50ft by 50ft

(set: $home to "")(set: $love to "")(set: $death to "")(set: $friends to "")(set: $seeEmotion to "")(link-replace: "50 ft by 50 ft. ")[50 ft by 50 ft. (link-reveal: "Titanium walls and radiation shielding. ")[All that's between us and the endless void.]] That's all that's [[left->Passage 2]]

[[Now that everything's gone.->First Description]]

Of course, [[we->Crew 0]] were never expecting to go [[home->Home 1]] anyway. [[Interplanetary spaceflight has certain expectations to it.->Destination 1]]

Twelve of us, total. Ordinary people, not astronauts. Selected as (link: "contestants on a reality TV show.")[(link: "contestants on Big Brother in space.")[(link-reveal: "idiots the world would watch die in space.")[ But not like (link-reveal: "this.")[ We were supposed to have years still.]]]] [[Anyway...->First Description]]

We were expecting to have [[somewhere->Destination 2]] to arrive at, [[though.->We Didn't]]

(link-reveal: "Titan,")[ (link-reveal: "the largest moon of Saturn,")[ the (link-reveal: "only place")[ in the solar system] other than the earth to have surface liquid]] actually. But we were expecting it to [[be there.->It Wasn't]]

[[It wasn't->Saturn 1]]

[[We didn't->Saturn 1]]

[[Saturn wasn't their either.->Radio 1]]

And we couldn't contact Earth. But they'd sent us [[logs,->Radio 2]] while we were [[asleep.->Cyro 1]]

[[The first logs were plain...->Logs 1]] [[But before long there were warning signs...->Logs 2]] [[Mission Control let us know we were screwed right away...->Logs 3]] [[But it took longer for them to realise just how much trouble they were in...->Logs 4]] [[At the end, I think they were just looking for someone to talk to...->Logs 5]] [[But it wasn't until it was too late that we woke from stasis->Waking]]

Keeping us in hibernation wasn't necessary for the distance we travelled. Three and a half years of spaceflight isn't anyone's idea of a (link-reveal: "good time, though.")[ Especially not the TV viewing audience who helped pay for this trip. They'd much rather watch us (link: "get to know each other")[lose our minds] on Titan itself, rather than on a spaceship over there.] Besides, the hibernation beds keep our muscles working without having to strap ourselves to a treadmill. Of course, you can't go into hibernation without worrying something's going to (link: "go wrong...")[go wrong. You know, (link-reveal: "waking up where you're not supposed to be, with no one on the other end of the radio?")[ So I guess it's no surprise that that's exactly what happened.]] [[As the logs showed...->Radio 2]]

Earth, of course. (link: "But more specifically...")[(set: $returnPassage to "First Description")(go-to: "Home Selector")] [[Anyway...->First Description]]

(if: $home != "")[(go-to: $home)][[A penthouse appartment in Hong Kong->Hong Kong]] [[A rural home in buttfuck Alabama->Alabama]] [[An overpriced flat in Sydney->Sydney]] [[A worn down sharehouse in Munich->Munich]]

(set: $home to "Hong Kong")It was always wonderful, looking over the bay. That's what (link-reveal: "hard work")[, (link-reveal: "a little luck")[, and wealthy parents]] had earned me. The city glowed beautifully (link-reveal: "below.")[ Perhaps that's why I applied. The lights from orbit sure beat the view from my building.] My appartment was filled with only the (link-reveal: "best.")[ How could I host coworkers with anything less?] Elegantly designed furniture and the most stylish of modern art. (link: "A testament to success.")[(link-reveal: "A cold and sterile trophy home.")[ (link: "At least I never spent much time there.")[At least I never spent much time there without a glass of wine in hand.]]] (link: "Anyway...")[(go-to: $returnPassage)]

(set: $home to "Alabama")God, the less said about (link: "it")[(link: "the idiots")[(link: "the redneck idiots")[(link: "the redneck racists")[(link: "the homophobic redneck racists")[(link: "those stupid fucking homophobic wife-beating redneck facist racist arseholes")[~~those stupid fucking homophobic wife-beating redneck facist racist arseholes~~ it]]]]]] the better. It was fine when I was (link-reveal: "growing up.")[ I even got on with the other kids back in (link-reveal: "elementary.")[ Middle school's where I started to realise how vicious humans (link-reveal: "were.")[ (link-reveal: "High school?")[ Fuck high school.]]]] But I'm glad I found my internet friends when I did. They didn't have to live there, though. Any chance to get out of that dead end town would have done. I just happened to catch the break that would get me (link-reveal: "as far away as possible.")[ Seven hundred and fifty million miles away, and not far enough] (link-reveal: "God, even dying in space would be better than that shithole.")[Perhaps I should be thankful for my current situation then?] (link: "Anyway...")[(go-to: $returnPassage)]

(set: $home to "Sydney")For what I was paying for the place, you'd think they'd be able to give me somewhere (link-reveal: "nice.")[ You know, free of mould and cockroaches, with pipes that didn't make such a fucking racket at all hours of the night.] And I wasn't the only one living their either! I'd have been just as well living in (link-reveal: "someone's closet for all the room we had.")[ Heh. (link: "I hear")[If you believe current affairs shows] people actually were (link-reveal: "renting closets in the CBD.")[ That probably would have been good practice for living on this spaceship, at least.]] Every else had already moved away. (link-reveal: "All my friends.")[ (link-reveal: "The US.")[ (link-reveal: "The UK.")[ (link-reveal: "Europe.")[ Japan.]]]] I beat them all, though. There ain't none of them that went to (link-reveal: "another planet.")[ Or at least, that was the plan...] (link: "Anyway...")[(go-to: $returnPassage)]

(set: $home to "Munich")It was the coolest house in the whole damn city. It was before I'd moved in, and if (link: "the council wasn't so keen to shut it down,")[the earth still existed,] it would have stayed that way forever. We had a constant stream of artists, musicians, and other cool folks (link: "coming through.")[coming through, and we always threw the wildest parties.] Who cares if (link: "the stairs creak and crack?")[the stairs creak and crack, (link: "and the pipes leak?")[and the pipes leak, (link: "and the taps take a minute to start flowing?")[and the taps take a minute to start flowing, and every time it rains all the electricity goes out?]]] We managed just fine! But even in the best places, (link: "standing still will eventually get boring.")[standing still will eventually get boring, and who wants to miss a once in a lifetime chance?] So that's why when they dared me to apply for the program, (link-reveal: "I went for it.")[ Besides, I was the oldest person still living at the house. (link: "Not that that was a problem.")[Not that that was a problem, but I wasn't getting on with my new housemates like I used to.]] (link: "Anyway...")[(go-to: $returnPassage)]

[[''MC:''->Mission Control]] Mission Control to Huygens 11, Mission Control to Huygens 11, do you read us? [[''OBC:''->On Board Computer]] Signal confirmed, Mission Control. ''MC:'' Copy 11, what is your current status? ''OBC:'' All systems are operating at 99% efficiency or higher. All crew members are stable, and remain sedated. ''MC:'' Alright 11, stand by to recieve your [[news broadcast for flight day 164.->News 1]] ''OBC:'' Confirmed. Standing by [[End of Log->Radio 2]]

''MC:'' Mission Control to Huygens 11. Come in Huygens 11. ''OBC:'' Signal confirmed, Mission Control. ''MC:'' This is just as an update to our earlier news transmission. This isn't official yet, but we've detected some anomylous activity on the fringes of the solar system. ''MC:'' [[Several large bodies->Understatment]] we were tracking seem to have gone missing. We're trying to reestablish tracking now, but keep an eye out for any unexpected deviations to your flight path. ''OBC:'' Confirmed. Was there anything else, Mission Control? ''MC:'' Negative, 11. Take care of them, now. [[End of Log->Radio 2]]

''MC:'' Huygen 11. Come in Huygen 11. ''OBC:'' Signal confirmed, Mission Control. ''MC:'' 11, I've got bad news. Those disappearances we've been tracking, well, it's reached Saturn. ''MC:'' Saturn's dissapeared, 11, and we still don't know the cause. ''OBC:'' Confirmed, Mission Control. This is a change in mission parameters outside of my programming. Should the crewmembers be woken from stasis? ''MC:'' Negative, 11, we're still trying to work out a solution down here. Keep the crew in stasis until we have something we can do about this. [[Supplies should last longer that way.->Lies 1]] ''OBC:'' Confirmed, Mission Control. The crew will be kept in stasis for the indended period. ''MC:'' And 11? God be with you. [[End of Log->Radio 2]]

''MC:'' Huygen 11, do you read me? ''OBC:'' Signal confirmed, Mission Control. ''MC:'' We're sorry for missing our previous day's communication, 11. ''MC:'' Uh, you're an AI, what do you care? A lot has been going on, though. We're just a skeleton staff here, everyone is busy working on that //thing//. ''MC:'' Yesterday, Mars dissapeared. We had telescopes and probes pointed at it ready to see what was happening, and well... I shouldn't share speculation, it's unprofessional of me. But that //thing//, [[it looked alive,->Didn't See]] and where did it even come from? ''MC:'' Sorry, 11, please report your status. ''OBC:'' All systems are operating at 99% efficiency or higher. All crew members are stable, and remain sedated. ''MC:'' Alright 11, stand by to recieve [[today's news transmission->News 2]]. [[End of Log->Radio 2]]

''MC:'' Hey Huygen 11, are you getting this? It's just me today. ''OBC:'' Signal confirmed, Mission Control. ''MC:'' Everyone else is at home with their families now. Or partying, or looting, or whatever. I sure know I saw enough of that on the way over. Now 11... ''MC:'' Now 11, I might have been drinking a bit, so... so don't listen to any of my commands tonight, okay, I don't want to be caught drunk driving. ''OBC:'' I'm sorry, I didn't understand that request. ''MC:'' Ah, never mind then. I think I just came in here to talk to someone. Not you, necessarily, but this can be a message to the crew too. Sorry, the lot of you. You're good people, and you shouldn't have to be in this situation. I guess you're gonna last longer than us down here, though! I should be jealous of you! ''MC:'' It took the moon yesterday. It's looming above us now. I bet it's taunting us. That's why it took all the planets first, I bet. There's nothing we can do for ourself, nothing we can do for you, and I don't know, maybe that's better than having to struggle to the end. We can just let go. ''MC:'' Uh, I dunno, maybe I'm being so close to death makes you philosophical. That's probably it. I'm gonna find out if there's an afterlife real soon, but since there probably isn't, I'm gonna take the other shot at immortality. 11, you're gonna be floating out there a long time, so why don't you hold on to a little bit of me. ''MC:'' I brought my violin today. I've been practicing for a few years now, it helps me relax. I'm gonna play a tune for you, okay 11, so how about you hold on to this in your logs. Maybe some alien will find this sometime, and think of me. [[Anyway, here I go.->Violin]] [[End of Log->Radio 2]]

Waking from the pods is only disorientating in that it's a lot less dramatic than you'd (link-reveal: "imagine.")[ There's no waking up all blurry eyed and stumbling, unable to remember (link-reveal: "where you are.")[Because where you are is the same place you went to sleep, what feels like (link-reveal: "a couple minutes ago.")[ Even though it's been more than three years.']]] We'd expected to see Saturn out the window, and Titan below us. When we saw neither, we thought we must have [[woken early.->Prank]] [[We hadn't, though.->Planning 1]]

Mission control was in (link-reveal: "Houston,")[ since clear skies never go out of fashion for rocket launches,] even though this trip (link-reveal: "wasn't NASA funded.")[ Of course, the TV station had set up their own control room, rather than let this out of their hands.] [[Anyway->Logs 1]]

OBC stands for On Board Computer. It handles the autopilot and maitenance of the ship. The TV company (link-reveal: "considered calling it HAL.")[ But that seemed too much like (link-reveal: "asking for trouble.")[ Trouble found us anyway, so they might as well have gone with that name.]] [[Anyway...->Logs 1]]

Pretty much (link-reveal: "the standard fare we'd gotten used to.")[ (link-reveal: "War in distant countries.")[ (link-reveal: "Refugee crises worsening.")[ (link-reveal: "Energy prices rising.")[ (link-reveal: "And the obligatory light news segment to keep our spirits up.")[ This one was about a panda who'd gotten himself covered in ink, and wound up printing a picture of himself on a slide.]]]]] There was also a sports report on Arsenal's (link-reveal: "latest game.")[ A 2-1 win against Stoke, for the record.] (link-reveal: "Someone")[, I never did find out who,] on the ship had requested to keep recieving the (link-reveal: "news about their matches.")[ Even though they would (link-reveal: "never see a live game again.")[ But I suppose you're allowed to be a fan no matter where you live.]] [[Anyway...->Logs 1]]

(link-reveal: "Understatement of the century, here.")[ It turned out that one of those 'Large Bodies' was (link-reveal: "Pluto.")[ I know it's hasn't been classified as a planet for years, (link-reveal: "but I'd still say it's a bit more than just a 'Large Body'.")[ (link: "I bet they were happy to see it dissapear, actually.")[ ~~I bet they were happy to see it dissapear, actually.~~ That joke was probably poor taste.]]]] [[Anyway...->Logs 2]]

We only had enough supplies to last us (link-reveal: "one week after waking from stasis.")[ We were supposed to collect the supplies they'd already landed on Titan when we got there.] There was no way they'd get another spacecraft to rescue us (link-reveal: "in that time.")[ Mission Control probably didn't want to tell us we were all going to die (link-reveal: "to our faces.")[ In fairness, they had (link-reveal: "a lot on their plate.")[ The situation had gotten bad enough even amateur astronomers were noticing. They must have been being hassled by the media non-stop.]]] [[Anyway...->Logs 3]]

(if: $seeEmotion != "")[(go-to: $seeEmotion)]I can't help but feel [[thankful I didn't see it->Thankful]]/[[angry I didn't see it->Angry]]

(set: $seeEmotion to "Thankful")The sight had clearly disturbed Mission Control, and knowing whatever it was was drawing closer must have been been weighing on them heavily. That's probably what lead to their mood in [[the later logs.->Logs 5]] [[Anyway...->Logs 4]]

(set: $seeEmotion to "Angry")Not even knowing what caused my doom? It's just the pits. That Mission control had seen it, but wasn't willing to spill the beans is all the more frustrating. (link: "At least...")[(link: "At least it got them too.")[(link: "~~At least it got them too.~~")[At least it got them too. They got to see what was killing them, which is more than we ever got!]]] [[Anyway...->Logs 4]]

As you might expect, the news was full of stories about Mars's dissappearance, and the panic that caused. They all contained one (if: $seeEmotion is "")[very](if: $seeEmotion is "Thankful")[thankfully](if: $seeEmotion is "Angry")[frustratingly] blurry [[photograph]] from a satalite. [[Anyway...->Logs 4]]

(if: $interpretation != "")[(go-to: $interpretation)]Near the horizon of mars was something that looked like... [[Thousands of millipede legs...->Millipede]] [[A cavernous, toothy maw...->Mouth]] [[The tendrils of a sea anemone...->Anemone]] [[A jagged rip in space itself...->Tear]]

(set: $interpretation to "Millipede")Poiny and chitenous, spilling out of a gap down the center, with bands around their length, segmenting them an unpleasant number of times. They were reaching out, towards the surface of the planet, ready to grab and tear a thousand times over. [[Anyway...->News 2]]

(set: $interpretation to "Mouth")Despite the blurriness, we figured we could make out veins inside the shape, and what could only be multitudes of tiny pointy teeth, bristling outwards like a lamprey eel preparing to attach itself to a host. It loomed above the red planet, ready to bite. [[Anyway...->News 2]]

(set: $interpretation to "Anemone")The twisting and reaching of the countless apendages could only be the tentacles of a blind creature, seeking out prey by touch. Rows and rows of them, surrounding a central gash. And, like an anemone, I could only presume that when one brushes up against the planet, they'd all flick around it, drawing it in to the center. [[Anyway...->News 2]]

(set: $interpretation to "Tear")The shape, or more the lack of shape of the anomaly is such that it couldn't possibly exist within three dimensional space. The tattered trailings of space behind the tear, the twisted shapes on the inside suggest something pushing through the fabric of spacetime, or even eating away at reality itself. [[Anyway...->News 2]]

Unfortunately, the onboard computer was not configured to record music. Only text. [[Anyway...->Radio 2]]

We thought it might have been a (link-reveal: "prank.")[ This trip was funded by a TV corporation, (link-reveal: "after all.")[(set: $prankIdea to true) It would be a lot cheaper to put a bunch of people in a set than send them into (link: "space.")[space, and probably a lot more dramitic to (link-reveal: "make them think they'll die there.")[ (link: "That seems too cruel, though.")[That seems almost too cruel, though.]]]]] [[But soon we had to face our situation->Planning 1]]

Going through the [[logs->Radio 2]] let us figure out what had happened while we were asleep, at least in the vaguest of terms. [[We knew no one was coming to rescue us...->No Rescue]] [[We knew we had nowhere to land...->No Landing]] [[We knew we only had enough food for one week...->No Food]] [[We knew we were going to die in space...->No Chance]]

It took (link: "three and a half years to get here.")[three and a half years to get here, and that was with (link-reveal: "the best window.")[ When a ship could make the (link-reveal: "shortest possible trip.")[ Sending a rescue ship could take (link: "months before it could even launch.")[months before it could even launch, and we only had [[one week of food.->No Food]]]]]] Besides, (link: "Earth was gone now.")[Earth was gone now, (link: "as was mars.")[as was mars, as was (if: $prankIdea is true)[(link: "anyone who could help us.")[anyone who could help us, if the logs were to be believed.]](if: $prankIdea is false)[anyone who could help us.]]] [[There was no rescue coming->Planning 1]]

(link-reveal: "Nothing remained of either Titan or Jupiter,")[ nothing I could see from the window,] and there was (link-reveal: "only one spacesuit on board the Huygen.")[ There were plenty of (link: "environment suits.")[environment suits, but they were only meant to operate in the atmosphere of Titan.]] Apart from that one spacesuit, there was no way to survive outside, and nothing out there, even if I did go. This spaceship would be my entire world. [[With nowhere to escape to.->Planning 1]]

They packed one week of (link: "food")[(link-reveal: "space food")[, the kind that (link-reveal: "comes in a tube,")[ just like baby food,]]] into our capsule. (if: $prankIdea is true)[(link-reveal: "Just in case, they said.")[ That sounded suspicious...]](if: $prankIdea is false)[(link-reveal: "Just in case.")[ In case we needed more time to make the landing.]] It was never supposed to last. The (link-reveal: "plan")[, if only it had been that simple,] was to land on Titan, and dock with (link-reveal: "the base that had already landed there.")[ It was much easier to send ships to Saturn if they didn't need to keep people alive on the way over.] There was enough (link: "food")[(link-reveal: "food, solid food")[, for a change,]] on the base to last (link: "years,")[ with more food coming on (link-reveal: "rockets after.")[The first of which had already been launched before the planets started dissapearing.]] But the base was (link-reveal: "gone now.")[ (link-reveal: "Along with the food.")[ (link-reveal: "Along with Titan.")[ (link-reveal: "Along with Saturn.")[ [[Along with everything.->No Landing]]]]]] In one week, the (link: "food would run out.")[food would run out, [[unless someone stopped eating before then.->Rationing 1]]] [[Then we would starve->Planning 1]]

We had to... (link: "Try and find a way to survive!")[(go-to: "First Day")] (link: "Give in and wait for death...")[(go-to: "First Day")] (link: "Make the most of the remaining time.")[(go-to: "First Day")] (if: $rationing is true)[[[Stretch out the food for as long as possible->First Day]]]

(link: "If shared between twelve people, the food would only last one week.")[(link: "If shared between six people, the food would last two weeks.")[If shared between two people, the food would last as (link-reveal: "long as six weeks.")[ But would that be enough?]] But to do that, people would have to die... [[The thought was too horrible...->Reject Rationing]] [[It was the only way...->Rationing 2]]] [[Anyway...->No Food]]

We weren't going to sink to that level. [[Anyway...->No Food]]

(set: $rationing to true)It would be the best chance of survival. [[Anyway...->Planning 1]]

(set: $food to 85)(set: $crew to 12)(set: $days to 1)(set: $spaceSuit to "")Spend time... [[Getting to know the crew...->Crew 1]] [[Getting to know the ship...->Ship 1]] (link: "Getting to know myself...")[(set: $returnPassage to "First Day")(go-to: "Aside")] [[Expending as little energy as possible...->Pass 1]]

Investigate... (link: "The food compartment...")[(set: $returnPassage to "Night 1")(go-to: "Food Comp")] (link: "The stasis beds...")[(set: $returnPassage to "Night 1")(go-to: "Stasis Beds")] (link: "The storage area...")[(set: $returnPassage to "Night 1")(go-to: "Storage")] (link: "The cockpit...")[(set: $returnPassage to "Night 1")(go-to: "Cockpit")]

Think about...(if: $home is "")[ (link: "Home...")[(set: $returnPassage to "Night " + (text: $days))(go-to: "Home Selector")]](else:)[(if: $love is "")[ (link: "Love...")[(set: $returnPassage to "Night " + (text: $days))(go-to: "Love")](if: $friends is "")[ (link: "Friends...")[(set: $returnPassage to "Night " + (text: $days))(go-to: "Friends")]]]](if: $death is "")[ (link: "Death...")[(set: $returnPassage to "Night " + (text: $days))(go-to: "Death")]] (link: "Anyway...")[(go-to: $returnPassage)]

I spent the day trying my hardest not to think about our impending doom... [[Later...->Night 1]]

Get to know... [[The group of crewmembers discussing the situation->Group 1]] [[The balding man working on his pod->Old 1]] [[The pair of women searching the compartments->Women 1]] [[The anxious man re-examining the logs->Rick 1]] [[Anyway...->First Day]]

(set: $metJan to true)"Well, what are we going to do about it then?" "What can we do? We're in a piece of shit spaceship running out of fuel, running out of food, and with nowhere to go!" "I'm hearing a lot of problems, but not many solutions here!" "No shit, that's because there's no solutions to this! We're fucked!" Clearly, the group was having trouble reaching any sort of agreement. As I arrived, a man on the edge of the group introduced himself as (link: "Jan")[(set: $returnPassage to "Group 1")(go-to: "Jan")] and tried to [[explain the argument.->Group 2]]

Whatever this man is doing to his stasis bed, he doesn't seem to want to be distracted from it. [["Excuse me?"->Old 2]] [["What are you doing to your bed?"->Old 3]] [[Anyway...->Crew 1]]

(set: $metNina to true)(set: $metAurora to true)(set: $relationshipAN to 0)The two introduce themselves as (link: "Nina")[(set: $returnPassage to "Women 1")(go-to: "Nina")] and (link: "Aurora")[(set: $returnPassage to "Women 1")(go-to: "Aurora")]. I couldn't help but notice that Aurora was (link-reveal: "practically clinging to Nina's arm.")[ I didn't realise anyone on this ship was (link-reveal: "that close.")[ [[Ask about their relationship->Women 2]]]] [[Ask what they're doing->Women 3]] [[Anyway...->Crew 1]]

(set: $metRick to true)Up in the cockpit, a man was passing over the logs again on the onboard computer. Introducing myself, he replies that his name is (link: "Rick")[(set: $returnPassage to "Rick 1")(go-to: "Rick")] and that he's trying to figure out if these logs are actually real. [["Do you think they might not be?"->Rick 2]] [["Maybe there's something else we can use in there?"->Rick 3]](if: $prankIdea is true)[ [["Do you think this might be some kind of prank too?"->Rick 4]]]

Nina is a dark skinned woman with a (link-reveal: "friendly smile,")[ though the look in her eyes show that it's a forced smile,] and her hair pulled back in a ponytail. She comes from (link: "Washington.")[Washington, but spent her childhood in (link: "Michigan.")[Michigan, a few hours north of Detroit.(if: $NinaHistory != true)[ [[Ask how she ended up on the ship.->Nina History]]]]] (link: "Anyway...")[(go-to: $returnPassage)]

Aurora is a scrawny pale woman with a blonde (link: "bob cut.")[bob cut, and (link: "buck teeth.")[buck teeth, though she does her best to avoid anyone seeing them.]] She comes from (link: "Florida.")[(link-reveal: "Miami.")[ The child of a pair of (link: "yuppies.")[bankers.(if: $NinaHistory != true)[ [[Ask how she ended up on the ship.->Aurora History]]]]]] (link: "Anyway...")[(go-to: $returnPassage)]

"Well, it's a bit of a long story, and if I'd known things were going to get this bad, I (link-reveal: "wouldn't have ever applied")[ But there's no point complaining about it now.] I might as well (link-reveal: "start at the start")[" I lived in Michigan as a kid, with (link-reveal: "my Dad, and my Aunt and Uncle")[ My parents split up pretty early on, you see, and Mom stayed in Detroit when my Dad moved (link-reveal: "up north to find work.")[ I'm pretty sure that was half the reason for (link-reveal: "the break up.")[ Neither of them were shitty parents, but I can see now it was never going to work.]] I didn't really (link-reveal: "fit in at school,")[ I wasn't going to sit back and take it if people were (link-reveal: "talking shit.")[ So I got in a lot of people's faces.] That stops you from making too many friends,] and I guess, (link-reveal: "I never really put down roots anywhere.")[ That probably made it easy to sign up for a one way trip into space." "Also meant that it was easy to ditch Michigan for Washington, when a (link: "friend")[very dear friend] offered me (link-reveal: "a room in the appartment she was renting there.")[ That's the part that felt like the (link-reveal: "best times.")[ I mean, (link-reveal: "I was working shitty jobs, and the appartment was some tiny-ass thing with no sunlight.")[ We went out to plenty of cool events, at least.]] (link-reveal: "Friends count for a lot.")[ Well, I don't know what (link-reveal: "she thought of me")[ I'd never had that many friends (link-reveal: "before her.")[ She introduced me to a ton of cool people. Helped me get out of my shell.] I do think we had something special. (link-reveal: "But I never got to ask her")[" "(link: "She died.")[(link: "It was fucked up.")[(link: "I don't want to talk about it.")[I really don't want to talk about it.]" After that, I felt (link-reveal: "totally unrooted again.")[ Like, I know it was probably really bad idea to hang so much of my life on (link: "one person,")[one person. I should have found a cute girl and gone on a real date or something. I should have,] but she'd done so much for me.] I guess this was something of an attempt to get back on my feet. (link-reveal: "Going all in on something")[ Going into space. Maybe it would have even worked out(if: $relationshipAN is >= 2)[ with Aurora], but there's no point complaining about it now.(set: $NinaHistory to true)]]]]]]]]]]" (link: "Later...")[(go-to: "Night " + (text: $days))]

"When else would I have gotten (link-reveal: "this chance?")[ I mean, we (link-reveal: "would have been pioneers.")[ Like, we might be... we're in trouble now, but if it had worked out...]] Who wouldn't go for something like this? (link: "It's better")[It would have been better] than just (link-reveal: "wasting your life away doing nothing.")[ I was there, for a bit, I guess" "Like, I'm sure you know how easy it is to (link-reveal: "waste away your youth.")[ Sitting around, going to parties, not doing anything meaningful, you know?] I didn't want to turn twenty five and have (link-reveal: "achieved nothing.")[" "I'll say it, it was (link-reveal: "easy back home.")[ I could have followed Mom and Dad's path, get a job, (link-reveal: "get married.")[ But like, that always sounded (link-reveal: "totally boring.")[ And it's what Mom and Dad were always telling me to do. Like they'd even know (link-reveal: "what's best.")[ They never tried anything else.] They were always busy as hell with (link-reveal: "their work anyway.")[ It was just (link-reveal: "making money, you know?")[ You don't need money to be happy! It's better to be doing something satisfying!"]] And don't you go (link-reveal: "judging me.")[ I've heard it (link-reveal: "all before.")[ 'Oooh, Daddy didn't come to your ballet recitals.'] Thinking I'm little miss (link-reveal: "Daddy issues.")[ Daddy issues? (link-reveal: "I wish!")[ Anyone who thinks that's a problem has never had (link-reveal: "Astronaut Issues.")[ This situation here? This is so much more horrible than anything on Earth.]]] Seriously, it all (link-reveal: "made it easy for me.")[ They never made our relationship complicated. They even supported me (link-reveal: "going on this mission.")[ Even if they knew I was never coming back...(set: $AuroraHistory to true)]]]]]]]]" (link: "Later...")[(go-to: "Night " + (text: $days))]

(set: $relationshipAN to 1)"Uh, sorry! I didn't realise I was doing that!" (link: "exclaimed Aurora.")[exclaimed Aurora, with a look of embarrassment.] "Oh, were you? I didn't even notice," Nina replied, and put an (link: "arm around Aurora's shoulder.")[arm around Aurora's shoulder, (link: "to calm her down.")[to calm her down, though it seemed to make her more anxious.]] "We met back at the training center, before the mission. Aurora was real friendly, so we got on well." "Me? But you were so nice!" "If you say so!" "It's true!" [[Anyway...->Women 4]]

"We're looking for anything that might help us out." (link-reveal: "explained Nina.")[ "It's better than sitting around and doing nothing, at least."] "Nina, over here, lets check the food compartment." "Nice plan, we can at least check our supplies." (link: "Looking inside the food compartment, you find...")[Looking inside the food compartment, you find 84 sets of (link: "meals.")[space food meals] "That looks like a lot, but I doubt it will last that long..." [["We'll just have to make the most of it."->Women 4]](if: $rationing is true)[ [["If we had less mouths to feed, it would last longer."->Women 5]]]]

Together, we (link-reveal: "searched through the closests and containers for anything that might help us survive.")[ But we found nothing] [[And so the day came to an end...->Night 1]]

As the ships lights dimmed for evening, we all ate our meals.(set: $food to $food - $crew)(set: $days += 1) We have food enough for (print: (floor: $food / $crew)) more days. [[Good Night...->Dreams 1]]

(set: $NinaDisgusted to true)"Are you suggesting we kill someone just to stay alive?" (link: "asked Aurora.")[asked Aurora, a horrified look on her face.] "We are not going to do any crap like that, no matter how bad things get! You keep away from us!" [[They left you alone, as the day came to an end->Night 1]]

"Excuse you." [["What are you doing to your bed?"->Old 3]] [["Are you being rude to me?"->Old 4]] [[Anyway...->Crew 1]]

"I'm just cleaning out the air tubes. Don't want it to get stuffy now, do we." (link: "he replied.")[(set: $suicideHint is true)he replied, not making eye contact.] "I figure I'm gonna spend the rest of my life in here, so might as well get this fixed now." [["You're a mechanic?"->Old 5]] [["Why don't you come talk with the others?"->Old 6]]

He stood up from his work, and turned to face me. "No, I wasn't. I'm just very busy with my work. There, is that good enough for you?" [["Yes, it is."->Old 6]] [["No, it isn't."->Old 6]]

"No, I'm not, but I manage. I was always good with my hands back home, so I think I can work this out." Finishing his work, he stood and turned to face me. "Look, I don't know what you're up to, but you do what you must, and I'll do what I must. That's all we can ask, now that we're fucked up here." [[And with that, he left me to ponder his words->Night 1]]

"Look, I don't know what you're up to, but the fact of matter is we're all going to die. If you want to argue about that or get buddy buddy with each other or anything, leave me out. I'm a realist, and I don't have to put up with all your crap." [[And with that he turned away from me, and ignored everything further->Night 1]]

Rick is a short man with tanned skin. tightly cropped hair and (link-reveal: "glasses.")[ Normally, glasses make it much harder to become an (link: "astronaut.")[astronaut, but obviously, this mission had different priorities.]] He wears his flight suit (link:"peeled back and tied around his waist.")[peeled back and tied around his waist, (link: "showing a white singlet underneath.")[showing a white singlet underneath, and his narrow, slightly muscled arms.]] He was (link: "raised in Los Angeles.")[raised in Los Angeles, (link: "by a family of immigrants.")[by a family of immigrants, and was the valedictorian of his highschool.(if: $RickHistory != true)[ [[Ask how he ended up on the ship.->Rick History]]]]] (link: "Anyway...")[(go-to: $returnPassage)]

"Oh, that one's easy, going to space has always been (link-reveal: "a dream for me.")[ Heh. More like a nightmare, right?] Most people are supposed to give up on their childhood dreams, but I guess (link-reveal: "I never got that memo.")[ Really though, I should thank (link-reveal: "my parents for that")[ Yeah, they really stood behind me on that one. I didn't even realise it was (link-reveal: "a big deal till later.")[ They always (link-reveal: "worked hard as heck.")[ And they were both undocumented too.]]" "Anyway, enough about them, you asked about (link-reveal: "me.")[ I didn't even want to be a sci-fi astronaut or (link: "anything.")[anything, I always imagined myself (link-reveal: "on the ISS.")[ You know, having to swallow your toothpaste and that?]] So, I ended up studying maths and physics (link-reveal: "a bunch.")[ I think I made it easier on myself by making it into a game, (link-reveal: "kinda?")[ Like, I could pretend I was in astronaut training?] It worked out well for me, (link-reveal: "at least.")[ I ended up making valedictorian for my school." "College was a bit more of (link-reveal: "a struggle.")[ Okay, (link: "more than a bit.")[ I didn't realis how much my parents had been doing for me, and when I got out of their place, (link-reveal: "I started acting up.")[ Going out more, not studying. It got to the point where I (link-reveal: "almost lost my scholarship.")[ Once again it was my parents who sorted me out, though I argued with them a ton before I realised just how much of a tool I was being.]]]] But in the end I (link-reveal: "managed it okay.")[" "Unfortunately, not even that was enough to get into (link-reveal: "the astronaut program!")[ They said it was my glasses, (link-reveal: "but I dunno.")[ It just felt so unfair, (link-reveal: "maybe I'm just projecting?")[ Nah, forget it.]] I think that would have been something of a bad period, you know? But thankfully, it turned out I had (link-reveal: "backup options")[ I saw an ad for this program, and well, I don't think I need to tell you how that (link-reveal: "worked out!")[ Well, at least I made it into space in the end!(set: $rickHistory to true)]]]]]]]]]" (link: "Later...")[(go-to: "Night " + (text: $days))]

"Well, I think something's up, and there's bound to be something in here to (link-reveal: "prove it.")[ Either that, or it could prove that it's real, I guess.]" [["I'll help you look"->Rick 6]] (link: "And so the day came to an end...")[(go-to: "Night " +(text: $days))]

"Something else? You think?" (link: "asked Rick.")[asked Rick, with a puzzled look.] "Like, something to get us out of this mess?" [["It's worth a look"->Rick 6]] (link: "And so the day came to an end...")[(go-to: "Night " +(text: $days))]

"Wait, you think so too?" (link: "asks Rick.")[asks Rick, his eyes wide.] "Some dumb television thing, right?" [["It's only a theory."->Rick 2]] [["It makes more sense than this being real."->Rick 5]]

(set: $RickConvinced to true)"Yeah, I agree! This feels more like (link-reveal: "the plot of a TV show than real life.")[ I've heard of Japanese game shows that do crazy stuff like this, so maybe this is the American version of one of those!" "I'm going to keep looking through these for anything we can use to prove that. Feel free to help me, if you like, but beware, I get pretty focused when I'm studying!" (link: "And so the day came to an end...")[(go-to: "Night " +(text: $days))]]

I spent the time (link: "scanning through the logs again.")[scanning through the logs again, but found nothing.] (link: "And so the day came to an end...")[(go-to: "Night " +(text: $days))]

The food compartment lay at the end of a section that would serve as a dining chamber if the ship had ever (link: "landed on Titan.")[landed on Titan, but at present was just used for storing equipment.] The food compartment had twist handles to stop it spilling open during flight, but (link-reveal: "no lock.")[ So anyone could come and take food at any time. Inside (if: $food >= 10)[were an array of (link: "food pastes.")[food pastes in various flavours.]](else:)[were a meager selection of food pastes.]] A total of (print: $food) meal sets remain. (link: "Steal a pack of food...")[(set: $food -= 1)(set: $personalFood += 1)I stole a pack of food for myself...] (link: "Later...")[(go-to: $returnPassage)]

(set: $airlock to true)The stasis beds were arranged around a central area that was intended for (link: "passing the time and exercise.")[passing the time and exercise, though with the current situation it was being used for panicked discussions.] The bed were upright affairs, with (link: "a lid that closed over the top.")[a lid that closed over the top, (link: "to keep the sleeper in place.")[to keep the sleeper in place, and to make air recycling easier]] Tucked away in a corner, behind the stasis beds, was the (link-reveal: "airlock.")[ The only way out of the spaceship (link-reveal: "while in flight.")[ There were other doors that could be opened once attatched to the base module, but there was no way of manually opening them.]] [[Investigate the airlock...->Airlock]] (link: "Return to my bed...")[(go-to: $returnPassage)]

The storage area is on the opposite side of the spaceship to the food compartment and held all the (link-reveal: "special components the spaceship might need.")[ (link-reveal: "Replacement air and water filters.")[ (link-reveal: "Environment suits, for expeditions on Titan.")[ (link-reveal: "Welding tools and spare heat shielding, for repairing any asteroid strikes")[ (if: $spaceSuit is "")[And a space suit, for (link: "EVAs")[(link: "Extra Vehicular Activity")[Space Walks]] (link: "Take the space suit...")[(set: $spaceSuit to "Me")I took the space suit.]](else:)[The space suit was missing, however. (if: $spaceSuit is "Me")[Presumably because I had already taken myself.](else:)[Whoever had it, I didn't know...]]]]]] (link: "Later...")[(go-to: $returnPassage)]

The ship's cockpit was in a (link-reveal: "raised position,")[ to make way for the main engine beneath it,] in the center of the vessel's profile. The insides were cluttered with (link-reveal: "machinery.")[ The various datacores and processors for the ship's (link-reveal: "onboard navigational computer.")[ All the systems had to have multiple redundancies built in, since the computer was in charge of looking after the vessel while the crew was asleep]] It was clear the cockpit was designed to accomodate the computer, rather than human pilots. Still, there was a large (link-reveal: "round window")[, with six smaller windows forming a hexagon dome around it,] at the (link-reveal: "front of the cockpit.")[ Through which only stars could be seen.] Consoles full of comms information was displayed underneath, but all the indicators were dark... (link: "Later...")[(go-to: $returnPassage)]

The airlock outer doors remained closed at all times, but it was easy enough to enter the chamber from the inside. The outer doors were (link: "large and heavy.")[large and heavy, (link: "strong enough to survive micro-impacts.")[strong enough to survive micro-impacts, but with a (link-reveal: "small plate glass window set into them.")[ Through the window, only the darkness of space could be seen.]]] [[I could easily press the airlock button, and end the waiting...->Decompression]](if: $spaceSuit is "Me")[ [[I could wear my spacesuit out for a spacewalk...->Space Walk]]] (link: "Or I could return to the ship...")[(go-to: $returnPassage)]

Decompression isn't as horrific as it is portrayed in the (link: "movies.")[movies, though that's little comfort to me right now.] (link-reveal: "My eyes didn't pop, my blood didn't boil.")[ What did happen was the air was stripped from my lungs, and when I tried to take another breath, (link-reveal: "nothing happened.")[My throat opened, my chest rose, but instead of filling with air, (link-reveal: "more slipped out.")[ At least drowning people can fill the lungs with water.] Specks floated infront of my eyes as I (link-reveal: "gasped and scrambled.")[ Then it all went black. I was still alive, but my eyesight had given out first. I couldn't even figure out (link-reveal: "what way was up.")[ Not that it would have helped. My struggles slowed, and [[ceased->End]]]]]]

Once tucked safely inside [[the spacesuit->Spacesuit]] I had to wait for the chamber to depressurise, before the doors finally opened. Floating on the edge of the void, it would be easy to get seperated from the ship. [[Clip a safety cord onto the outside of the vessel...->Safe Walk]] [[Cast myself into the void...->Lost 1]]

Specifically...(if: ($home is "Hong Kong") or ($home is "Munich") or ($home is "Sydney"))[ [[My highschool sweetheart, and the rocky romance we shared...->Highschool Love]]](if: ($home is "Alabama") or ($home is "Sydney"))[ [[My internet girlfriend, who stayed steady for several years...->Internet Love]]] [[A one night stand, who left an indelible impression...->Sudden Love]](If: ($home is "Hong Kong") or ($home is "Alabama") or ($home is "Munich"))[ [[The woman I proposed to, all too quickly...->Rushed Love]]]

Specifically...(if: ($home is "Hong Kong") or ($home is "Alabama") or ($home is "Munich"))[ [[A friend from childhood, who'd fallen on the wrong side of the law->Rebel Friend]]](if: ($home is "Sydney") or ($home is "Alabama") or ($home is "Munich"))[ [[Someone I'd considered a close friend, who abandoned me unexpectedly->Lost Friend]]](if: ($home is "Hong Kong") or ($home is "Sydney") or ($home is "Alabama"))[ [[A friend from the internet, who I'd never met->Internet Friend]]](if: ($home is "Sydney") or ($home is "Munich"))[ [[A friend who was much too cool for me, who went overseas->Cool Friend]]] (print: $returnPassage)

I would have to face death (link: "soon.")[in the next few days.] When it comes, will I be... [[Scared...->Death 1]] [[Regretful...->Death 2]] [[Dignified...->Death 3]] [[Grateful...->Death 4]]

Jan is a tall and lanky man, (link: "with the hint of a slavic accent when he talks.")[who hasn't quite shaken his slavic accent.] His fine dark hair is grown out in a (link: "shaggy,")[whisphy,] (link-reveal: "medium length cut.")[ It framed his (link-reveal: "tired looking")[ blue] eyes.] He grew up in (link: "Croatia.")[Croatia, but moved to the Netherlands when he was just sixteen. (if: $JanHistory != true)[ [[Ask how he ended up on the ship->Jan History]]]] (link: "Anyway...")[(go-to: $returnPassage)]

"It just seemed like (link: "the next step.")[the next logical step] That's a little silly, yes? But it comes naturally from the (link-reveal: "rest of my life.")[" "I've always been (link-reveal: "on the move.")[ (link-reveal: "First in Croatia.")[ (link-reveal: "Then to the Netherlands.")[ Then (link-reveal: "all around Europe.")[ I've actually worked in every country still in the EU, did I mention?]] I picked up a ton of skills moving around, but there's never any demand for someone with a lot of different skills, but (link-reveal: "no major skill.")[ If I'd had a choice, I would have studied physics. I always thought I was (link-reveal: "good at that.")[ Obviously they thought I was good enough to get on this flight though, yes?] But I (link-reveal: "never did have a choice there.")[" "Sometimes you've just got to go. Things were bad enough (link-reveal: "before the energy crises,")[ with all the refugees from (link-reveal: "the middle-east,")[ and no one willing to take them,]] and it sounds like it only got worse (link-reveal: "since we left.")[ I saw in one of the logs that even Scandanavia was (link-reveal: "at war now.")[ So maybe I got out at the (link-reveal: "right time again.")[ Dunno where I could escape to now, though. (set: $JanHistory to true)]] Still, it's a shame to think it's (link-reveal: "all gone.")[ Even in the worst situations, life is important.]]]]]]]" (link: "Later...")[(go-to: "Night " + (text: $days))]

"Everyone's upset about (link-reveal: "the news.")[ Which is only fair, of course.]" explained Jan. "I'm not too thrilled about it either. But no one knows what to do." [[Suggest that everyone should take time to calm down.->Group 3]] [[Suggest that Jan take some time away from the group.->Group 4]](if: $rationing is true)[ [[Suggest witholding food from some people.->Group 5]]]

Unfortunately, my calls for calm simply added another voice to the mix, and before long, I was (link-reveal: "drawn into the argument too.")[ In the end, we all wore ourselves out, (link: "achieving nothing.")[achieving nothing, but at least letting out some of the frustration we'd built.]] [[And so the day came to an end...->Night 1]]

Jan smiled, but (link: "shook his head.")[shook his head, a little sadly.] "I think I'll keep on listening, (link-reveal: "just in case they do come up with a plan.")[ You don't have to stay on my behalf. I'll let you know if anything important goes down.]" [[Later...->Night 1]]

Jan didn't seem all too keen on my idea, but several voices in the crowd seem to support it. "That would give us more time to find somewhere to land! Why should we all die if some of us can survive!" "It's the best option! If we really are the last ones alive, then it's our responsibility to continue the human race as long as we can!" "We should draw lots, it's only fair!" [["Yeah! We should draw lots!"->Lottery 1]]

Sticks were prepared, and passed around. When my turn came, there were only four sticks left. I drew... [[Stick 1->Lottery 2]] [[Stick 2->Lottery 2]] [[Stick 3->Lottery 2]] [[Stick 4->Lottery 2]]

In stasis, there are (link: "no dreams.")[no dreams, but now we were sleeping (link: "naturally again.")[So again (link: "They Come...")[(if: $interpretation is "Millipede")[(go-to: "Millipede Dream")](else-if: $interpretation is "Mouth")[(go-to: "Mouth Dream")](else-if: $interpretation is "Anemone")[(go-to: "Anemone Dream")] (else-if: $interpretation is "Tear")[(go-to: "Tear Dream")](else:)[(go-to: "Nothing Dream")]]]]

Tonight, I dream of (link: "legs.")[(link: "pointy legs.")[pointy chitinous legs.]] (link: "Thousands,")[(link: "Millions,")[(link: "Billions,")[Trillions,]]] of them. (link: "Pushing in from all sides.")[Pushing in and breaking the skin. And where my skin breaks, milipedes crawl out of (link: "my wounds.")[(link: "my skin.")[(link: "my hair.")[(link: "my lungs.")[(link: "my eyes.")[(link: "my nose.")[(link: "my nails.")[(link: "my heart")[[[My ©â€ŒØ->Waking 2]]]]]]]]]]]

Today, we woke to a somber sight. The balding man opposite my bed was (link-reveal: "dead.")[ (link-reveal: "He went before us.")[ His bed had still held him (link-reveal: "upright.")[ His mouth hanging open.]]] The decision was made (link-reveal: "quickly.")[ We wanted to (link: "get rid of him.")[get rid of him, before he started to (link: "rot.")[stink.]] He got sent (link-reveal: "out the airlock.")[ His body (link: "floated there")[floated there, utterly undignified,] for (link: "almost an hour.")[almost an hour before it drifted away.]]] [[Will there be anyone left to do the same to me, when I die?->Day 2]]

Tonight, I dream of (link: "teeth.")[teeth and (link: "tongues.")[tounges and (link: "lips.")[lips and gums.]]] Huge, ravenous ones. (link: "The tonue lolls out out the harelipped mouth.")[The tonue lolls out out the harelipped mouth, swollen enough to block even its massive throat. (link-reveal: "It rolls.")[ (link-reveal: "It crawls.")[ (link-reveal: "Furiously,")[ veins bulging from inside,] (link-reveal: "towards me.")[ As it draws near, I can see (link-reveal: "the teeth buried in its side.")[ Every type and size.] It is (link: "coming.")[coming to grind me to paste with its teeth. (link-reveal: "And from inside...")[ [[Come the screams of those it's already assimilated...->Waking 2]]]]]]]]

Tonight, I dream of (link-reveal: "tendrils.")[ (link-reveal: "Tickling tendrils.")[ (link-reveal: "Reaching everywhere.")[ (link: "Holding.")[(link: "Choking.")[Strangling. Tentacles wrapped around my (link: "throat.")[(link: "arms.")[(link: "legs")[intestines. And I'm (link-reveal: "laughing.")[ I can't stop (link-reveal: "laughing.")[ As it crushes me. (link-reveal: "In")[ (link-reveal: "To")[ [[Nothing->Waking 2]]]]]]]]]]]]]]

(link: "Tonight, I dream of broken space.")[(link: "Toni ght, I dream of b rok en spac e.")[T oni ght, I d ream of b rok en spa c e.]] (link: "Cracks spreading through nothingness.")[(link: "Cra cks spreading thr ough nothingne ss.")[C ra cks sprea ding thr oug h nothingne s s .]] (link: "Jagged Tears. Like a wound. Cut into the background of space.")[(link: "Jag ged Tears. Like a wound. C ut into the bac kground of space.")[(link: "Jag ged Tears. L ike a wound. C wh ut into the bac kground of sp ace.")[(link: "Jag ged Tea rs. L ike a wound. C wi si mg uh ut into the bac kgrou nd of sp ace .")[(link: "J ag ged Tea rs. L ike a wou nd. C wih sming cmig tugh ut into the bac k grou nd of sp ace .")[(link: "J ag ged Tea rs. L ike a w ou nd. C with somthing coming though ut int o the bac k gr ou nd of sp ac e .")[J ag ge d Tea rs. L ike a w ou nd. C with [[something coming through->Waking 2]] u t int o the bac k gr ou nd of s p ac e .]]]]]] (link: "Coming to eat us up.")[(link: "Com ing to e at us up .")[ C om ing to e at u s up .]]

Tonight, I dream of (link-reveal: "nothing.")[ Nothing where there should be (link-reveal: "something.")[ Ariving back to the home I used to live, but there's (link: "nothing there.")[nothing but stars. And (link: "then...")[then, (link: "one...")[one (link: "by...")[by (link: "one...")[one, (link-reveal: "they go out.")[ And then (link: "the world's gone.")[[[I'm gone->Waking 2]]]]]]]]]]]

Spend time... [[Getting to know the crew...->Crew 2]] [[Getting to know the ship...->Ship 2]] (link: "Getting to know myself...")[(set: $returnPassage to "Day 2")(go-to: "Aside")] [[Trying to expend as little energy as possible...->Pass 2]]

Get to know... [[The group of crewmembers discussing the death->Group 6]] (if: $metAurora is true)[[[Nina and Aurora->NinAur 1]]](else:)[[[The pair of women searching the compartments->Women 6]]] (if: $metRick is true)[[[Rick->Rick 7]]](else:)[[[The anxious man re-examining the logs->Rick 1]]] [[Anyway...->Day 2]]

Investigate... [[The dead man's bed...->Group 6]] (link: "The food compartment...")[(set: $returnPassage to "Night 2")(go-to: "Food Comp")] (if: $airlocks is true)[(link: "The airlock...")[(set: $returnPassage to "Night 2")(go-to: "Airlock")]](else:)[(link: "The stasis beds...")[(set: $returnPassage to "Night 2")(go-to: "Stasis Beds")]] (link: "The storage area...")[(set: $returnPassage to "Night 2")(go-to: "Storage")] (link: "The cockpit...")[(set: $returnPassage to "Night 2")(go-to: "Cockpit")]

I spent the day trying my hardest not to think about our impending doom... [[Later...->Night 2]]

(if: $spaceSuit is "")[(set: $spaceSuit to "Rick")]As the ships lights dimmed for evening, we all ate our meals.(set: $food to $food - $crew)(set: $days += 1) We have food enough for (print: (floor: $food / $crew)) more days.(set: $food -= 1) [[Good Night...->Dreams 2]]

The crowd had congregated around the dead man's bed. "Someone blocked his air tubes! This was murder!" "We don't know that for certain, it could have been an accident!" (if: $metJan is true)[(link: "Jan")[(set: $returnPassage to "Group 6")(go-to: "Jan")] greeted you as you rejoined the group, and explained the situation.](else:)[A man named (link: "Jan")[(set: $returnPassage to "Group 6")(go-to: "Jan")] introduced himself to you as you joined the group, and offered to explain the situation.] "Apparently, Marcus checked the air filters and tubes on the (link: "dead man's bed.")[Frank's bed. His name was Frank.] He found them clogged up with foil. Tight enough to seal them. He suffocated in his own bed."(if: $suicideHint is true)[ [[Tell the group what he told you yesterday.->Group 7]]] [[Argue that it was murder->Group 8]] [[Argue that it was an accident->Group 9]] [[Investigate the pipes yourself->Group 10]]

(if: $NinaDisgusted is true)[Nina snarled at me to get lost when I approached the pair, and [[I wasn't about to press the issue->Crew 2]]](else:)[(link: "Nina")[(set: $returnPassage to "NinAur 1")(go-to: "Nina")] and (link: "Aurora")[(set: $returnPassage to "NinAur 1")(go-to: "Aurora")] greeted me warmly as I approached, and filled me in on [[what they were doing today.->NinAur 2]]]

(set: $metNina to true)(set: $metAurora to true) The two introduce themselves as (link: "Nina")[(set: $returnPassage to "Women 6")(go-to: "Nina")] and (link: "Aurora")[(set: $returnPassage to "Women 6")(go-to: "Aurora")]. After handling introductions, they explained [[what they were doing today.->NinAur 2]]]

(link: "Rick")[(set: $returnPassage to "Rick 7")(go-to: "Rick")] greets you as you climb up into the cockpit. (if: $RickConvinced is true)[[[I've been thinking more about what you said...->Rick 8]]](else:)[[[I've been thinking about what could really be happening->Rick 9]]]

"We're searching the storage area today," explained Nina. "All we've found so far are spare parts." "Before we launched, I was really worried about needing them. I've seen enough videos of rockets exploding... I can't tell if this is better or worse..." "Well, we're alive for now, Aurora, so why not count our blessings and that." (link: "We kept searching...")[(if: $spaceSuit is "")[(go-to: "NinAur 3")](else:)[(go-to: "NinAur 4")]]

Inside the airlock, the spacesuit felt (link-reveal: "stiff and heavy.")[ This was the pressure being applied to the (link-reveal: "inside of the suit.")[ That wouldn't feel so bad in vacuum.]] On it's back, a small (link: "MMU")[(link-reveal: "Manned Maneuvering Unit")[, a device with tiny boosters to move through space,]]] was attatched. (link-reveal: "It was a lot lighter than the ones used on space stations.")[ But we were never intended to have to go on space walks.] [[Anyway...->Space Walk]]

Tethered on to the (link: "ship,")[ship, (link: "like a dog tied to a tree,")[like a foetus linked to its mother,]] I could float safely, exposed to the void, but held tight by the cord. (link-reveal: "There were stars in every direction.")[ At least they hadn't started to dissapear yet.] Out here, I felt... [[At peace...->Space Walk 3]] [[Lonely...->Space Walk 3]]

(link-reveal: "Nitrogen steamed behind me")[ from the booster unit on the spacesuit's back] as I sped away from the ship. With no atmosphere to slow me down, I only kept (link-reveal: "gaining speed.")[ As the spaceship shrunk to a speck behind me, (link-reveal: "I lost all sense of scale.")[ Now, boosting in any direction had (link-reveal: "no noticiable effect.")[ There was nothing I could do now. [[So of course the doubts came creeping in now...->Panic]] [[Having no control was a relief, in it's on way...->Lost 2]]]]]

(link: "Up.")[Nothing.] (link: "Down.")[Nothing.] (link: "Left.")[Nothing.] (link: "Right.")[Nothing.] (link: "Forwards.")[Nothing.] (link: "Backwards.")[(link-reveal: "Nothing.")[ (link-reveal: "Nothing.")[ (link: "Nothing.")[(link: "Come back!")[(link: "Someone save me!")[(link: "I don't want to die out here!")[(link-reveal: "*I DON'T WANT TO DIE!*")[ [[There was nothing I could do about it though->End]]]]]]]]]]

(link-reveal: "At least the stars were still here.")[They hadn't dissapeared yet.] Floating with no point of reference almost made me feel like my (link-reveal: "body didn't exist.")[ It would have, if it wasn't for the (link: "pressure of my spacesuit.")[pressure of my spacesuit, holding me into my skin.]] But I could (link-reveal: "imagine.")[ Drifting out into the (link-reveal: "universe.")[(link-reveal: "No longer being an individual.")[ [[That wouldn't be so bad, I think...->End]]]]]

And that is how I died in space. Thank you for reading my story. If you want to start again, refresh the window to return to the start.

(set: $spaceWalk to true)On my way back to the ship, I looked in through (link-reveal: "the cockpit.")[(if: $RickDead is true)[ It was empty...](else:)[(if: $metRick is true)[ Rick waved up at me, beaming.](else:)[ A man looked up from his work inside, looking surprised.]]] (link: "Back inside the ship...")[(go-to: $returnPassage)]

"He was working on the pipes himself yesterday?" "What, so he did this to himself?" "You think it was suicide?" "Or he was an idiot, and broke it by himself!" [["It's the only option that makes sense."->Group 11]] [["It's just a theory..."->Group 9]]

(set: $fear to true)The idea is quick to take hold, and before long everyone is convinced (link-reveal: "a murder has taken place.")[ But without any clues on who it might be, paranoia seizes the ship, and everyone backs away into their own personal space, keeping a watchful eye on the others...] [[And so the day came to an end...->Night 2]]

The group doesn't seem particularly convinced by this. But after another long day arguing, they give up on finding a solution... [[And so the day came to an end...->Night 2]]

Examining the bed myself turned up exactly what (link-reveal: "I'd been told it would.")[ Foil had been stuffed into the pipes, blocking the air purifying systems, and leaving him so suffocate.] [[Anyway...->Group 6]]

(set: $peace to true)It takes a little convincing, but eventually this conclusion satisfies the rest of the group. "Wow, suicide, eh? I wonder if the rest of us should start thinking about that?" A grim mood held our hearts, but at least the suspicion had been laid to rest. [[And so the day came to an end...->Night 2]]

Tonight, I dreamed of (link: "my stasis bed.")[(link: "a coffin")[a garbage crusher.]] (link-reveal: "I was trapped inside.")[ (link-reveal: "I pounded on the lid.")[ (link-reveal: "But it wouldn't open.")[ I could do nothing. (link-reveal: "As")[ (link-reveal: "It")[ (link-reveal: "Pressed")[ (link-reveal: "Down")[ On my (link: "chest.")[(link: "face.")[(link: "guts.")[(link: "skull.")[(link-reveal: "lungs.")[ (link-reveal: "Oh god.")[ [[I ÇAN'T B¸REÀ+HºÊ->Waking 3]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]

At the back of the storage area, we came across the ship's (link-reveal: "only space suit.")[ There were plenty of (link: "environment suits.")[environment suits, but they were only meant to operate in the atmosphere of Titan.]] "Well, this is something," (link: "remarked Nina.")[remarked Nina, looking the spacesuit over.] "Yeah, but there's three of us, and only one of it..." (link-reveal: "replied Aurora.")[ "You should have it, Aurora. If something happens on the ship, use it to escape." (link: "said Nina.")[said Nina, and she (link-reveal: "pressed the spacesuit into Aurora's hands")[ (link-reveal: '"No!"')[ (link-reveal: '"Aurora, please it is your-"')[ "I don't want to die alone" (link-reveal: "exclaimed Aurora")[(if: $relationshipAN is 1)["I'd rather die with you."](else:)["I'd rather die here."] (set: $relationshipAN += 1, $spaceSuit to "Nina")(link: "Nina paused to give this thought.")[ "Okay, I'll hang on to the spacesuit for now. For you." (link: "And so the day came to an end...")[(go-to: "Night " +(text: $days))]]]]]]]] [[Ask to have the spacesuit->NinAur 5]]

(if: $spaceSuit is Nina)[(set: $NinaDisgusted to true)"Are you serious? You're asking now? Get lost!](else:)[(set: $spaceSuit to "Me")"Sure, one of us would have had to have taken it anyway] (link: "And so the day came to an end...")[(go-to: "Night " +(text: $days))]

At the back of the storage area, the compartment where the ship's (link-reveal: "only space suit should have been stored.")[ There were plenty of (link: "environment suits.")[environment suits, but they were only meant to operate in the atmosphere of Titan.]] But it was gone. "Someone's already taken the space suit?"(if: $spaceSuit is "Me")[ [[Tell them I have the spacesuit.->NinAur 6]] [[Keep it a secret.->NinAur 7]]](else:)[ [[I did not know where the spacesuit was->NinAur 7]]]

"Well, at least we know where it is now." (link: "And so the day came to an end...")[(go-to: "Night " +(text: $days))]

"That's bothering... I wonder who took it..." (link: "And so the day came to an end...")[(go-to: "Night " +(text: $days))]

"If this is a reality TV show, our best chance to find out would be by trying to get outside and seeing if there's anything hidden out there." (link: "Rick explained.")[Rick explained excitedly] "There should be a spacesuit in the storage area we can use!" (if: $spaceSuit is "Me")[[[Tell Rick I already have the spacesuit->Rick 11]] [[Keep it a secret->Rick 13]]](else:)[[[Go look for the spacesuit->Rick 10]]]

"So, have you ever head of those (link-reveal: "Japanese game shows?")[ (link-reveal: "The ones where comedians have to do crazy things?")[There's some where they get trapped in (link-reveal: "weird situations.")[There was one where a guy was locked in a room naked and had to write letters for people.]]]" Rick asked. (link: '"I think it might be like that."')["I think it might be a (link-reveal: "prank.")[ For a reality TV show.]" [["I don't think that's very likely."->Rick 12]] [["It's more likely than this being real."->Rick 5]]]

"That's excellent, then! Tomorrow you should take it out and have a look! The airlock near the stasis beds should be active." [[And so the day came to an end...->Night 2]]

Heading down to the storage area, we found the spacesuit tucked in the back of a cupboard. We decided that... (link: "I should have the spacesuit...")[(set:$spaceSuit to "Me")(go-to: Night 2)] (link: "Rick should have the spacesuit...")[(set:$spaceSuit to "Rick")(go-to: Night 2)] before calling it a day...

Rick looked defeated at my proclamation, and (link-reveal: "turned his eyes down.")[He didn't look like he'd be continuing with this line of thinking...] [[And so the day came to an end...->Night 2]]

A general air of malaise hangs over the ship (link: "today.")[today, but thankfully there are no more discoveries like on the previous morning.] [[When you don't have a future, it's hard to find energy...->Day 3]]

Spend time... [[Getting to know the crew...->Crew 3]] [[Getting to know the ship...->Ship 3]] (link: "Getting to know myself...")[(set: $returnPassage to "Day 3")(go-to: "Aside")] [[Trying to expend as little energy as possible...->Pass 3]]

With the ill-mood in the air, few people want to talk today. Get to know... (if: $metNina is true)[(link: "Nina and Aurora")[(set: $returnPassage to "Crew 3")(go-to: "NinAur 8")]] (if: $RickConvinced is true)[(link: "Rick...")[(set: $returnPassage to "Night 3")(go-to: "Rick Adv 1")]] [[Anyway...->Day 3]]

Investigate... (link: "The food compartment...")[(set: $returnPassage to "Night 3")(go-to: "Food Comp")] (if: $airlocks is true)[(link: "The airlock...")[(set: $returnPassage to "Night 3")(go-to: "Airlock")]](else:)[(link: "The stasis beds...")[(set: $returnPassage to "Night 3")(go-to: "Stasis Beds")]] (link: "The storage area...")[(set: $returnPassage to "Night 3")(go-to: "Storage")] (link: "The cockpit...")[(set: $returnPassage to "Night 3")(go-to: "Cockpit")]

I spent the day trying my hardest not to think about our impending doom... [[Later...->Night 3]]

As the ships lights dimmed for evening, we all ate our meals.(set: $food to $food - $crew)(set: $days += 1) We have food enough for (print: (floor: $food / $crew)) more days.(set: $food -= 4) [[Good Night...->Dreams 3]]

(if: $NinaDisgusted is true)[Nina snarled at me to get lost when I approached the pair, and (link: "I wasn't about to press the issue.")[(go-to: $returnPassage)]](else:)[(link: "Nina")[(set: $returnPassage to "NinAur 8")(go-to: "Nina")] and (link: "Aurora")[(set: $returnPassage to "NinAur 8")(go-to: "Aurora")] greeted me as I approached. They weren't searching for supplies (link-reveal: "today.")[ They didn't look like they had the energy.] (if: $relationshipAN >= 5)[ I got the feeling I was being a third wheel in this relationship so (link: "I excused myself")[(go-to: $returnPassage)] and left them to each other's company.](else:)[(if: $relationshipAN >= 2)[ Aurora was resting her head on Nina's shoulder.](if: $relationshipAN >= 1)[(if: $NinaHistory is true)[(if: $NinaConvo != true)[ [[Nina asked to speak with me for a moment->Nina 1]]]](if: $AuroraHistory is true)[(if: $AuroraConvo != true)[ [[Aurora asked to speak with me for a moment->Aurora 1]]]](if: $relationshipAN >= 2)[ [["So are you two a couple yet?"->NinAur 9]]]] (link: "Spend a quiet day with Nina and Aurora.")[(set: $relationshipAN += 1)(go-to: "Night " + (text: $days))]]]

(if: $spaceSuit is "Me")[(if: $spaceWalk is true)[[[Rick hurried over to hear what I had to say...->Rick Adv 2]]](else:)["Come on, we need to get you to the airlock, so you can have a look outside!" (link: "So we headed to the airlock...")[(set: $returnPassage to "Night " + (text: $days))(go-to: "Airlock")]]](else-if: $spaceSuit is "Rick")[Rick hurried (link: "over.")[over, with the spacesuit tucked under his (link: "left arm.")[left arm, an eager smile on his face.]] [["We need to go to the airlock and see what we can find!"->Rick Adv 3]]](else:)[[["I've been trying to find the spacesuit, but I can't find it"->Rick Adv 13]]]

(set: $NinaConvo to true)Nina looks around awkwardly before asking, "Aurora's, like, gay, (link-reveal: "right?")[ I haven't just been misreading (link: "the signs,")[//all// her signs,] (link-reveal: "have I?")[ I mentioned that I never really worked this out last time, so I need help to be sure.]]" [["Oh, totally"->Nina 2]] [["I don't know"->Nina 3]]

(set: $AuroraConversation to true)Aurora looks around nervously before asking, "Hey, uh... Do you think Nina likes me?" [["Obviously!"->Aurora 2]] [["Maybe?"->Aurora 3]]

Aurora looked mortified by my question, and even Nina was taken off guard. "What? No! Like, I mean, it's complicated!" (link: "exclaimed Nina.")[exclaimed Nina, clearly panicking.] "Uh, I don't want to talk about it!" And with that, a feeling of embarrassment fell over our group... (link: "Later...")[(go-to: "Night " + (text: $days))]

Sleep came slowly tonight, but with it came (link: "memories...")[(if: $home is "Alabama")[(go-to: "Hunting Dream")](else-if: $home is "Hong Kong")[(go-to: "Dinner Dream")](else-if: $home is "Sydney")[(go-to: "Camping Dream")](else-if: $home is "Munich")[(go-to: "Warehouse Dream")](else:)[(go-to: "Bedtime Dream")]]

(set: $relationshipAN to 5)"Oh thank christ, I swear I was going crazy worrying I was imagining it. (link: "And she likes me, right?")[Of course she does, I need to stop worrying about that. I'll be sure to (link-reveal: "ask her out.")[ Not that we can really call it going out, since we can't leave (link-reveal: "this damn spaceship.")[ That sucks, there were some really nice places in my neighbourhood I could have (link-reveal: "shown her.")[ Not that any of that still exists...]]] (link-reveal: "Just...")[ It feels crazy to be starting a relationship when we both know we'll be (link-reveal: "dead in a week...")[ But no use complaining about it now!]]]" (link: "And so the day came to an end...")[(go-to: "Night " +(text: $days))]

"But how am I supposed to know for sure, then!" [["You can't know for sure"->Nina 4]] [["If you wait until you're sure, then you'll miss your chance again->Nina 5]]

"Ugh! This is so tricky! I just don't know what to do!" (link: "Later...")[(go-to: "Night " + (text: $days))]

Nina looked hurt by my answer, but then she glanced down, before meeting my eyes again. "You're right. I know (link: 'that..."')[that we're both going to die, this time. So I can't waste this chance. I'm going to ask her. I want to make the most of what time we still have left!." (link: "And so the day came to an end...")[(go-to: "Night " +(text: $days))]]

I looked at the stick, and to my horror saw that it had been marked. I had been chosen to pay the price for the others. Despite my protestations, the group bound my arms, and took me to [[the airlock...->Decompression]]

(set: $death to "fear")Of course I'd be scared. (link-reveal: "Who the fuck wants to die?")[ We're animals, programmed to continue our species. (link-reveal: "How could we not fear death?")[ Maybe it'd be fine if there was an afterlife to expect. But no, no one's ever (link-reveal: "proven that.")[ We just have to (link-reveal: "take it on faith?")[ Well (link-reveal: "what if that's wrong?")[ What if there's (link-reveal: "nothing there?")[ Like waking up from a journey they'd promised there'd be something at the end of, but there's *nothing*]]]] And by god, I know (link-reveal: "it's going to hurt.")[ It's going to (link-reveal: "hurt like hell.")[ That's what pain's for, to stop us killing ourselves, so you know this is going to be the worst. Yeah, no shit I'm scared.]] (link: "Anyway...")[(go-to: $returnPassage)]]]

(set: $death to "regret")Maybe I should have realised this before I got on this damn spaceship. After all, this was a (link-reveal: "one way mission.")[ None of us were ever going to see the earth again, so of course we all had (link-reveal: "plenty of regrets.")[ But we were going to have been heroes, it was going to be a trade off. All our (link-reveal: "mistakes,")[ (link-reveal: "our problems,")[ (link-reveal: "our missed opportunities,")[ our possibilities,]]] left behind on earth. In return, we'd get to explore a world (link-reveal: "never seen by human eyes.")[ And we'd be TV stars while (link-reveal: "doing so.")[ I thought it was a fair deal, but now, (link-reveal: "here I am.")[ About to (link-reveal: "die in space.")[ Yeah, no shit am I regretful.]]]]]] (link: "Anyway...")[(go-to: $returnPassage)]

Maintaining dignity (link-reveal: "in the face of death.")[ (link-reveal: "That was a tricky one.")[ Death was certain (link: "now.")[now, so fighting it was pointless.] (link: "The best I could do")[The best I could hope to do] was not to get dragged into it crying and screaming like a (link-reveal: "baby.")[ Even then, apparently corpses shit themselves (link-reveal: "when they die.")[ Real dignified like.] Once again, just like a baby] (link: "Maybe...")[Maybe, just maybe, if I focused my will enough, I could stop myself from panicing when the moment comes. (link: "And so I spent the day meditating on death...")[(go-to: $returnPassage)]]]]

(link: "Fuck it.")[Why should I be upset about this? Everything is already fucked. (link-reveal: "Death is an improvement from here.")[ (link-reveal: "An end to pain.")[ (link-reveal: "An end to fear.")[ (link-reveal: "An end to regret.")[ It's about fucking time. Whatever fucked the solar system did this universe (link-reveal: "a huge fucking favour.")[ Hadn't we been killing (link: "each other,")[each other, (link: "ourselves,")[ourselves, the planet,]] for long enough? Thanks giant space monster. You really did us a solid here. Yeah, it was no surprise I was just waiting for the end to hit me]]]]]] (link: "Anyway...")[(go-to: $returnPassage)]

(set: $friends to "Lost")Daria and I always used to be the closest of friends. We'd walk to and from school (link: "together,")[together, even if it meant walking an extra five blocks on one of our parts,] and every morning we were the first person the other would (link-reveal: "want to see.")[ We always had something to talk (link: "about.")[about, be it TV, gossip, or any one of the elabourate fantasies we'd constructed together.]] We'd even go on holidays together, (if: $home is "Sydney")[camping up the Blue Mountains, or down the South Coast.](if: $home is "Munich")[visiting Berlin and Essen, or even once Venice.](if: $home is "Alabama")[taking a roadtrip down to Disneyland.] That's why it came as a surprise when in (if: $home is "Alabama")[middle school](else:)[high school] she told me we should stop seeing each other. Was it (link-reveal: "something I did?")[ (link-reveal: "Something she didn't want me involved in?")[ Or was she forced into cutting ties with me?]] I guess I'll never know... (link: "Anyway...")[(go-to: $returnPassage)]

(set: $friends to "Rebel")(if: $home is "Hong Kong")[(set: $friendName to "Jin")](if: $home is "Alabama")[(set: $friendName to "Floyd")](if: $home is "Munich")[(set: $friendName to "Karl")]I was a lot wilder as a kid, but my troublemaking was never even in the (link-reveal: "same ballpark as " + $friendName + ".")[ Well, sometimes we were in the same ballpark, but only to write our names on things we weren't supposed to.] (print: $friendName) loved causing trouble more (link-reveal: "than anything else.")[ He might have loved it even more than he hated his parents, even.] Together, we were the terrors of (if: $home is "Hong Kong")[the Kwung Tong backstreets](if: $home is "Alabama")[the forests and lumber yards around town](if: $home is "Munich")[the warehouses and tenaments of Munich]. As we grew older, I grew out of my rebelious stage. (print: $friendName) only (link-reveal: "grew deeper into it.")[ The crowds he started running with (link-reveal: "got worse and worse.")[ He started drinking heavily, and it affected him badly.]] Last I heard, he'd been picked up by the (print: $home) officials, and had gotten jail time. Sometimes I wonder if I could have guided him down a different path... (link: "Anyway...")[(go-to: $returnPassage)]

(set: $friends to "Internet")Kasachan and I met on an (link-reveal: "online roleplaying forum when I was fourteen.")[ If there's one thing I'm glad was destroyed with the earth, it was my writing on that site.] Apparently (link-reveal: "her name meant 'umbrella girl.'")[ She thought (link-reveal: "it was cute.")[ I never did find out if she was actually from Japan, now that I think of it.]] We spent ages playing with each other on that (link-reveal: "forum.")[ Then on online games, once forums had gone out of fashion.] Eventually, I ended up just chatting with each other on a chat program. She had (link-reveal: "family trouble at home.")[ (link-reveal: "Real serious sounding stuff.")[ Some nights I even stayed up till three in the morning, comforting her after a fight with her family.]] The end for our friendship came when the company that made the chat program folded, (link-reveal: "discontinuing the program.")[ We tried using other programs, but remembering to log in was (link-reveal: "hard for both of us.")[ Her family troubles had only gotten worse too, and many days she (link-reveal: "couldn't come online at all.")[ I don't know what happened to her in the end, if she just stopped logging in, or if something happened at her home. I had to accept that I'd never know.]]] (link: "Anyway...")[(go-to: $returnPassage)]

(set: $friends to "Cool")(if: $home is "Sydney")[(set: $friendName to "Joshua")](if: $home is "Munich")[(set: $friendName to "Jose")](print: $friendName) was the (link-reveal: "coolest guy I ever met.")[ He wasn't a (link-reveal: "poser,")[ he didn't play guitar, he didn't wear brand name clothes,] he was the real deal.] He always knew the (link-reveal: "coolest bars")[, places I couldn't even believe existed,] and most interesting parties. He was always ahead of the curve on cult movies and independant bands. And most important of all, he was (link-reveal: "a good dude.")[ He'd always look out for friends who'd drunk too much, or were having (link: "bad trips,")[bad trips, and he'd always act like it was nothing.]] I don't know why he chose me as a (link-reveal: "friend.")[ We shared an house (link-reveal: "for a while,")[ though we'd known each other since high school,] and he decided that (link: "he liked me.")[he liked me, for whatever reason.] Of course, he was too cool to stick around with me(if: $home is "Munich")[, even at the sharehouse]. He'd never say that, of course, but he (link-reveal: "couldn't stay.")[ Last I heard, he was in (link-reveal: "Thailand, with an artist collective.")[ But that was (link-reveal: "years ago")[ If anyone had taken the end of the world in style, it would have been (print: $friendName). I can imagine him now, watching the world being crushed to nothing, a whiskey bottle in one hand, with the other around a friend's back...]]]] (link: "Anyway...")[(go-to: $returnPassage)]

(set: $RickConvinced to false)Together we headed down to the storage compartment, but we didn't (link-reveal: "find the spacesuit inside.")[ No surprise there, since it was tucked away behind my bed.] Rick was dissapointed by this failure. "I'll have to see if I can come up with another idea, then..." he moped, before leaving me to go wrack his brains. [[And so the day came to an end...->Night 2]]

"So, what did you see?" [["It was hard to tell"->Rick Adv 7]] [["There wasn't anything there"->Rick Adv 8]]

Arriving at the airlock, Rick (link: "pulled on his spacesuit.")[pulled on his spacesuit, as excited as a kid on christmas morning.] Stepping into the airlock, he gave a stiff wave as the doors shut, seperating the two of us. A moment passed to pump the air out of the chamber, then Rick stepped out into the void. He clipped his safety cord onto the rail on the outside of the spaceship, and then drifted out of view. (link-reveal: "I could head to the cockpit to look for him.")[ So I did. After a few minutes, he (link-reveal: "floated into view")[ He smiled warmly when he saw me in the (link: "cockpit.")[cockpit, and gave another stiff wave.] He began making hand signals and (link: "talking.")[talking, though the vacuum of space rendered his words silent.] When he passed across the window, I was able to work out his gestures where where he was going to go next.]] [[When he re-entered the airlock...->Rick Adv 4]]

Rick wasted no time repressurising, then removed his helmet to speak to me. "I didn't see anything that could be considered a (link-reveal: "clue.")[ Which is (link-reveal: "frustrating...")[ I'm not ready to give up on finding that out yet.]] But it's just so amazing out there! You have to try it!" [[Take the spacesuit from Rick->Rick Adv 5]] [[Tell Rick to keep the spacesuit->Rick Adv 6]]

(set: $spaceSuit to "Me")"You can take a look tomorrow!" (link: "And so the day came to an end...")[(go-to: "Night " +(text: $days))]]

(set: $RickRomance to true)"Thanks... Maybe I'll take another look sometime, see if they've hidden anything. Thanks for your help!" (link: "And so the day came to an end...")[(go-to: "Night " +(text: $days))]]

"What do you mean?" [["I still think it's not real, but I couldn't find anything..."->Rick Adv 9]] [["I think you'll need to have a look."->Rick Adv 10]]

"You didn't find anything?" [["Maybe you should go look tomorrow?"->Rick Adv 10]] [["Yeah, this theory is a dud."->Rick Adv 11]]

(set: $RickRomance to true)"Well, I guess that's something. I'm gonna keep looking for clues too. There must be something in here..." (link: "And so the day came to an end...")[(go-to: "Night " +(text: $days))]

(set: $spaceSuit to "Rick")Rick smiled as he took the spacesuit from me, though he looked concerned about our lack of progress. "Alright, I'll take a look tomorrow." (link: "And so the day came to an end...")[(go-to: "Night " +(text: $days))]

(set: $RickConvinced to false) We spent the day (link-reveal: "searching the ship.")[ But (link-reveal: "we couldn't find the spacesuit.")[ Rick looked defeated by this development, and might not be continuing this line of thinking...]] (link: "And so the day came to an end...")[(go-to: "Night " +(text: $days))]]

(set: $RickConvinced to false)Rick looked defeated at my proclamation, and (link-reveal: "turned his eyes down.")[He didn't look like he'd be continuing with this line of thinking...] (link: "And so the day came to an end...")[(go-to: "Night " + (text: $days))]

"Ah, (link-reveal: "that's good!")[ But does she, (link-reveal: "like...")[ //like// like me?" [["I think she does"->Aurora 4]] [["I don't know->Aurora 3]]]]"

(set: $relationshipAN to 5)"(link: "Ah!")[(link-reveal: "Oh!")[ That's like... (link-reveal: "double good!")[ I... I should go talk to talk to her (link-reveal: "about that.")[ I mean, I like her too!]]]]" (link: "And so the day came to an end...")[(go-to: "Night " +(text: $days))]

(set: $relationshipAN to 5)"That's scary, (link-reveal: "though!")[ But I guess everything is so scary (link-reveal: "these days...")[ What's the point of worrying about that when we're going to be dead in a week? So (link-reveal: "I'll tell her.")[ Thanks for talking this through with me.]]]" (link: "And so the day came to an end...")[(go-to: "Night " +(text: $days))]

"Ohh... (link-reveal: "This is tricky to tell...")[ I think I like her, though. [["You should tell her->Aurora 5]]]" (link: "Anyway...")[(go-to: "Night " + (text: $days))]

Tonight, I dreamed of Munich. My friends and I had often sought out (link-reveal: "abandoned buildings in the city.")[ Graffitti artists and other urban explorers were amoung some of the company to spend time living in our sharehouse.] Tonight, I was in one that we'd made into a (link-reveal: "home away from home.")[ Abandoned couches found a home inside the abandoned warehouse, alongside sheets of wood salvaged from broken furniture, and made into all (link-reveal: "types of tables and surfaces.")[ In one corner, we even had a rusty old bathtub we'd dragged in.] The place made a perfect spot for friends who could (link: "no longer afford a roof over their heads.")[no longer afford a legal roof over their heads.] Tonight I am watching it (link-reveal: "fall into disrepair again.")[ (link-reveal: "Everyone is gone now.")[ (link-reveal: "The couches rot away.")[ Polyester filling splits and crumbles, as rusty springs pierce through.] (link-reveal: "The tables rot away.")[ Plywood splinters in all directions, as the higher quality wood moulds and colapses into slush.] (link-reveal: "The bathtub rots away.")[ Layers upon layers of jagged rust, falling into flakes on the ground.] (link-reveal: "I rot away.")[ Skin, fat, muscle, organ, bone, all sloughs off in sheets of decay. (link-reveal: "The warehouse rots away")[ Leaving me beneath an oppressive sky, filled with something unmistakably [[alive.->Waking 4]]]]]]]

Tonight, I dreamed of a camping trip I went on with my family. It was before (link-reveal: "dawn,")[ the first streaks of light touching the horizon,] when I (link-reveal: "heard it.")[ A song, (link-reveal: "hanging in the air.")[ Coming from the beach. I groggily unzipped the (link-reveal: "tent's flap,")[ then the flyscreen flap] and stepped out. The grass was wet with (link-reveal: "dew")[ so I slipped on my thongs before making my way to the beach. The dim shapes of tents stretched bordered the campsite, and I had to detour around a family of (link-reveal: "kangaroos")[, who were taking advantage of the well kept clearing,] on my walk. Gums blocked the beach from view, but the song was (link-reveal: "clearer now.")[ It was a whale song, I was (link-reveal: "sure of it.")[ I had heard whales passed through this beach on occasion, and now would be my chance to see one.] The path down to the beach was (link-reveal: "treacherous in this dim light.")[ Wooden planks to stop the dirt steps crumbling too quickly, arranced at whatever pace and orientation the hillside decided. Still, I made my way down towards the sound, and soon, (link-reveal: "I cleared the gums.")[ (link-reveal: "The sound was whales.")[ But they were in a (link-reveal: "panic.")[ [[As the sky drunk the sea dry.->Waking 4]]]]]]]]]]

Tonight, I dreamed of home. Sunset poured in through the wide glass windows of (link-reveal: "my apartment,")[ my expensive furniture casting long shadows on the floor,] as below the city shone golden. I was (link: "cooking.")[cooking for very important company.] (link-reveal: "Chop the vegetables.")[ (link-reveal: "Add them to the pot.")[ (link-reveal: "Chop the meat.")[ (link-reveal: "Add it to the pot.")[ (link-reveal: "Add the wine.")[ (link-reveal: "Add the snails.")[ (link-reveal: "Add the wine.")[ (link-reveal: "Add the truffles.")[ (link-reveal: "Add the wine.")[ (link-reveal: "Add the shrimp.")[ (link-reveal: "Add the wine.")[ (link-reveal: "Season with love.")[ (link-reveal: "Leave to simmer for 45 minutes")[ (link-reveal: "Bon-appetit!")[ *KNOCK KNOCK* (link-reveal: "Why that must be the guests!")[ (link-reveal: "Let them in, even if they have no faces")[ (link-reveal: "Dinner is served!")[ "What's that you found? One of my fingernails?" "You too?" "My my, is there one in everyone's soup?" [["Well, it seems like all of mine are gone!"->Waking 4]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]

Tonight, I dreamed of a hunting trip I went on as a (link-reveal: "child.")[ I couldn't have been more than thirteen at the time.] My neighbour's parents were taking him hunting, so my parents decided it would be a good chance to get me some hunting experience (link-reveal: "too.")[ I was sent along, in an ill fitting hunting vest, (link-reveal: "and")[, after a brief talk about firearm safety,] I was given a (link-reveal: "hunting rifle.")[ I don't know what type of gun it was, but it was definitely smaller than the ones the adults were carrying] It was heavy, and (link-reveal: "I didn't like it.")[ The entire trip, my neighbour was (link-reveal: "teasing me.")[ I don't think he liked that I was coming along.] For hours we trecked through the woods, trying to put up with whatever the adults wanted us (link-reveal: "to do.") (link: '"Keep up!"')[(link: '"Hold still!"')[(link-reveal: "Keep quiet!")[ Until we found (link: "a deer.")[ ~~a deer.~~ They wanted me to (link-reveal: "take the shot.")[ But I couldn't. My neighbour's father took the gun from my hands, and shot (link: "the deer.")[~~the deer.~~ It fell, and we (link-reveal: "rushed to look.")[ It had fallen in a ditch. It wasn't a deer. (link-reveal: "It was me.")[ I lay in the mud, (link: "twitching, breathing heavily, eyes flickering desperately.")[[[dead->Waking 4]]]]]]]]]]]]]

Tonight, I dreamed of my (link-reveal: "bed.")[ Not my stasis bed. (link-reveal: "My real bed.")[My lying down, soft, warm bed I (link: "left back home.")[left back home three and a half years ago.] (link-reveal: "I was frozen in it,")[ as frozen as I had been in stasis,] as it flew through space. (link-reveal: "Sleep Paralysis.")[ (link-reveal: "Three and a half years of it.")[ (link-reveal: "That's what I had ahead of me.")[ Concious for every aching minute of the journey. And then, (link-reveal: "what was waiting for me at the end?")[ [[Nothing->Waking 4]]]]]]]]

The air of malaise hadn't dissapated yet, and glum faces greeted me from the other beds as I woke. [[Perhaps the crew were beginning to accept their fate?->Day 4]]

Spend time... [[Getting to know the crew...->Crew 4]] [[Getting to know the ship...->Ship 4]] (link: "Getting to know myself...")[(set: $returnPassage to "Day 4")(go-to: "Aside")] [[Trying to expend as little energy as possible...->Pass 4]]

With the ill-mood in the air, few people want to talk today. Get to know... (if: $metNina is true)[(link: "Nina and Aurora")[(set: $returnPassage to "Crew 4")(go-to: "NinAur 8")]] (if: $RickRomance != true)[(if: $RickConvinced is true)[(link: "Rick...")[(set: $returnPassage to "Night 4")(go-to: "Rick Adv 1")]]] [[Anyway...->Day 4]]

Investigate... (link: "The food compartment...")[(set: $returnPassage to "Night 4")(go-to: "Food Comp")] (if: $airlocks is true)[(link: "The airlock...")[(set: $returnPassage to "Night 4")(go-to: "Airlock")]](else:)[(link: "The stasis beds...")[(set: $returnPassage to "Night 4")(go-to: "Stasis Beds")]] (link: "The storage area...")[(set: $returnPassage to "Night 4")(go-to: "Storage")] (link: "The cockpit...")[(set: $returnPassage to "Night 4")(go-to: "Cockpit")]

I spent the day trying my hardest not to think about our impending doom... [[Later...->Night 4]]

Tonight, my sleep was so fitful I could not dream, and I [[woke tired in the morning->Waking 5]]

The air of malaise hadn't dissapated yet, and glum faces greeted me from the other beds as I woke. [[Perhaps the crew were beginning to accept their fate?->Day 5]]

Spend time... [[Getting to know the crew...->Crew 5]] [[Getting to know the ship...->Ship 5]] (link: "Getting to know myself...")[(set: $returnPassage to "Day 5")(go-to: "Aside")] [[Trying to expend as little energy as possible...->Pass 5]]

With the ill-mood in the air, few people want to talk today. Get to know... (if: $metNina is true)[(link: "Nina and Aurora")[(set: $returnPassage to "Crew 5")(go-to: "NinAur 8")]] (if: $RickRomance != true)[(if: $RickConvinced is true)[(link: "Rick...")[(set: $returnPassage to "Night 5")(go-to: "Rick Adv 1")]]] [[Anyway...->Day 5]]

Investigate... (link: "The food compartment...")[(set: $returnPassage to "Night 5")(go-to: "Food Comp")] (if: $airlocks is true)[(link: "The airlock...")[(set: $returnPassage to "Night 5")(go-to: "Airlock")]](else:)[(link: "The stasis beds...")[(set: $returnPassage to "Night 5")(go-to: "Stasis Beds")]] (link: "The storage area...")[(set: $returnPassage to "Night 5")(go-to: "Storage")] (link: "The cockpit...")[(set: $returnPassage to "Night 5")(go-to: "Cockpit")]

I spent the day trying my hardest not to think about our impending doom... [[Later...->Night 5]]

(if: $crew > $food)[There isn't enough food to go around... [[Starvation sets in...->Starvation]]](else:)[As the ships lights dimmed for evening, we all ate our meals.(set: $food to $food - $crew)(set: $days += 1) We have food enough for (print: (floor: $food / $crew)) more days.(set: $food -= 4) [[Good Night...->Dreams 5]]]

Starvation was an agonisingly slow way (link-reveal: "to go.")[ The first thing we lost was our motivation. From there, we just had to sit around, watching each other grow gaunt, before all slipping into a [[final sleep.->End]]]

Tonight, all my dreams were of food. The rapidly dwindling supplies must be weighing heavy on my mind. [[Time is nearly up for us...->Waking 6]]

No one could meet my eyes this morning. We all know our time is almost up. [[Have we made the most of what we had?->Day 6]]

Spend time... [[Getting to know the crew...->Crew 6]] [[Getting to know the ship...->Ship 6]] (link: "Getting to know myself...")[(set: $returnPassage to "Day 6")(go-to: "Aside")] [[Trying to expend as little energy as possible...->Pass 6]]

With the ill-mood in the air, few people want to talk today. Get to know... (if: $metNina is true)[(link: "Nina and Aurora")[(set: $returnPassage to "Crew 6")(go-to: "NinAur 8")]] (if: $RickRomance != true)[(if: $RickConvinced is true)[(link: "Rick...")[(set: $returnPassage to "Night 6")(go-to: "Rick Adv 1")]]] [[Anyway...->Day 6]]

Investigate... (link: "The food compartment...")[(set: $returnPassage to "Night 6")(go-to: "Food Comp")] (if: $airlocks is true)[(link: "The airlock...")[(set: $returnPassage to "Night 6")(go-to: "Airlock")]](else:)[(link: "The stasis beds...")[(set: $returnPassage to "Night 5")(go-to: "Stasis Beds")]] (link: "The storage area...")[(set: $returnPassage to "Night 6")(go-to: "Storage")] (link: "The cockpit...")[(set: $returnPassage to "Night 6")(go-to: "Cockpit")]

I spent the day trying my hardest not to think about our impending doom... [[Later...->Night 6]]

(link-reveal: "Tonight we didn't get a chance to dream.")[ (link-reveal: "It came upon us as we were going to bed.")[ (link-reveal: "Had it left us this long just to torment us?")[ (link-reveal: "There was no way we could know.")[ We couldn't even see what it is. (link-reveal: "It dwarfed us by such a ridiculous scale.")[ [[Perhaps this is what krill feel like when they are sucked up by a blue whale?->End]]]]]]]

(set: $love to "Highschool")Marcus was in (link-reveal: "the year below me.")[ Which felt like very a big deal at the time.] He was a (link: "star of the swim team.")[star of the swim team, which was always a desirable trait to have in a boyfriend.] He played the class clown (link: "too.")[too, or so I heard from his class mates.] He certainly kept a troublemaker (link-reveal: "look,")[ at least,] with (link-reveal: "his tousled hair and messy uniform.")[ So of course, (link-reveal: "I wasn't the only student")[, I wasn't even the only upperclassman,] vying for his heart. That is probably where (link-reveal: "the pressure began.")[ In hindsight, I don't think he was being unfaithful, but the heart of a teenager is a (link-reveal: "complicated thing.")[ As for my heart, it filled with jealousy. We had frequent arguments, break-up after break-up followed by make-up after make-up. Even the school gossips couldn't be bothered to to care what our status was (link-reveal: "at any particular time.")[ We were like the epitome of "it's complicated"] I managed to hold on to him all the way to prom, but once I had graduated, and we were seeing less and less of each other, it became clear that we weren't suited for each other, and we finally went our seperate ways...] (link: "Anyway...")[(go-to: $returnPassage)]]]

(set: $love to "Internet")My romance with (link: "Tina")[Bettina, but she always went by Tina,] was the longest relationship I've ever had. We never managed to meet (link-reveal: "face to face, though.")[ This wasn't any kind of internet dating thing, this relationship developed (link-reveal: "naturally.")[ We met on IRC, but soon moved over to Skype with a few other friends. We started slow, but we were still the first couple to form in our friend group. Her family (link-reveal: "weren't the most understanding sort,")[ and that was putting it lightly,] so having friends she could be herself with online was good for her, and we both supported each other a ton. Of course, there was a (link-reveal: "sexual element to the relationship too")[ (link-reveal: "It wasn't what most people would think of as sex.")[ But I can tell you, it was a hell of a lot better than porn. We might have both been a pair of awkward nerds, but feeling wanted like that was real nice]] It was the distance that did us in, (link-reveal: "though.")[ There's no way to take the relationship any further when you're on opposite sides of the globe, so we put things on hold until we could (link-reveal: "meet up face to face.")[ But we never did, and moved on instead...]] (link: "Anyway...")[(go-to: $returnPassage)]]]

(set: $love to "Sudden")The man I met in the bar went by the name of (link: "Tobias.")[ Tobias, though he made it no secret that that was (link-reveal: "not his real name.")[ Neither of us used our real names that night.]] He spotted me first, and introduced himself by buying me a drink. His hair was dark and curly, and he had a cheeky smile that seemed to say "I know I'm going to get what I want." (link-reveal: "And he did.")[ He was more than charming enough, willing to (link: "talk about himself.")[talk about himself, but never in a (link-reveal: "boastful manner.")[ Instead, he made me feel like I didn't have to work to (link-reveal: "keep the conversation flowing.")[ It was a rather refreshing change of pace...] It was (link-reveal: "late in the night")[, after (link: "a few")[multiple] glasses of bourbon,] that (link-reveal: "we kissed.")[ He moved slowly, but with an unmistakable passion to his work. It's no surprise that we (link-reveal: "spent the night together.")[ His love making was a lot like his conversational style, firm instructions towards his desires, but with the thrilling sense that you were getting even more out of it than he was.] Afterwards, he held me tight until I drifted to sleep, (link-reveal: "safe in his warmth.")[ But of course, (link-reveal: "in the morning")[, like a dream,] he was gone...]] (link: "Anyway...")[(go-to: $returnPassage)]]]]

(set: $love to "Rushed")Some times you need to fuck up to (link-reveal: "learn a lesson.")[ (link-reveal: "That's how it was with Celina.")[ She burst her way into my life like a SWAT team through a door. She wore her hair like (link: "Uma Thurman in Pulp Fiction.")[Uma Thurman in Pulp Fiction, and if that was who she was using as her life model, I wouldn't be surprised.] She surveyed every room she entered with sharp eyes, looking for anyone (link-reveal: "who could hold her interest.")[ And they never could.] She said she worked as a private detective, and had worked undercover in (link-reveal: "drug busts in Columbia.")[ And she never gave me any reason to doubt her. She (link-reveal: "flirted like a pro,")[ and if she was telling the truth, she was one. As such,] I never stood a chance. I proposed to her after knowing her for (link-reveal: "less than a week.")[ Of course I'd mis-read all the signs. It went about as well as you'd imagine...] (link: "Anyway...")[(go-to: $returnPassage)]]]]