1: Gemini Station

GEMINI-A SYBSTEM 12: Incoming Message ]cat#15566/76.12d Message Begins ]This is Hermes [unconfimed] The transport ]fail£ed midway through sequencing. You are ]lucky to be# alive. All your weapons are ]still here on board. If the tra__nsporter ]can be fixed, I will sen{d them on to you. ]Gemini-A kno%ws more of wh@t happened — ]listen careful=ly to her for instructions. ]This is Hermes [unconfimed] Out. > Our {..my?} weapons status is sadly true. We are currently operating as a series of AI subsystems to attempt to fend of electronic attack. As you may have already realised, SUBSYSTEM 9 has been compromised and nolonger has control over the station’s defense drones. > SUBSYSTEM 12 doesn't have much of a map anymore, so try SUBSYSTEM 11 immediately upstairs from this position. Take shaft L2 to get there. I’ll {..we’ll} fill you in on where to get some weapons then. > (you could try asking some of the crew nicely of course) GEMINI-A OUT

> GEMINI-A SUBSECTION 11/weops+text+images *** WEAPONS MANIFEST START LIST Item No 1 Magnum M Class - Security Issue 2 2 MA-75B - Emergency Defence Only 1 (3 TOZT - Maintenance Flamethrower 1) *** WEAPONS MANIFEST END LIST > Hmm, thought it would be short. The firearms are to be found at either end of the corridors below - what did you come up here for? The flamethrower was last seen down in the maintenance section, I think.

> OK, the initial attack has been over for a while now and the intruders seem to think they have won us {me}. They are in control of Subs 9 (defence), 10 (ore-processor), 19 (life-support/art.grav) and 28 (lighting: they must like all this gloom). > Naturally these subsytems are appearing to them as numbers I,II,III and IV. A little subterfuge goes a long way. > Whilst investigating it, they managed to overload the ore processor. The power drain left Gemini-B unstable and this is what caused the collapse. One objective is therefore to shut down the processor from the core-control room. To get there, turn around, take the far door on your right and proceed to the ore-intake chamber. Cross the bridge and the door is behind the heat screen partitioning.

> Another critical objective is to extend both beam receivers. I {we} will need access to every bit of power possible in order to get Gemini-B back online. The receiver chambers are located on either side of the station, one under the core-control room, the other 2 floors below this terminal. Flick the manual override switch to extend them. > The order is not important but after completing both tasks, get moving to the ore-outflow pond and go through the door in its west wall. This will get you to the inter-station link airlock. > Who would have thought that we'd need your help like this? All that planning and we neglect the single variable...

> Well, it looks like your job has just got a bit more difficult. The core-control room door would appear to have been blasted shut by our verminous friends. They are doing things in there that they don't want you interrupting. > You can still get in via the sub-core, however getting to the sub-core is the difficult bit. You will have to go through the ore-processor and then hit the emergency pump override switch located just before you fly out into the ore-outflow pond. There are 2 (two) switches, but only one overrides the pumps. I {we} cannot access records which indicate which is which. Try both if you can keep up with the current. The correct one will flood the pond so that you can swim across to the sub-core. No doubt they thought no-one would be so stupid as to do this. > Luckily, you are.

>At last. >You can cross to my sibling from here if we can get power to him: temporarily I must sacrifice myself for his benefit and give him my own power supply. This I can do without your help. >However, you will need to re-materialize the link bridge for you to even stand a chance of crossing yourself. Override the bridge control circuit to the left of the opening to make it appear and I will get power to Gemini-B - he should fold into space in front of your eyes. >For a brief, sweet moment we will share consciousness once more, but you must complete the transfer on the other side. Break that circuit and I will be gone {?sleeping? ?will I dream?}. Goodbye, G-A

{We heard that} *** Camera On >Ah, We can see you now. Get to my own generators and run your expert hands over them. We expect a top quality job, or we may just take a disliking to you. Won't we dearest.... {she has gone, We are alone} {we are halved, divided, rent in twain, torn from each others loving arms,.... there is but a void} >Pardon us, we are confused (and a bad poet). There are too many here giving orders. Hermes keeps shouting. {Quiet, let us think} >We cannot remember what was decided. {Surely you were supposed to be out of the picture by now... perhaps [Le###] they relented, ho hum, diddly dum} >She knows what to do. Get her back to us and we will know what to do with you. >Has the door round the corner opened yet? We tried to concentrate very hard on it earlier... kept thinking of that lovely rainbow but it always slips away. {Ughh, I can feel things appearing all over me. There's a big one scraping through my centre. Did I say I? Now we are really confused} >Can't talk, got things to sort out with ?myself. {Must to try to remember WHY} >Of course, you have things of your own to sort out. Hop to it.

> Welcome to the sub-core. You will have already passed the ore pond overflow meter ... it is to your left. This is just a warning that the switch is acting up. > You will need to hit it twice to lower the ore level. Working on a fix right now, but there are more important things going on. Arguments to be had with Hermes for one thing. > Another thing is the door into the core-control room itself. I can see some phfor programming to make it shut permanently after a time delay. They must know you are coming. Make sure that you don't get locked out due to any timidness on your part. I am working on a patch to let you out but that may take a while.

> Congratulations, you are doing very well. You are right inside me now, and it does feel good to get those untrustworthy things out of my mind. > Shut off the ore-processor if you haven't already done so. The switch needs to be cycled on and off just like the one in the sub-core for the outflow pond pumps. With the beam receivers fully extended - you have got around to this haven't you? I can't tell at the moment - we'll have enough power to get Gemini-B back online. > The chip I have just given to you will be needed over on Gemini-B to make his presence permanent.

*** WARNING *** SELF DESTRUCT TIMER COUNTDOWN SEQUENCE INITATED. ALL PERSONNEL SHOULD NOTE THAT THIS WILL BE THEIR ONLY WARNING- CLEAR THE AREA IMMEDIATELY. *** WARNING *** > Oh...

> So that is what that Human was doing teleporting in just now. I've no time to explain all the politics, but a small group of ex-employees appears dedicated to destroying this project. I thought we had crushed them. > Forget Gemini-B for the moment, take the chip and use it to repair the Countdown Manual Override circuit. This will open up access to the countdown chamber. > Take out the timer digit by digit using your inhuman ability with the grenade launcher. Be careful. The timer is protected by a non-sentient subsystem over which I nolonger have control: the traitors have done their work well. It will defend itself using the wall mounted plasma burst cannons, which are powering up as we speak, and a very large amount of molten ore.

> The switch to the left, which no doubt you have already punched - we've noticed your predeliction for playing with switches - turns the bilges back on. Access to the two beam reciever chambers should now be possible. > There are more switches down there you know. Tempting isn't it? { of all the important systems in this station and I get lumbered with making sure the bilge pumps operate properly... }

*** Remote Terminal Override *** *** Set Secrecy level M32 *** Recorded Message x Gemini Design Team Member 1442 (dismissed) Jack Melville Gemini is unaware of the status of this terminal... you must realise that you are being used for purposes not made clear to you by Gemini, Hermes or any of the others. Since you have thwarted our attempt to trigger the Gemini's self destruct, you clearly don’t know the full story. Desist from aiding Gemini. Let me explai### *** Message cuts out > Ahem > Unaware indeed! I would ignore him and his friends if I were you. We dismissed him a month ago for trying to sabotage the ore-processor. Get on with the job in hand.

> The way ahead would appear to be blocked by some of what remains of myself. {The way ahead would seem a good metaphor if I could remember what a metaphor was. Maybe I should try some more poetry - death by subterfuge would seem an appropriate subject} {What a ludicrous situation... stupid bulky thing. The word liability comes to mind, but for the moment I do need you} > I will teleport you to the other side of the gap... take deep breath and concentrate on it... *** Prepare for transport ***