3: CPS Central

I'm afraid we've had a bit of a shaky landing -- we came under fire when we came within sight of the target area. I've landed on the northern rim of Valles Marineris -- or IN the rim, as the case may be. I wasn't able to find a suitable landing area, so I kind of made one! A directed stream of plasma from the rear thrusters did a nice job of enlarging a small crack in the rock into a cave just large enough to land in. I picked a spot just around a corner from the base, out of range of the guns, but near enough that you should be able to navigate the ledge outside around to the base. Be careful of the plasma cannons when you come near, though! Each shot is not particularly powerful as such gun emplacements go, but they'll still be deadly if you're not careful. I believe that this base is the source of the energy beam. There seem to be other beams radiating out in other directions. We MUST shut down these transmissions! Doing so will most likely cripple the alien presence here. Unfortunately, the transmission unit, located at the top of the cliff, is well-defended by additional gun turrets. I couldn't risk just moving in and washing it with plasma exhaust. Besides, that wouldn't prevent a new unit being installed in a week. You'll have to find a way to cut off the transmissions from inside the complex. You'll also need to try to disable this complex more or less permanently. I'm not sure if this base was originally human or not. The power-transmission equipment and the gun turrets atop the cliff are definitely not human. Just in case, though, I'm providing you with another remote access chip. If you can find a place to plug it in, I'll give you any help I can.

I probably don't need to tell you this base is definitely human in origin. Most likely this was the central headquarters of the CPS Mars operation, as it is by far the largest and most well-developed of the bases we've seen so far. I have spotted one fusion reactor near your current position. It's a little more sophisticated than the ones found at the first base. However, it is definitely not powerful enough to generate energy for the entire complex, much less generate surplus to transmit to other bases. Strangely enough, I'm having the same problem I had at the first base you visited -- the central computer is not visible on the network. So once again I'm going to have to study the complex through the security system. We should probably try to find the central computer core and bring it online so I can get a clearer picture of the complex. Explore the eastern section of the complex and see if you can find the core while I try to bypass security on the door to your left.

Reactor systems functioning within normal parameters. 1) Diagnostics 2) Flow analysis 3) View output log 4) Command mode 9) Shut Down > 9 Enter security code: ******************* INVALID SECURITY CODE > 4 Enter security code: ******************* INVALID SECURITY CODE -- DISCONNECTING USER

I've learned quite a bit more about this complex since the core went down. Apparently it was somehow interfering with my access without my knowledge. The main power source here is geothermal, and is definitely an alien addition. The lowest area of the complex, where the generator is located, has been mostly rebuilt by the aliens. Ice is mined out of a large pocket underneath the complex, then brought up for melting and purification. The reservoir holding the water mined out here is at the highest area of the complex, presumably to provide natural water pressure in the event of power failures. Such pressure could generate the power needed to keep the complex alive until main power could be restored. It would also be necessary for obtaining drinking water if pumps could not be powered. Here's the plan -- if we can disable the flow control circuits and flood the complex with the water from the reservoir, the water should naturally flow to the geothermal power generator. At that point, if you can open the maintenance door into the geothermal core, we can flood the geothermal shaft. As the water flows down the shaft, it should flash to steam. The water above will act as a cap, forcing pressure in the shaft higher and higher. Ultimately, if my plan works as I hope, the pressure will be released explosively, destroying at least the geothermal power station, possibly more of the complex. Try to find the reservoir. When you do, disable the flow controls.

The central com@!Kter came back online while I was nosing around. I've located the core, but it is resp...nding strangely to queries. It seems to be located beh^^nd several layers of security firewalls of unknown ori4$n. Such security would have been unnecessary in a complex like this, so I can only assume that this is a new ad*ition. If I had to make an educated guess, I'd say the computer has been extR-32.sively reprogrammed. In any case, the sHHstem is aware of my presence and is making life difficult. It is both interfering with everything I do and is trying to trace my%#F2ocation back through the network. I think it may be trying to find a good location to drop a virus to elim*.***..*ate me. I need you to d)stroy it. The core is somew;re in this complex of tunnels..'!2 I can't give you an exact loca\45Ln. However, I cn see the door that leads into the core, anddd I'm op$ning it. You should be able to smash somD%*G3ritical circuits there to bring the entire machine down. Please hurry! While you're doing that, I'll work on opening any other doors into other areas -- though I ough^^^^.^.. be able to do more once the interfeMM9+@&ce from the central computer has stopped.

The el#@...ator in this room will take you up to the tV.p of the reservoir. There should be four control centers there, each of which helps to direct control of the flow of water. .. **.... .** You (*)ill need to d:stroy the circuitry at each c'>9rol center. Once all fourJ^!rcuits are dowN, wKter will begin to flo$~OD THE COMPLEX. WHEN THat's done, you will need to go to the geothermal plant and open the m$#884ntenance door. Then get out, ffast!. As you may be abl=J5%to tell, I'm once again being attack0x1d over the network. Some viruse..^&**4ay have been released before you took the central computer offline. I'm w.rking hard to fend off these attacks, but I need to get disconnNNNN!ected from the network soon. Let's get this done quickly!

You need to fin..%sh smashin^~..8*e circuits in the r=servoir. ^54667/=VOID/ ..f~! .

My God, I don't know how much longer I can remain sane! I've been trapped in this chamber with the turbine's noise and heat grinding at my senses for days now. I've lost track of exactly how long it has been, and this terminal has lost the network connection with the chronometer. I can be sure of one thing, however -- if not for the condensation from the steam dripping down the walls, I would be dead by now. I don't know what scares me more -- death by the gnawing emptiness in my gut, or being found by these creatures that have invaded the complex. I thought I was lucky to have escaped death with the rest of my squad, but now I envy their quick ends. If I start to feel my sanity slipping, I hope I have the courage to use the last rounds in my pistol to end it all -- but until then, I'm hoping to take out some alien scum with me! First one who pokes its ugly face in here gets it! How I wish I had never agreed to come out here to find out why we'd lost contact with this base. It would have cost me my position in the organization, but at least I would not have lost the hope of ever seeing my wife and daughter again! If this is ever found by a human, you should know something that I learned before becoming trapped in this hiding place. Periodically, a group of aliens comes out of the area to the west and never comes back. And more strangely, those aliens never went in -- so where did they come from? I haven't explored beyond this turbine chamber, so I don't know what they have done in that area. Is it possible that the western complex has been opened onto an existing alien complex so large that an enormous alien population lives there? Are they sending out troops as quickly as they can train them, in preparation for an invasion? I pray for the sake of the human race that this is not the case! Please -- let my family know that I loved them!