On the Edge of the Abyss

**On the Edge of the Abyss** is the final quest in INSOMNIA: The Ark.

## Quest targets

* Get to the Anomaly at the Military Base
* Figure out what is going on inside the Anomaly

## Typical Journal entry

General Tanaber says that absolute insanity rages across all military frequencies. It has been reported that a new anomaly has emerged very close to Urb's borders. It seems to have a much greater destructive capacity than any of the previous ones. I need to hurry to the Military Base where the anomaly is located. Perhaps I'll be able to prevent a catastrophe.

Looks like the anomaly took the Tyrang unit by surprise. Nearly half of them didn't manage to escape. But we did find out that the effects of somnic exposure are not fatal to all lifeforms: a certain biomechanical creature was blocking the way to the anomaly. The Messenger told me that it was of the sort that took the fate of humanity into their own hands to prevent it fading away. He offered me help, but I rejected it. Now I have to figure out what is going on in the anomaly.

## Quest Hints

While at the military base, you may find yourself watching battles between the base's and the Committee's security bots; the latter in particular can one-shot you, and are very hard to take down unless you have EMP weapons. If you are killed, which is fairly unlikely if you are sheltering, simply reload the most recent save: the battles are randomised, so will be different on reloading.

When you arrive at the base, go through the closed door ahead of you. Once the door opens, it's probably best just to stand in the doorway until the battle within finishes. Then go through the room to the door at the other end.

Turn left; you can go through the door straight ahead of you, but there's nothing there. You'll meet Quartermaster Kelver in the corridor, who despite being in obvious pain, can still sell you goods. Continue past him and take the only door that opens; go through the dormitory and turn left. Don't go past the first door you come to, as it's likely you'll be killed if you do. Hack the door, which requires the Computer 3 skill, but no components.

If you lack the Computers skill, try engaging the various Committee security bots in combat; EMP weapons will be almost essential, but taking them down leads to the locked doors opening.

Go into the room and watch out for the "dog"! Take the door on the right, go to the top of the stairs and through a door. Hack the door immediately ahead of you, which requires the Computer 2 skill, and go into the room; interact with the Terminal and activate the base's security systems. You'll hear various battle sounds as a result. Leave the room, turn right, and walk along the corridor, dealing with three "dogs" on the way.

Go through the door on the right at the end of the corridor; you're now in the base's command centre, where Colonel Sabra was usually found. Go up the taller set of stairs to your right. Not too far right from Colonel Sabra's still smoking cigar is a Terminal; use it to turn off the lockdown. Then turn round and speak to the creature you find ahead of you.

Now go to the lifts at the far end of the room, dealing with the "dog" just beside them, and go down. Make sure there's no sound of conflict—if there is, wait in the lift entrance until it ceases. Go left, but if you encounter a Committee bot, take cover until it's taken down by the station's defences. Before you go through the gates, save the game, as this is your last opportunity to do so. Now turn left towards the Rupture, and talk to the person standing in front of it.

The person will have a proposition for you. If you agree to it, there will be a cut-scene, and the game will end. Otherwise, the two of you will engage in a boss fight. The fight starts with the boss using a melee attack, which pushes him up onto a "pedestel". He'll then attack you with plasma blasts. Once the pedestel collapses, you have the opportunity to attack him safely. He'll then rise into the air, during which time you can still attack him, and disappear, leaving behind a number of small anomalies, which will knock you down if they touch you. Avoiding the plasma blasts and anomalies is actually fairly easy; just keep moving.

Once the boss is down, go down the ramp leading to Urb, and take the oscillating walkway on the left leading into the Rupture; don't worry, you won't fall off. You'll find yourself in the House by the Sea; if Darat is there, he'll be at the top or bottom of the staircase. Head up to the top floor and talk to Gway, who will encourage you to take the route into Somnia. Go through the door beside him and talk to Thel, and choose your responses carefully. Depending on the dialogue, one or two portals will appear: to the left, a Buddha figure, to the right, a typical Object 6 doorway. Choose the left one to enter Somnia, the right one to stay on the Surface.

If you take the Somnia path, you will find yourself on part of the Coast. Your vision may be clear or foggy; it may be day or night. You're beside a curving stretch of coastline, so proceed round it clockwise, with the water on your right, and look for a red light, which you'll find is coming from a fire by a tent. Talk to the person there, and watch the cut-scene.

If you take the Surface path, you'll find a lit door to your left; go through this and wait to see what happens. Then interact with the rectangular blue light ahead of you. You'll find yourself on the walkway to Urb; go down to greet the people who are waiting for you (who they are will depend on your choices in the game). Watch the closing cut-scene.

## Notes

The game writes further entries into the Journal, but sadly it's not possible to see them, as access to the Journal is disabled during the endgame.

Depending on your dialogue with Thel, you may find yourself permanently in a grey empty space; there's no final cut-scene. This might mean that KZ0012 has passed into nothingness; or it might just be a bug.

The game has many endings (there are eleven ending videos). These reflect, amongst other things, whether you chose The House of Bea Kera or The Sons of Morakh; whether you told Skyther about the Committee's activities; and your conversations with the boss and with Thel during the endgame.