Comrade
by Roger Carbol (as Urist Uristson) (2015)
Genres: Science Fiction


action: %
response: Glorious day, comrade! Of all the countless applicants, you yourself have been chosen to represent the great government of the Motherland as the political officer -- the zampolit -- in the crown jewel of the People's accomplishments: the lunar base. With months of training complete, you are finally ready to assume your post.

The inside of this reusable space vehicle is cramped, but not unbearably so for the trip up from Earth. A ramp has opened up, leading out into the base.

You can see DUFFY, apparently with some message on its screen, here.
action: You examine duffy
response: This large immobile robot is known as DUFFY, which is an acronym for... something you can never quite remember. The "U" is for Unit, maybe? Anyway, its primary purpose is to analyze various substances and objects. It displays any relevant output from its analysis on a large integral screen.
action: You read the screen
response: It reads:

MESSAGE FROM COMMAND -- MAY 2 0759 -- COMRADE -- ZAMPOLIT REPORTED DECEASED BY SUICIDE. INVESTIGATE PRIOR TO SHUTTLE DEPARTURE AT 2000. MAKE ARREST IF POSSIBLE. END MESSAGE.
action: About yourself
response: You are now this lunar base's zampolit, charged with keeping everyone in line with the approved ideology of the Motherland. It is a duty you take seriously.
action: Go up
response: Small as far as hangars go, but large enough to contain the shuttle you arrived in, and afford space for its maintenance. The vehicular airlock in the ceiling is closed, of course. An airlock suitable for personnel is to the northeast, while an open airlock chamber is to the southeast.
action: You go northeast
response: You can see a space suit and a big red button here.
action: You look at the button
response: Pushing the button cycles the airlock, for access to the lunar surface.
action: You look at the suit
response: If someone made a full-body parka out of tin foil, and added a bubble of a helmet, it might look something like this.
action: You wear the suit
response: (first taking the space suit)
You put on the space suit.
action: Go southeast
response: Theoretically, a room where terrestrial goods can be quarantined. In practice, no one's going to wait an extra four weeks to eat a fresh pineapple. The dock is to the northwest; the rest of the base is to the southeast.

You can see a coffin here.
action: You look at the coffin
response: This insulated box seems to have been originally designed for the transport and storage of perishable food. It now serves a nobler, if more tragic, purpose.
action: Open coffin
response: You open the coffin, revealing a body.
action: You examine the body
response: This must be the previous zampolit officer. His nakedness surprises you, but between the autopsy and lack of an open-casket funeral, it makes perfect sense.

On the body is a crucifix.
action: You examine the crucifix
response: Such a thing is somewhat scandalous, and twice so on a political officer. It is pendant from a silver chain, which is beginning to show some tarnish.
action: You take the crucifix
response: Taken.
action: You enter
response: The inside of this reusable space vehicle is cramped, but not unbearably so for the trip up from Earth. A ramp has opened up, leading out into the base.

You can see DUFFY here.
action: You analyze the the crucifix
response: You slip the crucifix into a slot in DUFFY. The robot begins to churn, whine, grumble, and grind alarmingly. Just when you're beginning to seriously worry that it might finally explode, it comes to an abrupt halt. Its screen updates with a new message.
action: You read the screen
response: It reads:

OBJECT IS SILVER SUBTYPE STERLING. OBJECT CONTAMINATED WITH SLIGHT AMOUNT OF BLACK RUBBER COMPOUND.
action: You look at what you're carrying with you
response: You are carrying:
a space suit (being worn)
action: You ask Duffy,  to check your inventory
response: The screen blinks out a message several times:

COMMAND FAILED, COMRADE

and then returns to its previous state.
action: You examine duffy
response: This large immobile robot is known as DUFFY, which is an acronym for... something you can never quite remember. The "U" is for Unit, maybe? Anyway, its primary purpose is to analyze various substances and objects. It displays any relevant output from its analysis on a large integral screen.
action: You leave
response: Small as far as hangars go, but large enough to contain the shuttle you arrived in, and afford space for its maintenance. The vehicular airlock in the ceiling is closed, of course. An airlock suitable for personnel is to the northeast, while an open airlock chamber is to the southeast.
action: You look in the coffin
response: In the coffin is a body.
action: You take the body
response: Have some respect, comrade.
action: You take the coffin
response: That's fixed in place.
action: Close the coffin
response: You close the coffin.
action: You go southeast
response: This room is full of workbenches and power tools of various sorts. A non-pressure door is to the southwest. The quarantine area is to the northwest; the rest of the base is to the southeast.

You can see the mechanical file cabinet here.
action: You examine the file cabinet
response: The standard government-issue battleship-grey file cabinet. The Motherland may be built on vodka and blood, but her government is built upon a vast foundation of file cabinets just like this one.
action: You open it
response: You open the mechanical file cabinet.
action: You look in it
response: The contents seem to be arranged by date. You could look up a particular date to find a specific record.
action: You look up may 2
response: (in the mechanical file cabinet)
You find several standard statement-of-work forms, but none of them seem particularly interesting.
action: You go southwest
response: A small, cramped room. A cot, a locker, a small writing desk. The place smells faintly of lightweight oil. The only door is to the northeast.

You can see Tsygan here.
action: You examine Tsygan
response: The mechanic, Tsygan, as you recall from your briefing, is in charge of all the mechanical systems and subsytems on the entire base, from life support to plumbing. He is angrily mumbling under his breath about something.
action: You examine the cot
response: As far as beds go, it's pretty spartan, even by your standards. It looks like an air duct grille has been installed under it.
action: You look at grille
response: This grille seems designed to admit airflow and little else. It seems to be loose on its hinges.
action: You take grille
response: That's hardly portable.
action: Unlock grille
response: (with the space suit)
That doesn't seem to be something you can unlock.
action: You ask Tsygan about the body
response: "It is very unfortunate. I had thought Sablin was stronger, psychologically, than that. Apparently I was wrong about him. As we all were."
action: You ask Tsygan about Tsygan
response: "I'm quite busy here, as I'm sure you can see, comrade zampolit. Surely everything you need to know is in my official file," he replies curtly.
action: You move the cot
response: It is fixed in place.
action: Doff suit
response: You take off the space suit.
action: Go downwards
response: These cramped tubes beneath the flooring of the base provide fresh air to the various occupied spaces, although your own body is mostly preventing that from happening now. It's easy to get disoriented in here. There is a grille above your head.
action: You go to the south-east
response: The largest room in the base by a fair margin. There's enough tables and chairs here that everyone could eat by themselves if they wanted to; perhaps a larger crew was originally planned. Access to the dock is afforded to the northwest. The kitchen is conveniently located nearby to the southwest. To the northeast, a hall leads to personnel quarters and offices.

You can see Burlak here.
action: You look at Burlak
response: The gardner, Burlak, as you recall from your briefing, is in charge of the greenhouse and lunar excursions. He looks approximately ancient.
action: You ask Burlak about Sablin
response: "I cannot truly believe it, even now. He was a complex man, but not a troubled one."
action: You ask Burlak about burlak
response: "Ehhh? Me? Oh, I've been here since the beginning. Before the bone density supplements. I won't be going back," he replies.
action: Go southwest
response: The room is dominated by a large counter, on which is spread a bewildering variety of bowls, knives, and food ingredients. An industrial refrigerator stands in one corner; beside it, a strange contraption churns away. A non-pressure door is directly to the south. The mess hall is conveniently located nearby to the northeast; a hall is to the northwest.

You can see Prokopenko here.
action: You ask prokopenko about Sablin
response: "We did not always see eye-to-eye, it is true. Still," he says, "it is a terrible thing, so close to his return to Earth."
action: You examine the contraption
response: This machine, at first glance, defies comprehension. It looks like an outboard motor engaged in some sort of kinky fan-belt-based bondage with the refrigerator. You eventually puzzle out that it must be some sort of rigged-up stand mixer, for baking.
action: You ask the prokopenko about the contraption
response: "It is a marvel, is it not?" He does not await a reply. "A few bits and pieces from here and there, and now I can bake a cake."
action: You go south
response: A small bed fills most of this small room. The walls are covered with pictures of people in various terrestrial settings. The only door is to the north.
action: You look at the bed
response: As far as beds go, it's pretty spartan, even by your standards. It looks like an air duct grille has been installed under it.
action: You look at grille
response: This grille seems designed to admit airflow and little else. It seems to be loose on its hinges.
action: You go northeast
response: You can't go that way.

There's a subtle whoosh of air as the life support system exhales through some nearby grille.
action: Go north
response: The room is dominated by a large counter, on which is spread a bewildering variety of bowls, knives, and food ingredients. An industrial refrigerator stands in one corner; beside it, a strange contraption churns away. A non-pressure door is directly to the south. The mess hall is conveniently located nearby to the northeast; a hall is to the northwest.

You can see Prokopenko here.
action: Go northwest
response: Most of the room is filled with radio equipment. There's a non-pressure door to the northeast. A delicious smell wafts in from the southeast; to the southwest is the greenhouse dome.

You can see the radio file cabinet here.
action: You examine the cabinet
response: The standard government-issue battleship-grey radio file cabinet. The Motherland may be built on vodka and blood, but her government is built upon a vast foundation of radio file cabinets just like this one.
action: You open it
response: You open the radio file cabinet.
action: You look in it
response: The contents seem to be arranged by date. You could look up a particular date to find a specific record.
action: Go southwest
response: A pleasant respite from the rest of the base are the rows and rows of growing plants. The greenhouse is a geodesic dome constructed from thick glass. Metal shutters are retracted near the floor, ready to be deployed in case of danger. The rest of the base is to the northeast.

You can see a composter here.
action: You look at the composter
response: Just a large metal box, really, full of organic materials slowly decomposing into soil. Worth more than gold, up here.
action: Search composter
response: You dig around a bit in the muck. Your fingers hit something which doesn't feel organic at all, so you pull it out -- it's a long black piece of rubber. Surely that doesn't belong in the compost. You pull it out.
action: You check what you're carrying
response: You are carrying:
an old fan belt
a space suit
action: You examine the belt
response: A long thin length of black rubber. It looks the worse for wear, even considering its time spent in a pile of decomposing goo.
action: Go northeast
response: Most of the room is filled with radio equipment. There's a non-pressure door to the northeast. A delicious smell wafts in from the southeast; to the southwest is the greenhouse dome.

You can see the radio file cabinet here.
action: You go southeast
response: The room is dominated by a large counter, on which is spread a bewildering variety of bowls, knives, and food ingredients. An industrial refrigerator stands in one corner; beside it, a strange contraption churns away. A non-pressure door is directly to the south. The mess hall is conveniently located nearby to the northeast; a hall is to the northwest.

You can see Prokopenko here.
action: You show the belt to Prokopenko
response: (the old fan belt to Prokopenko)
Prokopenko is unimpressed.
action: You tell Prokopenko about the crucifix
response: This provokes no reaction.

There's a subtle whoosh of air as the life support system exhales through some nearby grille.
action: You examine the grille
response: This grille seems designed to admit airflow and little else. It seems to be welded shut.
action: Go northeast
response: The largest room in the base by a fair margin. There's enough tables and chairs here that everyone could eat by themselves if they wanted to; perhaps a larger crew was originally planned. Access to the dock is afforded to the northwest. The kitchen is conveniently located nearby to the southwest. To the northeast, a hall leads to personnel quarters and offices.

You can see Burlak here.
action: You show the belt to Burlak
response: Burlak is unimpressed.
action: You analyze the belt
response: You slip the old fan belt into a slot in DUFFY. The robot begins to churn, whine, grumble, and grind alarmingly. Just when you're beginning to seriously worry that it might finally explode, it comes to an abrupt halt. Its screen updates with a new message.
action: You look at the screen
response: It reads:

OBJECT COMPOSED OF BLACK RUBBER COMPOUND. IDENTIFIED AS FAN BELT. COMPOSITION MATCHES SILVER OBJECT CONTAMINANT.
action: You go southeast
response: Theoretically, a room where terrestrial goods can be quarantined. In practice, no one's going to wait an extra four weeks to eat a fresh pineapple. The dock is to the northwest; the rest of the base is to the southeast.

You can see a coffin here.

thing seems to confuse it."
action: You go northeast
response: You can see a big red button here.
action: You go northeast
response: This curving hall runs along the residential part of the base. Two doors oppose each other across the hallway; an office door to the northwest, and the door to someone's quarters opposite. The mess hall is back to the southwest, while the hall continues to the north.
action: Go northwest
response: This small room seems bigger than it really is because it's almost entirely empty, with the last occupant's belongings already removed, and its new occupant -- you -- yet to move in. The few permanently-installed pieces of furniture indicate it is an office. The door back into the hall is to the southeast.
action: You examine the grille
response: This grille seems designed to admit airflow and little else. It seems to be welded shut.
action: Go southeast
response: This small room seems bigger than it really is because it's almost entirely empty, with the last occupant's belongings already removed, and its new occupant -- you -- yet to move in. The few permanently-installed pieces of furniture, such as the bed, indicate it is your quarters  The door back into the hall is to the northwest.
action: You examine the bed
response: As far as beds go, it's pretty spartan, even by your standards. It looks like an air duct grille has been installed under it.

There's a subtle whoosh of air as the life support system exhales through some nearby grille.
action: Go north
response: This curving hall runs along the residential part of the base. Two doors oppose each other across the hallway; an office door to the west, and the door to someone's quarters opposite. The hall curves away to the north and south.
action: You go west
response: The long couch, suitable for reclining, tips you off that this must by the office of the base psychiatrist. It also features the more usual furniture for an office -- a desk, a file cabinet, that sort of thing. The hallway is back to the east.

You can see Golovachev here.
action: You look at Golovachev
response: Golovachev is the base psychiatrist. Apparently all the isolation gets to some people.
action: You ask Golovachev about Sablin
response: "There was no prior indication that Sablin was tending towards suicidal ideation, let alone action. A review of the literature supports that this is unusual, but not entirely novel."
action: You ask Golovachev about Golovachev
response: "I am the principal point of contact for all aspects of mental health and fitness at this particular facility," he says. "If you should feel at any time that you may be losing contact with reality, please do not hesitate to engage me."
action: Go east
response: You feel distinctly-uncomfortable lurking around someone else's bedroom. Relief is to the west.
action: You go to the north
response: The curving hall finally terminates in a door in its northwesterly extremity. Two doors oppose each other across the hallway; an office door to the east, and the door to someone's quarters opposite. The rest of the base is back towards the south.
action: You go east
response: Not exactly a full-service hospital -- more like an overgrown stationary ambulance, really -- this is where the physical health of the cosmonauts is assessed and hopefully improved. You resolve to stay healthy. The door is to the west.

You can see Dolmatov here.

He stops working for a moment. "Ah, comrade. I was hoping you'd drop by. Here's the medical report regarding Sablin." He hands you a medical report.
action: You read the report
response: Nothing is written on the medical report.
action: You examine the report
response: The medical report is several pages of dense medical jargon, but you're able to gather that it concludes that Sablin died from strangulation, late May 1 or early May 2. He was found hanged in his quarters, once they kicked down the locked door. It has been officially ruled a suicide.
action: You ask the doctor about the report
response: He puts down his paperwork and regards you. "I know you are newly-arrived, comrade. I have been here eleven months, and I'm scheduled to return to Earth in a few weeks. The zampolit was discovered behind a locked door, hanging from his neck. In my professional opinion, that is a suicide, wherever it happens."
action: You ask the doctor about the doctor
response: "I graduated from the finest medical university in Moscow. And now I'm here."
action: You ask the doctor about Sablin
response: "The deceased was a credit to the People. His loss is very unfortunate for all of us."
action: Look around
response: Not exactly a full-service hospital -- more like an overgrown stationary ambulance, really -- this is where the physical health of the cosmonauts is assessed and hopefully improved. You resolve to stay healthy. The door is to the west.

You can see Dolmatov here.
action: Go west
response: The curving hall finally terminates in a door in its northwesterly extremity. Two doors oppose each other across the hallway; an office door to the east, and the door to someone's quarters opposite. The rest of the base is back towards the south.
action: Go west
response: You feel distinctly-uncomfortable lurking around someone else's bedroom. Relief is to the east.

There's a subtle whoosh of air as the life support system exhales through some nearby grille.
action: Go northwest
response: This room is more like a tunnel through an enormous mass of machinery. All designed to keep the fragile human inhabitants breathing, not freezing to death, etc. The door back to the rest of the base is to the southeast. The room continues to taper off towards the northwest.
action: Go northwest
response: This weird little rump of a room seems to have been used for miscellaneous storage, like an overgrown closet. The life support machinery is back to the southeast.
action: Inventory
response: You are carrying:
a medical report
a space suit
action: Go south
response: This curving hall runs along the residential part of the base. Two doors oppose each other across the hallway; an office door to the west, and the door to someone's quarters opposite. The hall curves away to the north and south.

This curving hall runs along the residential part of the base. Two doors oppose each other across the hallway; an office door to the northwest, and the door to someone's quarters opposite. The mess hall is back to the southwest, while the hall continues to the north.
action: You go southwest
response: The largest room in the base by a fair margin. There's enough tables and chairs here that everyone could eat by themselves if they wanted to; perhaps a larger crew was originally planned. Access to the dock is afforded to the northwest. The kitchen is conveniently located nearby to the southwest. To the northeast, a hall leads to personnel quarters and offices.

You can see Burlak here.

There's a subtle whoosh of air as the life support system exhales through some nearby grille.
action: You look up may 1 in the cabinet
response: You find just one encrypted message for May 1. The message body itself is encrypted, but you can see it is from Zampolit Sablin, and marked urgent. Seems important, so you take it.
action: You examine the message
response: You can tell this message was sent yesterday, May 1, by Zampolit Sablin, and it is marked as urgent. Everything else is encrypted.
action: You look up may 1 in the cabinet
response: You find just one work log for May 1. Seems like it might be important, so you take it.
action: You look at the log
response: It's a standard statement-of-work form, dated May 1. It indicates that a fan belt was replaced in the kitchen. It is signed, but so illegibly that you couldn't guess by whom.
action: Go northwest
response: Theoretically, a room where terrestrial goods can be quarantined. In practice, no one's going to wait an extra four weeks to eat a fresh pineapple. The dock is to the northwest; the rest of the base is to the southeast.

You can see a coffin here.
action: You analyze log
response: You slip the work log into a slot in DUFFY. The robot begins to churn, whine, grumble, and grind alarmingly. Just when you're beginning to seriously worry that it might finally explode, it comes to an abrupt halt. Its screen updates with a new message.
action: You read the screen
response: It reads:

SIGNATURE MATCHES COMRADE TSYGAN.
action: You analyze the message
response: You slip the message into a slot in DUFFY. The robot begins to churn, whine, grumble, and grind alarmingly. Just when you're beginning to seriously worry that it might finally explode, it comes to an abrupt halt. Its screen updates with a new message.
action: You examine the screen
response: It reads:

ENCRYPTION KEY REQUIRED FOR MESSAGE DECRYPTION.
action: Go northeast
response: The largest room in the base by a fair margin. There's enough tables and chairs here that everyone could eat by themselves if they wanted to; perhaps a larger crew was originally planned. Access to the dock is afforded to the northwest. The kitchen is conveniently located nearby to the southwest. To the northeast, a hall leads to personnel quarters and offices.

You can see Burlak here.

This curving hall runs along the residential part of the base. Two doors oppose each other across the hallway; an office door to the northwest, and the door to someone's quarters opposite. The mess hall is back to the southwest, while the hall continues to the north.
action: Go southeast
response: This small room seems bigger than it really is because it's almost entirely empty, with the last occupant's belongings already removed, and its new occupant -- you -- yet to move in. The few permanently-installed pieces of furniture, such as the bed, indicate it is your quarters  The door back into the hall is to the northwest.
action: Go downwards
response: These cramped tubes beneath the flooring of the base provide fresh air to the various occupied spaces, although your own body is mostly preventing that from happening now. It's easy to get disoriented in here. There is a grille above your head.
action: Go northwest
response: These cramped tubes beneath the flooring of the base provide fresh air to the various occupied spaces, although your own body is mostly preventing that from happening now. It's easy to get disoriented in here.

You can see a sticker here.
action: You read the sticker
response: A small sticker of the sort one might find on a piece of fruit.
action: Go northwest
response: These cramped tubes beneath the flooring of the base provide fresh air to the various occupied spaces, although your own body is mostly preventing that from happening now. It's easy to get disoriented in here. There is a grille above your head.
action: Go southeast
response: These cramped tubes beneath the flooring of the base provide fresh air to the various occupied spaces, although your own body is mostly preventing that from happening now. It's easy to get disoriented in here.
action: Go southwest
response: These cramped tubes beneath the flooring of the base provide fresh air to the various occupied spaces, although your own body is mostly preventing that from happening now. It's easy to get disoriented in here. There is a grille above your head.
action: Go south
response: These cramped tubes beneath the flooring of the base provide fresh air to the various occupied spaces, although your own body is mostly preventing that from happening now. It's easy to get disoriented in here. There is a grille above your head.
action: You go to the northwest
response: These cramped tubes beneath the flooring of the base provide fresh air to the various occupied spaces, although your own body is mostly preventing that from happening now. It's easy to get disoriented in here. There is a grille above your head.

There's a subtle whoosh of air as the life support system exhales through some nearby grille.
action: You analyze the sticker
response: You slip the sticker into a slot in DUFFY. The robot begins to churn, whine, grumble, and grind alarmingly. Just when you're beginning to seriously worry that it might finally explode, it comes to an abrupt halt. Its screen updates with a new message.
action: You read the screen
response: It reads:

PARTIAL FINGERPRINT FOUND. FINGERPRINT MATCHES TO COMRADE PROKOPENKO.
action: You go southeast
response: Theoretically, a room where terrestrial goods can be quarantined. In practice, no one's going to wait an extra four weeks to eat a fresh pineapple. The dock is to the northwest; the rest of the base is to the southeast.

You can see a coffin here.

This room is full of workbenches and power tools of various sorts. A non-pressure door is to the southwest. The quarantine area is to the northwest; the rest of the base is to the southeast.

You can see the mechanical file cabinet here.

The largest room in the base by a fair margin. There's enough tables and chairs here that everyone could eat by themselves if they wanted to; perhaps a larger crew was originally planned. Access to the dock is afforded to the northwest. The kitchen is conveniently located nearby to the southwest. To the northeast, a hall leads to personnel quarters and offices.

You can see Burlak here.
action: You go downwards
response: This curving hall runs along the residential part of the base. Two doors oppose each other across the hallway; an office door to the northwest, and the door to someone's quarters opposite. The mess hall is back to the southwest, while the hall continues to the north.

This small room seems bigger than it really is because it's almost entirely empty, with the last occupant's belongings already removed, and its new occupant -- you -- yet to move in. The few permanently-installed pieces of furniture, such as the bed, indicate it is your quarters  The door back into the hall is to the northwest.

These cramped tubes beneath the flooring of the base provide fresh air to the various occupied spaces, although your own body is mostly preventing that from happening now. It's easy to get disoriented in here. There is a grille above your head.
action: You go north
response: These cramped tubes beneath the flooring of the base provide fresh air to the various occupied spaces, although your own body is mostly preventing that from happening now. It's easy to get disoriented in here.

These cramped tubes beneath the flooring of the base provide fresh air to the various occupied spaces, although your own body is mostly preventing that from happening now. It's easy to get disoriented in here.
action: Go west
response: These cramped tubes beneath the flooring of the base provide fresh air to the various occupied spaces, although your own body is mostly preventing that from happening now. It's easy to get disoriented in here. There is a grille above your head.
action: You go to the west
response: These cramped tubes beneath the flooring of the base provide fresh air to the various occupied spaces, although your own body is mostly preventing that from happening now. It's easy to get disoriented in here. There is a grille above your head.

There's a subtle whoosh of air as the life support system exhales through some nearby grille.
action: You go east
response: These cramped tubes beneath the flooring of the base provide fresh air to the various occupied spaces, although your own body is mostly preventing that from happening now. It's easy to get disoriented in here.

These cramped tubes beneath the flooring of the base provide fresh air to the various occupied spaces, although your own body is mostly preventing that from happening now. It's easy to get disoriented in here. There is a grille above your head.
action: Go west
response: These cramped tubes beneath the flooring of the base provide fresh air to the various occupied spaces, although your own body is mostly preventing that from happening now. It's easy to get disoriented in here. There is a grille above your head.
action: Go upward
response: You feel distinctly-uncomfortable lurking around someone else's bedroom. Relief is to the east.
action: You go northwest
response: The largest room in the base by a fair margin. There's enough tables and chairs here that everyone could eat by themselves if they wanted to; perhaps a larger crew was originally planned. Access to the dock is afforded to the northwest. The kitchen is conveniently located nearby to the southwest. To the northeast, a hall leads to personnel quarters and offices.

You can see Burlak here.

This room is full of workbenches and power tools of various sorts. A non-pressure door is to the southwest. The quarantine area is to the northwest; the rest of the base is to the southeast.

You can see the mechanical file cabinet here.

Theoretically, a room where terrestrial goods can be quarantined. In practice, no one's going to wait an extra four weeks to eat a fresh pineapple. The dock is to the northwest; the rest of the base is to the southeast.

You can see a coffin here.

Small as far as hangars go, but large enough to contain the shuttle you arrived in, and afford space for its maintenance. The vehicular airlock in the ceiling is closed, of course. An airlock suitable for personnel is to the northeast, while an open airlock chamber is to the southeast.
action: You wear the suit
response: You put on the space suit.
action: You go north
response: Metal planking has been installed between the base and the observatory, possibly to reduce the amount of lunar dust being tracked in. The observatory looms to the north, while the base is back towards the equator.
action: Go north
response: This building seems to have been designed to be generally kept at vacuum. There's nothing here that you would recognize as a "telescope", but presumably that's what all the dials and switches are for. Covering a goodly portion of one wall is a larger-than-usual file cabinet.

You can see the astronomical file cabinet here.
action: You look at it
response: A larger-than-standard government-issue battleship-grey radio file cabinet. The Motherland may be built on vodka and blood, but her government is built upon a vast foundation of file cabinets somewhat smaller than this one. At a glance, you can see it is full of photographic plates, arranged by date.
action: You look up may 1 in the cabinet
response: You find a photographic plate for May 1. Unlike the other plates, it is not full of stars -- it seems to be just an over-exposed field of white. You take it anyway.
action: You look up may 2 in the cabinet
response: You find a photographic plate, but it just seems to be full of stars.
action: You look at the plate
response: This photographic plate has a simple paper label affixed, reading "MAY 1" in handwritten letters. To your naked eye, it seems to be an over-exposed field of white.
action: You go to the south
response: Metal planking has been installed between the base and the observatory, possibly to reduce the amount of lunar dust being tracked in. The observatory looms to the north, while the base is back towards the equator.

You can see a big red button here.
action: You analyze the plate
response: You slip the plate into a slot in DUFFY. The robot begins to churn, whine, grumble, and grind alarmingly. Just when you're beginning to seriously worry that it might finally explode, it comes to an abrupt halt. Its screen updates with a new message.
As well, a photograph is ejected by DUFFY and lands nearby.
action: You read the screen
response: It reads:

PHOTOGRAPHIC DATA EXTRACTED. PRINTING...
action: You examine it
response: It appears as though the telescope can, in fact, be swivelled down to observe the base itself, or at least the greenhouse section. Shown is someone squeezed into a cramped space, between the glass dome and some sort of metal wall. He's surrounded by plants.
action: Go northwest
response: The room is dominated by a large counter, on which is spread a bewildering variety of bowls, knives, and food ingredients. An industrial refrigerator stands in one corner; beside it, a strange contraption churns away. A non-pressure door is directly to the south. The mess hall is conveniently located nearby to the northeast; a hall is to the northwest.

You can see Prokopenko here.

Most of the room is filled with radio equipment. There's a non-pressure door to the northeast. A delicious smell wafts in from the southeast; to the southwest is the greenhouse dome.

You can see the radio file cabinet here.
action: Go southwest
response: A pleasant respite from the rest of the base are the rows and rows of growing plants. The greenhouse is a geodesic dome constructed from thick glass. Metal shutters are retracted near the floor, ready to be deployed in case of danger. The rest of the base is to the northeast.

You can see a composter here.
action: You go southeast
response: Most of the room is filled with radio equipment. There's a non-pressure door to the northeast. A delicious smell wafts in from the southeast; to the southwest is the greenhouse dome.

You can see the radio file cabinet here.

The room is dominated by a large counter, on which is spread a bewildering variety of bowls, knives, and food ingredients. An industrial refrigerator stands in one corner; beside it, a strange contraption churns away. A non-pressure door is directly to the south. The mess hall is conveniently located nearby to the northeast; a hall is to the northwest.

You can see Prokopenko here.
action: You show the photograph to Burlak
response: "Oh, I see," he says. "That's no crime. Not much of a crime, in any case. Just the indulgence of an old man. And Sablin, too, of course; he loved a pipe at the end of a long day. I suppose you'll want to investigate. There's a loose panel in the air duct beneath the greenhouse -- that's how we got in and out. Let the record show that I co-operated with you fully."
action: Go southwest
response: These cramped tubes beneath the flooring of the base provide fresh air to the various occupied spaces, although your own body is mostly preventing that from happening now. It's easy to get disoriented in here. There is a grille above your head.

You can see a loose panel here.
action: Go upward
response: This is a tiny, forgotten space, wedged between the pseudo-curved wall of the geodesic dome and the retracted metal shutters. A few tables have been cobbled together from mismatched pieces of rubbish, on which stand a number of potted plants.

You can see a pipe here.
action: You look at the pipe
response: The sort of thing one smokes tobacco in. This one is lovingly carved from solid wood. There's an inscription carved into its barrel:
"Good luck, son; we love you -- 17/04/1972."
action: You take the pipe
response: Taken.
action: Go south
response: The retracted shutters block your way.
action: Go northwest
response: Most of the room is filled with radio equipment. There's a non-pressure door to the northeast. A delicious smell wafts in from the southeast; to the southwest is the greenhouse dome.

You can see the radio file cabinet here.

There's a subtle whoosh of air as the life support system exhales through some nearby grille.
action: Go northwest
response: The room is dominated by a large counter, on which is spread a bewildering variety of bowls, knives, and food ingredients. An industrial refrigerator stands in one corner; beside it, a strange contraption churns away. A non-pressure door is directly to the south. The mess hall is conveniently located nearby to the northeast; a hall is to the northwest.

You can see Prokopenko here.

The largest room in the base by a fair margin. There's enough tables and chairs here that everyone could eat by themselves if they wanted to; perhaps a larger crew was originally planned. Access to the dock is afforded to the northwest. The kitchen is conveniently located nearby to the southwest. To the northeast, a hall leads to personnel quarters and offices.

You can see Burlak here.

This room is full of workbenches and power tools of various sorts. A non-pressure door is to the southwest. The quarantine area is to the northwest; the rest of the base is to the southeast.

You can see the mechanical file cabinet here.
action: You analyze the pipe
response: You slip the pipe into a slot in DUFFY. The robot begins to churn, whine, grumble, and grind alarmingly. Just when you're beginning to seriously worry that it might finally explode, it comes to an abrupt halt. Its screen updates with a new message.
As well, a sheet of paper is ejected by DUFFY and lands nearby.
action: You examine the screen
response: It reads:

ANALYSIS INDICATES POSSIBLE ENCRYPTION KEY.

MATCHING ENCRYPTED MESSAGE FOUND. DECRYPTING...
action: You examine paper
response: It reads:

MESSAGE TO COMMAND -- MAY 1 0803 -- COMRADES -- RECOMMEND COMRADE PROKOPENKO NOT REPEAT NOT ROTATE OUT INSTEAD STAND ON ADDITIONAL YEAR. WILL INFORM PERSONALLY. APPROVED BY ZAMPOLIT SABLIN. END MESSAGE.
action: W  i think
response: Theoretically, a room where terrestrial goods can be quarantined. In practice, no one's going to wait an extra four weeks to eat a fresh pineapple. The dock is to the northwest; the rest of the base is to the southeast.

You can see a coffin here.

This room is full of workbenches and power tools of various sorts. A non-pressure door is to the southwest. The quarantine area is to the northwest; the rest of the base is to the southeast.

You can see the mechanical file cabinet here.

The largest room in the base by a fair margin. There's enough tables and chairs here that everyone could eat by themselves if they wanted to; perhaps a larger crew was originally planned. Access to the dock is afforded to the northwest. The kitchen is conveniently located nearby to the southwest. To the northeast, a hall leads to personnel quarters and offices.

You can see Burlak here.

This curving hall runs along the residential part of the base. Two doors oppose each other across the hallway; an office door to the northwest, and the door to someone's quarters opposite. The mess hall is back to the southwest, while the hall continues to the north.

This curving hall runs along the residential part of the base. Two doors oppose each other across the hallway; an office door to the west, and the door to someone's quarters opposite. The hall curves away to the north and south.

I only understood you as far as wanting to (go) w up.
action: You check your inventory
response: You are carrying:
a photograph
a medical report
a space suit (being worn)
action: Go inside
response: The inside of this reusable space vehicle is cramped, but not unbearably so for the trip up from Earth. A ramp has opened up, leading out into the base.

You can see a sheet of paper and DUFFY here.
action: You get the paper
response: Taken.
action: Go west
response: Theoretically, a room where terrestrial goods can be quarantined. In practice, no one's going to wait an extra four weeks to eat a fresh pineapple. The dock is to the northwest; the rest of the base is to the southeast.

You can see a coffin here.

This room is full of workbenches and power tools of various sorts. A non-pressure door is to the southwest. The quarantine area is to the northwest; the rest of the base is to the southeast.

You can see the mechanical file cabinet here.

The largest room in the base by a fair margin. There's enough tables and chairs here that everyone could eat by themselves if they wanted to; perhaps a larger crew was originally planned. Access to the dock is afforded to the northwest. The kitchen is conveniently located nearby to the southwest. To the northeast, a hall leads to personnel quarters and offices.

You can see Burlak here.

This curving hall runs along the residential part of the base. Two doors oppose each other across the hallway; an office door to the northwest, and the door to someone's quarters opposite. The mess hall is back to the southwest, while the hall continues to the north.

This curving hall runs along the residential part of the base. Two doors oppose each other across the hallway; an office door to the west, and the door to someone's quarters opposite. The hall curves away to the north and south.

The long couch, suitable for reclining, tips you off that this must by the office of the base psychiatrist. It also features the more usual furniture for an office -- a desk, a file cabinet, that sort of thing. The hallway is back to the east.

You can see Golovachev here.
action: You show the paper to Golovachev
response: Golovachev is unimpressed.
action: You show paper to Prokopenko
response: Prokopenko is unimpressed.

There's a subtle whoosh of air as the life support system exhales through some nearby grille.
action: You look at the paper
response: It reads:

MESSAGE TO COMMAND -- MAY 1 0803 -- COMRADES -- RECOMMEND COMRADE PROKOPENKO NOT REPEAT NOT ROTATE OUT INSTEAD STAND ON ADDITIONAL YEAR. WILL INFORM PERSONALLY. APPROVED BY ZAMPOLIT SABLIN. END MESSAGE.

There's a subtle whoosh of air as the life support system exhales through some nearby grille.
action: You ask Prokopenko about SABLIN
response: "We did not always see eye-to-eye, it is true. Still," he says, "it is a terrible thing, so close to his return to Earth."

There's a subtle whoosh of air as the life support system exhales through some nearby grille.
action: Arrest prokopenko
response: You arrest Prokopenko, who is placed on the return shuttle for trial.

Following months of deliberation, the jury finds that Prokopenko did the deed, traitorously angry from being recommended to another year of duty. He is sentenced to life in the gulag.
action: You analyze the photograph
response: You slip the photograph into a slot in DUFFY. The robot begins to churn, whine, grumble, and grind alarmingly. Just when you're beginning to seriously worry that it might finally explode, it comes to an abrupt halt. Its screen updates with a new message.
As well, a photograph is ejected by DUFFY and lands nearby.
action: You look at the screen
response: It reads:

PHOTOGRAPHIC DATA ANALYZED. PLANT SPECIES IDENTIFIED -- NICOTIANA RUSTICA -- COMMON NAME TOBACCO. COMRADE BURLAK IDENTIFIED.
action: You get the photograph
response: Taken.
action: You go northeast
response: It's full of stars. Pictures of stars, anyway. Amidst the piles of books is a small bed. To the southwest, the door.

You can see Ivanovsky here.
action: You examine Ivanovsky
response: The astronomer, Ivanovsky, as you recall from your briefing, is in charge of the observatory and its telescope, as well as all radio communications. He is shockingly young.
action: You ask Ivanovsky about Ivanovsky
response: He smiles modestly. "Oh, you've probably read everything important about me in my file," he says. "I operate the telescope and the radio, mostly."
action: You check your inventory
response: You are carrying:
a photograph
a sheet of paper
a medical report
a space suit (being worn)
action: Analyze paper
response: DUFFY just spits it back out.
action: You analyze report
response: You slip the medical report into a slot in DUFFY. The robot begins to churn, whine, grumble, and grind alarmingly. Just when you're beginning to seriously worry that it might finally explode, it comes to an abrupt halt. Its screen updates with a new message.
action: You look at the screen
response: It reads:

ANALYZING REPORT. CONCLUSION IS IMPLAUSIBLE. LUNAR GRAVITY INSUFFICIENT TO PRODUCE SCENARIO DESCRIBED FOR MAY 1.
action: You check what you're carrying
response: You are carrying:
a photograph
a sheet of paper
a space suit (being worn)
action: You analyze you
response: That might prove fatal.
action: You jump
response: You jump on the spot.