text: The Jovian city's rapid spin flings the ship into outer space, but Andrea's sure hand on the control lever is able to make the craft arc downward into a low orbit around Mercury. The speed you're traveling at is so great that you cross over into the day side several times before Andrea can pinpoint the right spot to descend into the general vicinity of New Melbourne.
  
  "I don't get it," you say. "That shuttle we were taking was flying low to the ground and was going to take hours to get to New Melbourne. Why is this taking so much less time?"
  
  "Simple," replies Andrea. "The shuttle had multiple stops. I can't read Jovian so I don't know what the readouts are saying on the screen, but I'd estimate that we'll make the archeological site in about twenty minutes."
  
  Andrea's prediction turns out to be correct. Soon the Jovian craft is flying over a wide, gaping crater about fifty feet in diameter and surrounded by a ring of floodlights.
  
  "Here we are," says Andrea, guiding the ship down.
  
  As the crater gets bigger on the screen, you notice its rocky throat is littered with pieces of burnt, twisted metal.
  
  "What happened here?" you ask.
  
  "I have no idea. And there are no spacecraft parked in the area, either. There's a lot of wreckage in the lava tube, though. Looks like something happened here."
  
  "The floodlights are still on. Do the sensors scan any signs of life?"
  
  "Maybe. I already told you, Sandra; I don't read Jovian!"
  
  "We can always dip into the crater and check," says Esmeralda.
  
  "Good thinking, Esse," you reply. "Can we do that, Andrea?"
  
  "That would be stupid," says Andrea. "We don't know what's down there and I don't know what buttons to press on this control lever to activate the ship's weapons."
  
  "Yes, but you were originally planning on going down into the lava tube, anyway, probably with the expectation of getting into a firefight with John and his men."
  
  "I had been planning on parking the ship outside the crater so we could go in. Like I said-- I don't know how to activate the weapons on this ship. I do however know how to use a human-crafted ray gun."
  
  "I think we'd be safer in the ship. Maybe we could just use just ram anyone down there with the ship."
  
  "Oh, that would much safer than getting out of the ship and going down on foot. I say we just head to New Melbourne. We could go to the Hotel Hermes. That's where John and me and his men were all supposed to meet, originally. There are no signs of rocket ships down there. Plus, I could use a hot bath about now."
  
  "Is this a democracy?" asks Esmeralda. "I'm assuming I'd get a vote if it is. And I vote for whatever Sandra wants."
  
  Andrea looks back at Esmeralda and laughs. "No, it's not even remotely a democracy, robot. And even if it were, you'd have no say in things. I'm for the Hotel Hermes and a hot bath."
  
  > put Your Gun to Andrea's Head and Force Her to Land
  You point your ray rifle at Andrea and lean in till the nozzle of your weapon presses into the side of her helmet.
  
  Andrea chuckles. "What are you going to do, Sandra? Kill me?"
  
  Your gloved finger caresses the trigger. "Why not, Andrea? You yourself said you were partially responsible for my parents' murders. That Venus space station would have fried the Elizabeth Proctor if you hadn't come up with the clearance codes."
  
  "I didn't know Jay and his men would kill your parents."
  
  "You had to know that was a very good possibility. You just hated my father enough for it not to be an issue."
  
  "He wasn't nice to you when he found out about your predilections. We've both suffered at the hands of that man."
  
  "We're going down into that archeological site. Now. Fly the ship down there."
  
  "Dear," says Esmeralda, "don't you think you've gone too far with this? Would you really kill Andrea?"
  
  You briefly glance at your robot tutor. "I'm willing to let her have a running start... if she does what I ask."
  
  Andrea pushes the lever and lowers the ship into the gaping maw in Mercury's crust.
  
  After navigating several snaking tunnels (each lit with strategically-placed floodlights) the ship arrives at a large cavern. At first you're spirits begin to sink when you conclude it must be some kind of dead end, but then you notice against the far wall, half shrouded in shadows, is a large, round screen. It soon flickers to a life.
  
  Standing against a green background is a Victorian clown in loose-fitting white tunic and pants and a cone-shaped hat. His face is white and he has a frown painted over his mouth. In spite of the frown, he is grinning like an idiot. He seems to notice the ship and takes a bow.
  
  "Good day! Good day!" says a bright voice in a cockney accent over your helmet radio. "I am so glad you poor souls have made it this far! What legends you'll be now that you've found the root of immortality! My cold clown heart is sure to burst open with joy."
  
  "Who are you?" asks Andrea.
  
  To your surprise, the clown responds to her question. "Me, Madame? Why, I am only little old Pierrot. Nothing more than a humble clown who gaurds the gates to Immortality. You should be proud. You should be proud. Coming this far and such. Now, I suppose you would like to know the secret of life everlasting?"
  
  "Excuse me...clown...may I confer in private with my associates?"
  
  Pierrot smiles even more widely. "By all means, pretty lady. By all means."
  
  The image of the clown flickers out and the screen goes dead.
  
  "Sandra, we're down in the site. Can you please remove that damned gun from my head?"
  
  Reluctantly, you slowly step back from Andrea, although you still keep your rifle trained on her.
  
  "Something's not right here," Andrea continues. "Pierrot is a famous old European clown character. Why would aliens have him show up in an archeological site." She shakes her head. "No, this is all wrong. I'm beginning to think this is all some kind of cruel practical joke."
  
  Pierrot's voice cackles with glee over your radio. The cavern screen reactivates and the clown stands there, laughing. "You are indeed a sharp young dagger, my lovely lady!"
  
  "Who is responsible for this, clown?"
  
  "That I shall never tell you. It is not for you to know. It is only for you to learn a valuable lesson."
  
  Andrea screams, jamming the steering lever forward.
  
  You fly back and bounce off the wall behind you.
  
  The image of Pierrot grows larger as the ship hurtles towards the screen. There's a jolt as the ship makes contact. The lights of your craft go out. Blackness. You feel numb and dizzy and notice there's warm wet liquid dripping down from your forehead...
  
  "Sandra, are you still alive?"
  
  You open your eyes and stare into the calm pink of Esmeralda's phot-electric eyes. "Esse, what...Andrea. Is she dead?"
  
  "I'm afraid Miss Laughlin took her own life. She incinerated herself with her ray gun."
  
  "I think I know who could have been responsible for all this. Only one person would have the resources and a vicious enough sense of humor to play with peoples' hopes that way. And to think my mother wanted to try and marry me off to him..."
  
  "Just rest, dear. You're injured. I'm afraid you received a bad concussion and you've lost a lot of blood. I'd take you out of the ship and carry you to New Melbourne, but it seems we've landed sideways and the mass of the craft is holding the door shut. I've tried using my strength to open it, but it's no use."
  
  "I guess I'm dying, then. Well...I'm glad I've had you for a friend, Esmeralda. I'm sorry I ever critticized you for being a machine. No one's been kinder to me than you. Not even Xavier."
  
  Esmeralda's pink eyes blur and then fade into darkness.
  
  It's cool and quiet now and you can rest...
  
  The End