119
[score an N]
One of the technicians floods the hangar with light and the most advanced piece of weaponry ever designed by the Space Federation is revealed in all its glory. Forty metres long, it looks like a highly advanced, oversized Atmospheric Interceptor. It has four wings which sweep back to needle points on either side of a huge ion-plasma drive tube. A drive like that must mean interstellar capability and the ship is fitted with hyper-drive Skirrow explains, This is a Weeks/Senior Corporation Space Navy Strike Fighter; She has a Variac Drive fitted; this is the first time travel starship, Falcon, treat her well. A copy of CAIN's memory has been installed and linked into our most advanced Battle computer. You have a choice between Zeiss deflector shields or Titanium hull armour.' Skirrow enters the Strike Fighter and explains the controls and capabilities of the craft. She has electronic counter measures, a Variac Drive, four guided missiles with fission warheads, radar and sonic dampers, twin fusion cannons on the upper wing tips, re-entry shields and aft 'point defence' beam lasers. Skirrow continues, 'We have tailored a Startrooper battlesuit to your size, Falcon. It has a built-in particle disruptor, psionic enhancer helmet, face-up radar display, energy rocket launcher and power armour, which will give you the strength of an android, and boost-jets. The ship handles just like an ordinary Atmospheric Interceptor. Good luck.'
You stare mesmerised at the controls. 'It's all colour coded,' says Skirrow. 'You're not colour-blind, are you?' You laugh. The only reason Skirrow is not head of the Special Agent Section is that the medtechs failed him because of red/green colour-blindness.
Jobanque says, 'She's all yours, Falcon. Use her to destroy the CentralComputer on Mechanon before the war-fleet blasts off. Our information is that the Central Command Computer can be found within the section you penetrated earlier, but deeper within. It will take us several hours to complete tests on the Variac Drive. We can fit her with Zeiss deflector shields instead of her armour, or leave the Titanium hull in place. It's your decision.' You make your decision. Note whether or not your Strike Fighter has shields or hull armour on your agent profile. Turn to 143.