18: Into The Fire

Well, well, if it isn't my old friend again! I think I'm going to have to start thinking of you as an equal. You certainly have a knack for turning up in the most unexpected places. Lets call a truce for now. Yes, for now -- I know you wouldn't believe me if I tried to call it quits on killing you forever! But I could use your help, and you could certainly use mine. Your stupid alien pals sent you here deliberately. Want to hear part of the message they tried to send to this terminal? [...] We apologize for sending you here. The wormhole inducer to the main ship was shut down before you got there. You are now on board [...] Fortunately, we have discovered that the Master who controls the explosives attached to the beanstalk is on board this ship. If you can find it and kill it, we will rotate the beanstalk before others can reestablish control over the explosive devices. Yeah, right. That's a little too convenient. Here's my idea -- they'll keep bouncing you around, killing Masters, until the only ones left in Sol system are the five on board the main ship. Then they'll destroy those themselves and establish a defensive base here on Earth, with human slaves providing resources, from which to repel any future attempt on the part of the Masters to reacquire their "property". The genius of this plan is that even if the Masters realize you're getting help, a small group of "rebels" can be blamed. I couldn't have done better myself! Bottom line, you'll never see the main ship. However, if you will do as I request, I will give you my promise to disarm the explosives on the beanstalk. I have no desire to see all humankind destroyed. You monkeys might be useful to me in the future. I won't try to convince you that I won't eventually kill you. I can't guarantee I won't. But if I do, at least you'll have saved the rest of mankind. Of course, if you won't cooperate, you'll have to consider that I might get mad and.... <<< B O O O O M >>> Think about it. I'll be in touch later. For now, just go kill things.

I'm once again impressed by your ability to generate carnage. But it's not over yet. The ship is in a medium security status and, as you can tell, is also in a low-power stealth mode, as it is fairly close to Earth space. You'll need to find an override chip and install it in the socket behind you to gain access to important parts of the ship. We won't turn up the power right now, just to avoid possible attack by UPNC forces while you're busy. I can't have this ship destroyed before you're off it! Once you've done this, you need to visit the port maintenance station. (The maintenance stations are on the lower level behind the secondary defense stations.) There is a Chtakt data chip there containing a copy of me. Pocket it. You'd better get it before you do the next step, or you'll be in serious peril going back for it -- and go back you WILL if you forget it! Last, but not least, we need to cover our traces here. An engine meltdown will serve nicely. There's a switch in each of both the port and starboard maintenance stations. These switches open two access panels on the main drive housing in the engine room. Go there, destroy the circuits within. Then get out of there (FAST -- the lower levels will begin filling with molten metal and hot plasma) and get up to the starboard bay. I'll open a wormhole between the inducer there and the main ship, and you can jump out before the fluids melt through the hull.

It is difficult to have this terminal display your language, and will call attention to us. We must hurry. We know a rogue computational entity has been in contact with you, and has been blocking our signals to you. It left this terminal less protected than it should have. You must get to the bay on the left side of the ship as quickly as you can. We are trying to activate the wormhole inducer there, though it is difficult working through blocked systems. We must get you away from this ship and destroy it. This entity has been spreading through our systems and is causing us great deals of trouble. It seems to be trying to destroy the resistance effort. Perhaps the Masters have promised it special favors. If we cannot establish a wormhole soon, we will be forced to send an emergency terminate command, which will shut down all power to the ship and vent all spaces by opening all interior and exterior doors. I apologize in advance, but we cannot allow this entity to spread further. A captured specimen to study would be invaluable. I hope you are able to escape.