! Centipede
! Copyright 2000,2001 by J. Robinson Wheeler
! for IF-arcade bundle   Started: 12-20-2000 7:12pm

! Release version 1.0 12-31-00 4:53pm

Constant Story "CENTIPEDE";
Constant Headline "^A short story of senseless violence and profanity^";
Release 1;

Replace AskSub;
Replace AskForSub;
Replace TellSub;
Replace AnswerSub;
Replace InvWideSub;
Replace InvTallSub;
Replace StrongSub;
Replace SwimSub;
Replace WaitSub;
Replace WearSub;

Include "Parser";

Attribute activeloop;
Attribute primed;
Constant DIALECT_US;
Constant MAX_SCORE = 25000;
Global intact_craft = 0;

Object  LibraryMessages "lm"
 with before [;
		Miscellany: switch( lm_n ) {
               5: print "^Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game";
                  if ( deadflag == 1 )
	                  print ", UNDO your last move";
                  ", or QUIT?";
			19: << Examine player >>;
			38: #Ifdef DIALECT_US;
				  "That's not a verb I recognize.";
				  #ifnot;
				  "That's not a verb I recognise.";
				  #endif;
		}
	];


Include "VerbLib";
Include "looptalk";
!Include "menus";

Class Room
	has light
;

Class SwitchItem
	has scenery
;

[ Initialise o;
	lookmode = 2;	! verbose on
	notify_mode = 0;	! notify off
	inventory_style = FULLINV_BIT + INDENT_BIT + NEWLINE_BIT + RECURSE_BIT + CONCEAL_BIT;
	objectloop (o ofclass Character) { o.InitQuips(); }
	location = startroom;
	move Chub to startroom;
	move Duggers to startroom;
	move Mitchum to startroom;
	ChangePlayer(Mitchum);
	SetPronoun('it',emergency_station);
	print "^^^~100 feet per second,~ Chub says.^^
		Duggers flips you a holovid of his scary trash girlfriend. ~Touch the
		zipper icon,~ he says.^^
		There is a shudder in the cabin, and warning lights flare greasy-green in your
		night vision goggles. ~Hang on, campers,~ yells Chub. ~Descent jets one and 
		two just jammed up. We're in for a bumpy landing.~^^
		Duggers grunts. ~So much for surprise. They live in the ground. Every 
		stinking bug for miles is gonna feel the vibrations.~^^
		~Gravity zero point nine-sixty Gees,~ Chub says, her elbows swinging out at
		awkward angles, flapping like stunted chicken wings. She's fighting the two
		joysticks, trying to keep this iron turd level as it streaks through the
		sky. ~On my mark, Mitchum,~ she says.^";
	HitAnyKey();
!	return 2;
];

Object game "game"
	with state 0
;

Object Mitchum "Mitchum"
	with name 'Ray' 'Mitchum' 'Corporal' 'cpl',
	description [;
		if ( combat_suit hasnt worn ) 
			"You're buck naked and freezing. We're talking major shrinkage,
			soldier. ";
		if ( game_counter.number > 66 )
			"You are quickly drowning in poisonous marshwater.";
		switch ( game.state ) {
		0,1,2,4,5:
			if ( helmet has general )
				"You're feeling a little shaky from that blow to the head,
				and there's a searing pain in your right arm. The stimulants 
				are giving you the adrenaline to ignore all of this, and 
				you're still alert and ready to kill some bugs for God, 
				planet and country. ";
			"You're in good health for a guy who's been awake and on
			active duty for 76 straight hours. The stimulants they rationed
			you seem to be working fine with no side effects. You're pumped
			and ready to kill some bugs for God, planet and country. ";
		3: "You're freezing to death, and in imminent danger of drowning. ";
		6: "You're pumped and ready. The pain in your arm is a distant annoyance.";
		7: "You're almost hyperactive now, alert to every sound, every movement.
			You feel nothing but your own body heat, like a roaring furnace. ";
		}
	],
	before [;
		Set: "Ah, that's better. ";
	],
	has male proper
;

Object -> combat_suit "combat suit"
	with name 'combat' 'suit',
	description "Your standard-issue insulated combat suit. ",
	before [;
		Disrobe: if ( game_counter.number > 69 ) {
				if ( waterproof_boots has worn ) {
					print "(first removing your waterproof boots)^";
					<Disrobe waterproof_boots>; new_line;
				}
				if ( backpack has worn ) {
					print "(first removing your backpack)^";
					<Disrobe backpack>; new_line;
				}
				give self ~worn;
				"You strip off your combat suit, leaving yourself naked to
				the elements. You won't last long like this, but you don't
				need to.";
			} 
			"You'll need that suit on to survive in the freezing
			marshlands. ";
		Drop: if ( game_counter.number > 69 ) {
				give game_counter general;
				if ( waterproof_boots has worn ) {
					print "(first removing your waterproof boots)^";
					<Disrobe waterproof_boots>;
				}
				if ( backpack has worn ) {
					print "(first removing your backpack)^";
					<Disrobe backpack>;
				}
				remove self;
				"You strip off your combat suit, leaving yourself naked to
				the elements. With bare-ass bravery, you drop it into the
				murk, where it sinks and disappears. You won't last long 
				like this, but you don't need to.";
			} 
			"You'll need that suit on to survive in the freezing
			marshlands. ";
	],
	has worn transparent
;

Object -> waterproof_boots "waterproof boots"
	with name 'waterproof' 'boots',
	description "Your standard-issue waterproof boots, heavy and graceless. ",
	before [;
		Disrobe, Drop: if ( game_counter.number > 69 ) {
				give game_counter general;
				remove self;
				"You yank off your boots and toss them away. The icy water
				stings for about three seconds, after which your feet go
				completely numb. ";
			}
			"You'll need those boots on when you trudge around 
			in the freezing marsh water. ";
	],
	has worn
;

Object -> -> coolant_controls "coolant controls"
	with name 'coolant' 'controls',
	description "Your combat suit comes with adjustable climate controls.",
	before [;
		Set: "No time to mess with those now, soldier. ";
		Disrobe, Drop: "They're built into the suit. ";
	],
;

Object -> helmet "helmet"
	with name 'helmet',
	description "Just your standard combat helmet.",
	before [;
		Disrobe: if ( game_counter.number > 69 ) {
				give self ~worn;
				if ( night_vision_goggles has worn ) {
					give night_vision_goggles ~worn;
					print "(first removing the night vision goggles)^";
					"You remove your helmet and goggles. You can't see 
					anything outside the fifteen foot circle of light coming 
					from the shuttle. Hearing the bugs but not being able to 
					see them is nightmarish. ";
				}
				else
					"You remove your helmet. ";
			}
			"You'll need that helmet to survive and to communicate
			with Duggers and Chub. ";
		Drop: if ( game_counter.number > 69 ) {
				give game_counter general;
				remove self;
				if ( night_vision_goggles has worn ) {
					give night_vision_goggles ~worn;
					print "^(first removing the night vision goggles)^";
					"You remove your helmet and goggles and drop the helmet.
					It sinks into the murk and disappears.^^
					
					Without the goggles, you can't see anything outside the 
					fifteen foot circle of light coming from the shuttle. Hearing 
					the bugs but not being able to see them is nightmarish. ";
				}
				else
					print "You drop your helmet. It sinks into the murk and
					disappears. ";
			}
			"You'll need that helmet to survive and to communicate
			with Duggers and Chub. ";
	],
	has worn transparent
;

Object -> -> faceplate "faceplate"
	with name 'faceplate' 'face' 'plate',
	description [;
		print "The faceplate of the helmet protects your face from harm during
		combat as well as hazardous climate conditions. ";
		if ( self has general ) 
			"It is currently covered with a layer of slime. ";
		new_line; rtrue;
	],
	react_before [; 
		Examine, Search: if ( self has general ) "You can't see with the 
			faceplate covered with slime.";
	],
	before [;
		Disrobe, Drop: "The faceplate is part of the helmet. ";
		Open: "You'll catch hell from Chub if she sees you open your faceplate. 
			If you endanger yourself, you endanger everyone on the mission. ";
		Close: "The faceplate is already closed. ";
		Clean, Rub: if ( self hasnt general ) rfalse;
			if ( parachute in player && release_handle hasnt general &&
				intact_craft == 0 ) {
				game_counter.number = 66;
				PlayerTo( marsh_underwater, 1 );
				"You are yanked backwards by your parachute. You stumble and
				again go underwater, the chute tugging you further down. ";
			}
				game.state = 5; 
				give faceplate ~general;
		print "You lift your arm to wipe off your faceplate, and a searing pain
		shoots from your shoulder down to the end of your pinky. You grit
		your teeth and ignore it. You figure you can probably still hold
		and fire your weapon, so there's no use crying about it. You smear
		the slime away with your other hand, and see the marshland.^";
		
		PlayerTo( marshlands );
		
		if ( helmet hasnt general ) {
			game_counter.number = 30;
			"^Duggers and Chub are standing in front of you, 
			pointing and screaming at you, wondering why you 
			didn't answer them.^^
			
			You say, ~Sorry, Sergeant. I fell down and almost drowned.~^^
			
			Chub and Duggers start to laugh. They loud enough to shake the
			ground. The laughter stops when you see that a vibration is
			rippling the water. The ground really is shaking.^^
			
			Duggers whispers, ~Heads up! Heads up!~";
		}
		give game_counter general; game_counter.number++;
		"^Duggers and Chub are standing in front of you, pointing and 
		screaming at you, wondering why you don't answer them.";
	],
;

Object -> night_vision_goggles "set of night vision goggles"
	with name 'night' 'vision' 'goggles' 'specs',
	description "The night vision goggles are an older model of specs. Apparently,
		they're going to be more useful on this mission than the top of the line
		version. Something about better motion interpolation and better contrast
		in the -4C to 4C temperature range. ",
	before [;
		Disrobe: if ( game_counter.number > 69 ) {
				give game_counter general;
				give self ~worn;
				"You remove your night vision goggles. You now can't see 
				anything outside the fifteen foot circle of light coming 
				from the shuttle. Hearing the bugs but not being able to 
				see them is nightmarish. ";
			}
			"You won't be able to see a damn thing without them,
			soldier. ";
		Drop: if ( game_counter.number > 69 ) {
				give game_counter general;
				remove self;
				"You remove your night vision goggles and drop them. They
				disappear into the murk.^^
				
				You now can't see anything outside the fifteen foot circle 
				of light coming from the shuttle. Hearing the bugs but not 
				being able to see them is nightmarish. ";
			}
			"You won't be able to see a damn thing without them,
			soldier. ";
		Rub: <<Rub faceplate>>;
	],
	has worn
;

Object -> game_counter "belt of ammo clips"
	with name 'ammo' 'clips' 'ammunition' 'clip' 'belt' 'of',
	description "Enough ammunition for a four-hour firefight. ",
	before [;
		Disrobe, Drop: if ( game_counter.number > 69 ) {
				give game_counter general;
				"You may still need your ammo until the last possible minute,
				so you keep it strapped on.";
			}
			"You may need all of it on this mission, so you keep 
			it strapped on. ";
	],
	number 0,
	each_turn [; if ( self has general ) { give self ~general; return; }
		self.number++;
		if ( self.number == 2 || self.number == 3 || self.number == 5 ||
			self.number == 6 || self.number == 18 )
			rfalse;
		else if ( self.number == 25 && release_handle has general ) 
			rfalse;
		else
			print "^";
		switch( self.number ) {
			0: "^[bug]";
			1: "Your forehead just started to itch.";
			4: if ( holovid in player ) {
				move holovid to Duggers;
				"Duggers swipes his holovid from you. ~Hey man, don't you
				never give nothing back?~ he says. He gives his girlfriend's
				picture a quick ogle before stuffing it into a side pocket
				of his pants.";
				}
				"Duggers takes his holovid back. ~Mitchum, do you ever give 
				anything back?~ he says. He gives his girlfriend's
				picture a quick ogle before stuffing it into a side pocket
				of his vest.";
			7: "Chub's voice starts counting down. You can hear the strain 
				in her voice, the pitch rising and falling in synchronization 
				with the cabin's spastic lurching and yawing.";

			8: "Chub says, ~Four ...~";
			9: "Chub says, ~Three ...~";
			10: "Chub says, ~Shit ...!~";
			11: "Chub says, ~Shit!~";
			12: "Chub says, ~Mark!~";
			13: "Chub screams, ~What are you waiting for? Mitchum!~";
			14: game.state = 1; 
				if ( player in emergency_station )
					PlayerTo( startroom, 1 );
		"Chub says, ~Duggers!~^^
		
		Duggers is already up the ladder and grabbing for the parachute release
		levers. He yanks them hard, there is a noise like a screech owl colliding
		with a sheet of inch-thick plexiglass, and then the cabin seems to stop
		in midair, jolting everything that's not nailed down, which includes you
		and Duggers. The two of you smash to the cabin floor. You land on your
		side, the hard ammo clips strapped to your side bruising your ribs, damn 
		near cutting through your suit.";
		
			15: give helmet general;
		"Just as you start to sit up, Duggers attacks your throat with his elbow,
		crushing your windpipe. You flop backwards like an upended beetle, choking
		and gagging, pain throbbing outward from your neck, your lungs burning.^^
		
		The fall seems to have damaged your helmet, because you can't hear 
		Duggers' voice any more. He's holding you by your gear straps, his 
		faceplate right in front of yours, screaming obscenities. Probably
		just as well that you can't hear it.";
		
			16: give hatch open;
		"Chub comes racing into view. You watch, hearing only your own jaggered
		breathing as your windpipe relaxes, as an argument ensues. Hands haul you
		to your feet near the hatch. Duggers blows it open. Waited too long to 
		release the craft's parachutes, going to have to jump for it. Probably
		cost us the mission and our lives, you reflect.";

			17: move Duggers to marshlands; move Chub to marshlands;
			if ( player in emergency_station )
				print "Duggers leaps out of the hatch. Chub yanks you down from the
				emergency station and throws you headfirst out of the hatch.^";
			else
				print "Duggers leaps out of the hatch. Chub shoves at you from 
				behind. You still can't hear any voices.^";
			game.state = 2; 
			PlayerTo( midair, 1 );
		"^You're in mid-air, falling fast. You can't see the ground, and there's
		nothing to see in the sky.";
			
			19: if ( ripcord hasnt general ) 
		"You pull the rip-cord, and your chute opens. Your neck snaps forward,
		your throat closes hard and painfully. As you raise your head, your 
		throat doesn't open again. It feels swollen shut, and you can't 
		breathe.^^

		Far below, there's a round, white-green flare -- the landing craft, 
		crashing down.";
		
		"Far below, there's a round, white-green flare -- the landing craft, 
		crashing down.";

			20:
		"You see a cloud-layer below. Maybe it's mist on the ground? You brace
		for impact.";

			21:
		"You fall through the clouds. Not the ground, not yet. You take a small
		breath, and another. You spot Duggers' chute below you, slipping sideways,
		furling and raveling, sinking into wet blackness. That's the ground, the
		marsh right below you.";
		
			22: game.state = 3; 
				move Chub to marshlands;
				give faceplate general; 
				PlayerTo( marsh_underwater,1 );
		"Your boots hit a layer of wet slime, and you sink into it up to your
		buckling knees. You lose your balance, but can't move your feet to 
		stabilize yourself. Slime splashes up into your faceplate. Your hands
		sink into something gelatinous. Everything is cold. You must be 
		underwater.";
		
			23: 
		"You put your hands down, hoping to raise your weight, but there's 
		no support. Your arms sink like toothpicks into a sponge cake.";
		
			24: game.state = 4; PlayerTo( marsh_standing,1 );
				if ( parachute in player && release_handle hasnt general &&
					intact_craft == 0 ) {
		"You curl your legs up under your chest, slowly drawing them out of
		the muck, and you replant them in fresh muck. Gradually you wobble
		yourself into an upright fetal position and try to stand. You must
		weigh 350 pounds with all of your gear. Carefully, slowly, you stand.
		You get a little help from your chute, yanked by a sudden wind. For
		a moment you're not sure whether you're actually on your feet or not,
		and you realize it's because your faceplate is covered with marsh
		slime.";
		}
		"You curl your legs up under your chest, slowly drawing them out of
		the muck, and you replant them in fresh muck. Gradually you wobble
		yourself into an upright fetal position and try to stand. You must
		weigh 350 pounds with all of your gear. Carefully, slowly, you stand.
		For a moment you're not sure whether you're actually on your feet or not,
		and you realize it's because your faceplate is covered with marsh
		slime.";
		
			25: if ( intact_craft == 1 ) {
				give game_counter.general; game_counter.number = 26;
				game.state = 5; 
				give faceplate ~general;
		print "You smear the slime away with your hand, and see the 
			marshland.^";
		
		PlayerTo( marshlands );
		
		"^Duggers and Chub are standing in front of you, pointing and 
		screaming at you, wondering why you don't answer them.";
		}
		"Your chute, still caught by the wind, starts to pull you over
		backwards. You're going to fall into the marsh again if you 
		don't release it.";
			
			26: if ( parachute in player && release_handle hasnt general &&
					intact_craft == 0 ) {
				game_counter.number = 66;
				give faceplate general;
				PlayerTo( marsh_underwater, 1 );
				"You are yanked backwards by your parachute. You stumble and
				again go underwater, the chute tugging you further down. ";
			}
				game.state = 5; 
				give faceplate ~general;
		print "You lift your arm to wipe off your faceplate, and a screaming pain
		shoots from your shoulder down to the end of your pinky. You grit
		your teeth and ignore it. You figure you can probably still hold
		and fire your weapon, so there's no use crying about it. You smear
		the slime away with your other hand, and see the marshland.^";
		
		PlayerTo( marshlands );
		
		"^Duggers and Chub are standing in front of you, pointing and 
		screaming at you, wondering why you don't answer them.";

			27:
		"You point at the comm antenna on your helmet and tap your finger
		to it. You shake your head.^^
		
		Duggers flings his arms wide and throws his head back, the 
		universal pantomime for, ~Well, that's just fucking GREAT.~
		Chub approaches you, removing her thick gloves, reaching for
		her toolbelt. You hear her hands bumping against your helmet.";

			28: 
		"There is a burst of deafening static in your helmet. You flinch
		and turn to face Chub, who glowers at you and shoves your head
		away so she can keep working. You feel the bones in your neck
		grind together, a pain so bad you want to black out.^^
		
		Your training asserts itself. You clench your fists, bite your 
		tongue, and hang onto consciousness.";
		
			29:
		"There's another burst of static, and Chub's voice poking through
		it.^^
		
		~...hear that? ... if you ... --kay? ...Mitchum!~";
		
			30:
		"You hear Chub say, ~How about that?~^^
		
		~Got it,~ you say.^^
		
		A vibration ripples the water. Duggers's voice: ~Heads up! Heads up!
		Can he hear through that goddamn thing yet? Come on!~";
		
			31: 
		print "Chub whips out her plasma rifle. You whip out Charlene. Charlene's 
		your partner, ready for the dance. You draw some strength from her,
		ignoring the spasms in your bad arm. ^^";
		
		style bold;
		print "Easy girl. Just... hold it ... steady.";
		style roman;
		new_line; rtrue;
		
			32: game.state = 6;
		"Chub says, ~I've called for reinforcements, but they won't come in 
		until we hold this position for a while. No use aiding a lost cause.~^^
		
		You say, ~It is a lost cause, isn't it? The bugs are just going to
		keep coming.~^^
		
		The vibration comes again. Somewhere, far ahead, twisting its way
		closer, the bug is coming.";
		
			33:  
		"You hear the roar of many feet, so many feet it makes your stomach
		turn. Up ahead, through that maze of mushrooms, you see a slickened
		shape pass by, west to east.^^
		
		Chub shouts, ~Fire!~";
		
			34:
		"Duggers fires. Chub fires. Mushrooms explode into spores. Fast-growing
		spores, you remember. In ten minutes, there will be more of them, full-sized.
		How are you supposed to win a war like this?";
		
			35:
		"Up ahead, the behemoth twists like a snake, heading west, then east, 
		then directly at you. Duggers fires at the head of it, and the head
		explodes, but the beast keeps coming. It turns east again.";
		
			36: 
		"You fire, and the bug is cut in two. The damn segments don't stop 
		moving, though. Now there's two bugs, each twisting this way and that.
		One segment reaches a small tunnel, formed by columns of mushrooms
		to each side, and it twists between them, heading straight for you.^^
		
		~Fire! Fire!~ Chub screams.";
		
			37: game.state = 7;
		"Your rifles flare in the damp night, shooting plasma pulses a million 
		degrees hot and moving at 400 miles an hour. The charging beast loses
		its head, and then another head, and then another head, and then another.
		Suddenly, there are no more heads, it is gone.^^
		
		The second segment twists into view, just beyond the closest range of
		mushrooms, about to invade your empty black marshland base.^^
		
		Another noise, unlike the steady thrum of these insect feet, begins
		to grow, with a doppler effect, from dead ahead. A flying bug.";
		
			38:
		"It's a tick, two tons of chitinous carapace, bristly fangs, and bug
		meat, hurtling straight at you, over the tops of the mushrooms. Its 
		lazy feet scrape the mushroom heads, poisoning them as it passes,
		making the mushrooms change to ugly colors. If another bug touches 
		one of those...";
			
			39:
		"Chub splits the centipede again in two. They're coming at you from
		both sides now.^^
		
		Duggers is right in the tick's path. He stands his ground, shouting
		at the sonofabitch. Duggers fires at it, misses. Fires again, misses.
		It's coming in too fast.";
		
			40: game.state = 8; move Chub to marshlands2;
				PlayerTo( marshlands2, 1 );
		"The tick mows Duggers down, its sticky feet latching onto his body.
		You see his face purple and blacken as he's carted away to some 
		nest to be digested. There is a scream, and then silence.^^
		
		Dead silence. The bugs are gone. There's two of you left.";
		
			41:
		"You were right. More mushrooms have grown up already. It's harder
		to see. Up ahead, you see the segmented beast twisting this way
		and that. Up ahead, you hear another tick approaching like a 
		dive bomber, coming right at you and Chub.^^
		
		Up ahead, you hear the thrum. Wave number two. Or is it just a 
		continuation of the first wave?^^
		
		Something else, something new. Feet clicking, splashing, an almost 
		musical chirp as the legs saw back and forth. What the hell? Some sort 
		of cricket? No.";
		
			42:
		"It's a scorpion, sidling sideways. Fortunately, it's not coming
		at you. You take it out with one quick shot. You're getting better
		at this.^^
		
		You'd better get even better, fast. Here comes that tick, with its
		screaming song, with its poisonous legs, turning the mushrooms
		purple and blue.^^
		
		Here comes the beast itself. Chub cuts it into three parts, damn
		her eyes.";
		
			43:
		print "You and Chub concentrate your fire on the tick, and vaporize it
		with only about twenty yards to spare, a split-second. Plasma
		spray and unvaporized bug bits sizzle over you, a wet coat of
		death.^^
		
		And then you hear another, bearing down on you, following its 
		kamikaze partner, poisoning even more mushr--^^";
		
		style bold;
		print "Oh no.";
		style roman;
		new_line; rtrue;
		
			44:
		"Chub takes a lucky shot and destroys the second tick before it
		even gets close, but it's too late. One of the centipede segments
		hit the poisoned mushrooms, the oil gets into its skin, scrambling
		its stupid bug neurons. Crazed, it charges forward, straight at 
		you. Another segment hits another poisoned shroom, and it, too,
		charges screaming at you.^^
		
		The two segments swoop down on either side of you and Chub, 
		circle, and play back and forth, zigzagging. The poison's worn
		off, thankfully.";
		
			45:
		"You see more segments, arriving out of the darkness to your left
		and right. Where are they coming from? Just two segments, a head
		and a tail, in front and behind you, joining the dance. There's
		five of these damn things now, and more every minute.";
		
			46: game.state = 9; remove Chub;
		"You shoot and shoot, vaporizing as many as you can. You start
		to think you're winning, that you're going to get out of this,
		when out of the corner of your eye, you see Chub backing up,
		not looking where she's going.
		
		You yell for her to move, to watch out. You're still busy 
		firing as you try to move closer to her, to yank her out of
		the way, to give her cover, but it's too late. A new segment
		dances into the marsh, runs Chub down, stomps her into the
		muck. You hear a shriek in your helmet that becomes a helpless
		gurgle. The beast drips acid out of its flanks, out of its
		disgusting glands, and something sizzles underwater.^^
		
		A final shot from your rifle sails into the gloom. Far away,
		a mushroom explodes.^^

		Again, silence. And you're the only one left.";
		
			47:
		"You can't see for all of the mushrooms blocking your way. You can
		hear movement, far ahead, but you can't see anything but the 
		mushrooms. They're different colors now. Are you hallucinating?
		And where's the backup Chub called for? How long are they going
		to take?";
		
			48:
		"You vent your frustrations on the mushrooms, shooting again and
		again. They explode, releasing spores that will grow more of them
		soon. You don't care. You need the space to move if you're going
		to win this battle, if you're going to survive.^^
		
		You know, though, that it's just a matter of time. You wonder
		what the point of this is, and you laugh. It's a sick joke to 
		someone up there in HQ, someone in a chushy office on Atari
		Prime. It's just some stupid game.";
		
			49:
		"You hear the thunder, the singsong chirping, the freight train
		whistle doing its doppler effect, doubled, tripled. All the bugs
		are back. More than ever.^^
		
		A tick whizzes by you to your left, just missing you. You hear
		it hiss its hatred.";
		
			50:
		"Another flies by to the right, dripping poison. The mushroom
		right in front of you warps, rots, seems to right itself. You 
		destroy it. There's another deadly one behind it. You shoot
		that one, too, and another.";
		
			51:
		"A lucky shot obliterates a scorpion, but another tick comes, 
		and the beast is moving fast. Two beasts.";
		
			52: if ( distress_call_switch has general ) {
				give game_counter general; game_counter.number = 70;
				PlayerTo( marshlands_rescue, 1 );
		"The poison has done its work, and once again you are surrounded.
		Once again, new segments arrive from nowhere, spinning in circles
		around you.^^
		
		There is a flare of light in the western sky.";
		}
		"The poison has done its work, and once again you are surrounded.
		Once again, new segments arrive from nowhere, spinning in circles
		around you.^^
		
		And still one last tick comes, and this one has your name on it.";
		
			53:
		"You fire at the tick, and miss.";
		
			54:
		"You fire at the tick, and miss. It's going to get you.";
		
			55:
		"You brace yourself for your last stand. You take aim at that tick,
		right in its glassy, metallic blue-green eyes. You fire, and miss.
		One last chance, it's almost here.";
		
			56:
		"You get it from behind. Oh, shit, you think. The fucking irony.
		The tick sails past, unharmed, as one of the segments of the 
		beast crushes you, biting off your legs.^^
		
		There's no time to feel pain, or maybe there isn't any pain.
		Some sort of anesthetic in the saliva, you remember. You scream
		anyway, just like Chub. You're not going down quietly. You try
		to turn your rifle around, fire at the damn thing point-blank,
		but suddenly your arms don't work.";
		
			57:
		"You're flipped over on your back, and something viscous and
		yellow oozes onto your faceplate, dissolving it. Suddenly your
		eyes don't work, and you can't scream. You see a dull red that
		turns brown and black in splotches, like the way the colors on
		a bubble turn before the bubble pops, and it's dead.";
		
			58: deadflag = 4;
		"The last thought that comes to you makes you laugh. It's
		that old joke. What's the last thing to go through a bug's
		mind as it hits your windshield? Its --.^";

			59: "The cabin creaks and shudders. Chub checks her chronometer.";
			
			60: "Chub says, ~Okay. We need to prepare to lose the AVLC when
				we land. This thing is going to fill with water and sink
				in about ninety-eight seconds. Duggers, as soon as we hit,
				blow the hatch and do a quick scout. Mitchum, launch the 
				homing beacon and then get the hell out.~";
			
			61: "Chub checks her chronometer. She says, ~Touchdown in 
				eight, seven, six...~";
			
			62: "Duggers shifts his weight forward, ready to spring into action.^^
				Chub says, ~Five, four, three...~";
			
			63: if ( straps has general ) {
					"Chub says, ~Tw--~^^
					
					With a jaw-splintering jolt, the AVLC hits the swampwater.
					Chub is already on her feet, grabbing extra rations and 
					munitions. Yeah, like we'll last long enough to need those,
					you think. ";
				}
				give straps ~general;
				PlayerTo( startroom, 1 );
				give helmet general;
				"Chub says, ~Tw--~^^
				
				With a jaw-splintering jolt, the AVLC hits the swampwater.
				You're thrown hard to the floor by the impact, your helmet
				absorbing a lot of the shattering force. Bright splotches
				fill your vision. Maybe your goggles are damaged, you think
				at first, and then you realize that it's your eyes.^^
				
				You squeeze your eyes, wait for the blotches to fade,
				and hope it isn't a concussion. ";
			
			64: give hatch open; move Duggers to marshlands;
				"Duggers says, ~Blowing the hatch...~ Fwoom! There's a
				white flare in your goggles, and the hatch disappears 
				into darkness. Instantly, freezing algae water pours 
				into the opening. Duggers leaps out into it as the cabin
				starts to reel, pitching aftward.";
			
			65: if ( helmet hasnt general ) {
					if ( homing_beacon_switch has general )
						print "Chub says, ~Let's go, Mitchum! Move! Move! Move!~^";
					else print "Chub says, ~Forget the beacon! Just get out of here,
						Mitchum! Move! Move!~^";
				}
				else {
					give hatch general;
					print "Chub yanks at your arm. You feel a spasm of pain shoot
					through it. She's yelling at you and pointing at the hatch, 
					but you can't hear her. The fall must have damaged your 
					helmet's comm system.^";
				}
				"^The cabin is now half full of swampwater.";
			
			66: game.state = 3; 
				move Chub to marshlands;
				give faceplate general;
				PlayerTo( marsh_underwater, 1 ); 
				self.number = 22;
				"You force yourself out of the craft, fighting the freezing
				water. Your legs seize up a few steps from the sinking
				craft, or maybe they're just caught in the muck. You lose 
				your balance, but can't move your feet to stabilize yourself. 
				Slime splashes up into your faceplate. Your hands sink into 
				something gelatinous. Everything is cold. You must be 
				underwater.";
			
			67: "You struggle to get up, but your chute feels like it's caught
				on something. ";
			68: "With growing horror, you realize that the chute has become
				entangled with something, and is dragging you further and
				further underwater. ";
			69: "Your lungs burning, all of your limbs thrashing, you sputter
				for breath and take in a lungful of marsh water.";
			70: deadflag = 4;
				"Distantly, you hear the thrashing of boots through water,
				the dulled booms of plasma rifles firing. Someone is trying
				to pull at one of your boots, but their hands slip away.
				The last bit of air in your lungs escapes, poisonous water
				takes its place. ";
			
			71:
		"It's a rescue shuttle, hovering low, dangling a ladder.";
			
			72:
		"And still one last tick comes, and this one has your name on it.";
		
			73: if ( player in marshlands_rescue ) {
				game_counter.number = 57;
		"You get it from behind. Fucking bastard, you think, as one of 
		the segments of the beast crushes you, biting off your legs.^^
		
		There's no time to feel pain, or maybe there isn't any pain.
		Some sort of anesthetic in the saliva, you remember. You scream
		anyway, just like Chub. You're not going down quietly. You try
		to turn your rifle around, fire at the damn thing point-blank,
		but suddenly your arms don't work.^^
		
		~Shoot it! Shoot it!~ you yell, but you don't hear any sound
		come out. You feel a disgusting wobble where you used to have
		a jaw.";
			}
		"The shuttle struggles in the air, trying to gain altitude without
		shaking you off. The tick is either going to knock you off the ladder
		or take out the whole shuttle.";
		
			74:
		"You fire at the tick, and miss. It's going to get you.";
		
			75:
		"You brace yourself for your last stand. You take aim at that tick,
		right in its glassy, metallic blue-green eyes. You fire, and miss.
		One last chance, it's almost here.";
		
			76:
		"You get it from behind. Oh, shit, you think. The fucking irony.
		The tick sails past, unharmed, as the beast rears up from below, 
		biting off your legs. You fall off the ladder, smacking the icy
		water. You think you hear some bones break.^^
		
		There's no time to feel pain, or maybe there isn't any pain.
		Some sort of anesthetic in the saliva, you remember. You scream
		anyway, just like Chub. You're not going down quietly. You try
		to turn your rifle around, fire at the damn thing point-blank,
		but suddenly your arms don't work.";
		
			77:
		"You're flipped over on your back, and something viscous and
		yellow oozes onto your faceplate, dissolving it. Suddenly your
		eyes don't work, and you can't scream. You see a dull red that
		turns brown and black in splotches, like the way the colors on
		a bubble turn before the bubble pops, and it's dead.";
		
			78: deadflag = 4;
		"The last thought that comes to you makes you laugh. It's
		that old joke. What's the last thing to go through a bug's
		mind as it hits your windshield? Its --^";
		}
	],
	has worn
;

Object -> backpack "backpack"
	with name 'back' 'pack' 'backpack',
	description [;
		print "Your standard-issue combat backpack. ";
		if ( parachute in player )
			print "The top section holds an emergency parachute. The straps of the 
			backpack have two pull handles. One is the ripcord for the chute, the 
			other is the release cord when you're on the ground and need to get rid 
			of the parachute. ";
		if ( self has open ) <<Search self>>;
		new_line; rtrue;
	],
	before [; 
		Disrobe, Drop: if ( game_counter.number > 69 ) {
				give game_counter general;
				remove self;
				"You shrug off the backpack and drop it into the 
				water. It sinks out of sight. ";
			}
			"A soldier never removes his backpack unless his life
			depends on doing so. ";
		Open: give game_counter general; rfalse;
	],
	has worn container openable
;

Object -> -> rations "food rations"
	with name 'food' 'ration' 'rations' 'today^s' 'compact' 'powder' 'packets',
	description "Today's food rations, in compact powder packets. ",
	before [;
		Eat: 	if ( game_counter.number < 60 )
				"Not until you clear the sector and establish basecamp 
				for the full landing party. ";
			"Chub barks, ~I said launch, not lunch!~";
		Drop: if ( game_counter.number > 69 ) {
				give game_counter general;
				remove self;
				"You throw away your rations. ";
			}	
			"You'll need those, soldier. Ain't no one gonna give you 
			a share of their food because you left yours behind. ";
	],
	has edible proper
;

Object -> -> canteen "canteen"
	with name 'canteen' 'water',
	description "Your clean water for the day. ",
	before [;
		Search: "The canteen contains your clean water for the day. ";
		Open, Drink: "If you drink that now, what are you going to do later?
			Drink the swampwater?";
		Drop: if ( game_counter.number > 69 ) {
				give game_counter general;
				remove self;
				"You throw away your canteen. ";
			}	
			"Think twice about leaving your clean water behind, soldier. ";
	],
;

Object -> -> letter "letter"
	with name 'letter',
	description "It's a letter to your folks, to be sent in case you're killed
		in the line of duty. You're hoping someone survives this mission
		to send it. No. You're hoping nobody needs to send the damn thing.
		Not this time. ",
	before [;
		Drop: "That letter stays with you until you're dead, soldier. ";
	],
;

Object -> -> stims "zip pack of stims"
	with name 'stimulants' 'stims' 'stimulant' 'stim' 'zip' 'pack',
	description "It's stuff to keep you jacked up and alert. You've used up
		your ration already, but you still got some extras you palmed off
		the medic.",
	before [;
		Open, Take, Eat, Drink, Shoot: 
			if ( game_counter.number > 69 ) {
				give game_counter general;
				remove self;
				give self general;
				"You pop all the stims. A vicious, raging strength enters
				your limbs. ";
			}	
			"Easy there, soldier. No need to overmedicate yourself. You 
			don't want to end up with a problem. ";
		Drop: if ( game_counter.number > 69 ) {
				give game_counter general;
				remove self;
				"You throw away the stims. ";
			}
			"Experience tells you that you just might need those. They
			can sometimes give you just the extra burst of energy you
			need to save your life.";
	],
	has edible
;

Object -> parachute "parachute"
	with name 'parachute' 'chute',
	description [; switch( game.state ) {
		0: "The top section of your combat backpack holds an emergency parachute. 
			The straps of the backpack have two pull handles. One is the ripcord 
			for the chute, the other is the release cord when you're on the ground 
			and need to get rid of the parachute.";
		1: "The top section of your combat backpack holds an emergency parachute. 
			The straps of the backpack have two pull handles. One is the ripcord 
			for the chute, the other is the release cord when you're on the ground 
			and need to get rid of the parachute.";
		2: "Your parachute billows above you, flapping noisily. 
			The straps of the backpack have two pull handles. One is the ripcord 
			for the chute, the other is the release cord when you're on the ground 
			and need to get rid of the parachute.";
		3: "Your parachute is yanking and tugging you sideways.";
		4,5,6,7: "The top section of your combat backpack holds an emergency parachute. 
			The straps of the backpack have two pull handles. One is the ripcord 
			for the chute, the other is the release cord when you're on the ground 
			and need to get rid of the parachute.";
		}
	],
	before [;
		Drop, Disrobe: <<Pull release_handle>>;
		Activate: <<Pull ripcord>>;
		Release, Pull: if ( game_counter.number > 18 ) <<Pull release_handle>>; 
				<<Pull ripcord>>;
	],
	has scenery worn
;

Object -> ripcord "ripcord"
	with name 'ripcord' 'rip' 'cord' 'rip-cord',
	description "If you pull the ripcord, you will deploy your emergency parachute. ",
	before [;
		Pull: if ( self has general ) "You have already done that. ";
			switch ( game.state ) {
			  0,1: "You shouldn't deploy your parachute unless you're actually
				in free-fall. ";
			  2: print "You pull the rip-cord and your chute opens. Your neck 
				snaps forward, your throat closes hard and painfully. As you 
				raise your head, your throat doesn't open again. It feels 
				swollen shut, and you can't breathe.^";
				
			  	if ( game_counter.number < 20 ) {
					game_counter.number = 19;
					give game_counter general;
					give self general;
					"^Far below, there's a round, white-green flare -- the 
					landing craft, crashing down.";
				}
				rtrue;
			}
		Drop: "You can't drop the ripcord. ";
	],
	has scenery
;

Object -> release_handle "release handle"
	with name 'release' 'handle',
	description "If you pull the release handle after touching down, you will 
		disengage your parachute. ",
	before [;
		Pull: if ( self has general ) "You have already done that. ";
			switch ( game.state ) {
			  0,1: "Pulling the release handle will have no effect until after
				the parachute is deployed. ";
			  2: give self general;
				remove parachute; remove ripcord; remove release_handle;
					if ( game_counter.number < 20 ) {
					deadflag = 1; "You pull the release handle on your chute. It
					disengages, leaving you plummeting and tumbling through the
					air. You streak past Duggers, and a second later you are
					instantly killed as you hit the surface of the swamp.";
				}
				switch ( game_counter.number ) {
					20: deadflag = 1; "You decide to pull your patented 
						landing maneuver: wait until you're ten feet from
						touchdown, pull the release handle on the chute,
						and hit the ground in a tumble-and-run.^^
						
						Unfortunately, it wasn't a layer of mist on the
						ground. You were right the first time. It was a
						cloud layer. Your body starts to spin. You streak
						past Duggers and smack into the marshwater below.
						Your bones are pulverized instantly.";
					
					21: give game_counter general; game_counter.number++;
						print "You decide to pull your patented landing maneuver: 
						wait until you're ten feet from touchdown, pull the 
						release handle on the chute, and hit the ground in 
						a tumble-and-run.^^";
						
						game.state = 3;
						move Chub to marshlands;
						give faceplate general; 
						PlayerTo( marsh_underwater,1 );
						
						"You release the chute. You boots hit a layer of 
						wet slime, and you sink into it up to your
						buckling knees. You lose your balance, but can't 
						move your feet to move into your tumble-and-run. 
						Slime splashes up into your faceplate. Your body
						sinks into something gelatinous. Everything is 
						cold. You must be underwater.";
				}
			
			3,4: give self general; 
				remove parachute; remove ripcord; remove release_handle;
				if ( game_counter.number > 66 && game_counter.number < 71 ) {
					give game_counter general;
					game_counter.number = 26;
					game.state = 5; 
					give faceplate ~general;
					
					print "You pull the release handle on your chute. It lets 
						go of you and is carried away by the water. ";
					print "You lift your arm to wipe off your faceplate, and 
						a screaming pain shoots from your shoulder down to 
						the end of your pinky. You grit your teeth and ignore 
						it. You figure you can probably still hold and fire 
						your weapon, so there's no use crying about it. You 
						smear the slime away with your other hand, and see 
						the marshland.^";
					
					PlayerTo( marshlands );
					
					if ( helmet hasnt general ) {
						game_counter.number = 30;
	 					"^Duggers and Chub are standing in front of you, 
						pointing and screaming at you, wondering why you 
						didn't answer them.^^
						
						You say, ~Sorry, Sergeant. My chute got caught on 
						something and dragged me under the water. I almost 
						drowned!~^^
						
						Chub is thinking how to respond when a vibration 
						ripples the water. Duggers says, ~Heads up! Heads 
						up! Come on!~";
					}
					"^Duggers and Chub are standing in front of you, pointing and 
					screaming at you, wondering why you don't answer them.";
				}
				"You pull the release handle on your chute. It lets go of you 
				and is carried away by the wind. ";
			}
		Drop: "You can't drop the release handle. ";
	],
	react_before [;
		Pull: if ( game_counter.number > 66 && game_counter.number < 71 ) {
				give self general; 
				remove parachute; remove ripcord; remove release_handle;
			
				give game_counter general;
				game_counter.number = 26;
				game.state = 5; 
				give faceplate ~general;
				
				print "You pull the release handle on your chute. It lets 
					go of you and is carried away by the water. ";
				print "You lift your arm to wipe off your faceplate, and 
					a screaming pain shoots from your shoulder down to 
					the end of your pinky. You grit your teeth and ignore 
					it. You figure you can probably still hold and fire 
					your weapon, so there's no use crying about it. You 
					smear the slime away with your other hand, and see 
					the marshland.^";
				
				PlayerTo( marshlands );
				
				if ( helmet hasnt general ) {
					game_counter.number = 30;
 					"^Duggers and Chub are standing in front of you, 
					pointing and screaming at you, wondering why you 
					didn't answer them.^^
					
					You say, ~Sorry, Sergeant. My chute got caught on 
					something and dragged me under the water. I almost 
					drowned!~^^
					
					Chub is thinking how to respond when a vibration 
					ripples the water. Duggers says, ~Heads up! Heads 
					up! Come on!~";
				}
				"^Duggers and Chub are standing in front of you, pointing and 
				screaming at you, wondering why you don't answer them.";
			}
			rfalse;
	],
	has scenery
;

Character -> Charlene "Charlene"
	with name 'plasma' 'weapon' 'rifle' 'gun' 'charlene' 'dent' 'dents' 'scratch'
		'scratches' 'ding' 'dings' 'nick' 'nicks' 'black' 'skin' 'curves' 'curve'
		'curved' 'metal' 'body',
	number 0,
	description [; print "This is Charlene, your plasma rifle. ";
		if ( self hasnt general ) {
		self.number++; 
		switch( self.number ) {
		1: "You know every dent and scratch on her curved metal body. ";
		2: "You know every dent and scratch on her curved metal body. 
			You stroke and polish her black skin shiny twice a day. ";
		3: "You know every dent and scratch on her curved metal body. You 
			stroke and polish her black skin shiny twice a day. You can 
			take her apart and put her back together while blind and 
			wearing gloves. But you don't wear gloves in combat. You like 
			to feel Charlene against your palms, feel her vibrations grow 
			smoother as she warms up. ";
		4: print "You know every dent and scratch on her curved metal body. 
			You stroke and polish her black skin shiny twice a day. You can 
			take her apart and put her back together while blind and wearing 
			gloves. But you don't wear gloves in combat. You like to feel 
			Charlene against your skin, feel her vibrations grow smoother as 
			she warms up. Feel the two of you merge together, soldier and 
			weapon, pumping, pumping .  .  .^^
		
			Er... ";
			style bold;
			print "ahem. ";
			style roman;
			give self general;
			"I think we got a little carried away in your thoughts
			there.";
		}
	   }
	   new_line; rtrue;
	],
	misfire 0,	!- counter for Shoot: game.state == 5;
	before [;
		Wear: if ( self has worn )
				"You've already got Charlene slung over your shoulder. ";
			give self worn; "You sling Charlene over one shoulder. ";
		Disrobe: if ( self hasnt worn ) "You don't have Charlene on. ";
			give self ~worn; "You take Charlene back into your hands. ";
		Drop: "No way are you ever letting go of Charlene. ";
		Touch: switch( game.state ) {
			0: "Charlene is slender, cool and slick in your sweaty grip. ";
			1: "You run your hand along Charlene. She's warming up, itching
				for it, aching to feel your finger on her trigger. ";
			2: "You can't touch Charlene right now. ";
			3: "You touch Charlene. She's a reassuring presence. ";
			4: "Charlene is wet and cold. She wants to warm up. ";
			5: "Charlene is warm and hungry. ";
			6: "Charlene is hot to the touch. She glows slightly in the
				darkness, cherry red and burnt orange. ";
			7: "Charlene is white hot, searing your naked fingers. You
				love her most of all when she's like this, when she's
				on fire. Your skin melds with hers. Your hands become
				iron, her body becomes soft flesh. ";
			8: "Charlene is starting to tire, starting to seize up. ";
			9: "Charlene is on the verge of completely jamming up. Her
				innards feel like they're starting to fuse together. ";
		}
		Rub, Clean: "You prefer to polish Charlene in the privacy of 
			your quarters. ";
		Strong: "Hey now, let's not get carried away with the metaphor, soldier. ";
		Load: if ( game.state < 6 ) "She's already loaded.";
				"You reload Charlene.";
		Shoot: if ( game.state < 6 ) {
			switch( game.state ) {
			0: "Save your aggressions and ammo for the mission, soldier.";
			1: "Charlene's getting anxious for combat, but you calm her down.
				Wait for the bugs, Charlene.";
			2: "You can't reach Charlene right now. ";
			3: "If you fired Charlene now, you'd boil the water around you and
				kill yourself instantly. Think, soldier.";
			4: "You shouldn't fire Charlene if you can't see. You might kill
				Duggers or Chub. ";
			5: self.misfire++; switch( self.misfire ) {
				1: "You raise Charlene, and Chub swats Charlene's nose down. Chub
					hasn't given the order. ";
				2: "Chub sees you raise Charlene. ~Wait for it, wait for it,~
					she says. You hold tight.";
				default: "You and Charlene are ready, but you wait for the order.";
				}
			}
		}
		give game_counter general; game_counter.number++;
		
		switch( game_counter.number ) {
			33: game_counter.number = 34; score = score + 40;
		"You hear the roar of many feet, so many feet it makes your stomach
		turn. Up ahead, through that maze of mushrooms, you see a slickened
		shape pass by, west to east.^^
		
		Chub shouts, ~Fire!~^^
		
		You fire Charlene into the darkness. She purrs and growls. She's
		jumpy today, you can tell. Or maybe you are. Duggers fires. Chub fires. 
		Mushrooms explode into spores. Fast-growing spores, you remember. In 
		ten minutes, there will be more of them, full-sized. How are you 
		supposed to win a war like this?";
		
			34: score = score + 50;
		"You fire Charlene into the darkness. She purrs and growls. She's
		jumpy today, you can tell. Or maybe you are. Duggers fires. Chub fires. 
		Mushrooms explode into spores. Fast-growing spores, you remember. In 
		ten minutes, there will be more of them, full-sized. How are you 
		supposed to win a war like this?";
		
			35: score = score + 90;
		"All you hit are more mushrooms, but you clear a path. Up ahead, 
		the behemoth twists like a snake, heading west, then east, then directly 
		at you. Duggers fires at the head of it, and the head explodes, but the 
		beast keeps coming. It turns east again.";
		
			36: score = score + 25;
		"You fire, and the bug is cut in two. The damn segments don't stop 
		moving, though. Now there's two bugs, each twisting this way and that.
		One segment reaches a small tunnel, formed by columns of mushrooms
		to each side, and it twists between them, heading straight for you.^^
		
		~Fire! Fire!~ Chub screams.";
		
			37: game.state = 7; score = score + 175;
		"Charlene is white hot, searing your naked fingers. You love her most 
		of all when she's like this, when she's on fire. Your skin melds with 
		hers. Your hands become iron, her body becomes soft flesh.^^
		
		Your rifles flare in the damp night, shooting plasma pulses a million 
		degrees hot and moving at 400 miles an hour. The charging beast loses
		its head, and then another head, and then another head, and then another.
		Suddenly, there are no more heads, it is gone.^^
		
		The second segment twists into view, just beyond the closest range of
		mushrooms, about to invade your empty black marshland base.^^
		
		Another noise, unlike the steady thrum of these insect feet, begins
		to grow, with a doppler effect, from dead ahead. A flying bug.";
		
			38: 
		"You fire into the sky, giving you light to see what's coming. It's a 
		tick, two tons of chitinous carapace, bristly fangs, and bug meat, 
		hurtling straight at the three of you, over the tops of the mushrooms. 
		Its lazy feet scrape the mushroom heads, poisoning them as it passes, 
		making the mushrooms change to ugly colors. If another bug touches one 
		of those, it'll go into a hallucinogenic frenzy.^^
		
		~Spread out! Spread out!~ Chub shouts.";
			
			39: 
		"You dodge left and fire, but you can't get a steady aim on the tick. 
		Chub concentrates on the centipede, her plasma shots splitting the 
		centipede again in two. They're coming at you from both sides now.^^
		
		Duggers is right in the tick's path. He stands his ground, shouting
		at the sonofabitch. Duggers fires at it, misses. Fires again, misses.
		It's coming in too fast, even for Duggers.";
		
			40: game.state = 8; move Chub to marshlands2;
				PlayerTo( marshlands2, 1 ); score = score + 125;
		"You can't worry about Duggers. You spin on your heels, firing at one
		segmented beast, Chub the other. They're quickly reduced to burning
		froth, a pair of greasy eddies in the water. You swing to Chub for 
		a high five just in time to see the tick mow Duggers down. Its sticky 
		feet latch onto his body, his face purples and blackens as he's carted 
		away to some nest to be digested. There is a scream in your helmet, 
		and then silence.^^
		
		Dead silence. The bugs are gone. There's just two of you left.";
		
			41: score = score + 80;
		"You were right. More mushrooms have grown up already. It's harder
		to see. You shoot at them, trying to clear the sightlines you had
		opened ealier. Up ahead, you see the segmented beast twisting this way
		and that. Up ahead, you hear another tick approaching like a 
		dive bomber, coming right at you and Chub.^^
		
		Up ahead, you hear the thrum. Wave number two. Or is it just a 
		continuation of the first wave?^^
		
		Something else, something new. Feet clicking, splashing, an almost 
		musical chirp as the legs saw back and forth. What the hell? Some sort 
		of cricket? No.";
		
			42: score = score + 100;
		"You shoot at the noise, and in the glow of the plasma bolt you see 
		what it is. It's a scorpion, sidling sideways. Fortunately, it's not 
		coming at you. You take it out with one quick shot. You're getting 
		better at this.^^
		
		From below comes the beast itself. Chub fires twice, cuts it into 
		three parts, damn her eyes.^^
		
		From the sky comes another tick, its poisonous legs turning the mushrooms 
		purple and blue.";
		
			43: score = score + 50;
		"You and Chub concentrate your fire on the tick, and vaporize it
		with only about twenty yards to spare, a split-second. Plasma
		spray and unvaporized bug bits sizzle over you, a wet coat of
		death.^^
		
		And then you hear another, bearing down on you, following its 
		kamikaze partner, poisoning even more mushrooms.";
		
			44: score = score + 25;
		"Charlene's acting up. You adjust your grip and squeeze, trying to
		get rid of at least one of the three centipedes. Chub takes a lucky 
		shot and destroys the second tick before it even gets close, but it's 
		too late. One of the centipede segments hit the poisoned mushrooms, 
		the oil gets into its skin, scrambling its stupid bug neurons. Crazed, 
		it charges forward, straight at you. Another segment hits another 
		poisoned shroom, and it, too, charges screaming at you.^^
		
		The two segments swoop down on either side of you and Chub, 
		circle, and play back and forth, zigzagging. The poison's worn
		off, thankfully.";
		
			45:
		"The bugs are are fast, but move predictably. You jump forward and
		back; you fire and miss, fire and miss. Fuck. Point-blank and you
		can't hit a damn thing. You decide to stand still, take time to aim,
		when Chub shouts a warning.^^
		
		You see more centipedes arriving out of the darkness to your left 
		and right. Where are they coming from? Just two segments each, a head 
		and a tail, joining the dance. There's five of these damn things now, 
		and more every minute.";
		
			46: game.state = 9; remove Chub; score = score + 100;
		"You shoot and shoot, vaporizing as many as you can. You start
		to think you're winning, that you're going to get out of this,
		when out of the corner of your eye, you see Chub backing up,
		not looking where she's going.
		
		You yell for her to move, to watch out. You're still busy 
		firing as you try to move closer to her, to yank her out of
		the way, to give her cover, but it's too late. A new segment
		dances into the marsh, runs Chub down, stomps her into the
		muck. You hear a shriek in your helmet that becomes a helpless
		gurgle. The beast drips acid out of its flanks, out of its
		disgusting glands, and something sizzles underwater.^^
		
		A final shot from your rifle sails into the gloom. Far away,
		a mushroom explodes.^^

		Again, silence. And you're the only one left.";
		
			47: game_counter.number = 48; score = score + 120;
		"You can't see for all of the mushrooms blocking your way. You can
		hear movement, far ahead, but you can't see anything but the 
		mushrooms. They're different colors now. Are you hallucinating?
		And where's the backup Chub called for? How long are they going
		to take?^^
		
		You vent your frustrations on the mushrooms, shooting again and
		again. They explode, releasing spores that will grow more of them
		soon. You don't care. You need the space to move if you're going
		to win this battle, if you're going to survive.^^
		
		You know, though, that it's just a matter of time. You wonder
		what the point of this is, and you laugh. It's a sick joke to 
		someone up there in HQ, someone in a chushy office on Atari
		Prime. It's just some stupid game.";
		
			48: score = score + 120;
		"You vent your frustrations on the mushrooms, shooting again and
		again. They explode, releasing spores that will grow more of them
		soon. You don't care. You need the space to move if you're going
		to win this battle, if you're going to survive.^^
		
		You know, though, that it's just a matter of time. You wonder
		what the point of this is, and you laugh. It's a sick joke to 
		someone up there in HQ, someone in a chushy office on Atari
		Prime. It's just some stupid game.";
		
			49: score = score + 525;
		"Charlene's singing now. She's found her sweetest rhythm, and you
		follow along with it. You hear the thunder, the singsong chirping, 
		the freight train whistle doing its doppler effect, doubled, tripled. 
		All the bugs are back. More than ever. You and Charlene are ready.
		A tick goes down, a scorpion explodes. Charlene's aiming for you,
		you can tell. The beast splits in two, but you eradicate half of 
		it within seconds.^^
		
		A tick whizzes by you to your left, just missing you. You hear
		it hiss its hatred.";
		
			50: score = score + 40;
		"Another flies by to the right, dripping poison. The mushroom
		right in front of you warps, rots, seems to right itself. You 
		destroy it. There's another deadly one behind it. You shoot
		that one, too, and another.";
		
			51: score = score + 100;
		"A lucky shot obliterates a scorpion, but another tick comes, 
		and the beast is moving fast. Two beasts.";
		
			52: score = score + 150;
				if ( distress_call_switch has general ) {
				give game_counter general; game_counter.number = 70;
				PlayerTo( marshlands_rescue, 1 );
		"Charlene mows down as many segments of the beast as she can, but
		she's starting to get tired, and your fingers are blistering. She
		needs to cool down, but the poisoned mushrooms have done their work. 
		Once again, the crazed behemoth charges; once again, you are surrounded.
		Once again, new segments arrive from nowhere, spinning in circles
		around you.^^
		
		Just as you dig in your heels for your last stand, there is a flare 
		of light in the western sky.";
		}
		"Charlene mows down as many segments of the beast as she can, but
		she's starting to get tired, and your fingers are blistering. She
		needs to cool down, but the poisoned mushrooms have done their work. 
		Once again, the crazed behemoth charges; once again, you are surrounded.
		Once again, new segments arrive from nowhere, spinning in circles
		around you.^^
		
		And still one last tick comes, and this one has your name on it.";
		
			53:
		"You fire at the tick, and miss.";
		
			54:
		"You fire at the tick, and miss. It's going to get you.";
		
			55:
		"You brace yourself for your last stand. You take aim at that tick,
		right in its glassy, metallic blue-green eyes. You fire, and miss.
		One last chance, it's almost here.";
		
			56:
		"You get it from behind. Oh, shit, you think. The fucking irony.
		The tick sails past, unharmed, as one of the segments of the 
		beast crushes you, biting off your legs.^^
		
		There's no time to feel pain, or maybe there isn't any pain.

		Some sort of anesthetic in the saliva, you remember. You scream
		anyway, just like Chub. You're not going down quietly. You try
		to turn your rifle around, fire at the damn thing point-blank,
		but suddenly your arms don't work.";
		
			57:
		"You can't.^^
		
		You're flipped over on your back, and something viscous and
		yellow oozes onto your faceplate, dissolving it. Suddenly your
		eyes don't work, and you can't scream. You see a dull red that
		turns brown and black in splotches, like the way the colors on
		a bubble turn before the bubble pops, and it's dead.";
		
			58: deadflag = 4;
		"It's all over, soldier. The last thought that comes to you makes 
		you laugh. It's that old joke. What's the last thing to go through 
		a bug's mind as it hits your windshield? Its --.^";

			59,60,61,62,63,64,65:
				"Charlene's getting anxious for combat, but you calm her down.
				Wait for the bugs, Charlene.";		
			66,67,68,69: 
				"If you fired Charlene now, you'd boil the water around you and
				kill yourself instantly. Think, soldier.";
			70: deadflag = 4;
				"It's all over, soldier.^^
				
				Distantly, you hear the thrashing of boots through water,
				the dulled booms of plasma rifles firing. Someone is trying
				to pull at one of your boots, but their hands slip away.
				The last bit of air in your lungs escapes, poisonous water
				takes its place. ";
			
			71: score = score + 10;
		"You concentrate on firing, not wanting to take the time to glance
		up. As the flare grows and you hear the noise, you know exactly what
		it is. It's a rescue shuttle, hovering low, dangling a ladder.";
			
			72: score = score + 10;
		"You ignore the ladder and fire, missing the bugs and hitting a nearby
		mushroom. Low in the sky, still one last tick comes, and this one has 
		your name on it.";
		
			73: if ( player in marshlands_rescue ) {
				game_counter.number = 57;
		"You get it from behind. Fucking bastard, you think, as one of 
		the segments of the beast crushes you, biting off your legs.^^
		
		There's no time to feel pain, or maybe there isn't any pain.
		Some sort of anesthetic in the saliva, you remember. You scream
		anyway, just like Chub. You're not going down quietly. You try
		to turn your rifle around, fire at the damn thing point-blank,
		but suddenly your arms don't work.^^
		
		~Shoot it! Shoot it!~ you yell, but you don't hear any sound
		come out. You feel a disgusting wobble where you used to have
		a jaw.";
			}
		"The shuttle struggles in the air, trying to gain altitude without
		shaking you off. The tick is either going to knock you off the ladder
		or take out the whole shuttle.";
		
			74:
		"You fire at the tick, and miss. It's going to get you.";
		
			75:
		"You brace yourself for your last stand. You take aim at that tick,
		right in its glassy, metallic blue-green eyes. You fire, and miss.
		One last chance, it's almost here.";
		
			76:
		"You get it from behind. Oh, shit, you think. The fucking irony.
		The tick sails past, unharmed, as the beast rears up from below, 
		biting off your legs. You fall off the ladder, smacking the icy
		water. You think you hear some bones break.^^
		
		There's no time to feel pain, or maybe there isn't any pain.
		Some sort of anesthetic in the saliva, you remember. You scream
		anyway, just like Chub. You're not going down quietly. You try
		to turn your rifle around, fire at the damn thing point-blank,
		but suddenly your arms don't work.";
		
			77:
		"You can't.^^
		
		You're flipped over on your back, and something viscous and
		yellow oozes onto your faceplate, dissolving it. Suddenly your
		eyes don't work, and you can't scream. You see a dull red that
		turns brown and black in splotches, like the way the colors on
		a bubble turn before the bubble pops, and it's dead.";
		
			78: deadflag = 4;
		"It's all over, soldier. The last thought that comes to you makes 
		you laugh. It's that old joke. What's the last thing to go through 
		a bug's mind as it hits your windshield? Its --.^";
		}
	],
	life [;
		Attack: "You wouldn't want Charlene to get mad and jam up during combat.";
		Kiss: switch( game.state ) {
			0: "You give Charlene a kiss through your faceplate. ";
			1: "Charlene's getting anxious for combat, but you calm her down
				with a kiss. Wait for it, baby.";
			2: "You can't reach Charlene right now.";
			3: "You can't do that while you're underwater. ";
			4: "You give Charlene a kiss through your faceplate. She isn't
				reassured, and neither are you. ";
			5: "You give Charlene a kiss through your faceplate.";
			6: "You give Charlene a kiss through your faceplate. You feel her
				warmth. ";
			7: "You give Charlene a kiss through your faceplate. You feel her
				raging heat. ";
		}
	],
	SayQ [line; switch (line) {
			0: "Charlene baby, tell me we're gonna make it through this one.";
			1: "Charlene, you ready honey?";
		}
		],
	Respond [line; switch (line) {
			0: self.QuipOff(0);
				print "^You look to Charlene for encouragement. She says nothing,
				but just feeling her weight on your back encourages you.^";
				rfalse;
			1:	self.QuipOff(1); 
				print "^You whisper some words to Charlene. She's ready for whatever
				comes, and if she's ready, so are you.^"; rfalse;
		}
	],
	InitQuips [; self.QuipsOn(2, 0,1); ],
	has female proper
;

Object -> holovid "holovid"
	with name 'girlfriend' 'scary' 'trash' 'holovid' 'vid' 'holo' 'pic' 'picture'
		'video' 'hologram' 'girl' 'woman' 'babe' 'chyk',
	description [; if ( self hasnt general )
				"It's a holovid of Duggers' scary trash girlfriend. She's
				standing near some gym equipment. A little icon that looks
				like a zipper is dancing in the lower corner.";
		"It's a holovid of Duggers' scary trash girlfriend, standing
		naked near some gym equipment. A little icon that looks like a zipper
		is dancing in the lower corner."; 
	],
	before [;
		Switchoff: if ( self hasnt general ) {
			give self general;
			game_counter.number = 3;
			"You switch off the holovid. ";
			}
			"The holovid is already off. ";
		Switchon: if ( self has general ) {
			give self ~general;
			"You switch on the holovid. ";
			}
			"The holovid is already on. ";
	],
	has transparent
;

Object -> -> zipper_icon "zipper icon"
	with name 'zipper' 'icon',
	description "It's a hotspot icon that you can touch.",
	before [;
		Touch, Push: if ( parent(self) notin player ) {
					"You have to be holding the holvid in order to 
					touch the zipper icon.";
				}
			give holovid general;
			print "When you touch the zipper icon, the clothes on Duggers'
			girlfriend seem to melt off her body, displaying her full
			frontal skankiness. ";
			
			if ( game_counter.number < 4 ) {
				give game_counter general; game_counter.number = 4;
				move holovid to Duggers;
				if ( holovid in player ) {
					"^^Duggers swipes his holovid from you. ~Not bad, right?~ he 
					says. He gives his girlfriend's picture a quick ogle
					before stuffing it into a side pocket of his pack.";
				}
				"^^Duggers takes his holovid back. ~Don't get all excited, now,~
				he says. He gives his girlfriend's picture a quick ogle 
				before stuffing it into a side pocket of his vest.";
			}
			"Duggers smirks. ~Not bad, right?~";
	],
;

Room startroom "Buzz-Busta AVLC-905 Cabin"
	with name 'helm',
	description "There's dick-all to see here, even with the goggles on. Armory cabinets,
		supply shelves, two brushed-steel benches, safety straps. The emergency 
		station is a swivel chair three steps up a ladder, facing a panel with
		rugged switches and levers. ",
	cant_go "There ain't noplace to go in that direction, soldier.",
	out_to [; << ClimbOut hatch >>; ],
	in_to "There's no exit in that direction. ",
	u_to [; <<Enter emergency_station>>; ],
;

Object -> benches "benches"
	with name 'brushed-steel' 'brushed' 'steel' 'bench' 'benches',
	description "Just two ass-busting benches.",
	before [;
		Go: if ( noun == u_obj ) {
				if ( straps has general ) { 
					give straps ~general;
					print "(first removing the straps)^";
				}
				if ( game_counter.number > 62 ) {
					print "You get off the bench and swing yourself up
					into the emergency station.^";
					PlayerTo( emergency_station, 1 );
					return 3;
				}
				print "^You get off the bench.^";
				PlayerTo( startroom, 1 );
				return 3; 
			}
			return 0;
		Exit: if ( straps has general ) { 
			give straps ~general;
			print "(first removing the straps)^"; rfalse; 
		}
	],
	has scenery supporter enterable transparent
;

Object -> straps "straps"
	with name 'safety' 'strap' 'straps' 'harness' 'harnesses',
	description "For strapping yourself down during a landing. ",
	before [;
		Wear: if ( player in benches ) { give self general; "You strap yourself in. "; }
			if ( self has general ) "You're already strapped in. ";
			"You need to be sitting on the benches first. ";
		Disrobe: if ( self hasnt general ) "You're not strapped in yet. ";
			give self ~general; "You remove the safety straps. ";
	]
	has scenery clothing
;

Object -> supply_shelves "supply shelves"
	with name 'supply' 'supplies' 'shelf' 'shelves',
	description "The supplies are designed to last a five-man unit for two weeks.",
	before [;
		Open, Search, Take: "You've already got today's rations stored in your 
			backpack. ";
		Close: "The supply shelves don't open or close. ";
	],
	has scenery
;

Object -> armory_cabinets "armory cabinets"
	with name 'armory' 'cabinet' 'cabinets' 'firepower',
	description "Loaded with enough firepower to bugbomb an entire sector. ",
	before [;
		Open, Search, Take: "Duty doesn't call for you to raid the armory cabinets 
			right now. ";
		Close: "The armory cabinets are already closed. ";
	],
	has scenery
;

Object -> cabin "cabin"
	with name 'buzz' 'buzz-busta' 'busta' 'avlc' 'avlc-905' '905' 'cabin',
	description [; <<Look>>; ],
	before [;
		Take: "Eighteen metric tons of carbonized metal and solid rocket fuel 
			are unlikely to stash easily in your backpack. ";
	],
	has scenery
;

Object -> hatch "escape hatch"
	with name 'escape' 'hatch' 'door' 'portal',
	description [; if ( self hasnt open ) "The hatch is closed. ";
		"The hatch has been blown open."; ],
	before [;
		Open: "It's not your job to open the hatch on this mission, soldier. ";
		Enter, ClimbOut: if ( self hasnt open ) "Not until Chub gives the order. ";
		switch ( game_counter.number ) {
			16: give game_counter general;
				game_counter.number++;
				give helmet general;
				move Duggers to marshlands;
				move Chub to marshlands;
				if ( player in emergency_station )
					print "Duggers leaps out of the hatch. You leap down
						from the emergency station and bail out after him,
						into the whipping wind and darkness.^";
				else
					print "Duggers leaps out of the hatch. Chub shoves at 
						you from behind, and you bail out after him. You 
						still can't hear any voices.^";
				game.state = 2; 
				PlayerTo( midair, 1 ); 
				"^You're in mid-air, falling fast. You can't see the ground, 
				and there's nothing to see in the sky.";
			
			64,65: game_counter.number++;
				if ( helmet hasnt general ) {      !- helmet isn't damaged
					if ( player in emergency_station ) { 
						if ( homing_beacon_switch has general ) {
							print "You leap down from the emergency station,
							Chub yelling, ~Let's go, Mitchum! Move! 
							Move!~ as you fight your way to the hatch.^^";
						}
						print "You leap down from the emergency station and
							get ready to bail out of the hatch.^^
							
							Chub shoves you from behind, saying, ~Forget 
							the beacon! Just get out of here,
							Mitchum! Move! Move!~^^
						
							You yell, ~Yes sergeant!~ as you force your 
							way through the hatch, into the whirling water 
							and darkness.^^";
					}
				}
				else if ( self has general ) {    !- already reported helmet damage
					print "You pretend to have heard her. You jump 
					down from the emergency station, give a 
					quick salute, and bail out of the hatch.^^";
				}
				else {
					if ( player in emergency_station ) {
						print "You leap down from the emergency station, and a
						spasm of pain shoots through your arm. Chub is yelling 
						something, but you can't hear her. The fall must have 
						damaged your helmet's comm system.^^
						
						You pretend to have heard her. You give a quick salute
						and bail out of the hatch. ";
					}
					else {
						print "Chub yanks at your arm. You feel a spasm of pain 						shoot through it. She's yelling something, but you can't 
						hear her. The fall must have damaged your helmet's comm 
						system.^^
						
						You pretend to have heard her. You give a quick salute
						and bail out of the hatch. ";
					}
				}
				game.state = 3;
				move Chub to marshlands;
				give game_counter general;
				game_counter.number = 22;
				give faceplate general;
				PlayerTo( marsh_underwater, 1 );
				
				"You force yourself out of the craft, fighting the freezing
				water. Your legs seize up a few steps from the sinking
				craft, or maybe they're just caught in the muck. You lose 
				your balance, but can't move your feet to stabilize yourself. 
				Slime splashes up into your faceplate. Your hands sink into 
				something gelatinous. Everything is cold. You must be 
				underwater.";
		}
	],
	has scenery static openable neuter transparent
;

Object -> emergency_station "emergency station"
	with name 'emergency' 'station' 'swivel' 'chair',
	description "The emergency station is a swivel chair three steps up a ladder, 
		facing a panel with rugged switches and levers.",
	before [;
		Go: if ( noun == d_obj ) {
				PlayerTo( startroom, 1 ); 
				print "You climb down from the emergency station.^"; 
				return 3;
				}
			if ( noun == u_obj ) {
				print "You're already in the emergency station.^";
				return 2;
			}
			return 0;
		Enter: if ( game_counter.number == 13 || game_counter.number == 14 ) { 
			give game_counter general;
			game_counter.number++;
			switch ( game_counter.number ) {
			14: game.state = 1; 
			if ( player in emergency_station )
					PlayerTo( startroom, 1 );
		"Chub says, ~Duggers!~^^
		
		Duggers is already up the ladder and grabbing for the parachute release
		levers. He yanks them hard, there is a noise like a screech owl colliding
		with a sheet of inch-thick plexiglass, and then the cabin seems to stop
		in midair, jolting everything that's not nailed down, which includes you
		and Duggers. The two of you smash to the cabin floor. You land on your
		side, the hard ammo clips strapped to your side bruising your ribs, damn 
		near cutting through your suit.";
		
			15: give helmet general;
		"Just as you start to sit up, Duggers attacks your throat with his elbow,
		crushing your windpipe. You flop backwards like an upended beetle, choking
		and gagging, pain throbbing outward from your neck, your lungs burning.^^
		
		The fall seems to have damaged your helmet, because you can't hear 
		Duggers' voice any more. He's holding you by your gear straps, his 
		faceplate right in front of yours, screaming obscenities. Probably
		just as well that you can't hear it.";
			}
		}
	],
	after [;
		Enter: if ( self hasnt general ) { give self general;
				"You swing yourself from the hatchway up into your emergency 
				station. You're already starting to sweat inside your suit, but 
				there isn't time to adjust the coolant controls.";
			}
			"You swing yourself up into the emergency station. ";
	],
	has scenery supporter enterable transparent
;

Object -> panel "panel"
	with name 'panel',
	description "The emergency station panel has two levers. Pulling them 
		releases the landing craft's emergency parachutes. There are three
		switches: homing beacon launch, distress call broadcast, and 
		self-destruct failsafe. You aren't under orders to use the switches
		right now. ",
	has scenery
;

Object -> levers "levers"
	with name 'lever' 'levers',
	description "Pulling these levers will deploy the AVLC's emergency parachutes.",
	before [;
		Pull: if ( player notin emergency_station ) "You have to be at the 
				emergency station in order to pull the levers. ";
			if ( self has general )
				"You've already deployed the chutes. ";
			if ( game.state ==1 )
				"The chutes are already deployed. ";
			give self general;
			game.state = 1; 
			switch( game_counter.number ) {
				1,2,3,4,5: game_counter.number = 17;
					game.state = 2; 
			print "You pull hard on the levers, which ratchet into a locked position
			with a satisfying, weighty ~ka-chunk.~ From above, there is a noise 
			like a screech owl colliding with a sheet of inch-thick plexiglass, 
			and then the cabin seems to stop in midair, jolting everything that's 
			not nailed down, which includes you and Duggers.^";
		print "^Chub hollers, ~Dammit! I said on my mark, Mitchum!~ She comes bolting 
		into view. ~We were still falling too fast to deploy. The chutes tore. We need 
		to bail out.~^^

		Duggers leaps out of the hatch. Chub shoves at you from behind.^";
					PlayerTo( midair, 1 ); 
					"^You're in mid-air, falling fast. You can't see the 
					ground, and there's nothing to see in the sky.";
				6,7,8,9: game_counter.number = 17;
					game.state = 2; 
			print "You pull hard on the levers, which ratchet into a locked position
			with a satisfying, weighty ~ka-chunk.~ From above, there is a noise 
			like a screech owl colliding with a sheet of inch-thick plexiglass, 
			and then the cabin seems to stop in midair, jolting everything that's 
			not nailed down, which includes you and Duggers.^";
		print "^Chub hollers, ~Dammit! I said on my mark, Mitchum!~ She comes bolting 
		into view. ~We were still falling too fast to deploy. The chutes tore. We need 
		to bail out.~^^

		Duggers leaps out of the hatch. Chub shoves at you from behind.^";
					PlayerTo( midair, 1 ); 
					"^You're in mid-air, falling fast. You can't see the 
					ground, and there's nothing to see in the sky.";
				10,11: game_counter.number = 17;
					game.state = 2; 
			print "You pull hard on the levers, which ratchet into a locked position
			with a satisfying, weighty ~ka-chunk.~ From above, there is a noise 
			like a screech owl colliding with a sheet of inch-thick plexiglass, 
			and then the cabin seems to stop in midair, jolting everything that's 
			not nailed down, which includes you and Duggers.^";
		print "^Chub hollers, ~Dammit! I said on my mark, Mitchum!~ She comes bolting 
		into view and yanks you down, eyeball to eyeball. ~Since when does 'shit' mean
		'mark,' Mitchum? We were still falling too fast to deploy. The chutes tore.~^^
		
		Chub lets go of you and blows open the hatch. Icy wind snarls around the
		cabin, dragging at you. ~Bail out! And I mean now, fuckwit!~^^

		Duggers gives you a curled sneer and leaps out of the hatch. Chub shoves at 
		you from behind.^";
					PlayerTo( midair ); rtrue;
				12: game_counter.number = 58; intact_craft = 1;
			print "You pull hard on the levers, which ratchet into a locked position
			with a satisfying, weighty ~ka-chunk.~ From above, there is a noise 
			like a screech owl colliding with a sheet of inch-thick plexiglass, 
			and then the cabin seems to stop in midair, jolting everything that's 
			not nailed down, which includes you and Duggers.^";
		print "^Chub saunters into view. ~Good work, Mitchum. All right, let's strap 
		in and get ready for touchdown. That means you too, Duggers.~^^

		Duggers says, ~I got a hand on the strap, don't I?~^^
		
		Chub says, ~Fine. Stand up if you want. When your kneecaps blow out and 
		your hamstrings are severed by the compound fractures of your thigh bones
		you can crawl your ass through the swamp. Doesn't make any difference to
		me, as long as you keep one hand free to salute.~^^
		
		Duggers gives Chub a severe salute and lowers his stubborn ass down onto 
		the bench. You plunk down next to him.^";
					PlayerTo( benches, 1 ); 
					rtrue;
				13: game_counter.number = 60; intact_craft = 1;
			print "You pull hard on the levers, which ratchet into a locked position
			with a satisfying, weighty ~ka-chunk.~ From above, there is a noise 
			like a screech owl colliding with a sheet of inch-thick plexiglass, 
			and then the cabin seems to stop in midair, jolting everything that's 
			not nailed down, which includes you and Duggers.^";
		print "^Chub hollers, ~Dammit! I said on my mark, Mitchum!~ She comes bolting 
		into view. ~All right, let's strap in and get ready for touchdown. That means
		you too, Duggers.~^^

		Duggers says, ~I got a hand on the strap, don't I?~^^
		
		Chub says, ~Fine. Stand up if you want. When your kneecaps blow out and 
		your hamstrings are severed by the compound fractures of your thigh bones
		you can crawl your ass through the swamp. Doesn't make any difference to
		me, as long as you keep one hand free to salute.~^^
		
		Duggers gives Chub a severe salute and lowers his stubborn ass down onto 
		the bench. You plunk down next to him.^";
					PlayerTo( benches, 1 ); 
					rtrue;
				14: game.state = 1; 
					give game_counter general; 
					if ( player in emergency_station )
						PlayerTo( startroom, 1 );
		"Too late. Duggers is already up the ladder and grabbing for the parachute 
		release levers. He yanks them hard, there is a noise like a screech owl colliding
		with a sheet of inch-thick plexiglass, and then the cabin seems to stop
		in midair, jolting everything that's not nailed down, which includes you
		and Duggers. The two of you smash to the cabin floor. You land on your
		side, the hard ammo clips strapped to your side bruising your ribs, damn 
		near cutting through your suit.";
		}
	],
	has scenery
;

Object -> switches "switches"
	with name 'switches',
	description [; 
		if ( game.state < 60 ) 
			"There are three switches: homing beacon launch, distress call 
			broadcast, and self-destruct failsafe. You aren't under orders to 
			use the switches right now. ";
		"There are three switches: homing beacon launch, distress call 
		broadcast, and self-destruct failsafe. ";
	],
	before [;
		Push: if ( player notin emergency_station ) "You have to be at the 
				emergency station in order to push the switches. ";
			"You'll have to specify which switch you mean.";
	],
	has scenery
;

SwitchItem -> homing_beacon_switch "homing beacon switch"
	with name 'switch' 'homing' 'beacon',
	description "A rugged switch. Pushing it launches the AVLC's homing beacon. ",
	before [;
		Switchon, Push, Launch, Activate: 
			if ( game_counter.number == 65 ) {
				print "No time for that now. "; <<ClimbOut Hatch>>;
			}
			if ( player notin emergency_station ) "You have to be at the 
				emergency station in order to launch the homing beacon. ";
			if ( self has general ) "The homing beacon has already
				been launched. ";
			give self general;
			"You launch the homing beacon.";
		Switchoff: 
			if ( self has general ) "The homing beacon has already
				been launched. ";
			"The homing beacon launch switch is already off. ";
	],
;

SwitchItem -> distress_call_switch "distress call switch"
	with name 'switch' 'distress' 'call',
	description "A rugged switch. Pushing it broadcasts a general distress call. ",
	before [;
		Switchon, Push, Broadcast, Activate: 
			if ( player notin emergency_station ) "You have to be at the 
				emergency station in order to broadcast a distress call. ";
			if ( self has general ) "The distress call has already
				been broadcast. ";
			give self general;
			"You broadcast the distress call. Hopefully, someone up there on
				the Defender will hear it.";
		Switchoff:
			if ( self has general ) "The distress call has already
				been broadcast. ";
			"The distress call broadcast switch is already off. ";
	],
;

SwitchItem -> self_destruct_failsafe_switch "self-destruct failsafe"
	with name 'switch' 'self-destruct' 'self' 'destruct' 'failsafe' 
		'fail-safe' 'fail' 'safe' 'mechanism',
	description "A rugged switch. Pushing it allows the craft's self-destruct
			mechanism to be activated from the helm. ",
	before [;
		Switchon, Push, Activate: 
			if ( player notin emergency_station ) "You have to be at the 
				emergency station in order to push the self-destruct
				failsafe switch. ";

			if ( self has general ) 
				"You are under orders not to push the failsafe switch.";

			give self general;
			give self primed;
			
			if ( game_counter.number > 6 ) {
				give self ~general;
				"You push the self-destruct failsafe switch. You hope
				Chub doesn't accidentally hit the actual destruct button at
				the helm. ";
			}
			if ( helmet has general )
				"You push the self-destruct failsafe switch. Immediately, 
				Chub shuts it off again. ";
			"You push the self-destruct failsafe switch. Immediately, 
			Chub says, ~Mitchum! What in the name of Pleiades are
			you doing? Switch that off! That's an order!~ ";
			
		Switchoff: if ( self hasnt general )
				"The self-destruct failsafe switch is already off. ";
			if ( self has light )
				"The self-destruct failsafe switch is already off. ";
			give self light;
			"You switch off the self-destruct failsafe. ";
	],
;

Object -> ladder "ladder"
	with name 'ladder' 'step' 'steps',
	description "It's just the ladder up to the emergency station. ",
	before [;
		Climb: <<Enter emergency_station>>;
	],
	has scenery
;

Character Duggers "Duggers"
	with name 'private' 'pvt' 'duggers' 'dug' 'dig-dug' 'dig' 'dale',
	description [;
		"Private Dale ~Dig-Dug~ Duggers is a hulking brute and an absolute
		killing machine. Also, a pretty good chess player. ";	
	],
	describe [;	
		if ( game_counter.number < 14 ) {
			print "^Duggers is below, one boot up on the bench, holding a safety 
			strap with one hand. ";
			if ( self hasnt general ) {
				give self general;
				"Thinks he's on the damn bullet train. He's survived forty 
				missions, thinks he's invulnerable now.";
			}
			else { new_line; rtrue; }
		}
		if ( game_counter.number > 58 ) { switch ( game_counter.number ) {
			59,60,61,62: "^Duggers is strapped into the benches, mumbling
				something to his plasma rifle. ";
			63: "^Duggers is on his feet and at the hatchway. ";
			}
		}
	],
	SayQ [line; switch (line) {
			0: "Duggers, your girlfriend's a skank.";
			1: "Yo mama.";
			2: "Yeah, I hear ya.";
			3: "I'll say what I like, bitch!";
			4: "Fuck off.";
		}
	],
	Respond [line; switch (line) {
			0: self.QuipsOff(2, 0,1); self.QuipsOn(3, 2,3,4);
				"^Duggers says, ~Don't you be talkin' that way about
				Lashawnda, motherfucker! I'll shuffle yo pasty pink Iowa 
				corn-fed ass off this mortal fuckin' coil, you hear 
				what I'm saying?~";
			1: print "^Duggers says, ~No, *yo* mama.~^"; rfalse;
			2: if ( game_counter.number < 4 ) game_counter.number = 3; 
				self.QuipsOff(3, 2,3,4); self.QuipOn(1);
				"^Duggers snorts. ~You got that goddamn right. Now don't
				let me hear you talk that shit again.~";
			3: if ( game_counter.number < 4 ) game_counter.number = 3; 
				self.QuipsOff(3, 2,3,4); self.QuipOn(1);
				"^Duggers bursts into hoarse laughter. ~Man, you crack
				me up,~ he says. His face goes stony again. ~Just 
				don't push me.~";
			4: if ( game_counter.number < 4 ) game_counter.number = 3; 
				self.QuipsOff(3, 2,3,4); self.QuipOn(1);
				"^Duggers belches and says, ~Ah, fuck you.~";
		}
	],
	InitQuips [; self.QuipsOn(2, 0,1); ],
	life [;
		Attack: if ( game_counter.number == 39 ) {
					give game_counter general; game_counter.number++;
					game.state = 8; move Chub to marshlands2;
					PlayerTo( marshlands2, 1 );
		"You shoot Duggers. He goes down, a surprised look on his face as
		the tick sails over him. Chub charges over to you and hits you in
		the face with her rifle butt.^^
		
		~What the fuck did you just do, Corporal?~ she says as you stand
		up again.^^
		
		~It was going to get him. You know what those things do when they
		kill someone. It's torture. I couldn't let it happen.~
		
		There is a dead silence. The bugs are gone. There's two of you left.";
				}
				"Think twice about that, soldier -- once for each of Duggers'
				mammoth hands, which would lift you up and snap you over his
				knee like a broomstick if you started something. ";
		Kiss: "Um, no.";
		Show, Give: if ( noun == holovid || noun == zipper_icon ) {
				if ( game_counter.number < 4 ) {
					give game_counter general; game_counter.number = 4;
					move holovid to Duggers;
					"You hand the holovid back to Duggers. ~I bet you wish
					you had a fine woman like this, huh?~ he says. He gives 
					his girlfriend's picture a long gaze before stashing it 
					into a back pocket.";
				}
				if ( holovid in Duggers ) 
					"Duggers already has it.";
				"You aren't holding the holovid.";
			}
			print "Duggers doesn't need "; ThatOrThose(noun);
			".";
	],
	before [;
		Shoot: if ( game_counter.number == 39 ) {
					give game_counter general; game_counter.number++;
					game.state = 8; move Chub to marshlands2;
					PlayerTo( marshlands2, 1 );
		"You shoot Duggers. He goes down, a surprised look on his face as
		the tick sails over him. Chub charges over to you and hits you in
		the face with her rifle butt.^^
		
		~What the fuck did you just do, Corporal?~ she says as you stand
		up again.^^
		
		~It was going to get him. You know what those things do when they
		kill someone. It's torture. I couldn't let it happen.~
		
		There is a dead silence. The bugs are gone. There's two of you left.";
			}
			"Sure, you hate Duggers, but that's no reason to mow
			him down with a plasma rifle. That might just make him 
			mad. ";
		Push: "Duggers says, ~I'm tellin' you man, don't push me.~";
	],
	has male proper transparent
;

Character Chub "Chub"
	with name 'sergent' 'sgt' 'sargent' 'sarge' 'chub' 'chaplin' 'ann',
	description [; "Sgt. Ann ~Chub~ Chaplin is a good solider. You've only been
			under her command for three weeks, but she seems like she knows
			what she's doing in a firefight. ";
	],
	describe [;
		if ( game_counter.number < 14 ) {
			print "^Chub is tucked around the corner at the helm. 
			You can't see her, but you can hear her voice in your helmet. ";
			if ( self hasnt general ) {
				give self general;
				"~On my mark. On my mark...~";
			}
			else { new_line; rtrue; }
		}
		if ( game_counter.number > 58 ) { switch ( game_counter.number ) {
			59: "^Chub is strapped into the benches, counting
				down. ";
			60: "^Chub is strapped into the benches, counting
				down. ";
			61: "^Chub is strapped into the benches, counting
				down. ";
			62: "^Chub is strapped into the benches, counting
				down. ";
			63: "^Chub is already on her feet, grabbing extra rations and 
				munitions. ";			
			64: "^Chub races back and forth, making sure everything you'll
				need is secured.";
			65: if ( helmet hasnt general )
					"^Chub is at the hatchway, standing firm against
					the inrushing water, motioning for you to get out.";
				"^Chub is at the hatchway, standing firm against the
				inrushing water. ";
			}
		}
	],
	InitQuips [; self.QuipOn(0); ],
	SayQ [line; switch (line) {
			0: "Yes sergeant.";
			2: "Sarge, let's set off the Buzz Busta's self-destruct. Wipe
				out all the bugs.";
		}
	],
	Respond [line; switch (line) {
			0: print "^You affirm Chub's authority.^"; rfalse;
			2: self.QuipOff(2); print "^Chub says, ~No.~"; rfalse;
		}
	],
	before [;
		Shoot: "Disintegrating a senior officer while on a combat mission is
			unlikely to advance either your career or your life. ";
	],
	life [;
		Attack: "Idle thoughts about how your court martial might go 
				keep you from acting on this impulse.";
		Kiss: "Save it for shore leave.";
		Show, Give: 
			print "Chub doesn't need "; ThatOrThose(noun);
			".";
	],
	orders [;
		Yes,No: "You answer Chub.";
	],
	has female proper transparent
;

Room midair "In mid-air"
	with name 'air' 'atmosphere' 'ether',
	description "You're in mid-air, falling fast. You can't see the ground, and there's
		nothing to see in the sky.",
	cant_go "You adjust your direction slightly, but mostly you try to stay on target. ",
;

Room marsh_underwater "Underwater"
	with
	description "Everything is cold. You must be underwater.",
	before [;
		Stand, Wait, Go, Shoot, Pull, Drop: rfalse;
		default: "You try, but it just makes you seep deeper into the murk. ";
	],
	u_to [; <<Stand>>; ],
	cant_go "You try, but it just makes you seep deeper into the swamp. ",
;

Object -> clouds "clouds"
	with name 'cloud' 'clouds' 'layer' 'cloud-layer',
	description "The clouds show up in your goggles only as shifting white shapes.",
	has scenery
;

Object -> mist "mist"
	with name 'mist' 'ground',
	description "The mist shows up in your goggles only as a shifting white haze.",
	has scenery
;

Object -> crash_flare "flare"
	with name 'round' 'green' 'white' 'white-green' 'green-white' 'flare'
		'landing' 'craft' 'crash' 'crashing' 'explosion',
	description "The flare has already faded.",
	has scenery
;

Room marsh_standing "Marshlands"
	with
	description "You still can't see anything with your faceplate covered with slime. "
;

Room marshlands "Marshlands"
	with 
	description "The landscape is pitch black, even in your goggles. No heat from the
		freezing swampwater. Out of the blackness, looming shapes in obscene
		colors. You aren't supposed to see colors through these goggles, and
		you wonder if you're doing worse than you thought.^^
		
		The shapes are mushrooms, hundreds of them, rising on their moist
		stalks, ballooning heads eighteen feet around, eight feet high. You
		can't get much of a sight beyond them. There's too many mushrooms.
		Maybe you should waste some ammo clearing a sightline. Then again,
		maybe you don't have any ammo to waste, now.",
	cant_go "You slog a few steps in that direction. ",
	s_to [; if ( intact_craft == 1 ) {
			move submerged_landing_craft to location;
			"You slog a few steps in that direction. Your foot runs into something
			solid, probably the submerged landing craft. ";
		}
		"You slog a few steps in that direction. ";
	],
;

Object mushrooms "mushrooms"
	with name 'shroom' 'shrooms' 'mushroom' 'mushrooms' 'purple' 'blue' 'colors'
		'color' 'colored' 'black' 'poison' 'poisoned' 'caps' 'moist' 'stalk' 
		'stalks' 'heads' 'cap',
	description "The shapes are mushrooms, hundreds of them, rising on their moist
		stalks, ballooning heads eighteen feet around, eight feet high. You
		can't get much of a sight beyond them. ",
	found_in marshlands marshlands2 marshlands_rescue low_ladder mid_ladder high_ladder,
	before [;
		Take: "They're poisonous to humans.";
		Eat: "They're poisonous to humans.";
		Attack, Shoot: if ( game_counter.number < 33 ) <<Shoot Charlene>>;
			give game_counter general; game_counter.number++;
			switch ( game_counter.number ) {
			33: game_counter.number = 34; score = score + 90;
		"You hear the roar of many feet, so many feet it makes your stomach
		turn. Up ahead, through that dense maze of mushrooms, you see a slickened
		shape pass by, west to east.^^
		
		Chub shouts, ~Fire!~^^
		
		You fire Charlene into the darkness. She purrs and growls. She's
		jumpy today, you can tell. Or maybe you are. You aim for the mushrooms,
		hoping to give Duggers and Chub a better sightline. The mushrooms explode 
		into clouds of spores. Fast-growing spores, you remember. In ten minutes, 
		there will be more of them, full-sized. How are you supposed to win a 
		war like this?";
		
			34: score = score + 90;
		"You fire Charlene into the darkness. She purrs and growls. She's
		jumpy today, you can tell. Or maybe you are. You aim for the mushrooms,
		hoping to give Duggers and Chub a better sightline. The mushrooms explode 
		into clouds of spores. Fast-growing spores, you remember. In ten minutes, 
		there will be more of them, full-sized. How are you supposed to win a 
		war like this?";
		
			35: score = score + 60;
		"All you hit are more mushrooms, but you clear a path. Up ahead, 
		the behemoth twists like a snake, heading west, then east, then directly 
		at you. Duggers fires at the head of it, and the head explodes, but the 
		beast keeps coming. It turns east again.";
		
			36: score = score + 25;
		"You fire at the mushrooms, but a stray shot cuts the bug in two. 
		The damn segments don't stop moving, though. Now there's two bugs, 
		each twisting this way and that. One segment reaches a small tunnel, 
		formed by columns of mushrooms to each side, and it twists between 
		them, heading straight for you.^^
		
		~Fire! Fire!~ Chub screams.";
		
			37: game.state = 7; score = score + 120;
		"Charlene is white hot, searing your naked fingers. You love her most 
		of all when she's like this, when she's on fire. Your skin melds with 
		hers. Your hands become iron, her body becomes soft flesh.^^
		
		Your rifles flare in the damp night, shooting plasma pulses a million 
		degrees hot and moving at 400 miles an hour. You've managed to clear 
		a broad path through the mushrooms, giving everyone open sights.
		The charging beast loses its head, and then another head, and then 
		another head, and then another. Suddenly, there are no more heads, 
		it is gone.^^
		
		The second segment twists into view, just beyond the closest range of
		mushrooms, about to invade your empty black marshland base.^^
		
		Another noise, unlike the steady thrum of these insect feet, begins
		to grow, with a doppler effect, from dead ahead. A flying bug.";
		
			38: score = score + 10;
		"You fire at the mushrooms, giving you light to see what's coming. It's a 
		tick, two tons of chitinous carapace, bristly fangs, and bug meat, 
		hurtling straight at the three of you, over the tops of the mushrooms. 
		Its lazy feet scrape the mushroom heads, poisoning them as it passes, 
		making the mushrooms change to ugly colors. If another bug touches one 
		of those, it'll go into a hallucinogenic frenzy.^^
		
		~Spread out! Spread out!~ Chub shouts.";
			
			39: score = score + 20;
		"You dodge left and fire at the mushrooms, hoping the tick will pass
		by if you ignore it. Chub has a similar idea. She concentrates on the 
		centipede, her plasma shots splitting the centipede again in two. 
		They're coming at you from both sides now.^^
		
		Duggers is right in the tick's path. He stands his ground, shouting
		at the sonofabitch. Duggers fires at it, misses. Fires again, misses.
		It's coming in too fast, even for Duggers.";
		
			40: game.state = 8; move Chub to marshlands2;
				PlayerTo( marshlands2, 1 ); score = score + 80;
		"You can't worry about Duggers. You spin on your heels, firing at the
		mushrooms. Chub orders you to knock it off and hit the damn bugs. You
		blast, nearly point blank, at one of them as Chub guns down the other. 
		They're quickly reduced to burning froth, a pair of greasy eddies in 
		the water.^^
		
		You swing to Chub for a high five just in time to see the tick mow 
		Duggers down. Its sticky feet latch onto his body, his face purples 
		and blackens as he's carted away to some nest to be digested. There 
		is a scream in your helmet, and then silence.^^
		
		Dead silence. The bugs are gone. There's just two of you left.";
		
			41: score = score + 110;
		"You were right. More mushrooms have grown up already. It's harder
		to see. You shoot at them, trying to clear the sightlines you had
		opened ealier. Up ahead, you see the segmented beast twisting this way
		and that. Up ahead, you hear another tick approaching like a 
		dive bomber, coming right at you and Chub.^^
		
		Up ahead, you hear the thrum. Wave number two. Or is it just a 
		continuation of the first wave?^^
		
		Something else, something new. Feet clicking, splashing, an almost 
		musical chirp as the legs saw back and forth. What the hell? Some sort 
		of cricket? No.";
		
			42: score = score + 20;
		"You shoot at some random mushrooms, and in the glow of the plasma bolts
		you see what it is. It's a scorpion, sidling sideways. Fortunately, it's 
		not coming at you. You take it out with one quick shot. You're getting 
		better at this.^^
		
		From below comes the beast itself. Chub fires twice, cuts it into 
		three parts, damn her eyes.^^
		
		From the sky comes another tick, its poisonous legs turning the mushrooms 
		purple and blue.";
		
			43: score = score + 50;
		"While you waste some ammo on mushrooms, Chub concentrates her fire on 
		the tick, and she vaporize it with only about four yards to spare, 
		a split-second. Plasma spray and unvaporized bug bits sizzle over both
		of you, a wet coat of death.^^
		
		And then you hear another tick, bearing down on you, following its 
		kamikaze partner, poisoning even more mushrooms.";
		
			44: score = score + 40;
		"Chub takes a lucky shot and destroys the second tick before it even gets 		close. You try to get rid of the poisoned mushrooms it left in its wake. 
		They're all in a column, so you hold your ground and fire steadily, but 
		Charlene's acting up, and you miss more times than you should. You adjust 
		your grip and fire again, but it's already too late.^^
		
 		One of the centipede segments hit the poisoned mushrooms, and
		the oil gets into its skin, scrambling its stupid bug neurons. Crazed, 
		it charges forward, straight at you. Another segment hits another 
		poisoned shroom, and it, too, charges screaming at you.^^
		
		The two segments swoop down on either side of you and Chub, 
		circle, and play back and forth, zigzagging. The poison's worn
		off, thankfully.";
		
			45: score = score + 30;
		"You decide to stand still, take time to clear away more mushrooms, 
		when Chub shouts a warning.^^
		
		You see more centipedes arriving out of the darkness to your left 
		and right. Where are they coming from? Just two segments each, a head 
		and a tail, joining the dance. There's five of these damn things now, 
		and more every minute.";
		
			46: game_counter.number = 57; score = score + 60;
		"You shoot and shoot at the mushrooms, vaporizing as many as you can. 
		That's when you get it from behind. Fucking bastard, you think, as one of 
		the segments of the beast crushes you, biting off your legs.^^
		
		There's no time to feel pain, or maybe there isn't any pain.
		Some sort of anesthetic in the saliva, you remember. You're not 
		going down quietly. You try to turn your rifle around, fire at the 
		damn thing point-blank, but suddenly your arms don't work.^^
		
		~Shoot it! Shoot it!~ you yell to Chub, but you don't hear any sound
		come out. You feel a disgusting wobble where you used to have
		a jaw.";
			
			47: game_counter.number = 48; score = score + 80;
		"You can't see for all of the mushrooms blocking your way. You can
		hear movement, far ahead, but you can't see anything but the 
		mushrooms. They're different colors now. Are you hallucinating?
		And where's the backup Chub called for? How long are they going
		to take?^^
		
		You vent your frustrations on the mushrooms, shooting again and
		again. They explode, releasing spores that will grow more of them
		soon. You don't care. You need the space to move if you're going
		to win this battle, if you're going to survive.^^
		
		You know, though, that it's just a matter of time. You wonder
		what the point of this is, and you laugh. It's a sick joke to 
		someone up there in HQ, someone in a chushy office on Atari
		Prime. It's just some stupid game.";
		
			48: score = score + 90;
		"You vent your frustrations on the mushrooms, shooting again and
		again. They explode, releasing spores that will grow more of them
		soon. You don't care. You need the space to move if you're going
		to win this battle, if you're going to survive.^^
		
		You know, though, that it's just a matter of time. You wonder
		what the point of this is, and you laugh. It's a sick joke to 
		someone up there in HQ, someone in a chushy office on Atari
		Prime. It's just some stupid game.";
		
			49: score = score + 370;
		"Charlene's singing now. She's found her sweetest rhythm, and you
		follow along with it. You hear the thunder, the singsong chirping, 
		the freight train whistle doing its doppler effect, doubled, tripled. 
		All the bugs are back. More than ever. You and Charlene are ready.
		You clear your sightlines, blowing away dozens of mushrooms.^^
		
		A tick whizzes by you to your left, just missing you. You hear
		it hiss its hatred.";
		
			50: score = score + 30;
		"Another flies by to the right, dripping poison. The mushroom
		right in front of you warps, rots, seems to right itself. You 
		destroy it. There's another deadly one behind it. You shoot
		that one, too, and another.";
		
			51: score = score + 100;
		"A lucky shot aimed at a mushroom obliterates a scorpion, but another 
		tick comes, and the beast is moving fast.";
		
			52: score = score + 50;
			if ( distress_call_switch has general ) {
				give game_counter general; game_counter.number = 70;
				PlayerTo( marshlands_rescue, 1 );
		"Charlene mows down as many poisoned mushrooms as she can, but she's starting 
		to get tired, and your fingers are blistering. Once again, it's too late. The
		murshrooms have done their work. The crazed behemoth charges; once again, 
		you are surrounded. Once again, new segments arrive from nowhere, spinning 
		in circles around you.^^
		
		Just as you dig in your heels for your last stand, there is a flare 
		of light in the western sky.";
		}
		"Charlene mows down as many poisoned mushrooms as she can, but she's starting 
		to get tired, and your fingers are blistering. Once again, it's too late. The
		murshrooms have done their work. The crazed behemoth charges; once again, 
		you are surrounded. Once again, new segments arrive from nowhere, spinning 
		in circles around you.^^
		
		And still one last tick comes, and this one has your name on it.";
		
			53: score = score + 10;
		"You give up. Laughing, you fire at some mushrooms as the tick bears
		down on you.";
		
			54: score = score + 20;
		"You fire at some mushrooms. The tick is going to get you.";
		
			55:
		"You take aim at a mushroom, and miss. You brace yourself for your death. 
		You stare that tick right in its glassy, metallic blue-green eyes. One 
		last chance, it's almost here.";
		
			56: deadflag = 4;
		"You fire at a mushroom. The tick mows you down. As simply as that,
		you're dead.";
			
			57:
		"You can't.^^
		
		You're flipped over on your back, and something viscous and
		yellow oozes onto your faceplate, dissolving it. Suddenly your
		eyes don't work, and you can't scream. You see a dull red that
		turns brown and black in splotches, like the way the colors on
		a bubble turn before the bubble pops, and it's dead.";
		
			58: deadflag = 4;
		"It's all over, soldier. The last thought that comes to you makes 
		you laugh. It's that old joke. What's the last thing to go through 
		a bug's mind as it hits your windshield? Its --.^";

			70: deadflag = 4;
				"It's all over, soldier.^^
				
				Distantly, you hear the thrashing of boots through water,
				the dulled booms of plasma rifles firing. Someone is trying
				to pull at one of your boots, but their hands slip away.
				The last bit of air in your lungs escapes, poisonous water
				takes its place. ";
			
			71: score = score + 10;
		"You concentrate on firing, not wanting to take the time to glance
		up. As the flare grows and you hear the noise, you know exactly what
		it is. It's a rescue shuttle, hovering low, dangling a ladder.";
			
			72: score = score + 10;
		"You ignore the ladder and fire, hitting a nearby mushroom. Low in 
		the sky, still one last tick comes, and this one has your name on it.";
		
			73: if ( player in marshlands_rescue ) {
				game_counter.number = 57;
		"You get it from behind. Fucking bastard, you think, as one of 
		the segments of the beast crushes you, biting off your legs.^^
		
		There's no time to feel pain, or maybe there isn't any pain.
		Some sort of anesthetic in the saliva, you remember. You scream
		anyway, just like Chub. You're not going down quietly. You try
		to turn your rifle around, fire at the damn thing point-blank,
		but suddenly your arms don't work.^^
		
		~Shoot it! Shoot it!~ you yell, but you don't hear any sound
		come out. You feel a disgusting wobble where you used to have
		a jaw.";
			}
		"The shuttle struggles in the air, trying to gain altitude without
		shaking you off. The tick is either going to knock you off the ladder
		or take out the whole shuttle.";
		
			74:
		"You fire at some mushrooms. The tick is going to get you.";
		
			75:
		"You take aim at a mushroom, and miss. You brace yourself for your death. 
		You stare that tick right in its glassy, metallic blue-green eyes. One 
		last chance, it's almost here.";
		
			76: deadflag = 4;
		"You fire at a mushroom. The tick mows you down. As simply as that,
		you're dead.";
		
			77:
		"You can't.^^
		
		You're flipped over on your back, and something viscous and
		yellow oozes onto your faceplate, dissolving it. Suddenly your
		eyes don't work, and you can't scream. You see a dull red that
		turns brown and black in splotches, like the way the colors on
		a bubble turn before the bubble pops, and it's dead.";
		
			78: deadflag = 4;
		"It's all over, soldier. The last thought that comes to you makes 
		you laugh. It's that old joke. What's the last thing to go through 
		a bug's mind as it hits your windshield? Its --.^";
		}
	],
	has scenery
;

Object centipede "centipede"
	with name 'bug' 'bugs' 'beast' 'beasts' 'segment' 'segmented' 'segments'
		'centipede' 'centipedes' 'behemoth' 'monster',
	description [; if ( game_counter.number < 33 ) "You can't see it yet. ";
			if ( game_counter.number == 33 ) {
				give game_counter general; game_counter.number++;
			"You hear the roar of many feet, so many feet it makes your stomach
			turn. Up ahead, through that dense maze of mushrooms, you see a 
			slickened shape pass by, west to east.^^
			
			Chub shouts, ~Fire!~";
		}
		"The beast is a twisting, segmented centipede. Each segment is capable
		of independent movement. Unless you shoot all of its segments, it keeps
		coming.";
	],
	found_in marshlands marshlands2 marshlands_rescue low_ladder mid_ladder high_ladder,
	before [;
		Attack, Shoot: if ( game_counter.number < 33 ) <<Shoot Charlene>>;
			give game_counter general; game_counter.number++;
			switch ( game_counter.number ) {
			33: game_counter.number = 34; score = score + 30;
		"You hear the roar of many feet, so many feet it makes your stomach
		turn. Up ahead, through that dense maze of mushrooms, you see a slickened
		shape pass by, west to east.^^
		
		Chub shouts, ~Fire!~^^
		
		You fire Charlene into the darkness. She purrs and growls. She's
		jumpy today, you can tell. Or maybe you are. You aim for the centipede,
		but you hit only mushrooms that explode into clouds of spores. Fast-growing 
		spores, you remember. In ten minutes, there will be more of them, full-sized. 
		How are you supposed to win a war like this?";
		
			34: score = score + 30;
		"You fire Charlene into the darkness. She purrs and growls. She's
		jumpy today, you can tell. Or maybe you are. You aim for the centipede,
		but you hit only mushrooms that explode into clouds of spores. Fast-growing 
		spores, you remember. In ten minutes, there will be more of them, full-sized. 
		How are you supposed to win a war like this?";
		
			35: score = score + 40;
		"All you hit are more mushrooms, but you clear a path. Up ahead, 
		the behemoth twists like a snake, heading west, then east, then directly 
		at you. Duggers fires at the head of it, and the head explodes, but the 
		beast keeps coming. It turns east again.";
		
			36: score = score + 25;
		"You fire at the beast, cutting the bug in two. The damn segments don't 
		stop moving, though. Now there's two bugs, each twisting this way and 
		that. One segment reaches a small tunnel, formed by columns of mushrooms 
		to each side, and it twists between them, heading straight for you.^^
		
		~Fire! Fire!~ Chub screams.";
		
			37: game.state = 7; score = score + 50;
		"Charlene is white hot, searing your naked fingers. You love her most 
		of all when she's like this, when she's on fire. Your skin melds with 
		hers. Your hands become iron, her body becomes soft flesh.^^
		
		Your rifles flare in the damp night, shooting plasma pulses a million 
		degrees hot and moving at 400 miles an hour. The charging beast loses 
		its head, and then another head, and then another head, and then another. 
		Suddenly, there are no more heads, it is gone.^^
		
		The second segment twists into view, just beyond the closest range of
		mushrooms, about to invade your empty black marshland base.^^
		
		Another noise, unlike the steady thrum of these insect feet, begins
		to grow, with a doppler effect, from dead ahead. A flying bug.";
		
			38:
		"You fire at the centipede and miss, but it gives you light to see what's 
		coming. It's a tick, two tons of chitinous carapace, bristly fangs, and 
		bug meat, hurtling straight at the three of you, over the tops of the 
		mushrooms. Its lazy feet scrape the mushroom heads, poisoning them as it 
		passes, making the mushrooms change to ugly colors. If another bug touches 
		one of those, it'll go into a hallucinogenic frenzy.^^
		
		~Spread out! Spread out!~ Chub shouts.";
			
			39: score = score + 25;
		"You dodge left, hoping the tick will pass by if you ignore it. You and
		Chub concentrate on the centipede, your plasma shots splitting it
		again in two. They're coming at you from both sides now.^^
		
		Duggers is right in the tick's path. He stands his ground, shouting
		at the sonofabitch. Duggers fires at it, misses. Fires again, misses.
		It's coming in too fast, even for Duggers.";
		
			40: score = score + 150; move Chub to marshlands2;
				game.state = 8; PlayerTo( marshlands2, 1 );
		"You can't worry about Duggers. You spin on your heels, firing point 
		blank, at one of the centipedes as Chub guns down the other. They're 
		quickly reduced to burning froth, a pair of greasy eddies in the water.^^
		
		You swing to Chub for a high five just in time to see the tick mow 
		Duggers down. Its sticky feet latch onto his body, his face purples 
		and blackens as he's carted away to some nest to be digested. There 
		is a scream in your helmet, and then silence.^^
		
		Dead silence. The bugs are gone. There's just two of you left.";
		
			41:
		"You can't see it to fire at it. More mushrooms have grown up already,
		blocking your view. Up ahead, you hear the segmented beast twisting this 
		way and that. Up ahead, you hear another tick approaching like a 
		dive bomber, coming right at you and Chub.^^
		
		Up ahead, you hear the thrum. Wave number two. Or is it just a 
		continuation of the first wave?^^
		
		Something else, something new. Feet clicking, splashing, an almost 
		musical chirp as the legs saw back and forth. What the hell? Some sort 
		of cricket? No.";
		
			42: score = score + 50;
		"You shoot as best you can at the centipede, but all you manage to do is
		to cut it into three parts, damn your eyes.^^
		
		In the glow of Charlene's plasma bolts you see what this new bug is. 
		It's a scorpion, sidling sideways. Fortunately, it's not coming at you. 
		Chub takes it out with one quick shot.^^
		
		From the sky comes another tick, its poisonous legs turning the mushrooms 
		purple and blue.";
		
			43: score = score + 125;
		"While you destroy one of the three segments, Chub concentrates her fire 
		on the tick. She vaporize it with only about six yards to spare. Plasma 
		spray and unvaporized bug bits sizzle over both of you, a wet coat of 
		death.^^
		
		And then you hear another tick, bearing down on you, following its 
		kamikaze partner, poisoning even more mushrooms.";
		
			44: score = score + 75;
		"Chub takes a lucky shot and destroys the second tick before it even gets 		close. You try to get rid of the remaining centipedes before they brush
		past the poisoned mushrooms, but Charlene's acting up, and you miss more 
		times than you should. You adjust your grip and fire again, but now it's
		too late.^^
		
 		One of the centipede segments hit the poisoned mushrooms, and
		the oil gets into its skin, scrambling its stupid bug neurons. Crazed, 
		it charges forward, straight at you. Another segment hits another 
		poisoned shroom, and it, too, charges screaming at you.^^
		
		The two segments swoop down on either side of you and Chub, 
		circle, and play back and forth, zigzagging. The poison's worn
		off, thankfully.";
		
			45: score = score + 50;
		"You charge, firing with deadly aim. One down. You're just about to
		congratulate yourself when Chub shouts a warning.^^
		
		You see more centipedes arriving out of the darkness to your left 
		and right. Where are they coming from? Just two segments each, a head 
		and a tail, joining the dance. There's four of these damn things now, 
		and more every minute.";
		
			46: game.state = 9; remove Chub; score = score + 100;
		"You shoot and shoot, vaporizing as many as you can. You start
		to think you're winning, that you're going to get out of this,
		when out of the corner of your eye, you see Chub backing up,
		not looking where she's going.
		
		You yell for her to move, to watch out. You're still busy 
		firing as you try to move closer to her, to yank her out of
		the way, to give her cover, but it's too late. A new segment
		dances into the marsh, runs Chub down, stomps her into the
		muck. You hear a shriek in your helmet that becomes a helpless
		gurgle. The beast drips acid out of its flanks, out of its
		disgusting glands, and something sizzles underwater.^^
		
		A final shot from your rifle sails into the gloom. Far away,
		a mushroom explodes.^^

		Again, silence. And you're the only one left.";
			
			47: game_counter.number = 48; score = score + 70;
		"You can't see for all of the mushrooms blocking your way. You can
		hear movement, far ahead, but you can't see anything but the 
		mushrooms. They're different colors now. Are you hallucinating?
		And where's the backup Chub called for? How long are they going
		to take?^^
		
		You vent your frustrations on the mushrooms, shooting again and
		again. They explode, releasing spores that will grow more of them
		soon. You don't care. You need the space to move if you're going
		to win this battle, if you're going to survive.^^
		
		You know, though, that it's just a matter of time. You wonder
		what the point of this is, and you laugh. It's a sick joke to 
		someone up there in HQ, someone in a chushy office on Atari
		Prime. It's just some stupid game.";
		
			48: score = score + 20;
		"You shoot blindly into the mushrooms, hoping to hit the centipede.
		They explode, releasing spores that will grow more of them
		soon. You don't care. You need the space to move if you're going
		to win this battle, if you're going to survive.^^
		
		You know, though, that it's just a matter of time. You wonder
		what the point of this is, and you laugh. It's a sick joke to 
		someone up there in HQ, someone in a chushy office on Atari
		Prime. It's just some stupid game.";
		
			49: score = score + 325;
		"Charlene's singing now. She's found her sweetest rhythm, and you
		follow along with it. You hear the thunder, the singsong chirping, 
		the freight train whistle doing its doppler effect, doubled, tripled. 
		All the bugs are back. More than ever. You and Charlene are ready.
		A tick goes down, a scorpion explodes. Charlene's aiming for you,
		you can tell. The beast splits in two, but you eradicate half of 
		it within seconds.^^
		
		A tick whizzes by you to your left, just missing you. You hear
		it hiss its hatred.";
		
			50: score = score + 55;
		"You blast at the head of the beast as another tick flies by to the 
		right, dripping poison. The mushroom right in front of you warps, rots, 
		seems to right itself. You destroy it. There's another deadly one 
		behind it. You shoot that one, too, and another.";
		
			51: score = score + 100;
		"A lucky shot aimed at the centipede obliterates a scorpion, but the 
		beast is still moving fast, and another tick is coming.";
		
			52: score = score + 150;
				if ( distress_call_switch has general ) {
				give game_counter general; game_counter.number = 70;
				PlayerTo( marshlands_rescue, 1 );
		"Charlene mows down as many segments as she can, but she's starting 
		to get tired, and your fingers are blistering. Once again, it's too late. The
		murshrooms have done their work. The crazed behemoth charges; once again, 
		you are surrounded. Once again, new segments arrive from nowhere, spinning 
		in circles around you.^^
		
		Just as you dig in your heels for your last stand, there is a flare 
		of light in the western sky.";
		}
		"Charlene mows down as many segments as she can, but she's starting 
		to get tired, and your fingers are blistering. Once again, it's too late. The
		murshrooms have done their work. The crazed behemoth charges; once again, 
		you are surrounded. Once again, new segments arrive from nowhere, spinning 
		in circles around you.^^
		
		And still one last tick comes, and this one has your name on it.";
		
			53:
		"You ignore it, concentrating on the centipedes as the tick bears
		down on you.";
		
			54:
		"You fire at the segments, but it's hard to hit them when they're this 
		close, when there's so many. Either one of them or the tick is going to 
		get you.";
		
			55: score = score + 25;
		"You take careful aim at one of the segments and destroy it, but another
		takes its place, and another. You brace yourself for your death. 
		The tick is almost here.";
		
			56: deadflag = 4;
		"You spin on your heels, destroying a bug that was about to get you from
		behind. The tick mows you down, killing you instantly.";
			
			57:
		"You can't.^^
		
		You're flipped over on your back, and something viscous and
		yellow oozes onto your faceplate, dissolving it. Suddenly your
		eyes don't work, and you can't scream. You see a dull red that
		turns brown and black in splotches, like the way the colors on
		a bubble turn before the bubble pops, and it's dead.";
		
			58: deadflag = 4;
		"It's all over, soldier. The last thought that comes to you makes 
		you laugh. It's that old joke. What's the last thing to go through 
		a bug's mind as it hits your windshield? Its --.^";

			70: deadflag = 4;
				"It's all over, soldier.^^
				
				Distantly, you hear the thrashing of boots through water,
				the dulled booms of plasma rifles firing. Someone is trying
				to pull at one of your boots, but their hands slip away.
				The last bit of air in your lungs escapes, poisonous water
				takes its place. ";
			
			71:
		"You concentrate on firing, not wanting to take the time to glance
		up. As the flare grows and you hear the noise, you know exactly what
		it is. It's a rescue shuttle, hovering low, dangling a ladder.";
			
			72: score = score + 50;
		"You ignore the ladder and fire, vaporizing a nearby centipede. Low in 
		the sky, still one last tick comes, and this one has your name on it.";
		
			73: if ( player in marshlands_rescue ) {
				game_counter.number = 57;
		"You get it from behind. Fucking bastard, you think, as one of 
		the segments of the beast crushes you, biting off your legs.^^
		
		There's no time to feel pain, or maybe there isn't any pain.
		Some sort of anesthetic in the saliva, you remember. You scream
		anyway, just like Chub. You're not going down quietly. You try
		to turn your rifle around, fire at the damn thing point-blank,
		but suddenly your arms don't work.^^
		
		~Shoot it! Shoot it!~ you yell, but you don't hear any sound
		come out. You feel a disgusting wobble where you used to have
		a jaw.";
			}
		"The shuttle struggles in the air, trying to gain altitude without
		shaking you off. The tick is either going to knock you off the ladder
		or take out the whole shuttle.";
		
			74:
		"You fire at some of the segments twisting below, but the tick is 
		still coming right at you.";
		
			75:
		"You take aim at the centipedes and miss. You brace yourself for death. 
		You stare that tick right in its glassy, metallic blue-green eyes. One 
		last chance, it's almost here.";
		
			76: deadflag = 4;
		"You fire at the centipede. The tick mows you down. As simply as that,
		you're dead.";
		
			77:
		"You can't.^^
		
		You're flipped over on your back, and something viscous and
		yellow oozes onto your faceplate, dissolving it. Suddenly your
		eyes don't work, and you can't scream. You see a dull red that
		turns brown and black in splotches, like the way the colors on
		a bubble turn before the bubble pops, and it's dead.";
		
			78: deadflag = 4;
		"It's all over, soldier. The last thought that comes to you makes 
		you laugh. It's that old joke. What's the last thing to go through 
		a bug's mind as it hits your windshield? Its --.^";
		}
	],
	has scenery
;

Object scorpion "scorpion"
	with name 'new' 'scorpion' 'clicking' 'musical' 'chirp' 'splashing' 'cricket',
	description [; if ( game_counter.number < 41 ) "You don't see that here. ";
		switch ( game_counter.number ) {
			41: give game_counter general; game_counter.number++;
		"It's a scorpion, sidling sideways. Fortunately, it's not coming
		at you. You take it out with one quick shot. You're getting better
		at this.^^
		
		You'd better get even better, fast. Here comes that tick, with its
		screaming song, with its poisonous legs, turning the mushrooms
		purple and blue.^^
		
		Here comes the beast itself. Chub cuts it into three parts, damn
		her eyes.";
			default: "You don't see any scorpions right now. ";
		}
		"It's a scorpion, sidling sideways.";
	],
	found_in marshlands marshlands2 marshlands_rescue low_ladder mid_ladder high_ladder,
	before [;
		Attack, Shoot: if ( game_counter.number < 41 ) <<Shoot Charlene>>;
			give game_counter general; game_counter.number++;
			switch ( game_counter.number ) {
			42: score = score + 100;
		"It's a scorpion, sidling sideways. Fortunately, it's not coming
		at you. You take it out with one quick shot. You're getting better
		at this.^^
		
		You'd better get even better, fast. Here comes that tick, with its
		screaming song, with its poisonous legs, turning the mushrooms
		purple and blue.^^
		
		Here comes the beast itself. Chub cuts it into three parts, damn
		her eyes.";
			49: score = score + 275;
		"Charlene's singing now. She's found her sweetest rhythm, and you
		follow along with it. You hear the thunder, the singsong chirping, 
		the freight train whistle doing its doppler effect, doubled, tripled. 
		All the bugs are back. More than ever. You and Charlene are ready.
		A scorpion goes down, a tick explodes. Charlene's aiming for you,
		you can tell. The beast splits in two, but you eradicate half of 
		it within seconds.^^
		
		A tick whizzes by you to your left, just missing you. You hear
		it hiss its hatred.";
			51: score = score + 100;
		"A lucky shot aimed at the centipede obliterates a scorpion, but the 
		beast is still moving fast, and another tick is coming.";
		
			default: give game_counter general;
				"You don't see any scorpions right now. There are real
				targets to worry about.";
		}
	],
	has scenery
;

Object tick "tick"
	with name 'tick' 'flying' 'winged' 'wings' 'ticks' 'second' 'glassy' 
		'metallic' 'blue-green' 'eyes',
	description [; if ( game_counter.number < 37 ) "You don't see any ticks yet.";
			give game_counter general; game_counter.number++;
			if ( game_counter.number == 38 ) {
		"It's a tick, two tons of chitinous carapace, bristly fangs, and bug
		meat, hurtling straight at you, over the tops of the mushrooms. Its 
		lazy feet scrape the mushroom heads, poisoning them as it passes,
		making the mushrooms change to ugly colors. If another bug touches 
		one of those, it'll go into a hallucinogenic frenzy.";
			}
		"It's a tick, two tons of chitinous carapace, bristly fangs, and 
		bug meat, hurtling straight at the three of you, over the tops of the 
		mushrooms. Its lazy feet scrape the mushroom heads, poisoning them as it 
		passes.";
	],
	found_in marshlands marshlands2 marshlands_rescue low_ladder mid_ladder high_ladder,
	before [;
		Attack, Shoot: if ( game_counter.number < 37 ) "You don't see any ticks yet.";
			give game_counter general; game_counter.number++;
			switch ( game_counter.number ) {
			38:
		"It's a tick, two tons of chitinous carapace, bristly fangs, and 
		bug meat, hurtling straight at the three of you, over the tops of the 
		mushrooms. Its lazy feet scrape the mushroom heads, poisoning them as it 
		passes, making the mushrooms change to ugly colors. If another bug touches 
 		one of those, it'll go into a hallucinogenic frenzy.^^
		
		~Spread out! Spread out!~ Chub shouts as you fire at the tick and miss.";
			
			39: 
		"You dodge left and fire, but you can't get a steady bead on the damn
		thing. Chub concentrates on the centipede, her plasma shots splitting it
		again in two. They're coming at you from both sides now.^^
		
		Duggers is right in the tick's path. He stands his ground, shouting
		at the sonofabitch. Duggers fires at it, misses. Fires again, misses.
		It's coming in too fast, even for Duggers.";
		
			40: game.state = 8; move Chub to marshlands2;
				PlayerTo( marshlands2, 1 );
		"You keep firing, trying to save Duggers, but the tick mows 
		him down. Its sticky feet latch onto his body, his face purples 
		and blackens as he's carted away to some nest to be digested. There 
		is a scream in your helmet, and then silence.^^
		
		Dead silence. The bugs are gone. There's just two of you left.";
		
			41:
		"Up ahead, you hear another tick approaching like a 
		dive bomber, coming right at you and Chub. You fire and miss, 
		fire and miss.^^
		
		Up ahead, you hear the segmented beast twisting this way and that. 
		Up ahead, you hear the thrum of wave number two -- and something else, 
		something new. Feet clicking, splashing, an almost musical chirp as 
		the legs saw back and forth. What the hell? Some sort of cricket? No.";
		
			42: score = score + 50;
		"You shoot at the tick, and with a final good shot, it explodes into
		a greasy cloud.^^
		
		In the glow of Charlene's plasma bolts you see what this new bug is. 
		It's a scorpion, sidling sideways. Fortunately, it's not coming at you. 
		Chub takes