The Real Treasure Was the Friends You Made Along the Way!
'All right, thank you. You've been very helpful,' you say.
'Can't I interest you in buying anything, miss?' he asks. 'We've got all kinds of synthetic beverages. Anything take your fancy?' He indicates the bottles on display behind the bar.
As a way of saying "thank you", you purchase a bottle of synth-vodka. It tastes like swill, but it's strongly alcoholic and you can use it to set fire to things. Well, such is your intention. You certainly don't intend to drink it.
It costs five scrip, but you hand it over without quibbling. You have plenty of money and it's not like you were using it for anything else.
Before long, you're standing before the imposing frontispiece of Vault Eight. To one side, there's a screen and a keypad mounted on the wall. You know how this goes: there's a puzzle you have to solve. Hmm… how to go about this?
You stare at the screen for what seems like hours. At long last, you think you've cracked it. You use the keypad to select a sequence of numbers, moving around the grid one space at a time: four, nine, nineteen, one, two, twelve, five, sixteen, eighteen, fifteen, twenty-four, nine, thirteen, nine, twenty, twenty-five, thirteen, nine, fourteen, five, nineteen. If you convert those numbers into the letters of the alphabet (A=1, B=2, C=3, etc.), it spells out "DISABLEPROXIMITYMINES". Another sequence can be converted into "DISABLESENTRYTURRETS". Finally, when you're sure that there are no other unpleasant surprises waiting for you, you press to "OPENTHEDOOR".
For the first time in centuries, the massive Vault Door opens. There is a rumbling, a cracking, and an unpleasant screeching sound. A large section of wall slowly lifts aside, allowing you entry through a small aperture. You step forwards, into darkness.
There were four automated sentry turrets guarding the entrance hall, heavily armed and extremely dangerous. Not any more, though. They've been deactivated. Utterly silent and still, covered with a film of rust and corrosion, it's as if they were deactivated a very long time ago. Maybe they were: you don't know for sure.
You don't see any proximity mines, even deactivated ones, which is probably the point. Maybe they're hidden under the floor or inside the walls. Even using your psionic powers as a sonar, you can't get a feel for where they might be.
Anyway, to cut a long story short, you head deeper into the Vault and are surprised to find dozens of locker rooms. It's as if you've walked into a leisure centre. Well, they're not really 'locker rooms' so much as 'rooms where the walls are covered in dozens of lockers'.
Um. Wait, aren't they the same thing?
It takes a little time and investigation, but you find out that each locker contains seeds or samples of genetic material from a different species of plant, animal or fungi. Actually, more than that: some of them appear to have bacteria or other microorganisms inside. For the men and women of the Rekindlers, who dream of being able to resurrect this dead planet, the contents of this Vault would be a priceless treasure. Although, unless they've got access to cloning technology, it probably wouldn't be much use to them either.
'Treasure hunting is as much about luck as anything else,' you remark philosophically. 'There are some who find gold and jewels. Some find the lost relics of ancient civilisations. And some get nothing. Me, though? I've found as much bull semen as I could possibly want, ever. Yippee.' You give a disconsolate sigh. 'I suppose we all get what we deserve, in the end.'
Well, it's not all bad news. You could go to the Rekindlers and offer to give them the contents of this Vault in exchange for them giving Evie all the supplies that she needs. Or you could come back here with Evie and dismantle the sentry turrets and proximity mines (if the proximity mines even exist) and anything else which might contain mechanical parts she could use. And you haven't explored the entire Vault from top to bottom just yet. You haven't got time. Nevertheless, all things considered, you can't help but feel disappointed.
You leave Vault Eight, closing the door and making sure that it's locked again afterwards. Then, you begin the long journey back to Vault Three.
By the time you get back, you're exhausted. You go straight to bed and fall into a dark, dreamless sleep.
What do you want to do first thing tomorrow?
[] Go to 'The Hole'.
-[] Investigate the recent murders.
[] Go to Dung Village.
-[] Visit the market and buy mechanical parts you might need for repairs.
--[] Attempt to buy warm protective clothing.
[] Go to Vault One.
-[] Offer to give the Rekindlers the contents of Vault Eight in exchange for as much help and materiel as they can give you.
[] With Evie, go back to Vault Eight.
-[] Dismantle all the turrets and anything else which might be made up of useful materials.
--[] Carry these supplies back to Vault Three and let Evie get on with her work.
[] Go to Rats' Alley.
-[] Visit the Doomsmen. Ask to speak with Nihil.
[] Go shopping in the Belly.
-[] Attempt to buy warm protective clothing.
[] Go to the Museum.
-[] Ask Nonette if you can borrow one of the exhibits.
[] Go back to the current headquarters of the Ticktockmen.
-[] Attempt to take control of them.
[] Visit the government building.
-[] Attempt to speak to a member of the Council. (Write in: who?)
[] Visit the Pandemonium Bar.
-[] Ask the demons for help.
--[] In particular, ask them for help in accessing Vault Nine.
[] Go to Vault Four.
-[] Attempt to gain entry to the Doomsmen's old hideout.
[] Go to Vault Five.
-[] See if there's anything left of the gang known as 'the Rooks'.
[] Attempt to gain entry to one of the unopened Vaults.
-[] Which one do you want to visit? Vault Seven or Nine? (Choose one)
[] Do something else. (Write in: what?)
