text: [Themes: Science Fiction, Espionage, memorable NPC, science fiction, gadgets]
  
  > Look around
  This is the end of a short hallway, which runs southwest back to the main corridor. Three large doorways open to the north, east, and south.
  
  > go to the east
  As you step into the room, a buzzer begins to sound.
  
  Dark wood panelling surrounds you, a refuge from the harsh white visible to the west. A massive mahogany desk sits in one corner. The rest of the room is mostly metal cabinets, but a few sketches take their share of wall, and a bookcase stands by the desk.
  
  The harsh buzz continues. Within moments you also hear footsteps hurrying towards you.
  
  -- glaring light...
  
  [Hit any key.]
  Interrogation Chamber (imprisoned in the chair)
  You blink away memory. The dim room comes again into focus, and the man behind the desk.
  
  He looks irritable. "No, no scan-web alarms. Not then, not at all."
  
  ...glaring light --
  
  [Hit any key.]
  
  > go to the east
  Dark wood panelling surrounds you, a refuge from the harsh white visible to the west. A massive mahogany desk sits in one corner. The rest of the room is mostly metal cabinets, but a few sketches take their share of wall, and a bookcase stands by the desk.
  
  A moment after you step into the room, the scrambler emits a sharp squeal. Then a sharper crackling noise -- and then a thread of smoke, as its quiet vibration ceases.
  
  > examine the desk
  The desk is an imposing mass, plain of line but precisely crafted. There is nothing on the desk.
  
  > look at the cabinets
  Three-drawer metal cabinets stand in rows along each wall. The drawers are the normal size for file folders; there is a tiny black plate on the front of each one. The cabinets are all closed.
  
  > open the cabinet
  You pull on a few of the handles, but all the drawers seem to be locked.
  
  > look
  Dark wood panelling surrounds you, a refuge from the harsh white visible to the west. A massive mahogany desk sits in one corner. The rest of the room is mostly metal cabinets, but a few sketches take their share of wall, and a bookcase stands by the desk.
  
  > look at the sketches
  Which do you mean, the portrait of a young man, the drawing of a night sky or the seascape?
  
  > Portrait
  A young man looks out from precise ink stippling. His expression is serious, and dark eyes meet yours with near-visible force. You have never seen his face before.
  
  > get the portrait
  You pull the portrait of a young man from the wall.
  
  > look at the sky
  The sketch is in soft talc-pencil, but nonetheless the stars shine out, hard distant facets in a jewel-black expanse. One moon is high and one is rising; they too are in bright focus, every crater and mare. The cool burning moons'-light tints the sky silver from behind.
  
  > get the sky
  You pull the drawing of a night sky from the wall.
  
  > look at the seascape
  Grey waves beat below an indeterminate, cloudy sky. Nearly lost in the distance is a raft -- a tiny shape bearing away beneath a wind-torn white sail.
  
  > get the seascape
  You pull the seascape from the wall.
  
  > look
  Dark wood panelling surrounds you, a refuge from the harsh white visible to the west. A massive mahogany desk sits in one corner. The rest of the room is mostly metal cabinets, but a bookcase stands by the desk.
  
  > examine the wall
  Some rich wood, in pleasingly irregular spans, polished but naturally dark.
  
  > examine the bookcase
  The bookcase is hand-carved, hung with wooden ivy vines and tiny berries. Volumes of technology journals fill some shelves; but others display antique folios, leather-bound collections of plays, and a small array of dawn-tales and fireside stories.
  
  > search the wall
  You can't see any unusual cracks or spaces in the panelling. But then, it would be unusual if you could.
  
  > look at the plays
  You see the complete works of Gahtmahan, "Nightclumps and Wind-Whispers," a volume of Connaeus woodcuts... if you had time, the shelves would be worth a closer look. You don't.
  
  (I hope you weren't expecting some kind of "Rito and Imita" in-joke.)
  
  > examine journals
  You see the complete works of Gahtmahan, "Nightclumps and Wind-Whispers," a volume of Connaeus woodcuts... if you had time, the shelves would be worth a closer look. You don't.
  
  > examine the desk
  The desk is an imposing mass, plain of line but precisely crafted. There is nothing on the desk.
  
  > look under the desk
  You peer hopefully under the desk, but even there the floor is relentlessly tidy.
  
  > examine the sail
  Grey waves beat below an indeterminate, cloudy sky. Nearly lost in the distance is a raft -- a tiny shape bearing away beneath a wind-torn white sail.
  
  The drawing has been removed from the wall, revealing a magnetic mounting pad on the back.
  
  > look at the pad
  A magnetic pad is visible on the back of the sketch. It's nothing unusual; it just keeps the thing on the wall where it belongs.
  
  > get the pad
  That's part of the sketch.
  
  > examine the sketch
  Which do you mean, the seascape, the drawing of a night sky or the portrait of a young man?
  
  > Sky
  The sketch is in soft talc-pencil, but nonetheless the stars shine out, hard distant facets in a jewel-black expanse. One moon is high and one is rising; they too are in bright focus, every crater and mare. The cool burning moons'-light tints the sky silver from behind.
  
  The drawing has been removed from the wall, revealing a magnetic mounting pad on the back.
  
  > go south
  This narrow room is lined with steel lockers. There is a plain table at the south end, and the doorway to the north exits to the corridor. All the lockers are closed.
  
  On the table is a pen.
  
  A buzzer begins sounding up and down the halls. Moments later, you hear guards running in your direction.
  
  -- glaring light...
  
  [Hit any key.]
  Interrogation Chamber (imprisoned in the chair)
  You blink away memory. The dim room comes again into focus, and the man behind the desk.
  
  "We went back, you must know, and looked at every stray spark in the scan-data. We know how you used the scrambler. On and off, briefly enough to never upset our systems. And it did not get you caught."
  
  ...glaring light --
  
  [Hit any key.]
  Security Annex
  This is the end of a short hallway, which runs southwest back to the main corridor. Three large doorways open to the north, east, and south.
  
  > Examine toggle
  It's a small black box with a two-way toggle switch on one side, and a plus link on the other. The switch is on.
  
  > Disconnect toggle from scrambler
  You disconnect the scan scrambler, and take the toggle switch as it turns black again.
  
  The scrambler shuts down, and its status dot goes blue.
  
  > drop all
  toggle switch: Dropped.
  toolcase: Dropped.
  wrapped package: Dropped.
  
  > Go south
  This narrow room is lined with steel lockers. There is a plain table at the south end, and the doorway to the north exits to the corridor. All the lockers are closed.
  
  On the table is a pen.
  
  > say the waltz
  Talking to yourself might draw attention.
  
  A buzzer begins sounding up and down the halls. Moments later, you hear guards running in your direction.
  
  -- glaring light...
  
  [Hit any key.]
  Interrogation Chamber (imprisoned in the chair)
  You blink away memory. The dim room comes again into focus, and the man behind the desk.
  
  "We went back, you must know, and looked at every stray spark in the scan-data. We know how you used the scrambler. On and off, briefly enough to never upset our systems. And it did not get you caught."
  
  ...glaring light --
  
  [Hit any key.]
  Security Annex
  This is the end of a short hallway, which runs southwest back to the main corridor. Three large doorways open to the north, east, and south.
  
  > Examine toggle
  It's a small black box with a two-way toggle switch on one side, and a plus link on the other. The switch is on.
  
  > Disconnect toggle from scrambler
  You disconnect the scan scrambler, and take the toggle switch as it turns black again.
  
  > connect the timer to the scrambler
  You connect the timer to the scan scrambler. The timer turns orange to confirm the match.
  
  > turn green to 2
  You set the green dial to 2.
  
  > turn blue to 5
  You set the blue dial to 5.
  
  > set the blue to 1
  You set the blue dial to 1.
  
  > go south
  As you step into the room, a buzzer begins to sound.
  
  This narrow room is lined with steel lockers. There is a plain table at the south end, and the doorway to the north exits to the corridor. All the lockers are closed.
  
  On the table is a pen.
  
  The timer's blue dial flashes once, and the indicator flashes to 1. The scrambler's status dot goes green, and an almost inaudible whine begins within it.
  
  The harsh buzz continues. Within moments you also hear footsteps hurrying towards you.
  
  -- glaring light...
  
  [Hit any key.]
  Interrogation Chamber (imprisoned in the chair)
  You blink away memory. The dim room comes again into focus, and the man behind the desk.
  
  He looks irritable. "No, no scan-web alarms. Not then, not at all."
  
  ...glaring light --
  
  [Hit any key.]
  Security Annex
  This is the end of a short hallway, which runs southwest back to the main corridor. Three large doorways open to the north, east, and south.
  
  > look at the web
  Which do you mean, the metal-scan web or the bands of body-scan web?
  
  > look at the body
  Just inside each of the three doorways, on the ceilings of the three rooms, you see a glittering band of scan-web. The web's narrow spacing indicates a tight scan -- capable of picking up resonance signals off even a naked human body.
  
  > examine the metal web
  The ceiling is lined with scan-web in addition to the lighting strips. The web's wide spacing indicates a metal-resonance scan.
  
  > look at the key
  It's a small black disc with a key to press on one side, and a short antenna on the other.
  
  > look at the module
  Which do you mean, the radio module or the voice module?
  
  > examine the radio
  It's a small orange box with a short antenna on one side, and a plus link on the other. The link is connected to a scan scrambler.
  
  > pull the antenna
  Which do you mean, the radio module, the voice module, the voice transmitter or the key transmitter?
  
  > Radio
  Nothing obvious happens.
  
  > connect the radio module to the lamp
  The radio module is already connected to the scan scrambler.
  
  > disconnect the radio module
  You disconnect the scan scrambler, and take the radio module as it turns black again. The key transmitter turns black as well.
  
  > connect the radio module to the lamp
  You connect the radio module to the minilamp. The radio module turns yellow to confirm the match, and the key transmitter turns yellow as well.
  
  > examine the timer
  The timer is a small black box with two dials on one side, and a plus link on the other. The status dot is blue. Both the green and blue dials are set to 1; the timer's indicator is blank.
  
  > look
  This is the end of a short hallway, which runs southwest back to the main corridor. Three large doorways open to the north, east, and south.
  
  Your toolcase is lying open nearby. Inside are a minilamp (connected to a radio module), a scan scrambler, a timer, a toggle switch, a voice module, a pushbutton, a blast tab, an acid pack and a voice transmitter.
  
  You can also see a wrapped package here.
  
  > examine the minilamp
  It's a small yellow tube with a lens at one end. There's a minus link on one edge of the tube, which is connected to a radio module.
  
  > connect the scrambler to the radio module
  The radio module is already connected to the minilamp.
  
  > Disconnect minilamp
  You disconnect the minilamp, and take the radio module as it turns black again. The key transmitter turns black as well.
  
  > look
  This is the end of a short hallway, which runs southwest back to the main corridor. Three large doorways open to the north, east, and south.
  
  Your toolcase is lying open nearby. Inside are a scan scrambler (connected to a radio module), a minilamp, a timer, a toggle switch, a voice module, a pushbutton, a blast tab and an acid pack.
  
  You can also see a key transmitter and a wrapped package here.
  
  > examine the voice module
  It's a small black box with a short antenna on one side, and a plus link on the other.
  
  > say the waltz
  The scrambler shuts down, and its status dot goes blue.
  
  > say the tango to the transmitter
  (the voice transmitter)
  The scrambler's status dot goes green, and an almost inaudible whine begins within it.
  
  > say waltz to the the transmitter
  (the voice transmitter)
  The scrambler shuts down, and its status dot goes blue.
  
  > go to the north
  This is the end of a short hallway, which runs southwest back to the main corridor. Three large doorways open to the north, east, and south.
  
  Your toolcase is lying open nearby. Inside are a scan scrambler (connected to a voice module), a key transmitter, a radio module, a minilamp, a timer, a toggle switch, a pushbutton, a blast tab and an acid pack.
  
  You can also see a wrapped package here.
  
  > say the waltz
  The scrambler shuts down, and its status dot goes blue.
  
  > get all
  wrapped package: Taken.
  toolcase: Taken.
  
  > Go east
  As you step into the room, a buzzer begins to sound.
  
  Dark wood panelling surrounds you, a refuge from the harsh white visible to the west. A massive mahogany desk sits in one corner. The rest of the room is mostly metal cabinets, but a few sketches take their share of wall, and a bookcase stands by the desk.
  
  The harsh buzz continues. Within moments you also hear footsteps hurrying towards you.
  
  -- glaring light...
  
  [Hit any key.]
  Interrogation Chamber (imprisoned in the chair)
  You blink away memory. The dim room comes again into focus, and the man behind the desk.
  
  He looks irritable. "No, no scan-web alarms. Not then, not at all."
  
  ...glaring light --
  
  [Hit any key.]
  Security Annex
  This is the end of a short hallway, which runs southwest back to the main corridor. Three large doorways open to the north, east, and south.
  
  > write on the sketch
  Which do you mean, the drawing of a night sky, the portrait of a young man or the seascape?
  
  > Sky
  (with the pen)
  The sliver of crystal breaks off against the drawing of a night sky and is lost.
  
  > examine the pen
  It's an ordinary-looking pen. The nib is missing.
  
  > go to the north
  You are in a dim room, bounded by metal walls. A steel chair squats on a low pedestal; facing it is an instrument-covered desk. Otherwise the room is sterile. The bright hallway waits to the south.
  
  You feel a chill of memory in your bones.
  
  > examine the walls
  The walls are naked metal, unadorned. They give your eyes nowhere to rest.
  
  > examine the chair
  The chair is ugly. Steel slats are riveted to a heavy metal frame, and the whole rests on a steel column rising from a pedestal on the floor. Restraints are welded to the arm and foot rests; wires hang limply from the head support.
  
  > examine desk
  The desk is a standard modular composite design. The surface is panelled with ranks of controls and instruments.
  
  > look at controls
  The desk is covered with dials, readouts, screen panels, sliders, and dozens of other instruments. You can put no form nor name to any of them.
  
  > examine the wires
  Leads hang from the headrest. There is a sensor contact on the end of each one.
  
  > look
  You are in a dim room, bounded by metal walls. A steel chair squats on a low pedestal; facing it is an instrument-covered desk. Otherwise the room is sterile. The bright hallway waits to the south.
  
  > sit in the chair
  You sit down in the chair. It is not comfortable.
  
  You feel another distant chill.
  
  > stand
  You hurriedly stand up.
  
  > sit
  What do you want to sit on top of?