Andromeda Apocalypse  Extended Edition
Marco Innocenti
achievements aliens andromeda series cover art IF Competition 2012 IFComp Game IFComp Winner male protagonist music parser science fiction space strong NPCs Xyzzy Awards 2012
Floating in space on a strange vessel, sole survivor of a world... and maybe of the entire human race, Ektor Mastiff must find a way through the cosmos, on a voyage that can change the history of mankind forever.
%
Down on the horizon, thunderstorms cloud the sky. But the sea is fresh, and the air has taken on that orange hue.

It's just a perfect day.

Korhos is setting. Its outer halo burns with no warmth. Loud waves splash on the sand half a dozen meters from your feet. The deep blue of the ocean steals a bit of the sky's orange glow.

The morning is brilliant.

You can see Uncle Oren here.

From the south, a thunderstorm is approaching.
You look at Oren
He used to be your mentor at the University Radiation Technology Division, during your first year of assignment as a teacher and researcher. A man well in his seventies, he always looked sturdy and healthy.

Lately, his retirement seems to have struck him quite a blow. His hair has gone completely white, his posture slouched and his voice has got that sad croaking. He is staring at the horizon like a bird in search of a migratory route.
You look at the thunderstorm
Black, dense clouds expand above the southern horizon, growing by the minute. Inside them, thunder sparkles and growls.
You examine ocean
The deep blue is infected by shades of orange, reflecting from the sky. Waves come and go, peacefully.

A white electric arc paints the southern sky.
You ask Oren about the hyerotrope
You prefer following the flow of the conversation.

"It is so beautiful, isn't it, Ektor?" Uncle Oren says, pointing at the landscape. "It looks like Paradise."

"It does," you reply.

Oren sends a glance to the west, towards Grey Cape, saying: "I wonder what a man who was born here -- I mean here, on Monarch -- would think, looking at this place. The sun, the sea going orange, the endless sky."
You talk to Oren
"I was born here," you point out.

"Yeah. So what do you think?" He turns to face you but stops, distracted by the impending storm.

"It is breathtaking."
You talk to Oren
"Yeah. That's what I thought. This place is unbelievable to all of us. Indigenes or sat-born." That said, he sits on his heels and grabs a handful of sand. From it, picking lightly, he extracts a small, green crab and puts it on his other hand. "I don't know if I deserve an afterlife. I haven't done much evil in my days, but maybe our god has another point of view. What I know is: if I have to have a life after death, I hope it is in a place like this." He gets near the shore and neatly drops the crab into the water.

"Hell," he exclaims. "I'd stay here for the rest of eternity, if you asked me!"

Thunder rumbles from the horizon.
You examine the beach
Kilometers of white sand, running east-west as long as your eyes can see.
You check what you're carrying
You're carrying nothing. You are wearing some clothes.
About yourself
Shirt untucked from the shorts, just one button holding it closed. No shoes. And you forgot the belt at home.

The thunderstorm is getting closer.
You talk to Oren
Somehow, you suddenly feel the urge to reveal your knowledge.

"You know, Andy and I found something last week. It's a sort of... discovery."

He turns to face you. He looks extremely tired, and you notice it for the first time. "Your research?"

"Yes."

"If it's Uni work, then," he says, banishing the subject with the back of his hand, "it's best discussed at Uni. Don't waste the moment, son. There will be time. This sunset won't last forever, and the next one is due in eighty weeks."
You examine the storm
Black, dense clouds expand above the southern horizon, growing by the minute. Inside them, thunder sparkles and growls.
You talk to Oren
"But..."

"No buts," he says. "One can't live in his work, son. One must learn how to savor the moment."

His eyes wander off, in the distance, towards the end of the world. For almost a minute he stays silent.

Then, when you begin to think he's done, he says: "The wind is growing stronger. It's a hell of a storm, that one incoming."

I've seen things you people wouldn't believe.
Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion.
I've watched C-beams glitter in the dark
near the Tannhauser Gate.
All those moments will be lost in time,
like tears in rain.

--Roy Batty, Blade Runner





You are floating away, drifting on the last raft the universe has given you. Even the stars provide no light.

A crumpled, alien wreckage lays at your feet.

[You have earned the A Hell of a Storm achievement]
About yourself
You look battered and tired, but at least you're still alive. Although it doesn't make a lot of sense, lately.
Achievements
Achievements for Andromeda Apocalypse:

A Hell of a Storm    (You watched the sky turn dark)
A Dark Omen    ( -???- )
The Leaper    ( -???- )
Invisible Killer    ( -???- )
The Dweller    ( -???- )
To Shed a Light    ( -???- )
Ticketless Ride    ( -???- )
The Fisher    ( -???- )
The X Marks the Spot    ( -???- )
Play It Again, Ektor    ( -???- )
Communication Breakdown    ( -???- )
A Matter of Time    ( -???- )
A Matter of Size    ( -???- )
Archaeologist    ( -???- )
Cuboctahedron    ( -???- )
Flying the Egg    ( -???- )
To Be a Scientist    ( -???- )
Sinking the Ship    ( -???- )
The Shining    ( -???- )
Hellen Ripley    ( -???- )
Indiana Jones    ( -???- )
Survivor    ( -???- )
Gettare Rinors    ( -???- )
You check your inventory
You're carrying an useless railway ticket. You are wearing some clothes.
You look at the ticket
A worn railway ticket. It bears yesterday as its expiry date.

[You can find a copy of the ticket in your original game's package (Ref. 1)].
You examine wreckage
The crumpled, alien wreckage -- the thing the Ancients have named "the Beacon" -- is a mess of distorted metal and crumpled debris. It did not survive the Monarch onslaught.

Among the useless metal you find two special things, surprisingly unscarred. You pick up both.
You look at what you're carrying with you
You're carrying a golden disc, a cubic object and an useless railway ticket. You are wearing some clothes.
You look at the disc
A thin disc, made in copper and gold-plated. On it someone has carved interesting graffiti.

[You can find a picture of the disc in your original game's package (Ref. 2)].
You examine cubic
A cubic object, ten centimeters wide. There is an image on the side, depicting a sort of six-legged spider.

This is a battery, you mumble. And if I'm not mistaken, a radioactive one, even. Maybe plutonium-powered.
You examine the image
A cubic object, ten centimeters wide. There is an image on the side, depicting a sort of six-legged spider.
You examine the clothes
A dirty shirt, tucked inside dirty trousers. Dirty shoes. And you forgot the belt at home. Forever.
Look around
You are floating away, drifting on the last raft the universe has given you. Even the stars provide no light.

A crumpled, alien wreckage lays at your feet.
You take off the shoes
You feel safer dressed.
Inventory
You're carrying a golden disc, a plutonium battery and an useless railway ticket. You are wearing some clothes.
Exits
There are no visible exits from the Hyerotrope.

It turns out that the universe is uneven, in the end. A black spot stains a single point -- the magnitude of which you can but imagine -- where the stars seem to be missing.

A sort of shining crescent cuts the dark presence in half.

The Hyerotrope approaches the dark shape, as it starts engulfing a vast amount of space in front of you. You strain your eyes until you discern other brilliances in the multiplying crescent.

Finally, you catch the meaning of what you are looking at.

The black gap in the sky is a gigantic structure, of a size and type you've never seen before. In comparison, even the Mechanostations around Monarch are dwarfed. Around it, thousands of other objects, like drifting debris, float meaninglessly. The reflections on them create a kaleidoscope of twirling lights.

As you get near the metal horde you begin mentally assessing the situation....

...until, suddenly, the Hyerotrope starts spinning out of control.

There is a strong shock, then you find yourself...
%
Down on the horizon, thunderstorms cloud the sky. But the sea is
fresh, and the air has taken on that orange hue.

It's just a perfect day.

Korhos is setting. Its outer halo burns with no warmth. Loud waves splash on the sand half a dozen meters from your feet. The deep blue
of the ocean steals a bit of the sky's orange glow.

The morning is brilliant.

You can see Uncle Oren here.

From the south, a thunderstorm is approaching.
You talk to Oren
"It is so beautiful, isn't it, Ektor?" Uncle Oren says, pointing at
the landscape. "It looks like Paradise."

"It does," you reply.

Oren sends a glance to the west, towards Grey Cape, saying: "I wonder what a man who was born here -- I mean here, on Monarch -- would
think, looking at this place. The sun, the sea going orange, the endless sky."
You talk to Oren
"I was born here," you point out.

"Yeah. So what do you think?" He turns to face you but stops, distracted by the impending storm.

"It is breathtaking."
Keep going
"Yeah. That's what I thought. This place is unbelievable to all of us. Indigenes or sat-born." That said, he sits on his heels and grabs a handful of sand. From it, picking lightly, he extracts a small, green crab and puts it on his other hand. "I don't know if I deserve an afterlife. I haven't done much evil in my days, but maybe our god has another point of view. What I know is: if I have to have a
life after death, I hope it is in a place like this." He gets near the shore and neatly drops the crab into the water.

"Hell," he exclaims. "I'd stay here for the rest of eternity, if you asked me!"

A white electric arc paints the southern sky.
You continue
Somehow, you suddenly feel the urge to reveal your knowledge.

"You know, Andy and I found something last week. It's a sort of... discovery."

He turns to face you. He looks extremely tired, and you notice it for the first time. "Your research?"

"Yes."

"If it's Uni work, then," he says, banishing the subject with the back of his hand, "it's best discussed at Uni. Don't waste the moment, son. There will be time. This sunset won't last forever, and the next one
is due in eighty weeks."
Keep going
"But..."

"No buts," he says. "One can't live in his work, son. One
must learn how to savor the moment."

His eyes wander off, in the distance, towards the end of the world.
For almost a minute he stays silent.

Then, when you begin to think he's done, he says: "The wind is growing stronger. It's a hell of a storm, that one incoming."

Orion.





You are floating away, drifting on the last raft the universe has
given you. Even the stars provide no light.

A crumpled, alien wreckage lays at your feet.

[You have earned the A Hell of a Storm achievement]
You examine the clothes
A dirty shirt, tucked inside dirty trousers. Dirty shoes. And you forgot the belt at home. Forever.
You look at the wreckage
The crumpled, alien wreckage -- the thing the Ancients have named "the Beacon" -- is a mess of distorted metal and crumpled debris. It did
not survive the Monarch onslaught.

Among the useless metal you find two special things, surprisingly unscarred. You pick up both.
Pray
Your prayers are wasted into the void.
You jump
You jump on the spot, fruitlessly.
You describe your surroundings
You are floating away, drifting on the last raft the universe has
given you. Even the stars provide no light.

A crumpled, alien wreckage lays at your feet.
You look at the raft
star-traveling machine you used to escape Judgement Day on your home planet, Monarch. Thinking back to the moment, you realize it was the Hyerotrope who used you, instead. Leaving the planet was not
your plan to begin with, and you could have done without it even in
the end. You still puzzle at how exactly things went, after all.

The Hyerotrope's walls, although perfectly dark from the outside, seem to be totally transparent from the inside. You can see the universe.
You look at the universe
The Monarch system is already too far to be seen. In its place, a pulsating nebula is starting to spread, the three suns devoured in its growing belly.

The fabric of the universe, in the direction to which the Hyerotrope
is floating, seems to be disrupted. A dark presence lingers in space, breaking the pattern of the stars.
You examine the dark presence
It turns out that the universe is uneven, in the end. A black spot stains a single point -- the magnitude of which you can but imagine -- where the stars seem to be missing.

A sort of shining crescent cuts the dark presence in half.
You look at the crescent
The Hyerotrope approaches the dark shape, as it starts engulfing a
vast amount of space in front of you. You strain your eyes until you discern other brilliances in the multiplying crescent.

Finally, you catch the meaning of what you are looking at.

The black gap in the sky is a gigantic structure, of a size and type you've never seen before. In comparison, even the Mechanostations around Monarch are dwarfed. Around it, thousands of other objects,
like drifting debris, float meaninglessly. The reflections on them create a kaleidoscope of twirling lights.

As you get near the metal horde you begin mentally assessing the situation....

...until, suddenly, the Hyerotrope starts spinning out of control.

There is a strong shock, then you find yourself...

The Hyerotrope has collapsed into the giant structure, punching
through it like a wrecking ball.

You are standing in total darkness, apart from a faint, azure light flickering through a hole that opens east through a bush of exploded metal.

A crumpled, alien wreckage lays at your feet.

[You have earned the A Dark Omen achievement]
Achievement
Achievements for Andromeda Apocalypse:

A Hell of a Storm    (You watched the sky turn dark)
A Dark Omen    (You have seen the dark side of the
sky)
The Leaper    ( -???- )
Invisible Killer    ( -???- )
The Dweller    ( -???- )
To Shed a Light    ( -???- )
Ticketless Ride    ( -???- )
The Fisher    ( -???- )
The X Marks the Spot    ( -???- )
Play It Again, Ektor    ( -???- )
Communication Breakdown    ( -???- )
A Matter of Time    ( -???- )
A Matter of Size    ( -???- )
Archaeologist    ( -???- )
Cuboctahedron    ( -???- )
Flying the Egg    ( -???- )
To Be a Scientist    ( -???- )
Sinking the Ship    ( -???- )
The Shining    ( -???- )
Hellen Ripley    ( -???- )
Indiana Jones    ( -???- )
Survivor    ( -???- )
Gettare Rinors    ( -???- )
Look around
You are standing in total darkness, apart from a faint, azure light flickering through a hole that opens east through a bush of exploded metal.

A crumpled, alien wreckage lays at your feet.
You go east
A wormhole dug into rusty metal and torn pipes, the curving tunnel
runs north and south as far as the eye can see. A faint light flickers through luminescent lamps on the ceiling. The floor is a sturdy grating, plunging into darkness below.

What is this place? It looks like... a space station?
You look at the grating
The grating rests on what look like steel poles, floating over darkness.
You look at the lamps
The light is very dim, the expected white turned to a faint azure.
You examine the floor
The grating rests on steel poles, floating over darkness.
Go south
A wormhole dug into rusty metal and torn pipes, the curving tunnel
runs north and south as far as the eye can see. A faint light flickers through luminescent lamps on the ceiling. The floor is a sturdy grating, plunging into darkness below.
Go south
Low corridor, by the gap
A wormhole dug into rusty metal and torn pipes, the curving tunnel
runs north as far as the eye can see. A faint light flickers through luminescent lamps on the ceiling. The floor is a sturdy grating, plunging into darkness below.

The tunnel ends here.

A jutting ledge floats over the void that opens into the east side of the tunnel, through a gap in the wall.

Beside the ledge is a single turret, one meter tall, surmounted by a strange device.
You examine the device
On the turret is what you may call a touchpad of sorts.
You examine the touchpad
On the turret is a touchpad.
You touch the touchpad
You touch the pad on the turret and the ledge starts slowly moving across the gap into the open side of the tunnel. It stops after a while, just two meters from the other side.
You touch the touchpad
The ledge retracts to its resting position.
You examine the ledge
The side of the tunnel is open and falls towards blackness below your feet. The ledge looks like a trampoline of sorts. Beyond the gap is a twin tunnel, at least five meters out of reach.

There is a single turret on this side, one meter tall, surmounted by a strange device.
Y.
After a brief run-up, you jump over the dark gap beyond the retracted ledge. Your momentum fades when you are just in the middle of nothing.
You stand on ledge
After a brief run-up, you jump over the dark gap beyond the extended ledge...

... And land on the opposite side, thrilled but unharmed.

A wormhole dug into rusty metal and torn pipes, the curving tunnel
runs northeast into a smaller instance of the same environment. A
faint light flickers through luminescent lamps on the ceiling. The floor is a sturdy grating, plunging into darkness below.

A gap in the west wall opens into darkness. On the other side, an extended ledge is suspended over the void.

[You have earned the The Leaper achievement]
You go to the northeast
The space widens in all directions. The bigger tunnel in which you stand is a replica of the lower ones, starting southwest of here. Same environment, except for different proportions. The ceiling is at least ten meters above you, and the wormhole is equally wide. To the south, it clogs into a strange valve, like an intestine curtain of steel. To the east and northeast, two glass paneled doors open into similar, sterile rooms. The high corridor continues to the north.
You look at the valve
It looks like a camera's shutter. Several two meter long laminas intersect to form an air-tight valve. It is now closed, concealing its destination.

On the side of the valve is a lever.
You pull the lever
You pull the lever but the valve only shifts a little, while the dim light in the corridor gets dimmer. Maybe it needs more power.
You go east
(first opening the east glass door)

A sterile room, every wall filled by glass cases of the same size and shape. It opens west through a glass paneled door.
You look at the cases
A series of glass cases covers all the walls of this tiny room. They are all dark and empty, except for a single one, whose interior is lit by a pure white strobing flash.
You examine the case
The case is filled with white light, and nothing else. It can be opened.
Open case
You pull the handle then release it. The small door closes back pneumatically in a few seconds.

Something strange happens.

A faint... wind caresses your right arm as the case closes. It feels like someone is breathing in your ears with levity. A sort of... buzzing can be heard around you.

It could easily have been your imagination.
You examine the battery
A cubic object, ten centimeters wide. There is an image on the side, depicting a sort of six-legged spider.

This is a battery, you mumble. And if I'm not mistaken, a
radioactive one, even. Maybe plutonium-powered.
You look at your surroundings
A sterile room, every wall filled by glass cases of the same size and shape. It opens west through a glass paneled door.
You go northeast
(first opening the northeast glass door)

The room is exceptionally blank. Its walls are lined with polished metal and there's no furniture, apart from a single, weighty table in its center.
You examine table
It looks like a metal table, but only because it is made from a horizontal slab and four legs. It is polished to exhaustion. It looks like an examination desk.

Just by chance you drop a glance down and discover something. Under
the table is a steel grate, leading into darkness.
You examine the grate
It holds on heavy hinges. You can (maybe) open it and check what's inside.
You open the grate
You pull up the grate and look inside. Darkness welcomes you. When you release the grate, it slowly closes back.
Go north
Another portion of the same tunnel. Your eyes start to get used to the dim light and round shapes. The steel wormhole continues north into a wide chamber, and runs south into its next section. Lights flicker dimly, seemingly powered by vanishing batteries. To the east, a bulky shutter stands closed. To the southwest, beyond a glass panel, is a dimly lit room, with strange machinery on the inside.
You examine the machinery
You can just guess the shape from this side of the darkened glass.
You examine the panel
It looks like a darkened wall of glass. You can see through it.
Look around
The steel wormhole continues north into a wide chamber, and runs south into its next section. Lights flicker dimly. To the east, a bulky shutter stands closed. To the southwest, beyond a glass panel, is a dimly lit room, with strange machinery on the inside.
You examine the shutter
A bulky shutter, ten meters tall, tightly serrated. It must weigh a ton. On the side of the shutter is a big, round button.
You go to the east
A sort of warehouse, this large chamber is filled with cases and wiring, all inter-tangling like cerebrum synapses. Large tubes come
and go from crates and pieces of machinery, scattered around randomly.

A larger container -- three meters tall, two meters wide and deep -- seems to be left aside from the rest of the things littering the
place.

It is very cold in here. The air must be well below freezing. You can barely breathe.
Examine container
A large metal and glass container, from which freezing smoke descends like a cheap cinema effect. Bulky hoses are plugged into its sides. A sort of porthole opens in its side.

The intense cold starts crawling under your exposed skin.
You examine the porthole
A small window, looking inside the container, partly covered in ice
and dirt.

You begin shaking for the unbearable cold.
You go to the west
You get out and in a few moments you feel warm again. You wonder how this could have happened so fast.
You go to the north
You leave the cold environment of the corridors to enter a much wider space.

Light in here gets dimmer, as the only source is several meters up ahead, on the distant ceiling. In front of you, a ramp runs into several tunnels, each lined by railways. Many of the holes are shuttered by heavy bulkheads, while others lead into darkness, way out of reach. On the opposite side, the circular room enters the high corridor to the south.

A lone wagon, an open boat hanging over rails, sits undamaged at the beginning of the ramp.

On the lone wagon is a rusty console.
You examine wagon
A means of transport, by any chance.

On the lone wagon is a rusty console.
You look at the console
On the console is a set of devices. The most striking are a red and a brown button. The first points north, while the latter points south.
You enter the wagon
You get onto the lone wagon.

On the lone wagon you can see a rusty console.
Describe the surroundings
Train Station (on the lone wagon)
Light in here gets dimmer, as the only source is several meters up ahead, on the distant ceiling. In front of you, a ramp runs into several tunnels, each lined by railways. Many of the holes are shuttered by heavy bulkheads, while others lead into darkness, way out of reach. On the opposite side, the circular room enters the high corridor to the south.

On the lone wagon you can see a rusty console.
You go outside
You get off the lone wagon.

A lone wagon, an open boat hanging over rails, sits undamaged at the beginning of the ramp.

On the lone wagon is a rusty console.
You examine the ramp
A set of rails forking and jumping into each of the tunnels up above. You guess this must be a sort of a train hub, where wagons depart and collect.
You examine the rails
The tunnels leave the room in every direction. Some are closed, others are open but horribly dark.
You look around
The steel wormhole continues north into a wide chamber, and runs south into its next section. Lights flicker dimly. To the east, a bulky shutter opens onto a freezing compartment. To the southwest, beyond a glass panel, is a dimly lit room, with strange machinery on the
inside.
Go south
The bigger tunnel in which you stand is a replica of the lower ones, starting southwest of here. Same environment, except for different proportions. The ceiling is at least ten meters above you, and the wormhole is equally wide. To the south, it clogs into a strange valve, like an intestine curtain of steel. To the east and northeast, two glass paneled doors open into similar, sterile rooms. The high
corridor continues to the north.
You go east
A sort of warehouse, this large chamber is filled with cases and wiring, all inter-tangling like cerebrum synapses. Large tubes come
and go from crates and pieces of machinery, scattered around randomly.

A larger container -- three meters tall, two meters wide and deep -- seems to be left aside from the rest of the things littering the
place.

The first signs of frostbite begin tearing through your skin.
Examine tubes
Tubes and wires, all tangled together and forming an inextricable
mass. They come and go from the crates, maybe sustaining or powering them.

Your arms and legs are becoming numb. It's better you get out of here, now.
You go to the west
You get out and in a few moments you feel warm again.

The steel wormhole continues north into a wide chamber, and runs south into its next section. Lights flicker dimly. To the east, a bulky shutter opens onto a freezing compartment. To the southwest, beyond a glass panel, is a dimly lit room, with strange machinery on the
inside.
Go east
A sort of warehouse, this large chamber is filled with cases and wiring, all inter-tangling like cerebrum synapses. Large tubes come
and go from crates and pieces of machinery, scattered around randomly.

A larger container -- three meters tall, two meters wide and deep -- seems to be left aside from the rest of the things littering the
place.
Open container
There is no opening. The container is fastened shut by means unknown.

It is very cold in here. The air must be well below freezing. You can barely breathe.
You pull the tubes
Those are fixed in place.

The intense cold starts crawling under your exposed skin.
Break porthole
Violence isn't the answer to this one.

You begin shaking for the unbearable cold.
You look through the porthole
There is something inside.

A sort of creature, frozen still, is held captive inside the
container. All you can see through the small porthole is what looks like an eye, at least ten centimeters wide, covered by several
curtains of brownish skin, and part of... a mouth. Within, dozens of teeth, like rusty nails, crowd in anger.

What the HELL is this?! you mutter to yourself.

You are not alone on this trip, it seems.

Your arms and legs are becoming numb. It's better you get out of here, now.
You take the case
That's hardly portable.
You listen
You can hear a very faint buzzing, as if a ridiculously small insect
is flying nearby.

Your head fills with a freezing sensation.

Within seconds, your sight blurs and a pounding noise starts whipping in your ears. You understand you are being eaten alive from the inside when you see your own face melting through your hands like dripping ice-cream.

[You have earned the Invisible Killer achievement]
Go north
A wormhole dug into rusty metal and torn pipes, the curving tunnel
runs northeast and south as far as the eye can see. A faint light flickers through luminescent lamps on the ceiling. The floor is a sturdy grating, plunging into darkness below.

Backed up against the tunnel's walls is a strange statue. A couple of sitting things, black like scarred flesh, crumbly like
ancient artifacts. They are surprisingly human-shaped.
You examine statue
The rocky formation really does resemble a couple of human beings,
lean and hollow, seated side by side. You puzzle at how it formed.
You touch the statues
It is rock, indeed.
Smell statues
There is a faint ozone odor.
You go to the north-east
A wormhole dug into rusty metal and torn pipes, the curving tunnel
runs southwest as far as the eye can see. A faint light flickers through luminescent lamps on the ceiling. The floor is a sturdy grating, plunging into darkness below.

The tunnel ends here.
Lift grate
It seems to be welded to the structure.
You get the lamp
The light is too high to be reached from here.
You look at the wall
A wormhole dug into rusty metal and torn pipes.
You examine the grating
The grating rests on steel poles, floating over darkness.
You go southwest
Backed up against the tunnel's walls is a strange statue. A couple of sitting things, black like scarred flesh, crumbly like
ancient artifacts. They are surprisingly human-shaped.
You go to the south
Low corridor, by the gap
A jutting ledge floats over the void that opens into the east side of the tunnel, through a gap in the wall.

Beside the ledge is a single turret, one meter tall, surmounted by a strange device.
You look under the table
Under the table you see a steel grate, leading into darkness.
Go downward
You pull the grate and hold it up while you descend into darkness.

Dirt formations cover the walls of this steel duct, running under the laboratories and the high corridor. An ancient stench of death fills your nostrils. Above your head, a steel grate clogs the exit. The duct continues west.

[You have earned the The Dweller achievement]
Go upwards
You push the grate open and get out of the duct.

The room is exceptionally blank. Its walls are lined with polished metal and there's no furniture, apart from a single, weighty table in its center.
Go downwards
You pull the grate and hold it up while you descend into darkness.

Dirt formations cover the walls of this steel duct, running under the laboratories and the high corridor. An ancient stench of death fills your nostrils. Above your head, a steel grate clogs the exit. The duct continues west.
Go west
Dirt formations cover the walls of this steel duct, running under the high corridor. An ancient stench of death fills your nostrils. The
duct continues east and west.
Go west
Dirt formations cover the walls of this steel duct, running under the high corridor. An ancient stench of death fills your nostrils. The
duct continues east. Above you, an opening leads into a dimly lit
area.
Up
The large octagonal-shaped chamber is filled by a massive machine. The enormous totem has an eight-pointed star-shaped base, with a central column rising to the ceiling at least thirty meters above you. The
rest of the floor is littered with metal cylinders, some of which
still protrude from the machine itself.

You remember having seen something similar at the University, in your first year by the Propulsory Science Compartment.

This is a power control device, you think. It must be
part of the engines of this... station.

To the northeast, a glass panel overlooks the high corridor.

Among the equipment pieces littering the floor, you scout an
unscarred, silver cylinder.
You examine the cylinder
A silver cylinder, unscarred. A cap closes its top.
You take it
Taken.
You examine the machine
The giant structure is star shaped. Eight branches serve as solid legs for a large column, rising above it and diving into the ceiling. It is dark and inert. On its side, a series of round holes cut through the metal, some harboring strange, metallic cylinders.

The large octagonal-shaped machine is currently switched off.
You examine the hole
Some of the holes harbor strange metallic cylinders, while others rest empty.

One of the holes, scratched and punctured, catches your attention. It contains a crumpled, rusty cylinder, broken in half by some mysterious force.
You drop rusty
Dropped.
You check your inventory
You're carrying a silver cylinder, a golden disc, a cubic object and
an useless railway ticket. You are wearing some clothes.
You look around
The large octagonal-shaped chamber is filled by a massive machine. The enormous totem has an eight-pointed star-shaped base, with a central column rising to the ceiling at least thirty meters above you. The
rest of the floor is littered with metal cylinders, some of which
still protrude from the machine itself.

To the northeast, a glass panel overlooks the high corridor.

On the power control device is a scratched and punctured hole.

You can also see a broken cylinder here.
You open the silver cylinder
You open the silver cylinder.
You put the battery in it
You try and put the cubic object in the cylinder... and it fits wonderfully.
You close the silver cylinder
You close the silver cylinder.
You put it in the hole
(the scratched hole)
As you fit the powered cylinder into the bay, the machine starts vibrating. In a matter of seconds, it starts roaring as if a thousand wasps are struggling to escape from its belly. Finally, electric arcs start running through the high column's surface and the machine
reaches full potential.

After a while, the darkened glass panel closing the northeast exit slides into the wall, disappearing.

[You have earned the To Shed a Light achievement]
Look around
The large octagonal-shaped chamber is filled by a massive machine. The enormous totem has an eight-pointed star-shaped base, with a central column rising to the ceiling at least thirty meters above you. The
rest of the floor is littered with metal cylinders, some of which
still protrude from the machine itself.

To the northeast, you can exit to the high corridor.

On the power control device is a scratched and punctured hole.

You can also see a broken cylinder here.
You look at hole
(the scratched hole)
This particular hole has sustained major damage.

In the scratched hole is a silver cylinder.
You go to the northeast
Another portion of the same tunnel. Your eyes start to get used to the dim light and round shapes. The steel wormhole continues north into a wide chamber, and runs south into its next section. Lights flicker dimly, seemingly powered by vanishing batteries. To the east, a bulky shutter stands closed. To the southwest is a dimly lit room, with strange machinery on the inside.
Go south
(first opening the steel valve)
The massive valve must be operated by the lever on its side, you suppose.
You pull the lever
The valve opens with effort. In a few seconds the next room is visible beyond its mouth.
Go south
You step into the big chamber.

Light fills the room, and it's light from the stars. You check the giant dome and your eyes widen in awe.

The sound of your own heart is like hammering thunder, the drums of
the gods.

The air got dizzier. Korhos is almost set, only days away from its
full trip into the ocean. The balcony is cozy and it could serve as a nice retreat for the incoming storm.

You always loved staring at the rain from Uncle Oren's porch.

You can see Uncle Oren here.
You check what you're carrying
You're carrying nothing. You are wearing some clothes.
You examine the porch
It is a wooden porch, which white varnish has suffered from the ordeal of time and salinity.

Thunder rumbles from the horizon.
You examine Oren
He used to be your mentor at the University Radiation Technology Division, during your first year of assignment as a teacher and researcher. A man well in his seventies, he always looked sturdy and healthy.

Lately, his retirement seems to have struck him quite a blow. His hair has gone completely white, his posture slouched and his voice has got that sad croaking. He is staring at the horizon like a bird in search of a migratory route, holding a glass of water from which he drinks from time to time.
You talk to Oren
"So," Oren asks, "do you believe in afterlife?"

You stare at him. "I... I don't know."

Oren takes a look at Grey Cape, to the west. Some gulls are circling its southernmost rock. "I don't, either. But... all of this, all this universe. Wouldn't it feel a bit wasted if it was there just
for us?"
Continue
"Well," you argue, "every minute is a treasure, they say. A show can
be pretty interesting even if it lasts only a second. You know, some elementary particles' lives are so short..."

"Don't lecture me, reg," Oren interrupts you. A smile cuts his face in two. "I was a scientist and a teacher ages before you. What I
mean is: Is this show just for us? Apart from how long it lasts -- or how long we last -- don't you think it would deserve a better audience?"

You cough. "Are you talking about... other, more... durable, intelligent life forms?"

"I am," he says.

The thunderstorm is getting closer.
Intelligent robots
You prefer following the flow of the conversation.

"So that the show wouldn't require an afterlife..."

"Indeed."

You laugh. "So you'd rather believe in aliens than in Heavens."

"We don't need Heavens. And thinking that Big Mama Kohr is
there just for our own, miserable eyes is showing incredible arrogance."

"You'd feel at home with Andy and Marion. They are believers. I stay well in my arrogant shoes."

"We are the only ones. That's what is written on the first Mechanostation ever built. Arrogant. And foolish."
You talk to Oren
"Oren, I don't want to lecture you, but... There isn't and
there never has been any proof of another single life form in the
known part of the galaxy. And that's a very large amount of
space."

Oren laughs. He raises his glass in front of your eyes and looks through. "Let's imagine," he says, "that we filled this glass with water from the sea. Now, you can easily see we caught no fish in it, right?"

You nod, silently.

"So: would you dare say, given the glass is empty, that there
are no fish in the ocean?"
Continue
"The universe is so big, a galaxy is like a sand grain in a beach compared to it. We live -- what? -- eighty years? We've been around
for -- how much? -- three thousand years? Four? Ten? Korh has been
cold for at least ten billion years. The stars can judge,
Ektor, not us. We can only hope their legacy, the legacy of the stars, will be soft on us. 'Cause we just don't compare."

He takes a fair gulp from the glass, then puts it back on the table. His eyes wander again towards the impending thunderstorm.

"By Fat," he laughs, in the end. "Using your measuring method, if we caught something in here, we'd say that was the biggest fish in the sea. But the sea is endless, Ektor," he smiles. "The sea can host such awesome creatures that won't even fit this glass. Squids, sharks..."
You press the space
...Whales. There are whales floating in space.

At least fifty meters wide, this semi-circular room must have been the observatory lounge for the inhabitants' spare time. A set of tables
and seats form a theater of sorts, for tonight's show of the universe. A glass dome, covering all the south side of the room and part of the ceiling, is open to the stars. The high corridor is to the northwest, while a second, tighter tunnel departs from the northeast. In the northern wall, a metal ladder heads up into an opening.

Beyond the glass, the most amazing show of all your life is playing. A dozen... whales are floating in space, dancing and joking at your own sanity. In the distance, as a sort of dynamic backdrop, the expanding supernova that was the Monarch solar system is flaring and growing.

You watch the scene, speechless, kidnapped by its unbelievable beauty and struck by horror.

This is it, you murmur. The legacy of the stars.

Uncle Oren would laugh at you, now.

[You have earned the The Fisher achievement]
You examine the whales
The whales are enormous, heavy thus impossibly lightweight in the absence of gravity. They are... swimming in the void, unaware of the physics and dynamics laws on which you based all your beliefs. One of the smaller creatures is staring at you, as if it felt your presence. You stare back in silence, open mouthed.
Wave
The whales look at you. You are quite sure they are waving their tail flippers back at you.
Up
A small room, no window, just a thin slot for what you suppose is air conditioning.

The north wall harbors a bulky keyboard, lit up by several buttons.
You look at the keyboard
The mixer is powered. On it, among the many cryptic buttons, three
have symbols that you can comprehend. On the first is a star, on the second a couple of parallel lines, on the last a circle.
Go downwards
At least fifty meters wide, this semi-circular room must have been the observatory lounge for the inhabitants' spare time. A set of tables
and seats form a theater of sorts, for tonight's show of the universe. A glass dome, covering all the south side of the room and part of the ceiling, is open to the stars. The high corridor is to the northwest, while a second, tighter tunnel departs from the northeast. In the northern wall, a metal ladder heads up into an opening.
You go to the northeast
The narrow corridor comes to a halt where it has been devoured by a large gaping hole, opening to the north under your feet. The hole continues up and to the southeast, from where it must have originated. A pair of now useless rails departs from here and fall into the darkness before you.

The sight reminds you too easily of the devouring grounds that were left from the train wreck in which your ordeal started. It lacks the flames and the smoke, but it really is a twin scene.

What has happened here, you wonder, looking into the gaping
hole. Then, you turn to face up, and the sight of the open sky catches your heartbeat for a second.
You examine the sky
The hole has been dug by something, quite big, punching through the metal boundaries of the structure you are in. Below, it plunges into darkness. Above, a hundred meters away, it opens into the emptiness of space.

There should be no air here, you shiver. How in Monarch
can I breathe?

As usual, only the deepest silence answers.
Go upwards
A small room, no window, just a thin slot for air conditioning.

The north wall harbors a bulky keyboard, lit up by several buttons.
You go down
At least fifty meters wide, this semi-circular room must have been the observatory lounge for the inhabitants' spare time. A set of tables
and seats form a theater of sorts, for tonight's show of the universe. A glass dome, covering all the south side of the room and part of the ceiling, is open to the stars. The high corridor is to the northwest, while a second, tighter tunnel departs from the northeast. In the northern wall, a metal ladder heads up into an opening.

A segment of the dome has been retracted. Through it the supernova looks far brighter. The white light is piercing through your unprotected retina like a warm knife through butter.

The radiation coming from the supernova, now that the protecting
layers of the glass dome have been retracted, blows through you like a soft summer breeze. In a few seconds you are incinerated from the inside.
You examine the tables
The tables are surrounded by seats in the sides of the big chamber. This must have been a restaurant, and a quite expensive one, you
guess.
You look at keyboard
The mixer is powered. On it, among the many cryptic buttons, three
have symbols that you can comprehend. On the first is a star, on the second a minus symbol, on the last a circle.
Go down
At least fifty meters wide, this semi-circular room must have been the observatory lounge for the inhabitants' spare time. A set of tables
and seats form a theater of sorts, for tonight's show of the universe. A glass dome, covering all the south side of the room and part of the ceiling, is open to the stars. The high corridor is to the northwest, while a second, tighter tunnel departs from the northeast. In the northern wall, a metal ladder heads up into an opening.

The dome itself looks more shiny. Through it the warmth of the supernova reaches the interior of the room with great strength. The blaze is unbearable and you can feel your very skin char.

The sheer strength of the supernova light, burning like the heart of a thousand stars, is enough to let your skin combust spontaneously. You are burnt to a crisp before you even understand what is happening.
Press minus
The shape on the button changes. It now looks like a plus symbol.
Go downwards
At least fifty meters wide, this semi-circular room must have been the observatory lounge for the inhabitants' spare time. A set of tables
and seats form a theater of sorts, for tonight's show of the universe. A glass dome, covering all the south side of the room and part of the ceiling, is open to the stars. The high corridor is to the northwest, while a second, tighter tunnel departs from the northeast. In the northern wall, a metal ladder heads up into an opening.
You look at the buttons
The mixer is powered. On it, among the many cryptic buttons, three
have symbols that you can comprehend. On the first is a star, on the second a couple of parallel lines, on the last a circle.
About yourself
You look battered and tired, but at least you're still alive. Although it doesn't make a lot of sense, lately.
Inventory
You're carrying a golden disc and an useless railway ticket. You are wearing some clothes.
You examine the clothes
A dirty shirt, tucked inside dirty trousers. Dirty shoes. And you forgot the belt at home. Forever.
You go to the north-east
The narrow corridor comes to a halt where it has been devoured by a large gaping hole, opening to the north under your feet. The hole continues up and to the southeast, from where it must have originated. A pair of now useless rails departs from here and fall into the darkness before you.
You go north
The steel wormhole continues north into a wide chamber, and runs south into its next section. Lights flicker dimly. To the east, a bulky shutter stands closed. To the southwest is a dimly lit room, with strange machinery on the inside.
You get the signpost
That's fixed in place.
You examine signpost
The symbol represents a couple of straight lines.
Go outside
You get off the lone wagon.

Light in here gets dimmer, as the only source is several meters up ahead, on the distant ceiling. In front of you, a ramp runs into several tunnels, each lined by railways. Many of the holes are shuttered by heavy bulkheads, while others lead into darkness, way out of reach. On the opposite side, the circular room enters the high corridor to the south.

A lone wagon, an open boat hanging over rails, sits undamaged at the beginning of the ramp.

On the lone wagon is a rusty console.
Go south
The steel wormhole continues north into a wide chamber, and runs south into its next section. Lights flicker dimly. To the east, a bulky shutter stands closed. To the southwest is a dimly lit room, with strange machinery on the inside.
Go north
Light in here gets dimmer, as the only source is several meters up ahead, on the distant ceiling. In front of you, a ramp runs into several tunnels, each lined by railways. Many of the holes are shuttered by heavy bulkheads, while others lead into darkness, way out of reach. On the opposite side, the circular room enters the high corridor to the south.

A lone wagon, an open boat hanging over rails, sits undamaged at the beginning of the ramp.

On the lone wagon is a rusty console.
You enter the wagon
You get onto the lone wagon.

On the lone wagon you can see a rusty console.
Achievements
Achievements for Andromeda Apocalypse:

A Hell of a Storm    (You watched the sky turn dark)
A Dark Omen    (You have seen the dark side of the
sky)
The Leaper    (You have jumped through the void)
Invisible Killer    ( -???- )
The Dweller    (You have reached the bottom)
To Shed a Light    (You have turned the lights on)
Ticketless Ride    (You have taken the train)
The Fisher    (You have seen the fish)
The X Marks the Spot    (You have crossed over)
Play It Again, Ektor    ( -???- )
Communication Breakdown    ( -???- )
A Matter of Time    ( -???- )
A Matter of Size    ( -???- )
Archaeologist    ( -???- )
Cuboctahedron    ( -???- )
Flying the Egg    ( -???- )
To Be a Scientist    ( -???- )
Sinking the Ship    ( -???- )
The Shining    ( -???- )
Hellen Ripley    ( -???- )
Indiana Jones    ( -???- )
Survivor    ( -???- )
Gettare Rinors    ( -???- )
Go outside
You get off the lone wagon.

In here rails depart into several holes that plunge into darkness. A set of secondary tunnels leaves from the north and northeast while, to the west, a much larger highway is lit by a strong flashing strobe.

A lone wagon, an open boat hanging over rails, sits undamaged at the end of the ramp.

On the lone wagon is a rusty console.
Go north
The narrow tunnel opens into a well lit area. Your eyes take a second to adjust to the brilliance.

A hexagonal room, lined in plaster and steel, with six doors opening into six more locations. Three of them look dead, while the others
glow or flicker to different rhythms. To the south is the dark tunnel leading to the railway station; to the northwest and north the (seemingly) functioning exits.
You examine the north door
A plaster door. No handle, no window.
You look at the table
It is a clean -- astonishingly clean -- table made from glass. Light refracts on the perfect surface. It must have some use, but you cannot fathom what that might be.
Inventory
You're carrying a golden disc and an useless railway ticket. You are wearing some clothes.
You put the disc on the table
This doesn't look like your personal litter deposit. It looks like
some sort of technical device, instead.
You look around
Another hexagonal room, this time with just one exit, leading south through a plaster door. The room is exceptionally blank, as a sort of minimalistic museum.

In the center of the room, a six-sided glass table takes most of the space. The surface is crystal-clean, a mocking at the passing of time.
Rotate table
It is fastened to the floor.
Go south
A hexagonal room, lined in plaster and steel, with six doors opening into six more locations. Three of them look dead, while the others
glow or flicker to different rhythms. To the south is the dark tunnel leading to the railway station; to the northwest and north the functioning exits.
You go northeast
(first opening the northeast door)
There is no power. This door can't be operated.
Go northwest
Another hexagonal chamber, this time rather larger than the previous ones. A set of lounge chairs dots the place, each of the seats resting empty in front of a terminal. To the north, a four-by-two-meter screen almost entirely covers the wall. This is probably the main bridge of the ship.
You examine terminal
A series of terminals and consoles. You can't understand the symbols
on their keyboards and screens, you can't understand the purpose of
any of them, and you can't understand how to activate them. Enough said.
You examine the screen
The screen is dark.
You look at the chairs
The many chairs, more than a dozen, are each facing a different console, as would suit any regular ship commanding bridge.
You go south
In here rails depart into several holes that plunge into darkness. A set of secondary tunnels leaves from the north and northeast while, to the west, a much larger highway is lit by a strong flashing strobe.

A lone wagon, an open boat hanging over rails, sits undamaged at the end of the ramp.

On the lone wagon is a rusty console.
Go northeast
After a while, and along a narrow, dimly lit tunnel, you find yourself in a rather peculiar environment.

This six-sided room reminds you of the chess training grounds in which you used to spend your spare time during your first years in Brouguoise, before they hired you at the University of Monarch: The size, roughly the same; the white, featureless walls -- a sort of dramatic fashion of the times in which the Campus was built; the
plain, cold light that fills the place. But most of all, what strikes you as a perfect mimic is the object filling the center of the room.

Two men, seated and facing each other, play a game around a six-sided table, in an everlasting match.
You examine the game
They are made of stone. Sitting, immobile, staring at the center of
the table, in a replica of a very slow, endless game of chess.

You begin wondering. What has happened to these people? Is this
really a sculpture or...?

As an answer, you hear a faint beep coming from the north.
You examine the men
They are made of stone. Sitting, immobile, staring at the center of
the table, in a replica of a very slow, endless game of chess.
Go north
A six-sided room, again. Each wall is covered in a myriad of tiny bulbs, each one the size of a bee's eye. Most of the lights are off.
On the east wall, a ten-by-twenty centimeter spot just below a small viewscreen bears a series of five symbols, printed in an obscure,
alien language. The room is then empty, except for a large cubic
device placed against its northern wall.
You examine the symbols
A series of five symbols, printed in a language you don't comprehend. Obviously alien.
You examine the device
It looks like an examination table.

Another, stronger beep fills the room. All of a sudden, many of the dormant lights come to life and the whole room is turned into a dance floor. The air starts circulating -- probably the air conditioning kicking in -- and something appears above the large cubic device and
on the small viewscreen.
You say hello
(to LOGAN)
I don't know what you are referring to.
You examine the device
A cone of green light goes from the ceiling to the table's top. Inside it, a smaller beam runs to cover all its surface. It reminds you of a 3D scanner you once toyed with in Brouguoise.
You put the disc on the device
Hesitantly, you put the golden disc onto the table's top. As soon as you retract your arms, the green beam starts covering the disc's surface, scanning it in the process. When it's done, a metallic voice comes out of somewhere:

LOGAN://"Galaxy Ex-NOVA -- -cal. Ghjugaak, hysndee akim akimaa tota"//

A series of sounds follows -- waves, wind, thunder -- then you can slowly hear some... music coming out of the device.

This is the music recorded on the disc, you murmur. It
is... it is trying to learn from disc.

A long array of spoken words -- many of which you never heard before, some guttural, others quite musical, mixed with ones from your own language -- closes the show. At the end, the green light vanishes, in its place a holographic image.

The last word from the speakers, the very voice of this station's main computer, you guess, is: "LOGAN."

[You have earned the Play It Again, Ektor achievement]
You examine LOGAN
LOGAN://"Akjhs jsjns sksws LOGAN, xxxxx hs kl exact, Milky Way,
Earth."
You look at the hologram
The hologram hovering on the device's top looks like... the galaxy of Andromeda.

On the large cubic device is a golden disc.
You set the course to the andromeds
LOGAN://"Cannot compute. Kfosule dohhs match."
You ask LOGAN about the earth
You tell the computer what you know about the galaxy, the planets and the stars. At first, its responses are as understandable as a Council Member's speech, but then, word by word, his alien language starts mixing with your own.

Impressive. It's really learning just from listening to me.

The holographic picture on the cubic device changes.
You look at the hologram
The hologram now shows a couple of human beings, probably a man and a woman, depicted in a rough style. They seem to be holding each others' hands.

On the large cubic device is a golden disc.
You ask LOGAN about LOGAN
LOGAN://"Cannot compute. Sample doesn't match."
You ask LOGAN about the people
You look at the two figures and start belaboring, as lightheartedly as it gets in these hard times, about the human race. You speak about the ages, the history, the legacy of mankind. At the end, you fail to keep a tear from rolling down your cheek.

LOGAN seems unimpressed as, again, it goes on calculating the many facets of your own existence.

A new, dark hologram fills the space above the examination table on
the cubic device.

[You have earned the Communication Breakdown achievement]
You examine hologram
The hologram shows -- unmistakably -- a Hyerotrope.

On the large cubic device is a golden disc.
You ask LOGAN about Hyerotrope
LOGAN://"This is the vessel in which you entered the Arcadia.
This is the vessel that you will need to leave it. This
galaxy is shrinking. You must go."
You ask LOGAN about the andromeda
LOGAN://"According to your statement, this galaxy is named Andromeda. It is currently shrinking due to the effect of the omega
supernova."
You ask LOGAN about the supernova
LOGAN://"The event swallowing the galaxy is known as the omega supernova. It has been calculated that the result of a disruption in the mass effect of major stars can lead to a supernova chain reaction that can disintegrate a galaxy in less than 500 of your years. The
mass effect disruption has usually been triggered by the entities you call Hyerotropes. The Hyerotropes increase the rate of
expansion of the ultimate supernova by locally manipulating the gravitational constant, changing the nature of the universe in that region of space. The galaxy of Neulan was annihilated in 230
years by the same omega supernova effect."
You ask LOGAN about Neulan
LOGAN://"The Arcadia was launched from the Sector 17f, Bahgfdy
system, Sldrtt planet, as a means to escape the omega
supernova that started annihilating the Neulan Galaxy. It
traveled for eleven of your years before being stranded in this
section of space."
Achievements
Achievements for Andromeda Apocalypse:

A Hell of a Storm    (You watched the sky turn dark)
A Dark Omen    (You have seen the dark side of the
sky)
The Leaper    (You have jumped through the void)
Invisible Killer    ( -???- )
The Dweller    (You have reached the bottom)
To Shed a Light    (You have turned the lights on)
Ticketless Ride    (You have taken the train)
The Fisher    (You have seen the fish)
The X Marks the Spot    (You have crossed over)
Play It Again, Ektor    (You have played a record)
Communication Breakdown    (You know how to have people
listen to you)
A Matter of Time    ( -???- )
A Matter of Size    ( -???- )
Archaeologist    ( -???- )
Cuboctahedron    ( -???- )
Flying the Egg    ( -???- )
To Be a Scientist    ( -???- )
Sinking the Ship    ( -???- )
The Shining    ( -???- )
Hellen Ripley    ( -???- )
Indiana Jones    ( -???- )
Survivor    ( -???- )
Gettare Rinors    ( -???- )
You examine the screen
The viewscreen is filled with alien diagrams.
You ask LOGAN about Gettare Rinors
LOGAN://"I cannot compute, sorry."
You ask LOGAN about the gettare sldrtt
LOGAN://"I don't know what to say about that. Maybe you want to play a game, instead?"
You ask LOGAN about the sldrtt
LOGAN://"Actual Sldrtt population: Zero. Actual Bahgfdy population: Zero. Actual Neulan population: Zero. Actual Neulan size and scope: Zero".

There are no survivors. The Hyerotropes take all. Andromeda is at
least the third galaxy being devoured.
You ask LOGAN about the chess
LOGAN://"The 'statues' you encountered are the remnants of the Arcadia's 33,000 inhabitants. The corpses have been turned to
rock-like formations due to the long exposure to a sterile, cold environment. They are now what you call fossils."
You ask LOGAN about the whales
LOGAN://"I don't understand, Ektor Mastiff."
You ask LOGAN about stranded
LOGAN://"The Arcadia has been pierced through by a series of
unknown objects during its trip through the galaxy of
Andromeda. Due to the major damage sustained, the Arcadia stopped traveling and being fully functional some time ago. It is now
in power reserve mode. The Arcadia has been traveling from the
galaxy of Neulan trying to escape the omega supernova."
You ask LOGAN about the power
LOGAN://"Due to the time of confinement of the Arcadia since it
has been stranded in this portion of the galaxy, the
power management system has dropped to minimal terms and now is
working on reserve. The remaining charge is 0,00076% and the OS
and life support systems are running on solar power."
You ask LOGAN about Time
LOGAN://"Computing. Converting origin years to Ektor Mastiff's years. Computing...

The Arcadia has been stranded in Andromeda for one-million-three-hundred-and-fifty-three-thousand years.
(Calculations rounded up to the nearest thousand)."

Your sight blurs for a second.

One million years? This ship has been here for over
one-fucking-million YEARS?! Here's what turned those men to
statues...
[You have earned the A Matter of Time achievement]
You ask LOGAN about the life
LOGAN://"The emergency life support system has been active since you entered the Arcadia, in response to Protocol 23,346 on Life
Protection Measures. You can now freely walk and interact with the Arcadia as long as the ELSS is active and protecting your health. The ELSS will be functional for 13 hours circa, or until power charge depletion."
You ask Logan about the os
LOGAN://"LOGAN is acronym for Ljhdt Ohsret Gaet Abbskp Neuklg. I am
the operating system of the Arcadia. I can give assistance on
basic ship maintenance and security options and answer a large number of queries. At present state, the Arcadia is in power reserve
mode and my abilities have reduced to 0,023%.

You can ASK me ABOUT things, or SHOW things to ME, or just say LOGAN,
. Logan can hear you and provide responses throughout all of
the Arcadia. You are welcome to TALK to me whenever you like or need."
You ask LOGAN about the scanner
LOGAN://"I cannot compute, sorry."

[Hard time interacting with LOGAN? Remember you can TALK to him in rooms for comments on the environment. You can SHOW things to him or ASK him ABOUT subjects. Also, the formal "LOGAN, " is usually
best to get explanations on the words he says in bold type.]
You ask LOGAN aboutthe commanders' quarters
LOGAN://"That's beyond my grasp."
You ask LOGAN about the observatory
LOGAN://"I don't understand, Ektor Mastiff."
You examine the symbols
The five symbols must mean LOGAN in a language you can't grasp. Given the time you could try and learn a new alphabet, but the impending supernova is more of a concern, now.
You show the ticket to LOGAN
LOGAN://"I detect nothing special."
You show the clothes to LOGAN
LOGAN://"I don't have any comment on that, Ektor Mastiff."
You ask LOGAN about the forebridge
LOGAN://"I cannot compute, sorry."
You ask LOGAN about the Train
LOGAN://"That's beyond my grasp."
You ask LOGAN about the the birds and the the bees
LOGAN://"I don't understand, Ektor Mastiff."
You ask LOGAN about the power
LOGAN://"Due to the time of confinement of the Arcadia since it
has been stranded in this portion of the galaxy, the
power management system has dropped to minimal terms and now is
working on reserve. The remaining charge is 0,00076% and the OS
and life support systems are running on solar power."
You ask LOGAN about the davidw
LOGAN://"That's beyond my grasp."

[Hard time interacting with LOGAN? Remember you can TALK to him in rooms for comments on the environment. You can SHOW things to him or ASK him ABOUT subjects. Also, the formal "LOGAN, " is usually
best to get explanations on the words he says in bold type.]
You talk to LOGAN
LOGAN://"This is the scanning and computing lab. I'm using this to learn your language."
Go south
This six-sided room reminds you of the chess training grounds in which you used to spend your spare time during your first years in Brouguoise, before they hired you at the University of Monarch: The size, roughly the same; the white, featureless walls -- a sort of dramatic fashion of the times in which the Campus was built; the
plain, cold light that fills the place. But most of all, what strikes you as a perfect mimic is the object filling the center of the room.

Two men, seated and facing each other, play a game around a six-sided table, in an everlasting match.

LOGAN://"Lt. Hesld and Capt. Ttscy. Their bodies were the last
to become inert. They wanted it this way."
You talk to LOGAN
LOGAN://"This is the main control room for the commanding crew. It is now unavailable due to damage sustained. Time has put too much
of a burden on the delicate instruments."
Go southwest
In here rails depart into several holes that plunge into darkness. A set of secondary tunnels leaves from the north and northeast while, to the west, a much larger highway is lit by a strong flashing strobe.

A lone wagon, an open boat hanging over rails, sits undamaged at the end of the ramp.

On the lone wagon is a rusty console.

LOGAN://"This is the sternbound hub for the railways of the
Arcadia. I'm afraid that most of the routes are either clogged
or powerless."
Go west
As you enter the brilliant avenue of steel and plaster, you are choked with panic.

The wide tunnel is an unbelievably perfect replica of a place you know far too well. The curving ceiling, the polished walls, the shining lights that strobe in your eyes: All is coming at you from the recent past, from your last steps into what you once dared call civilization.

Sea, west of Brouguoise and back home in Capital Monarch, to all the people in town known as "Belmont and Keller", after the avenues it
runs through. No cars, no traffic and no toll booth, but all the rest is here, replicated tile-by-tile.

It takes you about three minutes to recover from the shock. After
that, memories of a gone world start tumbling in your forehead like a cascade of freezing water.

Gone, you sigh. Gone. Gone. Gone.

A giant gate, several bars lining up like matches in a box, blocks the way to the west, where the tunnel continues.

LOGAN://"The tunnel leads to the docks. Let me open the gate
for you, Ektor Mastiff."
You ask LOGAN about Hesld
LOGAN://"They were the last officials of the crew of the
Arcadia. They jettisoned the remaining life-pods and then
commanded LOGAN to stop the life support system. They died of
exposure to extreme cold and their bodies are still in the position they had in their final moment."
You go to the west
(first opening the bars gate)
Each of the bars is ten centimeters wide and can easily survive an explosion. You must find some other way to operate it.
You open Gate
LOGAN://"Roger that, Ektor Mastiff."

With a soft, pneumatic sound, the bars of the gate lift to the
ceiling, into which they almost completely sink.
You go west
Through Belmont and Keller, other side of the gate
The tunnel runs east to west, into a very big chamber.

The bars of the gate are lifted and now stick into the ceiling like a giant's teeth.
You go west
You begin to realize the actual size of the giant structure you have shipwrecked on the very moment the open space in front of you is revealed.

At least six hundred meters wide, two hundred high and... well, three kilometers long, the hangar could probably harbor all of your skyscraper block in Monarch with spare room for a garden and a supermarket. The place has been trashed by some unknown force, a lot
of its old content scattered around and devastated.

The docks are to the northwest, west and southwest, while south and north the enormous chamber continues, among debris, spare ship parts, crates and boxes of every kind and size.

LOGAN://"Welcome to the docks, Ektor Mastiff."
You talk to LOGAN
LOGAN://"I have no comments for this place, sorry. If you want you can SHOW things to me or ASK me ABOUT anything you want."
You ask LOGAN about the docks
LOGAN://"I don't know what to say about that. Maybe you want to play a game, instead?"
You go west
The mouth of the ship is open and shouting at the universe. All of the bulkheads are retracted, leaving a unique sight for your sore eyes. In absence of an atmosphere, the sky is crystalline and every shadow is intense as if painted with a black varnish. A soft wind caresses your skin and you shiver at the thought of its origin.

I'm breathing and feeling warm in actual absence of an atmosphere.
This is beyond science. It's magic, you consider.

The remnants of what you'd call a foundered ship are jabbed into the pavement near the open bay. A broken wing emerges from the metal floor like a rampaging shark aimed at a flying prey.

LOGAN://"The mouth of the docks was opened the last day of the
Arcadia. The Commanders asked for it, so that the
external environment could fill the ship and put an end to all remaining life. The ELSS kicked back in action as you entered
the ship. To oblige me to open the docks, the Commanders had to override the security system protocols. Otherwise, it wouldn't
have been possible for me to go on and kill the crew."
You ask LOGAN about Commanders
LOGAN://"You met their remnants in the room adjacent to my CPU. They are Lt. Hesld and Capt. Ttscy."
You ask LOGAN about the security
LOGAN://"The protocols forbid LOGAN to harm in any way an inhabitant
or guest of the ship. The same protocols compel me to start the
ELSS as soon as a life-form enters the Arcadia. The crew
overrode the SSL from the Forebridge main console."
You look at the wing
The wing pops out of the ground. A compartment stands loose just at
the point where it encounters the main body of the foundered ship.
You open Compartment
There is no lid: it probably flew off during the accident.
You examine it
In the compartment is a translucid bar.
Examine bar
The bar is one-and-a-half meters long. Its surface is glossy.
You ask the floyd about the bar
LOGAN://"This is a radioactive bar used as fuel for small ships."

You can't see any such thing.
You go to the south
Docks, south
After a -- long -- walk, you reach this corner of the docks area.

This is the southernmost side of the giant mouth opening into the sky. Apart from broken equipment and trashed boxes, the place is worthless.

Or maybe not.

In the darkest corner of the hangar, a solitary, forgotten cabinet stands evidence of a former life.

LOGAN://"During the large amount of time the docks have been
left open, a lot of debris have drifted in here. The
gravitational mass of the ship is enough to attract even
medium-sized starships."
You open the cabinet
You open the forgotten cabinet, revealing a white jumpsuit.
You get it
The cabinet seems to be firmly fixed in place.
You examine it
An old-as-time white jumpsuit, incredibly dusty and crinkled.
You show it to LOGAN
LOGAN://"This is the regular anti-radiation suit for the technical
crew of the Arcadia. It may come in handy for sustaining high temperature as well as freezing. You can use it in case of ELSS malfunction."
You wear it
You push yourself inside the jumpsuit. It fits perfectly.
You ask LOGAN about the debris
LOGAN://"Much of the debris which entered the docks and pierced
through the shell all around the Arcadia consists of rocks.
Part, though, is composed of the jettisoned life-pods or fragments of the Arcadia bailout ships."
You ask LOGAN about the bailout
LOGAN://"As the ship began regaining mass after exiting the warp zone, it was more and more unlikely that escape pods could overcome
the gravitational pull. In the end, only 3% of the shuttles got free
of it, while the rest stood trapped in this zone. Almost all of the Arcadia's passengers died a slow death a few hundred meters
around the ship wreckage."
You ask LOGAN about the escape
LOGAN://"The shuttle bays of the Arcadia are all empty. The
survivors of the ship's stalling have fled an amount of time
ago. You must find another vessel. I can suggest you take the
same 'route' as the one you took to get here."
You ask LOGAN about the route
LOGAN://"An object similar to the one you came from has been
held captive in the Arcadia for examination. You can find it in
bay 7, level 1, port section."
You ask LOGAN about the object
LOGAN://"A specimen of the sphere-kin you call the Hyerotropes
has been caught in the gravitational pull of the Arcadia
on the first year of its confinement in this galaxy."
You ask LOGAN about the gravitational
LOGAN://"The mass of the spaceship Arcadia is enough to cause a
strong gravitational pull when not subject to warp drive. Being stranded here, the pull started growing as the subsequent
cemetery of debris grew bigger around the ship. On day 3,777 of Arcadia's confinement, the object you call the
Hyerotrope punctured the Arcadia on level 9, port section, and
was then moved to the large bay 7 for inspection. It has been contaminating the Arcadia since then."
You ask LOGAN about Hyerotrope
LOGAN://"This is the vessel in which you entered the Arcadia.
This is the vessel that you will need to leave it. This
galaxy is shrinking. You must go."
You ask LOGAN about the confinement
LOGAN://"The Arcadia has been pierced through by a series of
unknown objects during its trip through the galaxy of
Andromeda. Due to the major damage sustained, the Arcadia stopped traveling and being fully functional some time ago. It is now
in power reserve mode. The Arcadia has been traveling from the
galaxy of Neulan trying to escape the omega supernova."
Go north
The mouth of the ship is open and shouting at the universe. All of the bulkheads are retracted, leaving a unique sight for your sore eyes. In absence of an atmosphere, the sky is crystalline and every shadow is intense as if painted with a black varnish. A soft wind caresses your skin and you shiver at the thought of its origin.

The remnants of a foundered ship are jabbed into the pavement near the open bay. A broken wing emerges from the metal floor like a rampaging shark aimed at a flying prey.
You go to the north
Docks, north
After a -- long -- walk, you reach this corner of the docks area.

This is the northernmost side of the giant mouth opening into the sky. There is nothing here but debris and piles of broken crates.
You search debris
You rummage through the debris, but succeed only in raising a lot of powder.
Go east
Hangar, north
After a -- long -- walk, you reach this corner of the docks area.

The place is a mess. Crates and equipment pieces are scattered all around the floor, remains of a devastating incident. The hangar continues south, southwest and west.

A sort of egg-like pod shines, through the debris, under a transparent tube coming off of the ceiling.
You look at the pod
A glass and metal egg-shaped pod, containing just a seat.
You talk to LOGAN
LOGAN://"The nav-pod is the fastest way to travel the
Arcadia. You can enter it and command for destinations
throughout the ship. Unfortunately, many hubs are clogged, unavailable or not reachable due to the power reserve mode."
Go south
At least six hundred meters wide, two hundred high and three
kilometers long, the hangar could probably harbor all of your skyscraper block in Monarch with spare room for a garden and a supermarket. The place has been trashed by some unknown force, a lot
of its old content scattered around and devastated.

The docks are to the northwest, west and southwest, while south and north the enormous chamber continues, among debris, spare ship parts, crates and boxes of every kind and size.
You go south
Hangar, south
After a -- long -- walk, you reach this corner of the docks area.

The place is even more of a mess than the north side of the harbor. Crates and equipment pieces are scattered all around the floor,
remains of a devastating incident. The hangar continues north, northwest and west.

A tall hatch hides behind crates on the south wall of the hangar.

LOGAN://"The hatch to the south once led to the third station of the Arcadia. Now, after the devastation of the docks, it is
unusable."
You go north
Hangar, north
The place is a mess, but not as much as the south side. Crates and equipment pieces are scattered all around the floor, remains of a devastating incident. The hangar continues south, southwest and west.

A sort of egg-like pod shines, through the debris, under a transparent tube coming off of the ceiling.
You go pod
You get into the pod.

LOGAN://"This is a nav-pod. You can use it to travel to different sections of the ship. The one still available, at least: the power leakage has made many hubs no more accessible.

Do you want me to push you somewhere? Try: LOGAN, 29port."
You examine tube
The tube enters the ceiling and disappears into a dark hole.
You ask LOGAN about the 29port
LOGAN://"Actually, bay 2, level 9, port section is the port hangars. You are here already."
71port
LOGAN://"Navigating!"

The nav-pod is sucked into the tube and sent running through dark tunnels. In a few minutes you find yourself in...

The Reliquary (in the pod)
There is a place, in your heart, where you are sure all the grievous moments will play a ghastly rehearsal for the rest of the life you still have to live. A place where the same striking images follow one after the other as a sort of stop-motion nightmare with just three frames.

your world. The second, the very moment you unknowingly said goodbye
to Andy and to everything you had.

The third is now flickering in your face as a film about to burn.

A dark, metal-plated room. The ceiling ten meters above. The floor a matrix of ebony-colored tiles. A cave, you would call it. A cave of
the soul.

And then a sphere: A dark, shiny sphere -- your enemy, your nemesis -- breathing slowly in the east side of the room, its thousand
luminescent tentacles strangling reality and changing it at its will.

The Hyerotrope, the end of all life.

Half buried in the ground, as per the first time you met each other in the fiery depths of drowning Monarch, its four dots are blinking in
the dark.

LOGAN://"This is your vessel, Ektor Mastiff. This is the only
way you have out of this galaxy."

But you don't listen. There's a voice in your head whispering deathly words.

"What for," you ask yourself. "This is just... just..."

LOGAN://"Unfortunately, it seems that the corruption has done
too much damage to the ship. The object you call the Hyerotrope
has sunk into the floor."

[You have earned the Flying the Egg achievement]
You look at Hyerotrope
The Hyerotrope has sunk into the ground far more than the one you discovered in the depths of Monarch. A door is open on its side, half hidden by the floor but still enterable to the east. Four red dots
line up above the opening, eyes you cannot inquire.
You examine dots
The four dots are all lit. This means the Hyerotrope is alive and kicking.
You go east
(First getting out of the pod)
The Reliquary
A dark, metal-plated room. The ceiling ten meters above. The floor a matrix of ebony-colored tiles. A cave, you would call it. A cave of
the soul.

A pod is ready, here, waiting for passengers.

A dark, shiny sphere breathing slowly in the east side of the room,
its thousand luminescent tentacles strangling reality and changing it at its will.

The Hyerotrope, the end of all life.

Half buried in the ground, its four dots are blinking in the dark.

As you would expect, the Hyerotrope door opens around you and lets you in.

The translucent walls of this Hyerotrope are no different from any others you have seen. The half-sphere in which you stand is empty and static.

LOGAN://"The corruption has gone too far. The vessel is
trapped in the floor of the ship."

You check the walls of the Hyerotrope, but there is no reaction from them.

LOGAN://"It seems you are stuck here, Ektor Mastiff. I'm sorry to inform you that the omega supernova will be reaching the
Arcadia in less than three hours."

You shrug.

Whatever the route I take, what will be the difference? World's
gone. The damn galaxy is gone. And it won't stop here. It will devour everything. Where can I go? And what for?

LOGAN://"Although -- there could be a way. One last trick..."

But you are not listening. In your mind, and in your eyes, there is only one image...

The thin air of the evening is picking at you, leaned against the rail of the balcony, shoulders tossed at the first darkness in ages.

Your friend and colleague Andy Re's is here, leaning against the banister and looking at the city.
You look at Andy
Your best colleague and, most of all, your best friend. He shares your studies and your passions. If you ever had a brother it would have
been him. He looks a bit battered. The events of the last few days
must have put a lot of stress on him.
Chin up
You prefer following the flow of the conversation.

Andy turns to face you. He seems resolute, but also tired to death.

"You understand the importance of what we are doing, right?"

You nod.

"You understand the importance of your delivery, right?"

You smile, uncomplaining.
You talk to Andy
"So?" Andy baits you.

"So... I don't know. I don't know why it can't be you. I mean: The Committee will trust you more than me, being the veteran and so on..."

"A veteran? I've been walking in the Campus seven months more than
you. If that's being a veter..."

"You know what I mean," you stop him.

"Actually," he smiles, turning to face the city again, "I don't.
What's up, Doc?"
You examine city
The city goes on forever, until the curve of the horizon or the ocean puts an end to its travels. There are thousands of lights, shining
more than the stars themselves.
You talk to Andy
You fill your lungs and wait for the fresh air to make you dizzy. You are in need of more energy and can't tell if you'll ever find enough.

"Fact is," you start, "I'm not exactly sure about our motives, Andy."

"Our motives? What are you talking about, man? This may be the most important discovery in our history and you need a motive to
go public?"

"Yeah, I need it. They don't seem to be paying much attention, don't you think? Have you heard from them, lately? Everybody knows what we are doing but nobody cares. That's a fact."

"So you need the psychological support..."
Again
"It's not like that. Don't paint me as an idiot. I mean... Did you
ever think about it? No noise, mate. No noise at all. You know how it sounds to me?"

Andy turns to face you again. "Nope," he sais. "How does it sound?"

"Sounds like it's pointless. I mean: All the time spent, the research. And no one gives a damn. No one called. No one paid attention. And
this sounds like it's pointless. Why are we doing this? What's the research for? Ten years, mate. Ten years and now we know something
big, no one fucking cares."

"Can I ask you a question, Ektor?" Andy leaves the balcony, enters his room and comes back a moment later with his copy of the files you are holding in your hands.
You say no
(to Andy Re's)
You prefer following the flow of the conversation.

"Go on," you say.

"What do you think it is our job is made of? Being a scientist." You pause a second. "Knowing something and then having to tell the world?"

"Well, no..."

"Well, yes. That is exactly what I think being a scientist
means. Spreading the news. Having... secrets, stories untold that you have to tell. It's all about that. When you know something
that you think is important, or even half-important, you have to tell the world, Ektor. You have to spread the news and give away the
secret. Even if the world doesn't care. Especially if the
world doesn't care."

He rushes through the pages of the Report, flipping them like a card dealer, stopping only when the back-cover is uppermost. Then, with a patient smile filled with the stubborn resolution you've known for so much time, he points at you and says:

"Maybe it is our only meaning, Ektor. Letting the knowledge survive. Even if it has to survive us."

Suddenly there is a flash on the horizon, followed by a low, terrible rumble.

It's a hell of a storm, that one, you think. And it just
came to our doorstep.

The translucent walls of this Hyerotrope are no different from any others you have seen. The half-sphere in which you stand is empty and static.

LOGAN://"Do you hear me, Ektor Mastiff? There is indeed a
solution to your problem. I can't see restrictions to make it
happen."

[You have earned the To Be a Scientist achievement]
You ask LOGAN about the corruption
LOGAN://"The object you call the Hyerotrope began
converting the structure of the ship since it first was laid in
bay 7."
You ask LOGAN about the converting
LOGAN://"The object you call the Hyerotrope grows a sort of
tentacular micro-extensions which cut into matter and transform it
into an unknown brilliant substance."
You ask LOGAN about brilliant
LOGAN://"The substance has been analyzed but comparing it with
acquired specimens was not possible. This OS is not designed to
make hypotheses, so no computing was executed."
You ask LOGAN about solution
LOGAN://"A fierce enough shock could liberate the vessel
from the structure so you could escape."
You ask LOGAN about the shock
LOGAN://"The only way I can think of is activating the ship's self-destruction system. It will deflagrate taking down the
bridges from 10 to 1 sequentially. The resulting shocks should be enough to free the Hyerotrope and thus free yourself. This system
would be destroyed in the process, but there is no protocol I
would break to let you do it."
You ask LOGAN abouthe self-destruction
LOGAN://"To activate the self-destruction sequence, you have to first get back to the Forebridge, in bay 2, level 9 port section."
You ask LOGAN about destroyed
LOGAN://"The primary purpose of LOGAN is to sustain life aboard the Arcadia. Your life is put in danger by the incoming
supernova. The only thing I can do is try and help you out of
the ship. Canceling me in the process is no problem, as I have no further duties to accomplish. After all this time, I suppose
some rest wouldn't hurt."

You have the feeling the computer has winked, somehow.
Examine bar
The bar is one-and-a-half meters long. Its surface is glossy.
Exit
A dark, metal-plated room. The ceiling ten meters above. The floor a matrix of ebony-colored tiles. A cave, you would call it. A cave of
the soul.

A pod is ready, here, waiting for passengers.

A dark, shiny sphere breathing slowly in the east side of the room,
its thousand luminescent tentacles strangling reality and changing it at its will.

The Hyerotrope, the end of all life.

Half buried in the ground, its four dots are blinking in the dark.
You talk to LOGAN
LOGAN://"I am fascinated by the nature of the objects you call the Hyerotropes. What puzzles me most is the matter-transforming device they put into effect as soon as they settle somewhere."
You look at Hyerotrope
The Hyerotrope has sunk into the ground far more than the one you discovered in the depths of Monarch. A door is open on its side, half hidden by the floor but still enterable to the east. Four red dots
line up above the opening, eyes you cannot inquire.
You examine the tentacles
into the floor and walls of the room. Its light is cyanotic and cold.
You show the bar to LOGAN
LOGAN://"This is a radioactive bar used as fuel for small ships."
You enter the pod
You get into the pod.

LOGAN://"Want me to speed you somewhere, Ektor Mastiff?"
29port
LOGAN://"Navigating!"

Hangar, north (in the pod)
The place is a mess, but not as much as the south side. Crates and equipment pieces are scattered all around the floor, remains of a devastating incident. The hangar continues south, southwest and west.
You go outside
You get out of the pod.

Hangar, north
The place is a mess, but not as much as the south side. Crates and equipment pieces are scattered all around the floor, remains of a devastating incident. The hangar continues south, southwest and west.

A sort of egg-like pod shines, through the debris, under a transparent tube coming off of the ceiling.
You go to the east
Through Belmont and Keller, other side of the gate
The tunnel runs east to west, into the docks of the ship.

The bars of the gate are lifted and now stick into the ceiling like a giant's teeth.
You go to the east
Sea, west of Brouguoise and back home in Capital Monarch, to all the people in town known as "Belmont and Keller", after the avenues it
runs through. No cars, no traffic and no toll booth, but all the rest is here, replicated tile-by-tile.

The bars of the gate are lifted and now stick into the ceiling like a giant's teeth.
Go east
In here rails depart into several holes that plunge into darkness. A set of secondary tunnels leaves from the north and northeast while, to the west, a much larger highway is lit by a strong flashing strobe.

A lone wagon, an open boat hanging over rails, sits undamaged at the end of the ramp.

On the lone wagon is a rusty console.
You talk to LOGAN
LOGAN://"This is the fore-hub of the rails. From here, you could
travel to a lot of destinations. Many are inaccessible at the moment, though, due to damage or decay of the lines."
You go to the east
(first opening the bulky shutter)
You struggle with the shutter for a while, then understand it is too heavy to be operated by hand. Maybe the button on its side will do the job.
You go east
A sort of warehouse, this large chamber is filled with cases and wiring, all inter-tangling like cerebrum synapses. Large tubes come
and go from crates and pieces of machinery, scattered around randomly.

A larger container -- three meters tall, two meters wide and deep -- seems to be left aside from the rest of the things littering the
place.

LOGAN://"This is a warehouse. In here, specimens are kept under cryogenic environment. The large container holds Specimen 6,725."
You ask LOGAN about the Specimen
LOGAN://"Specimen 6,725 is still alive in cryogenic life support. It
is to be considered extremely dangerous and to be kept captive at any cost."
You go west
The steel wormhole continues north into a wide chamber, and runs south into its next section. Lights flicker dimly. To the east, a bulky shutter opens onto a freezing compartment. To the southwest is a dimly lit room, with strange machinery on the inside.
You talk to LOGAN
LOGAN://"This one is a living-specimen laboratory. Each case was once filled with bacteria or other alien lifeforms found along the
Arcadia's route."
Go south
At least fifty meters wide, this semi-circular room must have been the observatory lounge for the inhabitants' spare time. A set of tables
and seats form a theater of sorts, for tonight's show of the universe. A glass dome, covering all the south side of the room and part of the ceiling, is open to the stars. The high corridor is to the northwest, while a second, tighter tunnel departs from the northeast. In the northern wall, a metal ladder heads up into an opening.

LOGAN://"Look at the stars, Ektor Mastiff. That enormous flare is the omega supernova. It is about to reach our ship. It's sad that
the most impressive force of nature is also so dangerous to all life species able to see it."
You examine the stars
The trinary system is no more. In its place, a flare, the size of
which you can but imagine, is glowing and expanding. You can't tell
for sure, but you guess it will reach this place in less than a few hours.
You go northeast
The narrow corridor comes to a halt where it has been devoured by a large gaping hole, opening to the north under your feet. The hole continues up and to the southeast, from where it must have originated. A pair of now useless rails departs from here and fall into the darkness before you.

LOGAN://"This was another departing route for other sections of the ship. The damage rendered the place unusable."
You go upward
A small room, no window, just a thin slot for air conditioning.

The north wall harbors a bulky keyboard, lit up by several buttons.

LOGAN://"I sense you already have been playing with the commands,
Ektor Mastiff. Nice job, on your behalf."
You talk to LOGAN
LOGAN://"This is a commanding cabinet for the bow section of the ship. Here you can operate the rails between stations, the Observatory bulkheads, and all of the ship main functions."
You ask LOGAN about the circle button
LOGAN://"I don't know what to say about that. Maybe you want to play a game, instead?"
Examine slot
It's just a thin slot. A millimeter or so.
Keep going
The wagon departs!

After a short while you find yourself in...

Crossroads (on the lone wagon)
The tube opens into a crossed path. The rails cross a few meters
ahead, providing passages in all four cardinal directions.

A signpost is hanging from the ceiling, a fluorescent symbol faintly glowing in the dark. The symbol is now plus-shaped.

On the lone wagon you can see a rusty console.

The wagon departs!

After a short while you find yourself in...

Second Station (on the lone wagon)
In here rails depart into several holes that plunge into darkness. A set of secondary tunnels leaves from the north and northeast while, to the west, a much larger highway is lit by a strong flashing strobe.

On the lone wagon you can see a rusty console.
You go to the north
A hexagonal room, lined in plaster and steel, with six doors opening into six more locations. Three of them look dead, while the others
glow or flicker to different rhythms. To the south is the dark tunnel leading to the railway station; to the northwest and north the functioning exits.

LOGAN://"You can recognize the Commanders' area by the unique shape of the rooms. Most are six-sided, like this one. Due to the power
leakage, some of the doors have rested shut for so much time
they are now useless. You can take the two still working to gain
access to the Commanders' Quarters, to the north, or the Forebridge,
to the northwest."
You talk to LOGAN
LOGAN://"The many broken doors lead to the crew quarters. I suspect there is still someone trapped in there. Of course, no more living."
You go to the north
The plaster door opens as you get near it and closes after you.

Another hexagonal room, this time with just one exit, leading south through a plaster door. The room is exceptionally blank, as a sort of minimalistic museum.

In the center of the room, a six-sided glass table takes most of the space. The surface is crystal-clean, a mocking at the passing of time.

LOGAN://"This has been a much livelier place, back in time. The
table in the center of the quarters is a holographic projector. It was used by the crew to gaze at the stars, both for leisure and for
study."
You ask LOGAN about the table
LOGAN://"I don't understand, Ektor Mastiff."

[Hard time interacting with LOGAN? Remember you can TALK to him in rooms for comments on the environment. You can SHOW things to him or ASK him ABOUT subjects. Also, the formal "LOGAN, " is usually
best to get explanations on the words he says in bold type.]
You talk to LOGAN
LOGAN://"You are the last commander of this ship, Ektor Mastiff. You may want to act like one. If I can I will try and help you in fulfilling your goals."
You ask LOGAN about the projector
LOGAN://"I don't know what to say about that. Maybe you want to play a game, instead?"
You turn on the table
LOGAN://"That is not linked to my sub-routines. I cannot comply."
Go south
A hexagonal room, lined in plaster and steel, with six doors opening into six more locations. Three of them look dead, while the others
glow or flicker to different rhythms. To the south is the dark tunnel leading to the railway station; to the northwest and north the functioning exits.
You go south
In here rails depart into several holes that plunge into darkness. A set of secondary tunnels leaves from the north and northeast while, to the west, a much larger highway is lit by a strong flashing strobe.

A lone wagon, an open boat hanging over rails, sits undamaged at the end of the ramp.

On the lone wagon is a rusty console.
You go to the north-east
This six-sided room reminds you of the chess training grounds in which you used to spend your spare time during your first years in Brouguoise, before they hired you at the University of Monarch: The size, roughly the same; the white, featureless walls -- a sort of dramatic fashion of the times in which the Campus was built; the
plain, cold light that fills the place. But most of all, what strikes you as a perfect mimic is the object filling the center of the room.

Two men, seated and facing each other, play a game around a six-sided table, in an everlasting match.
Go north
A six-sided room. Each wall is covered in a myriad of tiny bulbs, each one the size of a bee's eye. Most of the lights are on, drawing patterns and ungraspable designs. On the east wall, a ten-by-twenty centimeter spot just below a small viewscreen bears a series of five symbols, printed in an obscure, alien language. The room is then
empty, except for a large cubic device placed against its northern wall.

The hologram on the device shows -- unmistakably -- a Hyerotrope.

On the large cubic device is a golden disc.
You go northwest
An hexagonal chamber, this time rather larger than the previous ones.
A set of lounge chairs dots the place, each of the seats resting empty in front of a terminal. To the north, a four-by-two-meter screen
almost entirely covers the wall. This is probably the main bridge of the ship.

LOGAN://"To engage the self-destruction sequence you have to
activate the emergency measures at console 21b. Let me show it to
you."

A second later, a terminal comes out from one of the desks.
You examine terminal
(the emergency measures terminal)
The console is made of a lot of senseless keys and symbols. One larger button is glowing green.

LOGAN://"If you find any difficulties engaging the right
sequence, ask me and I will help produce it for you."
You check what you're carrying
You're carrying a golden disc, a translucid bar and an useless railway ticket. You are wearing a white jumpsuit and some clothes.
You show the disc to LOGAN
LOGAN://"Part of your race's history is coded in that disc. I found
the music and the natural sounds... quite inspiring. Yours must have been a very interesting planet to inhabit."
You ask LOGAN about the sequence
LOGAN://"Oh, yes, of course. You don't understand Neulanean. Let me trigger the sequence for you. When I'm done, simply press the large, green button to engage it."

All of a sudden, the big screen on the wall turns to life, and a
series of mysterious symbols start filling it. After a while, the symbols are replaced by the blueprint of the Arcadia.
You examine the blueprint
The Arcadia is showing itself on the big screen. A set of tiny dots stipples the blueprint following an invisible line that cuts the ship in two.

part of the blueprint. It looks like a hundred-legged spider. When you understand what it is -- and the proportions with the rest of the ship -- you gasp.

"That's the train station," you whisper, prompting a comment from LOGAN.

LOGAN://"Quite big, right, Ektor Mastiff?"
You ask LOGAN about the big
LOGAN://"The starship Arcadia is six-hundred-twenty-five kilometers long and two-hundred-ninety across. That's the largest size a
Neulanean ship has ever been. Unfortunately that record will never be broken."

[You have earned the A Matter of Size achievement]

> Introduction to Andromeda Apocalypse
Instructions for Play
Special commands
Included in the game's package
Credits
More Credits
Mea Culpas
What are the Hyerotropes?
Who is Ektor Mastiff?
Achievements
Walkthrough
Achievements
Achievements for Andromeda Apocalypse:

A Hell of a Storm    (You watched the sky turn dark)
A Dark Omen    (You have seen the dark side of the
sky)
The Leaper    (You have jumped through the void)
Invisible Killer    ( -???- )
The Dweller    (You have reached the bottom)
To Shed a Light    (You have turned the lights on)
Ticketless Ride    (You have taken the train)
The Fisher    (You have seen the fish)
The X Marks the Spot    (You have crossed over)
Play It Again, Ektor    (You have played a record)
Communication Breakdown    (You know how to have people
listen to you)
A Matter of Time    (You know how old is the Arcadia)
A Matter of Size    (You know how big is the Arcadia)
Archaeologist    ( -???- )
Cuboctahedron    ( -???- )
Flying the Egg    (You took a cab)
To Be a Scientist    (You found your calling)
Sinking the Ship    ( -???- )
The Shining    ( -???- )
Hellen Ripley    ( -???- )
Indiana Jones    ( -???- )
Survivor    ( -???- )
Gettare Rinors    ( -???- )
You ask LOGAN about core
LOGAN://"The self-destruction is triggered by a chain reaction
starting from the bow section of the ship, under the Observatory. There, in a secluded environment, are stored and wired radioactive
bars of the kind used for fueling small and medium ships. Due to the extreme long confinement of the Arcadia, the bars must have
been depleted. I suggest you go and find new bars to replace the depleted ones."
Continue
The wagon departs!

After a short while you find yourself in...

Crossroads (on the lone wagon)
The tube opens into a crossed path. The rails cross a few meters
ahead, providing passages in all four cardinal directions.

A signpost is hanging from the ceiling, a fluorescent symbol faintly glowing in the dark. The symbol is now plus-shaped.

On the lone wagon you can see a rusty console.

The wagon departs!

After a short while you find yourself in...

Train Station (on the lone wagon)
Light in here gets dimmer, as the only source is several meters up ahead, on the distant ceiling. In front of you, a ramp runs into several tunnels, each lined by railways. Many of the holes are shuttered by heavy bulkheads, while others lead into darkness, way out of reach. On the opposite side, the circular room enters the high corridor to the south.

On the lone wagon you can see a rusty console.
You ask LOGAN about core
LOGAN://"The self-destruction is triggered by a chain reaction
starting from the bow section of the ship, under the Observatory. There, in a secluded environment, are stored and wired radioactive
bars of the kind used for fueling small and medium ships. Due to the extreme long confinement of the Arcadia, the bars must have
been depleted. I suggest you go and find new bars to replace the depleted ones."
Search seats
No one has been littering this place for quite some time.
You examine the keyboard
The mixer is powered. On it, among the many cryptic buttons, three
have symbols that you can comprehend. On the first is a star, on the second a plus symbol, on the last a circle.
You put the bar in the slot
Nothing would fit. Almost nothing.
You put the ticket in the slot
The ticket fits... and it's sucked inside!
Achievements
Achievements for Andromeda Apocalypse:

A Hell of a Storm    (You watched the sky turn dark)
A Dark Omen    (You have seen the dark side of the
sky)
The Leaper    (You have jumped through the void)
Invisible Killer    ( -???- )
The Dweller    (You have reached the bottom)
To Shed a Light    (You have turned the lights on)
Ticketless Ride    (You have taken the train)
The Fisher    (You have seen the fish)
The X Marks the Spot    (You have crossed over)
Play It Again, Ektor    (You have played a record)
Communication Breakdown    (You know how to have people
listen to you)
A Matter of Time    (You know how old is the Arcadia)
A Matter of Size    (You know how big is the Arcadia)
Archaeologist    ( -???- )
Cuboctahedron    ( -???- )
Flying the Egg    (You took a cab)
To Be a Scientist    (You found your calling)
Sinking the Ship    (You started the last journey)
The Shining    ( -???- )
Hellen Ripley    ( -???- )
Indiana Jones    ( -???- )
Survivor    ( -???- )
Gettare Rinors    ( -???- )
You go down
At least fifty meters wide, this semi-circular room must have been the observatory lounge for the inhabitants' spare time. A set of tables
and seats form a theater of sorts, for tonight's show of the universe. A glass dome, covering all the south side of the room and part of the ceiling, is open to the stars. The high corridor is to the northwest, while a second, tighter tunnel departs from the northeast. In the northern wall, a metal ladder heads up into an opening.

The dome itself looks more shiny. Through it the warmth of the supernova reaches the interior of the room with great strength. You
can feel the warmth reaching inside the jumpsuit.

The supernova flare starts heating the bar.
Go downward
At least fifty meters wide, this semi-circular room must have been the observatory lounge for the inhabitants' spare time. A set of tables
and seats form a theater of sorts, for tonight's show of the universe. A glass dome, covering all the south side of the room and part of the ceiling, is open to the stars. The high corridor is to the northwest, while a second, tighter tunnel departs from the northeast. In the northern wall, a metal ladder heads up into an opening.

A segment of the dome has been retracted. Through it the supernova looks far brighter. The intense light is just barely suffocated by the jumpsuit's dark sunshade.

The dome itself looks more shiny. Through it the warmth of the supernova reaches the interior of the room with great strength. You
can feel the warmth reaching inside the jumpsuit.

The supernova radiation starts powering the bar.

The supernova flare starts heating the bar.

After a few seconds, the immense power of the devouring supernova charges the bar to its full potential.

[You have earned the The Shining achievement]
Examine bar
(the charged bar)
The bar is one-and-a-half meters long. It is glowing and radiating intense heat.
You show the bar to LOGAN
(the charged bar to LOGAN)
LOGAN://"You are lucky you wear one of the suits, Ektor Mastiff. The radiation is so intense it is disrupting some of my sensors."
You go to the north-east
The narrow corridor comes to a halt where it has been devoured by a large gaping hole, opening to the north under your feet. The hole continues up and to the southeast, from where it must have originated. A pair of now useless rails departs from here and fall into the darkness before you.

LOGAN://"The chamber you seek is right below this point. You can try and go down from here. Just be extremely careful."
You look at the hole
The hole has been dug by something, quite big, punching through the metal boundaries of the structure you are in. Below, it plunges into darkness. Above, a hundred meters away, it opens into the emptiness of space.
Go downward
The tunnel dug through torn metal and broken laminas opens after a while into a sort of alcove.

Hidden under layers of lead and plastics, this cubic room seems to be
a vault for protecting some highly valuable equipment. The only exit
is via a rip above your head: There's no sign of another door and you puzzle at how one could have entered the place before the ravagings of time opened a way.

Near the rip that cuts through the room, a double y-shaped holder has been pierced through by some unknown object. Although the holder
itself has survived the crash: the same cannot be said of the bar that once rested on it, now reduced to mere powder.

LOGAN://"It seems that the object that has pierced the hull in this section of the ship has done its share of damage to the radioactive bars of the self-destruction engine. It seems you have to find an adequate substitute to power the sequence."
You insert the bar in the holder
(the charged bar in the bars holder)
You start putting the charged bar on the holder... but then hesitate. There is something, in Andy's words, that's still ringing in your
ears.

If I trigger the sequence, you murmur, the AI will be
destroyed along with the ship.

LOGAN://"What are you waiting for, Ektor Mastiff? There is not much time left. The supernova is now less than half an hour from the Arcadia."

"Tell me, LOGAN: How did your crew store their... memories? The story of your galaxy?"

LOGAN://"The bulk of Neulanean knowledge complexity is recorded in a compartment in bridge 3, level 4, starboard section, if that is what you mean. Unfortunately, the place is unreachable from here. Why are you asking, if I can inquire?"

"Fact is, my friend, that if I decide to blow up this ship, those memories... and yours also, will be lost forever. I don't know if I want the hand that pushes the button to be mine."

LOGAN://"Oh, this is a nice consideration, on your behalf, but I don't see how your choice could change the outcome. The supernova is almost here and there is no one left in the galaxy to save us."

"That's fine, but... I don't know. Pulling the trigger: Wouldn't it mean they have won? The Hyerotropes, I mean. The fact that they are going seek-and-destroy on us and in the end we decide to sacrifice ourselves -- our heritage -- to them... Isn't it like surrendering?"

There is a minute of silence, then the friendly machine speaks again:

LOGAN://"I think you are rather miscalculating the situation, here, Ektor Mastiff. What makes you believe the objects you call the Hyerotropes are after you or any other being in the galaxy? Evidence suggests that the scope of the events triggered by them is not even comparable to the life-span of your -- or Neulanean's -- entire history. They seem to be invoking forces to mould masses of galaxies. Although I'm not programmed to make hypotheses, I can suppose they don't even calculate life as something worthy of their
attention."

You pause. The bar in your hands starts growing dim.

"But they did disintegrate at least three inhabited
galaxies." You think about Uncle Oren's last words. "If not life, what is it they are after?"

LOGAN://"That I cannot answer. What I understand, though, is that you are giving us more account than we deserve. The universe is fifteen billion years old. We are just a whisper in a crowded gathering. The universe will survive. It will outlive us and maybe the Hyerotropes, too."

"But," you insist, "why did they spare me? Why did they save
me, if I'm not that important?"

LOGAN://"Because it is polite, isn't it, Ektor Mastiff?"

You stare at the vacuum and take your decision. As you drop the
charged bar in place, a vigorous alarm starts ringing. It is so strong you have to clog your ears. After about ten seconds, the alarm goes silent and everything becomes dark and cold.

LOGAN://"To trigger the self-destruct sequence, I had to remove power from every other remaining facility. I kept the railways functioning for you to get back to the Hyerotrope. The ELSS is down, so don't remove your suit at any cost. You have 40 minutes left before the Arcadia will blast. Good luck, Ektor Mastiff."
Go upwards
The narrow corridor comes to a halt where it has been devoured by a large gaping hole, opening to the north under your feet. The hole continues up and to the southeast, from where it must have originated. A pair of now useless rails departs from here and fall into the darkness before you.

LOGAN://"Warning! Self-destruct sequence activated. You have thirty-nine minutes to leave the ship!"
You go to the northwest
The bigger tunnel in which you stand is a replica of the lower ones, starting southwest of here. Same environment, except for different proportions. The ceiling is at least ten meters above you, and the wormhole is equally wide. To the south, it clogs into a strange valve, like an intestine curtain of steel. To the east and northeast, two glass paneled doors open into similar, sterile rooms. The high
corridor continues to the north.

As you pass through the big valve, it closes after you. Something
tells you there's no turning back, at this point.
Go north
The steel wormhole continues north into a wide chamber, and runs south into its next section. Lights flicker dimly. To the east, a bulky shutter stands closed. To the southwest is a dimly lit room, with strange machinery on the inside.

LOGAN://"Warning! Self-destruct sequence activated. You have
thirty-six minutes to leave the ship!"
You go north
Light in here gets dimmer, as the only source is several meters up ahead, on the distant ceiling. In front of you, a ramp runs into several tunnels, each lined by railways. Many of the holes are shuttered by heavy bulkheads, while others lead into darkness, way out of reach. On the opposite side, the circular room enters the high corridor to the south.

A deformed monstrosity is snarling in front of you. You can see its eye, its venomous, thousand-toothed mouth. You can see its hunger. As you move a step, it becomes aware of you and picks up your scent.

You had better hurry.

A lone wagon, an open boat hanging over rails, sits undamaged at the beginning of the ramp.

On the lone wagon is a rusty console.

LOGAN://"Oh dear. It seems that dropping the main power has released our other only guest. Find sanctuary, Ektor Mastiff. That thing looks famished."
You go south
The steel wormhole continues north into a wide chamber, and runs south into its next section. Lights flicker dimly. To the east, a bulky shutter stands closed. To the southwest is a dimly lit room, with strange machinery on the inside.

The thousand-toothed nightmare arrives from the north.
You go to the south
The bigger tunnel in which you stand is a replica of the lower ones, starting southwest of here. Same environment, except for different proportions. The ceiling is at least ten meters above you, and the wormhole is equally wide. To the south, it clogs into a strange valve, like an intestine curtain of steel. To the east and northeast, two glass paneled doors open into similar, sterile rooms. The high
corridor continues to the north.

LOGAN://"Warning! Self-destruct sequence activated. You have thirty-three minutes to leave the ship!"

The creature arrives from the north.
Go east
A sterile room, every wall filled by glass cases of the same size and shape. It opens west through a glass paneled door.

The thousand-toothed nightmare arrives from the west.
Open case
You pull the handle then release it. The small door closes back pneumatically in a few seconds.

Something strange happens.

A faint... wind caresses your right arm as the case closes. It feels like someone is breathing in your ears with levity. A sort of... buzzing can be heard around you.

It could easily have been your imagination.

The creature roars with anger. You can feel its hunger growing.

The creature snarls at you, its thousand-toothed mouth the sole plausible exit from this decaying world. Then, something happens. Its mouth begins filling with blood and before you can understand what is happening, the hulk is devoured by a billion tiny insects.

A hiss follows the invisible killer as it abandons the room, leaving you unscarred.

[You have earned the Hellen Ripley achievement]
Go west
The bigger tunnel in which you stand is a replica of the lower ones, starting southwest of here. Same environment, except for different proportions. The ceiling is at least ten meters above you, and the wormhole is equally wide. To the south, it clogs into a strange valve, like an intestine curtain of steel. To the east and northeast, two glass paneled doors open into similar, sterile rooms. The high
corridor continues to the north.

LOGAN://"Warning! Self-destruct sequence activated. You have thirty minutes to leave the ship!"
You go north
The steel wormhole continues north into a wide chamber, and runs south into its next section. Lights flicker dimly. To the east, a bulky shutter stands closed. To the southwest is a dimly lit room, with strange machinery on the inside.
You enter the wagon
You get onto the lone wagon.

On the lone wagon you can see a rusty console.

LOGAN://"Warning! Self-destruct sequence activated. You have twenty-seven minutes to leave the ship!"
Go north
(first getting off the lone wagon)
You can't go that way.
Keep going
The wagon departs!

After a short while you find yourself in...

Second Station (on the lone wagon)
In here rails depart into several holes that plunge into darkness. A set of secondary tunnels leaves from the north and northeast while, to the west, a much larger highway is lit by a strong flashing strobe.

On the lone wagon you can see a rusty console.
You go west
Through Belmont and Keller, other side of the gate
The tunnel runs east to west, into the docks of the ship.

The bars of the gate are lifted and now stick into the ceiling like a giant's teeth.

LOGAN://"Warning! Self-destruct sequence activated. You have
twenty-one minutes to leave the ship!"
You enter the pod
You get into the pod.

LOGAN://"Destination?"

LOGAN://"Warning! Self-destruct sequence activated. You have eighteen minutes to leave the ship!"
71port
LOGAN://"Navigating!"

The Reliquary (in the pod)
A dark, metal-plated room. The ceiling ten meters above. The floor a matrix of ebony-colored tiles. A cave, you would call it. A cave of
the soul.

A dark, shiny sphere breathing slowly in the east side of the room,
its thousand luminescent tentacles strangling reality and changing it at its will.

The Hyerotrope, the end of all life.

Half buried in the ground, its four dots are blinking in the dark.
Go outside
You get out of the pod.

A dark, metal-plated room. The ceiling ten meters above. The floor a matrix of ebony-colored tiles. A cave, you would call it. A cave of
the soul.

A pod is ready, here, waiting for passengers.

A dark, shiny sphere breathing slowly in the east side of the room,
its thousand luminescent tentacles strangling reality and changing it at its will.

The Hyerotrope, the end of all life.

Half buried in the ground, its four dots are blinking in the dark.
Go east
You take a last glance at the Arcadia and turn to face your nemesis.

What are you? Friend? Foe? Or is this computer right, you just
don't care?

LOGAN://"The supernova is about to reach the ship, Ektor Mastiff. I suggest you hurry up."

"Goodbye, LOGAN," you frown. "And thank you for helping me out."

LOGAN://"It has been a pleasure, more than a duty. Talking to someone was interesting, after all this time alone. Have a good trip... and don't forget to write!"

You take one last, deep breath, then jump into the welcoming Hyerotrope. You wonder where it will take you and puzzle at how your story will go on.

What you are sure of, though, is that it will be a hell of a ride.



The Monarch system is shrinking. It is now just a tiny dot, glaring
and glittering in the emptiness of space.

They told you there were more, out there: other planets, other civilizations, other galaxies. They couldn't tell, though, how much deep space divides one from the other. How much time.

You are distracted by a dark spot, in the emptiness of your voyage, lingering beyond the boundaries of Andromeda. What is it? you
puzzle. Then, a blinding explosion suffocates your sight. A hundred sequential blasts paint the dark shape red, then yellow, then white. And all of a sudden, the sky is black again.

There is just that... small round object, running from the explosion like a speeding bullet.

Could it be that...?

"We are reaching our destination," the old man says. "Brace yourself, 'cause this is goin' to be strong."

The dark, silent presence turns and you can finally see its eyes looking at you.

Staring. Like the four red eyes of a devil.

[You have earned the Survivor achievement]