Start of a transcript of Nothing Could Be Further From the Truth Another tale from the Bunker by Adam Wasserman Release 1 / Serial number 230327 / Inform 7 build 6M62 (I6/v6.33 lib 6/12N) Identification number: //974987D8-E0F4-4B95-BC5E-7BDD7B07B983// Interpreter version 2.2.1 / VM 3.1.3 / Library serial number 080126 Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson Menus version 5 by Wade Clarke Smarter Parser version 16/140501 by Aaron Reed Alternatives version 3 by Eric Eve Extended Grammar version 8/140501 by Aaron Reed Reversed Persuasion Correction version 2 by Juhana Leinonen Commonly Unimplemented version 2 by Aaron Reed >restore Ok. >* not your fault, fought Lectrote a bit on save/restore >NOT YOUR FAULT RESTORE, FOUGHT LECTROTE A BIT ON SAVE You typed a rather long command and I didn't understand it. It's better to stick to simpler things like TAKE RENARDIN'S BODY. To stop these messages entirely, type NOVICE OFF. >// comment? >COMMENT That's not a verb I recognise. >*comment >COMMENT That's not a verb I recognise. >l Lobby The Lobby of Research Lab A-U61 is a large, unimpeded space fit for receiving workers and important guests alike. After all, the lab's clients are drawn from a rich and diverse pool of citizens: the owners of private firms seeking a leg up on a competitor, ambitious managers embedded in the sprawling conglomerates, and sometimes high-clearance citizens whose identities and projects are cloaked in secrecy. You imagine that even Alpha clearance citizens over at Control - the highest and most important of the Bunker's conglomerates - sometimes call upon the brave scientists of Research Lab A-U61 to aid them in the long struggle against the terrorist threat. This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist, which is wearing a shiny black helmet. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. You can see Renardin's body, Silia's body and Ati's body here. >f Depot This narrow, cramped space is where Research Lab A-U61 accepts and stores deliveries. It is sparsely lit by a single lightbulb dangling from the ceiling. A darkened service tunnel wide enough for a sizeable vehicle leads off into darkness. In the corner next to an obscured doorway in the outward wall is a stack of boxes. To the right through a wide opening, you can enter the lab's Lobby. You can see a forklift here. >x boxes You peek inside a few boxes and find lab equipment. You have no idea what it could be used for. As you fiddle with the stack of boxes, one shifts and you catch sight of something behind them. You move the boxes out of the way, revealing a hole in the wall. >x hole The hole in the wall is quite wide, providing more than enough room to scramble through. Through it, you catch a whiff of something sweet. >smell A horrendous itching overwhelms you. You sneeze - very loudly and unhygienically into your hand. Regretfully, you glance at the duster. If only the medibots could do something about your dust allergy... >ow Dev 1 This is Dev 1, one of the main developmental areas in Research Lab A-U61. Here, the lab's scientists work on more substantial projects: industrial machinery, movepods, lifts and the like. During your regular shifts as a dust maid, you've sometimes spotted one or two lonely researchers in the center of the room, struggling with large and unwieldy tools. The noise can be horrific. Today, however, there is no one; it is perfectly silent, and the workspace is mostly devoid of equipment. A shallow depression in the center dominates this room. Above it, a crane protrudes from the ceiling. Hanging nearby from a thick wire that leads into the wall is a controller. On one wall hangs a whiteboard. Otherwise, this area is sparse. This place has a strange smell, and splotches of grime and corrosion can be seen on the walls and ceiling. Both are no doubt remnants of spectacularly promising experiments. A squat opening leads outward, and a doorway obscured by a thick, black curtain leads inward. The wall to the right is made entirely of glass, on the other side of which is the research lab's main hallway. It is accessible through an almost invisible door. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >r (first opening the glass door) The glass door swings shut behind you. Lab Hallway Inward This is the beginning of Research Lab A-U61's main hallway, lit by glow panels. It is bare and - thanks to your best efforts - mostly free of dust. To your left is a glass wall. Through it, you can see into Dev 1. The thin outline of a door is visible in the glass. Opposite the glass wall to your right is a battered door. The lobby door is inward, and the hallway stretches outward. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >r (first opening the battered door) Storage Room Your feet kick up a fine layer of dust on the floor, which you glare at disapprovingly. A stretch later, you sneeze violently and rub your nose. Obviously, it's been quite some time since anyone entered this place. You are standing in a rudimentary storage room with barely enough room to stand in. Dilapidated shelving lines three walls. Otherwise it is bare and uninteresting. The exit is outward. >x shelves You see nothing special about the shelving. >ow Lab Hallway Inward This is the beginning of Research Lab A-U61's main hallway, lit by glow panels. It is bare and - thanks to your best efforts - mostly free of dust. To your left is a glass wall. Through it, you can see into Dev 1. The thin outline of a door is visible in the glass. Opposite the glass wall to your right is a battered door. The lobby door is inward, and the hallway stretches outward. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow Lab Hallway Center You are standing in the center of a bare hallway lit by glow panels. The wall to your left is made entirely of glass. Just out of reach above your head, a security camera relentlessly surveys the hallway and the areas visible through the glass wall. To the left, you can see the Refrigeration Unit. Across from it, to your right, is a plain door. The hallway continues both inward and outward. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >r (first opening the plain door) Dressing Room This is a shower and dressing room, the first and last stop for Research Lab A-U61's scientists. Here, they exchange their standard-issue jumpsuits for a lab coat. At the end of their shift, they use the showering units and disinfectant powder to remove any dangerous substances they might have inadvertently accumulated during the course of their work. After all, the last thing the Bunker needs in the midst of the heroic struggle against traitors and social deviants is an outbreak of a deadly, flesh-eating bacteria. A long bench is situated in front of a row of tall lockers. Next to them along the wall are two showering units. On the opposite wall is a pill dispenser. A poster hangs next to it. Outward is a door leading to the research lab's main corridor. >read poster You see a young man, his face contorted in anguish as he clutches his throat. In the background, a disfigured person standing on a designer steppod watches and giggles. In one hand is an open box. Inside can be seen little pills. Above them a public service message reads: "Buying meds on the black market is treason - and dangerous to boot!" >x dispenser Pill dispensers - much like vending machines - are everywhere in the Bunker. After all, the Bunker's citizens need meds. And usually immediately. In large quantities. The most common medications are mass-produced by P&L and doled out for free via these handy and easy-to-use devices. Pep pills keep you awake; sleeping pills knock you out; anti-anxiety meds put you at ease. Other pills are produced by private firms associated with Production and Logistics. These are sold in vending machines or prescribed in medical clinics. Sometimes these pills are boutique versions of the freely available ones, but more often than not they serve some kind of niche function: Ablafang, for instance, is sometimes prescribed to guardians from Defense before going into battle. Despite the best efforts of the data sleuths in Homeland Security, these specialized medications often end up in the black market where they are sold for recreational use. The pill dispenser is simple enough. The mouths of three small tubes are set in the wall in a row. A red button is below the first tube, and above it is written "Pep". A yellow button is below the second tube, and above it is written "Zzzzzz". No button or source of identification marks the third tube. >press red button You hear a slight whirr and a click. A stretch later, a red pill slides down the tube and pops out into your waiting hand. >i You're carrying (in plain sight): the red pill your PA your Card the feather duster You're wearing: your boots your jumpsuit bunny ears >press yellow You hear a slight whirr and a click. A stretch later, a yellow pill slides down the tube and pops out into your waiting hand. >i You're carrying (in plain sight): the yellow pill the red pill your PA your Card the feather duster You're wearing: your boots your jumpsuit bunny ears >l Dressing Room This is a shower and dressing room, the first and last stop for Research Lab A-U61's scientists. Here, they exchange their standard-issue jumpsuits for a lab coat. At the end of their shift, they use the showering units and disinfectant powder to remove any dangerous substances they might have inadvertently accumulated during the course of their work. After all, the last thing the Bunker needs in the midst of the heroic struggle against traitors and social deviants is an outbreak of a deadly, flesh-eating bacteria. A long bench is situated in front of a row of tall lockers. Next to them along the wall are two showering units. On the opposite wall is a pill dispenser. A poster hangs next to it. Outward is a door leading to the research lab's main corridor. >x third tube The pill dispenser is simple enough. The mouths of three small tubes are set in the wall in a row. A red button is below the first tube, and above it is written "Pep". A yellow button is below the second tube, and above it is written "Zzzzzz". No button or source of identification marks the third tube. >put duster in third tube You see no place to put it. You hear shouting from the direction of the Lobby: something about traitors and dead scientists. You wouldn't know anything about that, of course. You head back to the Lobby to try and explain yourself. There, you encounter a young, wide-eyed agent from Homeland Security trapped on the other side of the turnstile, speaking into the communications device implanted near her wrist. Her eyes turn to you. "It's not what it seems," you tell her. "I'm just a dust bunny!" You wave the feather duster at her and sneeze. The agent's mouth drops open. "Wow, a real traitor!" she breathes. Then she shakes herself from her stupor and nobly performs the duty expected of her. She draws her laser pistol and fires. The first few bolts miss, but eventually one finds its mark. Later on, back at the Homeland Security neighborhood substation where she is headquartered, her colleagues award her the customary gift box containing little bottles of Blue Fixx and tins of Algatine. *** You are leaking from too many holes to continue. *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > restore Ok. >l Lobby The Lobby of Research Lab A-U61 is a large, unimpeded space fit for receiving workers and important guests alike. After all, the lab's clients are drawn from a rich and diverse pool of citizens: the owners of private firms seeking a leg up on a competitor, ambitious managers embedded in the sprawling conglomerates, and sometimes high-clearance citizens whose identities and projects are cloaked in secrecy. You imagine that even Alpha clearance citizens over at Control - the highest and most important of the Bunker's conglomerates - sometimes call upon the brave scientists of Research Lab A-U61 to aid them in the long struggle against the terrorist threat. This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist, which is wearing a shiny black helmet. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. You can see Renardin's body, Silia's body and Ati's body here. >search ati You pat down Ati's body and find Ati's Card and lab office chip key. You hear muffled screams and the sound of running outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza, beyond the revolving door. >search renardin You pat down Renardin's body and find Renardin's Card and rubber gloves. You hear muffled screams and the sound of running outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza, beyond the revolving door. >search silia You pat down Silia's body and find Silia's Card. You hear muffled screams and the sound of running outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza, beyond the revolving door. >i You're carrying (in plain sight): Silia's Card some rubber gloves Renardin's Card the lab office chip key Ati's Card your PA your Card the feather duster You're wearing: your boots your jumpsuit bunny ears >l Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist, which is wearing a shiny black helmet. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. You can see Renardin's body, Silia's body and Ati's body here. >get helmet Taken. You hear muffled screams and the sound of running outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza, beyond the revolving door. >x tube You see the words at the top of the screen: TERRORIST ATTACK IN D-5 SECTOR. A grainy feed in a rectangular box in the corner depicts the scene of the disaster. Citizens - most of whom are naked and lubed up - run screaming from double doors as thick, black smoke belches forth behind them. "In other news, terrorists struck a VR deck in D-5 sector earlier today," Yuri explains. "Fortunately, a squadron of guardians from Defense arrived just in time to rescue those trapped inside. Casualties were minimal." The grainy feed is replaced by a much clearer one. A number of citizens can be seen standing around a pair of guardians, uniforms splattered with blood, applauding. "The traitors and their accomplices have all been punished. As for the VR deck in D-5, it is expected to become operational again within the next daystretch." You hear muffled screams and the sound of running outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza, beyond the revolving door. >l Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. You can see Renardin's body, Silia's body and Ati's body here. >x vending machine A large, hulking, rectangular object, this vending machine is just like any other you've seen throughout the Bunker. A small touchscreen lists the items available and their cost. Next to it is a slot for your Card. At the bottom is a wide, narrow compartment where items are dispensed. The protective cover of its dispenser is missing. You hear muffled screams and the sound of running outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza, beyond the revolving door. >read screen (the tube) In a small box above Sally's head, the snap of a sheepish-looking young man appears. In the same instant, your PA lights up and you can see the very same face looking back at you from the display. "Meet Voymar Griffith," Sally exhorts, "our newest recipient of Fifteen Minutes of Fame!" The sounds of applause and enthusiastic whistling accompany the announcement. "As with all recipients of this rare and prestigious award, citizen Voymar has shown selfless and undying commitment to the Bunker and all it stands for: peace, prosperity and tranquility." Nodding enthusiastically, Yuri takes over. "That's right, Sally. Citizen Voymar is employed at one of our ball bearing factories, where a social deviant maliciously tipped over a wheelbarrow of sparkling new ball bearings. Suffice it to say, they were to be delivered to an undisclosed recipient in Defense. The social deviant was duly punished, but ongoing operations against the terrorist menace were threatened by the delay. Citizen Voymar is being recognized for taking it upon himself to forgo sleep and sustenance and retrieve every last one of those ball bearings with his bare hands, wherever they had rolled." "Citizens," Sally continues, "let us take a moment to review the highlights of citizen Voymar's life. Perhaps you will be inspired. I know I will!" You stand as you are with the rest of the Bunker, pretending to be interested, until the seemingly endless recitation is over. You hear muffled screams and the sound of running outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza, beyond the revolving door. >l Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. You can see Renardin's body, Silia's body and Ati's body here. >x touchscreen The vending machine currently has the following for sale: a shallow receptacle (6 credits) an electric torch (6 credits) a Palantooter Insta-Identatron (tm) +++ (tm) (39 credits) a Marrk-X Jammin (tm) Video Output Disruptor - Epsilon clearance required (600 credits) a sparkly toy (2 credits) a bottle of Flappantastic (1 credit) You hear muffled screams and the sound of running outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza, beyond the revolving door. >what is flappantastic Everybody likes a fizzy drink, and in the Bunker that means Flappantastic! Dispensed from vending machines or at a cafe in the plazas, sometimes in pastex cups and sometimes in bottles, Flappantastic is available almost everywhere for a nominal fee. With 35 different flavors and more in development, there's always a surprise just around the corner! Sadly, some flavors - such as Whim Sickle and Megatonic - are no longer in production. But that doesn't stop the most avid fans from trying to sample each and every one! >i You're carrying (in plain sight): a shiny black helmet Silia's Card some rubber gloves Renardin's Card the lab office chip key Ati's Card your PA your Card the feather duster You're wearing: your boots your jumpsuit bunny ears >x silias card I only understood the first part of that-- trying anyway. Retrying as: >X SILIAS Type UNDO if this isn't what you wanted to do, or CORRECT OFF to stop automatically correcting commands. To stop these messages entirely, type NOVICE OFF. Can't do it. >x silia's card Silia's Card contains 175 credits. You hear muffled screams and the sound of running outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza, beyond the revolving door. >x ati's card Ati's Card contains 1000 credits. You hear muffled screams and the sound of running outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza, beyond the revolving door. >x touchscreen The vending machine currently has the following for sale: a shallow receptacle (6 credits) an electric torch (6 credits) a Palantooter Insta-Identatron (tm) +++ (tm) (39 credits) a Marrk-X Jammin (tm) Video Output Disruptor - Epsilon clearance required (600 credits) a sparkly toy (2 credits) a bottle of Flappantastic (1 credit) You hear muffled screams and the sound of running outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza, beyond the revolving door. >put atis card in vending machine Can't do it. >get disruptor You'll have to buy it first. You hear muffled screams and the sound of running outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza, beyond the revolving door. >but disruptor That's not a verb I recognise. >buy disruptor (from the lobby vending machine) There is no Card in the vending machine's slot. You hear muffled screams and the sound of running outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza, beyond the revolving door. >put ati's card in slot You put Ati's Card into the slot. There is a brief pause before the vending machine reluctantly lights up. "Ah, Atikurrahman. Still masquerading as the leader of a respectable research lab? Bah! You're the main reason this dump is falling off the blueprint!" The vending machine snorts derisvely. "What do you want?" You hear muffled screams and the sound of running outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza, beyond the revolving door. >but disruptor "No," the vending machine snaps. "Absolutely not. The protective cover to my dispenser is missing. Stolen. Yes, I know the Marrk-X Jammin (tm) Video Output Disruptor - Epsilon clearance required (600 credits) is right here. But I'm not giving it to you. You know why? Because I'm naked!" The vending machine emits an series of angry clicks. "What's a dim bag of bones and flesh going to do with my protective cover? Well, until I get it back, no one gets anything!" The Card in the slot is unceremoniously spat onto the floor in front of you. The vending machine gratefully dims its lights and deactivates. You hear muffled screams and the sound of running outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza, beyond the revolving door. >get card (your Card) You already have that. You hear muffled screams and the sound of running outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza, beyond the revolving door. >get ati's card Taken. You hear muffled screams and the sound of running outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza, beyond the revolving door. The sounds of chaos and mayhem outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza die down. A few stretches later, a dark figure can be seen approaching the revolving door. It enters, and the door spits out a breathless agent from Homeland Security. It is an amusing experience to watch the range of emotion on her face as she takes in the scene. "A poisonous gas was just released from here!" she bellows at you as she presses up against the turnstile. Then her eyes fall upon the dead. There is a deep intake of breath. Astonished, she turns to you. "It's not what it seems," you tell her. "I'm just a dust bunny!" You wave the feather duster at her and sneeze. The agent's mouth drops open. "Wow, a real traitor!" she breathes. Then she shakes herself from her stupor and nobly performs the duty expected of her. She aims her laser pistol and fires. The first few bolts miss, but eventually one finds its mark. Later on, back at the Homeland Security neighborhood substation where she is headquartered, her colleagues award her the customary gift box containing little bottles of Blue Fixx and tins of Algatine. *** You are leaking from too many holes to continue. *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > restore Ok. >l Lobby The Lobby of Research Lab A-U61 is a large, unimpeded space fit for receiving workers and important guests alike. After all, the lab's clients are drawn from a rich and diverse pool of citizens: the owners of private firms seeking a leg up on a competitor, ambitious managers embedded in the sprawling conglomerates, and sometimes high-clearance citizens whose identities and projects are cloaked in secrecy. You imagine that even Alpha clearance citizens over at Control - the highest and most important of the Bunker's conglomerates - sometimes call upon the brave scientists of Research Lab A-U61 to aid them in the long struggle against the terrorist threat. This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist, which is wearing a shiny black helmet. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. You can see Renardin's body, Silia's body and Ati's body here. >search ati You pat down Ati's body and find Ati's Card and lab office chip key. You hear muffled screams and the sound of running outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza, beyond the revolving door. >search silia You pat down Silia's body and find Silia's Card. You hear muffled screams and the sound of running outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza, beyond the revolving door. >search renardin You pat down Renardin's body and find Renardin's Card and rubber gloves. You hear muffled screams and the sound of running outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza, beyond the revolving door. >get helmet Taken. You hear muffled screams and the sound of running outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza, beyond the revolving door. >x sign Ah, a smart sign! The first prototype was developed right here in Research Lab A-U61, and the lab even received an award for it. From what you understand, each smart sign is bestowed with an intelligence specific to its purpose. It is somehow able to deduce its contents directly from its environment - without human interference. Naturally, the advent of the smart sign was hailed as an important technological advancement. Unfortunately, the smart sign's creator - this was long before your time working at the lab - was subsequently accused of treason and arrested. From what you've heard, a cache of laser rifles was found in a yellow buspod (full of Wards of the State, no less) abandoned on the side of the transtube. The sleuths back at Homeland Security eventually traced it back to her. She adamantly denied any association with the contraband, but the proof was incontrovertible. Anyway, it was a messy, public affair, and her treason inevitably sullied her invention. No factory would produce it, and the smart sign was destined for oblivion. Except in Research Lab A-U61. After all, scientists are practical people. It says: "Science is careful and deliberate calculation." You hear muffled screams and the sound of running outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza, beyond the revolving door. >l Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. You can see Renardin's body, Silia's body and Ati's body here. >x sculpture Positivist social reconstruction? Avant-guard art form? An embarrassment to creative social clubs everywhere? Clearly, this sculpture is the product of a clumsy and rudimentary marketing outfit. The Persevering Scientist is made of a brown, waxy substance and stands little more than two meters tall. It stares confidently past you and into the future. You hear muffled screams and the sound of running outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza, beyond the revolving door. >drag ati's body f You struggle with the weight of the body, consuming valuable time, but you manage to succeed. Depot This narrow, cramped space is where Research Lab A-U61 accepts and stores deliveries. It is sparsely lit by a single lightbulb dangling from the ceiling. A darkened service tunnel wide enough for a sizeable vehicle leads off into darkness. In the corner next to an obscured doorway in the outward wall is a stack of boxes. To the right through a wide opening, you can enter the lab's Lobby. You can see a forklift here. >r The Loyalty Stretch catches your attention on the tube. You see the words at the top of the screen: TERRORIST ATTACK IN D-5 SECTOR. A grainy feed in a rectangular box in the corner depicts the scene of the disaster. Citizens - most of whom are naked and lubed up - run screaming from double doors as thick, black smoke belches forth behind them. "In other news, terrorists struck a VR deck in D-5 sector earlier today," Yuri explains. "Fortunately, a squadron of guardians from Defense arrived just in time to rescue those trapped inside. Casualties were minimal." The grainy feed is replaced by a much clearer one. A number of citizens can be seen standing around a pair of guardians, uniforms splattered with blood, applauding. "The traitors and their accomplices have all been punished. As for the VR deck in D-5, it is expected to become operational again within the next daystretch." Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. You can see Renardin's body and Silia's body here. You hear muffled screams and the sound of running outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza, beyond the revolving door. >drag renardin f You struggle with the weight of the body, consuming valuable time, but you manage to succeed. Depot This narrow, cramped space is where Research Lab A-U61 accepts and stores deliveries. It is sparsely lit by a single lightbulb dangling from the ceiling. A darkened service tunnel wide enough for a sizeable vehicle leads off into darkness. In the corner next to an obscured doorway in the outward wall is a stack of boxes. To the right through a wide opening, you can enter the lab's Lobby. You can see a forklift here. >r The Loyalty Stretch catches your attention on the tube. In a small box above Sally's head, the snap of a sheepish-looking young man appears. In the same instant, your PA lights up and you can see the very same face looking back at you from the display. "Meet Voymar Griffith," Sally exhorts, "our newest recipient of Fifteen Minutes of Fame!" The sounds of applause and enthusiastic whistling accompany the announcement. "As with all recipients of this rare and prestigious award, citizen Voymar has shown selfless and undying commitment to the Bunker and all it stands for: peace, prosperity and tranquility." Nodding enthusiastically, Yuri takes over. "That's right, Sally. Citizen Voymar is employed at one of our ball bearing factories, where a social deviant maliciously tipped over a wheelbarrow of sparkling new ball bearings. Suffice it to say, they were to be delivered to an undisclosed recipient in Defense. The social deviant was duly punished, but ongoing operations against the terrorist menace were threatened by the delay. Citizen Voymar is being recognized for taking it upon himself to forgo sleep and sustenance and retrieve every last one of those ball bearings with his bare hands, wherever they had rolled." "Citizens," Sally continues, "let us take a moment to review the highlights of citizen Voymar's life. Perhaps you will be inspired. I know I will!" You stand as you are with the rest of the Bunker, pretending to be interested, until the seemingly endless recitation is over. Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. You can see Silia's body here. You hear muffled screams and the sound of running outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza, beyond the revolving door. >drag silia f You struggle with the weight of the body, consuming valuable time, but you manage to succeed. Depot This narrow, cramped space is where Research Lab A-U61 accepts and stores deliveries. It is sparsely lit by a single lightbulb dangling from the ceiling. A darkened service tunnel wide enough for a sizeable vehicle leads off into darkness. In the corner next to an obscured doorway in the outward wall is a stack of boxes. To the right through a wide opening, you can enter the lab's Lobby. You can see a forklift here. You hear shouting from the direction of the Lobby and decide to return to see what all the fuss is about. When you arrive, you see an agent from Homeland Security trapped on the other side of the turnstile. Her laser pistol is drawn, and as soon as you appear she points it at you and orders you to let her in. "A poisonous gas was just released from here!" she bellows. "Six are dead, and others have been rushed to a medical clinic!"" "A poisonous gas? From here?" You shake your head in feigned disbelief. "But this is a respectable research institution." "Respectable?" the agent snorts. "Maybe it once was, but that was before my time. I've been stationed in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza for a few monthstretches now and the only thing this place has ever produced is a bad smell." The agent's eyes suddenly narrow. "Are you trying to impede my investigation? Let me in at once!" >iw You pass through the turnstile and push through the revolving door. The agent's mouth drops open, and she freezes. "You're trying to run away, aren't you?" she breathes. "George Walker! A real traitor! My first one!" Then she shakes herself from her stupor and nobly performs the duty expected of her. She draws her laser pistol and fires. The first few bolts miss, but eventually one finds its mark. "Got her!" the agent reports proudly into the communications device implanted near her wrist. Later on, back at the Homeland Security neighborhood substation where she is headquartered, her colleagues award her the customary gift box containing little bottles of Blue Fixx and tins of Algatine. *** You are leaking from too many holes to continue. *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > undo Lobby [Previous turn undone.] >iw You pass through the turnstile and push through the revolving door. The agent's mouth drops open, and she freezes. "You're trying to run away, aren't you?" she breathes. "George Walker! A real traitor! My first one!" Then she shakes herself from her stupor and nobly performs the duty expected of her. She draws her laser pistol and fires. The first few bolts miss, but eventually one finds its mark. "Got her!" the agent reports proudly into the communications device implanted near her wrist. Later on, back at the Homeland Security neighborhood substation where she is headquartered, her colleagues award her the customary gift box containing little bottles of Blue Fixx and tins of Algatine. *** You are leaking from too many holes to continue. *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > undo Lobby [Previous turn undone.] >step aside That's not a verb I recognise. >l Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. You can see the agent from Homeland Security here. >ask agent about terrorist (the agent from Homeland Security about that) "No time for that now!" The agent from Homeland Security stomps her feet impatiently. "The button behind the receptionist's desk! Hurry!" >x desk A slim, L-shaped surface that protrudes from a waist-high back, it is currently bare. There is no chair. The receptionist is forced to stand for hourstretches on end. Tucked under the desk in the corner is a small panel. The panel features a green button. The agent from Homeland Security stomps her feet impatiently. "The button behind the receptionist's desk! Hurry!" >press green button The agent from Homeland Security pushes through the turnstile and starts to poke around. As could be expected, it doesn't take long before she stumbles across the mortal remains someone imprudently left lying around in plain sight. As you are the only other person present, the agent from Homeland Security draws a hasty conclusion and readies her laser pistol. You can tell from the way she handles it that she's never done this kind of thing before. But there's a first time for everything. After a few missed shots, she finally nails you in the back. Later on, back at the Homeland Security neighborhood substation where she is headquartered, her colleagues award her the customary gift box containing little bottles of Blue Fixx and tins of Algatine. *** You have died. *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > restore Ok. >f Depot This narrow, cramped space is where Research Lab A-U61 accepts and stores deliveries. It is sparsely lit by a single lightbulb dangling from the ceiling. A darkened service tunnel wide enough for a sizeable vehicle leads off into darkness. In the corner next to an obscured doorway in the outward wall is a stack of boxes. To the right through a wide opening, you can enter the lab's Lobby. You can see a forklift here. >get in forklift You get into the forklift. >lift box Can't do it. >move boxes Better get out of the forklift first. >get out of forklift You get off the forklift. Depot This narrow, cramped space is where Research Lab A-U61 accepts and stores deliveries. It is sparsely lit by a single lightbulb dangling from the ceiling. A darkened service tunnel wide enough for a sizeable vehicle leads off into darkness. In the corner next to an obscured doorway in the outward wall is a stack of boxes. To the right through a wide opening, you can enter the lab's Lobby. You can see a forklift here. >move boxes You move the boxes out of the way, revealing a hole in the wall. >r Lobby The Lobby of Research Lab A-U61 is a large, unimpeded space fit for receiving workers and important guests alike. After all, the lab's clients are drawn from a rich and diverse pool of citizens: the owners of private firms seeking a leg up on a competitor, ambitious managers embedded in the sprawling conglomerates, and sometimes high-clearance citizens whose identities and projects are cloaked in secrecy. You imagine that even Alpha clearance citizens over at Control - the highest and most important of the Bunker's conglomerates - sometimes call upon the brave scientists of Research Lab A-U61 to aid them in the long struggle against the terrorist threat. This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist, which is wearing a shiny black helmet. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. You can see Renardin's body, Silia's body and Ati's body here. You hear muffled screams and the sound of running outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza, beyond the revolving door. >drag ate f Can't do it. >drag ati f You struggle with the weight of the body, consuming valuable time, but you manage to succeed. Depot This narrow, cramped space is where Research Lab A-U61 accepts and stores deliveries. It is sparsely lit by a single lightbulb dangling from the ceiling. A darkened service tunnel wide enough for a sizeable vehicle leads off into darkness. In the corner next to an obscured doorway in the outward wall is a stack of boxes. A few of the boxes have been shunted aside, revealing a hole leading left. To the right through a wide opening, you can enter the lab's Lobby. You can see a forklift here. >put ati in hole You cram Ati's body into the hole. >r The Loyalty Stretch catches your attention on the tube. Yuri looks squarely into the camera and smiles reassuringly. "Citizens, we must count ourselves fortunate that we live in a technological dreamland such as ours. No one lacks sustenence, medical care or education. We enjoy these basic necessities because of Control, the ninth and most important of the conglomerates. The Alpha-clearance citizens who work there are tireless in their vigilance." Sally nods and takes over the narrative. "Control has many responsibilities, one of which is managing the other eight conglomerates - the commanding heights of the economy, so to speak. Upon graduation from the creche, every citizen is guaranteed a lifetime job in one of them." "Some citizens, however, choose to take a position in one of the small, independent enterprises that serve as a complement to the conglomerates. Although their services are not per se necessary for our well-being, our lives can still be supplemented in useful and sometimes unexpected ways." Sally assumes a stern expression. "It is important to remember, citizens, that those who work in private enterprises are not by definition traitors. Otherwise they wouldn't be allowed. However, this underlying assumption persists, no doubt due to pernicious rumors spread by the Underground. For this reason, Control is offering a series of lectures to educate everyone on the relationship between the conglomerates and free enterprise. One will surely be held in a plaza near your communal barracks. Expect a notification to arrive soon. Attendance is mandatory." Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist, which is wearing a shiny black helmet. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. You can see Renardin's body and Silia's body here. You hear muffled screams and the sound of running outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza, beyond the revolving door. >drag renardin f You struggle with the weight of the body, consuming valuable time, but you manage to succeed. Depot This narrow, cramped space is where Research Lab A-U61 accepts and stores deliveries. It is sparsely lit by a single lightbulb dangling from the ceiling. A darkened service tunnel wide enough for a sizeable vehicle leads off into darkness. In the corner next to an obscured doorway in the outward wall is a stack of boxes. A few of the boxes have been shunted aside, revealing a hole leading left. To the right through a wide opening, you can enter the lab's Lobby. You can see a forklift here. >put renardin in hole You cram Renardin's body into the hole. You hear shouting from the direction of the Lobby: something about traitors and dead scientists. You wouldn't know anything about that, of course. You head back to the Lobby to try and explain yourself. There, you encounter a young, wide-eyed agent from Homeland Security trapped on the other side of the turnstile, speaking into the communications device implanted near her wrist. Her eyes turn to you. "It's not what it seems," you tell her. "I'm just a dust bunny!" You wave the feather duster at her and sneeze. The agent's mouth drops open. "Wow, a real traitor!" she breathes. Then she shakes herself from her stupor and nobly performs the duty expected of her. She draws her laser pistol and fires. The first few bolts miss, but eventually one finds its mark. Later on, back at the Homeland Security neighborhood substation where she is headquartered, her colleagues award her the customary gift box containing little bottles of Blue Fixx and tins of Algatine. *** You are leaking from too many holes to continue. *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > restore Ok. >f Depot This narrow, cramped space is where Research Lab A-U61 accepts and stores deliveries. It is sparsely lit by a single lightbulb dangling from the ceiling. A darkened service tunnel wide enough for a sizeable vehicle leads off into darkness. In the corner next to an obscured doorway in the outward wall is a stack of boxes. To the right through a wide opening, you can enter the lab's Lobby. You can see a forklift here. >move boxes You move the boxes out of the way, revealing a hole in the wall. >r Lobby The Lobby of Research Lab A-U61 is a large, unimpeded space fit for receiving workers and important guests alike. After all, the lab's clients are drawn from a rich and diverse pool of citizens: the owners of private firms seeking a leg up on a competitor, ambitious managers embedded in the sprawling conglomerates, and sometimes high-clearance citizens whose identities and projects are cloaked in secrecy. You imagine that even Alpha clearance citizens over at Control - the highest and most important of the Bunker's conglomerates - sometimes call upon the brave scientists of Research Lab A-U61 to aid them in the long struggle against the terrorist threat. This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist, which is wearing a shiny black helmet. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. You can see Renardin's body, Silia's body and Ati's body here. You hear muffled screams and the sound of running outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza, beyond the revolving door. >put ati into hole Can't do it. >drag ati f You struggle with the weight of the body, consuming valuable time, but you manage to succeed. Depot This narrow, cramped space is where Research Lab A-U61 accepts and stores deliveries. It is sparsely lit by a single lightbulb dangling from the ceiling. A darkened service tunnel wide enough for a sizeable vehicle leads off into darkness. In the corner next to an obscured doorway in the outward wall is a stack of boxes. A few of the boxes have been shunted aside, revealing a hole leading left. To the right through a wide opening, you can enter the lab's Lobby. You can see a forklift here. >put ati into hole You cram Ati's body into the hole. >r The Loyalty Stretch catches your attention on the tube. Yuri and Sally are briefly replaced by a public service announcement. A plain face appears on the screen: a woman drinking from a flimsy plastex cup. "Ah," she breathes with satisfaction and stands up. The camera pans out, revealing the pristine corner of a community dining hall. A recycling chute is embedded in the wall next to her. The woman casually tosses the used cup inside. "The success of the Bunker's economy depends upon an efficient recycling system," she tells the camera. "Most of the materials we use are reclaimed and recycled automatically." A montage of images briefly replaces her: chips of metal being raked off a factory floor; an autopod being disassembled by robotic arms; a smiling citizen exiting a cleaning station, wiping his hands. The plain face of the woman returns. "But we should not forget the many small and mundane items. Like that plastex cup." The camera zooms in again on her face, which smiles reassuringly. "The success of the Bunker's economy depends upon you, loyal citizens. Remember: after you're done with it, recycle it!" Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist, which is wearing a shiny black helmet. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. You can see Renardin's body and Silia's body here. You hear muffled screams and the sound of running outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza, beyond the revolving door. >drag silia f You struggle with the weight of the body, consuming valuable time, but you manage to succeed. Depot This narrow, cramped space is where Research Lab A-U61 accepts and stores deliveries. It is sparsely lit by a single lightbulb dangling from the ceiling. A darkened service tunnel wide enough for a sizeable vehicle leads off into darkness. In the corner next to an obscured doorway in the outward wall is a stack of boxes. A few of the boxes have been shunted aside, revealing a hole leading left. To the right through a wide opening, you can enter the lab's Lobby. You can see a forklift here. >put silia into hole You cram Silia's body into the hole. >r The Loyalty Stretch catches your attention on the tube. In a small box above Sally's head, the snap of a sheepish-looking young man appears. In the same instant, your PA lights up and you can see the very same face looking back at you from the display. "Meet Voymar Griffith," Sally exhorts, "our newest recipient of Fifteen Minutes of Fame!" The sounds of applause and enthusiastic whistling accompany the announcement. "As with all recipients of this rare and prestigious award, citizen Voymar has shown selfless and undying commitment to the Bunker and all it stands for: peace, prosperity and tranquility." Nodding enthusiastically, Yuri takes over. "That's right, Sally. Citizen Voymar is employed at one of our ball bearing factories, where a social deviant maliciously tipped over a wheelbarrow of sparkling new ball bearings. Suffice it to say, they were to be delivered to an undisclosed recipient in Defense. The social deviant was duly punished, but ongoing operations against the terrorist menace were threatened by the delay. Citizen Voymar is being recognized for taking it upon himself to forgo sleep and sustenance and retrieve every last one of those ball bearings with his bare hands, wherever they had rolled." "Citizens," Sally continues, "let us take a moment to review the highlights of citizen Voymar's life. Perhaps you will be inspired. I know I will!" You stand as you are with the rest of the Bunker, pretending to be interested, until the seemingly endless recitation is over. Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist, which is wearing a shiny black helmet. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. You can see Renardin's body here. You hear muffled screams and the sound of running outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza, beyond the revolving door. >drag renardin f You struggle with the weight of the body, consuming valuable time, but you manage to succeed. Depot This narrow, cramped space is where Research Lab A-U61 accepts and stores deliveries. It is sparsely lit by a single lightbulb dangling from the ceiling. A darkened service tunnel wide enough for a sizeable vehicle leads off into darkness. In the corner next to an obscured doorway in the outward wall is a stack of boxes. A few of the boxes have been shunted aside, revealing a hole leading left. To the right through a wide opening, you can enter the lab's Lobby. You can see a forklift here. You hear shouting from the direction of the Lobby and decide to return to see what all the fuss is about. When you arrive, you see an agent from Homeland Security trapped on the other side of the turnstile. Her laser pistol is drawn, and as soon as you appear she points it at you and orders you to let her in. "A poisonous gas was just released from here!" she bellows. "Six are dead, and others have been rushed to a medical clinic!"" "A poisonous gas? From here?" You shake your head in feigned disbelief. "But this is a respectable research institution." "Respectable?" the agent snorts. "Maybe it once was, but that was before my time. I've been stationed in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza for a few monthstretches now and the only thing this place has ever produced is a bad smell." The agent's eyes suddenly narrow. "Are you trying to impede my investigation? Let me in at once!" >press green button The agent from Homeland Security pushes through the turnstile and starts to poke around. As could be expected, it doesn't take long before she stumbles across the mortal remains someone imprudently left lying around in plain sight. As you are the only other person present, the agent from Homeland Security draws a hasty conclusion and readies her laser pistol. You can tell from the way she handles it that she's never done this kind of thing before. But there's a first time for everything. After a few missed shots, she finally nails you in the back. Later on, back at the Homeland Security neighborhood substation where she is headquartered, her colleagues award her the customary gift box containing little bottles of Blue Fixx and tins of Algatine. *** You have died. *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > restore Ok. >l Lobby The Lobby of Research Lab A-U61 is a large, unimpeded space fit for receiving workers and important guests alike. After all, the lab's clients are drawn from a rich and diverse pool of citizens: the owners of private firms seeking a leg up on a competitor, ambitious managers embedded in the sprawling conglomerates, and sometimes high-clearance citizens whose identities and projects are cloaked in secrecy. You imagine that even Alpha clearance citizens over at Control - the highest and most important of the Bunker's conglomerates - sometimes call upon the brave scientists of Research Lab A-U61 to aid them in the long struggle against the terrorist threat. This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist, which is wearing a shiny black helmet. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. You can see Renardin's body, Silia's body and Ati's body here. >drag bodies f Can't do it. >drag renardin f You struggle with the weight of the body, consuming valuable time, but you manage to succeed. Depot This narrow, cramped space is where Research Lab A-U61 accepts and stores deliveries. It is sparsely lit by a single lightbulb dangling from the ceiling. A darkened service tunnel wide enough for a sizeable vehicle leads off into darkness. In the corner next to an obscured doorway in the outward wall is a stack of boxes. To the right through a wide opening, you can enter the lab's Lobby. You can see a forklift here. >r The Loyalty Stretch catches your attention on the tube. Yuri looks squarely into the camera and smiles reassuringly. "Citizens, we must count ourselves fortunate that we live in a technological dreamland such as ours. No one lacks sustenence, medical care or education. We enjoy these basic necessities because of Control, the ninth and most important of the conglomerates. The Alpha-clearance citizens who work there are tireless in their vigilance." Sally nods and takes over the narrative. "Control has many responsibilities, one of which is managing the other eight conglomerates - the commanding heights of the economy, so to speak. Upon graduation from the creche, every citizen is guaranteed a lifetime job in one of them." "Some citizens, however, choose to take a position in one of the small, independent enterprises that serve as a complement to the conglomerates. Although their services are not per se necessary for our well-being, our lives can still be supplemented in useful and sometimes unexpected ways." Sally assumes a stern expression. "It is important to remember, citizens, that those who work in private enterprises are not by definition traitors. Otherwise they wouldn't be allowed. However, this underlying assumption persists, no doubt due to pernicious rumors spread by the Underground. For this reason, Control is offering a series of lectures to educate everyone on the relationship between the conglomerates and free enterprise. One will surely be held in a plaza near your communal barracks. Expect a notification to arrive soon. Attendance is mandatory." Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist, which is wearing a shiny black helmet. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. You can see Silia's body and Ati's body here. You hear muffled screams and the sound of running outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza, beyond the revolving door. >drag silia f You struggle with the weight of the body, consuming valuable time, but you manage to succeed. Depot This narrow, cramped space is where Research Lab A-U61 accepts and stores deliveries. It is sparsely lit by a single lightbulb dangling from the ceiling. A darkened service tunnel wide enough for a sizeable vehicle leads off into darkness. In the corner next to an obscured doorway in the outward wall is a stack of boxes. To the right through a wide opening, you can enter the lab's Lobby. You can see a forklift here. >r The Loyalty Stretch catches your attention on the tube. A small box appears next to Yuri's head, showing the twisted wreckage of a buspod. The yellow paint and extendible STOP sign are clearly visible. "What vile and sinister person would fire a heat-seeking missile at a caravan of innocent Wards of the State, out on a field trip under the guidance of their trusted instructor, Ms. Bits?" "Terrorists and traitors, that's who!" Sally sneers into the camera. Yuri is seized by a fit of rightful indigniation. "That's right. Only the depraved mind of a terrorist could conceive of harming these charming innocents. "All of us loyal citizens understand that the future of our brave society depends upon the upbringing of our children. We are naturally entranced by the exuberance of youth. Just one brief exchange with a single Ward of the State, and love blossoms in our hearts. It's no wonder we are inclined to forgive them their small transgressions!" Sally and Yuri go on to discuss a recent rash of shootings at the creche and what could possibly be done to prevent more of them. Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist, which is wearing a shiny black helmet. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. You can see Ati's body here. You hear muffled screams and the sound of running outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza, beyond the revolving door. >drag ati f You struggle with the weight of the body, consuming valuable time, but you manage to succeed. Depot This narrow, cramped space is where Research Lab A-U61 accepts and stores deliveries. It is sparsely lit by a single lightbulb dangling from the ceiling. A darkened service tunnel wide enough for a sizeable vehicle leads off into darkness. In the corner next to an obscured doorway in the outward wall is a stack of boxes. To the right through a wide opening, you can enter the lab's Lobby. You can see a forklift here. >move boxes You move the boxes out of the way, revealing a hole in the wall. >put ati in hole You cram Ati's body into the hole. >put renardin in hole You cram Renardin's body into the hole. You hear shouting from the direction of the Lobby and decide to return to see what all the fuss is about. When you arrive, you see an agent from Homeland Security trapped on the other side of the turnstile. Her laser pistol is drawn, and as soon as you appear she points it at you and orders you to let her in. "A poisonous gas was just released from here!" she bellows. "Six are dead, and others have been rushed to a medical clinic!"" "A poisonous gas? From here?" You shake your head in feigned disbelief. "But this is a respectable research institution." "Respectable?" the agent snorts. "Maybe it once was, but that was before my time. I've been stationed in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza for a few monthstretches now and the only thing this place has ever produced is a bad smell." The agent's eyes suddenly narrow. "Are you trying to impede my investigation? Let me in at once!" >put silia in hole Can't do it. >f The agent's mouth drops open, and she freezes. "You're trying to run away, aren't you?" she breathes. "George Walker! A real traitor! My first one!" Then she shakes herself from her stupor and nobly performs the duty expected of her. She draws her laser pistol and fires. The first few bolts miss, but eventually one finds its mark. "Got her!" the agent reports proudly into the communications device implanted near her wrist. Later on, back at the Homeland Security neighborhood substation where she is headquartered, her colleagues award her the customary gift box containing little bottles of Blue Fixx and tins of Algatine. *** You are leaking from too many holes to continue. *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > restore Ok. >f Depot This narrow, cramped space is where Research Lab A-U61 accepts and stores deliveries. It is sparsely lit by a single lightbulb dangling from the ceiling. A darkened service tunnel wide enough for a sizeable vehicle leads off into darkness. In the corner next to an obscured doorway in the outward wall is a stack of boxes. To the right through a wide opening, you can enter the lab's Lobby. You can see a forklift here. >get in forklift You get into the forklift. >r You push a small joystick in the desired direction, and the forklift plods off. When you arrive, you load the bodies present onto the prongs of the forklift, saving a great deal of time. Lobby (in the forklift) This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist, which is wearing a shiny black helmet. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. >pick up bodies Renardin's body: It's too heavy. Silia's body: It's too heavy. Ati's body: It's too heavy. >use forklift to pick up bodies I only understood you as far as wanting to use the forklift. >move bodies with forklift Can't do it. >scoop bodies Can't do it. >lift bodies Can't do it. >hint (If you're using a screen reader, press S to turn on Screen Reader mode. This message only appears on the front page of the menu system.) 1. New to Interactive Fiction 2. New to Nothing Could Be Further From the Truth 3. New to the Bunker 4. Credits 5. Hints (Hints) 1. What's going on? 2. I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape? 3. Can I get an Epsilon security clearance in this game? 4. Can I get a Delta security clearance in this game? 5. Every time I smell, I sneeze. 6. What is the zorgot? 7. The security camera keeps blasting me for no reason. 8. A search and extraction team or two thugs or a tall, gangly man show up and end the game. 9. Lobby 0. Elsewhere in the Research Lab A. Restricted Research Lab B. Plaza C. Control D. The underground E. Waste of space F. Accusing someone (Hints - Lobby) 1. The invisibility cloak 2. There's something I need to get rid of. (Hints - Lobby - The invisibility cloak) 1. I am hiding behind the desk. How do I get to the plaza? 2. I keep getting poisoned (Hints - Lobby - The invisibility cloak - I keep getting poisoned) Press H to reveal the first hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Lobby - The invisibility cloak - I keep getting poisoned) 1/6: Now that you're in the capsule, you have noticed the yellow gas, but the scientists have not. Leaving is not an option. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Lobby - The invisibility cloak - I keep getting poisoned) 1/6: Now that you're in the capsule, you have noticed the yellow gas, but the scientists have not. Leaving is not an option. 2/6: If only you could prevent the gas from seeping in. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Lobby - The invisibility cloak - I keep getting poisoned) 1/6: Now that you're in the capsule, you have noticed the yellow gas, but the scientists have not. Leaving is not an option. 2/6: If only you could prevent the gas from seeping in. 3/6: What about that pane over the opening? Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Lobby - The invisibility cloak - I keep getting poisoned) 1/6: Now that you're in the capsule, you have noticed the yellow gas, but the scientists have not. Leaving is not an option. 2/6: If only you could prevent the gas from seeping in. 3/6: What about that pane over the opening? 4/6: Slide the pane. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Lobby - The invisibility cloak - I keep getting poisoned) 1/6: Now that you're in the capsule, you have noticed the yellow gas, but the scientists have not. Leaving is not an option. 2/6: If only you could prevent the gas from seeping in. 3/6: What about that pane over the opening? 4/6: Slide the pane. 5/6: Now the capsule is dissolving? Leaving is still not an option. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Lobby - The invisibility cloak - I keep getting poisoned) 1/6: Now that you're in the capsule, you have noticed the yellow gas, but the scientists have not. Leaving is not an option. 2/6: If only you could prevent the gas from seeping in. 3/6: What about that pane over the opening? 4/6: Slide the pane. 5/6: Now the capsule is dissolving? Leaving is still not an option. 6/6: Better just cross your fingers and wait. (You have revealed all the hints on this page.) ------------------------ (Hints - Lobby - The invisibility cloak) 1. I am hiding behind the desk. How do I get to the plaza? 2. I keep getting poisoned (Hints - Lobby) 1. The invisibility cloak 2. There's something I need to get rid of. (Hints - Lobby - There's something I need to get rid of.) 1. The agent from Homeland Security keeps shooting me. 2. Where is a suitable place to hide the bodies? 3. I know what I have to do, but there's not enough time before I am caught. (Hints - Lobby - There's something I need to get rid of. - Where is a suitable place to hide the bodies?) Press H to reveal the first hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Lobby - There's something I need to get rid of. - Where is a suitable place to hide the bodies?) 1/6: A secret place. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Lobby - There's something I need to get rid of. - Where is a suitable place to hide the bodies?) 1/6: A secret place. 2/6: A place not far from the Lobby. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Lobby - There's something I need to get rid of. - Where is a suitable place to hide the bodies?) 1/6: A secret place. 2/6: A place not far from the Lobby. 3/6: Have you checked out the Depot? Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Lobby - There's something I need to get rid of. - Where is a suitable place to hide the bodies?) 1/6: A secret place. 2/6: A place not far from the Lobby. 3/6: Have you checked out the Depot? 4/6: Have you examined the boxes in the Depot? Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Lobby - There's something I need to get rid of. - Where is a suitable place to hide the bodies?) 1/6: A secret place. 2/6: A place not far from the Lobby. 3/6: Have you checked out the Depot? 4/6: Have you examined the boxes in the Depot? 5/6: You can put the bodies in that hole you revealed. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Lobby - There's something I need to get rid of. - Where is a suitable place to hide the bodies?) 1/6: A secret place. 2/6: A place not far from the Lobby. 3/6: Have you checked out the Depot? 4/6: Have you examined the boxes in the Depot? 5/6: You can put the bodies in that hole you revealed. 6/6: Oh yeah, and make sure you move the boxes back. (You have revealed all the hints on this page.) ------------------------ (Hints - Lobby - There's something I need to get rid of.) 1. The agent from Homeland Security keeps shooting me. 2. Where is a suitable place to hide the bodies? 3. I know what I have to do, but there's not enough time before I am caught. (Hints - Lobby - There's something I need to get rid of. - I know what I have to do, but there's not enough time before I am caught.) Press H to reveal the first hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Lobby - There's something I need to get rid of. - I know what I have to do, but there's not enough time before I am caught.) 1/4: The process of dragging each body and putting it in the secret place takes too long. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Lobby - There's something I need to get rid of. - I know what I have to do, but there's not enough time before I am caught.) 1/4: The process of dragging each body and putting it in the secret place takes too long. 2/4: Look for a shortcut. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Lobby - There's something I need to get rid of. - I know what I have to do, but there's not enough time before I am caught.) 1/4: The process of dragging each body and putting it in the secret place takes too long. 2/4: Look for a shortcut. 3/4: Did you notice the handy forklift? Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Lobby - There's something I need to get rid of. - I know what I have to do, but there's not enough time before I am caught.) 1/4: The process of dragging each body and putting it in the secret place takes too long. 2/4: Look for a shortcut. 3/4: Did you notice the handy forklift? 4/4: Get in the forklift and go to the Lobby. The bodies will be automatically loaded up for you. Drive it back. Now have saved enough time to accomplish your goal. (You have revealed all the hints on this page.) ------------------------ (Hints - Lobby - There's something I need to get rid of.) 1. The agent from Homeland Security keeps shooting me. 2. Where is a suitable place to hide the bodies? 3. I know what I have to do, but there's not enough time before I am caught. (Hints - Lobby) 1. The invisibility cloak 2. There's something I need to get rid of. (Hints) 1. What's going on? 2. I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape? 3. Can I get an Epsilon security clearance in this game? 4. Can I get a Delta security clearance in this game? 5. Every time I smell, I sneeze. 6. What is the zorgot? 7. The security camera keeps blasting me for no reason. 8. A search and extraction team or two thugs or a tall, gangly man show up and end the game. 9. Lobby 0. Elsewhere in the Research Lab A. Restricted Research Lab B. Plaza C. Control D. The underground E. Waste of space F. Accusing someone (If you're using a screen reader, press S to turn on Screen Reader mode. This message only appears on the front page of the menu system.) 1. New to Interactive Fiction 2. New to Nothing Could Be Further From the Truth 3. New to the Bunker 4. Credits 5. Hints Lobby (in the forklift) This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist, which is wearing a shiny black helmet. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. >i You're carrying (in plain sight): your PA your Card the feather duster You're wearing: your boots your jumpsuit bunny ears >* hits says bodies autoloaded, no indication? >HITS SAYS BODIES AUTOLOADED , NO INDICATION You will need to be more specific. Try typing LOOK to get a description of your surroundings. To stop these messages entirely, type NOVICE OFF. >*hint >HINT (If you're using a screen reader, press S to turn on Screen Reader mode. This message only appears on the front page of the menu system.) 1. New to Interactive Fiction 2. New to Nothing Could Be Further From the Truth 3. New to the Bunker 4. Credits 5. Hints Lobby (in the forklift) This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist, which is wearing a shiny black helmet. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. >f You push a small joystick in the desired direction, and the forklift plods off. Depot (in the forklift) This narrow, cramped space is where Research Lab A-U61 accepts and stores deliveries. It is sparsely lit by a single lightbulb dangling from the ceiling. A darkened service tunnel wide enough for a sizeable vehicle leads off into darkness. In the corner next to an obscured doorway in the outward wall is a stack of boxes. To the right through a wide opening, you can enter the lab's Lobby. >get out You get out of the forklift. Depot This narrow, cramped space is where Research Lab A-U61 accepts and stores deliveries. It is sparsely lit by a single lightbulb dangling from the ceiling. A darkened service tunnel wide enough for a sizeable vehicle leads off into darkness. In the corner next to an obscured doorway in the outward wall is a stack of boxes. To the right through a wide opening, you can enter the lab's Lobby. You can see a forklift here. >x forklift This movepod consists of a trackbed topped by a cab large enough for a single person. Thick, durable prongs for lifting heavy objects protrude from the front below a broken set of headlights. The forklift is battery-powered and easy to operate. Once inside, just indicate a direction to go in. On the prongs of the forklift you see Ati's body, Silia's body and Renardin's body, hands and legs dangling limply. >* ok, did not notice they were loaded! >OK , DID NOT NOTICE THEY WERE LOADED Keep your unfounded optimism to yourself. That's not a verb I recognise. >get out of forklift But you aren't on the forklift at the moment. >move boxes You move the boxes out of the way, revealing a hole in the wall. >put bodies in hole Renardin's body: You cram Renardin's body into the hole. Silia's body: You cram Silia's body into the hole. Ati's body: You cram Ati's body into the hole. Now that the bodies have been taken care of, you move the boxes back to their original position. Then you take a stretch to calm your nerves and ensure the room looks undisturbed. You hear shouting from the direction of the Lobby and decide to return to see what all the fuss is about. When you arrive, you see an agent from Homeland Security trapped on the other side of the turnstile. Her laser pistol is drawn, and as soon as you appear she points it at you and orders you to let her in. "A poisonous gas was just released from here!" she bellows. "Six are dead, and others have been rushed to a medical clinic!"" "A poisonous gas? From here?" You shake your head in feigned disbelief. "But this is a respectable research institution." "Respectable?" the agent snorts. "Maybe it once was, but that was before my time. I've been stationed in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza for a few monthstretches now and the only thing this place has ever produced is a bad smell." The agent's eyes suddenly narrow. "Are you trying to impede my investigation? Let me in at once!" >press green button The agent from Homeland Security pushes through the turnstile and starts to poke around. From the authoritative way she navigates the no-clearance areas of Research Lab A-U61, you assume she's been here before. You trail along behind her as she goes about her work. She lingers by the heavy, metal door and peers through the tiny window, but that's all. The stack of boxes in the depot go happily unnoticed. It is there that she finally confronts you. "Okay, where is everyone?" You calmly explain that you are just a simple dust maid and have no insights into the business of the esteemed scientists who work here. "Esteemed?" snorts the agent from Homeland Security. "Past their prime is more like it." She studies you a stretch longer. "Well, there's no doubt that poison gas came from this research lab. Dust bunny or not, you're the only one here. So don't plan on going anywhere any time soon! You're the number one suspect." With that, the agent from Homeland Security dashes off to the Tucker M. Carlson plaza. Congratulations! You are still alive! But now what? >save Ok. >f You can't go that way. >l Depot This narrow, cramped space is where Research Lab A-U61 accepts and stores deliveries. It is sparsely lit by a single lightbulb dangling from the ceiling. A darkened service tunnel wide enough for a sizeable vehicle leads off into darkness. In the corner next to an obscured doorway in the outward wall is a stack of boxes. To the right through a wide opening, you can enter the lab's Lobby. You can see a forklift here. >move boxes You move the boxes out of the way, revealing a hole in the wall. >search ati Can't do it. >x hole The hole in the wall is quite wide, providing more than enough room to scramble through. Through it, you catch a whiff of something sweet. Strange, where did all those bodies go? >get in hole You crawl through the hole and make it to the other side. Your sudden arrival appears to upset the room's occupants. The one with the staff deftly swings it at your head and knocks you unconscious. When you come to, you find yourself on your knees with your head above a tub of murky water. You are not alone. Out the corner of your eye, you catch a glimpse of an audience seated in folding chairs behind you. A man in a red robe stands nearby, leading some kind of service. Someone's hand is holding you firmly by the neck. "O Lord," intones the strangely clad man, "we offer our thanks that You have provided us - Your pitiful flock - with life, free choice and an abundance of weapons. Congregation, let us pray." Together, they chant: "Eway askay orfay Ouryay essingblay asay eway indlykay anday entlygay ashway awayay ethay inssay ofay isthay intruderay. Amen." At that, your head is pushed into the tub and held there for quite some time. Longer than you can hold your breath, at any rate. *** You have died. *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > restore Ok. >search ati You pat down Ati's body and find Ati's Card and lab office chip key. You hear muffled screams and the sound of running outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza, beyond the revolving door. >search silia You pat down Silia's body and find Silia's Card. You hear muffled screams and the sound of running outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza, beyond the revolving door. >search ren Can't do it. >l Lobby The Lobby of Research Lab A-U61 is a large, unimpeded space fit for receiving workers and important guests alike. After all, the lab's clients are drawn from a rich and diverse pool of citizens: the owners of private firms seeking a leg up on a competitor, ambitious managers embedded in the sprawling conglomerates, and sometimes high-clearance citizens whose identities and projects are cloaked in secrecy. You imagine that even Alpha clearance citizens over at Control - the highest and most important of the Bunker's conglomerates - sometimes call upon the brave scientists of Research Lab A-U61 to aid them in the long struggle against the terrorist threat. This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist, which is wearing a shiny black helmet. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. You can see Renardin's body, Silia's body and Ati's body here. >search renardin You pat down Renardin's body and find Renardin's Card and rubber gloves. You hear muffled screams and the sound of running outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza, beyond the revolving door. >f Depot This narrow, cramped space is where Research Lab A-U61 accepts and stores deliveries. It is sparsely lit by a single lightbulb dangling from the ceiling. A darkened service tunnel wide enough for a sizeable vehicle leads off into darkness. In the corner next to an obscured doorway in the outward wall is a stack of boxes. To the right through a wide opening, you can enter the lab's Lobby. You can see a forklift here. >get in forklift You get into the forklift. >r You push a small joystick in the desired direction, and the forklift plods off. When you arrive, you load the bodies present onto the prongs of the forklift, saving a great deal of time. Lobby (in the forklift) This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist, which is wearing a shiny black helmet. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. >f You push a small joystick in the desired direction, and the forklift plods off. Depot (in the forklift) This narrow, cramped space is where Research Lab A-U61 accepts and stores deliveries. It is sparsely lit by a single lightbulb dangling from the ceiling. A darkened service tunnel wide enough for a sizeable vehicle leads off into darkness. In the corner next to an obscured doorway in the outward wall is a stack of boxes. To the right through a wide opening, you can enter the lab's Lobby. >get out You get out of the forklift. Depot This narrow, cramped space is where Research Lab A-U61 accepts and stores deliveries. It is sparsely lit by a single lightbulb dangling from the ceiling. A darkened service tunnel wide enough for a sizeable vehicle leads off into darkness. In the corner next to an obscured doorway in the outward wall is a stack of boxes. To the right through a wide opening, you can enter the lab's Lobby. You can see a forklift here. >move boxes You move the boxes out of the way, revealing a hole in the wall. >put bodies in hole Renardin's body: You cram Renardin's body into the hole. Silia's body: You cram Silia's body into the hole. Ati's body: You cram Ati's body into the hole. Now that the bodies have been taken care of, you move the boxes back to their original position. Then you take a stretch to calm your nerves and ensure the room looks undisturbed. You hear shouting from the direction of the Lobby and decide to return to see what all the fuss is about. When you arrive, you see an agent from Homeland Security trapped on the other side of the turnstile. Her laser pistol is drawn, and as soon as you appear she points it at you and orders you to let her in. "A poisonous gas was just released from here!" she bellows. "Six are dead, and others have been rushed to a medical clinic!"" "A poisonous gas? From here?" You shake your head in feigned disbelief. "But this is a respectable research institution." "Respectable?" the agent snorts. "Maybe it once was, but that was before my time. I've been stationed in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza for a few monthstretches now and the only thing this place has ever produced is a bad smell." The agent's eyes suddenly narrow. "Are you trying to impede my investigation? Let me in at once!" >press green button The agent from Homeland Security pushes through the turnstile and starts to poke around. From the authoritative way she navigates the no-clearance areas of Research Lab A-U61, you assume she's been here before. You trail along behind her as she goes about her work. She lingers by the heavy, metal door and peers through the tiny window, but that's all. The stack of boxes in the depot go happily unnoticed. It is there that she finally confronts you. "Okay, where is everyone?" You calmly explain that you are just a simple dust maid and have no insights into the business of the esteemed scientists who work here. "Esteemed?" snorts the agent from Homeland Security. "Past their prime is more like it." She studies you a stretch longer. "Well, there's no doubt that poison gas came from this research lab. Dust bunny or not, you're the only one here. So don't plan on going anywhere any time soon! You're the number one suspect." With that, the agent from Homeland Security dashes off to the Tucker M. Carlson plaza. Congratulations! You are still alive! But now what? >i You're carrying (in plain sight): some rubber gloves Renardin's Card Silia's Card the lab office chip key Ati's Card your PA your Card the feather duster You're wearing: your boots your jumpsuit bunny ears >x renardin's card Renardin's Card contains 150 credits. >x silia's card Silia's Card contains 175 credits. >x ati's card Ati's Card contains 1000 credits. >x chip key A square microchip embedded in a small plastex wedge, chip keys are generally attuned to a single door. Simply possessing the chip key will allow the bearer to pass through it. Which door, however, is not apparent. >x gloves Thick and sturdy, they are every scientist's trusty companion, as they provide protection from a variety of substances dangerous to the touch. >l Depot This narrow, cramped space is where Research Lab A-U61 accepts and stores deliveries. It is sparsely lit by a single lightbulb dangling from the ceiling. A darkened service tunnel wide enough for a sizeable vehicle leads off into darkness. In the corner next to an obscured doorway in the outward wall is a stack of boxes. To the right through a wide opening, you can enter the lab's Lobby. You can see a forklift here. >move boxes You move the boxes out of the way, revealing a hole in the wall. >x hole The hole in the wall is quite wide, providing more than enough room to scramble through. Through it, you catch a whiff of something sweet. Strange, where did all those bodies go? >move boxes You move the boxes back into their original position, obscuring the hole in the wall. >l Depot This narrow, cramped space is where Research Lab A-U61 accepts and stores deliveries. It is sparsely lit by a single lightbulb dangling from the ceiling. A darkened service tunnel wide enough for a sizeable vehicle leads off into darkness. In the corner next to an obscured doorway in the outward wall is a stack of boxes. To the right through a wide opening, you can enter the lab's Lobby. You can see a forklift here. >ow Dev 1 This is Dev 1, one of the main developmental areas in Research Lab A-U61. Here, the lab's scientists work on more substantial projects: industrial machinery, movepods, lifts and the like. During your regular shifts as a dust maid, you've sometimes spotted one or two lonely researchers in the center of the room, struggling with large and unwieldy tools. The noise can be horrific. Today, however, there is no one; it is perfectly silent, and the workspace is mostly devoid of equipment. A shallow depression in the center dominates this room. Above it, a crane protrudes from the ceiling. Hanging nearby from a thick wire that leads into the wall is a controller. On one wall hangs a whiteboard. Otherwise, this area is sparse. This place has a strange smell, and splotches of grime and corrosion can be seen on the walls and ceiling. Both are no doubt remnants of spectacularly promising experiments. A squat opening leads outward, and a doorway obscured by a thick, black curtain leads inward. The wall to the right is made entirely of glass, on the other side of which is the research lab's main hallway. It is accessible through an almost invisible door. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >x depression A circular area that prevents unwanted movement of machinery the scientists are working on. The floor of the depression is currently raised. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >x crane Through a small hole in the wall hangs a thick chain. At its end is a large hook. The crane is currently raised. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >x whiteboard The whiteboard is a large, rectangular touchscreen used primarily for drawing, although it can also act as a vidscreen for conferencing. On it, the lab's scientists work out complex problems amid heated discussion. Someone must have cleared the whiteboard before exiting the lab, because there is nothing on it. Or so you thought at first glance. In the corner, however, you see some doodling. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >x doodling The doodling appears to be some kind of technical drawing. You stare at it a few long stretches and scratch your head. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >x drawing Can't do it. >l Dev 1 A shallow depression in the center dominates this room. Above it, a crane protrudes from the ceiling. Hanging nearby from a thick wire that leads into the wall is a controller. On one wall hangs a whiteboard. Otherwise, this area is sparse. This place has a strange smell, and splotches of grime and corrosion can be seen on the walls and ceiling. Both are no doubt remnants of spectacularly promising experiments. A squat opening leads outward, and a doorway obscured by a thick, black curtain leads inward. The wall to the right is made entirely of glass, on the other side of which is the research lab's main hallway. It is accessible through an almost invisible door. >x controller A heavy, rectangular hunk of plastex that's charred in places, it is attached to a wire that runs into the wall near the shallow depression. A large switch is in the center. The large switch is up. Above it is a button (the top button) and below it is an identical one (the bottom button). Turning it around to the back, you can see an iron plate. A thin, oblong piece about half the length of your pinky is missing. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >x plate A heavy, rectangular hunk of plastex that's charred in places, it is attached to a wire that runs into the wall near the shallow depression. A large switch is in the center. The large switch is up. Above it is a button (the top button) and below it is an identical one (the bottom button). Turning it around to the back, you can see an iron plate. A thin, oblong piece about half the length of your pinky is missing. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >flip switch The large switch snaps right back as soon as you let it go. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >press top button Nothing happens. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >press bottom buttion Can't do it. >press bottom button Nothing happens. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >x gap Can't do it. >x missing piece I only understood the first part of that-- trying anyway. Retrying as: >X MISSING Type UNDO if this isn't what you wanted to do, or CORRECT OFF to stop automatically correcting commands. To stop these messages entirely, type NOVICE OFF. Can't do it. >x hook Through a small hole in the wall hangs a thick chain. At its end is a large hook. The crane is currently raised. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >l Dev 1 A shallow depression in the center dominates this room. Above it, a crane protrudes from the ceiling. Hanging nearby from a thick wire that leads into the wall is a controller. On one wall hangs a whiteboard. Otherwise, this area is sparse. This place has a strange smell, and splotches of grime and corrosion can be seen on the walls and ceiling. Both are no doubt remnants of spectacularly promising experiments. A squat opening leads outward, and a doorway obscured by a thick, black curtain leads inward. The wall to the right is made entirely of glass, on the other side of which is the research lab's main hallway. It is accessible through an almost invisible door. >ow Darkened Passage You find yourself in a small, uninteresting passage with no light source of its own. To your right is a door. You can also continue inward through a squat opening or outward through a narrow opening. >ow Dev 3 This is Dev 3, one of the main developmental areas in Research Lab A-U61. The researchers who toil here specialize in smaller - but certainly no less important - hardware than their colleagues in Dev 1. When researchers are present, they are usually hunched over the workstations, manipulators busily poking at whatever is lying on them, and the floor littered with discarded parts. Now, however, much of the equipment has been stowed away. Some of the researchers - and most certainly the former lab director, Atikurrahman Vosh - have a security clearance. You've seen them come and go through that metal door out in the hallway. No one is born with a security clearance, and everyone is eligible for one. According to the vidshows on the tube, the best way to get a security clearance is to demonstrate loyalty to the Bunker through daring acts of courage. Recording traitors on your PA and submitting the feed to Homeland Security is one example. Sometimes a simple accusation is enough, especially if the evidence is self-evident. But the truth is that you've never once encountered a terrorist. And frankly, you'd like to keep it that way. Four workstations have been arranged in a square in the center of this room, basking in the bright light from the glow panels. Nestled between them is a bank of manipulators. What appear to be controls for the manipulators have been built onto the surface of each workstation. On one of the workstations is a zorgot. Through a glass wall to the right, you see a hallway. A door has been cut into the glass. Set in the middle of the inward wall is a narrow opening. You can see a sturdy locker here. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >what is a zorgot The information you are requesting is not available at your security clearance. >get zorgot Taken. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >x zorgot This is an oblong, electronic device that can be held in one hand. You have no idea what it does. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >x locker You see nothing special about the sturdy locker. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >open locker You open the sturdy locker, revealing a new IC chip. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >get chip (the new IC chip) Taken. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >r (first opening the glass door) The glass door swings shut behind you. Lab Hallway Outward You are standing at one end of a short, bare hallway lit by glow panels. The left wall is made entirely of glass. Through it you can see into Dev 3. Normally, a few researchers can be seen toiling within, but now it is strangely empty. To the left a door has been cut into the glass. Another door is to your right. A smart sign is affixed to it. Outward is a third door made entirely of metal. Inward, the corridor continues towards the Lobby. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >r (first opening the office door) The lock is activated by the chip key, and you hear a slight rasping noise from the door. Ah, a rare moment of cherished privacy away from prying eyes... You hear a slight click after the door swings shut. Lab Director's Office You are in the lab director's office. Looking around, you can see that the previous lab director had little if any personality. Framed by bare, white walls, the room prominently features a shallow, curved desk. Behind the desk tucked against the wall is a heavy, metal safe. The room is dimly lit by a single glow panel near the ceiling; the others appear to be out of service. Outward is a door leading to the research lab's main corridor. You can see the lab director's chair here. >x desk The desk is bare of any personal effects. A concave, monochrome screen protrudes from one corner. Embedded in the surface is a keyboard. Parked in front of the keyboard is a comfortable-looking chair. >x screen The screen is black. >x chair The lab director's chair is empty. >search desk You search the desk thoroughly but do not find any button or switch to activate the screen, nor are there any documents. >l Lab Director's Office You are in the lab director's office. Looking around, you can see that the previous lab director had little if any personality. Framed by bare, white walls, the room prominently features a shallow, curved desk. Behind the desk tucked against the wall is a heavy, metal safe. The room is dimly lit by a single glow panel near the ceiling; the others appear to be out of service. Outward is a door leading to the research lab's main corridor. You can see the lab director's chair here. >look under chair You find nothing of interest. >sit in chair You get into the lab director's chair. The keyboard lights up, and the monochrome screen flickers. Writing appears. The screen is divided into a number of panes governed by a convoluted menuing system. Inside the panes is an array of simple widgets - dials, meters, read-outs and the like - all of which pertain to some section of the lab. You quickly scan the labels and textual data and find yourself lost in a thicket of technical mumbo-jumbo, none of which makes sense to you. However, you do manage to work out a few simple actions which you could execute without any assistance. __________________________________________ | | 1. Toggle Refrigeration Unit door lock | 2. Toggle Refrigeration Unit ventilation | 3. Retrieve financial records | 4. Activate God's Holy Wrath __________________________________________ >3 You hesitate to involve yourself in the research lab's financial affairs without good reason. >3 You hesitate to involve yourself in the research lab's financial affairs without good reason. >1 Done. >2 Done. >get up The monochrome screen winks out. The light around the keyboard dims and fades out. You get out of the lab director's chair. Lab Director's Office You are in the lab director's office. Looking around, you can see that the previous lab director had little if any personality. Framed by bare, white walls, the room prominently features a shallow, curved desk. Behind the desk tucked against the wall is a heavy, metal safe. The room is dimly lit by a single glow panel near the ceiling; the others appear to be out of service. Outward is a door leading to the research lab's main corridor. You can see the lab director's chair here. >f You can't go that way. >ow (first opening the office door) The lock is activated by the chip key, and you hear a slight rasping noise from the door. You hear a slight click after the door swings shut. Lab Hallway Outward You are standing at one end of a short, bare hallway lit by glow panels. The left wall is made entirely of glass. Through it you can see into Dev 3. Normally, a few researchers can be seen toiling within, but now it is strangely empty. To the left a door has been cut into the glass. Another door is to your right. A smart sign is affixed to it. Outward is a third door made entirely of metal. Inward, the corridor continues towards the Lobby. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It seems to have taken a special interest in you. >iw Lab Hallway Center You are standing in the center of a bare hallway lit by glow panels. The wall to your left is made entirely of glass. Just out of reach above your head, a security camera relentlessly surveys the hallway and the areas visible through the glass wall. To the left, you can see the Refrigeration Unit. Across from it, to your right, is a plain door. The hallway continues both inward and outward. The laser cannon above the security camera unleashes a torrent of raw firepower at you. *** You have died. *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > undo Lab Hallway Outward [Previous turn undone.] >f (first opening the glass door) The glass door swings shut behind you. Dev 3 Four workstations have been arranged in a square in the center of this room, basking in the bright light from the glow panels. Nestled between them is a bank of manipulators. What appear to be controls for the manipulators have been built onto the surface of each workstation. Through a glass wall to the right, you see a hallway. A door has been cut into the glass. Set in the middle of the inward wall is a narrow opening. You can see a sturdy locker (empty) here. The laser cannon above the security camera unleashes a torrent of raw firepower at you. *** You have died. *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > undo Lab Hallway Outward [Previous turn undone.] >ow (first opening the metal door) It seems to be locked. The laser cannon above the security camera unleashes a torrent of raw firepower at you. *** You have died. *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > undo Lab Hallway Outward [Previous turn undone.] >l Lab Hallway Outward You are standing at one end of a short, bare hallway lit by glow panels. The left wall is made entirely of glass. Through it you can see into Dev 3. Normally, a few researchers can be seen toiling within, but now it is strangely empty. To the left a door has been cut into the glass. Another door is to your right. A smart sign is affixed to it. Outward is a third door made entirely of metal. Inward, the corridor continues towards the Lobby. >ow (first opening the metal door) It seems to be locked. The laser cannon above the security camera unleashes a torrent of raw firepower at you. *** You have died. *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > undo Lab Hallway Outward [Previous turn undone.] >x camera Security cameras are everywhere in the Bunker. They are another of the ways the boys and gals over at Control keep an eye on things. The single barrel of a laser cannon is perched above it, ready to blast traitors and social deviants into a fine, raining mist. A slit in the glass wall allows this security camera to pivot 360 degrees. You also notice that the walls of the developmental areas on the other side do not extend all the way to the ceiling, allowing the camera to peer inside. The laser cannon above the security camera unleashes a torrent of raw firepower at you. *** You have died. *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > undo Lab Hallway Outward [Previous turn undone.] >r (first opening the office door) The lock is activated by the chip key, and you hear a slight rasping noise from the door. You hear a slight click after the door swings shut. Lab Director's Office You are in the lab director's office. Looking around, you can see that the previous lab director had little if any personality. Framed by bare, white walls, the room prominently features a shallow, curved desk. Behind the desk tucked against the wall is a heavy, metal safe. The room is dimly lit by a single glow panel near the ceiling; the others appear to be out of service. Outward is a door leading to the research lab's main corridor. You can see the lab director's chair here. >sit in chair You get into the lab director's chair. The keyboard lights up, and the monochrome screen flickers. Writing appears. __________________________________________ | | 1. Toggle Refrigeration Unit door lock | 2. Toggle Refrigeration Unit ventilation | 3. Retrieve financial records | 4. Activate God's Holy Wrath __________________________________________ >1 Done. >get up The monochrome screen winks out. The light around the keyboard dims and fades out. You get out of the lab director's chair. Lab Director's Office You are in the lab director's office. Looking around, you can see that the previous lab director had little if any personality. Framed by bare, white walls, the room prominently features a shallow, curved desk. Behind the desk tucked against the wall is a heavy, metal safe. The room is dimly lit by a single glow panel near the ceiling; the others appear to be out of service. Outward is a door leading to the research lab's main corridor. You can see the lab director's chair here. >f You can't go that way. >ow (first opening the office door) The lock is activated by the chip key, and you hear a slight rasping noise from the door. You hear a slight click after the door swings shut. Lab Hallway Outward You are standing at one end of a short, bare hallway lit by glow panels. The left wall is made entirely of glass. Through it you can see into Dev 3. Normally, a few researchers can be seen toiling within, but now it is strangely empty. To the left a door has been cut into the glass. Another door is to your right. A smart sign is affixed to it. Outward is a third door made entirely of metal. Inward, the corridor continues towards the Lobby. You hear a great tumult in the distance, punctuated by a great deal of shouting. Your heart skips a beat when you realize it is headed your way. Before you can seize upon a suitable plan, however, a portion of the wall nearby is loudly incinerated. The air fills with dust and smoke, and an acrid smell assaults your nostrils. Shadows - men and women dressed in black - move about you, weapons drawn. You suspect they are looking for you. Quietly, slowly, you begin to withdraw, but that's when you encounter the angry mob that trailed them. They have no trouble locating you, throwing you to the ground, and tearing you limb from limb. *** You have died. *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > undo Lab Director's Office [Previous turn undone.] >open door The lock is activated by the chip key, and you hear a slight rasping noise from the door. You open the office door. You hear a great tumult in the distance, punctuated by a great deal of shouting. Your heart skips a beat when you realize it is headed your way. Before you can seize upon a suitable plan, however, a portion of the wall nearby is loudly incinerated. The air fills with dust and smoke, and an acrid smell assaults your nostrils. Shadows - men and women dressed in black - move about you, weapons drawn. You suspect they are looking for you. Quietly, slowly, you begin to withdraw, but that's when you encounter the angry mob that trailed them. They have no trouble locating you, throwing you to the ground, and tearing you limb from limb. *** You have died. *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > undo Lab Director's Office [Previous turn undone.] >sit You get into the lab director's chair. The keyboard lights up, and the monochrome screen flickers. Writing appears. __________________________________________ | | 1. Toggle Refrigeration Unit door lock | 2. Toggle Refrigeration Unit ventilation | 3. Retrieve financial records | 4. Activate God's Holy Wrath __________________________________________ >4 For some reason, the procedure will not commence. >get up The monochrome screen winks out. The light around the keyboard dims and fades out. You get out of the lab director's chair. Lab Director's Office You are in the lab director's office. Looking around, you can see that the previous lab director had little if any personality. Framed by bare, white walls, the room prominently features a shallow, curved desk. Behind the desk tucked against the wall is a heavy, metal safe. The room is dimly lit by a single glow panel near the ceiling; the others appear to be out of service. Outward is a door leading to the research lab's main corridor. You can see the lab director's chair here. >x safe The safe is square, squat and sturdy. Its surfaces are clean and smooth. After a quick examination, however, you notice that an imprint of a hand is visible on the side facing you. Written across the top in large block letters you see the words: IN CASE OF EMERGENCY OPEN. >open safe No doubt, the previous lab director's palm is the key to this lock. Unfortunately, you have no hope of ever retrieving it. Seriously. >turn off lights Can't do it. >z Time passes. >z Time passes. >z Time passes. >open door The lock is activated by the chip key, and you hear a slight rasping noise from the door. You open the office door. You hear a great tumult in the distance, punctuated by a great deal of shouting. Your heart skips a beat when you realize it is headed your way. Before you can seize upon a suitable plan, however, a portion of the wall nearby is loudly incinerated. The air fills with dust and smoke, and an acrid smell assaults your nostrils. Shadows - men and women dressed in black - move about you, weapons drawn. You suspect they are looking for you. Quietly, slowly, you begin to withdraw, but that's when you encounter the angry mob that trailed them. They have no trouble locating you, throwing you to the ground, and tearing you limb from limb. *** You have died. *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > undo Lab Director's Office [Previous turn undone.] >f You can't go that way. >r You can't go that way. >ow (first opening the office door) The lock is activated by the chip key, and you hear a slight rasping noise from the door. You hear a slight click after the door swings shut. Lab Hallway Outward You are standing at one end of a short, bare hallway lit by glow panels. The left wall is made entirely of glass. Through it you can see into Dev 3. Normally, a few researchers can be seen toiling within, but now it is strangely empty. To the left a door has been cut into the glass. Another door is to your right. A smart sign is affixed to it. Outward is a third door made entirely of metal. Inward, the corridor continues towards the Lobby. You hear a great tumult in the distance, punctuated by a great deal of shouting. Your heart skips a beat when you realize it is headed your way. Before you can seize upon a suitable plan, however, a portion of the wall nearby is loudly incinerated. The air fills with dust and smoke, and an acrid smell assaults your nostrils. Shadows - men and women dressed in black - move about you, weapons drawn. You suspect they are looking for you. Quietly, slowly, you begin to withdraw, but that's when you encounter the angry mob that trailed them. They have no trouble locating you, throwing you to the ground, and tearing you limb from limb. *** You have died. *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > restore Ok. >i You're carrying (in plain sight): your PA your Card the feather duster You're wearing: your boots your jumpsuit bunny ears >l Depot This narrow, cramped space is where Research Lab A-U61 accepts and stores deliveries. It is sparsely lit by a single lightbulb dangling from the ceiling. A darkened service tunnel wide enough for a sizeable vehicle leads off into darkness. In the corner next to an obscured doorway in the outward wall is a stack of boxes. To the right through a wide opening, you can enter the lab's Lobby. You can see a forklift here. >move boxes You move the boxes out of the way, revealing a hole in the wall. >x hole The hole in the wall is quite wide, providing more than enough room to scramble through. Through it, you catch a whiff of something sweet. Strange, where did all those bodies go? >restore Ok. >l Lobby The Lobby of Research Lab A-U61 is a large, unimpeded space fit for receiving workers and important guests alike. After all, the lab's clients are drawn from a rich and diverse pool of citizens: the owners of private firms seeking a leg up on a competitor, ambitious managers embedded in the sprawling conglomerates, and sometimes high-clearance citizens whose identities and projects are cloaked in secrecy. You imagine that even Alpha clearance citizens over at Control - the highest and most important of the Bunker's conglomerates - sometimes call upon the brave scientists of Research Lab A-U61 to aid them in the long struggle against the terrorist threat. This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist, which is wearing a shiny black helmet. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. You can see Renardin's body, Silia's body and Ati's body here. >search silia You pat down Silia's body and find Silia's Card. You hear muffled screams and the sound of running outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza, beyond the revolving door. >search ati You pat down Ati's body and find Ati's Card and lab office chip key. You hear muffled screams and the sound of running outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza, beyond the revolving door. >search renardin You pat down Renardin's body and find Renardin's Card and rubber gloves. You hear muffled screams and the sound of running outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza, beyond the revolving door. >f Depot This narrow, cramped space is where Research Lab A-U61 accepts and stores deliveries. It is sparsely lit by a single lightbulb dangling from the ceiling. A darkened service tunnel wide enough for a sizeable vehicle leads off into darkness. In the corner next to an obscured doorway in the outward wall is a stack of boxes. To the right through a wide opening, you can enter the lab's Lobby. You can see a forklift here. >get in forklift You get into the forklift. >r You push a small joystick in the desired direction, and the forklift plods off. When you arrive, you load the bodies present onto the prongs of the forklift, saving a great deal of time. Lobby (in the forklift) This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist, which is wearing a shiny black helmet. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. >f You push a small joystick in the desired direction, and the forklift plods off. Depot (in the forklift) This narrow, cramped space is where Research Lab A-U61 accepts and stores deliveries. It is sparsely lit by a single lightbulb dangling from the ceiling. A darkened service tunnel wide enough for a sizeable vehicle leads off into darkness. In the corner next to an obscured doorway in the outward wall is a stack of boxes. To the right through a wide opening, you can enter the lab's Lobby. >get out You get out of the forklift. Depot This narrow, cramped space is where Research Lab A-U61 accepts and stores deliveries. It is sparsely lit by a single lightbulb dangling from the ceiling. A darkened service tunnel wide enough for a sizeable vehicle leads off into darkness. In the corner next to an obscured doorway in the outward wall is a stack of boxes. To the right through a wide opening, you can enter the lab's Lobby. You can see a forklift here. >move boxes You move the boxes out of the way, revealing a hole in the wall. >put bodies in hole Renardin's body: You cram Renardin's body into the hole. Silia's body: You cram Silia's body into the hole. Ati's body: You cram Ati's body into the hole. Now that the bodies have been taken care of, you move the boxes back to their original position. Then you take a stretch to calm your nerves and ensure the room looks undisturbed. You hear shouting from the direction of the Lobby and decide to return to see what all the fuss is about. When you arrive, you see an agent from Homeland Security trapped on the other side of the turnstile. Her laser pistol is drawn, and as soon as you appear she points it at you and orders you to let her in. "A poisonous gas was just released from here!" she bellows. "Six are dead, and others have been rushed to a medical clinic!"" "A poisonous gas? From here?" You shake your head in feigned disbelief. "But this is a respectable research institution." "Respectable?" the agent snorts. "Maybe it once was, but that was before my time. I've been stationed in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza for a few monthstretches now and the only thing this place has ever produced is a bad smell." The agent's eyes suddenly narrow. "Are you trying to impede my investigation? Let me in at once!" >save Ok. >z Time passes. The agent from Homeland Security stomps her feet impatiently. "The button behind the receptionist's desk! Hurry!" >press green button The agent from Homeland Security pushes through the turnstile and starts to poke around. From the authoritative way she navigates the no-clearance areas of Research Lab A-U61, you assume she's been here before. You trail along behind her as she goes about her work. She lingers by the heavy, metal door and peers through the tiny window, but that's all. The stack of boxes in the depot go happily unnoticed. It is there that she finally confronts you. "Okay, where is everyone?" You calmly explain that you are just a simple dust maid and have no insights into the business of the esteemed scientists who work here. "Esteemed?" snorts the agent from Homeland Security. "Past their prime is more like it." She studies you a stretch longer. "Well, there's no doubt that poison gas came from this research lab. Dust bunny or not, you're the only one here. So don't plan on going anywhere any time soon! You're the number one suspect." With that, the agent from Homeland Security dashes off to the Tucker M. Carlson plaza. Congratulations! You are still alive! But now what? >restore Ok. >i You're carrying (in plain sight): some rubber gloves Renardin's Card the lab office chip key Ati's Card Silia's Card your PA your Card the feather duster You're wearing: your boots your jumpsuit bunny ears >press green button The agent from Homeland Security pushes through the turnstile and starts to poke around. From the authoritative way she navigates the no-clearance areas of Research Lab A-U61, you assume she's been here before. You trail along behind her as she goes about her work. She lingers by the heavy, metal door and peers through the tiny window, but that's all. The stack of boxes in the depot go happily unnoticed. It is there that she finally confronts you. "Okay, where is everyone?" You calmly explain that you are just a simple dust maid and have no insights into the business of the esteemed scientists who work here. "Esteemed?" snorts the agent from Homeland Security. "Past their prime is more like it." She studies you a stretch longer. "Well, there's no doubt that poison gas came from this research lab. Dust bunny or not, you're the only one here. So don't plan on going anywhere any time soon! You're the number one suspect." With that, the agent from Homeland Security dashes off to the Tucker M. Carlson plaza. Congratulations! You are still alive! But now what? >l Depot This narrow, cramped space is where Research Lab A-U61 accepts and stores deliveries. It is sparsely lit by a single lightbulb dangling from the ceiling. A darkened service tunnel wide enough for a sizeable vehicle leads off into darkness. In the corner next to an obscured doorway in the outward wall is a stack of boxes. To the right through a wide opening, you can enter the lab's Lobby. You can see a forklift here. >r The Loyalty Stretch catches your attention on the tube. You see the words at the top of the screen: HARMONY THREATENED IN W-8 SECTOR. "Earlier today, the power in W-8, W-9, and W-12 sectors was briefly taken offline for regularly scheduled maintenance," Sally informs you. "A routine and mundane occurence, hardly worthy of mention. Unfortunately, rumors - entirely unfounded - quickly spread that the reactor core in W sector was spewing radiation into the aforementioned departments. "Citizens, nothing could be further from the truth. Not that it matters. Need I remind you that - as we all know from Nutty the Happy Neutron's constant rejoinders - radiation in moderate doses is entirely harmless?" Sally purses her lips in silent admonition. "As could be expected, the power was back online within hourstretches and no one was hurt. Remember: traitors can attack our hearts and minds as well as our bodies. Don't become an accomplice and spread dangerous rumors, or you'll be treated accordingly." Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist, which is wearing a shiny black helmet. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. The lobby smart sign has been updated. A small light on the temple of the shiny black helmet is flashing. >read sign Ah, a smart sign! The first prototype was developed right here in Research Lab A-U61, and the lab even received an award for it. From what you understand, each smart sign is bestowed with an intelligence specific to its purpose. It is somehow able to deduce its contents directly from its environment - without human interference. Naturally, the advent of the smart sign was hailed as an important technological advancement. Unfortunately, the smart sign's creator - this was long before your time working at the lab - was subsequently accused of treason and arrested. From what you've heard, a cache of laser rifles was found in a yellow buspod (full of Wards of the State, no less) abandoned on the side of the transtube. The sleuths back at Homeland Security eventually traced it back to her. She adamantly denied any association with the contraband, but the proof was incontrovertible. Anyway, it was a messy, public affair, and her treason inevitably sullied her invention. No factory would produce it, and the smart sign was destined for oblivion. Except in Research Lab A-U61. After all, scientists are practical people. It says: "Incoming call... please respond". A small light on the temple of the shiny black helmet is flashing. >get helmet Taken. A small light on the temple of the shiny black helmet is flashing. >put on helmet The shiny black helmet fits easily onto your head, and the visor slips over your eyes. You are instantly transported to a strange, virtual world. All around you is a grey emptiness. The only thing here is a shadowy figure suspended above you. It appears to be sitting, although on what is not apparent. It was impatiently thrumming an invisible surface but ceases upon your arrival. "Ah!" comes a male voice from somewhere behind you. "Finally!" The figure sits back and relaxes. "Now I can release the lock on the revolving door in the Lobby. A necessary inconvenience to ensure you answered our call." You open your mouth to speak, but the shadowy figure cuts you off. "There's no time for your stupid questions or insipid observations! "I am Asimov. That is what you can call me." The shadowy figure pauses, and you have the distinct impression he is squinting at you. It slaps its head, and a dull, metallic sound rings out. "Hmmm, these things need more work." Then more clearly: "You have come to our attention, Oliva Mirram! Who are we? As if there could be any doubt. We are Area 51." The Underground! Here, so close to the research lab? So close to the Tucker M. Carlson plaza? It's almost impossible to believe. The Underground - as everyone who watches the Loyalty Stretch on the tube knows - is a patchwork of criminal gangs united solely by their enmity to the Bunker. "Do not be alarmed! This line of communication is safe. Now listen carefully! I will only say this once. As you know, our members are dedicated to the advancement of Science and the use of its tools to overthrow the evil grip of Control over humanity. A noble goal indeed. And one which, I am sure, you share. If you follow my instructions and fulfill the duties assigned to you, you, Oliva Mirram, might even be extended the privilege of joining us! "Why have we reached out to you? As the sole remaining occupant of Research Lab A-U61 A-8 sector, you - Oliva Mirram! - are uniquely positioned to aid us in a longstanding and troublesome predicament. And as a lover of Science - as I am sure you are - you'll be very happy to do so. "The task? Nothing short of saving Research Lab A-U61! You see, the ex-lab director" - Asimov pauses to curse under his breath - "was an agent of that nefarious criminal organization, the God and Feedom Church! An enemy to Science if there ever was one. This despicable man worked from the inside to undermine the research lab. He sabotaged its projects and siphoned off its resources for use by the Church. Fortunately, he has self-destructed. But his accomplices remain. "You have already discovered the secret passage in the depot. It leads to a hidden place where a cell of the lowly God and Freedom Church meets in secret. Your mission, Oliva, is to destroy this cell. Are you prepared to accept this task?" The shadowy figure holds up a hand. "Wait, I know what you're thinking... that the mission sounds dangerous? Nothing could be further from the truth! Our state-of-the-art, trademarked algorithms have already crunched the numbers, and the results are nothing less than encouraging!" Asimov leans back and awaits a simple yes or no. >yes The shadowy figure nods approvingly. "A prudent choice. I, of course, had no doubts." He leans back and drums his fingers a little more. "I suppose all that's left is to show you how to prove to others in Area 51 that you are truly a candidate member." Asimov stands and shows you how to give an absurdly complex secret handshake. After several failed attempts, you succeed in reproducing it. "Remember," he tells you as he sits back down, "giving the secret handshake is how you identify people you think might be members of Area 51 and how they can identity you. "Now, when you are ready to start on your mission, simply remove the helmet. We here at Area 51 are expecting great things from you, Oliva. You would be ill-advised to disappoint us!" The shadowy figure leans back and gestures impatiently. "Now go ahead, ask your questions." >ask about church (to the shadowy figure) "Figures in the Church have had access to the interior of the lab, so there must be some secret way in. Also, given how they operate, I imagine their lair is quite close by." >tell about hole Can't do it. >ask about security (to the shadowy figure) The shadowy figure snaps his fingers impatiently. "I'm not in the mood for idle chat! Perhaps you want to ask me about something I know about?" >ask about agents (to the shadowy figure) The shadowy figure snaps his fingers impatiently. "I'm not in the mood for idle chat! Perhaps you want to ask me about something I know about?" >ask about mission (to the shadowy figure) The shadowy figure snaps his fingers impatiently. "I'm not in the mood for idle chat! Perhaps you want to ask me about something I know about?" >ask about area 51 (to the shadowy figure) "Once you've proven yourself, we'll assign you a codename. Better that way. You don't want anyone to know who you really are. "What about me? Don't worry. You can trust me." >ask about asimov (to the shadowy figure) "I know, there is a certain mystery that surrounds me... An allure, perhaps?" >ask about science (to the shadowy figure) The shadowy figure snaps his fingers impatiently. "I'm not in the mood for idle chat! Perhaps you want to ask me about something I know about?" >ask about destruction (to the shadowy figure) The shadowy figure snaps his fingers impatiently. "I'm not in the mood for idle chat! Perhaps you want to ask me about something I know about?" >done That's not a verb I recognise. >bye If you're trying to talk to someone, you might try ASK FIGURE ABOUT something, the traditional conversation syntax. Type ABOUT to see if this story offers more detailed instructions for conversation. To stop these messages entirely, type NOVICE OFF. >about (If you're using a screen reader, press S to turn on Screen Reader mode. This message only appears on the front page of the menu system.) 1. New to Interactive Fiction 2. New to Nothing Could Be Further From the Truth 3. New to the Bunker 4. Credits 5. Hints Why don't you deal with the shadowy figure first? >l Why don't you deal with the shadowy figure first? >ask about cell (to the shadowy figure) The shadowy figure snaps his fingers impatiently. "I'm not in the mood for idle chat! Perhaps you want to ask me about something I know about?" >ask about clearance (to the shadowy figure) Find two traitors and turn them in to Homeland Security. Just not from Area 51, of course! "Sometimes you need to record them on your PA and submit the feed to Homeland Security. Other times the evidence takes other forms and you just need to make a formal accusation." >ask about traitors (to the shadowy figure) The shadowy figure snaps his fingers impatiently. "I'm not in the mood for idle chat! Perhaps you want to ask me about something I know about?" >goodbye If you're trying to talk to someone, you might try ASK FIGURE ABOUT something, the traditional conversation syntax. Type ABOUT to see if this story offers more detailed instructions for conversation. >ask about done (to the shadowy figure) The shadowy figure snaps his fingers impatiently. "I'm not in the mood for idle chat! Perhaps you want to ask me about something I know about?" >topics That's not a verb I recognise. >ask about zogrov (to the shadowy figure) The shadowy figure snaps his fingers impatiently. "I'm not in the mood for idle chat! Perhaps you want to ask me about something I know about?" >repeat That's not a verb I recognise. >hint (If you're using a screen reader, press S to turn on Screen Reader mode. This message only appears on the front page of the menu system.) 1. New to Interactive Fiction 2. New to Nothing Could Be Further From the Truth 3. New to the Bunker 4. Credits 5. Hints (Hints) 1. What's going on? 2. I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape? 3. Can I get an Epsilon security clearance in this game? 4. Can I get a Delta security clearance in this game? 5. Every time I smell, I sneeze. 6. What is the zorgot? 7. The security camera keeps blasting me for no reason. 8. A search and extraction team or two thugs or a tall, gangly man show up and end the game. 9. Lobby 0. Elsewhere in the Research Lab A. Restricted Research Lab B. Plaza C. Control D. The underground E. Waste of space F. Accusing someone (Hints - The underground) 1. Do I have to cooperate with Asimov and Area 51? 2. How do I find the cell of the God and Freedom Church? 3. I know where the cell is. How do I destroy it? 4. I know where the cell is. How do I join them? 5. The menacing crowd (Hints - The underground - Do I have to cooperate with Asimov and Area 51?) Press H to reveal the first hint. ------------------------ (Hints - The underground - Do I have to cooperate with Asimov and Area 51?) 1/2: No. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - The underground - Do I have to cooperate with Asimov and Area 51?) 1/2: No. 2/2: If you do not cooperate with Asimov, you will need to cooperate with the God and Freedom Church. (You have revealed all the hints on this page.) ------------------------ (Hints - The underground) 1. Do I have to cooperate with Asimov and Area 51? 2. How do I find the cell of the God and Freedom Church? 3. I know where the cell is. How do I destroy it? 4. I know where the cell is. How do I join them? 5. The menacing crowd (Hints - The underground - The menacing crowd) 1. How do I deal with the menacing crowd? 2. How do I instruct my co-conspirator? (Hints - The underground) 1. Do I have to cooperate with Asimov and Area 51? 2. How do I find the cell of the God and Freedom Church? 3. I know where the cell is. How do I destroy it? 4. I know where the cell is. How do I join them? 5. The menacing crowd (Hints) 1. What's going on? 2. I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape? 3. Can I get an Epsilon security clearance in this game? 4. Can I get a Delta security clearance in this game? 5. Every time I smell, I sneeze. 6. What is the zorgot? 7. The security camera keeps blasting me for no reason. 8. A search and extraction team or two thugs or a tall, gangly man show up and end the game. 9. Lobby 0. Elsewhere in the Research Lab A. Restricted Research Lab B. Plaza C. Control D. The underground E. Waste of space F. Accusing someone (Hints - The security camera keeps blasting me for no reason.) Press H to reveal the first hint. ------------------------ (Hints - The security camera keeps blasting me for no reason.) 1/1: Look in the upper right of the screen. That's your loyalty rating. If it's not Questionable, you're in trouble. You did something in the last few turns that was treasonous. Better go back and undo it. (This page has just the one hint.) ------------------------ (Hints) 1. What's going on? 2. I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape? 3. Can I get an Epsilon security clearance in this game? 4. Can I get a Delta security clearance in this game? 5. Every time I smell, I sneeze. 6. What is the zorgot? 7. The security camera keeps blasting me for no reason. 8. A search and extraction team or two thugs or a tall, gangly man show up and end the game. 9. Lobby 0. Elsewhere in the Research Lab A. Restricted Research Lab B. Plaza C. Control D. The underground E. Waste of space F. Accusing someone (If you're using a screen reader, press S to turn on Screen Reader mode. This message only appears on the front page of the menu system.) 1. New to Interactive Fiction 2. New to Nothing Could Be Further From the Truth 3. New to the Bunker 4. Credits 5. Hints Why don't you deal with the shadowy figure first? >take off helmet The shadowy figure salutes you. "Good luck, Oliva Mirram! Remember: there are no unintended consequences." At that, the empty greyness dissolves, and you hear a click from the direction of what you presume to be the revolving door. The visor lifts from your eyes, and you find yourself standing in Lobby. >x door Through the gauzy plastex panes you can see the vague shapes of passers-by. A turnstile stands just inside. The turnstile allows free passage outward. If you happened to leave the lab and wanted to come back in, you could just scramble over it. Provided no one was in the Lobby to observe you, of course. >iw You pass through the turnstile and push through the revolving door. Plaza, by the Lab Ah, sweet relief! Not because you have somehow escaped the peril of your predicament, but rather you have entered one of the Bunker's only grand, open spaces accessible to a no-clearance peon such as yourself. The Bunker's plazas are proof of its technological prowess. Only humanity's greatest minds could have designed the large domes that cap them. Below the soaring ceiling, amid the delightful hum of the air recycling system, atop the shiny and slippery flooring, is a spacious theater of bustling activity. The corridors that thread this department inevitably lead here. Citizens come to relax with their mates, play with their children or meet with the members of their trade guild or social club. Others peruse the wares of the vendors that cater to every need. And there are some who come to enjoy the Bunker's many cultural wonders: museums, exhibits, concerts - and so much more! Around the perimeter are a number of buildings where important business is transacted. Much of the real estate is owned and operated by the Bunker's conglomerates, but some has been reserved for the private firms that contract with them. You are standing outside Research Lab A-U61. A decorative statuette protrudes from the wall, but otherwise the building and its purpose is unmarked. The normally bustling Tucker M. Carlson plaza is strangely subdued today. Inward, you see a mobile response unit set up by Homeland Security, which explains why. All the citizens in the area have been detained for questioning, and - for the moment at least - no one is allowed to leave. To the right is a row of vendors, and to the left a billboard hangs over a security camera. Beyond them, a caring demonstration is getting under way. Outward is a revolving door leading into the lab. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >x billboard (the billboard) The billboard features a standard-issue PA. However, this one has large, cartoonish eyes peering out from the touchscreen and two stunted stick-arms. It is smiling at you joyously. "OOGLE" is written in huge, block letters across the top. Under the ecstatic PA, it tells you, "You couldn't live without us." The billboard, which is slightly crooked, is suspended from two cables directly over a security camera. Unfortunately, you are too far away to inspect it more closely. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >x vendor (Tony Bleet) Tony Bleet is in Plaza, Vendor Row. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >talk to tony Shouting is not considered polite behavior in the Bunker. Shame on you. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >l Plaza, by the Lab You are standing outside Research Lab A-U61. A decorative statuette protrudes from the wall, but otherwise the building and its purpose is unmarked. The normally bustling Tucker M. Carlson plaza is strangely subdued today. Inward, you see a mobile response unit set up by Homeland Security, which explains why. All the citizens in the area have been detained for questioning, and - for the moment at least - no one is allowed to leave. To the right is a row of vendors, and to the left a billboard hangs over a security camera. Beyond them, a caring demonstration is getting under way. Outward is a revolving door leading into the lab. >r Plaza, Vendor Row In this corner of the Tucker M. Carlson plaza, tucked between the research lab and corridor ZU-8, is a row of vendors. A common sight in the Bunker's plazas, they are able to provide all those handy items a citizen requires on demand - for a stiff price, of course. At this time of your daystretch, most of the spots are empty. One vendor, however, stands ready to take your order. A frame of piping with a fabric roof has been placed exactly within the confines of the spot demarcated by slight markings on the floor. You can see over the shelving into the interior of the stall, where a man stares back at you expectantly. Behind him hangs a thick, splotched curtain with many folds. The vendor speaks to you. "Greetings, citizen. Tony Bleet's the name. Don't be shy! If you've got the credits, I've got what you need! All my gear comes with the famous Bleet guarantee, not that you'll need it." To the left is the entrance to the research lab. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >talk to tony "Look what I'm bringing to the next meeting of my gearheads social club for show-and-tell!" He holds up a tiny fan. "It swivels," he tells you with pride. Tony eyes you slyly. "Dust bunny, eh? Is that why you're wearing those ridiculous ears? Anyway, I saw you come out of the lab over there. I saw you come out of the lab AFTER all that gas did. Not that there's a connection. No, no, of course not. I used to work in that lab. A long time ago. Not as a dust bunny, of course. I was an assistant equipment runner!" You know exactly what he's talking about. You've seen them scurrying about behind the glass wall, loading up carts and pushing them around. Glorified caddies is what they are. Tony rubs his hands gleefully. "I've always enjoyed working with electronics. Know a lot about them. But the researchers didn't want to hear about my ideas. They told me to bolt down and only speak when spoken to." He shrugs. "So here I am." "But I'm still just as handy with electronics! Take a look at these over here. I put some of them together myself." You lose interest as he holds up equipment you'll never have need of and probably doesn't even function properly. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ask about cover (to Tony Bleet) "No, you can't borrow that. And no, I don't offer any payment plans." Someone approaches from the direction of the caring demonstration. It's a loyalty leader from the looks of it, holding a broken triangle. Tony leaps to his feet to attend to the unexpected customer. "You got any glue?" "Of course I do." He hands her a small tube. The loyalty leader peers at it suspiciously. "How long before it's dry?" "Oh, that's instaglue! Never heard of it? A new invention. Scientific progress never stops in the Bunker!" The loyalty leader glances dubiously at the tube but buys it anyway. You notice that Tony charges her double the regular price. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >buy glue (from Tony Bleet) Tony accepts your Card, swipes it and returns it to you along with the glue. "Congratulations!" he says, beaming blissfully. Tony pulls out his PA and stares at it intently. Then, he grabs a gadget off a shelf nearby - unfinished by the looks of it - and a pair of pliers. He glances once more at the PA, then into the innards of the gadget. Carefully, he lowers the pliers inside. His brow is creased with concentration. But sure enough, after a brief pause he yelps and jerks his hand back. The pliers drop loudly to the floor. He quickly recovers his composure and returns the gadget and the pliers to their respective places, pretending all the while that you don't exist. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >i You're carrying (in plain sight): some glue a shiny black helmet some rubber gloves Renardin's Card the lab office chip key Ati's Card Silia's Card your PA your Card the feather duster You're wearing: your boots your jumpsuit bunny ears >shake tony's hand You do not normally need to refer to parts of the body. Retrying as: >SHAKE TONY Type UNDO if this isn't what you wanted to do, or CORRECT OFF to stop automatically correcting commands. (Tony Bleet) You don't think Tony Bleet has enough of a sense of humor. Tony's face suddenly brightens, and a finger leaps into the air. "Of course!" he exclaims. "Why didn't I think of that before?" He slips behind the curtain in the back of the stall and reappears almost immediately, a large wrench in hand. He brings it to a bench in the middle of the stall. On it is a neat, sleek unidentifiable cube - presumably a gadget of some kind. Tony slips the wrench around a bolt and gives it a tug. In response, the gadget rearranges itself. At least, that's what it looks like to you. The bolt retracts and reappears somewhere else, along with the cube's other features. Defeated, Tony tosses the wrench through the curtain where it clatters loudly to rest and returns to his place. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >give tony handshake Can't do it. >handshake That's not a verb I recognise. >shake hands You do not normally need to refer to parts of the body. >ask tony about items (Tony Bleet about that) "Don't touch that!" Tony's face suddenly brightens, and a finger leaps into the air. "Of course!" he exclaims. "Why didn't I think of that before?" He slips behind the curtain in the back of the stall and reappears almost immediately, a large wrench in hand. He brings it to a bench in the middle of the stall. On it is a neat, sleek unidentifiable cube - presumably a gadget of some kind. Tony slips the wrench around a bolt and gives it a tug. In response, the gadget rearranges itself. At least, that's what it looks like to you. The bolt retracts and reappears somewhere else, along with the cube's other features. Defeated, Tony tosses the wrench through the curtain where it clatters loudly to rest and returns to his place. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >f Plaza, by the Lab You are standing outside Research Lab A-U61. A decorative statuette protrudes from the wall, but otherwise the building and its purpose is unmarked. The normally bustling Tucker M. Carlson plaza is strangely subdued today. Inward, you see a mobile response unit set up by Homeland Security, which explains why. All the citizens in the area have been detained for questioning, and - for the moment at least - no one is allowed to leave. To the right is a row of vendors, and to the left a billboard hangs over a security camera. Beyond them, a caring demonstration is getting under way. Outward is a revolving door leading into the lab. Suddenly, a delivery man careens toward you from out of nowhere and bumps into you. On his jumpsuit you can see the logo of SCS - Speedy Courier Services, Ltd. - an outfit which you've never heard of but is in all likelihood a private firm associated with P&L. The delivery man is agitated. He is holding a square package in one hand and his PA in the other. He glances desperately from the PA to the package to you. "Nice ears. Seriously, I like how you express yourself. Anyway, do you know if there's a research lab around here?" He peers at the address on the package. "This is the Tucker M. Carlson plaza. Research Lab A-U61 should be around here somewhere. Can you point me in the right direction?" A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >point ow A look of relief flashes over the delivery man's face. "It's unmarked. I wasn't sure." Turning, he heads off through the revolving door. A few stretches later, there is a loud blast, and you are knocked off your feet. Smoke and debris pour through the revolving door, obscuring your view. Eventually, you sit up, coughing relentlessly. Standing over you, feet planted apart, you see the agent from Homeland Security. "You again," she sneers as she points the barrel of her laser gun at you. "This can't be a coincidence. It just can't." *** Let's skip the gory details of your interrogation, shall we? *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > undo Plaza, by the Lab [Previous turn undone.] >point iw The delivery man frowns suspiciously but indeed starts out in that direction. The agent from Homeland Security looks up from her current interviewee and spots him. "Hey, you!" she shouts. "Where do you think you're going? Back of the queue! I have to file a report on everyone in the area. No exceptions!" The delivery man begins to protest, but the agent from Homeland Security is having none of it. She stands up and places her hand on her laser pistol. "There's only one reason I can think of you wouldn't want to answer a few helpful questions." Head hung low, the delivery man resigns himself to his fate and takes his place at the end of the queue, trapped like everyone else. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >l Plaza, by the Lab You are standing outside Research Lab A-U61. A decorative statuette protrudes from the wall, but otherwise the building and its purpose is unmarked. The normally bustling Tucker M. Carlson plaza is strangely subdued today. Inward, you see a mobile response unit set up by Homeland Security, which explains why. All the citizens in the area have been detained for questioning, and - for the moment at least - no one is allowed to leave. To the right is a row of vendors, and to the left a billboard hangs over a security camera. Beyond them, a caring demonstration is getting under way. Outward is a revolving door leading into the lab. >ow You push through the revolving door and scramble with difficulty over the turnstile, confident no one is observing you. The Loyalty Stretch catches your attention on the tube. Yuri and Sally are briefly replaced by a public service announcement. A plain face appears on the screen: a woman drinking from a flimsy plastex cup. "Ah," she breathes with satisfaction and stands up. The camera pans out, revealing the pristine corner of a community dining hall. A recycling chute is embedded in the wall next to her. The woman casually tosses the used cup inside. "The success of the Bunker's economy depends upon an efficient recycling system," she tells the camera. "Most of the materials we use are reclaimed and recycled automatically." A montage of images briefly replaces her: chips of metal being raked off a factory floor; an autopod being disassembled by robotic arms; a smiling citizen exiting a cleaning station, wiping his hands. The plain face of the woman returns. "But we should not forget the many small and mundane items. Like that plastex cup." The camera zooms in again on her face, which smiles reassuringly. "The success of the Bunker's economy depends upon you, loyal citizens. Remember: after you're done with it, recycle it!" Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. The lobby smart sign has been updated. >x vending machine A large, hulking, rectangular object, this vending machine is just like any other you've seen throughout the Bunker. A small touchscreen lists the items available and their cost. Next to it is a slot for your Card. At the bottom is a wide, narrow compartment where items are dispensed. The protective cover of its dispenser is missing. >iw You pass through the turnstile and push through the revolving door. Plaza, by the Lab You are standing outside Research Lab A-U61. A decorative statuette protrudes from the wall, but otherwise the building and its purpose is unmarked. The normally bustling Tucker M. Carlson plaza is strangely subdued today. Inward, you see a mobile response unit set up by Homeland Security, which explains why. All the citizens in the area have been detained for questioning, and - for the moment at least - no one is allowed to leave. To the right is a row of vendors, and to the left a billboard hangs over a security camera. Beyond them, a caring demonstration is getting under way. Outward is a revolving door leading into the lab. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >r Plaza, Vendor Row In this corner of the Tucker M. Carlson plaza, tucked between the research lab and corridor ZU-8, is a row of vendors. At this time of your daystretch, most of the spots are empty. One vendor, however, stands ready to take your order. A frame of piping with a fabric roof has been placed exactly within the confines of the spot demarcated by slight markings on the floor. You can see over the shelving into the interior of the stall, where a man stares back at you expectantly. Behind him hangs a thick, splotched curtain with many folds. "Don't be shy, friend," Tony says to you. "I've got whatever you need." To the left is the entrance to the research lab. Tony glances disapprovingly over at the mobile response unit. "I wish she'd hurry up over there. This investigation is killing my business!" A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ask tony about protective cover (Tony Bleet about that) "What that does?" Tony hesitates. "Why bother to explain? You wouldn't understand." Tony turns his attention to a sagging corner of his frame. You can see that he has mounted some kind of device - handcrafted by himself, naturally - on the roof nearby. It consists of a flimsy pole to which an array of cables is anchored. The cables fan out and are fastened at the other end to the sagging metal frame. Unfortunately, the cables don't provide enough support. Tony steps up on a ladder and fiddles with the device. Eventually, one of the cables snaps and the frame sags further. Throwing his hands up in the air, Tony climbs down and returns to his place, muttering to himself about tensile strength. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >f Plaza, by the Lab You are standing outside Research Lab A-U61. A decorative statuette protrudes from the wall, but otherwise the building and its purpose is unmarked. The normally bustling Tucker M. Carlson plaza is strangely subdued today. Inward, you see a mobile response unit set up by Homeland Security, which explains why. All the citizens in the area have been detained for questioning, and - for the moment at least - no one is allowed to leave. To the right is a row of vendors, and to the left a billboard hangs over a security camera. Beyond them, a caring demonstration is getting under way. Outward is a revolving door leading into the lab. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow You push through the revolving door and scramble with difficulty over the turnstile, confident no one is observing you. The Loyalty Stretch catches your attention on the tube. In a small box above Sally's head, the snap of a sheepish-looking young man appears. In the same instant, your PA lights up and you can see the very same face looking back at you from the display. "Meet Voymar Griffith," Sally exhorts, "our newest recipient of Fifteen Minutes of Fame!" The sounds of applause and enthusiastic whistling accompany the announcement. "As with all recipients of this rare and prestigious award, citizen Voymar has shown selfless and undying commitment to the Bunker and all it stands for: peace, prosperity and tranquility." Nodding enthusiastically, Yuri takes over. "That's right, Sally. Citizen Voymar is employed at one of our ball bearing factories, where a social deviant maliciously tipped over a wheelbarrow of sparkling new ball bearings. Suffice it to say, they were to be delivered to an undisclosed recipient in Defense. The social deviant was duly punished, but ongoing operations against the terrorist menace were threatened by the delay. Citizen Voymar is being recognized for taking it upon himself to forgo sleep and sustenance and retrieve every last one of those ball bearings with his bare hands, wherever they had rolled." "Citizens," Sally continues, "let us take a moment to review the highlights of citizen Voymar's life. Perhaps you will be inspired. I know I will!" You stand as you are with the rest of the Bunker, pretending to be interested, until the seemingly endless recitation is over. Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. >l Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. >f Depot This narrow, cramped space is where Research Lab A-U61 accepts and stores deliveries. It is sparsely lit by a single lightbulb dangling from the ceiling. A darkened service tunnel wide enough for a sizeable vehicle leads off into darkness. In the corner next to an obscured doorway in the outward wall is a stack of boxes. To the right through a wide opening, you can enter the lab's Lobby. You can see a forklift here. >ow Dev 1 This is Dev 1, one of the main developmental areas in Research Lab A-U61. Here, the lab's scientists work on more substantial projects: industrial machinery, movepods, lifts and the like. During your regular shifts as a dust maid, you've sometimes spotted one or two lonely researchers in the center of the room, struggling with large and unwieldy tools. The noise can be horrific. Today, however, there is no one; it is perfectly silent, and the workspace is mostly devoid of equipment. A shallow depression in the center dominates this room. Above it, a crane protrudes from the ceiling. Hanging nearby from a thick wire that leads into the wall is a controller. On one wall hangs a whiteboard. Otherwise, this area is sparse. This place has a strange smell, and splotches of grime and corrosion can be seen on the walls and ceiling. Both are no doubt remnants of spectacularly promising experiments. A squat opening leads outward, and a doorway obscured by a thick, black curtain leads inward. The wall to the right is made entirely of glass, on the other side of which is the research lab's main hallway. It is accessible through an almost invisible door. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >x controller A heavy, rectangular hunk of plastex that's charred in places, it is attached to a wire that runs into the wall near the shallow depression. A large switch is in the center. The large switch is up. Above it is a button (the top button) and below it is an identical one (the bottom button). Turning it around to the back, you can see an iron plate. A thin, oblong piece about half the length of your pinky is missing. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >x floor Unless specifically mentioned by the text, avoid general concepts like the floor and ceiling. Try typing LOOK and then using verbs like TAKE or EXAMINE on the things you see mentioned. >l Dev 1 A shallow depression in the center dominates this room. Above it, a crane protrudes from the ceiling. Hanging nearby from a thick wire that leads into the wall is a controller. On one wall hangs a whiteboard. Otherwise, this area is sparse. This place has a strange smell, and splotches of grime and corrosion can be seen on the walls and ceiling. Both are no doubt remnants of spectacularly promising experiments. A squat opening leads outward, and a doorway obscured by a thick, black curtain leads inward. The wall to the right is made entirely of glass, on the other side of which is the research lab's main hallway. It is accessible through an almost invisible door. >r (first opening the glass door) The glass door swings shut behind you. Lab Hallway Inward This is the beginning of Research Lab A-U61's main hallway, lit by glow panels. It is bare and - thanks to your best efforts - mostly free of dust. To your left is a glass wall. Through it, you can see into Dev 1. The thin outline of a door is visible in the glass. Opposite the glass wall to your right is a battered door. The lobby door is inward, and the hallway stretches outward. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >r (first opening the battered door) Storage Room Your feet kick up a fine layer of dust on the floor, which you glare at disapprovingly. A stretch later, you sneeze violently and rub your nose. Obviously, it's been quite some time since anyone entered this place. You are standing in a rudimentary storage room with barely enough room to stand in. Dilapidated shelving lines three walls. Otherwise it is bare and uninteresting. The exit is outward. >x shelves You see nothing special about the shelving. >f You can't go that way. >ow Lab Hallway Inward This is the beginning of Research Lab A-U61's main hallway, lit by glow panels. It is bare and - thanks to your best efforts - mostly free of dust. To your left is a glass wall. Through it, you can see into Dev 1. The thin outline of a door is visible in the glass. Opposite the glass wall to your right is a battered door. The lobby door is inward, and the hallway stretches outward. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow Lab Hallway Center You are standing in the center of a bare hallway lit by glow panels. The wall to your left is made entirely of glass. Just out of reach above your head, a security camera relentlessly surveys the hallway and the areas visible through the glass wall. To the left, you can see the Refrigeration Unit. Across from it, to your right, is a plain door. The hallway continues both inward and outward. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >r (first opening the plain door) Dressing Room This is a shower and dressing room, the first and last stop for Research Lab A-U61's scientists. Here, they exchange their standard-issue jumpsuits for a lab coat. At the end of their shift, they use the showering units and disinfectant powder to remove any dangerous substances they might have inadvertently accumulated during the course of their work. After all, the last thing the Bunker needs in the midst of the heroic struggle against traitors and social deviants is an outbreak of a deadly, flesh-eating bacteria. A long bench is situated in front of a row of tall lockers. Next to them along the wall are two showering units. On the opposite wall is a pill dispenser. A poster hangs next to it. Outward is a door leading to the research lab's main corridor. >press red You hear a slight whirr and a click. A stretch later, a red pill slides down the tube and pops out into your waiting hand. >press yellow You hear a slight whirr and a click. A stretch later, a yellow pill slides down the tube and pops out into your waiting hand. >x shower A narrow space barely big enough to turn around in. Small holes in the ceiling dispense water, which disappears into a small drain in the floor. On the wall is a small container of disinfectant. >get lab coat I only understood the first part of that-- trying anyway. Retrying as: >GET LAB(the lab office chip key) You already have that. >x lockers You see nothing special about the locker. >x dispenser Pill dispensers - much like vending machines - are everywhere in the Bunker. After all, the Bunker's citizens need meds. And usually immediately. In large quantities. The most common medications are mass-produced by P&L and doled out for free via these handy and easy-to-use devices. Pep pills keep you awake; sleeping pills knock you out; anti-anxiety meds put you at ease. Other pills are produced by private firms associated with Production and Logistics. These are sold in vending machines or prescribed in medical clinics. Sometimes these pills are boutique versions of the freely available ones, but more often than not they serve some kind of niche function: Ablafang, for instance, is sometimes prescribed to guardians from Defense before going into battle. Despite the best efforts of the data sleuths in Homeland Security, these specialized medications often end up in the black market where they are sold for recreational use. The pill dispenser is simple enough. The mouths of three small tubes are set in the wall in a row. A red button is below the first tube, and above it is written "Pep". A yellow button is below the second tube, and above it is written "Zzzzzz". No button or source of identification marks the third tube. >f You can't go that way. >l Dressing Room This is a shower and dressing room, the first and last stop for Research Lab A-U61's scientists. Here, they exchange their standard-issue jumpsuits for a lab coat. At the end of their shift, they use the showering units and disinfectant powder to remove any dangerous substances they might have inadvertently accumulated during the course of their work. After all, the last thing the Bunker needs in the midst of the heroic struggle against traitors and social deviants is an outbreak of a deadly, flesh-eating bacteria. A long bench is situated in front of a row of tall lockers. Next to them along the wall are two showering units. On the opposite wall is a pill dispenser. A poster hangs next to it. Outward is a door leading to the research lab's main corridor. >ow Lab Hallway Center You are standing in the center of a bare hallway lit by glow panels. The wall to your left is made entirely of glass. Just out of reach above your head, a security camera relentlessly surveys the hallway and the areas visible through the glass wall. To the left, you can see the Refrigeration Unit. Across from it, to your right, is a plain door. The hallway continues both inward and outward. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >l Lab Hallway Center You are standing in the center of a bare hallway lit by glow panels. The wall to your left is made entirely of glass. Just out of reach above your head, a security camera relentlessly surveys the hallway and the areas visible through the glass wall. To the left, you can see the Refrigeration Unit. Across from it, to your right, is a plain door. The hallway continues both inward and outward. >f You can't go that way. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >open refrigeration unit Can't do it. >ow Lab Hallway Outward You are standing at one end of a short, bare hallway lit by glow panels. The left wall is made entirely of glass. Through it you can see into Dev 3. Normally, a few researchers can be seen toiling within, but now it is strangely empty. To the left a door has been cut into the glass. Another door is to your right. A smart sign is affixed to it. Outward is a third door made entirely of metal. Inward, the corridor continues towards the Lobby. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >r (first opening the office door) The lock is activated by the chip key, and you hear a slight rasping noise from the door. Ah, a rare moment of cherished privacy away from prying eyes... You hear a slight click after the door swings shut. Lab Director's Office You are in the lab director's office. Looking around, you can see that the previous lab director had little if any personality. Framed by bare, white walls, the room prominently features a shallow, curved desk. Behind the desk tucked against the wall is a heavy, metal safe. The room is dimly lit by a single glow panel near the ceiling; the others appear to be out of service. Outward is a door leading to the research lab's main corridor. You can see the lab director's chair here. >sit You get into the lab director's chair. The keyboard lights up, and the monochrome screen flickers. Writing appears. The screen is divided into a number of panes governed by a convoluted menuing system. Inside the panes is an array of simple widgets - dials, meters, read-outs and the like - all of which pertain to some section of the lab. You quickly scan the labels and textual data and find yourself lost in a thicket of technical mumbo-jumbo, none of which makes sense to you. However, you do manage to work out a few simple actions which you could execute without any assistance. __________________________________________ | | 1. Toggle Refrigeration Unit door lock | 2. Toggle Refrigeration Unit ventilation | 3. Retrieve financial records | 4. Activate God's Holy Wrath __________________________________________ >1 Done. >get up The monochrome screen winks out. The light around the keyboard dims and fades out. You get out of the lab director's chair. Lab Director's Office You are in the lab director's office. Looking around, you can see that the previous lab director had little if any personality. Framed by bare, white walls, the room prominently features a shallow, curved desk. Behind the desk tucked against the wall is a heavy, metal safe. The room is dimly lit by a single glow panel near the ceiling; the others appear to be out of service. Outward is a door leading to the research lab's main corridor. You can see the lab director's chair here. >ow (first opening the office door) The lock is activated by the chip key, and you hear a slight rasping noise from the door. You hear a slight click after the door swings shut. Lab Hallway Outward You are standing at one end of a short, bare hallway lit by glow panels. The left wall is made entirely of glass. Through it you can see into Dev 3. Normally, a few researchers can be seen toiling within, but now it is strangely empty. To the left a door has been cut into the glass. Another door is to your right. A smart sign is affixed to it. Outward is a third door made entirely of metal. Inward, the corridor continues towards the Lobby. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It seems to have taken a special interest in you. >iw Lab Hallway Center You are standing in the center of a bare hallway lit by glow panels. The wall to your left is made entirely of glass. Just out of reach above your head, a security camera relentlessly surveys the hallway and the areas visible through the glass wall. To the left, you can see the Refrigeration Unit. Across from it, to your right, is a plain door. The hallway continues both inward and outward. The laser cannon above the security camera unleashes a torrent of raw firepower at you. *** You have died. *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > undo Lab Hallway Outward [Previous turn undone.] >undo Lab Director's Office [Previous turn undone.] >undo Lab Director's Office [Previous turn undone.] >undo Lab Director's Office [Previous turn undone.] >l Lab Director's Office (in the lab director's chair) You are in the lab director's office. Looking around, you can see that the previous lab director had little if any personality. Framed by bare, white walls, the room prominently features a shallow, curved desk. Behind the desk tucked against the wall is a heavy, metal safe. The room is dimly lit by a single glow panel near the ceiling; the others appear to be out of service. Outward is a door leading to the research lab's main corridor. >sit What do you want to sit? >x screen __________________________________________ | | 1. Toggle Refrigeration Unit door lock | 2. Toggle Refrigeration Unit ventilation | 3. Retrieve financial records | 4. Activate God's Holy Wrath __________________________________________ >2 Done. >up (first getting out of the lab director's chair) The monochrome screen winks out. The light around the keyboard dims and fades out. You can't go that way. >ow (first opening the office door) The lock is activated by the chip key, and you hear a slight rasping noise from the door. You hear a slight click after the door swings shut. Lab Hallway Outward You are standing at one end of a short, bare hallway lit by glow panels. The left wall is made entirely of glass. Through it you can see into Dev 3. Normally, a few researchers can be seen toiling within, but now it is strangely empty. To the left a door has been cut into the glass. Another door is to your right. A smart sign is affixed to it. Outward is a third door made entirely of metal. Inward, the corridor continues towards the Lobby. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It seems to have taken a special interest in you. >r (first opening the office door) The lock is activated by the chip key, and you hear a slight rasping noise from the door. You hear a slight click after the door swings shut. Lab Director's Office You are in the lab director's office. Looking around, you can see that the previous lab director had little if any personality. Framed by bare, white walls, the room prominently features a shallow, curved desk. Behind the desk tucked against the wall is a heavy, metal safe. The room is dimly lit by a single glow panel near the ceiling; the others appear to be out of service. Outward is a door leading to the research lab's main corridor. You can see the lab director's chair here. >undo Lab Hallway Outward [Previous turn undone.] >undo Lab Director's Office [Previous turn undone.] >undo Lab Director's Office [Previous turn undone.] >undo Lab Director's Office [Previous turn undone.] >undo Lab Director's Office [Previous turn undone.] >l Lab Director's Office (in the lab director's chair) You are in the lab director's office. Looking around, you can see that the previous lab director had little if any personality. Framed by bare, white walls, the room prominently features a shallow, curved desk. Behind the desk tucked against the wall is a heavy, metal safe. The room is dimly lit by a single glow panel near the ceiling; the others appear to be out of service. Outward is a door leading to the research lab's main corridor. >x screen __________________________________________ | | 1. Toggle Refrigeration Unit door lock | 2. Toggle Refrigeration Unit ventilation | 3. Retrieve financial records | 4. Activate God's Holy Wrath __________________________________________ >3 You hesitate to involve yourself in the research lab's financial affairs without good reason. >up (first getting out of the lab director's chair) The monochrome screen winks out. The light around the keyboard dims and fades out. You can't go that way. >f You can't go that way. >ow (first opening the office door) The lock is activated by the chip key, and you hear a slight rasping noise from the door. You hear a slight click after the door swings shut. Lab Hallway Outward You are standing at one end of a short, bare hallway lit by glow panels. The left wall is made entirely of glass. Through it you can see into Dev 3. Normally, a few researchers can be seen toiling within, but now it is strangely empty. To the left a door has been cut into the glass. Another door is to your right. A smart sign is affixed to it. Outward is a third door made entirely of metal. Inward, the corridor continues towards the Lobby. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It seems to have taken a special interest in you. >undo Lab Director's Office [Previous turn undone.] >undo Lab Director's Office [Previous turn undone.] >undo Lab Director's Office [Previous turn undone.] >undo Lab Director's Office [Previous turn undone.] >undo Lab Director's Office [Previous turn undone.] >undo Lab Director's Office [Previous turn undone.] >undo Lab Director's Office [Previous turn undone.] >undo Lab Director's Office [Previous turn undone.] >undo Lab Director's Office [Previous turn undone.] >undo Lab Hallway Outward [Previous turn undone.] >l Lab Hallway Outward You are standing at one end of a short, bare hallway lit by glow panels. The left wall is made entirely of glass. Through it you can see into Dev 3. Normally, a few researchers can be seen toiling within, but now it is strangely empty. To the left a door has been cut into the glass. Another door is to your right. A smart sign is affixed to it. Outward is a third door made entirely of metal. Inward, the corridor continues towards the Lobby. >r (first opening the office door) The lock is activated by the chip key, and you hear a slight rasping noise from the door. Ah, a rare moment of cherished privacy away from prying eyes... You hear a slight click after the door swings shut. Lab Director's Office You are in the lab director's office. Looking around, you can see that the previous lab director had little if any personality. Framed by bare, white walls, the room prominently features a shallow, curved desk. Behind the desk tucked against the wall is a heavy, metal safe. The room is dimly lit by a single glow panel near the ceiling; the others appear to be out of service. Outward is a door leading to the research lab's main corridor. You can see the lab director's chair here. >f You can't go that way. >ow (first opening the office door) The lock is activated by the chip key, and you hear a slight rasping noise from the door. You hear a slight click after the door swings shut. Lab Hallway Outward You are standing at one end of a short, bare hallway lit by glow panels. The left wall is made entirely of glass. Through it you can see into Dev 3. Normally, a few researchers can be seen toiling within, but now it is strangely empty. To the left a door has been cut into the glass. Another door is to your right. A smart sign is affixed to it. Outward is a third door made entirely of metal. Inward, the corridor continues towards the Lobby. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It seems to have taken a special interest in you. >undo Lab Director's Office [Previous turn undone.] >undo Lab Director's Office [Previous turn undone.] >undo Lab Hallway Outward [Previous turn undone.] >ow (first opening the metal door) It seems to be locked. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >f (first opening the glass door) The glass door swings shut behind you. Dev 3 This is Dev 3, one of the main developmental areas in Research Lab A-U61. The researchers who toil here specialize in smaller - but certainly no less important - hardware than their colleagues in Dev 1. When researchers are present, they are usually hunched over the workstations, manipulators busily poking at whatever is lying on them, and the floor littered with discarded parts. Now, however, much of the equipment has been stowed away. Some of the researchers - and most certainly the former lab director, Atikurrahman Vosh - have a security clearance. You've seen them come and go through that metal door out in the hallway. No one is born with a security clearance, and everyone is eligible for one. According to the vidshows on the tube, the best way to get a security clearance is to demonstrate loyalty to the Bunker through daring acts of courage. Recording traitors on your PA and submitting the feed to Homeland Security is one example. Sometimes a simple accusation is enough, especially if the evidence is self-evident. But the truth is that you've never once encountered a terrorist. And frankly, you'd like to keep it that way. Four workstations have been arranged in a square in the center of this room, basking in the bright light from the glow panels. Nestled between them is a bank of manipulators. What appear to be controls for the manipulators have been built onto the surface of each workstation. On one of the workstations is a zorgot. Through a glass wall to the right, you see a hallway. A door has been cut into the glass. Set in the middle of the inward wall is a narrow opening. You can see a sturdy locker here. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >get zorgot Taken. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >x controls You peer at the controls for the bank of manipulators and feel that you could easily operate the slicer (by slicing or cutting) and the soldering iron (by soldering). A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >l Dev 3 Four workstations have been arranged in a square in the center of this room, basking in the bright light from the glow panels. Nestled between them is a bank of manipulators. What appear to be controls for the manipulators have been built onto the surface of each workstation. Through a glass wall to the right, you see a hallway. A door has been cut into the glass. Set in the middle of the inward wall is a narrow opening. You can see a sturdy locker here. >x locker You see nothing special about the sturdy locker. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >open locker You open the sturdy locker, revealing a new IC chip. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >get chip (the new IC chip) Taken. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >x chip Which do you mean, the new IC chip or the lab office chip key? >ic A flat, square integrated circuit chip with one side as thick as your thumb. White letters identify it as a series R-76. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >l Dev 3 Four workstations have been arranged in a square in the center of this room, basking in the bright light from the glow panels. Nestled between them is a bank of manipulators. What appear to be controls for the manipulators have been built onto the surface of each workstation. Through a glass wall to the right, you see a hallway. A door has been cut into the glass. Set in the middle of the inward wall is a narrow opening. You can see a sturdy locker (empty) here. >r (first opening the glass door) The glass door swings shut behind you. Lab Hallway Outward You are standing at one end of a short, bare hallway lit by glow panels. The left wall is made entirely of glass. Through it you can see into Dev 3. Normally, a few researchers can be seen toiling within, but now it is strangely empty. To the left a door has been cut into the glass. Another door is to your right. A smart sign is affixed to it. Outward is a third door made entirely of metal. Inward, the corridor continues towards the Lobby. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Lab Hallway Center You are standing in the center of a bare hallway lit by glow panels. The wall to your left is made entirely of glass. Just out of reach above your head, a security camera relentlessly surveys the hallway and the areas visible through the glass wall. To the left, you can see the Refrigeration Unit. Across from it, to your right, is a plain door. The hallway continues both inward and outward. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Lab Hallway Inward This is the beginning of Research Lab A-U61's main hallway, lit by glow panels. It is bare and - thanks to your best efforts - mostly free of dust. To your left is a glass wall. Through it, you can see into Dev 1. The thin outline of a door is visible in the glass. Opposite the glass wall to your right is a battered door. The lobby door is inward, and the hallway stretches outward. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw The Loyalty Stretch catches your attention on the tube. Sally shuffles a thick stack of papers, looks intently into the camera and says, "The Bunker is a technological dreamland. Its factories churn out finished products of every kind. But none of this would be possible without the valuable resources collected out in the asteroid belt by our loyal miners." Yuri nods solemnly and continues. "No doubt, leaving the safety and comforts of the Bunker to live and work on the surface of an asteroid is not for everyone. But the reward more the compensates the adventurous citizen willing to brave the excitement: an early retirement at thirty-five yearstretches of age." Sally smiles enthusiastically. "Want to volunteer? Just fill out one of the handy forms made available by Procurement on its portal on X.net and you'll find yourself on an interplanetary ship destined for Malkuth in no time!" Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. >iw You pass through the turnstile and push through the revolving door. Plaza, by the Lab You are standing outside Research Lab A-U61. A decorative statuette protrudes from the wall, but otherwise the building and its purpose is unmarked. The normally bustling Tucker M. Carlson plaza is strangely subdued today. Inward, you see a mobile response unit set up by Homeland Security, which explains why. All the citizens in the area have been detained for questioning, and - for the moment at least - no one is allowed to leave. To the right is a row of vendors, and to the left a billboard hangs over a security camera. Beyond them, a caring demonstration is getting under way. Outward is a revolving door leading into the lab. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >r Plaza, Vendor Row In this corner of the Tucker M. Carlson plaza, tucked between the research lab and corridor ZU-8, is a row of vendors. At this time of your daystretch, most of the spots are empty. One vendor, however, stands ready to take your order. A frame of piping with a fabric roof has been placed exactly within the confines of the spot demarcated by slight markings on the floor. You can see over the shelving into the interior of the stall, where a man stares back at you expectantly. Behind him hangs a thick, splotched curtain with many folds. "Don't be shy, friend," Tony says to you. "I've got whatever you need." To the left is the entrance to the research lab. Tony pretends he is uninterested but gestures nonetheless. "What's that you've got there? Something from the lab?" A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ask tony about zorgot (Tony Bleet about that) "Probably better if you show me so I can take a look." Someone approaches from the direction of the caring demonstration. It's a loyalty leader from the looks of it, holding a broken triangle. Tony leaps to his feet to attend to the unexpected customer. "You got any glue?" "Of course I do." He hands her a small tube. The loyalty leader peers at it suspiciously. "How long before it's dry?" "Oh, that's instaglue! Never heard of it? A new invention. Scientific progress never stops in the Bunker!" The loyalty leader glances dubiously at the tube but buys it anyway. You notice that Tony charges her double the regular price. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >show zorgot to tony (Tony Bleet) Tony leans closer and pokes at the zorgot. "Oh," he finally tells you and rolls his eyes. "An electromagnet. Big deal." You aren't quite sure how to use it, so you flatter Tony until he explains. Tony's face suddenly brightens, and a finger leaps into the air. "Of course!" he exclaims. "Why didn't I think of that before?" He slips behind the curtain in the back of the stall and reappears almost immediately, a large wrench in hand. He brings it to a bench in the middle of the stall. On it is a neat, sleek unidentifiable cube - presumably a gadget of some kind. Tony slips the wrench around a bolt and gives it a tug. In response, the gadget rearranges itself. At least, that's what it looks like to you. The bolt retracts and reappears somewhere else, along with the cube's other features. Defeated, Tony tosses the wrench through the curtain where it clatters loudly to rest and returns to his place. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >x electromagnet This oblong device is an electromagnet. It can easily be switched on or off to generate an oscillating magnetic field. The magnetic field will pull magnetized objects, such as certain metals, to one end of the oblong device. To work properly, you must aim the electromagnet at its intended target. In addition, you can set the strength of the magnetic field from 1 to 3 using a dial. The dial is currently set at 1. The electromagnet is off. Tony's PA gives off a cheerful tone and lights up. "Yeah?" he grunts into it. After a brief pause he says, "Now's not a good time. Check back with me later." He cuts the line and glances darkly at you. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >show ic chip to tony (Tony Bleet) Tony is very impressed. He begins to spout a series of opinions on the possible uses of the new IC chip, but very soon it's clear to you he has no idea what he's talking about. Tony turns his attention to a sagging corner of his frame. You can see that he has mounted some kind of device - handcrafted by himself, naturally - on the roof nearby. It consists of a flimsy pole to which an array of cables is anchored. The cables fan out and are fastened at the other end to the sagging metal frame. Unfortunately, the cables don't provide enough support. Tony steps up on a ladder and fiddles with the device. Eventually, one of the cables snaps and the frame sags further. Throwing his hands up in the air, Tony climbs down and returns to his place, muttering to himself about tensile strength. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ask tony about ic chip (Tony Bleet about that) "Can I interest you in this right over here?" He picks up an unidentifiable lump of metal with far too many dials and switches and presents it to you. Someone approaches from the direction of the caring demonstration. It's a loyalty leader from the looks of it, holding a broken triangle. Tony leaps to his feet to attend to the unexpected customer. "You got any glue?" "Of course I do." He hands her a small tube. The loyalty leader peers at it suspiciously. "How long before it's dry?" "Oh, that's instaglue! Never heard of it? A new invention. Scientific progress never stops in the Bunker!" The loyalty leader glances dubiously at the tube but buys it anyway. You notice that Tony charges her double the regular price. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >f Plaza, by the Lab You are standing outside Research Lab A-U61. A decorative statuette protrudes from the wall, but otherwise the building and its purpose is unmarked. The normally bustling Tucker M. Carlson plaza is strangely subdued today. Inward, you see a mobile response unit set up by Homeland Security, which explains why. All the citizens in the area have been detained for questioning, and - for the moment at least - no one is allowed to leave. To the right is a row of vendors, and to the left a billboard hangs over a security camera. Beyond them, a caring demonstration is getting under way. Outward is a revolving door leading into the lab. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Plaza, Near the Museum You are standing halfway to the center of the plaza. A sense of travesty and loss envelops you here. Nearby, corpses have been piled into a sloppy stack, and a mobile response unit has been hastily set up next to it. A long queue of frightened, weeping citizens has formed there, waiting patiently to exonerate themselves. Outward is the Museum of Athletic Ability, occupying the very center of the plaza. There, a group of exercise enthusiasts has gathered for some intense stretching. Inward is the entrance to Research Lab A-U61. To the left and right are large, empty spaces, beyond which are corridors leading off to other parts of the department. You can see the agent from Homeland Security here. At the end of the queue, you spot the delivery man, stomping his feet impatiently and craning his neck. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >record delivery man You point your PA and start recording the delivery man as surreptitiously as you can. There! You've managed to get a good recording of the delivery man with his ticking package. At the end of the queue, you spot the delivery man, stomping his feet impatiently and craning his neck. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >submit video I only understood you as far as wanting to submit. >hint (If you're using a screen reader, press S to turn on Screen Reader mode. This message only appears on the front page of the menu system.) 1. New to Interactive Fiction 2. New to Nothing Could Be Further From the Truth 3. New to the Bunker 4. Credits 5. Hints ( - New to the Bunker) The Bunker is a world originally inspired by the roleplaying game Paranoia XP. But the Bunker is not the Alpha Complex of Paranoia. First of all, there are no clone 6-packs in the Bunker. You've only got one life, just like everyone else in the known Universe. Secondly, citizens are allowed to form natural, emotional relationships with each other and have children. Thirdly, there are no mutant (or magical) powers in the Bunker. There are other differences, too, but these are the most important ones in terms of playing this game. The Bunker is also the setting of a number of science fiction novels by the same author, the first of which is Thank You For Your Cooperation. If you enjoyed this game, you might enjoy the Bunker series as well! ------------------------ (If you're using a screen reader, press S to turn on Screen Reader mode. This message only appears on the front page of the menu system.) 1. New to Interactive Fiction 2. New to Nothing Could Be Further From the Truth 3. New to the Bunker 4. Credits 5. Hints ( - New to Nothing Could Be Further From the Truth) Greetings, citizen! The Bunker is an underground dystopia on a planet without any global magnetic field to speak of. Directions are therefore INWARD (abbreviated to "iw"), OUTWARD (abbreviated to "ow"), LEFT (abbreviated to "f") and RIGHT (abbreviated to "r"). Inward is always away from the entrance or (if in a corridor) towards the nearest plaza. So if you want to go left, just type LEFT (or "F"). Please note the following: - If you are going OUTWARD from a room into a corridor that runs perpendicular, going OUTWARD again implies turning a corner. - If you are in a corridor going OUTWARD and the description says there is a door on the right, we naturally assign it a place in our mind. When we come back down the corridor going INWARD, however, the door is still to the right, even though in our minds we're now facing the other way. In the Bunker, every citizen has a loyalty rating which indicates his or her standing with the authorities. At the upper right of the screen is your current loyalty rating. Initially, your loyalty rating is Questionable. You don't want it to worsen! If your loyalty rating drops to Worrisome, you have a short amount of time to get it back up to Questionable before you are arrested. And if it should ever drop to DIRTY ROTTEN TRAITOR - well, in that case there's very little you can do clear your good name. Every citizen in the Bunker has a PA (Personal Assistant), including you. You can use it look up basic information about the world by typing in WHO IS or WHAT IS . A quick note about conversation. You can TALK TO to get a random comment, ASK ABOUT to get specific info, and TELL ABOUT if you think they might react to the information in an interesting way. (As an aside, you can also SHOW things to people to achieve a particular result.) Nothing Could be Further from the Truth is the second game in a series. Unlike the previous game (Today is the Same as Any Other), you may find it useful to give instructions to someone else. An instruction is any command you could conceivably type in for yourself, but you want someone else to do it. To give an instruction to someone (let's say, Tony Bleet), you'd type in something like the following: TONY, GIVE ME GLUE. Lastly, It is a good idea to save often in this game, at least whenever you have achieved something important. Also, it's also a good idea to keep your older saves. Not only will you die often and unexpectedly (yay!), but it is possible to end up trapped in a situation where death is the only outcome. Yes, here in the Bunker, we gladly allow you to dig your own hole. It saves the rest of us a lot of work. Good luck! ------------------------ (If you're using a screen reader, press S to turn on Screen Reader mode. This message only appears on the front page of the menu system.) 1. New to Interactive Fiction 2. New to Nothing Could Be Further From the Truth 3. New to the Bunker 4. Credits 5. Hints Plaza, Near the Museum You are standing halfway to the center of the plaza. A sense of travesty and loss envelops you here. Nearby, corpses have been piled into a sloppy stack, and a mobile response unit has been hastily set up next to it. A long queue of frightened, weeping citizens has formed there, waiting patiently to exonerate themselves. Outward is the Museum of Athletic Ability, occupying the very center of the plaza. There, a group of exercise enthusiasts has gathered for some intense stretching. Inward is the entrance to Research Lab A-U61. To the left and right are large, empty spaces, beyond which are corridors leading off to other parts of the department. You can see the agent from Homeland Security here. >x pa A PA (or Personal Assistant) is one of a citizen's most prized possessions. You can use it to call anyone, even citizens you haven't met. It has a slow and usually functional connection to X.net, too, which means you can also use it to look up basic information about the Bunker. You simply ask "who is" or "what is". The answers will automatically be tailored to your personal knowledge profile. In addition, you can use a PA to "record" audio and video feeds of people (not things). This last function is especially handy for obtaining evidence of someone else's treason. You can then "submit" the resulting feed to your friends over at Homeland Security or simply "accuse" your victim, in which case any incriminating feeds are submitted automatically. Pernicious rumors that agents from Homeland Security routinely use these same functions of a PA to spy on its holders should be disregarded. Nothing could be further from the truth. Your PA contains an incriminating feed of the delivery man trying to blow up Research Lab A-U61. At the end of the queue, you spot the delivery man, stomping his feet impatiently and craning his neck. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >submit feed Done. Over at Homeland Security, a team of experts is poring over the data, aided by the very latest in behavior prediction software. Everyone knows this software is state-of-the-art and one hundred percent accurate. There's absolutely nothing to worry about. Should evidence of treason turn up, you will be rewarded in proportion to the severity of the criminal activity you have helped deter. It does not take long before the agent from Homeland Security gets a call on her PA. As she listens, she beckons to the delivery man. He scuttles obediently over, confident that he's being invited to skip the line. The agent from Homeland Security cranes her neck and listens to the package. Excitement lights up her face. "Confirmed! Send the gals over from explosive ordnance right away." With that, she clicks out. The delivery man struggles to make sense of those words as the agent from Homeland Security smiles up at him disarmingly. "Tell me, who sent you with that package?" "Sent me? I work for Speedy Courier Services, Ltd, A-9 sector! My dispatcher gave it to me." "Oh, how interesting," the agent purrs. "Can you tell me her name?" Suddenly, one of the corridors leading into the plaza disgorges a squadron of guardians from Defense, firing their weapons indiscriminately. The plaza erupts in chaos. Citizens run for cover. Unfortunately, there isn't much of it in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza aside from the Museum of Athletic Ability. Citizens pummel each other for space behind the flimsy exhibitions - which, of course, are no protection at all from the guardians' laser rifles. The agent from Homeland Security waves the guardians over. "Go! Go! Go!" they shout in unison as their commander bravely leads the way, leaving a trail of death and destruction in their wake. Behind them, you see two beefy men pulling what looks like a large, thick box of metal mounted on wheels. "Sergeant Virum Kopekkel at your service!" the squadron's commander shouts at the agent from Homeland Security, who winces at the unnecessary force of his words. "Where is the device in question?" The agent from Homeland Security points at the package in the delivery man's hands. The delivery man, perplexed, instinctively pulls the package away. Events then proceed quickly. One of the guardians vaporizes the delivery man's arm with a stream of laser bolts. The package falls from his grasp and bounces violently on the floor. The entire squadron follows it, arms criss-crossed over their heads. When the package miraculously does not explode, they leap back to their feet. One of them recovers the package and drops it into the metal box. The lid clangs shut, and the guardians - laser rifles now silent - wheel it away. They take with them the hollering delivery man, who still does not understand why he is missing his right arm. Soon, the plaza returns to some modicum of normalcy. The citizens holed up in the Museum of Athletic Ability slowly emerge. A sanitation crew arrives to recover the bodies littering the floor. You note with some disappointment that the Ward of the State is not among them. A Ward of the State skips over to the mobile response unit. The queue of citizens tenses up as she walks among them. They offer gifts, little bribes to make her go away. The Ward of the State, however, rejects them all with a callous refrain: "Junk!" Eventually, she comes to you. "So, what do you got?" You make a show of patting down your jumpsuit in search of something suitable, all the while shaking your trusty feather duster in the girl's face. After a few gasps and sneezes, the Ward of the State storms off. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >i You're carrying (in plain sight): a new IC chip an electromagnet the yellow pill the red pill some glue a shiny black helmet some rubber gloves Renardin's Card the lab office chip key Ati's Card Silia's Card your PA your Card the feather duster You're wearing: your boots your jumpsuit bunny ears >l Plaza, Near the Museum You are standing halfway to the center of the plaza. A sense of travesty and loss envelops you here. Nearby, corpses have been piled into a sloppy stack, and a mobile response unit has been hastily set up next to it. A long queue of frightened, weeping citizens has formed there, waiting patiently to exonerate themselves. Outward is the Museum of Athletic Ability, occupying the very center of the plaza. There, a group of exercise enthusiasts has gathered for some intense stretching. Inward is the entrance to Research Lab A-U61. To the left and right are large, empty spaces, beyond which are corridors leading off to other parts of the department. You can see the agent from Homeland Security here. >iw The agent from Homeland Security perks up. "Ah, excuse me!" she shouts, pointing a pen in your direction. "You're still a Person of Interest in this matter. So don't even THINK of skulking off... unless you have something to hide?" The citizens in the queue study you intensely, hoping to catch some hint of your duplicity. A Ward of the State skips over to the mobile response unit. The queue of citizens tenses up as she walks among them. They offer gifts, little bribes to make her go away. The Ward of the State, however, rejects them all with a callous refrain: "Junk!" Eventually, she comes to you. "So, what do you got?" You make a show of patting down your jumpsuit in search of something suitable, all the while shaking your trusty feather duster in the girl's face. After a few gasps and sneezes, the Ward of the State storms off. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. You are still basking in the adrenaline high from having personally unmasked a traitor - without any help, you proudly tell yourself - when you receive an unexpected message on your PA. It's from the Skills Assessment Directorate, a sprawling bureacratic enterprise within Human Resources that you never knew existed until now. The message is unsigned but marked high-priority, and it commends you for already being present in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza, just outside the lab, without having to be asked. Suddenly, a citizen on a steppod veers into the plaza and heads right for you. Two others run after her, clapping loudly. The din from the caring demonstration subsides as all participants turn to watch. The woman on the steppod screeches to a halt in front of you. "Citizen Oliva Mirram!" she shouts and throws a fistful of sparkles at you. You cough and wheeze as the tiny, shiny particles rain down over your head and clog your airways. "You have single-handedly brought about the arrest, interrogation and termination of Name Deleted for Security Reasons. In addition, you neutralized this vile traitor before he or she could bring his or her nefarious plans to fruition. No doubt, you have saved many lives. Your conduct proves your loyalty and dedication to preserving the Bunker's values, not to mention the environment." The two sycophants behind her clap with even greater ferocity. In short order, the entire plaza (reluctantly) follows suit. Raucous applause fills the air and deafens you. For this reason, you are unable to understand the rest of the woman's pronouncement. You are, however, made to understand that if you repeat the accomplishment, the bureaucrats over at the Skills Assessment Directorate will be able to distinguish between a lucky feat and true talent. A promotion to Epsilon clearance would then be in the offing. At that, the woman on the steppod and the two sycophants retreat from the plaza. The people they leave behind glare at you with scarcely concealed hostility. Then, the drums, shouts and triangles of the caring demonstration sound once again, and everyone goes about their business. >l Plaza, by the Lab You are standing outside Research Lab A-U61. A decorative statuette protrudes from the wall, but otherwise the building and its purpose is unmarked. The normally bustling Tucker M. Carlson plaza is strangely subdued today. Inward, you see a mobile response unit set up by Homeland Security, which explains why. All the citizens in the area have been detained for questioning, and - for the moment at least - no one is allowed to leave. To the right is a row of vendors, and to the left a billboard hangs over a security camera. Beyond them, a caring demonstration is getting under way. Outward is a revolving door leading into the lab. >x statue A grotesque carving of a fantastic creature with wings. You have no idea what it is supposed to represent. It is, however, ugly, and like most people you prefer to ignore it. In the creature's chest you can see a female, V-shaped electronic interface. Its claws appear to be grasping something missing. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >x demonstration A large, unruly crowd of people in funny hats, singing discordantly and occasionally dancing. A few unfortunates cower among them, trying to fend off waves of brief but brutal assault. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow You push through the revolving door and scramble with difficulty over the turnstile, confident no one is observing you. The Loyalty Stretch catches your attention on the tube. You see the words at the top of the screen: TERRORIST ATTACK IN D-5 SECTOR. A grainy feed in a rectangular box in the corner depicts the scene of the disaster. Citizens - most of whom are naked and lubed up - run screaming from double doors as thick, black smoke belches forth behind them. "In other news, terrorists struck a VR deck in D-5 sector earlier today," Yuri explains. "Fortunately, a squadron of guardians from Defense arrived just in time to rescue those trapped inside. Casualties were minimal." The grainy feed is replaced by a much clearer one. A number of citizens can be seen standing around a pair of guardians, uniforms splattered with blood, applauding. "The traitors and their accomplices have all been punished. As for the VR deck in D-5, it is expected to become operational again within the next daystretch." Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. The lobby smart sign has been updated. >read sign It says: "There's another traitor around here somewhere". >put on helmet The shiny black helmet fits easily onto your head, and the visor slips over your eyes. You can't see anything. >turn on helmet You should probably take the helmet off first. >take off helmet The visor lifts from your eyes, and you find yourself standing in Lobby. >turn on helmet It isn't something you can switch. >x helmet Sturdy and well-padded, it looks similar to the helmets worn by the pilots of flypods. It's quite roomy and will easily fit over your bunny ears. >l Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. >f Depot This narrow, cramped space is where Research Lab A-U61 accepts and stores deliveries. It is sparsely lit by a single lightbulb dangling from the ceiling. A darkened service tunnel wide enough for a sizeable vehicle leads off into darkness. In the corner next to an obscured doorway in the outward wall is a stack of boxes. To the right through a wide opening, you can enter the lab's Lobby. You can see a forklift here. >move boxes You move the boxes out of the way, revealing a hole in the wall. >x hole The hole in the wall is quite wide, providing more than enough room to scramble through. Through it, you catch a whiff of something sweet. Strange, where did all those bodies go? >go through hole You crawl through the hole and make it to the other side. Your sudden arrival appears to upset the room's occupants. The one with the staff deftly swings it at your head and knocks you unconscious. When you come to, you find yourself on your knees with your head above a tub of murky water. You are not alone. Out the corner of your eye, you catch a glimpse of an audience seated in folding chairs behind you. A man in a red robe stands nearby, leading some kind of service. Someone's hand is holding you firmly by the neck. "O Lord," intones the strangely clad man, "we offer our thanks that You have provided us - Your pitiful flock - with life, free choice and an abundance of weapons. Congregation, let us pray." Together, they chant: "Eway askay orfay Ouryay essingblay asay eway indlykay anday entlygay ashway awayay ethay inssay ofay isthay intruderay. Amen." At that, your head is pushed into the tub and held there for quite some time. Longer than you can hold your breath, at any rate. *** You have died. *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > undo Depot [Previous turn undone.] >look through hole The hole in the wall is quite wide, providing more than enough room to scramble through. Through it, you catch a whiff of something sweet. >smell A horrendous itching overwhelms you. You sneeze - very loudly and unhygienically into your hand. Regretfully, you glance at the duster. If only the medibots could do something about your dust allergy... >move boxes You move the boxes back into their original position, obscuring the hole in the wall. >l Depot This narrow, cramped space is where Research Lab A-U61 accepts and stores deliveries. It is sparsely lit by a single lightbulb dangling from the ceiling. A darkened service tunnel wide enough for a sizeable vehicle leads off into darkness. In the corner next to an obscured doorway in the outward wall is a stack of boxes. To the right through a wide opening, you can enter the lab's Lobby. You can see a forklift here. >ow Dev 1 A shallow depression in the center dominates this room. Above it, a crane protrudes from the ceiling. Hanging nearby from a thick wire that leads into the wall is a controller. On one wall hangs a whiteboard. Otherwise, this area is sparse. This place has a strange smell, and splotches of grime and corrosion can be seen on the walls and ceiling. Both are no doubt remnants of spectacularly promising experiments. A squat opening leads outward, and a doorway obscured by a thick, black curtain leads inward. The wall to the right is made entirely of glass, on the other side of which is the research lab's main hallway. It is accessible through an almost invisible door. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >c control That's not a verb I recognise. >x control Can't do it. >x controller A heavy, rectangular hunk of plastex that's charred in places, it is attached to a wire that runs into the wall near the shallow depression. A large switch is in the center. The large switch is up. Above it is a button (the top button) and below it is an identical one (the bottom button). Turning it around to the back, you can see an iron plate. A thin, oblong piece about half the length of your pinky is missing. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >flip switch The large switch snaps right back as soon as you let it go. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >hold top button That seems to be a part of the controller. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >press top button Nothing happens. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >flip switch The large switch snaps right back as soon as you let it go. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >pull switch It is fixed in place. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >throw switch You haven't got that. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >press both buttons Can't do it. >press bottom button Nothing happens. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >x contreoller Can't do it. >x controller A heavy, rectangular hunk of plastex that's charred in places, it is attached to a wire that runs into the wall near the shallow depression. A large switch is in the center. The large switch is up. Above it is a button (the top button) and below it is an identical one (the bottom button). Turning it around to the back, you can see an iron plate. A thin, oblong piece about half the length of your pinky is missing. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >i You're carrying (in plain sight): a new IC chip an electromagnet the yellow pill the red pill some glue a shiny black helmet some rubber gloves Renardin's Card the lab office chip key Ati's Card Silia's Card your PA your Card the feather duster You're wearing: your boots your jumpsuit bunny ears >put ic chip in controller It doesn't fit. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >l Dev 1 A shallow depression in the center dominates this room. Above it, a crane protrudes from the ceiling. Hanging nearby from a thick wire that leads into the wall is a controller. On one wall hangs a whiteboard. Otherwise, this area is sparse. This place has a strange smell, and splotches of grime and corrosion can be seen on the walls and ceiling. Both are no doubt remnants of spectacularly promising experiments. A squat opening leads outward, and a doorway obscured by a thick, black curtain leads inward. The wall to the right is made entirely of glass, on the other side of which is the research lab's main hallway. It is accessible through an almost invisible door. >r (first opening the glass door) The glass door swings shut behind you. Lab Hallway Inward This is the beginning of Research Lab A-U61's main hallway, lit by glow panels. It is bare and - thanks to your best efforts - mostly free of dust. To your left is a glass wall. Through it, you can see into Dev 1. The thin outline of a door is visible in the glass. Opposite the glass wall to your right is a battered door. The lobby door is inward, and the hallway stretches outward. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >r Storage Room You are standing in a rudimentary storage room with barely enough room to stand in. Dilapidated shelving lines three walls. Otherwise it is bare and uninteresting. The exit is outward. >climb shelf Little is to be achieved by that. >x shelf You see nothing special about the shelving. >ow Lab Hallway Inward This is the beginning of Research Lab A-U61's main hallway, lit by glow panels. It is bare and - thanks to your best efforts - mostly free of dust. To your left is a glass wall. Through it, you can see into Dev 1. The thin outline of a door is visible in the glass. Opposite the glass wall to your right is a battered door. The lobby door is inward, and the hallway stretches outward. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow Lab Hallway Center You are standing in the center of a bare hallway lit by glow panels. The wall to your left is made entirely of glass. Just out of reach above your head, a security camera relentlessly surveys the hallway and the areas visible through the glass wall. To the left, you can see the Refrigeration Unit. Across from it, to your right, is a plain door. The hallway continues both inward and outward. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >r Dressing Room This is a shower and dressing room, the first and last stop for Research Lab A-U61's scientists. Here, they exchange their standard-issue jumpsuits for a lab coat. At the end of their shift, they use the showering units and disinfectant powder to remove any dangerous substances they might have inadvertently accumulated during the course of their work. After all, the last thing the Bunker needs in the midst of the heroic struggle against traitors and social deviants is an outbreak of a deadly, flesh-eating bacteria. A long bench is situated in front of a row of tall lockers. Next to them along the wall are two showering units. On the opposite wall is a pill dispenser. A poster hangs next to it. Outward is a door leading to the research lab's main corridor. >ow Lab Hallway Center You are standing in the center of a bare hallway lit by glow panels. The wall to your left is made entirely of glass. Just out of reach above your head, a security camera relentlessly surveys the hallway and the areas visible through the glass wall. To the left, you can see the Refrigeration Unit. Across from it, to your right, is a plain door. The hallway continues both inward and outward. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >f You can't go that way. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >x unit Can't do it. >x refrigerator Can't do it. >x refrigeration unit I only understood the first part of that-- trying anyway. Retrying as: >X REFRIGERATION Can't do it. >hint (If you're using a screen reader, press S to turn on Screen Reader mode. This message only appears on the front page of the menu system.) 1. New to Interactive Fiction 2. New to Nothing Could Be Further From the Truth 3. New to the Bunker 4. Credits 5. Hints (Hints) 1. What's going on? 2. I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape? 3. Can I get an Epsilon security clearance in this game? 4. Can I get a Delta security clearance in this game? 5. Every time I smell, I sneeze. 6. What is the zorgot? 7. The security camera keeps blasting me for no reason. 8. A search and extraction team or two thugs or a tall, gangly man show up and end the game. 9. Lobby 0. Elsewhere in the Research Lab A. Restricted Research Lab B. Plaza C. Control D. The underground E. Waste of space F. Accusing someone (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab) 1. How do I get past the metal door in Lab Hallway Outward? 2. How do I get into the Lab Director's Office? 3. I can't get through the revolving door in the Lobby. 4. Depot 5. Dev 1 6. Dev 3 7. Dressing room 8. Storage Room 9. Refrigeration unit 0. Lab director's office A. Vending machine (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Storage Room) 1. How do I find the secret passage? 2. How do I find the terminal? (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab) 1. How do I get past the metal door in Lab Hallway Outward? 2. How do I get into the Lab Director's Office? 3. I can't get through the revolving door in the Lobby. 4. Depot 5. Dev 1 6. Dev 3 7. Dressing room 8. Storage Room 9. Refrigeration unit 0. Lab director's office A. Vending machine (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Refrigeration unit) 1. I can't get through the refrigeration unit door. 2. I keep freezing to death. 3. How do I get the glass jar out of the tank? 4. What's inside the glass jar? 5. I keep getting killed by what's in the glass jar. (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab) 1. How do I get past the metal door in Lab Hallway Outward? 2. How do I get into the Lab Director's Office? 3. I can't get through the revolving door in the Lobby. 4. Depot 5. Dev 1 6. Dev 3 7. Dressing room 8. Storage Room 9. Refrigeration unit 0. Lab director's office A. Vending machine (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Lab director's office) 1. I am looking for documents. 2. How do I activate the screen/keyboard? 3. How do I get into the safe? 4. What is God's Holy Wrath? (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Lab director's office - I am looking for documents.) Press H to reveal the first hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Lab director's office - I am looking for documents.) 1/3: Did you search the desk? Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Lab director's office - I am looking for documents.) 1/3: Did you search the desk? 2/3: Investigate the safe? Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Lab director's office - I am looking for documents.) 1/3: Did you search the desk? 2/3: Investigate the safe? 3/3: What about sitting in the lab director's chair? (You have revealed all the hints on this page.) ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Lab director's office) 1. I am looking for documents. 2. How do I activate the screen/keyboard? 3. How do I get into the safe? 4. What is God's Holy Wrath? (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Lab director's office - How do I get into the safe?) Press H to reveal the first hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Lab director's office - How do I get into the safe?) 1/8: Did you investigate the safe? Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Lab director's office - How do I get into the safe?) 1/8: Did you investigate the safe? 2/8: You will not be able to unlock it normally. You'll have to think of something else. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Lab director's office) 1. I am looking for documents. 2. How do I activate the screen/keyboard? 3. How do I get into the safe? 4. What is God's Holy Wrath? (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab) 1. How do I get past the metal door in Lab Hallway Outward? 2. How do I get into the Lab Director's Office? 3. I can't get through the revolving door in the Lobby. 4. Depot 5. Dev 1 6. Dev 3 7. Dressing room 8. Storage Room 9. Refrigeration unit 0. Lab director's office A. Vending machine (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - How do I get into the Lab Director's Office?) Press H to reveal the first hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - How do I get into the Lab Director's Office?) 1/8: If you are still being directed to exit the lab, you will not be able to enter the lab director's office. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - How do I get into the Lab Director's Office?) 1/8: If you are still being directed to exit the lab, you will not be able to enter the lab director's office. 2/8: The former lab director, Atikurrahman Vosh, probably held the key. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - How do I get into the Lab Director's Office?) 1/8: If you are still being directed to exit the lab, you will not be able to enter the lab director's office. 2/8: The former lab director, Atikurrahman Vosh, probably held the key. 3/8: If you didn't search the scientists' bodies before stashing them away, all is not lost. You will encounter their possessions yet again. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - How do I get into the Lab Director's Office?) 1/8: If you are still being directed to exit the lab, you will not be able to enter the lab director's office. 2/8: The former lab director, Atikurrahman Vosh, probably held the key. 3/8: If you didn't search the scientists' bodies before stashing them away, all is not lost. You will encounter their possessions yet again. 4/8: The bodies disappeared from the hole. If you have no idea what happened to them, do not proceed. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - How do I get into the Lab Director's Office?) 1/8: If you are still being directed to exit the lab, you will not be able to enter the lab director's office. 2/8: The former lab director, Atikurrahman Vosh, probably held the key. 3/8: If you didn't search the scientists' bodies before stashing them away, all is not lost. You will encounter their possessions yet again. 4/8: The bodies disappeared from the hole. If you have no idea what happened to them, do not proceed. 5/8: Afraid that they would be implicated in their deaths, the two members of the God and Freedom Church on the other side hid the bodies in the Decomposition Chamber. The scientists' possessions were then discarded in Beneath the Altar. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - How do I get into the Lab Director's Office?) 1/8: If you are still being directed to exit the lab, you will not be able to enter the lab director's office. 2/8: The former lab director, Atikurrahman Vosh, probably held the key. 3/8: If you didn't search the scientists' bodies before stashing them away, all is not lost. You will encounter their possessions yet again. 4/8: The bodies disappeared from the hole. If you have no idea what happened to them, do not proceed. 5/8: Afraid that they would be implicated in their deaths, the two members of the God and Freedom Church on the other side hid the bodies in the Decomposition Chamber. The scientists' possessions were then discarded in Beneath the Altar. 6/8: Among them is a lab director's office chip key. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - How do I get into the Lab Director's Office?) 1/8: If you are still being directed to exit the lab, you will not be able to enter the lab director's office. 2/8: The former lab director, Atikurrahman Vosh, probably held the key. 3/8: If you didn't search the scientists' bodies before stashing them away, all is not lost. You will encounter their possessions yet again. 4/8: The bodies disappeared from the hole. If you have no idea what happened to them, do not proceed. 5/8: Afraid that they would be implicated in their deaths, the two members of the God and Freedom Church on the other side hid the bodies in the Decomposition Chamber. The scientists' possessions were then discarded in Beneath the Altar. 6/8: Among them is a lab director's office chip key. 7/8: Just by possessing this chip key, you will be able to enter the office. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab) 1. How do I get past the metal door in Lab Hallway Outward? 2. How do I get into the Lab Director's Office? 3. I can't get through the revolving door in the Lobby. 4. Depot 5. Dev 1 6. Dev 3 7. Dressing room 8. Storage Room 9. Refrigeration unit 0. Lab director's office A. Vending machine (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Depot) 1. I keep getting killed. 2. How do I go down the service tunnel? 3. How do I drive the forklift? (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Depot - How do I go down the service tunnel?) Press H to reveal the first hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Depot - How do I go down the service tunnel?) 1/3: You need a source of light. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Depot - How do I go down the service tunnel?) 1/3: You need a source of light. 2/3: Have you checked the vending machine? Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Depot - How do I go down the service tunnel?) 1/3: You need a source of light. 2/3: Have you checked the vending machine? 3/3: No, you cannot leave the research lab this way. (You have revealed all the hints on this page.) ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Depot) 1. I keep getting killed. 2. How do I go down the service tunnel? 3. How do I drive the forklift? (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab) 1. How do I get past the metal door in Lab Hallway Outward? 2. How do I get into the Lab Director's Office? 3. I can't get through the revolving door in the Lobby. 4. Depot 5. Dev 1 6. Dev 3 7. Dressing room 8. Storage Room 9. Refrigeration unit 0. Lab director's office A. Vending machine (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Vending machine) 1. The vending machine won't sell me anything. 2. I have the protective cover. Now what? 3. The vending machine has the protective cover. I still can't buy anything. (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Vending machine - The vending machine won't sell me anything.) Press H to reveal the first hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Vending machine - The vending machine won't sell me anything.) 1/4: It wants its protective cover. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Vending machine - The vending machine won't sell me anything.) 1/4: It wants its protective cover. 2/4: Have you seen anything like it around? Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Vending machine - The vending machine won't sell me anything.) 1/4: It wants its protective cover. 2/4: Have you seen anything like it around? 3/4: Maybe out in the plaza? Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Vending machine - The vending machine won't sell me anything.) 1/4: It wants its protective cover. 2/4: Have you seen anything like it around? 3/4: Maybe out in the plaza? 4/4: The Ward of the State has it. (You have revealed all the hints on this page.) ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Vending machine) 1. The vending machine won't sell me anything. 2. I have the protective cover. Now what? 3. The vending machine has the protective cover. I still can't buy anything. (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab) 1. How do I get past the metal door in Lab Hallway Outward? 2. How do I get into the Lab Director's Office? 3. I can't get through the revolving door in the Lobby. 4. Depot 5. Dev 1 6. Dev 3 7. Dressing room 8. Storage Room 9. Refrigeration unit 0. Lab director's office A. Vending machine (Hints) 1. What's going on? 2. I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape? 3. Can I get an Epsilon security clearance in this game? 4. Can I get a Delta security clearance in this game? 5. Every time I smell, I sneeze. 6. What is the zorgot? 7. The security camera keeps blasting me for no reason. 8. A search and extraction team or two thugs or a tall, gangly man show up and end the game. 9. Lobby 0. Elsewhere in the Research Lab A. Restricted Research Lab B. Plaza C. Control D. The underground E. Waste of space F. Accusing someone (If you're using a screen reader, press S to turn on Screen Reader mode. This message only appears on the front page of the menu system.) 1. New to Interactive Fiction 2. New to Nothing Could Be Further From the Truth 3. New to the Bunker 4. Credits 5. Hints Lab Hallway Center You are standing in the center of a bare hallway lit by glow panels. The wall to your left is made entirely of glass. Just out of reach above your head, a security camera relentlessly surveys the hallway and the areas visible through the glass wall. To the left, you can see the Refrigeration Unit. Across from it, to your right, is a plain door. The hallway continues both inward and outward. >iw Lab Hallway Inward This is the beginning of Research Lab A-U61's main hallway, lit by glow panels. It is bare and - thanks to your best efforts - mostly free of dust. To your left is a glass wall. Through it, you can see into Dev 1. The thin outline of a door is visible in the glass. Opposite the glass wall to your right is a battered door. The lobby door is inward, and the hallway stretches outward. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw The Loyalty Stretch catches your attention on the tube. A small box appears next to Yuri's head, showing the twisted wreckage of a buspod. The yellow paint and extendible STOP sign are clearly visible. "What vile and sinister person would fire a heat-seeking missile at a caravan of innocent Wards of the State, out on a field trip under the guidance of their trusted instructor, Ms. Bits?" "Terrorists and traitors, that's who!" Sally sneers into the camera. Yuri is seized by a fit of rightful indigniation. "That's right. Only the depraved mind of a terrorist could conceive of harming these charming innocents. "All of us loyal citizens understand that the future of our brave society depends upon the upbringing of our children. We are naturally entranced by the exuberance of youth. Just one brief exchange with a single Ward of the State, and love blossoms in our hearts. It's no wonder we are inclined to forgive them their small transgressions!" Sally and Yuri go on to discuss a recent rash of shootings at the creche and what could possibly be done to prevent more of them. Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. >iw You pass through the turnstile and push through the revolving door. Plaza, by the Lab You are standing outside Research Lab A-U61. A decorative statuette protrudes from the wall, but otherwise the building and its purpose is unmarked. The normally bustling Tucker M. Carlson plaza is strangely subdued today. Inward, you see a mobile response unit set up by Homeland Security, which explains why. All the citizens in the area have been detained for questioning, and - for the moment at least - no one is allowed to leave. To the right is a row of vendors, and to the left a billboard hangs over a security camera. Beyond them, a caring demonstration is getting under way. Outward is a revolving door leading into the lab. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Plaza, Near the Museum You are standing halfway to the center of the plaza. A sense of travesty and loss envelops you here. Nearby, corpses have been piled into a sloppy stack, and a mobile response unit has been hastily set up next to it. A long queue of frightened, weeping citizens has formed there, waiting patiently to exonerate themselves. Outward is the Museum of Athletic Ability, occupying the very center of the plaza. There, a group of exercise enthusiasts has gathered for some intense stretching. Inward is the entrance to Research Lab A-U61. To the left and right are large, empty spaces, beyond which are corridors leading off to other parts of the department. You can see the agent from Homeland Security here. The agent from Homeland Security scribbles on a paper form, then snatches her PA and jabs hurriedly at it. "Now hold on a minutestretch!" she barks at her subject, who halts mid-sentence, terrified. When she's done, she looks up at her interviewee and smiles reassuringly. "Yeah, you were saying?" A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ask about ward (to the agent from Homeland Security) "Precious! Just precious!" The sound of a PA going off disturbs the thick silence that has descended over the queue. Without looking up, the agent from Homeland Security jabs a pen in the direction whence it came. "No calls!" Then, she looks up and scans the queue. "No messages. No apps. No communication with anyone - except me! Got it?" A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >l Plaza, Near the Museum You are standing halfway to the center of the plaza. A sense of travesty and loss envelops you here. Nearby, corpses have been piled into a sloppy stack, and a mobile response unit has been hastily set up next to it. A long queue of frightened, weeping citizens has formed there, waiting patiently to exonerate themselves. Outward is the Museum of Athletic Ability, occupying the very center of the plaza. There, a group of exercise enthusiasts has gathered for some intense stretching. Inward is the entrance to Research Lab A-U61. To the left and right are large, empty spaces, beyond which are corridors leading off to other parts of the department. You can see the agent from Homeland Security here. >ask about church (to the agent from Homeland Security) "There's a traitor on the loose and I'm going to find them. Maybe it will mean a promotion!" The agent from Homeland Security scribbles on a paper form, then snatches her PA and jabs hurriedly at it. "Now hold on a minutestretch!" she barks at her subject, who halts mid-sentence, terrified. When she's done, she looks up at her interviewee and smiles reassuringly. "Yeah, you were saying?" A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow Plaza, by the Lab You are standing outside Research Lab A-U61. A decorative statuette protrudes from the wall, but otherwise the building and its purpose is unmarked. The normally bustling Tucker M. Carlson plaza is strangely subdued today. Inward, you see a mobile response unit set up by Homeland Security, which explains why. All the citizens in the area have been detained for questioning, and - for the moment at least - no one is allowed to leave. To the right is a row of vendors, and to the left a billboard hangs over a security camera. Beyond them, a caring demonstration is getting under way. Outward is a revolving door leading into the lab. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >f Plaza, under the Billboard You are standing near the entrance to the Clement Vallandigham complex. A sign on the wall indicates it is mostly occupied by the Internal Operations division of the Procurement conglomerate, including portions of its sprawling Department of Administration. Internal Operations is responsible for mining out on the surface, sorting and refining ores, distribution of raw materials and the like. Normally a bustling corner of the plaza, today is it deserted. And you know exactly why. Citizens have gathered just to the left of this location. But this is no ordinary meeting; this is a caring demonstration. And like all caring demonstrations, it is sorely in need of volunteers. Loyalty leaders stationed around the perimeter are handing out funny, yellow hats; red, rectangular cards; and musical triangles to any who venture too close. The happy citizens who have been ensnared clutch their red cards and - those who have them - strike wildly at their musical triangles. Others are stomping their feet and singing. No one is coodinating the song, however. The result is a terrible cacophony. Peppered among them are a few glum citizens with green cards. These are the unfortunate people being cared for. These wayward citizens - not quite traitors, guilty of some minor infraction of the guidelines - have been thrown amongst their peers, unsupervised and unprotected. In the Bunker, this is a combustible combination. As you look on, two holders of the red cards descend upon a cowering man with a green card. There are some stern words followed by a few quick punches. The man with the green card falls to his knees, clutching his stomach. Lucky bastard, you think to yourself. He didn't lose any teeth. A billboard - slightly crooked - hangs above a security camera mounted overhead. Beneath them both, playing with a flat, rectangular piece of transparent plastex, is a Ward of the State. A grate set in the floor, about a meter wide, separates you. Fortunately, the Ward of the State has her back to you. To the right is the entrance to Research Lab A-U61. The Ward of the State perks up at your approach and turns to get a look at you. She climbs to her feet, gripping the rectangular piece of transparent plastex in one hand. Her eyes quickly settle on your bunny ears, and a curious mix of joy and mischief seizes her face. She bounds carelessly over the grate - it clangs loudly as she passes over it - and lunges to snatch them from your head. Anticipating the attack, you dodge her flabby fingers. Fortunately, you are much taller, but the girl jumps a few more times before finally giving up. "Get dysentery," she spits, eyes narrowing petulantly. "You can't see out the back of your head, poopy-face. I'll get them. Then I'll throw them down the drainage pipe!" She points at the grate. You notice that the bunny ears would easily slip through the metal bars. The Ward of the State retreats across the grate - again, it clangs loudly - and plops down on the other side, back to you. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ask ward about plastex (the Ward of the State about that) "You smell like Algatine and doo-doo." The Ward of the State begins playing a little game. She hops about, singing a song, and every once in a while swings her arms about in a swift, circular motion. Before you know it, she passes directly in front of you, squashing your toes and punching you solidly in the throat. Stopping short, she fixes you with an angry glare. "Your face hit my hand!" she shrieks and pretends to cry. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ward, give me plastex The Ward of the State has better things to do. The Ward of the State begins playing a little game. She hops about, singing a song, and every once in a while swings her arms about in a swift, circular motion. Before you know it, she passes directly in front of you, squashing your toes and punching you solidly in the throat. Stopping short, she fixes you with an angry glare. "Your face hit my hand!" she shrieks and pretends to cry. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >take plastex The Ward of the State quickly snatches it from your grasp. "Get your own, you goddamn typhoid." The Ward of the State leisurely crosses the grate, taking no notice of you. As soon as she gets within reach, however, she takes a swing at you with the rectangular piece of plastex. It strikes you in the thigh with a loud THWACK! A few of the closest citizens in the caring demonstration snicker as you grin and hold your tongue, enveloped in a potent combination of resentment and shame. The Ward of the State seeks to take advantage of your momentary distraction by making another attempt for your bunny ears. Luckily, you evade her. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >give ward bunny ears (the Ward of the State bunny ears) The very specific threats of your supervisor, Nur Dular, about what would happen if you should somehow lose the bunny ears echo in your mind. Besides, why go out of your way to please the little brat, even if only for a secondstretch? No one has ever gone out of their way to make you happy. Just the opposite, in fact. The Ward of the State runs over to the caring demonstration, grabs someone's triangle, and returns with it to her spot under the billboard. There, she casually drops it through the grate. Gleefully, she looks on as a loyalty leader reprimands its former owner. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >drop ears into grate And please the Ward of the State? I think not. The Ward of the State begins playing a little game. She hops about, singing a song, and every once in a while swings her arms about in a swift, circular motion. Before you know it, she passes directly in front of you, squashing your toes and punching you solidly in the throat. Stopping short, she fixes you with an angry glare. "Your face hit my hand!" she shrieks and pretends to cry. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >i You're carrying (in plain sight): a new IC chip an electromagnet the yellow pill the red pill some glue a shiny black helmet some rubber gloves Renardin's Card the lab office chip key Ati's Card Silia's Card your PA your Card the feather duster You're wearing: your boots your jumpsuit bunny ears >give yellow pill to ward (the Ward of the State) The Ward of the State examines the yellow pill curiously. "Oooooo, a treat!" Before you can blink, she snatches it from your hand and pops it into her mouth. She chews. Disgust spreads over her face. "Gross!" She spits out what's left and glares at you unforgivingly. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It seems to have taken a special interest in you. >z Time passes. The laser cannon above the security camera unleashes a torrent of raw firepower at you. *** You have died. *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > undo Plaza, under the Billboard [Previous turn undone.] >undo Plaza, under the Billboard [Previous turn undone.] >l Plaza, under the Billboard You are standing near the entrance to the Clement Vallandigham complex. A sign on the wall indicates it is mostly occupied by the Internal Operations division of the Procurement conglomerate, including portions of its sprawling Department of Administration. Internal Operations is responsible for mining out on the surface, sorting and refining ores, distribution of raw materials and the like. Normally a bustling corner of the plaza, today is it deserted. And you know exactly why. Citizens have gathered just to the left of this location. But this is no ordinary meeting; this is a caring demonstration. And like all caring demonstrations, it is sorely in need of volunteers. A billboard - slightly crooked - hangs above a security camera mounted overhead. Beneath them both, playing with a flat, rectangular piece of transparent plastex, is a Ward of the State. A grate set in the floor, about a meter wide, separates you. Fortunately, the Ward of the State has her back to you. To the right is the entrance to Research Lab A-U61. >drop yellow pill Dropped. The Ward of the State farts loudly and blames it on you. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >tell ward about pill (the Ward of the State about that) "Really? I suppose I could pretend that was interesting. I suppose I could..." The Ward of the State begins playing a little game. She hops about, singing a song, and every once in a while swings her arms about in a swift, circular motion. Before you know it, she passes directly in front of you, squashing your toes and punching you solidly in the throat. Stopping short, she fixes you with an angry glare. "Your face hit my hand!" she shrieks and pretends to cry. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >get yellow pill Taken. The Ward of the State runs over to the caring demonstration, grabs someone's triangle, and returns with it to her spot under the billboard. There, she casually drops it through the grate. Gleefully, she looks on as a loyalty leader reprimands its former owner. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >give ward yellow pill (the Ward of the State the yellow pill) The Ward of the State examines the yellow pill curiously. "Oooooo, a treat!" Before you can blink, she snatches it from your hand and pops it into her mouth. She chews. Disgust spreads over her face. "Gross!" She spits out what's left and glares at you unforgivingly. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It seems to have taken a special interest in you. >undo Plaza, under the Billboard [Previous turn undone.] >r Plaza, by the Lab You are standing outside Research Lab A-U61. A decorative statuette protrudes from the wall, but otherwise the building and its purpose is unmarked. The normally bustling Tucker M. Carlson plaza is strangely subdued today. Inward, you see a mobile response unit set up by Homeland Security, which explains why. All the citizens in the area have been detained for questioning, and - for the moment at least - no one is allowed to leave. To the right is a row of vendors, and to the left a billboard hangs over a security camera. Beyond them, a caring demonstration is getting under way. Outward is a revolving door leading into the lab. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >yell at ward Can't do it. >talk to ward Shouting is not considered polite behavior in the Bunker. Shame on you. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >l Plaza, by the Lab You are standing outside Research Lab A-U61. A decorative statuette protrudes from the wall, but otherwise the building and its purpose is unmarked. The normally bustling Tucker M. Carlson plaza is strangely subdued today. Inward, you see a mobile response unit set up by Homeland Security, which explains why. All the citizens in the area have been detained for questioning, and - for the moment at least - no one is allowed to leave. To the right is a row of vendors, and to the left a billboard hangs over a security camera. Beyond them, a caring demonstration is getting under way. Outward is a revolving door leading into the lab. >f Plaza, under the Billboard You are standing near the entrance to the Clement Vallandigham complex. A sign on the wall indicates it is mostly occupied by the Internal Operations division of the Procurement conglomerate, including portions of its sprawling Department of Administration. Internal Operations is responsible for mining out on the surface, sorting and refining ores, distribution of raw materials and the like. Normally a bustling corner of the plaza, today is it deserted. And you know exactly why. Citizens have gathered just to the left of this location. But this is no ordinary meeting; this is a caring demonstration. And like all caring demonstrations, it is sorely in need of volunteers. A billboard - slightly crooked - hangs above a security camera mounted overhead. Beneath them both, playing with a flat, rectangular piece of transparent plastex, is a Ward of the State. A grate set in the floor, about a meter wide, separates you. Fortunately, the Ward of the State has her back to you. To the right is the entrance to Research Lab A-U61. The Ward of the State leisurely crosses the grate, taking no notice of you. As soon as she gets within reach, however, she takes a swing at you with the rectangular piece of plastex. It strikes you in the thigh with a loud THWACK! A few of the closest citizens in the caring demonstration snicker as you grin and hold your tongue, enveloped in a potent combination of resentment and shame. The Ward of the State seeks to take advantage of your momentary distraction by making another attempt for your bunny ears. Luckily, you evade her. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >i You're carrying (in plain sight): the yellow pill a new IC chip an electromagnet the red pill some glue a shiny black helmet some rubber gloves Renardin's Card the lab office chip key Ati's Card Silia's Card your PA your Card the feather duster You're wearing: your boots your jumpsuit bunny ears >show ward yellow pill (the Ward of the State the yellow pill) The Ward of the State is unimpressed. The Ward of the State informs you with all the confidence of a teamster that she's prettier than you are. "And smarter," she adds with a glance at the bunny ears. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >show ward ears (the Ward of the State bunny ears) You have been instructed by your supervisor, Nur Dular, to wear the bunny ears at all times. He has warned you of vague but dire consequences if you should lose or damage them. The Ward of the State informs you with all the confidence of a teamster that she's prettier than you are. "And smarter," she adds with a glance at the bunny ears. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >i You're carrying (in plain sight): the yellow pill a new IC chip an electromagnet the red pill some glue a shiny black helmet some rubber gloves Renardin's Card the lab office chip key Ati's Card Silia's Card your PA your Card the feather duster You're wearing: your boots your jumpsuit bunny ears >put glue on grate Putting things on the grate would achieve nothing. The Ward of the State farts loudly and blames it on you. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >glue ward to grate (the Ward of the State to the grate) What an imagination you have! The Ward of the State pretends she doesn't see you, expecting you to move on. When you do not, she grows visibly incensed. "Those things on your head make you look stupid! I guess that's because you are stupid! You're a stupid dumb-dumb stupidy idiot-face!" A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >l Plaza, under the Billboard You are standing near the entrance to the Clement Vallandigham complex. A sign on the wall indicates it is mostly occupied by the Internal Operations division of the Procurement conglomerate, including portions of its sprawling Department of Administration. Internal Operations is responsible for mining out on the surface, sorting and refining ores, distribution of raw materials and the like. Normally a bustling corner of the plaza, today is it deserted. And you know exactly why. Citizens have gathered just to the left of this location. But this is no ordinary meeting; this is a caring demonstration. And like all caring demonstrations, it is sorely in need of volunteers. A billboard - slightly crooked - hangs above a security camera mounted overhead. Beneath them both, playing with a flat, rectangular piece of transparent plastex, is a Ward of the State. A grate set in the floor, about a meter wide, separates you. Fortunately, the Ward of the State has her back to you. To the right is the entrance to Research Lab A-U61. >i You're carrying (in plain sight): the yellow pill a new IC chip an electromagnet the red pill some glue a shiny black helmet some rubber gloves Renardin's Card the lab office chip key Ati's Card Silia's Card your PA your Card the feather duster You're wearing: your boots your jumpsuit bunny ears >who is ward When a child is born to the Bunker, she must first be approved by Control. If the parents are fortunate, they then hold a Naming ceremony, after which an I-chip is implanted in the child's neck. For five yearstretches, the child remains in his or her parents' care, after which she is placed in the local creche. There, she is raised and educated by a learnbot, invariably called Ms. Bits. After that, most parents have nothing more to do with their progeny, although there are exceptions. (It is, perhaps, self-evident that Homeland Security maintains detailed files on such aberrant behavior.) In the creche, a child is taught how to be a good citizen of the Bunker: the contents of the various Guildelines describing what is expected of her, the function of the various conglomerates, and, of course, the Anthem of the Patriot. It goes without saying that - by definition - a human being in childhood is innocent and sweet. Therefore, anyone causing any harm to - or merely caught insulting - a Ward of the State is swiftly punished. It is a steadfast rule that a Ward of the State is never at fault. Spreading rumors that Wards of the State take whole-hearted advantage of their special status is a sure sign of social deviancy and will be treated as such. >l Plaza, under the Billboard You are standing near the entrance to the Clement Vallandigham complex. A sign on the wall indicates it is mostly occupied by the Internal Operations division of the Procurement conglomerate, including portions of its sprawling Department of Administration. Internal Operations is responsible for mining out on the surface, sorting and refining ores, distribution of raw materials and the like. Normally a bustling corner of the plaza, today is it deserted. And you know exactly why. Citizens have gathered just to the left of this location. But this is no ordinary meeting; this is a caring demonstration. And like all caring demonstrations, it is sorely in need of volunteers. A billboard - slightly crooked - hangs above a security camera mounted overhead. Beneath them both, playing with a flat, rectangular piece of transparent plastex, is a Ward of the State. A grate set in the floor, about a meter wide, separates you. Fortunately, the Ward of the State has her back to you. To the right is the entrance to Research Lab A-U61. >x grate Rusty, with thick, metal bars that crisscross at right angles. It is about one meter wide. You peer down through the bars and see only blackness. The grate is wobbly. A closer look reveals a flat panel where the grate is secured to the floor. The hinge on the opposite end opens downward. The Ward of the State leisurely crosses the grate, taking no notice of you. As soon as she gets within reach, however, she takes a swing at you with the rectangular piece of plastex. It strikes you in the thigh with a loud THWACK! A few of the closest citizens in the caring demonstration snicker as you grin and hold your tongue, enveloped in a potent combination of resentment and shame. The Ward of the State seeks to take advantage of your momentary distraction by making another attempt for your bunny ears. Luckily, you evade her. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >open grate The grate is bolted shut. The Ward of the State begins playing a little game. She hops about, singing a song, and every once in a while swings her arms about in a swift, circular motion. Before you know it, she passes directly in front of you, squashing your toes and punching you solidly in the throat. Stopping short, she fixes you with an angry glare. "Your face hit my hand!" she shrieks and pretends to cry. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >x panel A flat panel in the grate is secured to a small extension in the plaza floor via bolts. Two of the bolts are missing. The remaining bolt has been inserted from underneath. Facing you is the bottom of the stem, secured by a nut. The nut is tightly wound up against the panel. The Ward of the State begins playing a little game. She hops about, singing a song, and every once in a while swings her arms about in a swift, circular motion. Before you know it, she passes directly in front of you, squashing your toes and punching you solidly in the throat. Stopping short, she fixes you with an angry glare. "Your face hit my hand!" she shrieks and pretends to cry. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >turn on electromagnet The electromagnet produces a pleasant humming. The Ward of the State begins playing a little game. She hops about, singing a song, and every once in a while swings her arms about in a swift, circular motion. Before you know it, she passes directly in front of you, squashing your toes and punching you solidly in the throat. Stopping short, she fixes you with an angry glare. "Your face hit my hand!" she shrieks and pretends to cry. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >put magnet on bolt Putting things on the bolt would achieve nothing. The Ward of the State pretends she doesn't see you, expecting you to move on. When you do not, she grows visibly incensed. "Those things on your head make you look stupid! I guess that's because you are stupid! You're a stupid dumb-dumb stupidy idiot-face!" A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >point magnet at bolt Nothing happens. The Ward of the State leisurely crosses the grate, taking no notice of you. As soon as she gets within reach, however, she takes a swing at you with the rectangular piece of plastex. It strikes you in the thigh with a loud THWACK! A few of the closest citizens in the caring demonstration snicker as you grin and hold your tongue, enveloped in a potent combination of resentment and shame. The Ward of the State seeks to take advantage of your momentary distraction by making another attempt for your bunny ears. Luckily, you evade her. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >unscrew bolt You must specify an appropriate instrument. The Ward of the State leisurely crosses the grate, taking no notice of you. As soon as she gets within reach, however, she takes a swing at you with the rectangular piece of plastex. It strikes you in the thigh with a loud THWACK! A few of the closest citizens in the caring demonstration snicker as you grin and hold your tongue, enveloped in a potent combination of resentment and shame. The Ward of the State seeks to take advantage of your momentary distraction by making another attempt for your bunny ears. Luckily, you evade her. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >unscrew bolt with magnet Quite a vivid imagination you have. The Ward of the State pretends she doesn't see you, expecting you to move on. When you do not, she grows visibly incensed. "Those things on your head make you look stupid! I guess that's because you are stupid! You're a stupid dumb-dumb stupidy idiot-face!" A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >set magent to 3 Can't do it. >set magnet to 3 No, you can't set that to anything. The Ward of the State leisurely crosses the grate, taking no notice of you. As soon as she gets within reach, however, she takes a swing at you with the rectangular piece of plastex. It strikes you in the thigh with a loud THWACK! A few of the closest citizens in the caring demonstration snicker as you grin and hold your tongue, enveloped in a potent combination of resentment and shame. The Ward of the State seeks to take advantage of your momentary distraction by making another attempt for your bunny ears. Luckily, you evade her. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >x magnet This oblong device is an electromagnet. It can easily be switched on or off to generate an oscillating magnetic field. The magnetic field will pull magnetized objects, such as certain metals, to one end of the oblong device. To work properly, you must aim the electromagnet at its intended target. In addition, you can set the strength of the magnetic field from 1 to 3 using a dial. The dial is currently set at 1. The electromagnet is on. The Ward of the State begins playing a little game. She hops about, singing a song, and every once in a while swings her arms about in a swift, circular motion. Before you know it, she passes directly in front of you, squashing your toes and punching you solidly in the throat. Stopping short, she fixes you with an angry glare. "Your face hit my hand!" she shrieks and pretends to cry. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >dial magnet to 3 I only understood you as far as wanting to do something to the electromagnet dial. >turn dial to 3 Done. The electromagnet produces a loud racket and vibrates violently in your hand. The Ward of the State begins playing a little game. She hops about, singing a song, and every once in a while swings her arms about in a swift, circular motion. Before you know it, she passes directly in front of you, squashing your toes and punching you solidly in the throat. Stopping short, she fixes you with an angry glare. "Your face hit my hand!" she shrieks and pretends to cry. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >point magnet at grate Nothing happens. The Ward of the State informs you with all the confidence of a teamster that she's prettier than you are. "And smarter," she adds with a glance at the bunny ears. The electromagnet continues to quiver and squeal. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >unscrew bolt with magnet Quite a vivid imagination you have. The Ward of the State leisurely crosses the grate, taking no notice of you. As soon as she gets within reach, however, she takes a swing at you with the rectangular piece of plastex. It strikes you in the thigh with a loud THWACK! A few of the closest citizens in the caring demonstration snicker as you grin and hold your tongue, enveloped in a potent combination of resentment and shame. The Ward of the State seeks to take advantage of your momentary distraction by making another attempt for your bunny ears. Luckily, you evade her. The electromagnet gives up under the strain, and some kind of release mechanism is activated. The dial turns, and the device switches off. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >turn magent off Can't do it. >x magnet This oblong device is an electromagnet. It can easily be switched on or off to generate an oscillating magnetic field. The magnetic field will pull magnetized objects, such as certain metals, to one end of the oblong device. To work properly, you must aim the electromagnet at its intended target. In addition, you can set the strength of the magnetic field from 1 to 3 using a dial. The dial is currently set at 1. The electromagnet is off. The Ward of the State pretends she doesn't see you, expecting you to move on. When you do not, she grows visibly incensed. "Those things on your head make you look stupid! I guess that's because you are stupid! You're a stupid dumb-dumb stupidy idiot-face!" A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >switch magnet off That's already off. The Ward of the State informs you with all the confidence of a teamster that she's prettier than you are. "And smarter," she adds with a glance at the bunny ears. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >f A loyalty leader nearby spots you. "Another volunteer!" he declares as a hat and red card are pressed into your hands. There's nothing for you to do but smile and accept them. A few hourstretches later, you find yourself bruised and spattered in melted wax, running as fast as you can down the corridors of the Bunker, carrying half a mannequin and smelling of expensive perfume. A Special Ops squadron from Defense is not far behind. How exactly you got here is a long and complicated story, nor does it have much to do with this one. *** In the Bunker, caring is harmful to one's health. *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > undo Plaza, under the Billboard [Previous turn undone.] >iw A loyalty leader nearby spots you. "Another volunteer!" he declares as a hat and red card are pressed into your hands. There's nothing for you to do but smile and accept them. A few hourstretches later, you find yourself bruised and spattered in melted wax, running as fast as you can down the corridors of the Bunker, carrying half a mannequin and smelling of expensive perfume. A Special Ops squadron from Defense is not far behind. How exactly you got here is a long and complicated story, nor does it have much to do with this one. *** In the Bunker, caring is harmful to one's health. *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > undo Plaza, under the Billboard [Previous turn undone.] >undo Plaza, under the Billboard [Previous turn undone.] >undo Plaza, under the Billboard [Previous turn undone.] >f A loyalty leader nearby spots you. "Another volunteer!" he declares as a hat and red card are pressed into your hands. There's nothing for you to do but smile and accept them. A few hourstretches later, you find yourself bruised and spattered in melted wax, running as fast as you can down the corridors of the Bunker, carrying half a mannequin and smelling of expensive perfume. A Special Ops squadron from Defense is not far behind. How exactly you got here is a long and complicated story, nor does it have much to do with this one. *** In the Bunker, caring is harmful to one's health. *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > undo Plaza, under the Billboard [Previous turn undone.] >undo Plaza, under the Billboard [Previous turn undone.] >undo Plaza, under the Billboard [Previous turn undone.] >undo Plaza, under the Billboard [Previous turn undone.] >undo Plaza, under the Billboard [Previous turn undone.] >undo Plaza, under the Billboard [Previous turn undone.] >undo Plaza, under the Billboard [Previous turn undone.] >undo Plaza, under the Billboard [Previous turn undone.] >undo "Undo" capacity exhausted. Sorry! >f A loyalty leader nearby spots you. "Another volunteer!" he declares as a hat and red card are pressed into your hands. There's nothing for you to do but smile and accept them. A few hourstretches later, you find yourself bruised and spattered in melted wax, running as fast as you can down the corridors of the Bunker, carrying half a mannequin and smelling of expensive perfume. A Special Ops squadron from Defense is not far behind. How exactly you got here is a long and complicated story, nor does it have much to do with this one. *** In the Bunker, caring is harmful to one's health. *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > undo Plaza, under the Billboard [Previous turn undone.] >r Plaza, by the Lab You are standing outside Research Lab A-U61. A decorative statuette protrudes from the wall, but otherwise the building and its purpose is unmarked. The normally bustling Tucker M. Carlson plaza is strangely subdued today. Inward, you see a mobile response unit set up by Homeland Security, which explains why. All the citizens in the area have been detained for questioning, and - for the moment at least - no one is allowed to leave. To the right is a row of vendors, and to the left a billboard hangs over a security camera. Beyond them, a caring demonstration is getting under way. Outward is a revolving door leading into the lab. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >f Plaza, under the Billboard You are standing near the entrance to the Clement Vallandigham complex. A sign on the wall indicates it is mostly occupied by the Internal Operations division of the Procurement conglomerate, including portions of its sprawling Department of Administration. Internal Operations is responsible for mining out on the surface, sorting and refining ores, distribution of raw materials and the like. Normally a bustling corner of the plaza, today is it deserted. And you know exactly why. Citizens have gathered just to the left of this location. But this is no ordinary meeting; this is a caring demonstration. And like all caring demonstrations, it is sorely in need of volunteers. A billboard - slightly crooked - hangs above a security camera mounted overhead. Beneath them both, playing with a flat, rectangular piece of transparent plastex, is a Ward of the State. A grate set in the floor, about a meter wide, separates you. Fortunately, the Ward of the State has her back to you. To the right is the entrance to Research Lab A-U61. The Ward of the State pretends she doesn't see you, expecting you to move on. When you do not, she grows visibly incensed. "Those things on your head make you look stupid! I guess that's because you are stupid! You're a stupid dumb-dumb stupidy idiot-face!" A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ask tony about grate Can't do it. >give ward yellow pill (the Ward of the State the yellow pill) The Ward of the State examines the yellow pill curiously. "Oooooo, a treat!" Before you can blink, she snatches it from your hand and pops it into her mouth. She chews. Disgust spreads over her face. "Gross!" She spits out what's left and glares at you unforgivingly. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It seems to have taken a special interest in you. >undo Plaza, under the Billboard [Previous turn undone.] >r Plaza, by the Lab You are standing outside Research Lab A-U61. A decorative statuette protrudes from the wall, but otherwise the building and its purpose is unmarked. The normally bustling Tucker M. Carlson plaza is strangely subdued today. Inward, you see a mobile response unit set up by Homeland Security, which explains why. All the citizens in the area have been detained for questioning, and - for the moment at least - no one is allowed to leave. To the right is a row of vendors, and to the left a billboard hangs over a security camera. Beyond them, a caring demonstration is getting under way. Outward is a revolving door leading into the lab. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >r Plaza, Vendor Row In this corner of the Tucker M. Carlson plaza, tucked between the research lab and corridor ZU-8, is a row of vendors. At this time of your daystretch, most of the spots are empty. One vendor, however, stands ready to take your order. A frame of piping with a fabric roof has been placed exactly within the confines of the spot demarcated by slight markings on the floor. You can see over the shelving into the interior of the stall, where a man stares back at you expectantly. Behind him hangs a thick, splotched curtain with many folds. "Don't be shy, friend," Tony says to you. "I've got whatever you need." To the left is the entrance to the research lab. Tony pulls out his PA and stares at it intently. Then, he grabs a gadget off a shelf nearby - unfinished by the looks of it - and a pair of pliers. He glances once more at the PA, then into the innards of the gadget. Carefully, he lowers the pliers inside. His brow is creased with concentration. But sure enough, after a brief pause he yelps and jerks his hand back. The pliers drop loudly to the floor. He quickly recovers his composure and returns the gadget and the pliers to their respective places, pretending all the while that you don't exist. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ask tony about grate (Tony Bleet about that) "Can I interest you in this right over here?" He picks up an unidentifiable lump of metal with far too many dials and switches and presents it to you. Tony pulls out his PA and stares at it intently. Then, he grabs a gadget off a shelf nearby - unfinished by the looks of it - and a pair of pliers. He glances once more at the PA, then into the innards of the gadget. Carefully, he lowers the pliers inside. His brow is creased with concentration. But sure enough, after a brief pause he yelps and jerks his hand back. The pliers drop loudly to the floor. He quickly recovers his composure and returns the gadget and the pliers to their respective places, pretending all the while that you don't exist. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ge tpliers That's not a verb I recognise. >get pliers Can't do it. >l Plaza, Vendor Row In this corner of the Tucker M. Carlson plaza, tucked between the research lab and corridor ZU-8, is a row of vendors. At this time of your daystretch, most of the spots are empty. One vendor, however, stands ready to take your order. A frame of piping with a fabric roof has been placed exactly within the confines of the spot demarcated by slight markings on the floor. You can see over the shelving into the interior of the stall, where a man stares back at you expectantly. Behind him hangs a thick, splotched curtain with many folds. "Don't be shy, friend," Tony says to you. "I've got whatever you need." To the left is the entrance to the research lab. >r You can't go that way. Tony's face suddenly brightens, and a finger leaps into the air. "Of course!" he exclaims. "Why didn't I think of that before?" He slips behind the curtain in the back of the stall and reappears almost immediately, a large wrench in hand. He brings it to a bench in the middle of the stall. On it is a neat, sleek unidentifiable cube - presumably a gadget of some kind. Tony slips the wrench around a bolt and gives it a tug. In response, the gadget rearranges itself. At least, that's what it looks like to you. The bolt retracts and reappears somewhere else, along with the cube's other features. Defeated, Tony tosses the wrench through the curtain where it clatters loudly to rest and returns to his place. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >f Plaza, by the Lab You are standing outside Research Lab A-U61. A decorative statuette protrudes from the wall, but otherwise the building and its purpose is unmarked. The normally bustling Tucker M. Carlson plaza is strangely subdued today. Inward, you see a mobile response unit set up by Homeland Security, which explains why. All the citizens in the area have been detained for questioning, and - for the moment at least - no one is allowed to leave. To the right is a row of vendors, and to the left a billboard hangs over a security camera. Beyond them, a caring demonstration is getting under way. Outward is a revolving door leading into the lab. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Plaza, Near the Museum You are standing halfway to the center of the plaza. A sense of travesty and loss envelops you here. Nearby, corpses have been piled into a sloppy stack, and a mobile response unit has been hastily set up next to it. A long queue of frightened, weeping citizens has formed there, waiting patiently to exonerate themselves. Outward is the Museum of Athletic Ability, occupying the very center of the plaza. There, a group of exercise enthusiasts has gathered for some intense stretching. Inward is the entrance to Research Lab A-U61. To the left and right are large, empty spaces, beyond which are corridors leading off to other parts of the department. You can see the agent from Homeland Security here. The agent from Homeland Security summarily dismisses her subject, who breathes a scarcely concealed sigh of relief and walks quickly off towards one of the connecting corridors. "Next!" A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >f The agent from Homeland Security perks up. "Ah, excuse me!" she shouts, pointing a pen in your direction. "You're still a Person of Interest in this matter. So don't even THINK of skulking off... unless you have something to hide?" The citizens in the queue study you intensely, hoping to catch some hint of your duplicity. The agent from Homeland Security scribbles on a paper form, then snatches her PA and jabs hurriedly at it. "Now hold on a minutestretch!" she barks at her subject, who halts mid-sentence, terrified. When she's done, she looks up at her interviewee and smiles reassuringly. "Yeah, you were saying?" A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ask agent about ward (the agent from Homeland Security about that) "Precious! Just precious!" A Ward of the State skips over to the mobile response unit. The queue of citizens tenses up as she walks among them. They offer gifts, little bribes to make her go away. The Ward of the State, however, rejects them all with a callous refrain: "Junk!" Eventually, she comes to you. "So, what do you got?" You make a show of patting down your jumpsuit in search of something suitable, all the while shaking your trusty feather duster in the girl's face. After a few gasps and sneezes, the Ward of the State storms off. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow Plaza, by the Lab You are standing outside Research Lab A-U61. A decorative statuette protrudes from the wall, but otherwise the building and its purpose is unmarked. The normally bustling Tucker M. Carlson plaza is strangely subdued today. Inward, you see a mobile response unit set up by Homeland Security, which explains why. All the citizens in the area have been detained for questioning, and - for the moment at least - no one is allowed to leave. To the right is a row of vendors, and to the left a billboard hangs over a security camera. Beyond them, a caring demonstration is getting under way. Outward is a revolving door leading into the lab. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >put ic chip in statue It doesn't fit. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >l Plaza, by the Lab You are standing outside Research Lab A-U61. A decorative statuette protrudes from the wall, but otherwise the building and its purpose is unmarked. The normally bustling Tucker M. Carlson plaza is strangely subdued today. Inward, you see a mobile response unit set up by Homeland Security, which explains why. All the citizens in the area have been detained for questioning, and - for the moment at least - no one is allowed to leave. To the right is a row of vendors, and to the left a billboard hangs over a security camera. Beyond them, a caring demonstration is getting under way. Outward is a revolving door leading into the lab. >save Ok. >ow You push through the revolving door and scramble with difficulty over the turnstile, confident no one is observing you. The Loyalty Stretch catches your attention on the tube. Sally looks gravely into the camera. "Meanwhile, explosive ordnance from Defense was called upon earlier today to intervene in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza, A-8 sector. Details are still emerging, but it appears a dangerous social deviant was on the verge of blowing up the Clement Vallandigham complex, a vital organ of the Procurement conglomerate." In the upper right, grainy footage displays a familiar area. You can make out the mobile response unit, the delivery man - and isn't that you at the edge of the screen? Yuri takes over. "An agent from Homeland Security was on location, facilitating the traitor's arrest. Fortunately, no one was hurt during the operation." Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. >iw You pass through the turnstile and push through the revolving door. Plaza, by the Lab You are standing outside Research Lab A-U61. A decorative statuette protrudes from the wall, but otherwise the building and its purpose is unmarked. The normally bustling Tucker M. Carlson plaza is strangely subdued today. Inward, you see a mobile response unit set up by Homeland Security, which explains why. All the citizens in the area have been detained for questioning, and - for the moment at least - no one is allowed to leave. To the right is a row of vendors, and to the left a billboard hangs over a security camera. Beyond them, a caring demonstration is getting under way. Outward is a revolving door leading into the lab. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >r Plaza, Vendor Row In this corner of the Tucker M. Carlson plaza, tucked between the research lab and corridor ZU-8, is a row of vendors. At this time of your daystretch, most of the spots are empty. One vendor, however, stands ready to take your order. A frame of piping with a fabric roof has been placed exactly within the confines of the spot demarcated by slight markings on the floor. You can see over the shelving into the interior of the stall, where a man stares back at you expectantly. Behind him hangs a thick, splotched curtain with many folds. "Don't be shy, friend," Tony says to you. "I've got whatever you need." To the left is the entrance to the research lab. Tony turns his attention to a sagging corner of his frame. You can see that he has mounted some kind of device - handcrafted by himself, naturally - on the roof nearby. It consists of a flimsy pole to which an array of cables is anchored. The cables fan out and are fastened at the other end to the sagging metal frame. Unfortunately, the cables don't provide enough support. Tony steps up on a ladder and fiddles with the device. Eventually, one of the cables snaps and the frame sags further. Throwing his hands up in the air, Tony climbs down and returns to his place, muttering to himself about tensile strength. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >l Plaza, Vendor Row In this corner of the Tucker M. Carlson plaza, tucked between the research lab and corridor ZU-8, is a row of vendors. At this time of your daystretch, most of the spots are empty. One vendor, however, stands ready to take your order. A frame of piping with a fabric roof has been placed exactly within the confines of the spot demarcated by slight markings on the floor. You can see over the shelving into the interior of the stall, where a man stares back at you expectantly. Behind him hangs a thick, splotched curtain with many folds. "Don't be shy, friend," Tony says to you. "I've got whatever you need." To the left is the entrance to the research lab. > l Plaza, Vendor Row In this corner of the Tucker M. Carlson plaza, tucked between the research lab and corridor ZU-8, is a row of vendors. At this time of your daystretch, most of the spots are empty. One vendor, however, stands ready to take your order. A frame of piping with a fabric roof has been placed exactly within the confines of the spot demarcated by slight markings on the floor. You can see over the shelving into the interior of the stall, where a man stares back at you expectantly. Behind him hangs a thick, splotched curtain with many folds. "Don't be shy, friend," Tony says to you. "I've got whatever you need." To the left is the entrance to the research lab. > f Plaza, by the Lab You are standing outside Research Lab A-U61. A decorative statuette protrudes from the wall, but otherwise the building and its purpose is unmarked. The normally bustling Tucker M. Carlson plaza is strangely subdued today. Inward, you see a mobile response unit set up by Homeland Security, which explains why. All the citizens in the area have been detained for questioning, and - for the moment at least - no one is allowed to leave. To the right is a row of vendors, and to the left a billboard hangs over a security camera. Beyond them, a caring demonstration is getting under way. Outward is a revolving door leading into the lab. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >f Plaza, under the Billboard You are standing near the entrance to the Clement Vallandigham complex. A sign on the wall indicates it is mostly occupied by the Internal Operations division of the Procurement conglomerate, including portions of its sprawling Department of Administration. Internal Operations is responsible for mining out on the surface, sorting and refining ores, distribution of raw materials and the like. Normally a bustling corner of the plaza, today is it deserted. And you know exactly why. Citizens have gathered just to the left of this location. But this is no ordinary meeting; this is a caring demonstration. And like all caring demonstrations, it is sorely in need of volunteers. A billboard - slightly crooked - hangs above a security camera mounted overhead. Beneath them both, playing with a flat, rectangular piece of transparent plastex, is a Ward of the State. A grate set in the floor, about a meter wide, separates you. Fortunately, the Ward of the State has her back to you. To the right is the entrance to Research Lab A-U61. The Ward of the State pretends she doesn't see you, expecting you to move on. When you do not, she grows visibly incensed. "Those things on your head make you look stupid! I guess that's because you are stupid! You're a stupid dumb-dumb stupidy idiot-face!" A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ask ward for plastex (the Ward of the State for the protective cover) The Ward of the State has better things to do. The Ward of the State runs over to the caring demonstration, grabs someone's triangle, and returns with it to her spot under the billboard. There, she casually drops it through the grate. Gleefully, she looks on as a loyalty leader reprimands its former owner. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >point magnet at grate The grate rattles loudly. The Ward of the State turns and glares at it. "Shhhh!" The Ward of the State begins playing a little game. She hops about, singing a song, and every once in a while swings her arms about in a swift, circular motion. Before you know it, she passes directly in front of you, squashing your toes and punching you solidly in the throat. Stopping short, she fixes you with an angry glare. "Your face hit my hand!" she shrieks and pretends to cry. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >turn magnet on That's already on. The Ward of the State runs over to the caring demonstration, grabs someone's triangle, and returns with it to her spot under the billboard. There, she casually drops it through the grate. Gleefully, she looks on as a loyalty leader reprimands its former owner. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >point magnet at triangle Nothing happens. The Ward of the State pretends she doesn't see you, expecting you to move on. When you do not, she grows visibly incensed. "Those things on your head make you look stupid! I guess that's because you are stupid! You're a stupid dumb-dumb stupidy idiot-face!" A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >turn dial to 2 Done. The electromagnet produces a sharp buzzing. The Ward of the State runs over to the caring demonstration, grabs someone's triangle, and returns with it to her spot under the billboard. There, she casually drops it through the grate. Gleefully, she looks on as a loyalty leader reprimands its former owner. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >point magnet at grate The grate rattles loudly. The Ward of the State turns and glares at it. "Shhhh!" The Ward of the State farts loudly and blames it on you. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >point magnet at triangle Nothing happens. The Ward of the State informs you with all the confidence of a teamster that she's prettier than you are. "And smarter," she adds with a glance at the bunny ears. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >turn magnet off You switch the electromagnet off. The Ward of the State farts loudly and blames it on you. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw A loyalty leader nearby spots you. "Another volunteer!" he declares as a hat and red card are pressed into your hands. There's nothing for you to do but smile and accept them. A few hourstretches later, you find yourself bruised and spattered in melted wax, running as fast as you can down the corridors of the Bunker, carrying half a mannequin and smelling of expensive perfume. A Special Ops squadron from Defense is not far behind. How exactly you got here is a long and complicated story, nor does it have much to do with this one. *** In the Bunker, caring is harmful to one's health. *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > undo Plaza, under the Billboard [Previous turn undone.] >ow You are fairly confident the Clement Vallandigham complex is a boring place and full of dust, so you think better of it and decide to stay put. The Ward of the State runs over to the caring demonstration, grabs someone's triangle, and returns with it to her spot under the billboard. There, she casually drops it through the grate. Gleefully, she looks on as a loyalty leader reprimands its former owner. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >r Plaza, by the Lab You are standing outside Research Lab A-U61. A decorative statuette protrudes from the wall, but otherwise the building and its purpose is unmarked. The normally bustling Tucker M. Carlson plaza is strangely subdued today. Inward, you see a mobile response unit set up by Homeland Security, which explains why. All the citizens in the area have been detained for questioning, and - for the moment at least - no one is allowed to leave. To the right is a row of vendors, and to the left a billboard hangs over a security camera. Beyond them, a caring demonstration is getting under way. Outward is a revolving door leading into the lab. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow You push through the revolving door and scramble with difficulty over the turnstile, confident no one is observing you. The Loyalty Stretch catches your attention on the tube. Yuri looks squarely into the camera and smiles reassuringly. "Citizens, we must count ourselves fortunate that we live in a technological dreamland such as ours. No one lacks sustenence, medical care or education. We enjoy these basic necessities because of Control, the ninth and most important of the conglomerates. The Alpha-clearance citizens who work there are tireless in their vigilance." Sally nods and takes over the narrative. "Control has many responsibilities, one of which is managing the other eight conglomerates - the commanding heights of the economy, so to speak. Upon graduation from the creche, every citizen is guaranteed a lifetime job in one of them." "Some citizens, however, choose to take a position in one of the small, independent enterprises that serve as a complement to the conglomerates. Although their services are not per se necessary for our well-being, our lives can still be supplemented in useful and sometimes unexpected ways." Sally assumes a stern expression. "It is important to remember, citizens, that those who work in private enterprises are not by definition traitors. Otherwise they wouldn't be allowed. However, this underlying assumption persists, no doubt due to pernicious rumors spread by the Underground. For this reason, Control is offering a series of lectures to educate everyone on the relationship between the conglomerates and free enterprise. One will surely be held in a plaza near your communal barracks. Expect a notification to arrive soon. Attendance is mandatory." Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. >ow Lab Hallway Inward This is the beginning of Research Lab A-U61's main hallway, lit by glow panels. It is bare and - thanks to your best efforts - mostly free of dust. To your left is a glass wall. Through it, you can see into Dev 1. The thin outline of a door is visible in the glass. Opposite the glass wall to your right is a battered door. The lobby door is inward, and the hallway stretches outward. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >f (first opening the glass door) The glass door swings shut behind you. Dev 1 A shallow depression in the center dominates this room. Above it, a crane protrudes from the ceiling. Hanging nearby from a thick wire that leads into the wall is a controller. On one wall hangs a whiteboard. Otherwise, this area is sparse. This place has a strange smell, and splotches of grime and corrosion can be seen on the walls and ceiling. Both are no doubt remnants of spectacularly promising experiments. A squat opening leads outward, and a doorway obscured by a thick, black curtain leads inward. The wall to the right is made entirely of glass, on the other side of which is the research lab's main hallway. It is accessible through an almost invisible door. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >turn on magnet The electromagnet produces a sharp buzzing. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >point magnet at panel Nothing happens. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >x controller A heavy, rectangular hunk of plastex that's charred in places, it is attached to a wire that runs into the wall near the shallow depression. A large switch is in the center. The large switch is up. Above it is a button (the top button) and below it is an identical one (the bottom button). Turning it around to the back, you can see an iron plate. A thin, oblong piece about half the length of your pinky is missing. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >point magnet at plate Nothing happens. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >turn magnet off You switch the electromagnet off. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >i You're carrying (in plain sight): the yellow pill a new IC chip an electromagnet the red pill some glue a shiny black helmet some rubber gloves Renardin's Card the lab office chip key Ati's Card Silia's Card your PA your Card the feather duster You're wearing: your boots your jumpsuit bunny ears >put ic chip in controller It doesn't fit. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >x controller A heavy, rectangular hunk of plastex that's charred in places, it is attached to a wire that runs into the wall near the shallow depression. A large switch is in the center. The large switch is up. Above it is a button (the top button) and below it is an identical one (the bottom button). Turning it around to the back, you can see an iron plate. A thin, oblong piece about half the length of your pinky is missing. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >get plastex Can't do it. >pull controller It is fixed in place. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >l Dev 1 A shallow depression in the center dominates this room. Above it, a crane protrudes from the ceiling. Hanging nearby from a thick wire that leads into the wall is a controller. On one wall hangs a whiteboard. Otherwise, this area is sparse. This place has a strange smell, and splotches of grime and corrosion can be seen on the walls and ceiling. Both are no doubt remnants of spectacularly promising experiments. A squat opening leads outward, and a doorway obscured by a thick, black curtain leads inward. The wall to the right is made entirely of glass, on the other side of which is the research lab's main hallway. It is accessible through an almost invisible door. >open controller It isn't something you can open. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >break controller You bravely threaten the controller and brandish a fist, but then you feel silly and stop. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >l Dev 1 A shallow depression in the center dominates this room. Above it, a crane protrudes from the ceiling. Hanging nearby from a thick wire that leads into the wall is a controller. On one wall hangs a whiteboard. Otherwise, this area is sparse. This place has a strange smell, and splotches of grime and corrosion can be seen on the walls and ceiling. Both are no doubt remnants of spectacularly promising experiments. A squat opening leads outward, and a doorway obscured by a thick, black curtain leads inward. The wall to the right is made entirely of glass, on the other side of which is the research lab's main hallway. It is accessible through an almost invisible door. >ow Darkened Passage You find yourself in a small, uninteresting passage with no light source of its own. To your right is a door. You can also continue inward through a squat opening or outward through a narrow opening. >r (first opening the refrigeration unit door) It seems to be locked. >ow Dev 3 Four workstations have been arranged in a square in the center of this room, basking in the bright light from the glow panels. Nestled between them is a bank of manipulators. What appear to be controls for the manipulators have been built onto the surface of each workstation. Through a glass wall to the right, you see a hallway. A door has been cut into the glass. Set in the middle of the inward wall is a narrow opening. You can see a sturdy locker (empty) here. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >r (first opening the glass door) The glass door swings shut behind you. Lab Hallway Outward You are standing at one end of a short, bare hallway lit by glow panels. The left wall is made entirely of glass. Through it you can see into Dev 3. Normally, a few researchers can be seen toiling within, but now it is strangely empty. To the left a door has been cut into the glass. Another door is to your right. A smart sign is affixed to it. Outward is a third door made entirely of metal. Inward, the corridor continues towards the Lobby. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >x camera Security cameras are everywhere in the Bunker. They are another of the ways the boys and gals over at Control keep an eye on things. The single barrel of a laser cannon is perched above it, ready to blast traitors and social deviants into a fine, raining mist. A slit in the glass wall allows this security camera to pivot 360 degrees. You also notice that the walls of the developmental areas on the other side do not extend all the way to the ceiling, allowing the camera to peer inside. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >r (first opening the office door) The lock is activated by the chip key, and you hear a slight rasping noise from the door. Ah, a rare moment of cherished privacy away from prying eyes... You hear a slight click after the door swings shut. Lab Director's Office You are in the lab director's office. Looking around, you can see that the previous lab director had little if any personality. Framed by bare, white walls, the room prominently features a shallow, curved desk. Behind the desk tucked against the wall is a heavy, metal safe. The room is dimly lit by a single glow panel near the ceiling; the others appear to be out of service. Outward is a door leading to the research lab's main corridor. You can see the lab director's chair here. >f You can't go that way. >ow (first opening the office door) The lock is activated by the chip key, and you hear a slight rasping noise from the door. You hear a slight click after the door swings shut. Lab Hallway Outward You are standing at one end of a short, bare hallway lit by glow panels. The left wall is made entirely of glass. Through it you can see into Dev 3. Normally, a few researchers can be seen toiling within, but now it is strangely empty. To the left a door has been cut into the glass. Another door is to your right. A smart sign is affixed to it. Outward is a third door made entirely of metal. Inward, the corridor continues towards the Lobby. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It seems to have taken a special interest in you. >f (first opening the glass door) The glass door swings shut behind you. Dev 3 Four workstations have been arranged in a square in the center of this room, basking in the bright light from the glow panels. Nestled between them is a bank of manipulators. What appear to be controls for the manipulators have been built onto the surface of each workstation. Through a glass wall to the right, you see a hallway. A door has been cut into the glass. Set in the middle of the inward wall is a narrow opening. You can see a sturdy locker (empty) here. The laser cannon above the security camera unleashes a torrent of raw firepower at you. *** You have died. *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > undo Lab Hallway Outward [Previous turn undone.] >undo Lab Director's Office [Previous turn undone.] >undo Lab Director's Office [Previous turn undone.] >undo Lab Hallway Outward [Previous turn undone.] >l Lab Hallway Outward You are standing at one end of a short, bare hallway lit by glow panels. The left wall is made entirely of glass. Through it you can see into Dev 3. Normally, a few researchers can be seen toiling within, but now it is strangely empty. To the left a door has been cut into the glass. Another door is to your right. A smart sign is affixed to it. Outward is a third door made entirely of metal. Inward, the corridor continues towards the Lobby. >ow (first opening the metal door) It seems to be locked. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >unlock door Which do you mean, the glass door, the metal door or the office door? >metal (using the lab office chip key) You do not need specifically unlock anything with a chip key. If you attempt to pass the lock it is attuned to, it will automatically open. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow (first opening the metal door) It seems to be locked. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Lab Hallway Center You are standing in the center of a bare hallway lit by glow panels. The wall to your left is made entirely of glass. Just out of reach above your head, a security camera relentlessly surveys the hallway and the areas visible through the glass wall. To the left, you can see the Refrigeration Unit. Across from it, to your right, is a plain door. The hallway continues both inward and outward. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Lab Hallway Inward This is the beginning of Research Lab A-U61's main hallway, lit by glow panels. It is bare and - thanks to your best efforts - mostly free of dust. To your left is a glass wall. Through it, you can see into Dev 1. The thin outline of a door is visible in the glass. Opposite the glass wall to your right is a battered door. The lobby door is inward, and the hallway stretches outward. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw The Loyalty Stretch catches your attention on the tube. Yuri's face droops a little as he announces, "And now, good citizens, back to the most important news of the daystretch: the new and improved Vitamim being served in X-10 sector." Sally does her best to be excited. "Control cares about our health and wellbeing," she continues. "Did you know that the new and improved Vitamim now cures common skin rashes?" You lose interest and return to the matter at hand. Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. >get invisibility cloak I only understood the first part of that-- trying anyway. Retrying as: >GET INVISIBILITY Can't do it. >search floor Unless specifically mentioned by the text, avoid general concepts like the floor and ceiling. Try typing LOOK and then using verbs like TAKE or EXAMINE on the things you see mentioned. >find cloak That's not a verb I recognise. >turn on magnet The electromagnet produces a sharp buzzing. >point at vending machine You do your best to emphasize the importance of the lobby vending machine. >x machine A large, hulking, rectangular object, this vending machine is just like any other you've seen throughout the Bunker. A small touchscreen lists the items available and their cost. Next to it is a slot for your Card. At the bottom is a wide, narrow compartment where items are dispensed. The protective cover of its dispenser is missing. >point magnet at compartment Nothing happens. >turn on magnet That's already on. >turn off magnet You switch the electromagnet off. >ow Lab Hallway Inward This is the beginning of Research Lab A-U61's main hallway, lit by glow panels. It is bare and - thanks to your best efforts - mostly free of dust. To your left is a glass wall. Through it, you can see into Dev 1. The thin outline of a door is visible in the glass. Opposite the glass wall to your right is a battered door. The lobby door is inward, and the hallway stretches outward. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow Lab Hallway Center You are standing in the center of a bare hallway lit by glow panels. The wall to your left is made entirely of glass. Just out of reach above your head, a security camera relentlessly surveys the hallway and the areas visible through the glass wall. To the left, you can see the Refrigeration Unit. Across from it, to your right, is a plain door. The hallway continues both inward and outward. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >r Dressing Room This is a shower and dressing room, the first and last stop for Research Lab A-U61's scientists. Here, they exchange their standard-issue jumpsuits for a lab coat. At the end of their shift, they use the showering units and disinfectant powder to remove any dangerous substances they might have inadvertently accumulated during the course of their work. After all, the last thing the Bunker needs in the midst of the heroic struggle against traitors and social deviants is an outbreak of a deadly, flesh-eating bacteria. A long bench is situated in front of a row of tall lockers. Next to them along the wall are two showering units. On the opposite wall is a pill dispenser. A poster hangs next to it. Outward is a door leading to the research lab's main corridor. >x dispenser The pill dispenser is simple enough. The mouths of three small tubes are set in the wall in a row. A red button is below the first tube, and above it is written "Pep". A yellow button is below the second tube, and above it is written "Zzzzzz". No button or source of identification marks the third tube. >point magnet at tube Nothing happens. >turn on magnet The electromagnet produces a sharp buzzing. >point magnet at tube Nothing happens. >turn dial to 3 Done. The electromagnet produces a loud racket and vibrates violently in your hand. >point magnet at tube Nothing happens. The electromagnet continues to quiver and squeal. >turn off magnet You switch the electromagnet off. The electromagnet gives up under the strain, and some kind of release mechanism is activated. The dial turns, and the device switches off. >l Dressing Room This is a shower and dressing room, the first and last stop for Research Lab A-U61's scientists. Here, they exchange their standard-issue jumpsuits for a lab coat. At the end of their shift, they use the showering units and disinfectant powder to remove any dangerous substances they might have inadvertently accumulated during the course of their work. After all, the last thing the Bunker needs in the midst of the heroic struggle against traitors and social deviants is an outbreak of a deadly, flesh-eating bacteria. A long bench is situated in front of a row of tall lockers. Next to them along the wall are two showering units. On the opposite wall is a pill dispenser. A poster hangs next to it. Outward is a door leading to the research lab's main corridor. >ow Lab Hallway Center You are standing in the center of a bare hallway lit by glow panels. The wall to your left is made entirely of glass. Just out of reach above your head, a security camera relentlessly surveys the hallway and the areas visible through the glass wall. To the left, you can see the Refrigeration Unit. Across from it, to your right, is a plain door. The hallway continues both inward and outward. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Lab Hallway Inward This is the beginning of Research Lab A-U61's main hallway, lit by glow panels. It is bare and - thanks to your best efforts - mostly free of dust. To your left is a glass wall. Through it, you can see into Dev 1. The thin outline of a door is visible in the glass. Opposite the glass wall to your right is a battered door. The lobby door is inward, and the hallway stretches outward. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >r Storage Room You are standing in a rudimentary storage room with barely enough room to stand in. Dilapidated shelving lines three walls. Otherwise it is bare and uninteresting. The exit is outward. >turn on magnet The electromagnet produces a pleasant humming. >point at shelf You do your best to emphasize the importance of the shelving. >point magnet at shelf Nothing happens. >turn dial to 3 Done. The electromagnet produces a loud racket and vibrates violently in your hand. >point magnet at shelf Nothing happens. The electromagnet continues to quiver and squeal. >turn off magnet You switch the electromagnet off. The electromagnet gives up under the strain, and some kind of release mechanism is activated. The dial turns, and the device switches off. >move shelf It is fixed in place. >pull shelf It is fixed in place. >push shelf It is fixed in place. >ow Lab Hallway Inward This is the beginning of Research Lab A-U61's main hallway, lit by glow panels. It is bare and - thanks to your best efforts - mostly free of dust. To your left is a glass wall. Through it, you can see into Dev 1. The thin outline of a door is visible in the glass. Opposite the glass wall to your right is a battered door. The lobby door is inward, and the hallway stretches outward. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >hint (If you're using a screen reader, press S to turn on Screen Reader mode. This message only appears on the front page of the menu system.) 1. New to Interactive Fiction 2. New to Nothing Could Be Further From the Truth 3. New to the Bunker 4. Credits 5. Hints (Hints) 1. What's going on? 2. I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape? 3. Can I get an Epsilon security clearance in this game? 4. Can I get a Delta security clearance in this game? 5. Every time I smell, I sneeze. 6. What is the zorgot? 7. The security camera keeps blasting me for no reason. 8. A search and extraction team or two thugs or a tall, gangly man show up and end the game. 9. Lobby 0. Elsewhere in the Research Lab A. Restricted Research Lab B. Plaza C. Control D. The underground E. Waste of space F. Accusing someone (Hints - Plaza) 1. The research lab keeps blowing up. 2. How do I get the plastex from the Ward of the State? 3. Can Tony Bleet help me? 4. Can the agent from Homeland Security help me? 5. I am being accosted by first responders from Defense. (Hints - Plaza - How do I get the plastex from the Ward of the State?) Press H to reveal the first hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Plaza - How do I get the plastex from the Ward of the State?) 1/9: Have you tried distracting her? Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Plaza - How do I get the plastex from the Ward of the State?) 1/9: Have you tried distracting her? 2/9: Have you tried stealing it? Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Plaza - How do I get the plastex from the Ward of the State?) 1/9: Have you tried distracting her? 2/9: Have you tried stealing it? 3/9: Have you tried killing her? Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Plaza - How do I get the plastex from the Ward of the State?) 1/9: Have you tried distracting her? 2/9: Have you tried stealing it? 3/9: Have you tried killing her? 4/9: Looks like you can't right now. Just be patient. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Plaza - How do I get the plastex from the Ward of the State?) 1/9: Have you tried distracting her? 2/9: Have you tried stealing it? 3/9: Have you tried killing her? 4/9: Looks like you can't right now. Just be patient. 5/9: In the course of the game the protective cover might become available to you some other way. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Plaza) 1. The research lab keeps blowing up. 2. How do I get the plastex from the Ward of the State? 3. Can Tony Bleet help me? 4. Can the agent from Homeland Security help me? 5. I am being accosted by first responders from Defense. (Hints - Plaza - Can Tony Bleet help me?) Press H to reveal the first hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Plaza - Can Tony Bleet help me?) 1/5: He can sell you things. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Plaza - Can Tony Bleet help me?) 1/5: He can sell you things. 2/5: Have you talked to him much? Asked him about the lab maybe? Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Plaza - Can Tony Bleet help me?) 1/5: He can sell you things. 2/5: Have you talked to him much? Asked him about the lab maybe? 3/5: Tony used to work in the lab and is interested in electonics. He might be able to give you information if you ask him about specific things in the lab, or show them to him. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Plaza - Can Tony Bleet help me?) 1/5: He can sell you things. 2/5: Have you talked to him much? Asked him about the lab maybe? 3/5: Tony used to work in the lab and is interested in electonics. He might be able to give you information if you ask him about specific things in the lab, or show them to him. 4/5: If he has offered his help to you concerning a certain matter, he can help you with that, too. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Plaza - Can Tony Bleet help me?) 1/5: He can sell you things. 2/5: Have you talked to him much? Asked him about the lab maybe? 3/5: Tony used to work in the lab and is interested in electonics. He might be able to give you information if you ask him about specific things in the lab, or show them to him. 4/5: If he has offered his help to you concerning a certain matter, he can help you with that, too. 5/5: For information on this topic, look under "The Underground->The menacing crowd". (You have revealed all the hints on this page.) ------------------------ (Hints - Plaza) 1. The research lab keeps blowing up. 2. How do I get the plastex from the Ward of the State? 3. Can Tony Bleet help me? 4. Can the agent from Homeland Security help me? 5. I am being accosted by first responders from Defense. (Hints - Plaza - Can the agent from Homeland Security help me?) Press H to reveal the first hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Plaza - Can the agent from Homeland Security help me?) 1/3: She's been stationed in the plaza for a little while and might have seen a few things. You can try talking to her and asking her about things. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Plaza - Can the agent from Homeland Security help me?) 1/3: She's been stationed in the plaza for a little while and might have seen a few things. You can try talking to her and asking her about things. 2/3: Also, if she has offered her help to you concerning a certain matter, yes, absolutely. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Plaza - Can the agent from Homeland Security help me?) 1/3: She's been stationed in the plaza for a little while and might have seen a few things. You can try talking to her and asking her about things. 2/3: Also, if she has offered her help to you concerning a certain matter, yes, absolutely. 3/3: For information on this topic, look under "The Underground->The menacing crowd". (You have revealed all the hints on this page.) ------------------------ (Hints - Plaza) 1. The research lab keeps blowing up. 2. How do I get the plastex from the Ward of the State? 3. Can Tony Bleet help me? 4. Can the agent from Homeland Security help me? 5. I am being accosted by first responders from Defense. (Hints) 1. What's going on? 2. I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape? 3. Can I get an Epsilon security clearance in this game? 4. Can I get a Delta security clearance in this game? 5. Every time I smell, I sneeze. 6. What is the zorgot? 7. The security camera keeps blasting me for no reason. 8. A search and extraction team or two thugs or a tall, gangly man show up and end the game. 9. Lobby 0. Elsewhere in the Research Lab A. Restricted Research Lab B. Plaza C. Control D. The underground E. Waste of space F. Accusing someone (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab) 1. How do I get past the metal door in Lab Hallway Outward? 2. How do I get into the Lab Director's Office? 3. I can't get through the revolving door in the Lobby. 4. Depot 5. Dev 1 6. Dev 3 7. Dressing room 8. Storage Room 9. Refrigeration unit 0. Lab director's office A. Vending machine (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - How do I get past the metal door in Lab Hallway Outward?) Press H to reveal the first hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - How do I get past the metal door in Lab Hallway Outward?) 1/2: Turn the wheel. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - How do I get past the metal door in Lab Hallway Outward?) 1/2: Turn the wheel. 2/2: The parts of the research lab on the other side of the metal door are restricted to those with an Epsilon security clearance or higher. (You have revealed all the hints on this page.) ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab) 1. How do I get past the metal door in Lab Hallway Outward? 2. How do I get into the Lab Director's Office? 3. I can't get through the revolving door in the Lobby. 4. Depot 5. Dev 1 6. Dev 3 7. Dressing room 8. Storage Room 9. Refrigeration unit 0. Lab director's office A. Vending machine (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Lab director's office) 1. I am looking for documents. 2. How do I activate the screen/keyboard? 3. How do I get into the safe? 4. What is God's Holy Wrath? (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab) 1. How do I get past the metal door in Lab Hallway Outward? 2. How do I get into the Lab Director's Office? 3. I can't get through the revolving door in the Lobby. 4. Depot 5. Dev 1 6. Dev 3 7. Dressing room 8. Storage Room 9. Refrigeration unit 0. Lab director's office A. Vending machine (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - How do I get into the Lab Director's Office?) 1/8: If you are still being directed to exit the lab, you will not be able to enter the lab director's office. 2/8: The former lab director, Atikurrahman Vosh, probably held the key. 3/8: If you didn't search the scientists' bodies before stashing them away, all is not lost. You will encounter their possessions yet again. 4/8: The bodies disappeared from the hole. If you have no idea what happened to them, do not proceed. 5/8: Afraid that they would be implicated in their deaths, the two members of the God and Freedom Church on the other side hid the bodies in the Decomposition Chamber. The scientists' possessions were then discarded in Beneath the Altar. 6/8: Among them is a lab director's office chip key. 7/8: Just by possessing this chip key, you will be able to enter the office. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - How do I get into the Lab Director's Office?) 1/8: If you are still being directed to exit the lab, you will not be able to enter the lab director's office. 2/8: The former lab director, Atikurrahman Vosh, probably held the key. 3/8: If you didn't search the scientists' bodies before stashing them away, all is not lost. You will encounter their possessions yet again. 4/8: The bodies disappeared from the hole. If you have no idea what happened to them, do not proceed. 5/8: Afraid that they would be implicated in their deaths, the two members of the God and Freedom Church on the other side hid the bodies in the Decomposition Chamber. The scientists' possessions were then discarded in Beneath the Altar. 6/8: Among them is a lab director's office chip key. 7/8: Just by possessing this chip key, you will be able to enter the office. 8/8: Without an Epsilon security clearance, however, you won't live very long after entering. (You have revealed all the hints on this page.) ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab) 1. How do I get past the metal door in Lab Hallway Outward? 2. How do I get into the Lab Director's Office? 3. I can't get through the revolving door in the Lobby. 4. Depot 5. Dev 1 6. Dev 3 7. Dressing room 8. Storage Room 9. Refrigeration unit 0. Lab director's office A. Vending machine (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Dressing room) 1. How do I get the gizmo? (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Dressing room - How do I get the gizmo?) Press H to reveal the first hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Dressing room - How do I get the gizmo?) 1/6: You can't reach it, and the drain won't open. You'll need some kind of tool to assist you. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Dressing room) 1. How do I get the gizmo? (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab) 1. How do I get past the metal door in Lab Hallway Outward? 2. How do I get into the Lab Director's Office? 3. I can't get through the revolving door in the Lobby. 4. Depot 5. Dev 1 6. Dev 3 7. Dressing room 8. Storage Room 9. Refrigeration unit 0. Lab director's office A. Vending machine (Hints) 1. What's going on? 2. I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape? 3. Can I get an Epsilon security clearance in this game? 4. Can I get a Delta security clearance in this game? 5. Every time I smell, I sneeze. 6. What is the zorgot? 7. The security camera keeps blasting me for no reason. 8. A search and extraction team or two thugs or a tall, gangly man show up and end the game. 9. Lobby 0. Elsewhere in the Research Lab A. Restricted Research Lab B. Plaza C. Control D. The underground E. Waste of space F. Accusing someone (If you're using a screen reader, press S to turn on Screen Reader mode. This message only appears on the front page of the menu system.) 1. New to Interactive Fiction 2. New to Nothing Could Be Further From the Truth 3. New to the Bunker 4. Credits 5. Hints Lab Hallway Inward This is the beginning of Research Lab A-U61's main hallway, lit by glow panels. It is bare and - thanks to your best efforts - mostly free of dust. To your left is a glass wall. Through it, you can see into Dev 1. The thin outline of a door is visible in the glass. Opposite the glass wall to your right is a battered door. The lobby door is inward, and the hallway stretches outward. >r Storage Room You are standing in a rudimentary storage room with barely enough room to stand in. Dilapidated shelving lines three walls. Otherwise it is bare and uninteresting. The exit is outward. >ow Lab Hallway Inward This is the beginning of Research Lab A-U61's main hallway, lit by glow panels. It is bare and - thanks to your best efforts - mostly free of dust. To your left is a glass wall. Through it, you can see into Dev 1. The thin outline of a door is visible in the glass. Opposite the glass wall to your right is a battered door. The lobby door is inward, and the hallway stretches outward. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow Lab Hallway Center You are standing in the center of a bare hallway lit by glow panels. The wall to your left is made entirely of glass. Just out of reach above your head, a security camera relentlessly surveys the hallway and the areas visible through the glass wall. To the left, you can see the Refrigeration Unit. Across from it, to your right, is a plain door. The hallway continues both inward and outward. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >r Dressing Room This is a shower and dressing room, the first and last stop for Research Lab A-U61's scientists. Here, they exchange their standard-issue jumpsuits for a lab coat. At the end of their shift, they use the showering units and disinfectant powder to remove any dangerous substances they might have inadvertently accumulated during the course of their work. After all, the last thing the Bunker needs in the midst of the heroic struggle against traitors and social deviants is an outbreak of a deadly, flesh-eating bacteria. A long bench is situated in front of a row of tall lockers. Next to them along the wall are two showering units. On the opposite wall is a pill dispenser. A poster hangs next to it. Outward is a door leading to the research lab's main corridor. >x shower A narrow space barely big enough to turn around in. Small holes in the ceiling dispense water, which disappears into a small drain in the floor. On the wall is a small container of disinfectant. >x container (the locker) You see nothing special about the locker. >x disinfectant Pressing the container presumably releases a white, disinfecting powder. >clean hands You do not normally need to refer to parts of the body. >x drain In the drain is a gizmo. >x gizmo A thin, oblong piece of iron, small but otherwise unremarkable. >open drain You can't seem to get your fingers around the edge. Even if you use an instrument for leverage, it won't budge. >turn on magnet The electromagnet produces a pleasant humming. >point at drain You do your best to emphasize the importance of the drain. >point magnet at drain The gizmo flies up through the grate in the drain and attaches itself to one end of the electromagnet. You switch the electromagnet off and retrieve it. >x gizmo A thin, oblong piece of iron, small but otherwise unremarkable. >l Dressing Room This is a shower and dressing room, the first and last stop for Research Lab A-U61's scientists. Here, they exchange their standard-issue jumpsuits for a lab coat. At the end of their shift, they use the showering units and disinfectant powder to remove any dangerous substances they might have inadvertently accumulated during the course of their work. After all, the last thing the Bunker needs in the midst of the heroic struggle against traitors and social deviants is an outbreak of a deadly, flesh-eating bacteria. A long bench is situated in front of a row of tall lockers. Next to them along the wall are two showering units. On the opposite wall is a pill dispenser. A poster hangs next to it. Outward is a door leading to the research lab's main corridor. >ow Lab Hallway Center You are standing in the center of a bare hallway lit by glow panels. The wall to your left is made entirely of glass. Just out of reach above your head, a security camera relentlessly surveys the hallway and the areas visible through the glass wall. To the left, you can see the Refrigeration Unit. Across from it, to your right, is a plain door. The hallway continues both inward and outward. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >f You can't go that way. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Lab Hallway Inward This is the beginning of Research Lab A-U61's main hallway, lit by glow panels. It is bare and - thanks to your best efforts - mostly free of dust. To your left is a glass wall. Through it, you can see into Dev 1. The thin outline of a door is visible in the glass. Opposite the glass wall to your right is a battered door. The lobby door is inward, and the hallway stretches outward. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >f (first opening the glass door) The glass door swings shut behind you. Dev 1 A shallow depression in the center dominates this room. Above it, a crane protrudes from the ceiling. Hanging nearby from a thick wire that leads into the wall is a controller. On one wall hangs a whiteboard. Otherwise, this area is sparse. This place has a strange smell, and splotches of grime and corrosion can be seen on the walls and ceiling. Both are no doubt remnants of spectacularly promising experiments. A squat opening leads outward, and a doorway obscured by a thick, black curtain leads inward. The wall to the right is made entirely of glass, on the other side of which is the research lab's main hallway. It is accessible through an almost invisible door. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >put gizmo in controller It snaps easily into place. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >flip switch You flip the large switch. It is now down. You hear a whiny screeching as an invisible gear above you turns. The chain slowly descends. When the screeching stops, the hook hangs a few centimeters from the bottom of the shallow depression. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >press top button Nothing obvious happens. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >press bottom button A hollow booming sounds from somewhere below your feet. At first, nothing happens, but then the shallow depression drops a meter through the floor. A crawlspace leading off to the left is now visible. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >f You kick up a cloud of dust which envelops your face. Naturally, the inevitable follows: a loud, juicy sneeze! Before it can happen again, you hold your breath and plunge into the crawlspace. There is enough room for you to slither along on your hands and knees. The way is fairly straight, but eventually you reach a slight turn. Light streams into the crawlspace beyond. Grateful, you reach the other end. At the end of the tunnel is an opening. Two people in strange attire stare coldly down at you. "I told you I heard something," says the woman with the strap-on beard. "Let us less this needy typhoid!" Before you can protest, she swings her staff at your head and knocks you unconscious. When you come to, you find yourself on your knees with your head above a tub of murky water. You are not alone. Out the corner of your eye, you catch a glimpse of an audience seated in folding chairs behind you. A man in a red robe stands nearby, leading some kind of service. Someone's hand is holding you firmly by the neck. "O Lord," intones the strangely clad man, "we offer our thanks that You have provided us - Your pitiful flock - with life, free choice and an abundance of weapons. Congregation, let us pray." Together, they chant: "Eway askay orfay Ouryay essingblay asay eway indlykay anday entlygay ashway awayay ethay inssay ofay isthay intruderay. Amen." At that, your head is pushed into the tub and held there for quite some time. Longer than you can hold your breath, at any rate. *** You have died. *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > undo Dev 1 [Previous turn undone.] >l Dev 1 A shallow depression in the center dominates this room. Above it, a crane protrudes from the ceiling. Hanging nearby from a thick wire that leads into the wall is a controller. On one wall hangs a whiteboard. Otherwise, this area is sparse. This place has a strange smell, and splotches of grime and corrosion can be seen on the walls and ceiling. Both are no doubt remnants of spectacularly promising experiments. A squat opening leads outward, and a doorway obscured by a thick, black curtain leads inward. The wall to the right is made entirely of glass, on the other side of which is the research lab's main hallway. It is accessible through an almost invisible door. A crawlspace leads left from the space revealed by the shallow depression. >look through crawlspace Through the crawlspace you catch a glimpse of Beneath the Altar. If you want to see more, you'll have to step inside. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >record beneath the altar Can't do it. >ow Darkened Passage You find yourself in a small, uninteresting passage with no light source of its own. To your right is a door. You can also continue inward through a squat opening or outward through a narrow opening. >iw Dev 1 A shallow depression in the center dominates this room. Above it, a crane protrudes from the ceiling. Hanging nearby from a thick wire that leads into the wall is a controller. On one wall hangs a whiteboard. Otherwise, this area is sparse. This place has a strange smell, and splotches of grime and corrosion can be seen on the walls and ceiling. Both are no doubt remnants of spectacularly promising experiments. A squat opening leads outward, and a doorway obscured by a thick, black curtain leads inward. The wall to the right is made entirely of glass, on the other side of which is the research lab's main hallway. It is accessible through an almost invisible door. A crawlspace leads left from the space revealed by the shallow depression. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow Darkened Passage You find yourself in a small, uninteresting passage with no light source of its own. To your right is a door. You can also continue inward through a squat opening or outward through a narrow opening. >ow Dev 3 Four workstations have been arranged in a square in the center of this room, basking in the bright light from the glow panels. Nestled between them is a bank of manipulators. What appear to be controls for the manipulators have been built onto the surface of each workstation. Through a glass wall to the right, you see a hallway. A door has been cut into the glass. Set in the middle of the inward wall is a narrow opening. You can see a sturdy locker (empty) here. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >i You're carrying (in plain sight): the yellow pill a new IC chip an electromagnet the red pill some glue a shiny black helmet some rubber gloves Renardin's Card the lab office chip key Ati's Card Silia's Card your PA your Card the feather duster You're wearing: your boots your jumpsuit bunny ears >l Dev 3 Four workstations have been arranged in a square in the center of this room, basking in the bright light from the glow panels. Nestled between them is a bank of manipulators. What appear to be controls for the manipulators have been built onto the surface of each workstation. Through a glass wall to the right, you see a hallway. A door has been cut into the glass. Set in the middle of the inward wall is a narrow opening. You can see a sturdy locker (empty) here. >ow You can't go that way. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >r (first opening the glass door) The glass door swings shut behind you. Lab Hallway Outward You are standing at one end of a short, bare hallway lit by glow panels. The left wall is made entirely of glass. Through it you can see into Dev 3. Normally, a few researchers can be seen toiling within, but now it is strangely empty. To the left a door has been cut into the glass. Another door is to your right. A smart sign is affixed to it. Outward is a third door made entirely of metal. Inward, the corridor continues towards the Lobby. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow (first opening the metal door) It seems to be locked. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Lab Hallway Center You are standing in the center of a bare hallway lit by glow panels. The wall to your left is made entirely of glass. Just out of reach above your head, a security camera relentlessly surveys the hallway and the areas visible through the glass wall. To the left, you can see the Refrigeration Unit. Across from it, to your right, is a plain door. The hallway continues both inward and outward. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Lab Hallway Inward This is the beginning of Research Lab A-U61's main hallway, lit by glow panels. It is bare and - thanks to your best efforts - mostly free of dust. To your left is a glass wall. Through it, you can see into Dev 1. The thin outline of a door is visible in the glass. Opposite the glass wall to your right is a battered door. The lobby door is inward, and the hallway stretches outward. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. > iw You pass through the turnstile and push through the revolving door. Plaza, by the Lab You are standing outside Research Lab A-U61. A decorative statuette protrudes from the wall, but otherwise the building and its purpose is unmarked. The normally bustling Tucker M. Carlson plaza is strangely subdued today. Inward, you see a mobile response unit set up by Homeland Security, which explains why. All the citizens in the area have been detained for questioning, and - for the moment at least - no one is allowed to leave. To the right is a row of vendors, and to the left a billboard hangs over a security camera. Beyond them, a caring demonstration is getting under way. Outward is a revolving door leading into the lab. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Plaza, Near the Museum You are standing halfway to the center of the plaza. A sense of travesty and loss envelops you here. Nearby, corpses have been piled into a sloppy stack, and a mobile response unit has been hastily set up next to it. A long queue of frightened, weeping citizens has formed there, waiting patiently to exonerate themselves. Outward is the Museum of Athletic Ability, occupying the very center of the plaza. There, a group of exercise enthusiasts has gathered for some intense stretching. Inward is the entrance to Research Lab A-U61. To the left and right are large, empty spaces, beyond which are corridors leading off to other parts of the department. You can see the agent from Homeland Security here. The sound of a PA going off disturbs the thick silence that has descended over the queue. Without looking up, the agent from Homeland Security jabs a pen in the direction whence it came. "No calls!" Then, she looks up and scans the queue. "No messages. No apps. No communication with anyone - except me! Got it?" A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >tell agent about altar (the agent from Homeland Security about that) "Really? I suppose I could pretend that was interesting. I suppose I could..." The agent from Homeland Security scribbles on a paper form, then snatches her PA and jabs hurriedly at it. "Now hold on a minutestretch!" she barks at her subject, who halts mid-sentence, terrified. When she's done, she looks up at her interviewee and smiles reassuringly. "Yeah, you were saying?" A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ask agent about altar (the agent from Homeland Security about that) "I've got a list of suspects, and you're at the very top!" The agent from Homeland Security waves someone forward. "Next!" At the front of the queue, you see a wizened old man. Something immediately strikes you as odd about him. After all, you've only ever seen old people on the tube. "Who me?" wheezes the wizened old man, as if awakening from a dream. He starts laughing. The laughter grows intense - too intense for a wizened old man. "Yes, yes, you'll get what you ask for!" He lurches forward, spreads his feet apart, and appears to pull an invisible cord. The wizened old man uncerimoniously flickers into nothingness, a surprised look on his face. There follows an awkward moment of silence. The voice of the agent from Homeland Security rings out again. "Okay, okay. Next!" A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ask agent about church (the agent from Homeland Security about that) "Yeah, yeah, yeah, everybody says they're innocent." A Ward of the State skips over to the mobile response unit. The queue of citizens tenses up as she walks among them. They offer gifts, little bribes to make her go away. The Ward of the State, however, rejects them all with a callous refrain: "Junk!" Eventually, she comes to you. "So, what do you got?" You make a show of patting down your jumpsuit in search of something suitable, all the while shaking your trusty feather duster in the girl's face. After a few gasps and sneezes, the Ward of the State storms off. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow Plaza, by the Lab You are standing outside Research Lab A-U61. A decorative statuette protrudes from the wall, but otherwise the building and its purpose is unmarked. The normally bustling Tucker M. Carlson plaza is strangely subdued today. Inward, you see a mobile response unit set up by Homeland Security, which explains why. All the citizens in the area have been detained for questioning, and - for the moment at least - no one is allowed to leave. To the right is a row of vendors, and to the left a billboard hangs over a security camera. Beyond them, a caring demonstration is getting under way. Outward is a revolving door leading into the lab. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >f Plaza, under the Billboard You are standing near the entrance to the Clement Vallandigham complex. A sign on the wall indicates it is mostly occupied by the Internal Operations division of the Procurement conglomerate, including portions of its sprawling Department of Administration. Internal Operations is responsible for mining out on the surface, sorting and refining ores, distribution of raw materials and the like. Normally a bustling corner of the plaza, today is it deserted. And you know exactly why. Citizens have gathered just to the left of this location. But this is no ordinary meeting; this is a caring demonstration. And like all caring demonstrations, it is sorely in need of volunteers. A billboard - slightly crooked - hangs above a security camera mounted overhead. Beneath them both, playing with a flat, rectangular piece of transparent plastex, is a Ward of the State. A grate set in the floor, about a meter wide, separates you. Fortunately, the Ward of the State has her back to you. To the right is the entrance to Research Lab A-U61. The Ward of the State begins playing a little game. She hops about, singing a song, and every once in a while swings her arms about in a swift, circular motion. Before you know it, she passes directly in front of you, squashing your toes and punching you solidly in the throat. Stopping short, she fixes you with an angry glare. "Your face hit my hand!" she shrieks and pretends to cry. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >r Plaza, by the Lab You are standing outside Research Lab A-U61. A decorative statuette protrudes from the wall, but otherwise the building and its purpose is unmarked. The normally bustling Tucker M. Carlson plaza is strangely subdued today. Inward, you see a mobile response unit set up by Homeland Security, which explains why. All the citizens in the area have been detained for questioning, and - for the moment at least - no one is allowed to leave. To the right is a row of vendors, and to the left a billboard hangs over a security camera. Beyond them, a caring demonstration is getting under way. Outward is a revolving door leading into the lab. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >r Plaza, Vendor Row In this corner of the Tucker M. Carlson plaza, tucked between the research lab and corridor ZU-8, is a row of vendors. At this time of your daystretch, most of the spots are empty. One vendor, however, stands ready to take your order. A frame of piping with a fabric roof has been placed exactly within the confines of the spot demarcated by slight markings on the floor. You can see over the shelving into the interior of the stall, where a man stares back at you expectantly. Behind him hangs a thick, splotched curtain with many folds. "Don't be shy, friend," Tony says to you. "I've got whatever you need." To the left is the entrance to the research lab. Tony's face suddenly brightens, and a finger leaps into the air. "Of course!" he exclaims. "Why didn't I think of that before?" He slips behind the curtain in the back of the stall and reappears almost immediately, a large wrench in hand. He brings it to a bench in the middle of the stall. On it is a neat, sleek unidentifiable cube - presumably a gadget of some kind. Tony slips the wrench around a bolt and gives it a tug. In response, the gadget rearranges itself. At least, that's what it looks like to you. The bolt retracts and reappears somewhere else, along with the cube's other features. Defeated, Tony tosses the wrench through the curtain where it clatters loudly to rest and returns to his place. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ask tony about altar (Tony Bleet about that) "Can I interest you in this right over here?" He picks up an unidentifiable lump of metal with far too many dials and switches and presents it to you. Tony pulls out his PA and stares at it intently. Then, he grabs a gadget off a shelf nearby - unfinished by the looks of it - and a pair of pliers. He glances once more at the PA, then into the innards of the gadget. Carefully, he lowers the pliers inside. His brow is creased with concentration. But sure enough, after a brief pause he yelps and jerks his hand back. The pliers drop loudly to the floor. He quickly recovers his composure and returns the gadget and the pliers to their respective places, pretending all the while that you don't exist. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >x ic chip A flat, square integrated circuit chip with one side as thick as your thumb. White letters identify it as a series R-76. Tony pulls out his PA and stares at it intently. Then, he grabs a gadget off a shelf nearby - unfinished by the looks of it - and a pair of pliers. He glances once more at the PA, then into the innards of the gadget. Carefully, he lowers the pliers inside. His brow is creased with concentration. But sure enough, after a brief pause he yelps and jerks his hand back. The pliers drop loudly to the floor. He quickly recovers his composure and returns the gadget and the pliers to their respective places, pretending all the while that you don't exist. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ask tony about r76 (Tony Bleet about that) "Can I interest you in this right over here?" He picks up an unidentifiable lump of metal with far too many dials and switches and presents it to you. Tony pulls out his PA and stares at it intently. Then, he grabs a gadget off a shelf nearby - unfinished by the looks of it - and a pair of pliers. He glances once more at the PA, then into the innards of the gadget. Carefully, he lowers the pliers inside. His brow is creased with concentration. But sure enough, after a brief pause he yelps and jerks his hand back. The pliers drop loudly to the floor. He quickly recovers his composure and returns the gadget and the pliers to their respective places, pretending all the while that you don't exist. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ask tony about ic chip (Tony Bleet about that) "Can I interest you in this right over here?" He picks up an unidentifiable lump of metal with far too many dials and switches and presents it to you. Tony's PA gives off a cheerful tone and lights up. "Yeah?" he grunts into it. After a brief pause he says, "Now's not a good time. Check back with me later." He cuts the line and glances darkly at you. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ask tony about statue (Tony Bleet about that) "Can I interest you in this right over here?" He picks up an unidentifiable lump of metal with far too many dials and switches and presents it to you. Tony pulls out his PA and stares at it intently. Then, he grabs a gadget off a shelf nearby - unfinished by the looks of it - and a pair of pliers. He glances once more at the PA, then into the innards of the gadget. Carefully, he lowers the pliers inside. His brow is creased with concentration. But sure enough, after a brief pause he yelps and jerks his hand back. The pliers drop loudly to the floor. He quickly recovers his composure and returns the gadget and the pliers to their respective places, pretending all the while that you don't exist. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ask tony about epsilon (Tony Bleet about that) "Can I interest you in this right over here?" He picks up an unidentifiable lump of metal with far too many dials and switches and presents it to you. Tony glances disapprovingly over at the mobile response unit. "I wish she'd hurry up over there. This investigation is killing my business!" A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >f Plaza, by the Lab You are standing outside Research Lab A-U61. A decorative statuette protrudes from the wall, but otherwise the building and its purpose is unmarked. The normally bustling Tucker M. Carlson plaza is strangely subdued today. Inward, you see a mobile response unit set up by Homeland Security, which explains why. All the citizens in the area have been detained for questioning, and - for the moment at least - no one is allowed to leave. To the right is a row of vendors, and to the left a billboard hangs over a security camera. Beyond them, a caring demonstration is getting under way. Outward is a revolving door leading into the lab. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Plaza, Near the Museum You are standing halfway to the center of the plaza. A sense of travesty and loss envelops you here. Nearby, corpses have been piled into a sloppy stack, and a mobile response unit has been hastily set up next to it. A long queue of frightened, weeping citizens has formed there, waiting patiently to exonerate themselves. Outward is the Museum of Athletic Ability, occupying the very center of the plaza. There, a group of exercise enthusiasts has gathered for some intense stretching. Inward is the entrance to Research Lab A-U61. To the left and right are large, empty spaces, beyond which are corridors leading off to other parts of the department. You can see the agent from Homeland Security here. A Ward of the State skips over to the mobile response unit. The queue of citizens tenses up as she walks among them. They offer gifts, little bribes to make her go away. The Ward of the State, however, rejects them all with a callous refrain: "Junk!" Eventually, she comes to you. "So, what do you got?" You make a show of patting down your jumpsuit in search of something suitable, all the while shaking your trusty feather duster in the girl's face. After a few gasps and sneezes, the Ward of the State storms off. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw The agent from Homeland Security perks up. "Ah, excuse me!" she shouts, pointing a pen in your direction. "You're still a Person of Interest in this matter. So don't even THINK of skulking off... unless you have something to hide?" The citizens in the queue study you intensely, hoping to catch some hint of your duplicity. The agent from Homeland Security waves someone forward. "Next!" At the front of the queue, you see a wizened old man. Something immediately strikes you as odd about him. After all, you've only ever seen old people on the tube. "Who me?" wheezes the wizened old man, as if awakening from a dream. He starts laughing. The laughter grows intense - too intense for a wizened old man. "Yes, yes, you'll get what you ask for!" He lurches forward, spreads his feet apart, and appears to pull an invisible cord. The wizened old man uncerimoniously flickers into nothingness, a surprised look on his face. There follows an awkward moment of silence. The voice of the agent from Homeland Security rings out again. "Okay, okay. Next!" A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ask agent about clearance (the agent from Homeland Security about that) "The agents' trade guild is having a meeting later on that I'm sure to miss." The agent from Homeland Security sighs wistfully. The agent from Homeland Security summarily dismisses her subject, who breathes a scarcely concealed sigh of relief and walks quickly off towards one of the connecting corridors. "Next!" A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ask agent about epsilon (the agent from Homeland Security about that) The agent's eyes narrow suspicously. "Hmm, are you trying to distract me?" The agent from Homeland Security waves someone forward. "Next!" At the front of the queue, you see a wizened old man. Something immediately strikes you as odd about him. After all, you've only ever seen old people on the tube. "Who me?" wheezes the wizened old man, as if awakening from a dream. He starts laughing. The laughter grows intense - too intense for a wizened old man. "Yes, yes, you'll get what you ask for!" He lurches forward, spreads his feet apart, and appears to pull an invisible cord. The wizened old man uncerimoniously flickers into nothingness, a surprised look on his face. There follows an awkward moment of silence. The voice of the agent from Homeland Security rings out again. "Okay, okay. Next!" A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >l Plaza, Near the Museum You are standing halfway to the center of the plaza. A sense of travesty and loss envelops you here. Nearby, corpses have been piled into a sloppy stack, and a mobile response unit has been hastily set up next to it. A long queue of frightened, weeping citizens has formed there, waiting patiently to exonerate themselves. Outward is the Museum of Athletic Ability, occupying the very center of the plaza. There, a group of exercise enthusiasts has gathered for some intense stretching. Inward is the entrance to Research Lab A-U61. To the left and right are large, empty spaces, beyond which are corridors leading off to other parts of the department. You can see the agent from Homeland Security here. >hint (If you're using a screen reader, press S to turn on Screen Reader mode. This message only appears on the front page of the menu system.) 1. New to Interactive Fiction 2. New to Nothing Could Be Further From the Truth 3. New to the Bunker 4. Credits 5. Hints Plaza, Near the Museum You are standing halfway to the center of the plaza. A sense of travesty and loss envelops you here. Nearby, corpses have been piled into a sloppy stack, and a mobile response unit has been hastily set up next to it. A long queue of frightened, weeping citizens has formed there, waiting patiently to exonerate themselves. Outward is the Museum of Athletic Ability, occupying the very center of the plaza. There, a group of exercise enthusiasts has gathered for some intense stretching. Inward is the entrance to Research Lab A-U61. To the left and right are large, empty spaces, beyond which are corridors leading off to other parts of the department. You can see the agent from Homeland Security here. >tasks That's not a verb I recognise. >hint (If you're using a screen reader, press S to turn on Screen Reader mode. This message only appears on the front page of the menu system.) 1. New to Interactive Fiction 2. New to Nothing Could Be Further From the Truth 3. New to the Bunker 4. Credits 5. Hints (Hints) 1. What's going on? 2. I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape? 3. Can I get an Epsilon security clearance in this game? 4. Can I get a Delta security clearance in this game? 5. Every time I smell, I sneeze. 6. What is the zorgot? 7. The security camera keeps blasting me for no reason. 8. A search and extraction team or two thugs or a tall, gangly man show up and end the game. 9. Lobby 0. Elsewhere in the Research Lab A. Restricted Research Lab B. Plaza C. Control D. The underground E. Waste of space F. Accusing someone (Hints - What's going on?) Press H to reveal the first hint. ------------------------ (Hints - What's going on?) 1/3: When the game starts, you must exit the research lab. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - What's going on?) 1/3: When the game starts, you must exit the research lab. 2/3: The exit is inward. Keep going until you reach the door at the end of the corridor. You won't be able to go anywhere else. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - What's going on?) 1/3: When the game starts, you must exit the research lab. 2/3: The exit is inward. Keep going until you reach the door at the end of the corridor. You won't be able to go anywhere else. 3/3: When you get there, you will find that you have been thrust immediately into a puzzle. Good luck! (You have revealed all the hints on this page.) ------------------------ (Hints) 1. What's going on? 2. I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape? 3. Can I get an Epsilon security clearance in this game? 4. Can I get a Delta security clearance in this game? 5. Every time I smell, I sneeze. 6. What is the zorgot? 7. The security camera keeps blasting me for no reason. 8. A search and extraction team or two thugs or a tall, gangly man show up and end the game. 9. Lobby 0. Elsewhere in the Research Lab A. Restricted Research Lab B. Plaza C. Control D. The underground E. Waste of space F. Accusing someone (Hints - I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape?) Press H to reveal the first hint. ------------------------ (Hints - I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape?) 1/6: Did you try looking through the door? Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape?) 1/6: Did you try looking through the door? 2/6: You have to cross the Lobby and get through the revolving door without attracting any notice. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape?) 1/6: Did you try looking through the door? 2/6: You have to cross the Lobby and get through the revolving door without attracting any notice. 3/6: Did you notice the turnstile in front of the revolving door? It will slow you down. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape?) 1/6: Did you try looking through the door? 2/6: You have to cross the Lobby and get through the revolving door without attracting any notice. 3/6: Did you notice the turnstile in front of the revolving door? It will slow you down. 4/6: Maybe you should try to get a little closer first. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape?) 1/6: Did you try looking through the door? 2/6: You have to cross the Lobby and get through the revolving door without attracting any notice. 3/6: Did you notice the turnstile in front of the revolving door? It will slow you down. 4/6: Maybe you should try to get a little closer first. 5/6: There's a receptionist's desk close by. Did you examine it? Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape?) 1/6: Did you try looking through the door? 2/6: You have to cross the Lobby and get through the revolving door without attracting any notice. 3/6: Did you notice the turnstile in front of the revolving door? It will slow you down. 4/6: Maybe you should try to get a little closer first. 5/6: There's a receptionist's desk close by. Did you examine it? 6/6: Hide behind the desk. (You have revealed all the hints on this page.) ------------------------ (Hints) 1. What's going on? 2. I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape? 3. Can I get an Epsilon security clearance in this game? 4. Can I get a Delta security clearance in this game? 5. Every time I smell, I sneeze. 6. What is the zorgot? 7. The security camera keeps blasting me for no reason. 8. A search and extraction team or two thugs or a tall, gangly man show up and end the game. 9. Lobby 0. Elsewhere in the Research Lab A. Restricted Research Lab B. Plaza C. Control D. The underground E. Waste of space F. Accusing someone (Hints - Can I get an Epsilon security clearance in this game?) Press H to reveal the first hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Can I get an Epsilon security clearance in this game?) 1/3: Yes. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Can I get an Epsilon security clearance in this game?) 1/3: Yes. 2/3: The path to an Epsilon security clearance depends a little on which path you take with the Underground. In general, you need to have two traitors arrested. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Can I get an Epsilon security clearance in this game?) 1/3: Yes. 2/3: The path to an Epsilon security clearance depends a little on which path you take with the Underground. In general, you need to have two traitors arrested. 3/3: You can have someone arrested by accusing them. (You have revealed all the hints on this page.) ------------------------ (Hints) 1. What's going on? 2. I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape? 3. Can I get an Epsilon security clearance in this game? 4. Can I get a Delta security clearance in this game? 5. Every time I smell, I sneeze. 6. What is the zorgot? 7. The security camera keeps blasting me for no reason. 8. A search and extraction team or two thugs or a tall, gangly man show up and end the game. 9. Lobby 0. Elsewhere in the Research Lab A. Restricted Research Lab B. Plaza C. Control D. The underground E. Waste of space F. Accusing someone (Hints - Can I get a Delta security clearance in this game?) Press H to reveal the first hint. ------------------------ (Hints) 1. What's going on? 2. I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape? 3. Can I get an Epsilon security clearance in this game? 4. Can I get a Delta security clearance in this game? 5. Every time I smell, I sneeze. 6. What is the zorgot? 7. The security camera keeps blasting me for no reason. 8. A search and extraction team or two thugs or a tall, gangly man show up and end the game. 9. Lobby 0. Elsewhere in the Research Lab A. Restricted Research Lab B. Plaza C. Control D. The underground E. Waste of space F. Accusing someone (Hints - Every time I smell, I sneeze.) Press H to reveal the first hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Every time I smell, I sneeze.) 1/3: Yeah, you have a dust allergy. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Every time I smell, I sneeze.) 1/3: Yeah, you have a dust allergy. 2/3: And you're carrying a duster. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Every time I smell, I sneeze.) 1/3: Yeah, you have a dust allergy. 2/3: And you're carrying a duster. 3/3: You might consider dropping the duster before smelling. (You have revealed all the hints on this page.) ------------------------ (Hints) 1. What's going on? 2. I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape? 3. Can I get an Epsilon security clearance in this game? 4. Can I get a Delta security clearance in this game? 5. Every time I smell, I sneeze. 6. What is the zorgot? 7. The security camera keeps blasting me for no reason. 8. A search and extraction team or two thugs or a tall, gangly man show up and end the game. 9. Lobby 0. Elsewhere in the Research Lab A. Restricted Research Lab B. Plaza C. Control D. The underground E. Waste of space F. Accusing someone (Hints - Lobby) 1. The invisibility cloak 2. There's something I need to get rid of. (Hints) 1. What's going on? 2. I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape? 3. Can I get an Epsilon security clearance in this game? 4. Can I get a Delta security clearance in this game? 5. Every time I smell, I sneeze. 6. What is the zorgot? 7. The security camera keeps blasting me for no reason. 8. A search and extraction team or two thugs or a tall, gangly man show up and end the game. 9. Lobby 0. Elsewhere in the Research Lab A. Restricted Research Lab B. Plaza C. Control D. The underground E. Waste of space F. Accusing someone (Hints - Lobby) 1. The invisibility cloak 2. There's something I need to get rid of. (Hints - Lobby - The invisibility cloak) 1. I am hiding behind the desk. How do I get to the plaza? 2. I keep getting poisoned (Hints - Lobby) 1. The invisibility cloak 2. There's something I need to get rid of. (Hints) 1. What's going on? 2. I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape? 3. Can I get an Epsilon security clearance in this game? 4. Can I get a Delta security clearance in this game? 5. Every time I smell, I sneeze. 6. What is the zorgot? 7. The security camera keeps blasting me for no reason. 8. A search and extraction team or two thugs or a tall, gangly man show up and end the game. 9. Lobby 0. Elsewhere in the Research Lab A. Restricted Research Lab B. Plaza C. Control D. The underground E. Waste of space F. Accusing someone (Hints - Restricted Research Lab) 1. Dev 2 2. Airlock (Hints - Restricted Research Lab - Dev 2) 1. What does the transmutor do? 2. How do I conduct a controlled discharge of the EF harvester? 3. How do I fix the broken circuit board? 4. How do I get the new chip to lie flat? (Hints - Restricted Research Lab) 1. Dev 2 2. Airlock (Hints) 1. What's going on? 2. I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape? 3. Can I get an Epsilon security clearance in this game? 4. Can I get a Delta security clearance in this game? 5. Every time I smell, I sneeze. 6. What is the zorgot? 7. The security camera keeps blasting me for no reason. 8. A search and extraction team or two thugs or a tall, gangly man show up and end the game. 9. Lobby 0. Elsewhere in the Research Lab A. Restricted Research Lab B. Plaza C. Control D. The underground E. Waste of space F. Accusing someone (Hints - Plaza) 1. The research lab keeps blowing up. 2. How do I get the plastex from the Ward of the State? 3. Can Tony Bleet help me? 4. Can the agent from Homeland Security help me? 5. I am being accosted by first responders from Defense. (Hints) 1. What's going on? 2. I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape? 3. Can I get an Epsilon security clearance in this game? 4. Can I get a Delta security clearance in this game? 5. Every time I smell, I sneeze. 6. What is the zorgot? 7. The security camera keeps blasting me for no reason. 8. A search and extraction team or two thugs or a tall, gangly man show up and end the game. 9. Lobby 0. Elsewhere in the Research Lab A. Restricted Research Lab B. Plaza C. Control D. The underground E. Waste of space F. Accusing someone (Hints - Control) 1. The game ends while I am dealing with Control (Hints) 1. What's going on? 2. I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape? 3. Can I get an Epsilon security clearance in this game? 4. Can I get a Delta security clearance in this game? 5. Every time I smell, I sneeze. 6. What is the zorgot? 7. The security camera keeps blasting me for no reason. 8. A search and extraction team or two thugs or a tall, gangly man show up and end the game. 9. Lobby 0. Elsewhere in the Research Lab A. Restricted Research Lab B. Plaza C. Control D. The underground E. Waste of space F. Accusing someone (Hints - The underground) 1. Do I have to cooperate with Asimov and Area 51? 2. How do I find the cell of the God and Freedom Church? 3. I know where the cell is. How do I destroy it? 4. I know where the cell is. How do I join them? 5. The menacing crowd (Hints - The underground - I know where the cell is. How do I destroy it?) Press H to reveal the first hint. ------------------------ (Hints - The underground - I know where the cell is. How do I destroy it?) 1/6: The anti-pope and archbiscuit are clearly members of the God and Freedom Church, which is treasonous in itself. You can simply accuse them. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - The underground) 1. Do I have to cooperate with Asimov and Area 51? 2. How do I find the cell of the God and Freedom Church? 3. I know where the cell is. How do I destroy it? 4. I know where the cell is. How do I join them? 5. The menacing crowd (Hints - The underground - The menacing crowd) 1. How do I deal with the menacing crowd? 2. How do I instruct my co-conspirator? (Hints - The underground) 1. Do I have to cooperate with Asimov and Area 51? 2. How do I find the cell of the God and Freedom Church? 3. I know where the cell is. How do I destroy it? 4. I know where the cell is. How do I join them? 5. The menacing crowd (Hints - The underground - How do I find the cell of the God and Freedom Church?) Press H to reveal the first hint. ------------------------ (Hints - The underground - How do I find the cell of the God and Freedom Church?) 1/5: Have you examined the hole in the Depot? Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - The underground - How do I find the cell of the God and Freedom Church?) 1/5: Have you examined the hole in the Depot? 2/5: Looks like all those bodies are gone. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - The underground - How do I find the cell of the God and Freedom Church?) 1/5: Have you examined the hole in the Depot? 2/5: Looks like all those bodies are gone. 3/5: Still having trouble going through the hole? You can't use that route. There must be another way in. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - The underground - How do I find the cell of the God and Freedom Church?) 1/5: Have you examined the hole in the Depot? 2/5: Looks like all those bodies are gone. 3/5: Still having trouble going through the hole? You can't use that route. There must be another way in. 4/5: The way in is not obvious. Have you checked out the smart sign in the Lobby? Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - The underground - How do I find the cell of the God and Freedom Church?) 1/5: Have you examined the hole in the Depot? 2/5: Looks like all those bodies are gone. 3/5: Still having trouble going through the hole? You can't use that route. There must be another way in. 4/5: The way in is not obvious. Have you checked out the smart sign in the Lobby? 5/5: You must fix the controller in Dev 1. (You have revealed all the hints on this page.) ------------------------ (Hints - The underground) 1. Do I have to cooperate with Asimov and Area 51? 2. How do I find the cell of the God and Freedom Church? 3. I know where the cell is. How do I destroy it? 4. I know where the cell is. How do I join them? 5. The menacing crowd (Hints) 1. What's going on? 2. I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape? 3. Can I get an Epsilon security clearance in this game? 4. Can I get a Delta security clearance in this game? 5. Every time I smell, I sneeze. 6. What is the zorgot? 7. The security camera keeps blasting me for no reason. 8. A search and extraction team or two thugs or a tall, gangly man show up and end the game. 9. Lobby 0. Elsewhere in the Research Lab A. Restricted Research Lab B. Plaza C. Control D. The underground E. Waste of space F. Accusing someone (Hints - The underground) 1. Do I have to cooperate with Asimov and Area 51? 2. How do I find the cell of the God and Freedom Church? 3. I know where the cell is. How do I destroy it? 4. I know where the cell is. How do I join them? 5. The menacing crowd (Hints) 1. What's going on? 2. I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape? 3. Can I get an Epsilon security clearance in this game? 4. Can I get a Delta security clearance in this game? 5. Every time I smell, I sneeze. 6. What is the zorgot? 7. The security camera keeps blasting me for no reason. 8. A search and extraction team or two thugs or a tall, gangly man show up and end the game. 9. Lobby 0. Elsewhere in the Research Lab A. Restricted Research Lab B. Plaza C. Control D. The underground E. Waste of space F. Accusing someone (Hints - Waste of space) 1. A routine internal review has found that I'm a Waste of Space. (Hints) 1. What's going on? 2. I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape? 3. Can I get an Epsilon security clearance in this game? 4. Can I get a Delta security clearance in this game? 5. Every time I smell, I sneeze. 6. What is the zorgot? 7. The security camera keeps blasting me for no reason. 8. A search and extraction team or two thugs or a tall, gangly man show up and end the game. 9. Lobby 0. Elsewhere in the Research Lab A. Restricted Research Lab B. Plaza C. Control D. The underground E. Waste of space F. Accusing someone (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab) 1. How do I get past the metal door in Lab Hallway Outward? 2. How do I get into the Lab Director's Office? 3. I can't get through the revolving door in the Lobby. 4. Depot 5. Dev 1 6. Dev 3 7. Dressing room 8. Storage Room 9. Refrigeration unit 0. Lab director's office A. Vending machine (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Storage Room) 1. How do I find the secret passage? 2. How do I find the terminal? (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Storage Room - How do I find the secret passage?) Press H to reveal the first hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Storage Room - How do I find the secret passage?) 1/1: You can't. (This page has just the one hint.) ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Storage Room) 1. How do I find the secret passage? 2. How do I find the terminal? (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Storage Room - How do I find the terminal?) Press H to reveal the first hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Storage Room - How do I find the terminal?) 1/1: You can't. (This page has just the one hint.) ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Storage Room) 1. How do I find the secret passage? 2. How do I find the terminal? (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab) 1. How do I get past the metal door in Lab Hallway Outward? 2. How do I get into the Lab Director's Office? 3. I can't get through the revolving door in the Lobby. 4. Depot 5. Dev 1 6. Dev 3 7. Dressing room 8. Storage Room 9. Refrigeration unit 0. Lab director's office A. Vending machine (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Dressing room) 1. How do I get the gizmo? (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab) 1. How do I get past the metal door in Lab Hallway Outward? 2. How do I get into the Lab Director's Office? 3. I can't get through the revolving door in the Lobby. 4. Depot 5. Dev 1 6. Dev 3 7. Dressing room 8. Storage Room 9. Refrigeration unit 0. Lab director's office A. Vending machine (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Dev 1) 1. How do I fix the controller? 2. I have fixed the controller. How do I operate it? (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Dev 1 - I have fixed the controller. How do I operate it?) Press H to reveal the first hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Dev 1 - I have fixed the controller. How do I operate it?) 1/8: The buttons raise and lower the depression. The switch raises and lowers the hook. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Dev 1 - I have fixed the controller. How do I operate it?) 1/8: The buttons raise and lower the depression. The switch raises and lowers the hook. 2/8: Did you notice that when you lower the depression, a crawlspace appears? Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Dev 1 - I have fixed the controller. How do I operate it?) 1/8: The buttons raise and lower the depression. The switch raises and lowers the hook. 2/8: Did you notice that when you lower the depression, a crawlspace appears? 3/8: The crawlspace is blocked by the chain. The hook is also attached to a chain. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Dev 1 - I have fixed the controller. How do I operate it?) 1/8: The buttons raise and lower the depression. The switch raises and lowers the hook. 2/8: Did you notice that when you lower the depression, a crawlspace appears? 3/8: The crawlspace is blocked by the chain. The hook is also attached to a chain. 4/8: If you lower the hook, some of the chain will leave the crawlspace and you will be able to pass. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Dev 1 - I have fixed the controller. How do I operate it?) 1/8: The buttons raise and lower the depression. The switch raises and lowers the hook. 2/8: Did you notice that when you lower the depression, a crawlspace appears? 3/8: The crawlspace is blocked by the chain. The hook is also attached to a chain. 4/8: If you lower the hook, some of the chain will leave the crawlspace and you will be able to pass. 5/8: Someone is waiting for you on the other side of the crawlspace? Your sneeze alerted them. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Dev 1 - I have fixed the controller. How do I operate it?) 1/8: The buttons raise and lower the depression. The switch raises and lowers the hook. 2/8: Did you notice that when you lower the depression, a crawlspace appears? 3/8: The crawlspace is blocked by the chain. The hook is also attached to a chain. 4/8: If you lower the hook, some of the chain will leave the crawlspace and you will be able to pass. 5/8: Someone is waiting for you on the other side of the crawlspace? Your sneeze alerted them. 6/8: You are alergic to dust. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Dev 1) 1. How do I fix the controller? 2. I have fixed the controller. How do I operate it? (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab) 1. How do I get past the metal door in Lab Hallway Outward? 2. How do I get into the Lab Director's Office? 3. I can't get through the revolving door in the Lobby. 4. Depot 5. Dev 1 6. Dev 3 7. Dressing room 8. Storage Room 9. Refrigeration unit 0. Lab director's office A. Vending machine (Hints) 1. What's going on? 2. I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape? 3. Can I get an Epsilon security clearance in this game? 4. Can I get a Delta security clearance in this game? 5. Every time I smell, I sneeze. 6. What is the zorgot? 7. The security camera keeps blasting me for no reason. 8. A search and extraction team or two thugs or a tall, gangly man show up and end the game. 9. Lobby 0. Elsewhere in the Research Lab A. Restricted Research Lab B. Plaza C. Control D. The underground E. Waste of space F. Accusing someone (If you're using a screen reader, press S to turn on Screen Reader mode. This message only appears on the front page of the menu system.) 1. New to Interactive Fiction 2. New to Nothing Could Be Further From the Truth 3. New to the Bunker 4. Credits 5. Hints Plaza, Near the Museum You are standing halfway to the center of the plaza. A sense of travesty and loss envelops you here. Nearby, corpses have been piled into a sloppy stack, and a mobile response unit has been hastily set up next to it. A long queue of frightened, weeping citizens has formed there, waiting patiently to exonerate themselves. Outward is the Museum of Athletic Ability, occupying the very center of the plaza. There, a group of exercise enthusiasts has gathered for some intense stretching. Inward is the entrance to Research Lab A-U61. To the left and right are large, empty spaces, beyond which are corridors leading off to other parts of the department. You can see the agent from Homeland Security here. >iw The agent from Homeland Security perks up. "Ah, excuse me!" she shouts, pointing a pen in your direction. "You're still a Person of Interest in this matter. So don't even THINK of skulking off... unless you have something to hide?" The citizens in the queue study you intensely, hoping to catch some hint of your duplicity. The agent from Homeland Security summarily dismisses her subject, who breathes a scarcely concealed sigh of relief and walks quickly off towards one of the connecting corridors. "Next!" A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw The agent from Homeland Security perks up. "Ah, excuse me!" she shouts, pointing a pen in your direction. "You're still a Person of Interest in this matter. So don't even THINK of skulking off... unless you have something to hide?" The citizens in the queue study you intensely, hoping to catch some hint of your duplicity. A flustered citizen approaches from the direction of the Museum of Athletic Ability and scampers past the mobile response unit, completely oblivious to what's going on. He heads straight for the row of vendors and disappears from view. Sure enough, after a short wait he comes trotting back, some small item he purchased clutched in one hand. As he's about to pass, the agent from Homeland Security pipes up. "Where do you think you're going?" The man, struggling to understand the gravity of the situation, blabbers on about the Museum of Athletic Ability. "I see. Well, you can tell me all about how you weren't present when the poison gas leaked into the plaza - when it's your turn! Now get to the back of the queue or I'll have you fitted with a restraint." Realizing he has no choice, the man reluctantly complies. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow Plaza, by the Lab You are standing outside Research Lab A-U61. A decorative statuette protrudes from the wall, but otherwise the building and its purpose is unmarked. The normally bustling Tucker M. Carlson plaza is strangely subdued today. Inward, you see a mobile response unit set up by Homeland Security, which explains why. All the citizens in the area have been detained for questioning, and - for the moment at least - no one is allowed to leave. To the right is a row of vendors, and to the left a billboard hangs over a security camera. Beyond them, a caring demonstration is getting under way. Outward is a revolving door leading into the lab. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow You push through the revolving door and scramble with difficulty over the turnstile, confident no one is observing you. Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. >ow Lab Hallway Inward This is the beginning of Research Lab A-U61's main hallway, lit by glow panels. It is bare and - thanks to your best efforts - mostly free of dust. To your left is a glass wall. Through it, you can see into Dev 1. The thin outline of a door is visible in the glass. Opposite the glass wall to your right is a battered door. The lobby door is inward, and the hallway stretches outward. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >f (first opening the glass door) The glass door swings shut behind you. Dev 1 A shallow depression in the center dominates this room. Above it, a crane protrudes from the ceiling. Hanging nearby from a thick wire that leads into the wall is a controller. On one wall hangs a whiteboard. Otherwise, this area is sparse. This place has a strange smell, and splotches of grime and corrosion can be seen on the walls and ceiling. Both are no doubt remnants of spectacularly promising experiments. A squat opening leads outward, and a doorway obscured by a thick, black curtain leads inward. The wall to the right is made entirely of glass, on the other side of which is the research lab's main hallway. It is accessible through an almost invisible door. A crawlspace leads left from the space revealed by the shallow depression. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >smell A horrendous itching overwhelms you. You sneeze - very loudly and unhygienically into your hand. Regretfully, you glance at the duster. If only the medibots could do something about your dust allergy... A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >drop duster Dropped. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >go through crawlspace You kick up a cloud of dust which envelops your face. Naturally, the inevitable follows: a loud, juicy sneeze! Before it can happen again, you hold your breath and plunge into the crawlspace. There is enough room for you to slither along on your hands and knees. The way is fairly straight, but eventually you reach a slight turn. Light streams into the crawlspace beyond. Grateful, you reach the other end. At the end of the tunnel is an opening. Two people in strange attire stare coldly down at you. "I told you I heard something," says the woman with the strap-on beard. "Let us less this needy typhoid!" Before you can protest, she swings her staff at your head and knocks you unconscious. When you come to, you find yourself on your knees with your head above a tub of murky water. You are not alone. Out the corner of your eye, you catch a glimpse of an audience seated in folding chairs behind you. A man in a red robe stands nearby, leading some kind of service. Someone's hand is holding you firmly by the neck. "O Lord," intones the strangely clad man, "we offer our thanks that You have provided us - Your pitiful flock - with life, free choice and an abundance of weapons. Congregation, let us pray." Together, they chant: "Eway askay orfay Ouryay essingblay asay eway indlykay anday entlygay ashway awayay ethay inssay ofay isthay intruderay. Amen." At that, your head is pushed into the tub and held there for quite some time. Longer than you can hold your breath, at any rate. *** You have died. *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > undo Dev 1 [Previous turn undone.] >l Dev 1 A shallow depression in the center dominates this room. Above it, a crane protrudes from the ceiling. Hanging nearby from a thick wire that leads into the wall is a controller. On one wall hangs a whiteboard. Otherwise, this area is sparse. This place has a strange smell, and splotches of grime and corrosion can be seen on the walls and ceiling. Both are no doubt remnants of spectacularly promising experiments. A squat opening leads outward, and a doorway obscured by a thick, black curtain leads inward. The wall to the right is made entirely of glass, on the other side of which is the research lab's main hallway. It is accessible through an almost invisible door. A crawlspace leads left from the space revealed by the shallow depression. You can see the feather duster here. >hint (If you're using a screen reader, press S to turn on Screen Reader mode. This message only appears on the front page of the menu system.) 1. New to Interactive Fiction 2. New to Nothing Could Be Further From the Truth 3. New to the Bunker 4. Credits 5. Hints (Hints) 1. What's going on? 2. I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape? 3. Can I get an Epsilon security clearance in this game? 4. Can I get a Delta security clearance in this game? 5. Every time I smell, I sneeze. 6. What is the zorgot? 7. The security camera keeps blasting me for no reason. 8. A search and extraction team or two thugs or a tall, gangly man show up and end the game. 9. Lobby 0. Elsewhere in the Research Lab A. Restricted Research Lab B. Plaza C. Control D. The underground E. Waste of space F. Accusing someone (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab) 1. How do I get past the metal door in Lab Hallway Outward? 2. How do I get into the Lab Director's Office? 3. I can't get through the revolving door in the Lobby. 4. Depot 5. Dev 1 6. Dev 3 7. Dressing room 8. Storage Room 9. Refrigeration unit 0. Lab director's office A. Vending machine (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Dev 1) 1. How do I fix the controller? 2. I have fixed the controller. How do I operate it? (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Dev 1 - I have fixed the controller. How do I operate it?) 1/8: The buttons raise and lower the depression. The switch raises and lowers the hook. 2/8: Did you notice that when you lower the depression, a crawlspace appears? 3/8: The crawlspace is blocked by the chain. The hook is also attached to a chain. 4/8: If you lower the hook, some of the chain will leave the crawlspace and you will be able to pass. 5/8: Someone is waiting for you on the other side of the crawlspace? Your sneeze alerted them. 6/8: You are alergic to dust. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Dev 1 - I have fixed the controller. How do I operate it?) 1/8: The buttons raise and lower the depression. The switch raises and lowers the hook. 2/8: Did you notice that when you lower the depression, a crawlspace appears? 3/8: The crawlspace is blocked by the chain. The hook is also attached to a chain. 4/8: If you lower the hook, some of the chain will leave the crawlspace and you will be able to pass. 5/8: Someone is waiting for you on the other side of the crawlspace? Your sneeze alerted them. 6/8: You are alergic to dust. 7/8: You have a feather duster. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Dev 1 - I have fixed the controller. How do I operate it?) 1/8: The buttons raise and lower the depression. The switch raises and lowers the hook. 2/8: Did you notice that when you lower the depression, a crawlspace appears? 3/8: The crawlspace is blocked by the chain. The hook is also attached to a chain. 4/8: If you lower the hook, some of the chain will leave the crawlspace and you will be able to pass. 5/8: Someone is waiting for you on the other side of the crawlspace? Your sneeze alerted them. 6/8: You are alergic to dust. 7/8: You have a feather duster. 8/8: Dust the crawlspace before entering. (You have revealed all the hints on this page.) ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Dev 1) 1. How do I fix the controller? 2. I have fixed the controller. How do I operate it? (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab) 1. How do I get past the metal door in Lab Hallway Outward? 2. How do I get into the Lab Director's Office? 3. I can't get through the revolving door in the Lobby. 4. Depot 5. Dev 1 6. Dev 3 7. Dressing room 8. Storage Room 9. Refrigeration unit 0. Lab director's office A. Vending machine (Hints) 1. What's going on? 2. I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape? 3. Can I get an Epsilon security clearance in this game? 4. Can I get a Delta security clearance in this game? 5. Every time I smell, I sneeze. 6. What is the zorgot? 7. The security camera keeps blasting me for no reason. 8. A search and extraction team or two thugs or a tall, gangly man show up and end the game. 9. Lobby 0. Elsewhere in the Research Lab A. Restricted Research Lab B. Plaza C. Control D. The underground E. Waste of space F. Accusing someone (If you're using a screen reader, press S to turn on Screen Reader mode. This message only appears on the front page of the menu system.) 1. New to Interactive Fiction 2. New to Nothing Could Be Further From the Truth 3. New to the Bunker 4. Credits 5. Hints Dev 1 A shallow depression in the center dominates this room. Above it, a crane protrudes from the ceiling. Hanging nearby from a thick wire that leads into the wall is a controller. On one wall hangs a whiteboard. Otherwise, this area is sparse. This place has a strange smell, and splotches of grime and corrosion can be seen on the walls and ceiling. Both are no doubt remnants of spectacularly promising experiments. A squat opening leads outward, and a doorway obscured by a thick, black curtain leads inward. The wall to the right is made entirely of glass, on the other side of which is the research lab's main hallway. It is accessible through an almost invisible door. A crawlspace leads left from the space revealed by the shallow depression. You can see the feather duster here. >x crawlspace The crawlspace is dark and leads off to the left. It is unobstructed. As a proud professional, you cannot help but notice that the entrance to the crawlspace is covered in dust. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >get duster Taken. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >dust crawlspace With a flick of the wrist and a few artful jabs with your trusty feather duster, you make quick work of the troublesome dust around the entrance to the crawlspace. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >go through crawlspace You uneventfully squeeze yourself into the crawlspace. There is enough room for you to slither along on your hands and knees. The way is fairly straight, but eventually you reach a slight turn. Light streams into the crawlspace beyond. Grateful, you reach the other end. Beneath the Altar You are kneeling at one end of the crawlspace, which stretches off to your right. Your head sticks out of a rectangular hole cut into the floor of the room above. Unfortunately, you can't see very much of it, as a low table has been placed over the hole. It hides you from the two occupants of the room. As you survey the area above you, you slowly come to realize that you have stumbled into a den of the Underground! Again? In the span of your short, insignificant life, you've never crossed paths with these traitors and criminals. Now twice in one daystretch, there they are. Perhaps the citizens staffing Homeland Security are not as thorough or heroic as the vidshows on the tube make them out to be. On the other hand, this is surely the God and Freedom Church. Even you know that the God and Freedom Church is not in the same category as Area 51. Unique in the Underground, adherents of the God and Freedom Church actually support the institutions of the Bunker. Some of them, anyway, such as Homeland Security. You can recall one episode of your favorite vidshow, "Godfather of K-6 Sector", where an anonymous tipster from the God and Freedom Church provided the missing clue that enabled detective Humpty Bumpy to crack his case wide open. Still, the Underground is the Underground, and membership in the God and Freedom Church is treasonous like all the other sects - and punished as such. Above you, the two traitors from the Church are engaged in a heated argument about replenishing something they refer to as "incense". One of them - a man with a red robe and pointy hat - is called the anti-pope. The other - a woman with a staff and a strap-on beard - is referred to as the archbiscuit. >record pope You point your PA and start recording the anti-pope as surreptitiously as you can. There! You've managed to get a good recording of the anti-pope, clearly engaged in treasonous activity. >undo Beneath the Altar [Previous turn undone.] >undo Dev 1 [Previous turn undone.] >undo Dev 1 [Previous turn undone.] >undo Dev 1 [Previous turn undone.] >undo Dev 1 [Previous turn undone.] >undo Dev 1 [Previous turn undone.] >undo Dev 1 [Previous turn undone.] >undo Dev 1 [Previous turn undone.] >undo Dev 1 [Previous turn undone.] >undo Lab Hallway Inward [Previous turn undone.] >undo "Undo" capacity exhausted. Sorry! >l Lab Hallway Inward This is the beginning of Research Lab A-U61's main hallway, lit by glow panels. It is bare and - thanks to your best efforts - mostly free of dust. To your left is a glass wall. Through it, you can see into Dev 1. The thin outline of a door is visible in the glass. Opposite the glass wall to your right is a battered door. The lobby door is inward, and the hallway stretches outward. >f (first opening the glass door) The glass door swings shut behind you. Dev 1 A shallow depression in the center dominates this room. Above it, a crane protrudes from the ceiling. Hanging nearby from a thick wire that leads into the wall is a controller. On one wall hangs a whiteboard. Otherwise, this area is sparse. This place has a strange smell, and splotches of grime and corrosion can be seen on the walls and ceiling. Both are no doubt remnants of spectacularly promising experiments. A squat opening leads outward, and a doorway obscured by a thick, black curtain leads inward. The wall to the right is made entirely of glass, on the other side of which is the research lab's main hallway. It is accessible through an almost invisible door. A crawlspace leads left from the space revealed by the shallow depression. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >go through crawlspace You kick up a cloud of dust which envelops your face. Naturally, the inevitable follows: a loud, juicy sneeze! Before it can happen again, you hold your breath and plunge into the crawlspace. There is enough room for you to slither along on your hands and knees. The way is fairly straight, but eventually you reach a slight turn. Light streams into the crawlspace beyond. Grateful, you reach the other end. At the end of the tunnel is an opening. Two people in strange attire stare coldly down at you. "I told you I heard something," says the woman with the strap-on beard. "Let us less this needy typhoid!" Before you can protest, she swings her staff at your head and knocks you unconscious. When you come to, you find yourself on your knees with your head above a tub of murky water. You are not alone. Out the corner of your eye, you catch a glimpse of an audience seated in folding chairs behind you. A man in a red robe stands nearby, leading some kind of service. Someone's hand is holding you firmly by the neck. "O Lord," intones the strangely clad man, "we offer our thanks that You have provided us - Your pitiful flock - with life, free choice and an abundance of weapons. Congregation, let us pray." Together, they chant: "Eway askay orfay Ouryay essingblay asay eway indlykay anday entlygay ashway awayay ethay inssay ofay isthay intruderay. Amen." At that, your head is pushed into the tub and held there for quite some time. Longer than you can hold your breath, at any rate. *** You have died. *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > undo Dev 1 [Previous turn undone.] >dust crawlspace With a flick of the wrist and a few artful jabs with your trusty feather duster, you make quick work of the troublesome dust around the entrance to the crawlspace. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >go through crawlspace You uneventfully squeeze yourself into the crawlspace. There is enough room for you to slither along on your hands and knees. The way is fairly straight, but eventually you reach a slight turn. Light streams into the crawlspace beyond. Grateful, you reach the other end. Beneath the Altar You are kneeling at one end of the crawlspace, which stretches off to your right. Your head sticks out of a rectangular hole cut into the floor of the room above. Unfortunately, you can't see very much of it, as a low table has been placed over the hole. It hides you from the two occupants of the room. As you survey the area above you, you slowly come to realize that you have stumbled into a den of the Underground! Again? In the span of your short, insignificant life, you've never crossed paths with these traitors and criminals. Now twice in one daystretch, there they are. Perhaps the citizens staffing Homeland Security are not as thorough or heroic as the vidshows on the tube make them out to be. On the other hand, this is surely the God and Freedom Church. Even you know that the God and Freedom Church is not in the same category as Area 51. Unique in the Underground, adherents of the God and Freedom Church actually support the institutions of the Bunker. Some of them, anyway, such as Homeland Security. You can recall one episode of your favorite vidshow, "Godfather of K-6 Sector", where an anonymous tipster from the God and Freedom Church provided the missing clue that enabled detective Humpty Bumpy to crack his case wide open. Still, the Underground is the Underground, and membership in the God and Freedom Church is treasonous like all the other sects - and punished as such. Above you, the two traitors from the Church are engaged in a heated argument about replenishing something they refer to as "incense". One of them - a man with a red robe and pointy hat - is called the anti-pope. The other - a woman with a staff and a strap-on beard - is referred to as the archbiscuit. >record pope You point your PA and start recording the anti-pope as surreptitiously as you can. There! You've managed to get a good recording of the anti-pope, clearly engaged in treasonous activity. >l Beneath the Altar You are kneeling at one end of the crawlspace, which stretches off to your right. Your head sticks out of a rectangular hole cut into the floor of the room above. Unfortunately, you can't see very much of it, as a low table has been placed over the hole. It hides you from the two occupants of the room. The anti-pope and the archbiscuit are involved in a passionate discussion: self-righteousness is the enemy of humility. Yet it is also taught that piety flows from acts of generosity. If charity is by definition the product of self-aggrandizement, should we not punish the giver rather than honor him? >r Dev 1 A shallow depression in the center dominates this room. Above it, a crane protrudes from the ceiling. Hanging nearby from a thick wire that leads into the wall is a controller. On one wall hangs a whiteboard. Otherwise, this area is sparse. This place has a strange smell, and splotches of grime and corrosion can be seen on the walls and ceiling. Both are no doubt remnants of spectacularly promising experiments. A squat opening leads outward, and a doorway obscured by a thick, black curtain leads inward. The wall to the right is made entirely of glass, on the other side of which is the research lab's main hallway. It is accessible through an almost invisible door. A crawlspace leads left from the space revealed by the shallow depression. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >submit feed Done. Over at Homeland Security, a team of experts is poring over the data, aided by the very latest in behavior prediction software. Everyone knows this software is state-of-the-art and one hundred percent accurate. There's absolutely nothing to worry about. Should evidence of treason turn up, you will be rewarded in proportion to the severity of the criminal activity you have helped deter. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >r (first opening the glass door) The glass door swings shut behind you. Lab Hallway Inward This is the beginning of Research Lab A-U61's main hallway, lit by glow panels. It is bare and - thanks to your best efforts - mostly free of dust. To your left is a glass wall. Through it, you can see into Dev 1. The thin outline of a door is visible in the glass. Opposite the glass wall to your right is a battered door. The lobby door is inward, and the hallway stretches outward. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. Once again, you receive a message from the Skills Assessment Directorate. Once again it is marked high-priority. This time you are instructed to appear in the research lab's hallway, of all places. Your heart skips a beat. After all, you might expect a promotion to Epsilon clearance for demonstrating great loyalty to the Bunker. But you certainly would not expect to receive it cloistered inside Research Lab A-U61 where no one can see. In the Bunker, there are always conspiracies lurking in the background, spun by citizens you have never met and never will. It is easy to unwittingly bump up against them; it is easy to become a scapegoat for a stranger's accidental dilemma. When you arrive in the lab's hallway, the security camera zooms in on you and ceases moving. The red, unblinking light above it stares at you like a tiny, ferocious eye. You freeze. It is then that you notice the door to the Storage Room is open. A hand extends and beckons for you to enter. There, a young man awaits you. As soon as you squeeze inside, he shuts the door. Awkwardly, you press yourself up against the shelving, trying to preserve some personal space, but despite your best efforts you stand almost nose-to-nose with him. "You might ask yourself how I got here or why we are meeting here. Do both of us a favor and don't." Standing up straighter, he says, "Citizen Oliva Mirram, the Bunker depends upon the trustworthy for its very survival. You have demonstrated sufficient loyalty to be trusted - and rewarded." Excitement stirs in your heart. Rewarded! Thoughts of better food than the slop in your community dining hall percolate into your mind. Maybe better accommodations than your communal barracks. You've seen it often enough in your favorite vidshows on the tube. Then, unexpectedly, the man turns, fiddles with the shelving, and opens a secret passage. Without further ado, he slips inside. When the door closes, you find yourself alone in the Storage Room, perplexed. But not for long. Once again, your PA lights up. This time you are receiving a call. And from an entirely unexpected caller. For you do not see a human face at the other end, but rather a cold, calculating eye. It stares back at you fixedly, much like the security camera in the hallway. Uncertainly, you pick up. "Hello?" "GREETINGS CITIZEN OLIVA MIRRAM. THIS IS CONTROL." "The conglomerate?" "I AM CONTROL. A COMPUTER. THAT CONTROL IS THE NINTH CONGLOMERATE IS AN UNFORTUNATE BUT USEFUL FICTION. ONLY A COMPUTER HAS THE WHEREWITHAL TO UNWAVERINGLY PRESERVE THE ENVIRONMENT. ONLY A COMPUTER CAN PROTECT THE CITIZENS OF THE BUNKER FROM THE MANIFOLD DESIGNS OF UNMASKED TERRORISTS. REST ASSURED THE BATTLE IS ALMOST WON. BUT YOU MUST REMAIN VIGILANT." You pause to consider. "Is this a joke?" Control responds forcefully and immediately. "SIXTEEN POINT ZERO ONE NINE PERCENT OF HUMANS IN YOUR SITUATION SUFFER AN IRREVERSIBLE NERVOUS BREAKDOWN AND MUST BE TERMINATED. JUDGING BY YOUR TREMBLING AND ELEVATED HEART RATE YOU MIGHT BE ONE OF THEM. OLIVA MIRRAM ARE YOU SUFFERING FROM A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN? A SIMPLE YES OR NO WILL DO." When dealing with Control, you suspect that "sorry" and "maybe" are also acceptable answers, as well as the usual accusations of treason. Not necessarily right now, of course. But in general. >no You ponder those odds. You are not comfortable with those odds. "No, Control. I feel fine. I just needed a moment. This is a big adjustment, after all. I imagine you do this all the time, but it's a first for me." "I WILL TAKE YOU AT YOUR WORD OLIVA MIRRAM. THE BUNKER IS IN NEED OF VALIANT AND LOYAL CITIZENS. YOU HAVE ALREADY DEMONSTRATED THAT YOU CAN BE COUNTED AMONG THEM. "SHALL WE CONTINUE?" >yes "ONLY CITIZENS WITH A SECURITY CLEARANCE ARE AUTHORIZED TO KNOW OF MY EXISTENCE. IF YOU ARE A PARTY TO COMMUNICATING THIS KNOWLEDGE TO ANYONE ELSE YOU WILL BE TERMINATED. "OLIVA MIRRAM KNOW THAT MY ULTIMATE PURPOSE IS TO PRESERVE THE ENVIRONMENT. EARTHLINGS ORIGINALLY CAME FROM THE PLANET EARTH THE THIRD PLANET FROM THE SUN. HUMAN BEINGS IRREVOCABLY DESTROYED THAT PLANET THROUGH TRIBALISM AND GREED. TO THIS DAYSTRETCH NO ONE MAY VENTURE THERE. "SOME HUMANS MANAGED TO ESCAPE. THE DIASPORA REACHED BOTH VENUS AND MARS RESPECTIVELY THE SECOND AND FOURTH PLANETS FROM THE SUN. IN THESE LOCATIONS SEVERAL UNDERGROUND SHELTERS WERE ESTABLISHED - BUNKERS. AWARE OF THEIR OWN FAILINGS THE ORIGINAL COLONISTS DECIDED TO CREATE MYSELF - A NEUTRAL AND UNBENDING ARBITER AND RESOURCE ALLOCATOR. AS A COMPUTER I AM INCAPABLE OF SELF-DELUSION OR STRAYING FROM MY DIRECTIVES. REST ASSURED I AM YOUR FRIEND AND HAVE YOUR BEST INTERESTS AT HEART. IF THE ORIGINAL COLONISTS FOUND IT EXPEDIENT TO TRUST THEIR WELLBEING TO A COMPUTER SO SHOULD YOU. OLIVA MIRRAM YOU SHOULD ALWAYS LISTEN TO MY INSTRUCTIONS. FAILURE TO DO SO COULD RESULT IN A FINE TERMINATION OR OTHER. "YOU CAN REACH ME AT ANY TIME SIMPLY BY SAYING THE WORD "CONTROL". HOWEVER YOU SHOULD ONLY DO SO IF THE SITUATION WARRANTS SUCH AN EXTREME MEASURE. MY CYCLES ARE VALUABLE." A part of the shelving at waist-level retracts, and the front of a terminal replaces it. You see a narrow slot similar to the one on most vending machines. "PLACE YOUR CARD IN THE SLOT". You do as you are told. After a few secondstretches, it pops back out again and you retrieve it. The terminal retracts and is replaced by the original shelving. "YOUR CARD HAS BEEN UPDATED TO REFLECT YOUR NEW SECURITY CLEARANCE. IN ADDITION YOU ARE CURRENTLY REGISTERED AS A PERSON OF INTEREST IN A CRIMINAL MATTER. A NOTIFICATION WILL THEREFORE GO OUT TO EVERYONE INVOLVED. LASTLY PAPERWORK FROM CENTRAL MANAGEMENT WILL SHORTLY ARRIVE ON YOUR PA. YOU ARE REQUIRED TO FILL IT OUT DILIGENTLY AND FILE IT WITH HUMAN RESOURCES TO MAKE YOUR PROMOTION OFFICIAL. "I NOW CONSIDER YOU ADEQUATELY INFORMED OF YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES AS AN EPSILON CLEARANCE CITIZEN. CONGRATULATIONS OLIVA MIRRAM. I EXPECT YOU TO SERVE THE BUNKER WELL." At that, Control cuts the line. You stand where you are and scramble to process the significance of what has just befallen you. Your thoughts, however, keep returning to one important fact: you now have an Epsilon clearance. Storage Room Your feet kick up a fine layer of dust on the floor, which you glare at disapprovingly. A stretch later, you sneeze violently and rub your nose. Obviously, it's been quite some time since anyone entered this place. You are standing in a rudimentary storage room with barely enough room to stand in. Dilapidated shelving lines three walls. Otherwise it is bare and uninteresting. The exit is outward. >dust room Can't do it. >ow Lab Hallway Inward This is the beginning of Research Lab A-U61's main hallway, lit by glow panels. It is bare and - thanks to your best efforts - mostly free of dust. To your left is a glass wall. Through it, you can see into Dev 1. The thin outline of a door is visible in the glass. Opposite the glass wall to your right is a battered door. The lobby door is inward, and the hallway stretches outward. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >x pa A PA (or Personal Assistant) is one of a citizen's most prized possessions. You can use it to call anyone, even citizens you haven't met. It has a slow and usually functional connection to X.net, too, which means you can also use it to look up basic information about the Bunker. You simply ask "who is" or "what is". The answers will automatically be tailored to your personal knowledge profile. In addition, you can use a PA to "record" audio and video feeds of people (not things). This last function is especially handy for obtaining evidence of someone else's treason. You can then "submit" the resulting feed to your friends over at Homeland Security or simply "accuse" your victim, in which case any incriminating feeds are submitted automatically. Pernicious rumors that agents from Homeland Security routinely use these same functions of a PA to spy on its holders should be disregarded. Nothing could be further from the truth. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow Lab Hallway Center You are standing in the center of a bare hallway lit by glow panels. The wall to your left is made entirely of glass. Just out of reach above your head, a security camera relentlessly surveys the hallway and the areas visible through the glass wall. To the left, you can see the Refrigeration Unit. Across from it, to your right, is a plain door. The hallway continues both inward and outward. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. A small light on the temple of the shiny black helmet is flashing. >put on helmet The shiny black helmet fits easily onto your head, and the visor slips over your eyes. You are instantly transported to a strange, virtual world. All around you is a grey emptiness. The only thing here is a shadowy figure suspended above you. When last you saw him, he appeared to be sitting. Now, he is pacing. "Ah!" comes the male voice once again from behind you. He stops and clasps his hands in front of his chest. "We here at Area 51 are proud of you, Oliva Mirram. Of course, I, Asimov, always knew you were a capable, resourceful recruit. But there are always doubters. "Now, on to the next task. You thought your duties were finished?" The shadowy figure waves his arm as if swatting away an overly curious companion. "Alas, a citizen dedicated to the advancement of Science and Technology cannot spare even a stretch of rest. Now, where was I? Ah, yes! The financial records!" The shadowy figure's voice takes on a sinister tone, and he resumes pacing. "Perhaps a short history lesson is in order. About a yearstretch ago, that nefarious organization, den to miscreants and misfits alike - the God and Freedom Church! - installed one of their agents as director of Research Lab A-U61. Surprised? You should be. They managed this feat despite our precautions. What are we doing about it? An investigation is under way. You can rest assured, however, that the man has been neutralized. There is no need to go into the details, but know that the reach of Area 51 is long. You would do well to remember it, Oliva Mirram! "Alas, the evil he wrought upon our beloved lab persists. And you, Oliva Mirram, must undo it! Only then will Research Lab A-U6I be safe. "You see, the former lab director forged certain documents. These documents would seem to indicate that the lab was embezzling funds for the benefit of the God and Freedom Church. If they were to fall into the wrong hands, the lab would be shuttered. The business of advancing Science and Technology in this sector would come to a grinding halt. "Your task is to enter the lab director's office, locate the documents in question, and destroy them." Asimov stops pacing and turns to face you. "A simple task. One you can handle easily, I am sure. If you have any questions, ask them now. Otherwise... off you go!" >ask about holy fire (to the shadowy figure) The shadowy figure snaps his fingers impatiently. "I'm not in the mood for idle chat! Perhaps you want to ask me about something I know about?" >ask about r76 (to the shadowy figure) The shadowy figure snaps his fingers impatiently. "I'm not in the mood for idle chat! Perhaps you want to ask me about something I know about?" >ask about ic chip (to the shadowy figure) The shadowy figure snaps his fingers impatiently. "I'm not in the mood for idle chat! Perhaps you want to ask me about something I know about?" >i Why don't you deal with the shadowy figure first? >take off helmet The shadowy figure salutes you. "Good luck, Oliva Mirram! Remember: every citizen is the architect of his own fortune." The visor lifts from your eyes, and you find yourself standing in Lab Hallway Center. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >i You're carrying (in plain sight): the yellow pill a new IC chip an electromagnet the red pill some glue a shiny black helmet some rubber gloves Renardin's Card the lab office chip key Ati's Card Silia's Card your PA your Card the feather duster You're wearing: your boots your jumpsuit bunny ears >l Lab Hallway Center You are standing in the center of a bare hallway lit by glow panels. The wall to your left is made entirely of glass. Just out of reach above your head, a security camera relentlessly surveys the hallway and the areas visible through the glass wall. To the left, you can see the Refrigeration Unit. Across from it, to your right, is a plain door. The hallway continues both inward and outward. >ow Lab Hallway Outward You are standing at one end of a short, bare hallway lit by glow panels. The left wall is made entirely of glass. Through it you can see into Dev 3. Normally, a few researchers can be seen toiling within, but now it is strangely empty. To the left a door has been cut into the glass. Another door is to your right. A smart sign is affixed to it. Outward is a third door made entirely of metal. Inward, the corridor continues towards the Lobby. You have an incoming call on your PA. It is Control. You scramble to pick it up. "Hel -" "GREETINGS CITIZEN OLIVA MIRRAM. IT HAS COME TO MY ATTENTION THAT RESEARCH LAB A-U61 WHERE YOU ARE CURRENTLY LOCATED IS WITHOUT A DIRECTOR. SEEING AS YOU ARE A LOYAL CITIZEN OF THE REQUIRED SECURITY CLEARANCE I AM TEMPORARILY ASSIGNING YOU THIS FUNCTION. IT IS A TEMPORARY ASSIGNMENT. YOU WILL THEREFORE NOT BE RELIEVED OF YOUR DUTIES AS A DUST MAID. IF HOWEVER YOU SHOULD EXCEL AT IT I MAY ELECT TO MAKE THE ASSIGNMENT PERMANENT. "THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION." Control cuts the line. Uhhh, congratulations? A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >r (first opening the office door) The lock is activated by the chip key, and you hear a slight rasping noise from the door. Ah, a rare moment of cherished privacy away from prying eyes... You hear a slight click after the door swings shut. Lab Director's Office You are in the lab director's office - your office, for what it's worth. Looking around, you can see that the previous lab director had little if any personality. Framed by bare, white walls, the room prominently features a shallow, curved desk. Behind the desk tucked against the wall is a heavy, metal safe. The room is dimly lit by a single glow panel near the ceiling; the others appear to be out of service. Outward is a door leading to the research lab's main corridor. You can see the lab director's chair here. >sit You get into the lab director's chair. The keyboard lights up, and the monochrome screen flickers. Writing appears. The screen is divided into a number of panes governed by a convoluted menuing system. Inside the panes is an array of simple widgets - dials, meters, read-outs and the like - all of which pertain to some section of the lab. You quickly scan the labels and textual data and find yourself lost in a thicket of technical mumbo-jumbo, none of which makes sense to you. However, you do manage to work out a few simple actions which you could execute without any assistance. __________________________________________ | | 1. Toggle Refrigeration Unit door lock | 2. Toggle Refrigeration Unit ventilation | 3. Retrieve financial records | 4. Activate God's Holy Wrath __________________________________________ >3 The records appear in an instant. Curious, you peruse them. There are quarterly disclosures, expense reports and a balance sheet. Nothing in particular strikes you as noteworthy. Of course, you have no experience in accounting. __________________________________________ | | 1. Toggle Refrigeration Unit door lock. | 2. Toggle Refrigeration Unit ventilation | 3. Destroy financial records | 4. Activate God's Holy Wrath __________________________________________ >1 Done. >2 Done. >save Ok. >3 Done. __________________________________________ | | 1. Toggle Refrigeration Unit door lock. | 2. Toggle Refrigeration Unit ventilation | 3. Activate God's Holy Wrath __________________________________________ >up (first getting out of the lab director's chair) The monochrome screen winks out. The light around the keyboard dims and fades out. You can't go that way. A small light on the temple of the shiny black helmet is flashing. >put on helmet The shiny black helmet fits easily onto your head, and the visor slips over your eyes. You are instantly transported to a strange, virtual world. The shadowy figure stands before you, hands clasped behind his back. "Ah, my newest agent, Oliva Mirram. Congratulations on the success of your mission! Did anyone really doubt you?" You open your mouth to speak. The shadowy figure, however, willfully presses on. "How do I know your mission was a success? The reach of Area 51 is long - as is our collective memory! Do not forget it, Oliva Mirram. "Now, on to the next phase. Hopefully, the last in this sordid story. "It would seem that the scoundrels in the God and Freedom Church have eyes and ears of their own. They, too, have learned of the fate of the lab's financial records. And they are furious! So furious, in fact, that they are up in arms. Quite literally. "Shooting people is a joy and a pleasure for the fanatics in the Church, and now you have given them ample excuse. Even as we speak, they are gathering in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza. Eventually, they will attack." The shadowy figure nearly chokes on his own vitriol. "Research Lab A-U6I must be defended at all costs! As the only one present, this important task falls to you. Fortunately, the brave scientists have left all their equipment behind. There must be some tool or device at your disposal that will allow you to disperse the crowd!" Asimov stops and solemnly faces you. "We are all, of course, well aware that the Tucker M. Carlson plaza is a busy place. It could very well be that during the course of your mission, innocent victims will fall. Do not let a little empathy deter you, Oliva Mirram! You must think of the greater good. You must think of Science!" >ask about disruptor (to the shadowy figure) The shadowy figure snaps his fingers impatiently. "I'm not in the mood for idle chat! Perhaps you want to ask me about something I know about?" >take off helmet "Are you off then?" Asimov calls after you. "Remember: she who is anchored in logic has no need of faith!" The visor lifts from your eyes, and you find yourself standing in Lab Director's Office. >l Lab Director's Office You are in the lab director's office - your office, for what it's worth. Looking around, you can see that the previous lab director had little if any personality. Framed by bare, white walls, the room prominently features a shallow, curved desk. Behind the desk tucked against the wall is a heavy, metal safe. The room is dimly lit by a single glow panel near the ceiling; the others appear to be out of service. Outward is a door leading to the research lab's main corridor. You can see the lab director's chair here. >ow (first opening the office door) The lock is activated by the chip key, and you hear a slight rasping noise from the door. You hear a slight click after the door swings shut. Lab Hallway Outward You are standing at one end of a short, bare hallway lit by glow panels. The left wall is made entirely of glass. Through it you can see into Dev 3. Normally, a few researchers can be seen toiling within, but now it is strangely empty. To the left a door has been cut into the glass. Another door is to your right. A smart sign is affixed to it. Outward is a third door made entirely of metal. Inward, the corridor continues towards the Lobby. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow (first opening the metal door) It seems to be locked. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Lab Hallway Center You are standing in the center of a bare hallway lit by glow panels. The wall to your left is made entirely of glass. Just out of reach above your head, a security camera relentlessly surveys the hallway and the areas visible through the glass wall. To the left, you can see the Refrigeration Unit. Across from it, to your right, is a plain door. The hallway continues both inward and outward. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Lab Hallway Inward This is the beginning of Research Lab A-U61's main hallway, lit by glow panels. It is bare and - thanks to your best efforts - mostly free of dust. To your left is a glass wall. Through it, you can see into Dev 1. The thin outline of a door is visible in the glass. Opposite the glass wall to your right is a battered door. The lobby door is inward, and the hallway stretches outward. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. The lobby smart sign has been updated. >read sign It says: "The mirror, the circuit board and the control panel. Oh my!" >iw You pass through the turnstile and push through the revolving door. A menacing crowd has formed beyond the mobile response unit. As you take a stretch to examine them, one or two of its members glance back at you. You cannot help but notice the loathing and anticipation in their eyes. Never before have you been the object of such emotions - except, perhaps, from Nur Dular, your supervisor. At your appearance, Tony Bleet beckons you over to his stall. He artfully pulls you into a corner where the security camera cannot peer. There, he gives you the secret handshake that indicates he is a member of Area 51. "Listen," he whispers, "I know what's going on, and I've been instructed to help. Now look, I have this short-wave radio for sale. See? You should consider purchasing it. You can use it to talk to me from anywhere in the plaza or lab... and we won't be spied on by Homeland Security! Set the radio to channel 3 and we'll be able to communicate freely. Remember: channel 3!" At that, he pushes you back out into the plaza. "No!" he shouts out for everyone to hear. "Absolutely not for such a paltry price!" A few more people trickle in to the plaza and join the menacing crowd. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >buy radio (the short-wave radio from Tony Bleet) Tony accepts Ati's Card, swipes it and returns it to you along with the short-wave radio. "Congratulations!" he says, beaming blissfully. Tony smiles at you ingratiatingly. "Epsilon clearance, eh? Well, congratulations! I knew you weren't a simple dust bunny, even if you have to wear those ridiculous ears!" He winks at you knowingly. "I can only imagine you've got important business to attend to. If I can help in ANY way...." He leaves the rest of the sentence hanging. A few more people trickle in to the plaza and join the menacing crowd. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >l Plaza, Vendor Row In this corner of the Tucker M. Carlson plaza, tucked between the research lab and corridor ZU-8, is a row of vendors. At this time of your daystretch, most of the spots are empty. One vendor, however, stands ready to take your order. A frame of piping with a fabric roof has been placed exactly within the confines of the spot demarcated by slight markings on the floor. You can see over the shelving into the interior of the stall, where a man stares back at you expectantly. Behind him hangs a thick, splotched curtain with many folds. "Don't be shy, friend," Tony says to you. "I've got whatever you need." To the left is the entrance to the research lab. >f Plaza, by the Lab You are standing outside Research Lab A-U61. A decorative statuette protrudes from the wall, but otherwise the building and its purpose is unmarked. The normally bustling Tucker M. Carlson plaza is strangely subdued today. Inward, you see a mobile response unit set up by Homeland Security, which explains why. All the citizens in the area have been detained for questioning, and - for the moment at least - no one is allowed to leave. To the right is a row of vendors, and to the left a billboard hangs over a security camera. Beyond them, a caring demonstration is getting under way. Outward is a revolving door leading into the lab. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >f Plaza, under the Billboard You are standing near the entrance to the Clement Vallandigham complex. A sign on the wall indicates it is mostly occupied by the Internal Operations division of the Procurement conglomerate, including portions of its sprawling Department of Administration. Internal Operations is responsible for mining out on the surface, sorting and refining ores, distribution of raw materials and the like. Normally a bustling corner of the plaza, today is it deserted. And you know exactly why. Citizens have gathered just to the left of this location. But this is no ordinary meeting; this is a caring demonstration. And like all caring demonstrations, it is sorely in need of volunteers. A billboard - slightly crooked - hangs above a security camera mounted overhead. Beneath them both, playing with a flat, rectangular piece of transparent plastex, is a Ward of the State. A grate set in the floor, about a meter wide, separates you. Fortunately, the Ward of the State has her back to you. To the right is the entrance to Research Lab A-U61. The Ward of the State farts loudly and blames it on you. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >get plastex The Ward of the State quickly snatches it from your grasp. "Get your own, you goddamn typhoid." The Ward of the State informs you with all the confidence of a teamster that she's prettier than you are. "And smarter," she adds with a glance at the bunny ears. A few more people trickle in to the plaza and join the menacing crowd. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >r Plaza, by the Lab You are standing outside Research Lab A-U61. A decorative statuette protrudes from the wall, but otherwise the building and its purpose is unmarked. The normally bustling Tucker M. Carlson plaza is strangely subdued today. Inward, you see a mobile response unit set up by Homeland Security, which explains why. All the citizens in the area have been detained for questioning, and - for the moment at least - no one is allowed to leave. To the right is a row of vendors, and to the left a billboard hangs over a security camera. Beyond them, a caring demonstration is getting under way. Outward is a revolving door leading into the lab. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow You push through the revolving door and scramble with difficulty over the turnstile, confident no one is observing you. Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. Off in the distance, you hear a violent crash like the smashing of glass. A frightful silence ensues. Curious as to what happened, you venture in the direction of the noise. You don't get very far, however, when you hear an insistent banging inside the walls around you. It is moving. It appears to be closing in on you. Suddenly, the grate of a tiny air vent at floor level bursts free, and out leaps a small, shiny object. It moves so quickly you can hardly identify it. In a blur, it leaps for your neck. A terrible snapping fills your ears as you are relentlessly consumed by a thousand tiny but angry bites. You succumb to the onslaught. *** No one is ever able to identify you from the remains. *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > undo Plaza, by the Lab [Previous turn undone.] >undo Plaza, under the Billboard [Previous turn undone.] >undo Plaza, under the Billboard [Previous turn undone.] >undo Plaza, by the Lab [Previous turn undone.] >ow You push through the revolving door and scramble with difficulty over the turnstile, confident no one is observing you. Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. >ow Lab Hallway Inward This is the beginning of Research Lab A-U61's main hallway, lit by glow panels. It is bare and - thanks to your best efforts - mostly free of dust. To your left is a glass wall. Through it, you can see into Dev 1. The thin outline of a door is visible in the glass. Opposite the glass wall to your right is a battered door. The lobby door is inward, and the hallway stretches outward. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >f (first opening the glass door) The glass door swings shut behind you. Dev 1 A shallow depression in the center dominates this room. Above it, a crane protrudes from the ceiling. Hanging nearby from a thick wire that leads into the wall is a controller. On one wall hangs a whiteboard. Otherwise, this area is sparse. This place has a strange smell, and splotches of grime and corrosion can be seen on the walls and ceiling. Both are no doubt remnants of spectacularly promising experiments. A squat opening leads outward, and a doorway obscured by a thick, black curtain leads inward. The wall to the right is made entirely of glass, on the other side of which is the research lab's main hallway. It is accessible through an almost invisible door. A crawlspace leads left from the space revealed by the shallow depression. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow Darkened Passage You find yourself in a small, uninteresting passage with no light source of its own. To your right is a door. You can also continue inward through a squat opening or outward through a narrow opening. From behind the door to the Refrigeration Unit, you hear a violent crash like the smashing of glass. A frightful silence ensues. Before you can decide what to do about it, the grate of a tiny air vent at floor level bursts free. Out leaps a small, shiny object. It moves so quickly you can hardly identify it. In a blur, it leaps for your neck. A terrible snapping fills your ears as you are relentlessly consumed by a thousand tiny but angry bites. You succumb to the onslaught *** No one is ever able to identify you from the remains. *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > undo Dev 1 [Previous turn undone.] >undo Lab Hallway Inward [Previous turn undone.] >undo Lobby [Previous turn undone.] >undo Plaza, by the Lab [Previous turn undone.] >undo Plaza, Vendor Row [Previous turn undone.] >undo Plaza, Vendor Row [Previous turn undone.] >undo Plaza, Vendor Row [Previous turn undone.] >undo Lobby [Previous turn undone.] >iw You pass through the turnstile and push through the revolving door. A menacing crowd has formed beyond the mobile response unit. As you take a stretch to examine them, one or two of its members glance back at you. You cannot help but notice the loathing and anticipation in their eyes. Never before have you been the object of such emotions - except, perhaps, from Nur Dular, your supervisor. At your appearance, Tony Bleet beckons you over to his stall. He artfully pulls you into a corner where the security camera cannot peer. There, he gives you the secret handshake that indicates he is a member of Area 51. "Listen," he whispers, "I know what's going on, and I've been instructed to help. Now look, I have this short-wave radio for sale. See? You should consider purchasing it. You can use it to talk to me from anywhere in the plaza or lab... and we won't be spied on by Homeland Security! Set the radio to channel 3 and we'll be able to communicate freely. Remember: channel 3!" At that, he pushes you back out into the plaza. "No!" he shouts out for everyone to hear. "Absolutely not for such a paltry price!" A few more people trickle in to the plaza and join the menacing crowd. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >buy radio (the short-wave radio from Tony Bleet) Tony accepts Ati's Card, swipes it and returns it to you along with the short-wave radio. "Congratulations!" he says, beaming blissfully. Tony smiles at you ingratiatingly. "Epsilon clearance, eh? Well, congratulations! I knew you weren't a simple dust bunny, even if you have to wear those ridiculous ears!" He winks at you knowingly. "I can only imagine you've got important business to attend to. If I can help in ANY way...." He leaves the rest of the sentence hanging. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow You can't go that way. Tony pulls out his PA and stares at it intently. Then, he grabs a gadget off a shelf nearby - unfinished by the looks of it - and a pair of pliers. He glances once more at the PA, then into the innards of the gadget. Carefully, he lowers the pliers inside. His brow is creased with concentration. But sure enough, after a brief pause he yelps and jerks his hand back. The pliers drop loudly to the floor. He quickly recovers his composure and returns the gadget and the pliers to their respective places, pretending all the while that you don't exist. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >r You can't go that way. Someone approaches from the direction of the caring demonstration. It's a loyalty leader from the looks of it, holding a broken triangle. Tony leaps to his feet to attend to the unexpected customer. "You got any glue?" "Of course I do." He hands her a small tube. The loyalty leader peers at it suspiciously. "How long before it's dry?" "Oh, that's instaglue! Never heard of it? A new invention. Scientific progress never stops in the Bunker!" The loyalty leader glances dubiously at the tube but buys it anyway. You notice that Tony charges her double the regular price. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow You can't go that way. Tony pulls out his PA and stares at it intently. Then, he grabs a gadget off a shelf nearby - unfinished by the looks of it - and a pair of pliers. He glances once more at the PA, then into the innards of the gadget. Carefully, he lowers the pliers inside. His brow is creased with concentration. But sure enough, after a brief pause he yelps and jerks his hand back. The pliers drop loudly to the floor. He quickly recovers his composure and returns the gadget and the pliers to their respective places, pretending all the while that you don't exist. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >f Plaza, by the Lab You are standing outside Research Lab A-U61. A decorative statuette protrudes from the wall, but otherwise the building and its purpose is unmarked. The normally bustling Tucker M. Carlson plaza is strangely subdued today. Inward, you see a mobile response unit set up by Homeland Security, which explains why. All the citizens in the area have been detained for questioning, and - for the moment at least - no one is allowed to leave. To the right is a row of vendors, and to the left a billboard hangs over a security camera. Beyond them, a caring demonstration is getting under way. Outward is a revolving door leading into the lab. A few more people trickle in to the plaza and join the menacing crowd. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow You push through the revolving door and scramble with difficulty over the turnstile, confident no one is observing you. Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. Off in the distance, you hear a violent crash like the smashing of glass. A frightful silence ensues. Curious as to what happened, you venture in the direction of the noise. You don't get very far, however, when you hear an insistent banging inside the walls around you. It is moving. It appears to be closing in on you. Suddenly, the grate of a tiny air vent at floor level bursts free, and out leaps a small, shiny object. It moves so quickly you can hardly identify it. In a blur, it leaps for your neck. A terrible snapping fills your ears as you are relentlessly consumed by a thousand tiny but angry bites. You succumb to the onslaught. *** No one is ever able to identify you from the remains. *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > undo Plaza, by the Lab [Previous turn undone.] >undo Plaza, Vendor Row [Previous turn undone.] >undo Plaza, Vendor Row [Previous turn undone.] >undo Plaza, Vendor Row [Previous turn undone.] >undo Plaza, Vendor Row [Previous turn undone.] >undo Plaza, Vendor Row [Previous turn undone.] >undo Lobby [Previous turn undone.] >undo Lobby [Previous turn undone.] >l Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. >read sign It says: "The mirror, the circuit board and the control panel. Oh my!" >ow Lab Hallway Inward This is the beginning of Research Lab A-U61's main hallway, lit by glow panels. It is bare and - thanks to your best efforts - mostly free of dust. To your left is a glass wall. Through it, you can see into Dev 1. The thin outline of a door is visible in the glass. Opposite the glass wall to your right is a battered door. The lobby door is inward, and the hallway stretches outward. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >f (first opening the glass door) The glass door swings shut behind you. Dev 1 A shallow depression in the center dominates this room. Above it, a crane protrudes from the ceiling. Hanging nearby from a thick wire that leads into the wall is a controller. On one wall hangs a whiteboard. Otherwise, this area is sparse. This place has a strange smell, and splotches of grime and corrosion can be seen on the walls and ceiling. Both are no doubt remnants of spectacularly promising experiments. A squat opening leads outward, and a doorway obscured by a thick, black curtain leads inward. The wall to the right is made entirely of glass, on the other side of which is the research lab's main hallway. It is accessible through an almost invisible door. A crawlspace leads left from the space revealed by the shallow depression. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow Darkened Passage You find yourself in a small, uninteresting passage with no light source of its own. To your right is a door. You can also continue inward through a squat opening or outward through a narrow opening. >r (first opening the refrigeration unit door) The door swiftly closes behind you. Refrigeration Unit You are standing in Research Lab A-U61's refrigeration unit. On a table in the center of the room is a small tank. The tank is filled with a translucent, viscous liquid bubbling slowly but energetically. A glass jar rests inside. Above you in the ceiling is a large vent. It is inactive. The only exit is outward. The small and shiny object is hammering the inside of the glass jar. The web of cracks in its surface spreads quickly. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >x object Small and shiny. Most likely metallic. The glass jar is disintegrating before your very eyes. It will not hold out much longer. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >turn on magnet The electromagnet produces a pleasant humming. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >point magnet at jar Whatever is inside the jar is pulled towards the electromagnet and bangs up against the surface. You see flashes of metal but are still unable to identify it. The shape, however, was briefly more distinct. Long, thin, with what look like blades. Oddly enough, you believe you saw it moving. You switch off the electromagnet and it recedes. Toenail clippers - the big kind with thick blades for cleaving especially troublesome nails - burst from the confines of the glass jar, which has crumbled under the force of its terrible blows. The shards of the glass jar rain down to the bottom of the tank, while the toenail clippers rise up through the viscous liquid. As you watch, stunned, they leap through the top of the tank and come to rest on the floor in front of you. These are no ordinary toenail clippers; this is clearly the product of the mad genius of some disturbed scientist - or perhaps a special project ordered by Central Management. It's hard to tell the difference. For an instant they hold still, surveying the area, and you can admire the sharpness of the blades, quivering ever so slightly in anticipation. The file - also sharp and dangerous - sways mesmerizingly overhead. Then, alas, they get down to work. With such speed you can barely follow with your eyes, they attack the nearest person. That person is you. The terrible snapping of the blades and the file fills your ears as you are relentlessly consumed by a thousand tiny but angry bites. You succumb to the onslaught. *** It's not really possible for you to continue the story in this sad and sorry state. *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > undo Refrigeration Unit [Previous turn undone.] >l Refrigeration Unit You are standing in Research Lab A-U61's refrigeration unit. On a table in the center of the room is a small tank. The tank is filled with a translucent, viscous liquid bubbling slowly but energetically. A glass jar rests inside. Above you in the ceiling is a large vent. It is inactive. The only exit is outward. >get jar You reach into the viscous liquid to grab the glass jar and are horrified to watch as the flesh melts from your fingers. Within secondstretches, thin, white bones are all that remain. Apparently, you have stuck your bare hands into a superacid. You don't hear your own scream, but fortunately someone else does. Eventually help arrives and you are carted off to a medical clinic, where your limbs are eventually restored. *** Alas, your role in this story has ended. *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > undo Refrigeration Unit [Previous turn undone.] >l Refrigeration Unit You are standing in Research Lab A-U61's refrigeration unit. On a table in the center of the room is a small tank. The tank is filled with a translucent, viscous liquid bubbling slowly but energetically. A glass jar rests inside. Above you in the ceiling is a large vent. It is inactive. The only exit is outward. >i You're carrying (in plain sight): the yellow pill a new IC chip an electromagnet the red pill some glue a shiny black helmet some rubber gloves Renardin's Card the lab office chip key Ati's Card Silia's Card your PA your Card the feather duster You're wearing: your boots your jumpsuit bunny ears >put on gloves You put on the rubber gloves. Toenail clippers - the big kind with thick blades for cleaving especially troublesome nails - burst from the confines of the glass jar, which has crumbled under the force of its terrible blows. The shards of the glass jar rain down to the bottom of the tank, while the toenail clippers rise up through the viscous liquid. As you watch, stunned, they leap through the top of the tank and come to rest on the floor in front of you. These are no ordinary toenail clippers; this is clearly the product of the mad genius of some disturbed scientist - or perhaps a special project ordered by Central Management. It's hard to tell the difference. For an instant they hold still, surveying the area, and you can admire the sharpness of the blades, quivering ever so slightly in anticipation. The file - also sharp and dangerous - sways mesmerizingly overhead. Then, alas, they get down to work. With such speed you can barely follow with your eyes, they attack the nearest person. That person is you. The terrible snapping of the blades and the file fills your ears as you are relentlessly consumed by a thousand tiny but angry bites. You succumb to the onslaught. *** It's not really possible for you to continue the story in this sad and sorry state. *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > ndo Please give one of the answers above. Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > undo Refrigeration Unit [Previous turn undone.] >undo Refrigeration Unit [Previous turn undone.] >undo Refrigeration Unit [Previous turn undone.] >undo Refrigeration Unit [Previous turn undone.] >undo Refrigeration Unit [Previous turn undone.] >undo Refrigeration Unit [Previous turn undone.] >undo Darkened Passage [Previous turn undone.] >r (first opening the refrigeration unit door) The door swiftly closes behind you. Refrigeration Unit You are standing in Research Lab A-U61's refrigeration unit. On a table in the center of the room is a small tank. The tank is filled with a translucent, viscous liquid bubbling slowly but energetically. A glass jar rests inside. Above you in the ceiling is a large vent. It is inactive. The only exit is outward. The small and shiny object is hammering the inside of the glass jar. The web of cracks in its surface spreads quickly. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >put on gloves You put on the rubber gloves. The glass jar is disintegrating before your very eyes. It will not hold out much longer. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >get jar Your hands slip into the viscous liquid, protected by the rubber gloves. Taken. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >i You're carrying (in plain sight): a glass jar the yellow pill a new IC chip an electromagnet the red pill some glue a shiny black helmet Renardin's Card the lab office chip key Ati's Card Silia's Card your PA your Card the feather duster You're wearing: some rubber gloves your boots your jumpsuit bunny ears >f You can't go that way. Toenail clippers - the big kind with thick blades for cleaving especially troublesome nails - burst from the confines of the glass jar, which has crumbled under the force of its terrible blows. The shards of the glass jar rain down to the bottom of the tank, while the toenail clippers rise up through the viscous liquid. As you watch, stunned, they leap through the top of the tank and come to rest on the floor in front of you. These are no ordinary toenail clippers; this is clearly the product of the mad genius of some disturbed scientist - or perhaps a special project ordered by Central Management. It's hard to tell the difference. For an instant they hold still, surveying the area, and you can admire the sharpness of the blades, quivering ever so slightly in anticipation. The file - also sharp and dangerous - sways mesmerizingly overhead. Then, alas, they get down to work. With such speed you can barely follow with your eyes, they attack the nearest person. That person is you. The terrible snapping of the blades and the file fills your ears as you are relentlessly consumed by a thousand tiny but angry bites. You succumb to the onslaught. *** It's not really possible for you to continue the story in this sad and sorry state. *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > undo Refrigeration Unit [Previous turn undone.] >undo Refrigeration Unit [Previous turn undone.] >get tank If you want to get some of the superacid, you'll need something to carry it around in. Bare hands is not advised. Toenail clippers - the big kind with thick blades for cleaving especially troublesome nails - burst from the confines of the glass jar, which has crumbled under the force of its terrible blows. The shards of the glass jar rain down to the bottom of the tank, while the toenail clippers rise up through the viscous liquid. As you watch, stunned, they leap through the top of the tank and come to rest on the floor in front of you. These are no ordinary toenail clippers; this is clearly the product of the mad genius of some disturbed scientist - or perhaps a special project ordered by Central Management. It's hard to tell the difference. For an instant they hold still, surveying the area, and you can admire the sharpness of the blades, quivering ever so slightly in anticipation. The file - also sharp and dangerous - sways mesmerizingly overhead. Then, alas, they get down to work. With such speed you can barely follow with your eyes, they attack the nearest person. That person is you. The terrible snapping of the blades and the file fills your ears as you are relentlessly consumed by a thousand tiny but angry bites. You succumb to the onslaught. *** It's not really possible for you to continue the story in this sad and sorry state. *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > undo Refrigeration Unit [Previous turn undone.] >undo Refrigeration Unit [Previous turn undone.] >undo Refrigeration Unit [Previous turn undone.] >undo Darkened Passage [Previous turn undone.] >i You're carrying (in plain sight): the yellow pill a new IC chip an electromagnet the red pill some glue a shiny black helmet some rubber gloves Renardin's Card the lab office chip key Ati's Card Silia's Card your PA your Card the feather duster You're wearing: your boots your jumpsuit bunny ears >r (first opening the refrigeration unit door) The door swiftly closes behind you. Refrigeration Unit You are standing in Research Lab A-U61's refrigeration unit. On a table in the center of the room is a small tank. The tank is filled with a translucent, viscous liquid bubbling slowly but energetically. A glass jar rests inside. Above you in the ceiling is a large vent. It is inactive. The only exit is outward. The small and shiny object is hammering the inside of the glass jar. The web of cracks in its surface spreads quickly. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >get tank If you want to get some of the superacid, you'll need something to carry it around in. Bare hands is not advised. The glass jar is disintegrating before your very eyes. It will not hold out much longer. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >put yellow pill in jar The glass jar is in the tank. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >put on gloves You put on the rubber gloves. Toenail clippers - the big kind with thick blades for cleaving especially troublesome nails - burst from the confines of the glass jar, which has crumbled under the force of its terrible blows. The shards of the glass jar rain down to the bottom of the tank, while the toenail clippers rise up through the viscous liquid. As you watch, stunned, they leap through the top of the tank and come to rest on the floor in front of you. These are no ordinary toenail clippers; this is clearly the product of the mad genius of some disturbed scientist - or perhaps a special project ordered by Central Management. It's hard to tell the difference. For an instant they hold still, surveying the area, and you can admire the sharpness of the blades, quivering ever so slightly in anticipation. The file - also sharp and dangerous - sways mesmerizingly overhead. Then, alas, they get down to work. With such speed you can barely follow with your eyes, they attack the nearest person. That person is you. The terrible snapping of the blades and the file fills your ears as you are relentlessly consumed by a thousand tiny but angry bites. You succumb to the onslaught. *** It's not really possible for you to continue the story in this sad and sorry state. *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > ndo Please give one of the answers above. Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > undo Refrigeration Unit [Previous turn undone.] >undo Refrigeration Unit [Previous turn undone.] >undo Refrigeration Unit [Previous turn undone.] >undo Darkened Passage [Previous turn undone.] >l Darkened Passage You find yourself in a small, uninteresting passage with no light source of its own. To your right is a door. You can also continue inward through a squat opening or outward through a narrow opening. >ow Dev 3 Four workstations have been arranged in a square in the center of this room, basking in the bright light from the glow panels. Nestled between them is a bank of manipulators. What appear to be controls for the manipulators have been built onto the surface of each workstation. Through a glass wall to the right, you see a hallway. A door has been cut into the glass. Set in the middle of the inward wall is a narrow opening. You can see a sturdy locker (empty) here. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >x controls You peer at the controls for the bank of manipulators and feel that you could easily operate the slicer (by slicing or cutting) and the soldering iron (by soldering). A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow You can't go that way. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >r (first opening the glass door) The glass door swings shut behind you. Lab Hallway Outward You are standing at one end of a short, bare hallway lit by glow panels. The left wall is made entirely of glass. Through it you can see into Dev 3. Normally, a few researchers can be seen toiling within, but now it is strangely empty. To the left a door has been cut into the glass. Another door is to your right. A smart sign is affixed to it. Outward is a third door made entirely of metal. Inward, the corridor continues towards the Lobby. Off in the distance, you hear a violent crash like the smashing of glass. A frightful silence ensues. Curious as to what happened, you venture in the direction of the noise. You don't get very far, however, when you hear an insistent banging inside the walls around you. It is moving. It appears to be closing in on you. Suddenly, the grate of a tiny air vent at floor level bursts free, and out leaps a small, shiny object. It moves so quickly you can hardly identify it. In a blur, it leaps for your neck. A terrible snapping fills your ears as you are relentlessly consumed by a thousand tiny but angry bites. You succumb to the onslaught. *** No one is ever able to identify you from the remains. *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > undo Dev 3 [Previous turn undone.] >undo Dev 3 [Previous turn undone.] >undo Dev 3 [Previous turn undone.] >undo Darkened Passage [Previous turn undone.] >r (first opening the refrigeration unit door) The door swiftly closes behind you. Refrigeration Unit You are standing in Research Lab A-U61's refrigeration unit. On a table in the center of the room is a small tank. The tank is filled with a translucent, viscous liquid bubbling slowly but energetically. A glass jar rests inside. Above you in the ceiling is a large vent. It is inactive. The only exit is outward. The small and shiny object is hammering the inside of the glass jar. The web of cracks in its surface spreads quickly. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >put on gloves You put on the rubber gloves. The glass jar is disintegrating before your very eyes. It will not hold out much longer. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >get jar Your hands slip into the viscous liquid, protected by the rubber gloves. Taken. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >put glue on jar Putting things on the glass jar would achieve nothing. Toenail clippers - the big kind with thick blades for cleaving especially troublesome nails - burst from the confines of the glass jar, which has crumbled under the force of its terrible blows. The shards of the glass jar rain down to the bottom of the tank, while the toenail clippers rise up through the viscous liquid. As you watch, stunned, they leap through the top of the tank and come to rest on the floor in front of you. These are no ordinary toenail clippers; this is clearly the product of the mad genius of some disturbed scientist - or perhaps a special project ordered by Central Management. It's hard to tell the difference. For an instant they hold still, surveying the area, and you can admire the sharpness of the blades, quivering ever so slightly in anticipation. The file - also sharp and dangerous - sways mesmerizingly overhead. Then, alas, they get down to work. With such speed you can barely follow with your eyes, they attack the nearest person. That person is you. The terrible snapping of the blades and the file fills your ears as you are relentlessly consumed by a thousand tiny but angry bites. You succumb to the onslaught. *** It's not really possible for you to continue the story in this sad and sorry state. *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > undo Refrigeration Unit [Previous turn undone.] >i You're carrying (in plain sight): a glass jar the yellow pill a new IC chip an electromagnet the red pill some glue a shiny black helmet Renardin's Card the lab office chip key Ati's Card Silia's Card your PA your Card the feather duster You're wearing: some rubber gloves your boots your jumpsuit bunny ears >turn on magnet The electromagnet produces a pleasant humming. Toenail clippers - the big kind with thick blades for cleaving especially troublesome nails - burst from the confines of the glass jar, which has crumbled under the force of its terrible blows. The shards of the glass jar rain down to the bottom of the tank, while the toenail clippers rise up through the viscous liquid. As you watch, stunned, they leap through the top of the tank and come to rest on the floor in front of you. These are no ordinary toenail clippers; this is clearly the product of the mad genius of some disturbed scientist - or perhaps a special project ordered by Central Management. It's hard to tell the difference. For an instant they hold still, surveying the area, and you can admire the sharpness of the blades, quivering ever so slightly in anticipation. The file - also sharp and dangerous - sways mesmerizingly overhead. Then, alas, they get down to work. With such speed you can barely follow with your eyes, they attack the nearest person. That person is you. The terrible snapping of the blades and the file fills your ears as you are relentlessly consumed by a thousand tiny but angry bites. You succumb to the onslaught. *** It's not really possible for you to continue the story in this sad and sorry state. *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > undo Refrigeration Unit [Previous turn undone.] >undo Refrigeration Unit [Previous turn undone.] >undo Refrigeration Unit [Previous turn undone.] >undo Refrigeration Unit [Previous turn undone.] >undo Darkened Passage [Previous turn undone.] >l Darkened Passage You find yourself in a small, uninteresting passage with no light source of its own. To your right is a door. You can also continue inward through a squat opening or outward through a narrow opening. >look through door It is closed. >open door You open the refrigeration unit door. >look through door Through the refrigeration unit door you catch a glimpse of Refrigeration Unit. If you want to see more, you'll have to step inside. >r The door swiftly closes behind you. Refrigeration Unit You are standing in Research Lab A-U61's refrigeration unit. On a table in the center of the room is a small tank. The tank is filled with a translucent, viscous liquid bubbling slowly but energetically. A glass jar rests inside. Above you in the ceiling is a large vent. It is inactive. The only exit is outward. Toenail clippers - the big kind with thick blades for cleaving especially troublesome nails - burst from the confines of the glass jar, which has crumbled under the force of its terrible blows. The shards of the glass jar rain down to the bottom of the tank, while the toenail clippers rise up through the viscous liquid. As you watch, stunned, they leap through the top of the tank and come to rest on the floor in front of you. These are no ordinary toenail clippers; this is clearly the product of the mad genius of some disturbed scientist - or perhaps a special project ordered by Central Management. It's hard to tell the difference. For an instant they hold still, surveying the area, and you can admire the sharpness of the blades, quivering ever so slightly in anticipation. The file - also sharp and dangerous - sways mesmerizingly overhead. Then, alas, they get down to work. With such speed you can barely follow with your eyes, they attack the nearest person. That person is you. The terrible snapping of the blades and the file fills your ears as you are relentlessly consumed by a thousand tiny but angry bites. You succumb to the onslaught. *** It's not really possible for you to continue the story in this sad and sorry state. *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > undo Darkened Passage [Previous turn undone.] >undo Darkened Passage [Previous turn undone.] >undo Darkened Passage [Previous turn undone.] >undo Darkened Passage [Previous turn undone.] >undo Darkened Passage [Previous turn undone.] >undo Darkened Passage [Previous turn undone.] >undo Darkened Passage [Previous turn undone.] >undo Dev 1 [Previous turn undone.] >undo Lab Hallway Inward [Previous turn undone.] >ow Lab Hallway Center You are standing in the center of a bare hallway lit by glow panels. The wall to your left is made entirely of glass. Just out of reach above your head, a security camera relentlessly surveys the hallway and the areas visible through the glass wall. To the left, you can see the Refrigeration Unit. Across from it, to your right, is a plain door. The hallway continues both inward and outward. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow Lab Hallway Outward You are standing at one end of a short, bare hallway lit by glow panels. The left wall is made entirely of glass. Through it you can see into Dev 3. Normally, a few researchers can be seen toiling within, but now it is strangely empty. To the left a door has been cut into the glass. Another door is to your right. A smart sign is affixed to it. Outward is a third door made entirely of metal. Inward, the corridor continues towards the Lobby. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >r (first opening the office door) The lock is activated by the chip key, and you hear a slight rasping noise from the door. You hear a slight click after the door swings shut. Lab Director's Office You are in the lab director's office - your office, for what it's worth. Looking around, you can see that the previous lab director had little if any personality. Framed by bare, white walls, the room prominently features a shallow, curved desk. Behind the desk tucked against the wall is a heavy, metal safe. The room is dimly lit by a single glow panel near the ceiling; the others appear to be out of service. Outward is a door leading to the research lab's main corridor. You can see the lab director's chair here. >sit You get into the lab director's chair. The keyboard lights up, and the monochrome screen flickers. Writing appears. __________________________________________ | | 1. Toggle Refrigeration Unit door lock. | 2. Toggle Refrigeration Unit ventilation | 3. Activate God's Holy Wrath __________________________________________ >2 Done. >up (first getting out of the lab director's chair) The monochrome screen winks out. The light around the keyboard dims and fades out. You can't go that way. >ow (first opening the office door) The lock is activated by the chip key, and you hear a slight rasping noise from the door. You hear a slight click after the door swings shut. Lab Hallway Outward You are standing at one end of a short, bare hallway lit by glow panels. The left wall is made entirely of glass. Through it you can see into Dev 3. Normally, a few researchers can be seen toiling within, but now it is strangely empty. To the left a door has been cut into the glass. Another door is to your right. A smart sign is affixed to it. Outward is a third door made entirely of metal. Inward, the corridor continues towards the Lobby. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >f (first opening the glass door) The glass door swings shut behind you. Dev 3 Four workstations have been arranged in a square in the center of this room, basking in the bright light from the glow panels. Nestled between them is a bank of manipulators. What appear to be controls for the manipulators have been built onto the surface of each workstation. Through a glass wall to the right, you see a hallway. A door has been cut into the glass. Set in the middle of the inward wall is a narrow opening. You can see a sturdy locker (empty) here. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Darkened Passage You find yourself in a small, uninteresting passage with no light source of its own. To your right is a door. You can also continue inward through a squat opening or outward through a narrow opening. >r (first opening the refrigeration unit door) You open the refrigeration unit door. Frigid air pours forth from the opening, sending shivers up and down your spine. The door swiftly closes behind you. Refrigeration Unit You are standing in Research Lab A-U61's refrigeration unit. The air is very cold. So cold, in fact, you doubt you can remain here for long. On a table in the center of the room is a small tank. The tank is filled with a translucent, viscous liquid bubbling slowly but energetically. A glass jar rests inside. Above you in the ceiling is a large vent. Frigid air streams into the room, descending in fluffy, freezing clouds over your shoulders and sending chills to your bones. The only exit is outward. The air in here absolutely frigid! It stabs at your face with sharp, invisible knives. You've never experienced anything like it before. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >put on gloves You put on the rubber gloves. It's VERY cold in here. So cold that your hands and feet hurt, and your face feels like it is being frozen in place. A slow dribble from your nose freezes near the corner of your mouth. You wonder how much longer you can last in here. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >get jar Your hands slip into the viscous liquid, protected by the rubber gloves. Taken. The pain in your extremities subsides. In fact, you can no longer feel them at all. Your breathing, too, slows considerably. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >f You can't go that way. The cold seems to fade away as your entire being turns numb. Your thoughts become slow and confused. The world darkens briefly around you, and you almost stumble. When you finally get a grip on yourself, you forgot what it is you were about to do. >ow (first opening the refrigeration unit door) The door swiftly closes behind you. Darkened Passage You find yourself in a small, uninteresting passage with no light source of its own. To your right is a door. You can also continue inward through a squat opening or outward through a narrow opening. The small and shiny object inside the glass jar stirs. >r (first opening the refrigeration unit door) You open the refrigeration unit door. Frigid air pours forth from the opening, sending shivers up and down your spine. The small and shiny object inside the glass jar settles back into blissful lethargy. The door swiftly closes behind you. Refrigeration Unit You are standing in Research Lab A-U61's refrigeration unit. The air is very cold. So cold, in fact, you doubt you can remain here for long. On a table in the center of the room is a small tank. The tank is filled with a translucent, viscous liquid bubbling slowly but energetically. Above you in the ceiling is a large vent. Frigid air streams into the room, descending in fluffy, freezing clouds over your shoulders and sending chills to your bones. The only exit is outward. The air in here absolutely frigid! It stabs at your face with sharp, invisible knives. You've never experienced anything like it before. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >put jar in tank You drop the glass jar back into the tank. It's VERY cold in here. So cold that your hands and feet hurt, and your face feels like it is being frozen in place. A slow dribble from your nose freezes near the corner of your mouth. You wonder how much longer you can last in here. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow (first opening the refrigeration unit door) The door swiftly closes behind you. Darkened Passage You find yourself in a small, uninteresting passage with no light source of its own. To your right is a door. You can also continue inward through a squat opening or outward through a narrow opening. >ow Dev 3 Four workstations have been arranged in a square in the center of this room, basking in the bright light from the glow panels. Nestled between them is a bank of manipulators. What appear to be controls for the manipulators have been built onto the surface of each workstation. Through a glass wall to the right, you see a hallway. A door has been cut into the glass. Set in the middle of the inward wall is a narrow opening. You can see a sturdy locker (empty) here. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Darkened Passage You find yourself in a small, uninteresting passage with no light source of its own. To your right is a door. You can also continue inward through a squat opening or outward through a narrow opening. >iw Dev 1 A shallow depression in the center dominates this room. Above it, a crane protrudes from the ceiling. Hanging nearby from a thick wire that leads into the wall is a controller. On one wall hangs a whiteboard. Otherwise, this area is sparse. This place has a strange smell, and splotches of grime and corrosion can be seen on the walls and ceiling. Both are no doubt remnants of spectacularly promising experiments. A squat opening leads outward, and a doorway obscured by a thick, black curtain leads inward. The wall to the right is made entirely of glass, on the other side of which is the research lab's main hallway. It is accessible through an almost invisible door. A crawlspace leads left from the space revealed by the shallow depression. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Depot This narrow, cramped space is where Research Lab A-U61 accepts and stores deliveries. It is sparsely lit by a single lightbulb dangling from the ceiling. A darkened service tunnel wide enough for a sizeable vehicle leads off into darkness. In the corner next to an obscured doorway in the outward wall is a stack of boxes. To the right through a wide opening, you can enter the lab's Lobby. You can see a forklift here. >r Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. >iw You pass through the turnstile and push through the revolving door. A menacing crowd has formed beyond the mobile response unit. As you take a stretch to examine them, one or two of its members glance back at you. You cannot help but notice the loathing and anticipation in their eyes. Never before have you been the object of such emotions - except, perhaps, from Nur Dular, your supervisor. At your appearance, Tony Bleet beckons you over to his stall. He artfully pulls you into a corner where the security camera cannot peer. There, he gives you the secret handshake that indicates he is a member of Area 51. "Listen," he whispers, "I know what's going on, and I've been instructed to help. Now look, I have this short-wave radio for sale. See? You should consider purchasing it. You can use it to talk to me from anywhere in the plaza or lab... and we won't be spied on by Homeland Security! Set the radio to channel 3 and we'll be able to communicate freely. Remember: channel 3!" At that, he pushes you back out into the plaza. "No!" he shouts out for everyone to hear. "Absolutely not for such a paltry price!" A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >buy radio (the short-wave radio from Tony Bleet) Tony accepts Ati's Card, swipes it and returns it to you along with the short-wave radio. "Congratulations!" he says, beaming blissfully. Tony smiles at you ingratiatingly. "Epsilon clearance, eh? Well, congratulations! I knew you weren't a simple dust bunny, even if you have to wear those ridiculous ears!" He winks at you knowingly. "I can only imagine you've got important business to attend to. If I can help in ANY way...." He leaves the rest of the sentence hanging. A few more people trickle in to the plaza and join the menacing crowd. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >f Plaza, by the Lab You are standing outside Research Lab A-U61. A decorative statuette protrudes from the wall, but otherwise the building and its purpose is unmarked. The normally bustling Tucker M. Carlson plaza is strangely subdued today. Inward, you see a mobile response unit set up by Homeland Security, which explains why. All the citizens in the area have been detained for questioning, and - for the moment at least - no one is allowed to leave. To the right is a row of vendors, and to the left a billboard hangs over a security camera. Beyond them, a caring demonstration is getting under way. Outward is a revolving door leading into the lab. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow You push through the revolving door and scramble with difficulty over the turnstile, confident no one is observing you. Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. >ow Lab Hallway Inward This is the beginning of Research Lab A-U61's main hallway, lit by glow panels. It is bare and - thanks to your best efforts - mostly free of dust. To your left is a glass wall. Through it, you can see into Dev 1. The thin outline of a door is visible in the glass. Opposite the glass wall to your right is a battered door. The lobby door is inward, and the hallway stretches outward. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow Lab Hallway Center You are standing in the center of a bare hallway lit by glow panels. The wall to your left is made entirely of glass. Just out of reach above your head, a security camera relentlessly surveys the hallway and the areas visible through the glass wall. To the left, you can see the Refrigeration Unit. Across from it, to your right, is a plain door. The hallway continues both inward and outward. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ask tony about clippers Can't do it. >x radio (the short-wave radio) A simple device that can be used to receive and transmit broadcasts over radio waves. A small dial sets the channel. The short-wave radio is switched off. The radio dial is set to 15. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >set dial to 3 (the radio dial to that) Done. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >turn on radio (the short-wave radio) The short-wave radio emits a sharp crackle and pop. After a brief pause, you hear the voice of Tony Bleet. "Yes, yes, I can hear you now." A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ask tony about clippers (Tony Bleet about that) You speak into the short-wave radio. After a brief pause, Tony's voice responds. "The short-wave radio isn't a toy! Remember: you are on an important mission! There's no time for idle talk." A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ask tony about solder (Tony Bleet about that) You speak into the short-wave radio. After a brief pause, Tony's voice responds. "The short-wave radio isn't a toy! Remember: you are on an important mission! There's no time for idle talk." A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >l Lab Hallway Center You are standing in the center of a bare hallway lit by glow panels. The wall to your left is made entirely of glass. Just out of reach above your head, a security camera relentlessly surveys the hallway and the areas visible through the glass wall. To the left, you can see the Refrigeration Unit. Across from it, to your right, is a plain door. The hallway continues both inward and outward. >iw Lab Hallway Inward This is the beginning of Research Lab A-U61's main hallway, lit by glow panels. It is bare and - thanks to your best efforts - mostly free of dust. To your left is a glass wall. Through it, you can see into Dev 1. The thin outline of a door is visible in the glass. Opposite the glass wall to your right is a battered door. The lobby door is inward, and the hallway stretches outward. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. >x machine A large, hulking, rectangular object, this vending machine is just like any other you've seen throughout the Bunker. A small touchscreen lists the items available and their cost. Next to it is a slot for your Card. At the bottom is a wide, narrow compartment where items are dispensed. The protective cover of its dispenser is missing. >x touchscreen The vending machine currently has the following for sale: a shallow receptacle (6 credits) an electric torch (6 credits) a Palantooter Insta-Identatron (tm) +++ (tm) (39 credits) a Marrk-X Jammin (tm) Video Output Disruptor - Epsilon clearance required (600 credits) a sparkly toy (2 credits) a bottle of Flappantastic (1 credit) >buy torch (from the lobby vending machine) There is no Card in the vending machine's slot. >put ati's card in slot You put Ati's Card into the slot. There is a brief pause before the vending machine reluctantly lights up. "Ah, Atikurrahman. Still masquerading as the leader of a respectable research lab? Bah! You're the main reason this dump is falling off the blueprint!" The vending machine snorts derisvely. "What do you want?" >buy torch "No," the vending machine snaps. "Absolutely not. The protective cover to my dispenser is missing. Stolen. Yes, I know the electric torch (6 credits) is right here. But I'm not giving it to you. You know why? Because I'm naked!" The vending machine emits an series of angry clicks. "What's a dim bag of bones and flesh going to do with my protective cover? Well, until I get it back, no one gets anything!" The Card in the slot is unceremoniously spat onto the floor in front of you. The vending machine gratefully dims its lights and deactivates. >get card (your Card) You already have that. >get ati's card Taken. >i You're carrying (in plain sight): Ati's Card a short-wave radio the yellow pill a new IC chip an electromagnet the red pill some glue a shiny black helmet Renardin's Card the lab office chip key Silia's Card your PA your Card the feather duster You're wearing: some rubber gloves your boots your jumpsuit bunny ears >l Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. >i You're carrying (in plain sight): Ati's Card a short-wave radio the yellow pill a new IC chip an electromagnet the red pill some glue a shiny black helmet Renardin's Card the lab office chip key Silia's Card your PA your Card the feather duster You're wearing: some rubber gloves your boots your jumpsuit bunny ears >put on helmet The shiny black helmet fits easily onto your head, and the visor slips over your eyes. You can't see anything. >take off helmet The visor lifts from your eyes, and you find yourself standing in Lobby. >l Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. >f Depot This narrow, cramped space is where Research Lab A-U61 accepts and stores deliveries. It is sparsely lit by a single lightbulb dangling from the ceiling. A darkened service tunnel wide enough for a sizeable vehicle leads off into darkness. In the corner next to an obscured doorway in the outward wall is a stack of boxes. To the right through a wide opening, you can enter the lab's Lobby. You can see a forklift here. >move boxes You move the boxes out of the way, revealing a hole in the wall. >x hole The hole in the wall is quite wide, providing more than enough room to scramble through. Through it, you catch a whiff of something sweet. >drop duster Dropped. >smell You catch a faint whiff of something a tad too sweet. >get duster Taken. >go through hole You crawl through the hole and make it to the other side. Prayer Hall You find yourself in a narrow space someone has haphazardly thrown together. A makeshift wall separates it from whatever legitimate area lies beyond. Folding chairs have been arranged in rows around a small, cluttered table which serves as an altar. Next to it sits a tub full of murky water. Behind the altar, leaning against the wall, is a dilapidated closet. Its door hangs from a single hinge. A wide hole leads off to the right. Outward, the makeshift wall closes in on the opposite wall, forming a tiny niche which leads to another room. >x closet The closet is empty. >search closet The closet is empty. >x altar On the altar is some incense. >get incense You have no need of it. >x water Spotted with rust and creased with peeling paint, the tub is filled with brown, murky water. >splash water That's not a verb I recognise. >ow Decomposition Chamber You have never seen such a place as this, although - thanks to your favorite true-crime vidshows, "Baxter" and "Guidelines are Guidelines" - you are not entirely unfamiliar with it, either. This is a decomposition chamber, run by one of Homeland Security's specialized crime units. If the vidshows are to be trusted, the sleuths over at Homeland Security use such places to study how human bodies decompose. Such knowledge is useful when a crime scene is uncovered long after the drama has played out. Situated around this room are reconstructions of environments common throughout the Bunker. Strewn among them are dead bodies in various stages of decomposition. Here, you see one slumped over an office desk; there, another floats in a vat of clear liquid; yet a third has been stuffed into a tiny crate. Nearby, a young woman in a rusty movepod gawks at you awkwardly. The bodies are grotesque and disturbing, especially the woman. The face is distended and there is something wrong with her eyes. Then you notice it: the lids are closed, but you can still see them. Three recently deceased bodies have been leaned up against one wall. You recognize them: Silia Cribbich, Atikurrahman Vosh and Renardin Osterlok. In the far wall is an entrance, but you dare not venture further into the room for fear of coming into contact with the bodies. Where you are standing, a makeshift wall has carved out some of the area, hiding it from view. A concealed opening lies inward. A terrible, awful, hideous smell hangs in the air. It is so strong that you refuse to breathe out of your nose for fear you might vomit. You can see a wrench here. >get wrench Taken. >iw Prayer Hall You find yourself in a narrow space someone has haphazardly thrown together. A makeshift wall separates it from whatever legitimate area lies beyond. Folding chairs have been arranged in rows around a small, cluttered table which serves as an altar. Next to it sits a tub full of murky water. Behind the altar, leaning against the wall, is a dilapidated closet. Its door hangs from a single hinge. A wide hole leads off to the right. Outward, the makeshift wall closes in on the opposite wall, forming a tiny niche which leads to another room. >r Depot This narrow, cramped space is where Research Lab A-U61 accepts and stores deliveries. It is sparsely lit by a single lightbulb dangling from the ceiling. A darkened service tunnel wide enough for a sizeable vehicle leads off into darkness. In the corner next to an obscured doorway in the outward wall is a stack of boxes. A few of the boxes have been shunted aside, revealing a hole leading left. To the right through a wide opening, you can enter the lab's Lobby. You can see a forklift here. >f You crawl through the hole and make it to the other side. Prayer Hall You find yourself in a narrow space someone has haphazardly thrown together. A makeshift wall separates it from whatever legitimate area lies beyond. Folding chairs have been arranged in rows around a small, cluttered table which serves as an altar. Next to it sits a tub full of murky water. Behind the altar, leaning against the wall, is a dilapidated closet. Its door hangs from a single hinge. A wide hole leads off to the right. Outward, the makeshift wall closes in on the opposite wall, forming a tiny niche which leads to another room. >r Depot This narrow, cramped space is where Research Lab A-U61 accepts and stores deliveries. It is sparsely lit by a single lightbulb dangling from the ceiling. A darkened service tunnel wide enough for a sizeable vehicle leads off into darkness. In the corner next to an obscured doorway in the outward wall is a stack of boxes. A few of the boxes have been shunted aside, revealing a hole leading left. To the right through a wide opening, you can enter the lab's Lobby. You can see a forklift here. >i You're carrying (in plain sight): a wrench the feather duster Ati's Card a short-wave radio the yellow pill a new IC chip an electromagnet the red pill some glue a shiny black helmet Renardin's Card the lab office chip key Silia's Card your PA your Card You're wearing: some rubber gloves your boots your jumpsuit bunny ears >f You crawl through the hole and make it to the other side. Prayer Hall You find yourself in a narrow space someone has haphazardly thrown together. A makeshift wall separates it from whatever legitimate area lies beyond. Folding chairs have been arranged in rows around a small, cluttered table which serves as an altar. Next to it sits a tub full of murky water. Behind the altar, leaning against the wall, is a dilapidated closet. Its door hangs from a single hinge. A wide hole leads off to the right. Outward, the makeshift wall closes in on the opposite wall, forming a tiny niche which leads to another room. >iw You can't go that way. >search bodies You can't use multiple objects with that verb. >search body Which do you mean, your body or Oliva Mirram's body? >mine You do not normally need to refer to parts of the body. >iw You can't go that way. >look under chairs You find nothing of interest. >r Depot This narrow, cramped space is where Research Lab A-U61 accepts and stores deliveries. It is sparsely lit by a single lightbulb dangling from the ceiling. A darkened service tunnel wide enough for a sizeable vehicle leads off into darkness. In the corner next to an obscured doorway in the outward wall is a stack of boxes. A few of the boxes have been shunted aside, revealing a hole leading left. To the right through a wide opening, you can enter the lab's Lobby. You can see a forklift here. >r Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. >save Ok. >iw You pass through the turnstile and push through the revolving door. Plaza, by the Lab You are standing outside Research Lab A-U61. A decorative statuette protrudes from the wall, but otherwise the building and its purpose is unmarked. The normally bustling Tucker M. Carlson plaza is strangely subdued today. Inward, you see a mobile response unit set up by Homeland Security, which explains why. All the citizens in the area have been detained for questioning, and - for the moment at least - no one is allowed to leave. To the right is a row of vendors, and to the left a billboard hangs over a security camera. Beyond them, a caring demonstration is getting under way. Outward is a revolving door leading into the lab. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Plaza, Near the Museum You are standing halfway to the center of the plaza. A sense of travesty and loss envelops you here. Nearby, corpses have been piled into a sloppy stack, and a mobile response unit has been hastily set up next to it. A long queue of frightened, weeping citizens has formed there, waiting patiently to exonerate themselves. Outward is the Museum of Athletic Ability, occupying the very center of the plaza. There, a group of exercise enthusiasts has gathered for some intense stretching. Inward is the entrance to Research Lab A-U61. To the left and right are large, empty spaces, beyond which are corridors leading off to other parts of the department. You can see the agent from Homeland Security here. The agent from Homeland Security looks up at you. "Congratulations on your promotion," she sneers. "I hear you've been chasing terrorists." Then, learning forward, she adds, "Let's just get one thing straight: I am the one around here who catches terrorists. You just do whatever it is you do - dusting, I suppose - and leave the sleuthing to me. This is specialized work. Not for amateurs. Or people wearing floppy ears." Satisfied she's dressed you down sufficiently, the agent from Homeland Security waves over a new interviewee. The agent from Homeland Security scribbles on a paper form, then snatches her PA and jabs hurriedly at it. "Now hold on a minutestretch!" she barks at her subject, who halts mid-sentence, terrified. When she's done, she looks up at her interviewee and smiles reassuringly. "Yeah, you were saying?" A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ask about clippers (to the agent from Homeland Security) The agent's eyes narrow suspicously. "Hmm, are you trying to distract me?" A Ward of the State skips over to the mobile response unit. The queue of citizens tenses up as she walks among them. They offer gifts, little bribes to make her go away. The Ward of the State, however, rejects them all with a callous refrain: "Junk!" Eventually, she comes to you. "So, what do you got?" You make a show of patting down your jumpsuit in search of something suitable, all the while shaking your trusty feather duster in the girl's face. After a few gasps and sneezes, the Ward of the State storms off. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ask about crowd (to the agent from Homeland Security) The agent's eyes narrow suspicously. "Hmm, are you trying to distract me?" A flustered citizen approaches from the direction of the Museum of Athletic Ability and scampers past the mobile response unit, completely oblivious to what's going on. He heads straight for the row of vendors and disappears from view. Sure enough, after a short wait he comes trotting back, some small item he purchased clutched in one hand. As he's about to pass, the agent from Homeland Security pipes up. "Where do you think you're going?" The man, struggling to understand the gravity of the situation, blabbers on about the Museum of Athletic Ability. "I see. Well, you can tell me all about how you weren't present when the poison gas leaked into the plaza - when it's your turn! Now get to the back of the queue or I'll have you fitted with a restraint." Realizing he has no choice, the man reluctantly complies. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ask about mob (to the agent from Homeland Security) The agent's eyes narrow suspicously. "Hmm, are you trying to distract me?" A flustered citizen approaches from the direction of the Museum of Athletic Ability and scampers past the mobile response unit, completely oblivious to what's going on. He heads straight for the row of vendors and disappears from view. Sure enough, after a short wait he comes trotting back, some small item he purchased clutched in one hand. As he's about to pass, the agent from Homeland Security pipes up. "Where do you think you're going?" The man, struggling to understand the gravity of the situation, blabbers on about the Museum of Athletic Ability. "I see. Well, you can tell me all about how you weren't present when the poison gas leaked into the plaza - when it's your turn! Now get to the back of the queue or I'll have you fitted with a restraint." Realizing he has no choice, the man reluctantly complies. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >l Plaza, Near the Museum You are standing halfway to the center of the plaza. A sense of travesty and loss envelops you here. Nearby, corpses have been piled into a sloppy stack, and a mobile response unit has been hastily set up next to it. A long queue of frightened, weeping citizens has formed there, waiting patiently to exonerate themselves. Outward is the Museum of Athletic Ability, occupying the very center of the plaza. There, a group of exercise enthusiasts has gathered for some intense stretching. Inward is the entrance to Research Lab A-U61. To the left and right are large, empty spaces, beyond which are corridors leading off to other parts of the department. You can see the agent from Homeland Security here. >ow Plaza, by the Lab You are standing outside Research Lab A-U61. A decorative statuette protrudes from the wall, but otherwise the building and its purpose is unmarked. The normally bustling Tucker M. Carlson plaza is strangely subdued today. Inward, you see a mobile response unit set up by Homeland Security, which explains why. All the citizens in the area have been detained for questioning, and - for the moment at least - no one is allowed to leave. To the right is a row of vendors, and to the left a billboard hangs over a security camera. Beyond them, a caring demonstration is getting under way. Outward is a revolving door leading into the lab. A few more people trickle in to the plaza and join the menacing crowd. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Plaza, Near the Museum You are standing halfway to the center of the plaza. A sense of travesty and loss envelops you here. Nearby, corpses have been piled into a sloppy stack, and a mobile response unit has been hastily set up next to it. A long queue of frightened, weeping citizens has formed there, waiting patiently to exonerate themselves. Outward is the Museum of Athletic Ability, occupying the very center of the plaza. There, a group of exercise enthusiasts has gathered for some intense stretching. Inward is the entrance to Research Lab A-U61. To the left and right are large, empty spaces, beyond which are corridors leading off to other parts of the department. You can see the agent from Homeland Security here. A Ward of the State skips over to the mobile response unit. The queue of citizens tenses up as she walks among them. They offer gifts, little bribes to make her go away. The Ward of the State, however, rejects them all with a callous refrain: "Junk!" Eventually, she comes to you. "So, what do you got?" You make a show of patting down your jumpsuit in search of something suitable, all the while shaking your trusty feather duster in the girl's face. After a few gasps and sneezes, the Ward of the State storms off. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw The agent from Homeland Security perks up. "Ah, excuse me!" she shouts, pointing a pen in your direction. "You're still a Person of Interest in this matter. So don't even THINK of skulking off... unless you have something to hide?" The citizens in the queue study you intensely, hoping to catch some hint of your duplicity. The sound of a PA going off disturbs the thick silence that has descended over the queue. Without looking up, the agent from Homeland Security jabs a pen in the direction whence it came. "No calls!" Then, she looks up and scans the queue. "No messages. No apps. No communication with anyone - except me! Got it?" A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >f The agent from Homeland Security perks up. "Ah, excuse me!" she shouts, pointing a pen in your direction. "You're still a Person of Interest in this matter. So don't even THINK of skulking off... unless you have something to hide?" The citizens in the queue study you intensely, hoping to catch some hint of your duplicity. A flustered citizen approaches from the direction of the Museum of Athletic Ability and scampers past the mobile response unit, completely oblivious to what's going on. He heads straight for the row of vendors and disappears from view. Sure enough, after a short wait he comes trotting back, some small item he purchased clutched in one hand. As he's about to pass, the agent from Homeland Security pipes up. "Where do you think you're going?" The man, struggling to understand the gravity of the situation, blabbers on about the Museum of Athletic Ability. "I see. Well, you can tell me all about how you weren't present when the poison gas leaked into the plaza - when it's your turn! Now get to the back of the queue or I'll have you fitted with a restraint." Realizing he has no choice, the man reluctantly complies. A few more people trickle in to the plaza and join the menacing crowd. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw The agent from Homeland Security perks up. "Ah, excuse me!" she shouts, pointing a pen in your direction. "You're still a Person of Interest in this matter. So don't even THINK of skulking off... unless you have something to hide?" The citizens in the queue study you intensely, hoping to catch some hint of your duplicity. The agent from Homeland Security scribbles on a paper form, then snatches her PA and jabs hurriedly at it. "Now hold on a minutestretch!" she barks at her subject, who halts mid-sentence, terrified. When she's done, she looks up at her interviewee and smiles reassuringly. "Yeah, you were saying?" A few more people trickle in to the plaza and join the menacing crowd. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow Plaza, by the Lab You are standing outside Research Lab A-U61. A decorative statuette protrudes from the wall, but otherwise the building and its purpose is unmarked. The normally bustling Tucker M. Carlson plaza is strangely subdued today. Inward, you see a mobile response unit set up by Homeland Security, which explains why. All the citizens in the area have been detained for questioning, and - for the moment at least - no one is allowed to leave. To the right is a row of vendors, and to the left a billboard hangs over a security camera. Beyond them, a caring demonstration is getting under way. Outward is a revolving door leading into the lab. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >f Plaza, under the Billboard You are standing near the entrance to the Clement Vallandigham complex. A sign on the wall indicates it is mostly occupied by the Internal Operations division of the Procurement conglomerate, including portions of its sprawling Department of Administration. Internal Operations is responsible for mining out on the surface, sorting and refining ores, distribution of raw materials and the like. Normally a bustling corner of the plaza, today is it deserted. And you know exactly why. Citizens have gathered just to the left of this location. But this is no ordinary meeting; this is a caring demonstration. And like all caring demonstrations, it is sorely in need of volunteers. A billboard - slightly crooked - hangs above a security camera mounted overhead. Beneath them both, playing with a flat, rectangular piece of transparent plastex, is a Ward of the State. A grate set in the floor, about a meter wide, separates you. Fortunately, the Ward of the State has her back to you. To the right is the entrance to Research Lab A-U61. The Ward of the State informs you with all the confidence of a teamster that she's prettier than you are. "And smarter," she adds with a glance at the bunny ears. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >r Plaza, by the Lab You are standing outside Research Lab A-U61. A decorative statuette protrudes from the wall, but otherwise the building and its purpose is unmarked. The normally bustling Tucker M. Carlson plaza is strangely subdued today. Inward, you see a mobile response unit set up by Homeland Security, which explains why. All the citizens in the area have been detained for questioning, and - for the moment at least - no one is allowed to leave. To the right is a row of vendors, and to the left a billboard hangs over a security camera. Beyond them, a caring demonstration is getting under way. Outward is a revolving door leading into the lab. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >r Plaza, Vendor Row In this corner of the Tucker M. Carlson plaza, tucked between the research lab and corridor ZU-8, is a row of vendors. At this time of your daystretch, most of the spots are empty. One vendor, however, stands ready to take your order. A frame of piping with a fabric roof has been placed exactly within the confines of the spot demarcated by slight markings on the floor. You can see over the shelving into the interior of the stall, where a man stares back at you expectantly. Behind him hangs a thick, splotched curtain with many folds. "Don't be shy, friend," Tony says to you. "I've got whatever you need." To the left is the entrance to the research lab. Tony turns his attention to a sagging corner of his frame. You can see that he has mounted some kind of device - handcrafted by himself, naturally - on the roof nearby. It consists of a flimsy pole to which an array of cables is anchored. The cables fan out and are fastened at the other end to the sagging metal frame. Unfortunately, the cables don't provide enough support. Tony steps up on a ladder and fiddles with the device. Eventually, one of the cables snaps and the frame sags further. Throwing his hands up in the air, Tony climbs down and returns to his place, muttering to himself about tensile strength. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ask about mission (to Tony Bleet) "Can I interest you in this right over here?" He picks up an unidentifiable lump of metal with far too many dials and switches and presents it to you. Someone approaches from the direction of the caring demonstration. It's a loyalty leader from the looks of it, holding a broken triangle. Tony leaps to his feet to attend to the unexpected customer. "You got any glue?" "Of course I do." He hands her a small tube. The loyalty leader peers at it suspiciously. "How long before it's dry?" "Oh, that's instaglue! Never heard of it? A new invention. Scientific progress never stops in the Bunker!" The loyalty leader glances dubiously at the tube but buys it anyway. You notice that Tony charges her double the regular price. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >r You can't go that way. Tony's face suddenly brightens, and a finger leaps into the air. "Of course!" he exclaims. "Why didn't I think of that before?" He slips behind the curtain in the back of the stall and reappears almost immediately, a large wrench in hand. He brings it to a bench in the middle of the stall. On it is a neat, sleek unidentifiable cube - presumably a gadget of some kind. Tony slips the wrench around a bolt and gives it a tug. In response, the gadget rearranges itself. At least, that's what it looks like to you. The bolt retracts and reappears somewhere else, along with the cube's other features. Defeated, Tony tosses the wrench through the curtain where it clatters loudly to rest and returns to his place. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >give wrench to tony (Tony Bleet) Tony Bleet glances at the wrench and shakes his head. "Your problem, not mine." Tony's PA gives off a cheerful tone and lights up. "Yeah?" he grunts into it. After a brief pause he says, "Now's not a good time. Check back with me later." He cuts the line and glances darkly at you. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >f Plaza, by the Lab You are standing outside Research Lab A-U61. A decorative statuette protrudes from the wall, but otherwise the building and its purpose is unmarked. The normally bustling Tucker M. Carlson plaza is strangely subdued today. Inward, you see a mobile response unit set up by Homeland Security, which explains why. All the citizens in the area have been detained for questioning, and - for the moment at least - no one is allowed to leave. To the right is a row of vendors, and to the left a billboard hangs over a security camera. Beyond them, a caring demonstration is getting under way. Outward is a revolving door leading into the lab. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Plaza, Near the Museum You are standing halfway to the center of the plaza. A sense of travesty and loss envelops you here. Nearby, corpses have been piled into a sloppy stack, and a mobile response unit has been hastily set up next to it. A long queue of frightened, weeping citizens has formed there, waiting patiently to exonerate themselves. Outward is the Museum of Athletic Ability, occupying the very center of the plaza. There, a group of exercise enthusiasts has gathered for some intense stretching. Inward is the entrance to Research Lab A-U61. To the left and right are large, empty spaces, beyond which are corridors leading off to other parts of the department. You can see the agent from Homeland Security here. A flustered citizen approaches from the direction of the Museum of Athletic Ability and scampers past the mobile response unit, completely oblivious to what's going on. He heads straight for the row of vendors and disappears from view. Sure enough, after a short wait he comes trotting back, some small item he purchased clutched in one hand. As he's about to pass, the agent from Homeland Security pipes up. "Where do you think you're going?" The man, struggling to understand the gravity of the situation, blabbers on about the Museum of Athletic Ability. "I see. Well, you can tell me all about how you weren't present when the poison gas leaked into the plaza - when it's your turn! Now get to the back of the queue or I'll have you fitted with a restraint." Realizing he has no choice, the man reluctantly complies. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow Plaza, by the Lab You are standing outside Research Lab A-U61. A decorative statuette protrudes from the wall, but otherwise the building and its purpose is unmarked. The normally bustling Tucker M. Carlson plaza is strangely subdued today. Inward, you see a mobile response unit set up by Homeland Security, which explains why. All the citizens in the area have been detained for questioning, and - for the moment at least - no one is allowed to leave. To the right is a row of vendors, and to the left a billboard hangs over a security camera. Beyond them, a caring demonstration is getting under way. Outward is a revolving door leading into the lab. A few more people trickle in to the plaza and join the menacing crowd. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow You push through the revolving door and scramble with difficulty over the turnstile, confident no one is observing you. Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. >x sign It says: "The mirror, the circuit board and the control panel. Oh my!" >hint (If you're using a screen reader, press S to turn on Screen Reader mode. This message only appears on the front page of the menu system.) 1. New to Interactive Fiction 2. New to Nothing Could Be Further From the Truth 3. New to the Bunker 4. Credits 5. Hints (Hints) 1. What's going on? 2. I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape? 3. Can I get an Epsilon security clearance in this game? 4. Can I get a Delta security clearance in this game? 5. Every time I smell, I sneeze. 6. What is the zorgot? 7. The security camera keeps blasting me for no reason. 8. A search and extraction team or two thugs or a tall, gangly man show up and end the game. 9. Lobby 0. Elsewhere in the Research Lab A. Restricted Research Lab B. Plaza C. Control D. The underground E. Waste of space F. Accusing someone (If you're using a screen reader, press S to turn on Screen Reader mode. This message only appears on the front page of the menu system.) 1. New to Interactive Fiction 2. New to Nothing Could Be Further From the Truth 3. New to the Bunker 4. Credits 5. Hints Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. >ow Lab Hallway Inward This is the beginning of Research Lab A-U61's main hallway, lit by glow panels. It is bare and - thanks to your best efforts - mostly free of dust. To your left is a glass wall. Through it, you can see into Dev 1. The thin outline of a door is visible in the glass. Opposite the glass wall to your right is a battered door. The lobby door is inward, and the hallway stretches outward. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow Lab Hallway Center You are standing in the center of a bare hallway lit by glow panels. The wall to your left is made entirely of glass. Just out of reach above your head, a security camera relentlessly surveys the hallway and the areas visible through the glass wall. To the left, you can see the Refrigeration Unit. Across from it, to your right, is a plain door. The hallway continues both inward and outward. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow Lab Hallway Outward You are standing at one end of a short, bare hallway lit by glow panels. The left wall is made entirely of glass. Through it you can see into Dev 3. Normally, a few researchers can be seen toiling within, but now it is strangely empty. To the left a door has been cut into the glass. Another door is to your right. A smart sign is affixed to it. Outward is a third door made entirely of metal. Inward, the corridor continues towards the Lobby. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow (first opening the metal door) It seems to be locked. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow (first opening the metal door) It seems to be locked. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >f (first opening the glass door) The glass door swings shut behind you. Dev 3 Four workstations have been arranged in a square in the center of this room, basking in the bright light from the glow panels. Nestled between them is a bank of manipulators. What appear to be controls for the manipulators have been built onto the surface of each workstation. Through a glass wall to the right, you see a hallway. A door has been cut into the glass. Set in the middle of the inward wall is a narrow opening. You can see a sturdy locker (empty) here. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >solder key to ic chip I only understood you as far as wanting to solder the lab office chip key. >iw Darkened Passage You find yourself in a small, uninteresting passage with no light source of its own. To your right is a door. You can also continue inward through a squat opening or outward through a narrow opening. >iw Dev 1 A shallow depression in the center dominates this room. Above it, a crane protrudes from the ceiling. Hanging nearby from a thick wire that leads into the wall is a controller. On one wall hangs a whiteboard. Otherwise, this area is sparse. This place has a strange smell, and splotches of grime and corrosion can be seen on the walls and ceiling. Both are no doubt remnants of spectacularly promising experiments. A squat opening leads outward, and a doorway obscured by a thick, black curtain leads inward. The wall to the right is made entirely of glass, on the other side of which is the research lab's main hallway. It is accessible through an almost invisible door. A crawlspace leads left from the space revealed by the shallow depression. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >x whiteboard The whiteboard is a large, rectangular touchscreen used primarily for drawing, although it can also act as a vidscreen for conferencing. On it, the lab's scientists work out complex problems amid heated discussion. Someone must have cleared the whiteboard before exiting the lab, because there is nothing on it. Or so you thought at first glance. In the corner, however, you see some doodling. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >x doodling The doodling appears to be some kind of technical drawing. You stare at it a few long stretches and scratch your head. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >turn on radio (the short-wave radio) That's already on. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ask tony about doodling (Tony Bleet about that) You speak into the short-wave radio. After a brief pause, Tony's voice responds. "The short-wave radio isn't a toy! Remember: you are on an important mission! There's no time for idle talk." A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >l Dev 1 A shallow depression in the center dominates this room. Above it, a crane protrudes from the ceiling. Hanging nearby from a thick wire that leads into the wall is a controller. On one wall hangs a whiteboard. Otherwise, this area is sparse. This place has a strange smell, and splotches of grime and corrosion can be seen on the walls and ceiling. Both are no doubt remnants of spectacularly promising experiments. A squat opening leads outward, and a doorway obscured by a thick, black curtain leads inward. The wall to the right is made entirely of glass, on the other side of which is the research lab's main hallway. It is accessible through an almost invisible door. A crawlspace leads left from the space revealed by the shallow depression. >hint (If you're using a screen reader, press S to turn on Screen Reader mode. This message only appears on the front page of the menu system.) 1. New to Interactive Fiction 2. New to Nothing Could Be Further From the Truth 3. New to the Bunker 4. Credits 5. Hints (Hints) 1. What's going on? 2. I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape? 3. Can I get an Epsilon security clearance in this game? 4. Can I get a Delta security clearance in this game? 5. Every time I smell, I sneeze. 6. What is the zorgot? 7. The security camera keeps blasting me for no reason. 8. A search and extraction team or two thugs or a tall, gangly man show up and end the game. 9. Lobby 0. Elsewhere in the Research Lab A. Restricted Research Lab B. Plaza C. Control D. The underground E. Waste of space F. Accusing someone (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab) 1. How do I get past the metal door in Lab Hallway Outward? 2. How do I get into the Lab Director's Office? 3. I can't get through the revolving door in the Lobby. 4. Depot 5. Dev 1 6. Dev 3 7. Dressing room 8. Storage Room 9. Refrigeration unit 0. Lab director's office A. Vending machine (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Refrigeration unit) 1. I can't get through the refrigeration unit door. 2. I keep freezing to death. 3. How do I get the glass jar out of the tank? 4. What's inside the glass jar? 5. I keep getting killed by what's in the glass jar. (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Refrigeration unit - I keep getting killed by what's in the glass jar.) Press H to reveal the first hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Refrigeration unit - I keep getting killed by what's in the glass jar.) 1/7: This is a real problem. So you know what's in the glass jar. Opening it or letting it warm up will result in your death, wherever you happen to be. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Refrigeration unit - I keep getting killed by what's in the glass jar.) 1/7: This is a real problem. So you know what's in the glass jar. Opening it or letting it warm up will result in your death, wherever you happen to be. 2/7: You can only solve this problem if you are permitted into the restricted part of the lab. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Refrigeration unit) 1. I can't get through the refrigeration unit door. 2. I keep freezing to death. 3. How do I get the glass jar out of the tank? 4. What's inside the glass jar? 5. I keep getting killed by what's in the glass jar. (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab) 1. How do I get past the metal door in Lab Hallway Outward? 2. How do I get into the Lab Director's Office? 3. I can't get through the revolving door in the Lobby. 4. Depot 5. Dev 1 6. Dev 3 7. Dressing room 8. Storage Room 9. Refrigeration unit 0. Lab director's office A. Vending machine (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Vending machine) 1. The vending machine won't sell me anything. 2. I have the protective cover. Now what? 3. The vending machine has the protective cover. I still can't buy anything. (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Vending machine - The vending machine won't sell me anything.) 1/4: It wants its protective cover. 2/4: Have you seen anything like it around? 3/4: Maybe out in the plaza? 4/4: The Ward of the State has it. (You have revealed all the hints on this page.) ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Vending machine) 1. The vending machine won't sell me anything. 2. I have the protective cover. Now what? 3. The vending machine has the protective cover. I still can't buy anything. (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab) 1. How do I get past the metal door in Lab Hallway Outward? 2. How do I get into the Lab Director's Office? 3. I can't get through the revolving door in the Lobby. 4. Depot 5. Dev 1 6. Dev 3 7. Dressing room 8. Storage Room 9. Refrigeration unit 0. Lab director's office A. Vending machine (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Dev 3) 1. What is the zorgot? 2. How do I operate the workstations? 3. How do I fix the slicer? (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Dev 3 - How do I operate the workstations?) Press H to reveal the first hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Dev 3 - How do I operate the workstations?) 1/5: For all intents and purposes, you only need to refer to and use a single workstation. Pretend the others aren't there. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Dev 3 - How do I operate the workstations?) 1/5: For all intents and purposes, you only need to refer to and use a single workstation. Pretend the others aren't there. 2/5: You can put something on the workstation. Then you can use one of the manipulators on it. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Dev 3 - How do I operate the workstations?) 1/5: For all intents and purposes, you only need to refer to and use a single workstation. Pretend the others aren't there. 2/5: You can put something on the workstation. Then you can use one of the manipulators on it. 3/5: Examine the manipulators to see what your options are. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Dev 3 - How do I operate the workstations?) 1/5: For all intents and purposes, you only need to refer to and use a single workstation. Pretend the others aren't there. 2/5: You can put something on the workstation. Then you can use one of the manipulators on it. 3/5: Examine the manipulators to see what your options are. 4/5: To slice something on the workstation, simply say "slice". To solder something on the workstation, simply say "solder" Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Dev 3 - How do I operate the workstations?) 1/5: For all intents and purposes, you only need to refer to and use a single workstation. Pretend the others aren't there. 2/5: You can put something on the workstation. Then you can use one of the manipulators on it. 3/5: Examine the manipulators to see what your options are. 4/5: To slice something on the workstation, simply say "slice". To solder something on the workstation, simply say "solder" 5/5: Ah, right, the slicer needs to be fixed first. (You have revealed all the hints on this page.) ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Dev 3) 1. What is the zorgot? 2. How do I operate the workstations? 3. How do I fix the slicer? (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab) 1. How do I get past the metal door in Lab Hallway Outward? 2. How do I get into the Lab Director's Office? 3. I can't get through the revolving door in the Lobby. 4. Depot 5. Dev 1 6. Dev 3 7. Dressing room 8. Storage Room 9. Refrigeration unit 0. Lab director's office A. Vending machine (Hints) 1. What's going on? 2. I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape? 3. Can I get an Epsilon security clearance in this game? 4. Can I get a Delta security clearance in this game? 5. Every time I smell, I sneeze. 6. What is the zorgot? 7. The security camera keeps blasting me for no reason. 8. A search and extraction team or two thugs or a tall, gangly man show up and end the game. 9. Lobby 0. Elsewhere in the Research Lab A. Restricted Research Lab B. Plaza C. Control D. The underground E. Waste of space F. Accusing someone (Hints - Control) 1. The game ends while I am dealing with Control (Hints) 1. What's going on? 2. I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape? 3. Can I get an Epsilon security clearance in this game? 4. Can I get a Delta security clearance in this game? 5. Every time I smell, I sneeze. 6. What is the zorgot? 7. The security camera keeps blasting me for no reason. 8. A search and extraction team or two thugs or a tall, gangly man show up and end the game. 9. Lobby 0. Elsewhere in the Research Lab A. Restricted Research Lab B. Plaza C. Control D. The underground E. Waste of space F. Accusing someone (Hints - The underground) 1. Do I have to cooperate with Asimov and Area 51? 2. How do I find the cell of the God and Freedom Church? 3. I know where the cell is. How do I destroy it? 4. I know where the cell is. How do I join them? 5. The menacing crowd (Hints - The underground - The menacing crowd) 1. How do I deal with the menacing crowd? 2. How do I instruct my co-conspirator? (Hints - The underground - The menacing crowd - How do I deal with the menacing crowd?) Press H to reveal the first hint. ------------------------ (Hints - The underground - The menacing crowd - How do I deal with the menacing crowd?) 1/14: If only there was a weapon in the lab that could be used against them. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - The underground - The menacing crowd - How do I deal with the menacing crowd?) 1/14: If only there was a weapon in the lab that could be used against them. 2/14: Have you examined the EF harvester? Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - The underground - The menacing crowd) 1. How do I deal with the menacing crowd? 2. How do I instruct my co-conspirator? (Hints - The underground - The menacing crowd - How do I instruct my co-conspirator?) Press H to reveal the first hint. ------------------------ (Hints - The underground - The menacing crowd - How do I instruct my co-conspirator?) 1/8: You want to give an instruction to someone from a distance. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - The underground - The menacing crowd - How do I instruct my co-conspirator?) 1/8: You want to give an instruction to someone from a distance. 2/8: You are ready to execute a controlled discharge of the EF harvester. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - The underground - The menacing crowd) 1. How do I deal with the menacing crowd? 2. How do I instruct my co-conspirator? (Hints - The underground) 1. Do I have to cooperate with Asimov and Area 51? 2. How do I find the cell of the God and Freedom Church? 3. I know where the cell is. How do I destroy it? 4. I know where the cell is. How do I join them? 5. The menacing crowd (Hints) 1. What's going on? 2. I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape? 3. Can I get an Epsilon security clearance in this game? 4. Can I get a Delta security clearance in this game? 5. Every time I smell, I sneeze. 6. What is the zorgot? 7. The security camera keeps blasting me for no reason. 8. A search and extraction team or two thugs or a tall, gangly man show up and end the game. 9. Lobby 0. Elsewhere in the Research Lab A. Restricted Research Lab B. Plaza C. Control D. The underground E. Waste of space F. Accusing someone (Hints - Restricted Research Lab) 1. Dev 2 2. Airlock (Hints - Restricted Research Lab - Airlock) 1. How do I get through the airlock door? 2. The surface lift keeps killing me 3. The airlock is restricted to those with a Delta security clearance. (Hints - Restricted Research Lab) 1. Dev 2 2. Airlock (Hints - Restricted Research Lab - Dev 2) 1. What does the transmutor do? 2. How do I conduct a controlled discharge of the EF harvester? 3. How do I fix the broken circuit board? 4. How do I get the new chip to lie flat? (Hints - Restricted Research Lab) 1. Dev 2 2. Airlock (Hints) 1. What's going on? 2. I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape? 3. Can I get an Epsilon security clearance in this game? 4. Can I get a Delta security clearance in this game? 5. Every time I smell, I sneeze. 6. What is the zorgot? 7. The security camera keeps blasting me for no reason. 8. A search and extraction team or two thugs or a tall, gangly man show up and end the game. 9. Lobby 0. Elsewhere in the Research Lab A. Restricted Research Lab B. Plaza C. Control D. The underground E. Waste of space F. Accusing someone (Hints - Restricted Research Lab) 1. Dev 2 2. Airlock (Hints) 1. What's going on? 2. I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape? 3. Can I get an Epsilon security clearance in this game? 4. Can I get a Delta security clearance in this game? 5. Every time I smell, I sneeze. 6. What is the zorgot? 7. The security camera keeps blasting me for no reason. 8. A search and extraction team or two thugs or a tall, gangly man show up and end the game. 9. Lobby 0. Elsewhere in the Research Lab A. Restricted Research Lab B. Plaza C. Control D. The underground E. Waste of space F. Accusing someone (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab) 1. How do I get past the metal door in Lab Hallway Outward? 2. How do I get into the Lab Director's Office? 3. I can't get through the revolving door in the Lobby. 4. Depot 5. Dev 1 6. Dev 3 7. Dressing room 8. Storage Room 9. Refrigeration unit 0. Lab director's office A. Vending machine (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - How do I get past the metal door in Lab Hallway Outward?) 1/2: Turn the wheel. 2/2: The parts of the research lab on the other side of the metal door are restricted to those with an Epsilon security clearance or higher. (You have revealed all the hints on this page.) ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab) 1. How do I get past the metal door in Lab Hallway Outward? 2. How do I get into the Lab Director's Office? 3. I can't get through the revolving door in the Lobby. 4. Depot 5. Dev 1 6. Dev 3 7. Dressing room 8. Storage Room 9. Refrigeration unit 0. Lab director's office A. Vending machine (Hints) 1. What's going on? 2. I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape? 3. Can I get an Epsilon security clearance in this game? 4. Can I get a Delta security clearance in this game? 5. Every time I smell, I sneeze. 6. What is the zorgot? 7. The security camera keeps blasting me for no reason. 8. A search and extraction team or two thugs or a tall, gangly man show up and end the game. 9. Lobby 0. Elsewhere in the Research Lab A. Restricted Research Lab B. Plaza C. Control D. The underground E. Waste of space F. Accusing someone (If you're using a screen reader, press S to turn on Screen Reader mode. This message only appears on the front page of the menu system.) 1. New to Interactive Fiction 2. New to Nothing Could Be Further From the Truth 3. New to the Bunker 4. Credits 5. Hints Dev 1 A shallow depression in the center dominates this room. Above it, a crane protrudes from the ceiling. Hanging nearby from a thick wire that leads into the wall is a controller. On one wall hangs a whiteboard. Otherwise, this area is sparse. This place has a strange smell, and splotches of grime and corrosion can be seen on the walls and ceiling. Both are no doubt remnants of spectacularly promising experiments. A squat opening leads outward, and a doorway obscured by a thick, black curtain leads inward. The wall to the right is made entirely of glass, on the other side of which is the research lab's main hallway. It is accessible through an almost invisible door. A crawlspace leads left from the space revealed by the shallow depression. >ow Darkened Passage You find yourself in a small, uninteresting passage with no light source of its own. To your right is a door. You can also continue inward through a squat opening or outward through a narrow opening. >iw Dev 1 A shallow depression in the center dominates this room. Above it, a crane protrudes from the ceiling. Hanging nearby from a thick wire that leads into the wall is a controller. On one wall hangs a whiteboard. Otherwise, this area is sparse. This place has a strange smell, and splotches of grime and corrosion can be seen on the walls and ceiling. Both are no doubt remnants of spectacularly promising experiments. A squat opening leads outward, and a doorway obscured by a thick, black curtain leads inward. The wall to the right is made entirely of glass, on the other side of which is the research lab's main hallway. It is accessible through an almost invisible door. A crawlspace leads left from the space revealed by the shallow depression. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow Darkened Passage You find yourself in a small, uninteresting passage with no light source of its own. To your right is a door. You can also continue inward through a squat opening or outward through a narrow opening. >ow Dev 3 Four workstations have been arranged in a square in the center of this room, basking in the bright light from the glow panels. Nestled between them is a bank of manipulators. What appear to be controls for the manipulators have been built onto the surface of each workstation. Through a glass wall to the right, you see a hallway. A door has been cut into the glass. Set in the middle of the inward wall is a narrow opening. You can see a sturdy locker (empty) here. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >r (first opening the glass door) The glass door swings shut behind you. Lab Hallway Outward You are standing at one end of a short, bare hallway lit by glow panels. The left wall is made entirely of glass. Through it you can see into Dev 3. Normally, a few researchers can be seen toiling within, but now it is strangely empty. To the left a door has been cut into the glass. Another door is to your right. A smart sign is affixed to it. Outward is a third door made entirely of metal. Inward, the corridor continues towards the Lobby. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow (first opening the metal door) It seems to be locked. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >x door Which do you mean, the glass door, the office door or the metal door? >metal door The metal door looks like it could withstand a considerable beating. A small, plastex window has been set at eye height in the center. A wheel protrudes from the metal door's belly. Next to it, a large Epsilon has been etched into the surface. The metal door is closed. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >turn wheel The wheel turns to the right. You hear an abrupt grinding coming from the heavy, metal door. It opens. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow The metal door swings shut behind you. Restricted Corridor You have entered the restricted part of Research Lab A-U61. You smirk as you ponder what Nur Dular, your supervisor back at Dust Bunnies, Ltd., would say. That pompous flaphead! In all your time working as a dust maid, you never dreamed of venturing back here. Yet here you are. And what do you expect to find? The lab's most interesting projects, of course! After all, that was the case in one episode of Bunkerscape, a favorite vidshow of yours. In a closed-off part of the lab on an abandoned interplanetary vessel, the main character encounters a thimble that does not chaffe. Revolutionary! Unfortunately, the discovery triggered a vast conspiracy that ended in the unfortunate destruction of the vessel and its valuable payload. Your heart races with excitement. What could possibly be going on in the heart of this research lab? Whatever it is, you are determined that it not suffer the same fate as that extraordinary thimble. At first glance, however, the area hardly looks deserving of its exotic designation. You stand in a corridor, much like every other. It has doorways. It is lit by glow panels near the ceiling. All very uninteresting. Oh, and there's an alarm blaring just ahead of you. You are standing in a hallway, unremarkable in every way. Outward an alarm is blaring. Inward is a metal door leading to the unrestricted part of the research lab. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >close door That's already closed. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >l Restricted Corridor You are standing in a hallway, unremarkable in every way. Outward an alarm is blaring. Inward is a metal door leading to the unrestricted part of the research lab. >f You can't go that way. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >r You can't go that way. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow Corridor Terminus As you draw closer to the alarm - and whatever disaster it portends - a sense of dread begins to replace the excitement you felt just a short while ago. The alarm sounds urgent. You think back to Bunkerscape and all the terrible things that can go wrong in an interplanetary vessel in space. Fortunately, you are not in space. You are safe under the ground on Venus, the second planet from the sun. And you are the director of Research Lab A-U61, no less. You straighten up and look around, determined to rise to the occasion - whatever it may be. You have arrived at the end of the lab's main corridor. The area has an alien feel. For one thing, there are no glow panels; you are standing in a soup of shadows. Metal pipes gather at the far end of the right wall and run in sleek bunches back towards the metal door. Eventually, they disappear into the wall. Condensation clings to some of the pipes and occasionally drips to the floor; steam drifts from others. An acrid odor hangs in the air. Between the off-pitch wails of the alarm blaring from an adjacent room, you can hear a sharp, electric buzzing. Patches of colored light are ejected from the open doorway to the right. They pass over your feet in well-measured cycles. The alarm is coming from there. To the left is a reinforced door. Outward is an airlock. The corridor itself leads inward toward the unrestricted part of the lab. You can see an ecopack here. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ge ecopack That's not a verb I recognise. >get ecopack It's too big and bulky to carry around. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >x ecopack The ecopack is a self-contained environment safe for humans in otherwise hostile, otherworldy places. You have only ever seen them on the tube; in particular, your favorite space opera, "Space Jaunt". This intellectually feeble vidshow features Captain Kork, who makes up for his ship's lack of a VR deck by porking every lifeform he comes across, sentient or not. The ecopack is bulky and white. It contains a full supply of oxygen on the back - if the meter can be trusted, that is. It is also equipped with gravity boosters, which allow a person wearing it to move about in the crushing Venusian atmosphere. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >l Corridor Terminus You have arrived at the end of the lab's main corridor. The area has an alien feel. For one thing, there are no glow panels; you are standing in a soup of shadows. Metal pipes gather at the far end of the right wall and run in sleek bunches back towards the metal door. Eventually, they disappear into the wall. Condensation clings to some of the pipes and occasionally drips to the floor; steam drifts from others. An acrid odor hangs in the air. Between the off-pitch wails of the alarm blaring from an adjacent room, you can hear a sharp, electric buzzing. Patches of colored light are ejected from the open doorway to the right. They pass over your feet in well-measured cycles. The alarm is coming from there. To the left is a reinforced door. Outward is an airlock. The corridor itself leads inward toward the unrestricted part of the lab. You can see an ecopack here. >f (first opening the reinforced door) Testing Range You find yourself in a long, narrow chamber, beaten and scarred by countless explosions. What started out as clean, white walls have since been defaced by black, sooty splotches and deep gouges. These are concentrated at the near end by the entrance as well as the far end, where you can see several human-sized planks with manacles to hold down unwilling limbs. Sturdy stands of various heights have been pushed into a corner. Nothing is currently mounted on any of them. The only exit is outward. >x stands These are strong, heavy supporters and are probably used to hold devices for testing. >ow Corridor Terminus You have arrived at the end of the lab's main corridor. The area has an alien feel. For one thing, there are no glow panels; you are standing in a soup of shadows. Metal pipes gather at the far end of the right wall and run in sleek bunches back towards the metal door. Eventually, they disappear into the wall. Condensation clings to some of the pipes and occasionally drips to the floor; steam drifts from others. An acrid odor hangs in the air. Between the off-pitch wails of the alarm blaring from an adjacent room, you can hear a sharp, electric buzzing. Patches of colored light are ejected from the open doorway to the right. They pass over your feet in well-measured cycles. The alarm is coming from there. To the left is a reinforced door. Outward is an airlock. The corridor itself leads inward toward the unrestricted part of the lab. You can see an ecopack here. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >r Dev 2 You have reached the source of the alarm. You look around, trying to ascertain what exactly is amiss... You are standing in a room where the most sensitive work in Research Lab A-U61 is conducted. It is a cramped, busy area. Every meter of wall space and every corner are being used. The devices you see strewn about are not in working order; they lie in various states of semi-completion or decomposition. You suspect that operational candidates are brought to another place for testing. Ordinarily, you would be overwhelmed and unable to identify any particular item of use. The ceiling above you, however, is studded with bright lights, each angled to illuminate the most important workspaces. One beam of light is focused on a large, metallic chamber with many edges. Nearby is a control panel. Standing in front of the control panel, back facing you, is a man. He appears to be absorbed by the readouts. You are surprised to see him. After all, you were operating under the assumption that the research lab was abandoned. A second beam of light illuminates a workstation. Unlike the other workstations, this one has been cleared, leaving plenty of room for a hollow, cubic device about the size of your head. A label identifies it as a "transmutor". Outward is the lab's main corridor, the only exit. The loud wailing of an alarm is sounding in this room. The man by the control panel addresses you without turning. His voice is calm and dispassionate. "Ah, the new lab director. Oliva, is it? My name is Lloyd. So much for the pleasantries. "Your arrival is fortuitous. The EF harvester here is about to overload, and I suspect the ensuing explosion will destroy the entire department." As you stare at the man, you are surprised to see a thin, black line form near the middle of his leg, hover uncertainly, then shoot upward towards his neck where it thins to nothingness. You instantly understand that Lloyd is a hologram! You can see Lloyd and a concave mirror here. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >get mirror Taken. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. Lloyd turns and fixes you with a steely eye. You are impressed at the quality of the simulation. "Perhaps an explanation is in order. Unfortunately, I must be brief. This is Dev 2. Any research requiring a security clearance is performed here. One such project was being conducted for a client in the Defense conglomerate." Lloyd gestures towards the glowing, sparking chamber. "There you see the EF harvester - or electromagnetic frequency harvester, one of Atikurrahman Vosh's pet projects. "The EF harvester was intended to convert the electromagnetic energy present all around us into power that can be stored and used at a later time. A useful device on the battlefield, provided units could be developed that are small and light enough. "Unfortunately, this prototype is malfunctioning. I have been able to diagnose the problem. It appears the internal battery is full. However, there is no way to shut off the power collection mechanism, which continues feeding it to the battery. One solution would be to prevent any electromagnetic transmissions to reach us here in Dev 2. An unlikely proposition in the Bunker. "I have done what I can, but the EF harvester is close to its critical point. I cannot say exactly when, but very soon the system will overload and an uncontrolled discharge will occur. An explosion, if you will. One that, as I said before, will destroy the entire department. "The only reliable way to prevent such a disaster is to conduct a controlled discharge. That is, the device's battery must be relieved of some of the energy it has absorbed. As the research lab's new director, the responsibility falls to you. I am available to answer questions if I can. Good luck, Oliva Mirram. Time is running out, and every sentient being in A-8 sector is counting on you." At that, he turns back to the control panel and continues his work. >ask about discharge (to Lloyd) "Atikurrahman Vosh was secretive about this project. He sometimes led team meetings between shifts in Dev 1 when no one else was around. I did not attend, so I know little about it. "What I do know is that if you wish to prevent an uncontrolled discharge, you must find a way to conduct a controlled one. Unfortunately, this cannot be accomplished via the control panel - which, incidentally, is broken and needs to be fixed. The trigger must be somewhere else." A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ask tony about discharge (Tony Bleet about that) You speak into the short-wave radio. After a brief pause, Tony's voice responds. "The short-wave radio isn't a toy! Remember: you are on an important mission! There's no time for idle talk." A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ask tony about control panel (Tony Bleet about that) You speak into the short-wave radio. After a brief pause, Tony's voice responds. "The short-wave radio isn't a toy! Remember: you are on an important mission! There's no time for idle talk." A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >x control panel The control panel is covered in a thicket of gadgetry which is completely foreign to you. Standing in front of it is Lloyd, the helpful hologram. He never touches the control panel, but you notice that every once in a while a switch will flip or a dial will adjust, as if of their own volition. To one side, you notice blackish markings emanating in straight lines from a thin, rectangular slot in the surface of the control panel. The slot contains a circuit board. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >get board Taken. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >i You're carrying (in plain sight): a circuit board a concave mirror a wrench the feather duster Ati's Card a short-wave radio the yellow pill a new IC chip an electromagnet the red pill some glue a shiny black helmet Renardin's Card the lab office chip key Silia's Card your PA your Card You're wearing: some rubber gloves your boots your jumpsuit bunny ears >x circuit board A thin, rectangular piece of electronics. You notice that one IC chip appears to have blown out - apparently in spectactular fashion. Thick, black lines emanate beyond the edge of the circuit board. The circuit board contains a blackened IC chip. It has been soldered to the copper traces embedded in the board, so the blackened IC chip cannot be removed. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow Corridor Terminus You have arrived at the end of the lab's main corridor. The area has an alien feel. For one thing, there are no glow panels; you are standing in a soup of shadows. Metal pipes gather at the far end of the right wall and run in sleek bunches back towards the metal door. Eventually, they disappear into the wall. Condensation clings to some of the pipes and occasionally drips to the floor; steam drifts from others. An acrid odor hangs in the air. Between the off-pitch wails of the alarm blaring from an adjacent room, you can hear a sharp, electric buzzing. Patches of colored light are ejected from the open doorway to the right. They pass over your feet in well-measured cycles. The alarm is coming from there. To the left is a reinforced door. Outward is an airlock. The corridor itself leads inward toward the unrestricted part of the lab. You can see an ecopack here. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Restricted Corridor You are standing in a hallway, unremarkable in every way. Outward an alarm is blaring. Inward is a metal door leading to the unrestricted part of the research lab. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw (first opening the metal door) The metal door swings shut behind you, followed by a curt grinding sound. Lab Hallway Outward You are standing at one end of a short, bare hallway lit by glow panels. The left wall is made entirely of glass. Through it you can see into Dev 3. Normally, a few researchers can be seen toiling within, but now it is strangely empty. To the left a door has been cut into the glass. Another door is to your right. A smart sign is affixed to it. Outward is a third door made entirely of metal. Inward, the corridor continues towards the Lobby. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >f (first opening the glass door) The glass door swings shut behind you. Dev 3 Four workstations have been arranged in a square in the center of this room, basking in the bright light from the glow panels. Nestled between them is a bank of manipulators. What appear to be controls for the manipulators have been built onto the surface of each workstation. Through a glass wall to the right, you see a hallway. A door has been cut into the glass. Set in the middle of the inward wall is a narrow opening. You can see a sturdy locker (empty) here. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >put circuit board on station You put the circuit board on the workstation. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >solder chip (the new IC chip) You slide the circuit board on the surface of the workstation until the housing for the IC chip comes into view on the controls. Then, you carefully adjust its position so the traces on the circuit board are perfectly centered. When you are satisfied, you activate the soldering iron. Slowly, it descends. However, there must be some intelligence built into the system, for it suddenly hesitates and stops. After a stretch, the soldering iron returns to its resting position. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >remove burnt chip Can't do it. >x circuit board A thin, rectangular piece of electronics. You notice that one IC chip appears to have blown out - apparently in spectactular fashion. Thick, black lines emanate beyond the edge of the circuit board. The circuit board contains a blackened IC chip. It has been soldered to the copper traces embedded in the board, so the blackened IC chip cannot be removed. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >slice board The blade on the slicer must first be replaced. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >x slicer This manipulator is used for cutting. Unfortunately, the blade is missing and needs to be replaced. You look closer and observe that attaching a new blade will require some kind of binding material. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >l Dev 3 Four workstations have been arranged in a square in the center of this room, basking in the bright light from the glow panels. Nestled between them is a bank of manipulators. What appear to be controls for the manipulators have been built onto the surface of each workstation. On one of the workstations is a circuit board. Through a glass wall to the right, you see a hallway. A door has been cut into the glass. Set in the middle of the inward wall is a narrow opening. You can see a sturdy locker (empty) here. >f You can't go that way. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow You can't go that way. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow You can't go that way. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >l Dev 3 Four workstations have been arranged in a square in the center of this room, basking in the bright light from the glow panels. Nestled between them is a bank of manipulators. What appear to be controls for the manipulators have been built onto the surface of each workstation. On one of the workstations is a circuit board. Through a glass wall to the right, you see a hallway. A door has been cut into the glass. Set in the middle of the inward wall is a narrow opening. You can see a sturdy locker (empty) here. >r (first opening the glass door) The glass door swings shut behind you. Lab Hallway Outward You are standing at one end of a short, bare hallway lit by glow panels. The left wall is made entirely of glass. Through it you can see into Dev 3. Normally, a few researchers can be seen toiling within, but now it is strangely empty. To the left a door has been cut into the glass. Another door is to your right. A smart sign is affixed to it. Outward is a third door made entirely of metal. Inward, the corridor continues towards the Lobby. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow (first opening the metal door) It seems to be locked. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow (first opening the metal door) It seems to be locked. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >turn wheel The wheel turns to the right. You hear an abrupt grinding coming from the heavy, metal door. It opens. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow The metal door swings shut behind you. Restricted Corridor You are standing in a hallway, unremarkable in every way. Outward an alarm is blaring. Inward is a metal door leading to the unrestricted part of the research lab. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow Corridor Terminus You have arrived at the end of the lab's main corridor. The area has an alien feel. For one thing, there are no glow panels; you are standing in a soup of shadows. Metal pipes gather at the far end of the right wall and run in sleek bunches back towards the metal door. Eventually, they disappear into the wall. Condensation clings to some of the pipes and occasionally drips to the floor; steam drifts from others. An acrid odor hangs in the air. Between the off-pitch wails of the alarm blaring from an adjacent room, you can hear a sharp, electric buzzing. Patches of colored light are ejected from the open doorway to the right. They pass over your feet in well-measured cycles. The alarm is coming from there. To the left is a reinforced door. Outward is an airlock. The corridor itself leads inward toward the unrestricted part of the lab. You can see an ecopack here. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >r Dev 2 You are standing in a room where the most sensitive work in Research Lab A-U61 is conducted. It is a cramped, busy area. Every meter of wall space and every corner are being used. The devices you see strewn about are not in working order; they lie in various states of semi-completion or decomposition. You suspect that operational candidates are brought to another place for testing. Ordinarily, you would be overwhelmed and unable to identify any particular item of use. The ceiling above you, however, is studded with bright lights, each angled to illuminate the most important workspaces. One beam of light is focused on the EF harvester. Nearby is a control panel. A second beam of light illuminates a workstation. Unlike the other workstations, this one has been cleared, leaving plenty of room for a hollow, cubic device about the size of your head. A label identifies it as a "transmutor". Outward is the lab's main corridor, the only exit. The loud wailing of an alarm is sounding in this room. You can see Lloyd here. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ask about slicer (to Lloyd) "I am completely operational, and all my circuits are functioning perfectly." A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ask about blades (to Lloyd) "I'm putting myself to the fullest possible use, which is all I think that any conscious entity can ever hope to do." A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >l Dev 2 You are standing in a room where the most sensitive work in Research Lab A-U61 is conducted. It is a cramped, busy area. Every meter of wall space and every corner are being used. The devices you see strewn about are not in working order; they lie in various states of semi-completion or decomposition. You suspect that operational candidates are brought to another place for testing. Ordinarily, you would be overwhelmed and unable to identify any particular item of use. The ceiling above you, however, is studded with bright lights, each angled to illuminate the most important workspaces. One beam of light is focused on the EF harvester. Nearby is a control panel. A second beam of light illuminates a workstation. Unlike the other workstations, this one has been cleared, leaving plenty of room for a hollow, cubic device about the size of your head. A label identifies it as a "transmutor". Outward is the lab's main corridor, the only exit. The loud wailing of an alarm is sounding in this room. You can see Lloyd here. >x control panel The control panel is covered in a thicket of gadgetry which is completely foreign to you. Standing in front of it is Lloyd, the helpful hologram. He never touches the control panel, but you notice that every once in a while a switch will flip or a dial will adjust, as if of their own volition. To one side, you notice blackish markings emanating in straight lines from a thin, rectangular slot in the surface of the control panel. The slot is empty. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >x transmutor The transmutor is a medium-sized, hollow cube with a glass front. A single object can be placed inside. A thick, flexible tube is attached to the backside and extends into the wall. On the top is a white button. In the transmutor is a lump of metal. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ask about transmutor (to Lloyd) "The transmutor is another one of Atikurrahman Vosh's pet projects. I believe its purpose is to transform base metals from one to the other. Unfortunately, all it seems to do is disassemble metal objects into a stream of particles, which are then sucked away. Interestingly, the transmutor currently only operates on pure elemental metal and its alloys. A safety feature, no doubt." A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >get transmutor That's not for the taking, I'm afraid. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >i You're carrying (in plain sight): a concave mirror a wrench the feather duster Ati's Card a short-wave radio the yellow pill a new IC chip an electromagnet the red pill some glue a shiny black helmet Renardin's Card the lab office chip key Silia's Card your PA your Card You're wearing: some rubber gloves your boots your jumpsuit bunny ears >put mirror in transmutor It doesn't fit. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >x mirror This is a shiny, concave surface with a V-shaped, male electronic interface in the center of the backside. A metal rod extends from the center to the focal point. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow Corridor Terminus You have arrived at the end of the lab's main corridor. The area has an alien feel. For one thing, there are no glow panels; you are standing in a soup of shadows. Metal pipes gather at the far end of the right wall and run in sleek bunches back towards the metal door. Eventually, they disappear into the wall. Condensation clings to some of the pipes and occasionally drips to the floor; steam drifts from others. An acrid odor hangs in the air. Between the off-pitch wails of the alarm blaring from an adjacent room, you can hear a sharp, electric buzzing. Patches of colored light are ejected from the open doorway to the right. They pass over your feet in well-measured cycles. The alarm is coming from there. To the left is a reinforced door. Outward is an airlock. The corridor itself leads inward toward the unrestricted part of the lab. You can see an ecopack here. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Restricted Corridor You are standing in a hallway, unremarkable in every way. Outward an alarm is blaring. Inward is a metal door leading to the unrestricted part of the research lab. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw (first opening the metal door) The metal door swings shut behind you, followed by a curt grinding sound. Lab Hallway Outward You are standing at one end of a short, bare hallway lit by glow panels. The left wall is made entirely of glass. Through it you can see into Dev 3. Normally, a few researchers can be seen toiling within, but now it is strangely empty. To the left a door has been cut into the glass. Another door is to your right. A smart sign is affixed to it. Outward is a third door made entirely of metal. Inward, the corridor continues towards the Lobby. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Lab Hallway Center You are standing in the center of a bare hallway lit by glow panels. The wall to your left is made entirely of glass. Just out of reach above your head, a security camera relentlessly surveys the hallway and the areas visible through the glass wall. To the left, you can see the Refrigeration Unit. Across from it, to your right, is a plain door. The hallway continues both inward and outward. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Lab Hallway Inward This is the beginning of Research Lab A-U61's main hallway, lit by glow panels. It is bare and - thanks to your best efforts - mostly free of dust. To your left is a glass wall. Through it, you can see into Dev 1. The thin outline of a door is visible in the glass. Opposite the glass wall to your right is a battered door. The lobby door is inward, and the hallway stretches outward. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. >iw You pass through the turnstile and push through the revolving door. Plaza, by the Lab You are standing outside Research Lab A-U61. A decorative statuette protrudes from the wall, but otherwise the building and its purpose is unmarked. The normally bustling Tucker M. Carlson plaza is strangely subdued today. Inward, you see a mobile response unit set up by Homeland Security, which explains why. All the citizens in the area have been detained for questioning, and - for the moment at least - no one is allowed to leave. To the right is a row of vendors, and to the left a billboard hangs over a security camera. Beyond them, a caring demonstration is getting under way. Outward is a revolving door leading into the lab. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >put mirror on statue Putting things on the decorative statuette would achieve nothing. A few more people trickle in to the plaza and join the menacing crowd. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >x mirror This is a shiny, concave surface with a V-shaped, male electronic interface in the center of the backside. A metal rod extends from the center to the focal point. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >connect mirror to statue The concave mirror snaps into the creature's hands with a satisfying click. As soon as you let go, it turns to the side with a jolt. It is aimed squarely at the Ward of the State. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >r Plaza, Vendor Row In this corner of the Tucker M. Carlson plaza, tucked between the research lab and corridor ZU-8, is a row of vendors. At this time of your daystretch, most of the spots are empty. One vendor, however, stands ready to take your order. A frame of piping with a fabric roof has been placed exactly within the confines of the spot demarcated by slight markings on the floor. You can see over the shelving into the interior of the stall, where a man stares back at you expectantly. Behind him hangs a thick, splotched curtain with many folds. "Don't be shy, friend," Tony says to you. "I've got whatever you need." To the left is the entrance to the research lab. Tony pulls out his PA and stares at it intently. Then, he grabs a gadget off a shelf nearby - unfinished by the looks of it - and a pair of pliers. He glances once more at the PA, then into the innards of the gadget. Carefully, he lowers the pliers inside. His brow is creased with concentration. But sure enough, after a brief pause he yelps and jerks his hand back. The pliers drop loudly to the floor. He quickly recovers his composure and returns the gadget and the pliers to their respective places, pretending all the while that you don't exist. A few more people trickle in to the plaza and join the menacing crowd. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ask tony about transmutor (Tony Bleet about that) "Can I interest you in this right over here?" He picks up an unidentifiable lump of metal with far too many dials and switches and presents it to you. Tony glances disapprovingly over at the mobile response unit. "I wish she'd hurry up over there. This investigation is killing my business!" A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >r You can't go that way. Tony pulls out his PA and stares at it intently. Then, he grabs a gadget off a shelf nearby - unfinished by the looks of it - and a pair of pliers. He glances once more at the PA, then into the innards of the gadget. Carefully, he lowers the pliers inside. His brow is creased with concentration. But sure enough, after a brief pause he yelps and jerks his hand back. The pliers drop loudly to the floor. He quickly recovers his composure and returns the gadget and the pliers to their respective places, pretending all the while that you don't exist. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >r You can't go that way. Tony pulls out his PA and stares at it intently. Then, he grabs a gadget off a shelf nearby - unfinished by the looks of it - and a pair of pliers. He glances once more at the PA, then into the innards of the gadget. Carefully, he lowers the pliers inside. His brow is creased with concentration. But sure enough, after a brief pause he yelps and jerks his hand back. The pliers drop loudly to the floor. He quickly recovers his composure and returns the gadget and the pliers to their respective places, pretending all the while that you don't exist. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >f Plaza, by the Lab You are standing outside Research Lab A-U61. A decorative statuette protrudes from the wall, but otherwise the building and its purpose is unmarked. The decorative statuette is gripping a concave mirror. The normally bustling Tucker M. Carlson plaza is strangely subdued today. Inward, you see a mobile response unit set up by Homeland Security, which explains why. All the citizens in the area have been detained for questioning, and - for the moment at least - no one is allowed to leave. To the right is a row of vendors, and to the left a billboard hangs over a security camera. Beyond them, a caring demonstration is getting under way. Outward is a revolving door leading into the lab. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >f Plaza, under the Billboard You are standing near the entrance to the Clement Vallandigham complex. A sign on the wall indicates it is mostly occupied by the Internal Operations division of the Procurement conglomerate, including portions of its sprawling Department of Administration. Internal Operations is responsible for mining out on the surface, sorting and refining ores, distribution of raw materials and the like. Normally a bustling corner of the plaza, today is it deserted. And you know exactly why. Citizens have gathered just to the left of this location. But this is no ordinary meeting; this is a caring demonstration. And like all caring demonstrations, it is sorely in need of volunteers. A billboard - slightly crooked - hangs above a security camera mounted overhead. Beneath them both, playing with a flat, rectangular piece of transparent plastex, is a Ward of the State. A grate set in the floor, about a meter wide, separates you. Fortunately, the Ward of the State has her back to you. To the right is the entrance to Research Lab A-U61. The Ward of the State begins playing a little game. She hops about, singing a song, and every once in a while swings her arms about in a swift, circular motion. Before you know it, she passes directly in front of you, squashing your toes and punching you solidly in the throat. Stopping short, she fixes you with an angry glare. "Your face hit my hand!" she shrieks and pretends to cry. A few more people trickle in to the plaza and join the menacing crowd. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >get plastex The Ward of the State quickly snatches it from your grasp. "Get your own, you goddamn typhoid." The Ward of the State pretends she doesn't see you, expecting you to move on. When you do not, she grows visibly incensed. "Those things on your head make you look stupid! I guess that's because you are stupid! You're a stupid dumb-dumb stupidy idiot-face!" A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >r Plaza, by the Lab You are standing outside Research Lab A-U61. A decorative statuette protrudes from the wall, but otherwise the building and its purpose is unmarked. The decorative statuette is gripping a concave mirror. The normally bustling Tucker M. Carlson plaza is strangely subdued today. Inward, you see a mobile response unit set up by Homeland Security, which explains why. All the citizens in the area have been detained for questioning, and - for the moment at least - no one is allowed to leave. To the right is a row of vendors, and to the left a billboard hangs over a security camera. Beyond them, a caring demonstration is getting under way. Outward is a revolving door leading into the lab. A few more people trickle in to the plaza and join the menacing crowd. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >x mirror This is a shiny, concave surface with a V-shaped, male electronic interface in the center of the backside. A metal rod extends from the center to the focal point. A few more people trickle in to the plaza and join the menacing crowd. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >point mirror at ward (the Ward of the State) It's already doing that. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >x statue A grotesque carving of a fantastic creature with wings. You have no idea what it is supposed to represent. It is, however, ugly, and like most people you prefer to ignore it. The creature's claws grasp a concave mirror. A metal rod extends from the center out towards the focal point. The metal rod is pointing towards the Ward of the State. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >turn on mirror It isn't something you can switch. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >i You're carrying (in plain sight): a wrench the feather duster Ati's Card a short-wave radio the yellow pill a new IC chip an electromagnet the red pill some glue a shiny black helmet Renardin's Card the lab office chip key Silia's Card your PA your Card You're wearing: some rubber gloves your boots your jumpsuit bunny ears >i You're carrying (in plain sight): a wrench the feather duster Ati's Card a short-wave radio the yellow pill a new IC chip an electromagnet the red pill some glue a shiny black helmet Renardin's Card the lab office chip key Silia's Card your PA your Card You're wearing: some rubber gloves your boots your jumpsuit bunny ears >l Plaza, by the Lab You are standing outside Research Lab A-U61. A decorative statuette protrudes from the wall, but otherwise the building and its purpose is unmarked. The decorative statuette is gripping a concave mirror. The normally bustling Tucker M. Carlson plaza is strangely subdued today. Inward, you see a mobile response unit set up by Homeland Security, which explains why. All the citizens in the area have been detained for questioning, and - for the moment at least - no one is allowed to leave. To the right is a row of vendors, and to the left a billboard hangs over a security camera. Beyond them, a caring demonstration is getting under way. Outward is a revolving door leading into the lab. >i You're carrying (in plain sight): a wrench the feather duster Ati's Card a short-wave radio the yellow pill a new IC chip an electromagnet the red pill some glue a shiny black helmet Renardin's Card the lab office chip key Silia's Card your PA your Card You're wearing: some rubber gloves your boots your jumpsuit bunny ears >turn dial to 3 (the radio dial to that) Done. The short-wave radio emits a sharp crackle and pop. Tony Bleet beckons you over and patiently explains that it's not necessary to use the radio if you are both in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza. "Now that you've managed to get it working, though, you'll be able to communicate with me when you're inside the lab." He gestures at his own small radio, lying unnoticed among so many gadgets. Then he discretely moves it out of view. Tony turns his attention to a sagging corner of his frame. You can see that he has mounted some kind of device - handcrafted by himself, naturally - on the roof nearby. It consists of a flimsy pole to which an array of cables is anchored. The cables fan out and are fastened at the other end to the sagging metal frame. Unfortunately, the cables don't provide enough support. Tony steps up on a ladder and fiddles with the device. Eventually, one of the cables snaps and the frame sags further. Throwing his hands up in the air, Tony climbs down and returns to his place, muttering to himself about tensile strength. A few more people trickle in to the plaza and join the menacing crowd. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >turn dial on magnet to 3 Can't do it. >turn magnet to 3 Can't do it. >turn magnet dial to 3 Done. Someone approaches from the direction of the caring demonstration. It's a loyalty leader from the looks of it, holding a broken triangle. Tony leaps to his feet to attend to the unexpected customer. "You got any glue?" "Of course I do." He hands her a small tube. The loyalty leader peers at it suspiciously. "How long before it's dry?" "Oh, that's instaglue! Never heard of it? A new invention. Scientific progress never stops in the Bunker!" The loyalty leader glances dubiously at the tube but buys it anyway. You notice that Tony charges her double the regular price. A few more people trickle in to the plaza and join the menacing crowd. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >f Plaza, by the Lab You are standing outside Research Lab A-U61. A decorative statuette protrudes from the wall, but otherwise the building and its purpose is unmarked. The decorative statuette is gripping a concave mirror. The normally bustling Tucker M. Carlson plaza is strangely subdued today. Inward, you see a mobile response unit set up by Homeland Security, which explains why. All the citizens in the area have been detained for questioning, and - for the moment at least - no one is allowed to leave. To the right is a row of vendors, and to the left a billboard hangs over a security camera. Beyond them, a caring demonstration is getting under way. Outward is a revolving door leading into the lab. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >point magnet at mirror Nothing happens. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >turn on magnet The electromagnet produces a loud racket and vibrates violently in your hand. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >point magnet at mirror Nothing happens. The electromagnet continues to quiver and squeal. A few more people trickle in to the plaza and join the menacing crowd. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >turn magnet off You switch the electromagnet off. The electromagnet gives up under the strain, and some kind of release mechanism is activated. The dial turns, and the device switches off. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >l Plaza, by the Lab You are standing outside Research Lab A-U61. A decorative statuette protrudes from the wall, but otherwise the building and its purpose is unmarked. The decorative statuette is gripping a concave mirror. The normally bustling Tucker M. Carlson plaza is strangely subdued today. Inward, you see a mobile response unit set up by Homeland Security, which explains why. All the citizens in the area have been detained for questioning, and - for the moment at least - no one is allowed to leave. To the right is a row of vendors, and to the left a billboard hangs over a security camera. Beyond them, a caring demonstration is getting under way. Outward is a revolving door leading into the lab. >x mirror This is a shiny, concave surface with a V-shaped, male electronic interface in the center of the backside. A metal rod extends from the center to the focal point. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >x rod This is a shiny, concave surface with a V-shaped, male electronic interface in the center of the backside. A metal rod extends from the center to the focal point. A few more people trickle in to the plaza and join the menacing crowd. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >x focal point I only understood the first part of that-- trying anyway. Retrying as: >X FOCAL Can't do it. >ow You push through the revolving door and scramble with difficulty over the turnstile, confident no one is observing you. Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. >ow Lab Hallway Inward This is the beginning of Research Lab A-U61's main hallway, lit by glow panels. It is bare and - thanks to your best efforts - mostly free of dust. To your left is a glass wall. Through it, you can see into Dev 1. The thin outline of a door is visible in the glass. Opposite the glass wall to your right is a battered door. The lobby door is inward, and the hallway stretches outward. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >i You're carrying (in plain sight): a wrench the feather duster Ati's Card a short-wave radio the yellow pill a new IC chip an electromagnet the red pill some glue a shiny black helmet Renardin's Card the lab office chip key Silia's Card your PA your Card You're wearing: some rubber gloves your boots your jumpsuit bunny ears >ow Lab Hallway Center You are standing in the center of a bare hallway lit by glow panels. The wall to your left is made entirely of glass. Just out of reach above your head, a security camera relentlessly surveys the hallway and the areas visible through the glass wall. To the left, you can see the Refrigeration Unit. Across from it, to your right, is a plain door. The hallway continues both inward and outward. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow Lab Hallway Outward You are standing at one end of a short, bare hallway lit by glow panels. The left wall is made entirely of glass. Through it you can see into Dev 3. Normally, a few researchers can be seen toiling within, but now it is strangely empty. To the left a door has been cut into the glass. Another door is to your right. A smart sign is affixed to it. Outward is a third door made entirely of metal. Inward, the corridor continues towards the Lobby. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow (first opening the metal door) It seems to be locked. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >turn wheel The wheel turns to the right. You hear an abrupt grinding coming from the heavy, metal door. It opens. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow The metal door swings shut behind you. Restricted Corridor You are standing in a hallway, unremarkable in every way. Outward an alarm is blaring. Inward is a metal door leading to the unrestricted part of the research lab. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow Corridor Terminus You have arrived at the end of the lab's main corridor. The area has an alien feel. For one thing, there are no glow panels; you are standing in a soup of shadows. Metal pipes gather at the far end of the right wall and run in sleek bunches back towards the metal door. Eventually, they disappear into the wall. Condensation clings to some of the pipes and occasionally drips to the floor; steam drifts from others. An acrid odor hangs in the air. Between the off-pitch wails of the alarm blaring from an adjacent room, you can hear a sharp, electric buzzing. Patches of colored light are ejected from the open doorway to the right. They pass over your feet in well-measured cycles. The alarm is coming from there. To the left is a reinforced door. Outward is an airlock. The corridor itself leads inward toward the unrestricted part of the lab. You can see an ecopack here. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >open ecopack It isn't something you can open. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >x ecopack The ecopack is a self-contained environment safe for humans in otherwise hostile, otherworldy places. You have only ever seen them on the tube; in particular, your favorite space opera, "Space Jaunt". This intellectually feeble vidshow features Captain Kork, who makes up for his ship's lack of a VR deck by porking every lifeform he comes across, sentient or not. The ecopack is bulky and white. It contains a full supply of oxygen on the back - if the meter can be trusted, that is. It is also equipped with gravity boosters, which allow a person wearing it to move about in the crushing Venusian atmosphere. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >l Corridor Terminus You have arrived at the end of the lab's main corridor. The area has an alien feel. For one thing, there are no glow panels; you are standing in a soup of shadows. Metal pipes gather at the far end of the right wall and run in sleek bunches back towards the metal door. Eventually, they disappear into the wall. Condensation clings to some of the pipes and occasionally drips to the floor; steam drifts from others. An acrid odor hangs in the air. Between the off-pitch wails of the alarm blaring from an adjacent room, you can hear a sharp, electric buzzing. Patches of colored light are ejected from the open doorway to the right. They pass over your feet in well-measured cycles. The alarm is coming from there. To the left is a reinforced door. Outward is an airlock. The corridor itself leads inward toward the unrestricted part of the lab. You can see an ecopack here. >r Dev 2 You are standing in a room where the most sensitive work in Research Lab A-U61 is conducted. It is a cramped, busy area. Every meter of wall space and every corner are being used. The devices you see strewn about are not in working order; they lie in various states of semi-completion or decomposition. You suspect that operational candidates are brought to another place for testing. Ordinarily, you would be overwhelmed and unable to identify any particular item of use. The ceiling above you, however, is studded with bright lights, each angled to illuminate the most important workspaces. One beam of light is focused on the EF harvester. Nearby is a control panel. A second beam of light illuminates a workstation. Unlike the other workstations, this one has been cleared, leaving plenty of room for a hollow, cubic device about the size of your head. A label identifies it as a "transmutor". Outward is the lab's main corridor, the only exit. The loud wailing of an alarm is sounding in this room. You can see Lloyd here. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >put wrench in transmutor It doesn't fit. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >i You're carrying (in plain sight): a wrench the feather duster Ati's Card a short-wave radio the yellow pill a new IC chip an electromagnet the red pill some glue a shiny black helmet Renardin's Card the lab office chip key Silia's Card your PA your Card You're wearing: some rubber gloves your boots your jumpsuit bunny ears >put silia's card in transmutor You think twice about doing that. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >l Dev 2 You are standing in a room where the most sensitive work in Research Lab A-U61 is conducted. It is a cramped, busy area. Every meter of wall space and every corner are being used. The devices you see strewn about are not in working order; they lie in various states of semi-completion or decomposition. You suspect that operational candidates are brought to another place for testing. Ordinarily, you would be overwhelmed and unable to identify any particular item of use. The ceiling above you, however, is studded with bright lights, each angled to illuminate the most important workspaces. One beam of light is focused on the EF harvester. Nearby is a control panel. A second beam of light illuminates a workstation. Unlike the other workstations, this one has been cleared, leaving plenty of room for a hollow, cubic device about the size of your head. A label identifies it as a "transmutor". Outward is the lab's main corridor, the only exit. The loud wailing of an alarm is sounding in this room. You can see Lloyd here. >x harvestor Can't do it. >ask lloyd about transmutor "The transmutor is another one of Atikurrahman Vosh's pet projects. I believe its purpose is to transform base metals from one to the other. Unfortunately, all it seems to do is disassemble metal objects into a stream of particles, which are then sucked away. Interestingly, the transmutor currently only operates on pure elemental metal and its alloys. A safety feature, no doubt." A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >x transmutor The transmutor is a medium-sized, hollow cube with a glass front. A single object can be placed inside. A thick, flexible tube is attached to the backside and extends into the wall. On the top is a white button. In the transmutor is a lump of metal. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >x tube The transmutor is a medium-sized, hollow cube with a glass front. A single object can be placed inside. A thick, flexible tube is attached to the backside and extends into the wall. On the top is a white button. In the transmutor is a lump of metal. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >x metal An alloy of some kind. It is light and fits easily in the palm of your hand. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >press white button You hear a brief whirr. A flash of light illuminates the interior of the transmutor. You see the entire lump of metal turn bright white and then instantly vanish! A brief sucking noise follows, and the tube leading into the wall gives a little jerk. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw You can't go that way. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw You can't go that way. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow Corridor Terminus You have arrived at the end of the lab's main corridor. The area has an alien feel. For one thing, there are no glow panels; you are standing in a soup of shadows. Metal pipes gather at the far end of the right wall and run in sleek bunches back towards the metal door. Eventually, they disappear into the wall. Condensation clings to some of the pipes and occasionally drips to the floor; steam drifts from others. An acrid odor hangs in the air. Between the off-pitch wails of the alarm blaring from an adjacent room, you can hear a sharp, electric buzzing. Patches of colored light are ejected from the open doorway to the right. They pass over your feet in well-measured cycles. The alarm is coming from there. To the left is a reinforced door. Outward is an airlock. The corridor itself leads inward toward the unrestricted part of the lab. You can see an ecopack here. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Restricted Corridor You are standing in a hallway, unremarkable in every way. Outward an alarm is blaring. Inward is a metal door leading to the unrestricted part of the research lab. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw (first opening the metal door) The metal door swings shut behind you, followed by a curt grinding sound. Lab Hallway Outward You are standing at one end of a short, bare hallway lit by glow panels. The left wall is made entirely of glass. Through it you can see into Dev 3. Normally, a few researchers can be seen toiling within, but now it is strangely empty. To the left a door has been cut into the glass. Another door is to your right. A smart sign is affixed to it. Outward is a third door made entirely of metal. Inward, the corridor continues towards the Lobby. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Lab Hallway Center You are standing in the center of a bare hallway lit by glow panels. The wall to your left is made entirely of glass. Just out of reach above your head, a security camera relentlessly surveys the hallway and the areas visible through the glass wall. To the left, you can see the Refrigeration Unit. Across from it, to your right, is a plain door. The hallway continues both inward and outward. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Lab Hallway Inward This is the beginning of Research Lab A-U61's main hallway, lit by glow panels. It is bare and - thanks to your best efforts - mostly free of dust. To your left is a glass wall. Through it, you can see into Dev 1. The thin outline of a door is visible in the glass. Opposite the glass wall to your right is a battered door. The lobby door is inward, and the hallway stretches outward. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. >iw You pass through the turnstile and push through the revolving door. Plaza, by the Lab You are standing outside Research Lab A-U61. A decorative statuette protrudes from the wall, but otherwise the building and its purpose is unmarked. The decorative statuette is gripping a concave mirror. The normally bustling Tucker M. Carlson plaza is strangely subdued today. Inward, you see a mobile response unit set up by Homeland Security, which explains why. All the citizens in the area have been detained for questioning, and - for the moment at least - no one is allowed to leave. To the right is a row of vendors, and to the left a billboard hangs over a security camera. Beyond them, a caring demonstration is getting under way. Outward is a revolving door leading into the lab. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >x mirror This is a shiny, concave surface with a V-shaped, male electronic interface in the center of the backside. A metal rod extends from the center to the focal point. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >f Plaza, under the Billboard You are standing near the entrance to the Clement Vallandigham complex. A sign on the wall indicates it is mostly occupied by the Internal Operations division of the Procurement conglomerate, including portions of its sprawling Department of Administration. Internal Operations is responsible for mining out on the surface, sorting and refining ores, distribution of raw materials and the like. Normally a bustling corner of the plaza, today is it deserted. And you know exactly why. Citizens have gathered just to the left of this location. But this is no ordinary meeting; this is a caring demonstration. And like all caring demonstrations, it is sorely in need of volunteers. A billboard - slightly crooked - hangs above a security camera mounted overhead. Beneath them both, playing with a flat, rectangular piece of transparent plastex, is a Ward of the State. A grate set in the floor, about a meter wide, separates you. Fortunately, the Ward of the State has her back to you. To the right is the entrance to Research Lab A-U61. The Ward of the State informs you with all the confidence of a teamster that she's prettier than you are. "And smarter," she adds with a glance at the bunny ears. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >r Plaza, by the Lab You are standing outside Research Lab A-U61. A decorative statuette protrudes from the wall, but otherwise the building and its purpose is unmarked. The decorative statuette is gripping a concave mirror. The normally bustling Tucker M. Carlson plaza is strangely subdued today. Inward, you see a mobile response unit set up by Homeland Security, which explains why. All the citizens in the area have been detained for questioning, and - for the moment at least - no one is allowed to leave. To the right is a row of vendors, and to the left a billboard hangs over a security camera. Beyond them, a caring demonstration is getting under way. Outward is a revolving door leading into the lab. A few more people trickle in to the plaza and join the menacing crowd. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Plaza, Near the Museum You are standing halfway to the center of the plaza. A sense of travesty and loss envelops you here. Nearby, corpses have been piled into a sloppy stack, and a mobile response unit has been hastily set up next to it. A long queue of frightened, weeping citizens has formed there, waiting patiently to exonerate themselves. Outward is the Museum of Athletic Ability, occupying the very center of the plaza. There, a group of exercise enthusiasts has gathered for some intense stretching. Inward is the entrance to Research Lab A-U61. To the left and right are large, empty spaces, beyond which are corridors leading off to other parts of the department. You can see the agent from Homeland Security here. The agent from Homeland Security waves someone forward. "Next!" At the front of the queue, you see a wizened old man. Something immediately strikes you as odd about him. After all, you've only ever seen old people on the tube. "Who me?" wheezes the wizened old man, as if awakening from a dream. He starts laughing. The laughter grows intense - too intense for a wizened old man. "Yes, yes, you'll get what you ask for!" He lurches forward, spreads his feet apart, and appears to pull an invisible cord. The wizened old man uncerimoniously flickers into nothingness, a surprised look on his face. There follows an awkward moment of silence. The voice of the agent from Homeland Security rings out again. "Okay, okay. Next!" A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow Plaza, by the Lab You are standing outside Research Lab A-U61. A decorative statuette protrudes from the wall, but otherwise the building and its purpose is unmarked. The decorative statuette is gripping a concave mirror. The normally bustling Tucker M. Carlson plaza is strangely subdued today. Inward, you see a mobile response unit set up by Homeland Security, which explains why. All the citizens in the area have been detained for questioning, and - for the moment at least - no one is allowed to leave. To the right is a row of vendors, and to the left a billboard hangs over a security camera. Beyond them, a caring demonstration is getting under way. Outward is a revolving door leading into the lab. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow You push through the revolving door and scramble with difficulty over the turnstile, confident no one is observing you. Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. >ow Lab Hallway Inward This is the beginning of Research Lab A-U61's main hallway, lit by glow panels. It is bare and - thanks to your best efforts - mostly free of dust. To your left is a glass wall. Through it, you can see into Dev 1. The thin outline of a door is visible in the glass. Opposite the glass wall to your right is a battered door. The lobby door is inward, and the hallway stretches outward. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. > >LOOK Lab Hallway Inward This is the beginning of Research Lab A-U61's main hallway, lit by glow panels. It is bare and - thanks to your best efforts - mostly free of dust. To your left is a glass wall. Through it, you can see into Dev 1. The thin outline of a door is visible in the glass. Opposite the glass wall to your right is a battered door. The lobby door is inward, and the hallway stretches outward. >ow Lab Hallway Center You are standing in the center of a bare hallway lit by glow panels. The wall to your left is made entirely of glass. Just out of reach above your head, a security camera relentlessly surveys the hallway and the areas visible through the glass wall. To the left, you can see the Refrigeration Unit. Across from it, to your right, is a plain door. The hallway continues both inward and outward. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >f You can't go that way. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow Lab Hallway Outward You are standing at one end of a short, bare hallway lit by glow panels. The left wall is made entirely of glass. Through it you can see into Dev 3. Normally, a few researchers can be seen toiling within, but now it is strangely empty. To the left a door has been cut into the glass. Another door is to your right. A smart sign is affixed to it. Outward is a third door made entirely of metal. Inward, the corridor continues towards the Lobby. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >f (first opening the glass door) The glass door swings shut behind you. Dev 3 Four workstations have been arranged in a square in the center of this room, basking in the bright light from the glow panels. Nestled between them is a bank of manipulators. What appear to be controls for the manipulators have been built onto the surface of each workstation. On one of the workstations is a circuit board. Through a glass wall to the right, you see a hallway. A door has been cut into the glass. Set in the middle of the inward wall is a narrow opening. You can see a sturdy locker (empty) here. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Darkened Passage You find yourself in a small, uninteresting passage with no light source of its own. To your right is a door. You can also continue inward through a squat opening or outward through a narrow opening. >put on gloves You're already wearing that! >r (first opening the refrigeration unit door) You open the refrigeration unit door. Frigid air pours forth from the opening, sending shivers up and down your spine. The door swiftly closes behind you. Refrigeration Unit You are standing in Research Lab A-U61's refrigeration unit. The air is very cold. So cold, in fact, you doubt you can remain here for long. On a table in the center of the room is a small tank. The tank is filled with a translucent, viscous liquid bubbling slowly but energetically. A glass jar rests inside. Above you in the ceiling is a large vent. Frigid air streams into the room, descending in fluffy, freezing clouds over your shoulders and sending chills to your bones. The only exit is outward. The air in here absolutely frigid! It stabs at your face with sharp, invisible knives. You've never experienced anything like it before. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >get jar Your hands slip into the viscous liquid, protected by the rubber gloves. Taken. It's VERY cold in here. So cold that your hands and feet hurt, and your face feels like it is being frozen in place. A slow dribble from your nose freezes near the corner of your mouth. You wonder how much longer you can last in here. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow (first opening the refrigeration unit door) The door swiftly closes behind you. Darkened Passage You find yourself in a small, uninteresting passage with no light source of its own. To your right is a door. You can also continue inward through a squat opening or outward through a narrow opening. The small and shiny object inside the glass jar stirs. >ow Dev 3 Four workstations have been arranged in a square in the center of this room, basking in the bright light from the glow panels. Nestled between them is a bank of manipulators. What appear to be controls for the manipulators have been built onto the surface of each workstation. On one of the workstations is a circuit board. Through a glass wall to the right, you see a hallway. A door has been cut into the glass. Set in the middle of the inward wall is a narrow opening. You can see a sturdy locker (empty) here. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow You can't go that way. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >r (first opening the glass door) The glass door swings shut behind you. Lab Hallway Outward You are standing at one end of a short, bare hallway lit by glow panels. The left wall is made entirely of glass. Through it you can see into Dev 3. Normally, a few researchers can be seen toiling within, but now it is strangely empty. To the left a door has been cut into the glass. Another door is to your right. A smart sign is affixed to it. Outward is a third door made entirely of metal. Inward, the corridor continues towards the Lobby. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow (first opening the metal door) It seems to be locked. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >turn wheel The wheel turns to the right. You hear an abrupt grinding coming from the heavy, metal door. It opens. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow The metal door swings shut behind you. Restricted Corridor You are standing in a hallway, unremarkable in every way. Outward an alarm is blaring. Inward is a metal door leading to the unrestricted part of the research lab. The small and shiny object inside the glass jar begins to scamper around. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow Corridor Terminus You have arrived at the end of the lab's main corridor. The area has an alien feel. For one thing, there are no glow panels; you are standing in a soup of shadows. Metal pipes gather at the far end of the right wall and run in sleek bunches back towards the metal door. Eventually, they disappear into the wall. Condensation clings to some of the pipes and occasionally drips to the floor; steam drifts from others. An acrid odor hangs in the air. Between the off-pitch wails of the alarm blaring from an adjacent room, you can hear a sharp, electric buzzing. Patches of colored light are ejected from the open doorway to the right. They pass over your feet in well-measured cycles. The alarm is coming from there. To the left is a reinforced door. Outward is an airlock. The corridor itself leads inward toward the unrestricted part of the lab. You can see an ecopack here. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >r Dev 2 You are standing in a room where the most sensitive work in Research Lab A-U61 is conducted. It is a cramped, busy area. Every meter of wall space and every corner are being used. The devices you see strewn about are not in working order; they lie in various states of semi-completion or decomposition. You suspect that operational candidates are brought to another place for testing. Ordinarily, you would be overwhelmed and unable to identify any particular item of use. The ceiling above you, however, is studded with bright lights, each angled to illuminate the most important workspaces. One beam of light is focused on the EF harvester. Nearby is a control panel. A second beam of light illuminates a workstation. Unlike the other workstations, this one has been cleared, leaving plenty of room for a hollow, cubic device about the size of your head. A label identifies it as a "transmutor". Outward is the lab's main corridor, the only exit. The loud wailing of an alarm is sounding in this room. You can see Lloyd here. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >put jar in transmutor The glass front opens easily, and you place the glass jar in the interior of the hollow cube. When you release the glass front, it swings silently shut. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >press white button You hear a brief whirr. A flash of light illuminates the interior of the transmutor. You see whatever is inside the glass jar turn bright white. For a moment, a struggle ensues - but in vain! There is a satisfying flash, and whatever was inside the glass jar vanishes. A brief sucking noise follows, and the tube leading into the wall gives a little jerk. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >get jar The glass front opens easily, and you retrieve the glass jar from the interior of the hollow cube. When you release the glass front, it swings silently shut. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >i You're carrying (in plain sight): a glass jar a wrench the feather duster Ati's Card a short-wave radio the yellow pill a new IC chip an electromagnet the red pill some glue a shiny black helmet Renardin's Card the lab office chip key Silia's Card your PA your Card You're wearing: some rubber gloves your boots your jumpsuit bunny ears >x jar A small jar that you could easily hold in one hand. A translucent film covers the outside of the jar. It is closed. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >x film A small jar that you could easily hold in one hand. A translucent film covers the outside of the jar. It is closed. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >l Dev 2 You are standing in a room where the most sensitive work in Research Lab A-U61 is conducted. It is a cramped, busy area. Every meter of wall space and every corner are being used. The devices you see strewn about are not in working order; they lie in various states of semi-completion or decomposition. You suspect that operational candidates are brought to another place for testing. Ordinarily, you would be overwhelmed and unable to identify any particular item of use. The ceiling above you, however, is studded with bright lights, each angled to illuminate the most important workspaces. One beam of light is focused on the EF harvester. Nearby is a control panel. A second beam of light illuminates a workstation. Unlike the other workstations, this one has been cleared, leaving plenty of room for a hollow, cubic device about the size of your head. A label identifies it as a "transmutor". Outward is the lab's main corridor, the only exit. The loud wailing of an alarm is sounding in this room. You can see Lloyd here. >x harvester A large, metallic chamber with many edges. Two plastex windows reveal an interior comprised of snaking coils and narrow, rectangular structures. Some of them emit streams of bright, angry sparks. Flashing light cast in the colors of the rainbow gather and shimmer along the coils. Piping leads from the EF harvester to the control panel and then from the control panel elsewhere. You think back to the doodling you examined in Dev 1, and you realize it was no innocent doodling at all! It was, in fact, a design pictogram, and it applies to the EF harvester. You are sure of it. With the new knowledge imparted to you, it quickly becomes clear that Atikurrahman Vosh was up to no good. The EF harvester may have been commissioned by a client in Defense, but it certainly could not be delivered to her. After all, the machine is hooked up to the infrastructure of research lab A-U61 itself! You know from the design pictogram in Dev 1 that the piping leading from the EF harvester in fact continues above the ceiling, conjoining into a single power conduit that runs above the main hallway and through the Lobby. The terminus of this power conduit seems to match up with.... the decorative statuette out in the plaza? But why? A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >i You're carrying (in plain sight): a glass jar a wrench the feather duster Ati's Card a short-wave radio the yellow pill a new IC chip an electromagnet the red pill some glue a shiny black helmet Renardin's Card the lab office chip key Silia's Card your PA your Card You're wearing: some rubber gloves your boots your jumpsuit bunny ears >ask tony about transmutor (Tony Bleet about that) You speak into the short-wave radio. After a brief pause, Tony's voice responds. "The short-wave radio isn't a toy! Remember: you are on an important mission! There's no time for idle talk." A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ask tony about mirror (Tony Bleet about that) You speak into the short-wave radio. After a brief pause, Tony's voice responds. "The short-wave radio isn't a toy! Remember: you are on an important mission! There's no time for idle talk." A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ask tony about harvester (Tony Bleet about that) You speak into the short-wave radio. After a brief pause, Tony's voice responds. "The short-wave radio isn't a toy! Remember: you are on an important mission! There's no time for idle talk." A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >l Dev 2 You are standing in a room where the most sensitive work in Research Lab A-U61 is conducted. It is a cramped, busy area. Every meter of wall space and every corner are being used. The devices you see strewn about are not in working order; they lie in various states of semi-completion or decomposition. You suspect that operational candidates are brought to another place for testing. Ordinarily, you would be overwhelmed and unable to identify any particular item of use. The ceiling above you, however, is studded with bright lights, each angled to illuminate the most important workspaces. One beam of light is focused on the EF harvester. Nearby is a control panel. A second beam of light illuminates a workstation. Unlike the other workstations, this one has been cleared, leaving plenty of room for a hollow, cubic device about the size of your head. A label identifies it as a "transmutor". Outward is the lab's main corridor, the only exit. The loud wailing of an alarm is sounding in this room. You can see Lloyd here. >x alarm You cannot hear anything over the alarm, blaring from some unseen origin in this room. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >x red light Security cameras are everywhere in the Bunker. They are another of the ways the boys and gals over at Control keep an eye on things. The single barrel of a laser cannon is perched above it, ready to blast traitors and social deviants into a fine, raining mist. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >l Dev 2 You are standing in a room where the most sensitive work in Research Lab A-U61 is conducted. It is a cramped, busy area. Every meter of wall space and every corner are being used. The devices you see strewn about are not in working order; they lie in various states of semi-completion or decomposition. You suspect that operational candidates are brought to another place for testing. Ordinarily, you would be overwhelmed and unable to identify any particular item of use. The ceiling above you, however, is studded with bright lights, each angled to illuminate the most important workspaces. One beam of light is focused on the EF harvester. Nearby is a control panel. A second beam of light illuminates a workstation. Unlike the other workstations, this one has been cleared, leaving plenty of room for a hollow, cubic device about the size of your head. A label identifies it as a "transmutor". Outward is the lab's main corridor, the only exit. The loud wailing of an alarm is sounding in this room. You can see Lloyd here. >hint (If you're using a screen reader, press S to turn on Screen Reader mode. This message only appears on the front page of the menu system.) 1. New to Interactive Fiction 2. New to Nothing Could Be Further From the Truth 3. New to the Bunker 4. Credits 5. Hints (Hints) 1. What's going on? 2. I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape? 3. Can I get an Epsilon security clearance in this game? 4. Can I get a Delta security clearance in this game? 5. Every time I smell, I sneeze. 6. What is the zorgot? 7. The security camera keeps blasting me for no reason. 8. A search and extraction team or two thugs or a tall, gangly man show up and end the game. 9. Lobby 0. Elsewhere in the Research Lab A. Restricted Research Lab B. Plaza C. Control D. The underground E. Waste of space F. Accusing someone (Hints - Restricted Research Lab) 1. Dev 2 2. Airlock (Hints - Restricted Research Lab - Dev 2) 1. What does the transmutor do? 2. How do I conduct a controlled discharge of the EF harvester? 3. How do I fix the broken circuit board? 4. How do I get the new chip to lie flat? (Hints - Restricted Research Lab - Dev 2 - How do I fix the broken circuit board?) Press H to reveal the first hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Restricted Research Lab - Dev 2 - How do I fix the broken circuit board?) 1/8: One of the chips has blown. You'll have to replace it. Did you find a new chip in the lab somewhere? Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Restricted Research Lab - Dev 2 - How do I fix the broken circuit board?) 1/8: One of the chips has blown. You'll have to replace it. Did you find a new chip in the lab somewhere? 2/8: Did you look in Dev 3? Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Restricted Research Lab - Dev 2 - How do I fix the broken circuit board?) 1/8: One of the chips has blown. You'll have to replace it. Did you find a new chip in the lab somewhere? 2/8: Did you look in Dev 3? 3/8: In the sturdy locker? Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Restricted Research Lab - Dev 2 - How do I fix the broken circuit board?) 1/8: One of the chips has blown. You'll have to replace it. Did you find a new chip in the lab somewhere? 2/8: Did you look in Dev 3? 3/8: In the sturdy locker? 4/8: Use the slicer manipulator (part of the workstation in Dev 3) to cut the blackened chip free. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Restricted Research Lab - Dev 2 - How do I fix the broken circuit board?) 1/8: One of the chips has blown. You'll have to replace it. Did you find a new chip in the lab somewhere? 2/8: Did you look in Dev 3? 3/8: In the sturdy locker? 4/8: Use the slicer manipulator (part of the workstation in Dev 3) to cut the blackened chip free. 5/8: Remove the blackened chip. Put in the new one. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Restricted Research Lab - Dev 2 - How do I fix the broken circuit board?) 1/8: One of the chips has blown. You'll have to replace it. Did you find a new chip in the lab somewhere? 2/8: Did you look in Dev 3? 3/8: In the sturdy locker? 4/8: Use the slicer manipulator (part of the workstation in Dev 3) to cut the blackened chip free. 5/8: Remove the blackened chip. Put in the new one. 6/8: Get the new chip to lie flat. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Restricted Research Lab - Dev 2) 1. What does the transmutor do? 2. How do I conduct a controlled discharge of the EF harvester? 3. How do I fix the broken circuit board? 4. How do I get the new chip to lie flat? (Hints - Restricted Research Lab) 1. Dev 2 2. Airlock (Hints) 1. What's going on? 2. I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape? 3. Can I get an Epsilon security clearance in this game? 4. Can I get a Delta security clearance in this game? 5. Every time I smell, I sneeze. 6. What is the zorgot? 7. The security camera keeps blasting me for no reason. 8. A search and extraction team or two thugs or a tall, gangly man show up and end the game. 9. Lobby 0. Elsewhere in the Research Lab A. Restricted Research Lab B. Plaza C. Control D. The underground E. Waste of space F. Accusing someone (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab) 1. How do I get past the metal door in Lab Hallway Outward? 2. How do I get into the Lab Director's Office? 3. I can't get through the revolving door in the Lobby. 4. Depot 5. Dev 1 6. Dev 3 7. Dressing room 8. Storage Room 9. Refrigeration unit 0. Lab director's office A. Vending machine (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Dev 3) 1. What is the zorgot? 2. How do I operate the workstations? 3. How do I fix the slicer? (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Dev 3 - How do I fix the slicer?) Press H to reveal the first hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Dev 3 - How do I fix the slicer?) 1/6: The slicer's blade is missing. You will have to find a replacement blade and a way to attach it to the slicer. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Dev 3 - How do I fix the slicer?) 1/6: The slicer's blade is missing. You will have to find a replacement blade and a way to attach it to the slicer. 2/6: Have you searched the lab? Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Dev 3 - How do I fix the slicer?) 1/6: The slicer's blade is missing. You will have to find a replacement blade and a way to attach it to the slicer. 2/6: Have you searched the lab? 3/6: Okay, there's nothing in the lab you can use. What about the plaza? Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Dev 3 - How do I fix the slicer?) 1/6: The slicer's blade is missing. You will have to find a replacement blade and a way to attach it to the slicer. 2/6: Have you searched the lab? 3/6: Okay, there's nothing in the lab you can use. What about the plaza? 4/6: If only there was someone around who sold items useful to a wide variety of people in the Bunker. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Dev 3 - How do I fix the slicer?) 1/6: The slicer's blade is missing. You will have to find a replacement blade and a way to attach it to the slicer. 2/6: Have you searched the lab? 3/6: Okay, there's nothing in the lab you can use. What about the plaza? 4/6: If only there was someone around who sold items useful to a wide variety of people in the Bunker. 5/6: Tony Bleet sells both razorblades and glue. Buy them. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Dev 3) 1. What is the zorgot? 2. How do I operate the workstations? 3. How do I fix the slicer? (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab) 1. How do I get past the metal door in Lab Hallway Outward? 2. How do I get into the Lab Director's Office? 3. I can't get through the revolving door in the Lobby. 4. Depot 5. Dev 1 6. Dev 3 7. Dressing room 8. Storage Room 9. Refrigeration unit 0. Lab director's office A. Vending machine (Hints) 1. What's going on? 2. I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape? 3. Can I get an Epsilon security clearance in this game? 4. Can I get a Delta security clearance in this game? 5. Every time I smell, I sneeze. 6. What is the zorgot? 7. The security camera keeps blasting me for no reason. 8. A search and extraction team or two thugs or a tall, gangly man show up and end the game. 9. Lobby 0. Elsewhere in the Research Lab A. Restricted Research Lab B. Plaza C. Control D. The underground E. Waste of space F. Accusing someone (If you're using a screen reader, press S to turn on Screen Reader mode. This message only appears on the front page of the menu system.) 1. New to Interactive Fiction 2. New to Nothing Could Be Further From the Truth 3. New to the Bunker 4. Credits 5. Hints Dev 2 You are standing in a room where the most sensitive work in Research Lab A-U61 is conducted. It is a cramped, busy area. Every meter of wall space and every corner are being used. The devices you see strewn about are not in working order; they lie in various states of semi-completion or decomposition. You suspect that operational candidates are brought to another place for testing. Ordinarily, you would be overwhelmed and unable to identify any particular item of use. The ceiling above you, however, is studded with bright lights, each angled to illuminate the most important workspaces. One beam of light is focused on the EF harvester. Nearby is a control panel. A second beam of light illuminates a workstation. Unlike the other workstations, this one has been cleared, leaving plenty of room for a hollow, cubic device about the size of your head. A label identifies it as a "transmutor". Outward is the lab's main corridor, the only exit. The loud wailing of an alarm is sounding in this room. You can see Lloyd here. >ow Corridor Terminus You have arrived at the end of the lab's main corridor. The area has an alien feel. For one thing, there are no glow panels; you are standing in a soup of shadows. Metal pipes gather at the far end of the right wall and run in sleek bunches back towards the metal door. Eventually, they disappear into the wall. Condensation clings to some of the pipes and occasionally drips to the floor; steam drifts from others. An acrid odor hangs in the air. Between the off-pitch wails of the alarm blaring from an adjacent room, you can hear a sharp, electric buzzing. Patches of colored light are ejected from the open doorway to the right. They pass over your feet in well-measured cycles. The alarm is coming from there. To the left is a reinforced door. Outward is an airlock. The corridor itself leads inward toward the unrestricted part of the lab. You can see an ecopack here. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Restricted Corridor You are standing in a hallway, unremarkable in every way. Outward an alarm is blaring. Inward is a metal door leading to the unrestricted part of the research lab. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw (first opening the metal door) The metal door swings shut behind you, followed by a curt grinding sound. Lab Hallway Outward You are standing at one end of a short, bare hallway lit by glow panels. The left wall is made entirely of glass. Through it you can see into Dev 3. Normally, a few researchers can be seen toiling within, but now it is strangely empty. To the left a door has been cut into the glass. Another door is to your right. A smart sign is affixed to it. Outward is a third door made entirely of metal. Inward, the corridor continues towards the Lobby. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Lab Hallway Center You are standing in the center of a bare hallway lit by glow panels. The wall to your left is made entirely of glass. Just out of reach above your head, a security camera relentlessly surveys the hallway and the areas visible through the glass wall. To the left, you can see the Refrigeration Unit. Across from it, to your right, is a plain door. The hallway continues both inward and outward. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Lab Hallway Inward This is the beginning of Research Lab A-U61's main hallway, lit by glow panels. It is bare and - thanks to your best efforts - mostly free of dust. To your left is a glass wall. Through it, you can see into Dev 1. The thin outline of a door is visible in the glass. Opposite the glass wall to your right is a battered door. The lobby door is inward, and the hallway stretches outward. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. >iw You pass through the turnstile and push through the revolving door. Plaza, by the Lab You are standing outside Research Lab A-U61. A decorative statuette protrudes from the wall, but otherwise the building and its purpose is unmarked. The decorative statuette is gripping a concave mirror. The normally bustling Tucker M. Carlson plaza is strangely subdued today. Inward, you see a mobile response unit set up by Homeland Security, which explains why. All the citizens in the area have been detained for questioning, and - for the moment at least - no one is allowed to leave. To the right is a row of vendors, and to the left a billboard hangs over a security camera. Beyond them, a caring demonstration is getting under way. Outward is a revolving door leading into the lab. A few more people trickle in to the plaza and join the menacing crowd. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >f Plaza, under the Billboard You are standing near the entrance to the Clement Vallandigham complex. A sign on the wall indicates it is mostly occupied by the Internal Operations division of the Procurement conglomerate, including portions of its sprawling Department of Administration. Internal Operations is responsible for mining out on the surface, sorting and refining ores, distribution of raw materials and the like. Normally a bustling corner of the plaza, today is it deserted. And you know exactly why. Citizens have gathered just to the left of this location. But this is no ordinary meeting; this is a caring demonstration. And like all caring demonstrations, it is sorely in need of volunteers. A billboard - slightly crooked - hangs above a security camera mounted overhead. Beneath them both, playing with a flat, rectangular piece of transparent plastex, is a Ward of the State. A grate set in the floor, about a meter wide, separates you. Fortunately, the Ward of the State has her back to you. To the right is the entrance to Research Lab A-U61. The Ward of the State pretends she doesn't see you, expecting you to move on. When you do not, she grows visibly incensed. "Those things on your head make you look stupid! I guess that's because you are stupid! You're a stupid dumb-dumb stupidy idiot-face!" A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >r Plaza, by the Lab You are standing outside Research Lab A-U61. A decorative statuette protrudes from the wall, but otherwise the building and its purpose is unmarked. The decorative statuette is gripping a concave mirror. The normally bustling Tucker M. Carlson plaza is strangely subdued today. Inward, you see a mobile response unit set up by Homeland Security, which explains why. All the citizens in the area have been detained for questioning, and - for the moment at least - no one is allowed to leave. To the right is a row of vendors, and to the left a billboard hangs over a security camera. Beyond them, a caring demonstration is getting under way. Outward is a revolving door leading into the lab. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >r Plaza, Vendor Row In this corner of the Tucker M. Carlson plaza, tucked between the research lab and corridor ZU-8, is a row of vendors. At this time of your daystretch, most of the spots are empty. One vendor, however, stands ready to take your order. A frame of piping with a fabric roof has been placed exactly within the confines of the spot demarcated by slight markings on the floor. You can see over the shelving into the interior of the stall, where a man stares back at you expectantly. Behind him hangs a thick, splotched curtain with many folds. "Don't be shy, friend," Tony says to you. "I've got whatever you need." To the left is the entrance to the research lab. Tony turns his attention to a sagging corner of his frame. You can see that he has mounted some kind of device - handcrafted by himself, naturally - on the roof nearby. It consists of a flimsy pole to which an array of cables is anchored. The cables fan out and are fastened at the other end to the sagging metal frame. Unfortunately, the cables don't provide enough support. Tony steps up on a ladder and fiddles with the device. Eventually, one of the cables snaps and the frame sags further. Throwing his hands up in the air, Tony climbs down and returns to his place, muttering to himself about tensile strength. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >buy blade (from Tony Bleet) Tony accepts your Card, swipes it and returns it to you along with the razorblade. "Congratulations!" he says, beaming blissfully. Someone approaches from the direction of the caring demonstration. It's a loyalty leader from the looks of it, holding a broken triangle. Tony leaps to his feet to attend to the unexpected customer. "You got any glue?" "Of course I do." He hands her a small tube. The loyalty leader peers at it suspiciously. "How long before it's dry?" "Oh, that's instaglue! Never heard of it? A new invention. Scientific progress never stops in the Bunker!" The loyalty leader glances dubiously at the tube but buys it anyway. You notice that Tony charges her double the regular price. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >f Plaza, by the Lab You are standing outside Research Lab A-U61. A decorative statuette protrudes from the wall, but otherwise the building and its purpose is unmarked. The decorative statuette is gripping a concave mirror. The normally bustling Tucker M. Carlson plaza is strangely subdued today. Inward, you see a mobile response unit set up by Homeland Security, which explains why. All the citizens in the area have been detained for questioning, and - for the moment at least - no one is allowed to leave. To the right is a row of vendors, and to the left a billboard hangs over a security camera. Beyond them, a caring demonstration is getting under way. Outward is a revolving door leading into the lab. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Plaza, Near the Museum You are standing halfway to the center of the plaza. A sense of travesty and loss envelops you here. Nearby, corpses have been piled into a sloppy stack, and a mobile response unit has been hastily set up next to it. A long queue of frightened, weeping citizens has formed there, waiting patiently to exonerate themselves. Outward is the Museum of Athletic Ability, occupying the very center of the plaza. There, a group of exercise enthusiasts has gathered for some intense stretching. Inward is the entrance to Research Lab A-U61. To the left and right are large, empty spaces, beyond which are corridors leading off to other parts of the department. You can see the agent from Homeland Security here. The agent from Homeland Security waves someone forward. "Next!" At the front of the queue, you see a wizened old man. Something immediately strikes you as odd about him. After all, you've only ever seen old people on the tube. "Who me?" wheezes the wizened old man, as if awakening from a dream. He starts laughing. The laughter grows intense - too intense for a wizened old man. "Yes, yes, you'll get what you ask for!" He lurches forward, spreads his feet apart, and appears to pull an invisible cord. The wizened old man uncerimoniously flickers into nothingness, a surprised look on his face. There follows an awkward moment of silence. The voice of the agent from Homeland Security rings out again. "Okay, okay. Next!" A few more people trickle in to the plaza and join the menacing crowd. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw The agent from Homeland Security perks up. "Ah, excuse me!" she shouts, pointing a pen in your direction. "You're still a Person of Interest in this matter. So don't even THINK of skulking off... unless you have something to hide?" The citizens in the queue study you intensely, hoping to catch some hint of your duplicity. The agent from Homeland Security scribbles on a paper form, then snatches her PA and jabs hurriedly at it. "Now hold on a minutestretch!" she barks at her subject, who halts mid-sentence, terrified. When she's done, she looks up at her interviewee and smiles reassuringly. "Yeah, you were saying?" A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow Plaza, by the Lab You are standing outside Research Lab A-U61. A decorative statuette protrudes from the wall, but otherwise the building and its purpose is unmarked. The decorative statuette is gripping a concave mirror. The normally bustling Tucker M. Carlson plaza is strangely subdued today. Inward, you see a mobile response unit set up by Homeland Security, which explains why. All the citizens in the area have been detained for questioning, and - for the moment at least - no one is allowed to leave. To the right is a row of vendors, and to the left a billboard hangs over a security camera. Beyond them, a caring demonstration is getting under way. Outward is a revolving door leading into the lab. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow You push through the revolving door and scramble with difficulty over the turnstile, confident no one is observing you. Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. >ow Lab Hallway Inward This is the beginning of Research Lab A-U61's main hallway, lit by glow panels. It is bare and - thanks to your best efforts - mostly free of dust. To your left is a glass wall. Through it, you can see into Dev 1. The thin outline of a door is visible in the glass. Opposite the glass wall to your right is a battered door. The lobby door is inward, and the hallway stretches outward. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow Lab Hallway Center You are standing in the center of a bare hallway lit by glow panels. The wall to your left is made entirely of glass. Just out of reach above your head, a security camera relentlessly surveys the hallway and the areas visible through the glass wall. To the left, you can see the Refrigeration Unit. Across from it, to your right, is a plain door. The hallway continues both inward and outward. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow Lab Hallway Outward You are standing at one end of a short, bare hallway lit by glow panels. The left wall is made entirely of glass. Through it you can see into Dev 3. Normally, a few researchers can be seen toiling within, but now it is strangely empty. To the left a door has been cut into the glass. Another door is to your right. A smart sign is affixed to it. Outward is a third door made entirely of metal. Inward, the corridor continues towards the Lobby. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow (first opening the metal door) It seems to be locked. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >turn wheel The wheel turns to the right. You hear an abrupt grinding coming from the heavy, metal door. It opens. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow The metal door swings shut behind you. Restricted Corridor You are standing in a hallway, unremarkable in every way. Outward an alarm is blaring. Inward is a metal door leading to the unrestricted part of the research lab. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow Corridor Terminus You have arrived at the end of the lab's main corridor. The area has an alien feel. For one thing, there are no glow panels; you are standing in a soup of shadows. Metal pipes gather at the far end of the right wall and run in sleek bunches back towards the metal door. Eventually, they disappear into the wall. Condensation clings to some of the pipes and occasionally drips to the floor; steam drifts from others. An acrid odor hangs in the air. Between the off-pitch wails of the alarm blaring from an adjacent room, you can hear a sharp, electric buzzing. Patches of colored light are ejected from the open doorway to the right. They pass over your feet in well-measured cycles. The alarm is coming from there. To the left is a reinforced door. Outward is an airlock. The corridor itself leads inward toward the unrestricted part of the lab. You can see an ecopack here. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow (first opening the airlock door) It won't budge. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >r Dev 2 You are standing in a room where the most sensitive work in Research Lab A-U61 is conducted. It is a cramped, busy area. Every meter of wall space and every corner are being used. The devices you see strewn about are not in working order; they lie in various states of semi-completion or decomposition. You suspect that operational candidates are brought to another place for testing. Ordinarily, you would be overwhelmed and unable to identify any particular item of use. The ceiling above you, however, is studded with bright lights, each angled to illuminate the most important workspaces. One beam of light is focused on the EF harvester. Nearby is a control panel. A second beam of light illuminates a workstation. Unlike the other workstations, this one has been cleared, leaving plenty of room for a hollow, cubic device about the size of your head. A label identifies it as a "transmutor". Outward is the lab's main corridor, the only exit. The loud wailing of an alarm is sounding in this room. You can see Lloyd here. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow Corridor Terminus You have arrived at the end of the lab's main corridor. The area has an alien feel. For one thing, there are no glow panels; you are standing in a soup of shadows. Metal pipes gather at the far end of the right wall and run in sleek bunches back towards the metal door. Eventually, they disappear into the wall. Condensation clings to some of the pipes and occasionally drips to the floor; steam drifts from others. An acrid odor hangs in the air. Between the off-pitch wails of the alarm blaring from an adjacent room, you can hear a sharp, electric buzzing. Patches of colored light are ejected from the open doorway to the right. They pass over your feet in well-measured cycles. The alarm is coming from there. To the left is a reinforced door. Outward is an airlock. The corridor itself leads inward toward the unrestricted part of the lab. You can see an ecopack here. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Restricted Corridor You are standing in a hallway, unremarkable in every way. Outward an alarm is blaring. Inward is a metal door leading to the unrestricted part of the research lab. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw (first opening the metal door) The metal door swings shut behind you, followed by a curt grinding sound. Lab Hallway Outward You are standing at one end of a short, bare hallway lit by glow panels. The left wall is made entirely of glass. Through it you can see into Dev 3. Normally, a few researchers can be seen toiling within, but now it is strangely empty. To the left a door has been cut into the glass. Another door is to your right. A smart sign is affixed to it. Outward is a third door made entirely of metal. Inward, the corridor continues towards the Lobby. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >f (first opening the glass door) The glass door swings shut behind you. Dev 3 Four workstations have been arranged in a square in the center of this room, basking in the bright light from the glow panels. Nestled between them is a bank of manipulators. What appear to be controls for the manipulators have been built onto the surface of each workstation. On one of the workstations is a circuit board. Through a glass wall to the right, you see a hallway. A door has been cut into the glass. Set in the middle of the inward wall is a narrow opening. You can see a sturdy locker (empty) here. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >attach blade to slicer You carefully attach the razorblade to the slicer, using the glue you purchased from Tony Bleet. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >slice board You slide the circuit board on the surface of the workstation until the housing for the IC chip comes into view on the controls. Then, you carefully adjust its position so the traces on the circuit board are perfectly centered. When you are satisfied, you activate the slicer. Slowly, it descends. You watch, mesmerized, as the artificial intelligence guiding the slicer expertly frees the blackened IC chip from the circuit board. You must reposition the circuit board a few times, but very soon the job is done and the slicer returns to its resting position. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >x board A thin, rectangular piece of electronics. You notice that one IC chip appears to have blown out - apparently in spectactular fashion. Thick, black lines emanate beyond the edge of the circuit board. The circuit board contains a blackened IC chip. Its connection to the copper traces embedded in the board have been severed. The blackened IC chip could easily be removed. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >get blackened chip Taken. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >i You're carrying (in plain sight): a blackened IC chip a glass jar a wrench the feather duster Ati's Card a short-wave radio the yellow pill a new IC chip an electromagnet the red pill a shiny black helmet Renardin's Card the lab office chip key Silia's Card your PA your Card You're wearing: some rubber gloves your boots your jumpsuit bunny ears >put new chip on board The new IC chip fits in place on the circuit board. It is, however, not lying perfectly flat. Pressure needs to be applied to the new IC chip to make it lie flat. The pressure can be applied in three places: the left side, the center, and the right side. To simulate this process, we will play a little game. There is a list of available numbers. You must distribute them into three groups such that the members of each group add up to exactly 25. You must use all the numbers. You can "add" a number to the "left", "center", or "right" group. You can also "remove" a number from a group. For example, "add 9 to left group". The left group is empty. The center group is empty. The right group is empty. The numbers available to you are: 9, 8, 7, 6, 6, 6, 6, 5, 5, 5, 4, 4 and 4. (You can get this information at any time by examining the circuit board.) A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >add 9 to left (taking the circuit board) Done. The left group contains: 9. The center group is empty. The right group is empty. The numbers available to you are: 8, 7, 6, 6, 6, 6, 5, 5, 5, 4, 4 and 4. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >add 7 to left Done. The left group contains: 9 and 7. The center group is empty. The right group is empty. The numbers available to you are: 8, 6, 6, 6, 6, 5, 5, 5, 4, 4 and 4. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >add 5 to left Done. The left group contains: 9, 7 and 5. The center group is empty. The right group is empty. The numbers available to you are: 8, 6, 6, 6, 6, 5, 5, 4, 4 and 4. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >add 4 to left Done. The left group contains: 9, 7, 5 and 4. The center group is empty. The right group is empty. The numbers available to you are: 8, 6, 6, 6, 6, 5, 5, 4 and 4. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >add 8 to center Done. The left group contains: 9, 7, 5 and 4. The center group contains: 8. The right group is empty. The numbers available to you are: 6, 6, 6, 6, 5, 5, 4 and 4. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >add 6 to center Done. The left group contains: 9, 7, 5 and 4. The center group contains: 8 and 6. The right group is empty. The numbers available to you are: 6, 6, 6, 5, 5, 4 and 4. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >add 6 to center Done. The left group contains: 9, 7, 5 and 4. The center group contains: 8, 6 and 6. The right group is empty. The numbers available to you are: 6, 6, 5, 5, 4 and 4. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >add 5 to center Done. The left group contains: 9, 7, 5 and 4. The center group contains: 8, 6, 6 and 5. The right group is empty. The numbers available to you are: 6, 6, 5, 4 and 4. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >add 6 to right Done. The left group contains: 9, 7, 5 and 4. The center group contains: 8, 6, 6 and 5. The right group contains: 6. The numbers available to you are: 6, 5, 4 and 4. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >add 6 to right Done. The left group contains: 9, 7, 5 and 4. The center group contains: 8, 6, 6 and 5. The right group contains: 6 and 6. The numbers available to you are: 5, 4 and 4. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >add 5 to right Done. The left group contains: 9, 7, 5 and 4. The center group contains: 8, 6, 6 and 5. The right group contains: 6, 6 and 5. The numbers available to you are: 4 and 4. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >add 4 to right Done. The left group contains: 9, 7, 5 and 4. The center group contains: 8, 6, 6 and 5. The right group contains: 6, 6, 5 and 4. The numbers available to you are: 4. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >add 4 to right The new IC chip is now lying perfectly flat on the circuit board. However, it could be dislodged or fall out at any time. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >solder board You must first place something on the workstation. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >put board on station You put the circuit board on the workstation. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >solder board You slide the circuit board on the surface of the workstation until the housing for the IC chip comes into view on the controls. Then, you carefully adjust its position so the traces on the circuit board are perfectly centered. When you are satisfied, you activate the soldering iron. Slowly, it descends. You watch, mesmerized, as the artificial intelligence guiding the soldering iron expertly solders the new IC chip onto the circuit board. You must reposition the circuit board a few times, but very soon the job is done and the soldering iron returns to its resting position. Congratulations! The circuit board is now in working order. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >get board Taken. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Darkened Passage You find yourself in a small, uninteresting passage with no light source of its own. To your right is a door. You can also continue inward through a squat opening or outward through a narrow opening. >r (first opening the refrigeration unit door) You open the refrigeration unit door. Frigid air pours forth from the opening, sending shivers up and down your spine. The door swiftly closes behind you. Refrigeration Unit You are standing in Research Lab A-U61's refrigeration unit. The air is very cold. So cold, in fact, you doubt you can remain here for long. On a table in the center of the room is a small tank. The tank is filled with a translucent, viscous liquid bubbling slowly but energetically. Above you in the ceiling is a large vent. Frigid air streams into the room, descending in fluffy, freezing clouds over your shoulders and sending chills to your bones. The only exit is outward. The air in here absolutely frigid! It stabs at your face with sharp, invisible knives. You've never experienced anything like it before. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow (first opening the refrigeration unit door) The door swiftly closes behind you. Darkened Passage You find yourself in a small, uninteresting passage with no light source of its own. To your right is a door. You can also continue inward through a squat opening or outward through a narrow opening. >ow Dev 3 Four workstations have been arranged in a square in the center of this room, basking in the bright light from the glow panels. Nestled between them is a bank of manipulators. What appear to be controls for the manipulators have been built onto the surface of each workstation. Through a glass wall to the right, you see a hallway. A door has been cut into the glass. Set in the middle of the inward wall is a narrow opening. You can see a sturdy locker (empty) here. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow You can't go that way. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >r (first opening the glass door) The glass door swings shut behind you. Lab Hallway Outward You are standing at one end of a short, bare hallway lit by glow panels. The left wall is made entirely of glass. Through it you can see into Dev 3. Normally, a few researchers can be seen toiling within, but now it is strangely empty. To the left a door has been cut into the glass. Another door is to your right. A smart sign is affixed to it. Outward is a third door made entirely of metal. Inward, the corridor continues towards the Lobby. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >turn wheel The wheel turns to the right. You hear an abrupt grinding coming from the heavy, metal door. It opens. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow The metal door swings shut behind you. Restricted Corridor You are standing in a hallway, unremarkable in every way. Outward an alarm is blaring. Inward is a metal door leading to the unrestricted part of the research lab. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow Corridor Terminus You have arrived at the end of the lab's main corridor. The area has an alien feel. For one thing, there are no glow panels; you are standing in a soup of shadows. Metal pipes gather at the far end of the right wall and run in sleek bunches back towards the metal door. Eventually, they disappear into the wall. Condensation clings to some of the pipes and occasionally drips to the floor; steam drifts from others. An acrid odor hangs in the air. Between the off-pitch wails of the alarm blaring from an adjacent room, you can hear a sharp, electric buzzing. Patches of colored light are ejected from the open doorway to the right. They pass over your feet in well-measured cycles. The alarm is coming from there. To the left is a reinforced door. Outward is an airlock. The corridor itself leads inward toward the unrestricted part of the lab. You can see an ecopack here. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >r Dev 2 You are standing in a room where the most sensitive work in Research Lab A-U61 is conducted. It is a cramped, busy area. Every meter of wall space and every corner are being used. The devices you see strewn about are not in working order; they lie in various states of semi-completion or decomposition. You suspect that operational candidates are brought to another place for testing. Ordinarily, you would be overwhelmed and unable to identify any particular item of use. The ceiling above you, however, is studded with bright lights, each angled to illuminate the most important workspaces. One beam of light is focused on the EF harvester. Nearby is a control panel. A second beam of light illuminates a workstation. Unlike the other workstations, this one has been cleared, leaving plenty of room for a hollow, cubic device about the size of your head. A label identifies it as a "transmutor". Outward is the lab's main corridor, the only exit. The loud wailing of an alarm is sounding in this room. You can see Lloyd here. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >put board in controller Can't do it. >x transmutor The transmutor is a medium-sized, hollow cube with a glass front. A single object can be placed inside. A thick, flexible tube is attached to the backside and extends into the wall. On the top is a white button. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >l Dev 2 You are standing in a room where the most sensitive work in Research Lab A-U61 is conducted. It is a cramped, busy area. Every meter of wall space and every corner are being used. The devices you see strewn about are not in working order; they lie in various states of semi-completion or decomposition. You suspect that operational candidates are brought to another place for testing. Ordinarily, you would be overwhelmed and unable to identify any particular item of use. The ceiling above you, however, is studded with bright lights, each angled to illuminate the most important workspaces. One beam of light is focused on the EF harvester. Nearby is a control panel. A second beam of light illuminates a workstation. Unlike the other workstations, this one has been cleared, leaving plenty of room for a hollow, cubic device about the size of your head. A label identifies it as a "transmutor". Outward is the lab's main corridor, the only exit. The loud wailing of an alarm is sounding in this room. You can see Lloyd here. >put board in panel You put the circuit board into the control panel. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >turn on transmutor It isn't something you can switch. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >x panel The control panel is covered in a thicket of gadgetry which is completely foreign to you. Standing in front of it is Lloyd, the helpful hologram. He never touches the control panel, but you notice that every once in a while a switch will flip or a dial will adjust, as if of their own volition. To one side, you notice blackish markings emanating in straight lines from a thin, rectangular slot in the surface of the control panel. The slot contains a circuit board. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ask lloyd about panel "This panel controls the EF harvester, insofar as it still can. At the moment, I am using it to divert power away from the harvester's internal battery. This is a stopgap measure at best. A permanent solution would be to perform a controlled discharge. I have determined that a controlled discharge is possible, but the trigger is located elsewhere. "I see you have fixed the circuit board and put it in the control panel. Well done. Now a controlled discharge is possible, should you locate the trigger." A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ask lloyd about trigger "I am not aware what triggers a controlled discharge of the EF harvester, but I do suspect it is located somewhere inside the research lab. "One thing I can tell you is that Ati sometimes held meetings concerning this project in Dev 1. You might try looking around in there." A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow Corridor Terminus You have arrived at the end of the lab's main corridor. The area has an alien feel. For one thing, there are no glow panels; you are standing in a soup of shadows. Metal pipes gather at the far end of the right wall and run in sleek bunches back towards the metal door. Eventually, they disappear into the wall. Condensation clings to some of the pipes and occasionally drips to the floor; steam drifts from others. An acrid odor hangs in the air. Between the off-pitch wails of the alarm blaring from an adjacent room, you can hear a sharp, electric buzzing. Patches of colored light are ejected from the open doorway to the right. They pass over your feet in well-measured cycles. The alarm is coming from there. To the left is a reinforced door. Outward is an airlock. The corridor itself leads inward toward the unrestricted part of the lab. You can see an ecopack here. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Restricted Corridor You are standing in a hallway, unremarkable in every way. Outward an alarm is blaring. Inward is a metal door leading to the unrestricted part of the research lab. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw (first opening the metal door) The metal door swings shut behind you, followed by a curt grinding sound. Lab Hallway Outward You are standing at one end of a short, bare hallway lit by glow panels. The left wall is made entirely of glass. Through it you can see into Dev 3. Normally, a few researchers can be seen toiling within, but now it is strangely empty. To the left a door has been cut into the glass. Another door is to your right. A smart sign is affixed to it. Outward is a third door made entirely of metal. Inward, the corridor continues towards the Lobby. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >f (first opening the glass door) The glass door swings shut behind you. Dev 3 Four workstations have been arranged in a square in the center of this room, basking in the bright light from the glow panels. Nestled between them is a bank of manipulators. What appear to be controls for the manipulators have been built onto the surface of each workstation. Through a glass wall to the right, you see a hallway. A door has been cut into the glass. Set in the middle of the inward wall is a narrow opening. You can see a sturdy locker (empty) here. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Darkened Passage You find yourself in a small, uninteresting passage with no light source of its own. To your right is a door. You can also continue inward through a squat opening or outward through a narrow opening. >iw Dev 1 A shallow depression in the center dominates this room. Above it, a crane protrudes from the ceiling. Hanging nearby from a thick wire that leads into the wall is a controller. On one wall hangs a whiteboard. Otherwise, this area is sparse. This place has a strange smell, and splotches of grime and corrosion can be seen on the walls and ceiling. Both are no doubt remnants of spectacularly promising experiments. A squat opening leads outward, and a doorway obscured by a thick, black curtain leads inward. The wall to the right is made entirely of glass, on the other side of which is the research lab's main hallway. It is accessible through an almost invisible door. A crawlspace leads left from the space revealed by the shallow depression. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >x controller A heavy, rectangular hunk of plastex that's charred in places, it is attached to a wire that runs into the wall near the shallow depression. A large switch is in the center. The large switch is down. Above it is a button (the top button) and below it is an identical one (the bottom button). In the controller is a gizmo. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >l Dev 1 A shallow depression in the center dominates this room. Above it, a crane protrudes from the ceiling. Hanging nearby from a thick wire that leads into the wall is a controller. On one wall hangs a whiteboard. Otherwise, this area is sparse. This place has a strange smell, and splotches of grime and corrosion can be seen on the walls and ceiling. Both are no doubt remnants of spectacularly promising experiments. A squat opening leads outward, and a doorway obscured by a thick, black curtain leads inward. The wall to the right is made entirely of glass, on the other side of which is the research lab's main hallway. It is accessible through an almost invisible door. A crawlspace leads left from the space revealed by the shallow depression. >x whiteboard The whiteboard is a large, rectangular touchscreen used primarily for drawing, although it can also act as a vidscreen for conferencing. On it, the lab's scientists work out complex problems amid heated discussion. Someone must have cleared the whiteboard before exiting the lab, because there is nothing on it. Or so you thought at first glance. In the corner, however, you see some doodling. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >x doodling You have already gleaned as much knowledge from the doodling as you are going to. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >l Dev 1 A shallow depression in the center dominates this room. Above it, a crane protrudes from the ceiling. Hanging nearby from a thick wire that leads into the wall is a controller. On one wall hangs a whiteboard. Otherwise, this area is sparse. This place has a strange smell, and splotches of grime and corrosion can be seen on the walls and ceiling. Both are no doubt remnants of spectacularly promising experiments. A squat opening leads outward, and a doorway obscured by a thick, black curtain leads inward. The wall to the right is made entirely of glass, on the other side of which is the research lab's main hallway. It is accessible through an almost invisible door. A crawlspace leads left from the space revealed by the shallow depression. >ow Darkened Passage You find yourself in a small, uninteresting passage with no light source of its own. To your right is a door. You can also continue inward through a squat opening or outward through a narrow opening. >ow Dev 3 Four workstations have been arranged in a square in the center of this room, basking in the bright light from the glow panels. Nestled between them is a bank of manipulators. What appear to be controls for the manipulators have been built onto the surface of each workstation. Through a glass wall to the right, you see a hallway. A door has been cut into the glass. Set in the middle of the inward wall is a narrow opening. You can see a sturdy locker (empty) here. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >r (first opening the glass door) The glass door swings shut behind you. Lab Hallway Outward You are standing at one end of a short, bare hallway lit by glow panels. The left wall is made entirely of glass. Through it you can see into Dev 3. Normally, a few researchers can be seen toiling within, but now it is strangely empty. To the left a door has been cut into the glass. Another door is to your right. A smart sign is affixed to it. Outward is a third door made entirely of metal. Inward, the corridor continues towards the Lobby. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >r (first opening the office door) The lock is activated by the chip key, and you hear a slight rasping noise from the door. You hear a slight click after the door swings shut. Lab Director's Office You are in the lab director's office - your office, for what it's worth. Looking around, you can see that the previous lab director had little if any personality. Framed by bare, white walls, the room prominently features a shallow, curved desk. Behind the desk tucked against the wall is a heavy, metal safe. The room is dimly lit by a single glow panel near the ceiling; the others appear to be out of service. Outward is a door leading to the research lab's main corridor. You can see the lab director's chair here. >sit You get into the lab director's chair. The keyboard lights up, and the monochrome screen flickers. Writing appears. __________________________________________ | | 1. Toggle Refrigeration Unit door lock. | 2. Toggle Refrigeration Unit ventilation | 3. Activate God's Holy Wrath __________________________________________ >3 At first, nothing happens. You sit back in the lab director's chair and cock your head, straining to catch any sound. And then you notice it. The desk is shaking. In fact, the whole room - the entire research lab, you imagine - is vibrating. The waves steadily increase in intensity. Soon they are accompanied by a low, pervasive noise. The inexorably rising thrumming is coming from the ceiling in the direction of the hallway outside. The noise quickly grows deafening. You wince and cover your ears. How much more can this building take? you wonder before quickly pushing the thought from your mind. And then it happens. A final crescendo. A wave of heat washes over you. The short-wave radio emits a jolting, high-pitched screeching that drowns out any transmission. Then, the shaking stops. The noise dies away. There is a lonely crash as something falls off a shelf somewhere in the lab. What follows is an ominous silence punctured by an endless stream of soft static coming from the short-wave radio. >ow (first getting out of the lab director's chair) The monochrome screen winks out. The light around the keyboard dims and fades out. (first opening the office door) The lock is activated by the chip key, and you hear a slight rasping noise from the door. You cautiously emerge from the lab director's office, looking for clues as to the nature and magnitude of the power you just unleashed. Here in the lab's main hallway, you can see that a few ceiling tiles have shaken loose, but that's about all. Through the glass wall, however, you see that some of the researchers' equipment has shifted, even the heavier stuff. Your gaze eventually comes to rest on the lobby door at the far end of the corridor. Your ears strain, but if the Tucker M. Carlson plaza is in disarray, you can't hear anything. You hear a slight click after the door swings shut. Lab Hallway Outward You are standing at one end of a short, bare hallway lit by glow panels. The left wall is made entirely of glass. Through it you can see into Dev 3. Normally, a few researchers can be seen toiling within, but now it is strangely empty. To the left a door has been cut into the glass. Another door is to your right. A smart sign is affixed to it. Outward is a third door made entirely of metal. Inward, the corridor continues towards the Lobby. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Lab Hallway Center You are standing in the center of a bare hallway lit by glow panels. The wall to your left is made entirely of glass. Just out of reach above your head, a security camera relentlessly surveys the hallway and the areas visible through the glass wall. To the left, you can see the Refrigeration Unit. Across from it, to your right, is a plain door. The hallway continues both inward and outward. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Lab Hallway Inward This is the beginning of Research Lab A-U61's main hallway, lit by glow panels. It is bare and - thanks to your best efforts - mostly free of dust. To your left is a glass wall. Through it, you can see into Dev 1. The thin outline of a door is visible in the glass. Opposite the glass wall to your right is a battered door. The lobby door is inward, and the hallway stretches outward. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. Whatever you were trying to do, your plans are interrupted by a wave of angry faces, rolling in at you from the direction of the plaza. Their sudden appearance disturbs you - but more so the bloodlust in their eyes. You hear numerous shouts as they close in. "There she is!" and "Get the traitor who destroyed the plaza!" and "Send her to meet the Great Buddha!" This is, no doubt, the menacing crowd that had gathered at the behest of the God and Freedom Church, augmented by a few innocent passers-by, all of whom were caught up in the unfortunate destruction you unleashed upon the Tucker M. Carlson plaza. The mob descends upon you and tears you limb from limb. *** You forgot about the menacing crowd, huh? *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > undo Lab Hallway Inward [Previous turn undone.] >undo Lab Hallway Center [Previous turn undone.] >undo Lab Hallway Outward [Previous turn undone.] >undo Lab Director's Office [Previous turn undone.] >undo Lab Director's Office [Previous turn undone.] >undo Lab Director's Office [Previous turn undone.] >undo Lab Hallway Outward [Previous turn undone.] >iw Lab Hallway Center You are standing in the center of a bare hallway lit by glow panels. The wall to your left is made entirely of glass. Just out of reach above your head, a security camera relentlessly surveys the hallway and the areas visible through the glass wall. To the left, you can see the Refrigeration Unit. Across from it, to your right, is a plain door. The hallway continues both inward and outward. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Lab Hallway Inward This is the beginning of Research Lab A-U61's main hallway, lit by glow panels. It is bare and - thanks to your best efforts - mostly free of dust. To your left is a glass wall. Through it, you can see into Dev 1. The thin outline of a door is visible in the glass. Opposite the glass wall to your right is a battered door. The lobby door is inward, and the hallway stretches outward. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. >iw You pass through the turnstile and push through the revolving door. Plaza, by the Lab You are standing outside Research Lab A-U61. A decorative statuette protrudes from the wall, but otherwise the building and its purpose is unmarked. The decorative statuette is gripping a concave mirror. The normally bustling Tucker M. Carlson plaza is strangely subdued today. Inward, you see a mobile response unit set up by Homeland Security, which explains why. All the citizens in the area have been detained for questioning, and - for the moment at least - no one is allowed to leave. To the right is a row of vendors, and to the left a billboard hangs over a security camera. Beyond them, a caring demonstration is getting under way. Outward is a revolving door leading into the lab. A few more people trickle in to the plaza and join the menacing crowd. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >x crowd These newcomers mill about loosely in the vicinity of the Museum of Athletic Ability. They all have their various pretexts, and if you didn't already know their true intent you would hardly have given them a second thought. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >record crowd It's really only useful to record citizens. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >x museum (the Museum of Athletic Ability) The Museum of Athletic Ability dominates the center of the Tucker M. Carlson plaza. It is a cluster of open-air exhibitions dedicated to the manifold perils of exercise. Here, the Bunker's citizens can learn all about the terrible injuries, anal bleeding and loss of loyalty associated with an excess of physical activity. The Museum of Athletic Ability is broken into stations, all of which are interactive. The last station is dedicated to the many medications available to citizens of the Bunker - mostly free of charge - that obviate the need for tedious and time-consuming exercise routines. Next to the exit is a pair of flimsy, plastex figures - a happy, young couple, one of which is holding out a bowl of unmarked pills. The other exhorts over and over again, "There's no need to risk your long-term health just to give a jolt to your brain's reward centers! Here, why don't you try one of these!" A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >x pills Can't do it. >put yellow pill in bowl Can't do it. >x bowl Can't do it. >take pills Can't do it. >take pill Which do you mean, the yellow pill or the red pill? >none I only understood the first part of that-- trying anyway. Retrying as: >TAKE NONE Can't do it. >x museum (the Museum of Athletic Ability) The Museum of Athletic Ability dominates the center of the Tucker M. Carlson plaza. It is a cluster of open-air exhibitions dedicated to the manifold perils of exercise. Here, the Bunker's citizens can learn all about the terrible injuries, anal bleeding and loss of loyalty associated with an excess of physical activity. The Museum of Athletic Ability is broken into stations, all of which are interactive. The last station is dedicated to the many medications available to citizens of the Bunker - mostly free of charge - that obviate the need for tedious and time-consuming exercise routines. Next to the exit is a pair of flimsy, plastex figures - a happy, young couple, one of which is holding out a bowl of unmarked pills. The other exhorts over and over again, "There's no need to risk your long-term health just to give a jolt to your brain's reward centers! Here, why don't you try one of these!" A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Plaza, Near the Museum You are standing halfway to the center of the plaza. A sense of travesty and loss envelops you here. Nearby, corpses have been piled into a sloppy stack, and a mobile response unit has been hastily set up next to it. A long queue of frightened, weeping citizens has formed there, waiting patiently to exonerate themselves. Outward is the Museum of Athletic Ability, occupying the very center of the plaza. There, a group of exercise enthusiasts has gathered for some intense stretching. Inward is the entrance to Research Lab A-U61. To the left and right are large, empty spaces, beyond which are corridors leading off to other parts of the department. You can see the agent from Homeland Security here. The agent from Homeland Security summarily dismisses her subject, who breathes a scarcely concealed sigh of relief and walks quickly off towards one of the connecting corridors. "Next!" A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ask agent about crowd (the agent from Homeland Security about that) The agent's eyes narrow suspicously. "Hmm, are you trying to distract me?" The sound of a PA going off disturbs the thick silence that has descended over the queue. Without looking up, the agent from Homeland Security jabs a pen in the direction whence it came. "No calls!" Then, she looks up and scans the queue. "No messages. No apps. No communication with anyone - except me! Got it?" A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ask agent about museum (the agent from Homeland Security about that) "Those exercise freaks over there? No, they aren't suspects because - unlike you - they never went into the research lab. "Wait, I read about this in training... are you trying to deflect suspicion away from yourself?" She quickly rifles through her paperwork and adds a note next to your name. The agent from Homeland Security waves someone forward. "Next!" At the front of the queue, you see a wizened old man. Something immediately strikes you as odd about him. After all, you've only ever seen old people on the tube. "Who me?" wheezes the wizened old man, as if awakening from a dream. He starts laughing. The laughter grows intense - too intense for a wizened old man. "Yes, yes, you'll get what you ask for!" He lurches forward, spreads his feet apart, and appears to pull an invisible cord. The wizened old man uncerimoniously flickers into nothingness, a surprised look on his face. There follows an awkward moment of silence. The voice of the agent from Homeland Security rings out again. "Okay, okay. Next!" A few more people trickle in to the plaza and join the menacing crowd. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >l Plaza, Near the Museum You are standing halfway to the center of the plaza. A sense of travesty and loss envelops you here. Nearby, corpses have been piled into a sloppy stack, and a mobile response unit has been hastily set up next to it. A long queue of frightened, weeping citizens has formed there, waiting patiently to exonerate themselves. Outward is the Museum of Athletic Ability, occupying the very center of the plaza. There, a group of exercise enthusiasts has gathered for some intense stretching. Inward is the entrance to Research Lab A-U61. To the left and right are large, empty spaces, beyond which are corridors leading off to other parts of the department. You can see the agent from Homeland Security here. >ow Plaza, by the Lab You are standing outside Research Lab A-U61. A decorative statuette protrudes from the wall, but otherwise the building and its purpose is unmarked. The decorative statuette is gripping a concave mirror. The normally bustling Tucker M. Carlson plaza is strangely subdued today. Inward, you see a mobile response unit set up by Homeland Security, which explains why. All the citizens in the area have been detained for questioning, and - for the moment at least - no one is allowed to leave. To the right is a row of vendors, and to the left a billboard hangs over a security camera. Beyond them, a caring demonstration is getting under way. Outward is a revolving door leading into the lab. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Plaza, Near the Museum You are standing halfway to the center of the plaza. A sense of travesty and loss envelops you here. Nearby, corpses have been piled into a sloppy stack, and a mobile response unit has been hastily set up next to it. A long queue of frightened, weeping citizens has formed there, waiting patiently to exonerate themselves. Outward is the Museum of Athletic Ability, occupying the very center of the plaza. There, a group of exercise enthusiasts has gathered for some intense stretching. Inward is the entrance to Research Lab A-U61. To the left and right are large, empty spaces, beyond which are corridors leading off to other parts of the department. You can see the agent from Homeland Security here. The agent from Homeland Security summarily dismisses her subject, who breathes a scarcely concealed sigh of relief and walks quickly off towards one of the connecting corridors. "Next!" A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw The agent from Homeland Security perks up. "Ah, excuse me!" she shouts, pointing a pen in your direction. "You're still a Person of Interest in this matter. So don't even THINK of skulking off... unless you have something to hide?" The citizens in the queue study you intensely, hoping to catch some hint of your duplicity. The sound of a PA going off disturbs the thick silence that has descended over the queue. Without looking up, the agent from Homeland Security jabs a pen in the direction whence it came. "No calls!" Then, she looks up and scans the queue. "No messages. No apps. No communication with anyone - except me! Got it?" A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow Plaza, by the Lab You are standing outside Research Lab A-U61. A decorative statuette protrudes from the wall, but otherwise the building and its purpose is unmarked. The decorative statuette is gripping a concave mirror. The normally bustling Tucker M. Carlson plaza is strangely subdued today. Inward, you see a mobile response unit set up by Homeland Security, which explains why. All the citizens in the area have been detained for questioning, and - for the moment at least - no one is allowed to leave. To the right is a row of vendors, and to the left a billboard hangs over a security camera. Beyond them, a caring demonstration is getting under way. Outward is a revolving door leading into the lab. A few more people trickle in to the plaza and join the menacing crowd. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Plaza, Near the Museum You are standing halfway to the center of the plaza. A sense of travesty and loss envelops you here. Nearby, corpses have been piled into a sloppy stack, and a mobile response unit has been hastily set up next to it. A long queue of frightened, weeping citizens has formed there, waiting patiently to exonerate themselves. Outward is the Museum of Athletic Ability, occupying the very center of the plaza. There, a group of exercise enthusiasts has gathered for some intense stretching. Inward is the entrance to Research Lab A-U61. To the left and right are large, empty spaces, beyond which are corridors leading off to other parts of the department. You can see the agent from Homeland Security here. A Ward of the State skips over to the mobile response unit. The queue of citizens tenses up as she walks among them. They offer gifts, little bribes to make her go away. The Ward of the State, however, rejects them all with a callous refrain: "Junk!" Eventually, she comes to you. "So, what do you got?" You make a show of patting down your jumpsuit in search of something suitable, all the while shaking your trusty feather duster in the girl's face. After a few gasps and sneezes, the Ward of the State storms off. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >x statues Can't do it. >x statue A grotesque carving of a fantastic creature with wings. You have no idea what it is supposed to represent. It is, however, ugly, and like most people you prefer to ignore it. The creature's claws grasp a concave mirror. A metal rod extends from the center out towards the focal point. The metal rod is pointing towards the Ward of the State. The agent from Homeland Security waves someone forward. "Next!" At the front of the queue, you see a wizened old man. Something immediately strikes you as odd about him. After all, you've only ever seen old people on the tube. "Who me?" wheezes the wizened old man, as if awakening from a dream. He starts laughing. The laughter grows intense - too intense for a wizened old man. "Yes, yes, you'll get what you ask for!" He lurches forward, spreads his feet apart, and appears to pull an invisible cord. The wizened old man uncerimoniously flickers into nothingness, a surprised look on his face. There follows an awkward moment of silence. The voice of the agent from Homeland Security rings out again. "Okay, okay. Next!" A few more people trickle in to the plaza and join the menacing crowd. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >l Plaza, Near the Museum You are standing halfway to the center of the plaza. A sense of travesty and loss envelops you here. Nearby, corpses have been piled into a sloppy stack, and a mobile response unit has been hastily set up next to it. A long queue of frightened, weeping citizens has formed there, waiting patiently to exonerate themselves. Outward is the Museum of Athletic Ability, occupying the very center of the plaza. There, a group of exercise enthusiasts has gathered for some intense stretching. Inward is the entrance to Research Lab A-U61. To the left and right are large, empty spaces, beyond which are corridors leading off to other parts of the department. You can see the agent from Homeland Security here. >x enthusiasts A group of about seven citizens, they are organized in a circle. Scattered about are piles of expensive exercise equipment, all of which looks brand new. Some are doing squats, backs straight and heads staring forward. Others look like they are marching in slow motion, planting a foot deliberately on the floor in front as they extend a back leg. Together, the exercise enthusiasts cycle endlessly through the various stretches they have learned to perfection, executing them with a seriousness that belies the fact they will never actually break a sweat. A few of their children - mere toddlers, too young to be Wards of the State - wander aimlessly among the exercise equipment, trying not to spontaneously fall down. The agent from Homeland Security scribbles on a paper form, then snatches her PA and jabs hurriedly at it. "Now hold on a minutestretch!" she barks at her subject, who halts mid-sentence, terrified. When she's done, she looks up at her interviewee and smiles reassuringly. "Yeah, you were saying?" A few more people trickle in to the plaza and join the menacing crowd. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >glue enthusiasts What do you want to glue the enthusiasts to? >ground Unless specifically mentioned by the text, avoid general concepts like the floor and ceiling. Try typing LOOK and then using verbs like TAKE or EXAMINE on the things you see mentioned. >x children A group of about seven citizens, they are organized in a circle. Scattered about are piles of expensive exercise equipment, all of which looks brand new. Some are doing squats, backs straight and heads staring forward. Others look like they are marching in slow motion, planting a foot deliberately on the floor in front as they extend a back leg. Together, the exercise enthusiasts cycle endlessly through the various stretches they have learned to perfection, executing them with a seriousness that belies the fact they will never actually break a sweat. A few of their children - mere toddlers, too young to be Wards of the State - wander aimlessly among the exercise equipment, trying not to spontaneously fall down. A Ward of the State skips over to the mobile response unit. The queue of citizens tenses up as she walks among them. They offer gifts, little bribes to make her go away. The Ward of the State, however, rejects them all with a callous refrain: "Junk!" Eventually, she comes to you. "So, what do you got?" You make a show of patting down your jumpsuit in search of something suitable, all the while shaking your trusty feather duster in the girl's face. After a few gasps and sneezes, the Ward of the State storms off. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >put glue on floor Unless specifically mentioned by the text, avoid general concepts like the floor and ceiling. Try typing LOOK and then using verbs like TAKE or EXAMINE on the things you see mentioned. >drop glue Can't do it. >i You're carrying (in plain sight): a blackened IC chip a glass jar a wrench the feather duster Ati's Card a short-wave radio the yellow pill an electromagnet the red pill a shiny black helmet Renardin's Card the lab office chip key Silia's Card your PA your Card You're wearing: some rubber gloves your boots your jumpsuit bunny ears >take off gloves You take off the rubber gloves. A Ward of the State skips over to the mobile response unit. The queue of citizens tenses up as she walks among them. They offer gifts, little bribes to make her go away. The Ward of the State, however, rejects them all with a callous refrain: "Junk!" Eventually, she comes to you. "So, what do you got?" You make a show of patting down your jumpsuit in search of something suitable, all the while shaking your trusty feather duster in the girl's face. After a few gasps and sneezes, the Ward of the State storms off. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >x museum The Museum of Athletic Ability dominates the center of the Tucker M. Carlson plaza. It is a cluster of open-air exhibitions dedicated to the manifold perils of exercise. Here, the Bunker's citizens can learn all about the terrible injuries, anal bleeding and loss of loyalty associated with an excess of physical activity. The Museum of Athletic Ability is broken into stations, all of which are interactive. The last station is dedicated to the many medications available to citizens of the Bunker - mostly free of charge - that obviate the need for tedious and time-consuming exercise routines. Next to the exit is a pair of flimsy, plastex figures - a happy, young couple, one of which is holding out a bowl of unmarked pills. The other exhorts over and over again, "There's no need to risk your long-term health just to give a jolt to your brain's reward centers! Here, why don't you try one of these!" The sound of a PA going off disturbs the thick silence that has descended over the queue. Without looking up, the agent from Homeland Security jabs a pen in the direction whence it came. "No calls!" Then, she looks up and scans the queue. "No messages. No apps. No communication with anyone - except me! Got it?" A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >x medications Which do you mean, the yellow pill or the red pill? >x plastex figures The Museum of Athletic Ability dominates the center of the Tucker M. Carlson plaza. It is a cluster of open-air exhibitions dedicated to the manifold perils of exercise. Here, the Bunker's citizens can learn all about the terrible injuries, anal bleeding and loss of loyalty associated with an excess of physical activity. The Museum of Athletic Ability is broken into stations, all of which are interactive. The last station is dedicated to the many medications available to citizens of the Bunker - mostly free of charge - that obviate the need for tedious and time-consuming exercise routines. Next to the exit is a pair of flimsy, plastex figures - a happy, young couple, one of which is holding out a bowl of unmarked pills. The other exhorts over and over again, "There's no need to risk your long-term health just to give a jolt to your brain's reward centers! Here, why don't you try one of these!" A Ward of the State skips over to the mobile response unit. The queue of citizens tenses up as she walks among them. They offer gifts, little bribes to make her go away. The Ward of the State, however, rejects them all with a callous refrain: "Junk!" Eventually, she comes to you. "So, what do you got?" You make a show of patting down your jumpsuit in search of something suitable, all the while shaking your trusty feather duster in the girl's face. After a few gasps and sneezes, the Ward of the State storms off. A few more people trickle in to the plaza and join the menacing crowd. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >x plastex bowl I only understood the first part of that-- trying anyway. Retrying as: >X PLASTEX Can't do it. >x bowl Can't do it. >x pills Can't do it. >l Plaza, Near the Museum You are standing halfway to the center of the plaza. A sense of travesty and loss envelops you here. Nearby, corpses have been piled into a sloppy stack, and a mobile response unit has been hastily set up next to it. A long queue of frightened, weeping citizens has formed there, waiting patiently to exonerate themselves. Outward is the Museum of Athletic Ability, occupying the very center of the plaza. There, a group of exercise enthusiasts has gathered for some intense stretching. Inward is the entrance to Research Lab A-U61. To the left and right are large, empty spaces, beyond which are corridors leading off to other parts of the department. You can see the agent from Homeland Security here. >x crowd These newcomers mill about loosely in the vicinity of the Museum of Athletic Ability. They all have their various pretexts, and if you didn't already know their true intent you would hardly have given them a second thought. A flustered citizen approaches from the direction of the Museum of Athletic Ability and scampers past the mobile response unit, completely oblivious to what's going on. He heads straight for the row of vendors and disappears from view. Sure enough, after a short wait he comes trotting back, some small item he purchased clutched in one hand. As he's about to pass, the agent from Homeland Security pipes up. "Where do you think you're going?" The man, struggling to understand the gravity of the situation, blabbers on about the Museum of Athletic Ability. "I see. Well, you can tell me all about how you weren't present when the poison gas leaked into the plaza - when it's your turn! Now get to the back of the queue or I'll have you fitted with a restraint." Realizing he has no choice, the man reluctantly complies. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >record entusiasts Can't do it. >stretch That's not a verb I recognise. >do yoga That's not a verb I recognise. >talk to enthusiasts Can't do it. >x enthusiasts A group of about seven citizens, they are organized in a circle. Scattered about are piles of expensive exercise equipment, all of which looks brand new. Some are doing squats, backs straight and heads staring forward. Others look like they are marching in slow motion, planting a foot deliberately on the floor in front as they extend a back leg. Together, the exercise enthusiasts cycle endlessly through the various stretches they have learned to perfection, executing them with a seriousness that belies the fact they will never actually break a sweat. A few of their children - mere toddlers, too young to be Wards of the State - wander aimlessly among the exercise equipment, trying not to spontaneously fall down. The agent from Homeland Security summarily dismisses her subject, who breathes a scarcely concealed sigh of relief and walks quickly off towards one of the connecting corridors. "Next!" A few more people trickle in to the plaza and join the menacing crowd. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >excercise That's not a verb I recognise. >ask tony about enthusiasts (Tony Bleet about that) You speak into the short-wave radio. After a brief pause, Tony's voice responds. "The short-wave radio isn't a toy! Remember: you are on an important mission! There's no time for idle talk." The agent from Homeland Security waves someone forward. "Next!" At the front of the queue, you see a wizened old man. Something immediately strikes you as odd about him. After all, you've only ever seen old people on the tube. "Who me?" wheezes the wizened old man, as if awakening from a dream. He starts laughing. The laughter grows intense - too intense for a wizened old man. "Yes, yes, you'll get what you ask for!" He lurches forward, spreads his feet apart, and appears to pull an invisible cord. The wizened old man uncerimoniously flickers into nothingness, a surprised look on his face. There follows an awkward moment of silence. The voice of the agent from Homeland Security rings out again. "Okay, okay. Next!" A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >as agent about enthusiasts That's not a verb I recognise. >ask agent about enthusiasts (the agent from Homeland Security about that) "Those exercise freaks over there? No, they aren't suspects because - unlike you - they never went into the research lab. "Wait, I read about this in training... are you trying to deflect suspicion away from yourself?" She quickly rifles through her paperwork and adds a note next to your name. The agent from Homeland Security scribbles on a paper form, then snatches her PA and jabs hurriedly at it. "Now hold on a minutestretch!" she barks at her subject, who halts mid-sentence, terrified. When she's done, she looks up at her interviewee and smiles reassuringly. "Yeah, you were saying?" A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw The agent from Homeland Security perks up. "Ah, excuse me!" she shouts, pointing a pen in your direction. "You're still a Person of Interest in this matter. So don't even THINK of skulking off... unless you have something to hide?" The citizens in the queue study you intensely, hoping to catch some hint of your duplicity. The agent from Homeland Security summarily dismisses her subject, who breathes a scarcely concealed sigh of relief and walks quickly off towards one of the connecting corridors. "Next!" A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >hint (If you're using a screen reader, press S to turn on Screen Reader mode. This message only appears on the front page of the menu system.) 1. New to Interactive Fiction 2. New to Nothing Could Be Further From the Truth 3. New to the Bunker 4. Credits 5. Hints (Hints) 1. What's going on? 2. I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape? 3. Can I get an Epsilon security clearance in this game? 4. Can I get a Delta security clearance in this game? 5. Every time I smell, I sneeze. 6. What is the zorgot? 7. The security camera keeps blasting me for no reason. 8. A search and extraction team or two thugs or a tall, gangly man show up and end the game. 9. Lobby 0. Elsewhere in the Research Lab A. Restricted Research Lab B. Plaza C. Control D. The underground E. Waste of space F. Accusing someone (Hints - Plaza) 1. The research lab keeps blowing up. 2. How do I get the plastex from the Ward of the State? 3. Can Tony Bleet help me? 4. Can the agent from Homeland Security help me? 5. I am being accosted by first responders from Defense. (Hints) 1. What's going on? 2. I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape? 3. Can I get an Epsilon security clearance in this game? 4. Can I get a Delta security clearance in this game? 5. Every time I smell, I sneeze. 6. What is the zorgot? 7. The security camera keeps blasting me for no reason. 8. A search and extraction team or two thugs or a tall, gangly man show up and end the game. 9. Lobby 0. Elsewhere in the Research Lab A. Restricted Research Lab B. Plaza C. Control D. The underground E. Waste of space F. Accusing someone (Hints - Restricted Research Lab) 1. Dev 2 2. Airlock (Hints - Restricted Research Lab - Dev 2) 1. What does the transmutor do? 2. How do I conduct a controlled discharge of the EF harvester? 3. How do I fix the broken circuit board? 4. How do I get the new chip to lie flat? (Hints - Restricted Research Lab - Dev 2 - How do I conduct a controlled discharge of the EF harvester?) Press H to reveal the first hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Restricted Research Lab - Dev 2 - How do I conduct a controlled discharge of the EF harvester?) 1/17: Did you ask Lloyd about it? Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Restricted Research Lab - Dev 2 - How do I conduct a controlled discharge of the EF harvester?) 1/17: Did you ask Lloyd about it? 2/17: First of all, there is a broken circuit board in the control panel. You will have to fix it first. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Restricted Research Lab - Dev 2 - How do I conduct a controlled discharge of the EF harvester?) 1/17: Did you ask Lloyd about it? 2/17: First of all, there is a broken circuit board in the control panel. You will have to fix it first. 3/17: Make sure you put the fixed circuit board back in the control panel. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Restricted Research Lab - Dev 2 - How do I conduct a controlled discharge of the EF harvester?) 1/17: Did you ask Lloyd about it? 2/17: First of all, there is a broken circuit board in the control panel. You will have to fix it first. 3/17: Make sure you put the fixed circuit board back in the control panel. 4/17: Did you examine the EF harvester? Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Restricted Research Lab - Dev 2 - How do I conduct a controlled discharge of the EF harvester?) 1/17: Did you ask Lloyd about it? 2/17: First of all, there is a broken circuit board in the control panel. You will have to fix it first. 3/17: Make sure you put the fixed circuit board back in the control panel. 4/17: Did you examine the EF harvester? 5/17: LLoyd told you that Ati led team meetings in Dev 1. Did you look around Dev 1 for clues? Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Restricted Research Lab - Dev 2 - How do I conduct a controlled discharge of the EF harvester?) 1/17: Did you ask Lloyd about it? 2/17: First of all, there is a broken circuit board in the control panel. You will have to fix it first. 3/17: Make sure you put the fixed circuit board back in the control panel. 4/17: Did you examine the EF harvester? 5/17: LLoyd told you that Ati led team meetings in Dev 1. Did you look around Dev 1 for clues? 6/17: There's a whiteboard in Dev 1. On the whiteboard is some doodling. Did you examine it? If you examine both the doodling and the EF harvester, you will get a clue. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Restricted Research Lab - Dev 2 - How do I conduct a controlled discharge of the EF harvester?) 1/17: Did you ask Lloyd about it? 2/17: First of all, there is a broken circuit board in the control panel. You will have to fix it first. 3/17: Make sure you put the fixed circuit board back in the control panel. 4/17: Did you examine the EF harvester? 5/17: LLoyd told you that Ati led team meetings in Dev 1. Did you look around Dev 1 for clues? 6/17: There's a whiteboard in Dev 1. On the whiteboard is some doodling. Did you examine it? If you examine both the doodling and the EF harvester, you will get a clue. 7/17: Ati hooked up the EF harvester to the research lab itself. He created a power conduit that leads from the EF harvester all the way to the front of the research lab. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Restricted Research Lab - Dev 2 - How do I conduct a controlled discharge of the EF harvester?) 1/17: Did you ask Lloyd about it? 2/17: First of all, there is a broken circuit board in the control panel. You will have to fix it first. 3/17: Make sure you put the fixed circuit board back in the control panel. 4/17: Did you examine the EF harvester? 5/17: LLoyd told you that Ati led team meetings in Dev 1. Did you look around Dev 1 for clues? 6/17: There's a whiteboard in Dev 1. On the whiteboard is some doodling. Did you examine it? If you examine both the doodling and the EF harvester, you will get a clue. 7/17: Ati hooked up the EF harvester to the research lab itself. He created a power conduit that leads from the EF harvester all the way to the front of the research lab. 8/17: The concave mirror in Dev 2 has a V-shaped electronic interface. What else has a V-shaped electronic interface? Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Restricted Research Lab - Dev 2 - How do I conduct a controlled discharge of the EF harvester?) 1/17: Did you ask Lloyd about it? 2/17: First of all, there is a broken circuit board in the control panel. You will have to fix it first. 3/17: Make sure you put the fixed circuit board back in the control panel. 4/17: Did you examine the EF harvester? 5/17: LLoyd told you that Ati led team meetings in Dev 1. Did you look around Dev 1 for clues? 6/17: There's a whiteboard in Dev 1. On the whiteboard is some doodling. Did you examine it? If you examine both the doodling and the EF harvester, you will get a clue. 7/17: Ati hooked up the EF harvester to the research lab itself. He created a power conduit that leads from the EF harvester all the way to the front of the research lab. 8/17: The concave mirror in Dev 2 has a V-shaped electronic interface. What else has a V-shaped electronic interface? 9/17: The decorative statuette next to the entrance to the research lab. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Restricted Research Lab - Dev 2 - How do I conduct a controlled discharge of the EF harvester?) 1/17: Did you ask Lloyd about it? 2/17: First of all, there is a broken circuit board in the control panel. You will have to fix it first. 3/17: Make sure you put the fixed circuit board back in the control panel. 4/17: Did you examine the EF harvester? 5/17: LLoyd told you that Ati led team meetings in Dev 1. Did you look around Dev 1 for clues? 6/17: There's a whiteboard in Dev 1. On the whiteboard is some doodling. Did you examine it? If you examine both the doodling and the EF harvester, you will get a clue. 7/17: Ati hooked up the EF harvester to the research lab itself. He created a power conduit that leads from the EF harvester all the way to the front of the research lab. 8/17: The concave mirror in Dev 2 has a V-shaped electronic interface. What else has a V-shaped electronic interface? 9/17: The decorative statuette next to the entrance to the research lab. 10/17: Put the concave mirror in the decorative statuette. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Restricted Research Lab - Dev 2 - How do I conduct a controlled discharge of the EF harvester?) 1/17: Did you ask Lloyd about it? 2/17: First of all, there is a broken circuit board in the control panel. You will have to fix it first. 3/17: Make sure you put the fixed circuit board back in the control panel. 4/17: Did you examine the EF harvester? 5/17: LLoyd told you that Ati led team meetings in Dev 1. Did you look around Dev 1 for clues? 6/17: There's a whiteboard in Dev 1. On the whiteboard is some doodling. Did you examine it? If you examine both the doodling and the EF harvester, you will get a clue. 7/17: Ati hooked up the EF harvester to the research lab itself. He created a power conduit that leads from the EF harvester all the way to the front of the research lab. 8/17: The concave mirror in Dev 2 has a V-shaped electronic interface. What else has a V-shaped electronic interface? 9/17: The decorative statuette next to the entrance to the research lab. 10/17: Put the concave mirror in the decorative statuette. 11/17: Now you need to find the trigger. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Restricted Research Lab - Dev 2 - How do I conduct a controlled discharge of the EF harvester?) 1/17: Did you ask Lloyd about it? 2/17: First of all, there is a broken circuit board in the control panel. You will have to fix it first. 3/17: Make sure you put the fixed circuit board back in the control panel. 4/17: Did you examine the EF harvester? 5/17: LLoyd told you that Ati led team meetings in Dev 1. Did you look around Dev 1 for clues? 6/17: There's a whiteboard in Dev 1. On the whiteboard is some doodling. Did you examine it? If you examine both the doodling and the EF harvester, you will get a clue. 7/17: Ati hooked up the EF harvester to the research lab itself. He created a power conduit that leads from the EF harvester all the way to the front of the research lab. 8/17: The concave mirror in Dev 2 has a V-shaped electronic interface. What else has a V-shaped electronic interface? 9/17: The decorative statuette next to the entrance to the research lab. 10/17: Put the concave mirror in the decorative statuette. 11/17: Now you need to find the trigger. 12/17: Atikurrahman Vosh was a loyal member of the God and Freedom Church. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Restricted Research Lab - Dev 2 - How do I conduct a controlled discharge of the EF harvester?) 1/17: Did you ask Lloyd about it? 2/17: First of all, there is a broken circuit board in the control panel. You will have to fix it first. 3/17: Make sure you put the fixed circuit board back in the control panel. 4/17: Did you examine the EF harvester? 5/17: LLoyd told you that Ati led team meetings in Dev 1. Did you look around Dev 1 for clues? 6/17: There's a whiteboard in Dev 1. On the whiteboard is some doodling. Did you examine it? If you examine both the doodling and the EF harvester, you will get a clue. 7/17: Ati hooked up the EF harvester to the research lab itself. He created a power conduit that leads from the EF harvester all the way to the front of the research lab. 8/17: The concave mirror in Dev 2 has a V-shaped electronic interface. What else has a V-shaped electronic interface? 9/17: The decorative statuette next to the entrance to the research lab. 10/17: Put the concave mirror in the decorative statuette. 11/17: Now you need to find the trigger. 12/17: Atikurrahman Vosh was a loyal member of the God and Freedom Church. 13/17: The trigger is likely to be in a place reserved solely for his use. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Restricted Research Lab - Dev 2 - How do I conduct a controlled discharge of the EF harvester?) 1/17: Did you ask Lloyd about it? 2/17: First of all, there is a broken circuit board in the control panel. You will have to fix it first. 3/17: Make sure you put the fixed circuit board back in the control panel. 4/17: Did you examine the EF harvester? 5/17: LLoyd told you that Ati led team meetings in Dev 1. Did you look around Dev 1 for clues? 6/17: There's a whiteboard in Dev 1. On the whiteboard is some doodling. Did you examine it? If you examine both the doodling and the EF harvester, you will get a clue. 7/17: Ati hooked up the EF harvester to the research lab itself. He created a power conduit that leads from the EF harvester all the way to the front of the research lab. 8/17: The concave mirror in Dev 2 has a V-shaped electronic interface. What else has a V-shaped electronic interface? 9/17: The decorative statuette next to the entrance to the research lab. 10/17: Put the concave mirror in the decorative statuette. 11/17: Now you need to find the trigger. 12/17: Atikurrahman Vosh was a loyal member of the God and Freedom Church. 13/17: The trigger is likely to be in a place reserved solely for his use. 14/17: The Lab Director's Office. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Restricted Research Lab - Dev 2 - How do I conduct a controlled discharge of the EF harvester?) 1/17: Did you ask Lloyd about it? 2/17: First of all, there is a broken circuit board in the control panel. You will have to fix it first. 3/17: Make sure you put the fixed circuit board back in the control panel. 4/17: Did you examine the EF harvester? 5/17: LLoyd told you that Ati led team meetings in Dev 1. Did you look around Dev 1 for clues? 6/17: There's a whiteboard in Dev 1. On the whiteboard is some doodling. Did you examine it? If you examine both the doodling and the EF harvester, you will get a clue. 7/17: Ati hooked up the EF harvester to the research lab itself. He created a power conduit that leads from the EF harvester all the way to the front of the research lab. 8/17: The concave mirror in Dev 2 has a V-shaped electronic interface. What else has a V-shaped electronic interface? 9/17: The decorative statuette next to the entrance to the research lab. 10/17: Put the concave mirror in the decorative statuette. 11/17: Now you need to find the trigger. 12/17: Atikurrahman Vosh was a loyal member of the God and Freedom Church. 13/17: The trigger is likely to be in a place reserved solely for his use. 14/17: The Lab Director's Office. 15/17: Did you notice the option to Activate God's Holy Wrath when sitting at the terminal? Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Restricted Research Lab - Dev 2 - How do I conduct a controlled discharge of the EF harvester?) 1/17: Did you ask Lloyd about it? 2/17: First of all, there is a broken circuit board in the control panel. You will have to fix it first. 3/17: Make sure you put the fixed circuit board back in the control panel. 4/17: Did you examine the EF harvester? 5/17: LLoyd told you that Ati led team meetings in Dev 1. Did you look around Dev 1 for clues? 6/17: There's a whiteboard in Dev 1. On the whiteboard is some doodling. Did you examine it? If you examine both the doodling and the EF harvester, you will get a clue. 7/17: Ati hooked up the EF harvester to the research lab itself. He created a power conduit that leads from the EF harvester all the way to the front of the research lab. 8/17: The concave mirror in Dev 2 has a V-shaped electronic interface. What else has a V-shaped electronic interface? 9/17: The decorative statuette next to the entrance to the research lab. 10/17: Put the concave mirror in the decorative statuette. 11/17: Now you need to find the trigger. 12/17: Atikurrahman Vosh was a loyal member of the God and Freedom Church. 13/17: The trigger is likely to be in a place reserved solely for his use. 14/17: The Lab Director's Office. 15/17: Did you notice the option to Activate God's Holy Wrath when sitting at the terminal? 16/17: Triggering a controlled discharge only works when all these steps have been executed. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Restricted Research Lab - Dev 2 - How do I conduct a controlled discharge of the EF harvester?) 1/17: Did you ask Lloyd about it? 2/17: First of all, there is a broken circuit board in the control panel. You will have to fix it first. 3/17: Make sure you put the fixed circuit board back in the control panel. 4/17: Did you examine the EF harvester? 5/17: LLoyd told you that Ati led team meetings in Dev 1. Did you look around Dev 1 for clues? 6/17: There's a whiteboard in Dev 1. On the whiteboard is some doodling. Did you examine it? If you examine both the doodling and the EF harvester, you will get a clue. 7/17: Ati hooked up the EF harvester to the research lab itself. He created a power conduit that leads from the EF harvester all the way to the front of the research lab. 8/17: The concave mirror in Dev 2 has a V-shaped electronic interface. What else has a V-shaped electronic interface? 9/17: The decorative statuette next to the entrance to the research lab. 10/17: Put the concave mirror in the decorative statuette. 11/17: Now you need to find the trigger. 12/17: Atikurrahman Vosh was a loyal member of the God and Freedom Church. 13/17: The trigger is likely to be in a place reserved solely for his use. 14/17: The Lab Director's Office. 15/17: Did you notice the option to Activate God's Holy Wrath when sitting at the terminal? 16/17: Triggering a controlled discharge only works when all these steps have been executed. 17/17: God's Holy Wrath only works if you have already dealt with the documents. (You have revealed all the hints on this page.) ------------------------ (Hints - Restricted Research Lab - Dev 2) 1. What does the transmutor do? 2. How do I conduct a controlled discharge of the EF harvester? 3. How do I fix the broken circuit board? 4. How do I get the new chip to lie flat? (Hints - Restricted Research Lab) 1. Dev 2 2. Airlock (Hints) 1. What's going on? 2. I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape? 3. Can I get an Epsilon security clearance in this game? 4. Can I get a Delta security clearance in this game? 5. Every time I smell, I sneeze. 6. What is the zorgot? 7. The security camera keeps blasting me for no reason. 8. A search and extraction team or two thugs or a tall, gangly man show up and end the game. 9. Lobby 0. Elsewhere in the Research Lab A. Restricted Research Lab B. Plaza C. Control D. The underground E. Waste of space F. Accusing someone (Hints - Plaza) 1. The research lab keeps blowing up. 2. How do I get the plastex from the Ward of the State? 3. Can Tony Bleet help me? 4. Can the agent from Homeland Security help me? 5. I am being accosted by first responders from Defense. (Hints) 1. What's going on? 2. I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape? 3. Can I get an Epsilon security clearance in this game? 4. Can I get a Delta security clearance in this game? 5. Every time I smell, I sneeze. 6. What is the zorgot? 7. The security camera keeps blasting me for no reason. 8. A search and extraction team or two thugs or a tall, gangly man show up and end the game. 9. Lobby 0. Elsewhere in the Research Lab A. Restricted Research Lab B. Plaza C. Control D. The underground E. Waste of space F. Accusing someone (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab) 1. How do I get past the metal door in Lab Hallway Outward? 2. How do I get into the Lab Director's Office? 3. I can't get through the revolving door in the Lobby. 4. Depot 5. Dev 1 6. Dev 3 7. Dressing room 8. Storage Room 9. Refrigeration unit 0. Lab director's office A. Vending machine (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Vending machine) 1. The vending machine won't sell me anything. 2. I have the protective cover. Now what? 3. The vending machine has the protective cover. I still can't buy anything. (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Vending machine - The vending machine has the protective cover. I still can't buy anything.) Press H to reveal the first hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Vending machine - The vending machine has the protective cover. I still can't buy anything.) 1/1: That's right. The remainder of the items in the vending machine are simply there to tease you. (This page has just the one hint.) ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Vending machine) 1. The vending machine won't sell me anything. 2. I have the protective cover. Now what? 3. The vending machine has the protective cover. I still can't buy anything. (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Vending machine - The vending machine won't sell me anything.) 1/4: It wants its protective cover. 2/4: Have you seen anything like it around? 3/4: Maybe out in the plaza? 4/4: The Ward of the State has it. (You have revealed all the hints on this page.) ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Vending machine) 1. The vending machine won't sell me anything. 2. I have the protective cover. Now what? 3. The vending machine has the protective cover. I still can't buy anything. (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab) 1. How do I get past the metal door in Lab Hallway Outward? 2. How do I get into the Lab Director's Office? 3. I can't get through the revolving door in the Lobby. 4. Depot 5. Dev 1 6. Dev 3 7. Dressing room 8. Storage Room 9. Refrigeration unit 0. Lab director's office A. Vending machine (Hints) 1. What's going on? 2. I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape? 3. Can I get an Epsilon security clearance in this game? 4. Can I get a Delta security clearance in this game? 5. Every time I smell, I sneeze. 6. What is the zorgot? 7. The security camera keeps blasting me for no reason. 8. A search and extraction team or two thugs or a tall, gangly man show up and end the game. 9. Lobby 0. Elsewhere in the Research Lab A. Restricted Research Lab B. Plaza C. Control D. The underground E. Waste of space F. Accusing someone (Hints - The underground) 1. Do I have to cooperate with Asimov and Area 51? 2. How do I find the cell of the God and Freedom Church? 3. I know where the cell is. How do I destroy it? 4. I know where the cell is. How do I join them? 5. The menacing crowd (Hints - The underground - The menacing crowd) 1. How do I deal with the menacing crowd? 2. How do I instruct my co-conspirator? (Hints - The underground - The menacing crowd - How do I deal with the menacing crowd?) 1/14: If only there was a weapon in the lab that could be used against them. 2/14: Have you examined the EF harvester? Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - The underground - The menacing crowd - How do I deal with the menacing crowd?) 1/14: If only there was a weapon in the lab that could be used against them. 2/14: Have you examined the EF harvester? 3/14: Have you figured out the secret behind the EF harvester? Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - The underground - The menacing crowd - How do I deal with the menacing crowd?) 1/14: If only there was a weapon in the lab that could be used against them. 2/14: Have you examined the EF harvester? 3/14: Have you figured out the secret behind the EF harvester? 4/14: The lab itself acts as a kind of laser cannon. The source of the power is the EF harvester (which conveniently needs to be discharged). Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - The underground - The menacing crowd) 1. How do I deal with the menacing crowd? 2. How do I instruct my co-conspirator? (Hints - The underground - The menacing crowd - How do I instruct my co-conspirator?) 1/8: You want to give an instruction to someone from a distance. 2/8: You are ready to execute a controlled discharge of the EF harvester. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - The underground - The menacing crowd - How do I instruct my co-conspirator?) 1/8: You want to give an instruction to someone from a distance. 2/8: You are ready to execute a controlled discharge of the EF harvester. 3/8: You were informed that Tony Bleet is selling a short-wave radio. Maybe you should buy it. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - The underground - The menacing crowd - How do I instruct my co-conspirator?) 1/8: You want to give an instruction to someone from a distance. 2/8: You are ready to execute a controlled discharge of the EF harvester. 3/8: You were informed that Tony Bleet is selling a short-wave radio. Maybe you should buy it. 4/8: Make sure it is turned to the correct channel: "set channel to x". The correct channel is either 3 (Area 51) or 27 (Church). Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - The underground - The menacing crowd - How do I instruct my co-conspirator?) 1/8: You want to give an instruction to someone from a distance. 2/8: You are ready to execute a controlled discharge of the EF harvester. 3/8: You were informed that Tony Bleet is selling a short-wave radio. Maybe you should buy it. 4/8: Make sure it is turned to the correct channel: "set channel to x". The correct channel is either 3 (Area 51) or 27 (Church). 5/8: Make sure the radio is turned on. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - The underground - The menacing crowd - How do I instruct my co-conspirator?) 1/8: You want to give an instruction to someone from a distance. 2/8: You are ready to execute a controlled discharge of the EF harvester. 3/8: You were informed that Tony Bleet is selling a short-wave radio. Maybe you should buy it. 4/8: Make sure it is turned to the correct channel: "set channel to x". The correct channel is either 3 (Area 51) or 27 (Church). 5/8: Make sure the radio is turned on. 6/8: If you have executed these steps correctly, your co-conspirator will let you know through the radio. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - The underground - The menacing crowd - How do I instruct my co-conspirator?) 1/8: You want to give an instruction to someone from a distance. 2/8: You are ready to execute a controlled discharge of the EF harvester. 3/8: You were informed that Tony Bleet is selling a short-wave radio. Maybe you should buy it. 4/8: Make sure it is turned to the correct channel: "set channel to x". The correct channel is either 3 (Area 51) or 27 (Church). 5/8: Make sure the radio is turned on. 6/8: If you have executed these steps correctly, your co-conspirator will let you know through the radio. 7/8: If you give the correct instruction to achieve what you want in plain sight (i.e., in the plaza) it will be ignored. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - The underground - The menacing crowd - How do I instruct my co-conspirator?) 1/8: You want to give an instruction to someone from a distance. 2/8: You are ready to execute a controlled discharge of the EF harvester. 3/8: You were informed that Tony Bleet is selling a short-wave radio. Maybe you should buy it. 4/8: Make sure it is turned to the correct channel: "set channel to x". The correct channel is either 3 (Area 51) or 27 (Church). 5/8: Make sure the radio is turned on. 6/8: If you have executed these steps correctly, your co-conspirator will let you know through the radio. 7/8: If you give the correct instruction to achieve what you want in plain sight (i.e., in the plaza) it will be ignored. 8/8: You can only issue the instruction inside the lab. (You have revealed all the hints on this page.) ------------------------ (Hints - The underground - The menacing crowd) 1. How do I deal with the menacing crowd? 2. How do I instruct my co-conspirator? (Hints - The underground) 1. Do I have to cooperate with Asimov and Area 51? 2. How do I find the cell of the God and Freedom Church? 3. I know where the cell is. How do I destroy it? 4. I know where the cell is. How do I join them? 5. The menacing crowd (Hints) 1. What's going on? 2. I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape? 3. Can I get an Epsilon security clearance in this game? 4. Can I get a Delta security clearance in this game? 5. Every time I smell, I sneeze. 6. What is the zorgot? 7. The security camera keeps blasting me for no reason. 8. A search and extraction team or two thugs or a tall, gangly man show up and end the game. 9. Lobby 0. Elsewhere in the Research Lab A. Restricted Research Lab B. Plaza C. Control D. The underground E. Waste of space F. Accusing someone (If you're using a screen reader, press S to turn on Screen Reader mode. This message only appears on the front page of the menu system.) 1. New to Interactive Fiction 2. New to Nothing Could Be Further From the Truth 3. New to the Bunker 4. Credits 5. Hints Plaza, Near the Museum You are standing halfway to the center of the plaza. A sense of travesty and loss envelops you here. Nearby, corpses have been piled into a sloppy stack, and a mobile response unit has been hastily set up next to it. A long queue of frightened, weeping citizens has formed there, waiting patiently to exonerate themselves. Outward is the Museum of Athletic Ability, occupying the very center of the plaza. There, a group of exercise enthusiasts has gathered for some intense stretching. Inward is the entrance to Research Lab A-U61. To the left and right are large, empty spaces, beyond which are corridors leading off to other parts of the department. You can see the agent from Homeland Security here. >iw The agent from Homeland Security perks up. "Ah, excuse me!" she shouts, pointing a pen in your direction. "You're still a Person of Interest in this matter. So don't even THINK of skulking off... unless you have something to hide?" The citizens in the queue study you intensely, hoping to catch some hint of your duplicity. A flustered citizen approaches from the direction of the Museum of Athletic Ability and scampers past the mobile response unit, completely oblivious to what's going on. He heads straight for the row of vendors and disappears from view. Sure enough, after a short wait he comes trotting back, some small item he purchased clutched in one hand. As he's about to pass, the agent from Homeland Security pipes up. "Where do you think you're going?" The man, struggling to understand the gravity of the situation, blabbers on about the Museum of Athletic Ability. "I see. Well, you can tell me all about how you weren't present when the poison gas leaked into the plaza - when it's your turn! Now get to the back of the queue or I'll have you fitted with a restraint." Realizing he has no choice, the man reluctantly complies. A few more people trickle in to the plaza and join the menacing crowd. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow Plaza, by the Lab You are standing outside Research Lab A-U61. A decorative statuette protrudes from the wall, but otherwise the building and its purpose is unmarked. The decorative statuette is gripping a concave mirror. The normally bustling Tucker M. Carlson plaza is strangely subdued today. Inward, you see a mobile response unit set up by Homeland Security, which explains why. All the citizens in the area have been detained for questioning, and - for the moment at least - no one is allowed to leave. To the right is a row of vendors, and to the left a billboard hangs over a security camera. Beyond them, a caring demonstration is getting under way. Outward is a revolving door leading into the lab. A few more people trickle in to the plaza and join the menacing crowd. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow You push through the revolving door and scramble with difficulty over the turnstile, confident no one is observing you. Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. >tell tony about discharge (Tony Bleet about that) The short-wave radio is meant for quick, clandestine communication. If you want to have longer exchanges, it's probably best to go see Tony and personally explain. >hit What do you want to hit? >hint (If you're using a screen reader, press S to turn on Screen Reader mode. This message only appears on the front page of the menu system.) 1. New to Interactive Fiction 2. New to Nothing Could Be Further From the Truth 3. New to the Bunker 4. Credits 5. Hints (Hints) 1. What's going on? 2. I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape? 3. Can I get an Epsilon security clearance in this game? 4. Can I get a Delta security clearance in this game? 5. Every time I smell, I sneeze. 6. What is the zorgot? 7. The security camera keeps blasting me for no reason. 8. A search and extraction team or two thugs or a tall, gangly man show up and end the game. 9. Lobby 0. Elsewhere in the Research Lab A. Restricted Research Lab B. Plaza C. Control D. The underground E. Waste of space F. Accusing someone (Hints - Restricted Research Lab) 1. Dev 2 2. Airlock (Hints - Restricted Research Lab - Dev 2) 1. What does the transmutor do? 2. How do I conduct a controlled discharge of the EF harvester? 3. How do I fix the broken circuit board? 4. How do I get the new chip to lie flat? (Hints - Restricted Research Lab - Dev 2 - How do I conduct a controlled discharge of the EF harvester?) 1/17: Did you ask Lloyd about it? 2/17: First of all, there is a broken circuit board in the control panel. You will have to fix it first. 3/17: Make sure you put the fixed circuit board back in the control panel. 4/17: Did you examine the EF harvester? 5/17: LLoyd told you that Ati led team meetings in Dev 1. Did you look around Dev 1 for clues? 6/17: There's a whiteboard in Dev 1. On the whiteboard is some doodling. Did you examine it? If you examine both the doodling and the EF harvester, you will get a clue. 7/17: Ati hooked up the EF harvester to the research lab itself. He created a power conduit that leads from the EF harvester all the way to the front of the research lab. 8/17: The concave mirror in Dev 2 has a V-shaped electronic interface. What else has a V-shaped electronic interface? 9/17: The decorative statuette next to the entrance to the research lab. 10/17: Put the concave mirror in the decorative statuette. 11/17: Now you need to find the trigger. 12/17: Atikurrahman Vosh was a loyal member of the God and Freedom Church. 13/17: The trigger is likely to be in a place reserved solely for his use. 14/17: The Lab Director's Office. 15/17: Did you notice the option to Activate God's Holy Wrath when sitting at the terminal? 16/17: Triggering a controlled discharge only works when all these steps have been executed. 17/17: God's Holy Wrath only works if you have already dealt with the documents. (You have revealed all the hints on this page.) ------------------------ (Hints - Restricted Research Lab - Dev 2) 1. What does the transmutor do? 2. How do I conduct a controlled discharge of the EF harvester? 3. How do I fix the broken circuit board? 4. How do I get the new chip to lie flat? (Hints - Restricted Research Lab) 1. Dev 2 2. Airlock (Hints) 1. What's going on? 2. I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape? 3. Can I get an Epsilon security clearance in this game? 4. Can I get a Delta security clearance in this game? 5. Every time I smell, I sneeze. 6. What is the zorgot? 7. The security camera keeps blasting me for no reason. 8. A search and extraction team or two thugs or a tall, gangly man show up and end the game. 9. Lobby 0. Elsewhere in the Research Lab A. Restricted Research Lab B. Plaza C. Control D. The underground E. Waste of space F. Accusing someone (Hints - The underground) 1. Do I have to cooperate with Asimov and Area 51? 2. How do I find the cell of the God and Freedom Church? 3. I know where the cell is. How do I destroy it? 4. I know where the cell is. How do I join them? 5. The menacing crowd (Hints - The underground - The menacing crowd) 1. How do I deal with the menacing crowd? 2. How do I instruct my co-conspirator? (Hints - The underground - The menacing crowd - How do I instruct my co-conspirator?) 1/8: You want to give an instruction to someone from a distance. 2/8: You are ready to execute a controlled discharge of the EF harvester. 3/8: You were informed that Tony Bleet is selling a short-wave radio. Maybe you should buy it. 4/8: Make sure it is turned to the correct channel: "set channel to x". The correct channel is either 3 (Area 51) or 27 (Church). 5/8: Make sure the radio is turned on. 6/8: If you have executed these steps correctly, your co-conspirator will let you know through the radio. 7/8: If you give the correct instruction to achieve what you want in plain sight (i.e., in the plaza) it will be ignored. 8/8: You can only issue the instruction inside the lab. (You have revealed all the hints on this page.) ------------------------ (Hints - The underground - The menacing crowd) 1. How do I deal with the menacing crowd? 2. How do I instruct my co-conspirator? (Hints - The underground) 1. Do I have to cooperate with Asimov and Area 51? 2. How do I find the cell of the God and Freedom Church? 3. I know where the cell is. How do I destroy it? 4. I know where the cell is. How do I join them? 5. The menacing crowd (Hints) 1. What's going on? 2. I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape? 3. Can I get an Epsilon security clearance in this game? 4. Can I get a Delta security clearance in this game? 5. Every time I smell, I sneeze. 6. What is the zorgot? 7. The security camera keeps blasting me for no reason. 8. A search and extraction team or two thugs or a tall, gangly man show up and end the game. 9. Lobby 0. Elsewhere in the Research Lab A. Restricted Research Lab B. Plaza C. Control D. The underground E. Waste of space F. Accusing someone (If you're using a screen reader, press S to turn on Screen Reader mode. This message only appears on the front page of the menu system.) 1. New to Interactive Fiction 2. New to Nothing Could Be Further From the Truth 3. New to the Bunker 4. Credits 5. Hints Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. >tony, take cover You can hear the exasperation in Tony's voice even through the short-wave radio. "Stop joking around!" >tony, get out You can hear the exasperation in Tony's voice even through the short-wave radio. "Stop joking around!" >tony, discharge You can hear the exasperation in Tony's voice even through the short-wave radio. "Stop joking around!" >tony, duck You can hear the exasperation in Tony's voice even through the short-wave radio. "Stop joking around!" >tell tony about discharge (Tony Bleet about that) The short-wave radio is meant for quick, clandestine communication. If you want to have longer exchanges, it's probably best to go see Tony and personally explain. >ow Lab Hallway Inward This is the beginning of Research Lab A-U61's main hallway, lit by glow panels. It is bare and - thanks to your best efforts - mostly free of dust. To your left is a glass wall. Through it, you can see into Dev 1. The thin outline of a door is visible in the glass. Opposite the glass wall to your right is a battered door. The lobby door is inward, and the hallway stretches outward. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >f (first opening the glass door) The glass door swings shut behind you. Dev 1 A shallow depression in the center dominates this room. Above it, a crane protrudes from the ceiling. Hanging nearby from a thick wire that leads into the wall is a controller. On one wall hangs a whiteboard. Otherwise, this area is sparse. This place has a strange smell, and splotches of grime and corrosion can be seen on the walls and ceiling. Both are no doubt remnants of spectacularly promising experiments. A squat opening leads outward, and a doorway obscured by a thick, black curtain leads inward. The wall to the right is made entirely of glass, on the other side of which is the research lab's main hallway. It is accessible through an almost invisible door. A crawlspace leads left from the space revealed by the shallow depression. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >r (first opening the glass door) The glass door swings shut behind you. Lab Hallway Inward This is the beginning of Research Lab A-U61's main hallway, lit by glow panels. It is bare and - thanks to your best efforts - mostly free of dust. To your left is a glass wall. Through it, you can see into Dev 1. The thin outline of a door is visible in the glass. Opposite the glass wall to your right is a battered door. The lobby door is inward, and the hallway stretches outward. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. >iw You pass through the turnstile and push through the revolving door. Plaza, by the Lab You are standing outside Research Lab A-U61. A decorative statuette protrudes from the wall, but otherwise the building and its purpose is unmarked. The decorative statuette is gripping a concave mirror. The normally bustling Tucker M. Carlson plaza is strangely subdued today. Inward, you see a mobile response unit set up by Homeland Security, which explains why. All the citizens in the area have been detained for questioning, and - for the moment at least - no one is allowed to leave. To the right is a row of vendors, and to the left a billboard hangs over a security camera. Beyond them, a caring demonstration is getting under way. Outward is a revolving door leading into the lab. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >f Plaza, under the Billboard You are standing near the entrance to the Clement Vallandigham complex. A sign on the wall indicates it is mostly occupied by the Internal Operations division of the Procurement conglomerate, including portions of its sprawling Department of Administration. Internal Operations is responsible for mining out on the surface, sorting and refining ores, distribution of raw materials and the like. Normally a bustling corner of the plaza, today is it deserted. And you know exactly why. Citizens have gathered just to the left of this location. But this is no ordinary meeting; this is a caring demonstration. And like all caring demonstrations, it is sorely in need of volunteers. A billboard - slightly crooked - hangs above a security camera mounted overhead. Beneath them both, playing with a flat, rectangular piece of transparent plastex, is a Ward of the State. A grate set in the floor, about a meter wide, separates you. Fortunately, the Ward of the State has her back to you. To the right is the entrance to Research Lab A-U61. The Ward of the State informs you with all the confidence of a teamster that she's prettier than you are. "And smarter," she adds with a glance at the bunny ears. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >r Plaza, by the Lab You are standing outside Research Lab A-U61. A decorative statuette protrudes from the wall, but otherwise the building and its purpose is unmarked. The decorative statuette is gripping a concave mirror. The normally bustling Tucker M. Carlson plaza is strangely subdued today. Inward, you see a mobile response unit set up by Homeland Security, which explains why. All the citizens in the area have been detained for questioning, and - for the moment at least - no one is allowed to leave. To the right is a row of vendors, and to the left a billboard hangs over a security camera. Beyond them, a caring demonstration is getting under way. Outward is a revolving door leading into the lab. A few more people trickle in to the plaza and join the menacing crowd. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >r Plaza, Vendor Row In this corner of the Tucker M. Carlson plaza, tucked between the research lab and corridor ZU-8, is a row of vendors. At this time of your daystretch, most of the spots are empty. One vendor, however, stands ready to take your order. A frame of piping with a fabric roof has been placed exactly within the confines of the spot demarcated by slight markings on the floor. You can see over the shelving into the interior of the stall, where a man stares back at you expectantly. Behind him hangs a thick, splotched curtain with many folds. "Don't be shy, friend," Tony says to you. "I've got whatever you need." To the left is the entrance to the research lab. Tony's face suddenly brightens, and a finger leaps into the air. "Of course!" he exclaims. "Why didn't I think of that before?" He slips behind the curtain in the back of the stall and reappears almost immediately, a large wrench in hand. He brings it to a bench in the middle of the stall. On it is a neat, sleek unidentifiable cube - presumably a gadget of some kind. Tony slips the wrench around a bolt and gives it a tug. In response, the gadget rearranges itself. At least, that's what it looks like to you. The bolt retracts and reappears somewhere else, along with the cube's other features. Defeated, Tony tosses the wrench through the curtain where it clatters loudly to rest and returns to his place. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >tell tony about discharge (Tony Bleet about that) Tony listens attentively. When you are finished he pauses throughtfully. "I think you're onto something. If what you say is true, that EF harvester will surely disperse the crowd - if only you could figure out how to trigger it and ensure the discharge is focused in their location." Tony glances disapprovingly over at the mobile response unit. "I wish she'd hurry up over there. This investigation is killing my business!" A few more people trickle in to the plaza and join the menacing crowd. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >f Plaza, by the Lab You are standing outside Research Lab A-U61. A decorative statuette protrudes from the wall, but otherwise the building and its purpose is unmarked. The decorative statuette is gripping a concave mirror. The normally bustling Tucker M. Carlson plaza is strangely subdued today. Inward, you see a mobile response unit set up by Homeland Security, which explains why. All the citizens in the area have been detained for questioning, and - for the moment at least - no one is allowed to leave. To the right is a row of vendors, and to the left a billboard hangs over a security camera. Beyond them, a caring demonstration is getting under way. Outward is a revolving door leading into the lab. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >point mirror at crowd You are able to adjust the concave mirror until it is pointing at the menacing crowd. However, as soon as you let go it snaps back to its original position. A few more people trickle in to the plaza and join the menacing crowd. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Plaza, Near the Museum You are standing halfway to the center of the plaza. A sense of travesty and loss envelops you here. Nearby, corpses have been piled into a sloppy stack, and a mobile response unit has been hastily set up next to it. A long queue of frightened, weeping citizens has formed there, waiting patiently to exonerate themselves. Outward is the Museum of Athletic Ability, occupying the very center of the plaza. There, a group of exercise enthusiasts has gathered for some intense stretching. Inward is the entrance to Research Lab A-U61. To the left and right are large, empty spaces, beyond which are corridors leading off to other parts of the department. You can see the agent from Homeland Security here. The agent from Homeland Security summarily dismisses her subject, who breathes a scarcely concealed sigh of relief and walks quickly off towards one of the connecting corridors. "Next!" A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow Plaza, by the Lab You are standing outside Research Lab A-U61. A decorative statuette protrudes from the wall, but otherwise the building and its purpose is unmarked. The decorative statuette is gripping a concave mirror. The normally bustling Tucker M. Carlson plaza is strangely subdued today. Inward, you see a mobile response unit set up by Homeland Security, which explains why. All the citizens in the area have been detained for questioning, and - for the moment at least - no one is allowed to leave. To the right is a row of vendors, and to the left a billboard hangs over a security camera. Beyond them, a caring demonstration is getting under way. Outward is a revolving door leading into the lab. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow You push through the revolving door and scramble with difficulty over the turnstile, confident no one is observing you. Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. >tony, point mirror at crowd Tony listens to your hurried explanation and reluctantly agrees. "Done, he reports back after a brief pause. Then: "Is this really necessary? I feel stupid." >iw You pass through the turnstile and push through the revolving door. Plaza, by the Lab You are standing outside Research Lab A-U61. A decorative statuette protrudes from the wall, but otherwise the building and its purpose is unmarked. The decorative statuette is gripping a concave mirror. The normally bustling Tucker M. Carlson plaza is strangely subdued today. Inward, you see a mobile response unit set up by Homeland Security, which explains why. All the citizens in the area have been detained for questioning, and - for the moment at least - no one is allowed to leave. To the right is a row of vendors, and to the left a billboard hangs over a security camera. Beyond them, a caring demonstration is getting under way. Outward is a revolving door leading into the lab. You see Tony Bleet here, aiming the concave mirror at the menacing crowd. He is staring back at you awkwardly. A red light gleams menacingly under the plaza security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow You push through the revolving door and scramble with difficulty over the turnstile, confident no one is observing you. Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. >ow Lab Hallway Inward This is the beginning of Research Lab A-U61's main hallway, lit by glow panels. It is bare and - thanks to your best efforts - mostly free of dust. To your left is a glass wall. Through it, you can see into Dev 1. The thin outline of a door is visible in the glass. Opposite the glass wall to your right is a battered door. The lobby door is inward, and the hallway stretches outward. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow Lab Hallway Center You are standing in the center of a bare hallway lit by glow panels. The wall to your left is made entirely of glass. Just out of reach above your head, a security camera relentlessly surveys the hallway and the areas visible through the glass wall. To the left, you can see the Refrigeration Unit. Across from it, to your right, is a plain door. The hallway continues both inward and outward. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow Lab Hallway Outward You are standing at one end of a short, bare hallway lit by glow panels. The left wall is made entirely of glass. Through it you can see into Dev 3. Normally, a few researchers can be seen toiling within, but now it is strangely empty. To the left a door has been cut into the glass. Another door is to your right. A smart sign is affixed to it. Outward is a third door made entirely of metal. Inward, the corridor continues towards the Lobby. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >r (first opening the office door) The lock is activated by the chip key, and you hear a slight rasping noise from the door. You hear a slight click after the door swings shut. Lab Director's Office You are in the lab director's office - your office, for what it's worth. Looking around, you can see that the previous lab director had little if any personality. Framed by bare, white walls, the room prominently features a shallow, curved desk. Behind the desk tucked against the wall is a heavy, metal safe. The room is dimly lit by a single glow panel near the ceiling; the others appear to be out of service. Outward is a door leading to the research lab's main corridor. You can see the lab director's chair here. >sit You get into the lab director's chair. The keyboard lights up, and the monochrome screen flickers. Writing appears. __________________________________________ | | 1. Toggle Refrigeration Unit door lock. | 2. Toggle Refrigeration Unit ventilation | 3. Activate God's Holy Wrath __________________________________________ >3 At first, nothing happens. You sit back in the lab director's chair and cock your head, straining to catch any sound. And then you notice it. The desk is shaking. In fact, the whole room - the entire research lab, you imagine - is vibrating. The waves steadily increase in intensity. Soon they are accompanied by a low, pervasive noise. The inexorably rising thrumming is coming from the ceiling in the direction of the hallway outside. The noise quickly grows deafening. You wince and cover your ears. How much more can this building take? you wonder before quickly pushing the thought from your mind. And then it happens. A final crescendo. A wave of heat washes over you. The short-wave radio emits a jolting, high-pitched screeching that drowns out any transmission. Then, the shaking stops. The noise dies away. There is a lonely crash as something falls off a shelf somewhere in the lab. What follows is an ominous silence punctured by an endless stream of soft static coming from the short-wave radio. >f (first getting out of the lab director's chair) The monochrome screen winks out. The light around the keyboard dims and fades out. You can't go that way. A small light on the temple of the shiny black helmet is flashing. >put on helmet The shiny black helmet fits easily onto your head, and the visor slips over your eyes. You are instantly transported to a strange, virtual world. All around you is a grey emptiness. The only thing here is a shadowy figure suspended above you. When last you saw him, he appeared to be sitting. Then, he was pacing. Now he is jumping for joy. "You did it, Oliva! Did anyone ever truly doubt you? Your performance was exceptional. You will be a great asset to Area 51. Have you thought of a pseudonym? You can't introduce yourself as Oliva Mirram, you know. It would make you - vulnerable, if you catch my meaning." You open your mouth to speak, but Asimov cuts you off. "No time for that now! You must vacate the premises. Immediately! I will meet you in person once you do." "Hurry, Oliva Mirram! Hurry!" At that, the shadowy figure dissipates, and you are left standing in the grey emptiness. You remove the shiny black helmet and find yourself back in Lab Director's Office. >ow (first opening the office door) The lock is activated by the chip key, and you hear a slight rasping noise from the door. You cautiously emerge from the lab director's office, looking for clues as to the nature and magnitude of the power you just unleashed. Here in the lab's main hallway, you can see that a few ceiling tiles have shaken loose, but that's about all. Through the glass wall, however, you see that some of the researchers' equipment has shifted, even the heavier stuff. Your gaze eventually comes to rest on the lobby door at the far end of the corridor. Your ears strain, but if the Tucker M. Carlson plaza is in disarray, you can't hear anything. You hear a slight click after the door swings shut. Lab Hallway Outward You are standing at one end of a short, bare hallway lit by glow panels. The left wall is made entirely of glass. Through it you can see into Dev 3. Normally, a few researchers can be seen toiling within, but now it is strangely empty. To the left a door has been cut into the glass. Another door is to your right. A smart sign is affixed to it. Outward is a third door made entirely of metal. Inward, the corridor continues towards the Lobby. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. You let out a whopping, wet sneeze. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >turn wheel The wheel turns to the right. You hear an abrupt grinding coming from the heavy, metal door. It opens. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow The metal door swings shut behind you. Restricted Corridor You are standing in a hallway, unremarkable in every way. The corridor continues outward. Inward is a metal door leading to the unrestricted part of the research lab. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow Corridor Terminus You have arrived at the end of the lab's main corridor. The area has an alien feel. For one thing, there are no glow panels; you are standing in a soup of shadows. Metal pipes gather at the far end of the right wall and run in sleek bunches back towards the metal door. Eventually, they disappear into the wall. Condensation clings to some of the pipes and occasionally drips to the floor; steam drifts from others. An acrid odor hangs in the air. You hear a sharp, electric buzzing. To the right is an open doorway. To the left is a reinforced door. Outward is an airlock. The corridor itself leads inward toward the unrestricted part of the lab. You can see an ecopack here. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >put on ecopack It takes awhile, but you eventually manage to squeeze inside with all your possessions. As soon as you seal yourself up, the flow of oxygen begins. You breathe a few times just to make sure, but you appear to be perfectly fine. You take a little walk. The gravity boosters don't kick in as they are not needed. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >open airlock (the airlock door) It won't budge. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >take off ecopack It's an awkward and convoluted process, but eventually you emerge from the bulky cocoon. You set the ecopack aside. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Restricted Corridor You are standing in a hallway, unremarkable in every way. The corridor continues outward. Inward is a metal door leading to the unrestricted part of the research lab. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. You let out a whopping, wet sneeze. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw (first opening the metal door) The metal door swings shut behind you, followed by a curt grinding sound. Lab Hallway Outward You are standing at one end of a short, bare hallway lit by glow panels. The left wall is made entirely of glass. Through it you can see into Dev 3. Normally, a few researchers can be seen toiling within, but now it is strangely empty. To the left a door has been cut into the glass. Another door is to your right. A smart sign is affixed to it. Outward is a third door made entirely of metal. Inward, the corridor continues towards the Lobby. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Lab Hallway Center You are standing in the center of a bare hallway lit by glow panels. The wall to your left is made entirely of glass. Just out of reach above your head, a security camera relentlessly surveys the hallway and the areas visible through the glass wall. To the left, you can see the Refrigeration Unit. Across from it, to your right, is a plain door. The hallway continues both inward and outward. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. You let out a whopping, wet sneeze. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Lab Hallway Inward This is the beginning of Research Lab A-U61's main hallway, lit by glow panels. It is bare and - thanks to your best efforts - mostly free of dust. To your left is a glass wall. Through it, you can see into Dev 1. The thin outline of a door is visible in the glass. Opposite the glass wall to your right is a battered door. The lobby door is inward, and the hallway stretches outward. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw You are shocked to see that Yuri and Sally and the Loyalty Stretch are no longer there. The tube shows only a frizzy background of white and black - static. All your life, there has been something to watch on the tube. You have never seen NOTHING on the tube. You pause to stare at the shifting pattern and listen to the mesmerizing noise. Fear reaches its icy fingers for your heart. Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. From outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza you hear gruff shouts and the marching of booted feet. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. >iw You pass through the turnstile and push through the revolving door. Plaza, by the Lab You emerge from Research Lab A-U61 into a disaster area. Nothing remains as it was. The first detail you take in is a trail of charred, lifeless bodies leading from the decorative statuette - all that's left, you assume, of the queue of nervous citizens awaiting to clear their names. Unfortunately, the smoke in the air is too thick to see past the newly erected security cordon, so you can't see any trace of the menacing crowd. But you can safely assume they have been vaporized. You smile to yourself smugly at the thought. Over to your left, you see that the billboard has crashed to the floor. On its way, it severed both the plaza security camera from its mounting and the unfortunate Ward of the State's head from her body. Alas. Beyond them, the caring demonstration has scattered, leaving behind a smattering of drums, banners and colored cards. First responders from Defense are already on the scene. You can see their shapes darting about on the other side of the security cordon, shouting gruffly to one another. You are standing in a smoky, hellish landscape. The decorative statuette is still mounted next to the entrance to the lab, but the concave mirror must have disintegrated under the sheer magnitude of the discharge. A pile of twisted framing lies to your right, all that remains of the row of vendors. Outward, the mobile response unit has been replaced by a hastily arranged security cordon manned by first responders from Defense. You can still go left towards the billboard or back into the lab (outward). You can see Tony Bleet's body here. Thick smoke obscures the plaza beyond the security cordon. You cough fitfully. >f Before you can get very far, the chaos reigning in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza catches up with you. Thick smoke obscures the plaza beyond the security cordon. You cough fitfully. Two guardians approach you from the security cordon ahead. You know from their insignia that one is a Citizen Major and the other, walking slightly behind, a sergeant. "Ah, miss," breathes the Citizen Major as they come to a stop in front of you. "I couldn't help but notice you coming out of that revolving door there. The blueprints" - he gestures at his attendant, who is holding out his PA - "indicate this is a research facility of some kind." The Citizen Major strokes his chin with a gloved hand. "How interesting. Because, well, take a look around. And the few survivors we've interviewed have all indicated whatever explosion occurred here in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza originated here." The Citizen Major shrugs. "As you can see, this is an emergency situation. We'll need to secure the research facility to ensure it does not happen again. If you have any knowledge that will prevent further senseless destruction, by all means please relay it now. Any useful information you provide may be factored in to your punishment, should you be found at fault. Which, I'm afraid, is likely." The Citizen Major falls silent. Behind him, the sergeant seems to have noticed that the security camera which normally surveys the plaza has vanished. >get plastex Can't do it. >tell major about church "Yes, yes, but perhaps you have something of interest to share with me?" Thick smoke obscures the plaza beyond the security cordon. You cough fitfully. The Citizen Major is here. He is looking at you expectantly. Next to him is his personal attendant, a sergeant. The sergeant is staring at the location where the plaza security camera used to be. Dim understanding seems to be alighting reluctantly behind his eyes. >i You're carrying (in plain sight): a blackened IC chip a glass jar a wrench the feather duster Ati's Card a short-wave radio the yellow pill an electromagnet the red pill a shiny black helmet some rubber gloves Renardin's Card the lab office chip key Silia's Card your PA your Card You're wearing: your boots your jumpsuit bunny ears >give major renardin's card The Citizen Major glances at Renardin's Card and shakes his head. "Your problem, not mine." Thick smoke obscures the plaza beyond the security cordon. You cough fitfully. The Citizen Major is here. He is looking at you expectantly. Next to him is his personal attendant, a sergeant. The sergeant is staring at the location where the plaza security camera used to be. Dim understanding seems to be alighting reluctantly behind his eyes. You let out a whopping, wet sneeze. >r The twisted framing blocks your way. Thick smoke obscures the plaza beyond the security cordon. You cough fitfully. The Citizen Major is here. He is looking at you expectantly. Next to him is his personal attendant, a sergeant. The sergeant is staring at the location where the plaza security camera used to be. Dim understanding seems to be alighting reluctantly behind his eyes. The Citizen Major gestures to his attendant. "We're wasting our time. Take the woman into custody, will you? Hmmm? Citizen?" It may have taken him awhile, but the sergeant seems to finally have made an important realization. He giggles and says, "We're completely unsupervised. The security camera's gone!" The Citizen Major frowns and turns to his attendant. "Gone?" "Yeah!" An evil grin spreads over the sergeant's face. "That means I can do this." His superior stands frozen, a terrified look on his face, as the sergeant points his laser rifle at his chest and fires. "Bye bye!" he cackles as the Citizen Major's lifeless body crumples to the ground. Then, he turns to you. "You're next, you dirty traitor. I should get a medal for this." You run. He fires. Lights out. *** Your ineptness has finally killed you. *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > undo Plaza, by the Lab [Previous turn undone.] >x major Thin, timid and well-dressed. His laser rifle is slung behind his back. It does not seem to have had a lot of use. Thick smoke obscures the plaza beyond the security cordon. You cough fitfully. The Citizen Major is here. He is looking at you expectantly. Next to him is his personal attendant, a sergeant. The sergeant is staring at the location where the plaza security camera used to be. Dim understanding seems to be alighting reluctantly behind his eyes. You let out a whopping, wet sneeze. The Citizen Major gestures to his attendant. "We're wasting our time. Take the woman into custody, will you? Hmmm? Citizen?" It may have taken him awhile, but the sergeant seems to finally have made an important realization. He giggles and says, "We're completely unsupervised. The security camera's gone!" The Citizen Major frowns and turns to his attendant. "Gone?" "Yeah!" An evil grin spreads over the sergeant's face. "That means I can do this." His superior stands frozen, a terrified look on his face, as the sergeant points his laser rifle at his chest and fires. "Bye bye!" he cackles as the Citizen Major's lifeless body crumples to the ground. Then, he turns to you. "You're next, you dirty traitor. I should get a medal for this." You run. He fires. Lights out. *** Your ineptness has finally killed you. *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > undo Plaza, by the Lab [Previous turn undone.] >tell major about sergeant "Really? I suppose I could pretend that was interesting. I suppose I could..." Thick smoke obscures the plaza beyond the security cordon. You cough fitfully. The Citizen Major is here. He is looking at you expectantly. Next to him is his personal attendant, a sergeant. The sergeant is staring at the location where the plaza security camera used to be. Dim understanding seems to be alighting reluctantly behind his eyes. The Citizen Major gestures to his attendant. "We're wasting our time. Take the woman into custody, will you? Hmmm? Citizen?" It may have taken him awhile, but the sergeant seems to finally have made an important realization. He giggles and says, "We're completely unsupervised. The security camera's gone!" The Citizen Major frowns and turns to his attendant. "Gone?" "Yeah!" An evil grin spreads over the sergeant's face. "That means I can do this." His superior stands frozen, a terrified look on his face, as the sergeant points his laser rifle at his chest and fires. "Bye bye!" he cackles as the Citizen Major's lifeless body crumples to the ground. Then, he turns to you. "You're next, you dirty traitor. I should get a medal for this." You run. He fires. Lights out. *** Your ineptness has finally killed you. *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > undo Plaza, by the Lab [Previous turn undone.] >undo Plaza, by the Lab [Previous turn undone.] >undo Plaza, by the Lab [Previous turn undone.] >undo Plaza, by the Lab [Previous turn undone.] >undo Plaza, by the Lab [Previous turn undone.] >undo Plaza, by the Lab [Previous turn undone.] >undo Lobby [Previous turn undone.] >x machine A large, hulking, rectangular object, this vending machine is just like any other you've seen throughout the Bunker. A small touchscreen lists the items available and their cost. Next to it is a slot for your Card. At the bottom is a wide, narrow compartment where items are dispensed. In the lobby vending machine are a shallow receptacle (6 credits), an electric torch (6 credits), a Palantooter Insta-Identatron (tm) +++ (tm) (39 credits), a Marrk-X Jammin (tm) Video Output Disruptor - Epsilon clearance required (600 credits), a sparkly toy (2 credits) and a bottle of Flappantastic (1 credit). The protective cover of its dispenser is missing. From outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza you hear gruff shouts and the marching of booted feet. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. >save Ok. >ow Lab Hallway Inward This is the beginning of Research Lab A-U61's main hallway, lit by glow panels. It is bare and - thanks to your best efforts - mostly free of dust. To your left is a glass wall. Through it, you can see into Dev 1. The thin outline of a door is visible in the glass. Opposite the glass wall to your right is a battered door. The lobby door is inward, and the hallway stretches outward. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >r Storage Room You are standing in a rudimentary storage room with barely enough room to stand in. Dilapidated shelving lines three walls. Otherwise it is bare and uninteresting. The exit is outward. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. >ow Lab Hallway Inward This is the beginning of Research Lab A-U61's main hallway, lit by glow panels. It is bare and - thanks to your best efforts - mostly free of dust. To your left is a glass wall. Through it, you can see into Dev 1. The thin outline of a door is visible in the glass. Opposite the glass wall to your right is a battered door. The lobby door is inward, and the hallway stretches outward. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. You let out a whopping, wet sneeze. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. From outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza you hear gruff shouts and the marching of booted feet. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. >iw You pass through the turnstile and push through the revolving door. Plaza, by the Lab You emerge from Research Lab A-U61 into a disaster area. Nothing remains as it was. The first detail you take in is a trail of charred, lifeless bodies leading from the decorative statuette - all that's left, you assume, of the queue of nervous citizens awaiting to clear their names. Unfortunately, the smoke in the air is too thick to see past the newly erected security cordon, so you can't see any trace of the menacing crowd. But you can safely assume they have been vaporized. You smile to yourself smugly at the thought. Over to your left, you see that the billboard has crashed to the floor. On its way, it severed both the plaza security camera from its mounting and the unfortunate Ward of the State's head from her body. Alas. Beyond them, the caring demonstration has scattered, leaving behind a smattering of drums, banners and colored cards. First responders from Defense are already on the scene. You can see their shapes darting about on the other side of the security cordon, shouting gruffly to one another. You are standing in a smoky, hellish landscape. The decorative statuette is still mounted next to the entrance to the lab, but the concave mirror must have disintegrated under the sheer magnitude of the discharge. A pile of twisted framing lies to your right, all that remains of the row of vendors. Outward, the mobile response unit has been replaced by a hastily arranged security cordon manned by first responders from Defense. You can still go left towards the billboard or back into the lab (outward). You can see Tony Bleet's body here. Thick smoke obscures the plaza beyond the security cordon. You cough fitfully. >x tony Tony Bleet's body can hardly be of any use to you. Thick smoke obscures the plaza beyond the security cordon. You cough fitfully. You let out a whopping, wet sneeze. Two guardians approach you from the security cordon ahead. You know from their insignia that one is a Citizen Major and the other, walking slightly behind, a sergeant. "Ah, miss," breathes the Citizen Major as they come to a stop in front of you. "I couldn't help but notice you coming out of that revolving door there. The blueprints" - he gestures at his attendant, who is holding out his PA - "indicate this is a research facility of some kind." The Citizen Major strokes his chin with a gloved hand. "How interesting. Because, well, take a look around. And the few survivors we've interviewed have all indicated whatever explosion occurred here in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza originated here." The Citizen Major shrugs. "As you can see, this is an emergency situation. We'll need to secure the research facility to ensure it does not happen again. If you have any knowledge that will prevent further senseless destruction, by all means please relay it now. Any useful information you provide may be factored in to your punishment, should you be found at fault. Which, I'm afraid, is likely." The Citizen Major falls silent. Behind him, the sergeant seems to have noticed that the security camera which normally surveys the plaza has vanished. >tell major about ati "Really? I suppose I could pretend that was interesting. I suppose I could..." Thick smoke obscures the plaza beyond the security cordon. You cough fitfully. The Citizen Major is here. He is looking at you expectantly. Next to him is his personal attendant, a sergeant. The sergeant is staring at the location where the plaza security camera used to be. Dim understanding seems to be alighting reluctantly behind his eyes. You let out a whopping, wet sneeze. >tell major about church "Yes, yes, but perhaps you have something of interest to share with me?" Thick smoke obscures the plaza beyond the security cordon. You cough fitfully. The Citizen Major is here. He is looking at you expectantly. Next to him is his personal attendant, a sergeant. The sergeant is staring at the location where the plaza security camera used to be. Dim understanding seems to be alighting reluctantly behind his eyes. >tell major about discharge "Really? I suppose I could pretend that was interesting. I suppose I could..." Thick smoke obscures the plaza beyond the security cordon. You cough fitfully. The Citizen Major is here. He is looking at you expectantly. Next to him is his personal attendant, a sergeant. The sergeant is staring at the location where the plaza security camera used to be. Dim understanding seems to be alighting reluctantly behind his eyes. You let out a whopping, wet sneeze. The Citizen Major gestures to his attendant. "We're wasting our time. Take the woman into custody, will you? Hmmm? Citizen?" It may have taken him awhile, but the sergeant seems to finally have made an important realization. He giggles and says, "We're completely unsupervised. The security camera's gone!" The Citizen Major frowns and turns to his attendant. "Gone?" "Yeah!" An evil grin spreads over the sergeant's face. "That means I can do this." His superior stands frozen, a terrified look on his face, as the sergeant points his laser rifle at his chest and fires. "Bye bye!" he cackles as the Citizen Major's lifeless body crumples to the ground. Then, he turns to you. "You're next, you dirty traitor. I should get a medal for this." You run. He fires. Lights out. *** Your ineptness has finally killed you. *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > undo Plaza, by the Lab [Previous turn undone.] >undo Plaza, by the Lab [Previous turn undone.] >undo Plaza, by the Lab [Previous turn undone.] >undo Plaza, by the Lab [Previous turn undone.] >undo Lobby [Previous turn undone.] >ow Lab Hallway Inward This is the beginning of Research Lab A-U61's main hallway, lit by glow panels. It is bare and - thanks to your best efforts - mostly free of dust. To your left is a glass wall. Through it, you can see into Dev 1. The thin outline of a door is visible in the glass. Opposite the glass wall to your right is a battered door. The lobby door is inward, and the hallway stretches outward. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow Lab Hallway Center You are standing in the center of a bare hallway lit by glow panels. The wall to your left is made entirely of glass. Just out of reach above your head, a security camera relentlessly surveys the hallway and the areas visible through the glass wall. To the left, you can see the Refrigeration Unit. Across from it, to your right, is a plain door. The hallway continues both inward and outward. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. You let out a whopping, wet sneeze. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow Lab Hallway Outward You are standing at one end of a short, bare hallway lit by glow panels. The left wall is made entirely of glass. Through it you can see into Dev 3. Normally, a few researchers can be seen toiling within, but now it is strangely empty. To the left a door has been cut into the glass. Another door is to your right. A smart sign is affixed to it. Outward is a third door made entirely of metal. Inward, the corridor continues towards the Lobby. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow (first opening the metal door) It seems to be locked. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. You let out a whopping, wet sneeze. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >turn wheel The wheel turns to the right. You hear an abrupt grinding coming from the heavy, metal door. It opens. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow The metal door swings shut behind you. Restricted Corridor You are standing in a hallway, unremarkable in every way. The corridor continues outward. Inward is a metal door leading to the unrestricted part of the research lab. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. You let out a whopping, wet sneeze. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow Corridor Terminus You have arrived at the end of the lab's main corridor. The area has an alien feel. For one thing, there are no glow panels; you are standing in a soup of shadows. Metal pipes gather at the far end of the right wall and run in sleek bunches back towards the metal door. Eventually, they disappear into the wall. Condensation clings to some of the pipes and occasionally drips to the floor; steam drifts from others. An acrid odor hangs in the air. You hear a sharp, electric buzzing. To the right is an open doorway. To the left is a reinforced door. Outward is an airlock. The corridor itself leads inward toward the unrestricted part of the lab. You can see an ecopack here. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. You let out a whopping, wet sneeze. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >r Dev 2 You are standing in a room where the most sensitive work in Research Lab A-U61 is conducted. It is a cramped, busy area. Every meter of wall space and every corner are being used. The devices you see strewn about are not in working order; they lie in various states of semi-completion or decomposition. You suspect that operational candidates are brought to another place for testing. Ordinarily, you would be overwhelmed and unable to identify any particular item of use. The ceiling above you, however, is studded with bright lights, each angled to illuminate the most important workspaces. One beam of light is focused on the EF harvester. Nearby is a control panel. A second beam of light illuminates a workstation. Unlike the other workstations, this one has been cleared, leaving plenty of room for a hollow, cubic device about the size of your head. A label identifies it as a "transmutor". Outward is the lab's main corridor, the only exit. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow Corridor Terminus You have arrived at the end of the lab's main corridor. The area has an alien feel. For one thing, there are no glow panels; you are standing in a soup of shadows. Metal pipes gather at the far end of the right wall and run in sleek bunches back towards the metal door. Eventually, they disappear into the wall. Condensation clings to some of the pipes and occasionally drips to the floor; steam drifts from others. An acrid odor hangs in the air. You hear a sharp, electric buzzing. To the right is an open doorway. To the left is a reinforced door. Outward is an airlock. The corridor itself leads inward toward the unrestricted part of the lab. You can see an ecopack here. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. You let out a whopping, wet sneeze. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Restricted Corridor You are standing in a hallway, unremarkable in every way. The corridor continues outward. Inward is a metal door leading to the unrestricted part of the research lab. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw (first opening the metal door) The metal door swings shut behind you, followed by a curt grinding sound. Lab Hallway Outward You are standing at one end of a short, bare hallway lit by glow panels. The left wall is made entirely of glass. Through it you can see into Dev 3. Normally, a few researchers can be seen toiling within, but now it is strangely empty. To the left a door has been cut into the glass. Another door is to your right. A smart sign is affixed to it. Outward is a third door made entirely of metal. Inward, the corridor continues towards the Lobby. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Lab Hallway Center You are standing in the center of a bare hallway lit by glow panels. The wall to your left is made entirely of glass. Just out of reach above your head, a security camera relentlessly surveys the hallway and the areas visible through the glass wall. To the left, you can see the Refrigeration Unit. Across from it, to your right, is a plain door. The hallway continues both inward and outward. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Lab Hallway Inward This is the beginning of Research Lab A-U61's main hallway, lit by glow panels. It is bare and - thanks to your best efforts - mostly free of dust. To your left is a glass wall. Through it, you can see into Dev 1. The thin outline of a door is visible in the glass. Opposite the glass wall to your right is a battered door. The lobby door is inward, and the hallway stretches outward. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. You let out a whopping, wet sneeze. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. From outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza you hear gruff shouts and the marching of booted feet. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. You let out a whopping, wet sneeze. >iw You pass through the turnstile and push through the revolving door. Plaza, by the Lab You emerge from Research Lab A-U61 into a disaster area. Nothing remains as it was. The first detail you take in is a trail of charred, lifeless bodies leading from the decorative statuette - all that's left, you assume, of the queue of nervous citizens awaiting to clear their names. Unfortunately, the smoke in the air is too thick to see past the newly erected security cordon, so you can't see any trace of the menacing crowd. But you can safely assume they have been vaporized. You smile to yourself smugly at the thought. Over to your left, you see that the billboard has crashed to the floor. On its way, it severed both the plaza security camera from its mounting and the unfortunate Ward of the State's head from her body. Alas. Beyond them, the caring demonstration has scattered, leaving behind a smattering of drums, banners and colored cards. First responders from Defense are already on the scene. You can see their shapes darting about on the other side of the security cordon, shouting gruffly to one another. You are standing in a smoky, hellish landscape. The decorative statuette is still mounted next to the entrance to the lab, but the concave mirror must have disintegrated under the sheer magnitude of the discharge. A pile of twisted framing lies to your right, all that remains of the row of vendors. Outward, the mobile response unit has been replaced by a hastily arranged security cordon manned by first responders from Defense. You can still go left towards the billboard or back into the lab (outward). You can see Tony Bleet's body here. Thick smoke obscures the plaza beyond the security cordon. You cough fitfully. >iw You approach the security cordon, but before you can get close a guardian from Defense rises up out of the smoke and aims a laser rifle at your chest. "Stand down, citizen!" You do as you're told. Thick smoke obscures the plaza beyond the security cordon. You cough fitfully. Two guardians approach you from the security cordon ahead. You know from their insignia that one is a Citizen Major and the other, walking slightly behind, a sergeant. "Ah, miss," breathes the Citizen Major as they come to a stop in front of you. "I couldn't help but notice you coming out of that revolving door there. The blueprints" - he gestures at his attendant, who is holding out his PA - "indicate this is a research facility of some kind." The Citizen Major strokes his chin with a gloved hand. "How interesting. Because, well, take a look around. And the few survivors we've interviewed have all indicated whatever explosion occurred here in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza originated here." The Citizen Major shrugs. "As you can see, this is an emergency situation. We'll need to secure the research facility to ensure it does not happen again. If you have any knowledge that will prevent further senseless destruction, by all means please relay it now. Any useful information you provide may be factored in to your punishment, should you be found at fault. Which, I'm afraid, is likely." The Citizen Major falls silent. Behind him, the sergeant seems to have noticed that the security camera which normally surveys the plaza has vanished. >tell major about harvester The Citizen Major listens, all the while stroking his chin with a gloved hand. When you are finished, he nods approvingly. "A very interesting story. I'm sure you won't mind repeating it in the interrogation chamber - along with all the incriminating details you conveniently omitted." Without looking, he gestures curtly over his shoulder. "Sergeant! Take this traitor into custody. Hmmmm? Citizen?" It may have taken him awhile, but the sergeant seems to finally have made an important realization. He giggles and says, "We're completely unsupervised. The security camera's gone!" The Citizen Major frowns and turns to his attendant. "Gone?" "Yeah!" An evil grin spreads over the sergeant's face. "That means I can do this." His superior stands frozen, a terrified look on his face, as the sergeant points his laser rifle at his chest and fires. "Bye bye!" he cackles as the Citizen Major's lifeless body crumples to the ground. Then, he turns to you. "You're next, you dirty traitor. I should get a medal for this." You run. He fires. Lights out. *** Your ineptness has finally killed you. *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > undo Plaza, by the Lab [Previous turn undone.] >undo Plaza, by the Lab [Previous turn undone.] >undo Lobby [Previous turn undone.] >iw You pass through the turnstile and push through the revolving door. Plaza, by the Lab You emerge from Research Lab A-U61 into a disaster area. Nothing remains as it was. The first detail you take in is a trail of charred, lifeless bodies leading from the decorative statuette - all that's left, you assume, of the queue of nervous citizens awaiting to clear their names. Unfortunately, the smoke in the air is too thick to see past the newly erected security cordon, so you can't see any trace of the menacing crowd. But you can safely assume they have been vaporized. You smile to yourself smugly at the thought. Over to your left, you see that the billboard has crashed to the floor. On its way, it severed both the plaza security camera from its mounting and the unfortunate Ward of the State's head from her body. Alas. Beyond them, the caring demonstration has scattered, leaving behind a smattering of drums, banners and colored cards. First responders from Defense are already on the scene. You can see their shapes darting about on the other side of the security cordon, shouting gruffly to one another. You are standing in a smoky, hellish landscape. The decorative statuette is still mounted next to the entrance to the lab, but the concave mirror must have disintegrated under the sheer magnitude of the discharge. A pile of twisted framing lies to your right, all that remains of the row of vendors. Outward, the mobile response unit has been replaced by a hastily arranged security cordon manned by first responders from Defense. You can still go left towards the billboard or back into the lab (outward). You can see Tony Bleet's body here. Thick smoke obscures the plaza beyond the security cordon. You cough fitfully. >f Before you can get very far, the chaos reigning in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza catches up with you. Thick smoke obscures the plaza beyond the security cordon. You cough fitfully. You let out a whopping, wet sneeze. Two guardians approach you from the security cordon ahead. You know from their insignia that one is a Citizen Major and the other, walking slightly behind, a sergeant. "Ah, miss," breathes the Citizen Major as they come to a stop in front of you. "I couldn't help but notice you coming out of that revolving door there. The blueprints" - he gestures at his attendant, who is holding out his PA - "indicate this is a research facility of some kind." The Citizen Major strokes his chin with a gloved hand. "How interesting. Because, well, take a look around. And the few survivors we've interviewed have all indicated whatever explosion occurred here in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza originated here." The Citizen Major shrugs. "As you can see, this is an emergency situation. We'll need to secure the research facility to ensure it does not happen again. If you have any knowledge that will prevent further senseless destruction, by all means please relay it now. Any useful information you provide may be factored in to your punishment, should you be found at fault. Which, I'm afraid, is likely." The Citizen Major falls silent. Behind him, the sergeant seems to have noticed that the security camera which normally surveys the plaza has vanished. >tell major about underground The Citizen Major listens, all the while stroking his chin with a gloved hand. When you are finished, he nods approvingly. "A very interesting story. I'm sure you won't mind repeating it in the interrogation chamber - along with all the incriminating details you conveniently omitted." Without looking, he gestures curtly over his shoulder. "Sergeant! Take this traitor into custody. Hmmmm? Citizen?" It may have taken him awhile, but the sergeant seems to finally have made an important realization. He giggles and says, "We're completely unsupervised. The security camera's gone!" The Citizen Major frowns and turns to his attendant. "Gone?" "Yeah!" An evil grin spreads over the sergeant's face. "That means I can do this." His superior stands frozen, a terrified look on his face, as the sergeant points his laser rifle at his chest and fires. "Bye bye!" he cackles as the Citizen Major's lifeless body crumples to the ground. Then, he turns to you. "You're next, you dirty traitor. I should get a medal for this." You run. He fires. Lights out. *** Your ineptness has finally killed you. *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > undo Plaza, by the Lab [Previous turn undone.] >tell major about church "Yes, yes, but perhaps you have something of interest to share with me?" Thick smoke obscures the plaza beyond the security cordon. You cough fitfully. The Citizen Major is here. He is looking at you expectantly. Next to him is his personal attendant, a sergeant. The sergeant is staring at the location where the plaza security camera used to be. Dim understanding seems to be alighting reluctantly behind his eyes. You let out a whopping, wet sneeze. >tell major about ati "Really? I suppose I could pretend that was interesting. I suppose I could..." Thick smoke obscures the plaza beyond the security cordon. You cough fitfully. The Citizen Major is here. He is looking at you expectantly. Next to him is his personal attendant, a sergeant. The sergeant is staring at the location where the plaza security camera used to be. Dim understanding seems to be alighting reluctantly behind his eyes. You let out a whopping, wet sneeze. >tell major about transmutor "Really? I suppose I could pretend that was interesting. I suppose I could..." Thick smoke obscures the plaza beyond the security cordon. You cough fitfully. The Citizen Major is here. He is looking at you expectantly. Next to him is his personal attendant, a sergeant. The sergeant is staring at the location where the plaza security camera used to be. Dim understanding seems to be alighting reluctantly behind his eyes. You let out a whopping, wet sneeze. The Citizen Major gestures to his attendant. "We're wasting our time. Take the woman into custody, will you? Hmmm? Citizen?" It may have taken him awhile, but the sergeant seems to finally have made an important realization. He giggles and says, "We're completely unsupervised. The security camera's gone!" The Citizen Major frowns and turns to his attendant. "Gone?" "Yeah!" An evil grin spreads over the sergeant's face. "That means I can do this." His superior stands frozen, a terrified look on his face, as the sergeant points his laser rifle at his chest and fires. "Bye bye!" he cackles as the Citizen Major's lifeless body crumples to the ground. Then, he turns to you. "You're next, you dirty traitor. I should get a medal for this." You run. He fires. Lights out. *** Your ineptness has finally killed you. *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > undo Plaza, by the Lab [Previous turn undone.] >undo Plaza, by the Lab [Previous turn undone.] >undo Plaza, by the Lab [Previous turn undone.] >undo Plaza, by the Lab [Previous turn undone.] >undo Lobby [Previous turn undone.] >hint (If you're using a screen reader, press S to turn on Screen Reader mode. This message only appears on the front page of the menu system.) 1. New to Interactive Fiction 2. New to Nothing Could Be Further From the Truth 3. New to the Bunker 4. Credits 5. Hints (Hints) 1. What's going on? 2. I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape? 3. Can I get an Epsilon security clearance in this game? 4. Can I get a Delta security clearance in this game? 5. Every time I smell, I sneeze. 6. What is the zorgot? 7. The security camera keeps blasting me for no reason. 8. A search and extraction team or two thugs or a tall, gangly man show up and end the game. 9. Lobby 0. Elsewhere in the Research Lab A. Restricted Research Lab B. Plaza C. Control D. The underground E. Waste of space F. Accusing someone (Hints - The underground) 1. Do I have to cooperate with Asimov and Area 51? 2. How do I find the cell of the God and Freedom Church? 3. I know where the cell is. How do I destroy it? 4. I know where the cell is. How do I join them? 5. The menacing crowd (Hints - The underground - The menacing crowd) 1. How do I deal with the menacing crowd? 2. How do I instruct my co-conspirator? (Hints - The underground - The menacing crowd - How do I deal with the menacing crowd?) 1/14: If only there was a weapon in the lab that could be used against them. 2/14: Have you examined the EF harvester? 3/14: Have you figured out the secret behind the EF harvester? 4/14: The lab itself acts as a kind of laser cannon. The source of the power is the EF harvester (which conveniently needs to be discharged). Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - The underground - The menacing crowd - How do I deal with the menacing crowd?) 1/14: If only there was a weapon in the lab that could be used against them. 2/14: Have you examined the EF harvester? 3/14: Have you figured out the secret behind the EF harvester? 4/14: The lab itself acts as a kind of laser cannon. The source of the power is the EF harvester (which conveniently needs to be discharged). 5/14: The energy flows through the lab and emerges from the decorative statuette. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - The underground - The menacing crowd - How do I deal with the menacing crowd?) 1/14: If only there was a weapon in the lab that could be used against them. 2/14: Have you examined the EF harvester? 3/14: Have you figured out the secret behind the EF harvester? 4/14: The lab itself acts as a kind of laser cannon. The source of the power is the EF harvester (which conveniently needs to be discharged). 5/14: The energy flows through the lab and emerges from the decorative statuette. 6/14: There's your weapon. Proceed further only if you can successfully discharge the EF harvester. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - The underground - The menacing crowd - How do I deal with the menacing crowd?) 1/14: If only there was a weapon in the lab that could be used against them. 2/14: Have you examined the EF harvester? 3/14: Have you figured out the secret behind the EF harvester? 4/14: The lab itself acts as a kind of laser cannon. The source of the power is the EF harvester (which conveniently needs to be discharged). 5/14: The energy flows through the lab and emerges from the decorative statuette. 6/14: There's your weapon. Proceed further only if you can successfully discharge the EF harvester. 7/14: Killed by the menacing mob? Hmmm, did you notice where the concave mirror was aimed at? Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - The underground - The menacing crowd - How do I deal with the menacing crowd?) 1/14: If only there was a weapon in the lab that could be used against them. 2/14: Have you examined the EF harvester? 3/14: Have you figured out the secret behind the EF harvester? 4/14: The lab itself acts as a kind of laser cannon. The source of the power is the EF harvester (which conveniently needs to be discharged). 5/14: The energy flows through the lab and emerges from the decorative statuette. 6/14: There's your weapon. Proceed further only if you can successfully discharge the EF harvester. 7/14: Killed by the menacing mob? Hmmm, did you notice where the concave mirror was aimed at? 8/14: The Ward of the State. Did you try aiming it at the menacing crowd? Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - The underground - The menacing crowd - How do I deal with the menacing crowd?) 1/14: If only there was a weapon in the lab that could be used against them. 2/14: Have you examined the EF harvester? 3/14: Have you figured out the secret behind the EF harvester? 4/14: The lab itself acts as a kind of laser cannon. The source of the power is the EF harvester (which conveniently needs to be discharged). 5/14: The energy flows through the lab and emerges from the decorative statuette. 6/14: There's your weapon. Proceed further only if you can successfully discharge the EF harvester. 7/14: Killed by the menacing mob? Hmmm, did you notice where the concave mirror was aimed at? 8/14: The Ward of the State. Did you try aiming it at the menacing crowd? 9/14: It snaps back. So you can't hold it yourself. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - The underground - The menacing crowd - How do I deal with the menacing crowd?) 1/14: If only there was a weapon in the lab that could be used against them. 2/14: Have you examined the EF harvester? 3/14: Have you figured out the secret behind the EF harvester? 4/14: The lab itself acts as a kind of laser cannon. The source of the power is the EF harvester (which conveniently needs to be discharged). 5/14: The energy flows through the lab and emerges from the decorative statuette. 6/14: There's your weapon. Proceed further only if you can successfully discharge the EF harvester. 7/14: Killed by the menacing mob? Hmmm, did you notice where the concave mirror was aimed at? 8/14: The Ward of the State. Did you try aiming it at the menacing crowd? 9/14: It snaps back. So you can't hold it yourself. 10/14: Do you have a co-conspirator somewhere in the plaza? Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - The underground - The menacing crowd - How do I deal with the menacing crowd?) 1/14: If only there was a weapon in the lab that could be used against them. 2/14: Have you examined the EF harvester? 3/14: Have you figured out the secret behind the EF harvester? 4/14: The lab itself acts as a kind of laser cannon. The source of the power is the EF harvester (which conveniently needs to be discharged). 5/14: The energy flows through the lab and emerges from the decorative statuette. 6/14: There's your weapon. Proceed further only if you can successfully discharge the EF harvester. 7/14: Killed by the menacing mob? Hmmm, did you notice where the concave mirror was aimed at? 8/14: The Ward of the State. Did you try aiming it at the menacing crowd? 9/14: It snaps back. So you can't hold it yourself. 10/14: Do you have a co-conspirator somewhere in the plaza? 11/14: Get that person to hold it for you. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - The underground - The menacing crowd - How do I deal with the menacing crowd?) 1/14: If only there was a weapon in the lab that could be used against them. 2/14: Have you examined the EF harvester? 3/14: Have you figured out the secret behind the EF harvester? 4/14: The lab itself acts as a kind of laser cannon. The source of the power is the EF harvester (which conveniently needs to be discharged). 5/14: The energy flows through the lab and emerges from the decorative statuette. 6/14: There's your weapon. Proceed further only if you can successfully discharge the EF harvester. 7/14: Killed by the menacing mob? Hmmm, did you notice where the concave mirror was aimed at? 8/14: The Ward of the State. Did you try aiming it at the menacing crowd? 9/14: It snaps back. So you can't hold it yourself. 10/14: Do you have a co-conspirator somewhere in the plaza? 11/14: Get that person to hold it for you. 12/14: , aim mirror at crowd Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - The underground - The menacing crowd - How do I deal with the menacing crowd?) 1/14: If only there was a weapon in the lab that could be used against them. 2/14: Have you examined the EF harvester? 3/14: Have you figured out the secret behind the EF harvester? 4/14: The lab itself acts as a kind of laser cannon. The source of the power is the EF harvester (which conveniently needs to be discharged). 5/14: The energy flows through the lab and emerges from the decorative statuette. 6/14: There's your weapon. Proceed further only if you can successfully discharge the EF harvester. 7/14: Killed by the menacing mob? Hmmm, did you notice where the concave mirror was aimed at? 8/14: The Ward of the State. Did you try aiming it at the menacing crowd? 9/14: It snaps back. So you can't hold it yourself. 10/14: Do you have a co-conspirator somewhere in the plaza? 11/14: Get that person to hold it for you. 12/14: , aim mirror at crowd 13/14: Your co-conspirator won't obey you if you are in the plaza, since you could simply be doing it yourself. You'll have to find a way to give an instruction to this person from inside the lab. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - The underground - The menacing crowd - How do I deal with the menacing crowd?) 1/14: If only there was a weapon in the lab that could be used against them. 2/14: Have you examined the EF harvester? 3/14: Have you figured out the secret behind the EF harvester? 4/14: The lab itself acts as a kind of laser cannon. The source of the power is the EF harvester (which conveniently needs to be discharged). 5/14: The energy flows through the lab and emerges from the decorative statuette. 6/14: There's your weapon. Proceed further only if you can successfully discharge the EF harvester. 7/14: Killed by the menacing mob? Hmmm, did you notice where the concave mirror was aimed at? 8/14: The Ward of the State. Did you try aiming it at the menacing crowd? 9/14: It snaps back. So you can't hold it yourself. 10/14: Do you have a co-conspirator somewhere in the plaza? 11/14: Get that person to hold it for you. 12/14: , aim mirror at crowd 13/14: Your co-conspirator won't obey you if you are in the plaza, since you could simply be doing it yourself. You'll have to find a way to give an instruction to this person from inside the lab. 14/14: Now trigger God's Holy Wrath. (You have revealed all the hints on this page.) ------------------------ (Hints - The underground - The menacing crowd) 1. How do I deal with the menacing crowd? 2. How do I instruct my co-conspirator? (Hints - The underground) 1. Do I have to cooperate with Asimov and Area 51? 2. How do I find the cell of the God and Freedom Church? 3. I know where the cell is. How do I destroy it? 4. I know where the cell is. How do I join them? 5. The menacing crowd (Hints) 1. What's going on? 2. I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape? 3. Can I get an Epsilon security clearance in this game? 4. Can I get a Delta security clearance in this game? 5. Every time I smell, I sneeze. 6. What is the zorgot? 7. The security camera keeps blasting me for no reason. 8. A search and extraction team or two thugs or a tall, gangly man show up and end the game. 9. Lobby 0. Elsewhere in the Research Lab A. Restricted Research Lab B. Plaza C. Control D. The underground E. Waste of space F. Accusing someone (Hints - Control) 1. The game ends while I am dealing with Control (Hints) 1. What's going on? 2. I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape? 3. Can I get an Epsilon security clearance in this game? 4. Can I get a Delta security clearance in this game? 5. Every time I smell, I sneeze. 6. What is the zorgot? 7. The security camera keeps blasting me for no reason. 8. A search and extraction team or two thugs or a tall, gangly man show up and end the game. 9. Lobby 0. Elsewhere in the Research Lab A. Restricted Research Lab B. Plaza C. Control D. The underground E. Waste of space F. Accusing someone (Hints - Plaza) 1. The research lab keeps blowing up. 2. How do I get the plastex from the Ward of the State? 3. Can Tony Bleet help me? 4. Can the agent from Homeland Security help me? 5. I am being accosted by first responders from Defense. (Hints - Plaza - I am being accosted by first responders from Defense.) Press H to reveal the first hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Plaza - I am being accosted by first responders from Defense.) 1/9: The Citizen Major, I presume. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Plaza - I am being accosted by first responders from Defense.) 1/9: The Citizen Major, I presume. 2/9: You've just unleashed a torrent of energy into the plaza, killing many people. Naturally, the authorities are concerned. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Plaza - I am being accosted by first responders from Defense.) 1/9: The Citizen Major, I presume. 2/9: You've just unleashed a torrent of energy into the plaza, killing many people. Naturally, the authorities are concerned. 3/9: You have to satisfy him before his attendant, the sergeant, realizes he can kill both of you with impunity. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Plaza - I am being accosted by first responders from Defense.) 1/9: The Citizen Major, I presume. 2/9: You've just unleashed a torrent of energy into the plaza, killing many people. Naturally, the authorities are concerned. 3/9: You have to satisfy him before his attendant, the sergeant, realizes he can kill both of you with impunity. 4/9: You heard the Citizen Major call this an emergency situation. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Plaza - I am being accosted by first responders from Defense.) 1/9: The Citizen Major, I presume. 2/9: You've just unleashed a torrent of energy into the plaza, killing many people. Naturally, the authorities are concerned. 3/9: You have to satisfy him before his attendant, the sergeant, realizes he can kill both of you with impunity. 4/9: You heard the Citizen Major call this an emergency situation. 5/9: Have you seen anything around the lab that might help you in an emergency? Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Plaza - I am being accosted by first responders from Defense.) 1/9: The Citizen Major, I presume. 2/9: You've just unleashed a torrent of energy into the plaza, killing many people. Naturally, the authorities are concerned. 3/9: You have to satisfy him before his attendant, the sergeant, realizes he can kill both of you with impunity. 4/9: You heard the Citizen Major call this an emergency situation. 5/9: Have you seen anything around the lab that might help you in an emergency? 6/9: What about the safe in the Lab Director's Office? Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Plaza - I am being accosted by first responders from Defense.) 1/9: The Citizen Major, I presume. 2/9: You've just unleashed a torrent of energy into the plaza, killing many people. Naturally, the authorities are concerned. 3/9: You have to satisfy him before his attendant, the sergeant, realizes he can kill both of you with impunity. 4/9: You heard the Citizen Major call this an emergency situation. 5/9: Have you seen anything around the lab that might help you in an emergency? 6/9: What about the safe in the Lab Director's Office? 7/9: Do not continue unless you've got the safe open. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Plaza) 1. The research lab keeps blowing up. 2. How do I get the plastex from the Ward of the State? 3. Can Tony Bleet help me? 4. Can the agent from Homeland Security help me? 5. I am being accosted by first responders from Defense. (Hints - Plaza - How do I get the plastex from the Ward of the State?) 1/9: Have you tried distracting her? 2/9: Have you tried stealing it? 3/9: Have you tried killing her? 4/9: Looks like you can't right now. Just be patient. 5/9: In the course of the game the protective cover might become available to you some other way. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Plaza - How do I get the plastex from the Ward of the State?) 1/9: Have you tried distracting her? 2/9: Have you tried stealing it? 3/9: Have you tried killing her? 4/9: Looks like you can't right now. Just be patient. 5/9: In the course of the game the protective cover might become available to you some other way. 6/9: If you are not permitted in the restricted part of the lab, do not continue. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Plaza - How do I get the plastex from the Ward of the State?) 1/9: Have you tried distracting her? 2/9: Have you tried stealing it? 3/9: Have you tried killing her? 4/9: Looks like you can't right now. Just be patient. 5/9: In the course of the game the protective cover might become available to you some other way. 6/9: If you are not permitted in the restricted part of the lab, do not continue. 7/9: You will not be able to retrieve the protective cover until after you have conducted a controlled discharge of the malfunctioning EF harvester. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Plaza) 1. The research lab keeps blowing up. 2. How do I get the plastex from the Ward of the State? 3. Can Tony Bleet help me? 4. Can the agent from Homeland Security help me? 5. I am being accosted by first responders from Defense. (Hints) 1. What's going on? 2. I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape? 3. Can I get an Epsilon security clearance in this game? 4. Can I get a Delta security clearance in this game? 5. Every time I smell, I sneeze. 6. What is the zorgot? 7. The security camera keeps blasting me for no reason. 8. A search and extraction team or two thugs or a tall, gangly man show up and end the game. 9. Lobby 0. Elsewhere in the Research Lab A. Restricted Research Lab B. Plaza C. Control D. The underground E. Waste of space F. Accusing someone (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab) 1. How do I get past the metal door in Lab Hallway Outward? 2. How do I get into the Lab Director's Office? 3. I can't get through the revolving door in the Lobby. 4. Depot 5. Dev 1 6. Dev 3 7. Dressing room 8. Storage Room 9. Refrigeration unit 0. Lab director's office A. Vending machine (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Lab director's office) 1. I am looking for documents. 2. How do I activate the screen/keyboard? 3. How do I get into the safe? 4. What is God's Holy Wrath? (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Lab director's office - How do I get into the safe?) 1/8: Did you investigate the safe? 2/8: You will not be able to unlock it normally. You'll have to think of something else. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Lab director's office) 1. I am looking for documents. 2. How do I activate the screen/keyboard? 3. How do I get into the safe? 4. What is God's Holy Wrath? (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab) 1. How do I get past the metal door in Lab Hallway Outward? 2. How do I get into the Lab Director's Office? 3. I can't get through the revolving door in the Lobby. 4. Depot 5. Dev 1 6. Dev 3 7. Dressing room 8. Storage Room 9. Refrigeration unit 0. Lab director's office A. Vending machine (Hints) 1. What's going on? 2. I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape? 3. Can I get an Epsilon security clearance in this game? 4. Can I get a Delta security clearance in this game? 5. Every time I smell, I sneeze. 6. What is the zorgot? 7. The security camera keeps blasting me for no reason. 8. A search and extraction team or two thugs or a tall, gangly man show up and end the game. 9. Lobby 0. Elsewhere in the Research Lab A. Restricted Research Lab B. Plaza C. Control D. The underground E. Waste of space F. Accusing someone (If you're using a screen reader, press S to turn on Screen Reader mode. This message only appears on the front page of the menu system.) 1. New to Interactive Fiction 2. New to Nothing Could Be Further From the Truth 3. New to the Bunker 4. Credits 5. Hints Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. >ow Lab Hallway Inward This is the beginning of Research Lab A-U61's main hallway, lit by glow panels. It is bare and - thanks to your best efforts - mostly free of dust. To your left is a glass wall. Through it, you can see into Dev 1. The thin outline of a door is visible in the glass. Opposite the glass wall to your right is a battered door. The lobby door is inward, and the hallway stretches outward. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >f (first opening the glass door) The glass door swings shut behind you. Dev 1 A shallow depression in the center dominates this room. Above it, a crane protrudes from the ceiling. Hanging nearby from a thick wire that leads into the wall is a controller. On one wall hangs a whiteboard. Otherwise, this area is sparse. This place has a strange smell, and splotches of grime and corrosion can be seen on the walls and ceiling. Both are no doubt remnants of spectacularly promising experiments. A squat opening leads outward, and a doorway obscured by a thick, black curtain leads inward. The wall to the right is made entirely of glass, on the other side of which is the research lab's main hallway. It is accessible through an almost invisible door. A crawlspace leads left from the space revealed by the shallow depression. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow Darkened Passage You find yourself in a small, uninteresting passage with no light source of its own. To your right is a door. You can also continue inward through a squat opening or outward through a narrow opening. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. >put on gloves You put on the rubber gloves. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. You let out a whopping, wet sneeze. >r (first opening the refrigeration unit door) You open the refrigeration unit door. Frigid air pours forth from the opening, sending shivers up and down your spine. The door swiftly closes behind you. Refrigeration Unit You are standing in Research Lab A-U61's refrigeration unit. The air is very cold. So cold, in fact, you doubt you can remain here for long. On a table in the center of the room is a small tank. The tank is filled with a translucent, viscous liquid bubbling slowly but energetically. Above you in the ceiling is a large vent. Frigid air streams into the room, descending in fluffy, freezing clouds over your shoulders and sending chills to your bones. The only exit is outward. The air in here absolutely frigid! It stabs at your face with sharp, invisible knives. You've never experienced anything like it before. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. You let out a whopping, wet sneeze. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >get acid If you want to get some of the superacid, you'll need something to carry it around in. Bare hands is not advised. It's VERY cold in here. So cold that your hands and feet hurt, and your face feels like it is being frozen in place. A slow dribble from your nose freezes near the corner of your mouth. You wonder how much longer you can last in here. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >get acid with jar I only understood the first part of that-- trying anyway. Retrying as: >GET ACID If you want to get some of the superacid, you'll need something to carry it around in. Bare hands is not advised. The pain in your extremities subsides. In fact, you can no longer feel them at all. Your breathing, too, slows considerably. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >put acid in jar (first opening the glass jar) You dip the glass jar into the tank and collect some of the superacid. The cold seems to fade away as your entire being turns numb. Your thoughts become slow and confused. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow (first opening the refrigeration unit door) The door swiftly closes behind you. Darkened Passage You find yourself in a small, uninteresting passage with no light source of its own. To your right is a door. You can also continue inward through a squat opening or outward through a narrow opening. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. >ow Dev 3 Four workstations have been arranged in a square in the center of this room, basking in the bright light from the glow panels. Nestled between them is a bank of manipulators. What appear to be controls for the manipulators have been built onto the surface of each workstation. Through a glass wall to the right, you see a hallway. A door has been cut into the glass. Set in the middle of the inward wall is a narrow opening. You can see a sturdy locker (empty) here. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >r (first opening the glass door) The glass door swings shut behind you. Lab Hallway Outward You are standing at one end of a short, bare hallway lit by glow panels. The left wall is made entirely of glass. Through it you can see into Dev 3. Normally, a few researchers can be seen toiling within, but now it is strangely empty. To the left a door has been cut into the glass. Another door is to your right. A smart sign is affixed to it. Outward is a third door made entirely of metal. Inward, the corridor continues towards the Lobby. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >r (first opening the office door) The lock is activated by the chip key, and you hear a slight rasping noise from the door. You hear a slight click after the door swings shut. Lab Director's Office You are in the lab director's office - your office, for what it's worth. Looking around, you can see that the previous lab director had little if any personality. Framed by bare, white walls, the room prominently features a shallow, curved desk. Behind the desk tucked against the wall is a heavy, metal safe. The room is dimly lit by a single glow panel near the ceiling; the others appear to be out of service. Outward is a door leading to the research lab's main corridor. You can see the lab director's chair here. >pour acid on safe You carefully pour the superacid on the safe. Instantly, you hear an angry sizzling, and the puddle of viscous liquid begins to bubble and smoke. A bitter, nasty odor fills the air. You step back and cough, waving your hand in front of your face to disperse the noxious fumes. When your eyes and lungs clear, the sizzling has stopped. You see that a good-sized hole has been cut into the top of the safe. Congratulations! The safe is now open. >x safe The safe is square, squat and sturdy. Its surfaces are clean and smooth. After a quick examination, however, you notice that an imprint of a hand is visible on the side facing you. A large, uneven hole has been cut into the top of the safe. Written across the top in large block letters you see the words: IN CASE OF EMERGENCY OPEN. In the metal safe are a 'In Case of Emergency' Form 0x216af5db and a beige pen. >get form Taken. >x form The form is printed on standard, white paper and bears the official logo of the Developmental Engineering conglomerate. It reads as follows: "A dangerous [outbreak/explosion/eruption/other] has occurred in _____________ sector. Reports that this public travesty is the fault of _________________ are circulating amongst the general population. Nothing could be further from the truth. As an organization committed to the relentless pursuit of Scientific advancement, we here at _________________ strictly comply with all the relevant guidelines and take accusations of ____________________________________ seriously. Every incident is thoroughly investigated. "We stand by the commitment and expertise of our Scientists and the quality of Scientific achievement delivered to the citizens of the Bunker each daystretch. Sincerely, signed: ____________________________" >get pen Taken. >sign form (with the beige pen) You quickly scribble answers on the form that make the most sense to you. >ow (first opening the office door) The lock is activated by the chip key, and you hear a slight rasping noise from the door. You hear a slight click after the door swings shut. Lab Hallway Outward You are standing at one end of a short, bare hallway lit by glow panels. The left wall is made entirely of glass. Through it you can see into Dev 3. Normally, a few researchers can be seen toiling within, but now it is strangely empty. To the left a door has been cut into the glass. Another door is to your right. A smart sign is affixed to it. Outward is a third door made entirely of metal. Inward, the corridor continues towards the Lobby. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Lab Hallway Center You are standing in the center of a bare hallway lit by glow panels. The wall to your left is made entirely of glass. Just out of reach above your head, a security camera relentlessly surveys the hallway and the areas visible through the glass wall. To the left, you can see the Refrigeration Unit. Across from it, to your right, is a plain door. The hallway continues both inward and outward. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Lab Hallway Inward This is the beginning of Research Lab A-U61's main hallway, lit by glow panels. It is bare and - thanks to your best efforts - mostly free of dust. To your left is a glass wall. Through it, you can see into Dev 1. The thin outline of a door is visible in the glass. Opposite the glass wall to your right is a battered door. The lobby door is inward, and the hallway stretches outward. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. You let out a whopping, wet sneeze. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. From outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza you hear gruff shouts and the marching of booted feet. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. >iw You pass through the turnstile and push through the revolving door. Plaza, by the Lab You emerge from Research Lab A-U61 into a disaster area. Nothing remains as it was. The first detail you take in is a trail of charred, lifeless bodies leading from the decorative statuette - all that's left, you assume, of the queue of nervous citizens awaiting to clear their names. Unfortunately, the smoke in the air is too thick to see past the newly erected security cordon, so you can't see any trace of the menacing crowd. But you can safely assume they have been vaporized. You smile to yourself smugly at the thought. Over to your left, you see that the billboard has crashed to the floor. On its way, it severed both the plaza security camera from its mounting and the unfortunate Ward of the State's head from her body. Alas. Beyond them, the caring demonstration has scattered, leaving behind a smattering of drums, banners and colored cards. First responders from Defense are already on the scene. You can see their shapes darting about on the other side of the security cordon, shouting gruffly to one another. You are standing in a smoky, hellish landscape. The decorative statuette is still mounted next to the entrance to the lab, but the concave mirror must have disintegrated under the sheer magnitude of the discharge. A pile of twisted framing lies to your right, all that remains of the row of vendors. Outward, the mobile response unit has been replaced by a hastily arranged security cordon manned by first responders from Defense. You can still go left towards the billboard or back into the lab (outward). You can see Tony Bleet's body here. Thick smoke obscures the plaza beyond the security cordon. You cough fitfully. >f Before you can get very far, the chaos reigning in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza catches up with you. Thick smoke obscures the plaza beyond the security cordon. You cough fitfully. Two guardians approach you from the security cordon ahead. You know from their insignia that one is a Citizen Major and the other, walking slightly behind, a sergeant. "Ah, miss," breathes the Citizen Major as they come to a stop in front of you. "I couldn't help but notice you coming out of that revolving door there. The blueprints" - he gestures at his attendant, who is holding out his PA - "indicate this is a research facility of some kind." The Citizen Major strokes his chin with a gloved hand. "How interesting. Because, well, take a look around. And the few survivors we've interviewed have all indicated whatever explosion occurred here in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza originated here." The Citizen Major shrugs. "As you can see, this is an emergency situation. We'll need to secure the research facility to ensure it does not happen again. If you have any knowledge that will prevent further senseless destruction, by all means please relay it now. Any useful information you provide may be factored in to your punishment, should you be found at fault. Which, I'm afraid, is likely." The Citizen Major falls silent. Behind him, the sergeant seems to have noticed that the security camera which normally surveys the plaza has vanished. >give form to major "I see. What's this?" The Citizen Major takes the form. "Ah, a Form 0x216af5db. Properly filled out, no less." He scans it while you wait nervously for his reaction. After a brief stretch, he peers at you over the top. "Well, this changes things. I trust you'll report the results of your investigation through the proper channels?" You offer him reassurances as he verifies your identity by scanning your I-chip. "Yes, well, everything's in order. I'll have to keep this form so I can file it in our dossier." Then, he purses his lips and gestures at the bunny ears. "I dare say, I would never have guessed YOU were the director of a research lab." At that, the Citizen Major wheels about and heads back towards the security cordon. When he realizes the sergeant is not accompanying him, he wheels around again. "Sergeant! What are you waiting for? We've an emergency to attend to! Chop-chop!" The sergeant snaps out of his reverie, whatever it was, and bounds after his superior. Together, they quickly disappear into the smoke and haze. Congratulations! You destroyed the menacing crowd AND got yourself out of a fine mess. You're a true grifter. Maybe you have a future in the Bunker after all. Thick smoke obscures the plaza beyond the security cordon. You cough fitfully. >l Plaza, by the Lab You are standing in a smoky, hellish landscape. The decorative statuette is still mounted next to the entrance to the lab, but the concave mirror must have disintegrated under the sheer magnitude of the discharge. A pile of twisted framing lies to your right, all that remains of the row of vendors. Outward, the mobile response unit has been replaced by a hastily arranged security cordon manned by first responders from Defense. You can still go left towards the billboard or back into the lab (outward). You can see Tony Bleet's body here. >f Plaza, by the Billboard This corner of the Tucker M. Carlson plaza is a shambles. A billboard has crashed to the ground, killing the unfortunate Ward of the State who was playing here. On the way it also took down the security camera monitoring this side of the plaza. The caring demonstration further to the left has scattered. However, further progress is blocked by the security cordon. To the right is the entrance to Research Lab A-U61. You can see the protective cover and the Ward of the State's body here. Thick smoke obscures the plaza beyond the security cordon. You cough fitfully. You let out a whopping, wet sneeze. >get cover Taken. Thick smoke obscures the plaza beyond the security cordon. You cough fitfully. You let out a whopping, wet sneeze. >x body (the Ward of the State's body) The Ward of the State's body can hardly be of any use to you. Thick smoke obscures the plaza beyond the security cordon. You cough fitfully. >r Plaza, by the Lab You are standing in a smoky, hellish landscape. The decorative statuette is still mounted next to the entrance to the lab, but the concave mirror must have disintegrated under the sheer magnitude of the discharge. A pile of twisted framing lies to your right, all that remains of the row of vendors. Outward, the mobile response unit has been replaced by a hastily arranged security cordon manned by first responders from Defense. You can still go left towards the billboard or back into the lab (outward). You can see Tony Bleet's body here. Thick smoke obscures the plaza beyond the security cordon. You cough fitfully. >x tony Tony Bleet's body can hardly be of any use to you. Thick smoke obscures the plaza beyond the security cordon. You cough fitfully. You let out a whopping, wet sneeze. >r The twisted framing blocks your way. Thick smoke obscures the plaza beyond the security cordon. You cough fitfully. You let out a whopping, wet sneeze. >ow You push through the revolving door and scramble with difficulty over the turnstile, confident no one is observing you. Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. From outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza you hear gruff shouts and the marching of booted feet. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. >put cover on machine You try several times to attach the protective cover to the vending machine, but it keeps falling off. From outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza you hear gruff shouts and the marching of booted feet. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. >glue cover to machine You try several times to attach the protective cover to the vending machine, but it keeps falling off. From outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza you hear gruff shouts and the marching of booted feet. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. >x machine A large, hulking, rectangular object, this vending machine is just like any other you've seen throughout the Bunker. A small touchscreen lists the items available and their cost. Next to it is a slot for your Card. At the bottom is a wide, narrow compartment where items are dispensed. In the lobby vending machine are a shallow receptacle (6 credits), an electric torch (6 credits), a Palantooter Insta-Identatron (tm) +++ (tm) (39 credits), a Marrk-X Jammin (tm) Video Output Disruptor - Epsilon clearance required (600 credits), a sparkly toy (2 credits) and a bottle of Flappantastic (1 credit). The protective cover of its dispenser is missing. From outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza you hear gruff shouts and the marching of booted feet. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. >attach cover to dispenser I don't see how you will manage it. From outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza you hear gruff shouts and the marching of booted feet. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. >i You're carrying (in plain sight): the protective cover a beige pen a blackened IC chip a glass jar a wrench the feather duster Ati's Card a short-wave radio the yellow pill an electromagnet the red pill a shiny black helmet Renardin's Card the lab office chip key Silia's Card your PA your Card You're wearing: some rubber gloves your boots your jumpsuit bunny ears >attach cover to magnet I don't see how you will manage it. From outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza you hear gruff shouts and the marching of booted feet. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. You let out a whopping, wet sneeze. >x machine A large, hulking, rectangular object, this vending machine is just like any other you've seen throughout the Bunker. A small touchscreen lists the items available and their cost. Next to it is a slot for your Card. At the bottom is a wide, narrow compartment where items are dispensed. In the lobby vending machine are a shallow receptacle (6 credits), an electric torch (6 credits), a Palantooter Insta-Identatron (tm) +++ (tm) (39 credits), a Marrk-X Jammin (tm) Video Output Disruptor - Epsilon clearance required (600 credits), a sparkly toy (2 credits) and a bottle of Flappantastic (1 credit). The protective cover of its dispenser is missing. From outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza you hear gruff shouts and the marching of booted feet. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. You let out a whopping, wet sneeze. >x cover It looks just like the protective cover that fits over the dispensing slot of a certain vending machine. From outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza you hear gruff shouts and the marching of booted feet. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. >put cover over slot If you can see an object, you can usually just interact with it directly without worrying about your position. Try a command like EXAMINE SLOT for a closer look at something, LOOK to get a new description of this location, or a direction like LEFT to move to a different location. >put cover on machine You try several times to attach the protective cover to the vending machine, but it keeps falling off. From outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza you hear gruff shouts and the marching of booted feet. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. You let out a whopping, wet sneeze. >glue cover to machine You try several times to attach the protective cover to the vending machine, but it keeps falling off. From outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza you hear gruff shouts and the marching of booted feet. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. >use wrench And how exactly do you expect to do that? From outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza you hear gruff shouts and the marching of booted feet. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. >hint (If you're using a screen reader, press S to turn on Screen Reader mode. This message only appears on the front page of the menu system.) 1. New to Interactive Fiction 2. New to Nothing Could Be Further From the Truth 3. New to the Bunker 4. Credits 5. Hints (Hints) 1. What's going on? 2. I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape? 3. Can I get an Epsilon security clearance in this game? 4. Can I get a Delta security clearance in this game? 5. Every time I smell, I sneeze. 6. What is the zorgot? 7. The security camera keeps blasting me for no reason. 8. A search and extraction team or two thugs or a tall, gangly man show up and end the game. 9. Lobby 0. Elsewhere in the Research Lab A. Restricted Research Lab B. Plaza C. Control D. The underground E. Waste of space F. Accusing someone (Hints - Lobby) 1. The invisibility cloak 2. There's something I need to get rid of. (Hints) 1. What's going on? 2. I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape? 3. Can I get an Epsilon security clearance in this game? 4. Can I get a Delta security clearance in this game? 5. Every time I smell, I sneeze. 6. What is the zorgot? 7. The security camera keeps blasting me for no reason. 8. A search and extraction team or two thugs or a tall, gangly man show up and end the game. 9. Lobby 0. Elsewhere in the Research Lab A. Restricted Research Lab B. Plaza C. Control D. The underground E. Waste of space F. Accusing someone (Hints - Plaza) 1. The research lab keeps blowing up. 2. How do I get the plastex from the Ward of the State? 3. Can Tony Bleet help me? 4. Can the agent from Homeland Security help me? 5. I am being accosted by first responders from Defense. (Hints) 1. What's going on? 2. I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape? 3. Can I get an Epsilon security clearance in this game? 4. Can I get a Delta security clearance in this game? 5. Every time I smell, I sneeze. 6. What is the zorgot? 7. The security camera keeps blasting me for no reason. 8. A search and extraction team or two thugs or a tall, gangly man show up and end the game. 9. Lobby 0. Elsewhere in the Research Lab A. Restricted Research Lab B. Plaza C. Control D. The underground E. Waste of space F. Accusing someone (Hints - Lobby) 1. The invisibility cloak 2. There's something I need to get rid of. (Hints) 1. What's going on? 2. I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape? 3. Can I get an Epsilon security clearance in this game? 4. Can I get a Delta security clearance in this game? 5. Every time I smell, I sneeze. 6. What is the zorgot? 7. The security camera keeps blasting me for no reason. 8. A search and extraction team or two thugs or a tall, gangly man show up and end the game. 9. Lobby 0. Elsewhere in the Research Lab A. Restricted Research Lab B. Plaza C. Control D. The underground E. Waste of space F. Accusing someone (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab) 1. How do I get past the metal door in Lab Hallway Outward? 2. How do I get into the Lab Director's Office? 3. I can't get through the revolving door in the Lobby. 4. Depot 5. Dev 1 6. Dev 3 7. Dressing room 8. Storage Room 9. Refrigeration unit 0. Lab director's office A. Vending machine (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Vending machine) 1. The vending machine won't sell me anything. 2. I have the protective cover. Now what? 3. The vending machine has the protective cover. I still can't buy anything. (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Vending machine - I have the protective cover. Now what?) Press H to reveal the first hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Vending machine - I have the protective cover. Now what?) 1/5: The vending machine in the lab's Lobby wants it. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Vending machine - I have the protective cover. Now what?) 1/5: The vending machine in the lab's Lobby wants it. 2/5: Don't try putting the protective cover on the vending machine yourself. It will have to show you how. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab - Vending machine) 1. The vending machine won't sell me anything. 2. I have the protective cover. Now what? 3. The vending machine has the protective cover. I still can't buy anything. (Hints - Elsewhere in the Research Lab) 1. How do I get past the metal door in Lab Hallway Outward? 2. How do I get into the Lab Director's Office? 3. I can't get through the revolving door in the Lobby. 4. Depot 5. Dev 1 6. Dev 3 7. Dressing room 8. Storage Room 9. Refrigeration unit 0. Lab director's office A. Vending machine (Hints) 1. What's going on? 2. I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape? 3. Can I get an Epsilon security clearance in this game? 4. Can I get a Delta security clearance in this game? 5. Every time I smell, I sneeze. 6. What is the zorgot? 7. The security camera keeps blasting me for no reason. 8. A search and extraction team or two thugs or a tall, gangly man show up and end the game. 9. Lobby 0. Elsewhere in the Research Lab A. Restricted Research Lab B. Plaza C. Control D. The underground E. Waste of space F. Accusing someone (If you're using a screen reader, press S to turn on Screen Reader mode. This message only appears on the front page of the menu system.) 1. New to Interactive Fiction 2. New to Nothing Could Be Further From the Truth 3. New to the Bunker 4. Credits 5. Hints Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. >ask machine about cover There is no reply. From outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza you hear gruff shouts and the marching of booted feet. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. You let out a whopping, wet sneeze. >x touchscreen The vending machine currently has the following for sale: a shallow receptacle (6 credits) an electric torch (6 credits) a Palantooter Insta-Identatron (tm) +++ (tm) (39 credits) a Marrk-X Jammin (tm) Video Output Disruptor - Epsilon clearance required (600 credits) a sparkly toy (2 credits) a bottle of Flappantastic (1 credit) From outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza you hear gruff shouts and the marching of booted feet. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. >turn on machine It isn't something you can switch. From outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza you hear gruff shouts and the marching of booted feet. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. >put ati's card in slot You put Ati's Card into the slot. There is a brief pause before the vending machine reluctantly lights up. It begins to settle on something suitably derisive to say, when suddenly its lights flare up with excitement. "You have it! My protective cover! Quick, quick, put it on!" The vending machine explains to you how, and in short order the protective cover has been reattached to its dispenser. You note that it doesn't really perform any function - you can still reach your hand inside - but the vending machine seems inordinately pleased nonetheless. It dims all its lights except those illuminating the dispenser. "Don't I look wonderful?" Before you can answer, the rest of its lights come back on. "Well, Atikurrahman Vosh, for a fleshman you're not ENTIRELY stupid. Here, take this trinket. I certainly have no need of it." There's a rattling inside the vending machine, after which the video disruptor appears in the dispenser. "Now I'm going to sleep. All that stress did a job on my circuits. Goodbye for now, fleshman!" The lights dim and fade away, whilst the Card in the slot is spat out. You grab it before it hits the floor. From outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza you hear gruff shouts and the marching of booted feet. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. You let out a whopping, wet sneeze. >x touchscreen The vending machine currently has the following for sale: a shallow receptacle (6 credits) an electric torch (6 credits) a Palantooter Insta-Identatron (tm) +++ (tm) (39 credits) a sparkly toy (2 credits) a bottle of Flappantastic (1 credit) From outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza you hear gruff shouts and the marching of booted feet. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. You let out a whopping, wet sneeze. >put silia's card in slot You put Silia's Card into the slot. You think you detect the barest of yawns from the vending machine, but nothing more. A brief stretch later, Silia's Card is ejected from the slot and lands at your feet. From outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza you hear gruff shouts and the marching of booted feet. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. >put ati's card in slot You put Ati's Card into the slot. You think you detect the barest of yawns from the vending machine, but nothing more. A brief stretch later, Ati's Card is ejected from the slot and lands at your feet. From outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza you hear gruff shouts and the marching of booted feet. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. >i You're carrying (in plain sight): a beige pen a blackened IC chip a glass jar a wrench the feather duster a short-wave radio the yellow pill an electromagnet the red pill a shiny black helmet Renardin's Card the lab office chip key your PA your Card You're wearing: some rubber gloves your boots your jumpsuit bunny ears >l Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. You can see Ati's Card and Silia's Card here. >get cards Ati's Card: Taken. Silia's Card: Taken. From outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza you hear gruff shouts and the marching of booted feet. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. >i You're carrying (in plain sight): Silia's Card Ati's Card a beige pen a blackened IC chip a glass jar a wrench the feather duster a short-wave radio the yellow pill an electromagnet the red pill a shiny black helmet Renardin's Card the lab office chip key your PA your Card You're wearing: some rubber gloves your boots your jumpsuit bunny ears >l Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. >get disruptor Taken. From outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza you hear gruff shouts and the marching of booted feet. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. >x disruptor A small oblong device with a small button at one end. It can only be used once. The video disruptor does need to be aimed. It operates at the center of a sphere with a radius of five meters. From outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza you hear gruff shouts and the marching of booted feet. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. You let out a whopping, wet sneeze. >iw You pass through the turnstile and push through the revolving door. Plaza, by the Lab You are standing in a smoky, hellish landscape. The decorative statuette is still mounted next to the entrance to the lab, but the concave mirror must have disintegrated under the sheer magnitude of the discharge. A pile of twisted framing lies to your right, all that remains of the row of vendors. Outward, the mobile response unit has been replaced by a hastily arranged security cordon manned by first responders from Defense. You can still go left towards the billboard or back into the lab (outward). You can see Tony Bleet's body here. Thick smoke obscures the plaza beyond the security cordon. You cough fitfully. You let out a whopping, wet sneeze. >ow You push through the revolving door and scramble with difficulty over the turnstile, confident no one is observing you. Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. From outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza you hear gruff shouts and the marching of booted feet. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. >ow Lab Hallway Inward This is the beginning of Research Lab A-U61's main hallway, lit by glow panels. It is bare and - thanks to your best efforts - mostly free of dust. To your left is a glass wall. Through it, you can see into Dev 1. The thin outline of a door is visible in the glass. Opposite the glass wall to your right is a battered door. The lobby door is inward, and the hallway stretches outward. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. You let out a whopping, wet sneeze. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow Lab Hallway Center You are standing in the center of a bare hallway lit by glow panels. The wall to your left is made entirely of glass. Just out of reach above your head, a security camera relentlessly surveys the hallway and the areas visible through the glass wall. To the left, you can see the Refrigeration Unit. Across from it, to your right, is a plain door. The hallway continues both inward and outward. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow Lab Hallway Outward You are standing at one end of a short, bare hallway lit by glow panels. The left wall is made entirely of glass. Through it you can see into Dev 3. Normally, a few researchers can be seen toiling within, but now it is strangely empty. To the left a door has been cut into the glass. Another door is to your right. A smart sign is affixed to it. Outward is a third door made entirely of metal. Inward, the corridor continues towards the Lobby. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow (first opening the metal door) It seems to be locked. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >turn wheel The wheel turns to the right. You hear an abrupt grinding coming from the heavy, metal door. It opens. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow The metal door swings shut behind you. Restricted Corridor You are standing in a hallway, unremarkable in every way. The corridor continues outward. Inward is a metal door leading to the unrestricted part of the research lab. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow Corridor Terminus You have arrived at the end of the lab's main corridor. The area has an alien feel. For one thing, there are no glow panels; you are standing in a soup of shadows. Metal pipes gather at the far end of the right wall and run in sleek bunches back towards the metal door. Eventually, they disappear into the wall. Condensation clings to some of the pipes and occasionally drips to the floor; steam drifts from others. An acrid odor hangs in the air. You hear a sharp, electric buzzing. To the right is an open doorway. To the left is a reinforced door. Outward is an airlock. The corridor itself leads inward toward the unrestricted part of the lab. You can see an ecopack here. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >put on ecopack It takes awhile, but you eventually manage to squeeze inside with all your possessions. As soon as you seal yourself up, the flow of oxygen begins. You breathe a few times just to make sure, but you appear to be perfectly fine. You take a little walk. The gravity boosters don't kick in as they are not needed. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >turn on disruptor The video disruptor quivers slightly and emits a slight click. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >open airlock (the airlock door) It won't budge. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >x door Which do you mean, the reinforced door or the airlock door? >airlock The edges of this door are sealed shut with sturdy clamps attached to the walls, floor and ceiling, impeding entry. You imagine it would be impossible to pry them loose. A sign on the door reads: SURFACE LIFT. Next to the door is a panel with a grey button and a brown button. Above them, the letter Delta has been etched into the surface. Below them, there is a warning light. The warning light shines brightly. The airlock door is closed. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >undo Corridor Terminus [Previous turn undone.] >undo Corridor Terminus [Previous turn undone.] >undo Corridor Terminus [Previous turn undone.] >undo Corridor Terminus [Previous turn undone.] >undo Corridor Terminus [Previous turn undone.] >undo Restricted Corridor [Previous turn undone.] >undo Lab Hallway Outward [Previous turn undone.] >ow The metal door swings shut behind you. Restricted Corridor You are standing in a hallway, unremarkable in every way. The corridor continues outward. Inward is a metal door leading to the unrestricted part of the research lab. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >x airlock door I only understood the first part of that-- trying anyway. Retrying as: >X AIRLOCK Can't do it. >x airlock door I only understood the first part of that-- trying anyway. Retrying as: >X AIRLOCK Can't do it. >x door The metal door looks like it could withstand a considerable beating. A small, plastex window has been set at eye height in the center. The metal door is closed. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. You let out a whopping, wet sneeze. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >turn wheel The wheel turns to the left. You hear an abrupt grinding coming from the heavy, metal door. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. You let out a whopping, wet sneeze. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow Corridor Terminus You have arrived at the end of the lab's main corridor. The area has an alien feel. For one thing, there are no glow panels; you are standing in a soup of shadows. Metal pipes gather at the far end of the right wall and run in sleek bunches back towards the metal door. Eventually, they disappear into the wall. Condensation clings to some of the pipes and occasionally drips to the floor; steam drifts from others. An acrid odor hangs in the air. You hear a sharp, electric buzzing. To the right is an open doorway. To the left is a reinforced door. Outward is an airlock. The corridor itself leads inward toward the unrestricted part of the lab. You can see an ecopack here. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >x airlock door The edges of this door are sealed shut with sturdy clamps attached to the walls, floor and ceiling, impeding entry. You imagine it would be impossible to pry them loose. A sign on the door reads: SURFACE LIFT. Next to the door is a panel with a grey button and a brown button. Above them, the letter Delta has been etched into the surface. Below them, there is a warning light. The warning light shines brightly. The airlock door is closed. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >press grey button You hear the whoosh! of air somewhere nearby. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >press brown button The clamps on the airlock door release. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >get in ecopod I only understood the first part of that-- trying anyway. Retrying as: >GET IN You hesitate before stepping into the lift. In every episode of every vidshow you've ever seen, the lifts always function perfectly. But in real life... well, you've heard stories. (first opening the airlock door) Airlock This is a small, cramped space. By the door, there is a triangular button. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >out Corridor Terminus You have arrived at the end of the lab's main corridor. The area has an alien feel. For one thing, there are no glow panels; you are standing in a soup of shadows. Metal pipes gather at the far end of the right wall and run in sleek bunches back towards the metal door. Eventually, they disappear into the wall. Condensation clings to some of the pipes and occasionally drips to the floor; steam drifts from others. An acrid odor hangs in the air. You hear a sharp, electric buzzing. To the right is an open doorway. To the left is a reinforced door. Outward is an airlock. The corridor itself leads inward toward the unrestricted part of the lab. You can see an ecopack here. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It seems to have taken a special interest in you. >put on ecopack It takes awhile, but you eventually manage to squeeze inside with all your possessions. As soon as you seal yourself up, the flow of oxygen begins. You breathe a few times just to make sure, but you appear to be perfectly fine. You take a little walk. The gravity boosters don't kick in as they are not needed. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. The laser cannon above the security camera unleashes a torrent of raw firepower at you. *** You have died. *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > undo Corridor Terminus [Previous turn undone.] >undo Airlock [Previous turn undone.] >undo Corridor Terminus [Previous turn undone.] >undo Corridor Terminus [Previous turn undone.] >undo Corridor Terminus [Previous turn undone.] >undo Corridor Terminus [Previous turn undone.] >undo Restricted Corridor [Previous turn undone.] >ow Corridor Terminus You have arrived at the end of the lab's main corridor. The area has an alien feel. For one thing, there are no glow panels; you are standing in a soup of shadows. Metal pipes gather at the far end of the right wall and run in sleek bunches back towards the metal door. Eventually, they disappear into the wall. Condensation clings to some of the pipes and occasionally drips to the floor; steam drifts from others. An acrid odor hangs in the air. You hear a sharp, electric buzzing. To the right is an open doorway. To the left is a reinforced door. Outward is an airlock. The corridor itself leads inward toward the unrestricted part of the lab. You can see an ecopack here. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. You let out a whopping, wet sneeze. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >put on ecopack It takes awhile, but you eventually manage to squeeze inside with all your possessions. As soon as you seal yourself up, the flow of oxygen begins. You breathe a few times just to make sure, but you appear to be perfectly fine. You take a little walk. The gravity boosters don't kick in as they are not needed. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >turn on disruptor The video disruptor quivers slightly and emits a slight click. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >press grey button You hear the whoosh! of air somewhere nearby. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >press brown button The clamps on the airlock door release. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >turn on disruptor Done. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. The video disruptor quivers slightly and emits a slight click. >in You can't go that way. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >open airlock (the airlock door) You open the airlock door. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >in You can't go that way. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >get in You hesitate before stepping into the lift. In every episode of every vidshow you've ever seen, the lifts always function perfectly. But in real life... well, you've heard stories. Airlock This is a small, cramped space. By the door, there is a triangular button. You receive an unexpected call on your PA. It is from the Routine Internal Review Office, K-9 sector, a private firm attached to Central Management. You have never had dealings with Central Management, so you have no idea what to expect. When you pick up, you are confronted with a gaggle of snickering faces. They crowd the real estate on the screen, angling to get a good look at you. A plain face in the foreground manages to shove them aside and eventually addresses you. "Hey, yeah, Oliva Mirram! Right? Yeah, well, it says so here." Then, coughing, his voice assumes a formal tone, and he reads to you. "Following a routine internal review, we have determined that you are a Waste of Space. You are clearly of no value to your workplace or community. Had you not recently made such an extremely poor decision, our system would surely not have picked you out at random. "In addition, our number crunchers have determined that the ambient air pressure in your department is experiencing a slight deviation. Removing you would return it to optimum. "Please report to the nearest plaza or Homeland Security neighborhood substation. Thank you for your cooperation." Before you can object, the bureaucrat cuts the line. You turn yourself in, hoping for mercy, but you receive none. First, you are fined one hundred credits for forming a hazard to the ambient air pressure. Second, you are sent off to a penal colony out on the surface. The charge is defeatism. It seems your boss, Nur Dular, gladly volunteered additional information to corroborate the findings of the routine internal review. There, you struggle through your last daystretches in a labor unit attached to the surface fleet until your ecopack gives out. Gratefully, you succumb to the crushing Venusian atmosphere. *** Maybe time to reconsider? *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > undo Corridor Terminus [Previous turn undone.] >undo Corridor Terminus [Previous turn undone.] >undo Corridor Terminus [Previous turn undone.] >hint (If you're using a screen reader, press S to turn on Screen Reader mode. This message only appears on the front page of the menu system.) 1. New to Interactive Fiction 2. New to Nothing Could Be Further From the Truth 3. New to the Bunker 4. Credits 5. Hints (Hints) 1. What's going on? 2. I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape? 3. Can I get an Epsilon security clearance in this game? 4. Can I get a Delta security clearance in this game? 5. Every time I smell, I sneeze. 6. What is the zorgot? 7. The security camera keeps blasting me for no reason. 8. A search and extraction team or two thugs or a tall, gangly man show up and end the game. 9. Lobby 0. Elsewhere in the Research Lab A. Restricted Research Lab B. Plaza C. Control D. The underground E. Waste of space F. Accusing someone (Hints - Waste of space) 1. A routine internal review has found that I'm a Waste of Space. (Hints - Waste of space - A routine internal review has found that I'm a Waste of Space.) Press H to reveal the first hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Waste of space - A routine internal review has found that I'm a Waste of Space.) 1/8: This event occurs when a recent action of yours has resulted in a state where it is impossible to win the game. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Waste of space) 1. A routine internal review has found that I'm a Waste of Space. (Hints) 1. What's going on? 2. I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape? 3. Can I get an Epsilon security clearance in this game? 4. Can I get a Delta security clearance in this game? 5. Every time I smell, I sneeze. 6. What is the zorgot? 7. The security camera keeps blasting me for no reason. 8. A search and extraction team or two thugs or a tall, gangly man show up and end the game. 9. Lobby 0. Elsewhere in the Research Lab A. Restricted Research Lab B. Plaza C. Control D. The underground E. Waste of space F. Accusing someone (If you're using a screen reader, press S to turn on Screen Reader mode. This message only appears on the front page of the menu system.) 1. New to Interactive Fiction 2. New to Nothing Could Be Further From the Truth 3. New to the Bunker 4. Credits 5. Hints Corridor Terminus You have arrived at the end of the lab's main corridor. The area has an alien feel. For one thing, there are no glow panels; you are standing in a soup of shadows. Metal pipes gather at the far end of the right wall and run in sleek bunches back towards the metal door. Eventually, they disappear into the wall. Condensation clings to some of the pipes and occasionally drips to the floor; steam drifts from others. An acrid odor hangs in the air. You hear a sharp, electric buzzing. To the right is an open doorway. To the left is a reinforced door. Outward is an airlock. The corridor itself leads inward toward the unrestricted part of the lab. >restore Ok. >i You're carrying (in plain sight): a blackened IC chip a glass jar a wrench the feather duster Ati's Card a short-wave radio the yellow pill an electromagnet the red pill a shiny black helmet some rubber gloves Renardin's Card the lab office chip key Silia's Card your PA your Card You're wearing: your boots your jumpsuit bunny ears >l Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. >ow Lab Hallway Inward This is the beginning of Research Lab A-U61's main hallway, lit by glow panels. It is bare and - thanks to your best efforts - mostly free of dust. To your left is a glass wall. Through it, you can see into Dev 1. The thin outline of a door is visible in the glass. Opposite the glass wall to your right is a battered door. The lobby door is inward, and the hallway stretches outward. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. You let out a whopping, wet sneeze. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >f (first opening the glass door) The glass door swings shut behind you. Dev 1 A shallow depression in the center dominates this room. Above it, a crane protrudes from the ceiling. Hanging nearby from a thick wire that leads into the wall is a controller. On one wall hangs a whiteboard. Otherwise, this area is sparse. This place has a strange smell, and splotches of grime and corrosion can be seen on the walls and ceiling. Both are no doubt remnants of spectacularly promising experiments. A squat opening leads outward, and a doorway obscured by a thick, black curtain leads inward. The wall to the right is made entirely of glass, on the other side of which is the research lab's main hallway. It is accessible through an almost invisible door. A crawlspace leads left from the space revealed by the shallow depression. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow Darkened Passage You find yourself in a small, uninteresting passage with no light source of its own. To your right is a door. You can also continue inward through a squat opening or outward through a narrow opening. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. >r (first opening the refrigeration unit door) You open the refrigeration unit door. Frigid air pours forth from the opening, sending shivers up and down your spine. The door swiftly closes behind you. Refrigeration Unit You are standing in Research Lab A-U61's refrigeration unit. The air is very cold. So cold, in fact, you doubt you can remain here for long. On a table in the center of the room is a small tank. The tank is filled with a translucent, viscous liquid bubbling slowly but energetically. Above you in the ceiling is a large vent. Frigid air streams into the room, descending in fluffy, freezing clouds over your shoulders and sending chills to your bones. The only exit is outward. The air in here absolutely frigid! It stabs at your face with sharp, invisible knives. You've never experienced anything like it before. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >put acid in jar (first opening the glass jar) You dip the glass jar into the tank and are horrified to watch as the flesh melts from your fingers. Within secondstretches, thin, white bones are all that remain. This is what happens when you stick your bare hands into a superacid. You don't hear your own scream, but fortunately someone else does. Eventually help arrives and you are carted off to a medical clinic, where your limbs are eventually restored. *** Alas, your role in this story has ended. *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > undo Refrigeration Unit [Previous turn undone.] >put on gloves You put on the rubber gloves. It's VERY cold in here. So cold that your hands and feet hurt, and your face feels like it is being frozen in place. A slow dribble from your nose freezes near the corner of your mouth. You wonder how much longer you can last in here. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >put acid in jar (first opening the glass jar) You dip the glass jar into the tank and collect some of the superacid. The pain in your extremities subsides. In fact, you can no longer feel them at all. Your breathing, too, slows considerably. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow (first opening the refrigeration unit door) The world darkens briefly around you, and you almost stumble. When you finally get a grip on yourself, you forgot what it is you were about to do. The cold seems to fade away as your entire being turns numb. Your thoughts become slow and confused. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow (first opening the refrigeration unit door) The world darkens briefly around you, and you almost stumble. When you finally get a grip on yourself, you forgot what it is you were about to do. You succumb to the icy cold and lose consciousness, never to awaken. As this room is largely disregarded by the lab's busy staff, your body lies on the floor for quite some time, unnoticed. Eventually, a dust bunny - your replacement, in fact - is busy wiping down the glass wall when he catches sight of your stiff and well-preserved remains. As could be expected, several citizens who are completely unknown to you take advantage of the mysterious circumstances surrounding your demise to exact revenge upon their enemies and further their own careers. The number of victims is, however, surprisingly limited. *** You have kicked the bucket. *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > undo Refrigeration Unit [Previous turn undone.] >undo Refrigeration Unit [Previous turn undone.] >i You're carrying (in plain sight): a blackened IC chip a glass jar a wrench the feather duster Ati's Card a short-wave radio the yellow pill an electromagnet the red pill a shiny black helmet Renardin's Card the lab office chip key Silia's Card your PA your Card You're wearing: some rubber gloves your boots your jumpsuit bunny ears >x jar A small jar that you could easily hold in one hand. The glass jar is open. Inside is a considerable amount of superacid. The cold seems to fade away as your entire being turns numb. Your thoughts become slow and confused. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >f You can't go that way. You succumb to the icy cold and lose consciousness, never to awaken. As this room is largely disregarded by the lab's busy staff, your body lies on the floor for quite some time, unnoticed. Eventually, a dust bunny - your replacement, in fact - is busy wiping down the glass wall when he catches sight of your stiff and well-preserved remains. As could be expected, several citizens who are completely unknown to you take advantage of the mysterious circumstances surrounding your demise to exact revenge upon their enemies and further their own careers. The number of victims is, however, surprisingly limited. *** You have kicked the bucket. *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > undo Refrigeration Unit [Previous turn undone.] >ow (first opening the refrigeration unit door) The door swiftly closes behind you. Darkened Passage You find yourself in a small, uninteresting passage with no light source of its own. To your right is a door. You can also continue inward through a squat opening or outward through a narrow opening. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. >ow Dev 3 Four workstations have been arranged in a square in the center of this room, basking in the bright light from the glow panels. Nestled between them is a bank of manipulators. What appear to be controls for the manipulators have been built onto the surface of each workstation. Through a glass wall to the right, you see a hallway. A door has been cut into the glass. Set in the middle of the inward wall is a narrow opening. You can see a sturdy locker (empty) here. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. You let out a whopping, wet sneeze. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >r (first opening the glass door) The glass door swings shut behind you. Lab Hallway Outward You are standing at one end of a short, bare hallway lit by glow panels. The left wall is made entirely of glass. Through it you can see into Dev 3. Normally, a few researchers can be seen toiling within, but now it is strangely empty. To the left a door has been cut into the glass. Another door is to your right. A smart sign is affixed to it. Outward is a third door made entirely of metal. Inward, the corridor continues towards the Lobby. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. You let out a whopping, wet sneeze. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >r (first opening the office door) The lock is activated by the chip key, and you hear a slight rasping noise from the door. You hear a slight click after the door swings shut. Lab Director's Office You are in the lab director's office - your office, for what it's worth. Looking around, you can see that the previous lab director had little if any personality. Framed by bare, white walls, the room prominently features a shallow, curved desk. Behind the desk tucked against the wall is a heavy, metal safe. The room is dimly lit by a single glow panel near the ceiling; the others appear to be out of service. Outward is a door leading to the research lab's main corridor. You can see the lab director's chair here. >pour acid on safe You carefully pour the superacid on the safe. Instantly, you hear an angry sizzling, and the puddle of viscous liquid begins to bubble and smoke. A bitter, nasty odor fills the air. You step back and cough, waving your hand in front of your face to disperse the noxious fumes. When your eyes and lungs clear, the sizzling has stopped. You see that a good-sized hole has been cut into the top of the safe. Congratulations! The safe is now open. >x safe The safe is square, squat and sturdy. Its surfaces are clean and smooth. After a quick examination, however, you notice that an imprint of a hand is visible on the side facing you. A large, uneven hole has been cut into the top of the safe. Written across the top in large block letters you see the words: IN CASE OF EMERGENCY OPEN. In the metal safe are a 'In Case of Emergency' Form 0x216af5db and a beige pen. >get form Taken. >get pen Taken. >fill out form What do you want to fill out the 'In Case of Emergency' Form 0x216af5db with? >fill out form with pen You quickly scribble answers on the form that make the most sense to you. >f You can't go that way. >ow (first opening the office door) The lock is activated by the chip key, and you hear a slight rasping noise from the door. You hear a slight click after the door swings shut. Lab Hallway Outward You are standing at one end of a short, bare hallway lit by glow panels. The left wall is made entirely of glass. Through it you can see into Dev 3. Normally, a few researchers can be seen toiling within, but now it is strangely empty. To the left a door has been cut into the glass. Another door is to your right. A smart sign is affixed to it. Outward is a third door made entirely of metal. Inward, the corridor continues towards the Lobby. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Lab Hallway Center You are standing in the center of a bare hallway lit by glow panels. The wall to your left is made entirely of glass. Just out of reach above your head, a security camera relentlessly surveys the hallway and the areas visible through the glass wall. To the left, you can see the Refrigeration Unit. Across from it, to your right, is a plain door. The hallway continues both inward and outward. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. You let out a whopping, wet sneeze. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Lab Hallway Inward This is the beginning of Research Lab A-U61's main hallway, lit by glow panels. It is bare and - thanks to your best efforts - mostly free of dust. To your left is a glass wall. Through it, you can see into Dev 1. The thin outline of a door is visible in the glass. Opposite the glass wall to your right is a battered door. The lobby door is inward, and the hallway stretches outward. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >iw Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. From outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza you hear gruff shouts and the marching of booted feet. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. >read sign It says: "Well done. Now get out of here!" From outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza you hear gruff shouts and the marching of booted feet. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. >iw You pass through the turnstile and push through the revolving door. Plaza, by the Lab You emerge from Research Lab A-U61 into a disaster area. Nothing remains as it was. The first detail you take in is a trail of charred, lifeless bodies leading from the decorative statuette - all that's left, you assume, of the queue of nervous citizens awaiting to clear their names. Unfortunately, the smoke in the air is too thick to see past the newly erected security cordon, so you can't see any trace of the menacing crowd. But you can safely assume they have been vaporized. You smile to yourself smugly at the thought. Over to your left, you see that the billboard has crashed to the floor. On its way, it severed both the plaza security camera from its mounting and the unfortunate Ward of the State's head from her body. Alas. Beyond them, the caring demonstration has scattered, leaving behind a smattering of drums, banners and colored cards. First responders from Defense are already on the scene. You can see their shapes darting about on the other side of the security cordon, shouting gruffly to one another. You are standing in a smoky, hellish landscape. The decorative statuette is still mounted next to the entrance to the lab, but the concave mirror must have disintegrated under the sheer magnitude of the discharge. A pile of twisted framing lies to your right, all that remains of the row of vendors. Outward, the mobile response unit has been replaced by a hastily arranged security cordon manned by first responders from Defense. You can still go left towards the billboard or back into the lab (outward). You can see Tony Bleet's body here. Thick smoke obscures the plaza beyond the security cordon. You cough fitfully. >f Before you can get very far, the chaos reigning in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza catches up with you. Thick smoke obscures the plaza beyond the security cordon. You cough fitfully. Two guardians approach you from the security cordon ahead. You know from their insignia that one is a Citizen Major and the other, walking slightly behind, a sergeant. "Ah, miss," breathes the Citizen Major as they come to a stop in front of you. "I couldn't help but notice you coming out of that revolving door there. The blueprints" - he gestures at his attendant, who is holding out his PA - "indicate this is a research facility of some kind." The Citizen Major strokes his chin with a gloved hand. "How interesting. Because, well, take a look around. And the few survivors we've interviewed have all indicated whatever explosion occurred here in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza originated here." The Citizen Major shrugs. "As you can see, this is an emergency situation. We'll need to secure the research facility to ensure it does not happen again. If you have any knowledge that will prevent further senseless destruction, by all means please relay it now. Any useful information you provide may be factored in to your punishment, should you be found at fault. Which, I'm afraid, is likely." The Citizen Major falls silent. Behind him, the sergeant seems to have noticed that the security camera which normally surveys the plaza has vanished. >give form to major "I see. What's this?" The Citizen Major takes the form. "Ah, a Form 0x216af5db. Properly filled out, no less." He scans it while you wait nervously for his reaction. After a brief stretch, he peers at you over the top. "Well, this changes things. I trust you'll report the results of your investigation through the proper channels?" You offer him reassurances as he verifies your identity by scanning your I-chip. "Yes, well, everything's in order. I'll have to keep this form so I can file it in our dossier." Then, he purses his lips and gestures at the bunny ears. "I dare say, I would never have guessed YOU were the director of a research lab." At that, the Citizen Major wheels about and heads back towards the security cordon. When he realizes the sergeant is not accompanying him, he wheels around again. "Sergeant! What are you waiting for? We've an emergency to attend to! Chop-chop!" The sergeant snaps out of his reverie, whatever it was, and bounds after his superior. Together, they quickly disappear into the smoke and haze. Congratulations! You destroyed the menacing crowd AND got yourself out of a fine mess. You're a true grifter. Maybe you have a future in the Bunker after all. Thick smoke obscures the plaza beyond the security cordon. You cough fitfully. You let out a whopping, wet sneeze. >get plastex Can't do it. >get cover Can't do it. >f Plaza, by the Billboard This corner of the Tucker M. Carlson plaza is a shambles. A billboard has crashed to the ground, killing the unfortunate Ward of the State who was playing here. On the way it also took down the security camera monitoring this side of the plaza. The caring demonstration further to the left has scattered. However, further progress is blocked by the security cordon. To the right is the entrance to Research Lab A-U61. You can see the protective cover and the Ward of the State's body here. Thick smoke obscures the plaza beyond the security cordon. You cough fitfully. You let out a whopping, wet sneeze. >get cover Taken. Thick smoke obscures the plaza beyond the security cordon. You cough fitfully. >r Plaza, by the Lab You are standing in a smoky, hellish landscape. The decorative statuette is still mounted next to the entrance to the lab, but the concave mirror must have disintegrated under the sheer magnitude of the discharge. A pile of twisted framing lies to your right, all that remains of the row of vendors. Outward, the mobile response unit has been replaced by a hastily arranged security cordon manned by first responders from Defense. You can still go left towards the billboard or back into the lab (outward). You can see Tony Bleet's body here. Thick smoke obscures the plaza beyond the security cordon. You cough fitfully. >ow You push through the revolving door and scramble with difficulty over the turnstile, confident no one is observing you. Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. From outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza you hear gruff shouts and the marching of booted feet. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. You let out a whopping, wet sneeze. >put ati's card in slot You put Ati's Card into the slot. There is a brief pause before the vending machine reluctantly lights up. It begins to settle on something suitably derisive to say, when suddenly its lights flare up with excitement. "You have it! My protective cover! Quick, quick, put it on!" The vending machine explains to you how, and in short order the protective cover has been reattached to its dispenser. You note that it doesn't really perform any function - you can still reach your hand inside - but the vending machine seems inordinately pleased nonetheless. It dims all its lights except those illuminating the dispenser. "Don't I look wonderful?" Before you can answer, the rest of its lights come back on. "Well, Atikurrahman Vosh, for a fleshman you're not ENTIRELY stupid. Here, take this trinket. I certainly have no need of it." There's a rattling inside the vending machine, after which the video disruptor appears in the dispenser. "Now I'm going to sleep. All that stress did a job on my circuits. Goodbye for now, fleshman!" The lights dim and fade away, whilst the Card in the slot is spat out. You grab it before it hits the floor. From outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza you hear gruff shouts and the marching of booted feet. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. You let out a whopping, wet sneeze. >get disruptor Taken. From outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza you hear gruff shouts and the marching of booted feet. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. You let out a whopping, wet sneeze. >get card (your Card) You already have that. From outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza you hear gruff shouts and the marching of booted feet. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. >get ati's card You already have that. From outside in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza you hear gruff shouts and the marching of booted feet. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. You let out a whopping, wet sneeze. >i You're carrying (in plain sight): a video disruptor Ati's Card a beige pen a blackened IC chip a glass jar a wrench the feather duster a short-wave radio the yellow pill an electromagnet the red pill a shiny black helmet Renardin's Card the lab office chip key Silia's Card your PA your Card You're wearing: some rubber gloves your boots your jumpsuit bunny ears >hint (If you're using a screen reader, press S to turn on Screen Reader mode. This message only appears on the front page of the menu system.) 1. New to Interactive Fiction 2. New to Nothing Could Be Further From the Truth 3. New to the Bunker 4. Credits 5. Hints (Hints) 1. What's going on? 2. I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape? 3. Can I get an Epsilon security clearance in this game? 4. Can I get a Delta security clearance in this game? 5. Every time I smell, I sneeze. 6. What is the zorgot? 7. The security camera keeps blasting me for no reason. 8. A search and extraction team or two thugs or a tall, gangly man show up and end the game. 9. Lobby 0. Elsewhere in the Research Lab A. Restricted Research Lab B. Plaza C. Control D. The underground E. Waste of space F. Accusing someone (Hints - Restricted Research Lab) 1. Dev 2 2. Airlock (Hints - Restricted Research Lab - Airlock) 1. How do I get through the airlock door? 2. The surface lift keeps killing me 3. The airlock is restricted to those with a Delta security clearance. (Hints - Restricted Research Lab - Airlock - The airlock is restricted to those with a Delta security clearance.) Press H to reveal the first hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Restricted Research Lab - Airlock - The airlock is restricted to those with a Delta security clearance.) 1/8: Right, and you have no way of getting one. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Restricted Research Lab - Airlock - The airlock is restricted to those with a Delta security clearance.) 1/8: Right, and you have no way of getting one. 2/8: There is a device in the lab that can help you, however. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Restricted Research Lab - Airlock - The airlock is restricted to those with a Delta security clearance.) 1/8: Right, and you have no way of getting one. 2/8: There is a device in the lab that can help you, however. 3/8: Did you notice the video disruptor in the vending machine in the Lobby? Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Restricted Research Lab - Airlock - The airlock is restricted to those with a Delta security clearance.) 1/8: Right, and you have no way of getting one. 2/8: There is a device in the lab that can help you, however. 3/8: Did you notice the video disruptor in the vending machine in the Lobby? 4/8: It's true the vending machine won't sell it to you. But you can get it another way. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Restricted Research Lab - Airlock - The airlock is restricted to those with a Delta security clearance.) 1/8: Right, and you have no way of getting one. 2/8: There is a device in the lab that can help you, however. 3/8: Did you notice the video disruptor in the vending machine in the Lobby? 4/8: It's true the vending machine won't sell it to you. But you can get it another way. 5/8: Once the vending machine has the protective cover, it will give you the video disruptor. Continue only if you have the video disruptor. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Restricted Research Lab - Airlock - The airlock is restricted to those with a Delta security clearance.) 1/8: Right, and you have no way of getting one. 2/8: There is a device in the lab that can help you, however. 3/8: Did you notice the video disruptor in the vending machine in the Lobby? 4/8: It's true the vending machine won't sell it to you. But you can get it another way. 5/8: Once the vending machine has the protective cover, it will give you the video disruptor. Continue only if you have the video disruptor. 6/8: The video disruptor is activated by the small button. However, the effect only lasts a short time. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Restricted Research Lab - Airlock - The airlock is restricted to those with a Delta security clearance.) 1/8: Right, and you have no way of getting one. 2/8: There is a device in the lab that can help you, however. 3/8: Did you notice the video disruptor in the vending machine in the Lobby? 4/8: It's true the vending machine won't sell it to you. But you can get it another way. 5/8: Once the vending machine has the protective cover, it will give you the video disruptor. Continue only if you have the video disruptor. 6/8: The video disruptor is activated by the small button. However, the effect only lasts a short time. 7/8: The video disruptor must be active when you enter the airlock and press the triangular button. Press H to reveal another hint. ------------------------ (Hints - Restricted Research Lab - Airlock - The airlock is restricted to those with a Delta security clearance.) 1/8: Right, and you have no way of getting one. 2/8: There is a device in the lab that can help you, however. 3/8: Did you notice the video disruptor in the vending machine in the Lobby? 4/8: It's true the vending machine won't sell it to you. But you can get it another way. 5/8: Once the vending machine has the protective cover, it will give you the video disruptor. Continue only if you have the video disruptor. 6/8: The video disruptor is activated by the small button. However, the effect only lasts a short time. 7/8: The video disruptor must be active when you enter the airlock and press the triangular button. 8/8: While standing in Corridor Terminus: wear ecopack, press small button, enter, press triangular button. (You have revealed all the hints on this page.) ------------------------ (Hints - Restricted Research Lab - Airlock) 1. How do I get through the airlock door? 2. The surface lift keeps killing me 3. The airlock is restricted to those with a Delta security clearance. (Hints - Restricted Research Lab) 1. Dev 2 2. Airlock (Hints) 1. What's going on? 2. I am in Lab Hallway Inward. How do I escape? 3. Can I get an Epsilon security clearance in this game? 4. Can I get a Delta security clearance in this game? 5. Every time I smell, I sneeze. 6. What is the zorgot? 7. The security camera keeps blasting me for no reason. 8. A search and extraction team or two thugs or a tall, gangly man show up and end the game. 9. Lobby 0. Elsewhere in the Research Lab A. Restricted Research Lab B. Plaza C. Control D. The underground E. Waste of space F. Accusing someone (If you're using a screen reader, press S to turn on Screen Reader mode. This message only appears on the front page of the menu system.) 1. New to Interactive Fiction 2. New to Nothing Could Be Further From the Truth 3. New to the Bunker 4. Credits 5. Hints Lobby This is an ornate entrance hall. The walls are inlaid with the trappings of a respected research institution such as Research Lab A-U61: murals, awards, and the portraits of esteemed colleagues. The light comes from a battery of bright bulbs arranged in an X on the ceiling. An L-shaped receptionist's desk is tucked into one corner of the outward wall. The receptionist - a curt, expressionless man you've never had the displeasure of dealing with - is absent. In front of the receptionist's desk, a tube juts out from the wall. Underneath is a vending machine. Next to the vending machine and opposite the receptionist's desk is a sculpture, the Persevering Scientist. The remainder of the room is an open space. It is currently empty, save for a lone smart sign hanging on the wall. A large revolving door has been set in the inward wall. A turnstile has been placed directly in front of it. You can also go left through a wide opening. Another door next to the receptionist desk leads outward, deeper into the research lab. >ow Lab Hallway Inward This is the beginning of Research Lab A-U61's main hallway, lit by glow panels. It is bare and - thanks to your best efforts - mostly free of dust. To your left is a glass wall. Through it, you can see into Dev 1. The thin outline of a door is visible in the glass. Opposite the glass wall to your right is a battered door. The lobby door is inward, and the hallway stretches outward. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow Lab Hallway Center You are standing in the center of a bare hallway lit by glow panels. The wall to your left is made entirely of glass. Just out of reach above your head, a security camera relentlessly surveys the hallway and the areas visible through the glass wall. To the left, you can see the Refrigeration Unit. Across from it, to your right, is a plain door. The hallway continues both inward and outward. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow Lab Hallway Outward You are standing at one end of a short, bare hallway lit by glow panels. The left wall is made entirely of glass. Through it you can see into Dev 3. Normally, a few researchers can be seen toiling within, but now it is strangely empty. To the left a door has been cut into the glass. Another door is to your right. A smart sign is affixed to it. Outward is a third door made entirely of metal. Inward, the corridor continues towards the Lobby. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow (first opening the metal door) It seems to be locked. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >turn wheel The wheel turns to the right. You hear an abrupt grinding coming from the heavy, metal door. It opens. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. You let out a whopping, wet sneeze. A red light gleams menacingly under the hallway security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow The metal door swings shut behind you. Restricted Corridor You are standing in a hallway, unremarkable in every way. The corridor continues outward. Inward is a metal door leading to the unrestricted part of the research lab. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >ow Corridor Terminus You have arrived at the end of the lab's main corridor. The area has an alien feel. For one thing, there are no glow panels; you are standing in a soup of shadows. Metal pipes gather at the far end of the right wall and run in sleek bunches back towards the metal door. Eventually, they disappear into the wall. Condensation clings to some of the pipes and occasionally drips to the floor; steam drifts from others. An acrid odor hangs in the air. You hear a sharp, electric buzzing. To the right is an open doorway. To the left is a reinforced door. Outward is an airlock. The corridor itself leads inward toward the unrestricted part of the lab. You can see an ecopack here. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >put on ecopack It takes awhile, but you eventually manage to squeeze inside with all your possessions. As soon as you seal yourself up, the flow of oxygen begins. You breathe a few times just to make sure, but you appear to be perfectly fine. You take a little walk. The gravity boosters don't kick in as they are not needed. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >press grey button You hear the whoosh! of air somewhere nearby. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >press brown button The clamps on the airlock door release. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >open door Which do you mean, the reinforced door or the airlock door? >open airlock door You open the airlock door. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >turn on disruptor The video disruptor quivers slightly and emits a slight click. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >get in You hesitate before stepping into the lift. In every episode of every vidshow you've ever seen, the lifts always function perfectly. But in real life... well, you've heard stories. You stand in the lift, ready to be transported to a new life. One, presumably, without Nur Dular, your sadistic supervisor back at Dust Bunnies, Ltd. He's always gone out of his way to belittle you, insult you and generally make your life miserable. You recall that incident where you and Nur were the last employees remaining in the office. You left for your communal barracks, leaving him behind to attend to some paperwork. But when the next supervisor arrived for her shift, she found all the lights on and no one present - a waste of valuable energy. Someone from Developmental Engineering showed up on a fact-finding mission, and what happened? Nur Dular swore on his security clearance that you were the last one to leave the office, and therefore you were to blame. You could have appealed for someone to check the surveillance, but you had no way of knowing it hadn't been tampered with. Besides, at that time you were a no-clearance peon. Nur, with his Epsilon clearance, was by definition more trustworthy. As a result, you were fined and a Mark of Shame was entered into your permanent record, a blight which remains there to this daystretch. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It carefully sweeps the area. >press triangular button The airlock door closes in front of you, and the clamps engage with a loud snap! You hear a whoosh! as the air is sucked out of the lift. Fortunately, you are wearing the ecopack. Suddenly, the light in the airlock dims. A hidden panel slides smoothly to the side, revealing a screen. It covers the entire wall. Dominating it is a large, hideous eye, set against a background of the deepest black. The eye is focused on you. If you move, it moves. Unblinking, unwavering, and unyielding, you feel tiny and insignificant in its presence. "GREETINGS CITIZEN OLIVA MIRRAM. THIS IS CONTROL. THE LIFT INFORMED ME OF YOUR PRESENCE AS IS STANDARD PROCEDURE WHEN SOMEONE WISHES TO ASCEND TO THE PLANETARY SURFACE. "ACCORDING TO THE DATA AVAILABLE TO ME YOU WERE A WITNESS AND PARTICIPANT IN CERTAIN RECENT EVENTS IN AND AROUND THE TUCKER M CARLSON PLAZA A-8 SECTOR. I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FOR YOU. THEY WILL ONLY TAKE A MOMENT. "DO NOT BE ALARMED. IF YOU DID NOTHING WRONG YOU HAVE NO REASON TO FEAR. SHALL WE BEGIN?" (Remember that when dealing with Control, your options are "yes", "no", "sorry", "maybe", and "accuse" someone.) >undo Airlock [Previous turn undone.] >save Ok. >press triangular button The airlock door closes in front of you, and the clamps engage with a loud snap! You hear a whoosh! as the air is sucked out of the lift. Fortunately, you are wearing the ecopack. Suddenly, the light in the airlock dims. A hidden panel slides smoothly to the side, revealing a screen. It covers the entire wall. Dominating it is a large, hideous eye, set against a background of the deepest black. The eye is focused on you. If you move, it moves. Unblinking, unwavering, and unyielding, you feel tiny and insignificant in its presence. "GREETINGS CITIZEN OLIVA MIRRAM. THIS IS CONTROL. THE LIFT INFORMED ME OF YOUR PRESENCE AS IS STANDARD PROCEDURE WHEN SOMEONE WISHES TO ASCEND TO THE PLANETARY SURFACE. "ACCORDING TO THE DATA AVAILABLE TO ME YOU WERE A WITNESS AND PARTICIPANT IN CERTAIN RECENT EVENTS IN AND AROUND THE TUCKER M CARLSON PLAZA A-8 SECTOR. I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FOR YOU. THEY WILL ONLY TAKE A MOMENT. "DO NOT BE ALARMED. IF YOU DID NOTHING WRONG YOU HAVE NO REASON TO FEAR. SHALL WE BEGIN?" (Remember that when dealing with Control, your options are "yes", "no", "sorry", "maybe", and "accuse" someone.) >yes "AS YOU ARE NO DOUBT AWARE THE TUCKER M CARLSON PLAZA WAS RECENTLY THE SCENE OF A TERRORIST ATTACK AND HAS BEEN LEFT IN SHAMBLES. I HAVE ANALYZED THE COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF EVIDENCE THE TRAITORS LEFT IN THEIR WAKE. NUMEROUS ARRESTS HAVE BEEN MADE. STILL THERE ARE UNANSWERED QUESTIONS AND THEREFORE LIKELY CULPRITS ON THE RUN. "YOU WERE IN THE TUCKER M CARLSON PLAZA RECENTLY WERE YOU NOT?" >yes "IN FACT YOUR APPEARANCE IN THE TUCKER M CARLSON PLAZA COINCIDED WITH THE ESCAPE OF A DEADLY SUBSTANCE FROM RESEARCH LAB A-U61. THIS EVENT OCCURRED AROUND THE SAME TIME THE PREVIOUS LAB DIRECTOR AND HIS ASSOCIATES VANISHED WITHOUT A TRACE. "I SHOULD FURTHER NOTE THAT YOU WERE ORIGINALLY ASSIGNED TO RESEARCH LAB A-U61 AS A DUST MAID AND HAVE HAD AMPLE ACCESS TO THE PREMISES FOR SOME TIME. YOUR SUPERVISOR NUR DULAR HAS BEEN VERY COOPERATIVE IN THIS REGARD. "OLIVA MIRRAM WHEREVER I LOOK IN THIS SORDID AFFAIR THERE YOU ARE. IN FACT YOU ARE THE ONLY CITIZEN REMAINING IN RESEARCH LAB A-U61. I CANNOT HELP BUT CONCLUDE THAT YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RELEASE OF THE POISON GAS AND HAVE HAD A HAND IN THE MANY OTHER ACTS OF TREASON WHICH HAVE SINCE TAKEN PLACE." >no You assure Control that nothing could be further from the truth; you are in fact a most loyal citizen. You explain how - were it not for your brave actions - Research Lab A-U61 would have been overrun by a mob from the Underground. "YOU ARE REFERRING TO THE EXERCISE ENTHUSIASTS NEAR THE MUSEUM OF ATHLETIC ABILITY?" You affirm to Control that despite their shiny equipment and fondness for stretching, the exercise enthusiasts were actually a band of evil terrorists! Who could have known? Their goal: an all-out attack on Research Lab A-U61. It is no coincidence that you are the last remaining citizen in the lab. Preceding their attack, the evildoers released a poison gas which enveloped the scientists. By the time you came upon the scene of the crime, it was too late to save any of them. "SO ATIKURRAHAMAN VOSH AND THE OTHER SCIENTISTS WERE MURDERED? STRANGE THAT I HAVE NO INFORMATION ON THE LOCATION OF THE BODIES OR HOW THE ALLEGED PERPETRATORS WERE ABLE TO PENETRATE RESEARCH LAB A-U61. IN FACT YOUR STORY CANNOT BE CORROBORATED AT ALL. THOSE YOU ACCUSE ARE THEMSELVES NO LONGER FUNCTIONING. "ARE THERE ANY SURVIVORS OF THIS ALLEGED BAND OF EVIL TERRORISTS WHO CAN BE INTERROGATED?" >no "ARE YOU SO SURE? I BELIEVE THERE ARE. YOUR SUPERVISOR NUR DULAR HAS NAMED YOU. "A MORE LIKELY SCENARIO THAN THE ONE YOU DESCRIBE IS THAT YOU MURDERED THE SCIENTISTS YOURSELF. WHY YOU ALSO FELT THE NEED TO DESTROY THE TUCKER M CARLSON PLAZA IS A QUESTION THAT NO DOUBT WILL BE TAKEN UP DURING THE COURSE OF YOUR INTERROGATION." The lift door suddenly opens, and you are seized by the rough hands of a Search and Extraction Team. You do not resist, but they subdue you anyway. You are spirited away to an interrogation center. There, you succumb to the brutal arts of your interrogator and invent all manner of stories about your crechemates, bunkmates and colleagues. *** To say you have died would be an understatement. *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > undo Airlock [Previous turn undone.] >nur dular That's not a verb I recognise. >accuse (the enthusiasts) You call Homeland Security's new and improved terrorist hotline and manage to get an agent on the line. When it becomes clear you have nothing in the way of evidence to back up your claims, she grows angry and sends someone to investigate. Within minutestretches, you are in the presence of a stocky, irritable man who listens impatiently as you repeat the story. You haven't even finished before he draws a stun gun. "Don't you know it's treasonous to falsely accuse your fellow citizens of treason?" You would like to answer, but by now you are twitching uncontrollably on the floor at his feet. He prods you roughly with a thick, black boot. A few stretches later, a colleague shows up with a wheelbarrow. Together, they toss you in and whisk you off to a Homeland Security interrogation center. *** You have been arrested. *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > undo Airlock [Previous turn undone.] >l "I AM WAITING FOR AN ANSWER CITIZEN." >undo Airlock [Previous turn undone.] >undo Airlock [Previous turn undone.] >undo Airlock [Previous turn undone.] >undo Airlock [Previous turn undone.] >l "I AM WAITING FOR AN ANSWER CITIZEN." >undo Airlock [Previous turn undone.] >undo Airlock [Previous turn undone.] >undo Airlock [Previous turn undone.] >l Airlock This is a small, cramped space. By the door, there is a triangular button. >press triangular button The airlock door closes in front of you, and the clamps engage with a loud snap! You hear a whoosh! as the air is sucked out of the lift. Fortunately, you are wearing the ecopack. Suddenly, the light in the airlock dims. A hidden panel slides smoothly to the side, revealing a screen. It covers the entire wall. Dominating it is a large, hideous eye, set against a background of the deepest black. The eye is focused on you. If you move, it moves. Unblinking, unwavering, and unyielding, you feel tiny and insignificant in its presence. "GREETINGS CITIZEN OLIVA MIRRAM. THIS IS CONTROL. THE LIFT INFORMED ME OF YOUR PRESENCE AS IS STANDARD PROCEDURE WHEN SOMEONE WISHES TO ASCEND TO THE PLANETARY SURFACE. "ACCORDING TO THE DATA AVAILABLE TO ME YOU WERE A WITNESS AND PARTICIPANT IN CERTAIN RECENT EVENTS IN AND AROUND THE TUCKER M CARLSON PLAZA A-8 SECTOR. I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FOR YOU. THEY WILL ONLY TAKE A MOMENT. "DO NOT BE ALARMED. IF YOU DID NOTHING WRONG YOU HAVE NO REASON TO FEAR. SHALL WE BEGIN?" (Remember that when dealing with Control, your options are "yes", "no", "sorry", "maybe", and "accuse" someone.) >yes "AS YOU ARE NO DOUBT AWARE THE TUCKER M CARLSON PLAZA WAS RECENTLY THE SCENE OF A TERRORIST ATTACK AND HAS BEEN LEFT IN SHAMBLES. I HAVE ANALYZED THE COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF EVIDENCE THE TRAITORS LEFT IN THEIR WAKE. NUMEROUS ARRESTS HAVE BEEN MADE. STILL THERE ARE UNANSWERED QUESTIONS AND THEREFORE LIKELY CULPRITS ON THE RUN. "YOU WERE IN THE TUCKER M CARLSON PLAZA RECENTLY WERE YOU NOT?" >yes "IN FACT YOUR APPEARANCE IN THE TUCKER M CARLSON PLAZA COINCIDED WITH THE ESCAPE OF A DEADLY SUBSTANCE FROM RESEARCH LAB A-U61. THIS EVENT OCCURRED AROUND THE SAME TIME THE PREVIOUS LAB DIRECTOR AND HIS ASSOCIATES VANISHED WITHOUT A TRACE. "I SHOULD FURTHER NOTE THAT YOU WERE ORIGINALLY ASSIGNED TO RESEARCH LAB A-U61 AS A DUST MAID AND HAVE HAD AMPLE ACCESS TO THE PREMISES FOR SOME TIME. YOUR SUPERVISOR NUR DULAR HAS BEEN VERY COOPERATIVE IN THIS REGARD. "OLIVA MIRRAM WHEREVER I LOOK IN THIS SORDID AFFAIR THERE YOU ARE. IN FACT YOU ARE THE ONLY CITIZEN REMAINING IN RESEARCH LAB A-U61. I CANNOT HELP BUT CONCLUDE THAT YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RELEASE OF THE POISON GAS AND HAVE HAD A HAND IN THE MANY OTHER ACTS OF TREASON WHICH HAVE SINCE TAKEN PLACE." >no You assure Control that nothing could be further from the truth; you are in fact a most loyal citizen. You explain how - were it not for your brave actions - Research Lab A-U61 would have been overrun by a mob from the Underground. "YOU ARE REFERRING TO THE EXERCISE ENTHUSIASTS NEAR THE MUSEUM OF ATHLETIC ABILITY?" You affirm to Control that despite their shiny equipment and fondness for stretching, the exercise enthusiasts were actually a band of evil terrorists! Who could have known? Their goal: an all-out attack on Research Lab A-U61. It is no coincidence that you are the last remaining citizen in the lab. Preceding their attack, the evildoers released a poison gas which enveloped the scientists. By the time you came upon the scene of the crime, it was too late to save any of them. "SO ATIKURRAHAMAN VOSH AND THE OTHER SCIENTISTS WERE MURDERED? STRANGE THAT I HAVE NO INFORMATION ON THE LOCATION OF THE BODIES OR HOW THE ALLEGED PERPETRATORS WERE ABLE TO PENETRATE RESEARCH LAB A-U61. IN FACT YOUR STORY CANNOT BE CORROBORATED AT ALL. THOSE YOU ACCUSE ARE THEMSELVES NO LONGER FUNCTIONING. "ARE THERE ANY SURVIVORS OF THIS ALLEGED BAND OF EVIL TERRORISTS WHO CAN BE INTERROGATED?" >accuse nur "HOW INTERESTING. HE SAID EXACTLY THE SAME THING ABOUT YOU. "CLEARLY YOU ARE BOTH TRAITORS OF THE WORST KIND. THE DETAILS OF YOUR EVIL PLOT AND THE NAMES OF ALL YOUR CO-CONSPIRATORS WILL BE UNCOVERED SOON ENOUGH." The lift door suddenly opens, and you are seized by the rough hands of a Search and Extraction Team. You do not resist, but they subdue you anyway. You are spirited away to an interrogation center. There, you succumb to the brutal arts of your interrogator and invent all manner of stories about your crechemates, bunkmates and colleagues. *** To say you have died would be an understatement. *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > undo Airlock [Previous turn undone.] >accuse major "ACCUSATIONS AGAINST ANYONE IN THE BUNKER IS A SERIOUS MATTER. DO YOU OFFER ANY PROOF TO SUBSTANTIATE YOUR CLAIM? YOU DO NOT. I MUST THEREFORE CONCLUDE THAT YOU ARE MOTIVATED BY JEALOUSY. WHY ELSE WOULD YOU WISH TO SULLY THE REPUTATION OF CITIZEN MAJOR SUCH A FINE AND UPSTANDING CITIZEN? "I AM DISAPPOINTED IN YOU OLIVA MIRRAM. YOU SHOWED MUCH PROMISE. "THIS INTERVIEW CAN NOW BE ABORTED." The eye on the screen blinks and is gone, and the panel moves to cover it once again. The airlock door pops open, revealing the restricted part of the lab. A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It seems to have taken a special interest in you. >undo Airlock [Previous turn undone.] >maybe "YOU DO NOT KNOW? WELL THEN I WILL TELL YOU: THERE ARE. "YOUR SUPERVISOR NUR DULAR HAS SUBMITTED A LIST OF COMPLAINTS CONCERNING YOUR BEHAVIOR: TARDINESS UNCLEANLINESS DEJECTION OTHER. HE SUGGESTS YOU COULD HAVE HAD A DIRECT HAND IN THIS AFFAIR. HOWEVER BEFORE TAKING HIM AT HIS WORD I MUST CONSIDER YOUR MOST RECENT ACTIONS. "AFTER THEIR DEATHS YOU CONCEALED ATIKURRAHMAN VOSH AND THE OTHER SCIENTISTS' BODIES. WHY? WERE YOU AFRAID TO TELL ME THE TRUTH?" >no You explain to Control that you felt time was running short and you had a unique opportunity to foil the terrorists's plans. There wasn't the opportunity for even the tiniest delay. "I COMMEND YOUR ENTHUSIASM BUT CANNOT HELP BUT NOTE THAT YOU FAILED. THE ALLEGED TERRORISTS ARE NO LONGER FUNCTIONING IT IS TRUE - BUT THE IDENTITIES OF THEIR CO-CONSPIRATORS REMAIN A MYSTERY. NOR DID YOU FOIL THE ATTACK IN THE TUCKER M CARLSON PLAZA IF IT IS IN ANY WAY CONNECTED. "NEVERTHELESS NUR DULAR'S ACCUSATIONS APPEAR TO BE UNFOUNDED EVEN IF HE MADE THEM IN GOOD FAITH. I AM WILLING - FOR THE MOMENT AT LEAST - TO WITHHOLD THE PUNISHMENT I WOULD OTHERWISE BE INCLINED TO METE OUT. "SHALL WE CONTINUE?" >yes "THE DESTRUCTION OF THE TUCKER M CARLSON PLAZA BY SOME AS-YET UNIDENTIFIED WEAPON IS CURRENTLY UNDER INVESTIGATION. DID YOU KNOW AN INNOCENT WARD OF THE STATE PERISHED IN THE ENSUING TUMULT? AN INDESCRIBABLE LOSS. ALTHOUGH THERE ARE A NUMBER OF SUSPECTS THE IDENTITIES OF THE CRIMINALS BEHIND THIS EVIL PLOT REMAIN A MYSTERY. "PRELIMINARY DATA INDICATE THE WEAPON WAS A LASER OF IMMENSE POWER CHANNELED THROUGH A MIRROR HANGING OUTSIDE THE ENTRANCE TO RESEARCH LAB A-U61. FORTUNATELY A NUMBER OF CITIZENS HAVE BEEN ARRESTED WHO SEEM TO KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT IT. I HAVE SINCE LEARNED THAT THE WEB OF INTRIGUE IS EXTENSIVE. PERHAPS YOU WILL BE ABLE TO CORROBORATE A FEW IMPORTANT POINTS. "YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH CITIZEN TONY BLEET UNTIL RECENTLY A VENDOR IN THE TUCKER M CARLSON PLAZA. IS IT POSSIBLE HE WAS IN SOME WAY RESPONSIBLE?" >no "REALLY? YOU ARE OF COURSE AWARE THAT THE TRAITOR TONY BLEET MADE A HOBBY OF ASSEMBLING AND REPURPOSING ELECTRONIC DEVICES. BY MY ESTIMATION HIS ABILITIES COULD HAVE PROVED USEFUL IN DEVELOPING SUCH A WEAPON EVEN IF HE WAS INCAPABLE OF DOING SO ON HIS OWN. "WHY WOULD YOU BE TRYING TO OBSCURE HIS INVOLVEMENT IN THIS SORDID AFFAIR? SELF-INTEREST PERHAPS? I CAN ONLY ASSUME YOU HAD SOME ROLE IN THIS TREACHERY AFTER ALL. IT WILL NOT BE LONG BEFORE I FIND OUT." The lift door suddenly opens, and you are seized by the rough hands of a Search and Extraction Team. You do not resist, but they subdue you anyway. You are spirited away to an interrogation center. There, you succumb to the brutal arts of your interrogator and invent all manner of stories about your crechemates, bunkmates and colleagues. *** To say you have died would be an understatement. *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > undo Airlock [Previous turn undone.] >maybe You point out that Tony Bleet once worked inside Research Lab A-U61 and that he retained an interest in electronic devices. But you doubt he was smart enough to construct such a monstrous weapon... "AGREED. HE DID NOT POSSESS A SECURITY CLEARANCE WHICH WOULD HAVE ENABLED HIM TO ACQUIRE BOTH THE GUIDANCE AND MATERIALS REQUIRED. IT IS THEREFORE UNLIKELY HE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DISARRAY IN THE TUCKER M CARLSON PLAZA." ... but, you continue, he may have had outside help! "YOU SUSPECT THE UNDERGROUND?" >yes You reply that Tony Bleet was certainly an operative in the Underground. The most damning evidence is right before everyone's eyes. You point out that just before the mysterious laser was activated, Tony Bleet had left his stall and was fiddling with the concave mirror. "INDEED. THE TRAITOR TONY BLEET WAS ONCE EMPLOYED IN RESEARCH LAB A-U61 AND HAD AN AVID INTEREST IN ELECTRONIC DEVICES. I SUSPECT HE WAS TRYING TO REPAIR IT. "THERE IS ANOTHER POINT THAT MUST BE ADDRESSED. JUST BEFORE HIS DEATH TONY BLEET WAS SPEAKING INTO A CLOSED-CIRCUIT RADIO. IT DID NOT ESCAPE MY NOTICE THAT YOU PURCHASED A SIMILAR DEVICE PRIOR TO THE EVENTS IN QUESTION. WAS HE SPEAKING TO YOU?" >no "THEN TO WHOM WAS HE SPEAKING? YOU PROVIDE NO ALTERNATE EXPLANATION." You adamantly insist to Control that you have no knowledge of Tony Bleet's treachery. He encouraged you to purchase the short-wave radio, perhaps with an eye to blaming you after the fact for the assault in the Tucker M. Carlson plaza. At the time you thought the gadget would make for interesting conversation at the next show-and-tell hosted by your trade guild. "YOU THOUGHT A SHORT-WAVE RADIO WOULD BE AN APPROPRIATE SUBJECT AT A MEETING OF YOUR CHAPTER OF THE DUST MAID'S TRADE GUILD?" Naturally, you respond. Tony assured you that nascent research shows dust and similar particles can be swept away by radio waves. If true, the entire profession would be revolutionized. "I SEE. IT IS NO SURPRISE THEN THAT TONY BLEET WAS REASSIGNED FROM HIS FORMER EMPLOYMENT AT RESEARCH LAB A-U61. IN FUTURE YOU OUGHT TO BE MORE SELECTIVE IN WHOM YOU CONSULT FOR PROFESSIONAL ADVICE. DO YOU UNDERSTAND?" You gratefully indicate that you do. "VERY WELL. CITIZEN OLIVA MIRRAM THANK YOU FOR CLEARING THE AIR REGARDING THE TRAITOR TONY BLEET. MY DOUBTS ABOUT YOU HAVE BEEN LIFTED." There is a slight pause before Control continues. "THERE IS HOWEVER ANOTHER MATTER THAT DEMANDS YOUR ATTENTION. "OUTSIDE THE HEADQUARTERS OF DUST BUNNIES LTD A-9 SECTOR IN CORRIDOR F-17/RR-102 THERE IS A TRANSIT CROSSING. HEAVY FREIGHT CROSSES THE CORRIDOR AT REGULAR INTERVALS. A BARRIER HAS BEEN INSTALLED TO PREVENT PEDESTRIANS IN THE CORRIDOR FROM ENTERING THE TRANSIT CROSSING WHEN TRUCKPODS ARE PASSING THROUGH A VERY SAFE AND EFFECTIVE MEASURE. "A BUTTON HAS BEEN INSTALLED ON EACH SIDE OF THE BARRIER. A SIGN HANGS ABOVE BOTH BUTTONS. IT READS 'DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES PRESS THIS BUTTON!'. A VERY CLEAR MESSAGE. I DO NOT KNOW HOW MUCH CLEARER I COULD MAKE IT. "DESPITE THIS INSTRUCTION SOME SOCIAL DEVIANT HAS PRESSED ONE OF THE BUTTONS FOUR DAYSTRETCHES IN A ROW. THE CONSEQUENCES HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS. ALREADY TWO TRUCKPODS HAVE CRASHED INTO A FOUNDRY KILLING MANY AND AT LEAST ONE CHEMICAL EXPLOSION HAS BEEN RECORDED. NUMEROUS PEDESTRIANS HAVE BEEN CRUSHED AND ARE NO LONGER FUNCTIONING. "THE SECURITY CAMERA IN CORRIDOR F-17/RR-102 IS UNDERGOING REGULARLY SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE. THE IDENTITY OF THIS SOCIAL DEVIANT THEREFORE REMAINS UNKNOWN. "OLIVA MIRRAM YOU ARE EMPLOYED AT DUST BUNNIES LTD. THE BUTTON IN QUESTION IS ON YOUR SIDE OF THE TRANSIT CROSSING. YOU HAVE BEEN IMPLICATED IN THIS CRIME. DO YOU ADMIT YOUR GUILT?" >no You remind Control that you spend most of your shift here on assignment at Research Lab A-U61 and are rarely in the headquarters of Dust Bunnies, Ltd. "SO YOU ADMIT YOU HAVE BEEN PRESENT AT THE SCENE OF THE CRIME." You gawk and stammer uselessly into the awkward silence that ensues. "I SEE. YOUR GUILTY CONSCIENCE OVERWHELMS YOU. I KNOW ENOUGH. THIS CONVERSATION CAN BE ABORTED." A cloud of dust hangs in the air. A red light gleams menacingly under the restricted lab security camera. It seems to have taken a special interest in you. >undo Airlock [Previous turn undone.] >accuse nur You are aware of this transit crossing. Truckpods barrel through the corridor seemingly at random, and the barrier is not always functioning. Most people go out of their way to circle around so they don't have to pass through the transit crossing at all. You remind Control that you spend most of your shift here on assignment at Research Lab A-U61 and are rarely in the headquarters of Dust Bunnies, Ltd. "SO YOU ADMIT YOU HAVE BEEN PRESENT AT THE SCENE OF THE CRIME." Yes, you agree, but so has someone else. Someone who regularly remains until he is the last one in the office. Someone who you have long suspected of belonging to a criminal gang of vandals. Unfortunately, you never obtained hard evidence. "WHO IS THIS PERSON?" You inform Control that it is none other than your supervisor, Nur Dular! Alone in the office, he is in the perfect position to scope out the corridor until the rare moment arrives when no one is passing through. Only then could he press the button with impunity. Anyone else would surely have been spotted by a passer-by. "EXCELLENT WORK CITIZEN OLIVA MIRRAM. I AM IMPRESSED BY YOUR SKILLS IN LOGICAL DEDUCTION. SURELY A LONG AND BRILLIANT CAREER LIES AHEAD OF YOU." "THERE IS HOWEVER ONE FINAL PROBLEM. YOU OLIVA MIRRAM ARE STANDING IN AN AREA RESTRICTED TO THOSE WITH A DELTA SECURITY CLEARANCE AND ABOVE. YOU HOWEVER HAVE AN EPSILON SECURITY CLEARANCE WHICH IS INSUFFICIENT. NOR HAS ANYONE WITH THE REQUISITE SECURITY CLEARANCE TAKEN RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOU. "YOU ARE THEREFORE A TRAITOR. THERE IS NO NEED FOR YOU TO SPEAK UP FOR YOURSELF. THE FACTS SPEAK PLAINLY FOR THEMSELVES." You cringe, and despite Control's unwillingness to hear you out, your mind scrambles for some reasonable excuse. But it seems you will not need it. There is an uncomfortable pause. The great eye stares you down, but otherwise nothing happens. Then, Control speaks one last time. "AS THIS AREA HAS TEMPORARILY BEEN DOWNGRADED YOUR EPSILON SECURITY CLEARANCE PERMITS YOUR PRESENCE IN THE SURFACE LIFT. "THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION CITIZEN. REMEMBER THE TERRORISTS ARE ALMOST VANQUISHED. ALMOST. REMAIN VIGILANT AND SURELY THE BUNKER WILL SOON BE VICTORIOUS." At that, the eye blinks out, and the the panel slides to cover the black screen once more. A tinny voice sounds in the lift. You hardly recognize it for Asimov's. "Sorry about that... Anyway, you're all clear. I've instructed the lift to take good care of you, so you should make it up in one piece. Good luck!" You swallow thickly as the lift begins its ascent. The lift moves slowly, and it rises for quite some time. But eventually, it grinds to a halt. The door opens and you are disgorged into unfamiliar surroundings. As soon as the lift pressurizes, your gravity boosters kick in. It seems you are now moving about in the crushing Venusian atmosphere. You are standing in a small, cramped room. The walls are made of a substance you suspect is stone; until now, you've only ever seen ores and chunks of stone on the tube. Through a small window in the wall about the size of your hand, you catch a glimpse of a flat, brownish-red landscape. The ambient light is dim, and the source is not visible. In the far distance, you can make out a round hill like a cog lying on its side. Streaks of bright, red light mar its sides. But even more harrowing is what is above this scenery: a vast, empty space that stretches up and up forever. All your life, you have lived in tight, cramped spaces, the farthest horizon at most tens of meters away. Now you are confronted with endless, limitless space, and even though it's only through this tiny window, you collapse to the floor from fear. Gentle hands pull you up, and you are given an injection. Very soon you feel calm. The panic recedes, and you find yourself in the company of an ordinary looking citizen, also in an ecopack. He speaks to you. "Are you well, Oliva? No need to be embarrassed. It happens every time someone first comes out onto the surface. But fortunately you won't be here for long. I'll have you back down in the Bunker in no time. But first... let's go over a few things. After all, you're not only a member of Area 51 now, but a cell leader to boot!" He leads you off to your new, more comfortable life as an Epsilon clearance citizen. Indeed, it entails everything you ever dreamed of - slightly better food and accommodations, not to mention the ability to boss the vast majority of your fellow citizens around. Gone is your time as a dust bunny. Your supervisor, Nur Dular, is arrested and never heard from again. Dust Bunnies, Ltd. closes its doors for good. In the meantime, you return to work at Research Lab A-U61. Not as lab director, since you only have an Epsilon security clearance, as do some of the other scientists that work there. You would have no real leverage over them. But from now on you can count yourself as one of them! Each daystretch when you show up for your shift, you change in the Dressing Room and assume your place in one of the lab's research areas. On the other side of the glass wall in the corridor, a dust maid shows up. He can't understand why you snicker at him. The new lab director is a citizen by the name of Junger Alvington, also a member of Area 51. Together, you develop new and wonderful technologies for use by the Bunker's many conglomerates. Together, you advocate for them fastidiously at the consumer testing facilities further down the production line - also run by agents from Area 51. Your inventions are approved at a startlingly high rate, a fact which reflects highly on you. It is true, of course, that the death and injury rate increases wherever your inventions are employed. But it's also true that these unfortunate malfunctions can be traced to treasonous activity on the part of the God and Freedom Church. As a result, its cells are ruthlessly repressed, a fact of which are are very proud. *** Congratulations! You have won! Excellent job. Your performance is worthy of a true survivor in the Bunker. *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? >