They are somewhat 
xenophobic, and are horrified by the sight of human beings, so we wear 
spacesuits to hide our more objectionable features.  They are late 20th century
tech, and have a substantial industrial base.  Large amounts of industrial 
pollution have been found in both shallow and deep water samples. They claim to
be a completely democratic society.  They can't grasp the idea of an Empire or 
Emperor, or how such a system could work.  They never considered the 
possibility of other races in the universe.

Mertz:  The race on Rike is called Mertz.  They are an intelligent aquatic race
which lives under the deepest seas on Rike.  They have undersea structures used
for housing and industry.  They can only stay out of water for limited lengths 
of time.  They are known to explore along the coastal areas of their planet.  
Their technology level is fairly high in general but contains some interesting
exemptions.  The Mertz, for example, have never discovered astronomy.

Medical examination:  Medical examination reveals that the Mertz have gills and
a single primitive lung, as well as an extensive circulatory system with two 
hearts (salt plays a vital but as of yet undefined role in their respiration 
and digestive systems; hence Mertz regard fresh water as poisonous).  They are 
omnivorous (although heavy fish eaters).  Physically they are 20% stronger on 
average than human beings of similar size and weight.

Society:  At one time, all Mertz appear to have been part of a single, extended
family.  At present, however, they are organized in thousands of 
social/political/educational/religious structures called Shoals.  Shoals are 
total democracies, with decisions reached by consensus among the members 
(although Shoal leaders/teachers can order certain actions on their own in the 
event of emergency).  The Mertz are migratory, and each Shoal owns its own 
route, as well as areas along the route (birthing grounds, teaching/ religious
grounds, fishing grounds, factory grounds, rites of passage areas, etc.).  Some
of these areas are shared with other Shoals, others are intensely private.  
Known Shoals:  "The Shoal of" (precedes each Shoal name) Aqua Prism, Particle 
Half, Moral Proposition, Silver Reef, Nth Pitch, Ripple Shadows, Sky Demon 
Talkers, Proverbs Savant.

Mertz technology has developed very unevenly.  In some areas (nuclear power, 
for instance) they are about equal to early 21st Century America, Earth.  In 
others (such as metallurgy), they are only slightly above Stone Age.  Violence
and war seem to be a very common aspect of Mertz society, just as common as in
human society.

Most Mertz cannot lie.  Those few who can often become diplomats and 
politicians.

Although the Mertz are amphibious, they very seldom leave the ocean, and never 
for longer than necessary.  As a result they had not even spent enough time 
studying the sky and stars to conceive of the idea of a universe, and had no 
inkling there was anywhere other than Rike until contact was made. They were 
profoundly shocked.  The Mertz consider humans the most hideous sights they 
have ever seen, and find it exceedingly difficult to deal with us face to face.
They find a human wearing a space suit (with helmet) far more tolerable.

Biolab analysis indicates that Mertzian biology is so different from humans 
that there appears to be little chance of any cross species transmission of 
disease.  Extensive research will be necessary before Stellar Empire medical 
technology can be adapted to Mertzian needs. 

Mertzian music tends to consist mainly of stable tonal patterns similar to the
"songs" of terrestrial whales.  The Mertz find human music, whether classical, 
jazz, rock and roll, or easy listening elevator music, incomprehensible.

As noted above, the Mertz can only leave the water for limited lengths of time,
24 hours to at most 6 days.  This is due to dehydration and the damaging 
effects of gravity has on their internal organs when not supported by the 
buoying force of water.  We have determined that space suits can be adapted for
Mertzian use on land, allowing them to stay out of water for up to ten days.  
Beyond this length of time, psychological problems begin to develop unless they
return to the sea.

The difference in Mertzian physiology from human, although a barrier to 
disease, creates a need for caution when in dealing with them.  For instance, 
a highly relished Mertz food is the Puff fish, especially when served with Gar 
fish.  The Puff contains a neurotoxin, harmless to the Mertz, but almost 
instantly lethal in even slight concentrations to Qumans. It is only slightly 
poisonous to humans, and this can be reduced by cooking (although it is tastier
raw).

Hurricanes:  During the Rike storm season (a big hurricane hit week 44), many 
hurricanes form, some large ones can be very dangerous.  The Mertz just stay 
underwater during this season, and consider hurricanes a minor problem.

Sea snake:  The sea snake is the only threat to the well being of the Mertz.
These animals travel in packs of 5 or more and have been known to attack both 
on the shore as well as in the sea.

Sea snake examination:  Nasty carnivores with big muscles, sharp teeth, and 
hard bones.  They're big enough to be dangerous, capable of killing Mertz (and 
humans) either through constricting or biting (although the bite is not 
poisonous).  They're non-sentient, and not even very intelligent; a fact they 
make up for by being very aggressive.  Their skin can be turned into luxury 
goods, two goods per snake.

Crops grown in plantation style (as opposed to farming complex style) appear to
mutate quickly (after 2 or 3 harvests).  The nuclear waste dumping by the Mertz
has caused a high background radiation level which encourages imported strains 
of plants to mutate wildly.  Rikian plants have a high level of genetic 
stability and don't mutate much.  The radiation also causes slight cell damage 
in humans (at least in one particular square), unknown long term effects.  Some
sectors appear to be relatively "clean".

Besides nuclear contamination of the land, the Mertz have managed to 
contaminate the oceans as well.  Decreasing numbers of sea snakes are spotted 
(which are at the top of the food chain).  Chemical pollutants have also been 
found in the seas, with said pollution increasing in severity the deeper you 
go; and some preliminary signs of increasing acidity in Rike's rains and seas.

Some captured sea snakes were closely examined and it was discovered that all 
were afflicted with tumors, some malignant, apparently caused by the chemical 
pollutants.  Also some evidence was found of reproductive and neurological cell
damage.  Similar examinations of Mertz reveal evidence of the same chemical 
pollutants in their own bodies, although no real damage has been done yet.

Attack of the killer trout:  As your ground party is spending a quiet day 
killing time, they decide to do a little fishing.  As crewman Jones throws in 
his line, a huge 40 foot trout leaps out of the water and devours both the 
crewman and all his fishing tackle!  After several minutes of near hysteria on 
the part of the remaining crewmen, the trout again leaps out of the water, 
spits out the now naked crewman, and thanks him for dinner.  It then leaves.
[Note:  just a GM joke, but funny enough to include, and it was in a blurb.]


Sector Scans

Acute
1-1		none
1-2		fossil fuels
1-3 to 1-6	none
1-7		fossil fuels
1-8 to 1-9	none
1-10		metals, fissionables
1-11 to 1-12	none
2-1 to 2-2	none
2-3		fissionables
2-4		fossil fuels
2-5 to 2-6	none
2-7		fissionables
2-8 to 2-9	none
2-10		fossil fuels
2-11 to 2-12	none
3-1		none
3-2		fossil fuels
3-3 to 3-9	none
3-10		metals
3-11		none
3-12		fossil fuels
4-1		none
4-2		metals
4-3		fissionables
4-4		none
4-5		fossil fuels
4-6 to 4-7	none
4-8		fissionables
4-9 to 4-11	none
4-12		fossil fuels
5-1 to 5-2	none
5-3		fissionables
5-4 to 5-5	none
5-6		fossil fuels
5-7		none
5-8		fossil fuels 
5-9 to 5-12	none

Bobalu
1-18		none
2-7		none
2-18		none
3-18		none
4-18		none
7-9		none


Rike
3-20 to 3-22	none
4-20 to 4-23	none
5-20 to 5-23	none
5-24		metals
6-19 to 6-20	none
6-21		fissionables
6-22 to 6-23	none
6-24		fossil fuels
7-20		metals
7-21		none
7-22		metals
7-23 to 7-24	none
8-20		metals
8-21		fossil fuels
8-22		none
9-20 to 9-21	none
10-20 to 10-21	none
11-20 to 11-21	none
11-22		metals, fossil fuels
12-20		none
12-21		metals
12-22		none
13-17		none
13-18		metals
13-19		none
13-20		metals
13-21		fossil fuels
13-22		none
14-17 to 14-20	none
14-21		fissionables
14-22		none
15-17 to 15-19	none
15-20		metals
15-21		none
16-17		fossil fuels
16-18		none
16-19		metals, fossil fuels
16-20		metals
16-21		none
17-18 to 17-20	none
18-19		none

Deposit Information

Acute
Sector 1-10, Square 8H, metals, class 4, size 78,500
Sector 1-10, Square 5E, fissionables, class 9, size 74,550
Sector 3-2, Square 3F, fossil fuels, class 6, size 241,000
Sector 3-10, Square 7H, metals, class 7, size 89,500
Sector 3-12, Square 5H, fossil fuels, class 3, size 73,500
Sector 4-2, Square 5I, metals, class 7, size 35,000
Sector 4-3, Square 7C, fissionables

Rike
Sector 8-20, Square 6H, metals, class 4, size 112,500
