Loop 1

**Loop 1** is the first loop of the game and serves as the player's introduction to the setting and gameplay.

## Summary

The player awakens in the Sickbay to Setsu briefing them on the current situation: the presence of Gnosia has been detected on the ship they're aboard, and now they must follow protocol to identify the Gnosia. To do so, everyone aboard the ship must have an in-person discussion and agree upon one (or more in the event of a tied vote) person to put into cold sleep. If they fail to do so, the ship's AI - LeVi - will be forced to self-destruct the ship to exterminate the threat.

Upon arriving at Main Control, the player meets Raqio, Gina, and SQ. Raqio immediately finds the player suspicious, but Setsu points out that faking amnesia would do nothing but make an impostor draw attention to themself. With no time left for a real discussion, the majority of the group votes to put Raqio into cold sleep. They protest this, claiming that the group is damning themselves by losing out on their superior logic, but ultimately acquiesce.

Afterward, LeVi guides the player to their room and explains that they will be warping soon, instructing them to lie down so they don't get injured due to the procedure rendering inhabitants unconscious. SQ enters the room to ask how they're doing, asking if they remember "that night". Regardless of the player's answer, SQ makes it apparent that there was no such "that night" and that today is the first time they've ever met. She mentions how nice it is that they have Setsu on their side, but cautions the player not to trust so easily; Setsu's kindness could be nothing more then a lie from a Gnosia infectee.

LeVi interrupts, telling SQ to return to her room due to warp being imminent. She leaves, the player lies down, and warp begins. The player subsequently awakens to alarms and LeVi announcing that Gnosia presence has been detected aboard the ship. Setsu frantically knocks on the player's door and is greatly relieved to see that they're safe, apologizing for their intense reaction. They explain that the alert means that Raqio wasn't Gnosia after all, so they'll need to have another discussion.

Upon returning to Main Control, Setsu and the player find SQ and only SQ. LeVi confirms that Gina's presence is no longer aboard the ship, meaning that she was eliminated by the Gnosia during warp. Setsu once more asserts that the player isn't a suspect, meaning the Gnosia must be either themself or SQ. Another debate begins, with the player's voice deciding which of the two goes into cold sleep.

If SQ is voted off, she disappointedly accepts her fate and is put into cold sleep. Afterward, Setsu gives the player the Silver Key and explains that they'll need it from here on out. They introduce themself properly, having not had the time amidst the chaos, and express that they've met the player before. Though their words are cut off by the loop ending, they assure the player that although they have a long journey ahead of them, Setsu will be on their side as much as possible.

If Setsu is voted off, they express understanding and head to the Cold Sleep Room. They ask SQ if she'll give they and the player a moment alone, which she agrees to. After she leaves, Setsu gives the player the Silver Key as in the other scenario and explains that although the player has a difficult journey ahead of them, they'll get through it all. Once they've gone into cold sleep, SQ asks what the player would like to do now... and reveals herself to have been the Gnosia all along.

## Script

The game begins with a text crawl that moves extremely quickly, indicating that it's information that the player isn't required to know:

> In instances in which Gnosia infection has been confirmed, the crew must find a way to reduce their risk level to zero. A method that has been found effective at reducing risk levels is putting those suspected of infection through a procedure known as "cold sleep". This allows the crew to use the infected person's use of impersonation to their own advantage, as well as to avoid instances of mass panic that can occur when more aggressive methods are employed for containment. Depending on the crew, military suppression is often used to control infection, but this increases chances of violence and death, as seen in the Hengupus case, and should not be used when the AI-evaluated plan is scored at 0.78 or less.
>
>
> When employing cold sleep, the crew must first be informed that their foremost goal is to ultimately reduce risk of infection to zero by determining those with the highest possibility of infection and systematically putting them into cold sleep with each Schrimpf transfer.
>
>
> To achieve this, candidates for cold sleep treatment are to be decided through direct and clear communication between crew members. When infection has been confirmed, AI and embarkation functions are severely limited, so communication must be carried out verbally and face-to-face. This can also help to better see through an infected member's impostoring.
>
>
> Additionally, upon confirmation of onboard infection, the ship's destination is automatically updated via AI to the solar system reachable with the highest number of Schrimpf transfers, and with the ship's current resources.
>
>
> If Schrimpf transfer to the target system is executed before the risk level has dropped to zero, the ship will self-destruction *(sic)* via extreme compression. This is, of course, to avoid spreading infection to the target solar system.
>
>
> Considering the Amanage and Handan systems, which remain a threat to mankind even after destruction, this process of purification via self-destruction is an unfortunate, yet unavoidable. *(sic)*
>
>
>
> Achievement or failure of risk eradication will be determined and announced via the ship's AI upon completion of Schrimpf transfer. (Additionally, all interstellar vessels now require infection detection, destination designation and navigation control access restriction, and compression-based self-destruction features as anti-Gnosia protocol.)
>
>

## Trivia

* This is the only loop in the game where all characters' roles are predetermined.