Space Jail

Your name is ''MARIUS BATEN,'' and you are currently interned within Floor 53 of the ''UPPER-LEVEL CORRECTIONAL ZONE'' of the planet ''Z12-A,'' a Prison Planet. Your cell is ''Number 53-16.'' It is cold, damp, and everything is made of metal. Except the mattress, which is made of some form of synthetic fiber and stuffing. (set: $key to false) (set: $weapon to false) (set: $keycard to false) (set: $baton to false) (set: $sonicgun to false) (set: $pistol to false) (set: $badguy to false) (set: $goodguy to false) What do you do? [[Go to the door. -> Door Check]] [[Reminisce about why you are here. -> Reminisce]] [[ Check under the mattress. -> Mattress Check]]

You go over to the door of your cell. It consists of one, single, transparent pane of PowerGlass, with an old-school mechanical locking mechanism on the left side. (if: $key is true)[ [[Pick the Lock! ->LockpickPass]] ] (else:)[ *You can't open this door with your bare hands!* ] What will you do? [[Listen for sounds outside. -> Sounds Outside]]

You press your ear up to the door, in order to listen for any sounds outside. A dull, constant electronic hum seemed to drown out most of the noise, but you could make out the general surroundings. Distant screams, a distant clanging, and the sounds of boots on metal flooring. [[Pull your ear away from the door. -> Door Check]]

You sit back and wonder why you are here. You are ''MARIUS BATEN'' and you are confined here on account of your conviction for ''13 counts of illegal smuggling of a controlled substance.'' Authorities from the ''HIGH IMPERIAL SELECTION OF INTERGALACTIC PEOPLES'' discovered multiple shipments of ''ZYNTHUS 21-K,'' an outlawed bodybuilding supplement used by many non-human species. You know, however, that you were framed. [[Start<-Come back to the present.]]

You decide to check under the aforementioned mattress, lifting it up from the metal frame that surrounds it. A small flash of light, a reflection from the harsh overhead fixture, catches on something and glints in your eyes. You find a ''small sliver of metal.'' (if: $key is false)[ Items: (link: "Pick up Small Sliver of Metal")[(set: $key to true)You have a lockpick.] ] [[Turn around -> ReturnFromMattress]]

You use the small sliver of metal you found underneath the matress. Utilizing that, you manage to jimmy the lock open. It almost seemed like the sliver of metal was shaped for this purpose. Maybe the last person who stayed in this cell had made it? [[Open the door. -> DoorOpen]]

You waste no time, opening the door and stepping out into the hallway of your cellblock. Pressing your back up against the wall, it's likely that you have little time before a patrol comes by and sees you. You have three options. [[Run towards the entrance. -> HallwayFlee]] [[Make towards the floor-control booth. -> HallwayCommand.]]

You decide to make a break for it, running down the hallway in the direction you know is the exit. You draw the attention of other inmates, who either stare enviously or cheer you on. You're going to have to get to the impound hangar, the place where they were likely keeping your ship. The guards would likely be waiting for you there. What do you do? [[Look for a weapon -> WeaponSearch]] [[Waste no time! -> Elevator1]]

Deciding against making a direct break for the exit, you decide to head in the opposite direction, towards this floor's hallway command center. Other inmates press their faces up against their doors confused. Why weren't you heading for the exit? You have TWO OPTIONS: [[Keep going. -> HallwayCommandDoor.]] [[Turn Back. -> ReturnToCellDoor.]]

You ignore the stares and doubts of all the other prisoners. You charge right on down to the hallway command center, where you could access prisoner records, and even trigger the emergency release, no-doubt starting a riot. Good cover for an escape, right?

You get second thoughts. Maybe heading right for the nexus of every single guard inside this place is a terrible idea. You turn around and return to the front door of your cell. You have three options. [[Run towards the entrance. -> HallwayFlee]] [[Try the floor-control booth again. -> HallwayCommandFail.]]

You decide to go back towards Hallway Command again. Surely this is the right choice, after all. Brushing off the confused stares of the other inmates, you march your way all the way back to the door of this hallway's command center. <img src="https://static.turbosquid.com/Preview/2017/01/30__01_14_55/scr1.jpg58728C4F-AEF6-48E0-9996-4C25B98F67CFOriginal.jpg" width="1422" height="800"> Unfortunately, in your hesitation, it's allowed time for the guards to gather two security Drones, who floated on either side of the door. They were small, square-like things, typically equipped with customizable arrays of sensors, along with some sort of armament. "HALT, PRISONER. TURN BACK NOW AND RETURN TO YOUR CELL. LETHAL FORCE HAS BEEN AUTHORIZED." The robot then repeated it's command, in an alien language, in case you didn't speak Universal Common. (if: $pistol is false)[ You have two options. [[Charge the Robots. -> DoorRobotCharge.]] [[Do as they say. -> FleeDrones.]] ] (if: $sonicgun is false)[ You have two options. [[Charge the Robots. -> DoorRobotCharge.]] [[Do as they say. -> FleeDrones.]] ] (if: $baton is false)[ You have two options. [[Charge the Robots. -> DoorRobotCharge.]] [[Do as they say. -> FleeDrones.]] ] (if: $pistol is true)[ You have two options. [[Shoot the Robots. -> DoorRobotShootPist.]] [[Do as they say. -> FleeDrones.]] ] (if: $sonic is true)[ You have two options. [[Blast the Robots. -> (DoorRobotShootSonic.]] [[Do as they say. -> FleeDrones.]] ] (if: $baton is true)[ You have two options. [[Charge the Robots. -> DoorRobotChargeBaton.]] [[Do as they say. -> FleeDrones.]] ]

You decide to charge the drones. Seeing your continued approach, they aim their mounted guns at you. This was the point of no return. [[Grab one of the drones out of the air. -> DroneGrab]] [[Do a cool-ass slide across the floor into the door of the control center. -> FloorSlide]]

You decide to comply with the orders of the drones. After all, they have guns, and you don't. You turn back down the hall, but you know that you've been made. The biological guards are probably headed this way right now. [[Go for the hangar and try to escape the station. -> HallwayFlee]]

You return from the mattress, with a shiny sliver of metal that's just the right size to fit in the lock (Probably). [[Check the door-> Door Check]]

You grab one of the drones out of mid-air, redirecting it to face the other one. It's on-board gun opened fire, intending to kill you, but shredding it's mechanical-brother instead. The drone is blaring it's alarm, trying desperately to fly out of your grasp. [[Smash the drone. -> DroneSmash]]

You suddenly drop low, pushing your momentum into a sick-as-hell slide across the floor, as if you were about to steal home plate in the ancient, historical sport of baseball, with your right leg extended in order to kick the door open. Unfortunately, the door was locked, and also operated on an automatic sliding method. It was also made of metal, meaning you likely weren't even going to break it open anyway. The automatic guns on the drones unleash a hail of laser fire once they reacquire you as a target. You are dead. The End.

In a furious moment of sheer adrenaline-fueled panic/inspiration, you begin smashing the autonomous flying robot against the wall on your right. It's outer shell warps and dents as you beat it into a useless hunk of metal. Luckily, you had been beating the keypad lock on the wall, causing it to short out and open the door to the floor-wide control center. And they say that violence doesn't solve anything. [[Walk Inside -> FloorControlNoWeap]]

You decide that arming yourself against the terrors of Z12-A would be a wise idea. You come to a screeching halt at a four-way instersection in the windowless metal corridors. To the left, someone had left out a toolbox and some spare construction materials. To the right, a painted decal marked the direction of the floor's armory. [[Go to the construction equipment. -> Toolbox]] [[Go towards the Armory. -> Armory]]

(if: $weapon is true)[ You reach the elevator, pipe in hand, pressing the touch screen to summon the chariot of your escape. You wonder for a moment how much longer before the alarm went off, and the entire detention facility placed on lockdown. Almost as if on-queue, you heard the sound of two pairs of boots clomping towards the elevator, communicating with each other in their anonymizing voice modulators. Poking your head around the corner, you got a glimpse of them, not like you needed it. You were already familiar with their appearances at this point. <img src="https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/c81446e1-2b3d-4594-840d-6cd0022f0bf5/d5ctg3k-ab18a366-3585-4f04-9b07-57f96a7c90e7.jpg/v1/fill/w_900,h_1480,q_75,strp/rtb_combine_soldier_concept_art_by_freemanbg24_d5ctg3k-fullview.jpg?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7ImhlaWdodCI6Ijw9MTQ4MCIsInBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcL2M4MTQ0NmUxLTJiM2QtNDU5NC04NDBkLTZjZDAwMjJmMGJmNVwvZDVjdGczay1hYjE4YTM2Ni0zNTg1LTRmMDQtOWIwNy01N2Y5NmE3YzkwZTcuanBnIiwid2lkdGgiOiI8PTkwMCJ9XV0sImF1ZCI6WyJ1cm46c2VydmljZTppbWFnZS5vcGVyYXRpb25zIl19.U6R7auwgEtgzPIjFCLoxGvoUYhuEnCLZeHXkFZ3IFzA" width="450" height="740"> [[Hide and lie in wait.-> ElevatorAmbush]] [[Charge the guards.-> ElevatorCharge]] ] (else:)[ You reach the elevator, pressing the touch screen to summon the chariot of your escape. You wonder for a moment how much longer before the alarm went off, and the entire detention facility placed on lockdown. Almost as if on-queue, you heard the sound of two pairs of boots coming towards the elevator, communicating with each other in their anonymizing voice modulators. Poking your head around the corner, you got a glimpse of them, not like you needed it. You were already familiar with their appearances at this point. <img src="https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/c81446e1-2b3d-4594-840d-6cd0022f0bf5/d5ctg3k-ab18a366-3585-4f04-9b07-57f96a7c90e7.jpg/v1/fill/w_900,h_1480,q_75,strp/rtb_combine_soldier_concept_art_by_freemanbg24_d5ctg3k-fullview.jpg?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7ImhlaWdodCI6Ijw9MTQ4MCIsInBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcL2M4MTQ0NmUxLTJiM2QtNDU5NC04NDBkLTZjZDAwMjJmMGJmNVwvZDVjdGczay1hYjE4YTM2Ni0zNTg1LTRmMDQtOWIwNy01N2Y5NmE3YzkwZTcuanBnIiwid2lkdGgiOiI8PTkwMCJ9XV0sImF1ZCI6WyJ1cm46c2VydmljZTppbWFnZS5vcGVyYXRpb25zIl19.U6R7auwgEtgzPIjFCLoxGvoUYhuEnCLZeHXkFZ3IFzA" width="450" height="740"> [[Hide and wait for them to pass by.-> ElevatorAmbush]] ]

You decide that going for the armory, while tempting, was probably a bit much. You make your way over to the maintenance site, flipping open the toolbox, rummaging around for something that would help. You find a length of pipe that was about as long as your forearm. (if: $weapon is false)[ Items: (link: "Pick up The Pipe")[(set: $weapon to true)You obtain the pipe.] ] [[Go on to the elevator. -> Elevator1]]

You decide it would be worth to risk to procure a more serious weapon. You continue your brisk pace, jogging steadily towards the Armory room. More than likely, it would be locked. Still worth a try. Before long, you come to the armory, a room with a sliding metal door, as well as a PowerGlass window showing the contents within. Shelves upon shelves of advanced armaments, from non-lethal riot control implements to actual weapons that could //actually// kill people. In case you (the player, not Marius) were wondering what sort of things were at stake here. (if: $keycard is true)[ You slip the keycard into the slot and lights on the door flash green. You're in! [[Enter the Armory ->ArmInterior]] ] (else:)[ Unfortunately, the door was secured via a keycard-based system, meaning you had little recourse to get inside. ]

You decide to lie in wait. The sound of boots growing ever closer, you steel your nerves as you prepare yourself for the imminent conflict. Adrenaline pumping through your body as- Oh wait, one of the guards dropped something. They didn't turn around to pick it up, either, as the two simply continued onward to wherever they were headed. (if: $keycard is false)[ Items: (link: "Pick up the keycard")[(set: $keycard to true)You now have a keycard to the Armory.]

It was you or them, you told yourself. You decide to rush the guards, letting out a fierce war-cry, pipe raised in the air like the club carried by the proto-humans of yore. You managed to bring the pipe down on the head of one of the guards, causing the front part of it's helmet to crumple as the unknown figure underneath staggered backwards. As you turned to face the other one, you realize that it had leveled it's weapon at you. As the trigger was pulled, you felt waves of discomfort wash over you. It started as a stomach-ache, but then spread to the rest of your body. The weapon was a Crowd-Control Wave Emitter, a weapon designed to non-lethally incapacitate a variety of organic species through nausea, deafness, or other non-lethal methods. You found yourself doubling over reflexively, sinking to the cold metal floor, your brain forced to spend all of it's energy on not ejecting your SynthMeal lunch rather than escape. Trying to crawl away, you finally felt the hands of the guards on your body, as you were dragged back to your cell. [[Better luck next time. ->Start]]

You enter the Armory using the keycard, shutting the door behind you. Looking up, you saw a security camera that no-doubt saw you enter. Almost on cue, the alarm begins blaring. This was the point of no return. You take stock of the selection of weapons, and of those that you were comfortably familiar with, you had three choices. You could feasibly only carry one. A Stun Baton A less-lethal weapon that worked by discharging high-powered electricity into an organic being, incapacitating them. Higly reliable, and issued to almost every single guard here. A Sonic Emitter. Another less-lethal option, this one working by sending highly focused soundwaves through an organic beings body. This was a pistol-sized version, issued to regular guards who needed to incapacitate organic beings at a distance. A Laser Pistol A lethal weapon. Shoots concentrated beams of heat and light as a projectile, to deadly effect. Issued only to guards that work in the Maximum Security sectors of the Planet. Choosing this puts an ethical dilemma right in the palm of your hand. [[Take the Stun Baton]] [[Take the Sonic Emitter]] [[Take the Laser Pistol]]

(set: $baton to true) (set: $sonicgun to false) (set: $pistol to false) You take one of the Stun Batons, flicking the switch, causing it to extend and the head to emit a harsh blue glow. Giving it an experimental swing, you turn to face the armory doors. [[Open the door.]]

(set: $sonicgun to true) (set: $pistol to false) (set: $baton to false) You settle on the sonic emitter, taking it in your hand and flipping the safety switch, causing the device to hum to life. This is it. [[Open the door.]]

(set: $pistol to true) (set: $baton to false) (set: $sonicgun to false) You settle on the laser pistol, loading one of the necessary battery cartridges, and turning off the safety. Cocking it back, you feel a rush of something. Now, the game was equalized. [[Open the door.]]

//BWWWWWWWWWOOOOOOOOOOOW BWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW// You open the armory door, alarm still ringing, the gray metal halls dimmed, now colored with the red rotating lights mounted on the ceilings. Stepping out, you realize that now, the guards would have cause to use lethal force. What do you do? [[Head towards the elevator, weapon in hand.]] [[Head back to the Cell Block Floor Command -> HallwayCommandFail.]]

//BWWWWWWWWWOOOOOOOOOOOW BWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW// You head back to the elevator, weapon in hand, stopping in front of the elevator, and pressing the touch screen to summon the chariot to your freedom. No-doubt a whole legion of goons was one their way here right now, but you weren't scared. You flatten yourself up against the wall of the elevator alcove, [(if:$baton is true) [brandishing your electric baton in both hands.]] [(if:$sonicgun is true) [sonic emitter held up high, prepared to take aim at anything around the corner.]] [(if:$pistol is true) [double-checking your laser pistol to ensure it was ready for action.]] The Elevator door opened up, revealing the lone occupant to be... <img src="https://cdnb.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/013/360/677/large/jonas-prunskus-utility-droid-03.jpg?1539237878" width="952" height="529"> A Janitor Robot. What do you do? [[Kill it.]] [[Spare it.]]

You aim your laser pistol at the drones, firing once, then twice, sending a high-powered bolt of energy through their metal casings, punching two fist-sized holes into them, spraying sparks everywhere as they crumpled to the floor. [[Try to break into the floor control center]]

You level your sonic emitter at the robots, pressing the trigger. A wave-like disruption in the air issued forth from the end of the weapon, rippling down the hall towards the drones. As the soundwave crashed into them, they sparked and whined as the sonic energy overloaded their sensors, causing them to crash into the floor, forced into a hard reboot. [[Try to break into the floor control center]]

You raise the baton over your head and charge down the hall at the security drones. The limitations of a melee weapon in a long corridor is made readily apparent, however, when the security drones fix their on-board weapons-systems at you and open fire. You are dead. The End.

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You wander inside the floor command center, right into the barrel of the sonic emitter, belonging to the guard who was on-duty inside the place. [[Better Luck Next Time ->Start]]

(set: $badguy to true) Acting in the head of the moment, you attack the janitorial drone, [(if:$baton is true) [swinging your baton down on it, crushing and overloading it's in a single swing of your baton.]] [(if:$sonicgun is true) [firing off a sonic blast, rattling the thing so fiercely with pure sound-force so as to break it's optic sensors.]] [(if:$pistol is true) [taking aim and firing, leaving a smoldering hole in the thing's chassis, causing it to go limp.]] With that over, you kick the lifeless body out of the elevator, mashing your destination on the touch panel; The Impound Hangar, located on floor 1. The sheer amount of bureaucracy of running a planet-sized prison meant that, even though it was likely guards were after you at this very moment, it would take a while for them to locate you. The elevator "car" rocketed up through the facility walls, occasionally shifting to the left or right, changing tracks within the great network located within the underground facility. The floor number display steadily counted down like seconds to one of the old earth space-shuttle launches, centuries ago, when mankind first attempted to dip their toes into the vast oceans of space. Your brief respite of historical reminiscence is interrupted by the *//ding!//* sound of the elevator. What do you do? [[Walk out, guns blazing]] [[Hide inside the elevator]] [[Feign surrender.]]

(set: $goodguy to true) You step inside the elevator with great haste, mashing the "door-close" button on the touch-pad. In your disregard for the janitorial robot, you did not even realize that it was still in the elevator with your, gently bumping it's front-face into the elevator door, rather futiley, before giving up, returning to an idle "stand-by" mode. You press the button for the first floor, letting out a long-deserved exhale of relief. The sheer amount of bureaucracy of running a planet-sized prison meant that, even though it was likely guards were after you at this very moment, it would take a while for them to locate you. The elevator "car" rocketed up through the facility walls, occasionally shifting to the left or right, changing tracks within the great network located within the underground facility. The floor number display steadily counted down like seconds to one of the old earth space-shuttle launches, centuries ago, when mankind first attempted to dip their toes into the vast oceans of space. Your brief respite of historical reminiscence is interrupted by the *//ding!//* sound of the elevator. What do you do? [[Walk out, guns blazing]] [[Hide inside the elevator]] [[Feign surrender.]]

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[(if:$badguy is true) [You hide inside the otherwise empty elevator, flattened against the wall. You wait and listen in anticipation of anything. Shouts, orders, weapon-fire, but nothing comes.]] [(if:$goodguy is true) [You hide inside the elevator, and watch as the Janitorial droid slowly makes it's way out of the doorway, whirring and chugging along as it tended to it's duties. "I think we got the wrong elevator." a deep yet androgynized voice called. "Maybe he switched off? On a lower floor?]] What do you do? [[Jump out and attack, in the hope that you'll hit something.]] [[Just wait.]]

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[(if:$goodguy is true) [You wait, and the guards mutter to themselves in their digitized voices to their higher authority. The cleaning robot's mechanical signature grew more and more distant, as it got to work polishing the black reflective floors of the hangar. Once the coast was clear, you decided it was a good time to [[make a break for your shp ->Escape ending]]]] [(if:$badguy is true) [You hide inside the elevator, the suspense killing you. At once, the silence is broken, however, by the sound of a woman's voice giving a curt order. "Throw it." A small metal cylinder landed on the floor of the elevator. Your eyes instinctively look to it, before your entire world went white, your vision ringing. ]]

You decide to act now, lest they check the elevator and discover you. [(if:$baton is true) [Flicking the on switch on your baton, you rush around the corner, swinging the techno-cudgel wildly, hitting one of the guards and then the other, both of them too surprised and too close to act in time.]] [(if:$sonicgun is true) [You step out and blast the two with a wide-angled wave pattern, causing them both to keel over.]] [(if:$pistol is true) [you pop out from behind the corner, firing off two shots, one striking the left-most guard in the mask, while the other struck the guard in the arm. Both fell to the ground, though only one still moved.]] Leaving the two there, you rush into the impound hangar, looking for your ship. You discover it parked in the midst of many others. It's red paintjob and sleek exterior was unmistakable. <img src="https://img1.cgtrader.com/items/781545/03e6cb2453/large/spaceship-dagger-type-1-red-3d-model-low-poly-obj-mtl-3ds-fbx-stl-blend-unitypackage-prefab.jpg" width="676" height="423"> It was your baby. [[Escape ending]]

You hop into the cockpit of your ship, not a care in the world. The excitement of the moment not quite passing from your system, you pump your fists and scream your triumph to the heavens as you slowly lift off and pass out of the hangar and into the open sky. Beyond the dreary gray clouds of Z12-A was the open seas of the spaceways. But your victory is bittersweet. Still a fugitive with crimes pinned to your name, you will likely have only a scarce few weeks, if not mere days, of freedom. You will likely spend most of that time slumming around less-reputable stations and docking ports that are willing to harbor criminals. If caught, you are likely to be re-imprisoned again, or merely destroyed. But you escaped. And that counts for something, right?