All Things Devours
by half sick of shadows (2004)
Genres: Time Travel

A short piece of interactive fiction, leaning strongly towards the text-adventure end of the spectrum. Explores an all-too-familiar science fiction paradigm in what I hope is a rather refreshing and satisfying manner. However, due to the intrinsic nature of its subject matter, it is more cruel than one might hope for a modern piece of interactive fiction. In particular, any move you make may put things into an unwinnable state.

action: %
response: You're in.

The plan now is simple: go to your lab, plant the bomb, and run. The prototype will be destroyed. The military will have no way to continue the experiment. No-one will die.

The guard is out securing the grounds. The building is empty. You have six minutes.

A darkened foyer, presided over by a security desk near the north wall. Floating above it in the capacious darkness is a small landing. A set of stairs both rises up to meet it and stretches downwards into the dark.

In the north wall is a closed automatic door.

To the south is a set of automatic doors leading out into the inky night.
action: You look at the desk
response: A large black desk equipped with four CCTV screens showing live feeds from around the complex. There are also four buttons, labeled 'basement', 'first', 'second' and 'alarm'.
action: You check your inventory
response: You are carrying:
a bright steel key
an ID card
a timed explosive device
action: You look at the ithe d.
response: Natalie Williams.
Deutsch Lab.
Doctoral Student, MIT

On the right is a familiar photo of you, back when you wore your hair long. A black magnetic stripe runs the width of the reverse.
action: About yourself
response: Dark hair frames a warm face. Despite the anxiety written now in your tense brow, the confidence of youth and vibrancy of intellect are clear. There is a depth in your clear green eyes.
action: Press basement
response: Nothing obvious happens.
action: You examine the screens
response: These screens flash images from the corridors and grounds of the complex.
action: You examine explosive
response: A length of steel pipe filled with powder and fused with a digital timer. Not your most elegant piece of work, but it will hopefully do the job.
action: Y.
response: You're in.

The plan now is simple: go to your lab, plant the bomb, and run. The prototype will be destroyed. The military will have no way to continue the experiment. No-one will die.

The guard is out securing the grounds. The building is empty. You have six minutes.

A second, more difficult, version will be released after the competition closes.

A darkened foyer, presided over by a security desk near the north wall. Floating above it in the capacious darkness is a small landing. A set of stairs both rises up to meet it and stretches downwards into the dark.

In the north wall is a closed automatic door.

To the south is a set of automatic doors leading out into the inky night.
action: You look at the door
response: A plate glass sliding door, through which you can see a dim corridor. On the right hand side is a slot for an ID card.
action: Press alarm
response: A piercing siren rings out.
action: You put the id in the slot
response: The slot emits a small beep and your card is rejected.
action: You examine the card
response: Natalie Williams.
Deutsch Lab.
Doctoral Student, MIT

On the right is a familiar photo of you, back when you wore your hair long. A black magnetic stripe runs the width of the reverse.
action: You examine the screens
response: These screens flash images from the corridors and grounds of the complex.
action: You go downwards
response: A cramped space at the bottom of the stairs. A corridor can be seen to the north through the automatic door, and the stairs lead back up to the foyer.

To the north is a closed automatic door.
action: Up
response: A darkened foyer, presided over by a security desk near the north wall. Floating above it in the capacious darkness is a small landing. A set of stairs both rises up to meet it and stretches downwards into the dark.

In the north wall is a closed automatic door.

To the south is a set of automatic doors leading out into the inky night.
action: Down
response: A cramped space at the bottom of the stairs. A corridor can be seen to the north through the automatic door, and the stairs lead back up to the foyer.

To the north is an open automatic door.
The automatic door softly slides closed.
action: You go north
response: (first inserting your ID card)
You swipe your card through the slot, and hold your breath.
The door slides open with a soft rattle.
Perfect. Just as you'd hoped. The bastards hadn't even thought to disable your card.

A long north-south corridor, much the same as those on the other floors. Three gray doors line the eastern wall. The first two have small glass windows, peering into darkened laboratories. The third is plain. All three are closed.

At the north end a fourth door leads to the Deutsch lab.

To the south is an open automatic door, leading back to the landing. The automatic door softly slides closed.
action: You examine the doors
response: There are three doors on the eastern wall of the corridor, the first two (to the south-east and east) lead to the Bostrom and Wallace labs. The third (to the north-east) leads to a small equipment room. At the north end is the door to the Deutsch lab. To the south, the plate glass automatic door to the landing stands closed.
action: Go north
response: (first opening the door to the Deutsch lab)
(first unlocking the door to the Deutsch lab)

The lab is order and chaos. By the dim blue-green light of a few swirling screen savers, you can see the cluttered benches of your colleagues, frozen in the mess of academic creativity. Frozen exactly as they were when badges were flashed, when we looked on in disbelief as they took control of the lab. Yours however, is clean. The books and papers are in neat stacks. They have been working here.

Nearby, against the north wall is the prototype, a six foot cylinder of brushed steel cladding. The door has been taken off and is nowhere to be seen. They have been working on it too. You wince at the sight.

To the south, the door to the lab lies open.

You can see a battery, a flashlight (which is empty) and a worn brass key here.
action: You take all
response: battery: Taken.
flashlight: Taken.
worn brass key: Taken.
door to the Deutsch lab: The door to the Deutsch lab is locked in place.
your bench: your bench is too heavy for that.
action: You put the battery in the flashlight
response: You put the battery into the flashlight.
action: You look at the cylinder
response: You had built the prototype to get a strong negative result, to show that the standard model of Quantum Mechanics led to demonstrably false claims involving reverse causation. You were mistaken. One by one, your experiments showed your preliminary calculations to have been correct. When the military removed you from your project, only one aspect remained untested  -- an aspect you had been loath to test before you could predict the results -- inconsistent observation.

What would happen if anomalies were observed by those in the original time-line? Your prior experiments had heavily shielded the prototype from outside interaction to avoid the very possibility. And as the calculations came out time and again, that is the only reason you are alive today. When an observer in the original time-line has an anomolous observation, the wave function of the temporally relocated object collapses and the relocation retrospectively fails, preserving chronological consistency. There is just one side effect: total transformation of the object's mass into a burst of photons -- pure energy.

You tried to tell them over and again. They assumed you were merely jealous of the takeover. Now, the night before their scheduled 'first main experiment', you have come to put an end to it all. To destroy your prototype and avoid tomorrow's nightmare.

The prototype itself a six foot tall, four foot wide cylinder, clad with brushed steel. The frame and door were fitted with quantum shielding to prevent decoherence of the wave function, but now the door has been removed and any use of the machine is potentially disastrous.

On close inspection, it appears that an attempt is in progress to move the control panel so that it can be operated from the inside. As it is, the protoype is currently not functioning, but you think you could probably complete the modification within a minute or two.
action: You look at the books
response: A few texts on Quantum Mechanics and String Theory that have served you very well.
action: You examine papers
response: A collection of photocopied journal papers that you had been reading a few weeks ago.

You suddenly notice that your research notes are not here. You were sure they would be -- and would thus be destroyed in the blast. This is bad. Very bad.
action: You enter the prototype
response: The interior of the prototype is cramped and dark. On the wall you can see the half-installed control panel. Through the open hatch you can see some of the Deutsch lab.
action: You look at the panel
response: A brushed steel control panel with a blue LED timer, set to 0 seconds, and a shiny silver button.
action: You set the timer to 15
response: (the timed explosive device to that)
Time until detonation: 15 seconds.
(you probably don't want to be carrying the device when that occurs...)
action: You examine the timer
response: (the timed explosive device)
A length of steel pipe filled with powder and fused with a digital timer. Not your most elegant piece of work, but it will hopefully do the job.
action: Complete modifications
response: After a few moments, you realise that completing the modification will require a ribbon cable to connect the components. You know the type of cable well, but don't have any in the lab right now. Still, the equipment room in the corridor should have one.
action: Go outside
response: The lab is order and chaos. By the dim blue-green light of a few swirling screen savers, you can see the cluttered benches of your colleagues, frozen in the mess of academic creativity. Yours however, is clean. The books and papers are in neat stacks. They have been working here.

Nearby, against the north wall is the prototype, a six foot cylinder of brushed steel cladding. They have been working on it too. The door has been taken off and is nowhere to be seen.

To the south, the door to the lab lies open.
action: You go south
response: A long north-south corridor, much the same as those on the other floors. Three gray doors line the eastern wall. The first two have small glass windows, peering into darkened laboratories. The third is plain. All three are closed.

At the north end is an open door leading to the Deutsch lab.

To the south is a closed automatic door, leading back to the landing.
action: You look at the doors
response: There are three doors on the eastern wall of the corridor, the first two (to the south-east and east) lead to the Bostrom and Wallace labs. The third (to the north-east) leads to a small equipment room. At the north end is the open door to the Deutsch lab. To the south, the plate glass automatic door to the landing stands closed.
action: Go northeast
response: (first opening the door to the equipment room)
(first unlocking the door to the equipment room)

It is almost completely dark. Some faint light spills in from the west through the open door, allowing you to just discern the outlines of a series of shelves. By the door is a light switch.
action: You turn on the light
response: The fluorescent lights flicker hopefully, strobing rapidly across the scattered equipment. Then darkness. Nothing but a few fleeting after-images of the cluttered room.
action: You turn on the flashlight
response: The switch clicks, but no light is forthcoming. It looks as if you will need two batteries.
action: You check what you're carrying
response: You are carrying:
a worn brass key
a flashlight
a battery
a bright steel key
an ID card
a timed explosive device
action: Leave
response: A long north-south corridor, much the same as those on the other floors. Three gray doors line the eastern wall. The first two have small glass windows, peering into darkened laboratories. The third is open onto an equipment room.

At the north end is an open door leading to the Deutsch lab.

To the south is a closed automatic door, leading back to the landing.
action: You open door
response: (the automatic door)
(pressing the green exit button)
The door slides open with a soft rattle.
action: You open Bostrom
response: It seems to be locked.
The automatic door softly slides closed.
action: You examine the brass key
response: A well worn brass key. It opens the various equipment rooms in the complex.
action: You examine the steel key
response: A bright steel key. It unlocks the door to the Deutsch lab.
action: Go south
response: (first pressing the green exit button)
The door slides open with a soft rattle.

A cramped space at the bottom of the stairs. A corridor can be seen to the north through the automatic door, and the stairs lead back up to the foyer.

To the north is an open automatic door.
The automatic door softly slides closed.
action: Up
response: A darkened foyer, presided over by a security desk near the north wall. Floating above it in the capacious darkness is a small landing. A set of stairs both rises up to meet it and stretches downwards into the dark.

In the north wall is a closed automatic door.

To the south is a set of automatic doors leading out into the inky night.
action: Go up
response: A small landing, hanging in the still darkness above the foyer.

On the north wall lies a closed automatic door.
action: Up
response: A small landing, hanging in the still darkness above the foyer.

On the north wall lies an open automatic door.
The automatic door softly slides closed.
action: You put the card in slot
response: The slot emits a small beep and your card is rejected.
action: You check what you're carrying
response: You are carrying:
a worn brass key
a flashlight
a battery
a bright steel key
an ID card
a timed explosive device
action: Press first
response: The door slides open with a soft rattle.
action: You go to the north
response: A long north-south corridor, much the same as those on the other floors. Three gray doors line the eastern wall. The first two have small glass windows, peering into darkened laboratories. The third is plain. All three are closed.

To the south is an open automatic door, leading back to the foyer.
The automatic door softly slides closed.
action: You look at the doors
response: There are three doors on the eastern wall of the corridor, the first two (to the south-east and east) lead to the Saunders and Pooley labs. The third (to the north-east) leads to a small equipment room. To the south, the plate glass automatic door to the foyer stands closed.

A quick noise from behind, then a strong grip on your wrist. The guard is back -- time has slipped away from you.

Deaf to your protests, the guard handcuffs you and forces you into a dark sedan. You speed through the chill Boston night, head held in your hands, almost oblivious to the blur of the suburbs rushing past.

Half an hour later, the car pulls up outside a non-descript building and you are dragged inside then thrown into a small cell to await questioning.
action: You examine the doors
response: There are three doors on the eastern wall of the corridor, the first two (to the south-east and east) lead to the Saunders and Pooley labs. The third (to the north-east) leads to a small equipment room. To the south, the plate glass automatic door to the foyer stands closed.
action: You go to the north-east
response: (first opening the door to the equipment room)
Try as you might, none of your keys will unlock the door.
action: You open Saunders
response: It seems to be locked.
action: Go south
response: (first pressing the green exit button)
The door slides open with a soft rattle.

A darkened foyer, presided over by a security desk near the north wall. Floating above it in the capacious darkness is a small landing. A set of stairs both rises up to meet it and stretches downwards into the dark.

In the north wall is an open automatic door.

To the south is a set of automatic doors leading out into the inky night.
The automatic door softly slides closed.
action: You go to the north
response: (first pressing the button marked 'first')
The door slides open with a soft rattle.

A long north-south corridor, much the same as those on the other floors. Three gray doors line the eastern wall. The first two have small glass windows, peering into darkened laboratories. The third is plain. All three are closed.

To the south is an open automatic door, leading back to the foyer.
The automatic door softly slides closed.
action: Unlock equipment room
response: The worn brass key turns smoothly in the lock.
action: You go northeast
response: (first opening the door to the equipment room)

It is almost completely dark. Some faint light spills in from the west through the open door, allowing you to just discern the outlines of a series of shelves. By the door is a light switch.
action: You turn on the light
response: The lights come on after a brief flicker.

By the flickering fluorescent lights, you see the crowded shelves of the equipment room.

To the west, the door to the corridor lies open.

You can see a length of ribbon cable here.
action: You examine the cable
response: A 10cm length of ribbon cable. It will do nicely.
action: You take the cable
response: Taken.
action: You go outside
response: A long north-south corridor, much the same as those on the other floors. Three gray doors line the eastern wall. The first two have small glass windows, peering into darkened laboratories. The third is open onto an equipment room.

To the south is a closed automatic door, leading back to the foyer.
action: Go south
response: (first pressing the green exit button)
The door slides open with a soft rattle.

A darkened foyer, presided over by a security desk near the north wall. Floating above it in the capacious darkness is a small landing. A set of stairs both rises up to meet it and stretches downwards into the dark.

In the north wall is an open automatic door.

To the south is a set of automatic doors leading out into the inky night.
The automatic door softly slides closed.
action: Down
response: A cramped space at the bottom of the stairs. A corridor can be seen to the north through the automatic door, and the stairs lead back up to the foyer.

To the north is a closed automatic door.
action: You go to the north
response: (first inserting your ID card)
The door slides open with a soft rattle.

A long north-south corridor, much the same as those on the other floors. Three gray doors line the eastern wall. The first two have small glass windows, peering into darkened laboratories. The third is plain. All three are closed.

At the north end is an open door leading to the Deutsch lab.

To the south is an open automatic door, leading back to the landing. The automatic door softly slides closed.
action: You fix the prototype
response: (first entering the prototype)

The interior of the prototype is cramped and dark. On the wall you can see the half-installed control panel. Through the open hatch you can see some of the Deutsch lab.

You begin work completing the modifications...
After a minute or so, you are done.
action: You enter the cylinder
response: The only exit is out to the Deutsch lab.
action: You set the panel to 15
response: You quickly type the number in to the control panel.
action: You press the button
response: You hold your breath and activate the prototype.
action: You press the button
response: You hold your breath and activate the prototype.
action: Go outside
response: The lab is order and chaos. By the dim blue-green light of a few swirling screen savers, you can see the cluttered benches of your colleagues, frozen in the mess of academic creativity. Yours however, is clean. The books and papers are in neat stacks. They have been working here.

Nearby, against the north wall is the prototype, a six foot cylinder of brushed steel cladding. They have been working on it too. The door has been taken off and is nowhere to be seen.

To the south, the door to the lab stands closed.

You can see a battery, a flashlight (which is empty) and a worn brass key here.
action: Inventory
response: You are carrying:
a battery
a flashlight
a bright steel key
a worn brass key
an ID card
a timed explosive device
action: You get key
response: (the worn brass key)
Taken.
action: You get the battery
response: (the battery)
Taken.
action: You go south
response: (first opening the door to the Deutsch lab)
(first unlocking the door to the Deutsch lab)

A long north-south corridor, much the same as those on the other floors. Three gray doors line the eastern wall. The first two have small glass windows, peering into darkened laboratories. The third is plain. All three are closed.

At the north end is an open door leading to the Deutsch lab.

To the south is a closed automatic door, leading back to the landing.
action: Go northeast
response: (first opening the door to the equipment room)
(first unlocking the door to the equipment room)

It is almost completely dark. Some faint light spills in from the west through the open door, allowing you to just discern the outlines of a series of shelves. By the door is a light switch.
action: Inventory
response: You are carrying:
two batteries
a flashlight
a bright steel key
a worn brass key
an ID card
a timed explosive device
action: You put the batteries in the flashlight
response: battery: Done.
battery: Done.
action: You turn on the flashlight
response: By the thin blue-white beam of your flashlight, you see the crowded shelves of the equipment room.

To the west, the door to the corridor lies open.

You can see a crowbar here.
action: You get the crowbar
response: Taken.
action: You wait
response: Time passes.
action: You wait
response: Time passes.
action: You close the door
response: You close the door to the equipment room.
action: Close deutsch
response: (the door to the Deutsch lab)
You close the door to the Deutsch lab.
action: You go to the northeast
response: By the thin blue-white beam of your flashlight, you see the crowded shelves of the equipment room.

To the west, the door to the corridor lies open.
action: You close the door
response: You close the door to the equipment room.
action: You wait
response: Time passes.
action: You set the panel to 300
response: You quickly type the number in to the control panel.
action: Lock deutsch
response: (the door to the Deutsch lab)
The bright steel key turns smoothly in the lock.
action: Go northeast
response: (first opening the door to the equipment room)
(first unlocking the door to the equipment room)

It is almost completely dark. Some faint light spills in from the west through the open door, allowing you to just discern the outlines of a series of shelves. By the door is a light switch.
action: You close the door
response: You close the door to the equipment room.
action: You lock the door
response: The worn brass key turns smoothly in the lock.
action: You put the batteries in the flashlight
response: battery: Done.
battery: Done.
action: You turn on the flashlight
response: By the thin blue-white beam of your flashlight, you see the crowded shelves of the equipment room.

To the west, the door to the corridor stands closed.

You can see a crowbar here.
action: You wait
response: Time passes.
action: You wait
response: Time passes.
action: You set the panel to 900
response: The prototype's control panel only accepts between 1 and 400 seconds.
action: You open Bostrom with the crowbar
response: You swing the crowbar firmly into the door, but it barely leaves a mark.
action: You go north
response: The lab is order and chaos. By the dim blue-green light of a few swirling screen savers, you can see the cluttered benches of your colleagues, frozen in the mess of academic creativity. Yours however, is clean. The books and papers are in neat stacks. They have been working here.

Nearby, against the north wall is the prototype, a six foot cylinder of brushed steel cladding. They have been working on it too. The door has been taken off and is nowhere to be seen.

To the south, the door to the lab lies open.

You can see a flashlight (which is empty) and a worn brass key here.
action: You get the battery
response: As you remove the battery, the light fails.
Taken.
action: You drop the battery
response: (the battery)
Dropped.
action: Go south
response: A long north-south corridor, much the same as those on the other floors. Three gray doors line the eastern wall. The first two have small glass windows, peering into darkened laboratories. The third is open onto an equipment room.

At the north end is an open door leading to the Deutsch lab.

To the south is a closed automatic door, leading back to the landing.
action: Close deutsch
response: (the door to the Deutsch lab)
You close the door to the Deutsch lab.
action: You go northeast
response: It is almost completely dark. Some faint light spills in from the west through the open door, allowing you to just discern the outlines of a series of shelves. By the door is a light switch.
action: You take the battery
response: You already have that.
action: You turn on the flashlight
response: The switch clicks, but no light is forthcoming. Not surprising considering flashlights usually need batteries.
action: Lock equipment
response: (the door to the equipment room)
(first closing the door to the equipment room)
The worn brass key turns smoothly in the lock.
action: Lock deutsch
response: (the door to the Deutsch lab)
(first closing the door to the Deutsch lab)
The bright steel key turns smoothly in the lock.
action: Look around
response: A small landing, hanging in the still darkness above the foyer.

On the north wall lies a closed automatic door.
The door slides open with a soft rattle.
action: Go north
response: A long north-south corridor, much the same as those on the other floors. Three plain gray doors line the eastern wall.

At the north end of the corridor is a closed glass door leading out to the balcony.

To the south is an open automatic door, leading back to the landing. The automatic door softly slides closed.
action: Go north
response: (first opening the balcony door)

A wide balcony, looking out over the sleeping city. Below you, a lawn slopes gently away into the gloom, a few silhouetted trees marking the edge of the modest grounds. Above, the clear sky is a deep black, dusted with glinting stars.

To the south-east is a large, tinted glass window.

To the south, the door to the upstairs corridor lies open.
action: You break the window
response: You swing the crowbar firmly into the window and it shatters with a loud crash.

A piercing siren rings out.
action: You look at your surroundings
response: A wide balcony, looking out over the sleeping city. Below you, a lawn slopes gently away into the gloom, a few silhouetted trees marking the edge of the modest grounds. Above, the clear sky is a deep black, dusted with glinting stars.

To the south-east is a large, tinted glass window.

To the south, the door to the upstairs corridor lies open.
action: Go south
response: A long north-south corridor, much the same as those on the other floors. Three plain gray doors line the eastern wall.

At the north end of the corridor is an open glass door leading out to the balcony.

To the south is a closed automatic door, leading back to the landing.
action: You examine the doors
response: There are three doors on the eastern wall of the corridor, the first two (to the south-east and east) lead to Dr Brown and Professor Butterield's offices. The third (to the north-east) leads to the conference room. At the north end is the open glass door to the balcony. To the south, the plate glass automatic door to the landing stands closed.
action: You open the butterfield
response: It seems to be locked.

You can't, since the door to the conference room is in the way.
action: You go to the northeast
response: You can't, since the door to the conference room is in the way.
The door slides open with a soft rattle.
action: You look around
response: A long north-south corridor, much the same as those on the other floors. Three plain gray doors line the eastern wall.

At the north end of the corridor is an open glass door leading out to the balcony.

To the south is an open automatic door, leading back to the landing. The automatic door softly slides closed.
action: You go south
response: (first pressing the green exit button)
The door slides open with a soft rattle.

A small landing, hanging in the still darkness above the foyer.

On the north wall lies an open automatic door.
The automatic door softly slides closed.
action: Go north
response: A wide balcony, looking out over the sleeping city. Below you, a lawn slopes gently away into the gloom, a few silhouetted trees marking the edge of the modest grounds. Above, the clear sky is a deep black, dusted with glinting stars.

To the south, the door to the upstairs corridor lies open.

To the south-east is a large, tinted glass window.
action: You break the window
response: Time passes.

You swing the crowbar firmly into the window and it shatters with a loud crash.

A piercing siren rings out.
action: You break the window
response: [Previous turn undone.]

Time passes.

You swing the crowbar firmly into the window and it shatters with a loud crash.

A piercing siren rings out.
action: You enter the window
response: A rather slick but soulless affair. A large table of dark polished wood takes pride of place and is surrounded by a half-dozen chairs.

To the north, lie the shattered remains of a window, opening into the starry night.

On the conference table is a collection of notes.

The siren wails.
action: You take the notes
response: Taken.

The siren wails.
action: Go outside
response: A wide balcony, looking out over the sleeping city. Below you, a lawn slopes gently away into the gloom, a few silhouetted trees marking the edge of the modest grounds. Above, the clear sky is a deep black, dusted with glinting stars.

To the south-east, lie the shattered remains of a window, opening into a murky conference room.

To the south, the door to the upstairs corridor lies open.

The siren wails.
action: Go south
response: A long north-south corridor, much the same as those on the other floors. Three plain gray doors line the eastern wall.

At the north end of the corridor is an open glass door leading out to the balcony.

To the south is a closed automatic door, leading back to the landing.

The siren wails.
action: You go south
response: (first pressing the green exit button)
The door slides open with a soft rattle.

The siren wails.

A small landing, hanging in the still darkness above the foyer.

On the north wall lies an open automatic door.

The siren wails.
The automatic door softly slides closed.
action: Go down
response: A darkened foyer, presided over by a security desk near the north wall. Floating above it in the capacious darkness is a small landing. A set of stairs both rises up to meet it and stretches downwards into the dark.

In the north wall is a closed automatic door.

To the south is a set of automatic doors leading out into the inky night.

The siren wails.
action: You press the alarm button
response: The siren wails.
action: Go downward
response: A cramped space at the bottom of the stairs. A corridor can be seen to the north through the automatic door, and the stairs lead back up to the foyer.

To the north is a closed automatic door.

The siren wails.
action: You go north
response: (first inserting your ID card)
The door slides open with a soft rattle.

The siren wails.

A long north-south corridor, much the same as those on the other floors. Three gray doors line the eastern wall. The first two have small glass windows, peering into darkened laboratories. The third is plain. All three are closed.

At the north end is an open door leading to the Deutsch lab.

To the south is an open automatic door, leading back to the landing.

The siren wails.
The automatic door softly slides closed.
action: Go north
response: The lab is order and chaos. By the dim blue-green light of a few swirling screen savers, you can see the cluttered benches of your colleagues, frozen in the mess of academic creativity. Yours however, is clean. The books and papers are in neat stacks. They have been working here.

Nearby, against the north wall is the prototype, a six foot cylinder of brushed steel cladding. They have been working on it too. The door has been taken off and is nowhere to be seen.

To the south, the door to the lab lies open.

The siren wails.
action: You examine papers
response: A collection of photocopied journal papers that you had been reading a few weeks ago.

You suddenly notice that your research notes are not here. You were sure they would be -- and would thus be destroyed in the blast. This is bad. Very bad.

The siren wails.
action: Inventory
response: You are carrying:
a collection of notes
a crowbar
a flashlight
a battery
a bright steel key
a worn brass key
an ID card
a timed explosive device

The siren wails.
action: You look at the notes
response: Your research notes. The hundred or so pages here comprise everything you have written so far. It would not be easy for someone else to turn the scribbles herein into another working prototype, but it may just be possible.

The siren wails.
action: You drop the notes
response: Dropped.

The siren wails.
action: You set the timer to 30
response: Time until detonation: 30 seconds.
(you probably don't want to be carrying the device when that occurs...)

The siren wails.
action: You set the timer to 30
response: Time until detonation: 30 seconds.

The siren wails.
action: You go to the south
response: A long north-south corridor, much the same as those on the other floors. Three gray doors line the eastern wall. The first two have small glass windows, peering into darkened laboratories. The third is plain. All three are closed.

At the north end is an open door leading to the Deutsch lab.

To the south is a closed automatic door, leading back to the landing.

The siren wails.
action: You go to the south
response: (first pressing the green exit button)
The door slides open with a soft rattle.

As the siren shrieks out around you, you catch a glimpse of movement. A sudden jolt, then you are wrestled to the ground. Security has arrived.

The bomb detonates. You are knocked to the floor by the force of the explosion and your ears ring. Stunned, you lie prone on the floor as the siren wails and the reek of smoke stings your nostrils.

Before you recover your senses, security is upon you.

Deaf to your protests, the guard handcuffs you and forces you into a dark sedan. You speed through the chill Boston night, head held in your hands, almost oblivious to the blur of the suburbs rushing past.

Half an hour later, the car pulls up outside a non-descript building and you are dragged inside then thrown into a small cell to await questioning.

The months that follow are a nightmare. Solitary confinement, sleepless nights, merciless interrogations. Eventually, you are taken before a civillian court and tried for treason. A drawn-out trial, a guilty verdict, prison. Ambitions falter and then fade. Still, as the months and then years pass, they do not bring the disaster you had so feared and you cling, anxiously, longingly, to the dream that it was you who brought this about, that your sacrifice was not in vain.
action: You enter prototype
response: The interior of the prototype is cramped and dark. On the wall you see the control panel with a small LED timer set to 390 seconds, and a silver button. Through the open hatch you can see some of the Deutsch lab.

The siren wails.
action: You press the button
response: You hold your breath and activate the prototype.
action: You look around
response: The lab is order and chaos. By the dim blue-green light of a few swirling screen savers, you can see the cluttered benches of your colleagues, frozen in the mess of academic creativity. Yours however, is clean. The books and papers are in neat stacks. They have been working here.

Nearby, against the north wall is the prototype, a six foot cylinder of brushed steel cladding. They have been working on it too. The door has been taken off and is nowhere to be seen.

To the south, the door to the lab lies open.

The siren wails.
action: You set the panel to 60
response: You would have to enter the prototype to do that.

The siren wails.
action: You check what you're carrying
response: You are carrying:
a crowbar
a flashlight
a battery
a bright steel key
a worn brass key
an ID card

The siren wails.
action: Inventory
response: You are carrying:
a crowbar
a flashlight
a battery
a bright steel key
a worn brass key
an ID card
a timed explosive device

The siren wails.
action: You set the panel to 60
response: You quickly type the number in to the control panel.

As the siren shrieks out around you, you catch a glimpse of movement. A sudden jolt, then you are wrestled to the ground. Security has arrived.

The bomb detonates. A wall of force rips through the room with savage power, killing you immediately.
action: You set the panel to 60
response: You quickly type the number in to the control panel.

The siren wails.
action: You press the button
response: You hold your breath and activate the prototype.

The siren wails.
action: You go south
response: The only exit is out to the Deutsch lab.

The siren wails.
action: Up
response: The only exits are to the Deutsch lab (north) the three doors lining the corridor (south-east, east and north-east) and the automatic door back to the landing (south).

The siren wails.
action: You go south
response: (first pressing the green exit button)
The door slides open with a soft rattle.
action: You drop the device
response: Dropped.

The siren wails.
action: You set the timer to 30
response: Time until detonation: 30 seconds.

The siren wails.
action: Go outside
response: The lab is order and chaos. By the dim blue-green light of a few swirling screen savers, you can see the cluttered benches of your colleagues, frozen in the mess of academic creativity. Yours however, is clean. The books and papers are in neat stacks. They have been working here.

Nearby, against the north wall is the prototype, a six foot cylinder of brushed steel cladding. They have been working on it too. The door has been taken off and is nowhere to be seen.

To the south, the door to the lab lies open.

You can see a timed explosive device here.

As the siren shrieks out around you, you catch a glimpse of movement. A sudden jolt, then you are wrestled to the ground. Security has arrived.

The bomb detonates. A wall of force rips through the room with savage power, killing you immediately.
action: You press the button
response: You hold your breath and activate the prototype.

A piercing siren rings out.
action: Go south
response: (first pressing the green exit button)
The door slides open with a soft rattle.

The siren wails.

A cramped space at the bottom of the stairs. A corridor can be seen to the north through the automatic door, and the stairs lead back up to the foyer.

To the north is an open automatic door.

The siren wails.
The automatic door softly slides closed.
action: Go upward
response: A darkened foyer, presided over by a security desk near the north wall. Floating above it in the capacious darkness is a small landing. A set of stairs both rises up to meet it and stretches downwards into the dark.

In the north wall is a closed automatic door.

To the south is a set of automatic doors leading out into the inky night.

The siren wails.
action: You go south
response: (first pressing the green exit button)
The main doors open onto the night.

The siren wails.

You slip out into the night, darting quickly through the Cambridge shadows until you reach the quiet corner where you left your car. Exhausted, you gently start the cold motor and roll off towards the interstate.

Days, months, years run by. You find a new name, a new life. Fresh challenges are gladly met and life proceeds with full force in its new and welcome direction. Only now and then do you stop on a chill starry night and wonder whether you were right, what really would have happened.