The Chief removes his reading glasses, looks up at you, and asks, "Ah, there you are, Baxton. What do you know about exobiology?" Moonbase Indigo A Speed-IF Spy Adventure by J. Robinson Wheeler Release 1 / Serial number 150101 / Inform 7 build 6G60 (I6/v6.32 lib 6/12N) SD Chief's Office Luxurious wood paneled walls, fake bookshelves leading to an underground safe room. And an enormous desk designed to intimidate all visitors, as is the supercilious expression on the Chief's face. Lady Malgraves, Minister of Intelligence, stands to one side, glancing doubtfully between you and the Chief. The Chief sits behind his desk, one hand covering a top secret dossier. >hi chief That's not a verb I recognise. >chief, hello "Good morning, Chief," you say. "Minister." >talk to chief That's not a verb I recognise. >ask chief about exobiology "The study of the effects of extraterrestrial environments on living organisms, if I recall, Sir." The chief drums his fingers. "Go on," he says. "The leading scientist in the field being one Harlan Zimmer, nobel prize winner, head of the classified Indigo Research Institute, which has been attempting to grow new species taken from spores found in comet samples." You pause, having caused the Minister's eyebrows to shoot up slightly. The Chief looks implacable. >tell chief about zimmer You continue, "Unfortunately, the research came to nothing, and the project was shut down when Dr. Zimmer was killed nearly a year ago when his re-entry vehicle exploded as he was returning from Indigo's orbital greenhouse." "Or so we thought," says the Minister apprehensively. The Chief waves her off and says to you, "We now believe this project is ongoing in a radical direction, and that Dr. Zimmer faked his death to keep it a secret." The Chief holds out the top secret dossier to you. "Baxton, how would you like a trip to Austria?" >chief, yes "Absolutely, sir," you say, taking hold of the dossier. "No doubt the fresh mountain air will do wonders for my health." Austrian Alps (on the snowmobile) Murderous bad guys on skis are firing machine guns at you as you race downhill on a snowmobile. To the left is an enormous boulder, and to the right is a tight space between two fir trees. Steer left or right, or hit the rocket booster button! >steer right You steer dangerously between the trees, catching a branch in the face, but you hold on. The branch whips back, taking out one of the bad guys. The other one is not so hapless, and he unleashes another pip-pip-pip-pchow burst of bullets to let you know he's still on your tail! Edge of Cliff (on the snowmobile) Dead ahead of you is what looks like a mound of snow, but really it's the icy edge of a giant cliff! Ka-chow-chow-chow-chow! Snow explodes in powdery bursts as the deadly marksman strafes you on the left! >hit rocket button You push the rocket booster button, and feel the excitement of sudden acceleration, the whipping of winds on your face, as you soar off over the edge of the cliff! Let's hope this silly suit the quatermaster gave you proves useful. The remaining marksman skis to an expert dead stop at the edge of the cliff and lowers his weapon; you're already out of range. Freefall At the height of the arc, you let the snowmobile fall away from you. You can see the mountain valley far below. Less far below every second. >spread wings You spread your arms and legs, and the suit expands with fabric flaps, catching the air current and sending you soaring. You do a set of banking turns to slow yourself, and land across the gorge on a gentle ski slope above the village. You cock a smug fairwell salute to your distant nemesis, and see that ... she has removed her helmet, revealing the flowing auburn hair, arching eyebrows, and distinctive almond eyes of none other than... Costa Rica The quartermaster, decked out in light clothes and a pair of khaki shorts that show off his pale knobbly legs, leads you through the back door of a poultry shop. "Lena Laksmutter? Are you sure?" the quartermaster asks, pulling on a secret chicken to open a private door. "I'm sure of it," you say. Makeshift Safehouse Below ground, a hollowed-out garage of concrete is bustling with support agents and equipment in various stages of testing. The quartermaster hovers nearby, intently interested in what you think of the new spy gear. You can also see a wooden table (on which are a P59 Strafe, an oxygen capsule and a car key) here. "Take a look at these, Baxton," says the quartermaster. >undo Freefall [Previous turn undone.] >open suit You spread your arms and legs, and the suit expands with fabric flaps, catching the air current and sending you soaring. You do a set of banking turns to slow yourself, and land across the gorge on a gentle ski slope above the village. You cock a smug fairwell salute to your distant nemesis, and see that ... she has removed her helmet, revealing the flowing auburn hair, arching eyebrows, and distinctive almond eyes of none other than... Costa Rica The quartermaster, decked out in light clothes and a pair of khaki shorts that show off his pale knobbly legs, leads you through the back door of a poultry shop. "Lena Laksmutter? Are you sure?" the quartermaster asks, pulling on a secret chicken to open a private door. "I'm sure of it," you say. Makeshift Safehouse Below ground, a hollowed-out garage of concrete is bustling with support agents and equipment in various stages of testing. The quartermaster hovers nearby, intently interested in what you think of the new spy gear. You can also see a wooden table (on which are a P59 Strafe, an oxygen capsule and a car key) here. "Take a look at these, Baxton," says the quartermaster. >undo Freefall [Previous turn undone.] >open arms You spread your arms and legs, and the suit expands with fabric flaps, catching the air current and sending you soaring. You do a set of banking turns to slow yourself, and land across the gorge on a gentle ski slope above the village. You cock a smug fairwell salute to your distant nemesis, and see that ... she has removed her helmet, revealing the flowing auburn hair, arching eyebrows, and distinctive almond eyes of none other than... Costa Rica The quartermaster, decked out in light clothes and a pair of khaki shorts that show off his pale knobbly legs, leads you through the back door of a poultry shop. "Lena Laksmutter? Are you sure?" the quartermaster asks, pulling on a secret chicken to open a private door. "I'm sure of it," you say. Makeshift Safehouse Below ground, a hollowed-out garage of concrete is bustling with support agents and equipment in various stages of testing. The quartermaster hovers nearby, intently interested in what you think of the new spy gear. You can also see a wooden table (on which are a P59 Strafe, an oxygen capsule and a car key) here. "Take a look at these, Baxton," says the quartermaster. >x gear You can't see any such thing. >ask quartermaster about gear (quartermaster about that) "You've quite outdone yourself this time, quatermaster," you say. "I don't appreciate your sarcasm, Baxton," he says. >x capsule The emergency O2 capsule is a grey pill slightly larger than standard pharmacy medication, with a plastic sheen to it. "This is for emergencies. Compressed oxygen, released slowly out this end, should give you about eight minutes of breathable air in an airless environment. Enough to mean the difference between life or death." "What do I do with it? Swallow it?" "No, you shove it up your nose and squeeze it." He holds back a wry smile. >put capsule up nose (your body) "Now's not the time or place for that, Baxton." >shove (the oxygen capsule up the oxygen capsule) "Now's not the time or place for that, Baxton." >put capsule in nose Which do you mean, your body or the quartermaster's body? >mine You can't see any such thing. >squeeze capsule You achieve nothing by this. >l Makeshift Safehouse Below ground, a hollowed-out garage of concrete is bustling with support agents and equipment in various stages of testing. The quartermaster hovers nearby, intently interested in what you think of the new spy gear. You can also see a wooden table (on which are a P59 Strafe and a car key) here. >x strafe Compact, portable, and packing a pretty deadly punch. Downside is, this blaster pistol needs recharging all the time. (Shots left: 20) "Ah, the P59 Strafe. This is the latest in handheld weapons technology. Instead of standard ammunition rounds, it fires bolts of plasmized energy, delivering approximately the punch of a .38 caliber round, at a temperature of 8,000 degrees Fahrenheit," the quartermaster explains proudly. "It is good for about 20 shots before it needs recharging. I've got a spare battery around here somewhere..." "I'd prefer my standard pistol, if it's all the same," you say. "Get with the times, Baxton," he snaps. "This is 1982." >drop it You'll need that with you from now on. >get key It looks like an ordinary car key, but you never drive an ordinary car. "And this is the key to your latest spy vehicle, specially contrived to attract no notice in this part of the country. Though I know you do excel at attracting attention anyway," he sighs. So the internal rumors of self-camouflaging paint were true, you think, intrigued. "May I see it?" you ask. "Of course," says the quartermaster. "Follow me." The quartermaster exits to the west. >i You are carrying: a car key an oxygen capsule >w Garage A single concrete room with oil stains on the floor and a discolored metal plate in the ceiling. The only visible exit leads west. The quartermaster hovers nearby, intently interested in what you think of the new spy gear. Parked in the center of the garage is a dinged-up looking yellow Volkswagen Rabbit, of 1970s vintage. >i You are carrying: a car key an oxygen capsule >x rabbit Inside, the seats are scuffed-looking black vinyl. The tires look treadworn, and the windshield is studded with crushed bugs. The radio seems to be missing. "You must be joking," you say, quite seriously. "Go on, hop in," he says. >hop in rabbit The door squeaks open with a rusty cracking sound, making you hesitate before climbing in. You climb into the VW Rabbit. The plastic leather seat makes a rude-ish noise as you settle in. "Automatic transmission?" you say with dismay. "This, however it may look to you, has got all of the usual modifications. Oil slick, headlight rockets, ejection seats, radar tracking monitor," he explains. "All available through the preset buttons on the FM radio." >x radio "What radio?" you ask. The quartermaster squints inside and frowns. "It looks like someone stole it. Probably when Jenkins took it out to get it filled up last night." This is easily the most humiliating moment of your sterling spy career, you think as you shut the door. "I call this an impractical joke," you say. "Do try to bring it back in good condition, Baxton," says the quartermaster. "It does have one remaining advantage, which I'm sure you will find invaluable. Armor plating under the skin renders it completely impervious to fruit carts and vegetable stands." He hits a remote control button and the garage ceiling slides open, and hydraulic lifts under the car push you up to street level... Hill Overlook On a dusty, rubbly hilltop full of brambles and yucca plants, you have an excellent view of the operation going on down below: a large greenhouse, adjacent to what looks like a newly-built warehouse. Trucks seem to be cycling in and out. There are a few guards, but they have the bored look of the underpaid. You should have no problem with them. >i You are carrying: an oxygen capsule a P59 Strafe a car key >shoot guard You take aim, despite knowing that it will attract undue attention. Why kick the whole anthill into scramble mode? Why not. You fire off a quick shot that singes the whiskers of one of the guards. He begins looking around suspiciously. >d Before you can even rise from your surveillance crouch, a female voice behind you barks, "Don't move! Who are you?" >turn around Holding your hands up, you turn slowly around to face your captor. Hill Overlook On a dusty, rubbly hilltop full of brambles and yucca plants, you have an excellent view of the operation going on down below: a large greenhouse, adjacent to what looks like a newly-built warehouse. Trucks seem to be cycling in and out. Your captor seems to be a young woman with a wave of blonde hair, holding a shotgun better suited for hunting pheasant. In other words, out of place and out of her depth. Some of the guards are starting to show the signs of wondering where the voices are coming from, and are looking around. "There, that's better," you say with a pleasant smile. "Now we can talk like civilized captor and captured." >tell female about me "My name is Baxton. Charles Baxton. My friends call me Chas." "What do your enemies call you?" she asks. "I'd rather tell you what my lovers call me," you say. She rolls her alluring eyes. >ask female about female "Lovely accent you have," you say. "Don't play games with me. I'm looking for my father. Tell me where you've taken him or I'll, I'll shoot you like a dog." >ask her about father "Who is your father?" you ask. "I don't know why I should tell you, but his name is Hans Zimmer. He's a scientist. A very famous one." Of course! No wonder she looked so familiar, you think. >tell her about father "I get the impression you think your father's still alive," you say, stabbing in the dark. She looks shocked. "He isn't dead, he's been kidnapped! How do you know about that?" "It's my business to know," you say. "The same reason why I'm here, and why I need to search that compound down there." >undo Hill Overlook [Previous turn undone.] >tell female about zimmer "Quite frankly, I'm trying to find out what really happened to Dr. Zimmer. I don't believe he did die in an orbital shuttle explosion." Laying out all your cards, you live to gamble big. She looks astonished. "I've been trying to prove that for years. It's led me here." "Well, then we should work together, or get out of each other's way," you say. >kiss her You'll have to get closer to her first. And she does have a shotgun. >get shotgun You extend your hand in a friendly gesture. "Pleased to meet you," you say, disarmingly. Literally, as the next thing she knows, the shotgun is out of her hands and in yours. "You really should be more careful with this. Always point it away from people, and--" You unload the cartridges and toss them away. "Never keep it loaded unless you intend to use it right away." "Hey! You can't do that!" she says defiantly. >kiss her You draw her close. "What are you doing? Stop-- no-- don't--" "Now, if you'll excuse me," you say. She blinks her eyes open. "Where are you going?" "Look, whatever happened to your father has something to do with that compound down the hill, and I intend to have a look in that warehouse," you tell her. "Good day, Miss Zimmer." You crouch low, and make your way in a quick zig-zag down the hill, staying hidden in the brush. Edge of Compound Muddy tire scars in the dirt show the constant activity that has been going on here seemingly for several busy days. The blank southern face of the warehouse is about twenty yards ahead of you. >n You hear a footstep beside you. "I'm coming with you!" Erika whispers. "You silly bird, you'll do no such thing. If you want to help, steal a truck." You hear a "Hmph!" behind you as you sneak inside for a quick look around. Warehouse Storage A tremendous number of crates is stacked into a small space, leaving plenty of places to hide as you look around. The best exit is to the south. A particular crate, loosely covered by a gray tarpaulin, strikes your interest as the best one to investigate. >uncover crate You pull the tarp off to one side, revealing a crate with a dramatic destination address stamped on it: "SHIP TO: Secret Moonbase Indigo, c/o Ochs Spaceways, CIE Ltd Inc. United Arab Emirates". You open the particular crate, revealing a quantity of inedible-looking rice cakes. >eat cakes (first taking the quantity of inedible-looking rice cakes) You grab a rice cake at random, and crumble it in your hands. A small scrawled note falls out. Digging around deeper, you pull out a vial of dark blue liquid, hidden down underneath the rice cakes. >read note It reads, "HELP I'M TRAPPED IN A MOONBASE LABORATORY -H.ZIMMER" Looks like you've got a new destination. >x liquid It contains barely a microgram of whatever it is. Perhaps the boys in the home lab will know what to make of it. >s Hotel Suite Moonlight slides through the balcony windows, casting the room in cool hues. "Ohh, James. Do you really think my father is alive, on the moon?" "It's Charles, darling. Not James." "Sorry, I was thinking of someone else you remind me of." Monte Carlo casino The atmosphere is vibrant but subdued, like a private club for gentlemen decorated by Liberace. Mirrored walls capture the sparkle of chandeliers and add space to what is in fact a small room. The click of chips and the rattle of roulette are as entrancing as the low cut dresses on the good-luck girls. The baccarat table is where your action is. A match with one Pyotr Ernesto Ochs, billionaire plutocrat. You are carrying: a martini le smoking (being worn) a blackmail note an oxygen capsule a P59 Strafe >sit at table You sit across from Ochs, flanked by other players of no concern. Quite shortly, you maneuver yourself into a showdown with Ochs, one hand from breaking the bank, one draw to win or lose. Game of Baccarat (at the table) Tension is high among the hushed spectators crowded around the red felt table. The cards are stiff and slippery, much like Ochs himself. On the game table is a deck of cards. >cut the deck You give the cards a confident cut, while keeping your eyes locked on Ochs. The cards are dealt. You draw the Ace of Hearts and 9 of Diamonds. You have to lay down your hand, by the rules of the game. Ochs chuckles. "Bad luck so far, sir," he says. Ochs lays down his hand: Jack of Spades and 6 of Diamonds. "The wager is set," says Ochs, stubbing out the end of his noxious cigar. "That is, unless you have anything to else with which to raise the stakes?" he asks with a smoky chuckle. >put note on table (first taking the blackmail note) "Only this," you say. You lay the note on the card table, causing murmurs to go around the table. Ochs glances at it, makes gulping noises like a suffocating fish, and he lays it back down. "Very well," says Ochs. "I choose to draw a card." Ochs draws the 2 of Clubs, and lays it on the table to a few gasps and generally heightened excitement. >l Game of Baccarat (at the table) Tension is high among the hushed spectators crowded around the red felt table. The cards are stiff and slippery, much like Ochs himself. On the game table is a blackmail note. Both hands are on the table. You have AH and 9D. Ochs has JS and 6D, plus the 2 of Clubs. Ochs says, "Now then, sir. By the gentlemen's rules of chemin de fer, I believe you are obliged to draw a card now, yes?" >draw card "Yes, I'll have that card, if you please," you say, eyebrow arched. The card is turned over: the 9 of Spades. Ochs goes first purple, then pale, as you clean him out in front of a bevy of admiring witnesses. You tuck the blackmail note back into your jacket, saying, "A subject for another time and place." On your way back up to your hotel room, strong-armed thugs pin your arms, throw a black sack over your head, beat you several times in the stomach and spirit you off in what feels like a refrigerated train car. When you wake, you find yourself dumped in a small dank room. Holding Cell There are no windows, which is inconvenient, although you can hear a lot of activity nearby. You can see a cell door here. >x cell door Solid enough, you can tell with a few taps. The lock is nothing special. An echoing voice announces, "All workers prepare for launch. Launch in T-35 minutes." >listen to door You hear the sounds of nearby activity. >listen You hear the sounds of nearby activity. An echoing voice announces, "Orange jumpsuit workers please bring your flight kit onto your designated launch vehicle. Launch in T-32 minutes." >open door It seems to be locked. >open lock You obviously haven't the key for it. >unlock it What do you want to unlock the lock with? >i You are carrying: an oxygen capsule a P59 Strafe They didn't even bother frisking you. Careless. >unlock door with the p59 Pzztat! One quick shot and the lock turns into smoking slag, and the door springs open. You follow the sound of activity down a short passage and up a ladder through a floor panel. Evil Canaveral A distant stream of scientists in lab coats and worker drones in colored jumpsuits busy themselves preparing a set of three specially-designed space vehicles for launch. The nearest space shuttle is up a gantry from here. A room just east of here is labeled, "Changing Area." An echoing voice announces, "Would all red jumpsuit workers please do not park in the white zone. The white zone is for white jumpsuit workers only." >x drones The ones in orange seem to be boarding the spacecraft instead of just preparing them for launch. >e Changing Area A concrete and steel room that smells like it was recently packed with busy workers experiencing high stress levels. The launch hour being so close, the room looks pretty picked over. As you enter, you see a worker drone putting on the last orange jumpsuit in the place.The worker drone looks at you uncomprehendingly. You can also see a row of pegs (on which are a red jumpsuit and a white jumpsuit) and a flight kit (closed) here. "Oh, hello," the worker says, somewhat confused by your presence. >get the orange jumpsuit That seems to belong to the worker drone. "What do you want? Where's your ID?" the worker says. >punch worker (the worker drone) "I've got my ID right here," you say, delivering a sharp chop to his neck, that sends him slumping to the floor instantly. An echoing voice announces, "Lockdown for launch. All cargo must be stowed, and tray tables placed in the upright Zero G position." >get the orange jumpsuit Taken. An echoing voice announces, "All workers prepare for launch." >undo Changing Area [Previous turn undone.] > I beg your pardon? >l Changing Area A concrete and steel room that smells like it was recently packed with busy workers experiencing high stress levels. The launch hour being so close, the room looks pretty picked over. The worker is unconscious on the floor. You can also see an orange jumpsuit, a row of pegs (on which are a red jumpsuit and a white jumpsuit) and a flight kit (closed) here. >get orange jumpsuit Taken. An echoing voice announces, "All workers prepare for launch." >get flight kit Taken. >open kit You open the flight kit, revealing some liquefied meal paste. >eat the paste (first taking the liquefied meal paste) Yecch. It's hardly Beluga now is it. Although, now that you think about, not entirely dissimilar in texture. Or taste. >w Evil Canaveral A distant stream of scientists in lab coats and worker drones in colored jumpsuits busy themselves preparing a set of three specially-designed space vehicles for launch. The nearest space shuttle is up a gantry from here. A room just east of here is labeled, "Changing Area." >u "Hey WHO ARE YOU?" come the obvious cries, when they see you are just casually carrying an orange jumpsuit instead of wearing one. A scuffle ensues, after which you are locked into another small concrete chamber, one that turns out to be the exhaust catch for the giant rocket boosters. You recite the countdown to your own demise. *** It goes something like 5-4-3-2-1-ow-yowie *** In that game you scored 0 out of a possible 0, in 56 turns. Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > undo Evil Canaveral [Previous turn undone.] >wear jumpsuit (the orange jumpsuit) You put on the orange jumpsuit. >l Evil Canaveral A distant stream of scientists in lab coats and worker drones in colored jumpsuits busy themselves preparing a set of three specially-designed space vehicles for launch. The nearest space shuttle is up a gantry from here. A room just east of here is labeled, "Changing Area." >u Vehicle Entry Gangplank Across a small walkway to the north lies the entry portal for the spacecraft. A line of people in orange jumpsuits, carrying flight kits, waits to board. >x line of people You look just like them now. An echoing voice announces, "All workers prepare for launch." >n Flight to the Moon It's going to be a long ride without something to read. Fortunately, your spy training enables you to slow your pulse rate, and you take a nice 82 hour nap. A kiss wakes you up. It's pleasant until you realize that it's Erika Zimmer. ""What are you doing here, you little fool?" Lunar Shuttle The moon is a desolate beauty, seas of undisturbed white sands except for the strange man-made base that juts from the landscape. You see a large communications dish, an array of missile silos, and a raised docking platform arranged around a central hub. Erika is here, wearing a shiny unitard. "I have to find my father. I know he's here, and he's alive!" she says. >ask her about her father You find her quiet on the subject just now. The shuttle begins its docking procedure. "Look, I have a mission to do, I can't be looking after you." >tell her about father "Yes, of course your father is here. I'll find him, and when I do, you'll see him again. Provided you stay put right here." "Don't worry about me," says Erika. "What are you going to do?" "I'm going to blow this whole place back to the moon-stone age." The shuttle door opens automatically. "Kiss me," says Erika. >kiss erika (Erika Zimmer) You kiss Erika. "Ta-ta," you say. Ventilation Duct The cramped passage leads deep into the interior of the complex. Lasers sweep the ducts at intervals, but that's old hat to you. An opening leads down into the corridors. >x lasers You scootch past them without any trouble. >d Operations Computer terminals hum with data. The only exit is north, into the complex. Harlan Zimmer, wearing what looks like the sterile uniform of a prisoner, is chained to a workstation here. As you enter, a face appears on the largest monitor. "Nice of you to pay us a visit. Come to the central core, if you like." >x face You see nothing special about the computer terminals. "Ha ha ha ha ha," says the face on the monitor, which then goes blank. >x monitor You see nothing special about the computer terminals. >ask zimmer about zimmer "Dr. Harlan Zimmer?" you say. "Yes!" he says. "Are you come to get me out of here?" He tugs at his chain. "They've perverted my work, my life's work!" >shoot zimmer He holds his hands up as far as he can with the chain on. "I surrender!" he says. >shoot chain "Hold still, Dr. Zimmer," you say. Pchow! You blast the chain free of his wrist, which he rubs gratefully. "There are some escape vehicles on the upper level of the complex. Can you make your way to the shuttle bay? Your daughter should be waiting for you there." "Erika? Here?" he says. "I can make it. Good luck to you!" >tell zimmer about shuttle Zimmer dithers distractedly. >tell zimmer about erika "The world believes you dead in an orbital explosion," you tell him. "Only your daughter still believes you are alive." "Erika? Oh, if only I could hold her and tell her I am all right." "You may get your wish sooner than you think, if we manage to escape from here," you say. >tell zimmer about me "I'm Baxton, Chas. Baxton. I've been sent to investigate what became of you." "I was kidnapped! That's what happened to me!" >ask zimmer about kidnapping "You have no idea what they've been forcing me to do! Such a perversion of my pure intent!" "Don't get melodramatic, Dr. Zimmer. Anyway, now you're free for the moment." >n "I'll make my way to the central core. I don't care how many people I have to kill to get there, I'm shutting this operation down." "Yes, I'll be fine, go, go. You must stop him, please!" Moonbase Corridor You dart into the corridor, and see a long north passage ahead. Karate Bad Guy leaps out at you! He waves his deadly hands as a threat! Karate Bad Guy Fred tries to karate-murder you by kicking you in the head! >kill karate fred The whirling roundhouse kick comes fast at your head! You block it with your hand and shoot him in the chest. He falls down dead! Well, that's one down. Who's next? >n Fists Bad Guy Darrell leaps out! He wants to kill you dead! Moonbase Corridor Junction The passage turns northwest, and comes to a junction: northwest, northeast, southeast. A Fists Bad Guy is waiting for you! A Buzz-Saw Bad Guy leaps out of the shadows, screaming for your head! Fists Bad Guy Darrell tries to kill you by punching you in the face! >kill darrel Fists Bad Guy lands a huge meaty punch square on your jaw! You shoot him in the torso, and he collapses like a sack of wet cheese! Buzz-Saw Bad Guy Norman tries to buzz-kill you by harshing your mellow! >kill norman You duck narrowly under the deadly buzz-saw blade, which whines through the air just an inch over your head! You shoot Buzz-Saw Bad Guy in the head! He's dead! That's that, taken care of. Time to keep moving! >nw Laser Bad Guy Munson leaps out! He wants to kill you dead! Moonbase Corridor NW The corridor runs from the southeast to the north. You can see Knife Bad Guy Rollo, Fists Bad Guy Grady and Laser Bad Guy Munson here. Knife Bad Guy Rollo tries to kill you by stabbing you in the gizzard! >kill rollo You duck under his clumsy slashing attack and shoot him in the vital organs! He dies instantly! Laser Bad Guy Munson tries to kill you by laser-frying you! >kill munson You dodge the laser fire and return your own! You kill Laser Bad Guy Munson with one shot! Fists Bad Guy Grady attempts to kill you by punching you in the chest! >kill grady You punch Fist Bad Guy Grady in the face, and he collapses! He can dish it out but not take it! These fellows aren't so tough! Where to now? >ne You can't go that way. >e You can't go that way. >l Moonbase Corridor NW The corridor runs from the southeast to the north. You can see three dead bad guys (dead Knife Bad Guy Rollo, dead Fists Bad Guy Grady and dead Laser Bad Guy Munson) here. >n Knife Bad Guy Kramer leaps out! He wants to kill you dead! Moonbase Corridor West The corridor bends at another junction: south and east. You can see Knife Bad Guy Kramer here. Knife Bad Guy Kramer tries to kill you by slicing at your throat! >kill kramer You kick the slashing knife out of his hand, and shoot him when he tries to pick it up! He's toast! Almost there! As long as there aren't any more surprises. >e Sword Bad Guy Pedro leaps out! He wants to kill you dead! Moonbase Catwalk South The corridor widens out into a large open area criss-crossed with catwalks, all heading to a central dome shape just north of here. That must be your goal. Two Sword Bad Guys spring down from above! You can see Sword Bad Guy Pedro and Sword Bad Guy Armando here. Sword Bad Guy Pedro attempts to kill you by chopping you in half.! >kill pedro You shoot Sword Bad Guy Pedro! He dies with a scream and a gurgle! Sword Bad Guy Armando attempts to kill you by slashing at your vital organs, but he only manages to cut your shirt!! >kill armando You shoot Sword Bad Guy Armando in the face! He backflips and dies with a wail! You almost broke a sweat that time. >n Someone deadlier than all the rest is waiting for you! Outside Central Control The corridor comes to an end just outside a large circular door. Standing in front of the door, guarding it, is none other than Lena Laksmutter! She has a sword, a buzz-saw, a laser pistol, and deadly karate! "I'm impressed you made it this far," she says with a lusty gleam in her eye. Lena Laksmutter attempts to kill you by slicing you open with her sword! >kiss lena (Lena Laksmutter) You steal a kiss, hoping to distract her or throw her off balance. Her eyes flash with menace, or ... amusement? Everything begins to go splotchy, and unfortunately it's because you're in a heap on the floor, unable to stop the onslaught of buzz-saws and swords... *** Yep it's the old poison lipstick trick, drat it *** In that game you scored 0 out of a possible 0, in 93 turns. Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, QUIT or UNDO the last command? > undo Outside Central Control [Previous turn undone.] >throw gun at lena (Lena Laksmutter) Why would you want to throw the P59 Strafe at her? Perhaps that wouldn't be a bad idea with something else. Lena Laksmutter attempts to kill you by buzz-sawing your face off! >i You are carrying: an oxygen capsule a P59 Strafe Lena Laksmutter tries to kill you by laser-frying your vital organs! >throw capsule at lena (Lena Laksmutter) You toss the oxygen capsule into Lena's mouth, and she swallows it out of sheer surprise. "What -- what did you -- *urrrp!*" she says, as her stomach begins to violently distend. "No need to get puffed up," you say. "I always thought you had an inflated opinion of yourself, and I never shared it until now." Sputtering and making some embarrassing involuntary other noises, Lena tumbles off the catwalk and disappears with a distant popping sound. You open the circular door portal. You dust off your shirt and square your shoulders. Time to end this nonsense once and for all. >n Master Control Hub A giant bulb of dark blue liquid hangs suspended in a magnetic bubble between two neodymium-tipped pylons in the middle of this hemispherical chamber. Porcelain-white workstations full of blinking lights and animated screens ring the walls. A vainglorious supervillain stands in the center of the hub, a mocking smile on his thin, lipless mouth. The portal clangs shut and locks behind you. (You glance at your P59 Strafe. The charge indicator is blinking; you have exactly 2 shots left.) "Ah, Mr. Baxton. At last you have made it here to witness the birth of a new civilization from the ashes of the old, decadent one." >shoot tip Choom! You nail the tip of one of the pylons, and send a glowing chunk of it spinning off. A shudder seems to go through the magnetic bubble, not that you can see it directly, but the indigo bulb bulges and wobbles, becoming unstable with ripples. "What are you doing? Stop him!" shouts the supervillain. Only 1 shot left! Make it count! >g Kazapp! BOOM! You shear the end off the other neodymium tip, and the bubble bursts! Indigo liquid falls to the floor of the dome, covering one surprised-looking supervillain and erupting in a huge splash that sprays over every workstation, each of which immediately begins bursting into showers of white hot sparks and sending clouds of smoke into the superheated air. The floor begins to melt away! You'd better get out of here! Escape Hall One Cracks are starting to split apart the walls and cause chunks of ceiling tile to spatter along the uneven floor. The hall continues north and south, and a vent hatch lies crookedly partway open to the east. >enter hatch BOOOM! A secondary series of explosions has started chewing away at the moonbase's core reactor, by the sound of it. You've got conservatively about 4 minutes before the whole place goes nuclear. Escape Shaft A tight column rises through the infrastructure of the complex, navigable by a series of rungs and notch-like footholds. Low gravity is going to be on your side, if you hurry. >u You get lighter the higher you go, so past the halfway point of the shaft you practically fly to the top. Top of Shaft The shaft dead-ends here suddenly, as a useless firewall has slid into place, cutting off any higher climb. There are two hatches, one to the north and one to the south, but only the southern one looks cracked enough to be loose. Sparking wires twitch menacingly from shattered wall plates. >tie wires to plate You would achieve nothing by this. >tie wires As you touch the wires together, there is one last bright spark at the point of contact, and then the northern hatch unlocks and slides open with a pneumatic hiss. >n Corridor A darkened corridor leads north to shuttle bay alpha. Thrumming explosions jar and rock the tubelike passage every few seconds. The garish flash of rotating red alert lights bends shadows into a nightmare dance. >n You lurch forward, pitching with every step. Flames are starting to spurt out of the seams in the wall sections, so you have to watch your hands as well as your feet. Shuttle Bay Alpha The shuttle bay is a large hangar sealed by an airtight door to the north. A lone shuttlecraft sits open and ready for take-off in the middle of the hangar, facing the north. >get into shuttle You seal the door and wedge yourself into the cockpit chair. Cockpit (on the cockpit-chair) The flight controls are arrayed around you. The hangar door release is a large yellow lever at your left hand, and the flight stick is in front of you. Engine ignition is a red button at your right. Through the cockpit window you see the sealed hangar door just in front of you. >pull lever You pull the release lever, and various mechanical ka-chacking noises resound in the hangar, until finally with a gaseous whoosh the huge metal door rolls down into the floor, exposing the airless moonscape beyond. >push red You slam the red button with the heel of your fist, and a huge thrum vibrates through the shuttle. Smaller jets lift the craft a couple of meters off the hangar deck, and the large propulsion engines whine as they prepare to fire at any movement of the flight stick. >push stick ZOOOOSH! You push forward on the flight stick and accelerate from 0 to 600 m/s, rocketing out of the moonbase and away from danger! There's no way for sound or vibrations to travel to you, so you feel nothing, even as your monitor screens and data read-outs tell you that the base has exploded in a massive ball of quickly-guttering blue-green flames behind you. A pair of lucious arms are suddenly thrown about your head and neck. "Why Erika, darling," you say. "I forgot all about you. Perhaps you could look around to see if there's a bottle of Bollinger "75 stored here somewhere..." "*Ahem*", says a masculine voice from the rear of the compartment. "What are your intentions towards my daughter, sir?" *** The End *** In that game you scored 0 out of a possible 0, in 108 turns. Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, see some suggestions for AMUSING things to do, QUIT or UNDO the last command? >