Andromeda Apocalypse - Extended Edition — 32 of 97

Chapter 5 - Awakening the Dread

Section 1 - The Observatory Room

The Observatory Room is southeast of the steel valve. "At least fifty meters wide, this semi-circular room must have been the observatory lounge for the inhabitants['] spare time. A set of tables and seats form a theater of sorts, for tonight's show of the universe. A glass dome, covering all the south side of the room and part of the ceiling, is open to the stars. The high corridor is to the northwest, while a second, tighter tunnel departs from the northeast. In the northern wall, a metal ladder heads up into an opening."

Some floating whales are fixed in place in the Observatory Room. "[first time]Beyond the glass, the most amazing show of all your life is playing. [only]A dozen[first time]...[only] whales are floating in space, dancing and joking at your own sanity. In the distance, as a sort of dynamic backdrop, the expanding supernova that was the Monarch solar system is flaring and growing[first time].[paragraph break]You watch the scene, speechless, kidnapped by its unbelievable beauty and struck by horror.[paragraph break][italic type]This is it, [roman type]you murmur. [italic type]The legacy of the stars.[roman type][paragraph break]Uncle Oren would laugh at you, now[only]." The description is "The whales are enormous, heavy thus impossibly lightweight in the absence of gravity. They are... swimming in the void, unaware of the physics and dynamics laws on which you based all your beliefs. One of the smaller creatures is staring at you, as if it felt your presence. You stare back in silence, open mouthed." Understand "show/dozen/dancing/joking/big/enormous/creatures" as the floating whales.

Instead of doing something except examining to the floating whales, say "The whales are behind a thick wall of glass, floating in deep space."

Some tables are scenery in the Observatory Room. The description is "The tables are surrounded by seats in the sides of the big chamber. This must have been a restaurant, and a quite expensive one, you guess." Understand "table/bar" as the tables.

Instead of searching the tables, say "No one has been littering this place for quite some time."

Instead of climbing or entering the tables, say "This doesn't look like that kind of bar."

Instead of looking under the tables, try searching the tables.

Some seats are scenery in the Observatory Room. The description is "Some of the seats form a theater of sorts. You imagine people gathering here and looking at the stars, in an everlasting evening show." Understand "theater/seat" as the seats.

Instead of searching the seats, try searching the tables.

Instead of entering the seats, say "That would be romantic, wouldn't it? If only you weren't the lone survivor you are..."

Instead of climbing the seats, try climbing the tables.

Instead of looking under the seats, try looking under the tables.

A small whale is part of the floating whales. Understand "smaller/puppy/staring/creature/one" as the small whale. The description is "Its mouth is as large as half of the round viewscreen. Head to tail it must be one hundred meters long. It seems to be looking at you."

Instead of doing something except examining to the small whale, try pushing the floating whales.

The glass dome is scenery in the Observatory Room. The description is "The dome is perfectly clean, as if a janitor has been washing it every day since the dawn of time. What you see beyond must be the greatest show of the universe: the giant supernova is glaring inside the remnants of Andromeda like a flower blossoming in a cold spring morning[first time], across the green fields of the Semiros or in the valley of Shen.[paragraph break]A sad smile paints your face, and only the blackness of space stands witness to it[only]."

Instead of attacking the glass dome, say "The glass must be ten centimeters thick."

Instead of attacking the glass dome with something, try attacking the glass dome.

The expanding supernova is scenery in the Observatory Room. The description is "The trinary system is no more. In its place, a flare, the size of which you can but imagine, is glowing and expanding[first time]. You can't tell for sure, but you guess it will reach this place in less than a few hours[only]." Understand "monarch/sehrn/korhos/fatimah/trinary/system/solar/dynamic/backdrop/flaring/growing/glowing/flare/sky/universe/space/stars" as the expanding supernova.

Instead of doing something except examining to the expanding supernova, say "You calculate the supernova must be at least... a million kilometers away."

At the time when the fishes escape:

if the player is in the Observatory room:

say "The space whales take a last look inside the observatory room, then group together and swim away, losing themselves in the vacuum of space. You may be mistaken, but you feel like they wanted to say goodbye before leaving this imploding galaxy.";

remove the floating whales from play.

Before waving hands when in the Observatory Room:

if the floating whales are in the Observatory Room:

say "The whales look at you. You are quite sure they are waving their tail flippers back at you.";

stop the action.

Instead of waving at the floating whales, try waving hands.

The metal ladder is scenery in the Observatory Room.

Before entering or climbing the metal ladder, try going up instead.