Sky Spotting

Janne Kemppi

Terra Nova is very sparsely populated planet with vast majority of its population concentrated on population centers far away from each other. Distances between major population centers can be in order of thousands of kilometers forcing them to rely extensively to air traffic on quick reacting transportation needs. Rail network and highway system is relatively undeveloped too. Another common problems in Terra Nova are the wildly unpredictable weather patterns commonly associated with Badlands. While sandstorms are most famed cause of trouble, the Polar Regions have their share of unpredictable storm fronts. This unpredictability affects especially air traffic that could be halted due severe weather.

Thus Terra Novans use a dense network of weather satellites in following weather. The constantly monitored weather information is then relayed (usually via communication satellite networks) down to weather people (or directly to end-users). Weather people typically run computerized predictions based on available and updated data on what weather will be like in close future. Since these models are by no means absolute they can come out with highly illogical results. For example, a clear day might emerge in a storm front or a clear day might end up into a tornado. Usually these freak impossible weather patterns are removed from projections but Terra Novan weather has proven to surprise its predictors by changing from possible to impossible more than once.

Local weather sensors to provide additional information typically supplant weather satellite systems. Vast majority of these (especially those intended to be used in wilderness) are unmanned. These stations require regular maintenance in terms of filling up used supplies and re-calibrating systems. Most of this work is routine, invisible and completely forgotten job where maintenance crews move from location to location checking out equipment and replacing worn part, that is until something goes wrong...

Adventure: One of Our Groups Is Missing...

A small group of weather equipment maintenance crew equipped with a helicopter has been sent to wilderness to carry out routine maintenance on several weather sensors spread around remote ridge. No contact has been made with a group after they have landed and all attempts to raise them have failed. Weather has turned suddenly from good to bad and now worse. Group is late and rescue effort must be launched as soon as weather allows sweeping the ridge. Volunteers are welcome and rescue team will eventually reach the ridge...

1. Tree has fallen in bad weather on parked helicopter destroying it and wounding several mechanics. The survivors are stationed next to hulk and waiting for rescue to come...
2. Survivors have left the helicopter seeking shelter on a cave in ridge. The problem is, weather is now turning bad with visibility dropping and there are so many caves in that ridge...
3. Survivors have found by a group of hunters living in area. Both groups have decided to retreat to a nearby small homestead waiting for rescue. Homestaders would like that weather crew would do them a small favor as a token for their help in saving the crew...
4. Vanished!? Helicopter is in place, intact and crew is nowhere to be seen. No sign, no information, no anything. Tracks lead away from ridge deeper into jungle and then disappear. But why?
5. Gone? Helicopter left the place and probably flown back towards base when it simply vanished in bad weather. The trouble is, it could be anywhere in vast remote region...
6. False Alarm. The maintenance group decided against risking their flight and stayed on ridge waiting for weather to turn better.

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