text: [Themes: Superhero, superhero, female protagonist, science fiction, multiple protagonists]
  
  > go downwards
  You let go of the pipes and plummet back down to the floor. Taking her cue from you, Emily swoops down as well.
  
  You are at the bottom of a tall, narrow, north-south niche in the earth, like a slice taken out of the warehouse-like drill room. The slice gets narrower towards the top, though, where thick pipes run along the length of the ceiling. To the east, a reflective black barrier seals the archway.
  
  Emily is nearby, waiting for you to do something interesting.
  
  Both your parents are sprawled on the floor here, defeated and out cold.
  
  > Repair suit
  (the earthsuit)
  The earthsuit appears to be in perfect working order already.
  
  > take the dad's skullcap
  Gingerly, you kneel down and pull on the cap, trying not to exert too much pressure on your father's body, which suddenly seems very fragile in the face of your earthsuited strength. The adhesive resists at first, but then the cap pops free, and your father's eyes flutter open. You pull back, ready for another attack, but the hatred that was in his face is gone, replaced by recognition and relief.
  
  "Kids!" he cries, embracing you each in turn. "Where's Claire?" he says, turning around and answering his own question. "Austin, please take that thing off of her."
  
  You oblige, and in moments, your mother is awake and herself again.
  
  "Austin, give me those skullcaps, please," says your mother in a tone that permits no dissent. She takes them from you, lays them on the ground together, and fires a fierce, sustained blast of heat at them, melting both into one anonymous lump of black plastic.
  
  Please select a response:
  
  1) "Don't you want to study those rather than destroy them?"
  2) "What were those things?"
  
  > 1
  Select an option or 0 to say nothing >> 1
  
  "I never, ever want to see those things again, Austin. I desperately hope that humanity never discovers that particular technology."
  
  Then she turns to your father. "Are you okay, honey?"
  
  "Yes, I think so," he answers. "The worst part was having to call that alien 'Science Master' -- he's anything but."
  
  Mom smiles. "Well, your ego seems to have survived the experience intact." Her expression turns grim again. "Listen kids, something terrible is going on here."
  
  Please select a response:
  
  1) "You know, Mom, we are in college. We're not really kids anymore." 2) "Wait, wait, wait. What happened to you guys? You've been missing for a month!"
  3) "Yeah, what is going on here? What are these guys drilling for?"
  
  > 3
  Select an option or 0 to say nothing >> 3
  
  "Salt," she says, grimacing. "See, bizarre as this sounds, our kidnapper is from an extraterrestrial, nonhuman race. He's named Esrrua, and he thinks of himself as a scientist, though he seems to be somewhat of a laughingstock in his own planet's scientific community. He's formed a bizarre plan to redeem himself by perverting an experiment your Aunt Nina was working on -- he's extracting ancient bacterial samples from salt crystals, and plans to release them into the Earth's atmosphere. We have no clue what effect this will have, but it sure seems like a bad idea."
  
  Emily chimes in before you can say anything: "If they're the same bacteria Aunt Nina was working with, they're liable to turn everybody into gigantic green monsters!"
  
  "WHAT?!" say your parents in unison. You and Emily explain the incident with the earthquake, the bacteria, the monster, the antibiotic, and the crushed football stadium. Hesitantly, you also explain that Emily fired lightning into Nina's eyes, and that she remained blind even after she transformed back into her human self.
  
  Dad closes his eyes. "Oh. Oh, poor Nina. I don't know how I can ever forgive myself for creating the thing that did this to her." Then he snaps to attention again. "So this experiment is even more dangerous than we knew. If those bacteria get out, it could mean the end of humanity as we know it!"
  
  Please select a response:
  
  1) "Oh man, I knew there was a downside to this superhero thing. Couldn't we just call the Avengers at this point?"
  2) "Great Scott! We've got to stop him! Where is he?"
  3) "Does this have anything to do with the alien bacteria lab that I inadvertently wrecked?"
  4) "What theory is he trying to test with this experiment?"
  
  > 3
  Select an option or 0 to say nothing >> 3
  
  "The what, now?"
  
  "Oh boy," says Emily, "I smell another recap."
  
  You quickly summarize your experiences on the artificial planetoid with the different environments.
  
  "So that's what Mrrueao was working on!" exclaims Dad. "He was far too arrogant ever to share any information with us. How fascinating that both he and Nina... well, time enough to ponder that later."
  
  Please select a response:
  
  1) "But Dad, the bacteria I saw didn't turn anything monstrous! They just enhanced intelligence and dexterity!"
  2) "Point taken. What do we do next?"
  
  > 1
  Select an option or 0 to say nothing >> 1
  
  "Really?" says Dad. "I wonder if the heightened radiation levels from the nearby nuclear tests somehow--"
  
  "People, PLEASE!" says Mom. "Right now we've got to stop Esrrua, rescue Thad Andrews, and get the heck out of here!"
  
  "Good point, dear." Dad examines your suits. "Austin, come here for a moment. Emily, you too."
  
  Your father sizes up the damage to both your suits, and opens a previously seamless panel on the back of each. He moves behind you first, and though you can't feel anything, you know he is manipulating parts of the suit that only he understands. Then he turns to Emily, rapidly tapping relays and touchpads built into the skysuit and seeing the muscles and tendons within the suit twitch in response. "There," he says. "I've accelerated the self-healing process and run a quick hack to restore functionality, albeit temporarily. We've got to get you back home as quickly as possible, but first, we have some business to take care of here."
  
  Mom says, "Honey, do you want to upload the--?"
  
  "Ah, right, of course," says your father. He faces each of you in turn, pressing at the nape of each suit's neck until two ports open, then plugging fingers into the ports for a few seconds each. As he's doing this, he explains, "In the time that we stayed here, our suits were upgraded with translation software that enabled us to understand the alien's speech patterns. It cared little about ours, but wanted us to understand its commands. We actually prototyped such a thing in hardware, but that's been left in Thad's observatory back home. The advantage of this software version is that I can transfer it directly into your suits... and there, it's done. You'll need it, because I'm afraid it's going to be up to you to face Esrrua."
  
  Please select a response:
  
  1) "I understand. What would you like us to do?"
  2) "What? Why? Can't we at least face him together?"
  3) "What are you two going to do?"
  
  > 2
  Select an option or 0 to say nothing >> 2
  
  "The risk is too great, Austin," says Mom. "He's had us under mental control for some time, and if he were to regain it at a crucial moment, you two would be doomed. Besides, we know this fortress, and can take care of some important tasks while you're stopping the experiment. Thad Andrews has to be rescued from his prison, those salt crystals need to be melted so that the bacteria inside can be killed, and we need to prepare the vehicle in the hangar so that we can finally get out of here."
  
  "So here are your tasks," says Dad. "Stop that experiment! Subdue and capture Esrrua and his assistants, if you can. Then meet us in the Hangar on the top level of the fortress -- we'll have the escape vehicle ready."
  
  Each of your parents gives you one last hug, then they send you south, down a final transport tube, finally to face the creature behind all this.
  
  > Space
  [Please press a key to continue]
  
  "I have lost contact with the simian-hunters," said Maerr. "They are either killed or free."
  
  The hairs rose on Science Master Esrrua's neck, and for the first time, he detected a faint smell of fear on himself. "No!" he said. "Not when the experiment is almost ready! Begin extraction!"
  
  Maerr keyed in a sequence on his control panel, and said, "Extraction begun." Then his head whipped towards the door, ears at full alert.
  
  "Outside the door, Science Master Esrrua," he said. "I hear something."
  
  Episode 3:
  LUMINOUS HORIZON
  
  This is a small, sterile room, about the size of a walk-in closet. The floor here seems to be made of bare rock. You're facing a doorway blocked by a smooth sheet of grey polymer. Behind you is a transport tube entrance.
  
  Emily stands a few feet away from you, looking fierce.
  
  > examine the door
  A smooth sheet of polymer completely fills the doorway to the north. It even seems to have cut into the rock beneath it to create an effective seal.
  
  > Blast door
  KER-POW! Lightning arcs from your fingers to the grey polymer barrier, but it is unaffected.
  
  > examine the rock
  Unlike the other parts of the fortress, the floor here isn't made of alien polymer. Instead, the walls seem to rest on bare, uneven rock.
  
  > hit the rock
  You drive your mighty fingers into the stone beneath the door, pulling them back to cut deep grooves into the living rock. You could easily grip the bottom of the door now.
  
  > Lift door
  You squat, reaching into the grooves you've made in the stone floor to grip the polymer sheet's bottom edge. With a deep breath, you unbend your knees and thrust your arms upward. The lab door resists your efforts with incredible power, but you manage to create an aperture large enough for you and Emily to go through. You're not sure how much longer you can hold the door up, though.
  
  > go north
  You scamper through the aperture, and Austin wrenches himself to the other side of the door. It slams shut when he lets go of it.
  
  Even though this room is filled with clutter and equipment, it still has about as much open floor space as half a basketball court. A large window occupies much of its west wall, through which you can see another room, where one of the cat-aliens stands before a broad control panel. Byzantine machinery dominates all the other walls, and at the far north end of both rooms, a teleportation curtain shimmers and pulsates. Just behind you, to the south, the unbreakable polymer sheet once again blocks the exit. A monitor window floats in the air, displaying a view of the dilapidated road that winds just west of this fortress. Several clear chambers, one of which is filled with a swirling green cloud, reach to the ceiling.
  
  Austin stands next to you, his eyes taking in everything.
  
  In the center of the room stands another of the cat-aliens: a humanoid figure, well over seven feet tall and heavily muscled. It whirls to face you, and its oval-slitted eyes glare savagely. The creature bares its teeth, flattens its ears, and drops into a crouch. This can be none other than Esrrua.
  
  "SO!" shouts Esrrua imperiously. "Still more apelings come to plague the progress of science! But you are too late! TOO LATE!"
  
  He turns toward the window and points at the control panel. "Maerr, release the bacteria!"
  
  Turning back to you, he curls his lip. "I will not taint my paws with your stink, dirty apelings, when my niarr can destroy you instead!"
  
  "DEVOUR THEM!" he shouts, and the white blob surges forward, long pseudopods writhing at its perimeter!
  
  > Zap blob
  KER-POW! Blue lightning flows from your fingertips into the niarr, and for a moment, the creature grows rigid, processing the incredible energy of your blast. Then it swells, expanding to almost double its previous size. The niarr extends its tentacles again, apparently hungrier than ever!
  
  Meanwhile, your brother is pummeling the niarr, and the creature seems to swell with every blow. It's now about quadruple the size it was when you came in.
  
  Simultaneously, Maerr's paws skitter rapidly across the control panel, and a hissing sound fills the air. "Bacteria released!" he shouts triumphantly over an intercom, and the green gas roils upwards, disappearing from its chamber. A moment later, the monitor displays a hidden hatch opening in the ground next to the road, and a noxious cloud of viridian vapor spews forth! The cloud expands in all directions, not dissipating but rather multiplying, heading inexorably towards the towns and cities of New Mexico, ground zero for the upcoming worldwide infection.
  
  > Fog maerr
  You concentrate, and a thick cloud of grey fog envelopes Maerr. You see the cloud moving frantically, and hear the alien's voice over an intercom, crying, "Science Master Esrrua, I... I cannot see! I cannot trigger the release sequence!"
  
  "NOOOOO!" screams Esrrua. "I cannot be thwarted when I am so close! Apeling, I shall kill you myself!" With this, he springs forward, claws extended and reaching for your face!
  
  Meanwhile, you hear Austin's fist slam into the niarr with a muffled WHUMP! The skysuit's mask doesn't leave you much peripheral vision, but it's enough to tell you that the white mass is growing at an alarming rate, swelling in proportion to the force of your brother's blows. It's now about double the size it was when you came in. So why does he keep hitting it?
  
  > fly
  The ceiling is low enough that all you could do is hover a foot or so above the ground, so you don't bother.
  
  In an instant, Esrrua is upon you, his claws slashing through the skysuit to tear open your throat with unerring precision. Consciousness flows out of you as fast as the blood gushes from your jugular vein. Your last sight is of Austin looking with horror at your prone form and screaming, "NO!"
  
  Your brother's fists fly at your alien assassin... the bloated niarr looms to consume him... blackness descends.
  
  > Zap esrrua
  You extend both your hands, and KER-POW! A huge blast of lightning jumps from your fingers, hitting Esrrua directly in the chest! His body flies backwards, its fur all stood on end, and lands in a heap just short of the teleportation curtain, still convulsing.
  
  Simultaneously, your brother directs a fierce karate kick at the niarr, and it lands with a booming WHUMP! Once again, the creature absorbs his blow, expanding like a water balloon hooked to a firehose! The niarr now takes up almost half the room, and it practically vibrates with absorbed energy. A thousand pseudopods shoot out from its edges, grasping at him!
  
  You hear an anguished, inarticulate scream over the intercom, and the sound of shattering glass. The cloud of fog is on the move, flowing through the broken window, and a screeching voice emerges from within it. "I cannot see you, murdering simians, but your stench is unmistakable!"
  
  "Okay, so powersuit fabric isn't very breathable!" shouts Austin.
  
  Then the cloud charges at you, covering the distance with alarming speed!
  
  > Fog cloud
  (cloud of fog)
  You concentrate on fogging cloud of fog, but nothing happens.
  
  Simultaneously, your brother directs a fierce karate kick at the niarr, and it lands with a booming WHUMP! Once again, the creature absorbs his blow! The thing is standing still, vibrating, obscuring your view of the entire room now, all of its attention apparently focused on keeping itself intact.
  
  With astonishing speed, Maerr's claws reach your face. You feel lacerating pain as your flesh splits and tears, you hear your brother's distant shouts, and quickly enough, you slip into blessed unconsciousness.
  
  > Zap blob
  KER-POW! Blue lightning flows from your fingertips into the niarr, and for a moment, the creature grows rigid, processing the incredible energy of your blast. Then it swells, to fill almost the whole room! The thing is standing still, vibrating, all of its attention apparently focused on keeping itself intact.
  
  WHAM! Austin's fist hurtles into the cloud and connects with Maerr's chest! The alien's body flies out the back of the fog cloud, dispersing the vapor and skidding backwards to land alongside Esrrua.
  
  KA-BLAMMO!
  
  The explosion was so sudden, so overwhelming that there was no time to protect yourself, no time for anything but flying backwards into the wall. When the blackness in your head lifts, the room is much changed.
  
  The niarr is gone, though the walls are smeared with white goo and a sour smell hangs in the air. Gone as well are Esrrua and Maerr, apparently blown through the teleportation curtain shortly before it, too, disappeared. And now the room itself seems to be unraveling, while a series of yowls repeat in the air, conveniently translated by the software in your suit:
  
  "Critical state reached... Self-consumption sequence commenced... Critical state reached... Self-consumption sequence commenced..."
  
  All of the equipment that was in this room is gone, and even the walls themselves seem to be rapidly dissolving, melting away before your eyes like film over a candle. Chunks of dirt and large rocks are falling through the rapidly opening holes, and the room seems to be a hair's breadth from collapsing outright!
  
  One beneficial side-effect of the ongoing room-erasure is that the passage to the south has reopened, and a lucky thing, too, since that's the only way out of here.
  
  Austin is beside you, looking deeply alarmed.
  
  > Go south
  Austin follows you.
  
  Holes are appearing in the walls of this room, but it's still more or less retaining its shape for the moment. The doorway to the north is blocked by thousands of tons of caved-in earth, but the transport tube is unscathed, at least for now.
  
  Austin is running right behind you.
  
  The walls continue to dissolve before your eyes, and that eerily calm alien voice keeps advising you:
  
  "Critical state reached... Self-consumption sequence continues... Critical state reached... Self-consumption sequence continues..."
  
  > enter the tube
  You step into the tube, and there is a WHOOSH of air with the sensation of upward motion; you step out into new surroundings.
  
  You were last in this corridor on your way to battle Esrrua, and now it is unraveling along with the rest of the fortress. The dissolution has begin with the transport tube, which pretty much disappeared the moment you stepped out of it, and the walls continue to eat themselves with each passing moment! The corridor continues north, at least for the moment.
  
  Austin steps out of the tube a second behind you.
  
  The walls continue to dissolve before your eyes, and that eerily calm alien voice keeps advising you:
  
  "Critical state reached... Self-consumption sequence continues... Critical state reached... Self-consumption sequence continues..."
  
  > go north
  Austin follows you.
  
  The corridor has almost collapsed already -- the only things keeping the ceiling from caving in are the pipes above you, which have bowed to an alarming degree, dipping to less than a foot above your head. Dirt and rocks fall between them in a constant rain. The south end of the corridor has caved in completely. Even worse, a huge boulder has rolled into the corridor, blocking your path completely!
  
  Austin is running right behind you.
  
  An enormous piece of rocky debris fills the corridor.
  
  The walls continue to dissolve before your eyes, and that eerily calm alien voice keeps advising you:
  
  "Critical state reached... Self-consumption sequence continues... Critical state reached... Self-consumption sequence continues..."
  
  > FDKJFKD
  Enter saved game to store: Ok.
  
  > Hit debris
  SMASH! With a mighty blow, you shatter the great rock into gravel! With the boulder gone, you can see that as the walls continue to unravel, the barrier to the east has melted away. A northern route into unknown territory is also open.
  
  The room is just seconds away from collapsing!
  
  > go north
  Emily follows you.
  
  Like the rest of the fortress, this corridor is about to cease existing. The self-consumption virus is spreading from the south, and coming closer and closer to the transportation tube at the north end of the corridor. Rubble blocks the path south, and what looks like it might have been another tube on the west wall, so that remaining tube is looking like your best and only option.
  
  Emily is flying right behind you.
  
  The walls continue to dissolve before your eyes, and that eerily calm alien voice keeps advising you:
  
  "Critical state reached... Self-consumption sequence continues... Critical state reached... Self-consumption sequence continues..."
  
  > enter the tube
  You step into the tube, and there is a WHOOSH of air with the sensation of upward motion; you step out into new surroundings.
  
  The decay has advanced considerably around you, and the entire fortress looks on the verge of disintegration. Collapsed ceilings block the way west and south, and the ongoing cave-in continues to force you eastwards. The walls keep liquefying, and the ceiling here is shuddering unsteadily.
  
  Emily floats out of the tube a second behind you.
  
  The walls continue to dissolve before your eyes, and that eerily calm alien voice keeps advising you:
  
  "Critical state reached... Self-consumption sequence continues... Critical state reached... Self-consumption sequence continues..."
  
  > Go east
  Emily follows you.
  
  Alarming holes keep blooming in the walls, and the ceiling sways drunkenly. An archway offers escape to the south.
  
  Emily is flying right behind you.
  
  An archway leads south into shadow.
  
  The walls continue to dissolve before your eyes, and that eerily calm alien voice keeps advising you:
  
  "Critical state reached... Self-consumption sequence continues... Critical state reached... Self-consumption sequence continues..."
  
  > go south
  You and Emily dash through the archway as the room falls apart behind you!
  
  The fortress is disintegrating all around you, but the ceiling here is open, and the pipe-covered vehicle hovers about eight feet off the ground. The vehicle's floor is transparent, and through it you can see Mom and Dad, along with an older man who must be Thaddeus Andrews, urging you to enter via a large hatch. A quick jump and you're in, with Emily swooping right behind you. The hatch closes, Dad manipulates an alien device, and the vehicle rises higher. Through its floor, you can see the last of the fortress consume itself into nonexistence, with only a sinkhole in the desert to suggest anything of Earth's first contact with an extraterrestrial species.
  
  "Austin!" says Emily, grabbing your arm, "We did it! We found Mom and Dad, and basically saved the world in the process! The freaking world, Austin! We are superheroes! We are a family of superheroes, and my GOD, we rock!"
  
  Yeah. Saved the world. You did, didn't you?
  
  Life is going to be a whole lot different now. That's the thought that keeps going through your head as you sail westward, in an alien vehicle, with your super-powered family, into the luminous horizon.