text: [Themes: Science Fiction]
  
  > Go downwards
  Antechamber, in the Aviators Saloon
  From the discreet signs declaring that you are currently in the Aviators' Saloon, and from the general look of the furniture, this is obviously the reception room or antechamber of a small hotel. The doors of the hotel, to your north, seem to be closed, east is a dining-hall, and a staircase leads up. The check-in counter stands in front of you.
  
  An amiable, elderly man is standing behind the counter.
  
  > Go east
  Dining Hall, in the Aviators Saloon
  The Aviators Saloon never pretended to be more than a small and comfortable lodge - which is why its mess bears an eerie resemblance to the dining hall of your own large family. Since - in this age - everything is automatic, there is precious little clutter, barring a large table, twelve chairs, and a large cupboard at the back of the room.
  
  As you walk across the room, your foot seems to brush against something under the table.
  
  > look under the table
  Under the table, you find a small, streamlined device of some sort, coloured black. You pull it out.
  
  > examine the device
  A small black device, with a slit at the back - which currently is empty, and a fairly primitive display in front, which is currently blank.
  
  > put Chip in the device
  You insert the chip cautiously into the slit; the screen lights up faintly. It flashes the words "Teleport Complete. Target Room Four", then changes to another phrase.
  
  > read the device
  A small black device, with a slit at the back - which contains a thin card, and a fairly primitive display in front, which displays a sentence : Room 7. Behind Closed Doors.
  
  > Go west
  Antechamber, in the Aviators Saloon
  From the discreet signs declaring that you are currently in the Aviators' Saloon, and from the general look of the furniture, this is obviously the reception room or antechamber of a small hotel. The doors of the hotel, to your north, seem to be closed, east is a dining-hall, and a staircase leads up. The check-in counter stands in front of you.
  
  An amiable, elderly man is standing behind the counter.
  
  "Someone tried to help me once -- I forget his name. Said he'd send a friend of his to -- tie up all the loose knots, he said. Nothing came of it, though."
  
  > go east
  Dining Hall, in the Aviators Saloon
  The Aviators Saloon never pretended to be more than a small and comfortable lodge - which is why its mess bears an eerie resemblance to the dining hall of your own large family. Since - in this age - everything is automatic, there is precious little clutter, barring a large table, twelve chairs, and a large cupboard at the back of the room.
  
  You can see a small black device (in which is a personal ID chip) here.
  
  > ask the man about the device
  "It's a tracer. Not sure how to use it? You use it to find a person. Put the chap's identity chip or card - depends on the model - into the machine, and it's off to the races. Neat."
  
  > go east
  Dining Hall, in the Aviators Saloon
  The Aviators Saloon never pretended to be more than a small and comfortable lodge - which is why its mess bears an eerie resemblance to the dining hall of your own large family. Since - in this age - everything is automatic, there is precious little clutter, barring a large table, twelve chairs, and a large cupboard at the back of the room.
  
  > look at the cupboard
  A large, ancient oak cupboard, which is precariously closed.
  
  > open the cupboard
  You open the oak cupboard, revealing some plates and spoons.
  
  > look at the spoon
  Nothing interesting here, just piles of spoons, plates and other items of cutlery.
  
  > ask the man about the Room seven
  "Can't help you with that, son. Too bad," he says, sympathetically.
  
  > ask the man about key
  "It's the key to Miss Clarke's room. Go see what y'can find there, son."
  
  > ask the man about Clarke
  "Nice young lady - almost like my own daughter, son, believe me or not; though she's (my daughter, I mean) not here any longer, she's a physician out in the East. She was just right for a chap like Jan, whose head was in the clouds about nine-tenths of the time. The pity of it."
  
  > ask the man about Jan
  "Ah, he was a fine chap, Mr. Mbelwe. The kind of person that any author'd be proud of putting in his books - that kind of person. There must be some reason for his disappearance, but it's a black mystery to me."
  
  > ask the man about the computer
  "Ah, that old one - it's badly dated but I haven't the heart to chuck it out. Just put a news disc in it, and switch it on - if you've got one, that is."
  
  > ask the man about Simone
  The receptionist shakes his head. "I never really studied ancient philosophies, son", he replies.
  
  > ask the man about Saloon
  "Nice place, isn't it? However, since that damned legend started, five years ago, the place's been kinda empty."
  
  > ask the man about the legend
  "Sorry, son, I told you just 'bout all I know. There might be a clue hidden in yonder rooms upstairs - that's a romantic notion - but after five police investigations I doubt there's anything left to be found."
  
  > look at the counter
  A large wooden counter or desk, emitting a low, fluorescent glow. It's not a solid block, so there's a space underneath it, which is darker than the rest.
  
  And why do you get the feeling that there's something under it that you didn't put there in your manuscript?
  
  > look under the counter
  You look under the counter for a while, and pull out a scrap of paper.
  
  > read it
  Fran?ois, Ch. 2, Lines 1-17:
  
  "Why did you suppress the first thirty-three verses?", the Author complained.
  
  "It's almost painfully obvious if you'll only apply your mind to it", the Voice replied, unflappably. "The first lines deal with what he has already lived through; to restate them would be unnecessary. Besides, he has already acquitted himself most honourably."
  
  "Not enough", the Author replied, sternly. "All he has done is to travel through our lands, our landscapes - call them what you will. But has he done anything?"
  
  "Well, he did open the gate", the Voice retorted.
  
  "After following prompts that could not bamboozle a two-year-old. The challenges we set him were -- elementary."
  
  "Well, we shall have to see. Can he bring back life into this place?........"
  [Here the printing stops, abruptly.]
  
  > show paper to the man
  (first taking the small scrap of paper)
  You fail to capture the receptionist's interest.
  
  > kiss him
  How romantic. However, I don't know how he would react.
  
  > Inventory
  You are carrying:
  a small scrap of paper
  a small black device
  a personal ID chip
  a blue disc
  an AutoLock Users' Manual
  a black disc
  a fountain-pen
  a yellow flower
  
  You are carrying:
  a small scrap of paper
  a small black device
  a personal ID chip
  a blue disc
  an AutoLock Users' Manual
  a black disc
  a fountain-pen
  a yellow flower
  
  > go east
  Room 4, in the Aviators Saloon
  Room 4, which was obviously meant to accomodate a couple or a small family at least, is a pleasant contrast to the house you came across earlier in your wanderings. Even the furniture - double-bed, dresser, table and armchair, and the window - have a particular flavour of their own.
  
  The window is open, flooding the room with sunlight.
  
  Covering the bed, with a primness that is almost Victorian, is a warm quilt of knitted wool, which shows an unsightly bulge at one point.
  
  You can also see a toybox (in which is a crumpled note) here.
  
  > show the crumpled note to the man
  You fail to capture the receptionist's interest.
  
  > ask the man about the table
  "Used to be fashionable nowadays - old Jan's is still here, but heaven knows how to open it. You need two goddamned code numbers, one to open it, the other to lock it - and then it opens up on its own - at least it's meant to. It doesn't even understand proper English, son - you have to say something stupid like 'table, code red' or 'table, code is 9801' to get it to work. Sloppy programming, I call it", the receptionist muses.
  
  > go to the east
  Room 4, in the Aviators Saloon
  Room 4, which was obviously meant to accomodate a couple or a small family at least, is a pleasant contrast to the house you came across earlier in your wanderings. Even the furniture - double-bed, dresser, table and armchair, and the window - have a particular flavour of their own.
  
  The window is open, flooding the room with sunlight.
  
  Covering the bed, with a primness that is almost Victorian, is a warm quilt of knitted wool, which shows an unsightly bulge at one point.
  
  You can also see a toybox (which is empty) here.
  
  > take the quilt
  You lift the quilt and search the bed for some time, your conscience pricking you all the time, but are rewarded for your efforts by a letter.
  
  > look under the quilt
  Uneasily conscious that you're making a mess, you shove the quilt around some more.
  
  > read the letter
  A quick glance at the letter reveals that its contents are of a rather personal nature, and your sense of delicacy tells you not to read it. Do you still want to do so?
  
  > Yes
  Feeling rather a cad, you read the letter once through, quickly....
  
  Europe, July 14th, 2883.
  
  Dear Vanessa,
  Unforseen circumstances have forced me, without any sensible or honourable alternative, to leave you abruptly, without warning, without even the consolation - pardon my grandiosity - of a fond farewell. I have not been permitted to reveal more than this, even to you whom I could trust above anyone else, dearest - for the hand and mind that drive me at this moment are not my own. Rest assured that, if you still - regardless of your own safety - want to follow me, I have left enough traces. Not too explicitly, of course - Nash is a fine old man, but I wouldn't want to involve him in this - but I am sure you will find a way. The key can be revealed in the usual way: table, place. There is little time to say more. Four digits alone.
  
  Yours,
  Janus.
  
  After reading it, you feel strangely vindicated. At least, it was of some use, and could help you find a key to this enigma.
  
  > check what you're carrying
  You are carrying:
  a crumpled note
  a small scrap of paper
  a small black device
  a personal ID chip
  a blue disc
  an AutoLock Users' Manual
  a black disc
  a fountain-pen
  a yellow flower
  
  > look at the door
  As Gertrude Stein would probably put it, a door is a door is a door....you get my drift. It has a lock, if you're interested.
  
  > check in
  A large wooden counter or desk, emitting a low, fluorescent glow. It's not a solid block, so there's a space underneath it, which is darker than the rest.
  
  > look at the cupboard
  A large, ancient oak cupboard, which yawns open.
  
  > look in the cupboard
  In the oak cupboard are some plates and spoons.
  
  > Go east
  Chambers, in the Aviators Saloon
  The landing of the Aviators Saloon opens into four rooms, one corresponding to each point of the compass, the doors to which (being of the electrical kind) are open. The stairs lead back down, and continue further upwards.
  
  Room 4, in the Aviators Saloon
  Room 4, which was obviously meant to accomodate a couple or a small family at least, is a pleasant contrast to the house you came across earlier in your wanderings. Even the furniture - double-bed, dresser, table and armchair, and the window - have a particular flavour of their own.
  
  The window is open, flooding the room with sunlight.
  
  Covering the bed, with a primness that is almost Victorian, is a warm quilt of knitted wool.
  
  You can also see a strange letter and a toybox (which is empty) here.
  
  > Go west
  Chambers, in the Aviators Saloon
  The landing of the Aviators Saloon opens into four rooms, one