diff --git a/bomb.go b/bomb.go
index 90d2819..adc5d4c 100644
--- a/bomb.go
+++ b/bomb.go
@@ -33,10 +33,10 @@ func (b *Bomb) Dead() bool {
 	return b.done
 }
 
-func (b *Bomb) Tick(frame int64) {
+func (b *Bomb) Tick(game *Game) {
 	b.fti -= 1
 	if b.fti <= 0 {
-		b.target.Bombed(b.profile, frame)
+		b.target.Bombed(b.profile, game.frame)
 		b.done = true
 		log_info("bomb went off on %v", b.target)
 	}
diff --git a/broadcast.go b/broadcast.go
index 1358c73..dc66a87 100644
--- a/broadcast.go
+++ b/broadcast.go
@@ -9,8 +9,8 @@ type broadcast struct {
 	start        time.Time
 	origin       *System
 	dist         float64
-	nextHitIndex int
 	message      string
+	neighborhood Neighborhood
 }
 
 func NewBroadcast(from *System, template string, args ...interface{}) *broadcast {
@@ -21,20 +21,27 @@ func NewBroadcast(from *System, template string, args ...interface{}) *broadcast
 	}
 }
 
-func (b *broadcast) Tick(frame int64) {
+func (b *broadcast) Tick(game *Game) {
+	if b.neighborhood == nil {
+		log_info("setting up neighborhood for broadcast: %s", b.message)
+		b.neighborhood = game.galaxy.Neighborhood(b.origin)
+		log_info("nearest neighbor: %v", b.neighborhood[0])
+	}
+
 	b.dist += options.lightSpeed
-	for ; b.nextHitIndex < len(b.origin.Distances()); b.nextHitIndex += 1 {
-		candidate := b.origin.Distances()[b.nextHitIndex]
-		if b.dist < candidate.dist {
-			break
+	for len(b.neighborhood) > 0 && b.neighborhood[0].distance <= b.dist {
+		s := game.galaxy.GetSystemByID(b.neighborhood[0].id)
+		log_info("broadcast %s has reached %s from %s", b.message, s, b.origin)
+		s.NotifyInhabitants("message received from system %v:\n\t%s\n", b.origin, b.message)
+		if len(b.neighborhood) > 1 {
+			b.neighborhood = b.neighborhood[1:]
+		} else {
+			b.neighborhood = nil
 		}
-		candidate.s.NotifyInhabitants("message received from system %v:\n\t%s\n", b.origin, b.message)
 	}
 }
 
-func (b *broadcast) Dead() bool {
-	return b.dist > b.origin.Distances()[len(b.origin.Distances())-1].dist
-}
+func (b *broadcast) Dead() bool { return b.neighborhood == nil }
 
 func (b *broadcast) String() string {
 	return fmt.Sprintf("[broadcast origin: %v message: %s]", b.origin, b.message)
diff --git a/commands.go b/commands.go
index e1e5e66..7e2a712 100644
--- a/commands.go
+++ b/commands.go
@@ -212,15 +212,15 @@ func BroadcastCommand(sys *System) Command {
 func NearbyCommand(sys *System) Command {
 	handler := func(c *Connection, args ...string) {
 		neighbors := c.game.galaxy.Neighborhood(sys)
-		c.Printf("--------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n")
+		c.Line()
 		c.Printf("%-4s %-20s %-12s %s\n", "id", "name", "distance", "trip time")
-		c.Printf("--------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n")
+		c.Line()
 		for _, neighbor := range neighbors[:25] {
-			other := index[neighbor.id]
+			other := c.game.galaxy.GetSystemByID(neighbor.id)
 			dur := NewTravel(c, sys, other).(*TravelState).tripTime()
-			c.Printf("%-4d %-20s %-12.6v %v\n", other.id, other.name, neighbor.distance, dur)
+			c.Printf("%-4d %-20s %-12.6vpc %v\n", other.id, other.name, neighbor.distance, dur)
 		}
-		c.Printf("--------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n")
+		c.Line()
 	}
 	return Command{
 		name:    "nearby",
diff --git a/connection.go b/connection.go
index 2dfdec2..70d08f3 100644
--- a/connection.go
+++ b/connection.go
@@ -40,14 +40,14 @@ func (c *Connection) Dead() bool {
 	return false
 }
 
-func (c *Connection) Tick(frame int64) {
+func (c *Connection) Tick(game *Game) {
 	if c.ConnectionState == nil {
 		log_error("connected client has nil state.")
 		c.Printf("somehow you have a nil state.  I don't know what to do so I'm going to kick you off.")
 		c.Close()
 		return
 	}
-	c.SetState(c.ConnectionState.Tick(c, frame))
+	c.SetState(c.ConnectionState.Tick(c, game.frame))
 }
 
 func (c *Connection) RunCommand(name string, args ...string) {
@@ -221,11 +221,3 @@ func (c *Connection) Win(method string) {
 func (c *Connection) Die(frame int64) {
 	c.SetState(NewDeadState(frame))
 }
-
-func SpawnRandomly() ConnectionState {
-	sys, err := randomSystem()
-	if err != nil {
-		return NewErrorState(fmt.Errorf("unable to create idle state: %v", err))
-	}
-	return Idle(sys)
-}
diff --git a/dead.go b/dead.go
index df92d75..dafd952 100644
--- a/dead.go
+++ b/dead.go
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ func (d *DeadState) Enter(c *Connection) {
 
 func (d *DeadState) Tick(c *Connection, frame int64) ConnectionState {
 	if frame-d.start > options.respawnFrames {
-		return SpawnRandomly()
+		return c.game.SpawnPlayer()
 	}
 	return d
 }
diff --git a/galaxy.go b/galaxy.go
index 3d1c5bf..fca61c4 100644
--- a/galaxy.go
+++ b/galaxy.go
@@ -70,8 +70,16 @@ func (g *Galaxy) SystemID(name string) int { return g.names[name] }
 func (g *Galaxy) Neighborhood(sys *System) Neighborhood {
 	neighbors := make(Neighborhood, 0, len(g.systems))
 	for id, sys2 := range g.systems {
+		if id == sys.id {
+			continue
+		}
 		neighbors = append(neighbors, Neighbor{id: id, distance: sys.DistanceTo(sys2)})
 	}
 	sort.Sort(neighbors)
 	return neighbors
 }
+
+func (g *Galaxy) randomSystem() *System {
+	id := rand.Intn(len(g.systems))
+	return g.GetSystemByID(id)
+}
diff --git a/game.go b/game.go
index 4e5c699..526826a 100644
--- a/game.go
+++ b/game.go
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ func (g *Game) Register(elem GameElement) {
 func (g *Game) tick() {
 	g.frame += 1
 	for elem := range g.elems {
-		elem.Tick(g.frame)
+		elem.Tick(g)
 	}
 	for elem := range g.elems {
 		if elem.Dead() {
@@ -146,7 +146,11 @@ func (g *Game) tick() {
 	}
 }
 
+func (g *Game) SpawnPlayer() ConnectionState {
+	return Idle(g.galaxy.randomSystem())
+}
+
 type GameElement interface {
-	Tick(frame int64)
+	Tick(*Game)
 	Dead() bool
 }
diff --git a/idle.go b/idle.go
index fbb3c75..cc3fc64 100644
--- a/idle.go
+++ b/idle.go
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ func (i *IdleState) scan(c *Connection, args ...string) {
 		return
 	}
 	c.Printf("Scanning the galaxy for signs of life...\n")
-	c.game.Register(NewScan(i.System))
+	c.game.Register(NewScan(i.System, c.game.galaxy.Neighborhood(i.System)))
 }
 
 // "make" is already a keyword
diff --git a/lobby.go b/lobby.go
index e6e0788..f351911 100644
--- a/lobby.go
+++ b/lobby.go
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ var newGameCommand = Command{
 		c.Printf("Now playing in game: %s\n\n", game.id)
 		c.Line()
 		c.game.Join(c)
-		c.SetState(SpawnRandomly())
+		c.SetState(game.SpawnPlayer())
 	},
 	debug: false,
 }
@@ -135,9 +135,10 @@ Usage: join [game-code]`, " \n\t"))
 			return
 		}
 		id := args[0]
-		c.game = gm.Get(id)
+		game := gm.Get(id)
+		c.game = game
 		log_info("%s Joining game: %s", c.profile.name, c.game.id)
-		c.SetState(SpawnRandomly())
+		c.SetState(game.SpawnPlayer())
 		c.game.Join(c)
 	},
 	debug: false,
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index decdd77..a2bb4c1 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ var options struct {
 	frameLength    time.Duration
 	colonyCost     int
 	frameRate      int
-	lightSpeed     float64
+	lightSpeed     float64 // the distance that light travels in one tick
 	makeBombTime   time.Duration
 	makeColonyTime time.Duration
 	makeShieldTime time.Duration
diff --git a/scan.go b/scan.go
index 110a172..c44749b 100644
--- a/scan.go
+++ b/scan.go
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ type scan struct {
 	nextHitIndex  int
 	nextEchoIndex int
 	results       []scanResult
+	neighborhood  Neighborhood
 }
 
 type scanResult struct {
@@ -38,17 +39,18 @@ func (r *scanResult) playerNames() []string {
 	return names
 }
 
-func NewScan(origin *System) *scan {
+func NewScan(origin *System, n Neighborhood) *scan {
 	return &scan{
-		origin:  origin,
-		start:   time.Now(),
-		results: make([]scanResult, 0, len(origin.Distances())),
+		origin:       origin,
+		start:        time.Now(),
+		results:      make([]scanResult, 0, len(origin.Distances())),
+		neighborhood: n,
 	}
 }
 
-func (s *scan) Tick(frame int64) {
+func (s *scan) Tick(game *Game) {
 	s.dist += options.lightSpeed
-	s.hits()
+	s.hits(game)
 	s.echos()
 }
 
@@ -60,14 +62,17 @@ func (s *scan) String() string {
 	return fmt.Sprintf("[scan origin: %s start_time: %v]", s.origin.name, s.start)
 }
 
-func (s *scan) hits() {
-	for ; s.nextHitIndex < len(s.origin.Distances()); s.nextHitIndex += 1 {
-		candidate := s.origin.Distances()[s.nextHitIndex]
-		if s.dist < candidate.dist {
-			break
+func (s *scan) hits(game *Game) {
+	for len(s.neighborhood) > 0 && s.neighborhood[0].distance <= s.dist {
+		sys := game.galaxy.GetSystemByID(s.neighborhood[0].id)
+		s.results = append(s.results, s.hitSystem(sys, s.neighborhood[0].distance))
+		log_info("scan hit %v. Traveled %v in %v", sys.name, s.neighborhood[0].distance, time.Since(s.start))
+
+		if len(s.neighborhood) > 1 {
+			s.neighborhood = s.neighborhood[1:]
+		} else {
+			s.neighborhood = nil
 		}
-		s.results = append(s.results, s.hitSystem(candidate.s, candidate.dist))
-		log_info("scan hit %v. Traveled %v in %v", candidate.s.name, candidate.dist, time.Since(s.start))
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/shield.go b/shield.go
index 5e483ca..a2be532 100644
--- a/shield.go
+++ b/shield.go
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ type Shield struct {
 	energy float64
 }
 
-func (s *Shield) Tick(frame int64) {
+func (s *Shield) Tick() {
 	if s.energy < 1000 {
 		s.energy += (1000 - s.energy) * 0.0005
 	}
diff --git a/system.go b/system.go
index 57a7f26..8daa006 100644
--- a/system.go
+++ b/system.go
@@ -25,13 +25,13 @@ type System struct {
 	money       int64
 }
 
-func (s *System) Tick(frame int64) {
+func (s *System) Tick(game *Game) {
 	if s.colonizedBy != nil && s.money > 0 {
 		s.colonizedBy.Deposit(1)
 		s.money -= 1
 	}
 	if s.Shield != nil {
-		s.Shield.Tick(frame)
+		s.Shield.Tick()
 	}
 }
 
@@ -45,7 +45,6 @@ func (s *System) Reset() {
 }
 
 func (s *System) Arrive(conn *Connection) {
-	// conn.SetSystem(s)
 	if s.players[conn] {
 		return
 	}
@@ -125,11 +124,11 @@ func (s *System) Distances() []Ray {
 	if s.distances == nil {
 		s.distances = make([]Ray, 0, 551)
 		rows, err := db.Query(`
-            select edges.id_2, edges.distance
-            from edges
-            where edges.id_1 = ?
-            order by distance
-        ;`, s.id)
+			select edges.id_2, edges.distance
+			from edges
+			where edges.id_1 = ?
+			order by distance
+		;`, s.id)
 		if err != nil {
 			log_error("unable to query for system distances: %v", err)
 			return nil
@@ -247,13 +246,3 @@ func indexSystems() map[int]*System {
 	}
 	return index
 }
-
-func randomSystem() (*System, error) {
-	n := len(index)
-	if n == 0 {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("no planets are known to exist")
-	}
-	pick := rand.Intn(n)
-	sys := index[pick]
-	return sys, nil
-}