You are Cap'n Lance Magneto, of the Intergalactic Rangers. You have
been assigned to investigate the disappearance of several commercial
trading ships in the vicinity of Rigel IV.
These disappearances are of more than ordinary concern. The "Crown of
Control", an archeological relic of an advanced ancient race, has
recently disappeared and has been traced to the Menturg, an
intergalactic criminal who makes his headquarters on a small planet
orbiting this sun. It is believed that the Menturg is using the Crown to
commit piracy in high space.
The only known shield against the Crown's power (a relic discovered
with the Crown) has been installed in your spacesuit. Unfortunately, its
effective range is only about 10 feet. The greatest scientists in the
galaxy have tried to reverse-engineer this shield and build a more
powerful one. Their best attempt has been installed in your ship. But
the ship's shielding does not suffice.
As you approach the planet, your ship is caught in a force field of
unprecedented strength. You override the automatic controls and apply
full reverse thrust, but to no avail. Your ship is sucked toward the
planet as if it had come out of hyperdrive too near a black hole!
You awaken under an apple tree in a shaded grove. You seem to have
survived the crash without injury. Lying nearby, you find three apples,
three small bags of costume jewelry, a rusty oilcan, and a strange
device. Examining this last object, you find nothing but a small button
and what appears to be the letter "Z" on its front.
![[screenshot]](/serve/CapnMagnetoMacintosh/00_coverscreenshot.png)
