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  Then you see the ship’s captain - or at least the man who has currently laid claim to the ship. He is a tall, fat, red-headed beast in expensive clothes armed with a revolver in one hand and a thick leather belt in the other. You watch as he drives a woman and her child away from the ship with guttural shouts and cruel licks from his belt.

  Not a very nice guy, you think. That’s going to make this a lot easier for me.

  “THIS IS THE DOCK COMMAND STATION,” says a man’s voice over the intercom. “WE WILL BE OPENING THE DOCKING BAY DOORS IN TEN MINUTES.”

  You realize that you will probably need to take some people with you in your escape. For one thing, they could prove helpful, but also you do not look forward to another long journey alone, as it would be difficult to fight off insanity, as you once did, with a Will score of less than 20. However, you know also that the supplies on the ship will probably be limited, and you simply cannot save everyone’s life in the station. You will have to turn some people away, and the choice will ultimately be yours.

  But one thing’s for sure, you think. I’m not taking that Captain with me. He’s a dangerous-looking asshole and I’m not letting him on my ship.

  You draw up next to the ship. “What d’you want?” shouts the Captain.

  “You’re trespassing on my ship,” you say. “Get lost.”

  The man’s face burns bright purple. Nearby, the two guards exchange looks. Your foot bumps against something. You look down and see a dead man covered in blood – he is mostly likely the ship’s former captain.

  If you want to stare the man down and say something even more hardassed, turn to section 72.

  If you want to appeal to the two guards and sell the idea of kicking out the current Captain, turn to section 43.

  If you want to draw a gun and blast the Captain, turn to section 196.

  If you want to attack the Captain with a hand-to-hand weapon or even your bare hands, turn to section 310.

  330

  Your eyes bore into the laborer’s skull. You can feel his fear, his overwhelming desperation, as the force of your will hammers into his core.

  Add your Will and Charisma stats.

  If the number is 8 or more, turn to section 240.

  If it is 7 or less, turn to section 440.

  331

  You must now compute a number that determines the result of your gunfire. If you are skilled in Weapon Proficiency: Ranged, and it is with the gun you are using, add 3 to your total. For every 2 Rifle bullets you fire, add 1 to the result. For every 4 Handgun bullets you fire, add 1 to the result. Add your Dexterity to the total.

  If the result is 7 or more, turn to section 74.

  If it is 6 or less, turn to section 459.

  332

  You raise up over the box, blood singing in your ears drowning out all else. A horned head hovers into view. You fire - and the guard falls back, one of his horns shattered, blood spurting from a new opening in his head.

  The other two open fire as you drop down again, and while most of their bullets ricochet off the steel box, others slam into your suit and tear into your flesh. You lose 6 Blood, though you may subtract your Defense rating from this amount. You also lose 1 SD. Be sure to erase the amount of ammunition that you used.

  If you die, then you may Regenerate by turning back to section 161.

  If you survive, then your com-link clicks to life. A calm, aristocratic voice says, “Commander Uther, do you read me? This is Captain Numitor.” You can hear him loud and clear over the Penelope’s powerful communications link.

  “SIR, YES SIR!” cries Uther.

  “The good news,” says Numitor, in a conversational tone, “is that our infantry have beaten back the attackers. Unfortunately I’ve had to recall most of them to our own ship. You see, some nine enemy units have broken into our own ship. We had quite a battle on the deck and killed three of them, but they managed to find our shield generator. Another has died against the soldiers there, but the last five are putting up quite a fight. My second is throwing around the word ‘retreat’. How are things over there, Commander?”

  “Few minutes, sir!” says Uther. “Few minutes, that’s all we need.”

  Damn! you think. I hope that hot supply depot chick didn’t get her face seared off or her intestines blown out by some monster. I never even caught her name...

  You prepare to fire at the second guard.

  You must now compute a number that will determine the accuracy of your second shot. This number is your Dexterity. If you are trained in Weapon Proficiency: Ranged, and it is with the weapon you are using, add 3 to this number. If you are using a Rifle, add 2. If you are using a Shotgun, add 1. For every 3 Handgun bullets you fire, add 1. For every 2 Rifle bullets you fire, add 1. For every Shotgun shell you fire, add 1. Furthermore, if you have the Sixth Sense, add 1 to this number.

  If the number is 7 or less, turn to section 488.

  If the number is between 8 and 13, turn to section 111.

  If the number is 14 or more, turn to section 422.

  If you are completely out of bullets, turn to section 471.

  333

  You must now compute an abstract number that will determine the outcome of the battle. This number is your Ground Combat (or 1 G Combat) added to your Strength and Dexterity stats. If you have the Weapon Proficiency: Hand-to-Hand skill with a Blade, add 2 to this number.

  If this number is 7 or less, turn to section 464.

  If this number is 8 or more, turn to section 216.

  334

  You hear something heavy sliding through a darkened hallway to your left. You peer within. Two red orbs, low to the ground, glare at you. Another pair joins the first. They fix themselves on you. The things lurch forward, steel tentacles writhing in the shadows. You know they must be some of the deconstructors you saw earlier, and you prepare to defend yourself against them.

  If you have a Handgun and at least 2 bullets, you may fire at them by turning to section 512.

  If you have a hand-to-hand weapon, you may use it against them by turning to section 365.

  If you wish to face them with your bare hands, turn to section 538.

  335

  You enter a small chamber. There is another door at the end with an electronic panel beside it. Your lungs grind against one another. You push off from the wall and slam your fist into the buttons along the panel. A light flickers, you hear the rush of air, and some force draws you down towards the floor. The door slides open and harsh white light fills the chamber. You stumble inside, fall to your knees, and yank off your helmet. Sweet air rushes into you and you breathe deep the air of the living.

  You are in a well-lit, blue-colored, carpeted hallway. You consider that this deeper part of the station is still powered, powered enough even to fuel the “fat mass” coils in the floor that, when charged, attract other bodies. Synthetic gravity. There may still be some life in this ghost station yet.

  You know that you can’t stay here forever. Those dismantling machines will eventually punch enough holes in here that the vacuum will get in. You have to search this place over and find a ship that can get you out of here. To where, you don’t know. But in the short-term, you’ll need some gear if you’re to survive. You begin to search your utility belt, then realize that your right hand has been gripped into a fist this entire time. You are clutching a soldier’s dog tag. The chain is broken, and the name on the plaque reads

  PVT. CHRISTIAN, JOHN

  BLACK LANCE LEGION INFANTRY

  SER# 3902247236

  Black Lance Legion Infantry? you wonder. Is this person me?

  You feel about your neck and find another dog tag. It reads

  MR. WIGGLES

  BLACK LANCE LEGION INFANTRY

  SER# 13

  Mister Wiggles... serial number thirteen? This has to be some kind of joke.

  You check out your utility belt. It is completely empty. However, when you do come into contact with items, the bulk of that item will be give
n. You can only carry a limited bulk of items; the heavier or more oddly-shaped the item, the greater its bulk. For example, a coffee mug would have a bulk of 1, a book would have a bulk of 1 to 4, a cinder block would have a bulk of 15, and the dog tag that you are carrying has a bulk of 0. You may carry a maximum of 12 bulk of items. Any more than that would hamper your movement. You need not worry about your space suit or jetpack, for they are already figured into the equation.

  You also have no fuel in your jetpack and your only oxygen tank is damaged. You will need to find food, a new oxygen tank, weapons, medical supplies, and a ship if you are to make it out of this station before it is completely dismantled.

  If you would like to put your mask back on, hold your breath, and explore the room you just came from, turn to section 76.

  If you would rather explore this hallway, turn to section 285.

  336

  The guard swings his fists into you again and again while you roll about under him, covering yourself as best you can. Your forearms and shoulders burn and swell and you cannot seem to wriggle free. You feel like either you are going to black out or your heart is going to explode. But you do not cry out.

  You must now compute a number to see if you are being beaten to death, or just close to it. Add your Ground Combat (1 G Combat) to your Strength and your Will stat.

  During your pounding you lose 9 Blood - but you can subtract the number calculated above from this amount. If your Blood has dropped to zero or less, then the guard has pounded your body into a gooey mess sloshing around inside your suit. If you have survived his onslaught, then continue on.

  The guard, unsure that his blows are having any impact through your suit, pauses, raises a fist high into the air, and brings it crashing down into your helmet. While your head is jarred, he yelps and holds his hand near his face. Even if the man was strong enough to punch through bulletproof glass - he’s never tackled Black Lance Legion gear before.

  You lift up suddenly, grab his broken hand, and twist it savagely. The guard howls and rolls to the floor. You leap up, then yank his hand into the air even as you bring your boot down into his face. His face pales and his eyes grow slack as he is stunned, then you roll to the floor, twisting his hand all the while, and lock your knees at his elbow and your boots around his neck. He takes up moaning, then coughs as he kicks about. You pull harder, mangling his hand and crushing his throat. He grows still and, after a few minutes pass, you release the dead man from your grasp.

  You gain 2 XP for killing the guard. You search his body and find the following items:

  STELLAR Hand-Held Radio (bulk 1)

  Lounge Card Key (bulk 0)

  Turn to section 565.

  337

  You tap Uther’s shoulder, then nod. He nods back and you creep toward the narrow hallway that leads off to the side. The hum of distant machinery covers the sound of your jetpack clanging back and forth. Another hall leads off to your left. You peer around quickly and see nothing. Gun held ready, you move into it. Another hall branches off to your left and you are sure that it must be the very hallway that connects to your allies’ hallway; if there is an ambush ready, it will be there. You crouch at the intersection, take a deep breath, then swing around.

  Uther was right - four Invader guards in bulky armor and black masks, horns held low as they crouch with their guns, are waiting for anyone who would come near. One of them sees you and barks harshly. You raise your gun and fire.

  You gain 1 XP for the use of your skill.

  You must now compute a number that will determine the outcome of your gun battle. This number is your Dexterity. If you are trained in Weapon Proficiency: Ranged, and it is with the weapon you are using, add 3 to this number. If you are using a Shotgun, add 1. For every 3 Handgun bullets you fire, add 1. For every 2 Rifle bullets you fire, add 1. For every Shotgun shell you fire, add 1.

  If your number is 8 or less, turn to section 184.

  If your number is 9 or more, turn to section 432.

  338

  You float in a field of stars, the sound of your breathing punctuated with scrambled voices, barking commands, cries of panic. Points of light flying, clashing, exploding. There is a sword in your hand, a strange and wide black blade that vibrates, alive. It is a weapon that generates its own electromagnetic field and was designed to hack through the invisible shields of the ships of the Invader. You feel you have no idea how to use the thing.

  Dreaming, must be dreaming, must be -

  Two fighters in black suits slam into one another, too fast for you to do anything. One spins wildly, a long, glowing spear jutting from his chest. The other disappears. Terrified, you see your sword floating away from you, dropped in panic.

  You fumble awkwardly with your jets. Have to get that sword... Your jets kick uselessly, first taking you away from the sword, then perpendicular to it, then away again, then it disappears in dark space.

  You curse. The jetpack is too difficult to use. How they expect us to fly around on these stupid things with no points of reference, just out here in space, and not get killed, it’s so stupid I just want to go home -

  A soldier, a human Infantryman, floats before you. The sight of his charged mace fills you with such dread that you know this is a dream of remembrance and that he is the man who tried to kill you. You try to move but you are too slow and the man slams into you, carrying you both farther from the battle than you have already drifted. You grab his neckpiece and push against him lamely. Then his face is before yours, dim and dark, but hateful, gloating, psychotic. The dream slows down and his face hovers before you. The lines harden, become clear - and you see the face in perfect detail. Gaunt cheekbones, grey eyes, reddish-blond hair cropped short, thin nose, freckles. His red lips are pulled back showing grossly crooked teeth, an expression of pure menace.

  The face of my killer.

  The dream speeds up. You pull against his neckpiece with your right hand until his dog tag comes loose in your grasp. A split-second later he raises his mace into the air, swings it before you, brings it crashing to the side of your helm -

  You wake suddenly. You are in the Narrenschiff, lying in a corner. Sleeping bodies lie huddled nearby in the gloom and half-lights of the ship’s control panel. Your right hand twitches. You are holding something. You look and find that you clutching the dog tag marked

  PVT. CHRISTIAN, JOHN

  BLACK LANCE LEGION INFANTRY

  SER# 3902247236

  Your inventory lies loose all around you, but you find that nothing is missing. In sleep, your hand must have searched out the hateful item like a hound sniffing out its prey.

  Private John Christian, you think. The man who tried to kill me. Tried, and failed. You lie back down to sleep some more. But if that bastard John Christian hadn’t tried to kill me, then none of this would have happened. I’d be back on my ship with the rest of my brothers...

  You realize, then, that you also never would have found out about the Invader ship that is tracking your brothers, that is possibly even trying to find the holdout of the entire human resistance. Still, your resentment of your would-be killer overpowers your “gratefulness” to him for putting you on this journey, on this dangerous road where survival is a terrible battle against literal death and many lives depend on your own. Tried to kill me, you think blackly, and failed.

  I hope you’re still alive, Private Christian. Cause when I find you, I’m gonna show you how killing is done.

  If Philip the Medic is with you, turn to section 93.

  If he is not, turn to section 113.

  339

  You kick off silently from the face of the cliff and float gently toward the sniper’s back. As soon as you fall on him he jerks sideways, smacking you in the helm with his elbow. You beat him about the helm and neckpiece while he flails wildly, desperate to survive your assault.

  You must now compute a number that determines the outcome of your stealthy attack. This number is your Strength stat added to your Zero G Com
bat stat. If you are using a Blade, add 2 to this number. If you are using a Spear, add 1. If you are trained in Weapon Proficiency: Hand-to-Hand, and it is with the weapon you are using, add 3 to this number. If you are not using a hand-to-hand weapon, subtract 3 from this number.

  As the Invader pounds your suit and flesh with elbows and knees, you lose 10 Blood, though you may subtract the number you calculated from this amount. (You may also subtract your Defense rating, if you are wearing any armor.)

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

  If you survive, then you shatter your foe’s helm visor. He knocks you away into a brittle stone and you watch as plumes of oxygen and red ice pour forth as he kicks about, sending up a cloud of dust. Soon, he twitches weakly, then floats limp and calm.

  You gain 2 XP for killing the Invader.

  You rise into a crouch, then feel eyes on your back. The other Invader is staring at you, black face unreadable, horns gleaming in the light of distant stars. His jet arcs to life and he flies toward you at incredible speed.

  If you want to fire at him with a gun, turn to section 39.

  If you want to draw a hand-to-hand weapon and face him (or even take him on unarmed), turn to section 413.

  340

  You survey the oxygen tanks, trying to figure out if you have gathered enough of them. Suddenly a light flashes - you whirl about and see a silhouette floating down the hall. His flashlight bounces wildly. The form is squat - it is the manager. You can just make out the glint of steel as a long rifle is leveled at you.