Tachyon: The Fringe Wiki
Tachyon: The Fringe Wiki

Cargo takes many forms throughout the Fringe. Pilots can beam crates and other small objects aboard their ships, and they can use their scanners to detect what contents another ship is carrying.

How to scan and retrieve cargo[]

In order to scan the contents of a crate or ship, pilots must target the desired object or craft and fly within 2.25u of it. After a few moments, the contents will be revealed in the targeting system in the lower left corner of the HUD.

To beam cargo aboard, pilots must target the object and come to a complete stop within 2.25u of it. Cyan wording will appear on the HUD indicating that the cargo can be retrieved. The action of beaming the cargo aboard is instant and there is no limit to how much cargo the ship can carry.

Retrievable cargo[]

Although crates are the most common type of cargo in the Fringe, there are other objects Jake Logan can acquire. Some of these objects include items critical to the success of the Galactic Spanning Corporation or the Bora Mining Guild. Crates appear on radar when passing within 6.75u of it.

Crates[]

Hazard crates[]

Hazard crates are one of the three types of crates pilots can retrieve in space. They have two bands of hazard patterning that mark the crate casing.

These crates typically contain items that remain in Jake Logan's inventory after he returns to base.

Credit crates[]

Credit crates are one of the three types of crates pilots can retrieve in space. They are green in color and have a peculiar vertical shape.

Their green color seems to signify money since these crates exclusively contain credits.

Gray crates[]

Gray crates are one of the three types of crates pilots can retrieve in space. As their name implies, these crates are gray in color. They also have a plain rectangular shape.

While they don't appear as frequently as hazard crates, gray crates usually contain items that remain in Logan's inventory.

Other cargo[]

Ripstars[]

Ripstars are a rare and valuable space phenomena responsible for powering Tachyon gates. They are small singularities, some of which have a gravitational pull strong enough to drag in and crush passing ships that stray too closely.

Ripstars have an iconic pinkish-red glow and have sparkling white lights trapped in their orbit. They come in two variations. The ones that have a muted glow are gravitationally benign and can be observed at close range. The ripstars that have a brightly glowing center are the ones that can draw in ships with their gravity, causing the gravity indicator in ship HUDs to flash in warning.

Ripstars can be beamed aboard the ship, but they do not appear in the inventory at the starbase nor do they have any effect on the ship.

Far Space crystals[]

Far Space crystals are unique objects found in the Far Space Sector of the Twilight Region. They are gemstones and minerals of giant size with a natural glow emanating from them. This has drawn tourists to view the spectacle of the crystal fields via Nebula Tours cruises.

Garnet is the smallest of the crystals and glows red. Citrine glows orange. Beryl has a green glow. Covellite radiates blue light, and Tanzanite glows a shade of violet. Although none of these crystals can be beamed aboard, similar crystals in multiplayer can be.

The only crystal in the field that can be retrieved is the Opaline crystal, which glows with pulsing white light. There is only one Opaline crystal in the sector at a time, though returning to the location during a new mission will spawn a new crystal.

Story items[]

KC2 Crystals[]

KC2 Crystals are a GalSpan story item found in the Draconis Ripstar Field Sector of the Ripstar Region only during the Crystal Hunt contract. It is a small crystal that glows with white light. There are more than one of these crystals in the field.

Cassitor's Mining Droid[]

Cassitor's Mining Droid is a GalSpan story item found in the Cassitor Station Sector of the Twilight Region. By destroying a communications dish on Dr. Randall Cassitor's station, Logan is able to disable and retrieve several of these droids.

Data Pack[]

The Data Pack is a GalSpan story item found in the Mercenary Sector of the Ripstar Region during the contract The Identity Game. This item is contained within one of three crates that sits before three Bora ships all claiming to be double agents. Jake Logan must choose the correct crate to gain this item.

Armageddon-class Laser[]

The Armageddon-class Laser is a Bora story item found in the Onrald Barony Sector of the Frontier Region. It is the core of a powerful weapon manufactured by Phobos Proprietary Systems. Baroness Onrald lets the Bora take this item from her scrap field.

At a later point, the laser is ejected from the Valiant to be retrieved after the capital ship begins to malfunction.

Central Computer Core[]

The Central Computer Core is a Bora story item found in the Draconis Ripstar Field Sector of the Ripstar Region during the Weasel in the Coop contract. It is ejected from the Draconis Research Facility by Grey Weasel for Jake Logan to retrieve.

Inventory items[]

Deliverable items[]

The following items remain in Jake Logan's inventory once found but can be removed by docking at the appropriate landing pad of a station or ship that needs the goods. The crate is exchanged for a credit reward.

Trade Goods[]

Trade Goods is an inventory item exclusive to the Sol Region. It consists of goods intended for delivery to a specific station.

Jake Logan starts the game with one of these already in his inventory. This item vanishes from his inventory after he is exiled from Sol space.

Trade Goods can be delivered to the New Zurich Orbital Station in exchange for 200 credits.

Spare Parts[]

Spare Parts consists of assorted parts valuable to manufacturers and ship-repair business.

Spare Parts can be delivered to the Drake Production Facility in exchange for 300 credits.

Food Supplies[]

Food Supplies packages contain preserved produce and water treatment devices.

Food Supplies can be delivered to Cinder Station in exchange for 700 credits.

Mining Equipment[]

Mining Equipment crates hold advanced Bora mining hardware.

Mining Equipment can be delivered to the Apollo Research Facility for 650 credits.

Medical Supplies[]

Medical Supplies consists of cutting-edge medical equipment.

Medical Supplies can be delivered to Midas Station for 550 credits.

Lost Artwork[]

Lost Artwork crates have a variety of artwork ranging from sculptures to paintings.

Lost Artwork can be delivered to Baron Malkar's Da Vinci Station for 1,000 credits.

Contraband[]

Contraband is any crate that contains Illegal Weaponry Systems, Illegal Chemical Compounds, Illegal Narcotics, or the contents Contraband.

Contraband can be delivered to Arman Patrioli's merchant ship for 850 credits.

Story items[]

The following items remain permanently in Jake Logan's inventory as he progresses through either the Hephaestus Project or the Deliverance Project for GalSpan or the Bora respectively.

Bora Containment Device[]

The Bora Containment Device is a component of the GalSpan Hephaestus Project. The device can contain ripstars much more effectively than containment devices used in Sol. GalSpan stole one from the Bora to reverse engineer its design.

KC2 Crystals[]

KC2 Crystals are a component of the GalSpan Hephaestus Project. Tools manufactured with this hard mineral are much less likely to experience catastrophic failure.

Cassitor's Mining Droid[]

Cassitor's Mining Droid is a component of the GalSpan Hephaestus Project. These drones are built to withstand the damaging effects of Twilight Fog and make an ideal automated repair force for the Hephaestus Mining Complex.

Twilight Fog Generator[]

The Twilight Fog Generator is a component of the GalSpan Hephaestus Project. It can fill a sector with Twilight Fog to prevent unshielded intruders from staying in the area.

Data Pack[]

The Data Pack is a component of the GalSpan Hephaestus Project. It contains sensitive information on Susan Bradley that was obtained through the work of a Bora double agent.

Armageddon-class Laser[]

The Armageddon-class Laser is a component of the Bora Deliverance Project. It is an experimental laser developed by Phobos Proprietary Systems that can deal tremendous damage to capital ships.

GalSpan Thruster Core[]

The GalSpan Thruster Core is a component of the Bora Deliverance Project. It was taken from a GalSpan frigate to be installed on the Bora frigate, the Deliverance, to trick GalSpan scanners into reading the ship as a friendly.

Accelerator Projector[]

The Accelerator Projector is a component of the Bora Deliverance Project. Baron Malkar gave it to the Bora as payment for returning his stolen Sistine Chapel.

Titan Stealth System[]

The Titan Stealth System is a component of the Bora Deliverance Project. When mounted on a capital ship, it can cloak the radar signatures of fighters that fly in close proximity to the ship.

Central Computer Core[]

The Central Computer Core is a component of the Bora Deliverance Project. It contains the codes for ships to pass GalSpan checkpoints without setting off alarms.

Hidden crates[]

There are crates hidden away in special locations all throughout the Fringe. Some crates appear only if Jake Logan is aligned with GalSpan or the Bora, and few of them are specific to a mission. The crates contain either credits or items that add to Logan's inventory, which can then be delivered for a credit reward.

Sol[]

Hub[]

GalSpan[]

Bora[]

Frontier[]

Twilight[]

Ripstar[]

  • Credit crate: In Draconis Ripstar Field Sector, 1000 credits roughly 8u away in a straight line from the bottom of the Draconis Research Facility.
  • Illegal Weaponry Systems: In Mercenary Sector, from the gate, turn slightly right until you are facing a turret of Cinder Station. Fly toward it, and a crate will appear on radar above the turret.
  • Lost Artwork: In Mercenary Sector, from the gate, look up to the top of Cinder Station. There will be two turrets poking up on support struts. Fly between them, and a crate will appear on radar between two prongs of the station.

Shipboard contents[]

This list contains shipboard cargo that ships throughout the Fringe can be found transporting.

Shuttles[]

Passengers

Medical Supplies

Light Freighters[]

Mining Equipment

Organic Wastes

Deuterium Fuel Cells

Activated Sulfides

Tritium

Fusion Byproducts

Refined Metals

Titanium Ore

Water Ice

Live Chickens

Military Supplies

Illegal Weaponry Systems

Side-Arms

Heavy Freighters[]

Fertilizer

Robotic Equipment

Electronic Components

Other ships[]

Trivia[]

  • At the start of the Extraordinary Hunt contract, there is a Light Freighter with unknown cargo departing from the Deep Fringe Array Starbase. The freighter engages Tachyon drive seconds after you exit the hangar to begin the mission, which makes scanning its cargo by flying close to it impossible. By destroying the powerplant subsystem in time, ideally with a Rail Gun, you can prevent the ship from jumping; however, the ship's cargo cannot be scanned.
  • After leaving Liberty Starbase in the Weasel in the Coop contract, there is a stationary Luxury Liner behind the station with unknown cargo. The contents cannot be revealed though it is likely passengers.