Heavy Metal Thunder Read online

You vow that, whatever it is, you will not give in to it so easily.

  You turn to a large window to regard the mechanical scavengers. You notice your own reflection.

  Turn to section 309.

  288

  You run into the water supply room and dive behind a large cooling unit near the door. You hear the robot roll in after you. It stops... then moves deeper into the room. You leave your hiding spot and run back out the door, slapping the doorway so that it will hear and give chase.

  You jog down the hallway to the dock command station until you reach a side hall. You lean against the wall, catching your breathe and fiddling with the bomb. You see the robot enter the hall and speed down it. You turn into the side hall, set the bomb near the intersection, and haul ass to the far end. You stand and wait.

  You hear the robot grinding down the hall, then see it for a moment as it turns down the hall. Then there is a terrific explosion, a cloud of dust - and when it clears, shrapnel litters the floor.

  You gain 1 XP for successful use of your Skill, plus another 1 XP for overcoming the robot. Be sure to erase the bomb from your inventory, then turn to section 214.

  289

  The next day. The Narrenschiff approaches the asteroids Scylla and Charybdis. You stand at the fore window and watch. You can just dimly make out the glint of starshine on one grey, pockmarked, rocky face far in the distance; the rest of the thing is covered in shadow, and its sister of stone and ice lies hidden somewhere farther out.

  You cannot seem to shake a sense of terrible foreboding.

  If you have Sixth Sense, and Zelda the Lady is with you, turn to section 192.

  If you have Sixth Sense, and anyone else is with you, turn to section 220.

  If you have Sixth Sense and are alone, turn to section 75.

  If you do not have this skill, but Octegenarius the Elder the Pilot is with you, turn to section 441.

  If you do not have this skill, but have at least one companion with you, turn to section 199.

  If you do not have this skill and you are alone, turn to section 511.

  290

  You fire. The girl’s head snaps backward, spattering the laborer’s neck and shoulder with blood. His eyes widen, staring down at the ruins of her head.

  Shocked, you cannot decide what to do. Then the laborer looks at you, says, “Looks like you get to join us.” With that he raises his gun and fires. You try to move but the bullet slams into your side, drilling into your ribs and lodging there. You lose 7 Blood, but you may subtract your Dexterity score from this amount. Furthermore, your suit has been punctured. If you have any Sticky Fix, you must use one dose now to fix your suit; if you do not have any of this item, make a note that your suit has been damaged. Be sure to erase any ammunition that you used.

  If you have died, then you may Regenerate by turning to section 312, or, if you want to go back further, you may turn to section 179.

  If you survive, then you fall to your knees and glare at the laborer. Holding the dead girl close, he looks straight ahead, then says, “We didn’t want no part in your world, anyway.” He puts the gun to his own head.

  “Stop!” you shout. “Don’t do it! You’re wasting bullets!” But it’s too late - the man fires, blowing his brains out like a rainbow that comes in only one color. His body falls in a twitching heap beside the woman he loved. You may take his Bloody Chrome-Plated 9mm (Handgun, bulk 2) and 3 Handgun bullets (bulk 1) if you wish.

  Turn to section 529.

  291

  You whip the heavy pipe at the dogs legs, shouting, “Here, boy! Fetch!” You trip up one dog, which falls and slides down the beam, then catch the other one in the face and send it falling down into the darkness. You quickly haul yourself onto the beam. You have dropped the lead dogs, but more are on their way. They seem to have no fear.

  Turn to section 510.

  292

  You draw your gun swiftly, then stare down the barrel at the shrieking fool. You blast him in his torso. His hollering rises an octave as he dances about, organs shattered. He falls, twitching in a pool of his own blood.

  Be sure to erase the amount of bullets you have used.

  Turn to section 530.

  293

  “Hey, pal,” you say, nodding to the scared revolutionary. He whirls toward you, gun aimed at your chest. “If you ask me, I think both of these guys are insane, and they’re trying to drag you into their crazy, fatalistic world.”

  “No shit,” he says, laughing uncontrollably, sweat pouring down his brow.

  “Well why don’t you just get out of here while these two idiots have their guns on each other? Just leave. The whole station’s about to go; there’s no need to spend your last minutes doing what other people want you to do. You let me worry about these two. They can’t hurt you.”

  The light of hope glimmers in the man’s eyes.

  “You stay right there,” growls the smiling revolutionary. “We’ve got a job to do.”

  “That’s right,” says the lawman. “You’re not going anywhere. You’re under arrest.”

  You can see that the man is struggling, torn between your words of hope - and resignation to the wills of others.

  If your Charisma is 4 or more, turn to section 551.

  If your Charisma is 3 or less, turn to section 374.

  294

  You return to the dimly lit antechamber and push the button that will depressurize it. As the air is sucked from the room, you take in one gulp of air and seal your helm back in its place. While waiting for the far door to open, you take a moment to steel your nerves and ponder the dangerous path that you are on.

  You consider the beating of your heart, the strength in your veins. Blood is life. In the game that is your life, Blood is an abstract score that represents vitality and health. (If you have ever played any sort of RPG, then Blood can be thought of as “hit points.”)

  When you are wounded, your Blood score will drop. When you rest or take healing medicines, your Blood score will rise. You begin this game of survival with a Blood score of 10. This is your maximum Blood; your Blood cannot rise above this amount. For example, if your Blood has dropped to 6, and you heal 7 Blood, then your Blood increases to 10. However, as you rise in levels, your maximum Blood score will increase.

  If your Blood ever reaches zero, then you have died, and the game of survival is lost. If this happens, put the book down, walk away, think about your life and the weaknesses that betrayed you, and try the game again when you’re ready.

  The gravity shuts off and the far door opens.

  Turn to section 248.

  295

  The tentacles about your legs swing you in toward the gaping mouth. Dozens of rows of teeth surround you, a massive tongue probes toward you - then, you jam your weapon into the monster’s mouth. Hurt, or perhaps just annoyed, the thing lumbers backward and you flare your jets, straining against your bonds, and press right against the mouth. You swing and attack the same spot as before; the fear is maddening this close to the teeth, but you see a spurt of red, then something like a wet tomato splatters against your helm. The tentacles gripping your legs relax for one moment and you blast your jets, twist to the side, and free yourself from the beast.

  You gain 1 XP for surviving.

  As you fly away from the head, you see scattered around the bulk of the massive beast even more heads, more seas of tentacles. They are alarmed at your fight against their brother, but cannot reach you. You laugh wickedly, hungry to hurt this pet of the Invader. Wise to the monster’s tricks, you look for weak points that you can investigate.

  If you want to look at the hole you see in the distance, turn to section 384.

  If you want to follow one of the blue channels that runs throughout the beast’s skin, turn to section 373.

  296

  The deconstructor shatters into pieces as your weapon smashes through its face. You swing about just as the other comes up from behind. You dodge an arcing tentacle, then swing your own weapon i
nto the monster’s back. It stumbles, and you fall on it, beating it mercilessly until its frame cracks inward, sending up sparks. The thing falls under you, dead.

  You have survived your first fight. Turn to section 298.

  297

  Your crazy tactic works: the chair slams the revolutionary in the head before he can get off a shot and by the time he gets his bearings again, you slam into him. Both of you crash to the ground, growling and spitting, and you wrap your fists around the shotgun to keep the man from using it on you.

  The other revolutionary paces back and forth and you know that he is trying to get up the nerve to shoot you, point-blank, without hitting his friend. Aware that you have to kill your opponent quickly, but without any easy means to do it, you slam your head into his own. Both of you reel in pain. You do it again, then again, over and over until your vision grows dim and red. Then, just before you can pass out, you see the man’s eyes roll up into his head. You quickly yank the shotgun away from him, point it at his face, click - then, in a flash of light and blood, the man’s head explodes with such force that you are deafened. Below you churns a primordial soup of brains, bone, and even a spinning jawbone. The worst part is that the body is still jerking underneath you.

  During your terrible battle, you lose a bone-shattering 6 Blood.

  If you have died, you may Regenerate by turning back to section 312, or, if you want to go back further, turn back to section 179.

  If you survive, then you turn and see the scared revolutionary, eyes wide and white with shock. “Dinner is served,” you growl. He gives vent to a mucus-curdling scream and dashes from the room.

  You search the bodies of the dead and find the following gear, which you may take with you.

  Krieger-Colt Pump-Action Shotgun (Shotgun, bulk 3)

  3 Shotgun Shells (1 bulk)

  Enforcer Automatic (Handgun, bulk 2)

  5 Handgun Bullets (bulk 1)

  Stellar Corp Law Enforcement Uniform (bulk 2, damaged and bloody)

  Steel Baton (Mace, bulk 2)

  When you are ready to hit the all-you-can-eat buffet (and scoop up some XP), turn to section 260.

  298

  You stand over the bodies of the fallen deconstructors, then lean against a wall to catch your breath. You have survived the fight: Gain 2 XP. You rest for several minutes, then continue on into the station.

  You realize you are very near the center. You hear gunfire and shouting ahead. You run towards the sound.

  Turn to section 376.

  299

  “Greetings, eternal friend!” you call out to him. “I suppose you are in dire need of healing supplies. By the way, how’d that battle with the deconstructors go?”

  The guard whirls about, screams, “SHUT UP, COWARD! YOU GIMME THAT SUIT - OR I’M GONNA POUR YOU OUT OF IT IN PIECES!” He kicks off and flies toward you, holding his lead pipe like a batter at plate wanting to make a home-run with your skull.

  If you have a gun and at least one bullet, you can fire at him by turning to section 486.

  If you wish to draw a hand-to-hand weapon and beat his ass silly, turn to section 107.

  Otherwise, you can take him down with your bare hands by turning to section 23.

  300

  You tap your jets slightly and move over the grey landscape. Fields of tentacles wave slowly on either side of you. As you draw near the silent mound it quivers, uncoils, and rises. You jerk back in alarm. The thing before you is a thick stalk about ten feet long, its base attached to the ground, and its end is topped by a large head, featureless save for a gaping mouth lined with fangs made of the same hard stuff as its body. The thing snaps its heavy jaw open and shut, too distant to reach you. Several tentacles at its base rise and quiver in anticipation.

  Just as you back away further to leave the freakish head alone, something slams into your leg and clamps shut like a vice. Cursing like mad, you look and see that a tentacle far longer than the others has wrapped around you. The thing lifts you into the air like a rag doll, there is a sickening blur of motion that kicks in your guts - then, before you, the hungry head of the beast opens its fanged mouth to accept you as sacrifice.

  If you have a gun and at least one bullet, and want to blast the head, turn to section 454.

  If you have a hand-to-hand weapon and want to go toe-to-toe with the head of the beast, turn to section 155.

  If you have a High-Power Implosion Grenade, you can use it by turning to section 584.

  If you want to try to wiggle free from the tentacle and fly away from the monster, turn to section 467.

  301

  You pull the trigger. The light of the shotgun blast blinds you for an instant, then something like a hammer slams into your left arm. As you fall backwards, slowly, you see the smiling revolutionary spinning on his feet, blood dribbling from his chest in a long line. He drops to the ground. His scared comrade nearly drops his own gun, juggles it in the air for a moment, then stares at you, eyes wide and white with shock.

  You lose 7 Blood to the terrible assault. Furthermore, part of your suit has been shredded. If you have any Sticky Fix, you must use one dose now to fix your suit; otherwise, make a note that your suit has been damaged. Lastly, because of your wounds you temporarily lose 1 Strength and 1 Dexterity. Be sure to erase the amount of ammunition that you used.

  If you have died in a hail of gunfire, you may Regenerate by turning back to section 312, or, if you want to go back further, turn back to section 179.

  If you survive, then as you slowly rise to your feet the other revolutionary gives vent to a mucus-curdling scream and dashes from the room. “Looks like I’m the last man standing,” you mutter, leaning against a wall, bloody and exhausted. “Too bad survival hurts so bad.”

  You search the bodies of the dead and find the following gear, which you may take with you.

  Krieger-Colt Pump-Action Shotgun (Shotgun, bulk 3)

  4 Shotgun Shells (bulk 1)

  Enforcer Automatic (Handgun, bulk 2)

  5 Handgun Bullets (bulk 1)

  Stellar Corp Law Enforcement Uniform (bulk 2, damaged and bloody)

  Steel Baton (Mace, bulk 2)

  When you are ready to hit the all-you-can-eat buffet (and scoop up some XP), turn to section 260.

  302

  Your knees tremble and black goblin-spots dance around in your eyes. You realize that the lights and the sound are part of a psy-op weapon designed to disorient the human nervous system. Your stomach kicks and a meal that you don’t remember eating rockets out from you and sprays onto the floor: Lose 1 Blood. You stumble backwards on loose spaghetti-legs, leave the chamber, and shut the door behind you.

  Turn to section 239.

  303

  The first day of looking at the photo, you sharpen your wits by making jokes about the group of friends. “Hey there fatty!” you say. “Good job putting on weight. And you, Little Miss Lady, I bet you work as hard as any man - but probably get paid somewhat less! Ha ha!” By the next day you consider the people in the photo to be your closest friends. Tears line your face as you fantasize about their various struggles in life. Days disappear as you visualize working with these people, helping and hurting these people, even making love to these people.

  Then one day you fantasize about staging a bank heist with your friends. Things go wrong, real wrong. The cops surround you and blast the bank, and as each of your friends get wasted you tear them from the photo and cast them into the void. Soon they are all dead... and you wake, alone, in the cage of your suit. “Doomed to survive,” you groan. “Goodbye, my friends.”

  You teeter on the brink of full-on insanity. Only distraction and numbness can help you now.

  If you have any Rest-A-Spell pills, turn to section 445.

  If you do not have this drug, turn to section 213.

  304

  You hide the bomb on the floor inside the entrance and, with an evil giggle, leave the room and continue down the hall to the dock command station.

 
Be sure to remove the item from your inventory, then turn to section 399.

  305

  You silently push off from the floor and float away from the door. You touch the ceiling, turn yourself around, and push off again. “I’m not fallin’ for that old trick,” you say to yourself.

  You bounce down the hallway. It seems longer than you remembered. The pain in your chest becomes unbearable. You notice that the hissing in your ears becomes quieter with each second until, finally, it is only an intermittent rasp. You suck in half a breath. You exhale, then strain as hard as you can to breathe in anything.

  There is no more air left, only pain and a horrible weakening in all of your limbs. You reach the gap in the hull where you first entered. Black spots in your vision cloud over the stars. You wonder at it all. You feel something like anger mixed with sleepiness.

  You extend your middle finger. The universe claims you once again.

  You have died in the cold of space without knowing who you are.

  THE END.

  306

  “Now looky here, sir,” you say. “This fighting isn’t going to get us anywhere - in fact, it’ll set us back, what with the chances for damaging the suit or this robot. I have a proposal: You let me control the robot, and I’ll gather supplies for whoever gets out of this station-”

  “You’d just use the robot to kill me!” says the manager.

  “It would be much more to my benefit to use a robot designed to move supplies around - to actually use it as such, rather than waste time trying to murder someone. Anyone I’ve killed, I assure you, I did it in self-defense. So give me control of the robot. I’ll have it gather supplies.”