text: [Themes: Espionage, Science Fiction, sidekick NPC]
  
  > describe your surroundings
  This elevator has a sliding door to the east, next to which is a control panel, with buttons labeled UPPER LEVEL, LOWER LEVEL, DOOR OPEN, and DOOR CLOSE, plus a red knob labeled PUSH TO RUN/PULL TO STOP. The knob is currently pushed in. The door is open.
  Your boss Mr. Teeterwaller is here.
  
  Mr. Teeterwaller seems to be lost in thought.
  
  > Go outside
  Mr. Teeterwaller comes with you.
  
  This is a narrow walkway along the west edge of an array of glass panels covering the ground to the east. A wall of pipes parallels the edge of the glass a few feet back from the edge, blocking travel except to the northeast. Midway along the wall of pipes is an elevator door.
  
  > Go inside
  Mr. Teeterwaller comes with you.
  
  This elevator has a sliding door to the east, next to which is a control panel, with buttons labeled UPPER LEVEL, LOWER LEVEL, DOOR OPEN, and DOOR CLOSE, plus a red knob labeled PUSH TO RUN/PULL TO STOP. The knob is currently pushed in. The door is open.
  
  The elevator door slides closed.
  
  > pull knob
  You pull the knob all the way out. You feel the elevator lurch to a stop.
  
  Teeterwaller looks around purposefully.
  
  > wait
  Time passes...
  
  You can feel the elevator come to a stop, and the door slides open.
  
  Teeterwaller looks through his pockets for something.
  
  > go outside
  Mr. Teeterwaller comes with you.
  
  as they rise hundreds of feet to the glass panes of the ceiling.
  Lights from the towers above the surface twinkle like Christmas tree decorations through the glass. An elevator is to the west, and passages lead north and southeast.
  A fire hose hangs down from the ceiling, the end of the hose just reaching the floor.
  
  > go to the north
  Mr. Teeterwaller comes with you.
  
  This wide hallway is filled with dust and debris from a construction project. A foreman is looking at a blueprint, and several construction workers are demolishing parts of the hallway. The hallway opens to the south, and continues north past the contruction.
  
  > go to the north
  The foreman waves you by. You carefully navigate through the construction debris, following the hallway as it turns a corner and continues west.
  
  Mr. Teeterwaller comes with you.
  
  This is the west end of a wide east-west hallway. A sliding metal door, labeled "Lab 7," leads north, and a white door, labeled "Observation Room," leads west.
  
  > Go north
  You'll have to open the sliding metal door first.
  
  > open the door
  Which door do you mean, the sliding metal door, or the white door?
  
  > open the sliding metal door
  You can't manage to move it at all.
  
  Mr. Teeterwaller mumbles something to himself.
  
  > open the white door
  Opened.
  
  Mr. Teeterwaller seems to be lost in thought.
  
  > go west
  Mr. Teeterwaller comes with you.
  
  The lighting in this room is muted, presumably to reduce glare on
  the window that covers the north wall. On the other side of the window is a huge chamber, a hundred feet high and twice as wide; pieces of electronic equipment are scattered throughout the area, and a workbench is in the center of the room. Near the workbench is a silver crate the size of a refrigerator lying on its back. A woman, whom you take to be a scientist because of her white lab coat, and a technician, wearing a blue jump-suit, are working with the equipment. A white door leads east.
  
  Through the glass, you see the scientist walk to the silver crate. She does something you can't see to the side of the crate, and the top slowly swings open. The woman reaches inside and removes a black disk, about the size of a half-dollar coin. She holds it up and looks at it, then closes the crate's lid.
  
  > Examine crate
  The crate is made of a very shiny silver metal. It's about the size of a refrigerator sitting on its back.
  
  Through the glass, you see the scientist walk to the workbench near the center of the room and carefully place the black disk on a stand on the workbench. The technician pulls a cart carrying an electronic device over to the workbench, and attaches a pair of electrodes from the device to the stand, on opposite sides of the disk.
  
  > Wait
  Time passes...
  
  Mr. Teeterwaller watches you expectantly.
  
  A woman's voice issues from a hidden speaker; you realize it's the scientist in the lab, talking to the technician. "Okay, we'll start at low voltages and work our way up. Ready?"
  
  The technician carries a hand-held meter to the lab bench, points it at the stand, and nods to the scientist.
  
  "Here we go, then. One percent." She makes some adjustments to the electronic device. You can't be sure, but it looks like the disk glows faintly for a moment.
  
  "Negative point zero zero three gee," the technician says.
  
  > wait a while
  Time passes...
  
  The scientist's voice is audible through a hidden speaker: "Two percent." She adjusts the electronic device, and you again see a faint, momentary glow from the disk.
  
  "Negative point zero one gee," the technician says.
  
  > Wait
  Time passes...
  
  "Five percent," the scientist says. She adjusts the electronic device, and you see a clear blue glow from the disk; the glow fades after a few moments.
  
  "Negative point zero eight gee," the technician says.
  
  > Wait
  Time passes...
  
  Mr. Teeterwaller watches you expectantly.
  
  You hear a warbling sound through the hidden speakers. The scientist reaches into the pocket of her lab coat and takes out a cellular phone. "Yes?" She listens to the phone. "Affirmative. We've just started, but the anti-gravity effect is confirmed." She listens some more. "I understand. We're on our way."
  
  She turns to the technician. "They're ready to start the omicron beam again and they need us to monitor the scattering. Leave everything set up here and we'll resume this when we're done with the beam test."
  
  The two walk briskly to the door and leave the lab.
  
  > go east
  Mr. Teeterwaller comes with you.
  
  This is the west end of a wide east-west hallway. A sliding metal door, labeled "Lab 7," leads north, and a white door, labeled "Observation Room," leads west.
  
  > look at the sliding door
  The door is closed and is labeled "LAB 7--RESTRICTED." A small slot, about the right size to accept a credit card, is next to the door.
  
  Mr. Teeterwaller seems to be lost in thought.
  
  > put the ithe d in the slot
  You slip your ID card into the slot; it's a good fit, but nothing seems to happen, so you pull it back out.
  
  Mr. Teeterwaller watches you expectantly.
  
  > go east
  You follow the hallway as it turns a corner and continues south, then carefully make your way through a huge pile of construction debris littering the hallway.
  
  Mr. Teeterwaller comes with you.
  
  This wide hallway is filled with dust and debris from a construction project. A foreman is looking at a blueprint, and several construction workers are demolishing parts of the hallway. The hallway opens to the south, and continues north past the contruction.
  
  > wear the hat
  (First taking the white hard-hat)
  You're not wearing the white hard-hat.
  
  Mr. Teeterwaller seems to be lost in thought.
  
  > Inventory
  You have your temporary ID card, a map, a garage opener, a jacket, a Project Tyche manual, a DUFON journal, a flashlight (providing light), a Blottnian textbook, a hand pump, a dog harness, a portable hand-held scanner, a looseleaf page, a deck of punched cards, a newer gas mask (being worn), a silver balloon, and a yellow hard-hat (being worn).
  The garage opener compartment seems to contain a battery.
  
  > go to the south
  Mr. Teeterwaller comes with you.
  
  as they rise hundreds of feet to the glass panes of the ceiling.
  Lights from the towers above the surface twinkle like Christmas tree decorations through the glass. An elevator is to the west, and passages lead north and southeast.
  A fire hose hangs down from the ceiling, the end of the hose just reaching the floor.
  
  > go southeast
  Mr. Teeterwaller comes with you.
  
  The proportions of this passage, the workmanship of the marble
  floor, the wire-caged light fixtures all give this corridor an antique appearance. A large room lies to the northwest, and silvery doors lie to the east, west, and south; the door to the south is labeled "MAINTENANCE," and the door to the east is marked "RECORDS."
  
  > go west
  (Opening the west door)
  Mr. Teeterwaller comes with you.
  
  to ceiling. A door leads east; above the door is a small air vent which is blowing a steady stream of fresh air.
  
  > look at the crates
  The crates are neatly stacked from floor to ceiling. The crates all look alike; you see no markings that distinguish one from another.
  
  Teeterwaller looks around purposefully.
  
  > Search crates
  The crates are all closed.
  
  Mr. Teeterwaller watches you expectantly.
  
  > look at the vent
  It's a small vent, only a few inches high; it's blowing fresh air.
  
  > open the vent
  The vent is firmly closed.
  
  > climb the crate
  I don't know how to climb the crates.
  
  Teeterwaller looks around purposefully.
  
  > go east
  Mr. Teeterwaller comes with you.
  
  The proportions of this passage, the workmanship of the marble
  floor, the wire-caged light fixtures all give this corridor an antique appearance. A large room lies to the northwest, and silvery doors lie to the east, west, and south; the door to the south is labeled "MAINTENANCE," and the door to the east is marked "RECORDS."
  
  > go south
  (Opening the south door)
  Mr. Teeterwaller comes with you.
  
  This is a small, musty-smelling room whose only exit is the door to
  the north. A cabinet occupies one wall. Opposite the cabinet is a large air vent, below which is a lever.
  
  > examine the cabinet
  The cabinet occupies the entire wall; it's closed.
  
  Mr. Teeterwaller looks around.
  
  > open the cabinet
  Opened.
  
  Mr. Teeterwaller mumbles something to himself.
  
  > examine the cabinet
  The cabinet occupies the entire wall; it's open, but is empty.
  
  Mr. Teeterwaller mumbles something to himself.
  
  > look at the vent
  The vent is mounted near the top of the wall; it's about three feet square.
  
  Teeterwaller looks around purposefully.
  
  > examine the lever
  The lever is mounted below the vent, and moves left and right. The left end is labeled "Outside," and the right end is labeled "Recycled." The lever is currently at the left limit of its travel.
  
  Mr. Teeterwaller starts telling you some office gossip, but stops, a little disappointed, when he realizes you don't know the people involved in the embarrassing parts.
  
  > open the vent
  It's firmly fixed in place.
  
  Mr. Teeterwaller mumbles something to himself.
  
  > pull the lever
  You pull the lever all the way right. The vent starts drawing in air.
  
  > pull the lever
  You pull the lever all the way left. The vent stops drawing in air.
  
  > climb the cabinet
  I don't know how to climb the cabinet.
  
  Mr. Teeterwaller mumbles something to himself.
  
  > look behind the cabinet
  There's nothing behind the cabinet.
  
  Teeterwaller tells you about the latest episode of his favorite TV show, "Shadow Man." You never liked the show very much--too much silly conspiracy theory stuff--but you listen politely.
  
  > Go east
  You'll have to open the east door first.
  
  > open east
  You start to open the door, but then you hear a voice from the other side. Since you wouldn't want to have to explain why you're here, you decide to keep a low profile for now.
  
  > touch door
  I beg your pardon?
  
  (the east door)
  Touching the east door doesn't seem to have any effect.
  
  Teeterwaller looks around purposefully.
  
  > Go south
  I beg your pardon?
  
  Mr. Teeterwaller comes with you.
  
  This is a small, musty-smelling room whose only exit is the door to
  the north. A cabinet occupies one wall. Opposite the cabinet is a large air vent, below which is a lever.
  
  > inflate the balloon with the pump
  You put the hand pump into the balloon's opening and pump up the balloon, expanding the silver plastic into an oblong ball. Once the balloon is inflated, you tie a knot in the opening to keep the air from escaping.
  
  > look at the lever
  The lever is mounted below the vent, and moves left and right. The left end is labeled "Outside," and the right end is labeled "Recycled." The lever is currently at the left limit of its travel.
  
  > put the balloon in the vent
  You can't put anything into the air vent.
  
  Mr. Teeterwaller looks around.
  
  > deflate the balloon
  You carefully untie the knot and let the air escape.
  
  Mr. Teeterwaller looks around.
  
  > throw the balloon in the vent
  You can't put anything into the air vent.
  
  Teeterwaller looks through his pockets for something.
  
  > throw the balloon
  It would be simpler to just drop it.
  
  Teeterwaller looks around purposefully.
  
  > inflate the balloon with the pump
  You put the hand pump into the balloon's opening and pump up the balloon, expanding the silver plastic into an oblong ball. Once the balloon is inflated, you tie a knot in the opening to keep the air from escaping.
  
  Teeterwaller looks around purposefully.
  
  > release the balloon
  I don't know how to release the silver balloon.
  
  Mr. Teeterwaller looks around.
  
  > drop the balloon
  Dropped.
  
  > wait for a while
  Time passes...
  
  Mr. Teeterwaller seems to be lost in thought.
  
  > get the balloon
  Taken.
  
  > press the button
  (the elevator button)
  The elevator door slides open.
  
  Mr. Teeterwaller mumbles something to himself.
  
  > go inside
  Mr. Teeterwaller comes with you.
  
  This elevator has a sliding door to the east, next to which is a control panel, with buttons labeled UPPER LEVEL, LOWER LEVEL, DOOR OPEN, and DOOR CLOSE, plus a red knob labeled PUSH TO RUN/PULL TO STOP. The knob is currently pushed in. The door is open.
  
  > press upper
  The button lights up.
  
  Mr. Teeterwaller mumbles something to himself.
  
  The elevator door slides closed.
  
  > wait
  Time passes...
  
  You can feel the elevator start moving.
  
  > wait for a while
  Time passes...
  
  Mr. Teeterwaller starts telling you some office gossip, but stops, a little disappointed, when he realizes you don't know the people involved in the embarrassing parts.
  
  > wait
  Time passes...
  
  You can feel the elevator come to a stop, and the door slides open.
  
  Teeterwaller looks through his pockets for something.
  
  > Go outside
  Mr. Teeterwaller comes with you.
  
  This is a narrow walkway along the west edge of an array of glass panels covering the ground to the east. A wall of pipes parallels the edge of the glass a few feet back from the edge, blocking travel except to the northeast. Midway along the wall of pipes is an elevator door.
  
  A lightning bolt rips through the sky nearby to the east.
  
  > go to the north-east
  Mr. Teeterwaller comes with you.
  
  panels, stretching hundreds of feet to the south and as far to the east. The pipes that are everywhere in this compound bend around the sea of glass leaving the area above open to the sky; white cylindrical towers rising up above the pipes are scattered around the perimeter of the glass. A passage through the pipes opens to the north, and the pipes leave enough space for a walkway southwest along the edge of the glass.
  A metal cage, suspended a few inches off the ground by a cable
  hanging from a beam overhead, is just this side of the glass.
  Roughly in the center of the glass, one of the panes has been tilted up, creating an opening in the glass.
  A fire hose is sticking through the pipes about fifty feet to the
  east; the hose stretches across the glass and disappears down through the access hatch.
  
  > Go upwards
  You cross the grating, and climb the gentle slope of the stairway through one revolution around the tower.
  
  Mr. Teeterwaller comes with you.
  
  Landing, two stories up
  A short landing, about two stories above the ground on the east side
  of the tower, interrupts the steady spiral of the stairs, which continue up and down. The canal is visible in the distance below, and the tower looms overhead.
  
  > Go up
  Mr. Teeterwaller comes with you.
  
  Landing, four stories up
  The stairs end at this landing, and go no further up. This landing
  is nearly at the top of the tower, around four stories above the ground, and on the east side of the tower.
  A closed rounded metal door is set into the tower wall to the west.
  A large wheel is in the center of the door.
  
  > Inventory
  You have your temporary ID card, a map, a garage opener, a jacket, a Project Tyche manual, a DUFON journal, a flashlight (providing light), a Blottnian textbook, a hand pump, a dog harness, a portable hand-held scanner, a looseleaf page, a deck of punched cards, a newer gas mask (being worn), a yellow hard-hat (being worn), and a silver balloon.
  The garage opener compartment seems to contain a battery.
  
  > open the door
  Opened.
  
  Wisps of viscous green vapor waft slowly out from the door. Fortunately, the gas mask seems to be protecting you from the gas.
  
  Teeterwaller looks around purposefully.
  
  > go to the west
  Mr. Teeterwaller comes with you.
  
  A catwalk starts at the rounded door to the east (which is open),
  and extends west toward the center of the cylinder of the tower, suspended by cables over a churning, bubbling sea of viscous yellow-green liquid ten feet below. A green, misty vapor swirls up from the surface of the liquid.
  
  The rounded metal door swings shut with a dull thud.
  
  > Pump balloon
  It's already as inflated as it can be.
  
  Mr. Teeterwaller looks around.
  
  > deflate the balloon
  You carefully untie the knot and let the air escape.
  
  Mr. Teeterwaller seems to be lost in thought.
  
  > Pump balloon
  (with your lips)
  You'd have a hard time fitting the balloon under your gas mask. If you want to inflate the balloon with the pump, though, just say so.
  
  Mr. Teeterwaller seems to be lost in thought.
  
  > inflate the balloon with the pump
  You put the hand pump into the balloon's opening and pump up the balloon, filling the balloon with the toxic green gas. Once the balloon is inflated, you tie a knot in the opening to keep the fumes from escaping.
  
  > go to the east
  (Opening the rounded metal door)
  Mr. Teeterwaller comes with you.
  
  Landing, four stories up
  The stairs end at this landing, and go no further up. This landing
  is nearly at the top of the tower, around four stories above the ground, and on the east side of the tower.
  An open rounded metal door is set into the tower wall to the west; a viscous green vapor wafts out of the door. A large wheel is in the center of the door.