A Time of Tungsten

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{{{[NullPointerException: ERROR ACCESSING MEMORY ADDRESS "0xFF005AB6". CONTINUE TO NEXT AVAILABLE MEMORY ADDRESS?]}}} //[[Yes.->Scientists Intro][$nullCheck1 to "Well, you said yes, so you should be good to just go right back in.", $nullCheck2 to "I'm already getting the hang of this!"]] [[No.->Scientists Intro][$nullCheck1 to "Well you could probably start by saying 'yes' when it asks you to continue.", $nullCheck2 to "I just didn't want to accidentally mess anything up. Chill."]]//

{{{[THE CONTENTS OF THIS IFPU/MEA-ISSUED BIOGENETIC AUGMENTATION IMPLANT CONTAINS ONE (1) AVAILABLE DATA COLLECTION BANK IN MEMORY. WARNING: THE FOLLOWING DATA HAS NOT PREVIOUSLY BEEN ANALYZED BY A HIGH-VOLUME DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION ASSOCIATE. IT HAS NOT BEEN TRANSLATED FROM AGENT [0482589]'s NATIVE LANGUAGE OF [EARTHEN ENGLISH]. AS SUCH, IT IS POSSIBLE AND LIKELY THAT YOU MAY BE SUBJECT TO DISCONCERTING THOUGHTS, EMOTIONAL RESPONSES, LAPSES IN LOGIC, AND RECOLLECTIONS OF PAST EVENTS, THE VALIDITY OF WHICH MAY BE MISREMEMBERED OR MISCONSTRUED DUE TO A LACK OF A SUITABLE ATTENTION SPAN AND/OR BIASES ON THE PART OF THE SUBJECT. VIEWER'S ATTENTIVE DISCRETION IS ADVISED.]}}} [[Enter.]]<<masteraudio stop>>

<<audio "Drone1" loop play>><<audio "Drone2" loop play>><<insertlink "'//Hoof! Gets kinda cramped in there.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Gee, that was fast.//'">> <<insertlink "'//It's just...that's gonna take some getting used to! Also, uh, yeah, it didn't work.//'">> <<insertlink "'//What do you mean it didn't work?//'">> <<insertlink "'//What do you mean, what do you mean? I mean, it just didn't work.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Well, what does the screen say?//'">> '//Well, first I saw just a bunch of nonsense text. A bunch of garbage, and the rest was all black. It wasn't, like, words or anything like that, nothing legible. And this terrible noise, too. I was able to continue, but then it said something about a null painter exception, I think, and then it basically went to shit and asked if I wanted to //<<insertlink "//continue.//'">> '//I think you mean 'null //pointer// exception'. Means there's nothing there for the computer to grab from basically, or what it's looking for could just be garbage that wasn't allocated or freed properly. Garbage collection gone awry. Maybe you should get your eyes checked before we //<<insertlink "//do this.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Just tell me what I need to do to get rid of it.//'">> <<insertlink "'//$nullCheck1//'">> <<insertlink "'//$nullCheck2//'">> <<insertlink "'//Right, then. I'll make a note of it. Let me know if you find any other bugs like that, or anything of note, I guess. Play it by ear. And try not to take such frequent breaks like that!//'">> <<insertlink "'//How's the room service up in your ivory tower?//'">> <<insertlink "'//Eh, could be better. Food's not great.//'">> [[Return.->Continue From Exception]]<</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>>

I don't remember how I got here. [[Get up.]] <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Rain" loop play>>

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<><<if visited() is 1>><<set $lookCounter += 1>><</if>><>A [[crack]] creases down the stone, cylindrical wall. The gravel appears [[damp,]] as I can tell from the dim amount of light emanating from the [[sky]] far above. A faint sound escapes from this tiny fissure. <<if visited("Buzzing sound") and not visited("Buzzing Indulge")>>I hesitated before, but now I feel inclined to [[listen->Buzzing Indulge]] to it.<<elseif visited("Scientists comment on the damp ear")>>It's nothing more than that, really.<<else>>I feel as if possessed by a strange yearning... [[Indulge.->Buzzing sound]]<</if>> [[Disregard, recalibrate my attention.->Examine surroundings.]] <<if previous() is "Scientists comment on the damp ear">><<audio "Drone1" stop>><<audio "Drone2" stop>><<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Rain" loop play>><</if>> <<if previous() eq "Zoology reminiscing" or previous() eq "sky">><<audio "Rain" fadein>><<audio "Wind" fadein>><</if>><<if previous() eq "Zoology reminiscing">><<audio "Animals1" fadeout>><<audio "Animals2" fadeout>><</if>><<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Rain" loop play>>

<><<if visited() is 1>><<set $lookCounter += 1>><</if>><>The sky above appears primarily cerulean, with a light hint of magenta, likely a result of <<if not visited("Planet name")>>[[this planet's sun->Planet name]]<<else>>this unfamiliar space's source of light, if it indeed has one,<</if>> beginning to set. There's little morsels of grass and lichens growing out of the cracks in the stone walls, indicating to me that some other signs of life may be present on this planet. Droplets of rainwater lightly shower upon me, gently moistening my face and rekindling a youthful yearning for a spring or light summer's day [[on the fabled homeland.->Earth]] As I've nary a morsel of information on the nature of this planet, I must be sure to make haste in finding a way off of it - who knows how long a day will last? What terrors of the night shall await me? [[No time to waste.->Examine surroundings.]] <<if previous() eq "Earth">><<audio "Wind" fadein>><<audio "Rain" fadein>><<audio "NewHeights" fadeout>><</if>><<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Rain" loop play>>

<><<if visited() is 1>><<set $lookCounter += 1>><</if>> <<if not visited("reach my hand down")>>The fissured ground beneath my boots is damp. I can [[reach my hand down]] to feel the moisture, or I can trust that water will likely feel like water.<<else>>The fissured ground beneath my boots is damp. I felt the smooth ground. Touching the moisture gave me an almost reassuring reminder of my mortality, that I am still alive.<</if>><> <><<if not visited("pain in the shin of my leg")>>Only now do I notice an incessant [[pain in the shin of my leg]].<<else>>I now notice with further clarity the blood which is seeping down from my shin wound, through my pant leg and dripping onto the hard stone below.<</if>><> <><<if not visited ("crooked,")>>It appears [[crooked,]] as if it were ready to collapse if administered any more stress than is currently being applied from the weight of my upper body.<<else>>Attempts to adjust my shin back to its normal state are too painful and thus are futile. Since I can still stand and move around with it, albeit uncomfortably, it's really not of much concern to me.<</if>><> [[Face forward.->Examine surroundings.]] <<if previous() eq "BAM1">><<masteraudio stop>><</if>> <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Rain" loop play>>

<<if not visited("Look up.")>>[[Look up.]]<<else>>[[Look back up.->Look up.]]<</if>> <<if not visited("Look down.")>>[[Look down.]]<<else>>[[Look back down.->Look down.]]<</if>> <<if not visited("Look left.")>>[[Look left.]]<<else>>{{{[NULL]}}}<</if>> <<if not visited("Look right.")>>[[Look right.]]<<else>>[[Look back to the right.->Look right.]]<</if>> <<if not visited("Survey the air.") and $lookCounter >= 2>>[[Survey the air.]]<<elseif visited("Survey the air.") and $lookCounter >= 2>>[[Concentrate again on breathing.->Survey the air.]]<</if>> <<if not visited("Listen to the sounds.") and $lookCounter >= 2>>[[Listen to the sounds.]]<<elseif visited("Listen to the sounds.") and $lookCounter >= 2>>[[Immerse in the ambience.->Listen to the sounds.]]<</if>> <<if $lookCounter >= 3>>[[I should try and get going.->pre-title card]]<</if>> <<if previous() eq "scientists find glitch">><<masteraudio stop>><</if>> <<if previous() eq "Listen to the sounds.">><<audio "Hum" stop>><</if>> <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Rain" loop play>>

<><<if visited() is 1>><<set $lookCounter += 1>><</if>><>Hints of damp stone and a faint grassy aroma, but the air here seems breathable, at least at a cursory level. It's rather humid, causing me to sweat without exerting any effort. Such liveble conditions instill in me a sense of invisible wealth, even in my unfortunate state of being. [[Continue examining surroundings.->Examine surroundings.]] <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Rain" loop play>>

<><<if visited() is 1>><<set $lookCounter += 1>><</if>><>I hold my breathe so as to listen to the sounds of this solemn, cylindrical space. I can faintly make out a perpetual droning seeping in through the stone walls surrounding me. Rain drops slip off from the ledge high above and plop upon impact with the ground I stand on. The wind unnervingly breezes from above. [[Exhale.->Examine surroundings.]] <<audio "Hum" volume 0.1 loop play>><<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Rain" loop play>>

<<masteraudio stop>><<audio "Drone1" loop play>><<audio "Drone2" loop play>><<insertlink "'//So, I think I found another one of those, uh...//'">> <<insertlink "'//Like a glitch?//'">> <<insertlink "'//Yeah, I guess you'd probably call it that.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Do you see an out?//'">> <<insertlink "'//Not really...? The screens went all black, and pretty much all I see is a bunch of jumbled, small text. It's just a bunch of garbage. Not legible.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Yeah, could be another case of a programmer using one equals sign when they should have used two. That'll throw some garbage if you're not careful. Amateur hour, really...//'">> <<insertlink "'//Okay, apparently I haven't made it clear enough: I am //not// interested in technical jargon.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Alright, fine. Let me set you up to get sent back.//'">> <<insertlink "'//...//'">> <<insertlink "'//Okay then, good to go, I think. This stuff's a little weird. And quit being such a bore.//'">> <<insertlink "'//I'm just being professional.//'">> [[Return.->Examine surroundings.]]<</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>>

The crack is extremely narrow - there's far too little space for me to fit even a finger in. Gazing upon such a confined fissure gives me pause, bestowing in me a powerful sense of nostalgia for the (comparatively) wide(r) open spaces of my ship, as well as the good people aboard it. [[But we'll get to them.->Look right.]] <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Rain" loop play>>

Most likely, the liquid coating the gravel before me is simply water. Still, past experiences deter me from bringing myself to touch it in order to confirm. A silly predilection, yes, as the rainwater from above continues to gently graze my head and shoulders. Ah, the limits of humanity! [[Pay more attention.->Look right.]] <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Rain" loop play>>

I've not quite an attention deficit disorder, but sometimes feel as if a child perusing the contents of a [[zoo.]] The sky above me is a pale, lonesome grey. It's too early in the day to gaze upon the stars, but then again, this is probably no time for lounging. [[Look right.]] <<if previous() eq "Look right.">><<audio "Wind" fadeout>><<audio "Rain" fadeout>><</if>>

The buzzing resembles a musical synthesizer, and I feel a [[yearning->Buzzing Indulge]] to bring myself closer to get a better sense of the sound. [[Neglect the senses.->Look right.]] <<audio "Hum" volume 0.3 loop play>><<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Rain" loop play>>

Out of a pressing curiosity, I press my ear up against the tiny crack. The low humming somewhat strengthens in volume. Internally, my mind formulates synesthetic visions of cackling demons, poking and prodding at unsuspecting visitors as punishment for visiting this damned space rock. My internal machinations can be frightening, but seek only to entertain me. [[My ear's a bit damp now, too.->Scientists comment on the damp ear]] <<audio "Hum" fadeto 1.0>><<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Rain" loop play>>

Sometimes, I ponder the things I //could// have been. As a child, one who was a bit sheltered from the modern frontiersman's troubles - amongst my orphaned copatriots kept away from almost any and all animal life, to be clear - zoology always seemed a bright and lucrative path in life to follow. [[Continue reminiscing.->Zoology reminiscing]] The [[sky]] was the limit. <<audio "Animals1" fadein loop volume 0.5>><<audio "Animals2" fadein loop volume 0.5>>

My favorite animals to look at in picture books were always otters. Otters were (//are//) an extremely rare commodity at zoological exhibitions, the slice of which were a tad more common thirty or so years prior to now. [[Better days.->Look right.]] <<audio "Animals1" fadein loop volume 0.5>><<audio "Animals2" fadein loop volume 0.5>>

<<masteraudio stop>><<audio "Drone1" loop play>><<audio "Drone2" loop play>><<insertlink "'//She's a little...how do I put this...//'">> <<insertlink "'//Weird? Yeah, I kinda noticed that too, and I was only in there for a tiny bit to make sure this thing would start.//'">> <<insertlink "'//There's not much //kinda// about her level of weirdness.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Maybe it's true what they say about spacecraft living.//'">> <<insertlink "'//What's that?//'">> <<insertlink "'//I don't know. Probably that it's fucked up.//'">> <<insertlink "'//I'm gonna guess you haven't talked to many crew members in your time, huh?//'">> <<insertlink "'//Guess I've just never had the chance, really.//'">> [[Return.->Look right.]]<</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>>

I can't seem to recall anything about this planet's wherewithal - what is it called? In what system does it reside? Who lives here? Does anyone? This unknowing is suffocating and unbearable to me. [[Revert focus.->Look up.]] <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Rain" loop play>>

The planet known as Earth, sometimes spelled in the lower-case but most often capitalized out of respect, served as a place of genesis for all human life. Human life began there, and existed solely there for millions of years, until the time came when it was possible but also <<if not visited("Leaving Earth")>>[[vital->Leaving Earth]]<<else>>unfortunately a necessity<</if>> for humanity to leave the planet behind en masse. [[Now we're here.->Look up.]] <<if previous() eq "Look up.">><<audio "Wind" fadeout>><<audio "Rain" fadeout>><</if>><<audio "NewHeights" loop play>>

The Earth's environment denigrated to unlivable conditions in the mid 2100's due to a lack of legislative regulations of carbon emissions on the part of most of the planet's nations. Millions of years' worth of architecture and art was left behind as necessary so as to make room on interstellar vessels for families and their most precious of goods, like food and sentimental luxuries. Of course, this would also have enormous [[political]] repercussions for the Earth's acting nations. Many affluent folks who were able to afford spacecraft, which governments subsidized and proliferated in the late 2000's, would themselves charge for onboarding those who couldn't afford vehicles of their own, and often couldn't spare the recurring fees necessary to maintain these vessels for their owners due to a lack of work. Therefore, some never made it off of the homeland, and probably perished soon thereafter when electrical reserves inevitably went offline, water became undrinkable, and cattle owned by left-behind agrarian types entered extinction. Earth, the homeland, is today revered in a spiritual, even religious sense by some, as a figure of what once was, and what we hope could be again. Today, we refer to this mass exodus, this breach of existence, from a more socio-political angle as "the Ebb." We are now, then, living in "the Flow." [[Oh, the homeland.->Earth]] <<audio "NewHeights" loop play>>

The Gargandua is a fairly typical [[Materials Extraction Assemblage]] (MEA) spacecraft, capable of housing roughly thirty or so crewmembers at a time, though individual crews very rarely contained such a high quantity of personnel. Developed by [[Tele-Transportation Technologics]] and subsidized by the [[Intergalactic Federation for Planetary Unity->IFPU]] (IFPU), the Gargandua is just one of a number of spacecraft commissioned for use by government agencies like the MEA. Having existed as an agent of the MEA for roughly a year prior as a frontiersman designated to operating with a ragtag group of individuals the somewhat dilapidated but functional vessel known as the <<if not visited("Minerva")>>[[Minerva]]<<else>>Minerva<</if>>, our captain, Captain Agostini, had built up enough cachet within the workforce to be allowed to name this spacecraft upon its completion. I'm sure she felt a great deal of responsibility, and I would say she followed through on it. Minerva was the Roman goddess of wisdom for a great amount of time back on the Earthen motherland, but one's eyes must dart far beyond intelligence, a conceit which, without method, without initiative, without poise, will only move one so far in this boundless and infinite void. This vessel needed a title of grandeur, something which was a statement in itself. It needed something familiar, but which would also divorce itself from the Earthen motherland, something its [[crewmembers->people]] could call home. And thus, I'm to understand, was conceived the title 'Gargandua'. <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Rain" loop play>>

The Food and Drug Administration (or FDA, its name adopted from an agency of a similar practicality under the Earthen nation of the [[United States of America]]) are as their namesake implies: they are a government agency which regulate food and drugs. They have branchs located within each galaxy under the federal jurisdiction of the [[IFPU]]. <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Rain" loop play>>

The United States of America, or simply America, were an international superpower on Earth. America was a first-world country with many strong diplomatic relationships with other nations, but were sometimes regarded with a veneer of disdain, due to a commonly-perceived [[arrogance->IFPU]] of their stature and stances on foreign policy, much of which stems from the country's colonialist roots and foundation. <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Rain" loop play>>

The Generalized Armed Forces (GAF) are the military branch of the [[IFPU]]. There isn't much in the way of use for them, as most criminal activity can be handled at the level of planetary law enforcement, but the GAF are useful in the event of interplanetary scuffles, such as intercepting feral interlopers at lightspeed or combating what other [[terrors]] may exist at the precipices of the universe. Oh my, what it is to speculate! The [[Gargandua]] usually does not venture into the beyond. <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Rain" loop play>>

Under the IFPU, it was established that for simplicity's sake that only one currency should exist - for the lack of a more creative term, it was decided that this new currency should simply be called "currence." And thus, the need for the (in my humble opinion, of course) poorly-titled "Treasury for Economic Good" branch of the IFPU was established - good being perhaps too subjective for my tastes. Due to the several billions of people who are alive today spread across thousands of inhabitable planets, one might be able to surmise why the MEA is vital for securing the copper, nickel, zinc, and paper from lumber necessary to proliferate such vast amounts of currence, much less the materials needed to construct the vessels which will transport all this precious cargo from one place to another! [[IFPU]]-grade spacecraft such as the [[Gargandua]] are primarily forged out of a powerful [[tungsten titanium carbide]], so as to allow for the safe traversal of high-temperature areas which tend to be ripe with the most valuable of natural resources. <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Rain" loop play>>

She doesn't like to talk much about those days. [[Perhaps she's moved on.->Gargandua]] <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Rain" loop play>>

Astronomical bodies are analyzed for their geological makeup in order to determine which elements they may contain. Astronomical bodies are thoroughly researched through advanced optical spectrometric methodologies spearheaded in the 2300's by the great thermodynamicist Ludmila Dobronravova of Russia (her name having the Russian form, "Людмила Добронравов") and her team. After comparing these readings with the temperatures of various elements in each of their different states, HQ can quite accurately predict the elements which make up these astronomical bodies, whether they be terrestrial and gaseous (rare cases which require vacuum funnels to be operated from aboard the ship by the captain or a research associate, and thus aren't much fun for a scavenger such as myself!). Such is the wondrous technology and work which exists as the backbone for all the [[Materials Extraction Assemblage]] units and HQ does for our universe! <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Rain" loop play>>

I've long pondered the possibility of an other being. The universe is seemingly infinite, and thus, it would be naïve to believe with complete certainty that humankind is the only intelligent lifeforms to exist within the universe. I've heard stories passed on from Earthen times of people who were extraterrestrial hunters and explorers, those who never gave up on the idea of expanding humanity's understanding of life beyond the Milky Way galaxy. How young an idea! Perhaps part of what has fueled my desire to explore and push back upon known frontiers is what has led me to this somewhat unluxurious of lifestyles. Indeed, I will <<if not visited("press on")>>[[press on]]<<else>>press on<</if>>, searching, for my heart [[demands->Generalized Armed Forces]] it of me. <<if previous() eq "press on">><<masteraudio stop>><</if>> <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Rain" loop play>>

A tungsten titanium carbide, with its extremely high resistance to heat, is one of the most important components which make up the highly-corrosion resistant exterior of [[IFPU]]-grade spacecraft such as the Gargandua. As well, this material is also used to develop the onboard machinery which helps to efficiently operate the Gargandua's electrical systems and thermal cooling. Because of its versatility in this very modern age of ours, I'm told, it's used to build just about any kind of apparatus necessary for government organizations and corporations alike! <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Rain" loop play>>

<<masteraudio stop>><<audio "Drone1" loop play>><<audio "Drone2" loop play>><<insertlink "'//She's a bit of a rambler, don't you think?//'">> <<insertlink "'//Well, is any of it interesting?//'">> <<insertlink "'//I mean, I guess? Most of it's stuff I already know.//'">> <<insertlink "'//It's not like she's really doing anything down there. Gotta make your own entertainment, you know?//'">> <<insertlink "'//I guess maybe I'd do the same.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Alright, back in you go.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Roger!//'">> [[Return.->terrors]]<</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>>

The stone is damp, as is obvious, but also consists of a bizarrely consistent, smooth makeup. One starts to wonder if this near-cylindrical pocket of space is not an organic natural phenomena but in fact is an artificial machination of some deranged individu[[op99fal;w3'98asd/fal;&()&msd095801495sdfpaiosjd->BAM1]])()&msd095801495sdfpaiosjdfv'98dfioas/f/a978s9r'1l;i;sdijf!#$@2408)(asodfuaasdpf89a7spdo8f7apsd8ofpoa8s7dfopa8sdf<<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Rain" loop play>>

I've quite the bruise at the shin of my leg. As of noting this, blood has ceased to exit my body through the gash created upon impact with the ground, but it's still left bloodied. I'm worried about the possibility for the wound to become infected, but with no viable supplies to treat it with on hand, it will simply have to remain a going concern. [[Ignore it.->Look down.]]<<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Rain" loop play>>

The shin of my leg is a bit twisted, and out of place. I could either attempt to [[readjust it myself->adjust shin]] or simply [[let it be.->don't adjust shin]] <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Rain" loop play>>

<<masteraudio stop>><<audio "Drone1" loop play>><<audio "Drone2" loop play>><<insertlink "'//She likes to ask questions...to herself.//'">> <<insertlink "'//I mean, you've never done that before?//'">> <<insertlink "'//It's a lot more blatant here than that.//'">> <<insertlink "'//In what way?//'">> <<insertlink "'//It's almost like she's presenting a play to an audience, like one of those Shakespeare joints I've read about. Kinda wish I could see one in action!//'">> <<insertlink "'//I guess you're kinda seeing one now!//'">> <<insertlink "'//...//'">> <<insertlink "'//So, anything useful?//'">> <<insertlink "'//I mean, I feel like we're just getting started.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Take your time, then, I guess. Paid by the hour.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Yep, paid by the hour.//'">> [[Return.->Look down.]]<</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>>

As my consciousness begins to return to me, I notice the way in which my body has naturally spread itself about as a result of my impact with the stiff ground. I must have compressed my ligaments into a spherical form, something resembling the fetal position, in an attempt to reduce trauma upon my body. The next thing I notice is the almost oppressive darkness of this unfamiliar place, a murky atmosphere which in combination with my compromised sense of vision having just woken up significantly debilitates my ability to get a good idea of my surroundings. Dizzied from this overbearing unfamiliarity, I endeavor to stand myself up in order to find my bearings. Halfway to doing so, a sharp pain is sent from my right leg and up my back, nearly halting my ascension. My protective armorwear, as effective as it can be, can only do so much. Disregarding my misfortune, I complete my rise, and in doing so, am forcefully reminded of the white nylon parachute which likely broke my fall, saving my life in the process. Still, I must have descended fast enough to damage my right leg. I remove it and set the thing aside; it's of no use to me now. The discomfort still lingers throughout the general lower section of my body, but I've far greater problems to confront now. [[Examine surroundings.]] <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Rain" loop play>>

Planting myself on the ground, I attempt to use both hands to twist my shin bone back into place, gasping and shrieking in pain from my futile surgical maneuvers. After a few attempts in vain, I simply decide to let it be - hopefully there are a sufficient amount of painkillers available back at the ship! [[Forget about the leg.->Look down.]] <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Rain" loop play>>

I lack the composure to bring myself to adjust my leg in such a painful, terrible way. [[Focus on other things.->Look down.]] <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Rain" loop play>>

Mars, a planet located in the Old Solar System (the OSS) of the Milky Way Galaxy, the fourth planet away from the sun of the OSS, is currently the only planet in the OSS which is routinely visited to this day. Mars is a bastion of the bourgeoisie, where only the wealthiest government officials and corporate executives can afford to stay in a permanent fashion. It consists of two large metropolises, New Bella Rosa and Fort Terrance, as well as the aforementioned St. Bernard School of Medicine, where [[McTavish->McTavish Bio]] studied under their School of Medicine, all contained in spherical domes to keep oxygen in. Other than that, Mars doesn't contain much in the way of civilization, save for a few less well-to-do folk here and there. I am glad that the negative qualities of such an affluent lifestyle did not sour his pleasant demeanor! <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>

It would seem that I've only one obvious way out of this dour situation. Against all odds, it is imperative that I attempt to climb out of this wretched hole, in hopes that I may escape with my life and avoid starvation, dehydration, or succumbing to a measly flesh wound. <<replacelink "There has to be another way.">>But there isn't.<</replacelink>> [[Examine the cylinder of stone for traversable phenomena.->Examine the wall.]] <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Rain" loop play>>

Before divulging into what life on the [[Gargandua]] was often like, perhaps it's best that I give a brief overview of each of my crewmates. The eight crewmembers of my unit, Unit #9307, including myself, are listed as follows by name and vocation, in alphabetical order by their last name, so as to avoid any biases I may have for or against them: Captain {{{[REDACTED]}}} [[Agostini]] - [[Captain]] {{{[REDACTED]}}} [[Fishburne]] - [[Head of Research, HQ Liaison]] {{{[REDACTED]}}} [[Gibbons]] - [[Scavenger]] {{{[REDACTED]}}} [[Kalman]] - Scavenger Doctor {{{[REDACTED]}}} [[McTavish]] - [[Medical Practitioner]] {{{[REDACTED]}}} [[Newman]] - [[Facilities Operation & Maintenance]] <<if not visited("scientists information glitch")>>[[AMZX;O8UR987AS:o^&(%$(;LK23J54LMNASDF9P8ZP9D8XF7P9AS8DFASD;OF8ASP9D8F7P9A8SD7FP98A->scientists information glitch]]<<else>>{{{[NULL]}}}<</if>> - Scavenger {{{[REDACTED]}}} [[Watanabe]] - [[Research Assistant]] (It is mandated by MEA HQ that each unit consist of an equal number of people based on their gender so as to discourage gender discrimination, a problem within many other vocations.) We're quite the meager crew compared to some others, but with hard work, dedication, and a (mostly positive rapport with each other, we're able to overcome just about any obstacle and complete any task given to us! [[We're a good crew.->crew life]] <<if previous() eq "scientists information glitch">><<masteraudio stop>><</if>> <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Rain" loop play>>

Details: Name: {{{[REDACTED]}}} Agostini Race: White Age: 29 Gender: Woman Sexual Orientation: Female Closest Primary Earthen Nationality: Italian Planet of Permanent Residence: {{{[REDACTED]}}} Solar System of Permanent Residence: {{{[REDACTED]}}} Galaxy of Permanent Residence: {{{[REDACTED]}}} Materials Extraction Assemblage Identification Number: {{{[REDACTED]}}} Spacecraft of MEA Affiliation: Gargandua Vocation: Captain Hair color: Red Eye color: Blue Height: 1.62 m / 5.31 ft. Earthen Weight: 77.56 kg / 171 lb. Approximate Body Mass Index: 29.6 [[Return to crewmember list.->people]] <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Rain" loop play>>

The captain of any unit accepts missions created by HQ from a massive list as they see fit, based on availability of crewmembers, danger level of the mission, environmental conditions, proximity of the mission, etc. The captain oversees the general wherewithal of the ship and the crew. It is their responsibility to maintain a positive morale within the crew, and to make sure that each crewmember is contributing in some way to the general good of the crew. A daunting task, indeed, and one I personally would never find myself undergoing! [[Return to crewmember list.->people]] <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Rain" loop play>>

The head of research is an integral part of every unit - without their knowledge and expertise, it would be simply impossible to carry out any actions of value as a crew! The head of research oversees all materials extracted by the scavengers, and ensures that they meet the rigid standards stated by HQ protocol. If not, these materials are discarded before leaving the planet they were found on, in a slight effort to maintain environmental sustainability on foreign planets. During commutes between missions, they partake in crowd-sourced experiments with other research associates via telecommunications which are to create new medicines, find cures for ailments, develop the solutions for stronger alloys for future architectural and vehicular construction, and a variety of other ventures, all commissioned as is deemed necessary by HQ. It is considered irresponsible and rude to interrupt the head of research and his assistant while they are working! [[Return to crewmember list.->people]] <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Rain" loop play>>

Not to appear bragadocious, but the scavenger is perhaps the most important vocation for any Materials Extraction Assemblage crew. They are the frontiersmen, the foot patrol, the seekers, the heavy-lifters, the go-getters! Oh, the joys! Such thrills! Once I make it back onto the ship, I will surely return with valuable resources to please Captain Agostini! [[Soon.->people]] <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Rain" loop play>>

Details: Name: {{{[REDACTED]}}} M. McTavish Race: White Age: 38 Gender: Man Sexual Orientation: Male Closest Primary Earthen Nationality: Canadian Planet of Permanent Residence: {{{[REDACTED]}}} Solar System of Permanent Residence: {{{[REDACTED]}}} Galaxy of Permanent Residence: {{{[REDACTED]}}} Materials Extraction Assemblage Identification Number: {{{[REDACTED]}}} Spacecraft of MEA Affiliation: Gargandua Vocation: Medical Practitioner Hair color: Brown (bald) Eye color: Blue Height: 1.53 m / 5.02 ft. Earthen Weight: 78.42 kg / 173 lb. Approximate Body Mass Index: 33.5 [[Return to crewmember list.->people]] <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Rain" loop play>>

Exploring new parts of the universe can often prove to be taxing work, especially as a boots-on-the-ground scavenger such as myself! Combined with spending months at a time in direct proximity with a group of other human beings, disease-spreading can become a routine occurance. Thus, having on standby a designated medical practitioner possessing a degree from an accredited institution is imperative for the smooth and continued operation of all MEA operatives. The designated medical practitioner must be experienced in treating all sorts of infectious diseases, must have at least some surgical experience in case of emergencies, and must have a [[Diagnosis and Prognosis Accuracy Ratio]] of at least a 92.75% (not counting biased self-diagnoses and prognoses). It is optional though strongly suggested by HQ for each medical practitioner to employ an assistant so that they can query for second opinions on diagnoses as well as receive a non-biased diagnosis of their person. Unfortunately, we're a tad [[understaffed.->people]] <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Rain" loop play>>

A Facilities Operation & Maintenance associate, or FOM, takes on a variety of stereotypically degrading or menial tasks which individually seem trivial but are often neglected by the majority of crewmembers who become so preoccupied by their own preordained duties that they frequently neglect the uptake of basic human amenities. The FOM associate can often be found cleaning and sterilizing the public facilities and private quarters which make up an MEA spacecraft, fixing equipment which may be in varying states of disrepair[[,]] upgrading equipment approaching obsoletion through downloaded firmware updates and hardware developments provided at [[MEA Rehabilitation Depots]]. Disregarding my inclination toward the scavengers of a crew, it is likely an objective truth that the FOM associate is the most practical and paramount of occupations to have filled at all times aboard an MEA vessel. [[But I will always have my biases!->people]] <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Rain" loop play>>

<<masteraudio stop>><<audio "Drone1" loop play>><<audio "Drone2" loop play>><<insertlink "'//I can't seem to access her information.//'">> <<insertlink "'//...Sorry, I was reading. What's that?//'">> <<insertlink "'//Her name, gender, where she's from, skin color, it's all just...gone.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Yeah, that stuff was removed. It's pretty routine.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Well, why?//'">> '//HQ removes personal information from subjects, duh. It's a glitch worth reporting if you find something like that. They also remove first names from all non-public figures but keep the rest of it to give you just a little bit of context. You'd think they'd go all the way, but who knows with this stuff. Changes always take forever to get where they need to reach to matter, so who's gonna put in the work in the first place? What, you //<<insertlink "//fall asleep during that class?//'">> <<insertlink "'//Probably, they were pretty boring.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Yeah, that's academy for you.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Well, why would they do that?//'">> <<insertlink "'//...Sorry, what?//'">> <<insertlink "'//Close that dumb article, we're at work.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Yeah, sorry, you're right.//'">> <<insertlink "'//So?//'">> <<insertlink "'//I...uh...missed what you said.//'">> <<insertlink "'//God. Once more: why do they remove personal information again? That seems a little counterintuitive, wouldn't you think?//'">> '//It kinda is, I guess. Basically, the system goes through before we hop in and removes all references to the person's name, contact information, bank account information, etc., etc. Legally, it's to account for the person's privacy, as well as their family's, but it's mostly enacted so we don't get attached. We're still people, after all, //<<insertlink "//and so are they.//'">> '//I guess that makes sense. I think this one's a glitch, anyway. //<<insertlink "//Just a bunch of garbage.//'">> '//It's considered a best practice. Alright, Index C-37.// <<insertlink "//Got it.//'">> '//Wait, but then how did you find out her gender? She doesn't seem to //<<insertlink "//mention it.//'">> '//I snuck a look at Gadd's screen when he wasn't looking. I kinda like to know at least a little bit about who we're dealing with, as a //<<insertlink "//general...condition.//'">> '//Well, what else did you find out about this one? She got a// <<insertlink "//name?//'">> <<insertlink "'//Yeah, I think it was...uh...it probably started with a 'W'...or maybe a 'V'?//'">> <<insertlink "'//Helpful.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Well, better that you don't know, right?//'">> <<insertlink "'//Yeah, I guess so.//'">> [[Return.->people]]<</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>>

It is beyond crucial to ensure we have more than one individual dedicated to researching materials extracted from missions. The head researcher simply can't do everything on their own! The RA admittedly does partake in more mundane activities handed down by the head researcher, but are also welcome to make significant contributions to studying behavior of elements and reporting findings to the head researcher, who will confirm the validity of their findings and report them to HQ as the liaison. [[Return to crewmember list.->people]] <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Rain" loop play>>

There are various cracks and concave indents to be found permeating throughout this wall, as if my supposed perpetrator who sent me here possesses some perverse desire to watch me attempt to exit their deadly yet unassuming machinations. [[Attempt to scale it.]] [[Ignore.]] <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Rain" loop play>>

Even if I were to attempt to use these cracks, indents and fissures to ascend the cylindrical walls, I would surely slip and fall to my demise due to the damp surfaces from the rainfall above. The best course of action here is, in fact, inaction. [[Don't panic.]] <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Rain" loop play>>

Perhaps my fate is inevitable. [[Don't panic.]] <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Rain" loop play>>

Droplets of rain about my face have never felt so pleasurable. <<replacelink "Lick my lips.">>The residue of water from above fails to quench my relentless thirst.<</replacelink>> <<replacelink "Rest my eyes.">>My wounds bother too much to ever dream again.<</replacelink>> <<replacelink "Scratch an itch.">>No matter how hard I try, my dull nails never seem to relax my irritated skin.<</replacelink>> <<insertlink "Cry out">><<replacelink " in agony.">><<replacelink " in fear.">><<replacelink " in loneliness.">><<replacelink " in disgust.">><<insertlink " in defeat.">> Ah ha! I'd somehow forgotten to <<insertlink "trigger my distress signal.">> It's secured snugly to the chest plate of my suit, which surely will assist in my rescue! Thusly, for now, I must concentrate on something else to [[pass the time.->people]]<<audio "DistressSignal" play>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</replacelink>><</replacelink>><</replacelink>><</replacelink>><</insertlink>> <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Rain" loop play>>

They can see everything. [[And I accepted that long ago.->scientists jarring]] <<masteraudio stop>><<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Wind2" loop play>>

<><<if previous() eq "scientists jarring">><<masteraudio stop>><</if>><>I remember it all like it was yesterday. <<if not visited("And occur they did.")>>[[The call.]]<<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>><<else>>I didn't realize then what we were doing.<</if>> <<if visited("And occur they did.") and not visited("The excitement.")>>[[The excitement.]]<<audio "Headcase" fadeout>><<elseif visited("And occur they did.") and visited("The excitement.")>>A decision was made that couldn't be taken back.<</if>> <<if visited("The excitement.") and not visited("Telling him.")>>[[Telling him.]]<<elseif visited("The excitement.") and visited("Telling him.")>>Strange times.<</if>> <<if visited("Telling him.")>>[[Interesting times.->The day it happened.]]<</if>><<if previous() eq "Telling him.">><</if>>

Myself, to Agostini: <<insertlink "'//How do you feel about this?//'">> Agostini, to me: <<insertlink "'//It's really not my place to say.//'">> Watanabe, declaratively to the conference room: <<insertlink "'//Well, I think it's bullshit!//'">> Agostini, to Watanabe: <<insertlink "'//Language!//'">> Fishburne, whispering to Kalman: <<insertlink "'//I mean, he's not wrong...//'">> Myself, to the conference room: <<insertlink "'//I think it's kind of exciting! Doesn't anyone else?//'">> Kalman, to me from across the room, unexpectedly: <<insertlink "'//I'm with you, there! I mean, we are at the forefront of unprecedented technological innovation here...what's not to be excited about?//'">> Gibbons, to Kalman: <<insertlink "'//Well, {{{[REDACTED]}}}, for starters, there's the fact that they can read our fucking minds!?//'">> McTavish, to Gibbons: <<insertlink "'//It's just for documentation purposes. They say you can't even feel the chip once it's in there.//'">> Gibbons pounds her fists on the table. Gibbons, in retort: <<insertlink "'//And just //who//, is 'they'?//'">> Newman: <<insertlink "'//Easy, I just fixed that!//'">> McTavish: <<insertlink "'//Admittedly, I'm basing this solely on Officer Gadd's explanation, but -//'">> Newman: <<insertlink "'//{{{[REDACTED]}}}, don't you think that seems a little naïve to just brazenly buy what he's saying?//'">> McTavish: <<insertlink "'//I get that, but do you really think HQ would give us implants that inhibit our ability to work well?//'">> Fifteen or so seconds of <<insertlink "silence.">><<audio "Communication" play>> Watanabe: <<insertlink "'//I guess that makes sense...//'">> Fishburne: <<insertlink "'//We should at least vote first before making any decisions we might regret.//'">> Agostini: <<insertlink "'//I agree, {{{[REDACTED]}}}.//'">> Silence for about <<insertlink "ten seconds.">> Watanabe: <<insertlink "'//I'm in.//'">> Kalman: <<insertlink "'//Me too.//'">> Myself: <<insertlink "'//Me three!//'">> Agostini: <<insertlink "'//Alright, so we're three for three so far. Gibbons?//'">> Gibbons, in a prickly manner: <<insertlink "'//Absolutely not.//'">> Fishburne: <<insertlink "'//Yeah, I'm not comfortable with this.//'">> Gibbons: <<insertlink "'//At least someone has my back on this ship...//'">> Agostini: <<insertlink "'//That's enough, {{{[REDACTED]}}}. {{{[REDACTED]}}}, you seemed sold on the chip, right?//'">> McTavish: <<insertlink "'//Yeah, I think I'm good to go.//'">> Agostini: <<insertlink "'//Alright, so that's four against two. Newman, you seemed on the fence...//'">> Newman: <<insertlink "'//I'm sorry, miss, but I value my independence too much to comply with this.//'">> Agostini: <<insertlink "'//You don't need to feel sorry for how you feel, {{{[REDACTED]}}}.//'">> Newman: <<insertlink "'//Thank you for understanding.//'">> Gibbons: <<insertlink "'//Alright, enough with the formalities. Captain, you're up.//'">> Agostini: <<insertlink "'//Let me think about it for a minute...//'">> Some time passes. It feels long, the room <<insertlink "nervous.">> Agostini, with a slight grin about her countenance: <<insertlink "'//...It is a pay raise.//'">> Fishburne: <<insertlink "'//With all due respect, ma'am, money cannot buy one's independence.//'">> Agostini: <<insertlink "'//And I think it would be good. I just have a good feeling about it.//'">> Myself: <<insertlink "'//That's the spirit, ma'am!//'">> Agostini: '//It's settled, then. [[I'll make the call first thing tomorrow morning.->And I accepted that long ago.]]'//<</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>> <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>

<<insertlink "'//Wait...explain it to me again.//'">> '//It's like this chip...I don't really know what it looks like, but it can't be that big if it's supposed to fit// <<insertlink "//inside your head.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Uh...huh. Go on.//'">> '//Yeah, so, basically it records all the things that we do, what we think about, stuff like that, and keeps it all in the chip itself. So it's not like you're being monitored //<<insertlink "//all the time with it.//'">> <<insertlink "'//You do realize how creepy this sounds, yeah?//'">> '//I don't think it's creepy at all, really. I'm just doing what I can to make things move more efficiently. It's a net positive.//' I went on to explain how this was, in fact, important to my livelihood, as it increased my unit's favorability to have <<insertlink "bigger and more meaningful missions available to us in the future.//">> '//This just sounds to me, like...you're brainwashed or something. Your brain is //your// brain. It's not meant to have <<insertlink "stuff shoved inside of it.//'">> I went on to explain how <<replacelink "he">>he - that's private -<</replacelink>> was just being irrational, and eventually he would come to see that I was right and that this was for the best. He told me he had to think for himself and that he would get into contact with me later. [[It wasn't mentioned again.->And I accepted that long ago.]]<</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>> <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>

Never stranger than the present, they say. It's dark out, down here. The rock thing got old. There are lines etched in every possible section of rock which i could possibly reach - I've given up on keeping the marks consistent with my pebble tosses. I'm bored. Tired. I'm keeping this mental diary thing going to distract from the staggering feeling of hunger. It's immense, as if I'm at once starving and also too nauseous too eat anything. Legs are no good. The bleeding has long since stopped, but I'd need some serious motivation to bring myself to move them at all. My headache is pounding, possibly having developed into a hernia now. [[Let's move on.->Here we go.]] <<if previous() eq "And I accepted that long ago.">><<audio "Ship1" fadeout>><<audio "Ship2" fadeout>><</if>><<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Wind2" loop play>>

In these times of ours, the universe, seemingly full of possibilities, tends to reveal itself to one a sort of mundane truth - it's all a lot smaller than it seems. Less...thrilling. It's hard. The work of the day, as joyful as it can be, one also seeks out as a distraction from these worldly disappointments. And so even the most minor of unusual experiences to occur in one's life, I feel, can create a one-to-one connection between the self and one's innate desire for pleasure. Happiness. That feeling that rises from the ashes of melancholy like the Earthly [[phoenix]] of legend. And sometimes, [[everything changes.]] <<audio "Headcase" loop play>><<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>

The phoenix is one of the homeland's most treasured legends of yore. Truthful or not, it represents an ideal of sorts for our species, having escaped our deteriorating homeland, rebirthing anew with a frontiersmanlike spirit, ready to explore and conquer worlds previously unheard of. Fulfilling [[our purpose.->The call.]] <<audio "Headcase" loop play>><<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>

The call. I remember it like it was yesterday, cliché a conceit as that may be. I was resting in my quarters, immersed within the classical [[philosophical musings of an Earthen Russian,]] when suddenly over the intercom uttered a nervous-sounding yet declarative Capt. Agostini: '//All hands report immediately to the conference quarters, regardless of your current doings. That's an order!//' Such stern wordings were unusual for Agostini, her typical commands never approaching one beyond something of a confident yet cheeky decree. I marked my book and hurriedly approached the conference room, with a nervous tingle locomoting about my spine. I soon would find out that Agostini's shift in tone was merely a formality, a result of her superiors listening in to her demeanor as a captain. At our oval-shaped conference table (which contains more seats than there are crewmates aboard the Gargandua) sat a handful of my crewmates, including, <<if not visited("if my memory serves me correctly")>>[[if my memory serves me correctly]]<<else>>if my memory serves me correctly<</if>>: Agostini at the head of the table, looking pensive, as if distracted by something more pressing, Fishburne directly to her left (my right), the ever-independent Newman sitting opposite to Agostini, and Watanabe two seats to Newman's left. Not presently accounted for were Gibbons, Kalman, and McTavish, who were likely adjusting to having just woken up from the unusual disturbance. I elected to seat myself between Newman and Watanabe. The mood in the room could only be described as awkward and generally uncomfortable - one could see upon Agostini's troubled visage that difficult conversations were about to occur. [[And occur they did.]] <<if previous() eq "if my memory serves me correctly">><<masteraudio stop>><</if>><<audio "Headcase" loop play>><<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>

That of Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoyevsky (his name having the Earthen Russian form "Фёдор Миха́йлович Достое́вский; often, his last name would be transliterated into Earthen English as "Dostoevsky"). I hope to one day finish his mammoth of a book, //The Brothers Karamazov//. [[I was interrupted.->everything changes.]] <<audio "Headcase" loop play>><<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>

<<masteraudio stop>><<audio "Drone1" loop play>><<audio "Drone2" loop play>><<insertlink "'//She's about to talk about the device.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Oh.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Yeah.//'">> <<insertlink "'//It's probably a weird thing to have happen to a person.//'">> <<insertlink "'//I can't really imagine...having that thing inside you.//'">> <<insertlink "'//I hear you get used to it.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Yeah, no, not for me.//'">> [[Return.->everything changes.]]<</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>>

Simply a ratio of how many times a medical practitioner has accurately diagnosed an individual measured against how many times they have inaccurately diagnosed a medical practitioner, to be reported to HQ on a monthly basis by a non-biased third party, usually either the captain or head of research. [[Never by the medical practitioner.->Medical Practitioner]] <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Rain" loop play>>

It is required by MEA HQ for MEA units to visit one of the MEA Rehabilitation Depots (RD's) stationed meagerly throughout IFPU-governed solar systems on an Earthen-monthly basis in order to stock up on supplies such as food, water, and fuel (regardless of the amounts of these supplies in possession), receive routine physical check-ups by medical practitioners stationed at one of these depots, as well as to receive sanitation and equipment stability checks of the ship. These stops are generally maligned by crewmembers, as their functions are made redundant given the vocational makeup of each crew, as well as their tendency to potentially veer a crew away from the proximity of areas in the universe where MEA-administered directives often are directed toward. After all, what need is there for these stops when one has an [[FOM->Facilities Operation & Maintenance]] associate on their person? <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Rain" loop play>>

One can only hope that our resident [[FOM->Facilities Operation & Maintenance]] associate, {{{[REDACTED]}}} Newman, does not notice my usage of the [[Oxford comma]] and wipe it clean in the name of proper grammatical presentation! <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Rain" loop play>>

An Earthen day consists of twenty-four hours, each of which are comprised of sixty minutes, of which contain sixty seconds, which can be evenly divided into quantities governed by the traditional metric system. An Earthen day, which therefore consists of 86,400 seconds and 3,600 minutes, is the amount of time elapsed as the Earth made one revolution about its sun. An [[FOM->Facilities Operation & Maintenance]] associate can get much done in one Earthen day! <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Rain" loop play>>

The Intergalactic Federation for Planetary Unity, or the IFPU, is a democratic republic which governs an extremely large percentage of the known universe, roughly 78.4% according to a recent study. It consists of three branches of government (federal, executive, and judicial) and presides over many different agencies. Despite existing under the same banner of the IFPU, which exists as a conglomeration of the governmental structures in place for individual planets, planetary systems, and galaxies, intergalactic government agencies such as the MEA, the [[Food and Drug Administration]] (FDA), the [[Generalized Armed Forces]] (GAF), and the [[Treasury for Economic Good]] (TEG) all act somewhat autonomously from it, often due to wide dispersion distances from each other. But back to the [[Gargandua.->Gargandua]] <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Rain" loop play>>

There has existed a centuries-long debate as to the grammatical legitimacy of the serial comma, often referred to as the "Oxford comma", which is simply the insertion of a comma before a coordinating conjunction in a sentence containing three or more terms to be separated. Some argue that since it flies in the face of convention that it should be disregarded so as to maintain uniformity in prose, but others argue that its abilities to reduce ambiguity make it a strong contendor to be canonized as an integral aspect of the English language. Personally, I find myself disinterested by such pedantic quarrels, and will continue to employ the Oxford comma as I so please. [[Like just now!->Facilities Operation & Maintenance]] <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Rain" loop play>>

The rest of the crewmembers shuffled in, tired-eyed and confused as to the nature of a disturbance such as this one. One by one, they seated themselves in whatever vacant seats about the table which were available, so few open that they could not easily display their biases toward certain crewmembers. Once all had been seated, Capt. Agostini spoke as if to herself: Capt. Agostini: '//All crewmembers aboard the Gargandua are present and accounted for, //<<insertlink "//sir.//'">> A voice spoke with a sullen and dull diction from over the intercom speakers which peer down upon us from the high ceiling of the conference room: The Voice: '//Allow me to apologize for the early disturbance. It is my understanding that many of you had previously retreated to your resting quarters //<<insertlink "//not much earlier.//'">> Capt. Agostini: <<insertlink "'//Think nothing of it, sir.//'">> <<audio "Headcase" fadeout>>The Voice: '//Then allow me to make haste: [[you have been chosen for something new.'->And I accepted that long ago.]]//<</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>> <<audio "Headcase" loop play volume 0.5>><<audio "Ship1" loop play>>

The Omicron sector is generally off-limits to most civilians, under the jurisdiction of the IFPU. Not much is to be found there of practical note; its asteroid fields are dense and highly dangerous to those who attempt to traverse through one. Many who try to pass through one to reach the inconveniently-located Semaphora Delta system, sadly, never make it there - often, they are privy to a head-on collision with the debris of other spacecraft which attempted to make a similar trek! There are only four solid planets to be found orbiting one of Omicron's two stars, Majid and Karul, and since early post-Ebb voyages by MEA crews to each of these celestial bodies has proven to be unfruitful in terms of the rarity of their utilizable components, not even MEA [[Mission Architects]] situated at HQ bother to generate missions to Omicron's vicinities. This mission was [[optional.->Occupy vacant time.]] <<audio "FaultyLight" loop play>><<audio "Drone2" loop play>>

<<masteraudio stop>><<audio "Drone1" loop play>><<audio "Drone2" loop play>><<insertlink "'//A bit judgy, aren't we?//'">> <<insertlink "'//What's that?//'">> <<insertlink "'//The subject got a bit passive aggressive about the light bulbs in a waiting room.//'">> <<insertlink "'//What waiting room?//'">> <<insertlink "'//The one that lead to the operation happening, of course.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Oh, weird. Well, what'd she say about the light bulbs, I guess?//'">> <<insertlink "'//That they were flickering.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Flickering.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Yeah, flickering.//'">> <<insertlink "'//That it?//'">> <<insertlink "'//It was passive aggressive, toward a company building, like she's got a problem with it, and therefore a problem with us.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Ha, cool it, it's just a light bulb. Maybe you've been in there too long. And you mean you don't think stuff around this place could stand to be touched up yourself?//'">> <<insertlink "'//I mean sure, but - //'">> <<insertlink "'//Okay, then. Now quit being dumb and get back to work.//'">> <<insertlink "'//...you get back to work.//'">> [[Return.->Inspect the room.]]<</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>>

The Dieffenbachia is a flowering plant which originates from the Earth, and was native to the Earthen regions of Mexico and the West Indies. Its leaves give off a stark, firm impression, large and vividly-colored, with dark brown outer ridges accentuating their partly lime-greenish, partly lemon-yellowish interiors. The Dieffenbachia, to deliver a personal anecdote, has a certain //je ne sais quoi// to it, and if applied appropriately to one's living space can make for a tasteful selection for a home's //feng shui//, I feel. It doesn't so much work [[here,->Inspect the room.]] I'm afraid. <<audio "FaultyLight" loop play>><<audio "Drone2" loop play>>

<<masteraudio stop>><<audio "Drone1" loop play>><<audio "Drone2" loop play>><<insertlink "'//Glitch alert!//'">> <<insertlink "'//Noted.//'">> <<insertlink "'//It messed up some kind of article. Aren't those just pulled from a wider database?//'">> <<insertlink "'//Yeah, there's no way she'd be able to remember all that, pre-aug. Maybe the article's gone now? Could be anything, really.//'">> <<insertlink "'//All we can do is remain vigilant.//'">> <<insertlink "'//How austere of you.//'">> <<insertlink "'//I was paraphrasing...//'">> <<insertlink "'//Oh! The code of conduct?//'">> <<insertlink "'//Yep! You did a little studying, I see.//'">> <<insertlink "'//I've been around the block.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Right, then. Back in, we go.//'">> [[Return.->Inspect the room.]]<</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>>

By Tungesh Mozumdar, Staff Writer at [[The Nebulayman]], published on the Earthen day of February 17, 2489: "//Folks, let's be real for a moment: we all know, sometimes, it's tough to keep things, well, //going// smoothly in the bedroom. There's no need to be ashamed about it! We're all human, after all. And that's why here at The Nebulayman, we've worked hard to put together seven great tips that are sure to please that special someone, and are also light on your wallet: 1) Before they step into the bedroom, light four or five vanilla or caramel-scented StarLight™ candles to set the aromatic mood - sold at almost any major supermarket chain on sophisticated planets as well as in orbit! 2) After a long day's work at the ol' 0900 - 1700, give your spouse the backrub they deserve to loosen up those tight joints. Make sure to get the kinks out of those sore neckbones too! 3) Maybe they work outside - why not get an inviting shower going with just above room temperature water? Hit them with a certain kind of look - and we know you know the one we're talking about - to get them to join you for a //steamy// shower. Give your partner a light scrub with a gentle lather of some enticingly fruity-smelling Dove™ Body Wash. Rinse that greasy head of hair with just a dab of EuroGlam® Shampoo/Conditioner Combination Treatment, as an excuse to get their heads into your hands, and seal the sensual deal with an intimate kiss. 4) Make sure to look into their eyes when you start kissing. Before any clothes are taken off, make sure to never lose eye contact, reminding your partner that you are theirs. 5) Foreplay is key! Firmly caress their body parts, and don't be stingy about groping their you-know-whats! 6) Remind your spouse during action that you care for them with a heavy kiss on the side of the neck. As well, if the two of you are on that level, a simple, short, sweet and to-the-point, "I love you," never hurt anybody! 7) Finally, once the two (or more!) of you have "done the deed," it's time for some post-lay romantic cuddling. Throw on something to watch (//Editor's note: //Love of the Ancients//, //Breaking Bad//, and //Meet the Supercolliders// are office favorites!//) or a sensual record to listen to (//Editor's note: These days, we're spinning //Watch the Gibraltar// by Flynn Giblet, //Highway 61 Revisited// by Bob Dylan, and //Throw Me A Bone, Sir!// by Charlotte Phillip Price around The Nebulayman office//) for maximum productivity in post-love-making lounging with spouses. We hope that these tidbits of experience by our Romance-Breeding Experts will spice up your sex life, and help you nab that round two that's on the tip of both of your tongues before it's time to hit the hay, and call it a day. For more tips on healthy sex lives and other wellness strategies, become a premium subscriber to The Nebulaymen by visiting our website at htutps:/uww.readnebulayman.com.//" [[These tips don't sound all that...insightful.->Inspect the room.]] <<audio "FaultyLight" loop play>><<audio "Drone2" loop play>>

By Emelyn Schreiber, Associate Culinary Editor at [[The Nebulayman]], published on the Earthen day of February 26, 2489: "//The other day, I'm visiting my parents, whom I love dearly, might I add, for supper. I made quite the trip to get there - they live a whole sector away! - and even brought dessert, and so, look, I was expecting a hell of a meal out of the deal, you know what I mean? Call it millennial entitlement, but hey, a girl's gotta eat! When I got there, the turkey was excellent, juicy but not overcooked, the casserole perfection, the mashed potatoes a little overdone but perfectly serviceable. But the risotto... ...Well, bless her heart, but my mother just didn't have it down. The thing was runny, soupy; its texture resembled more of a rice pudding than the Earthen Italian dish of legend. I don't blame her at all for this culinary error; in this post-Ebb world we live in, the art of making a proper risotto is a lost one. The recipe for making a truly-developed, properly-cooked risotto has been denegrated from years of hand-downs, and so I felt it necessary to do my best to alleviate this mess. So, here are my five essential tips to making the finest risotto this side of the universe: 1) Cook the risotto on just under medium heat. You definitely do not want to cook your risotto on high heat, but it won't cook properly if you're cooking at too low of a heat and are stirring at a rate as if you were. 2) You //don't// have to stir all that often. Yes, you're going to be wanting to stir the risotto a good bit, but if you overdo it, you'll just add air into your pot which will leave you with a sticky, gluey, rather unsavory rice for your dish. 3) Keep your stock warm. It doesn't matter so much what kind of stock you're cooking the rice with, so much as it matters what temperature the stock you're pouring is. A stock that's too cold will result in a bad cooking environment; you'll simply be cooling down the dish, ruining all the work your heat's trying to do. Side note: don't add your stock all at once! Pour only a small portion at a time, so as to allow the rice to absorb the stock it's already getting first. 4) Don't cook your vegetables with your risotto. You want to cook all your vegetables that will go with the dish in their own pan (you can do it all at once like a stir fry if you'd like!). This way, your vegetables won't get mushy, since the rice is going to take longer to cook anyway! 5) Please, don't overcook the risotto! You might have noticed that pretty much everything on this list is written in attempt to get you away from habits which will result in a mushy risotto. Cooking your dish for too long will ruin all the work that went into it - nobody wants overly soft rice - and you'll have to start over to spare yourself the embarrassment! It pains me to see a generation of people who couldn't cook a proper risotto if their life depended on it. I speak on behalf of the entire food section of the Nebulayman when I tell you: this needs to change! On your own time, grab some spare materials and cook a couple risottos for practice until you've got that perfect texture, that splendid combination of rice, vegetable, and stock down pat. I write to serve; that is, to serve a mean risotto!//" I'll have to try this [[sometime!->Inspect the room.]] Never cooked a risotto before... <<audio "FaultyLight" loop play>><<audio "Drone2" loop play>>

By Milana Labriola, Editor-in-Chief of [[The Nebulayman]], published on the Earthen day of March 23, 2489: "//Hello, good readers! Milana Labriola, here, editor-in-chief of the Nebulayman. I'm not often one to write articles myself, as I generally try not to encumber the output of volumes of the Nebulayman with my own views, but something happened recently which I simply had to comment on! You may have read in this very publication that a high-ranking government official of the Intergalactic Federation for Planetary Unity, one Tariq B. Hussain of the People's Party for Diplomacy, was shockingly found dead in his private estate on Mars one Monday morning, following a lengthy yet private battle with cancer of an unknown nature. While the autopsy results have yet to be publicly reported by the IFPU's private medical examiner (//Associate editor's note: in the interest of full disclosure, the IFPU's private medical examiner is a pathologist by the name of George Williamson whom Mrs. Labriola shares an alma mater with//), Mr. Hussain was a known chain smoker of cigarettes (in addition to some brief stints with alcoholism, which he underwent detoxification for and subsequently attended rehabilitation for in 2486 A.D.), and so it's likely that cigarettes are a prime contender for his ailment. This stunning and ultimately fatal story of addiction struck a chord with me, as I too have struggled with nicotine addiction in the past. As such, I felt it a moral responsibility to share with you, my humblingly-vast readership, ways which helped me to kick my addiction and live a happier life ever since. (//Associate editor's note: Mrs. Labriola is not a certified medical practitioner, nor is she trained in patient rehabilitation/detoxification. Reader's discretion is advised. If you struggle with drug or alcohol addiction, consult your doctor for how best to seek treatment.//) 1) Throw out all your clothes which reek of cigarette stench. In fact, it's best to rid your usual vicinities of anything that might even tangentially remind you of smoking, including but not limited to: old cartons of cigarettes, ash trays (household and vehicular), discarded ashes, gifts from ex's who were smokers, cigarette stubs, unhealthy snacks which you might tend to consume whilst indulging oneself in a cigarette, marijuana, marijuana consumption paraphernalia (bongs, glass water pipes, plastic bags), any over-the-counter (OTC) or prescription drugs which one might tend to take in addition to cigarettes, hookahs, any storage space where cigarettes or any of the previously listed paraphernalia may usually be stored, any storage space where you //think// any of the above may be stored, etc. 2) Any time you feel an urge coming on, especially while working, I found it was best to take a break. If you're at work, try and see if you can arrange something with your boss which can help you to mitigate undesired cigarette consumption, including acquiring office space away from coworkers who smoke, finding an unorthodox space for taking breaks and lunches so as to be away from those who smoke during break time, allowed trips to the bathroom to account for impromptu urges for cigarettes (try to splash some water on your face, say a prayer, look at yourself in the mirror, use the toilet, do some jumping jacks if the bathroom is empty), and healthy snack consumption. If you work at home, are off from work, or simply do not work at all, grab a bottle of water, any fruits and vegetables you can freely carry, and (optional) a portable compuscreen with a wireless internet connection to access StellaView™ for pleasant, stress-free music or podcasts, and try taking a steady stroll around the block. The fresh air and sun (if on a planet where such luxuries are presently available) can do wonders to allay those pesky urges, and may even act for some as a natural high of sorts. 3) Every time you do smoke, have a spouse or a close friend you trust deposit a pre-determined amount of currence from your bank account to an organization which you find to be ill-fitting of your money. If you consider yourself a pacifist, this could be the Automated and Remote Orbital Ordnance Research Association (AROORA) or the People for the Development of Biogenetic Augmentations (or PDBA, a "non-profit" which anonymous sources close to the Nebulayman who are familiar with the group suggest may be a front for a long-rumored IFPU-sanctioned organization responsible for the development of weaponized artificial intelligence as well as unprecedented surveillance technol-//" I won't read any more of this [[tripe.->Inspect the room.]] <<audio "FaultyLight" loop play>><<audio "Drone2" loop play>>

An advertisement for [[StellaView™]], a popular entertainment streaming service. "//Hello, dear reader! Have you heard the word? StellaView™ is offering up a wealth of quality content, streamed directly to your home television, compuscreen, mobile phone, and [[augmentative vision devices]] for the low price of just 1700 currence an Earthen month! Our selection of movies and TeleSeries available to stream on demand and instantly download contains action, comedy, drama, horror, romance, children's, and non-Earthen English-speaking works. StellaView™'s wide assortment of music is licensed by some of the biggest record companies of the day including the CBG Group, Interscope, Geffen, TuneTap Records, Blue Signal®, and Warp, adding up to one of the largest selections of recorded music in history! And if you or someone in your family is a gamer, then you're in luck: with the push of a button from your home compuscreen's remote control or your gamepad, you'll have access to the hottest new releases, as well as a vast selection of emulated releases dating as far back as the 2100's. This unprecedented amount of quality content delivered straight to any of your devices practically makes the case for itself. You can visit our website at htutps:/uww.upgrade.stellaview.com, call us at (882STE)LLA-VIEW, or email us at subscriptions@stellaview.com. Subscribe now!"// [[Pervasive, much?->Inspect the room.]] <<audio "FaultyLight" loop play>><<audio "Drone2" loop play>>

One's kneecap. [[The story thus far...->Continue waiting.]] <<audio "FaultyLight" loop play>><<audio "Drone2" loop play>>

It's as if this hole I find myself stranded in and confounded by is shrinking, echoing my diminishing hopefulness in ever leaving. Usually not one to feel nervous in the face of physical danger, my nerves seem as if conspiring to encumber and ultimately impair my typically stoic <<insertlink "resolve. ">> The rain begins to pour heavier. I now notice it seeping into the cracks of the rocky ground. My MEA uniform, at first a proud and even bold statement of my stature as an agent of this most dangerous and riveting government agency, is now fully drenched in what I can only assume to be perfectly sanitary rainwater. It looks sad, pathetic. I see above, perhaps, let's say, forty or so meters above where I stand, that the clouds are dimming to a muckish shade of grey. <<replacelink>>Sample the rainwater's taste, its //sapidity//.<<becomes>>Its pure. My congested headspace dissipates a bit, if only temporarily. If I had a scanner on my person, I'd perhaps be able to develop a better picture of both the rainwater and the clouds which each droplet (at least, at a cursory level, seems to) emanate from. <<replacelink>>Make further platitudes about clouds.<<becomes>>Clouds appear to move at an incredibly slow pace, but actually can move at speeds of close to 200 kilometers per hour, though they generally coast at somewhere between 30 - 70 km/h. As well, and most don't know this, but they're not autonomous - in fact, it's the wind which is pushing them along. The faster the speed of the wind, the faster the cloud will move! That's why on planets with vast quantities of water, there are hurricanes and tropical storms which pass extremely quickly, because of the fast winds! All a cloud is is a collection of water vapor, well, really, there's some other chemicals and stuff in there, but, uh, so anyway, you see, they're kinda these things that are formed when, like, um, something about....vapor??????? I think that's [[-]]<</replacelink>><</replacelink>><</insertlink>> <<if previous() eq "unto the future.">><<audio "FaultyLight" fadeout>><<audio "Drone2" stop>><<audio "AirConditioning" fadeout>><</if>><<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Rain" loop play>>

Incandescent light bulbs (ILB) on the [[Gaia]] pre-<<insertlink "Ebb">> - the multi-year time of retreat from the Earth -<</insertlink>> years were deemed a contributor to the denigration of the planet's environment due to their poor energy consumption rates (comparatively, one energy-saving compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL) lasts roughly as long as six incandescent bulbs) contributing to greenhouse gas emissions into the Earth's atmosphere, as well as the resultant economic costs of using and manufacturing them when contrasted against the cheaper CFL; thusly, ILB's were banned from usage by any and all residential and non-residential parties, and are - perhaps hyperbolically - classified by the IFPU under "illegal contraband", despite their proliference and potential use-cases in most sectors of the known universe essentially being a non-entity. While the interface standards for artificial light fixture paraphernalia have changed since pre-Ebb years, the basic flow of electrical current has not! [[This room is almost certainly lit by ILB's.->Inspect the room.]] <<audio "FaultyLight" loop play>><<audio "Drone2" loop play>>

Gaia is the Greek goddess of the motherland, and a term often used to refer to the Earth in a more spiritual and reverent sense, as opposed to a colder, historical one. Environmentalists often use the term to refer to specifically refer to the pre-Ebb period of time, when people were still living there, as an argumentative point about planetary inhabitability. The [[bulbs->bulb]] probably didn't help much with that. <<audio "FaultyLight" loop play>><<audio "Drone2" loop play>>

In the year 2243, the acting world leaders of the Earth's sovereign nations under the United Nations (UN) convened a conference to devise an economically-sound strategy for how best to deal with the environmental crises plaguing the Earth. When a resolution to attempt to remove all bodies at least under the jurisdiction of the UN from the premises of the planet was reached, it was deemed necessary that a successor to the United Nations should be established, as it was clear that with the Earth's population of 9.7 billion (with roughly 6.9 billion of those being citizens of UN member states), it would be nigh impossible to quickly locate a planet both large and sustainable enough to support all of the human race, and thus the Earth's governmental systems as well as pre-conceived notions of social stratification would essentially be rendered null and void for a period of time. However, following the establishment of the IFPU as the UN's successor saw the creation of a new, streamlined singular currency in the currence. Naturally, this led to exchange rates between currence and previously established digital and physical currencies favoring those of UN-member states - rates of exchange on physical goods were particularly low, so third-world countries inevitably suffered. In order to connect this fantastical event in humanity's history back to that ravaged homeland, the IFPU ordained that no new epoch for time would be established. We weren't resetting. We were continuing onward. [[That was quite some time ago.->Leaving Earth]] <<audio "NewHeights" loop play>>

Mission Architects are associates of the MEA situated at HQ who in tandem with the myriad research professionals embedded in each MEA unit develop suitable assignments for units to embark on. These assignments are posted to a cryptographically secure (accessible only with gibberish passwords bestowed in private to unit captains) electronic notice board of sorts. While I've never seen one for myself, of course, I'm told that they are quite dull in appearance, and that each listing contains what solid planet (missions almost never are directed toward gaseous bodies) the mission will transpire on, the particular coordinates of the mission as per the Interstellar Celestial Reference Frame (ICRF, adapted from the International Celestial Reference Frame which was used back in Earthen days but only accounted for the Old Solar System - the new version uses the location of the IFPU's central governing office, as a centralized reference point), a normalized precautionary threat level, and suggested supplies to be brought. They would not suggest going to [[Omicron]]. <<audio "FaultyLight" loop play>><<audio "Drone2" loop play>>

The Nebulayman (est. ~2249) is the only publication with the amount of staffing, breadth of office locations, and intergalactic broadcasting real estate per capita to reach audiences located almost anywhere within the known universe. This is to say, it is extremely popular. <<back "Return.">> <<audio "FaultyLight" loop play>><<audio "Drone2" loop play>>

The Materials Extraction Assemblage (MEA) are the government agency of which I am a member. Our primary directive is to venture to areas of the universe as dictated by [[HQ]] and scrounge any resources pertinent to the mission, as well as any others which may be of use as well, all the while mapping data of parts of the universe which may be unexplored for future reference. It's a tough job, but I've always considered myself more than up to the [[task.->Gargandua]] <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Rain" loop play>>

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The headquarters for the [[Materials Extraction Assemblage]] is located somewhere within the New Valia galaxy; I've never been myself, so it's hard for me to say exactly where. Their main purpose is to scour their databases for potential leads on where valuable materials might be located, generate missions based on this data, and post missions to the Mission Database, viewed by MEA crew captains - HQ work with research associates aboard MEA vessels such as this one in order to most efficiently keep this metaphorical gear turning. HQ also receive materials dropped off by crews at MEA Rehabilitation Depots for [[analysis->Astronomical body selection process]], circulation, trade, manufacturing goods, and other economy-benefitting practices. <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Rain" loop play>>

The Portable Materials Examination and Analytical Evaluation Device (or, "scanner," for short) is any MEA scavenger's best friend and, depending on the quality of one's rapport with their fellow crews-men and women, also possibly their closest ally. This technology was first developed by TTA in 2429 for the rather esoteric purpose of developing more sophisticated readings of current and future seismic plate tectonic activity of distant planets - some aspects of this tech has since been co-opted by researchers of the MEA (like our very own Mr. Fishburne) to develop this "PMEAED" (scanner) for the potency of its proximity analysis materials capabilities. I rarely leave home/vessel without one! Kalman notices he had misplaced his scanner, and bends over to grab it before I can point anything out. [[Look elsewhere within the cave.->look around cave entrance]] <<audio "CaveInteriorWind1" loop play>><<audio "CaveInteriorWind2" loop play>>

Perhaps, sometimes, the specifics of certain phenomena aren't all that important. [[Wait.->sepulchre]] <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Rain" loop play>>

I tilt my head up and stare at a limited vision of this alien expanse to pass the time. Lightning strikes from somewhere beyond my slight circular view, illuminating the section of sky visible to me, which has begun to darken, depressingly, an azure blue from what is presumably this planet's nighttime. The rain recedes slightly, though still enough to strike me as lightly bothersome. Is this daft place, this sepulchre of a place, to be my final resting place? I hope not. [[I need to try.]] <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Rain" loop play>><<audio "Lightning" play>>

But what am I to do? Indeed, self-exfiltration would surely be suicidal. All I can hope for is for the swift arrival of one of my most beloved crewmates of the MEA Gargandua, or any other member of the MEA who might happen to respond to my previously-placed distress signal. [[Sit down to rest.]] <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Rain" loop play>>

Distracted as I've been from breaking down the repercussions of my current predicament, I'm only now made cognizant of the fact that I'm in fact both parched and starved for sustenance, quite so. Unfortunately, due to my light person after whatever it was that transpired to lead me to this space rock, I of course have nothing with which to satiate these basic human necessities. Perhaps it would be best, given these dull circumstances, to meditate, folding back into myself so as to temporarily distract. [[To lose myself.->scientist break 1]] <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Rain" loop play>>

<<masteraudio stop>><<audio "Drone1" loop play>><<audio "Drone2" fadein loop play>><<insertlink "'//Alright! Break for lunch?//'">> <<insertlink "'//Sounds good. She's, uh, about to meditate, or go zen, or whatever.//'">> <<insertlink "'//You're a funny guy, you know that?//'">> <<insertlink "'//Eh, I try. You buyin', right?//'">> <<insertlink "'//I guess, seeing as you did last time. Turkey or ham?//'">> <<insertlink "'//Oh boy, decisions, decisions...//'">> <<insertlink "'//I know you don't like ham but we don't have all day so make up your damn mind.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Fine, turkey it is. On rye.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Mark, you know there's a shortage.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Right. And I still want my turkey sandwich with rye bread.//'">> <<insertlink "'//I'll see what I can do. But you owe me.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Okay, then!//'">> [[Wait.->scientist break 2]]<</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>>

<<insertlink "'//Here's your sandwich.//'">> <<insertlink "'//...It's not turkey.//'">> <<insertlink "'//They didn't have turkey.//'">> <<insertlink "'//And all they had was ham?//'">> <<insertlink "'//All they had was ham.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Oh, boy!//'">> <<insertlink "'//Tough dude, just eat it.//'">> <<insertlink "'//It's food, I guess.//'">> <<insertlink "'//So, what do you think so far?//'">> <<insertlink "'//About the ham?//'">> <<insertlink "'//About the mission. This new thing we're doing.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Well, for starters, the ham's not great.//'">> <<insertlink "'//You know, that just never gets old!//'">> <<insertlink "'//I don't know, I guess it's....I mean, it's a strange thing.//'">> <<insertlink "'//What is? In particular? They said to report this kind of stuff.//'">> <<insertlink "'//I don't even know where to start! Like, we're looking through people's memories and feelings and stuff.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Yeah. Well, you kinda are, and you also aren't.//'">> <<insertlink "'//What do you mean by that?//'">> <<insertlink "'//Well, there's the whole algorithmic treatment aspect of it.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Damn, right, I always forget about that.//'">> //[['Yeah, that's where things get kind of complicated.'->scientist break 3]]//<</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><<audio "Drone1" loop play>><<audio "Drone2" loop play>>

I've come back to, and am experiencing something of an uncomfortable cold sweat. My heart rate races an uneven marathon. My muscles have tightened up after several hours of inaction in my meditative, somewhat lucid, somewhat <<if not visited("dreamlike")>>[[dreamlike]]<<else>>dreamlike<</if>> state. It's here I stand, still wearing a slightly lacerated in patches standard-grade MEA uniform field jacket and just less-than skintight (for maximum aerodynamic capabilities in a time of malaise) dark blue pants, fecal-brown worn-out combat boots, cotton candy-flavored chewing gum still impossibly, perhaps permanently cemented to the rear soles of my right foot's corresponding boot as a result of aseptic negligence, surrounded by a dreary, enveloping darkness, so pitch black and devoid of luminescence that it is as if I have ventured unto an eerily parallel (staggeringly-so, in fact) dimension where its denizens go about their business //chiaroscuro// and, indeed, the darkness seems to have taken on a new, unprecedented, oppressive, and curiously sentient, lively form. If there was ever any hope of escaping on my own previously, in what is I am to presume was in fact the daytime portion of this planet's orbital cycle, there is, unfortunate as a conceit as this may be, a staggeringly lesser chance that I could singularly escape at this time. The chances of being discovered by a search and rescue team, one of at least a few who surely must have been allocated by now in the interest of MEA operative extraction after an entire day without a routine [[Unit Status Update,]] one which was due today, if my concept of time is intact, or simply by a curious bystander who, with nothing more pressing to attend to, may have simply up and decided out of the metaphorical 'blue' to answer my distress signal and rescue me out of the goodness of their also-metaphorical hearts, are moderate. What else is there to do but [[think?->think]] <<if previous() eq "dreamlike" or previous() eq "scientist break 5">><<masteraudio stop>><</if>><<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Wind2" volume 0.5 loop play>>

<<masteraudio stop>><<audio "Drone1" loop play>><<audio "Drone2" loop play>><<insertlink "'//I thought you said your readings went cold for a while?//'">> <<insertlink "'//Huh? Yeah, they did. And?//'">> <<insertlink "'//She claims to have dreamt something. Didn't say what, though.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Huh, weird. Maybe it's acting up?//'">> <<insertlink "'//Funny how that works.//'">> <<insertlink "'//This is what we're here for, anyway. Maybe the hardware's having trouble getting an accurate read when she's asleep.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Ahem, //meditating//.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Right, when she's 'meditating'.//'">> <<insertlink "'//To be fair to her -//'">> <<insertlink "'//Fairness? Okay then.//'">> <<insertlink "'//- she did mention something about being also awake.//'">> <<insertlink "'//You mean, both awake and asleep at the same time?//'">> <<insertlink "'//Yeah, some Schrödinger's cat shit, or something.//'">> '//Okay, so then maybe it's having trouble with the grey spaces in-between? //<<insertlink "//The edge cases.//'">> '//Maybe. People are the best edge case //<<insertlink "//test scenarios.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Oh, so you were listening in Prof. Haas' class, then.//'">> <<insertlink "'//I've got my moments, for sure.//'">> [[Return.->Try and stand back up.]]<</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>>

In addition to the regular correspondence between a unit's head of research (ours of course being the wise but weary {{{[REDACTED]}}} Fishburne) and MEA HQ as to the findings from excursions, as well as the captain's (Ms. Agostini) report on the overall status of the crew, it is required by each and every MEA operative to report by live conference call, pre-recorded video (lasting at least five minutes), pre-recorded audio (lasting at least seven minutes), or a written digital email (with a word count of at least fifteen-hundred words) a statement which accurately summarizes one's current wherewithal as a member of the general MEA branch as well as their status relative to the rest of their crew, including a normalized morale reading, individual contributions to missions (which are cross-checked with the captain's report to HQ), other crewmembers' contributions to missions for validity-review, current mental and physical stability feelings, cleanliness of the ship and one's personal quarters, and usability feedback of onboard ship maintenance and excursion technology, etc. on a bi-weekly basis. They are most certainly one of the most dreaded aspects of any MEA agent's jobs! [[Think about something else.->Try and stand back up.]] <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Wind2" loop play>>

Breathing is more difficult than before. With each inhalation, my chest tightens up, and my entire midsection from my chest to my abdomen stings. As a result of this discomfort, as if some Rube Goldbergian nightmare scenario playing out unto my body, I feel a piercing aching sensation directed at the leftmost side of my temple. [[Close my eyes.]] <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Wind2" volume 0.5 loop play>>

The year is 2489 A.D. I am stuck, in this hole, by myself, sans nourishment and water to quench my thirst. The rain has again subsided. I have an aching headache and a roaring stomach, a dry tongue, a tingling sensation permeating the back of my esophagus. The year is 2489, A.D., and terribly, I may die here today. [[Sit on it.]] <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Wind2" volume 0.5 loop play>>

But I've so many things left unsaid. Memories to have. Stories left untold. [[Here's one more.->The orphanage]] <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Wind2" volume 0.5 loop play>>

The year was <<if not visited("2471")>>[[2471]]<<else>>2471<</if>> A.D., and I was around thirteen. Again, I was alone. But also, not. At this time, I was always in the precarious state of being at both together and alone, all at once. Having never known my biological parents (never having had any knowledge of their information, past or present), from as far back as a human being could feasibly remember, I've had only childhood memories of the orphanage. Relative to the others stationed at the Pemulis Children's Orphanage, I believe in my admittedly biased opinion that I was, again, relatively, a fairly straightfoward, normal developing person. I'd never then or presently developed any mental illnesses (to report, hah!), was never prone to physical maladies (illnesses, the likes of which my juvenile cohorts were often subject to), never had much of an issue with, but also never quite specialized in studying for and passing homeschooled examinations related to mathematics, physics, reading comprehension, geology, sociology, general psychology, speech-giving/casual oration, beginner's computer science/algorithm design, Earthen theology, etc. (though neither the performing nor visual varieties of the arts were ever a strong suit of mine, always lacking in areas related to rhythmic execution and tiny, minute motions of the hands), always was generally agreeable, never much one for physical altercations with others - if only I could muster a tad more fight, and reach out with erumpent resolve in order to remove myself from the vicinities of this damned hole, or cave, or hellpit, or what have you! [[Headaches are the worst.]] <<if previous() eq "Sit on it.">><<audio "Wind" fadeout>><<audio "Wind2" fadeout>><</if>><<if previous() eq "2471">><<masteraudio stop>><</if>><<audio "Rain" loop play volume 0.7>><<audio "DaysOfOld" loop play>>

<<masteraudio stop>><<audio "Drone1" loop play>><<audio "Drone2" loop play>><<insertlink "'//I think I can pretty accurately guess her age.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Shoot.//'">> <<insertlink "'//She mentioned having been around age thirteen in 2471, which would make her roughly thirty-one years of age.//'">> <<insertlink "'//That's some smooth detective work right there, slick!//'">> <<insertlink "'//Thanks! But, most importantly, that's probably worth reporting, right?//'">> '//Yeah, I guess so, though hopefully HQ don't think it's too pedantic. The way computers work, they're not wired// <<insertlink "//the way we are.//'">> <<insertlink "'//We're not wired!//'">> '//Speaking of pedantic, dipshit! It's like, they don't really have reading comprehension in the way we humans just sort of// <<insertlink "//subconsciously do.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Well hey, if there's room for improvement, it's probably worth reporting, right?//'">> <<insertlink "'//It's their job to read through this tripe.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Tripe. Good word.//'">> <<insertlink "'//It's a quarter past 1600. That's some tripe for ya. Hurry up.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Well, I'm just getting to the juicy stuff, so strap in for the long haul.//'">> [[Return.->The orphanage]]<</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>>

<<insertlink "Where was I?">> <<insertlink "Ah, right then.">> Indeed, though always something of a curious fellow, I believe the most adequate description of my scholarly deftness which permeated nearly the entirety of the typical curriculum proctored by one of many caretaker/secretary/assistant nurse-cum teachers would be, well, adequate, or at best competent. However, one area of instruction where I always excelled was in physical education, or, more broadly, in any corporeal movement. Any sport, be it basketball, football (of the Earthen American variety involving an ovular ball initially made usually natural materials including inflated pig bladder (christening it the slang "pigskin") and also the Earthen fútbol involving a mostly-spherical ball made from the polymer polyester), tennis, volleyball (though usually a portmanteau between it and tennis we created, wherein one person serves a volleyball, the other a tennis ball, and using a blunt object they pass the balls back and forth to each other) swimming (of the four basic strokes, they being freestyle, backstroke, butterflystroke, and breaststroke, my specialty was always backstroke - perhaps it's my free spirit which enables me to know where I'm going when I can't quite see it!) - I was able to quickly and efficiently learn each game's corresponding rulesets, quirks, differences in playstyles, the sometimes topographical, sometimes locational, sometimes something else entirely-mannerisms each different court or stadium exuded to the players and fanbase inhabiting them either overtly or <<insertlink "subconsciously">> (more specificially, these peculiarities often dictated by a player's allegiance or lack thereof to a particular geographical part of a planet/orbital section of the universe, the color of the court/grass/invisibly instructive center/side/goal lines, how they smelled, no, //tasted//, the way shadows hauntingly protruded from physical extremities (depending, of course, on the time of day), locational culture, and something of a //feng shui// exhibited by the architectural makeup of a stadium - in film and theater, they might refer to this fleeting, imperceptible pleasure/deficiency as //mise-en-scène//)<</insertlink>>. I'd no problems repping out in record time fifty jumping-jacks in <<insertlink "succession">> (myself deriving a particular sort of thrill and senseless bravado from performing the "clap pushup" variety, wherein one assumes the regular pushup position, both hands planted firmly on the ground about a foot or a half meter apart, both sets of toes helping to balance out one's body, and then you perform the regular pushup, but a full repetition is not counted until one claps their hands together, a tricky exercise requiring a level of upper-body fortitude many others simply do not have to accomplish at the volume which I, at the time, at least, could reliably perform, if-I-do-say-so-myself)<</insertlink>>, maybe eighty abdomen-splitting crunches, pullups/chinups, hanging knee raises, lat pulldowns, various bicep exercises with free weights and weight machinery (such as curls and shoulder presses), dominant/non-dominant foot-first skips, squats w/out weights attached to a bar situated on my upper trapezius fibers, etc. I was so exemplary in matters of physical activity, in fact, that [[certain people took notice.]]<</insertlink>><</insertlink>> <<audio "Rain" loop play>><<audio "DaysOfOld" loop play>>

It was a fairly unassuming, generic, yet also right-as-rain kind of day, a day so dreary and encumbered by rain (much like the one today) it was as if each of that planet's three suns had been hidden away like some kind of children's game, there at the Pemulis Children's Orphanage - est. 2378 on the planet of Pemulis, one of seven planets located in the Remulon Point system. Despite the rather foul environmental conditions of the day, myself and a group of my roommates (Trent Richardson, Vlad something-or-rather, Kimberly ('Kim' for short, 'K.' for laughs) Malkovic, Romina Nardovino, and Quentin K. (the full surname of which I never actually knew to begin with)) were more than happy, scrappy as we were, to indulge in a quick match or two or three of soccer/football/fu/útbol before our educational prorectors would notice (or lightning struck, whichever), our composure compromised due to the thick mud ampally disbursed in a seemingly calculated manner throughout the expanse of grass, dirt, various wayward fauna and just //space// which made up our most peculiar play area. We'd divided ourselves into two teams - myself, Vlad, and Romina versus Quentin, Trent and K. - and had managed to procure an awkward and slightly-deflated but still perfectly serviceable ball for soccer/fútbol (from here on out referred to as simply soccer for simplicity's sake). Using two spacecraft landing poles adjacent to each other and spaced evenly for our "net" and two young twins (instructed not to move and financially compensated with all the pocket change we could scrounge up) who would probably accept any excuse to skip that day's lesson plan of a slightly beyond surface level dissection of Kafka's //Metamorphosis// {{{[SUBJECT'S INTERNAL SPELLING OF THE TERM "Metamorphosis" WAS INCORRECT AND AUTOMATICALLY CORRECTED DURING THE PRE-OPERATIVE ANALYSIS COGNITIVE CONCENTERING PROCESS. ORIGINAL SPELLING: "Metamorphesis"]}}} which they and realistically nobody had actually taken the time to read through for the opposing team's goal - their names were David and Donny Neumann, both fairly cool and good lads, so much so that I can't help but feel something like regret for subjecting them to such a torture. We had quite the ragtag operation going, but it seemed to work well enough. [[Apologies if I'm rambling.]] <<audio "Rain" loop play>><<audio "DaysOfOld" loop play>>

My vision is blurry, I think. So much so, yes, I'm afraid, that I'm beginning to fear an onset of cataracts. Though really, in this dark, it's hard to tell for sure. Perhaps it's for the best. But I still dislike not knowing. I lightly [[vomited]] while reminiscing on that incomplete strand of a plotline. [[So, then, soccer.]] <<audio "Rain" loop play>><<audio "DaysOfOld" loop play>>

The score was six us, fourteen them. The situation was looking grim, a dour sitrep, indeed. If I'm being honest, I feel a rather irregular level of aggression proliferating throughout my body regularly at the thought of losing. It's irrational, but this innate feeling which supercedes any feelings of or similar to compassion and empathy steadily intensified as the gap between their score and ours widened ever further. Lost in that distinctly-zen state of concentration formally christened "flow" by an Earthen psychologist named Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi whilst attempting to coordinate my legs in such a way so that I might narrowly navigate the poorly-displacing ball (due, again, to deflation) through two of my opponents, Kim (K.) and Romina, who had contorted their bodies together in such a way that they had fused into some interwoven bodily wall of ligaments and loose-fitting clothing, I was in such a state that even //entertaining// the idea of conversation with another person, especially one calling to our group with a stern and commanding veneer from far away, say, twenty meters, was absolutely ludicrous. Distracted as they were by what seemed to me at the time like some kind of ghastly figure or supernatural phenomena that my competitive nature simply had neither the time nor the place for, I duped them, absolutely, positively //duped// their human blockade, lightly kicking the ball between K.'s legs and spinning around in a fashionable manner whilst still locomoting forward so that I could just about uncomfortably writhe between them. [[I made the goal.]] <<audio "Rain" loop play>><<audio "DaysOfOld" loop play>>

Telling stories helps to distract from the bad feelings. My conservationist tendencies took themselves too far in forcing me against my own will to use the remains of what was once a gliding white parachute, now turned unnecessarily makeshift handkerchief. How does this relate to [[soccer,->So, then, soccer.]] you may ask? Your guess, I'm afraid, is as good as mine. <<audio "Rain" loop play>><<audio "DaysOfOld" loop play>>

If, today, I were to ignore the callings of an esteemed and high-ranking officer of the good ol' Materials Extraction Assemblage Headquarters, I would surely receive a stern talking-to, a warning of sorts, though most likely not a demotion, unless this were to become a repeating offense, of course. But, since I was then merely a child, an adolescent without any notion of their immediate heritage, the infraction was ultimately ignored. A relief. From the great distance between us, I heard a voice: [['->You have been chosen.]]//[[You have been chosen.]]//[['->You have been chosen.]] <<audio "Rain" loop play>><<audio "DaysOfOld" loop play>>

I was only thirteen, then, and it was easy access to healthcare. I wouldn't have to worry about much. I could just...do. Life ceased to become a problem to constantly solve. The rest, as they say, is [[history.->hallucination]] <<audio "Rain" loop play>><<audio "DaysOfOld" loop play>>

<<insertlink "I awake once again.">> <<insertlink "My headache is splintering.">> It's hard to see - the air has made itself visible, become a thick fog, and <<insertlink "cold as ice.">> Breathing is difficult. With every inhalation it feels as if my lungs are burning me alive from the inside. I feel congested. Malaised. Not claustrophobic, but it is as if I've <<insertlink "become so.">> <<insertlink "Remove upper section of uniform.">> <<insertlink "Shivers.">> It hurts to look around. My eyes have become merely irritants. I imagine them appearing to another as dark voids to another universe. I've some <<insertlink "tight joints in the back of my body.">> <<insertlink "Crack neck.">> <<insertlink "Nothing happens.">> <<insertlink "My skin is itchy.">> Scratch it. <<insertlink "Indulge.">> Nothing happens. It's uncomfortable to touch due to the dried-up sweat. I could really use a [[shower]] right about now.<</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>> <<if previous() eq "You have been chosen.">><<audio "DaysOfOld" fadeout>><<audio "Rain" fadeout>><</if>><<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Wind2" loop play>>

I somewhat miss the rain. I haven't had anything to drink or eat in what seems like days. I don't know how long it's been. I don't know where I am, and I don't remember how I got here. The blood on the ground has dried up. I can't see the sky, the stars, the planets, or the Gargandua through all the smog. I imagine what may have once been my pupils is likely now two (nearly) symmetrical holes, burned in the same hellstorm of an inferno that currently sears my internal organs. <<if not visited("Look down 2")>>[[Look down.->Look down 2]]<<else>>Ground at my feet. Just as before.<</if>> <<if not visited("Look left 2")>>[[Look left.->Look left 2]]<<else>>To my left, it's just walls. Are they closing in?<</if>> <<if not visited("Look right 2")>>[[Look right.->Look right 2]]<<else>>Nothingness to my right.<</if>> <<if not visited("Survey the air 2")>>[[Survey the air.->Survey the air 2]]<<else>>I'm breathing, I suppose.<</if>> <<if not visited("Listen to the sounds 2")>>[[Listen to the sounds.->Listen to the sounds 2]]<<else>>I hear ambient noises, but they don't particularly interest me.<</if>> <<if $lookCounter2 >= 3>>[[Look up.->Look up 2]]<</if>> <<if previous() eq "Listen to the sounds 2">><<audio "Hum" fadeout>><</if>><<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Wind2" loop play>>

With all of my might, I crack my neck back so as to look up. It feels good. Until it doesn't. The hole is the highest it's ever been. Surely, this must be so. Yet I notice something out of character about it, visually. Two black dots have manifested themselves on opposite sides of the hole's mouth, one to my right, the other to my left. They appear as if silhouettes juxtaposed against the somewhat blue, somewhat grey sky. [[Stare back.]] <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Wind2" loop play>>

<><<set $lookCounter2 += 1>> <>The ground has dried up. Perhaps during my time of meditation the sun exposed itself and exhausted the moisture from this hole. [[Look back forward.->shower]] <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Wind2" loop play>>

<><<set $lookCounter += 1>> <>The cylindrical walls feel as if they are towering higher and higher, by the minute. Or perhaps it's I who is getting ever smaller? [[Look back up.->shower]] <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Wind2" loop play>>

<><<set $lookCounter += 1>> <>Walls. Cracks. Fissures. Light humming sounds. Now contained within a thick layer of fog. [[Look back forward.->shower]] <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Wind2" loop play>>

Seconds pass. The dots peer downwardly with what feels like a hellish intent. My eyes blur them together at seemingly regular intervals of time, but I know better that this is just self-imposed visual trickery, and that the dots are in fact separate entities. They seem to be gestating violently. In fact, they've become more like figureless globules, shaking and rattling like our ship engine on a hot planet. The sight frightens me. [[But I can't seem to look away.]] <<audio "Watch" loop play>><<audio "Wind" loop play fadeto 0.5>><<audio "Wind2" loop play fadeto 0.5>>

The shapeless beings are morphing, shapeshifting. This is an eldritch horror, true and direct. They command my utmost attention. I feel my body freeze up. <<insertlink "Run to the back of the hole in terror.">> I can't <<insertlink "move my legs.">> Shield my vision from these <<insertlink "horrors.">> I can't move my hands, nor even separate my fingers. I'm sweating profusely. Drops of perspiration fall to the ground. <<insertlink "Is it even there anymore?">> <<insertlink "Look down.">> But I can't move my head. The figure on the left is the first to complete its transformation. It resembles something of a humanoid figure, gender normative masculine features (broad, imposing shoulders, wide chest, short (or perhaps a lack of) hair) and a jet black contour. Somewhat tall, but not quite colossal either. About my size. I stare at <<insertlink "him.">> <<insertlink "Him?">> <<insertlink "It.">> [[It stares back.]]<</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>> <<audio "Watch" loop play>><<audio "Wind" loop play fadeto 0.5>><<audio "Wind2" loop play fadeto 0.5>>

The other figure completes its transformation as well. This one is also humanoid, but resembles more of a woman. Her hair wrapped in a bun, fit, arms at her side, a bit taller, and in much the same stance as the man. They are almost echoes of each other. She, too, stares downward at me. I feel something of a draw to her, if one could picture such a strange thing, or perhaps it's simply that I find the other figure to be particularly repulsive. Still, both are absolutely abhorrent. They won't stop staring. All they do is stand there, lifeless, motionless. No face and thus no expression. Cold, calculated, mute. Yet still animated, as their outlines still seem to vibrate like animated sine waves, whilst retaining their general humanoid form. [[And then, the two begin to coalesce.]] <<audio "Watch" loop play>><<audio "Wind" loop play fadeto 0.5>><<audio "Wind2" loop play fadeto 0.5>>

The man reaches his left arm out across the gap between them, and I now notice he is without hands - the tip of his forearm is merely a bare stub. His other arm remains to his side, inanimate. The woman replies to this gesture by doing the same, extending her right arm outwardly (and slightly contorting her body in doing so) so as to reach for his. They stand there, staring down to me, arms prolonged, deathly and dull, like two sullen trees in a vast and lonely, arid desert. I can do nothing but stand here, frightened and bare, beyond my limits, now a petrified corpse. Gone. Nothing. This is nature now. And the hole is too wide to accomodate for their embrace. [[So, they supersede.]] <<audio "Watch" loop play>><<audio "Wind" loop play fadeto 0.5>><<audio "Wind2" loop play fadeto 0.5>>

Still peering down upon me, outlines animated, but otherwise frozen, black as tar, their handless arms began to fuse together in a ritual which I can only begin to describe as perplexing. At this point in this nightmarish routine, I wasn't so much frightened anymore as I was intrigued by what these two figures might do next. There they stood, linked by arms, as if they had inserted their arms into each other's sleeves, but hunched over so as to reach each other as regular human beings might do, just completely and plaintively stoic with arms extended as a super hero might do, but these were not heroes, no, they might be alien creatures or ghosts or even demons. They stood there. [[And I stood here.]] <<audio "Watch" loop play>><<audio "Wind" loop play fadeto 0.5>><<audio "Wind2" loop play fadeto 0.5>>

And then, [[something happened.]] <<audio "Watch" loop play>><<audio "Wind" loop play fadeto 0.5>><<audio "Wind2" loop play fadeto 0.5>>

Their bodies completely fused, tendrils of black pillars reached out from every which ligament of these once corporeal beings, grabbing onto each other. A brutal sight. The tendrils expanded, shutting out the ambient light from above, leaving only miniscule pockets of negative space, and those too were shrinking, and those too, and those ones, and now it's almost completely dark, and there's not much air coming in from above as before, the headache pounds more violently than ever, heartbeat pumping, thump thump thump, but like, irregularly, so thump (....) thump thump thump - why is my sweat so sticky and upsetting? - each inhalation of air thinner and more damaging to my lungs than the last, even with no heads they won't stop looking at me, and if only I'd said no, I won't do this, I won't be complicit in this, breathing is hard, this damned cor[[-->scientist can't handle it]] <<audio "Watch" loop play>><<audio "Wind" loop play fadeto 0.5>><<audio "Wind2" loop play fadeto 0.5>>

<<masteraudio stop>><<audio "Drone1" loop play>><<audio "Drone2" loop play>><<insertlink "'//What the fuck!?//'">> <<insertlink "'//What?//'">> <<insertlink "'//Just, fuck!//'">> <<insertlink "'//Did something happen? Your vitals are going haywi-//'">> <<insertlink "'//Fucking A, something happened!//'">> <<insertlink "'//Okay, just calm do-//'">> <<insertlink "'//You calm down! Don't tell me to calm down!//'">> <<insertlink "'//Just tell me what happened.//'">> <<insertlink "'//That was fucked up, dude, I didn't sign up for this shit.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Jesus, Mark, you act like you saw a ghost or something.//'">> <<insertlink "'//I mean, I guess maybe you could call it that. I mean, as close to that as this thing could do.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Here, drink some water. It's been a long day.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Alright. Thanks, I guess.//'">> <<insertlink "'//...//'">> <<insertlink "'//...//'">> <<insertlink "'//Yeah.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Okay, so, like...God, I don't even know where to begin.//'">> '//Just start from the top of what's [[relevant.->scientist can't handle it 2]]//'<</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>>

The headache is still there, but I've become accustomed to it, in a way. I'm okay with the sweat. The rhythm of my heartbeat has slightly receded to something resembling a normal cadence. I must have been out for, I'd say, maybe three hours, or so? From what I can make of it, the sky above is a dark, almost comforting blue. Clouds, again, conceal most of it, but it's definitely there, and brighter than before. [[Try and stand up.->final stand up]] [[Don't even bother.]] <<if previous() eq "scientist can't handle it 2">><<masteraudio stop>><</if>><<audio "Wind" fadein loop play>><<audio "Wind2" fadein loop play>>

I get up just enough so that my knees make roughly a right (about 90°) angle before collapsing onto the ground when my legs simply gave out. [[Is this it?]] <<audio "Wind" fadein loop play>><<audio "Wind2" fadein loop play>>

<><<set $lookCounter2 += 1>> <>Each breath of this air hurts my lungs. I assume it's breathable air, but then again, I suppose there's no way to know for sure. It's more likely that the pain in my general chest area is a result of my current poor conditions. [[Look back forward.->shower]] <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Wind2" loop play>>

<><<set $lookCounter2 += 1>> <>I hear a mixture of the wind blowing and that same humming sound reverberating within the stone walls (though perhaps this now is simply my poor bodily state playing tricks on me). I can make noises by yelling for help or tapping the rock surface with my hands or feet, but both are for not. [[Look back forward.->shower]] <<audio "Hum" fadein loop play>><<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Wind2" loop play>>

I already know that I'm simply much too weak to even attempt to bring myself into an upright position. [[Is this it?]] <<audio "Wind" fadein loop play>><<audio "Wind2" fadein loop play>>

While my brain is still functional, allow me to recount one [[final story.]] <<audio "Wind" fadein loop play>><<audio "Wind2" fadein loop play>>

I was awoken from what I can only assume must have been a pleasant dream (because this disturbance was rather perturbing, distressingly so when I consider my current quality of sleep) by the piercing sound of our [[Emergency Alarm System]] (EAS), which emanated into my ears directly due to an unfortunate positioning of the intercom speaker which comes standard with each crewmember's living quarters (my bed was positioned directly underneath it). In the center of the room, attached economically to a crewmember's ceiling fan is a rather retro-futuristic not-quite-square red light thing, which when the EAS is activated, lights up and spins around. I know not why this is necessary to have in one's quarters, because I can't think of an activity so inhibiting of one's ability to hear that one would not be able to hear the speaker system, so I somewhat came to detest this alarm apparatus, but there I go rambling again, old hat. Exhausted from the previous day's work, I'd completely forgotten to remove my crewmember's uniform before retiring, which in these unusual circumstances became an unforeseen ally, for sure. I grabbed my emergency parachute, quickly but carefully shoved it into my rear pack, and exited through the door which automatically locks behind you when you leave. Only now do I realize that I'd had the door on auto-lock and left my personal identification key card in order to be able to reenter the premises. Hopefully [[one day]] I'll need it again. <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>><<if previous() eq "Is this it?">><<audio "Wind" fadeout>><<audio "Wind2" fadeout>><</if>>

I'm afraid there's simply no way to make this sound more interesting than it is - the captain of an MEA vessel can activate an alarm system indicating danger. Loud noises and vibrant lights on and one knows that there's trouble afoot. [[Just like now.->final story.]] <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>

In the hall containing my room and each of the other crewmates, save for Capt. Agostini, everyone else (sans the mutually forgetful Watanabe) had their doors (wisely) propped open via their individual auto-lock systems. The scene there can only be described as being one of an endemic panic: Gibbons: <<insertlink "'//Can somebody explain to me just what the hell is going on?//'">> Watanabe: <<insertlink "'//Well, Ms. Agostini must have triggered the alarm.//'">> Gibbons: <<insertlink "'//Yeah, no shit!//'">> McTavish: '//No need to panic, miss. I'm sure this is just some kind of //<<insertlink "//misunderstanding.//'">> Myself: '//To be fair, {{{[REDACTED]}}}, this is pretty unusual behavior. I doubt the captain would pull the trigger on an EAS unless //<<insertlink "//something was up.//'">> Fishburne: <<insertlink "'//Let's just go see what's up before jumping to any conclusions, here.//'">> Myself: <<insertlink "'//Agreed.//'">> We all walked in the direction of the meeting room, where crewmembers are to go whenever an EAS is activated. So as to not embarrass him, I whispered toward Watanabe: <<insertlink "'//You should refer to her as Capt. Agostini, not Ms. Agostini, Watanabe.//'">> Watanabe shyly replied with: <<insertlink "'//Ah, yeah, you're right. Sorry about that.//'">> I'll miss Agent Watanabe. The crewmembers entered the [[conference room.->waiting room.]]<</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>> <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>><<if previous() eq "final story.">><<audio "DoorOpen" play>><</if>>

We each took our usual seats. The discomforting alarm system was still active, and I was feeling underslept - an upsetting combination for a person, indeed. Capt. Agostini was seated at the foot of the table, her seat turned so that the reclining backrest was facing the rest of the crew, her neck protracted backward so as to look up at the conference screen and all we could see was her uncharacteristically unkempt red curly hair. The screen displayed something rather unusual, not unusual in the sense that it was functioning abnormally, simply in the sense that the captain was usually not one to use its intergalactic navigational capabilities that often, due to the recommended usage of auto-pilot by HQ. Comprising the screen's real estate was a two-dimensional representation of the section of the universe in our immediate vicinity. Prominently displayed in the center of this intergalactic atlas was a flashing triangular icon - this represented our current location. The remainder of the map's makeup consisted of light blue circles which represented neighboring planets, with often multiple amounts of cream-white circles orbiting around them to represent each planet's corresponding moons, larger yellow circles to represent suns, crude images of satellites which were tinted red so as to instruct ships to avoid them in order to avoid damages which would be <<if not visited("costly")>>[[costly]]<<else>>costly<</if>> to the IFPU, rectangular shapes of differing sizes (to represent holding capacity) which signified MEA RD's, and a star with an arrow orbiting around it aligned to the left corner of the screen to indicate which direction the Gargandua should be (usually automatically) piloted in order to reach MEA HQ, where all of the other governing offices of the IFPU were also stationed. There flashed an exclamation mark at the upper right side of the screen, curiously in the direction which we were facing, which indicates a DistressSignal has been activated by somebody. I naïvely wrote this off due to the non-irregular prevalence of distress beacons - it's a vast place beyond this ship, after all! Upon further scrutiny of the map, I came to the realization that we were in the Old Solar System, which is peculiar considering all legally boardable planets there were well-accounted for in terms of the viability of their resources. Perhaps venturing through it as a shortcut? We were also going way faster than what is considered standard protocol. Gibbons, of course, was the first to [[speak up.]] <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>><<if previous() eq "one day">><<audio "DoorOpen" play>><</if>>

Let's say our ship today were to spontaneously combust out of the blue, unprovoked, without any proper warning to MEA HQ that there may in fact be an impending danger afoot. The MEA would usually instruct the captain of a crew to try and maneuver a ship as much in the direction of HQ as possible so as to minimize search and rescue efforts as well as to reduce the cost of both manning a vessel with said rescue team as well as the supplies necessary to effectively commandeer such an operation. One of these days I'll be less prone to [[distractions,->waiting room.]] maybe. <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>

Gibbons: <<insertlink "'//You going to explain this nonsense, or what?//'">> Fishburne: <<insertlink "'//Now, there's no need to be rash...//'">> Capt. Agostini rotates to face us in her captain's chair. Capt. Agostini: <<insertlink "'//No, it's okay. She's right. You all deserve an explanation for such a disturbance as this.//'">> Gibbons: <<insertlink "'//I'm all ears, then.//'">> Watanabe, yelling: <<insertlink "'//Well, um, I wish I could say the same. I can't really hear you guys too well!//'">> Capt. Agostini: <<insertlink "'//Right, sorry about that.//'">> She turns off the alarm with the press of a button. Myself: <<insertlink "'//I'm sure this is for good reason, miss.//'">> Capt. Agostini: <<insertlink "'//Well, it's for a reason, for sure. I've a problem that needs solving.//'">> Myself: <<insertlink "'//A problem, miss?//'">> Watanabe, whispering to me: <<insertlink "'//I thought you said not to call her that...//'">> Kalman: <<insertlink "'//What do you mean by that, captain? What kind of problem?//'">> Newman: <<insertlink "'//Like a...lady problem?//'">> Dr. McTavish: <<insertlink "'//Not to come across as chauvinistic, captain, but I'm sure I could be of some - //'">> Capt. Agostini, smirking: <<insertlink "'//Ha, no, it's nothing like that.//'">> She pauses for a couple seconds. My ears are still ringing. Nobody was breathing - not because it hurt to, though. Her slightly playful yet coy enigma lets up, visibly so by the demeanor about her concerned countenance. Capt. Agostini: <<insertlink "'//The ship is currently set to pilot itself to the location of an active DistressSignal. My husband's.//'">> Aside from our chatter, then, the room seemed thoroughly mute, almost in an oddly tranquil sense of the word. Only at this moment could one experience a silence beyond suffocation, save for the humming noise from various types of machinery, and the meteoric combustions of the Gargandua's fuselage. The temperature was slightly above room. Agostini, deadpan: <<insertlink "'//Of course, this is strictly against policy, hence the alarms.//'">> Myself, really quite exasperatingly: <<insertlink "'//Wait, what!?//'">> Watanabe: <<insertlink "'//But, you're not really supposed to do that, captain. We went through training and everything.//'">> Gibbons, virulently: <<insertlink "'//Are you fucking kidding me right now? You're going to get us all fired, if not killed!//'">> Agostini: <<insertlink "'//It's true what you say, Ms. {{{[REDACTED]}}} Gibb - //'">> Gibbons: <<insertlink "'//Don't get cute with me, this is horseshit, A.! What the hell are you thinking!?//'">> Myself: <<insertlink "'//I...I'm afraid she's not wrong, captain.//'">> Agostini: '//This is just how it's going to be. The truth is, I don't really care. You're all wasting time arguing about it. Gather your emergency shit and be in the bridge in under two minutes to strap yourselves into the restraints - this'll be a// <<insertlink "//rough one.//'">> She rarely cursed at us. [[Rarely.]]<</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>> <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>

I paced myself toward the hall back to my personal quarters - the others had ran out the door in something of a panic - before about-facing in realization that I really couldn't think of anything worthwhile to take with me in whatever journey I was about to face (going to the galley to gather supplies would take far too much time). I was, of course, completely mistaken in this judgment, lacking any and all foresight which could have assisted with my current predicament. There I stood, in the hall of our living quarters, for once, afraid with an uncertainty not felt since that fateful day back at the orphanage. Had [[Agostini->chatter]] really been married? <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>><<if previous() eq "speak up.">><<audio "DoorOpen" play>><</if>>

It felt like it was all happening at once. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be. Their doors left open, my crewmembers were rushing to pack any vital belongings they could into their meager but well-fortified knapsacks. There I stood, wide-eyed. Frozen. Bag in right hand, dangling, kissing the steel flooring. Knees weak. I was ready to collapse there. Unsure. I could hear their chatter amongst themselves, their messages of outrage delivering themselves from the confines of one room to the next, to and fro. I couldn't see any of them, but didn't need to to discern who's who: Kalman, divorced from his usual calm character: <<insertlink "'//What the fucking fuck? What is this shit about?//'">> Dirty clothes and discarded cases of toiletries were being tossed haphazardly from their rooms to the hallway, littering the floor in trash mounds fit for a dumpster or a planet void of harvestable materials, unlivable and worthless. Gibbons: <<insertlink "'//She's a bullshitter, I always knew it. Fucking worthless, never liked her! I told y'all, I did!//'">> Already a minute had passed. Captain (captain?) had said to be back in under two minutes. My heart pulsated vigorously - it just about flung from the confines of my left-justified chest and joined the old clothes on the floor. Watanabe: <<insertlink "'//I don't know what to bring! I've got so much crap here and - //'">> McTavish, orderly as ever, was the only room where the acoustics of the hall had made it clear that he wasn't in a frenzy so much as he was in something of a disconcerted resolve to his infrequent murmurings, like how I imagine a disappointed parent might feel toward his or her kin. Fishburne, just loud enough to be heard over the mania: <<insertlink "'//Hey N., do you need me to pack anything extra?//'">> Newman says nothing. Probably forty-five seconds left. Fishburne: <<insertlink "'//Newman, did you leave anything here you'll need just in c-//'">> I couldn't stand to hear their voices anymore. I turned to the door and ran so fast it barely had time to open itself for my [[exit.]]<</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>> <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>

I took the elevator up to the bridge. The ride up felt...<<timed 5s>> <<insertlink "unnervingly slow.">><<audio "ElevatorDing" play>> It was during that ride that I remembered I had left my emergency pack back in my quarters, but it was far too late to go get it. Would I see that pack, that computer, that room ever again? What if he called? Agostini stood at the front of her room, hands grasping each other behind herself. Exterior view windows abound, it was finally made clear to me how briskly we truly were moving toward our destination, a planet which[[...->Earth description]]<</insertlink>><</timed>> <<audio "Elevator1" loop play>><<audio "Elevator2" loop play>><<if previous() eq "chatter">><<audio "Ship1" fadeout>><<audio "Ship2" fadeout>><</if>>

From a distance, if viewing this planet out of leisure, one would see a combination of undescriptive swaths of white, a solid blue ocean permeated with dark green and brown landmasses. I'm temporarily taken aback by its [[beauty.->now?]] <<if previous() eq "exit.">> <<audio "Elevator1" fadeout>><<audio "Elevator2" fadeout>><</if>>

My vision is all but gone. [[Close.]] <<audio "Plans" loop play>>

<<insertlink "Darkness.">> <<insertlink "Lungs...">> <<insertlink "The figures left.">> <<insertlink "Not much time.">> <<insertlink "Could have brought some food.">> [[Oh.]]<</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>> <<audio "Plans" loop play>>

The captain faced the planet. She had already restrained herself to the captain's rest with a number of fortified seatbelts. She couldn't look away, even if she wanted to. Her hair had been made since I saw her not long ago. Incredulous. <<insertlink "'//What is going on, Agostini? Please, explain what this is about!//'">> Agostini: <<insertlink "'//We're going this fast so we don't get caught. You would have done it too.//'">> Myself: <<insertlink "'//I...I would never. This is insane. We could die.//'">> She said nothing. Myself: <<insertlink "'//We will die!//'">> Agostini: <<insertlink "'//When you live for something beyond yourself, beyond your grasp, day after day, I think then you'll understand.//'">> I couldn't speak. Agostini: <<insertlink "'//The others, you know, they probably won't make it in time. We're more likely to make it up here. We'll get sent out the windows when the ship hits a tree. They're really tall there. They can break out fall. Just sit. Strap in.//'">> Twenty seconds until impact. The planet seemed bigger, as if it had actually grown, though in reality we'd simply gotten closer to it. I didn't speak, just strapped myself into the restraints. Agostini: <<insertlink "'//They can hear us, you know. This...//'">> Myself: <<insertlink "'//Where are we going!? What is that place?//'">> Agostini: [['->crash end]]//[[...different times...There was no other way. I am sorry, you know.->crash end]]//[['->crash end]]<</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>> <<audio "Plans" loop play>><<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>

<<timed 7s>> I think I see now.<<timed 5s>><<goto "I don't remember how I got here">><</timed>><</timed>><<masteraudio stop>>

I don't remember all the details. But I'm [[here.->Kalman outro]] <<audio "See" play>>

Reliable John Kalman. I never knew your middle name, nor much about you... [[But I wish I had.->Watanabe outro]]

Ichiro Watanabe, always aloof. Earnest... [[A steadfast spirit.->Gibbons outro]]

Firey hot, daring Michelle Arafa Gibbons... [[She followed her heart, always.->McTavish outro]]

Cheery, peachy-eyed Cecil McTavish... [[Rejuvenating, a man for good.->Fishburne outro]]

Wise, charitable Clarence Morgan Fishburne... [[Sharp, without rival.->Newman outro]]

Organized to a 'T', the motherly Mallory Claire Newman was... [[I could use her poise.->Agostini outro]]

Lisa... I know not why you did what you did. But never was there another leader of your kind, with your command, your heart. [[Maybe I would have. In a different time, a different life.->Thompson outro]]

<<timed 2s>>... <<timed 5s>>...Did you all make it?... <<timed 5s>>...They're still there... <<timed 5s>>...I'm looking forward to joining you all on the bridge... <<timed 5s>>...I'll have coffee ready... <<timed 5s>><<goto "final glitch">><</timed>><</timed>><</timed>><</timed>><</timed>><</timed>>

<<masteraudio stop>><<timed 4s>><<audio "Error" play>> opiu0ro897q0omvcxcvodasl;kf098q74[t5uq57[0asidfjoasidfjksdfl/aksdrpa78sd9pf8uaspdfjas;ldkfja;sdofapsdf78p9as8dfp8zvxc98pWEQr5psd(F*7%$^&%&)D34asfp&*()234<<timed 750ms>> zxcl;kv;oO:()f234897asdf;ljasdf9p8sdfl;asdjf;ifu(D*fOSIDJf0a98s7ersdfka98WE98Q234PJADFKKp8asdfpqp348aspdfP*(&kl;jfdpa89f7P*p;lasdfjq2 34*POI9pq9348asdf;lij<<timed 500ms>> &*)*&90l;sdkfj;alsiopweurp98q734w&&&&&&&&&&&&idfjopiasdjfl/km23;4lkmaopusdo;fiasmdl/kmqw;eoriuop uA*()UP'oijrq3089P89odp s(*fP*(&per*ASD[FASDFP3458Q7P8I PO/DL;SFIJA;SODIFP_A98W7EP58*&(*;asdjf;oiajs;o8347:I:O*&l;ijs;foiajs;dorf823p847;lij:OIJ;ro8SO:Idfiouer;ij:OIU;dlfijas;dli8374:OISDUFS:Oij;sdofijxlkjx,cvn,xhkdfkgjhPIOYPSDIOf;ji;qoiwo34 u8pu<<timed 500ms>> apsd89fupozxcvlkm/vpaw8ouerpijoiuspdofuap8sup98ajpw98erp98ap98pasdjfpasdp9f;k;lxciuyfop8 3j4oPIOUSPODFUIakl;weouirPOUpfoijsdlkcvbjksyrweyaisdufyoasduify9879e8a sdiojfpasji8df9p8ausopd89f7a9p8sjdp9uq20954ijasdfpioasduPSUPOIJP9f8upa98sudrp98&*(L:asdjfp89W#&$POIJsdf;oipo387;O*&;ljr;oi;uspfioasjdfl;kbm,.L^KhfklIL^&SDFYLUI;o58upaf8uy;SODI;o*&edrt;ioaj;wefioma;os87rt;34oj;aioj;a8ow745opa8js;fodija;wo8357as;dfoiauys;oifuasopidfjpoj39p84p57P*O&POIDFJoasidjpf8o347P*O&sld;fjxjklhksieruyasd;foija;o&(&osidjflisr238974:ILUp8osdjfpoa8jidsfoiasdff;;;O&SD:FOIJSDOifjSDF<<timed 1750ms>> al;skdfjawiopeuropijsd;ff;G;ol;lj;j;jlk;asjd;flkjO;;j;aoisdfO;ldfj;lasjdf;lkajsd;lfD;lj;lakjf;aiosudropi2kxcvjzxklc8uyrasdjfzBlkasdiouf;oiawe;rij;lsdfiua ;sodmf;laskdf;oaisdufYl;asldiuf;asidfo;aidflk;Easdlfkj_asl;dkfo;iuwopiruo;iasdf;oasidjfo;aisdjfqiouwopriqup345789p879(98qaw7907q25q9083475908qw7er9087qwer90t7w90er8t790we8r7t908we7rt8907we r98t7we90r8t7fkldjkl;xvbio98qw379r 879df890we8r70q978498asdfjopasdjfaw89e7r98jhasdkljx,cvjklxidfoweiru9w87rq98we7r9087qwe09r87zxdlfji;zidjfasioufopasdfopiasdfopiuasdpf8apsd8fu98fiasiodfuyiweroiq78oier78oiwr78oiajfkl sdhfioaus yoiwyoow7eyro7asdoi7fasoidf7yaosd7yfopiUPOIJOPIFupo8347ioj:OIFsoidfjPO*&SfijO*UF:Ojo18IOJH:@OIJ:Ojoij;OIJ:~OIJ:oij;o38234j;Jkdfyhksuyekvhxjhei7wrjksdkwe4y5iwhefiuwnfiuwytyisuhfisu7hfis7yfisudhfisjdhfisdhfisjdhfisdh <<timed 750ms>><<goto "Kicked out of machine">><</timed>><</timed>><</timed>><</timed>><</timed>><</timed>>

<<masteraudio stop>><<audio "Drone1" loop play>><<audio "Drone2" loop play>><<insertlink "'//Alright, that's enough.//'">> <<insertlink "'//...//'">> <<insertlink "'//Hey, you alright?//'">> <<insertlink "'//Intense.//'">> <<insertlink "'//What? I mean, yeah, I can imagine.//'">> <<insertlink "'//I...//'">> <<insertlink "'//We're done.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Uh. Yeah. Right.//'">> <<insertlink "'//How do you feel?//'">> <<insertlink "'//Like...just, weird.//'">> <<insertlink "'//I got you some water, here.//'">> <<insertlink "'//...//'">> <<insertlink "'//...//'">> <<insertlink "'//...//'">> <<insertlink "'//You were in there for a while.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Thanks. Yeah, I guess I was. Hard to catch your breath.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Well, you've put me off doing it, that's for sure.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Anna...I saw their names.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Well yeah, it keeps their last names in. You knew that much.//'">> <<insertlink "'//No, I mean, their full names. I saw them all, just before I got out. I saw their names.//'">> <<insertlink "'//That's...you sure you're feeling okay? It shouldn't be doing that.//'">> <<insertlink "'//But it did.//'">> <<insertlink "'//And you never saw them at all before that?//'">> <<insertlink "'//They were removed then, like you said. But this time, before she...you know, she kinda like said her goodbyes.//'">> <<insertlink "'//That's...weirdly poignant. Do you rememb-//'">><<audio "DoorOpen" play>> <<insertlink "'//Agent Tsukamoto. Agent Posala. How are things progressing?//'">> <<insertlink "'//We just finished, Agent Gadd. I made sure to index all issues, as was discussed.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Ah! Good to hear. Agent Posala, how was your first trip?//'">> <<insertlink "'//It was...an experience, sir.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Yes, everyone's first is, and you were in there for the whole day, to boot! Before I take a look at the file tomorrow, anything worth mentioning up front?//'">> <<insertlink "'//No, sir. Aside from the captain's-//'">> <<insertlink "'//It's not necessary to say it. Not //kosher//. Anything about that we didn't already know?//'">> <<insertlink "'//Nothin' much to report, sir. Anything on their end?//'">> '//I'm afraid everyone's coming up dry, so far. I'm sure you've had similar luck with regards to what these strange holes are all about. Maybe they're good for something, who knows. Regardless, we'll keep looking. Anyway, I'll leave you two to clock out! See you all tomorrow, //<<insertlink "//bright and early!//'">> <<insertlink "'//Right, then. Good night.//'">> <<insertlink "'//...//'">> <<insertlink "'//...//'">> <<insertlink "'//...//'">> <<insertlink "'//...//'">> <<insertlink "'//Let's grab a bite. We can talk about all this then.//'">> <<timed 4s>><<goto "final passage">><</timed>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>>

//One of the two solar-powered tillers is tilted on its side, partially dysfunctional from years of wear and tear. The other stands upright. It's a beautiful day. The sun's light casts long shadows. Skies as blue as her favorite color. The meadows host diverse groups of flora and fauna, from bright yellow sunflowers to newly-sprouted butterflies to a small family of rabbits hopping, traversing their ways around sizable pockets of planetary matter so as to not fall prey to this planet's traps, jumpin', hoppin' and skippin' along, hardly a care in the world. Row after row of flowering strawberries have just ripened after having been planted, left exposed to ample sunlight, and it's just the season for light showers to keep everything alive but never drenched. Two farmers sat, lounging in lawn chairs perched underneath a sizeable-enough biodiesel-fueled row crop tractor, its engine rated at about 180 horsepower, powerful, its back side reading - "THIS MACHINERY IS TO BE OPERATED BY AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY. ANY AND ALL NON-AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL OPERATING THIS VEHICLE WILL BE REPORTED. REPORT ANY AND ALL DEFECTS IMMEDIATELY TO THIS MACHINE'S CORRESPONDING OFFICE (CONTACT INFORMATION FOUND IN GLOVE COMPARTMENT). DISCRETION ADVISED." - sipping a couple beers, on break. It's a nice day, but also a rather hot one. //<<insertlink "//They kinda always are, here.//">>// But, mostly, it's one of those nice days, the kind where only the two of them were stationed there for miles and miles, hundreds of kilometers devoid of people. Peace and quiet, for the most part. You stopped minding the machines just doing their thing after a while; they brought something of an...ambience, you'd say, to the place. But otherwise, there wasn't nothin' too people-stained about the place, save for their lawn chairs, couple o' beers, a cerulean Horton brand cooler with more booze at the ready whenever they liked. Those big tractors, too big to comfortably maneuver around cracks and holes in the ground, really, and a bunch of greenhouses, growers, off to their left, but just out of sight, still. It was mostly pretty good. //<<insertlink "//Can't complain.//">> <<insertlink "'//Damn, that was a long one.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Yup.//'">> <<insertlink "'//So, you quit then and there, huh?//'">> <<insertlink "'//Stuck it out for a couple weeks. Nothing else like that one, though.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Why'd you quit then?//'">> <<insertlink "'//...//'">> <<insertlink "'//Well?//'">> <<insertlink "'//Just wasn't for me.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Well what about, uh, what's her face?//'">> <<insertlink "'//What's her face?//'">> <<insertlink "'//Yeah, you know. The one you went through it with.//'">> '//We got reassigned a week in. I kinda lost touch. Heard she// <<insertlink "//left too, though.//'">> '//Bummer. Didn't get to fuck that, <<insertlink "huh?'">> <<insertlink "'Uh...no. No, I did not.'">> '//That's wild, man. Wild. //<<insertlink "//Just wild.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Yep. Pretty wild.'">> <<insertlink "'//Wild.//'">> <<insertlink "'//...//'">> <<insertlink "'//Yessir.//'">> "//Well, I'm empty. Back to it. //<<insertlink "//And watch your step!//'">> <<insertlink "'//Right.//'">> //The two men stood up, folded the lawn chairs up for portability, tossed them on the back of the trailer, and left the bare glass bottles in its cup holders. They walked around the tractor to grab their rototillers and start the arduous work process anew. On the tractor's right side, a label read: "INTERGALACTIC FEDERATION FOR PLANETARY UNITY, DEPARTMENT OF EXPORTED AGRICULTURE, LICENSED OFFICIAL VEHICLE". The curious one hopped inside, and the other grabbed one of the two tillers. At their backs was some other kinds of machinery, don't know what, exactly, but it looked important. Expensive, not put together yet. Maybe that's next on the list. But folks can only do so much in one day.// <<insertlink "'//Don't use my damn 'ler, you'll break 'nother one!//'">> <<insertlink "'//Thanks for the words of confidence.//'">> //He grabs the kinda fucked up one. The one that's all broken and you just don't want to use it, but you have to for whatever reason. This and that, you know how it is. Ships are starting to show up, haulin' precious cargo. Back to work, then.// <<insertlink "'//'Ay, you think she saw those, you know, wild-lookin' things? That real, you think?//'">> '//Hard to say for sure. //<<insertlink "'//World's a big place.//'">> //He turned around, starting up again, tilling the rich, fertile ground, beautiful grasslands for days if you're willing to look for it, walking around, grass and all sorts of plant crunching, no unsightly mounds of dirt visible, definitely no mud too, definitely with your heavy boots on, wind at your back, blue skies, and damn that was a good beer. Damn good beer, you'd say. Think he'll top himself off for another when no one's lookin'. Treat yourself on a work day, he'd say, once in a while. Good [[times->Credits.]] they were, good days.//<</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>> <<masteraudio stop>><<audio "RustlingWind" loop play>><<audio "Machinery" loop play>>

Details: Name: {{{[REDACTED]}}} M. Fishburne Race: Black Age: 55 Closest Primary Earthen Nationality: Ugandan Planet of Permanent Residence: {{{[REDACTED]}}} Solar System of Permanent Residence: {{{[REDACTED]}}} Galaxy of Permanent Residence: {{{[REDACTED]}}} Materials Extraction Assemblage Identification Number: {{{[REDACTED]}}} Spacecraft of MEA Affiliation: Gargandua Vocation: Head of Research, Headquarters Liaison Hair color: Black Eye color: Hazel Height: 1.56 m / 5.1 ft. Earthen Weight: 67.62 kg / 149.07 lb. Approximate Body Mass Index: 27.8 [[Return to crewmember list.->people]] <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Rain" loop play>>

Details: Name: {{{[REDACTED]}}} Gibbons Race: Caucasian (Non-White) Age: 29 Gender: Woman Sexual Orientation: Female Closest Primary Earthen Nationality: Egyptian Planet of Permanent Residence: {{{[REDACTED]}}} Solar System of Permanent Residence: {{{[REDACTED]}}} Galaxy of Permanent Residence: {{{[REDACTED]}}} Materials Extraction Assemblage Identification Number: {{{[REDACTED]}}} Spacecraft of MEA Affiliation: Gargandua Vocation: Scavenger Hair color: Black Eye color: Brown Height: 1.69 m / 5.54 ft. Earthen Weight: 82.1 kg / 181 lb. Approximate Body Mass Index: 28.7 [[Return to crewmember list.->people]] <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Rain" loop play>>

Details: Name: {{{[REDACTED]}}} D. Kalman Race: White Age: 34 Gender: Man Sexual Orientation: Male Closest Primary Earthen Nationality: United States of America Planet of Permanent Residence: {{{[REDACTED]}}} Solar System of Permanent Residence: {{{[REDACTED]}}} Galaxy of Permanent Residence: {{{[REDACTED]}}} Materials Extraction Assemblage Identification Number: {{{[REDACTED]}}} Spacecraft of MEA Affiliation: Gargandua Vocation: Scavenger Hair color: Blonde Eye color: Blue Height: 1.74 m / 5.7 ft. Earthen Weight: 74.84 kg / 165 lb. Approximate Body Mass Index: 24.7 [[Return to crewmember list.->people]] <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Rain" loop play>>

Details: Name: {{{[REDACTED]}}} C. Newman Race: White Age: 41 Gender: Woman Sexual Orientation: Female Closest Primary Earthen Nationality: English Planet of Permanent Residence: {{{[REDACTED]}}} Solar System of Permanent Residence: {{{[REDACTED]}}} Galaxy of Permanent Residence: {{{[REDACTED]}}} Materials Extraction Assemblage Identification Number: {{{[REDACTED]}}} Spacecraft of MEA Affiliation: Gargandua Vocation: Facilities Operation & Maintenance Hair color: Brunette Eye color: Hazel Height: 1.56 m / 5.1 ft. Earthen Weight: 67.62 kg / 149.07 lb. Approximate Body Mass Index: 27.8 [[Return to crewmember list.->people]] <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Rain" loop play>>

Details: Name: {{{[REDACTED]}}} Watanabe Race: Asian Age: 26 Gender: Man Sexual Orientation: Male Closest Primary Earthen Nationality: Japanese Solar System of Permanent Residence: {{{[REDACTED]}}} Galaxy of Permanent Residence: {{{[REDACTED]}}} Materials Extraction Assemblage Identification Number: {{{[REDACTED]}}} Spacecraft of MEA Affiliation: Gargandua Vocation: Research Assistant Hair color: Black Eye color: Brown Height: 1.92 m / 6.3 ft. Earthen Weight: 94.27 kg / 207.83 lb. Approximate Body Mass Index: 25.6 [[Return to crewmember list.->people]] <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Rain" loop play>>

Agent McTavish is the resident physician aboard the Gargandua. He studied medical practition on [[Mars]] at the prestigious St. Bernard School of Medicine and was commissioned by the MEA to aid my unit in times of duress. During missions, he stays on the ship and helps tend to necessary administrative duties, and is always on-hand to assist with one's medical needs. McTavish is rather affable, a positive trait for a doctor to possess, indeed. While I don't know him well, as the situation with my leg in this cave I'm trying to forget about will be the first injury I'll have had to report, I've always admired his straightforwardness in his work, as well as his humble sense of respect for his fellow crewmembers. <<if not visited("conference room.")>>[[Knock on McTavish's door.->McTavish room]]<<else>>McTavish went to the kitchen when the meeting was over.<</if>> [[Turn around and do something else.->Leave the room.]]<> <<set $shipMinute += 1>><<if $shipMinute > 59>><<set $shipMinute to 0>><<set $shipHour += 1>><</if>><> <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>

When not actively in pursuit of or engaging in an important mission taken on by the captain, the days aboard the Gargandua are often extremely long, slow and rarely all that fruitful. Typically, I would wake at about 0600 every day, often directly on the hour as per my internal clock. But this doesn't exactly mean I would [[get up]] right on time. <<if previous() eq "people">><<audio "Rain" fadeout>><<audio "Wind" fadeout>><</if>> <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>

Each of the living quarters assigned to a crewmember aboard the MEA Gargandua is roughly 3 meters long by 2.5 meters wide, and about 2.5 meters high. The bed with a stiff but serviceable mattress measures out to 2.3 meters by 1.2 meters, and there's a slight gap (0.6 meters) between it and a black plastic desk issued to all crewmembers, which takes up the remaining 0.7 meters. This leaves one without much room to fit much else beyond these two amenities, so one must usually pack all articles of clothing and toiletries into the small spaces afforded by the desk's three drawers which diminish in dimensions from bottom to top. It usually takes me about seven minutes or so of sitting in quiet contemplation of the past night's dream (if I can even remember them, the potential for which is 50/50; I rarely have dreams so particularly vivid that I can recall anything about them an hour after I'm woken up), as well as closing my eyes for short intervals of ten seconds before I'm able to revert to my usual level of cognizant behavior. The frigid steel floors are irritants to my bare feet. It's cold in general; the heater hasn't worked for the last week, and repairs at an MEA Rehabilitation Depot are likely in order. [[Turn on lights.]] <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>

<<if visited("Turn on lights.") is 1>>The time shown on the antiquated liquid crystal display on my alarm clock situated at the bottom-left corner of the desk (so as to be reachable by my delirious self in the event it does go off) reads "0605", displaying in military time as is customary (that is, sans colon).<<else>>The time is <<if $shipHour < 10>>0<</if>>$shipHour<<if $shipMinute < 10>>0<</if>>$shipMinute.<</if>> <<if not visited ("homescreen")>>[[Look at the large screen above.->screen]]<<else>>[[View the compuscreen.->homescreen]]<</if>> There's a couple things littering my otherwise relatively barren plastic desk. <<if not visited ("stack of books")>>[[Look at the stack of books.->stack of books]]<<else>>[[Fear stack of books.->stack of books]]<</if>> <<if not visited ("journal page 3")>>[[Look at the journal.]]<<else>>That journal is old and needs to be updated. Maybe another time.<</if>> <<if not visited("Sit and wait.")>>[[Sit and wait.]]<<elseif visited("Sit and wait.") is 1>>[[Tap on the desk.->Sit and wait.]]<<elseif visited("Sit and wait.") is 2>>[[Wait for... something.->Sit and wait.]]<<else>>Ought to do something semi-productive while I'm still in here.<</if>> [[Leave the room.]] <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>

Mounted to the wall hanging about twenty centimeters above the surface of the desk is a screen, manufactured by Tele-Transportation Technologics as per a sticker found on the bottom right corner of its forward-facing frame, currently off, and its innards containing a central processing unit and the graphics technology necessary to facilitate significant computations. <<if not visited("turn on screen")>>[[Turn on.->turn on screen]]<<else>>[[Pay attention to the screen.->turn on screen]]<</if>> [[Pay attention elsewhere.->Turn on lights.]]<><<set $shipMinute += 1>><> <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>

<<set $shipMinute += 2>>After a lengthy minute-long boot sequence, wherein the TTT logo is displayed along with a spinning circle indicating proper operations, the MEA version of IFPU's proprietary operating system runs, which begins by offering up two text entry fields asking for one's case-sensitive username and password. Stil hazy from fatigue, my muscle memory kicks in when inputting my username: <<textbox "$username" "">> ...and then my password: <<textbox "$password" "">> [[Submit.->check screen info]] [[Do something else.->Turn on lights.]] <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>

<<if $username == "" or $password == "">>//Both the username and password fields must be filled in (case-sensitive). Please try again: Username:// <<textbox "$username" "">> //Password:// <<textbox "$password" "">> [[Submit.->check screen info]]<<elseif $username eq "yagirlLisa" and $password eq "depth" and not visited("captain homescreen")>>//User credentials accepted. Welcome to your personalized [[MEA homescreen,->captain homescreen]] Unit #9307 Captain Agostini!//<> <><<elseif $username eq "yagirlLisa" and $password eq "depth" and visited("captain homescreen")>>I have already accepted that scrounging around in the captain's private documents isn't such a good idea. I'll login with my own information for now. Username:// <<textbox "$username" "">> //Password:// <<textbox "$password" "">> [[Submit.->check screen info]]<> <><<else>>//User credentials accepted. Welcome to your personalized [[MEA homescreen,->homescreen]] Agent {{{[REDACTED]}}}!//<</if>> [[Do something else.->Turn on lights.]]<> <<set $shipMinute += 1>><<if $shipMinute > 59>><<set $shipMinute to 0>><<set $shipHour += 1>><</if>><> <<audio "Typing" play>><<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>

The amount of things one can do on any crewmember's personal computer is extremely rudimentary in terms of functionality. [[Access messages.->email]] <<if not visited ("social media login failure")>>[[Access social media.->social media]]<<else>>I can't remember my information to get on TalkStop. Probably for the best.<</if>> <<if not visited ("solitaire")>>[[Play solitaire.->solitaire]]<<else>>Solitaire's really not my game.<</if>> <<if $reminder == "">>[[Set reminder.->set reminder]]<<else>>I don't need to set another reminder.<</if>> [[Check reminders.->check reminders]] <<if not visited("IGF")>>[[Read Inspection Gradient Form.->IGF]]<<else>>I don't need to read the Inspection Gradient Form again. Pretty straightforward.<</if>> [[Turn screen off and do something else.->Turn on lights.]]<> <<set $shipMinute += 1>><<if $shipMinute > 59>><<set $shipMinute to 0>><<set $shipHour += 1>><</if>><> <<if previous() eq "make reminder">><<audio "Typing" play>><</if>> <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>

An automated voice, static and robotic, says: "//Hello, $username! You have: $newEmailCounter new messages, and: $oldEmailCounter old messages, and: $deletedEmailCounter deleted messages since your last login at: nineteen forty-seven hours, on: April 23rd, 2489.//" <<if $newEmailCounter > 1>>New messages:<<elseif $newEmailCounter is 1>>New message:<</if>> //<<if not visited("boyfriend message")>>3:49 A.M., 04/24/2489, from //{{{[REDACTED]}}}//: [[RE: were are we at now?->boyfriend message]]<</if>><<if visited("boyfriend message")>><><><<else>> <</if>><<if not visited("StellaView message")>>3:27 A.M., 04/24/2489, from StellaView™ Subscription Services [subscriptions@stellaview.com]: [[Your subscription to StellaView™ is about to expire!->StellaView message]]<</if>><<if visited("StellaView message")>><><><<else>> <</if>><<if not visited("burger king message")>>1:17 A.M., 04/24/2489, from Burger King® Deals [deals@burgerking.com]: [[Coupon augmentation signatures and codes inside! Free McWhopper's®, #ChickenFries, Fries, Drinks, McFlurry's®, Shakes, and More!->burger king message]]<</if>><<if visited("burger king message")>><><><<else>> <</if>><<if not visited("botany message")>>10:33 P.M., 04/23/2489, from Absolute Aromatics [aaromatics@aaromatics.net]: [[We see you've been reading a lot about botany - click here to take that next step!->botany message]]<</if>><<if visited("botany message")>><><><<else>> <</if>><<if not visited("inspection message")>>8:00 P.M., 04/23/2489, from Materials Extraction Assemblage Inspection Reports [reports@mea.ifpu.gov]: [[FWD: Results of Unit #9307's last inspection->inspection message]]<</if>><<if visited("inspection message")>><><><<else>> <</if>>//<<if $oldEmailCounter is 1137>><><><<else>> <</if>><<if $oldEmailCounter is 1138>>Old message:<<elseif $oldEmailCounter > 1138>>Old messages:<</if>> //<<if visited("boyfriend message")>>3:49 A.M., 04/24/2489, from //{{{[REDACTED REDACTED]}}}//: [[RE: were are we at now?->boyfriend message]]<</if>><<if not visited("boyfriend message")>><><><<else>> <</if>><<if visited("StellaView message")>>3:27 A.M., 04/24/2489, from StellaView™ Subscription Services [subscriptions@stellaview.com]: [[Your subscription to StellaView™ is about to expire!->StellaView message]]<</if>><<if not visited("StellaView message")>><><><<else>> <</if>><<if visited("burger king message")>>1:17 A.M., 04/24/2489, from Burger King® Deals [deals@burgerking.com]: [[Coupon augmentation signatures and codes inside! Free McWhoppers®, #ChickenFries, Fries, Drinks, McFlurries®, Shakes, and More!->burger king message]]<</if>><<if not visited("burger king message")>><><><<else>> <</if>><<if visited("botany message")>>10:33 P.M., 04/23/2489, from Absolute Aromatics [aaromatics@aaromatics.net]: [[We see you've been reading a lot about botany - click here to take that next step!->botany message]]<</if>><<if not visited("botany message")>><><><<else>> <</if>><<if visited("inspection message")>>8:00 P.M., 04/23/2489, from Materials Extraction Assemblage Inspection Reports [reports@mea.ifpu.gov]: [[FWD: Results of Unit #9307's last inspection->inspection message]]<</if>><<if not visited("inspection message")>><><><<else>> <</if>>//[[Exit messages.->homescreen]]<> <<set $shipMinute += 1>><<if $shipMinute > 59>><<set $shipMinute to 0>><<set $shipHour += 1>><</if>><> <<if previous() eq "scientist message convo">><<masteraudio stop>><</if>> <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>

I've always vastly preferred physical versions of books - there's something rather tactile about the sensation of being able to turn the pages, to feel the texture of the paper on your fingertips, to hear the sound they make as one flips from one page to the next. There's simply nothing like it. A digital copy could never hope to emulate such pleasantries. Lately, I've been digesting //[[A World Like No Other,]]// //[[Simply Put: A Scattered Diatribe on the New Economy,]]// //[[Ulysses,]]// and //[[The Floral Era,]]// as well as proofreading the short stories, poems, and limericks of an [[old academy cohort.]] [[Look away, do something else.->Turn on lights.]]<> <<set $shipMinute += 1>><<if $shipMinute > 59>><<set $shipMinute to 0>><<set $shipHour += 1>><</if>><> <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>

//3:27 A.M. (2 hours ago), 04/24/2489, from StellaView™ Subscription Services [subscriptions@stellaview.com]: Your subscription to StellaView™ is about to expire! --------------------------------------------------------------- Hello, //{{{[REDACTED]}}}//! We see that your year-long subscription to StellaView™ is about to expire, and that you have no currence ID, credit card, or bank account & routing number registered with your StellaView™ account. We know that during your last year with StellaView™, you've been able to engage with some of the greatest entertainment content of the last five centuries. But just in case you've forgotten: currently our selection of movies and TeleSeries available to stream on demand and instantly download contains the greatest in action, comedy, drama, horror, romance, children's, and non-Earthen English-speaking works. StellaView™'s wide assortment of music is licensed by some of the biggest record companies of the day including the CBG Group, Interscope, Geffen, TuneTap Records, Blue Signal®, and Warp, adding up to one of the largest selections of recorded music in history! And if you or someone in your family is a gamer, then you're in luck: with the push of a button from your remote control or your gamepad, you'll have access to the hottest new releases, as well as a vast selection of emulated releases dating as far back as the 2100's. This unprecedented amount of quality content delivered straight to your television, compuscreen, mobile phone, and augmentative vision device practically makes the case for itself. <<replacelink "Click here">>//[I've no interest in resubscribing, to be candid.]//<</replacelink>> to resubscribe to StellaView™ at the low, low price of just 4600 currence a month! Restart today! StellaView™ Subscription Services (-27380.234209°, 3249872908.237427°, 7023483.329344°), Trinity Sector, Archimedes' Gift Galaxy (882STE)LLA-VIEW ((882783) 552-8439) htutps:/uww.upgrade.stellaview.com subscriptions@stellaview.com This e-mail is an official StellaView™ advertisement. If you no longer wish to receive our marketing e-mails, unsubscribe <<replacelink "here">>//[Done.]//<</replacelink>>. If you have difficulty with the unsubscribe link, you may also send an e-mail to CommunicationServices@stellaview.com. For more information, read our <<replacelink "Privacy Policy">>//[But, really, who reads these things?]//<</replacelink>> or call (882STE)LLA-VIEW.// --------------------------------------------------------------- [[Return to messages.->email]]<> <<if visited("StellaView message") is 1>><<set $newEmailCounter -= 1>><<set $oldEmailCounter += 1>><</if>> <> <<set $shipMinute += 3>><<if $shipMinute > 59>><<set $shipMinute to 0>><<set $shipHour += 1>><</if>><> <> <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>

//10:33 P.M. (7 hours ago), 04/23/2489, from Absolute Aromatics [aaromatics@aaromatics.net]: We see you've been reading a lot about botany - click here to take that next step! --------------------------------------------------------------- You don't have to hide it from us: we know gardening is your secret passion, and no garden is complete without a beautiful assortment of flowers to bring out that spiritual energy you need to start your day. At Absolute Aromatics, we're committed to delivering straight to your home (on land or in orbit, too!) the finest in a variety of Earthen flowers and herbs, ranging from our fantastic selection of starkly purple azaleas, petunias, geraniums, Canterbury Bells, and much, much more! Preserved in our state-of-the-art bioengineering laboratories for hundreds of years with care and developed through both hydroponic and aeroponic methods, our plants are raised at an almost unprecedented level of quality. We're a small, but family-owned and operated business, so you know at Absolute Aromatics we've got that personal touch newcomers need to get started, and a green thumb for those natural gardeners out there, too! Give us a call, visit our website, or shoot us a text/voice email to get good green gardening supplies and info today! Absolute Aromatics (-57890.345987°, 4357289.237427°, 2357.329344°), Radion Sector, Dark Sky Galaxy (874079) 428-7983 htutps:/uww.aaromatics.net aaromatics@aaromatics.net// --------------------------------------------------------------- [[Return to messages.->email]]<> <<if visited("botany message") is 1>><<set $newEmailCounter -= 1>><<set $oldEmailCounter += 1>><</if>> <> <<set $shipMinute += 3>><<if $shipMinute > 59>><<set $shipMinute to 0>><<set $shipHour += 1>><</if>><> <> <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>

//3:49 A.M. (2 hours ago), 04/24/2489, from //{{{[REDACTED REDACTED]}}}//: RE: were are we at now? --------------------------------------------------------------- //{{{[THE FOLLOWING TEXT NOT ENCLOSED WITHIN OPENING AND CLOSING BRACKETS AND VISUALLY APPEARING AS THIS TEXT DOES IS A WRITTEN TRANSCRIPTION OF A PERSONAL AUDIO MESSAGE SENT DIRECTLY TO AGENT #0482589. IT HAS BEEN RECREATED IN TEXTUAL FORMAT TO THE CLOSEST LEVEL OF CORRECTNESS AS POSSIBLE, BUT MAY NOT BE FULLY REPRESENTATIVE OF ANY VERBALIZATIONS FROM THE SENDER TO AGENT #0482589. DISCRETION IS ADVISED:]}}}// Look, I know, it's been shitty... //{{{[PAUSE FOR: 7 SECONDS]}}}// ...it's been hard, I've not been good, but you have to start replying, calling me, just, something, alright? I don't know about you, but, me, uh, me personally... //{{{[AUDIBLE SIGHING, PAUSE FOR: 4 SECONDS]}}}// ...I can't live this way. We don't see each other. We //{{{[VERBAL EMPHASIS]}}} never// see each other, anymore. Just... just call me, okay?// {{{[END VERBALIZATION.]}}} //just a thought d.// --------------------------------------------------------------- <<if not visited ("scientist message convo")>>[[Return to messages.->scientist message convo]]<<else>>[[Return to messages.->email]]<</if>><> <<if visited("boyfriend message") is 1>> <<set $newEmailCounter -= 1>><<set $oldEmailCounter += 1>><</if>> <<set $shipMinute += 2>><<if $shipMinute > 59>><<set $shipMinute to 0>><<set $shipHour += 1>><</if>><> <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>

//8:00 P.M., 04/23/2489, from Materials Extraction Assemblage Inspection Reports [reports@mea.ifpu.gov]: FWD: Results of Unit #9307's last inspection --------------------------------------------------------------- Hello, Materials Extraction Assemblage Unit #9307 of the Gargandua! The results of your bi-weekly inspections have been computed, as per the Inspection Gradient Form (IGF) which you should be able to find on the homepage of your operating system, as well as a physical version which can be found stapled to the bulletin board found in your ship's conference room. If you have any more in-depth questions regarding how these results are calculated, and what they mean to you, agent, please consult with your ship's captain: Captain //{{{[REDACTED]}}}// Agostini. Here are the results of your objective inspection, where each grade is out of 100 based on the IGF and any attached notes are the biased opinion of the official MEA inspector tasked with inspecting your vessel: //Cleanliness: 85/100 (//"Some sections of flooring were better cleaned than others, and there were some dirty dishes left out, but otherwise, the aesthetic cleanliness of this vessel could only be described as nearly exceptional!"//) Organization: 73/100 (//"While at face value the denizens of the Gargandua displayed a great deal of care in presenting the ship in a cleanly fashion, the organization of where certain items were to be properly stored was in some regards lacking. For example, in the kitchen, one could find some cups which were placed interchangeably with cupboards where plates and bowls might be found, as well as smaller forks being stacked together with larger ones, and teaspoons being mixed together with tablespoons. Physical backups of mission reports were stacked together with handwritten notes, as well as food recipes and reminders (the nature of which is beyond me, as each agent has a compuscreen to access the internet with, as well as to schedule reminders)."//) Morale: 92/100 (//"Each agent was cheerful and personally greeted me, making me feel as if I were one of them, as is the usual situation with Unit #9307, might I add. I observed them regularly conversing with each other in something of a jovial and lightly whimsical manner. However, and this may just be a matter of my lack of experience with her, but Agent Gibbons seemed somewhat reserved during certain exchanges I was privy to between herself and other agents. This is excusable, as the other agents don't seem to have much of a problem with her, but I thought it worth mentioning."//) Preparedness: 87/100 (//"Each agent had their jumpsuit properly hung up and ready to change into at a moment's notice. Each of the scavengers' packs properly contained freeze-dried food rations, water, firestarters, safety knives, medical supplies (including bandages, first aid sprays, painkillers, a tourniquet), miniature drills, flashlights, bags for carrying extracted materials, etc. Fuel reserves were stored properly inside of heat-resistant receptacles, these located within the Gargandua's maintenance room, and appear ready to be administered in order to refuel the spacecraft."//) Overall: 84/100 (//"While Unit #9307 aboard the MEA Gargandua do have some work to improve their living experience for practicality's sake, it would be unfair to say that they are anything less than an exceptional group of individuals."//)// And there you have it! Now that you have received your monthly inspection score, you and the rest of your crewmembers can work hard to improve and become more efficient as a team. Thank you, and happy extractions! Materials Extraction Assemblage, Inspections and Reports Department (34830.739209°, 2709872348.234098°, 78592378.170984°), Trinity Sector, Archimedes' Gift Galaxy (882209) 830-4001 ext. 7314 htutps:/uww.mea.ifpu.gov reports@mea.ifpu.gov// --------------------------------------------------------------- [[Return to messages.->email]]<> <<if visited("inspection message") is 1>><<set $newEmailCounter -= 1>><<set $oldEmailCounter += 1>><</if>> <> <<set $shipMinute += 5>><<if $shipMinute > 59>><<set $shipMinute to 0>><<set $shipHour += 1>><</if>><> <> <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>

//1:17 A.M., 04/24/2489, from Burger King-McDonald's® Deals [deals@burgerking.com]: Coupon augmentation signatures and codes inside! Free McWhopper's®, #ChickenFries, Fries, Drinks, McFlurry's®, Shakes, and More! --------------------------------------------------------------- Hello, valued customer! We noticed you haven't visited one of our many Burger King® or McDonald's® establishments located all across the universe for too long for our taste buds! We're looking to earn back your valuable business, so that you too can experience our great food and even greater customer service. But mostly, it's the weekend, and we're feeling pretty generous right now. So, we're offering you and your family and friends a ton of fantastic freebies from any of our locations! Click below to get a look at these steals, and also help with finding a Burger King® or McDonald's® near you. Don't wait, eat great! <<replacelink "Click to receive coupon codes and imprintable augmentation signature coupons.">>//[You wouldn't catch me eating at one of these places again, to be truthful.]//<</replacelink>> <<replacelink "Click to find a restaurant near you!">>//[It'd take some cajoling to get Captain Agostini to steer the Gargandua off-course for this C-tier "food."]//<</replacelink>> Burger King® - McDonald's® Customer Satisfaction Division (-999214.809380°, 345357829.115103°, 729348.655215°), Trinity Sector, Archimedes' Gift Galaxy (882BUR)GER-KING ((882287) 437-5464) htutps:/uww.deals.burgerking-mcdonalds.com deals@burgerking-mcdonalds.com This e-mail is an official Burger King-McDonald's™ advertisement. If you no longer wish to receive our marketing e-mails, unsubscribe <<replacelink "here">>//[No more fast food for me.]//<</replacelink>>. If you have difficulty with the unsubscribe link, you may also send an e-mail to customerservice@burgerking-mcdonalds.com. For more information, please read our company <<replacelink "privacy policy">>//[I really don't have time for this.]//<</replacelink>> or call (882BUR)GER-KING.// --------------------------------------------------------------- [[Return to messages.->email]]<> <<if visited("burger king message") is 1>><<set $newEmailCounter -= 1>><<set $oldEmailCounter += 1>><</if>><> <<set $shipMinute += 3>><<if $shipMinute > 59>><<set $shipMinute to 0>><<set $shipHour += 1>><</if>><> <> <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>

<<masteraudio stop>><<audio "Drone1" loop play>><<audio "Drone2" loop play>><<insertlink "'//Ooh, juicy!//'">> <<insertlink "'//What's up?//'">> <<insertlink "'//Boyfriend troubles. Drama! It was getting a bit dry for my tastes.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Do tell! Wasn't paying attention.//'">> <<insertlink "'//You? Never! Just some miscommunication stuff, //lack// of communication.//'">> <<insertlink "'//That it?//'">> <<insertlink "'//What do you mean, 'That it?'?//'">> <<insertlink "'//Just, that's kinda boring. I thought it was gonna be, like, a big fight, or something.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Well you get in here and read about the government or her TV screen or what have you and try and tell me it's not interesting, at least relatively!//'">> <<insertlink "'//Let's just hop back in, shall we?//'">> <<insertlink "'//Works for me.//'">> [[Return.->email]]<</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>>

<> <<set $whatever to "">> <>//Welcome to TalkStop®! Please use the text entry forms below to sign in: Username: <<textbox "$whatever" "">> Password: <<textbox "$whatever" "">>// [[Log in.->social media login failure]] [[Return to homescreen.->homescreen]]<><<set $shipMinute += 1>><<if $shipMinute > 59>><<set $shipMinute to 0>><<set $shipHour += 1>><</if>><> <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>

Upon starting the application (titled, aptly, "solitaire.app"), there is a deck of cards placed face-down at the top left corner of my screen. To the right of this deck, there are four spaces for cards to be inserted into. Below this, there are seven stacks of cards, each containing one more card than the last, and the first of which only contains one card. The topmost card on each stack appears face-up, and the cards beneath these cards are all face-down. [[Scan for aces.->ace check]] [[Quit playing solitaire.->homescreen]]<><<set $shipMinute += 1>><<if $shipMinute > 59>><<set $shipMinute to 0>><<set $shipHour += 1>><</if>><><<if previous() eq "homescreen">><<audio "CardsShuffle" play>><</if>> <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>

In a perpetual bout of cosmic irony, I am never able to remember to check my reminders, rendering them ultimately useless! [[Set reminder anyway.->make reminder]] [[Return to homescreen.->homescreen]]<><<set $shipMinute += 1>><<if $shipMinute > 59>><<set $shipMinute to 0>><<set $shipHour += 1>><</if>><> <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>

I see a two of hearts, a five of spades, a jack of spades, a king of diamonds, a three of hearts, a seven of clubs, and a queen of spades. No aces, meaning I've only one move within my domain of potential to proceed with. [[Draw three cards from the deck.->draw from deck 1]] [[Quit playing solitaire.->homescreen]]<><<set $shipMinute += 1>><<if $shipMinute > 59>><<set $shipMinute to 0>><<set $shipHour += 1>><</if>><> <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>

Three of spades, jack of hearts, jack of diamonds. [[Draw again.->draw from deck 2]] [[Quit playing solitaire.->homescreen]]<><<set $shipMinute += 1>><<if $shipMinute > 59>><<set $shipMinute to 0>><<set $shipHour += 1>><</if>><><<if previous() eq "ace check">><<audio "CardsDeal" play>><</if>> <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>

Six of clubs, nine of hearts, four of diamonds. [[Draw from deck one last time.->draw from deck 3]] [[Quit playing solitaire.->homescreen]]<><<set $shipMinute += 1>><<if $shipMinute > 59>><<set $shipMinute to 0>><<set $shipHour += 1>><</if>><><<if previous() eq "draw from deck 1">><<audio "CardsDeal" play>><</if>> <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>

Eight of clubs, nine of diamonds, and a queen of clubs. I think I'm [[done->homescreen]] playing solitaire for now.<><<set $shipMinute += 1>><<if $shipMinute > 59>><<set $shipMinute to 0>><<set $shipHour += 1>><</if>><><<if previous() eq "draw from deck 2">><<audio "CardsDeal" play>><</if>> <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>

//We're sorry, we don't recognize that information. You can try to <<replacelink "log in">>[I shouldn't.]<</replacelink>> again, or <<replacelink "retrieve your credentials">>[I've already enough junk in my inbox, I'm good.]<</replacelink>> through email authentication.// [[Return to homescreen.->homescreen]]<><<set $shipMinute += 1>><<if $shipMinute > 59>><<set $shipMinute to 0>><<set $shipHour += 1>><</if>><><<if previous() eq "social media" or previous() eq "social media login failure">><<audio "Typing" play>><</if>> <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>

//You may set a reminder for yourself here (format: MM/DD/YYYY):// Reminder: <<textbox "$reminder" "">> Month: <<textbox "$reminderMonth" "">> Day: <<textbox "$reminderDay" "">> Year: <<textbox "$reminderYear" "">> [[Set reminder.->confirm reminders]]<><<set $shipMinute += 1>><<if $shipMinute > 59>><<set $shipMinute to 0>><<set $shipHour += 1>><</if>><> [[Disregard, do something else.->homescreen]] <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>

//<<if $madeReminder is "false">>You have no reminders.<<else>>You have one reminder: "$reminder" on: $reminderMonth/$reminderDay/$reminderYear.<</if>>// [[Return to homescreen.->homescreen]]<><<set $shipMinute += 1>><<if $shipMinute > 59>><<set $shipMinute to 0>><<set $shipHour += 1>><</if>><> <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>

By Jeffrey Asmussen, this novel is as modern as literature can possibly get (often referred to in more academic circles without a hint of irony as "post-postmodernism"). It postulates that this age of unprecedented space travel is one to be treasured, and not taken for granted as some cushier individuals may do. That, in fact, we live in quite possibly the best time alive. I think about this [[book->stack of books]] a lot.<> <<set $shipMinute += 1>><<if $shipMinute > 59>><<set $shipMinute to 0>><<set $shipHour += 1>><</if>><> <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>

Since the IFPU established a single, universal currency which is easily distributed through not only physical cards but also biogenetic augments, as well as due to the technology being more widely available to encourage habitation on a wide variety of planet types, which of course leads to a wide dispersal of people throughout the universe, there has of course been much cost-benefit analysis and debate as to the effectiveness and long-term stability of a universal economy, one which all individuals living within the jurisdiction of IFPU lines operate within. This book, written by Sheila Chiklis, an economist working for the finance sector at the IFPU division office in the Corona Radiata galaxy, argues - shockingly, against the government which she, the author, works directly under - that it may be nigh impossible for such an economy to exist far into the future due to the extreme unlikelihood that such a system can properly induce rules and regulations which are appropriate for parts of the universe which may be less well off than others financially and in terms of infrastructure, and which due to far proximity to other, more well-established parts of the universe may ultimately benefit less from such a system. Mathematics were certainly never [[my->stack of books]] strong suit.<> <<set $shipMinute += 1>><<if $shipMinute > 59>><<set $shipMinute to 0>><<set $shipHour += 1>><</if>><> <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>

Anna Winslow. One of my many rivals back at the MEA training academy, scavenger's track. A great athlete, and an even sharper mind, easily quicker to the draw than my own. Though it was never publicly acknowledged so as to appear on amicable terms when in the proximity of our contemporaries, Anna and I, drowned in our egos, would viciously contest over academic marks, room inspection ratings, feats of physical prowess, anything which even remotely suggested potential for competition. I was able to get into contact with her again recently through the social networking service TalkStop, and she confessed to me a recent admiration for the craft of the written word. One thing led to another, and here I am, putting on my best literary criticism hat. It passes the time. I bet I could [[do->stack of books]] better.<> <<set $shipMinute += 2>><<if $shipMinute > 59>><<set $shipMinute to 0>><<set $shipHour += 1>><</if>><> <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>

Widely regarded as one of the all time great novels of the twentieth century, this novel by James Joyce depicts through lengthy internal monologues and a stream of consciousness style of writing (amongst other literary devices) the malaise of the daily lives of two men living in Dublin, Ireland in 1904. Structurally, this book alludes to the epic poem //The Odyssey// by Homer, with many of its characters and events mirroring those of that story. I have just [[barely->stack of books]] started with it.<> <<set $shipMinute += 1>><<if $shipMinute > 59>><<set $shipMinute to 0>><<set $shipHour += 1>><</if>><> <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>

My intense desire to own my own personal garden has led me to read this book by Maurice Bettenhausen. He describes step by step the processes and materials needed to properly grow a wealth of distinct variants of flora through their various stages of life. It is written in a peculiar structural style, posing itself more as a fictional novel, wherein the important advice is delivered under the strange political and philosophical diatribes of the main character of sorts, who may or may not be the author himself. Still, Bettenhausen's wealth of knowledge as a botanist overshadows any misgivings I may have about his pretensions, making this a book I've all but finished in a matter of three days. With no garden to tend to, this will leave me with more time to crack into the other [[books->stack of books]] I've yet to get to.<> <<set $shipMinute += 1>><<if $shipMinute > 59>><<set $shipMinute to 0>><<set $shipHour += 1>><</if>><> <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>

<<if visited("Sit and wait.") is 1>>Three minutes of nothing pass.<> <<set $shipMinute += 3>><<if $shipMinute > 59>><<set $shipMinute to 0>><<set $shipHour += 1>><</if>><><<elseif visited("Sit and wait.") is 2>>Four minutes pass. Knocking on the desk yields a rather pleasant sound to generate rhythms to.<> <<set $shipMinute += 4>><<if $shipMinute > 59>><<set $shipMinute to 0>><<set $shipHour += 1>><</if>><><<else>>Two minutes pass. I tire of sitting here.<> <<set $shipMinute += 2>><<if $shipMinute > 59>><<set $shipMinute to 0>><<set $shipHour += 1>><</if>><><</if>> [[Look around.->Turn on lights.]] <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>

A long hallway, metallic and drenched in bright halogen lights which can only be turned off by the captain of any given MEA vessel. All one can hear is the warm buzzing of the lights filling the lifeless space with luminescence, and the heavy snoring of certain agents who won't be named at this time. Given my usual waking time, I have been unofficially delegated to being something of an alarm for the rest of the crew. When standing in front of my door, not facing it, to my left, all the way at one end of the hallway, are the <<if not visited("lavatories")>>[[lavatories]]<<else>>lavatories<</if>>. Then, Agent <<if not visited("Gibbons room")>>[[Gibbons'->Gibbons bio]]<<else>>Gibbons'<</if>> room, and Agent <<if not visited("Watanabe room")>>[[Watanabe's->Watanabe bio]]<<else>>Watanabe's<</if>> room directly across from it. I stand facing Agent <<if not visited("Kalman room")>>[[Kalman's->Kalman bio]]<<else>>Kalman's<</if>> room. To my right, on my side of the hallway, is Agent <<if not visited("Fishburne bio")>>[[Fishburne's->Fishburne bio]]<<else>>Fishburne's<</if>> room. Directly across from it is Agent <<if not visited("McTavish room")>>[[McTavish's->McTavish Bio]]<<else>>McTavish's<</if>> room. Finally, to the right of that room stays the ever-busy Agent <<if not visited("Newman bio")>>[[Newman->Newman bio]]<<else>>Newman<</if>>. No one lives in the room across from Newman's - we simply use it as a <<if not visited("closet")>>[[closet]]<<else>>closet<</if>> of sorts. The time is <<if $shipHour < 10>>0<</if>>$shipHour<<if $shipMinute < 10>>0<</if>>$shipMinute. At the rightmost end of the hallway is a door leading to the <<if not visited("conference room look")>>[[conference room.]]<<else>>[[conference room.->conference room look]]<</if>> <<if $hallCheckCounter >= 3 and not visited("conference room.")>>The emptiness of their rooms is...peculiar.<</if>> <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>><<if previous() eq "Turn on lights.">><<audio "DoorOpen" play>><</if>>

Agent Gibbons<<if visited("Read the page.")>>, as evidenced by my aforementioned journal entry<</if>>...is a prickly individual. She has a firey hot soul, burning, steaming, ready to ignite at a moment's notice. Never one to step away from her ideals (good ones, at that), Gibbons can be something of a handful, but she means more than well. She's the type of person where, when in times of duress, one would want her on one's side. While we are (usually) on friendly terms and have been seen around each other (that is, when not in the vicinity of each other by default when partaking in a mission as mutual scavengers), in the three years I've been here I've always been a little nervous to inquire as to her past life, and thus know nothing of her previous vocations, societal and educational background, etc. This is likely my nerves getting the best of me - I get the feeling that if I were to simply speak up around Gibbons more often, I may be able to glean even just a speck of information as to her upbringing. <<if not visited("conference room.")>>[[Knock on Gibbons' door.->Gibbons room]]<<else>>Gibbons is sitting at the conference room table right now, displeased.<</if>> [[Do something else.->Leave the room.]]<> <<set $shipMinute += 1>><<if $shipMinute > 59>><<set $shipMinute to 0>><<set $shipHour += 1>><</if>><> <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>

Agent Watanabe is Unit #9307's (our unit number, if I did not make that clear previously) newest recruit. Employed as a much-needed research assistant for Agent Fishburne, Watanabe seems to be having trouble adjusting to life in orbit. The days are long and dull very often, especially when in his position - Watanabe almost never leaves the ship, since he's under no obligation to do so aside from MEA Rehabilitation Depot stops. Having been recruited by Agostini (who has in the past mentioned a desire to personally train some new blood) right out of the academy, Watanabe is young and extremely eager to fit in with the rest of the group, often to the chagrin of the other crewmates. I, for one, admire such tenacity, and look forward to observing his (hopeful) progress up the governmental food chain, perhaps one day taking over for Fishburne when he eventually retires (I've nothing but love for the man, but one inevitably reaches a point in their lives where it's simply time to settle down on a pleasant part of the universe and spend quality time with one's family). <<if not visited("conference room.")>>[[Knock on Watanabe's door.->Watanabe entrance]]<<else>>Watanabe is working with Agent Fishburne right now, so he wouldn't be in his room.<</if>> [[Do something else.->Leave the room.]]<> <<set $shipMinute += 1>><<if $shipMinute > 59>><<set $shipMinute to 0>><<set $shipHour += 1>><</if>><> <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>

Agent Kalman is a good-mannered, if somewhat...what's the word...saccharine individual. I hesitate to use a term which carries with it such a negative connotation, but unfortunately, it's the most apt way to describe the man. He had just recently been recruited aboard the Gargandua when I joined three years ago, and approached me with the same level of enthusiasm as he did all of the other crewmates; that is to say, he never said much at all. What I can say about Kalman, however, is that in the last three years I've been in his proximity as a scavenger, the man has always been nothing if not extremely reliable. He's never taken any sick days (that I can remember), never complains (not once), never attempts to burden one with requests one assumes he might perceive as an impediment, etc. While I've never approached him about his past life, I get the feeling that Kalman has probably had some past field experience with another crew. After having been around Kalman for about three months, he frequently began complimenting Gibbons and I on our performance on the field. The most I've ever spoken to Kalman was on an occasion when I caught him chain-smoking two packs of cigarettes; Marlboro's, if I recall correctly. At that time, the ship was operating in a low power state, with all of the energy generated by the motor being dedicated to keeping the Gargandua flying, so there was only a small amount of electrical commodities available to us, irritably. This resulted in the deactivation of the ship's on-board smoke alarm system; Kalman took advantage of the opportunity to smoke up in the galley after curfew hours and seemingly the entirety of the crew had retired. I had ventured out of my room to pour myself a glass of water, and thus apprehended Kalman in his wrongdoing. As cigarettes are considered by the MEA to be contraband, Kalman immediately became distressed and began anxiously pleading and bargaining with me in an exasperated whisper to neglect to tell anyone of authority of this incident. Rest easy, good Kalman: I'd never think of partaking in such a petty act against one of my own. <<if not visited("conference room.")>>[[Knock on Kalman's door.->Kalman room]]<<else>>Kalman's sitting at the conference room table right now, contemplative.<</if>> [[Turn around and do something else.->Leave the room.]]<> <<set $shipMinute += 2>><<if $shipMinute > 59>><<set $shipMinute to 0>><<set $shipHour += 1>><</if>><> <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>

Ah, the lovable Agent Fishburne. A legend amongst legions of MEA agents. The man worked his way up the ranks of the MEA since his mid-20's, working as a facilities operation assistant (read: a janitor) for one year, a scavenger for four years, a doctor's assistant for two, a captain's assistant for three, then diligently studying his way into a research assistant position which he held for four years until the untimely passing of his mentor, Agent Fontaine, who once led research operations on this very ship (then named the "Prodigy" - I believe mine to be the stronger of the two!) under a different unit until his demise at the foot of leukaemia (he'd had a nasty smoking habit in a past life), but not before passing down the torch to Fishburne to lead research operations for seventeen years for as many as three different units, including this one. It is highly unlikely that one may ever find themselves amongst a group of individuals who would describe the always amicable man as anything but. He is a man who wears his ideals on his sleeves, with an impeccable work ethic to show for it. One can always find Fishburne slaving away on some new process for harvesting components of the core genetic makeups of the minerals which he even sometimes helps us to locate on foot by special recommendation of Captain Agostini in order to assist the MEA and the greater IFPU to develop compounds which can be used to create new, powerful machinery which will help continue humanity's penchant for technological innovation for years to come. And yet the man always is able to find the time to converse with others, and it's here where Fishburne's cordial and attractively humorous personality shines through. It is important in this line of work for one to have confidants to confide in, and I suspect Fishburne may act as this role for the majority of Unit #9307 (likely even Captain Agostini herself). Space is a vast and lonely place; when MEA agents find themselves in the bastions of normal society, it's very rarely for long. One wonders how the void never seems to phase fair Agent Fishburne. Perhaps it's in Agent Newman that he experiences a much-needed respite! <<if not visited("conference room.")>>I could never bring myself to interrupt Fishburne on the rare occasion that he does get to sleep.<<else>>Fishburne's working with Agent Watanabe, so he wouldn't be in his room right now.<</if>> [[Turn around and do something else.->Leave the room.]]<> <<set $shipMinute += 3>><<if $shipMinute > 59>><<set $shipMinute to 0>><<set $shipHour += 1>><</if>><> <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>

Agent Newman has been a fantastic addition to the MEA Gargandua ever since she enlisted roughly six months ago, replacing an agent whose performance as an FOM associate was deplorable at best. Previously, the onus had implicitly been put on the rest of us to maintain a general threshold of cleanliness and utilities maintenance, which can be taxing when juxtaposed against one's other, primary responsibilities. But now, with Newman having taken on the bulk of this work, the rest of us are left with more time to attend to our other given duties (read: leisure time). Given the rather solo nature of Newman's vocation, it's of little surprise to me that she is more muted around the other crewmates, than, say, myself or Agent Gibbons. Often, whilst scrubbing counters, cleaning dirty floors, or picking apart circuitry using electrical equipment to return it to a usable state, one can hear Newman humming one of her favorite songs, Bobby Darin's performance of //Beyond the Sea//. Personally, on the occasion when we do find ourselves within the vicinity of each other, I've always found Newman to a pleasant soul. She gets uncharacteristically excitable in sharing food recipes; I've learned to concoct something of a mean chicken marsala due to her assistance! <<if not visited("conference room.")>>I'm fairly certain Newman is not in her room right now.<<else>>I believe Newman's working in the maintenance room right now.<</if>> [[Turn around and do something else.->Leave the room.]]<> <<set $shipMinute += 1>><<if $shipMinute > 59>><<set $shipMinute to 0>><<set $shipHour += 1>><</if>><> <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>

There's an assortment of dust pans, brooms, mops, mop buckets, vacuum cleaners, typical closet fare. We do have a small electronic vacuum robot friend (advanced enough to be able to traverse up and down stairs with ease), but he's so miniscule that he (he?) is often hard to find, never one to be cooped up in a closet. It's just a closet, really. [[Close the door.->Leave the room.]]<> <<set $shipMinute += 1>><<if $shipMinute > 59>><<set $shipMinute to 0>><<set $shipHour += 1>><</if>><> <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>><<audio "DoorOpen" play>>

A simple area for performing one's private duties. Gender neutral, it contains a toilet, sink and mirror combination, as well as a shower. As comrades tend to do, we often compete over card games and coin flips as to who will be first to take a nightly shower. This is due to hot water consumption, not matters of cleanliness - we all do our part in that regard, though it's mostly the astute Agent Newman who handles the cleaning of this and other spacecraft amenities. There is only one bathroom available to all but Captain Agostini, who has her own private bathroom though sometimes uses ours, I suspect in an attempt to relate more to us. She doesn't need to, though - her gentle composure aids in her approachability as a superior! [[Exit the bathroom.->Leave the room.]]<> <<set $shipMinute += 1>><<if $shipMinute > 59>><<set $shipMinute to 0>><<set $shipHour += 1>><</if>><> <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>><<audio "DoorOpen" play>>

The conference room is spacious, and (usually) an inviting atmosphere to put oneself in. It consists of a large table with ten comfortable leather seats (meetings often go long, and so such luxuries are almost a necessity), a wide, oval-shaped stainless steel table with warm, curvy edges which positively glows from the halogen lights beaming down from above. To the left of the room's entrance is the kitchen area, its positioning on the Gargandua a surprisingly useful concession for multitasking. Behind the table is a large screen, currently off, but usually on for strategic decision-making by Captain Agostini as to mission deciding and navigation (the ship's bridge is mostly for show - the Gargandua's auto-pilot capabilities are more than robust enough to make do!) Every seat within the conference room, to my surprise, was filled, aside from one vacancy. At the foot of the table sat Agent Gibbons, with a sultry look on her face. Across the table, Fishburne sat staring down at his mug of dark black coffee (he takes it with sugar to ease the bitter taste). To his right was Kalman, his head angled downward and his eyes closed. Across from Kalman was Watanabe, whose head was perched snugly between his two arms, resting on the table. McTavish sat to his left, his fingers interlaced on the table. Newman sat across from McTavish, her fingers tapping in a recognizable but not exactly pertinent rhythm. Agostini stood at the head of the table, her arms folded, with a scowl demeanor upon her visage. Of the few crewmates who were awake, all of them were staring straight into my eyes, with a look that could only be described as one of contempt. I, unwisely, was the first to speak: //[["Is..everything okay?"]]// <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>><<audio "DoorOpen" play>>

For a long time, I've been meaning to write in this journal bestowed to me when I first joined the ranks of the MEA. Emblazoned with their logo, it was at the time encouraged of agents to collect and document their thoughts within physical journals. Quote: "Such an act encourages a level of intimacy and personal fortitude that typing text into a compuscreen could simply never replicate." I'm not sure this is still told to new agents - I doubt that MEA officials would have any usage for such a thing, especially [[these days.]] [[Open journal to first page.]] [[Look away and do something else.->Turn on lights.]]<> <<set $shipMinute += 1>><<if $shipMinute > 59>><<set $shipMinute to 0>><<set $shipHour += 1>><</if>><> <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>

We'll get to that later. [[Open journal to first page.]] [[Look away and do something else.->Turn on lights.]] <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>

I had completely forgotten about my initial efforts to document my tenure as an MEA agent! The first page is dated March 4th, 2489, the whole thing quickly and haphazardly scribbled in dark pencil, one which must have been newly-sharpened, likely the same one which rests upon my desk today. There's some gray eraser smudges strewn about the page. [[Read the first page.->journal page 1]] [[Close the journal and do something else.->Turn on lights.]]<> <<set $shipMinute += 1>><<if $shipMinute > 59>><<set $shipMinute to 0>><<set $shipHour += 1>><</if>><> <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>

It reads: "//*tap tap* ...is this thing on? Ha, kidding! Hi! My name is {{{[REDACTED]}}}, but you can just call me T., dear reader. Today is the fourth of March, 1486. Ha, kidding again! It's 2486. 1486...that sure was a long time ago, huh? To be honest, I don't really know what I should put in this thing. They gave it to me to write in, but I'm not sure why. It just seems...kinda pointless, honestly. But, whatever, I'll give it my best go: I'm a scavenger, we do the hard stuff. Well, at least, I think it's the hard stuff, but, like, //[I misspelled "physically" here...]// physicaly hard, you know? I'm not doing any heavy math, just heavy lifting! Today, I kinda got thrown in the thick of it. It wasn't a good experience, I'll tell you. Quite the opposite, really. But I did learn a lot. I got sent to the surface of this planet with these two other people. One of their names was Gibbons, the other was //[There's noticeable eraser smudges here. I can just make out my having seriously thought Agent Kalman's name was "Cow Man" at this stage in our young relationships with each other.]// Kalman. Kalman...he seems like a stand-up guy, I guess. He's...you know, he's fine. He's there. God, that's terrible. But it's true, he didn't much make himself known to me. Just kinda...there. One of those people. Which is alright, really, it's just, that's kinda it." [[Turn the page.->journal page 2]] [[Close and do something else.->Turn on lights.]]<> <<set $shipMinute += 2>><<if $shipMinute > 59>><<set $shipMinute to 0>><<set $shipHour += 1>><</if>><> <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>><<audio "PageFlip" play>>

<<masteraudio stop>><<audio "Drone1" loop play>><<audio "Drone2" loop play>><<insertlink "'//...that's not the expression, lady.//'">> <<insertlink "'//You talk to yourself like that often?//'">> <<insertlink "'//Oh, uh, no, not really. She just kinda messed up an expression. She said, 'There's no going around it,' when it's, 'There's no //getting// around it.'//'">> <<insertlink "'//Scientific, and pedantic! You're a real charmer, you know that?//'">> <<insertlink "'//Okay, yeah, it's pedantic, but there's no use in using an expression if you're just going to use it incorrectly.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Yeah, okay, whatever. Break an ankle in there.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Very funny.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Thanks, I try.//'">> [[Return.->journal page 2]]<</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>>

No one answered the door, and it's locked. If there's anybody who's earlier to rise than yours truly, it's Gibbons. [[Inspect something else.->Leave the room.]]<> <<set $shipMinute += 1>><<if $shipMinute > 59>><<set $shipMinute to 0>><<set $shipHour += 1>><</if>><> <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>><<audio "DoorKnock" play>>

Watanabe's living quarters have that sophomoric quality of being at once extremely messy, with his bed unmade, dirty clothes and empty soda cans strewn about the floor, his compuscreen left on and giving one access to a wealth of private information, whilst at the same time being what one might call serviceable, perfectly livable. [[Exit Watanabe's room.->Leave the room.]] <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>><<audio "DoorOpen" play>>

Watanabe seemingly forgot to ensure that his automatic door look was activated, and having not manually locked it, the door opens without his presence upon touching it. He is not home. [[Enter Watanabe's room.->Watanabe room]] [[Disregard, do something else.->Leave the room.]]<> <<set $shipMinute += 1>><<if $shipMinute > 59>><<set $shipMinute to 0>><<set $shipHour += 1>><</if>><> <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>><<audio "DoorKnock" play>>

Kalman's room is vacant. His room, visually, is the definition of the term 'exemplary'. Every aspect of it was, one might say, //picturesque//. His bed was made in tip-top condition, his sheets ironed and left folded on the edge of his bed, his screen turned off to alleviate power consumption, his chair pushed in, books stacked together in impeccable alignment - one would bet on Kalman when gambling over a game of Jenga. [[Exit Kalman's room.->Leave the room.]]<> <<set $shipMinute += 1>><<if $shipMinute > 59>><<set $shipMinute to 0>><<set $shipHour += 1>><</if>><> <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>><<audio "DoorKnock" play>><<timed 2500ms>><<audio "DoorOpen" play>><</timed>>

McTavish is absent from his room. Pill bottles and organizers, cardiopulminary resuscitation equipment, a spare catheter, and books on the practicality of alternative (spiritual) medicines litter his desk. His compuscreen is off. Otherwise, McTavish's room is clean and presented in an orderly fashion. [[Leave room and do something else.->Leave the room.]]<> <<set $shipMinute += 1>><<if $shipMinute > 59>><<set $shipMinute to 0>><<set $shipHour += 1>><</if>><> <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>><<audio "DoorKnock" play>><<timed 2500ms>><<audio "DoorOpen" play>><</timed>>

Gibbons lobbed a sardonic remark at me with intense vitriol: <<insertlink "'//Are you shitting me, dude?//'">> Agostini, with a diplomatic poise, stepped in: <<insertlink "'//You're late, //{{{[REDACTED]}}}//.//'">> For a few seconds, I simply stood there, frozen in place by a combination of confusion and anger at such a preposterous claim - what could I possibly be late for? I was trying to hide my embarrassment at my inevitable wrongdoing. I stood there, thinking, what could such a folly mistake do to my career, one which I've worked ever so hard to establish as a sound one, brick by brick by brick? Newman continued her tapping, now allowing it into the subconscious realm of a prickly irritant for me. The buzzing of the halogen lights became noticeable to me. I simply stood there, my mouth likely agape in a braindead manner. Watanabe yawned. Agostini, returning to her usual sly self, spoke up again: <<insertlink "'//You are, in fact, about forty-seven minutes late. Non-standard for your usual self, Agent T.!//'">> Still a bit shell-shocked, I could only just about utter the shallowest of apologies: <<insertlink "'//I...I'm sorry, miss. I didn't mean to...I don't think I knew?//'">> Fishburne piped up, with a smirk and a short laugh, ending with: <<insertlink "'//My friend, you should maybe remember to stop redirecting MEA Alerts to your junk mail!//'">> He has a point, I must begrudgingly admit. A point, still. Gibbons looked down at the desk and mouthed what seemed to me to say, //Wow//. Watanabe shyly spoke up, for whatever reason: <<insertlink "'//Does this happen a lot?//'">> In a desperate attempt to save face, I shouted through their belligerent remarks: <<insertlink "'//Damn it, you...you know it was just a stupid mistake, right?!//'">> My anger toward their correctness in regards to this situation was made all but transparent. Agostini just pointed at me and laughed for what felt like hours, though it was really only something like twenty seconds. Panting and wheezing from the hilarity, she gently added: <<insertlink "'//It's alright, {{{[REDACTED]}}}. Nobody reads that bullshit. That is, except everyone else!//'">> The entirety of the room burst out in laughter, save for myself, Kalman (who admittedly had managed to yield a light grin out of this whole situation, the bastard!), and McTavish (whose usual unending sense of care for his fellow crewmate precluded his ability to laugh at one's misfortune). Even Watanabe had found the composure, if only temporarily, to get a good chuckle out of the situation. I must admit, even I couldn't help but smile at the joy my blunderous oversight had inadvertently caused. Agostini brought concentration back into the room: "//Alright, so, now that that's out of the way, let's get down to brass tacks. I've convened y'all here this early in the morning to discuss the particulars of our performance from the last inspection results. We're doing great, kicking ass really, but there's some really exciting opportunities I can't talk about yet that might happen if we can get ourselves in the 90's in the near future, so let's drill down on this stuff, shall we?//" [[Boring stuff, really.]]<</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>> <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>

I'm getting beside myself. There's a more [[pressing matter]] at hand. <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>

I continued: "//Gibbons, on the other hand: Jesus fucking christ. You know the type of person that just...you really try around these people, you know? And it's like, give me a break. Let me back up: this planet, it was hot. <<if not visited("There's no going around it.")>>[[There's no going around it.]]<<else>>There's no going around it.<</if>> Its sun is fairly close by, so much so that the three of us were probably the only living things you'd find there. But it's true what they said at the academy, the harder the pull, the greater the yield. And for Gibbons...well, she was not into the heat. She, in fact, did not get out of the kitchen. Holy shit, the complaining. Like, we get it, it's hot. It's as hot for us as it is for you. But you bitching and moaning about it is only going to make it worse, you know what I mean? I tried to crack a few jokes, but she basically just shot them all down, and there's no use getting a smirk out of Kalman, like I said. Whatever, I think he's new too, maybe he's just the shy type. The mission called for a retrieval of two particular minerals, both which are extremely rare and valuable. Unfortunately, they're only known to be found on planets which are extremely dangerous - this planet, which I think was called Zfluma or something, is actually one of the safer ones to grab these minerals at. The first one was spessartine, an orangish and frankly beautiful crystal of the garnate species consisting of manganese and aluminium. The other was wolframite, a tungsten ore mineral. I couldn't be arsed to look up stuff about that one. Anyway, this is running long, so I'll cut to the chase: we had to go inside a dark cave to find this stuff, which I suspect might turn out to be something of a trend. And so, the heat only got worse, so Gibbons' bitching only got worse. "Oh, it's so fucking hot, I could just about die in here. Why are we sent on such bullshit missions? If I were in charge," blah blah, you get it. And it's like, you're not in charge, and you're never gonna be in charge, especially not with that attitude. Give me a break. Luckily, the mission didn't end up taking that long; it's pretty easy to spot crystals when you've got a flashlight to bounce light off of them. Gibbons gave a sigh of relief once we were done drilling and had bagged a few dozen handfuls. I agreed with her, but probably not for the same reasons. Kalman...he was just sorta quiet, but he did laugh at one of my jokes on the walk back. I don't remember what it was, which, you know, fuck me, right? But if I did, I'd be telling it to everyone. Gotta make alliances.//" [[Turn to the next page.->journal page 3]] [[Go back a page.->journal page 1]] [[Close journal and do something else.->Turn on lights.]]<> <<set $shipMinute += 3>><<if $shipMinute > 59>><<set $shipMinute to 0>><<set $shipHour += 1>><</if>><> <<if previous() eq "There's no going around it.">><<masteraudio stop>><<else>><<audio "PageFlip" play>><</if>> <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>

"//So, there you have it. It was hot, Gibbons is miserable, Kalman exists, and maybe I'm in over my head here. But I'm probably just being a little overdramatic. Food's good, at least. Makes the idea of depot stops a little more tolerable. Hopefully this group works out better than my last did. T. out.//" Kalman's still pretty quiet, but I actually like that about him now. And Gibbons is more than tolerable once you get to know her. [[Go back a page.->journal page 1]] [[Close journal and do something else.->Turn on lights.]]<> <<set $shipMinute += 1>><<if $shipMinute > 59>><<set $shipMinute to 0>><<set $shipHour += 1>><</if>><><<if previous() eq "journal page 2">><<audio "PageFlip" play>><</if>> <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>

<><<set $shipMinute += 1>><<if $shipMinute > 59>><<set $shipMinute to 0>><<set $shipHour += 1>><</if>><>Captain {{{[REDACTED]}}} Agostini is the fearless leader of this unit, Unit #9307. Time and time again, she has demonstrated her propensity for strong decision-making which somehow positively affects the entirety of the crew. I've long admired this about her; her usual cheerful attitude around others might suggest to one that Agostini is simply the benefactor of a number of happy accidents, but her displeasure when affairs related to the proper operation of the ship don't go her way indicate to me an intense level of scrutiny, agonizing over every verdict and compromise with directed intent. The disjointedness one can gather about her personality as well as the managerial gap between us has long been at odds with my desire to become closer to her, both as a crewmember, and as a friend. Thus, I've long eyed Agostini from afar with a keen eye for detail, endlessly scrutinizing over every remark, every mood, every look she gives one of us for something resembling a morsel of information regarding her life, anything that would give me something of an in with her on a deeper level beyond simply as a subordinate. I know not if the others feel similarly about Agostini, but I suspect they might. Everybody needs a friend, after all. A sign on the door to her room reads, "Knock before entering, please!"" [[Knock on Agostini's door.->enter Agostini's quarters]] [[Maybe wait a bit.->conference room look]] <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>><<audio "We'reCapable" loop play>>

Back to it then! The meeting convened after a long and gradually fatiguing period of three hours (this tends to happen at these things; I'm not sure what convinced Agostini to reschedule them for first thing in the morning, but //c'est la vie//!). Captain Agostini retreated to her quarters (located through a door found at the back of the conference room) in order to begin planning missions to be taken on for the following month, as the end of April was fast approaching. Agents Fishburne, Watanabe, Newman, and McTavish excused themselves from the table as well, likely so as to begin their respective duties. Remaining at the table were Agents Kalman and Gibbons. I still felt the responsibility to be quiet and retreatful in the way I would carry about myself around others for the next few hours, as resentment over my tardiness was likely still at or close to something of a fever pitch. [[Look around the conference room.->conference room look]] <<if previous() eq "unsuccessful.">><<audio "Ship1" fadein>><<audio "Ship2" fadein>><<audio "Wind" fadeout>><<audio "Wind2" fadeout>><<else>><<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>><</if>>

The moon is not on my side. The darkness has become rather all-encompassing. I can just make out the contrasting white of my slightly tathered parachute strewn about the ground, wrinkled and wrapped up from my disregard for it. Desperate for anything that may contribute to my escape from this wretched planet (and currently lacking in rational thought, I should add), I stomp my foot down against the parachute in an attempt to rip off a piece of it, as I've not a knife to cut it with. It doesn't work; I'm starving, thirsty, and my dominant leg is torn up from the rough landing (though still usable); I'm much too weak to split apart the thick plastic which makes up the parachute. My idea here was to try and have something to increase friction between my hands and the dripping wet stone which makes up the walls surrounding me, without having properly taken into account that my parachute too is, in fact, wet. Coming to this realization, I quickly gave up on that conceit. [[What to do, what to do...]]<<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Wind2" loop play>><<audio "Ship1" fadeout>><<audio "Ship2" fadeout>>

I sit back down to rest and conserve energy which might be valuable later. Think. I could try <<insertlink "calling out to someone.">> "//Hello!? Is anybody there!?//" I wait ten, maybe fifteen seconds. Nobody replies. All one could hear was the gushing of the wind and the pleasant (though moreso when divorced from such a dire context) sound of the light rain shower. I <<insertlink "called out again.">> I go maybe twenty seconds without breathing. Nobody replies. I'm [[alone]] and now I can't see much of anything. So there's that.<</insertlink>><</insertlink>> <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Wind2" loop play>>

With my hand gripping a particularly ridged section of the rock wall, I pull myself up to a standing position and begin to pace in circles (obviously, given the nearly perfect circular geometric makeup of the hole). Four steps into my sixth revolution, I managed to stumble over a small pebble, the existence of which previously completely precluded me. Ah ha! If they (they? they!) can't hear me, I'll get them to see me! Planting my right foot firmly on the ground, and assuming my best serving posture (well, as robust as it can currently get - the pebble in my right hand and my left hand cupped beneath it for leverage - given the rough, uneven stone ground and my sore leg), I slightly lower my hands to wind up my upward lob and, with a commanding demeanor, [[toss]] the ball in the air! <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Wind2" loop play>>

I'm getting carried away; it was, of course, merely a light, greyish pebble, lacking any sort of rigidly defined structure; completely and uncompromisingly nonmathematical. And these ridges and curves which make up the alluringly light (almost alarmingly so) pebble did not aid in its aerodynamic capabilities. The pebble flew up fast, as if it too were actively attempting to escape this place. Standing there, still hunched over in my gaudy stance, looking as if I were ready to lift up the foot of somebody in order to send them to a ledge above, it definitely felt as if that rock were rising up for what felt like an hour, maybe two, centimeter after centimeter; I strained my neck backwards to keep sight upon its parabolic arc. The pebble eventually nudged against the rock wall, bouncing back toward me and rendering my first attempt [[unsuccessful.]] <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Wind2" loop play>>

So I <<insertlink "tried again.">> This time, I exerted too much energy on the wind-up, and neglected to divert any of my focus to form, resulting in a sloppy backwards toss, which quickly snapped back at me in slapstick fashion. I <<cyclinglink "darted" "stepped" "hopped">> <<cyclinglink "to my left" "to my right" "back half a meter" "a few paces forward">> to avoid the furiously plummeting lone gravel. It's too high, and I'm getting [[nowhere]] fast.<</insertlink>> <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Wind2" loop play>>

<><<set $currentFloor to "conference room look">><>It's <<if $shipHour < 10>>0<</if>>$shipHour<<if $shipMinute < 10>>0<</if>>$shipMinute. The conference room screen is off. I should probably speak to Agostini about this incident. <<if $conferenceCounter < 3>>But maybe I should clear the air with the others first...<<else>>Her room is through the door in the back of the conference room.<</if>> <<if not visited("Look over at Gibbons.")>>[[Look over at Gibbons.]]<<else>>Gibbons sits at the conference room table, looking perturbed, tired but restless.<</if>> <<if not visited("Look over at Kalman.")>>[[Look over at Kalman.]]<<else>>Kalman sits at the conference room table, looking pensive.<</if>> <<if not visited("Speak with McTavish.")>>[[Visit McTavish in the kitchen.->kitchen]]<<else>>McTavish is sitting at the kitchen counter, eating. I'll talk to him again some other time.<</if>> <<if not visited("speak to Fishburne and Watanabe")>>[[Look at the research quarter window.->research quarter]]<<else>>Watanabe and Fishburne are studying a rare mineral. I should leave them be.<</if>> <<if not visited("read bulletin board")>>[[Read the bulletin board.->read bulletin board]]<<else>>Nothing particularly interesting to me on the bulletin board.<</if>> <<if not visited("vending machine")>>[[Check out the vending machine.->vending machine]]<<else>>There's nothing in the vending machine. Bummer.<</if>> [[Enter the elevator.]] [[Return to the crewmember's hallway.->Leave the room.]] <<if $conferenceCounter >= 3>>[[Speak with Captain Agostini about earlier.->Agostini bio]]<</if>> <<audio "We'reCapable" fadein loop play>> <<if previous() eq "elevator transition" or previous() eq "Enter the elevator.">><<audio "ElevatorDing" play>><<audio "Elevator3" fadeout>><<audio "Ship1" fadein volume 0.3>><<audio "Ship2" fadein volume 0.3>><<audio "We'reCapable" fadein>><</if>> <<if previous () eq "kitchen" or previous() eq "Speak with McTavish.">><<audio "EggsCooking1" fadeout>><<audio "EggsCooking2" fadeout>><</if>> <<audio "Ship1" loop play fadeto 0.3>><<audio "Ship2" loop play fadeto 0.3>>

<><<if visited() is 1>><<set $conferenceCounter += 1>><</if>> <>Agent Gibbons sat there, looking surprisingly nonplussed about me lounging nearby. Her hands were folded together, eyes closed, as if in a meditative state I'm not accustomed to from that typically volatile personality. It could be sleep deprivation, but my (possibly misplaced sense of) intuition reads something deeper from the situation. [[Perturb.->talk to Gibbons]] [[Look away and do something else.->conference room look]]<<set $shipMinute += 1>><<if $shipMinute > 59>><<set $shipMinute to 0>><<set $shipHour += 1>><</if>> <<audio "Ship2" loop play>><<audio "We'reCapable" loop play>>

<><<if visited() is 1>><<set $conferenceCounter += 1>><</if>><<set $shipMinute += 1>><<if $shipMinute > 59>><<set $shipMinute to 0>><<set $shipHour += 1>><</if>> <>Kalman, a scavenger like myself, is sitting two seats to my left. He's warming his left hand with a cup of coffee resting on the conference room table, and with his right is restlessly stirring a plastic spoon around the cup, back and forth, back and forth. But he's not looking down at the coffee; Kalman's gaze is directed intently at a wall, like it were a long-lost friend. Mouth agape. He looks lost. [[Snap him out of it.->Talk to Kalman]] [[Ignore him and do something else.->conference room look]] <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>

<><<if visited() is 1>><<set $conferenceCounter += 1>><</if>><<set $shipMinute += 1>><<if $shipMinute > 59>><<set $shipMinute to 0>><<set $shipHour += 1>><</if>> <>Making a sharp left from the crewmember's hallway (the one I came from to get here earlier today) and up a small flight of stairs will bring one into the kitchen, which is more of a subroom of the greater conference room itself. The kitchen is rather small, and only can fit about three individuals at once before the situation would simply become much too crowded to efficiently cook any food. Being a part of the conference room, and not a room of itself, one can of course exit the kitchen through either side and be back in the conference room - one is arguably in the conference room already if they're in the kitchen! It consists of two parallel counters, and some space in between to walk in. The counter up against the wall which also hosts the doorway to the crewmember's hallway has on its topside two sinks, each with its own faucet so that two people can wash dishes in it at once (if one could consider such a remarkable occurrence). To the left of sink lays a small black microwave, sitting at the edge of the countertop right next to a combination refrigerator and freezer, and to its right is a small toaster oven, with a larger main oven to the right of that situated in the corner of the kitchen. There's two small drawers underneath the counter for storing silverware, and two pairs of cabinets which make up the same space (not separated) for storing soaps and detergents, trash bags, etc., and on the left side next to the refrigerator is a dish washer (currently and often in a state of disrepair). Above this counter one can find another cabinet for plates and other chinaware, as well as a pantry for food. On the other counter, which is as long as its brother but wider, is a stove with four burners for cooking, and to the right of that another pair of sinks, with more cabinets underneath. There's also a currently full jug of coffee sitting perched within a coffee maker, so as to keep it hot. This counter doubles as a space for eating, with three high chairs on the other side available for those who'll eat there. Agent McTavish is standing in front of the stove, cooking a pair of eggs sunny-side up in a frypan sitting on the bottom-left burner, and on the burner to its right cooking three slices of turkey bacon. [[Speak with McTavish.]] [[Leave the kitchen and do something else.->conference room look]] <<audio "EggsCooking1" fadein loop play>><<audio "EggsCooking2" fadein loop play>> <<audio "We'reCapable" loop play>><<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>

<><<set $conferenceCounter += 1>><<set $shipMinute += 1>><<if $shipMinute > 59>><<set $shipMinute to 0>><<set $shipHour += 1>><</if>> <>The research quarters are located to the right of the large conference screen. There's a window to see inside of the room. [[Look through the window.->research quarter window]] [[Turn around and do something else.->conference room look]] <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>><<audio "We'reCapable" loop play>>

<><<if visited() is 1>><<set $conferenceCounter += 1>><</if>><<set $shipMinute += 1>><<if $shipMinute > 59>><<set $shipMinute to 0>><<set $shipHour += 1>><</if>> <>The elevator is small, but kind of cozy. One could read a book in here in peace, and be infrequently disturbed. There's a [[sign->elevator sign]] on the back wall. There are three buttons on the right side (when facing it) of the entrance wall, one with a symbol of an electrical plug for the <<if not visited("talk to Newman")>>[[ship maintenance room->elevator transition][$floorCheck to "ship maintenance room"]]<<else>>ship maintenance room (which I'm not to enter as per the captain's orders)<</if>>, one for the [[first floor,->elevator transition][$floorCheck to "conference room look"]] and one for the [[second floor.->elevator transition][$floorCheck to "second floor"]] <<audio "Elevator1" loop play>><<audio "Elevator2" loop play>> <<if previous() eq "conference room look" or previous() eq "second floor">><<audio "Ship1" fadeout>><<audio "Ship2" fadeout>><<if previous() eq "conference room look">><<audio "We'reCapable" fadeout>><</if>><</if>> <<if previous() eq "ship maintenance room" or previous() eq "talk to Newman">><<audio "EngineRoom1" fadeout>><<audio "EngineRoom2" fadeout>><<audio "WrenchCrank" stop>><</if>>

Myself: <<insertlink "'//Morning, {{{[REDACTED]}}}!//'">> McTavish: <<insertlink "'//Oh, morning, {{{[REDACTED]}}}, I didn't see you standing there!//'">> Myself: <<insertlink "'//That's fine. Smells good!//'">> McTavish: <<insertlink "'//I don't usually cook breakfast, but figured since I'm up early enough for once, might as well.//'">> Myself: <<insertlink "'//Makes sense. Hey, uh, sorry for making y'all wait on me...//'">> McTavish: <<insertlink "'//Hey, well, shit happens, right?//'">> Myself: <<insertlink "'//Ha, yeah. God, I must have looked like a deer in headlights.//'">> McTavish: <<insertlink "'//Captain can be intimidating, miss. Wouldn't envy anybody that gets on her bad side.//'">> Myself: <<insertlink "'//Yeah...you know, speaking of, I should probably apologize to her for that.//'">> McTavish: <<insertlink "'//There are worse ideas, for sure.//'">> Myself: <<insertlink "'//What should I say? I've never made...made a mistake on the ship, I guess.//'">> McTavish: <<insertlink "'//Just don't overthink it. She seemed cool about the whole incident. I wouldn't worry too much.//'">> Myself: <<insertlink "'//I hope you're right! Alright, I'll leave you to your breakfast, haha.//'">> McTavish: <<insertlink "'//I can make you some if you'd like, miss.//'">> Myself: <<insertlink "'//Oh, no, {{{[REDACTED]}}}, I can't think about eating right now, but thank you.//'">> McTavish: <<insertlink "'//Okay, well, good luck!//'">> Myself: <<insertlink "'//I'm gonna need it.//'">> McTavish laughs and moves the eggs and bacon from the two pans to a clean white plate. He grabs a fork, makes a cup of coffee with cream and two sugars, and walks around to the other side of the counter to eat. [[Leave the kitchen.->conference room look]]<<set $shipMinute += 3>><<if $shipMinute > 59>><<set $shipMinute to 0>><<set $shipHour += 1>><</if>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>> <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>><<if previous() eq "conference room look">><<audio "EggsCooking1" fadein>><<audio "EggsCooking2" fadein>><</if>><<audio "EggsCooking1" fadein loop play>><<audio "EggsCooking2" fadein loop play>><<audio "We'reCapable" loop play>>

The room is dark, save for an adjustable desk lamp shining down on a tiny mineral sample resting under a stereo microscope situated on a wide steel, flashy desk. Agent Fishburne, sitting on a comfortable-looking swivel chair, is looking into the microscope with concentrated intent. Periodically, he shuffles the rock around with a small rectangle of clear plastic so as to look at it from a different angle. To his left, his assistant Agent Watanabe sits on his knees in an identical chair, fidgety and restless as ever, spinning the chair back and forth in roughly 80° - 90° rotations. Surrounding the desk, there's some wayward machinery - vintage CRT computer screens displaying numeric and codified esoterics, as well as flashes of sinuous line formations; some tools - rusted wrenches, screwdrivers, clamps, and electric drills; and a shelf stuffed with books on the study of different types of waveforms for sound design, mineral classification, Earthen eastern philosophy, Hinduism, and several glossaries for cooking recipes. [[Open the door and interrupt their analysis session.->speak to Fishburne and Watanabe]] [[Turn around and do something else.->conference room look]]<<set $shipMinute += 1>><<if $shipMinute > 59>><<set $shipMinute to 0>><<set $shipHour += 1>><</if>> <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>><<audio "We'reCapable" loop play>>

Myself: <<insertlink "'//Um, excuse me, Agent Fishburne...//'">> Fishburne: <<insertlink "'//Oh, {{{[REDACTED]}}}! How're you holding up?//'">> Myself: <<insertlink "'//I'm just fine, {{{[REDACTED]}}}. Sorry to barge in on you guys like this.//'">> Watanabe stops writing and turns to me in his chair. Watanabe: <<insertlink "'//That's okay! Today, we're analyzing the contents of a rare mineral made up of thallium, iron, copper, zinc, and palladium.//'">> Myself: <<insertlink "'//That's a mouthful!//'">> Fishburne: <<insertlink "'//It's quite something, yes. Figured we'd start up early, today.//'">> Myself: '//I think I was the one who found that one, actually, in that weird cave on that grassy planet. Place went on and on. Think the locals called it Valusia...anyway, I actually dropped by because I //<<insertlink "//need some advice.//'">> Fishburne: <<insertlink "'//About Agostini, right?//'">> Myself: <<insertlink "'//You're a mind reader, {{{[REDACTED]}}}.//'">> Watanabe: <<insertlink "'//You're not in trouble, are you, Ms. {{{[REDACTED]}}}?//'">> Myself: <<insertlink "'//I certainly hope not!//'">> Fishburne: '//I've known the captain for a long time. Longer than anybody on this ship has, I think. She already laughed it off, I'm sure it'll all be good. She'll probably just tell you to check your email more often. Hell, if I were you, I might not even //<<insertlink "//bring it up!//'">> Myself: '//Well, I figure I should. //<<insertlink "//Clears the air.//'">> Fishburne: <<insertlink "'//It's up to you, ultimately.//'">> Myself: <<insertlink "'//Right. Thanks, guys. And sorry about making you all wait on me.//'">> Watanabe: <<insertlink "'//Just be careful out there!//'">> [[Leave them to their research.->conference room look]]<<set $shipMinute += 3>><<if $shipMinute > 59>><<set $shipMinute to 0>><<set $shipHour += 1>><</if>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>> <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>><<audio "We'reCapable" loop play>>

Myself: <<insertlink "'//You there, Kalman?//'">> Kalman: <<insertlink "'//Oh, uh, my apologies. I was thinking about something.//'">> Myself: <<insertlink "'//Haha, I could see that. Everything okay?//'">> Kalman: <<insertlink "'//You should probably be asking yourself the same question.//'">> Myself: <<insertlink "'//I'm just fine, Kalman. I just...you know I'm not much one for keeping to a script, you know?//'">> Kalman: <<insertlink "'//I've gathered that much, yeah.//'">> Myself: <<insertlink "'//I should probably apologize to the lady, huh?//'">> Kalman: <<insertlink "'//Probably couldn't hurt to.//'">> Myself: <<insertlink "'//Right.//'">> Probably fifteen seconds passed. It seemed as if Kalman had become reentranced by whatever it was that was happening within his own head. Myself: <<insertlink "'//Hey...uh...//'">> He said nothing. Myself: <<insertlink "'//You sure you're okay? Need a bowl of cereal or something?//'">> Kalman looked back my way. Kalman: <<insertlink "'//Oh, sorry. No, it's nothing. Just probably need a little more sleep is all. You should go chat up Mrs. Agostini.//'">> Myself: <<insertlink "'//I believe it's //Ms.// Agostini, {{{[REDACTED]}}}.//'">> Kalman: <<insertlink "'//Oh. I thought I'd heard otherwise somewhere.//'">> Not sure what that was all about. [[Leave and do something else.->conference room look]]<<set $shipMinute += 3>><<if $shipMinute > 59>><<set $shipMinute to 0>><<set $shipHour += 1>><</if>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>> <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>

Myself: <<insertlink "'//Uh...earth to Gibbons.//'">> Gibbons' eyes opened up, first the left, then the right. Her gaze quickly darted over to me. I knew I was in trouble. Gibbons: <<insertlink "'//What?//'">> Myself: <<insertlink "'//Uh...I was hoping maybe we could talk.//'">> Gibbons: <<insertlink "'//What about?//'">> Myself: <<insertlink "'//Um...normal human being stuff?//'">> Gibbons just stares at me. She looks a little bit incredulous. Never was one for small talk. I continued: Myself: <<insertlink "'//Look, about that late business back there -//'">> Gibbons barks back: <<insertlink "'//It's not worth talking about. Please just let me rest.//'">> Myself: <<insertlink "'//Right. Sorry. Later.//'">> Gibbons' heart is in the right place, but, admittedly, not always is her mind. [[Disregard her and do something else.->conference room look]]<<set $shipMinute += 2>><<if $shipMinute > 59>><<set $shipMinute to 0>><<set $shipHour += 1>><</if>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>> <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>><<audio "We'reCapable" loop play>>

<<set $currentFloor to "ship maintenance room">><<set $shipMinute += 1>><<if $shipMinute > 59>><<set $shipMinute to 0>><<set $shipHour += 1>><</if>>Ah, the distinctive hum of the maintenance room! I was never much one for ambient music or sounds, but for some reason, I derive a comforting reassurance from the maintenance room's buzzing and thrashing of esoteric machinery hard at work at keeping the Gargandua afloat and our lungs filled with oxygen. In the center of the square, dimly lit room, a massive fuel reservoir or burner of sorts (I'm just kind of guessing here) vibrates nervously, as if a prop meant to instill fear within a moviegoing audience in a [[Hitchcockian]] horror film. It is so hot to the touch that it is surrounded by an extremely tough and heat-resistant fencing material which extends up to the ceiling and is locked by a combination padlock which only Agent Newman knows the combination to. On the leftmost wall of the room, two aluminum suits necessary for physical interfacing with the apparatus hang off of hooks nailed precariously to the wall. On another wall, extra fuel reserves are stored within heat-resistant receptacles. In a corner to my right sits a water heater, which operates in a low power mode since the heat from the machinery of the rest of the room helps to heat water regardless. To my right is a [[latch]] on the floor. I can hear a [[rhythmic cranking sound->find Newman]] coming from somewhere within the room. <<if $conferenceCounter < 3>>[[Return.->Enter the elevator.]]<<else>>[[Perhaps I should pay Agostini a visit...->Enter the elevator.]]<</if>> <<if previous() eq "elevator transition" or previous() eq "Enter the elevator.">><<audio "ElevatorDing" play>><<audio "Elevator1" fadeout>><<audio "Elevator2" fadeout>><</if>> <<audio "EngineRoom1" fadein loop play>><<audio "EngineRoom2" fadein loop play volume 1.0>><<audio "WrenchCrank" loop play volume 0.5>>

<><<set $currentFloor to "second floor">><<set $shipMinute += 1>><<if $shipMinute > 59>><<set $shipMinute to 0>><<set $shipHour += 1>><</if>><>The second floor consists entirely of the ship's bridge. This section is something of an antiquated part of the ship in terms of its functionality, due to the ship's autopilot capabilities. However, its unparalleled view of the wide expanses of the universe make it a frequented place of reflection and meditation, including even Captain Agostini herself during times of high stress. Currently, the ship is not moving very quickly, so the view appears as if it were a pristine painting of sorts. We're nearest to the planet known as Cerulea, a deep, oceanic blue. Behind it, I can spot what I believe to be the planet known as Crescent Valley, and its two moons: Galápagos and Van Etten. <<if not visited("Sit, take in the ambience.")>>[[Sit, take in the ambience.]]<<else>>[[Sit again, pondering.->Sit, take in the ambience.]]<</if>> <<if $conferenceCounter < 3>>[[Return.->Enter the elevator.]]<<else>>[[Perhaps I should pay Agostini a visit...->Enter the elevator.]]<</if>> <<if previous() eq "elevator transition" or previous() eq "Enter the elevator.">><<audio "ElevatorDing" play>><<audio "Elevator3" fadeout>><<audio "Ship1" fadein volume 1.0>><<audio "Ship2" fadein volume 1.0>><</if>> <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>

The sign is a rectangle with curved edges taped raggedly on the pale white back wall, a dark blue with bold white text which reads, "//THE MAXIMUM CAPACITY OF THIS ELEVATOR IS 2500 POUNDS OR ROUGHLY 1100 KILOGRAMS,//" and in much smaller text underneath it, sans bold font, "//This disclaimer was developed after a period of testing of this elevation device by the IFPU Safety and Maintenance Specialist's Division. If you have any questions about the safety regulations and proper operation of this elevation device, please contact the IFPU sub-office of your appropriate sector, which can be found by visiting htutps:/uww.ifpu.gov/help or by calling (882209) 830-4001 ext. 4317. We at the IFPU would like to thank you for your unwavering devotion to safety and other best practices!//" I'd like to think I don't [[weigh->Enter the elevator.]] that much.<<set $shipMinute += 1>><<if $shipMinute > 59>><<set $shipMinute to 0>><<set $shipHour += 1>><</if>> <<audio "Elevator1" loop play>><<audio "Elevator2" loop play>>

<<set $shipMinute += 1>><<if $shipMinute > 59>><<set $shipMinute to 0>><<set $shipHour += 1>><</if>>Alfred Hitchcock was one of the most prolific and esteemed film directors of the twentieth century. His abilities as a cinematographer were informed by his strict adherence not to the script, but to his own imagination. As such, he would painstakingly shoot and reshoot a scene until all of the different visual elements being shown on-camera were at the exact level of standard that he initially pictured each of them in. This almost dogmatic approach to filmmaking along with the kinds of films he was privy to create, such as the classics //Psycho// and //The Birds//, led him to become the so-called "Master of Suspense". All this is to say that it feels as if the machinery within [[this room->ship maintenance room]] were acting upon Hitchcock's will. <<audio "EngineRoom1" fadein loop play>><<audio "EngineRoom2" fadein loop play>><<audio "WrenchCrank" loop play volume 0.5>>

<<set $shipMinute += 1>><<if $shipMinute > 59>><<set $shipMinute to 0>><<set $shipHour += 1>><</if>>Ah ha! I see Agent Newman's feet hanging out of an indent in one of the walls. She's humming something new, something I'm not used to hearing from her. Upon crouching down to get a closer look, I can see that she is laying on her back on a roller so as to be able to tinker away at some machinery which I am to assume is in need of some work done on it. [[Conversate with Agent Newman.->talk to Newman]] [[Disregard her and listen to the noises.->ship maintenance room]] <<audio "EngineRoom1" fadein loop play>><<audio "EngineRoom2" fadein loop play>><<audio "WrenchCrank" loop play volume 1.0>>

I'm feeling somewhat childish: Myself: <<insertlink "'//Boo!//'">> Newman shrieks and gestates, cursing at my sudden outburst. Newman: <<insertlink "'//Woah! What the fuck was that?//'">> Myself: <<insertlink "'//Just me, your old pal.//'">> Newman sighs. Newman: <<insertlink "'//Jesus, you nearly scared the shit right out of me.//'">> Myself: <<insertlink "'//Got you good, didn't I?//'">> Newman: <<insertlink "'//Maybe next time use your inside voice.//'">> Myself: <<insertlink "'//Well, I am technically using my inside voice, given that we're currently inside.//'">> Newman: <<insertlink "'//What do you want, {{{[REDACTED]}}}?//'">> Myself: <<insertlink "'//I'm glad you asked! I'm looking to get in good graces with the captain again. Got any tips?//'">> Newman: <<insertlink "'//Uh, no, not really. Just explain it away as a mishap. That's what I'd do, I think.//'">> Myself: <<insertlink "'//That obvious, huh?//'">> Newman: <<insertlink "'//Couldn't be simpler if you ask me.//'">> Myself: <<insertlink "'//Well...I did ask you.//'">> Newman: <<insertlink "'//Figure of speech. Now if you'll excuse me, this nut won't unscrew itself.//'">> Myself: <<insertlink "'//Right. Later.//'">> Newman: <<insertlink "'//Oh, while I've got you: captain doesn't want anybody but me in the maintenance room from now on unless she says otherwise. Scram, in other words.//'">> Myself: <<insertlink "'//Oh! Good to know that I'm welcome anytime.//'">> Newman: <<insertlink "'//Yeah huh.//'">> Myself: <<insertlink "'//Are you saying you don't want to see Fishburne anymore?//'">> Newman: <<insertlink "'//Very funny, T.//'">> It's a well-known secret, after all. [[Leave Newman be and return to the elevator.->Enter the elevator.]]<<set $shipMinute += 3>><<if $shipMinute > 59>><<set $shipMinute to 0>><<set $shipHour += 1>><</if>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>> <<audio "EngineRoom1" fadein loop play>><<audio "EngineRoom2" fadein loop play>><<audio "WrenchCrank" stop>>

Agostini continues typing, periodically looking down at some parchment splayed about to the left of her keyboard. She replies: <<insertlink "'//Sure! What's up, T.?//'">> Myself: <<insertlink "'//How are you doing?//'">> Agostini: <<insertlink "'//Oh, I'm just fine. Just typing up a report about how the meeting went, is all.//'">> Myself: <<insertlink "'//Oh, I see.//'">> I awkwardly pause for a moment. Agostini seems unfazed. After a few seconds of standing there like a complete imbecile, I, stuttering, jettison the stilted dialogue toward something resembling a point: <<insertlink "'//I would like to apologize for my tardiness, earlier. It was irresponsible, just deplorable behavior, really, to not check for the alert.//'">> Agostini stops typing, and looks over at me. Her face communicates to me something of indifference towards the matter. This was a mistake. Agostini: <<insertlink "'//Hey, look, it's totally fine. We've all done it.//'">> Myself: '//I suppose...but this is my first time ever being late to a meeting is all. I'm usually never late. Punctuality is like, my thing. You might say, my //<<insertlink "//raison d'être.//'">> At this, Agostini bursts out in a fit of hysterical laughter. I can't help but grin at the situation. How silly. How absurd. She manages, between heaves and hoes, to slither out some tangible words: <<insertlink "'//That's good. That's...right. //Raison d'être//. I love it. Perfect.//'">> I start nervously chuckling. Did I really just say //raison d'être//? And in such a pronounced, pretentious manner? From another room, Agent Watanabe cackles maniacally at something probably unrelated, but I can't help but wonder if he's shirking his responsibilities to listen in on my inanity. Agostini: '//In all seriousness, it's totally fine. You can make up for it by helping me to plan the next meeting in a couple weeks. And I can tell HQ that you're helping, and it'll look like from a distance that I'm training new blood. Kind of a win-win, right? Could use the extra body heat, //<<insertlink "//it's fuckin' cold in here, Jesus.//'">> I'm flabbergasted at the thought. What a thrill, what a joy! I'd drop everything to get to work directly with the captain! I somehow manage to blurt out a coherent utterance: <<insertlink "'//I'd...uh...I'd be honored, miss!//'">> Agostini replies with a sly smirk upon her countenance: <<insertlink "'//Don't call me that! You make me sound so old.//'">> It's <<if $shipHour < 10>>0<</if>>$shipHour<<if $shipMinute < 10>>0<</if>>$shipMinute, and we were getting straight to work. I'd never felt more useful. More [[alive.->scientists talk about her initial]]<</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>> <<audio "IDon'tKnowWhatItIs" play>><<audio "Ship1" fadeoverto 1.0 0.2>><<audio "Ship2" fadeoverto 1.0 0.2>>

A voice from inside emotes: "//Come in!//" Captain Agostini's room is visually not too dissimilar to the rest of the crew's: white walls with a steel floor lit by bulbous halogen lights, a constant buzzing that digs into the back of one's skull, a compuscreen, a bed, a desk, clothes littered about (she's only human), some books on Earthen eastern philosophy, marriage, dating, self-help, cooking tips, managerial advice, etc. (she lends these out to crewmembers upon their request; I suspect not all of them are of any interest to her!) Perhaps the only difference of note is that the room is slightly larger than ours, a meager dividend when compared with the debilitating list of responsibilities that come with the position, I might say! Agostini is sat, legs folded on her chair, shoeless but wearing jet black socks, loosely clothed in a white tank-top and black sweatpants, feverishly typing away at something which looks rather important from a distance. Perhaps I've made a mistake. I begin: '//Might we [[speak,->talk to Agostini]] captain?//' <<if previous() eq "Agostini bio">><<audio "We'reCapable" fadeout>><</if>> <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>><<audio "DoorKnock" play>>

<<masteraudio stop>><<audio "Drone1" loop play>><<audio "Drone2" loop play>><<insertlink "'//Alright, I'm gonna push you forward a little bit.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Sure. This stuff doesn't seem all that useful, anyway.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Right, don't need to know that much about what her life was like.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Oh, so you are paying attention, after all?//'">> <<insertlink "'//I figured maybe I should do my job once in a while.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Funny how that works.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Okay, then, Mr. Attentive. Couldn't find anything, then, huh?//'">> <<insertlink "'//Well...//'">> <<insertlink "'//That's a no, then?//'">> <<insertlink "'//Look, I'm trying, here.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Well trying only counts for horseshoes and hand grenades. That's the expression, right?//'">> <<insertlink "'//Uh, definitely not. It's '//Almost only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.//'//'">> <<insertlink "'//You and your expressions. I almost had it.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Almost only -//'">> <<insertlink "'//Shut up.//'">> <<insertlink "'//- only counts in horse shoes and hand grenades.//'">> <<insertlink "'//God, fuck you so much right now.//'">> <<insertlink "'//At least take me to dinner first.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Cute. I think I'd rather sit on a hand grenade.//'">> <<insertlink "'//You know, now that I think about it, I kept seeing people refer to her as 'T.' //'">> <<insertlink "'//Damn, seriously?//'">> <<insertlink "'//Yeah. An initial, probably?//'">> <<insertlink "'//Almost certainly. I'm going to guess since you didn't stop to tell me which indices that happened at, that you just memorized them all instead, correct?//'">> <<insertlink "'//Oh, no, definitely not.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Great. Then what the hell's the point in doing all this?//'">> <<insertlink "'//A solid paycheck, for one. And there's more than one endgame here, you know. Plus, I figured I could join you in the slacking off.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Alright, well, break's over, buddy. I'm sending you back in to a spot which is showing lower brain activity.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Probably the hole.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Probably. See you on the different side.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Now you're just doing that to be irritating.//'">> <<insertlink "'//...Yep, pretty much.//'">> [[Return.->tossing rock against the wall]]<</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>>

<><<if visited() is 1>><<set $conferenceCounter += 1>><</if>><<set $shipMinute += 1>><<if $shipMinute > 59>><<set $shipMinute to 0>><<set $shipHour += 1>><</if>> <>The bulletin board contains a variety of useless things. There's some primitive drawings of places we've been, mostly by Agent Kalman, who enjoys doing that sort of thing, apparently. Otherwise, there's some instructional pamphlets regarding proper procedures, such as the Inspection Gradient Form which is a guideline for how to successfully pass an inspection at an MEA Rehabilitation Depot. But nothing really all that important. [[Turn around and do something else.->conference room look]] <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>

Sometimes the rock bounces right back to me, gliding back into my hand as if I were commanding it to. Sometimes, it does not. One time it hit me square on the top of my head. Luckily, it's light enough to not really hurt all that much - there's no blood, per se - but it is an irritant, albeit self-inflicted. I'm sitting here, up against the wall, my left leg curled up, my right leg, the damaged one, spread out forward and to the right a little. The rain stopped about twenty minutes ago, and I'm parched. What's consumed the other half of my attention span has been trying to keep tally of where exactly the rock lands and how frequently it does so, so as to develop a statistical mapping of sorts. Maybe I can spin a good story from it back home. And it passes the time. How I've done this is, I watch for exactly where the rock hits - not where it stops moving, bouncing around as physics will see fit, mind you, but where it initially collides with the ground. Then, using my arms to push myself forward, as the leg is starting to hurt more and more, I quickly press my finger up against that spot, peering upon this imaginary dot in three-dimensional space with resolve, and I then scrape the rock against the hard, stony, frankly uncomfortable ground to make the mark. Then, since the point of impact will never truly be an exact match twice, if the rock hits a spot that's at least close to where it may have previously hit, I'll devise a tally out of [[Earthen Roman]] numerals. So far, there's been a general area to the left of my left foot which has been hit seven times, taking the lead. About a quarter of a meter from my left foot, there's a spot which has gotten <<cyclinglink "four" "five" "six">> hits. I noticed something particular about this one; if the rock scrapes the heavy moss about halfway up the height of the hole and to my left, the brush tends to just sort of lead it directly to that spot. Until now, I've mostly been tossing it forward. I should find [[another spot.]] <<if previous() eq "scientists talk about her initial">><<masteraudio stop>><</if>><<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Wind2" loop play volume 0.5>>

I specify "Earthen" so as to not to confuse the numeral system with the star system of a similar name, a quaint title which according to urban legend was chosen because the astronomical positioning of its stars which are visible from a number of metropolitan planets resembles a number of Roman deity figures praying together in a circle. [[Back to the interesting stuff.->tossing rock against the wall]] <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Wind2" loop play volume 0.5>>

<<if not visited("rock up")>>[[Look up.->rock up]]<<else>>The hole is much too high, and the effects of an upward toss aren't all that interesting to me.<</if>> <<if not visited("rock down")>>[[Look down.->rock down]]<<else>>Perhaps the most pleasurable of all of my trials, tossing the rock downward reminds of skipping pebbles across a lake with friends.<</if>> <<if not visited("rock left")>>[[Look left.->rock left]]<<else>>With my right hand being my dominant one, tossing the rock to my left is a tad easier than to my right.<</if>> <<if not visited("rock right")>>[[Look right.->rock right]]<<else>>A tricky shot, with unpleasurable results to boot.<</if>> <<if not visited("rock Survey the air") and $rockCounter >= 2>>[[Survey the air.->rock Survey the air]]<<elseif visited("rock Survey the air") and $rockCounter >= 2>>The air is the same as before, and the rock doesn't really smell like much of anything.<</if>> <<if not visited("rock Listen to the sounds") and $rockCounter >= 2>>[[Listen to the sounds.->rock Listen to the sounds]]<<elseif visited("rock Listen to the sounds") and $rockCounter >= 2>>A calm stillness as the rain has stopped falling. I enjoy the sound the rock makes upon impact with another hard surface.<</if>> <<if $rockCounter >= 3>>[[My leg is extremely sore.]]<</if>> <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Wind2" loop play volume 0.5>>

I've already tried tossing the rock out of the hole, and if I couldn't do it then, I certainly can't do it now. [[Toss it upwards anyway.->toss rock up]] [[Look elsewhere for a spot.->another spot.]]<<set $rockCounter += 1>> <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Wind2" loop play volume 0.5>>

Spiking the rock down against the floor and watching it ricochet around the walls as a result is indeed pleasurable, but can make it difficult to retrieve the rock as a result. [[Toss the rock downwards.]] [[Look elsewhere.->another spot.]]<<set $rockCounter += 1>> <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Wind2" loop play volume 0.5>>

If I were to toss the rock to my left (or my right), I would surely sacrifice verticality, but would make up for it in intriguing spatial maneuvers. I predict that the rock might land to my right after about four collisions. [[Test my hypothesis.->throw rock left]] [[Look elsewhere.->another spot.]]<<set $rockCounter += 1>> <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Wind2" loop play volume 0.5>>

This shot is a little more awkward to make than if I were tossing it to my left, I think. I kind of have to contort my body in such a way so that the rock gets any airtime. I imagine to a bystander it might look as if I were shoving someone aside whilst tailing an important person at some elegant party, the likes of which I'm generally not privy to. [[Take the shot.->throw rock right]] [[Look elsewhere.->another spot.]]<<set $rockCounter += 1>> <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Wind2" loop play volume 0.5>>

The wind has eased up a bit, leaving me with rather warm weather. In a strange way, it's somewhat appreciated, quite a far cry from the recent cold nights without heated air aboard the Gargandua. Best of all, the air is nice to breathe, soothing. It's the small things, really. [[Concentrate on looking for spots to throw rocks at.->another spot.]] <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Wind2" loop play volume 0.5>>

A quiet the likes of which for me are unheard of, mostly. No hum. No rain. No idle conversation, lightning or the like. Wind, but otherwise, stillness. It's...nice. [[Break it with this rock.->another spot.]] <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Wind2" loop play volume 0.5>>

I need to focus on <<insertlink "something else.">> The rock reminds me of a particular [[mission]] the crew embarked upon some time after my previously mentioned mishap back in the conference room.<</insertlink>> <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Wind2" loop play volume 0.5>>

As expected, since I've done it numerous times, the rock clashes against the solid terrain, and clangs against three other sections of rock until ending its descent to my left. I bend my back forward to mark it - a first for this section of ground - and [[look elsewhere.->another spot.]] <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Wind2" loop play volume 0.5>>

In actuality, my very sophisticated and rigidly-scientific calculations as to where the rock might land were wrongheaded. Aside from slight bounces once it hit the ground, this time the rock merely collided with other surfaces twice, once on the leftmost side of the hole, and another nearly directly across from me, as my toss was tinged with forward momentum. It tallied a third mark to a spot about a meter in front of my right foot. [[Look elsewhere.->another spot.]] <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Wind2" loop play volume 0.5>>

As expected, the rock just about traces a set parabolic arc up and then back down. I stretch and contort myself in order to reach the rock and add to that spot's tally, to the left of my sprawled-about left foot. That makes eight. [[Look elsewhere.->another spot.]] <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Wind2" loop play volume 0.5>>

My weak toss yields disappointing results. The rock just sort of skips out like a wet fart, hitting the wall and landing directly on my right leg, if one can believe such a thing. I won't be making the tally directly on my pant leg, for that would be much too painful. I opt to make the first mark for this spot a little to the right of my leg. [[Look elsewhere.->another spot.]] <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Wind2" loop play volume 0.5>>

The mission was fairly straightforward: the crew were to explore a particular cave system on a planet which very nearly borders the Prisma and Athene's Harp galaxies, [[mapping]] it out to the best of our abilities for future reference and also taking back anything of particular note with us that we could find. With no official title to it as of yet, so far out from the officially-recognized jurisdiction of the IFPU as it is, the planet's harsh, erratic and disorienting deserts which have long deterred government officials and just regular old explorer types has caused it to be christened, "The Devil's Way". There we stood, at the [[mouth]] of the cave's entrance, our vision encumbered by hazardous dust storms, but still hesitant to enter. <<if previous() eq "My leg is extremely sore.">><<audio "Wind2" fadeout>><<audio "Wind" fadeout>><</if>><<audio "DesertWind1" loop play>><<audio "DesertWind2" loop play>>

A large part of the job as a scavenger for the MEA is concerned with finding and thoroughly documenting [[new places->mission]] to harvest materials from, and is not exclusively concerned with the act of harvesting itself. <<audio "DesertWind1" loop play>><<audio "DesertWind2" loop play>>

For the forty-three Earthen hours and twenty-seven Earthen minutes of the time that this planet is enveloped in sunlight from two nearby suns, the heat can only be accurately described as being unbearable. Direct exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays had the potential to be harmful, even with our specialized full body heat suits equipped. And yet, as the [[five of us]] stood there, peering directly into the cave's entrance, the Gargandua resting monolithically amongst the runes and winding hills of sand only a few meters behind, I couldn't help but feel a fierce apprehension at the prospect of entering and relieving ourselves of the sun's presence. It's not the grating humidity, nor the rocky interior, nor the long drops, not the piercing darkness that deterred me in that moment, no, it was something deeper, more primal. Something, but I don't quite know what. A feral wind howls from behind, flowing westerly, flinging dust, sand, and other residue up against the backs of our heads. Gibbons heralded our entrance: '//Aren't y'all getting a little tired of standing here? It's just a cave.//' Right. [[Just a cave.]] <<audio "DesertWind1" loop play>><<audio "DesertWind2" loop play>>

Adding onto the usual suspects (myself, Gibbons, and Kalman) were Captain Agostini and Agent Watanabe. Agent Fishburne personally requested that Watanabe have some direct experience out in the field, observing minerals and various other phenomena so as to develop a stronger grasp of where such things tend to be located within the real world, and not merely being contained within the confines of the small research cubicle. Agostini made no bones about the fact that her involvement in this [[mission->mouth]] was purely one of recreation. Or, as she not very mellowly put it, '//I'm just here for shits and gigs.//' <<audio "DesertWind1" loop play>><<audio "DesertWind2" loop play>>

Agostini was the first to enter, rendering any hesitations one might perceive her now having about this endeavor as errant. Right boot first, each digging a little ways into the coarse sands, I watched her assume a crouching position so as to not bump her head on the hostile stone crevices of the cave wall, and quickly became completely encroached by the enveloping black. Kalman, Gibbons, and Watanabe followed suit. I was the last to [[enter.->enter cave]] <<audio "DesertWind1" loop play>><<audio "DesertWind2" loop play>>

When each of us had walked so far into the dry, rocky interior of the cave that we were beginning to frequently bump into each other, with only our backs and the lithic stone walls which were often dilapidated enough to fracture at one's mere touch, I heard one of our able bodies drop to the ground and rummage through their emergency kit, plopping something onto the ground and producing a loud thumping, the echo of which likely reverberated throughout the cave system for tens of thousands of kilometers. But sudden noise was not the desired effect of this [[action.->light impact cave]] <<audio "CaveInteriorWind1" loop play>><<audio "CaveInteriorWind2" loop play>><<if previous() eq "Just a cave.">><<audio "CaveWalk2" play>><<audio "DesertWind1" fadeout>><<audio "DesertWind2" fadeout>><</if>>

Upon impact with the jagged, uneasy mound of earth, this device became a source of light so piercing in its potency that I felt for a second blinded, relinquishing any pretense of hyperbole, if I may. Each of us, save for the instigator of this intense chemical reaction, instantly buried our eyes deep within the sides of our arms in an effort to retain our vision. I can still just make out that bulbous circle of light which the flash starkly ingrained within my vision to this day. Once my vision returned, I saw that it was Agent Watanabe who had dropped the apparatus which had continued to light up the room and the immediate hallways without notice. I had to restrain myself from laying on the young man a verbal beating. '//That wake y'all up?//' inquired Gibbons in a slightly snide manner, perhaps letting up a bit on her usual way of carrying about herself to accomodate for this being Watanabe's first mission, and all. '//Good thinking, Watanabe,//' mentioned Agostini in her usual considerate demeanor. Watanabe said nothing, but I could parse a weak smile trying to make it out through his embarrassment. '//Alright, folks. Take a minute to [[familiarize->look around cave entrance]] yourself with this part of town in the event that we get lost.//' <<audio "CaveInteriorWind1" loop play>><<audio "CaveInteriorWind2" loop play>>

<<if not visited ("Look up cave")>>[[Look up.->Look up cave]]<<else>>[[The topside of this part of the cave is littered with bizarre, abstract drawings, and it's not too high.->Look up cave]]<</if>> <<if not visited("Look down cave")>>[[Look down.->Look down cave]]<<else>>[[Traversing these grounds seems bleak.->Look down cave]]<</if>> <<replacelink "Look left.">>The light fixture is to my left. I'd likely go blind if I were to look directly at it again.<</replacelink>> <<if not visited("Look right cave")>>[[Look right.->Look right cave]]<<else>>[[Look at the parts which make up a cave wall.->Look right cave]]<</if>> <<if not visited("Smell cave entrance") and $caveCounter >= 2>>[[Survey the air.->Smell cave entrance]]<<else>>[[The air here is foul.->Smell cave entrance]]<</if>> <<if not visited("sounds cave entrance") and $caveCounter >= 2>>[[Listen to the sounds.->sounds cave entrance]]<<else>>[[Hear the wayward noises of the cave.->sounds cave entrance]]<</if>> <<if $caveCounter >= 3>>[[Embark.->cave embark]]<</if>> <<if previous eq "sounds cave entrance">><<audio "CaveWalk2" fadeout>><<audio "DesertWind1" fadeout>><</if>><<audio "CaveInteriorWind1" loop play>><<audio "CaveInteriorWind2" loop play>> <<if previous() eq "sounds cave entrance">><<audio "DesertWind1" fadeout>><</if>>

This section of cave is so low that I have to contort both my neck and my back in order to get a decent visual of the uppermost portion of its makeup. Lining this ceiling of sorts are a variety of crude drawings of people, whose bodies are made up of simple lines, circles, and ovals. They appear to have been etched by way of sharp stone daggers. I'm unable to make out anything resembling a narrative arc here, though two of the individuals appear to be engaged in hand-to-hand combat. [[Look elsewhere in the cave.->look around cave entrance]]<<if visited() is 1>><<set $caveCounter += 1>><</if>> <<audio "CaveInteriorWind1" loop play>><<audio "CaveInteriorWind2" loop play>>

The ground is jagged, crooked, with cracks and fissures emanating all about the place. I'll have to be careful so as to not trip; that would surely make for a nasty fall! <<if not visited("scanner.")>>I notice somebody has dropped their [[scanner.]]<</if>> [[Look around elsewhere in the cave.->look around cave entrance]]<<if visited() is 1>><<set $caveCounter += 1>><</if>> <<audio "CaveInteriorWind1" loop play>><<audio "CaveInteriorWind2" loop play>>

It's simply a rounded off, jagged section of rock. Sandy to the touch. This is definitely a desert cave. [[Look elsewhere in the cave.->look around cave entrance]]<<if visited() is 1>><<set $caveCounter += 1>><</if>> <<audio "CaveInteriorWind1" loop play>><<audio "CaveInteriorWind2" loop play>>

There's a heavy musk to the place. Each intake of air pads my nostrils and therefore my lungs with sand and dust, making me uncomfortable. Someone's going to get sick from this. [[Try not to think about it.->look around cave entrance]]<<if visited() is 1>><<set $caveCounter += 1>><</if>> <<audio "CaveInteriorWind1" loop play>><<audio "CaveInteriorWind2" loop play>>

We're close enough to the entrance of the cave to still clearly feel and hear the outside winds. Gibbons has started something of a coughing fit. There's some shuffling sounds here and there from crewmembers walking around, checking out what few sights there are here. [[Nothing much to listen to.->look around cave entrance]]<<if visited() is 1>><<set $caveCounter += 1>><</if>> <<audio "DesertWind1" fadein loop play volume 0.4>><<audio "CaveWalk2" play>><<audio "CaveInteriorWind1" loop play>><<audio "CaveInteriorWind2" loop play>>

Kalman spoke up for the first time all day: <<insertlink "'//Perhaps we should get going, then.//'">> Agostini replied, <<insertlink "'//Yeah, he's right. Nothing much to see here, save for those weird drawings I guess. Let's make sure we've got comms with our friends in high places...//'">> Agostini pulled out a handheld radio. Nobody likes the earpieces. Just uncomfortable. Agostini: <<insertlink "'//Fishburne, do you read me? I repeat, Fishburne, do you read me? Over.//'">> Fishburne's voice comes through the static. Fishburne: <<insertlink "'//That's //Agent// Fishburne over communications, miss. Over.//'">> Agostini: <<insertlink "'//Let's not forget who's in charge, here, //Agent// Fishburne. We'll be in touch. //Captain// Agostini, out.//'">> Fishburne: <<insertlink "'//Heh. Agent Fishburne, out.//'">> She puts away the device in her right pocket, and focuses her gaze toward our general direction. Agostini: <<insertlink "'//Alright, then. We're going into possibly dangerous territory, so I think it's best that we all stick together. No splitting up. My DMD is on. We have a backup up and running, yeah?//'">> Gibbons held up her <<replacelink "DMD">>The Data Mapping Device. With this device, one can generate three-dimensional representations of wherever they choose, simply by walking through the space. This particular kind for usage by MEA agents is special in that it streams this data directly to MEA HQ, and thus they possess an enormous database of planet mappings which are marked with valuable information about where materials are found so that future generations might benefit from this information, as well as knowledge on planets which may be hospitable by future generations. And now, back to our story<</replacelink>>: <<insertlink "'//Backup accounted for, ma'am.//'">> Agostini looked assured. <<insertlink "'//Good. Let's get a move on, then. Single file, you all know the drill. And keep your eyes peeled.//'">> [[We started the long, dark walk.->walk into cave 1]]<</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>> <<audio "CaveInteriorWind1" loop play>><<audio "CaveInteriorWind2" loop play>>

When beginning to embark on this most turgid of missions, the situation could have only been described as dreary. Aside from the backs of each other, all one could see through the thick darkness was the nearby rocks and sand which make up the harrowing caves of The Devil's Way. The name is apt. We walked for about ten minutes in pure silence. I don't know what the others were thinking, but as each step took us further and further away from the light, the darkness seemed like it could suffocate. The prospect of the light emanating from our meager and battery-light flashlights was not enough to satiate my weariness toward the situation. We just [[walked.]] <<audio "CaveWalk1" loop play volume 0.5>><<audio "CaveWalk2" loop play volume 0.5>><<audio "Destitute" loop play volume 1.0>><<if previous() eq "cave embark">><<audio "CaveInteriorWind1" fadeout>><</if>><<audio "CaveInteriorWind2" fadeto 0.4>>

The ground makes it hard to keep an even footing. There often were times where I found myself wishing that I had something like a walking stick to keep a firm foundation with each step I took. My boots would often get lodged inside of little convex indents, which if not careful could bring one careening to the ground, face-first. I found it useful to pay attention to the [[person]] in front of me, echoing their successful steps and disregarding the ones which resulted in a [[blunderous maneuver.]] It was Watanabe who broke the deafening silence, that I'm thankful for: '//Boy, this sure is [[long.]]//' <<audio "CaveWalk1" loop play volume 0.5>><<audio "CaveWalk2" loop play volume 0.5>><<audio "Destitute" loop play volume 1.0>><<audio "CaveInteriorWind2" fadeto 0.4>>

I think it was Agent Watanabe, but it was so dark, and the journey so [[long,->walked.]] I can't quite seem to remember. <<audio "CaveWalk1" loop play volume 0.5>><<audio "CaveWalk2" loop play volume 0.5>><<audio "Destitute" loop play volume 1.0>><<audio "CaveInteriorWind2" fadeto 0.4>>

Like a stumble, a misplaced foot causing unwanted sliding, anything to incite [[duress,->walked.]] really. <<audio "CaveWalk1" loop play volume 0.5>><<audio "CaveWalk2" loop play volume 0.5>><<audio "Destitute" loop play volume 1.0>><<audio "CaveInteriorWind2" fadeto 0.4>>

The entirety of the group couldn't help but to burst out in much-needed laughter at Watanabe's naïve yet wholly accurate observation. It was good to have something of a reprieve. Agostini ran with it: <<insertlink "'//That's definitely true, Agent Watanabe.//'">> Watanabe chuckled. Without seeing his face, it's hard to say, but I imagine he still laughs and lays on a wide grin at the thought of the sudden outburst. She continued: <<insertlink "'//Well, now that the dust's settled a bit, -//'">> Gibbons interjected: <<insertlink "'//But not the sand!//'">> It was in a good-humored tone, you see. Agostini: <<insertlink "'//Where can I get to see your stand-up routine, Gibbons?'"//>> Gibbons: <<insertlink "'//This little place called the Gargandua, miss. You should check it out next time you're in town.//'">> Agostini: <<insertlink "'//I'll have to do that.//'">> The laughter had [[receded.]]<</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>> <<audio "CaveWalk1" loop play volume 0.5>><<audio "CaveWalk2" loop play volume 0.5>><<audio "Destitute" loop play volume 1.0>><<audio "CaveInteriorWind2" fadeto 0.4>>

A few minutes passed. For a while, it had seemed as if Captain Agostini had forgotten what it was she was going to say. But, I think she was just letting the moment happen. Kalman, of all crewmates, resuscitated the conversation with his usual deadpan, inquisitive timbre: <<insertlink "'//You were saying, miss?//'">> Agostini: <<insertlink "'//Can y'all stop calling me miss? Why's everyone call me miss? I'm not like, sixty, Kalman. I'm not that old!//'">> Kalman: <<insertlink "'//Apologies, miss, er, um, I mean, captain. Raised a certain way, is all.//'">> Agostini: <<insertlink "'//Ah, yes, that's what I was getting at before. Where'd you all grow up?//'">> The walking continued, but the conversation skid to a halt. Agostini: <<insertlink "'//Well?//'">> I sheepishly inquired: <<insertlink "'//But, don't you already know where we're from?//'">> Agostini seemingly had prepared for this interjection: <<insertlink "'//Well, yeah, of course, but you all don't.//'">> Kalman, gently prying at her, slithered out a simple, <<insertlink "'//Ma'am?//'">> Agostini, her inflection pointing to annoyance: <<insertlink "'//We're all friends here, guys, right? Just seems like a logical next step to take, is all.//'">> It was becoming nigh impossible to see much further than a couple meters in front of yourself. Gibbons was the first to indulge: <<insertlink "'//I was born in {{{[REDACTED]}}} but raised with my dad at {{{[REDACTED]}}}.//'">> Agostini: '//Oh? Please, [[share with the class->scientists skip conversation]], Agent Gibbons.//'<</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>> <<audio "CaveWalk1" loop play volume 0.5>><<audio "CaveWalk2" loop play volume 0.5>><<audio "Destitute" loop play volume 1.0>><<audio "CaveInteriorWind2" fadeto 0.4>>

<<masteraudio stop>><<audio "Drone1" loop play>><<audio "Drone2" loop play>><<insertlink "'//Hold on there, tiger. I'm pushing you forward.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Huh, why?//'">> <<insertlink "'//This is personal information central. You probably won't be able to read half of it, anyway.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Yeah, you're right.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Why so dour?//'">> <<insertlink "'//No, it's just a little jarring, is all.//'">> <<insertlink "'//In what way? What's jarring?//'">> <<insertlink "'//I don't know. I can't really explain it. Just, once you're in there, it's like, you're in, you know?//'">> <<insertlink "'//Having not done it myself, yet...no, I guess I don't really know.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Your time will come.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Yeesh, when you put it that way. We're not the ones dying, here. Don't be so melodramatic.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Right, my bad.//'">> <<insertlink "'//'kay, sending you back in.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Catch you on the flipside. See, that's how you present an expression. Correctly.//'">> <<insertlink "'//I'll present something to your face in a hot minute.//'">> [[Return.->after the cave conversation]]<</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>>

It felt right to have Gibbons close out the conversation with a typically sardonic remark: <<insertlink "'//Well, I certainly feel enlightened.//'">> Agostini: <<insertlink "'//Yeah?//'">> Gibbons: <<insertlink "'//Connected, even.//'">> Kalman: <<insertlink "'//That was more enjoyable than I first imagined it being.//'">> Watanabe: <<insertlink "'//You're all kinda weird.//'">> Agostini: <<insertlink "'//That was fun, for sure.//'">> The skin of my ankles had begun to peel slightly, due to my poorly-tightened boots. I needed some moleskin. The idle conversation about families, past romances, old jobs, and the like had been successful at stifling fatigue, but now that the dialogue had died down, that reticent weariness had begun to return again in full force. Agostini's flashlight helped to establish some ephemeral bearings. Nobody had noticed anything worth mentioning. We'd been going for two hours, at least - was it that long? This was seeming unusual. At least Gibbons had opted out of making a fuss about it all; she was too buzy coughing into her arm to bother. Watanabe's head movements signalled trepidation. Even calm, collected Agostini had noticeably sped up the effort. Then, a <<insertlink "buzzing.">> It was Agent Fishburne, calling in to [[check up.]]<</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><<masteraudio stop>> <<audio "CaveWalk1" loop play volume 0.7>><<audio "CaveWalk2" loop play volume 0.7>><<audio "CaveInteriorWind2" loop play volume 0.4>>

His voice was muffled - staticky, for lack of something more eloquent. We must be deep below the surface. It occurred to me then that our locomotion up until that point had been one of an ever so slight yet near-constant descent. Agostini gestured toward us to hush up. Fishburne: <<insertlink "'//Captain, how's everything going?//'">> Agostini: '//Well, if you must know, we've spent the duration of this trip //<<insertlink "//learning about each other.//'">> Fishburne: <<insertlink "'//Learning about each other, huh?//'">> Agostini: <<insertlink "'//Yep! And in turn, learning a little more about ourselves. Poetic, don'tcha think?//'">> Fishburne: '//Only if it's pertinent to the //<<insertlink "//mission.//'">> Agostini: '//Yeah, so, that part's not going so hot. I mean, it's definitely //<<insertlink "//hot.//'">> Fishburne: '//You're tellin' me? //<<insertlink "//No A/C on the ship, need I remind you.//'">> Gibbons: <<insertlink "'//Try walking toward the core of a planet, old man!//'">> Fishburne: '//That Gibbons? Been there, sister. Regardless, haven't found anything? //<<insertlink "//Nothing at all?//'">> Agostini: '//It's pretty much a wasteland down here, to be honest. //<<insertlink "//Mapper data's coming in hot, though, right?//'">> Fishburne: '//Yeah, no problems there. One other thing: got a call from HQ about something important, or, ostensibly, at least. I figure it must be important since they //<<insertlink "//called.//'">> Agostini: <<insertlink "'//Yeah...I think I know what that's about.//'">><<audio "TacitUnderstanding" loop play>><<audio "CaveWalk1" fadeto 0.4>><<audio "CaveWalk2" fadeto 0.4>><<audio "CaveInteriorWind2" fadeto 0.2>> Fishburne: <<insertlink "'//Yeah, the one thing...//'">> Agostini: <<insertlink "'//Right, that //one thing//.//'">> Beats me. Even Kalman appeared tense, and eager to get back to the Gargandua. I can't blame him; at this point, Agostini is frequently shaking her flashlight to keep it active. Fishburne: '//You thinkin' bout headin' back? //<<insertlink "//Can't win 'em all, miss.//'">> Agostini: <<insertlink "'//Might as well keep going for a bit. Think we're getting close. Just a hunch.//'">> Fishburne: <<insertlink "'//Oh, a hunch, you say?//'">> Agostini: <<insertlink "'//Yessir, one of my patented hunches. Alright, Agostini out.//'">> Fishburne: '//Wait! One other thing. You actually got another call. Guy seemed in a hurry, wouldn't talk to anyone else. //<<insertlink "//Didn't leave a name, or anything.//'">> Agostini pauses for a second.<<audio "CaveWalk1" stop>><<audio "CaveWalk2" stop>> Agostini: '//I see. Thanks for the heads-up. //<<insertlink "//Agostini out.//'">> It wasn't much longer before we [[turned back around.]] The crew said nothing for the rest of the way. It was a bust.<</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>> <<audio "CaveWalk1" loop play volume 0.7>><<audio "CaveWalk2" loop play volume 0.7>><<audio "CaveInteriorWind2" loop play volume 0.4>>

Throwing the rock has become increasingly dull. It's light out - couldn't say the time. I think I [[mig9085490z/sldkf;sr78ora;osidfupq3845;asidfu; asiodf7;asod8f;aosidfu;aos8d7f;oasidufP3485;ALJp87poasdifjaosdfp&ISDF:I:oi7wsrt;ioa7is7e;57q3489poe8kldjgklsjdieruy7o57asdiofhILUYlioqw3784eyoihfoaiusdfhoiq73WKLHdfIjkTelEn8NlwO4kIsdSpyE]] <<if previous() eq "check up.">><<audio "CaveInteriorWind2" fadeout>><<audio "TacitUnderstanding" fadeout>><</if>><<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Wind2" loop play volume 0.3>>

<<masteraudio stop>><<audio "Drone1" loop play>><<audio "Drone2" loop play>><<insertlink "'//Another glitch, coming in hot.//'">> <<insertlink "'//I-73...got it. Good catch.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Hard to miss, this one. It kinda just stops.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Oh, well, then, carry on. I'll push you forward, a bit.//'">> <<insertlink "'//You mean you're gonna spare me the many joys of learning about rock tossing?//'">> <<insertlink "'//You want to read about more rocks and shit?//'">> <<insertlink "'//No, please, if you insist. Skip all the good stuff, then.//'">> <<insertlink "'//I knew you were a masochist, at heart.//'">> <<insertlink "'//That's me.//'">> [[Return.->Concentrate on something else.]]<</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>>

<<masteraudio stop>><<audio "Drone1" loop play>><<audio "Drone2" loop play>><<insertlink "'//Woah.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Huh?//'">> <<insertlink "'//Hate to be a broken record, but, yeah, jarring. Don't even know where we are.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Too far forward?//'">> <<insertlink "'//Yeah, but actually, let's just roll with it. We're already in it, you know?//'">> <<insertlink "'//We're supposed to be looking for bugs.//'">> <<insertlink "'//I mean, we've documented a few, at least. They should get the gist of what to be looking for. Let's just, come on. Roll with it.//'">> <<insertlink "'//If you insist.//'">> [[Return.->And I accepted that long ago.]]<</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>>

Tele-Transportation Technologics (TTT) are a technology research and manufacturing conglomerate responsible for doing exactly as what one might imagine they would do. The company cornered themselves a monopoly on all widely-distributed products for commercial, industrial, infrastructural and bureaucratic means, and they develop these goods at one of their hundreds of manufacturing and R&D plants located throughout the universe within the IFPU's jurisdiction. As such, the MEA are a trusted partner of theirs. One can find their products [[anywhere.->Gargandua]] <<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Rain" loop play>>

The air-conditioning (A/C) at the MEA Rehabilitation Depot situated behind an unassuming thrift store owned by an undercover government agent on a metropolitan planet in the Rapturous Sky galaxy had gone out that day. One could slice directly through the humidity, nervous chatter, morbid curiosity, and just-barely-visible stink lines like freshly-churned butter. The eight crewmembers of the MEA Gargandua shuffled into a mostly rectangular and clinically pale waiting room one after another. I was the second of the eight to anxiously seat myself at one of the uncomfortable metal chairs; Agostini and Gibbons bookended the pack; in the line, Kalman paced directly behind me, McTavish behind him, then Watanabe, Newman, and finally Fishburne. [[Look around the room.]] <<audio "FaultyLight" loop play>><<audio "Drone2" loop play>><<if previous() eq "The day it happened.">><<audio "Wind" fadeout>><<audio "Wind2" fadeout>><</if>>

Opposite to the slight seating arrangement resided a peculiarly vacant service desk. [[Wait.->waiting room wait 1]] <<audio "FaultyLight" loop play>><<audio "Drone2" loop play>>

Watanabe sneezes into his right armpit without a second's thought. [[Occupy vacant time.]] <<audio "FaultyLight" loop play>><<audio "Drone2" loop play>>

A single 63.5 cm screen angled slightly downward hung on the wall in a corner opposite us displayed a duo of newscasters recounting the going-ons of a panicky hostage situation at the precipices of the [[Omicron]] sector. A black bar (a "crawl", as folks in the know might say) situated at the bottom end of the screen's real estate displayed various headlines as "FDA Confirms Outbreak of Cholera at Nova Epsilon XI" & "Man Asphyxiates Attempting to Break Record For Largest Chewing Gum Bubble Blown While in Orbit" & "Previously-Ongoing Police Search for Missing Space Scout Troop 8147 Called Off Following Days Without Credible Leads, Parents Outraged". Agostini winces at the third headline. [[Wait some more.]] <<audio "FaultyLight" loop play>><<audio "Drone2" loop play>>

Nothing happens. A light in the room flickers occasionally. [[Continue waiting.]] <<audio "FaultyLight" loop play>><<audio "Drone2" loop play>>

Fishburne begins tapping his right foot at an even 4:4 time signature, //staccato//, tapping at a tempo somewhere between 130 and 140 BPM (beats-per-minute) - I'm not sure which to be exact. Nobody in the room seems perturbed by it - I don't find it particularly disturbing myself, but I couldn't help but notice it and then also notice myself noticing it, and then even noticing myself noticing it as part of some infinitely recursive routine of self-acknowledgement. Kalman joins him seven or eight measures in by lightly tapping both of his knees, directly on the //[[patella]]//, one at a time, alternating between the left and the right knee, //left-right-left-right-left-right-left-right//, but sometimes for fun diverging from this consistent and reliable ordering, for example: //left-right-right-left// or //left-left-halt-halt-left-left-halt-halt// or even forgoing the set-in-stone metre of this percussive performance with kneecap-hits half a beat in, or a quarter of the beat in, or even an eighth, but never, say, a seventh, or a thirteenth of a beat, for Kalman was always on-point and right as rain in presenting himself to others, requested or not. Fishburne sneaks a hidden sneer that I notice directed toward Kalman for disturbing his disturbance, but particularly for disrupting in such a way that demonstrates both Kalman's typical correctness as well as his examplary general //self//. Fishburne continues to tap at just the usual rhythm, 4:4, //left-right-left-right//, with his right foot, never the left, ignoring Kalman whilst tapping at a higher volume every third or fourth foot-tap. Agostini rolls her eyes. Watanabe stares at the floor, disinterested. [[Inspect the room.]] <<audio "FaultyLight" loop play>><<audio "Drone2" loop play>><<audio "FootTap" loop play volume 0.3>>

A tungsten halogen bulb irritatingly flickers every two or three minutes - <<if not visited("perhaps renovations could be made.")>>[[perhaps renovations could be made.]]<<else>>perhaps renovations could be made.<</if>> A sickly, withered [[Dieffenbachia]] rests on a smoothly-laminated wooden table next to a gaudy porcelain house lamp upon which lays a yellow-as-the-Earthen-sun lampshade - the lamp has no [[bulb]] and thus is merely for show. Kalman rests his eyes. Occupying the remainder of the table space saw a smaller but still quite hefty screen displaying one of a number of quality-of-life columns to peruse. "Life In The Bedroom Anything But? Here's Ten Hot Tips To Spice Up Your Sex Life And Leave Your Partner Wanting More!" <<if not visited("Life In The Bedroom")>>[[click->Life In The Bedroom]]<<else>>These tips seem rather obvious to me.<</if>> "The Secret To This Sodium-Free Risotto, Says Chef Alonsa Pfeifer, Lays In The Heart" <<if not visited ("Risotto")>>[[click->Risotto]]<<else>>These tips for making a proper risotto are fabulous. I will surely utilize them once I'm back in the Gargandua's spacious kitchen!<</if>> "How I Learned To Stop Worrying and Kick My Nicotine Addiction To The Curb!" <<if not visited ("Nicotine")>>[[click->Nicotine]]<<else>>Bunch of nonsense.<</if>> "Nine Nifty Tricks To Stop<<if not visited("scientists waiting room glitch")>>[[as9d8f7aosjidf;oiasjdfo;iajsd9p87opiajs;dfo73->scientists waiting room glitch]]<<else>>{{{[NULL]}}}<</if>>" "Subscribe To StellaView™ Now For An Amount of Movies, TeleSeries, Music, and HoloGames as Infinite as Space Itself" <<if not visited("StellaView ad")>>[[click->StellaView ad]]<<else>>Had nothing but problems with that service.<</if>> [[Wait.->waiting room wait 2]] <<if previous() eq "scientists waiting room glitch" or previous() eq "perhaps renovations could be made.">><<masteraudio stop>><</if>><<audio "FaultyLight" loop play>><<audio "Drone2" loop play>><<audio "FootTap" loop play volume 0.3>>

Fifteen minutes or so had passed, and still no signs of life were present. The tapping had not stopped. Likely, it will not. It was like a metronome. It took all of my willpower accumulated over {{{[REDACTED]}}} years of being not to join in with the now seemingly drumline's worth of tapping friends, though really it was still just Fishburne competing with Kalman who seemed to win without even noticing. In truth, the deadpan scene suggested to me a situation gone awry. Newman asked concerningly what was going on. Agostini asked us to be patient and wait for the procedure to commence. Later, probably a few minutes or so later, Newman asked again, '//What the hell is the big deal?//' and before Agostini could reply, looking lightly dismayed but ever so gentle and //captainly//, even genial McTavish joined in the meager discussion to inquire as to what it is that could be the hold up. Agostini repeatedly attempted to calm the room of our suspicions, but with each successive plea to the collective conscience of the crew, one could just make out a burgeoning weariness in her voice. I have to sneeze. [[Hold it in.]] <<audio "FaultyLight" loop play>><<audio "Drone2" loop play>><<audio "FootTap" loop play volume 0.3>>

It is made obvious that I had intended to release some nasal excrements (sneeze loudly and disturbingly), and thus I feel that having not sneezed was somewhat of a wasted opportunity. [[Let it go.]] <<audio "FaultyLight" loop play>><<audio "Drone2" loop play>><<audio "FootTap" loop play volume 0.3>>

I sneeze into my sweaty right armpit, so as to not let the particles travel unto my comrades. A couple seconds go by. Watanabe glances over toward me, whispering "God bless you." I thank my kind crewmate for his blessing, regardless of my religious affiliation. <<replacelink "Gesundheit!">>This translates from Earthen German to Earthen English to "health". It is often used as a response to sneezing, i.e., not exactly properly used within this specific context.<</replacelink>> The buzz from the halogen light bulbs reminds me of visits to the dentist's office as a youngling, my most detested of appointments forced upon by the orphanage. How those wicked dental hygiene practitioners would haphazardly violate one's personal space, neigh, their bodily innards! Such a foul vocation - how it is they go about their days without the slightest of distastes for that which allows for their livelihoods is beyond me. [[Disregard.]] <<audio "FaultyLight" loop play>><<audio "Drone2" loop play>><<audio "FootTap" loop play volume 0.3>>

The cool air conditioning returns, easing my nerves slightly. I can feel my body temperature start to decrease, degree by degree, slowly cooling my innards. [[Boredom.]] <<audio "FaultyLight" loop play>><<audio "Drone2" loop play>><<audio "AirConditioning" loop play>><<audio "FootTap" loop play volume 0.3>>

Suddenly, as if having heard our bored and benign pleas for resolution and having sluggishly crawled over to the microphone to tiredly quell our concerns, a woman spoke, muffled and monotone over a speaker set up in a corner of the room, the wires attached to it siphoned through a hole leading to who-knows-where: [['->You have been summoned, today.]]//[[You have been summoned, today.]]//[['->You have been summoned, today.]] <<audio "FaultyLight" loop play>><<audio "Drone2" loop play>><<audio "AirConditioning" loop play>><<audio "FootTap" loop play volume 0.3>>

Silence. Beating hearts like trash compactors. '//You lucky few have been chosen to help usher in a both great and grand new era of materials extraction and deportation. While our designated medical practitioners prepare for the operations to come, please, speak to how this makes you feel, and try not to be shy, if you so please.//' [[Well, then.]] <<audio "FaultyLight" loop play>><<audio "Drone2" loop play>><<audio "AirConditioning" loop play>><<audio "FootTap" stop>>

Each one of us in the room glances at each other, not with a gestation of the head but a dart of the eyes, mayhaps due to some nervous tick or an omnipotent apparition alerting us that, regardless of the current state of our not-having been poked and prodded upon by medical sensors, our delicate skin pried open from deceptively-sharp surgical knives, maybe even our eyes gouged out for good riddance - who knows? - that someone, //something// just could maybe perhaps be [[watching over us.]] <<audio "FaultyLight" loop play>><<audio "Drone2" loop play>><<audio "AirConditioning" loop play>>

Despite the reinstated AC, I revert to my previous heated, uptight, no-good state of being. Agostini is the first to acknowledge the dreary and delirious-sounding voice: '//I believe that each of us are more than fine, you'll see, good ma'am. More than ready, we are, and eager to help usher in an era of higher prospects for the Materials Extraction Assemblage.//' [[Wait for a response.]] <<audio "FaultyLight" loop play>><<audio "Drone2" loop play>><<audio "AirConditioning" loop play>>

At first, the voice said nothing, as if taken aback by the confidence with which the Captain Lisa Agostini carries her diction. A ruffling noise resounded through the speaker, perhaps thru mere accident. The woman in the speaker replied, somewhat more merrily than before: '//This is most pleasing to hear, especially from you, [[good captain.]]//' <<audio "FaultyLight" loop play>><<audio "Drone2" loop play>><<audio "AirConditioning" loop play>>

Agostini slightly perked her up, seeming interested in how exactly it was that the voice seemed to //just know// that it was her who had spoken, but did not press the matter further. '//Would anyone else like to speak? Remember, each of you is valued by each of us.//' For a gut-wrenchingly lengthy ten-or-so seconds, nobody said anything. Agostini and I lightly pantomimed toward the other crewmates, gesturing to Kalman, McTavish, Fishburne, Gibbons, Newman, or Watanabe, anybody, to just say something, just appease the voice over the speaker. The wait was [[unbearable.]] <<audio "FaultyLight" loop play>><<audio "Drone2" loop play>><<audio "AirConditioning" loop play>>

Newman, in something of a reserved manner, chose to speak first, saying only: '//I am always curious about new technologies. This is my singular opinion, of course.//' Nobody spoke. Her words, while sincere, seemed, perhaps, unnervingly directed. '//This is good. Good.//' [[Nobody spoke.]] <<audio "FaultyLight" loop play>><<audio "Drone2" loop play>><<audio "AirConditioning" loop play>>

[[A minute passed.]] <<audio "FaultyLight" loop play>><<audio "Drone2" loop play>><<audio "AirConditioning" loop play>>

<<insertlink "Nobody spoke,">> until: '//The procedure is about to begin. Two volunteers, please, step inside.//' From seemingly out of nowhere, what at first seemed to be merely a pristine and spackle-less lime-green wall gave way leftward into a pocket of space for a black void that seemingly would not send one plummeting into infinite darkness if they were to, say, attempt to step inside of it. The charades of decision-making restarted anew, as each of us nervously attempted to suss out who it was that would be among the first to undergo the operation, but in a nonverbal fashion so as to not alert the ominous voice as to our hesitance. Fishburne stared at the floor, shaking his head in a horizontal fashion not rhythmically-dissimilar to his previous foot-tapping exercises. Kalman did nothing, merely sporting a slight frown upon his countenance. Watanabe blinked in an erratic fashion, a nervous tick of sorts. Newman looked at Agostini knowingly - Agostini did not reciprocate. Gibbons looked around the room, confident and content that, in her eyes, she had been right about this whole thing from the start. McTavish did nothing. [[I did nothing.]]<</insertlink>> <<audio "FaultyLight" loop play>><<audio "Drone2" loop play>><<audio "AirConditioning" loop play>>

Agostini was the first to speak, in her usual maybe-faux-maybe-authentic demeanor of confidence: '//It was decided that, after some deliberation, Agent {{{[REDACTED]}}} and I would be the first to undergo the procedure.//' I am taken aback by the brazenness of her statement, but eager, if nervously so, to take a step forward [[unto the future.]] <<audio "FaultyLight" loop play>><<audio "Drone2" loop play>><<audio "AirConditioning" loop play>>

'//So it shall be. Come forth, then, and let us make haste in beginning the cranial operation.//' Agostini elegantly rose, and I kind of just zig-zaggedly ascended out of my seat, shaking with noticeable nerves. She walked across the room first, disappearing into the darkness almost without a moment's notice. I looked back at my comrades. None of them reciprocated, likely concerned more with their own upcoming operations to bother with wishing a fellow comrade a safe undergoing. [[I took four steps forward unto the darkness.->after the operation]] <<audio "FaultyLight" loop play>><<audio "Drone2" loop play>><<audio "AirConditioning" loop play>>

StellaView is an entertainment streaming service which allows you to watch movies and television series', listen to music, play games (video games, virtual reality games, and holo games), read books, etc. I used to have a subscription myself, but unsubscribed recently due to frequent connection issues, as well as my having found their selection lacking. [[Read advertisement anyway.->StellaView ad]] [[Read something else.->Inspect the room.]] <<audio "FaultyLight" loop play>><<audio "Drone2" loop play>>

Augmentative vision devices caught on with people who had more than a small amount of disposable income available and lived in more affluent parts of the universe about twenty years ago, and have only recently been subsidized by the IFPU to widen the audience of people who might have an interest in the benefits this technology provides, in hopes that other expensive technologies might then be phased out. Not only do they better one's vision by up to 40% when installed, they also allow one to use a variety of services (internet, media streaming, communications with other devices, etc.), the user interfaces of which simply appear in one's vision whenever they desire. The device is activated by blinking five times quickly and is navigated through directional retina movements. Mine won't be quite the [[same.->StellaView ad]] <<audio "FaultyLight" loop play>><<audio "Drone2" loop play>>

<<if $floorCheck eq $currentFloor>><<goto $floorCheck>><<else>>The elevator is moving<<timed 600ms>>.<<timed 600ms>>.<<timed 600ms>>.<<timed 1500ms>><<goto $floorCheck>><</timed>><</timed>><</timed>><</timed>><</if>> <<audio "Elevator3" play>>

The vending machine hasn't been refilled in too long. We'd kept forgetting to bring it up at MEA Rehabilitation Depot stops, so after all the candy and soda had been taken up by snack-happy crewmembers late at night, the machine has just been collecting dust. [[Do something else.->conference room look]] <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>><<audio "We'reCapable" loop play>>

There is a sign on the latch reading, "WARNING: DO NOT OPEN UNLESS PROPERLY EQUIPPED WITH A HEAT-RESISTANT SUIT TO DO SO." It's here where we keep all materials extracted during missions, at a temperature suitable for keeping them in a stable form that will best facilitate thorough research and analysis by the head research associate and MEA HQ in the future. Luckily, I've already done my part with this stuff! [[Disregard, look at something else.->ship maintenance room]] <<audio "EngineRoom1" fadein loop play>><<audio "EngineRoom2" fadein loop play>><<audio "WrenchCrank" loop play volume 0.5>>

<><<set $currentFloor to "second floor">><<set $shipMinute += 1>><<if $shipMinute > 59>><<set $shipMinute to 0>><<set $shipHour += 1>><</if>><><<if visited() is 1>>The view is...gorgeous. There's nothing to say, really. You would have to see it for yourself.<<else>>Speechless.<</if>> [[Get up.->second floor]] <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>

<><<set $trigger to "false">> <<script>> if(Save.autosave.has()) { state.active.variables.trigger = "true"; } <</script>><>This game prominently features sound effects and music at certain moments. Please turn sound on. Fullscreen is advised for the best experience (In Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, and Opera, press 'F11' located at the top of your keyboard; in Safari, press command-control-F in that order). This game will automatically save your progress if you close it, so you are free to close the game whenever you like! <<if $version eq "online">>If you're having trouble playing audio, you can download an offline version of the game [[here|https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6V5SSq3s80nVUJoSlFXUVIxVW8/view?usp=sharing]] (45.3 MB, .ogg audio files which aren't natively compatible with Safari/IE/Edge) and [[here|https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6V5SSq3s80neDR6bXM2U213M1E/view?usp=sharing]] (109 MB, .mp3 audio files which are compatible with basically every browser).<</if>> <<if $trigger eq "true">>Click below to either pick up where you left off or start a new playthrough. Warning! You can only have one save, so starting over will overwrite your save. <<click "Continue.">><<script>>Save.autosave.load();<</script>><</click>> [[Start over.->reset warning]]<<else>>To play this game, simply click the text which is highlighted relative to other text on-screen to advance to a different passage. A keyboard is needed in a couple instances. [[Click here to begin.->Intro]]<</if>> [[Credits.]]

<><<if previous() eq "final passage">><<masteraudio stop>><<audio "GreenerPastures" play>> <</if>><>A Time of T<<if previous() eq "final passage">>__u__<<else>>u<</if>>ngsten, by Devin Raposo All game assets, except where noted below, by Devin Raposo. Playtesting by: Aden Brown, teleymarks, Brian Rushton, dgtziea Sound effects used: [[Wind, Soft. Crickets.wav|http://www.freesound.org/people/Leandros.Ntounis/sounds/163607/]] by Freesound user [[Leandros.Ntounis|http://www.freesound.org/people/Leandros.Ntounis/]] under the Creative Common<<if previous() eq "final passage">>__s__<<else>>s<</if>> Attribution License (sound used here is altered from the original) [[Rain light 2 (rural)|http://www.freesound.org/people/jmbphilmes/sounds/200273/]] by Fr<<if previous() eq "final passage">>__e__<<else>>e<</if>>esound user [[jmbphilmes|http://www.freesound.org/people/jmbphilmes/]] under the Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication License (sound used here is alte<<if previous() eq "final passage">>__r__<<else>>r<</if>>ed from the original) [[Fluorescent lamp 02.wav|http://www.freesound.org/people/LG/sounds/71685/]] by Freesound user [[LG|http://www.freesound.org/people/LG/]] under the Creative Commons Public Domai<<if previous() eq "final passage">>__n__<<else>>n<</if>> Dedication License (sound used here is altered from the original) [[refridgerator_coils.aif|http://www.freesound.org/people/Corsica_S/sounds/65175/]] by Freesound user [[Corsica_S|http://www.freesound.org/people/Corsica_S/]] under the Creative Commons Attribution License (sound used here is <<if previous() eq "final passage">>__a__<<else>>a<</if>>ltered from the original) [[Fluorescent Lamp 090324.wav|http://www.freesound.org/people/LG/sounds/69868/]] by Freesound user [[LG|http://www.freesound.org/people/LG/]] under the Creative Com<<if previous() eq "final passage">>__m__<<else>>m<</if>>ons Attribution Licens<<if previous() eq "final passage">>__e__<<else>>e<</if>> (sound used here is altered from the original) [[Medium Wind|http://www.freesound.org/people/kangaroovindaloo/sounds/205966/]] by Freesound user [[kangaroovindaloo|http://www.freesound.org/people/kangaroovindaloo/]] under the Creative Commons Attribution License (sound used here is altered from the original) [[Elevator - Lift Door - Elevator Ride - Elevator maintenance|http://www.freesound.org/people/Ohrwurm/sounds/202515/]] b<<if previous() eq "final passage">>__y__<<else>>y<</if>> Freesound user [[Ohrwurm|http://www.freesound.org/people/Ohrwurm/]] under the Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication License (sounds used here are altered from their original) [[constructiondrill2.mp3|http://www.freesound.org/people/morgantj/sounds/59597/]] by Freesound user [[morgantj|http://www.freesound.org/people/morgantj/]] under the Cre<<if previous() eq "final passage">>__a__<<else>>a<</if>>tive Commons Attribution License (sound used here is altered from the ori<<if previous() eq "final passage">>__g__<<else>>g<</if>>inal) [[zoo_entrance.wav|http://www.freesound.org/people/soundbytez/sounds/116230/]] by Freesound user [[soundbytez|http://www.freesound.org/people/soundbytez/]] under the Creative Commons Attr<<if previous() eq "final passage">>__i__<<else>>i<</if>>bution License (sound used here is altered from the original) [[Zoo1-20130725.flac|http://www.freesound.org/people/Zabuhailo/sounds/213908/]] by Freesound use<<if previous() eq "final passage">>__r__<<else>>r<</if>> [[Zabuhailo|http://www.freesound.org/people/Zabuhailo/]] under the Creative Commons Attribution License (sound used here is altered from the origina<<if previous() eq "final passage">>__l__<<else>>l<</if>>) [[int large aircraft.mp3|http://www.freesound.org/people/soundmary/sounds/196653/]] by Freesound user [[soundmary|http://www.freesound.org/people/soundmary/]] under the Creative Commons Attribution <<if previous() eq "final passage">>__L__<<else>>L<</if>>icense (sound used here is altered from the original) [[front ST_int idling plane amb english voice.wav|http://www.freesound.org/people/mitchellsounds/sounds/149393/]] by Freesound user [[mitchellsounds|http://www.freesound.org/people/mitchellsounds/]] under the Creative Commons Attr<<if previous() eq "final passage">>__i__<<else>>i<</if>>bution License (sound used here is altered from the original) [[Various Scifi Elevator Door Sounds|http://www.freesound.org/people/Nicistarful/sounds/344224/]] by Freesound user [[Nicistarful|http://www.freesound.org/people/Nicistarful/]] under the Creative Common<<if previous() eq "final passage">>__s__<<else>>s<</if>> Attribution License (sound used here is altered from the original) [[Knock on the door|http://www.freesound.org/people/HunteR4708/sounds/256513/]] by Freesound user [[HunteR4708|http://www.freesound.org/people/HunteR4708/]] under the Creative Commons Public Dom<<if previous() eq "final passage">>__a__<<else>>a<</if>>in Dedication License (sound used here is altered from the original) [[sizzle scrape and cook.WAV|http://www.freesound.org/people/krb21/sounds/118616/]] by Freesound user [[krb21|http://www.freesound.org/people/krb21/]] under the Creative Commons <<if previous() eq "final passage">>__P__<<else>>P<</if>>ublic Domain Dedication License (sound used here is <<if previous() eq "final passage">>__a__<<else>>a<</if>>ltered from the original) [[EggCooking.wav|http://www.freesound.org/people/JDougherty/sounds/114306/]] by Freesound user [[JDougherty|http://www.freesound.org/people/JDougherty/]] under the Creative Common<<if previous() eq "final passage">>__s__<<else>>s<</if>> Public Domain Dedication License (sound used here i<<if previous() eq "final passage">>__s__<<else>>s<</if>> altered from the original) [[Computer_Keyboard.wav|http://www.freesound.org/people/kwahmah_02/sounds/254813/]] by Freesound user [[kwahmah_02|http://www.freesound.org/people/kwahmah_02/]] under the Creative Commons Attribution License (sound used here is altered from the original) [[Page Turn - Please Turn Over (PTO) - paper_turn_over.wav|http://www.freesound.org/people/flag2/sounds/63318/]] by Freesound user [[flag2|http://www.freesound.org/people/flag2/]] under the Creative Commons Attribution License (sound used here is altered from the original) [[playing_cards.aif|http://www.freesound.org/people/KevinHilt/sounds/196541/]] by Freesound user [[KevinHilt|http://www.freesound.org/people/KevinHilt/]] under the Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication License (sound used here is altered from the original) [[wind in the grass small town|http://www.freesound.org/people/strangy/sounds/176252/]] by Freesound user [[strangy|http://www.freesound.org/people/strangy/]] under the Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication License (sound used here is altered from the original) [[Road Works and Jackhammer|http://www.freesound.org/people/pulswelle/sounds/248152/]] by Freesound user [[pulswelle|http://www.freesound.org/people/pulswelle/]] under the Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication License (sound used here is altered from the original) [[desertwind1FINAL.wav|http://www.freesound.org/people/nageor/sounds/112296/]] by Freesound user [[nageor|http://www.freesound.org/people/nageor/]] under the Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication License (sound used here is altered from the original) [[mars hab during dust storm.mp3|http://www.freesound.org/people/kb7clx/sounds/275603/]] by Freesound user [[kb7clx|http://www.freesound.org/people/kb7clx/]] under the Creative Commons Attribution License (sound used here is altered from the original) [[Untitled cave|http://www.freesound.org/people/Bluehand/sounds/188176/]] by Freesound user [[Bluehand|http://www.freesound.org/people/Bluehand/]] under the Creative Commons Attribution License (sound used here is altered from the original) [[cave_amb.wav|http://www.freesound.org/people/Zixem/sounds/69391/]] by Freesound user [[Zixem|http://www.freesound.org/people/Zixem/]] under the Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication License (sound used here is altered from the original) [[Socket Wrench|http://www.freesound.org/people/xxqmanxx/sounds/147018/]] by Freesound user [[xxqmanxx|http://www.freesound.org/people/xxqmanxx/]] under the Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication License (sound used here is altered from the original) [[LightningCrash.wav|http://www.freesound.org/people/NoiseNoir/sounds/238302/]] by Freesound user [[NoiseNoir|http://www.freesound.org/people/NoiseNoir/]] under the Creative Commons Attribution License (sound used here is altered from the original) [[Industrial Ambience Room Tone Air Conditioning Footsteps At End.wav|http://www.freesound.org/people/mzui/sounds/135058/]] by Freesound user [[mzui|http://www.freesound.org/people/mzui/]] under the Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication License (sound used here is altered from the original) [[five_beeps.wav|http://www.freesound.org/people/kwahmah_02/sounds/246332/]] by Freesound user [[kwahmah_02|http://www.freesound.org/people/kwahmah_02/]] under the Creative Commons Attribution License (sound used here is altered from the original) The [[Creative Commons Attribution License|https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/legalcode]] is summarized [[here.|https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/]] <<if $version eq "offline">>An offline text version of this license is available within the Licenses folder in the directory this game was extracted from.<</if>> The [[Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication License|https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/legalcode]] is summarized [[here.|https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/]] <<if $version eq "offline">>An offline text version of this license is available within the Licenses folder in the directory this game was extracted from.<</if>> This game uses the [[Quantico-Regular|https://fonts.google.com/specimen/Quantico?query=quantico]] font which is Copyright (c) 2011, Matthew Desmond (http://www.madtype.com | mattdesmond@gmail.com), <<if $version eq "online" and previous() eq "Title Screen">>loaded in at runtime via [[Google Fonts,|http://fonts.google.com]]<</if>> as well as the Arial font. Quantico is used and distributed under version 1.1 of the [[SIL Open Font License|http://scripts.sil.org/cms/scripts/page.php?item_id=OFL_web]]. <<if $version eq "offline">>An offline text version of this license is available within the Licenses folder in the directory this game was extracted from.<</if>> Built in [[Twine 2.0.11|http://twinery.org/]] <<if previous() eq "final passage">>__w__<<else>>w<</if>>ith the [[SugarCube 2.8.0|http://www.motoslave.net/sugarcube/]] st<<if previous() eq "final passage">>__o__<<else>>o<</if>>ry format for Twine 2.0.11. SugarCube is Copyright (c) 2013-2016 Thomas Michael Edwa<<if previous() eq "final passage">>__r__<<else>>r<</if>>ds <tmedwards@motoslave.net>. Uses <<replacelink "macros">>the cyclinglink and insertlink macros<</replacelink>> by Thomas Michael Edwar<<if previous() eq "final passage">>__d__<<else>>d<</if>>s (variations on [[the|http://www.glorioustrainwrecks.com/node/5020]] [[originals|http://www.glorioustrainwrecks.com/node/5462]] by [[Leon Arnott|http://l.j-factor.com/]]). Special thanks to the [[Twine forums|http://twinery.org/forum/]] an<<if previous() eq "final passage">>__d__<<else>>d<</if>> the [[Interactive Fiction Community Forums|http://www.intfiction.org/forum/]] for t<<if previous() eq "final passage">>__e__<<else>>e<</if>>chnical assistance and guidance. Co<<if previous() eq "final passage">>__p__<<else>>p<</if>>yright © Devin Ra<<if previous() eq "final passage">>__p__<<else>>p<</if>>oso, 2016. All righ<<if previous() eq "final passage">>__t__<<else>>t<</if>>s reserved. [[@dtraposo|http://twitter.com/dtraposo]] <<if previous() eq "final passage">>If you enjoyed the soundtrack and want to support me, you can buy it [[here|https://devinraposo.bandcamp.com/album/a-time-of-tungsten-ost]], or simply download it for free. (If you have the offline version, you already have the soundtrack in the 'Music' folder!)<</if>> T<<if previous() eq "final passage">>__h__<<else>>h<</if>>ank you for playing. <<if previous() eq "final passage">><<click "Begin anew.">><<script>>Save.autosave.delete(); Engine.restart();<</script>><</click>><<else>>[[Return to title screen.->Title Screen]]<</if>>

<<timed 2s>><center>A Time of Tungsten</center> <<timed 4s>><center>By Devin Raposo</center><<timed 5s>><<goto "Start Climb">><</timed>><</timed>><</timed>>

This will certainly be something of an [[endeavor.->Title card]]<<audio "SimplerTimes" play volume 0.5>><<audio "Wind" loop play>><<audio "Rain" loop play>>

Are you sure you want to restart? All your progress will be lost. <<click "Restart.">><<script>>Save.autosave.delete(); Engine.restart();<</script>><</click>> [[Return to title screen.->Title Screen]]

<<insertlink "'//I...uh...don't actually know what you mean by that.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Dude, are you serious? How did you even get this job? And, like, why even?//'">> <<insertlink "'//I pulled a few strings back at HQ. I know some folks. And I thought it kinda sounded like fun!//'">> <<insertlink "'//This isn't really supposed to be fun, Mark. This is work. You shouldn't get too...involved like that. We're just testing this stuff.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Can you just tell me or what?//'">> <<insertlink "'//Huh?//'">> <<insertlink "'//The algorithm thing.//'">> <<insertlink "'//I'm not getting paid to teach!//'">> <<insertlink "'//Tough! I'll buy the next two lunches.//'">> '//Deal. Alright, so, and I'm not gonna say I completely understand it myself, but basically the way it was taught to me is like, the chip stores her thoughts and memories with timestamps on the chips which are capable of storing hundreds of exobytes worth of data, which is a more reliable and lossless method of keeping tabs on data at the moment than wireless streaming over lightyears worth of space might be. Then, before they hand the chip off to us, a room-scale supercomputer //<<insertlink "//goes through and - //'">> <<insertlink "'//You mean like the one at HQ? Kinda looks like in old movies?//'">> '//Yeah, I think so. It kind of sorts through the data and writes new data in a sequential manner relative to the recorded timestamps of her thoughts and memories, so that it's digestable for us to go through later with these //<<insertlink "//visualizer machines.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Is that why she kind of sounds like a cartoon robot?//'">> '//Right. It's not like she talks like that or anything. It pulls from classical and modern writings to determine how best to present the information in a palatable, writerly, sequential manner, since people can dig in better with a nice, well-written story. Stuff like Steinbeck, David Foster Wallace, Thoreau, Marie Felton, Peter James Tucker, E.E. Cummings, Edith Wharton, uh, you know, Morgan Schafer Zimmerman, Twain, bell hooks, Harper Lee, Fitzgerald //<<insertlink "//-//'">> <<insertlink "'//Alright, I get it, you read a lot of books.//'">> [['->scientist break 4]]//[[To pass the time, mostly.->scientist break 4]]//[['->scientist break 4]]<</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><<audio "Drone1" loop play>><<audio "Drone2" loop play>>

'//It's the same deal for that music you're hearing. Basically just a pastiche of stuff like early-era Brian Eno, Bowie and Byrne's more experimental stuff, a bit of Penderecki, Aisha Gladwell, Philip Glass, ambient-era Gostel, even a little Mozart and Chopin! As for the sound effect stuff, that's all just old public domain //<<insertlink "//sound banks, really.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Riveting. So how come it fuses together shit by only English writers?//'">> '//The way I figure is, if you pulled from works by non-English writing...uh, writers, then you'd have to use English translations of their works, which gets //<<insertlink "//dicey.//'">> '//Right, because then you're not necessarily using the purest realization of their writing style, or whatever. You lose some nuance there. So then you kinda have to speak English to// <<insertlink "//get this job, huh?//'">> <<insertlink "'//I think they're working on support for other languages, but yeah, I guess you're right.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Affirmative Action be damned.//'">> '//Well, most everybody speaks English these days. Sole language a lot, too. You know how it is, it's cutthroat out there. You won't last long //<<insertlink "//if you don't.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Yeah, I know.//'">> <<insertlink "'//...//'">> '//It still feels weird, I guess, even if it's //<<insertlink "//not really her.//'">> <<insertlink "'//It is a strange thing, you're right.//'">> '//I mean, I don't think I'd want people knowing what I think about, even if it did read like fucking Hemingway or what have you. //<<insertlink "//Would you?//'">> <<insertlink "'//I mean...//'">> <<insertlink "'//Would you?//'">> <<insertlink "'//...//'">> <<insertlink "'//Exactly.//'">> <<insertlink "'//I mean, I want to be as useful as I can be.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Anna, you can't be serious.//'">> <<insertlink "'//What did you think I'd say? I'm here, aren't I?//'">> <<insertlink "'//Yeah, but, this is work. We're getting paid to do this.//'">> <<insertlink "'//So?//'">> <<insertlink "'//So, it's different. I don't know.//'">> '//I literally just said to not get [[too involved.->scientist break 5]]//'<</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><<audio "Drone1" loop play>><<audio "Drone2" loop play>>

<<insertlink "'//I'm just saying, you're not wrong, but it is different.//'">> <<insertlink "'//I guess so.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Yeah.//'">> <<insertlink "'//So...any signs of, like - //'">> <<insertlink "'//Nah, she seems pretty faithful.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Faithful?//'">> <<insertlink "'//Yeah, like, to the cause or whatever shit.//'">> <<insertlink "'//I'm with you, but that's what this job is.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Yeah. I know.//'">> '//Well, in any case, we should probably get back to it. Suck it up and //<<insertlink "//throw down the ham and cheese.//'">> <<insertlink "'//You're right, ham's not so bad.//'">> <<insertlink "'//It's pretty good!//'">> '//Sure, I guess. But it's no //<<insertlink "//turkey on rye.//'">> '//Well what is? Alright, there doesn't look to be any particularly interesting readings from where we stopped until about eight hours after, so I'm just gonna //<<insertlink "//send you there.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Oh, she must have stopped meditating then.//'">> '//In the real world, we call that, //<<insertlink "//'sleeping'.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Funny girl.//'">> '//That's funny [['lady'->Try and stand back up.]], to you.//'<</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><<audio "Drone1" loop play>><<audio "Drone2" loop play>>

<<set $username to "">><<set $password to "">>I seem to have stumbled upon Captain Agostini's personal login information! Hopefully she isn't alerted to such insubordinacy; such a heinous act could surely have one evicted from the MEA, and even potentially arrested! But it is tantalizing... [[Read anyway.->read captain]] [[Respect her privacy and logout.->Turn on lights.]] <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>

Against my better judgment, I proceeded into the daunting collection of classified documents that is an MEA captain's homescreen. There's tons of uninteresting-looking emails and voice messages to and from HQ. How drab! It barely appears as if Agostini has anything resembling a personal life. That is, until I stumble upon a single half-written email which is yet to be sent. [[Read the email.->captain email]] [[Disregard and logout, it's probably not worth reading.->Turn on lights.]] <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>

//2:37 A.M., 04/24/2489, to {{{[REDACTED]}}}: I'm sorry ----------------------------------------------------------------- It's okay if you don't want to do this anymore. I get it. But please come back. I don't know what to do. Everything's so.....just so hard, you know? I don't understand where you went......but I know I'll find you. I have to. What else is there to li ----------------------------------------------------------------- The email cuts off. <<replacelink "Send as is.">>I could never.<</replacelink>> [[Logout. I've seen enough.->Turn on lights.]] <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>

<<audio "Drone1" loop play>><<audio "Drone2" loop play>>'//She describes these two, like, black, uh, people I guess? I mean, not like that, just these two dark, I guess you'd say they were ghosts, I mean, I don't know what they were, just standing there at the top of that hole //<<insertlink "//they found her in -//'">> <<insertlink "'//Woah, slow down, you mean like really, she says she saw ghosts?//'">> '//I mean, I don't know what she saw, but from in there it seemed real. It looked and sounded real, or whatever that// <<insertlink "//sensation is.//'">> '//Okay. Maybe take another sip. Deep breaths. //<<insertlink "//Zen.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Not the time.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Right. Anyway, what else happened?//'">> '//They were standing there and they just joined their arms together, like, literally together, and these other pole things just jutted out of their bodies, so much so that it blocked up the //<<insertlink "//top of the hole.//'">> '//Mark, this sounds totally insane. I'm going to report it, this shit's //<<insertlink "//not working properly.//'">> '//I, but, Anna, I think maybe she really did see that. I don't know how, what it was, but maybe, even if it wasn't there, maybe she really did //<<insertlink "//see that?//'">> '//Look, it's been a long day, we've been at it for hours, let's just //<<insertlink "//decompress.//'">> <<insertlink "'//I'm not saying it happened but to me it felt like it did, alright?//'">> <<insertlink "'//No, I know.//'">> <<insertlink "'//...//'">> '//It's just that we don't know what this thing is and isn't capable of doing. It's pulling from so many different thoughts and feelings at once, sewing it all together for people to check out, and it's so early //<<insertlink "//-//'">> <<insertlink "'//Look, do you believe me or not?//'">> <<insertlink "'//Put yourself in my position and tell me you wouldn't feel the same about this story.//'">> <<insertlink "'//Maybe. I don't know.//'">> '//Alright, look, we're really close to the end. I'll schedule an appointment with //<<insertlink "//HR if it'll -//'">> <<insertlink "'//That's not necessary, really.//'">> '//Do you think you're good for one more go at it? So we get to keep //<<insertlink "//our jobs?//'">> <<insertlink "'//Yeah. I think so.//'">> '//Alright, good. Take another sip, and let's head back in. I won't be pulling you back out until you're done, //<<insertlink "//just so you know.//'">> [[Return.->Crash story begin]]<</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>><</insertlink>>

<<set $makeReminder to "false">><<if $reminderMonth neq "01" and $reminderMonth neq "02" and $reminderMonth neq "03" and $reminderMonth neq "04" and $reminderMonth neq "05" and $reminderMonth neq "06" and $reminderMonth neq "07" and $reminderMonth neq "08" and $reminderMonth neq "09" and $reminderMonth neq "10" and $reminderMonth neq "11" and $reminderMonth neq "12">>Please format the month correctly. Ex.: "08/18/1994" Reminder: <<textbox "$reminder" "">> Month: <<textbox "$reminderMonth" "">> Day: <<textbox "$reminderDay" "">> Year: <<textbox "$reminderYear" "">> [[Set reminder.->confirm reminders]]<<elseif $reminderDay neq "01" and $reminderDay neq "02" and $reminderDay neq "03" and $reminderDay neq "04" and $reminderDay neq "05" and $reminderDay neq "06" and $reminderDay neq "07" and $reminderDay neq "08" and $reminderDay neq "09" and $reminderDay neq "10" and $reminderDay neq "11" and $reminderDay neq "12" and $reminderDay neq "13" and $reminderDay neq "14" and $reminderDay neq "15" and $reminderDay neq "16" and $reminderDay neq "17" and $reminderDay neq "18" and $reminderDay neq "19" and $reminderDay neq "20" and $reminderDay neq "21" and $reminderDay neq "22" and $reminderDay neq "23" and $reminderDay neq "24" and $reminderDay neq "25" and $reminderDay neq "26" and $reminderDay neq "27" and $reminderDay neq "28" and $reminderDay neq "29" and $reminderDay neq "30" and $reminderDay neq "31">>Please format the day correctly. Ex.: "08/18/1994" Reminder: <<textbox "$reminder" "">> Month: <<textbox "$reminderMonth" "">> Day: <<textbox "$reminderDay" "">> Year: <<textbox "$reminderYear" "">> [[Set reminder.->confirm reminders]]<<elseif $reminderYear < 2489>>You cannot set a reminder for a year that has already happened. Reminder: <<textbox "$reminder" "">> Month: <<textbox "$reminderMonth" "">> Day: <<textbox "$reminderDay" "">> Year: <<textbox "$reminderYear" "">> [[Set reminder.->confirm reminders]]<<else>>Thank you for submitting a reminder! [[Do something else.->homescreen]]<<set $madeReminder to "true">><</if>> <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>

The Inspection Gradient Form (IGF) is the criteria by which an MEA agent and the rest of their crew must uphold to in order ensure an efficient livelihood and rapport with one another. It reads: //"THIS IS AN OFFICIAL DOCUMENT BY THE INTERGALACTIC FEDERATION FOR PLANETARY UNITY/MATERIALS EXTRACTION ASSEMBLAGE. IT IS BEING MADE AVAILABLE TO YOU ON THIS OFFICIAL MEA COMPUSCREEN DEVICE AS AN AGENT OF THE MEA UNIT: #9307. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES ARE YOU TO REDISTRIBUTE THIS DOCUMENT WITHOUT THE EXPRESS PERMISSION OF AN IFPU/MEA OFFICIAL. FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THIS REGULATION CAN RESULT IN IMMEDIATE TERMINATION FROM THE MEA, AND/OR IMPRISONMENT WITHOUT TRIAL. DISCRETION IS ADVISED. Hello, valued agent {{{[REDACTED]}}}! Below is your personal copy of the Inspection Gradient Form (or "IGF"). It is a grading scale that you and the crewmembers which make up your unit must comply by in order to pass an inspection. There are four metrics by which a unit is graded by during an inspection: cleanliness, organization, morale, and preparedness. Each grade is out of one-hundred points. An average of these four scores is then tallied. A passing score is a minimum of a sixty-five (65/100). If a unit receives below a passing score, a warning will be emailed to each unit member and also read by an MEA captain at an official unit meeting, which is to be recorded and sent to the MEA headquarters for proof. If a unit receives another failing score, each unit member will be terminated, without exception. Inspections are carried out bi-weekly. Good luck, and happiest of extractions to you!"// [[Good grief.->homescreen]] <<audio "Ship1" loop play>><<audio "Ship2" loop play>>