text: [Themes: Slice of life, Mystery]
  
  > describe your surroundings
  You are in a glorious oak-panelled room, with a large fireplace to one side. This is where the family relaxes, assuming that such a monstrous family relaxes at all. An antique-style telephone rests on the mantelpiece, and a large hi-tech widescreen television sits on a video recorder in the corner. From here, you observe exits to the east and northeast.
  
  A young woman called Chloe sits nearby reading a book.
  
  The video recorder is making a whirring sound.
  
  > Switch tv
  Chloe tuts, clearly unhappy that you're disturbing her reading.
  
  The video recorder is making a whirring sound.
  
  You catch a moment of dialogue from the Australian soap opera playing on the television. "I trusted you!" whimpers a teenage girl. "And you cheated on me!"
  
  > examine the fireplace
  Possibly redundant, what with the invention of central heating, but it must be nice to have a large roaring fire going on cold winter nights.
  
  The video recorder is making a whirring sound.
  
  You catch a moment of dialogue from the Australian soap opera playing on the television. "I'm going to make it in the sheep farming business!" says a young woman firmly. "You see if I don't!"
  
  > examine phone
  The telephone is gold plated, and shaped like a cumbersome old-fashioned model, except for a keypad where the dial should go.
  
  The video recorder is making a whirring sound.
  
  You catch a moment of dialogue from the Australian soap opera playing on the television. "I hate you! You've ruined my life!" screams a teenager, before slamming a door.
  
  > Switch tv
  That's already on.
  
  The video recorder is making a whirring sound.
  
  You catch a moment of dialogue from the Australian soap opera playing on the television. "Sheila, fancy coming back to my place for a six pack?" asks a naive young man.
  
  > ask Chloe about the programme
  Chloe glares at you and the television, then gets back to her book.
  
  With a <clunk!>, the video recorder stops rewinding the tape.
  
  You catch a moment of dialogue from the Australian soap opera playing on the television. "I trusted you!" whimpers a teenage girl. "And you cheated on me!"
  
  > Go east
  The grand entrance hall of D'Arcy manor evokes a twinge of jealousy within you - the grand wooden polished floors and staircase, the expensive chandelier hanging from the high ceiling, the priceless Compton painting hanging on a wall. Why can't you inherit something like this? Leaving aside feelings of bitterness, you observe a cupboard under the stairs and a bell on a table near the door to the south. Doorways (which are probably more expensive than your entire house) lead off to the east and west, and a passageway lies north.
  
  The mother of the bride stands in a corner fretting away to herself as only hysterical mothers can.
  
  > ask the mother about the wedding
  "It's all gone to pot," she wails. "Oh my oh my! My poor dear daughter, whatever will she do!" She then mumbles something else which you don't quite catch.
  
  > go to the east
  This room has the air of a gentleman's private study area, though recently it appears to have been taken over by the lady of the house (that is, Sheryl D'Arcy). A hardboard set of shelves against one wall looks completely out of place amid the antique furniture and the gorgeous circular shaped painting on the ceiling. Embroidery rests on a pouffe to one side, and several packs of wool tower alongside the shelves. The front entrance is out to the west, and there is another room to the north.
  
  Barbara, an aunt of the bride, sits on an armchair with her legs crossed and her hands interlocked.
  
  > look up Barbara in the programme
  "BARBARA FRANKLYN, Aunt of the bride, and mother to Chloe. Barbara is a moderately successful artist and sculptor, and has won numerous awards. She brought up Chloe singlehandedly, refusing to name Chloe's father."
  
  > ask Barbara about Chloe
  Barbara notices you for the first time, having been in deep thought. "You must be Malcolm's friend," she says in the voice you recognise as being the one at the other end of the phone. "I can't really tell you anything, but you must make sure that Malcolm and Deborah get married today." She produces a key from her jacket pocket and places it on a table. "That might come in handy. I don't know what it opens; I just took it from the key holder at the entrance."
  
  Barbara leans back in her chair and lets her mind drift off to other things.
  
  > take the key
  Taken.
  
  > examine the key
  It is small and unremarkable.
  
  > ask Barbara about Malcolm
  She leans forward and places a hand on your arm to stress her point. "You must ensure that Deborah and Malcolm are married today. I can't tell you any more than that." You ask why not, but Barbara gives you a mysterious look and settles back into her chair.
  
  > ask Barbara about the house
  "I'm sorry," she says. "I'm afraid I know little about that."
  
  > examine the embroidery
  The painstakingly detailed image, made of small strands of thread, portrays a woman zapping a man with her laser-beam eyes.
  
  > move the embroidery
  Nothing obvious happens.
  
  > take it
  Reaching for the embroidery, you are suddenly overcome with memories of the vicious needlework teacher at school who humiliated you in front of the entire class for making a mistake with the tea cosy you were attempting. You quickly pull your hand back.
  
  > Go north
  Everything in this room looks as if it has taken many weeks to carve, with the exception of dodgy book covers protecting some of the awful literature stored here. A vast array of books lie on the two huge shelves, ranging from the ancient to the modern. The curtains are closed, so for light you are reliant on the lamps which are quite attractive mock-ups of candles in candlesticks. An oak table sits in the centre of the room, a grand throne-like chair beside it, for anyone feeling particularly studious. A room lies to the south, and a corridor is out to the west.
  
  > Examine books
  The two shelves between them span the entire length of the room, and go from the floor to the ceiling. The books don't appear to be in any order, and it would be too daunting to try to find anything specific if not for an index someone has had the presence of mind to compile. It is a small box with a number of cards inside, and you must look up particular titles individually.
  
  > look up Battlebase in the index
  The Battlebase Episode Guide is two books out of place, suggesting that someone has recently had a look at it. The cover has been coated in plastic and feels nice and smooth to your hands.
  
  > read the episode guide
  This book contains all you should ever want to know about the sci-fi show Battlebase (and probably a few hundred pages more). You will have to consult the book in more detail for specific items.
  
  > take the episode guide
  You already have that.
  
  > go west
  You are in a glorious oak-panelled room, with a large fireplace to one side. This is where the family relaxes, assuming that such a monstrous family relaxes at all. An antique-style telephone rests on the mantelpiece, and a large hi-tech widescreen television sits on a video recorder in the corner. From here, you observe exits to the east and northeast.
  
  A young woman called Chloe sits nearby reading a book.
  
  You catch a moment of dialogue from the Australian soap opera playing on the television. "Carole," says a young woman, "my parents are leaving town, so can you adopt me?" "Yeah, sure," replies Carole.
  
  > look up the new INTAKE in Guide
  "C8: NEW INTAKE by Jon Lee Smarbwin. Three student officers - Lennox, Ciccone and Estefan - join the Caradeen after passing all their theory exams. As part of their on-going studies, they are deposited on a planet surface and must find their way to a waiting dropship. Unfortunately, the enemy choose this time to attack the Caradeen and the planet, and the students find themselves fighting for their lives."
  
  You catch a moment of dialogue from the Australian soap opera playing on the television. "Coor blimey guv'nor, how's about a nice cup o' rosey lee?" says the scriptwriter's idea of an Englishman.
  
  > ask Chloe about Battlebase
  Chloe glares at you and the television, then gets back to her book.
  
  You catch a moment of dialogue from the Australian soap opera playing on the television. "It's Bob!" a distraught man says. "He's been involved in some sort of accident!" "What, again?" an unimpressed woman asks.
  
  > Switch television
  That's already on.
  
  You catch a moment of dialogue from the Australian soap opera playing on the television. "Sheila, fancy coming back to my place for a six pack?" asks a naive young man.
  
  > switch the television off
  "Hurrah," says Chloe in an exaggerated manner.
  
  > ask Chloe about Battlebase
  "Best programme on television. You a fan then?"
  
  > say yes
  (to Chloe)
  Chloe takes her feet off the table and sits up. "Okay then," she says, "prove it. Who finds himself in the middle of a revolution in 'Repairs'?"
  
  > say Lennox
  (to Chloe)
  "Ha, I knew it," she says triumphantly. "You're just lying so you can creep to me. Well it won't work." You take it from her reply that your answer was wrong.
  
  > look up c7 in Guide
  You can't seem to find that in the guide; oh well, probably not worth the effort anyway.
  
  > look up the REPAIRS in Guide
  "A13: REPAIRS by Lenni Worb. After the major battle in the previous episode, the Caradeen is put into dry dock for repairs and its crew are given two weeks leave. John Canada decides to spend his time on a beautiful planet in a nearby system, and finds that it is not as peaceful as he first thought. Soon, he find himself in the middle of a revolution, which the leaders of the planet intend to crush."
  
  > look at the cellar door
  A solid metal door with the word CELLAR etched into the surface. It has an electronic lock.
  
  > examine the lock
  Four LEDS flicker excitedly on the lock, but it isn't immediately apparent how to activate it. A sticker on one side states that it is tamper-proof.
  
  > open the door
  It seems to be locked.
  
  > Go east
  The kitchen staff are hard at work on the meal for the reception, and from their progress so far, you'd say that they are making enough food to keep the Royal family well fed for a good few months. To the west, a swing-door leads into the dining hall, and the main exit is to the southwest. A pantry lies to the south.
  
  A pompous and temperamental chef stands around shouting at the staff and chopping things up.
  
  > go south
  Should Luxembourg ever suffer a famine, they need only raid this pantry to ensure that their citizens don't starve. The fruit, vegetables, meat, ingredients and drinks are all stored using technology that would put Nasa's space programme to shame. There is a tradesman's entrance to the east, but the main exit is to the north.
  
  > Go upwards
  The top of the staircase ends in the middle of the landing which stretches to the east and west. An interesting painting, with striking use of deep blues and bright reds, hangs on an otherwise drab wall, and opposite, to the south, a large window allows light to flood onto the stairs.
  
  > look at the painting
  The effect is interesting, like a little comic strip without the white boxes to separate the action. A woman in bright pink, surrounded by deep blue ocean, suddenly bursts into red flame and attempts to destroy the world. She is thwarted by the water. Freud would have loved to have met the artist, whose initials are 'SAD'. Actually, now that you look at it, it appears to be a little lopsided, as if it was put up in a rush.
  
  > move it
  You are unable to.
  
  > turn it
  You turn the painting forty-five degrees clockwise, and a door you hadn't been aware of springs open in the north wall. The painting swivels back into its original position.
  
  > go north
  A staircase at the other side of the door takes you up to...
  
  The attic has been converted into rather a spacious, if bare, room. A naked light bulb hangs from the ceiling, spilling light on the various cardboard boxes and general bricabrac. In the sloping roof is a small broken window-vent, and a staircase leads down.
  
  In one corner is your friend Malcolm, bound and gagged, pleading with his eyes for you to release him.
  
  You can also see a cooking apple here.
  
  > look at Malcolm
  He is bound and gagged, and saying "Mffffmmmffumffmmmf!". I think he is trying to tell you to release him.
  
  > Kiss malcolm
  You can't do that; it would be too much for Malcolm's macho pride to bear.
  
  > untie Malcolm
  You untie your friend, and help him to his feet. He seems a little shaky, but then, had you just spent a long time tied up in the attic, you would be too.
  
  "Thanks, mate," he says. "I was just coming up the stairs early this morning when someone jumped me from behind and knocked me out. I came to up here."
  
  It seems that someone is out to wreck this wedding - but who? Malcolm doesn't know, and he can't face Deborah until he can give her a proper explanation.
  
  > take the apple
  You're carrying too many things already.
  
  > ask Malcolm about wedding
  "So much for 'best day of the bride's life'."
  
  > ask Malcolm about the assailant
  Malcolm shrugs his shoulders but doesn't say anything. He is still shaken up a little, you fear.
  
  > look at what you're carrying with you
  You are carrying:
  a Battlebase episode guide
  a small brass key
  a wedding programme