The Starfleet Survival Guide by David Mack

Author:David Mack
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pocket Books

3.03 SURVIVING ATTACK BY A CRYSTALLINE ENTITY

The Crystalline Entity was a silicon-based spaceborne life-form capable of faster-than-light interstellar travel. It has been described as resembling a “giant snowflake” measuring several hundred meters in diameter and more than 2 kilometers in overall length.

The first recorded encounter with a Crystalline Entity by Federation citizens occurred at the Omicron Theta science colony in 2336. The entity laid waste to all organic matter on the planet surface. The creature attacked any world with organic matter and rich surface resources, which it consumed and converted into pure energy. In this manner the entity obliterated entire planets. It proved equally dangerous to spacegoing vessels.

Although only this one Crystalline Entity has so far been encountered, exobiology specialists both within and outside the Federation speculate that there might be others in as yet unexplored regions of the galaxy.

• If you encounter a Crystalline Entity, notify Starfleet and the appropriate local authorities IMMEDIATELY.

Before the last reported Crystalline Entity was destroyed, a Starfleet crew successfully initiated two-way contact with the creature; earlier reports, coupled with sensor evidence from that encounter, indicate that Crystalline Entities are highly intelligent. Therefore:

• If a Crystalline Entity is encountered, the standing directive for all Federation vessels is to attempt peaceful contact through the use of a graviton beam modulated with low-power, low-frequency pulses in standard hailing patterns.

• If attempts at peaceful communication fail—or are not possible for whatever reason—the most prudent course of action is to avoid an encounter or flee from it quickly. If you are aboard a warp-capable vessel, set course at maximum velocity away from populated worlds and reinforce your shields to their highest capacity. The Crystalline Entity should tire of pursuit after only a short time.

• If you are on a planet surface in an exposed area when the Crystalline Entity is detected, the safest destination is underground. In particular, seek deep caves located below—or laced heavily with—deposits of fistrium, kelbonite, or similarly refractive compounds. The Crystalline Entity consumes organic matter by sweeping the surface with an accelerator beam that is unable to penetrate super-dense refractive metals.

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