Preface to the Story

The year is 2186. Humanity has established colonies on the Moon, Mars, and
several of the larger asteroids. Earth's sky is dotted with space habitats, and
the spaceways are always busy. As usual, there is the urgent need for energy to
power this advanced civilization; one of the primary sources of that energy is
quantum black holes. In STARCROSS, you are a black hole miner, scouring the
asteroid belt in your one-man survey ship. Finding and harnessing a single
black hole can make a person's fortune. It's a lonely business, fraught with
the known and unknown hazards of space. You've equipped your ship, the mining
vessel Starcross, with the best gear you could afford. You've put everything
into venture, and though you've tried before, you somehow sense that this time
will be different. The ship's computer handles the functions of navigation and
routine maintenance. You watch the sophisticated mass detector as it
unceasingly scans the vicinity for uncharted masses. To assuage the tedium of
your long trip, you browse through the compact tape library, a compendium of
human knowledge and culture. But the drone of the ship gradually lulls you into
a deep sleep. As you sleep, you dream of the riches which would be yours if
your search for a quantum black hole is successful. Little do you suspect that
the ala your mass detector is about to jolt you out of your dream - but not to
grapple with the long-sought black hole. Your quest has taken an unexpected
turn, for you are destined to rendevouz with a gargantuan alien spaceship from
the outer fringes of the galaxy.


M. C. S. STARCROSS

Mass Detector Output
Time -2186 : 104 : 58923
Valid until -2186 : 104 : 59287

Uncharted Mass Coordinates:             Asteroid Coordinates:

  Name       R   Theta  Phi               Name       R   Theta  Phi
  ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ              ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ
  UM08      150  :110  :017               AX01      200  :240  :134 
  UM12      100  :345  :107               AX32      125  :240  :105 
  UM24      100  :285  :087               AX71      125  :180  :047 
  UM28      250  :45   :178               AX87      125  :75   :102 
  UM31      150  :105  :067 
  UM52      175  :165  :035             Inhabited Asteroid Coordinates:
  UM70      100  :135  :101 
  UM91      50   :15   :121               Name       R   Theta  Phi
                                          ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ
Ship Coordinates:                         AB40      250  :300  :022 

  Name       R   Theta  Phi
  ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ
  US75      175  :135  :034 

Instructions for use:
To reach your destination, enter the three navigation coordinates by typing:
Computer, range is (value). Theta is (value). Phi is (value).

As a safety feature, your computer will not initate a new navigational program
without confirmation. You can do this by typing:
Computer, confirm new course.