Starseed

What would your dear Momma think of you now, you wonder? What would Daddy say if he knew you were about to commit the crime of the millenium? Had you known then what you know now, would you have done anything differently? What would you have said to that smiling recruiter, promising you a life of adventure, excitement, and lasting friendships? Man, was he ever full of it. But, looking back, even as a wee tot, you were always taught to take accountability, to take stock of your situation and circumstances. No point in blaming others for your present near-calamitous situation. Your life is a culmination of the myriad decisions you've made, some for better, some for worse, and //this// is who you are. No. You wouldn't change a damn thing. Screw the recruiter. Screw everyone. You reach for the comms link, and take a deep breath: [[Wait, I can't do this. What if it all goes wrong?]] [[Let's rob this bank!]]

Wait a minute. What were you thinking? Do you know how many things can go wrong? People's lives are at stake! Yes, but you have contingencies in place. Nothing is fail-safe, but your plan //is// solid. And if not now, when? If not you, then who? The masses are starving. They NEED those seeds. For too long, we've lived under the harsh yoke of the Regulators. The Seed Constabulary is corrupt, and it's ripe for a takedown. The comms link flashes, snapping you out of your reverie. "Mother Earth, this is Luna 3. Do you read? What's the holdup? We gotta go now or never. What's the call?" [[Let's rob this bank!]] [[Abort mission.]]

"Luna team. This is Mother Earth. Commence operation Starseed. With any luck, I'll see you on the other side." "Luna team, you heard Mother. We are mission go. Luna 6, are you in position?" "Luna 6 here. Been ridin' this comet's tail all day. Ready to rock'n'roll. Will pass checkpoint Alpha in uh... 49 seconds and counting. The bastards on that rock won't know what hit 'em!" "Good. Make sure you get out of there in one piece, big fella. That's gonna be one hell of a boom you're making." "I'm two steps ahead of ya, team leader. Already three clicks out. I tell ya, though, I'd give anything to see the looks on their faces when they realize that big ball 'o space crud is comin' right at 'em!" [[Continue|Let's rob this bank, part 2]]

"All hands, this is Mother Earth. Abort mission. I repeat. Abort." "Niara, is that you? What the hell're you doin? You got us into this. If you wanna run and hide, that's up to you, but we're not backing out!" "Luna 1, this is Luna 3. Maintain cover! And for God's sake, use code names, you moron! Mother Earth, what's the call? Are we a go or not?" [["A moment of weakness. Won't happen again."|Let's do this!]] [["I can't. You go on without me!"|I'm out. You're on your own.]]

"Luna team, this is Mother Earth. Just pre-mission jitters. The gravity of what we're about to do suddenly hit me, and I had a moment of weakness. It won't happen again." "Mother Earth, this is Luna 3. That's good to hear. Not to put a damper on the moment, but our window is closing fast. What's the word?" [[Commence Operation Starseed|Let's rob this bank!]]

"I knew it! Never trust a Ternovian! What the hell do we do now?" "Pipe down, Luna 1! Mother Earth, you heard the chatter. You know our odds are slim to none without your help on the inside. If you don't disable that pulse cannon array, those cannons are gonna clean our clocks! You might as well be signing our death warrants." [["Damnit, you're not leaving me any choice!"|Let's rob this bank!]] [["Who was I kidding. I'm not cut out for this!"|END regret]]

Even though you hacked your ID to give you clearance in this area, you still might seem out of place. Best thing is to remain unseen, if possible. You quickly scan the cargo bay for a place to hide. You see an open shipping crate about twenty meters off and you make a run for it. Too late! You've been spotted. [[Talk to the guard]] [[Shoot the guard]]

Even though you hacked your ID to give you clearance in this area, you still might seem out of place. Just play it cool, you tell yourself. Everything should work out. "Halt, ensign! What's your business here?" "Sir, just getting my morning walk in. I try to see a new part of the station every day, y'know, mix it up a bit." "That's all fine and dandy, but this is a restricted area. Let me see your ID." "Uh... Here you go. I wasn't aware this area is restricted. I can walk somewhere else if it is." "Hmm... your ID checks out. You have clearance." He eyes you up and down suspiciously. "But that must be a mistake. Come with me." [[Try to reason with the guard|Reason with guard]] [[Shoot the guard]]

You quickly draw your pistol and fire repeatedly at the (if: $approach is 'true')[approaching] guard. He goes down in a heap, his head hitting the floor with a crack. Poor soul. Wrong place. Wrong time. But no time to wax philosophically over taking a man's life. Your gunshots triggered an intruder alert. More guards will be on their way. You estimate about two minutes, which is about how much time you need to disable the pulse cannon array. You can either clear the body away, or disable the cannons. You don't have time to do both!(set: $stroopDead to 'true') [[Disable the pulse cannon array]] [[Clean up your mess]]

"Roger that, Luna 6. Alright everyone, listen up. Taking out that forward sensor station will cripple their detection grid for about 5 minutes. We'll converge at the moon's pole, and fly in fast and low to avoid visual. Comet impact in four, three, two, one... ze... Hot damn! Would you look at that! Luna team, stay focused. We're goin in. Mother, it's up to you now. If you can't disable those pulse cannons from the inside, this'll be a suicide mission, and a short one at that." "Luna 3, don't get your panties all in a bunch, hear? I've got this. Those cannons will be down, and we'll teach those Regulator bastards a thing or two. I know this bank's systems inside and ou...oh shit! Someone's coming. Gotta go. Mother Earth out!" [[Hide]] [[Play it cool]] [[Shoot the guard|Shoot guard set var]]

After you backed out, McCallister (team leader) convinced the rest of the team to abort the mission. No one lost their lives that day, but a part of you shriveled up in fear, and you never recovered. For a moment, you had a chance to make a real difference, one that trillions of people across the galaxy would remember and revere you for if you succeeded. Instead, you chose to crawl back to your security job at the seed bank, and watch as the Regulators callously manipulated the seed supply to maximize profit, as they'd done for centuries. Demoralized, Luna team never mobilized again and, fearful of being found out, never spoke of their mission to anyone. It's as if it never happened. Once your tour of duty was up, you slunk back to the colony and led a quiet, sheltered life, accomplishing little, inspiring none, embarrassed at who and what you'd become. You used to quip that one's life is the culmination of the myriad choices they make, though now you often muse sardonically, some choices are more consequential than others. What you wouldn't give to go back to that day so long ago and, live or die, make history. Of 9 possible endings, this is the only 0-star ending. [[Would you like to try again?|Intro part 1]]

''OPERATION STARSEED'' When you took this job, it was with the best of intentions. //Really//, you keep telling yourself, //it was.// You were just a smalltown kid from a backwater moon orbiting a no-name planet halfway across the Milky Way from Earth. You had no aspirations of greatness, or penchant for thrill-seeking, just an overwhelming need to escape the humdrum existence of life in the colony. That need eventually drove you to rebel against the status quo, but you weren't always a renegade. Mommy and Daddy taught you well, raising you with a strict moral compass. They were always so proud of you, always telling you how you could do anything, be anything, as long as you played by the rules of the system. Given your family's prominent status in the colony, you might have even been governor one day. Yet, here you were, about to rob the most infamous bank in the galaxy. In fact, the whole thing was your idea, down to the last painstakingly-planned detail. [[Continue|Intro part 2]]

"Hey, stop right there! Why are you running away? Let me see your ID!" "I... I'm sorry. Here you go. I was just trying to catch my cat. I think I saw him run through here." "Hmm... ID checks out. But, you know felines aren't allowed on this base. I'll have to confiscate it." "Good riddance. Been more of a nuissance than anything else. But I still have to catch him first." "Come with me. I have to cite you for a hygiene violation." "Aww, can we do that later? I mean, it'll take me //forever// to track him down again. I promise, when I catch him this time, I'll send him back to my sister. And later today I'll stop into your office, Lieutenant uhh..." "Stroop. And you'd better not be messin' around! I'll be seeing you, ensign." "Yes sir, thank you sir." Wow, that was too close for comfort. If he'd patted me down, he almost certainly would have discovered my pistols... //and// the comms link. And then it'd be straight to the Venusian lava pits for me. (shudders) Okay, keep it together now. [[Return to the instrument panel|END mission success survive]] [[Check in with Luna team]]

You rush back to the instrument panel and start disabling the pulse cannon array. Normally, you could do this with your eyes closed, but after just killing a man, and with more guards undoubtedly heading your way, your hands are shaky, and it's taking longer than expected. You finish just as you hear the clacking of the guards' shoes down the corridor. As feared, you don't have time to hide the body, but you might be able to make it to the empty crate you initially considered hiding in. Or, considering your odds of survival are so low at this point anyway, you could meet your fate head on and go out in a blaze of glory. [[Run for the crate, and probably not make it|Run and hide]] [[Stand and fight, and probably die|END die in firefight mission succeeds]]

You drag the Lieutenant's body to the empty crate you initially considered hiding in. The rounds you chose for this mission worked as advertised. No mess, no blood, no cleanup. These were non-penetrating rounds that, on impact, released a focused bio-electric pulse that disrupted the target's neural pathways. He died before he could even hear the gunshot. Not a bad way to go, all things considered. With that bit of dirty business out of the way, it's time to disable those cannons. Not a lot of time remaining, though. No sooner do you get to the instrument panel than you hear the clacking of several guards approaching the cargo bay. You've only managed to disable about 40% of the pulse cannons when the first of the guards reaches the cargo bay. [[Start a firefight|Get ready for firefight]] [[Inform Luna Team of status|Inform only half cannons disabled]]

So far so good. Everything is going as planned. Another minute and Luna team will have clear sailing all the way to the station. System command won't even see them coming. You reach for the comms link and convey the good news, then you toss it and your pistols into the nearest incinerator and head back to your room. Moments later the station is rocked by several concussion torpedos. The assault has begun. To protect its seeds, the Constabulary was designed to launch its seed vaults into space if it came under attack. Thanks to your foresight and planning, a container ship was waiting at precisely the right time and place to collect those vaults, and then warp to safety. In the aftermath of the attack, you manage to sneak off on an outgoing cargo ship and, several days later, join Luna team in celebration. Operation Starseed was a success. Without a stranglehold on the food supply, the Regulators would soon lose their leverage, and be removed from the seat of power they had occupied for so long. Your vision of a future free from Regulator control became a reality. You and Luna team are revered and given highest honors in the new government. Of 9 possible endings, this is the only 5-star ending. Congratulations! [[Play again?|Intro part 1]]

"Luna team, this is Mother Earth. That was close, but the threat has moved on. We are still clear to go. I'll have those pulse cannons down in a jiffy. How's the situation out there?" "This is team leader. So far, we haven't encountered any aerial resistance. It's almost like they don't even know their grid is down." "They don't. I looped some earlier footage of the sensor station, and jammed all incoming signals. Right now, they're blind, and don't even know it. But it won't take them long to figure out what happened." [[Return to the instrument panel|END mission success survive]]

"Sir, I'm stationed here over a year, and never had any problems with my clearance. How about I stop by your office later today and we'll clear this up, Lieutenant... uhh..." "Stroop. Funny, I've been here three years, and never seen you before. I'm of a mind to bring you back right now and get this checked ou..." "Sir, with all due respect, look at me. I'm just a little girl from Ternova. There isn't a more boring place in the galaxy than Ternova. I don't like excitement. That's why I requested this assignment. Whaddaya think I'm gonna do, blow up the station or something?" You force a little giggle to accompany the most innocent smile you can muster. Aaaand... he falls for it. How could he not? "All right then, ensign. But you feel free to stop by my office any time you like, you hear?" "Loud and clear, sir." You give him a wink. "I just might do that." The lieutenant, thinking something that couldn't be farther from the truth, puffs out his chest and turns to strut away. "Carry on now." Wow, that was too close for comfort. If he'd taken me in, there's no way we pull any of this off. The team would be shot down. And then it'd be straight to the Venusian lava pits for me. (shudders) Okay, keep it together now. [[Return to the instrument panel|END mission success survive]] [[Check in with Luna team]]

(set: $approach to 'true') (go-to: "Shoot the guard")

You make a break for it and reach the open crate just as the first guard enters the cargo bay. Seeing Stroop's body, he instantly sounds the alarm. "Man down! I repeat, man down! Get a medic in here asap! Someone check that instrument panel, and see what the hell is going on!" Within seconds, the cargo bay is flooded with guards, and you know it's only a matter of time before they discover where you're hiding. A group of two or three guards approaches the crate, and you think "That's it. It's all over." Your mind races as you decide what to do next: [[Stand and fight|END die in firefight mission succeeds]] [[Try deception|Trick guards]] [[Surrender|END surrender mission succeeds]]

Grabbing both pistols, you jump up, unleashing hellfire and fury on the unsuspecting guards. With the element of surprise, you manage to take five, six down before the rest catch on to what's happening. You climb out of the crate and crouch behind it. For a moment, you think you might make it out of here, but the guards are just too many. And soon even more arrive, flooding the cargo bay. Still crouched behind the crate, with a loud //clack//, you jam your last two magazines in place. Locked and loaded. You know there's no way these guards will take you alive now, and, with the sense of freedom that only someone on the edge of life can understand, you've accepted that this is to be your last stand. Part of you always knew this is how it had to end, even longed for it. Steeling yourself, you turn and charge the cargo doorway, shooting wildly at every guard you see. You vaguely witness the carnage you've caused as you go down in a rain of fire. "Not bad for a good little girl from Ternova," you think as you smile and close your eyes for the last time. Although you didn't survive, your heroism enabled Luna team to navigate the the security grid and strike at the heart of the seed bank. To protect its contents, the Seed Constabulary was designed to launch its seed vaults into space if it came under attack. Thanks to your foresight and planning, a container ship was waiting at precisely the right time and place to collect those vaults, and then warp to safety. Without a stranglehold on the food supply, the Regulators lost their leverage, and were soon removed from power. Your vision of a future free from Regulator control became a reality. Of 9 possible endings, this is 1 of 2 possible 3-star endings. [[Play again?|Intro part 1]]

Grabbing both pistols, you unleash hellfire and fury on the guards. With the element of surprise, you manage to take five, six down before the rest catch on to what's happening. For a moment, you think you might make it out of here, but there are just too many. And soon even more arrive, flooding the cargo bay. Still crouched behind the instrument panel, with a loud //clack//, you jam your last two magazines in place. Locked and loaded. You know there's no way these guards will take you alive now, and, with the sense of freedom that only someone on the edge of life can understand, you've accepted that this is to be your last stand. Part of you always knew this is how it had to end, even longed for it. You just hope your sacrifice will create enough of a diversion for Luna team to survive. Steeling yourself, you stand up and charge the cargo doorway, shooting at every guard you see. You vaguely witness the carnage you've caused as you go down in a rain of fire. "Not bad for a good little girl from Ternova," you think as you smile and close your eyes for the last time. Although you didn't survive, your heroism saved Luna team, which escaped nearly unscathed. And while Operation Starseed failed, your vision of a future free from Regulator control of the food supply was contagious, and it wasn't long before others mobilized to raid the Seed Constabulary. You would rest well had you known you made a difference. Of 9 possible endings, this is the only 2-star ending. [[Play again?|Intro part 1]]

"Luna team, this is Mother. Listen closely. I wasn't able to take all the cannons offline. There're still two active batteries at the end of the gorge. If you stay low and fast, and try to hug the canyon walls, you'll have the best chance of making it through. Once those cannons detect you, though, be prepared for some aerial resistance when you approach the station. I'm sorry. I'll keep trying on my end, but it looks like my time is running out. Good luck." You remind yourself that McCallister is smart. He won't lead the team in blindly, and will avoid the worst of it. Still, there will be some losses now. No way around that. The first guard enters the room and looks around. "Looks like a false alarm. There's no one in here. Carlos, go check that instrument panel over there. Everyone else, hang out in the corridor until we get this checked out." Damnit, so much for an easy escape! You've got about 5 seconds to make a decision. [[Start a firefight|Get ready for firefight part 2]] [[Talk to Carlos|Disable array part 2]]

A moment later, Carlos reaches your position and, at first, is dumbstruck. You clearly were not what he was expecting to find. "Get your hands off that instrument panel! Now! What in the blazes do you think you're doing!" You stand up, hands in the air, looking as helpless and confused as you can. "Sorry, I... I was on my morning walk, when I saw this panel light up. It looks like the pulse cannon array is malfunctioning. I...I've been trying to get them back online." By this time, Carlos' superior had approached. "Hogwash! Stroop just checked those systems earlier this morning. He'd've got back to me if anything was wrong. Besides, that's something you need to report immediately, ensign!" He looked down at the instrument panel. "What's going on... Holy mother, what the hell! Get out of the way!" Major Timran worked furiously to get the cannons you'd taken off the grid back online, but he wasn't able to get past your encryption. "Get her out of here! And alert Station Command. We've got trouble. And for God's sake, find Stroop!" If station command is notified, the mission won't stand a chance. This is it, the moment of truth. [[Start a firefight|END die in firefight mission fails]] [[Surrender|END surrender fail mission]]

Crouching low behind the panel, you choose not to shoot the moment the guards enter. Your only chance is to get them all in and quickly seal the cargo bay door. Then you can hopefully pick them off one by one out in the open. The first guard enters the room and looks around. "Looks like a false alarm. There's no one in here. Carlos, go check that instrument panel over there. Everyone else, hang out in the corridor until we get this checked out." Damnit, there goes plan A! And here comes Carlos. Sorry, Carlos, nothing personal. You can blame your commanding officer for this one. [[Continue|Get ready for firefight part 2]]

Still crouched, listening to Carlos' footsteps, you wait until he's just a few feet from you. Taking a deep breath, you strike first. Carlos goes down instantly, followed moments later by his too-smart-for-his-own-good superior. But by then, the whole guard contingent had charged the cargo bay and spotted you. [[Continue|END die in firefight mission fails]]

Once you surrender, the guards quickly find your pistols and comms link. It doesn't take long for Station Command to figure out what's happening, and they dispatch a squadron to take out Luna team. Soonafter, they find Stroop in the cargo crate and the charges against you, which were already severe, were updated to include murder. Operation Starseed had failed. Not a single seed vault had been recovered from the Seed Constabulary. Your team never even made it close. As you dreaded, you were sentenced to spend your remaining days toiling in the precious metals mines of the Venusian lava pits. Yet, word of Luna team's bravery spread quickly, and others began to mobilize against the Regulators. It would take time, decades, but your actions inspired others to take the future in their own hands. The days of Regulator control over the seed bank were numbered. You made a difference, and while your freedom had been taken, knowing that you set in motion the inevitable collapse of the Regulator consortium was something no one could ever take from you. Of 9 possible endings, this is the only 1-star ending. [[Play again?|Intro part 1]]

You stand up slowly and reveal yourself to the guards. Startled, the guards instinctively draw their pistols on you. "Put your hands up and slowly get out of the crate! No shenanigans, you hear!" Having given up, you readily comply. Once you surrender, the guards quickly find your pistols and comms link. It doesn't take long for Station Command to figure out what's happening. But by then it's too late. The seed vaults, programmed to launch in case of attack, had already been cast into orbit. Thanks to your foresight and planning, a container ship was waiting at precisely the right time and place to collect those vaults, and then warp to safety. As you dreaded, you were sentenced to spend your remaining days toiling in the precious metals mines of the Venusian lava pits. After all, you did kill a man. But without a stranglehold on the food supply, the Regulators would soon lose their leverage, and be removed from the seat of power they had occupied for so long. After 16 long years of back-breakingly hard labor, your vision of a future free from Regulator control finally became a reality, and you're finally released by the new government. You and Luna team are revered and given highest honors. Of 8 possible endings, this is 1 of 2 possible 3-star endings. [[Play again?|Intro part 1]]

You quickly hide your pistols and comms link under some packing material in the crate, and putting on your best terrified little girl face, meekly call out, "H...help me, please... Is someone there?" Startled, the guards instinctively draw their pistols and point them at the crate. "Put your hands up and slowly get out of the crate! No shenanigans, you hear!" You comply, and, faking a torrent of tears, cry out, "Thank you. Thank God you're here. P...please help me." You're instructed to lay on the ground, which you do. A young guard named Carlos leans over and asks you what happened. "I... I was coming back from my morning walk. When I came in, I saw a man over at... at that panel, and then this other man comes in and yells something at him, and the first man j...just... //shoots// him. The alarm goes off, and he sees me. So I run and find this crate. I guess he didn't want to risk getting caught, so he bolted. I thought I was gonna die for sure." [[Continue|Under attack]]

At that moment, the cargo bay is rocked by what feels like a magnitude 10 earthquake. It's Luna team. They made it past the pulse cannons and breached the station perimeter with concussion torpedos. The guards are distracted and scatter, instinctively looking for cover. Maybe you could escape in the confusion? [[Grab your pistols and comms link and make a run for it|Grab and run]] [[Make a run for it|END run for it, success]]

Hoping no one sees you during the turmoil, you reach back into the crate for the comms link and your pistols. You fish under the packing material frantically, but to no avail. "Looking for these?" The young guard, Carlos was standing over you, holding your equipment. "You know, I nearly fell for your sob story. But something didn't seem right... it just seemed too convenient." Another explosion rocked the cargo bay, sending you and Carlos tumbling to the floor. You recover faster and are first to grab one of your pistols. Carlos makes a sudden move for your other pistol: [[Shoot Carlos|END shoot Carlos die success]] [[Warn Carlos]]

Taking advantage of the turmoil, you turn tail and run as fast as you can for the nearest exit. You make it! To protect its seeds, the Constabulary was designed to launch its seed vaults into space if it came under attack. Thanks to your foresight and planning, a container ship was waiting at precisely the right time and place to collect those vaults, and then warp to safety. Operation Starseed was a success. Your sob story must have worked because, in the aftermath of the attack, finding you was clearly a low priority. You manage to sneak off on an outgoing cargo ship and, several days later, join Luna team in celebration. Without a stranglehold on the food supply, the Regulators would soon lose their leverage, and be removed from the seat of power they had occupied for so long. Your vision of a future free from Regulator control became a reality. You and Luna team are revered and given highest honors in the new government. Of 9 possible endings, this is 1 of 2 possible 4-star endings. Congratulations! [[Play again?|Intro part 1]]

Before Carlos can reach your other pistol, you shoot. Damnit, you wish he hadn't done that. You didn't want to kill him. But there's no time to wallow in regret. "Hey, what the hell! Did you just shoot Carlos?" You start running. "Stop her. She just shot Carlos. Don't let her escape!" You charge the cargo doorway, shooting wildly at every guard you see. You vaguely witness the carnage you've caused as you go down in a rain of fire. "Not bad for a good little girl from Ternova," you think as you smile and close your eyes for the last time. Although you didn't survive, your heroism enabled Luna team to navigate the the security grid and strike at the heart of the seed bank. To protect its contents, the Seed Constabulary was designed to launch its seed vaults into space if it came under attack. Thanks to your foresight and planning, a container ship was waiting at precisely the right time and place to collect those vaults, and then warp to safety. Without a stranglehold on the food supply, the Regulators lost their leverage, and were soon removed from power. Your vision of a future free from Regulator control became a reality. Of 9 possible endings, this is 1 of 2 possible 3-star endings. [[Play again?|Intro part 1]]

"Don't do it. I have no interest in killing you, but I will if I have to." Carlos freezes, both fear and a bit of respect gleaming in his eyes. You grab your pistol and comms link, and take his firearm for good measure. "You did all this?" he managed to say at length, clearly enamored with you. You nod your head and say, "Those seed vaults should be at least two parsecs away by now. Now be a good little boy, and don't say anything. Promise?" "Yes ma'am." Taking advantage of the turmoil, you turn tail and run as fast as you can for the nearest exit. You make it! To protect its seeds, the Constabulary was designed to launch its seed vaults into space if it came under attack. Thanks to your foresight and planning, a container ship was waiting at precisely the right time and place to collect those vaults, and then warp to safety. Operation Starseed was a success. You clearly made an impression on Carlos because, in the aftermath of the attack, Carlos didn't give you up. You manage to sneak off on an outgoing cargo ship and, several days later, join Luna team in celebration. Without a stranglehold on the food supply, the Regulators would soon lose their leverage, and be removed from the seat of power they had occupied for so long. Your vision of a future free from Regulator control became a reality. You and Luna team are revered and given highest honors in the new government. Of 9 possible endings, this is 1 of 2 possible 4-star endings. Congratulations! [[Play again?|Intro part 1]]