Radio

The Communications Relay is an item that is constructed with the Habitat Builder. It can also be found when starting the game, on the back side of Lifepod 5. However, it needs to be Welded to function.

Uses
After repairing the Communications Relay, it will beep and inform the player that a new message has arrived. The first message the player will receive is

"CPU: This is an automated bounce back from the Aurora. Your distress signal has been received. An emergency relief team will be dispatched to your location. *Static* Estimated arrival time: 9...9...9...9...9 hours."

After the message, player may receive more messages. Most of these messages are distress signals from other Lifepods, but the player will also receive messages from the Sunbeam in an attempt to get rescued. In a random order, the following messages will play as follows:

Messages

 * "OFFICER KEEN: This is Second Officer Keen, broadcasting to all surviving Aurora crew! Captain Hollister is gone. I have assumed command. Scans say there's dry land 750m south of the crash site. Your orders are to stay together, ensure your immediate safety, and then regroup at the rendezvous point. Good luck. This message will now repeat. WARNING: Rendezvous co-ordinates corrupted. Downloading transmission origin co-ordinates."


 * "ALTERRA CREW: This is Aurora Lifepod 6! We've touched down within one kilometre of the crash site, but our path to the rendezvous is irradiated, and we've only got one rad suit. Requesting immediate assistance. Co-ordinates attached."


 * "CPU: This is an automated distress signal from Aurora Lifepod 7. Co-ordinates attached. Please send immediate emergency relief team."


 * "CPU: This is an automated distress signal from Aurora Lifepod 13. Co-ordinates attached. Please send immediate emergency relief team."


 * "CPU: This is an automated distress signal from Aurora Lifepod 3. Co-ordinates attached. Please send immediate emergency relief team."


 * "LAFETTE: This is LaFette, in Lifepod 17! I survived impact but... there's something outside the hatch, and it's trying to get in. If anyone's still out there my co-ordinates are attached! This message will now repeat." (The player receives a signal that points to the Lifepod 17 wreck when this plays)


 * "ALTERRA CREW: This is Lifepod 4 requesting immediate assistance! We have touched down too close to the crash site and radiation levels are too high to disembark. According to the manifest lifepods four through seven should be equipped with radiation suits. If anyone can hear this please retrieve the suits and converge on our position for evac! Co-ordinates are attached. This message will now repeat."


 * [static]


 * [static]
 * REMOVED


 * "Nine new biological subjects designated. Mode switch: hunting/analyzing. Sharing subject locations with other agents."


 * "Subject 11783 destroyed. Mode switch: patrol. New targets unaccounted for: 1."




 * "This is trading vessel Sunbeam. Aurora, we've received your emergency transmission and we're coming in for a closer look. Plan is to engage a slow burn and slingshot around the moon to conserve fuel. We'll alert you when we drop into low orbit around the planet. Stay safe. Sunbeam out."


 * ''"This is Avery Quinn, of trading ship Sunbeam. Aurora, do you read? Over.

Still nothing. These Alterra ships. They run out of engine grease, they send an SOS; you offer to help, they don't pick up.

Aurora, I'm out on the far side of the system, it's going to take take more than a week to reach your position, do you still need our assistance? Over.

I'll try them again tomorrow. See what the long-range scans pick up in the meantime. Damn charter's going to have us wasting our profit margin running errands for Alterra."''


 * ''"Aurora, this is Sunbeam again. We just picked up a massive debris field at your location.

I didn't know how bad... how many of you... I didn't know.

We are now en route to your location. We're going to bring you home. Sunbeam out.

What else can I say? We're a six-seater and we aren't even slightly equipped to handle this? Our pilot last attempted a planet landing in the academy simulator?

It's a bad situation, but so are all the alternatives."''


 * ''"Sunbeam, broadcasting to all survivors of the Aurora. We've covered more than half the distance, so hold on in there.

We're scanning the planet for dry land as we speak. You couldn't have picked a less convenient parking spot, but we'll be in touch as soon as we have a landing site for you. Sunbeam out."''


 * ''"Aurora, it's Sunbeam. We've made orbit, and scans have found a landing site on the planet that's only rated hazardous.

It's our best shot. We've sent you the coordinates. We'll be there in two days' time. Cross your fingers the weather holds, and don't leave us waiting. Sunbeam out." (The 40 minute timer will start upon recieving this message)''

Future Plans
In the future, the player will need to complete certain tasks in order to receive messages.

Trivia

 * "You've been down too long in the midnight sea. Oh don't you see what I mean?", is a reference to the song Holy Diver by the US heavy metal band DIO.
 * Captain Hollister is a reference to the British TV Series "Red Dwarf (1988)".
 * Second Officer Keen assuming command may be a reference to the DOS computer game series "Commander Keen".
 * The line: "An emergency relief team will be dispatched to your location. *Static* Estimated arrival time: 9...9...9...9...9 hours". Is a possible reference to Portal 2. Whereas the announcer says to Chell: "You have been in suspension for nine, nine, nine, nine, nine... nine, nine".
 * Flayra in the encrypted radio message is a reference to the Game and Company Director, Charlie "Flayra" Cleveland.
 * The messages "Nine new biological subjects designated. Mode switch: hunting/analyzing. Sharing subject locations with other agents.","Subject 11783 destroyed. Mode switch: patrol. New targets unaccounted for: 1." are broadcasted by Warpers