SENTINEL WORLDS PARAGRAPHS
Typed by Wanker who hated every moment.
Don't start reading these paragraphs. It'll ruin the game. You
gotta have this to solve the game, which is why I typed it up rather
than the Docs, (it's also shorter).
1. "Of course I know who's behind the raids, " Brennan says,
"I've
known all along. Every single one of those raiders is the lowest of
the low, the kind of vile slime that hates puppies an hunts space
bunnies. You know the kind don't you? Here let me clue you in: The
raiders are the kind of folks who read paragraphs they shouldn't be
reading!
"Now tell me, why do I always have to do the Federations dirty work?
I'm gonna get me a job where I don't have to tell folks not to do
what
they ain't supposed to do..."
2. The rancher stares at you and your crew long and hard before
answering. "Ranchers and Farmers been fightin' for the last ten
years.
There's a piece of land we both have a hankerin' for, cause it's
loaded full of Kransite. Folks in the Rouyn system will pay you enough
for a lousy handful of the stuff to let you retire. Federation don't
know about Kransite and won't recognize either sides claim to the
land. You can see for yourself. It's right here on your chart, at
Norajaenn 1235, 1108."
3. "I suspect you're right in that assumption. Even my ship with the
latest in fuel-efficient engines, cannot travel beyond two or three
systems from here without refueling. From what I can tell of the
raider craft, their technology is not particularly sophisticated, not
even as advanced as your primitive interceptors."
4. "The beasts eat our children," the Warhakan leader explains.
"Our
weapons are useless against their scales. You must help us. They have
slain all who venture near them. We believe there to be only a dozen
or so, but we are powerless against their ravages. The Federation
promised to help us in times of need...go to Caldorre 1012, 622 and
slay them if you would honor your word!"
5. "We dig because a great evil persuades us to dig. The evil stands
above us like the shadow of the moon. The people dig, but our hearts
do not dig. We dig with our teeth clenched, but I say to you: One day
the teeth shall bite."
6. "If you want to know about the raiders, I'll let you in on a
little
secret," says Grager in a low voice. "Most of them do themselves in
before you can get one word out of them. But I managed to get a hold
of one that had a mind of his own: In a few words, this one was
scared. I don't resort to torture, I assure you, but a little
persuasion with these types isn't out of line." Grager flashes you a
grin, takes a long sip of his cocktail, then continues. "This guy told
me that they're equipping their ships with a modified weapons system
that has twice the firepower of a Federation starship. That's all I
could get out of him. He wouldn't tell me where his base was or whose
boots he licked. I showed my appreciation by letting him ride with us:
we strapped him to the prow of the ship."
7. "Let's see now...Sentinels, eh? They're supposed to be a bunch
of
old men in blue robes somewhere on Norajaenn. My grandpa said he saw
them once, when he was on a hunting trip. Tried to talk to them, but
they just and didn't make a sound. Gramps was a pretty good tracker,
but all he found was a few bushes stripped clean of fruit. Not a trace
of the old guys. He also claimed that he saw some funny lights in the
hills that night, and on a couple of other nights too."
8. "Forget about the Sentinels, young man. Looky here, I usually
don't
go in for Fed types but my daughter, she's just crazy about 'em. I
reckon it's the uniforms or somethin'. Anyway, you just relax. Ma
will
cook us up some nice vittles and we'll sit down and have a nice meal,
and then maybe we'll let you two young'uns alone for a spell.
9. "Before I tell you where to find the Sentinels you must find a way
to resolve the differences between the Ranchers and the Farmers. Their
dispute is tearing our town apart. I stand to lose my livelihood if
they keep at each other the way they have been. A lot of folks are in
the same boat. An outsider might make them listen to reason, but no
one from Tolte can make them sit down together. You stop them from
trying to kill each other and I'll help you out."
10. The rancher scratches his chin and gives you a long hard look.
"Well I reckon we been fightin' ever since I was a boy...Norajaenn
was
settled nigh unto a hundred years ago, and the two sides been fightin'
at least a third of that time. When the almighty Federation, in it'
infinite wisdom, decided that this was the place to be, it decided it
was the place for both farmers and ranchers. So they plopped us down
in the same spot, maybe twenty families of each persuasion, and waited
to see who survived. Sort of an evolution thing, I reckon. only
problem was both sides survived and now they're fightin' over the
same
piece of land. Farmers can just up and plant their crops wherever they
please, whereas we ranchers have to stake out a piece of grazing land
well-suited to our critters. Farmers won't move and we can't move, so
I reckon we'll just have to fight it out until they either move or we
move em."
11. "To find the Light, it is necessary that you unlock the Gates Of
Truth. The gates are hidden to those in whom the Light is but a dull
glow, but to those in whom the Light shines forth, the Gates stand
forth with an unparalleled luminosity. There the Masters wait in
solitude."
12. The Warhakan stares resolutely. "They are sometimes accompanied by
others, not like themselves. They offer to trade with us but we
refuse. With such as they, we will have nothing to do."
13. "Look," he says, "there probably isn't anything in that
hunk of
spacejunk. I bet you could sift throughout until your fingers bled,
your knees buckled, and all the chrome flaked off your new digital
watch and you still wouldn't come up with one stinking clue. But by
all means, go ahead, I won't stand in your way."
14. "Yes," she says in a trembling voice, "there is a door to
the
tower that's unguarded. It's a loading port of some sort. I can't
tell
you where it is, but there is someone who knows and who'd be willing
to tell you. His..." With a gasp she clutches her throat. You stare in
horror as the blood streams from her eyes. She staggers for a moment,
giving you enough time to step out of the way of her falling corpse.
15. "Kedro? Only a year ago he was one of us. But something came over
him, sudden-like. Some folks thought it was some space-virus or
something, but I never bought that. If you ask me, he just became..."
he pauses, tapping his forehead, "well, a little touched."
16. The old man winks at you and nods his head sagely. "Verily, the
world is an oyster, thou shalt not want."
17. "Well, I won't do it for charity but I'm willing to make a
deal,"
he says, taking another slug of Red Reactor. "You get me a Federation
contract-and make it binding-and I'll get em for you, guaranteed. You
come here with a signed piece of paper and we'll talk."
18. "If the Federation muscles in and you're not 100% on their side,
you don't get no favors. No, I'm not satisfied with the way I've
been
treated. It's just not fair competition, you know? An advantage is an
advantage, I don't care how you look at it. An honest trader like me
doesn't stand a chance."
19. "Quit readin the damn paragraphs when you're not supposed
to."
20. "Our paths will cross again someday. It is our destiny. When it
does, I hope to be ready for him. For now, he fears me greatly
although with his knowledge of the dark arts his evil master has
taught him he could surely kill me. Yet he fears me. He tried to get
me to go with him, to talk to this 'Master' of his, but I didn't.
He
said I had the Light or some such mumbo jumbo, but I told him I wasn't
interested in hearing about it. All I know is that someday he's going
to have to face up to the mischief he's created or face up to me, his
brother."
21. "I did see somethin' strange once. They moved at an incredible
speed. The cattle were scared, and me and my boys had to do everything
we could to keep em from bolting. Weird, let me tell you. You could
kinda see through em, see, only they were a kinda sickly green color.
That was back when my wife was still livin, an' when we came home, she
said we looked like we'd seen a ghost or somethin. All in all I guess
we were purty scared, yup. That was the only time though.
"Oh yeah, the next 21 is 45..."
22. Delik lowers his blaster then returns it to it's holster. "Well,
you don't seem like the dishonest type, but I don't like someone who
goes back on their word and I don't like gettin' snaked. A deal's
a
deal. I expect the next time we meet you'll have the credits. I don't
think I need to threaten a Fed." Motioning to his hired help, he turns
and mounts the stairs.
23. You enter the access code and wait with a little impatience as the
computer translates. With a quick flicker a holographic representation
of the tower appears before you. A flashing arrow points to a portal
on the south side. Words appear below the image: "2210A2: Security
Clearance 'Lanka'."
24. "Yes sir, he handed me the Caldorre candy bar and said 'Read the
ingredients carefully.' So I opened the thing up and lo and behold
theres these numbers scrawled on the inside: 1792,955. I looked up and
he was gone, you know, vanished.
25. "Follow me into darkness and know that power is truth! I shall
give you the knowledge by which you shall bring the world to it's
knees and recognize your personal divinity! I hold the reins of the
world out to you. Do not turn them down. Do not choose destruction
when I offer you full life! Do not choose weakness over your right to
rule! Do not die for others when immortality lies within your grasp!"
26. "I'm pretty sure he's in these caves," Kann explains.
" We were on
a three-day drive a week ago, camped out at night when he disappeared.
Two of my men saw the kidnappers carry him off, and swear that the
bunch that got him were Farmers. Recognized em by the they ran. Next
morning we checked out the tracks, what was left of them, and sure
enough the prints weren't from any boots a rancher would wear. I heard
a bunch of Farmers, even old Grayper himself, were heading for Striker
Rift, so I put two and two together and figured that's where they were
hiding my boy."
27. "If you ask me there's something really fishy going on in that
Rift. It seems like Farmers sure are heading there a lot these days,
even when there's nothing of value there anymore. Several of us have
seen em sneaking out there at night. Oh, there's something else weird
about all this: we've been picking up strange transmissions on our
radios. Stuff I can't understand. I sure don't like hearin' what
I
can't understand."
28. "Well, I don't know if they actively help the raiders, but maybe
indirectly. You know for a little information on the placement of
military escorts-you know like your ship-these merchants get safe
passage. It's hard to believe we have such treacherous colonists in
our midsts, but they really exist. If there were some way we could
catch the whole lot of em, we might just bag a few more raiders every
month."
29. "The raiders you seek are in an underground colony on the ice
planet. Malcolm brought them here from earth and breeds them for his
army. There's a secret chamber within the towers from which you can
transport you and your crew into the ice domain. There you will
encounter Malcolm and his minions. Beware the counter-winding
staircase! I can tell you no more."
30. "They live in the lost hills. I ran across them when I was a
youngster. I was hiking in along a ledge and lost my footing. When I
woke up, I was lying down in a dark cave, with a bunch of old men in
blue robes standing around and muttering in some foreign language. My
leg hurt something awful, and my head didn't feel much better. One of
the guys, his name was Kedro, made me lie down and started chanting
over me. Before I knew it my leg stopped hurting, and my head stopped
trying to explode.
"I've been back twice, but each time Kedro stopped me and told me
to
go home. He said something about the light being bright in me, but
that he could not teach me. Hell I never asked him to. But that was
all he would ever say. So I stopped going back there."
31. "Why, he is one in whom the light shines with a fierce dark
intensity that I have never before seen. He is called Malcolm Trandle
and he was once a Sentinel. Surely you must not judge the Sentinels
harshly by comparing them to Malcolm, for he left their ways for the
ways of evil. The Sentinels are the keepers of the light. They find
those in whom the Light shines brightly and they nurture it. Why, they
found me many, many aeons ago, on a far distant world where all have
my appearance, but where I was the only one in whom the light shone
brightly. There was another in whom it shine darkly and he they
destroyed.
"In Malcolm Trandle the light once shone brightly. Once it shone
with a radiance that would illuminate a galaxy. But when the Sentinels
took up residence on a planet called Earth by its people. Malcolm
began to change. A darkness crept into him and he began to treat the
poor primitives who lived on that world as cattle and playthings.
Before any of the other Sentinels knew what had transpired, Malcolm
had gathered a small army of these pitiful savages and decided that he
should be the ruler of the Sentinels. He stole me from the dwelling of
Kedro, and he stole the book of spells as well. You see, although the
light shines brightly in me, I wield it but slightly. Those around me,
however, can wield it far beyond their normal capacity. Malcolm feared
Kedro as long as Kedro had me with him. And Malcolm feared the book
even more. Ahh, how he feared the book! So he stole us and brought us
to this light forsaken corner of the cosmos.
"The delicious irony of it all my friend, is that Malcolm stole me
in order to increase his power, but it could never happen. He took
possession of the planet called caldorre because he sensed a power
here beyond understanding. The three towers that stand on that planet
have stood since time immemorial. The builders of those towers powered
them with a generator of dark light. What Malcolm did not understand
was that as I amplify Light so I destroy Dark Light. The dark Light
is, how do you say it? Allergic to me. So Malcolm had to hide me away,
far away where no pursuit might find me. And here I have lain for
three thousand years and more."
32. "These beasts may be found toward the setting sun. Let me show you
on this drawing where they reside..." A comparison between the crude
Warhakan map and Federation charts shows the approximate location of
the invasion to be at Caldorre 640,736.
33. "The Book is a Book of Spells. It is an artifact of light that
Malcolm Trandle stole when he stole our friend the Key of Thor. When
we came to retrieve both Malcolm used a great dark light to rob us of
our youth and minds. He could not extinguish our minds completely but
our youth is lost forever. The light is bright in you. Perhaps we can
teach you what you need to know in order to defeat Malcolm, but we
cannot do so without the book. There are some basic abilities we still
remember and which we will impart to you now. By talking(!) from your
heart to yourself or to others you can focus the light to heal injury
to yourself. You can sense the presence of other users of light, or
those in whom the light shines either brightly, or with the dark
pallor of evil. You may probe the minds of others, to know that which
they most wish to conceal.
"In order to teach you more we must have the book of spells. Malcolm
has hidden the book in a special location on the planet Earth. You may
reach this location only through a transporter in one of his towers.
You must go and retrieve the book."
34. "We dig to protect ourselves from the evil that surrounds us. We
suffer only betrayal at the hands of the Warhaka. Once we are secure
again in our Mother Soil, we shall strike forth with the fury of the
storm. The evil shall not escape us, and none shall stand in our way."
35. "Malcolm resides in his battle station. You are now ready to
confront him. While his knowledge is great and his power greater, he
too has lost his youth. Your vigor should enable you to face him in a
duel, much like the one you fought with his puppet Shadar. But this
time the stakes will be life or death. You must seek him out with your
abilities and then confront him. If you succeed in destroying him his
world will crumble. Remember that the battle station and the
population of the towers are but creations of his evil power. They
will vanish with his demise, and you will be destroyed in the ensuing
chaos if you remain in his lair. Go now."
36. "The raiders you seek are the descendants of the earth people
Malcolm brought with him to these worlds. You must capture one of
these and bring him before the Gates of truth. There you will probe
his mind to find the entrance to Malcolms domain. Enter his domain,
find the Book by using the ability to seek out users of the light,
then bring the book back at once. Do not try to confront the betrayer
now, for his power is too great. Go now."
37. "How are the raids ruining me?" Grager gives you a quizzical
glance, then stares at his well trimmed fingernails. "The Caldorre
system is my system. I own all trade rights to the system. The
Federation has granted me the right to collect a tariff on all
commercial shipping to and from the Caldorre system. In return all
commerce is directed towards furthering the Federation's expansion
into the Rouyn, Malartic, and Noranda systems. While such an
arrangement is not without precedent, it is highly unusual and greatly
coveted by all in my profession. I suspect some of my rivals would
like to see me fail in this endeavor.
"I do not intend to fail. As we speak, my crew is installing better
laser turrets on your Interceptor and my programmers are upgrading
your software. It's the least I can do."
38. Kann stares at you with a steadiness even you find disquieting.
"They probably removed him from the face of the planet. We were on a
three day drive a week ago when he disappeared. Two of my men saw the
kidnappers and swear that they were Farmers. I heard a bunch of
Farmers, even old Grayper himself were heading for Striker Rift. It's
common knowledge that the Farmers have a secret starbase tucked away
in Shadow Rift. Where he is now I don't know, but there'll be hell to
pay!"
39. "They woke us up one night shrieking and howling. I never saw such
a scene in all my life. My Pa grabbed the weapon he kept by hid bed
and ran out into the darkness. I saw the bright flashes of his shots,
but the green things ignored him. To this day I still don't know what
they came for. They didn't touch a thing at the shop. I was frozen, I
was so scared. What scares me to this day is the eerie way my brother
stood by the window, as calm as can be. His hand was outstretched as
if he was making contact in some weird way. The expression on his
face...I suppose that was the beginning of it all."
40. The globe rises slowly, pulsating with a raw energy that
completely illuminates your surroundings. "I am the Key of Thor.
Tremble before me vermin! I shall use you and your pitiful mechanical
conveyances to fulfill my destiny. We shall go to Norajaenn 1875,1060
where the Sentinels, reside and crush them. Let us go!"
41. With a wicked smile Riker presses the green button on the console
of his raider craft. You hear the sound of metal grating against metal
in the distance, and a muffled scream..."She's all yours boys,"
he
says with an evil grin, "be sure to take along a spoon."
42. The Gates of Truth stand open before you. Three old men dressed in
scarlet robes sit just beyond the threshold. As you cross over, one of
the old men smiles at you. That's when you notice his mouth is filled
with several rows of sharp, pointed teeth...
43. Ruawl accepts the proffered bribe and grins. "Sentinels? Yeah I
know of them. You Feds don't want to mess with those guys. They look
at you sideways and your brain explodes. I saw them stop a cave bear
once, just by sneezing. Whatever you do shoot first when you see one.
If you can kill one or two, maybe the rest will cooperate. If not you
guys are history.
"They can be found at Caldorre 3015,827. The key thing is to
remember that the next 43 is 75..."
44. "Malcolm came to this system in order to increase his powers and
extend his reach. For millennia he has plotted and raised his
warriors. He needs more time to prepare. When your people began to
settle this system he perceived them as a threat, fearing he might be
discovered. He populated the towers with illusions and service
machines hoping that it would become a waystation for travelers. But
when your people decided to settle on Norajaenn it was too much for
him to tolerate. He now sends out his raiders in the hopes of driving
away those who would dwell here leaving him free to pursue his evil
ends. That would spell disaster for all sentient beings."
45. Face to face with Lochinvar Avrensis, you begin to wonder if you
were wise in seeking him out. He is a huge man, without an ounce of
fat on his body. His three bodyguards carry Neuron Flails, and look as
though they eat Federation Marines for breakfast. "So you boy are
trying to stop the raids eh?" Avrensis says. "Why? What gives you the
right to interfere in a private quarrel? This ones between me and that
wimp Grager. We haven't attacked the Federation, just his ships. Bet
you don't know how he got the trade rights to begin with, do you? Well
it ain't because he's a public servant...
"Tell you what I'm gonna do. I'm gonna let you boys walk outa
here
in one piece, this time. But if you cross me again, your mamas are
gonna be grieving for years. Now you tell the Federation to keep it's
nose out of this one. If they keep interfering me and my Keeshan
allies are gonna escalate this little fracas into a full scale
galactic war. Now scram!"
46. "There's only one way to get to our home base and it takes a hell
of a pilot to pull it off. You've got to start off the top of one of
Caldorre tower #2 and hyperspace through the Gates of Truth. I can't
tell you the exact coordinates for the Gates, they have been
programmed into my ships computer in a language I don't understand.
But I think a good hacker could get the info. I can tell you the
security code for that section of prog..." Suddenly the raider gasps
and blood streams from his eyes and nose. With a gurgling sound he
crumples to the floor at your feet,dead.
47. "Why do I hate Ranchers?" The farmer spits on the ground.
"Those
scum killed two of my boys in front of my eyes. All my boy did was
complain about one of their steers tramplin' his cat...The Ranchers
think they own the whole planet. They'll see. Pretty soon we'll take
care of em all." As the old man turns to go a crumpled piece of paper
falls from his pocket.
When he leaves you pick it up. It says:"Meet at the base at Shadow
Rift a 0900. Ships are all fueled. This time we take them out." It's
signed "Riker".
48. The apparent leader of the beasts stares at you, and motions for
the others to leave. "Welcome pale ones. We are the Koshol and we have
returned to claim the land from which we were driven by the Warhaka.
For three generations we have waited. Now we are striking back. They
are treacherous but we are strong. They must die. It is right that
they should die. You need not die, go and do not meddle in our
affairs."
49. "The beasts were just there one morning," the slender Warhakan
explains, "we did not see them come or by what means they arrived. Now
we are being invaded by these fearsome creatures. We have seen them
uproot trees with little effort. None dare approach them for fear of
the possible consequences.
"When your people first came to this world you said you would help
settle any disputes. We ask for your aid in helping us stop this
invasion.
"One final word of caution: Remember, the next 49 is 53..."
50. "My name is Sheelana," the girl says. "Pa told em it was okay
to
talk with you. He says a Fed is a good catch, but I don't want to
catch anyone. I just want to be with Joshua Kann. Pa won't stand for
it cause he's a Rancher. But I don't see what difference it makes.
They're not doin the raiding. It's the Sentinels. You can find their
base at Norajaenn 979,522. Remember the next 50 is 42."
51. The screen of the computer flickers brightly and then goes blank.
After a couple of seconds it comes to life again, filled with the
image of an alien species you have never seen before. Below the image
of the green skinned creature is the following text:
"The keeshan race hails from an unknown part of the galaxy. They are
extremely warlike and possess starship technology far beyond that of
the Federation. Emissaries to the Keeshan have returned with their
personalities erased. Each has repeated the same message:'Cease your
expansion or face extermination'.
"What little information we have on the Keeshan is because of
recording equipment on the emissary ship of the first unfortunate
ambassador. The other seven emissaries have returned in drone ships of
unknown technology.
"Unable to access additional data without security clearance.
Password:_________"
52. "We dig for evil. We must find the evil. We must destroy the evil.
Three killing seasons before I have vision. It come to me in sleep.
Night star glow with evil. Vision show me evil to lead me to destroy
evil. I leave my father. I leave my people. Few come with me on
journey to evil. We hide in silver boat that sails to star. Vision
guide me to boat. Boat sail to evil. We find evil here. Evil is down
below the earth. Here."
53. "Striker Rift is one of the canyons that some thought was loaded
with Kokodite. Lemme see now, that wall chart should show it...Yeah,
right here. Norajaenn 1169,677. That's where Grayper and his boys were
headed."
54. Just as you turn to walk away from the mysterious craft,a
whooshing noise catches your attention. A small hole appears in the
side of the craft, widening into a portal through which a good sized
human could walk. A metallic voice says "ENTER!".
The inside of the vessel is unlike anything that you have seen.
Bank upon bank of flashing lights greet your eyes in every direction.
Sitting in the middle of the craft is a green creature you recognize
as Keeshan. Its features are so alien that you cannot guess its
disposition towards you and your crew.
"Greetings, marines," it says in the same flat metallic voice.
"The time has come for contact. It seems Avrensis has told us a
distortion of the fabric in order to have us pursue his goals. He will
be treated accordingly for his deceit. It does not pay to deceive the
Keessha. Our mindcouncil wishes to hear of the Federation, for
ignorance is not the basis for decisions. You will bring your leaders
to Ceyjavik 1002, 767 immediately. We shall await you there."
The Keeshan extends a arm-like appendage towards one of the
flashing panels, and suddenly you and your crew are outside the alien
ship, which shimmers and vanishes.
55. As soon as you finish typing "Clytemnestra" into the raider
computer, the raider begins laughing. "FOOLS," he says. "Now
we're
going just where you wanted to go. Home. When my Master sees I've
brought him a handful of Feds, he'll be delighted. I'll bet I get
promoted for this one. In case you guys are having any thoughts about
fighting your way through, you ought to know that there are 10,000
combat veterans waiting for you where we're going. So settle back and
enjoy the trip, Dolts!"
Within a few seconds the small raider vessel begins to tremble
and shake. Suddenly you are slammed into the walls as the craft
accelerates at an unbelievable rate. "Don't worry, you'll wake
up
soon", the raider says as you slip into unconsciousness.
56. The Book of Spells rises to hover near your eyes. "I hold the
knowledge of how to defeat your enemies. But the Sentinels hold the
power to teach you the knowledge contained within me. We must find
them, for time grows short as the evil one's power grows.
"When we reach them you will gain the ability to confuse your
foes, to sense any being's presence, to make your enemies become your
allies and the ability to nullify your enemies strengths. But we must
reach them first."
With that the book moves into your backpack, which feels no
heavier.
57. The bloodstained journal is written in a neat, cramped hand:
"The Ice Tigers have begun acting strangely ever since we saw the
comet. First they wouldn't eat, then they began eating everything in
sight. Normally herbivores, they began devouring Bush Rats and the
seal-like creatures that play on the bergs.
"It's been a week since the comet has passed and ALL the fauna
are
exhibiting signs a odd behavior. Just yesterday Nelson Karamatu, the
chief botanist, noticed that the kelp beds are growing very quickly,
becoming so dense that the creatures that normally swim through them
get stuck and die in them instead.
"I think that Nelson is losing his mind. Today he told me that the
kelp is eating the creatures that get stuck. I am going to recommend
that he and Virginia take an extended leave when we get back to the
base.
"Last night we lost Slade and Johnson. They went of to explore one
of the side tunnels here and never came back. Slade was the minisub
pilot. We may be stuck here until a rescue team can come to our aid.
Luckily, Nelson knows how to work the comm gear.
"Nelson is dead! He was mauled by an Ice Tiger this morning. We
tried to save him, but it was no use. Everything is going wrong. We've
lost four of our original crew of nine. Everything down here has
turned hostile. I hope we can make it back to the minisub."
There are no more entries in the journal.
58. The star pilots eyes dart about the confined spacecraft. "Raiders?
I don't know anything about them. I just fly cargo to Malar..." When
he sees the log book in your hands he seems to collapse. "Oh what's
the use? Yeah, I know about the raids. In fact, I fly on some of them,
when my turn comes up. Do you have any idea what it's like to work
for Grager? He takes 60% off the top. He does it to every freighter in
the system. When Avrensis offered us a chance to get back at him and
break his monopoly a few of us jocks decided 'why not'? We only shoot
down the ships piloted by his Sarankhan slaves. We won't hit a ship
with a human pilot. In fact on the last three raids we've..." A look
of horror crosses the young man's face. He claws at his nose and eyes,
making a strangled gurgling sound. As blood pours from his eyes, he
drops to his knees, then falls flat on the floor, dead.
59. Stepping out of your ATV into the alien landscape, you and your
crew are greeted by the sight of seven tall, green opaque creatures
with six limbs. Each of the four upper appendages hold Thermal Casters
pointed at you! "Greetings marines," the tallest one says.
"Welcome to
Keesha, and your doom..."
60. The bartender accepts your generous tip and says, "Yep, I see some
strange types pass through here. Why last week I saw that young Kann
cub and a pretty young Farmer girl here, all dressed up to look like
Caldorreans. Didn't fool me of course. The girl seemed real intent on
getting Josh to look at a little brown book she had. I didn't see what
it was, but I heard her say something about 'taking it to the
Masters'. She also dropped a napkin with some writing on it. All it
says is 'the next 34 is 69.'"
61. The Key of Thor rises quickly to hover in the air before your
eyes. "I will ride in your backpack. We must find the Sentinels.
Before Malcolm hid me here, Kedro and the band of Sentinels from that
planet earth came to rescue me. Malcolm dealt them a blow that left
them helpless, their minds confused forever. I can restore the
knowledge, but I must see them to do so. Help me find them so we can
put an end to the Dark Light of Malcolm!
"The Sentinels have the power to wield the light just as you do. On
Earth, the name the people gave to it was 'magic'. Have you heard of
it? You have it in you, but you clearly do not have the knowledge to
wield it. Kedro does. The Sentinels do. The light can let you mend
people, it can let you change their nature, it can let you confuse
them or strip them of their knowledge. It is the only way Malcolm can
be defeated."
The key vanishes into your backpack, but strangely, it feels no
heavier.
62. "The beasts may be found towards the setting sun, beyond the sky
pillars of emptiness where your vessels dock. Here let me show you..."
A comparison of the crude Warhakan map shows the approximate
location of the invasion to be at Caldorre 1012,622.
63. "Those ships been comin' and goin' for the last three months.
I
seen at least thirty of em take off yesterday. They don't fly like any
ship I've ever seen. Just sorta raise up off the ground a bit, shimmer
for a second, then jes vanish. They don't take up a lot of room
neither. You can see for yourself-Norajaenn 1363,932. Be careful
though. The pilots carry mean looking hardware..."
64. "Bring me the Book of Spells and I'll make you wealthy beyond
your
wildest dreams," Malcolm says. "You will find it in the
Sentinels'
caves. Just beyond their dwelling. But be careful. The Sentinels are
more powerful than they let on. Be sure never to look at them
directly. Instead try to look at their reflections in a shiny surface.
Bring me the Book and the raids will stop."
65. The dials on the time machine flutter while the whole room is
filled with a throbbing, pulsating sound. The screen holds an image of
an ancient city and tall buildings. It is a depressing vision of metal
and cement, with narrow streets covered with antique wheeled vehicles.
Crowds of people stand about. There are many strange names on the
windows of the old buildings. One in particular catches your
eye-Library of the Congress.
A button larger than all the others, seems to beckon. It is marked
'Begin Sequence'. When you press it, the number 50 appears, flashes
for a moment, and is replaced by the words: "the next is____."
66. "Concentrate all of the light towards your enemy," the old man
says. "Visualize his face then the space behind his eyes. When his
visage is covered by the image of the Light, say his name three times
and squeeze the stone as hard as you can. Your enemy will die."
67. As soon as you step through the Gates you feel a tremendous sense
of tranquility. A gentle humming sound seems to fill your mind and all
your aches and pains subside. In the distance you see a group of young
women in flowing robes approaching. One of them is holding a sign. It
reads:"The next 22 is 6."
68. Read 33
69. "You fools!" Malcolm screams, "can't you see what
you've done?
You've freed the most horrible power the cosmos has ever seen. The
Sentinels have been held in check by the Gates of Truth since before
your race clawed it's way out of the primal ooze. Your ancestors
called them "daemons" and feared them above all else. And rightly so
for they delight in slaughter and mayhem!
"There is but one hope now. Use the Key of Thor, for it has the
power to bind them. That's how we managed to lock them into the
stronghold of Truth. Unveil the Key in their presence and then take
them across the Gates. Once there you will be able to walk back across
the threshold while they must remain. Go now and undo the damage you
have wrought!"
70. Grayper shrugs his shoulders and puts his glass on the counter. "I
just don't know marine," he says wearily, "i just don't
know. Once it
all seemed so simple but now nothing makes sense to me anymore. When
Kann was my enemy, I felt fulfilled, as if I had a purpose in life. No
you tell me he's never been my foe. Instead you tell me to beware of
Avrensis, the same Lochinvar who is godfather to my eldest daughter
and who has supported the Farmer cause for two generations. I don't
know who to believe...Go seek him out and ask him your questions
yourselves. You will find his stronghold at Caldorre 3015,827."
71. Upon seeing the tip you left the waitress grins and says, "Not
many marines have that kind of money. You should come here more
often." She glances around and then whispers in your ear, "The
password is EOS." She smiles and quickly scurries off to wait on a
group of star pilots who appear to be well in their cups.
72. "She's a beauty, ain't she?" The old farmer says with a
gleam in
her eye. " I built her myself from a drawing in a history book. Called
em Panzers. That cannon'll blow a hole the size of a spaceship in just
about anything. Hasn't got much fuel, but enough to get to Striker
Rift. Go ahead and take her. Guess you got more need for her than me.
And boys...good luck!"
73. "The raiders you seek are the descendants of the Earth people
Malcolm brought with him to these worlds. Capture one and use the
ability we have taught you to probe his mind for the entrance to
Malcolms domain. Once in his domain, find the book by using the
ability to seek out users of the light. Then bring the Book back to
us. Do not try to confront the Betrayer now, for his power is too
great. Go."
74. Next to the hideously mutilated body you find a single word
written in blood:"Sentinel".
75. As you step outside the door, your senses are assaulted by two
overpowering stimuli: noise and odor. The roar of primitive combustion
based vehicles is deafening, and the smell of the city makes you
nauseous. Turning back to look at the time machine, you see to your
dismay that it is slowly fading away. It appears you'll have to find
another way to return!
76. Upon seeing the tip you left the waitress sneers and says, "Thanks
big spender. I hope you choke on the ice cubes."
77. "Cave bears lost their appeal for me many years ago," Alex says.
"Now I hunt far more dangerous prey. My quarry walks on two legs and
kills people just by glancing at them. Soon you will track them as
well, for mankind must eventually face the threat of the Keeshan." He
turns away, and walks back to his ship.
78. "Well I see you've discovered our little secret," Kann says
glancing quickly at Grayper. "I suppose there's no point in
pretending
any more. The quarrel between the Ranchers and the Farmers is just a
matter of convenience for both of us. As long as both groups covet the
same land, They won't try to expand to other regions of Norajaenn.
This planet is rich Kansite. To humans it's little more than an exotic
table salt. To the Keeshan, however, it's a narcotic of sublime
proportions. They will gladly trade all of their wealth just for a
handful of the substance. Grayper and I have been working a sizeable
deposit for years now. It can be found about 12 sectors to the
northwest of Tolte. The Federation should thank us for our efforts.
The Keeshan are a warlike species, but as long as they're supplied
with Kansite, they lose interest in conquest."
79. The interior of the raider vessel is unlike any you have ever
seen. The bridge consists of a single couch shaped for an inhuman
form. There are miles of cables and wires coming out of the couch, all
leading into a box about the size of a small footlocker. Lying in the
middle of the couch, seemingly unconscious, is the strangest being you
have ever laid eyes on. It's body is absolutely transparent, while
it's internal organs are a deep shade of purple. The raider gestures
towards the form and says "Meet my co-pilot. It's a Verashhki, from
the ringlet nebula. It navigates better than any shipboard computer
I've ever seen, and has the ability to blink the ship in and out of
normal space. We can come and go as we please, because we're always
here, just not in the same dimension as you Feds. Grager found out
about them while doing some trading in that system. He brought back a
few and has been having us fly raids so he can up the price of the
stuff he exports to Rouyn. I don't mind doin it. It pays more than a
cargo run. Besides," He says with a laugh, "it's a hell of a lot
safer
than flying a cargoliner these days."
80. As you begin to slip into unconsciousness, the last thing you
remember in Kedro, teeth gleaming, motioning to the others and saying
"Come children. It's been so long since we've had a good
meal..."
81. The blue light of the terminal casts a dim glow in the darkened
chamber. "Accessing" appears in the center of the screen. After what
seems like an eternity, but is really a few seconds, the screen clears
and the following message appears:"Security Violation. Access denied.
Erasing Data Banks." The captured raider breaks out into maniacal
laughter then chokes it back as a look of horror crosses his features.
"But Master," he babbles, "I did as you told me. They have
destroyed
the records. All is..." he clutches at his face and then screams a
short terrifying scream before dropping to the floor, dead.
82. "The Warhaka lie," the reptilian Koshol Leader hisses. "We
have
lived here many, many generations. The pale ones arrive two
generations ago and seek to destroy the People by hunting and smashing
our eggs. Koshol no leave land of hatching. Warhaka must die. If
Warhaka leave, Koshol pursue. Egg-smasher always return. Warhaka
flying machine no save egg-smasher. We go to flying machine home and
then smash them. Machine home not far. Follow setting sun four day
journey."
83. "You have destroyed the Master," the Key exclaims. "Why you
must
be the new Sentinels! At last! Your coming has been foretold, you
know. That's wonderful. I never much cared for the old Sentinels. They
had nasty habits, what with those hideous teeth and their thirst for
warm blood... They could be quite revolting at times you know. This
could be the beginning of a new age! Let's go back to Earth. We can
take over the Federation. I know how to get there from the gates of
truth. The Gates let one travel anywhere if you know their secret. All
you really need to know is that the next 83 is 12."
84. The Caldorrean looks about nervously, and then motions you to a
table in a dimly lit corner. "It just won't do to be seen with
Federation marines," he says quietly. "If my co-workers saw me
I'd be
cited for off-world contact and I might lose my job. However, I've
lost two friends in these raids and I'd like to see them end. The
raiders are warping in from the Rouyn system. Their ships are of
Malartic construction, and use a special hyperdrive engine that saves
fuel. You should go see Flock at the charging station of the drydock
area for more information. He has spent time in Rouyn and has seen
what the Malartic craft can do firsthand. Tell him 'Kronos' sent
you..."
85. "There is no Malcolm you fool!" Kedro says impatiently.
"He's just
a bogey we made up to placate the Keeshan until the time was right to
conquer their planet. Those creatures believe in magic and sorcery, so
we created a magician to keep them from investigating the Caldorre
system too closely. It worked pretty well till you marines came along
and botched it up. "Kedro reaches over to the glowing terminal on his
right and punches in a code. "Now we have to launch an all-out attack
on their planet and wipe out half their population. It's a shame, for
they made wonderful servants.
"There, it's done. Within hours there won't be much left of
the
Keeshan Homeworld. Now we must attend to you my meddling marine
friends." Kedro beckons to other blue-robed Sentinels,, who wheel over
a large tubular apparatus. Kedro fiddles with the device for a moment,
then points it at you. "Goodbye," he whispers. With a loud pop, the
device bathes you in an eerie, red light. Fade to Black.
86. The scene that greets you as you enter the cavern is not for the
weak of heart. The Ranchers have lined the cavern walls with grisly
trophies of their war with the farmers. Two of your crew fall ill at
the sight of the heads on the wall. Now you understand the reports of
missing children.
On the table in the center of the room is a Federation chart of
Ceyjavik. Just to the north of the bio-research village is a small dot
labelled HQ. Below it, written in a neat, cramped hand, are the
words:"the next 86 is 19."
87. "Dear fellow, we are all creatures of the Light, every blessed one
of u!. Everything that lives is of the Light. In some it shines with
an intensity that matches the stars, while in others it is but a
feeble glow. It shines brightly in you dear fellow, and with a
radiance that warms my very core.
"How can one in whom the Light shines so brightly not know of the
Light? You mystify me, you do! Can it be that your kind has forgotten?
Ah well, that will be for others to explain, for I am not a teacher, I
am not the pedagogue."
88. The dying raider looks at you and whispers, "Find Malcolm. He
dwells beyond the Gates of Truth. Tell him the Sentinels have
returned. He'll know what to do."
