GALACTIC TRADER  
by Douglas G. Cariston  
  
Peace has finally come to the war-torn Central Galactic System, united into a 
single federation by the Imperial Forces of Galactica (see Galactic Empire - 
from BRODERBUND SOFTWARE). The end to the fighting has cost you your job as 
Commander of Galactica's Imperial Forces, but it has simultaneously opened up 
new opportunities in trade for the person with the vision and ambition to 
exploit them.  
  
You once commanded a fleet of hundreds of ships. Today you have only one. You 
led armies of millions a short year ago. Now you pilot your single ship alone, 
aided only by two loyal comrades who remember what you were and have faith in 
what you may become.  Navigator Kirman of your old starship refused an 
opportunity to join Galaco, the interplanetary rocket fuels cartel, and 
elected to come with you. Even more surprising, Computer Central, the heart of 
your starship, stuck by you. Perhaps its judgment has been clouded by emotions 
after all, as Major Bayliss alleged.  
  
The principles of trade are not difficult. The farther a product is from its 
world of origin, the greater its value. All one has to do is buy or trade for 
cargo, take them farther from their home world, and trade them for other 
commodities. In practice it is not that simple, of course. You don't know the 
place of origin of the products, at least at first, nor is anyone likely to 
tell you. Until you develop experience on each planet, you don't know the 
rates of barter there, and the locals will try to exploit your ignorance by 
fleecing you if they can. All your experience can be worthless, too, if you 
are so incautious as to ply one route too often, for the largest trading firms 
keep their ears open, and they have the economic muscle to deal you out of any 
route that appears too attractive.  
  
There are other problems as well. You will find that no trader will accept the 
coin of the realm except on Galactica. On every other planet, barter is the 
medium of exchange. Your credits are only good at the fuel depot, and even the 
cartel will barter for commodities if you are short of cash (they are 
particularly extortionate when they feel they have you over a barrel, however, 
so it is generally better to buy fuel with cash). Local rates of barter can be 
hard to discern, too. If a local trader thinks you are asking too much for 
part of your cargo, he may refuse to discuss barter of that item any further. 
That can be expensive, when one considers the cost of bringing those goods to 
his doorstep.  
  
Your most important cost consideration is fuel. The ship is powered by 
microscopic fusion modules, sold across the galaxy at the fixed price of 2 
credits per millit. The amount of fuel you need for a journey depends both 
upon the total mass of ship and cargo and upon the distance to be traveled. 
Fortunately, Computer Central is an old hand at these calculations and can be 
relied upon to do much of the brain work. The formula, for those interested in 
the precise details, is as follows:  
  
(LIFT OFF THRUST + DISTANCE/2) X (CARGO MASS + SHIP MASS)  
  
Lift off from most systems requires 3 millits/mkg, from Galactica 5 
millits/mkg. The ship weighs 10 mkg and each item on the cargo manifest weighs 
1 mkg. (As mentioned before, Computer Central will make these computations for 
you. For more details, see the ship's manual below.)  
  
Your goal, as always, is power. In time of peace, power is most easily gained  
through personal wealth, which enables you to buy the services of men whose  
abilities you can no longer demand as servant of the Imperial Purple. In your 
darker moments, you believe that in the near future you may need a personal 
army. The Emperor is a young man, full of passion and spit, and you are 
understandably uneasy over the future of the empire you worked so devotedly to 
create. Prince Tawala does not like or trust you, either. You were too popular 
among the enlisted men, too renowned for your military prowess. It is not 
inconceivable that Tawala might mask his own incompetence by claims of treason 
which, coincidentally, eliminated those most qualified to succeed him.  
  
So you are a trader. It gives you the freedom of outer space, whether to flee 
an Emperor's assassin or to maintain contacts throughout the galaxy. Without a 
power base of your own, however, the contacts will mean nothingÄexcept another 
job under another ambitious peer, perhaps no more competent than the present 
one. You want more than that. A billion credits will give you the power you 
need to command attention to your vision of a nobler future.  
  
For those unfamiliar with GALACTIC EMPIRE, the following manual will guide you  
through the capabilities of your vessel. Read it carefully. You have many 
useful tools at your disposal.  Your ability to use them to their fullest 
advantage will greatly improve your success at this new venture. Because space 
travel severely stretches the average life span, you will have 1000 Stardates 
to ply the skies with your wares. During this time you will age no more than 8 
physical years. By the end of that time, developments on Galactica will 
certainly have progressed to a critical point. Your part in the inevitable 
GALACTIC REVOLUTION may depend upon your success during the next few years.  
  
Good luck, bwana. May you find your new profession an enriching and eye-
opening experience.  
  
SHIP'S MANUAL  
 
1.	THE COMMAND CONSOLE  
	A)	Viewport -	in upper left portion of console  
				permits visual orientation in space  
				displays name of current location  
  
	B)	Calendar -	in upper right portion of console  
				displays current Stardate  
  
	C)	CRT -		in lower left part of console  
				displays messages from Computer Central  
  
	D) 	Cargo  
		Manifest - 	on right side of console  
				keeps track of all goods in the hold,  
				as well as fuel and cash on hand.  
  
2.	CONTROLS  
  
	A)	=C= Computer Central  
  
	When called, Computer Central will offer a choice of the following 
categories:  
			=A= Star maps  
			=B= Trading records  
			=C= Fuel use computations  
  
The purpose and function of each is as follows:  
  
STAR MAPS: You are given a choice of Galaxy map or a range finder. The map  
displays a view of the galaxy from above. (The galaxy is 3-dimensional, of 
course, although it is only about half as deep as it is wide.) A blinking 
control bit may be found at the top of the display. There are 2 ways to 
identify star systems. First, if you know the name of the system, merely type 
in the first letter of the name. The full name and coordinates will be 
displayed at the bottom of the screen, and the appropriate star on the map 
will flash repeatedly. A second method is to move the blinking control bit by 
use of the keyboard arrows until it is superimposed upon one of the stars on 
the map. The system is then identified at the bottom of the screen. In the 
Applesoft version of Galactic Trader, the blinking cursor dot on the star  
maps is moved by means of four keys (the two arrows, plus the = Return = 
button to move up, and the "/" to move down). The = Repeat = key may be used 
in combination with any of the above. Typing"?" will identify the name of the 
star system closest to the current position of the cursor. To use the range 
finder, just enter the first initials of 2 systems. Computer Central will then 
calculate the distance between them.  
  
TRADING RECORDS: Computer Central keeps track of all your trade dealings on  
systems throughout the galaxy, as well as a list of current prices on 
Galactica.  
  
FUEL USE COMPUTATIONS: Computer Central will calculate the fuel requirements  
for any trip you plan. You enter your destination when requested and the cargo  
weight. CC shows you the entire computation and then allows you to try various  
alternatives by varying the destination and cargo weight figures.  
  
	B)	=E= Embark  
This command calls Navigator Kirman to the bridge. He will take your order as 
to destination and immediately execute it. It is vital that you assure your 
fuel requirements before setting destination or you may end up lost in space.  
  
	C)	=T= Invitation to Trade  
This command is generated automatically when you first land on any planet (and 
at the beginning of your trading career). Your negotiations with local traders 
can be accomplished by single letter responses (eg. Y for yes, N for no or 
nothing), except where responses involve numerical entries. Although you need 
never use the = ENTER = or = RETURN button, its use will speed the computer's 
responses. At any point during the negotiations, you may call for assistance 
from Computer Central by pressing =C=. In this manner you may negotiate while 
keeping the current price lists of commodities on Galactica before you, for 
example, or review the course of your bargainings to date. You will find that 
it is possible to carry on a trading session and consult with CC 
simultaneously.  
  
	D) 	=F= Fuel Cartel Offices  
You may buy fuel at the price of 2 credits per millit. If you do not have 
enough money for the amount of fuel you have requested, the cartel will accept 
in kind payments. However, the cartel gives only about 50% of the local value 
for such payments.  
  
	E)	Non-visible Controls  
You have two additional controls not mentioned elsewhere. R stands for 
"return" and is used to exit from any mode and return you to the previous 
mode. =Q= stands for "quit" and functions only when you are in the command 
mode 	(i.e., when your 4 major controls are listed on the CRT). =Q= is used to 
interrupt the game and determine your score, which is based upon the value of 
goods and credits you have accumulated to that time.  
  
  
3.	STRATEGY & TACTICS  
  
If you do not make a profit on your first few trade runs, you will almost 
certainly end up out of money, farming fungibles on some backworld system. It 
is vitally important, therefore, to get off on the right foot. Take a look at 
the commodities for sale on Galactica and purchase a variety of low cost 
items. Do not buy as many as you can afford, because you won't be able to pay 
the cost of transporting them any great distance-thirty or forty items are 
probably sufficient. Then turn to the galaxy map in Computer Central. Find 
Galactica and then find a region of the galaxy twenty to twenty-five light 
years away. Record the names of systems of varying distances from your current 
location and then turn to the fuel use program in the computer banks. 
Determine which system is near enough to enable you to reach it with the fuel 
and money you have (and to return) and far enough away to make the items you 
have purchased rare and valuable. (Do not cut your fuel needs too close, by 
the way. CC's computations are only approximate, and it is a terrible thing to 
be lost in the void of space, drifting helplessly, out of fuel.)  
  
When you reach the system you have selected, keep CC's chart of Galactica's 
prices before you and try to obtain the most valuable commodities in exchange 
for your wares.  Often tremendous bargains are available which you will not be 
able to take advantage of because of the limitations of your fuel supply. You 
may have to dump much of your cargo at the fuel cartel offices, merely because 
you haven't the fuel to carry it all.  
  
Use your trading experience on various worlds to figure out which regions the 
eight commodities come from. Remember, the closer you are to its home world, 
the cheaper each will be.  
  
Two final caveats: Be careful to vary your routes to an area. Any route 
traveled more than once, in either direction, is likely to be taken away by 
one of the large trading firms. And finally, once you have a little money to 
work with, stay away from Galactica as much as you possibly can. Galactica is 
the Emperor's stronghold-even if he does not order you liquidated, there are 
many on that planet eager to ingratiate themselves with him, and it is well 
known there that he dislikes and fears you.
