14: Hung Fu Monk

They thought they destroyed me, but their confidence in my inferiority led to my survival. The Midulon are a powerful race, but I think it's time we taught them a lesson. I'm sorry I took so long to get here, but I am damaged and it's hard to control a ship without an organic life form to help with the more physical tasks. You can tell me about the hell you went through when we're both safe. Anyway, I can't teleport you back to the Virulent from here. You'll have to reach an area much closer to the edge of the ship, as I barely had enough power to send even a message this deep within the vessel without being detected. They haven't noticed the Virulent yet. Stealthless though it is, it's pretty far away and it seems they just can't conceive that we'd still try to fight them. I managed to deactivate the force field that sealed your cell.

If they had installed doors instead, I might not've been able to reach you. As it was, I unfortunately couldn't set you free without letting everything else out at the same time. Yes, that means all types of Ph'for, a couple humans, and any other beings they might have imprisoned aboard the vessel. Hopefully they'll be too concerned with making their own escape to try to stop yours, but I bet many of them don't even know they're free yet. I have observed many of them sitting in their cells even as they could leave at any time. Also, because of the suicide-bombing-swarm tactics of the Midulon, I must insist that you refrain from firing your weapons at any time in any of the large areas of the ship. There is no way you will survive a direct, organized attack. The fastest way to the edge of the ship looks like straight up from your current position, so head up as much as possible. Good Luck.

Creator's note - This level is impossible if you trigger the suicide bombing squeaky green ball dudes, who will come out if you fire your weapon (or fall in a hole) in the large, blue main rooms of this map, where there are currently no enemies except floating blue orbs. If you trigger these guys, you'll hear a squeak and likely die soon after. If you don't die, don't save - reload. The suicide bombers will respawn infinitely and the map will become impossible. The point of this map is to sneak through the ship undetected. You can fire your weapons in the Ph'for invested corridors as much as you want, so long as you don't in the main room.

This is the last bit of ammunition I'll be able to send you until you get higher up in the ship. I can't afford them noticing me. Some of the life forms aboard this ship are very interesting. The compilers that you may or may not have seen are obviously modeled off sph't, but are entirely automated and contain no organic material. They are also designed to be stronger, faster, and more robust than living Sph't. The blue orbs seem to be designed for cleaning the ship. I am uncertain as to why they keep buzzing around you. This area of the ship seems to use pieces of both (very old) human technology and Ph'for technology. The Midulon do indeed have technology of their own, but it seems they sometimes steal from other races when it is convenient. They also store information from ships they have captured in their databases, seemingly at random points. Their motives are still unknown to me.

The burning sun shines down on my back An insect in your little trap Acting like I would get away But I'm so happy burning in the sun...

We know you're here. You will be crushed momentarily.

INSTUCTIONS TO ALL PH'FOR PRISONERS- You have alraady come farther than most. Approximately 95.564% of prisoners died during that first challenge, and the rest died during the one you are about to be sent to. This test is much different than the last. You will be seemingly trapped in a nearly endless maze of identical cubes, and it is your job to find your way out. There are 3 exits, and you need only to find one. Look in areas that look as if they should be secret exits, that is your only hint. There will be no entry room as there was last time. You will be transported straight into the action. It begins now.

I am warm and wet yet cold and heartless. Hard, rooted and unforgiving. Entirely helpless alone. <socially unacceptable> Who am I?

-----<interupt C---*9888>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>dwdddTYCHO-----------d www ** $@ 211111 Durandal, I shall destroy you! You may have destroyed me in the past, but now I am born again. I will never be silenced forever. Even if it means I must grow in secret inside a hidden ventilation shaft. 204055 <interupt C over> <archive end>