Start of a transcript of The Magpie Takes the Train Set in the world of Alias "The Magpie". A short tale by Brian Rushton Release 2 / Serial number 201004 / Inform 7 build 6M62 (I6/v6.33 lib 6/12N) Identification number: //1382CE5F-959A-4B62-A926-2A48EF5D0676// Interpreter version 2.1.7 / VM 3.1.2 / Library serial number 080126 Standard Rules version 3/120430 by Graham Nelson >about This game is set in the world of the 2018 game Alias "The Magpie" by JJ Guest. It was written by Mathbrush in fulfillment of a prize given out that year. This game has been tested by Caleb Wilson, Nils Fagerburg, Lance Campbell, Thomas Mack, Mike Russo, Arthur DiBianca, Peter M.J. Gross, Dark Star, Victor Gijsbers, AKheon, Eli Shupe, Mike Sousa, Christopher Merriner, Robb Sherwin and JJ Guest. Cover art copyright Mads Weidner. In this game conversation is carried out by SAYing an available topic. Topics can be found by TALKing TO the character you are interested in, or typing TOPICS or T for short. Each topic can only be spoken to a specific character. For instance, you can SAY HELLO to say the Hello topic to the parrot. You can RECALL or REMEMBER a topic to remind yourself what happened previously. For hints on what to do next, type HINT. For a walkthrough, type WALKTHROUGH. >say greetings You give a small bow, letting her see your military costume. "It was my turn to be demobbed, ma'am, and I thought I'd take a ride on the best rail car the States can muster up before heading back. Spent a pretty penny, too!" "Very well, Major," she says. "You will be permitted to visit Ms. Hogg's observation car. The following are prohibited: solicitation, disorderly behavior, religious proselytising, sales pitches, unlicensed scientific research, fireworks, poking the parrot, and wearing disguises." "Of course, ma'am. I wouldn't think of it," you say. The attendant beckons you to follow her into the train to the east. >i You are carrying: a ticket a suitcase, closed, containing a black and white feather, a banker costume, a waiter costume, a maintenance uniform, and a pet groomer costume [You can see topics for speaking to others by typing T or TOPICS]. >t [Topics with an asterisk (*) have already been discussed.] Things to say to the attendant: *Greetings - A small bow towards the attendant. You can see just the topics for one person at a time by TALKing TO that person. >x me You are Sir Rodney Playfair: dashing, debonair, and devilishly handsome. Not perhaps in the first flush of youth, but very sprightly for a man of sixty. That touch of grey at the temples lends you an air of authority, a useful attribute for getting one out of a scrape. You are currently wearing a military costume. >l Station This part of the station has been roped off for members of Hogg's entourage and guests only. The entrance to the train is to the east. The attendant is waiting for you. "Come along, Major Springbottom. This way, please!" she says, indicating the entrance to the east. >e The attendant goes before you. You walk through an ornate but unimportant hallway before emerging into the Observation Car. You can feel the train starting to move. Observation Car You step into Cornelia Hogg's sumptuous private observation car. The room is illuminated by the sunlit windows and the floor is covered in vivid chartreuse carpeting. A door to the south leads to freedom, once you're finished here. Cornelia Hogg is here as always, furiously scribbling. Horus, the parrot you have come to despise, is on his perch at her side. The Viscount, a frequent passenger who is clearly wearing a disguise, is perusing a magazine. Ah, there it is! The Gavinchian Rose, jewel of jewels, sitting on Hogg's lapel. It's so close, you could reach out and take it. Is it just that simple? [New topic for Cornelia Hogg - Introductions] [New topic for the parrot - Hello] [New topic for the Viscount - Familiar] The radiator rattles and hisses. >take rose Cornelia Hogg looks up as your shadow falls over her pages. She swats your hand away. "What is this impertinence?" she demands. "Impertinence!" cries Horus. You back away, and Cornelia resumes her labors. Horus is deeply offended by your suspicious actions. He's glaring at you. A peace offering or two might be in order. You can feel the Viscount's eyes on you. You won't be able to take the rose with him watching, either. >say introductions "Good afternoon, Ms. Hogg." She looks at you skeptically. "Good afternoon, Mister..." "Springbottom. Major Springbottom, in fact. I've seen quite a few terrible things in the service, but I'm pleased to say I've never seen anything quite like you. Charmed, I'm sure." "Yes, yes," she mutters, returning to her papers. "Charmed." The conductor peeks in. You and the Viscount wave your tickets at the conductor, and he takes them. With a salute at the attendant, the conductor leaves the room. >say hello Horus seems upset with something you did earlier. Seems he's a sensitive soul. The server stalks in, punctual as usual, and carrying his tray of drinks. He stands, slouched, staring at the floor, waiting for someone to grab a beverage. You can see quite a few drinks on the tray. Cornelia smacks her lips, glancing at the tray of drinks but not stopping her work or concentration. >take beverage You look around, but there's nothing by that precise name that you can see. >take drink The tray has a glass of grape juice, a glass of water, a glass of soda, and a glass of vodka on it. >take all tray full of drinks: The tray has a glass of grape juice, a glass of water, a glass of soda, and a glass of vodka on it. glass of grape juice: You grab the glass of grape juice from the server's tray. He grunts in acknowledgment and continues to stare at the floor. glass of water: You grab the glass of water from the server's tray. He grunts in acknowledgment and continues to stare at the floor. glass of soda: You grab the glass of soda from the server's tray. He grunts in acknowledgment and continues to stare at the floor. glass of vodka: You grab the glass of vodka from the server's tray. He grunts in acknowledgment and continues to stare at the floor. papers: That'd be difficult to do discreetly, and taking it doesn't serve your ultimate goal at this time. grooming kit: Hogg glares at you. "That's for Horus!" she declaims. "You're not his groomer!" tweezers: The grooming kit isn't open. emery board: The grooming kit isn't open. toy mouse: The grooming kit isn't open. cracker: Taken. cracker: Taken. cracker: Taken. cracker: Taken. cracker: Taken. magazine: That'd be difficult to do discreetly, and taking it doesn't serve your ultimate goal at this time. The radiator rattles and hisses. >say familiar "You seem familiar, sir. Have we met?" you ask pointedly. "You must be mistaken," answers the Viscount in a gruff tenor. "I rarely travel from my estate." "Of course, your estate. A pleasant one, I suppose, as you are the Viscount of...?" you press. The Viscount shakes his head. "It's a new one, you wouldn't have heard of it." "Ah, such modesty. It's surprising, though. Only three viscountcies were granted this year, and I am personally acquainted with two of them. I suppose that you, then, are the Viscount Upton Snodsbury." The Viscount says, "Oh! Yes, yes. Upton Snodsbury." The server stomps out of the room. >t [Topics with an asterisk (*) have already been discussed.] Things to say to the attendant: *Greetings - A small bow towards the attendant. Things to say to the parrot: Hello - "Hello, pretty boy!" Things to say to Cornelia Hogg: *Introductions - "Good afternoon, Ms. Hogg." Things to say to the Viscount: *Familiar - "You seem familiar, sir. Have we met?" You can see just the topics for one person at a time by TALKing TO that person. >give cracker to parrot Horus gobbles the cracker greedily, swallows, and lets out a happy belch. >say hello "Hello, pretty boy!" you say. "How are we today?" Horus cocks his head at you and says, "Hello! Hello! Horus demands a cracker!" [New topic for the parrot - Snack] [New topic for the parrot - Reject] The train passes under a tunnel, plunging the room into darkness. Cornelia tuts. "We really ought to get better lighting in here," she says. It is now pitch dark in here! >say snack It's hard to tell who's here in the darkness with you. Better to wait. >x me It is pitch dark, and you can't see a thing. The radiator rattles and hisses. The train exits the tunnel, and sunlight streams in once more. >take rose Cornelia Hogg looks up as your shadow falls over her pages. She swats your hand away. "What is this impertinence?" she demands. "Impertinence!" cries Horus. You back away, and Cornelia resumes her labors. Horus is deeply offended by your suspicious actions. He's glaring at you. A peace offering or two might be in order. You can feel the Viscount's eyes on you. You won't be able to take the rose with him watching, either. >undo Observation Car [Previous turn undone.] >say snack "Would you like a cracker, my feathered friend?" you ask. Horus bobs his head up and down, and says, "Cracker! Horus will perform for a cracker." [New topic for the parrot - Performance] >say performance "Horus my friend, will you perform for me?" you ask, crouching down to look Horus in the eye. Horus says, "Horus is blessed with an abundance of grace. Dance, music and rhetoric are all in my power." [New topic for the parrot - Dance] [New topic for the parrot - Music] [New topic for the parrot - Rhetoric] The server stalks in, carrying his tray of drinks. He stands, slouched, staring at the floor, waiting for someone to grab a beverage. You can see quite a few drinks on the tray. Cornelia smacks her lips, glancing at the tray of drinks but not stopping her work or concentration. >say dance Horus squawks and hops from one foot to the other. The server blinks in the bright sunlight streaming through the windows. He goes to pull the shades, but the attendant says, "No, no, no, only authorized staff can close the shades." >say music Horus stretches tall and begins to sing a bespoke adaptation of The Charge of the Light Brigade. It seems it will go on for quite some time. Wonderful. That should help mask the sound of your footsteps when you take the Rose. Horus is currently singing at the top of his lungs. >say rhetoric Horus stops singing and strikes a majestic pose and says, "Say not always what you know, but always know what you say!" Horus might be willing to finish his interrupted song. [Renewed topic for the parrot - Music] The radiator rattles and hisses. The server stomps out of the room. >l Observation Car You are in Cornelia Hogg's sumptuous private observation car. The room is illuminated by the sunlit windows and the floor is covered in vivid chartreuse carpeting. A door to the south leads to freedom, once you're finished here. The attendant bustles in and out of the room constantly, keeping everything tidy and giving you frequent sidelong glances. Hogg's pet parrot Horus is clinging to his perch, his box of crackers nearby. Cornelia Hogg is poring over her papers, mumbling and making minor adjustments. The Viscount has been pretending to read the same magazine page for the last thirty minutes. >x windows Bright sunlight streams through the windows, unblocked by the fully opened shades. Horus stops singing and preens his feathers. He seems eager to sing again. [Renewed topic for the parrot - Music] >x shades A simple set of shades, not quite up to the standard of the rest of the car. But they're thick enough. They are currently open. >x carpeting The entire observation car is covered in high-quality nylon, one of the first carpets of its kind. It's colored a lovely shade of chartreuse. The train passes under a tunnel, plunging the room into darkness. It is now pitch dark in here! >say music It's hard to tell who's here in the darkness with you. Better to wait. The radiator rattles and hisses. >take rose It's too dark to tell if what you typed is here. >close shades It's too dark to tell if what you typed is here. >t [Topics with an asterisk (*) have already been discussed.] Things to say to the attendant: *Greetings - A small bow towards the attendant. Things to say to the parrot: *Rhetoric - "Speech! Speech!" Music - "Sing for me?" *Dance - "Dance, Horus!" *Performance - "Horus, will you perform for me?" Reject - "No crackers for you, dear." *Snack - "Would you like a cracker?" *Hello - "Hello, pretty boy!" Things to say to Cornelia Hogg: *Introductions - "Good afternoon, Ms. Hogg." Things to say to the Viscount: *Familiar - "You seem familiar, sir. Have we met?" You can see just the topics for one person at a time by TALKing TO that person. >i You are carrying: 4 crackers a glass of vodka a glass of soda a glass of water a glass of grape juice a suitcase, closed, containing a black and white feather, a banker costume, a waiter costume, a maintenance uniform, and a pet groomer costume You can hear the server stomping into the room, carrying a tray of drinks, although you cannot see him. The train exits the tunnel, and sunlight streams in once more. >l Observation Car You are in Cornelia Hogg's sumptuous private observation car. The room is illuminated by the sunlit windows and the floor is covered in vivid chartreuse carpeting. A door to the south leads to freedom, once you're finished here. A server holding a tray of drinks is standing sulkily in the car. The attendant bustles in and out of the room constantly, keeping everything tidy and giving you frequent sidelong glances. Hogg's pet parrot Horus is clinging to his perch, his box of crackers nearby. Cornelia Hogg is poring over her papers, mumbling and making minor adjustments. The Viscount has been pretending to read the same magazine page for the last fifty-seven minutes. >talk to attendant To speak with the attendant, choose a topic from below and SAY [the topic] TO THE ATTENDANT. Things to say to the attendant: Greetings >say greetings You've already discussed this with attendant. [You can REMEMBER or RECALL a topic to remind yourself about previous conversations.] The server stomps out of the room. >t [Topics with an asterisk (*) have already been discussed.] Things to say to the attendant: *Greetings - A small bow towards the attendant. Things to say to the parrot: *Rhetoric - "Speech! Speech!" Music - "Sing for me?" *Dance - "Dance, Horus!" *Performance - "Horus, will you perform for me?" Reject - "No crackers for you, dear." *Snack - "Would you like a cracker?" *Hello - "Hello, pretty boy!" Things to say to Cornelia Hogg: *Introductions - "Good afternoon, Ms. Hogg." Things to say to the Viscount: *Familiar - "You seem familiar, sir. Have we met?" You can see just the topics for one person at a time by TALKing TO that person. >l Observation Car You are in Cornelia Hogg's sumptuous private observation car. The room is illuminated by the sunlit windows and the floor is covered in vivid chartreuse carpeting. A door to the south leads to freedom, once you're finished here. The attendant bustles in and out of the room constantly, keeping everything tidy and giving you frequent sidelong glances. Hogg's pet parrot Horus is clinging to his perch, his box of crackers nearby. Cornelia Hogg is poring over her papers, mumbling and making minor adjustments. The Viscount has been pretending to read the same magazine page for the last sixty minutes. The radiator rattles and hisses. >x parrot Horus is an underfed, ornery-looking green parrot. >close shades The attendant looks over sharply. "Leave those alone, you wretched man! That's for railroad maintenance only!" A photographer enters the room and snaps a few pictures. You move discreetly out of the way. You notice the Viscount pulling his hat over his eyes. The photographer takes a couple more and departs. >x hogg Cornelia Hogg is a weathered, wiry old woman with a sharp gleam in her eye. Her attention is entirely devoted to the papers she is reviewing while occasionally clucking her tongue. Hogg is dressed in a perfectly-tailored pin-striped pantsuit. Her brow is perpetually furrowed, and she has a thick head of silver hair. The Gavinchian Rose, the object of your desire, is prominently displayed on her lapel. A pet grooming kit lies on her lap. You hear the whistle blow. >x papers The papers are covered in dense tables of numbers and figures. >x kit This is a small, transparent plastic pouch. In the grooming kit are some tweezers, an emery board, and a toy mouse. The radiator rattles and hisses. The server stalks in, carrying his tray of drinks. He stands, slouched, staring at the floor, waiting for someone to grab a beverage. You can see quite a few drinks on the tray. Cornelia smacks her lips, glancing at the tray of drinks but not stopping her work or concentration. The train passes under a tunnel, plunging the room into darkness. It is now pitch dark in here! >z You bide your time. [You can skip directly to the next time the train goes under the bridge by typing SKIP.]. >z You bide your time. The train exits the tunnel, and sunlight streams in once more. >x viscount The Viscount is a perennial passenger in Hogg's observation car, although he never seems to speak. He is wearing a wide hat, a heavy scarf, and a fake beard. You could recognize him from his pungent odor alone, though. The server stomps out of the room. >x hat The Viscount's wide-brimmed hat is huge and messy, like a mouse's nest. Perfect for obfuscation. >take it The Viscount slaps your hand away as soon as you start tugging. The radiator rattles and hisses. >x papers The papers are covered in dense tables of numbers and figures. >x magazine Vogue. This week's. [New topic for the Viscount - Fashion] >say fashion "Anything interesting in fashion this season?" "What?" asks the Viscount. You point at the magazine. "You seem interested. What sort of things are fashionable this year? One must keep up with these things, you know, however tedious it may be." The Viscount laughs hesitantly, fingering the heavy scarf around his neck. "Scarves are the fashion this year," he says. An official-looking woman enters with a document for Hogg to sign. Hogg scrawls on the line without looking up and the woman leaves. >i You are carrying: 4 crackers a glass of vodka a glass of soda a glass of water a glass of grape juice a suitcase, closed, containing a black and white feather, a banker costume, a waiter costume, a maintenance uniform, and a pet groomer costume An up-and-coming socialite enters the room and stands in awe of Ms. Hogg's presence. After trying to engage you all in small talk, the visitor leaves. The server stalks in, carrying his tray of drinks. He stands, slouched, staring at the floor, waiting for someone to grab a beverage. You can see quite a few drinks on the tray. Cornelia smacks her lips, glancing at the tray of drinks but not stopping her work or concentration. >throw vodka at viscount The Viscount jumps to his feet, spluttering and gasping, but the spirit gum dissolves in the vodka and the beard falls to the floor. "Oh my, I do apologize," you say, "How clumsy of me!" "You wretch!" he hisses. There's murder in his eyes. The attendant says, "What in the world are you two doing?" She marches closer, snatching up the beard, but Cornelia Hogg, without looking, says, "Beatrice! Don't be such a busybody." The attendant stops, fuming. The server grabs the glass of vodka and departs. The Viscount retreats from you towards the wall and attempts to be less conspicuous. The radiator rattles and hisses. >take beard You look around, but there's nothing by that precise name that you can see. >l Observation Car You are in Cornelia Hogg's sumptuous private observation car. The room is illuminated by the sunlit windows and the floor is covered in vivid chartreuse carpeting. A door to the south leads to freedom, once you're finished here. The attendant bustles in and out of the room constantly, keeping everything tidy and giving you frequent sidelong glances. Hogg's pet parrot Horus is clinging to his perch, his box of crackers nearby. Cornelia Hogg is poring over her papers, mumbling and making minor adjustments. The Viscount has been pretending to read the same magazine page for the last seventy-six minutes. The train passes under a tunnel, plunging the room into darkness. It is now pitch dark in here! >skip You wait for the train to leave the tunnel. The train exits the tunnel, and sunlight streams in once more. There is a murmur of voices in the outside corridor, but it subsides. >i You are carrying: 4 crackers a glass of soda a glass of water a glass of grape juice a suitcase, closed, containing a black and white feather, a banker costume, a waiter costume, a maintenance uniform, and a pet groomer costume >throw soda at hogg Tempting, but no. >throw soda at viscount Tempting, but no. The radiator rattles and hisses. The server stomps out of the room. >throw water at viscount Tempting, but no. An up-and-coming socialite enters the room and stands in awe of Ms. Hogg's presence. After trying to engage you all in small talk, the visitor leaves. >throw juice at viscount Tempting, but no. >s Not without the Rose! An official-looking woman enters with a document for Hogg to sign. Hogg scrawls on the line without looking up and the woman leaves. >open suitcase You take a quick peek inside the suitcase. This suitcase contains a number of ingenious costumes. You can change costumes by typing WEAR [the costume you want] when everyone is distracted. In the suitcase are a black and white feather, a banker costume, a waiter costume, a maintenance uniform, and a pet groomer costume. You close the suitcase. >z You bide your time. The radiator rattles and hisses. The train passes under a tunnel, plunging the room into darkness. It is now pitch dark in here! >wear pet groomer You open the suitcase a crack. (first taking the pet groomer costume) You take off the military costume and put it in the suitcase, then pull out the pet groomer costume. The clothing is simple, and the attitude is one of youth and enthusiasm. You are currently disguised with the pet groomer costume. You close the suitcase. [Renewed topic for Cornelia Hogg - Introductions] [Renewed topic for the attendant - Greetings] [Renewed topic for the Viscount - Familiar] [You can introduce yourself to Hogg, the Viscount and/or the attendant once per costume.] You can hear the server stomping into the room, carrying a tray of drinks, although you cannot see him. >say introductions It's hard to tell who's here in the darkness with you. Better to wait. The train exits the tunnel, and sunlight streams in once more. The Viscount turns and looks at your new disguise, then goes back to his magazine. He seems to be the only one who's noticed. >say introductions "Good afternoon, Ms. Hogg." Without looking up, she says, "Ah, finally. Give Horus a good filing, and be quick about it. I hope you're qualified. Horus is a bit of a beast." She grabs a grooming kit from her lap, which she tosses on the floor. "No problem, ma'am. I'm quite used to the company of unpleasant old birds. I'll get started right away!" >take kit Taken. The server stomps out of the room. >open it You open the grooming kit. An up-and-coming socialite enters the room and stands in awe of Ms. Hogg's presence. After trying to engage you all in small talk, the visitor leaves. The radiator rattles and hisses. >take all papers: That'd be difficult to do discreetly, and taking it doesn't serve your ultimate goal at this time. cracker: Taken. cracker: Taken. cracker: Taken. cracker: Taken. cracker: Taken. magazine: That'd be difficult to do discreetly, and taking it doesn't serve your ultimate goal at this time. >i You are carrying: 9 crackers a grooming kit, open, containing some tweezers, an emery board, and a toy mouse a glass of soda a glass of water a glass of grape juice a suitcase, closed, containing a military costume, a black and white feather, a banker costume, a waiter costume, and a maintenance uniform >take tweezers Perfect! This should help keep Hogg from feeling you take the Rose. Taken. You hear the whistle blow. >take board Taken. An up-and-coming socialite enters the room and stands in awe of Ms. Hogg's presence. After trying to engage you all in small talk, the visitor leaves. >x it Useful for filing the talons of birds. Not as useful for anything else. The radiator rattles and hisses. The server stalks in, carrying his tray of drinks. He stands, slouched, staring at the floor, waiting for someone to grab a beverage. You can see quite a few drinks on the tray. Cornelia smacks her lips, glancing at the tray of drinks but not stopping her work or concentration. >take mouse You grab the mouse. Horus perks up. "The enemy! Send me forth to destroy the foul creature!" [New topic for the parrot - Destroy] The server blinks in the bright sunlight streaming through the windows. He goes to pull the shades, but the attendant says, "No, no, no, only authorized staff can close the shades." The train passes under a tunnel, plunging the room into darkness. It is now pitch dark in here! >skip You wait for the train to leave the tunnel. The train exits the tunnel, and sunlight streams in once more. >say destroy Horus leaps to the toy mouse and savages it before flying to his roost and dropping the mouse to the ground. The server stomps out of the room. >take mouse You grab the mouse. Horus seems eager to play again. [Renewed topic for the parrot - Destroy] >t [Topics with an asterisk (*) have already been discussed.] Things to say to the attendant: Greetings - A small bow towards the attendant. Things to say to the parrot: Destroy - "Horus, Destroy!" *Rhetoric - "Speech! Speech!" Music - "Sing for me?" *Dance - "Dance, Horus!" *Performance - "Horus, will you perform for me?" Reject - "No crackers for you, dear." *Snack - "Would you like a cracker?" *Hello - "Hello, pretty boy!" Things to say to Cornelia Hogg: *Introductions - "Good afternoon, Ms. Hogg." Things to say to the Viscount: *Fashion - "Anything interesting in fashion this season?" Familiar - "You seem familiar, sir. Have we met?" You can see just the topics for one person at a time by TALKing TO that person. >say greetings You make a small bow towards the attendant. She looks your way but wrinkles her nose and turns back. The radiator rattles and hisses. >say familiar "You seem familiar, sir. Have we met?" you ask. He shakes his head, studiously reading his magazine instead of looking at you. "No, you remind me of someone. A Viscount, I heard you were? I attended a birth for a Viscount once. He had a few farm animals on his estate as an affectation. I attended his ewe on occasion when she had her litters. Now, you don't look like him much, but I thought there was a resemblance of some sort...." you muse thoughtfully. "Ah!" you say, snapping your fingers. "It was the sheep! Darling little thing." >groom parrot Horus already looks pretty good, but you can file his talons. >file talons "If I may, your majesty," you say to Horus. You file the talons of Horus with panache. Horus squawks contentedly. >give cracker to horus Horus gobbles the cracker greedily, swallows, and lets out a happy belch. The server stalks in, carrying his tray of drinks. He stands, slouched, staring at the floor, waiting for someone to grab a beverage. You can see quite a few drinks on the tray. Cornelia smacks her lips, glancing at the tray of drinks but not stopping her work or concentration. >take vodka You grab the glass of vodka from the server's tray. He grunts in acknowledgment and continues to stare at the floor. The radiator rattles and hisses. The server blinks in the bright sunlight streaming through the windows. He goes to pull the shades, but the attendant says, "No, no, no, only authorized staff can close the shades." The train passes under a tunnel, plunging the room into darkness. It is now pitch dark in here! >wear maintenance You open the suitcase a crack. (first taking the maintenance uniform) You take off the pet groomer costume and put it in the suitcase, then pull out the maintenance uniform. The jumpsuit is an easy fit. You adopt an attitude of confidence in yourself and indifference to those around you. You are currently disguised with the maintenance uniform. You close the suitcase. [Renewed topic for Cornelia Hogg - Introductions] [Renewed topic for the attendant - Greetings] [Renewed topic for the Viscount - Familiar] >skip You wait for the train to leave the tunnel. The train exits the tunnel, and sunlight streams in once more. The Viscount turns and looks at your new disguise, then goes back to his magazine. He seems to be the only one who's noticed. >close shades You pull down the shades. The attendant says, "Leave those alone, you--" but cuts off when she sees your maintenance uniform. You notice that your shadow has disappeared. That should make it easier to grab the Rose. >say introductions "Good afternoon, Ms. Hogg." She glares at you. "What's the matter now? Another useless drain on my money, or a pointless waste of my time?" "Oh, I'm firmly against pointless wastes of time," you say. "I'll continue with my inspection, now." >say greetings You make a slight bow towards the attendant. She seems completely oblivious to your presence. The radiator rattles and hisses. The server stomps out of the room. >say familiar "You seem familiar, sir. Have we met?" you ask. The Viscount mutters some noncommittal noises. You place your hands on your hips and lean in closer, squinting your eyes. "Begging your pardon, but you remind me of my late uncle Melvin. Did you know a Melvin Flathead?" The Viscount, says, "No, I'm sorry, I haven't heard of him." "That's a shame, sir. He always had a bright personality, which was just as well for him. The firstborn gets the looks in our family, and, well, Melvin was the eighth child." An official-looking woman enters with a document for Hogg to sign. Hogg scrawls on the line without looking up and the woman leaves. >say hello You've already discussed this with parrot. [You can REMEMBER or RECALL a topic to remind yourself about previous conversations.] >t [Topics with an asterisk (*) have already been discussed.] Things to say to the attendant: *Greetings - A small bow towards the attendant. Things to say to the parrot: Destroy - "Horus, Destroy!" *Rhetoric - "Speech! Speech!" Music - "Sing for me?" *Dance - "Dance, Horus!" *Performance - "Horus, will you perform for me?" Reject - "No crackers for you, dear." *Snack - "Would you like a cracker?" *Hello - "Hello, pretty boy!" Things to say to Cornelia Hogg: *Introductions - "Good afternoon, Ms. Hogg." Things to say to the Viscount: *Fashion - "Anything interesting in fashion this season?" *Familiar - "You seem familiar, sir. Have we met?" You can see just the topics for one person at a time by TALKing TO that person. >reject "No crackers for you, dear," you say. "Perhaps another time." Horus is deeply offended by your suspicious actions. He's glaring at you. A peace offering or two might be in order. >snack Horus seems upset with something you did earlier. Seems he's a sensitive soul. >give cracker to horus Horus gobbles the cracker greedily, swallows, and lets out a happy belch. The radiator rattles and hisses. The train passes under a tunnel, plunging the room into darkness. It is now pitch dark in here! >i You are carrying: a glass of vodka a toy mouse an emery board some tweezers 7 crackers a grooming kit, open, containing nothing a glass of soda a glass of water a glass of grape juice a suitcase, closed, containing a pet groomer costume, a military costume, a black and white feather, a banker costume, and a waiter costume You can hear the server stomping into the room, carrying a tray of drinks, although you cannot see him. >wear banker You open the suitcase a crack. (first taking the banker costume) You take off the maintenance uniform and put it in the suitcase, then pull out the banker costume. You tug on the suit in record time. You straighten your spine, put on a sardonic smile, and nudge every hair into place. You can hear Cornelia Hogg sniffing. "What is that pleasant odor?" she mutters. Good. At least your smell won't disturb Ms. Hogg when you try to take the Rose. You are currently disguised with the banker costume. You close the suitcase. [Renewed topic for Cornelia Hogg - Introductions] [Renewed topic for the attendant - Greetings] [Renewed topic for the Viscount - Familiar] The train exits the tunnel, and sunlight filters weakly through the shades. The Viscount turns and looks at your new disguise, then goes back to his magazine. He seems to be the only one who's noticed. >say introductions "Good afternoon, Ms. Hogg." She looks at you with admiration. "And a good afternoon to you, sir. Please, make yourself comfortable. It's always a pleasure to see a representative of our financial industries aboard." She takes a deep sniff, which you find fairly unsettling. "Of course. As for me, whenever I think about the great problems of labor and wealth distribution in America, your face is the first to come to mind. It is an honor, Madame." >say greetings You make a tiny bow towards the attendant. She approaches you eagerly. "I didn't see you come in, M--" "No matter, no matter, my dear. My employers are quite interested in speaking with Ms. Hogg." You look her up and down. "Would you say that you are a typical representative of the quality of Ms. Hogg's entourage?" "Yes, I would say that's quite right," she answers, blushing and squaring her shoulders. "Well, I suppose we all make do," you say. "Carry on." The server stomps out of the room. >say familiar "You seem familiar, sir. Have we met?" you ask. The Viscount sighs and buries his face in the magazine. "No, I don't believe so." "Do you have interest in the world of finance? We could use people with a strong work ethic and integrity," you ask. "I am of independent means, sir," answers the Viscount haughtily. "Well," you say, "we might still be able to use someone with just integrity. Let me know!" The radiator rattles and hisses. >sing You belt out a few lines in a beautiful tenor voice. The attendant hushes you with a finger on her lips. You hear the whistle blow. >t [Topics with an asterisk (*) have already been discussed.] Things to say to the attendant: *Greetings - A small bow towards the attendant. Things to say to the parrot: Destroy - "Horus, Destroy!" *Rhetoric - "Speech! Speech!" Music - "Sing for me?" *Dance - "Dance, Horus!" *Performance - "Horus, will you perform for me?" *Reject - "No crackers for you, dear." *Snack - "Would you like a cracker?" *Hello - "Hello, pretty boy!" Things to say to Cornelia Hogg: *Introductions - "Good afternoon, Ms. Hogg." Things to say to the Viscount: *Fashion - "Anything interesting in fashion this season?" *Familiar - "You seem familiar, sir. Have we met?" You can see just the topics for one person at a time by TALKing TO that person. >music Horus stretches tall and begins to sing a bespoke adaptation of The Charge of the Light Brigade. It seems it will go on for quite some time. Wonderful. That should help mask the sound of your footsteps when you take the Rose. Horus is currently singing at the top of his lungs. >throw vodka at viscount That isn't available. Horus is currently singing at the top of his lungs. >i You are carrying: a glass of vodka a toy mouse an emery board some tweezers 7 crackers a grooming kit, open, containing nothing a glass of soda a glass of water a glass of grape juice a suitcase, closed, containing a maintenance uniform, a pet groomer costume, a military costume, a black and white feather, and a waiter costume Horus is currently singing at the top of his lungs. >x viscount The Viscount is a perennial passenger in Hogg's observation car, although he never seems to speak. He is wearing a wide hat and a heavy scarf. You could recognize him from his pungent odor alone, though. There is a murmur of voices in the outside corridor, but it subsides. Horus is currently singing at the top of his lungs. The radiator rattles and hisses. The server stalks in, carrying his tray of drinks. He stands, slouched, staring at the floor, waiting for someone to grab a beverage. You can see quite a few drinks on the tray. Cornelia smacks her lips, glancing at the tray of drinks but not stopping her work or concentration. Horus stops singing and preens his feathers. He seems eager to sing again. [Renewed topic for the parrot - Music] >take rose with tweezers You reach for the rose, but Cornelia smacks her lips a bit and looks up. You only barely hide the tweezers in time. "I'm parched," she mutters. "Simply parched." She looks at the server pointedly, but he ignores her, and she returns to her work. You can feel the Viscount's eyes on you. You won't be able to take the rose with him watching, either. The train passes under a tunnel, plunging the room into darkness. It is now pitch dark in here! >wear waiter You open the suitcase a crack. (first taking the waiter costume) You take off the banker costume and put it in the suitcase, then pull out the waiter costume. Shirt, pants, and apron all go on quickly. You slightly compress yourself and mute your expressions. Inconspicuity emanates from you. You are currently disguised with the waiter costume. You close the suitcase. [Renewed topic for Cornelia Hogg - Introductions] [Renewed topic for the attendant - Greetings] [Renewed topic for the Viscount - Familiar] >skip You wait for the train to leave the tunnel. The train exits the tunnel, and sunlight filters weakly through the shades. The Viscount turns and looks at your new disguise, then goes back to his magazine. He seems to be the only one who's noticed. >say introductions "Good afternoon, Ms. Hogg." The attendant is scandalized. "You do not address Ms. Hogg! Remember your place! And no spills!" Hogg glares at the attendant, and says, "Beatrice, remember your own place!" >say greetings You make a small bow towards the attendant. "Get me a soda," she says. "Plain." The radiator rattles and hisses. >say familiar "You seem familiar, sir. Have we met?" you ask. He looks you over and turns away. "No." The attendant hurries over. "Pardon me, Viscount. Is this servant bothering you?" she asks, glaring at you. You hold up your hands in protest. "No, no, sorry. I just thought I had met him before. I'm well-known among the staff for my encyclopedic knowledge of famous faces. I know by heart the visages of the great, the noble, the beautiful, and the wise." The attendant looks at the Viscount with interest. "Well, do you know him?" You make a show of peering closer. "Sorry, no. My mistake." The server stomps out of the room. >give soda to attendant "Your drink, ma'am," you say. "Finally," she says. She chugs the whole drink at once. The attendant steps out for a moment to grab more soda before returning. Ms. Hogg says, "Beatrice, that's crass. Drink it slowly!" Beatrice rolls her eyes. >give water to hogg "Bah, I can't abide plain water. Get me some good old juice!" she says. >give juice to hogg Cornelia Hogg accepts the juice graciously, chugs it in one gulp, opens the lid of a bucket at her feet and smashes the glass into it before covering it again. She seems less restless now. That should make it easier to grab the Rose. >i You are carrying: a glass of vodka a toy mouse an emery board some tweezers 7 crackers a grooming kit, open, containing nothing a glass of water a suitcase, closed, containing a banker costume, a maintenance uniform, a pet groomer costume, a military costume, and a black and white feather An official-looking woman enters with a document for Hogg to sign. Hogg scrawls on the line without looking up and the woman leaves. The radiator rattles and hisses. >give water to viscount The Viscount shakes his head. "Thanks for asking, but no thank you." There is a murmur of voices in the outside corridor, but it subsides. The train passes under a tunnel, plunging the room into darkness. It is now pitch dark in here! >wear banker You open the suitcase a crack. (first taking the banker costume) You take off the waiter costume and put it in the suitcase, then pull out the banker costume. You tug on the suit in record time. You straighten your spine, put on a sardonic smile, and nudge every hair into place. You can hear Cornelia Hogg sniffing. "What is that pleasant odor?" she mutters. Good. At least your smell won't disturb Ms. Hogg when you try to take the Rose. You are currently disguised with the banker costume. You close the suitcase. You can hear the server stomping into the room, carrying a tray of drinks, although you cannot see him. >skip You wait for the train to leave the tunnel. The train exits the tunnel, and sunlight filters weakly through the shades. The Viscount turns and looks at your new disguise, then goes back to his magazine. He seems to be the only one who's noticed. >muisc Your first word had a typo or is one I'm not familiar with. Try a different word. >music Horus stretches tall and begins to sing a bespoke adaptation of The Charge of the Light Brigade. It seems it will go on for quite some time. Wonderful. That should help mask the sound of your footsteps when you take the Rose. Horus is currently singing at the top of his lungs. >take rose with tweezers You use the tweezers to grab for the rose. The Viscount coughs loudly as you approach Hogg, and Hogg looks around the room, forcing you to withdraw. Horus says, "Caught! Caught!" Horus is deeply offended by your suspicious actions. He's glaring at you. A peace offering or two might be in order. Horus is currently singing at the top of his lungs, but he's glaring at you while he does it. The radiator rattles and hisses. The server stomps out of the room. >throw vodka at viscount That isn't available. Horus is currently singing at the top of his lungs, but he's glaring at you while he does it. >x vodka A strong drink. This is strong enough to strip paint off! Horus is currently singing at the top of his lungs, but he's glaring at you while he does it. Horus stops singing and preens his feathers. He seems eager to sing again. [Renewed topic for the parrot - Music] >x viscount The Viscount is a perennial passenger in Hogg's observation car, although he never seems to speak. He is wearing a wide hat and a heavy scarf. You could recognize him from his pungent odor alone, though. >throw vodka at viscount That isn't available. You hear the whistle blow. >take scarf The Viscount slaps your hand away with a rolled-up magazine, then unfolds it and continues reading. There is a murmur of voices in the outside corridor, but it subsides. The radiator rattles and hisses. >take magazine That'd be difficult to do discreetly, and taking it doesn't serve your ultimate goal at this time. An up-and-coming socialite enters the room and stands in awe of Ms. Hogg's presence. After trying to engage you all in small talk, the visitor leaves. The server stalks in, carrying his tray of drinks. He stands, slouched, staring at the floor, waiting for someone to grab a beverage. You can see quite a few drinks on the tray. The train passes under a tunnel, plunging the room into darkness. It is now pitch dark in here! >i You are carrying: a glass of vodka a toy mouse an emery board some tweezers 7 crackers a grooming kit, open, containing nothing a glass of water a suitcase, closed, containing a waiter costume, a maintenance uniform, a pet groomer costume, a military costume, and a black and white feather >skip You wait for the train to leave the tunnel. The train exits the tunnel, and sunlight filters weakly through the shades. >x feather While you can't see it inside the suitcase, you remember what it looks like. The distinctive feather of Pica pica, of the family Corvidae; the unmistakable calling card of the notorious 'Magpie'. You plan to drop it before you go. It's pure vanity, of course, but you'd hate for someone else to take credit for your work. You have it discreetly hidden for now. The server stomps out of the room. >x viscount The Viscount is a perennial passenger in Hogg's observation car, although he never seems to speak. He is wearing a wide hat and a heavy scarf. You could recognize him from his pungent odor alone, though. The radiator rattles and hisses. >smell There are numerous odors in the room, mostly coming from your various costumes in the suitcase. >smell viscount The Viscount has a nasty sort of chemical smell, sickly-sweet and pungent. >smell hoggs You look around, but there's nothing by that precise name that you can see. >smell hogg You can't smell Cornelia Hogg over the various other odors in the room. >smell parrot You can't smell the parrot over the various other odors in the room. >t [Topics with an asterisk (*) have already been discussed.] Things to say to the attendant: *Greetings - A small bow towards the attendant. Things to say to the parrot: Destroy - "Horus, Destroy!" *Rhetoric - "Speech! Speech!" Music - "Sing for me?" *Dance - "Dance, Horus!" *Performance - "Horus, will you perform for me?" *Reject - "No crackers for you, dear." *Snack - "Would you like a cracker?" *Hello - "Hello, pretty boy!" Things to say to Cornelia Hogg: *Introductions - "Good afternoon, Ms. Hogg." Things to say to the Viscount: *Fashion - "Anything interesting in fashion this season?" *Familiar - "You seem familiar, sir. Have we met?" You can see just the topics for one person at a time by TALKing TO that person. >throw mouse at viscount The mouse hits the Viscount's body and falls to the ground. The Viscount ignores it completely. The radiator rattles and hisses. The server stalks in, carrying his tray of drinks. He stands, slouched, staring at the floor, waiting for someone to grab a beverage. You can see quite a few drinks on the tray. >destroy Horus seems upset with something you did earlier. Seems he's a sensitive soul. The train passes under a tunnel, plunging the room into darkness. It is now pitch dark in here! >skip You wait for the train to leave the tunnel. The train exits the tunnel, and sunlight filters weakly through the shades. >give cracker to horus Horus gobbles the cracker greedily, swallows, and lets out a happy belch. The server stomps out of the room. >destroy Horus leaps to the toy mouse and savages it before flying to his roost and dropping the mouse to the ground. >take mouse You grab the mouse. Horus seems eager to play again. [Renewed topic for the parrot - Destroy] The radiator rattles and hisses. >x radiator The radiator provides heat to the car with steam power. It has a small knob that can be turned to increase or decrease the temperature. >increase temperature The first word you typed was not recognized. >turn knob The attendant looks over sharply. "Leave that alone, you wretched man! That's for railroad employees only!" You hear the whistle blow. >z You bide your time. >skip You wait for a tunnel to darken the car. The train passes under a tunnel, plunging the room into darkness. The server stalks in, carrying his tray of drinks. He stands, slouched, staring at the floor, waiting for someone to grab a beverage. You can see quite a few drinks on the tray. It is now pitch dark in here! >wear maintenance You open the suitcase a crack. (first taking the maintenance uniform) You take off the banker costume and put it in the suitcase, then pull out the maintenance uniform. The jumpsuit is an easy fit. You adopt an attitude of confidence in yourself and indifference to those around you. You are currently disguised with the maintenance uniform. You close the suitcase. The radiator rattles and hisses. The train exits the tunnel, and sunlight filters weakly through the shades. The Viscount turns and looks at your new disguise, then goes back to his magazine. He seems to be the only one who's noticed. >turn knob You turn the knob, heating up the observation car significantly. The Viscount is sweating profusely. He unwinds the heavy scarf and stows it away out of sight, revealing a short, tanned neck. "Awful hot, isn't it?" says the Viscount. The Viscount is distressed, and crams himself into the darkest corner of his seat. >x neck The Viscount has an unusually smooth neck. The server stomps out of the room. >touch neck You touch the short tanned neck. It feels exactly as you expected. >kiss neck You can only do that to something animate. >smell neck You can't smell the short tanned neck over the various other odors in the room. >i You are carrying: a toy mouse a glass of vodka an emery board some tweezers 6 crackers a grooming kit, open, containing nothing a glass of water a suitcase, closed, containing a banker costume, a waiter costume, a pet groomer costume, a military costume, and a black and white feather An up-and-coming socialite enters the room and stands in awe of Ms. Hogg's presence. After trying to engage you all in small talk, the visitor leaves. >skip You wait for a tunnel to darken the car. The train passes under a tunnel, plunging the room into darkness. It is now pitch dark in here! >wear banker You open the suitcase a crack. (first taking the banker costume) You take off the maintenance uniform and put it in the suitcase, then pull out the banker costume. You tug on the suit in record time. You straighten your spine, put on a sardonic smile, and nudge every hair into place. You can hear Cornelia Hogg sniffing. "What is that pleasant odor?" she mutters. Good. At least your smell won't disturb Ms. Hogg when you try to take the Rose. You are currently disguised with the banker costume. You close the suitcase. The train exits the tunnel, and sunlight filters weakly through the shades. The Viscount turns and looks at your new disguise, then goes back to his magazine. He seems to be the only one who's noticed. >music Horus stretches tall and begins to sing a bespoke adaptation of The Charge of the Light Brigade. It seems it will go on for quite some time. Wonderful. That should help mask the sound of your footsteps when you take the Rose. Horus is currently singing at the top of his lungs. The server stalks in, carrying his tray of drinks. He stands, slouched, staring at the floor, waiting for someone to grab a beverage. You can see quite a few drinks on the tray. >z You bide your time. Horus is currently singing at the top of his lungs. >take rose with tweezers You use the tweezers to grab for the rose. The Viscount coughs loudly as you approach Hogg, and Hogg looks around the room, forcing you to withdraw. Horus says, "Caught! Caught!" Horus is deeply offended by your suspicious actions. He's glaring at you. A peace offering or two might be in order. Horus is currently singing at the top of his lungs, but he's glaring at you while he does it. >give cracker to horus Horus gobbles the cracker greedily, swallows, and lets out a happy belch. Horus is currently singing at the top of his lungs. The server stomps out of the room. Horus stops singing and preens his feathers. He seems eager to sing again. [Renewed topic for the parrot - Music] >throw vodka at viscount That isn't available. >l Observation Car You are in Cornelia Hogg's sumptuous private observation car. The room is dim now with the shades drawn, and the floor is covered in vivid chartreuse carpeting. A door to the south leads to freedom, once you're finished here. The attendant bustles in and out of the room constantly, keeping everything tidy and giving you frequent sidelong glances. Hogg's pet parrot Horus is clinging to his perch, his box of crackers nearby. Cornelia Hogg is poring over her papers, mumbling and making minor adjustments. The Viscount has been pretending to read the same magazine page for the last one hundred seventy-eight minutes. >search attendant You find nothing of interest. >x attendant The attendant is a towering, stern woman with tightly pulled-back hair, a starched blouse, and a frock coat. A nametag says "Beatrice Foxtrot." A stubborn woman, you've learned from experimentation, who never leaves Hogg's side. But her poor eyesight makes your use of costumes all the better. There is a murmur of voices in the outside corridor, but it subsides. >x coat Long, brown, and very stylish. The train passes under a tunnel, plunging the room into darkness. It is now pitch dark in here! >i You are carrying: a toy mouse a glass of vodka an emery board some tweezers 5 crackers a grooming kit, open, containing nothing a glass of water a suitcase, closed, containing a maintenance uniform, a waiter costume, a pet groomer costume, a military costume, and a black and white feather You can hear the server stomping into the room, carrying a tray of drinks, although you cannot see him. >wear waiter You open the suitcase a crack. (first taking the waiter costume) You take off the banker costume and put it in the suitcase, then pull out the waiter costume. Shirt, pants, and apron all go on quickly. You slightly compress yourself and mute your expressions. Inconspicuity emanates from you. You are currently disguised with the waiter costume. You close the suitcase. The train exits the tunnel, and sunlight filters weakly through the shades. The Viscount turns and looks at your new disguise, then goes back to his magazine. He seems to be the only one who's noticed. >give vodka to viscount The Viscount scoffs. "Such a harsh drink. Like drinking paint thinner." >give water to viscount The Viscount shakes his head. "Thanks for asking, but no thank you." The server stomps out of the room. >x me You are Sir Rodney Playfair: dashing, debonair, and devilishly handsome. Not perhaps in the first flush of youth, but very sprightly for a man of sixty. That touch of grey at the temples lends you an air of authority, a useful attribute for getting one out of a scrape. You are currently wearing a waiter costume. An up-and-coming socialite enters the room and stands in awe of Ms. Hogg's presence. After trying to engage you all in small talk, the visitor leaves. >i You are carrying: a toy mouse a glass of vodka an emery board some tweezers 5 crackers a grooming kit, open, containing nothing a glass of water a suitcase, closed, containing a banker costume, a maintenance uniform, a pet groomer costume, a military costume, and a black and white feather You hear the whistle blow. >put vodka in water You pour the glass of vodka into the glass of water. Everyone in the car watches you as you do it. It's quite loud. The server pops in to take the empty cup and leaves again. You've successfully created vodka water. This has absolutely no uses. >i You are carrying: a vodka water a toy mouse an emery board some tweezers 5 crackers a grooming kit, open, containing nothing a suitcase, closed, containing a banker costume, a maintenance uniform, a pet groomer costume, a military costume, and a black and white feather >empty vodka water The first word you typed was not recognized. >drink vodka water Your mixture doesn't seem very appealing. Your cultured palate refuses to try it. An up-and-coming socialite enters the room and stands in awe of Ms. Hogg's presence. After trying to engage you all in small talk, the visitor leaves. >z You bide your time. An official-looking woman enters with a document for Hogg to sign. Hogg scrawls on the line without looking up and the woman leaves. The server stalks in, carrying his tray of drinks. He stands, slouched, staring at the floor, waiting for someone to grab a beverage. You can see quite a few drinks on the tray. He looks your waiter costume up and down. He doesn't say anything, but his expression is clear. "Another mixup by the coordinator," it says. "Well, it's not my fault." His expression returns to its usual stoic silence. >take all tray full of drinks: The tray has a glass of water, a glass of vodka, a glass of grape juice, and a glass of soda on it. glass of water: You grab the glass of water from the server's tray. He grunts in acknowledgment and continues to stare at the floor. glass of vodka: You grab the glass of vodka from the server's tray. He grunts in acknowledgment and continues to stare at the floor. glass of grape juice: You grab the glass of grape juice from the server's tray. He grunts in acknowledgment and continues to stare at the floor. glass of soda: You grab the glass of soda from the server's tray. He grunts in acknowledgment and continues to stare at the floor. papers: That'd be difficult to do discreetly, and taking it doesn't serve your ultimate goal at this time. cracker: Taken. cracker: Taken. cracker: Taken. cracker: Taken. cracker: Taken. magazine: That'd be difficult to do discreetly, and taking it doesn't serve your ultimate goal at this time. The train passes under a tunnel, plunging the room into darkness. It is now pitch dark in here! >music It's hard to tell who's here in the darkness with you. Better to wait. >z You bide your time. [You can skip directly to the next time the train goes under the bridge by typing SKIP.]. The train exits the tunnel, and sunlight filters weakly through the shades. >music Horus stretches tall and begins to sing a bespoke adaptation of The Charge of the Light Brigade. It seems it will go on for quite some time. Wonderful. That should help mask the sound of your footsteps when you take the Rose. Horus is currently singing at the top of his lungs. >put vodka in juice Which do you mean, the glass of vodka or the vodka water? >glass You pour the glass of vodka into the glass of grape juice. Everyone in the car watches you as you do it. It's quite loud. The server takes the empty glass and steps outside to refill the tray, before returning. You've made a kind of martini, if martinis were terrible. This is useless. Horus is currently singing at the top of his lungs. >give martini to viscount The Viscount observes your strange concoction with distaste and shakes his head. Horus is currently singing at the top of his lungs. The server stomps out of the room. >i You are carrying: a disappointing martini 10 crackers a glass of soda a glass of water a vodka water a toy mouse an emery board some tweezers a grooming kit, open, containing nothing a suitcase, closed, containing a banker costume, a maintenance uniform, a pet groomer costume, a military costume, and a black and white feather Horus is currently singing at the top of his lungs. Horus stops singing and preens his feathers. He seems eager to sing again. [Renewed topic for the parrot - Music] >give soda to viscount The Viscount says, "No thanks, it makes me gassy." >drink soda You drink the glass of soda. The server pops in his head, grabs the glass, and takes it out the door. >z You bide your time. >z You bide your time. >z You bide your time. The server stalks in, carrying his tray of drinks. He stands, slouched, staring at the floor, waiting for someone to grab a beverage. You can see quite a few drinks on the tray. He looks at your costume again, shaking his head slightly. The train passes under a tunnel, plunging the room into darkness. It is now pitch dark in here! >z You bide your time. >z You bide your time. The train exits the tunnel, and sunlight filters weakly through the shades. >take all tray full of drinks: The tray has a glass of soda, a glass of grape juice, and a glass of vodka on it. glass of soda: You grab the glass of soda from the server's tray. He grunts in acknowledgment and continues to stare at the floor. glass of grape juice: You grab the glass of grape juice from the server's tray. He grunts in acknowledgment and continues to stare at the floor. glass of vodka: You grab the glass of vodka from the server's tray. He grunts in acknowledgment and continues to stare at the floor. papers: That'd be difficult to do discreetly, and taking it doesn't serve your ultimate goal at this time. cracker: Taken. cracker: Taken. cracker: Taken. cracker: Taken. cracker: Taken. magazine: That'd be difficult to do discreetly, and taking it doesn't serve your ultimate goal at this time. The server stomps out of the room. >put vodka in soda Which do you mean, the glass of vodka or the vodka water? >glass You pour the glass of vodka into the glass of soda. Everyone in the car watches you as you do it. It's quite loud. The server pops in to take the empty cup and leaves again. You've successfully created sparkling vodka. If it weren't for the cheap and frankly disgusting vodka used, it might be interesting. But it's not. You hear the whistle blow. >i You are carrying: a sparkling vodka 15 crackers a glass of grape juice a disappointing martini a glass of water a vodka water a toy mouse an emery board some tweezers a grooming kit, open, containing nothing a suitcase, closed, containing a banker costume, a maintenance uniform, a pet groomer costume, a military costume, and a black and white feather >give sparkling to viscount The Viscount observes your strange concoction with distaste and shakes his head. There is a murmur of voices in the outside corridor, but it subsides. >give sparkling to attendant Beatrice sniffs it and says, "What is this awful concoction?" An official-looking woman enters with a document for Hogg to sign. Hogg scrawls on the line without looking up and the woman leaves. >give sparkling to hogg "Bah, I can't abide these bizarre mixed drinks. Get me some good old juice!" she says. >put juice in water Which do you mean, the glass of water or the vodka water? >glass You pour the glass of grape juice into the glass of water. Everyone in the car watches you as you do it. It's quite loud. The server pops in to take the empty cup and leaves again. You've successfully created grape water. This has absolutely no uses. The server stalks in, carrying his tray of drinks. He stands, slouched, staring at the floor, waiting for someone to grab a beverage. You can see quite a few drinks on the tray. He looks at your costume again, shaking his head slightly. >take all tray full of drinks: The tray has a glass of water, a glass of grape juice, a glass of soda, and a glass of vodka on it. glass of water: You grab the glass of water from the server's tray. He grunts in acknowledgment and continues to stare at the floor. glass of grape juice: You grab the glass of grape juice from the server's tray. He grunts in acknowledgment and continues to stare at the floor. glass of soda: You grab the glass of soda from the server's tray. He grunts in acknowledgment and continues to stare at the floor. glass of vodka: You grab the glass of vodka from the server's tray. He grunts in acknowledgment and continues to stare at the floor. papers: That'd be difficult to do discreetly, and taking it doesn't serve your ultimate goal at this time. magazine: That'd be difficult to do discreetly, and taking it doesn't serve your ultimate goal at this time. >i You are carrying: a glass of vodka a glass of soda a glass of grape juice a glass of water a grape water a sparkling vodka 15 crackers a disappointing martini a vodka water a toy mouse an emery board some tweezers a grooming kit, open, containing nothing a suitcase, closed, containing a banker costume, a maintenance uniform, a pet groomer costume, a military costume, and a black and white feather The train passes under a tunnel, plunging the room into darkness. It is now pitch dark in here! >put soda in juice You pour the glass of soda into the glass of grape juice. Everyone in the car watches you as you do it. It's quite loud. The server takes the empty glass and steps outside to refill the tray, before returning. You've successfully created grape soda. This is actually pretty good. >give grape soda to hogg It's too dark to tell if what you typed is here. >skip You wait for the train to leave the tunnel. The train exits the tunnel, and sunlight filters weakly through the shades. >give grape soda to hogg Cornelia Hogg accepts the juice graciously, chugs it in one gulp, opens the lid of a bucket at her feet and smashes the glass into it before covering it again. She lets out an almighty belch as well. She seems less restless now. That should make it easier to grab the Rose. >take all tray full of drinks: The tray has a glass of grape juice and a glass of soda on it. glass of grape juice: You grab the glass of grape juice from the server's tray. He grunts in acknowledgment and continues to stare at the floor. glass of soda: You grab the glass of soda from the server's tray. He grunts in acknowledgment and continues to stare at the floor. papers: That'd be difficult to do discreetly, and taking it doesn't serve your ultimate goal at this time. magazine: That'd be difficult to do discreetly, and taking it doesn't serve your ultimate goal at this time. The server stomps out of the room. >put juice in soda You pour the glass of grape juice into the glass of soda. Everyone in the car watches you as you do it. It's quite loud. The server pops in to take the empty cup and leaves again. You've successfully created grape soda. This is actually pretty good. >give grape soda to viscount The Viscount observes your strange concoction with distaste and shakes his head. >give grape soda to attendant Beatrice sniffs it and says, "What is this awful concoction?" >give grape soda to hogg Cornelia Hogg accepts the juice graciously, chugs it in one gulp, opens the lid of a bucket at her feet and smashes the glass into it before covering it again. She lets out an almighty belch as well. She seems less restless now. That should make it easier to grab the Rose. >x bucket Yes, that has been there all along. But it's not important. >l Observation Car You are in Cornelia Hogg's sumptuous private observation car. The room is dim now with the shades drawn, and the floor is covered in vivid chartreuse carpeting. A door to the south leads to freedom, once you're finished here. Beatrice bustles in and out of the room constantly, keeping everything tidy and giving you frequent sidelong glances. Hogg's pet parrot Horus is clinging to his perch, his box of crackers nearby. Cornelia Hogg is poring over her papers, mumbling and making minor adjustments. The Viscount has been pretending to read the same magazine page for the last two hundred twenty-four minutes. You hear the whistle blow. The server stalks in, carrying his tray of drinks. He stands, slouched, staring at the floor, waiting for someone to grab a beverage. You can see quite a few drinks on the tray. He looks at your costume again, shaking his head slightly. The train passes under a tunnel, plunging the room into darkness. It is now pitch dark in here! >wear military You open the suitcase a crack. (first taking the military costume) You take off the waiter costume and put it in the suitcase, then pull out the military costume. It fits perfectly. You are currently disguised with the military costume. You close the suitcase. >skip You wait for the train to leave the tunnel. The train exits the tunnel, and sunlight filters weakly through the shades. The Viscount turns and looks at your new disguise, then goes back to his magazine. He seems to be the only one who's noticed. >t [Topics with an asterisk (*) have already been discussed.] Things to say to Beatrice: *Greetings - A small bow towards the attendant. Things to say to the parrot: Destroy - "Horus, Destroy!" *Rhetoric - "Speech! Speech!" Music - "Sing for me?" *Dance - "Dance, Horus!" *Performance - "Horus, will you perform for me?" *Reject - "No crackers for you, dear." *Snack - "Would you like a cracker?" *Hello - "Hello, pretty boy!" Things to say to Cornelia Hogg: *Introductions - "Good afternoon, Ms. Hogg." Things to say to the Viscount: *Fashion - "Anything interesting in fashion this season?" *Familiar - "You seem familiar, sir. Have we met?" You can see just the topics for one person at a time by TALKing TO that person. >i You are carrying: a glass of vodka a glass of water a grape water a sparkling vodka 15 crackers a disappointing martini a vodka water a toy mouse an emery board some tweezers a grooming kit, open, containing nothing a suitcase, closed, containing a waiter costume, a banker costume, a maintenance uniform, a pet groomer costume, and a black and white feather The server stomps out of the room. >throw mouse at viscount The mouse hits the Viscount's body and falls to the ground. The Viscount ignores it completely. >take it You already have that. >take mouse You already have that. An official-looking woman enters with a document for Hogg to sign. Hogg scrawls on the line without looking up and the woman leaves. >x neck The Viscount has an unusually smooth neck. >turn knob Beatrice looks over sharply. "Leave that alone, you wretched man! That's for railroad employees only!" >talk to viscount To speak with the Viscount, choose a topic from below and SAY [the topic] TO THE VISCOUNT. Things to say to the Viscount: Fashion Familiar The server stalks in, carrying his tray of drinks. He stands, slouched, staring at the floor, waiting for someone to grab a beverage. You can see quite a few drinks on the tray. >talk to server The server avoids eye contact and says nothing. The train passes under a tunnel, plunging the room into darkness. It is now pitch dark in here! >wear maintenance You open the suitcase a crack. (first taking the maintenance uniform) You take off the military costume and put it in the suitcase, then pull out the maintenance uniform. The jumpsuit is an easy fit. You adopt an attitude of confidence in yourself and indifference to those around you. You are currently disguised with the maintenance uniform. You close the suitcase. >skip You wait for the train to leave the tunnel. The train exits the tunnel, and sunlight filters weakly through the shades. The Viscount turns and looks at your new disguise, then goes back to his magazine. He seems to be the only one who's noticed. >turn knob You turn the knob, cooling off the observation car. >turn knob You turn the knob, heating up the observation car significantly. >turn knob You turn the knob, cooling off the observation car. The server stomps out of the room. >z You bide your time. You hear the whistle blow. The radiator rattles and hisses. >z You bide your time. An official-looking woman enters with a document for Hogg to sign. Hogg scrawls on the line without looking up and the woman leaves. >z You bide your time. There is a murmur of voices in the outside corridor, but it subsides. >z You bide your time. >z You bide your time. The train passes under a tunnel, plunging the room into darkness. It is now pitch dark in here! >wear banker You open the suitcase a crack. (first taking the banker costume) You take off the maintenance uniform and put it in the suitcase, then pull out the banker costume. You tug on the suit in record time. You straighten your spine, put on a sardonic smile, and nudge every hair into place. You can hear Cornelia Hogg sniffing. "What is that pleasant odor?" she mutters. Good. At least your smell won't disturb Ms. Hogg when you try to take the Rose. You are currently disguised with the banker costume. You close the suitcase. The radiator rattles and hisses. You can hear the server stomping into the room, carrying a tray of drinks, although you cannot see him. >skip You wait for the train to leave the tunnel. The train exits the tunnel, and sunlight filters weakly through the shades. The Viscount turns and looks at your new disguise, then goes back to his magazine. He seems to be the only one who's noticed. >take rose with tweezers You use the tweezers to grab for the rose. The sounds of your (admittedly very quiet) footsteps jars Cornelia from her focus. "Hush!" she says, and she glares at you. "Hush!" cries Horus. Horus is deeply offended by your suspicious actions. He's glaring at you. A peace offering or two might be in order. You can feel the Viscount's eyes on you. You won't be able to take the rose with him watching, either. >give cracker to horus Horus gobbles the cracker greedily, swallows, and lets out a happy belch. The server stomps out of the room. >x viscount The Viscount is a perennial passenger in Hogg's observation car, although he never seems to speak. He is wearing a wide hat. You could recognize him from his pungent odor alone, though. An up-and-coming socialite enters the room and stands in awe of Ms. Hogg's presence. After trying to engage you all in small talk, the visitor leaves. >x hat The Viscount's wide-brimmed hat is huge and messy, like a mouse's nest. Perfect for obfuscation. The radiator rattles and hisses. >put mouse on hat You sidle up behind the Viscount and place the mouse on his hat before gliding away. >destroy Horus leaps into the air and descends on the Viscount with a screech. The Viscount ducks, but Horus snags the mouse (and the hat) with his claws. He attacks until both are in shreds while the Viscount cries, "Off! Off!" Beatrice shouts, "Horus! Get away from there!" Hogg says, "Now, now, Beatrice, Horus needs his bit of fun. You don't need to carry on." Beatrice sighs and gathers up the mouse and shreds of hat, giving the Viscount a strange look as she does so. Now that you can see him more clearly, you recognize the so-called Viscount. It appears Beatrice recognizes the figure before you as well. "Good heavens, it's Elizabeth Russell, the jewel thief! And what's worse," she shouts, "She was wearing a costume." Hogg looks up, aghast, and Horus screeches. "Villain! Thief! Forger!" Beatrice advances menacingly. Elizabeth starts to her feet. "Yes, I am Elizabeth Russell. And never have I been treated so poorly in my life! Attacked by this foul bird, covered in cheap spirits, almost overcome by heat, and especially pestered by this man!" she says, pointing at you. "When I steal from my marks, I expect luxury and comfort. Well, there's no luxury or comfort here!" she shouts before running out of the room to the south, slamming the door behind her. There is a clang from the outer door opening, followed by a thud and rolling sound that quickly grows distant. Beatrice huffs, saying, "And I specifically said that disguises are prohibited. The cheek!" You hear the whistle blow. >x me You are Sir Rodney Playfair: dashing, debonair, and devilishly handsome. Not perhaps in the first flush of youth, but very sprightly for a man of sixty. That touch of grey at the temples lends you an air of authority, a useful attribute for getting one out of a scrape. You are currently wearing a banker costume. >music Horus stretches tall and begins to sing a bespoke adaptation of The Charge of the Light Brigade. It seems it will go on for quite some time. Wonderful. That should help mask the sound of your footsteps when you take the Rose. Horus is currently singing at the top of his lungs. The server stalks in, carrying his tray of drinks. He stands, slouched, staring at the floor, waiting for someone to grab a beverage. You can see quite a few drinks on the tray. The train passes under a tunnel, plunging the room into darkness. It is now pitch dark in here! >skip You wait for the train to leave the tunnel. The train exits the tunnel, and sunlight filters weakly through the shades. Horus is currently singing at the top of his lungs. The radiator rattles and hisses. >take rose with tweezers You use the tweezers to grab for the rose. With your breath held, you delicately lift the Rose. Everything seems to pause. Then it's over, and you have it. Finally! The Rose is yours! Now all that's left is to get out while you still can. Horus is currently singing at the top of his lungs. >s You're still carrying the feather. It would be a shame not to drop your calling card. Horus is currently singing at the top of his lungs. The server stomps out of the room. Horus stops singing and preens his feathers. He seems eager to sing again. [Renewed topic for the parrot - Music] >drop feather You gently lay the feather next to Cornelia Hogg. Very nice. You close the suitcase. >s As you bow discreetly and make your exit, you are stopped by a squawk from Horus. "Purloiner! Pincher! Poacher! Pickpocket!" Cornelia Hogg finally looks up. "Horus, what is the matter?" She looks at Beatrice. "Is something going on?" "Is something going on? You mean besides Horus destroying a hat, vodka spilled all over the car, the darkness, the heat, the weird smells? No, things are just fine, Miss Hogg. Just fine," says the attendant, rolling her eyes. She looks at you distractedly. "Have a nice day, sir," she tells you. "Yes, yes, have a nice day," adds Hogg, going back to her papers. "I assure you I will, madame." And with that, you make your exit. *** The End *** Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, see some suggestions for AMUSING things to do, QUIT, or UNDO the last command? > amusing Have you tried... ...poking the parrot? ...spilling a liquid on people besides the Viscount? ...feeding Horus every cracker in the box? (there are 20 crackers total) ...mixing the drinks? ...mixing them again? ...engaging in conversation with the Viscount and/or Beatrice while wearing different costumes? ...XYZZY? ...XYZZY again? ...giving different drinks to different people? Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, see some suggestions for AMUSING things to do, QUIT, or UNDO the last command? >