text: [Themes: Space Exploration, science fiction]
  
  > Go downwards
  As you walk down, the world shimmers and returns to normal colours.
  
  You are standing at the entrance to a laboratory. It looks like it has been regularly used, although not in the last few weeks. The laboratory has not escaped the destruction from above. The floor is cracked, with a long, thin hole leading deep into the earth. The crack extends to the north, but can be easily stepped over. A tunnel slopes upward back towards the surface. The laboratory continues to the north and west.
  
  > examine the hole
  Which do you mean, the crack or the tunnel?
  
  > Crack
  (the all-purpose uniform)
  Violence isn't the answer to this one.
  
  > examine the tunnel
  The tunnel entrance leads upwards.
  
  > Go north
  A large, rectangular machine takes up most of the space in this corner of the laboratory. It looks like it could be used to mix ingredients and make evil concoctions, or not-so-evil depending on the mood. There is a control panel on the machine's side, with a closed compartment on top. Unfortunately, there are no helpful labels to describe any functions. A crack in the floor extends to the south. The laboratory continues to the south and west.
  
  > look at the machine
  A closed compartment is visible on top of the mixing machine. The machine can be controlled by either a pink or yellow button situated on a control panel.
  
  > go west
  This corner of the laboratory looks more like the mad scientist's lair that you were expecting from a hidden laboratory. There is a workbench, which is covered by various papers and unusual coloured potions. You can just imagine a mad scientist cackling as he or she mixed together potions in crazy experiments throughout the night. A strange device is attached to the workbench, and it has a cable sticking out of it. This corner is less damaged than the rest of the laboratory, which continues to the south and east.
  
  > look at device
  This small electronic device is attached to the workbench. There is a screen on the top, with a red button sitting next to it. A cable sticks out of the back of the machine.
  
  > examine the screen
  The screen is blank at present.
  
  > Examine button
  (the communicator's button)
  This button activates the X7ACIO87 communication unit.
  
  > examine red button
  The red button is on the device attached to the workbench.
  
  > examine the cable
  The cable sticks out from the device on the workbench. The other end is loose.
  
  > examine the workbench
  The top of the workbench is a mess, but unlike the rest of the laboratory, it probably is how it was left rather than being caused by the disaster. Within the mess are papers, scattered from one end of the workbench to the other, interspersed with the occasional potion. There is also an unusual device, which is built into the workbench.
  
  > examine papers
  The papers on the workbench contain information on many different formulae, but none that explain your situation. However, you do notice references to other papers that you cannot find on the workbench.
  
  > examine the potions
  There is a range of brightly coloured liquids, kept in flasks, lying on the workbench. You have no idea what any of them contain, so they will probably not be much use.
  
  > Password
  The device beeps twice, with a message of "NO CONNECTION" flashing up on the screen.
  
  > examine the screen
  The screen is blank at present.
  
  > go south
  It looks like the laboratory's owner is more of a reader than you, as there is a very large bookcase in this corner. The bookcase is currently empty, but the library is still here, with a high pile of books sitting on the floor in front of the bookcase. The books look like they could be hiding something. Either the owner was careless, or the disaster caused the books to be knocked off the shelves. The titles mainly suggest that the contents of the pile are too technical to be interesting. You suppose finding fictional books would be too much to ask for in a laboratory. The laboratory continues to the north and east.
  
  > Examine books
  The pile of books almost look like they are covering something. In this pile are scientific texts and research mainly concentrating on the areas of psychology, biology and chemistry. You do not have time to place these books back in the shelves, so they are going to have to stay on the floor for now.
  
  > search the books
  You move the books slightly to reveal a heavy metal chest.
  
  > look at the chest
  The metal chest looks very heavy and secure. It is closed, with no obvious way to open it, apart from a socket on the lid.
  
  > examine the socket
  This socket is on the lid of the chest.
  
  > take the cable
  Taken.
  
  > put the cable in the socket
  You plug the cable into the socket.
  
  > Pink
  The device beeps once, with a message of "INVALID PASSWORD" flashing up on the screen.
  
  > examine communicator
  There is a button on the X7ACIO87 communication unit, so you can talk to the ship via the communicator.
  
  > Go south
  It looks like the laboratory's owner is more of a reader than you, as there is a very large bookcase in this corner. The bookcase is currently empty, but the library is still here, with a high pile of books sitting on the floor in front of the bookcase. Either the owner was careless, or the disaster caused the books to be knocked off the shelves. The titles mainly suggest that the contents of the pile are too technical to be interesting. You suppose finding fictional books would be too much to ask for in a laboratory. The laboratory continues to the north and east.
  
  > move the bookcase
  The bookcase is too heavy to move.
  
  > look at it
  The bookcase is now empty of the books previously shelved in it. It covers most of the western wall in this corner.
  
  > read the books
  You pick up a book and read the title; "Not Neurological". You do not have time to read it, so you put it back down.
  
  > keep going
  You pick up a book and read the title; "The Chemistry of Elements". You do not have time to read it, so you put it back down.
  
  > Continue
  You pick up a book and read the title; "Easy Personality Profiling". You do not have time to read it, so you put it back down.
  
  > Go east
  You are standing at the entrance to a laboratory. It looks like it has been regularly used, although not in the last few weeks. The laboratory has not escaped the destruction from above. The floor is cracked, with a long, thin hole leading deep into the earth. The crack extends to the north, but can be easily stepped over. A tunnel slopes upward back towards the surface. The laboratory continues to the north and west.
  
  > Go upwards
  As you walk back up, the world shimmers and returns to being all pink.
  
  There is more to this location than before you ate the egg. It is not just that the ashes, ground, jungle and everywhere else is now coloured pink. It is the fact that there is a tunnel sloping downwards. You are sure that it wasn't there previously. You don't know where it came from, but tunnels do not just appear out of nowhere. However, there used to be more than one colour in the world, so you guess anything is possible here. The clearing, and ruins, continues to the north and west.
  
  > Go north
  It looks like a garden should fill most of this corner, but there are only weeds where there should be crops. However, you have to look carefully to notice this, as the weeds are more indistinguishable from whatever should be in the garden when they are coloured pink. Everything is actually a lot more indistinguishable to be honest. It is difficult to tell the ashes from the dirt patches, with the clearing looking a lot less damaged when in pink. The clearing, and ruins, continues to the south and west.
  
  A diary is lying on the ground.
  
  > take the diary
  Taken.
  
  > examine it
  This diary is bound within a pink cover and belongs to one of the scientists. Luckily, the text is in a dark shade of pink when compared to the background.
  
  > read the diary
  The diary belonged to one of the scientists, Dr. Mark Simmons. Most of the entries are filled with jargon and scientific data, which may be interesting to people back at the ship, but not to you. However, the last entry, which is dated several weeks ago, is different:
  
  ...I don't know why, but the world has suddenly become crazy. Everything was fine yesterday (apart from my usual complaint that with the increasing periods of absence for James, I have been forced away from my studies too much). However, today everyone and everything seems to have gone insane. At the moment I am hiding in the jungle away from the madness. I think I will go back soon though. No, I won't. Maybe. The only thing stopping me is this writing. I have to keep writing to stop the temptation. The need. No, it is not a need. I am stronger than this. Maybe if I write what I know, then it will satisfy the craving. Maybe I shouldn't though, as I need to forget. No, I can't forget or think of anything else. I need to figure out what is going on.
  
  What I know, my diary, is that it all started this morning. It started with Jane. She has been acting strangely in recent days, almost paranoid whenever anyone approaches her. I have been avoiding the issue, as this is not my specialty. If James had been there, he would have known what to do. He is always good with the psychological aspects. He couldn't have helped this morning. I have never seen anything like it before. Jane was coloured bright pink. Yes, bright pink. Maybe she was infected with some local disease. I don't know. It seems likely though, as I cannot think of any other explanation. She looked strange, but she looked beautiful, irresistible even. She has always been attractive, but even more so today. Right now, I can't explain how this is true. I only know that it is. She seemed in a daze, mumbling something about how the "PSYCHE" was the key. The key to what, I don't know.
  
  What happened next? I was walking over to treat her condition. Yes, treat her condition. That's why, I think. Anyway, one of the junior scientists, Simon, reached her first. He kissed her. He actually kissed her. And she did not just slap and reject him. I don't understand. Why wasn't it me? I saw Simon change before my eyes. There were ripples in the air, almost like the air was as thick as water. But it isn't. But it was. Simon turned pink as well. I saw ecstasy in his eyes. Or was it just a love of life. I don't know. I didn't stay. I'm ashamed to say that I ran. I shouldn't be too ashamed though, as it is the only reason I am here.
  
  I admit that I have gone back once. I saw everyone standing in a circle holding hands. They were all pink. All of them except me. And maybe James. I didn't see him there. They then just disappeared. They vanished and I don't know where. I noticed that the house was burning. Someone must have left something on. It was too late. It is still too late. Everyone is gone, and the pinkness has not disappeared. I noticed in the garden that the fruit had gone pink as well. There were pink native flies, which have blighted our crops, but now it did not seem to matter. Animals were moving in from all directions to eat. I feel no better than those animals at the moment.
  
  I can't go back, but I need food. And that food is the only food I know. Maybe it will be all right by now. I hope so. I'll just have a quick look...
  
  > go to the south
  There is more to this location than before you ate the egg. It is not just that the ashes, ground, jungle and everywhere else is now coloured pink. It is the fact that there is a tunnel sloping downwards. You are sure that it wasn't there previously. You don't know where it came from, but tunnels do not just appear out of nowhere. However, there used to be more than one colour in the world, so you guess anything is possible here. The clearing, and ruins, continues to the north and west.