Amongst the Stars Release 2

Section 1 - This Old Boat Amongst the Stars

Before going to the Dock for the first time, say "The pod snuggles its way alongside the hull of the ship, searching for its preferred little cubby hole. As it settles into the docking room it automatically starts to refuel itself."

A room can be liftable. A room is seldom liftable.

The Dock is a liftable vacuum room. It is east of the Starry Expanse. "This dock is your dock, the Captain's personal dock. It is bright and clean and also quite small, but well located with reference to your quarters and the bridge. Emblazoned against several walls are the name and designation of your ship, the USS Rosser. As can be expected of a ship named after a mathematician, this dock is home to only a simple science pod. [if the dock is vacuum]The door is open and showcases a small slice of the stars outside.[otherwise]The door is closed and room is breathable.[end if][if Odd Signal Found has not happened]

You feel that there is something you may have forgotten to do."

Instead of switching on the airlock button in the Dock:
say "You hesitate to repressurize the dock before you are finished using the pod."

Instead of switching on the airlock button in the Dock during Odd Signal Found:
say "The dock slowly pressurizes.";
now the Dock is pressurized;
change the west exit of the Dock to nowhere;
rule succeeds.

The Lift is a pressurized room. "The evolution of lift design remains a slow, glacial process. This personal transport lift is probably little different from any of its ancestors from even the remotest past. Which is to say that the lift is a small, theatrically lit box in which one stands waiting the passage across space. Wheras the art of lift design has not changed much in centuries, inertial dampers and artificial gravitational fields have vastly changed the ways in which lifts flow through edifices. The lift network of a modern ship resembles the circulatory system of a person and connects to nearly every room. You would hate to imagine what the ship would be like should the lift system ever fail."

In the lift is the manifest. The initial appearance of it is "For the benefit of new crewpersons and forgetful senior officers a manifest is here listing many common destinations on the ship." The description of it is "The Bridge is where senior officers handle important navigation tasks. The Medical Wing is where one may seek help with health problems. You may also need to visit a Dock for away missions. Certainly don't forget that your Quarters for sleep and rest are only a lift away." The manifest is fixed in place.

The Lift has a room called the position. The position of the Lift is the Dock.

The lift tube is a backdrop. It is not scenery. The initial appearance of the lift tube is "You can catch a lift to other places on the ship." When play begins: move the lift tube backdrop to all liftable rooms.

Before entering the lift tube, try going inside instead.

Instead of going inside in the presence of the lift tube:
now the position of the lift is the location;
move the player to the Lift.

Instead of going inside in the presence of the lift tube when the player is in a vehicle (called the conveyance):
say "The lift is a personal transportation system. [The conveyance] will not fit inside of it."

Instead of exiting when the player is in the Lift:
if the position of the Lift is pressurized then move the player to the position of the Lift;
otherwise say "That room is currently inaccessible."

Before going outside when the player is in the Lift, try exiting instead.

Lifting is an action applying to one thing.
Check lifting:
if the noun is not liftable, say "You can't take the lift there from here." instead.
Carry out lifting:
say "[one of]One lift ride later...[or]The lift wooshes you to your destination.[or]More of your life passes in the confines of the lift.[purely at random]";
now the position of the Lift is the noun;
move the player to the noun.
Understand "go to [any room]" as lifting.
Understand "[any room]" as lifting when the location is the Lift.

The Medical Wing is a liftable pressurized room. "The Medical Wing is perhaps one of your least favorite parts of the ship. It always makes you just a little nervous, no matter your reason to visit. It's important to take care of the health needs of your diverse crew, and yet mostly associate this part of the ship with those medical issues that aren't so nice and rarely end so well." Understand "med" and "medical" as "[medical]". Understand "[medical]" and "[medical] wing" as the Medical Wing.

In the Medical Wing is a woman called Medical Officer Dunning. The description of it is "Medical Officer Dunning maintains a very strict, efficient med wing. Her angular, gaunt face and no-nonsense manner often lead to grim references." Understand "[medical] officer" and "[medical] officer Dunning" as Medical Officer Dunning.

The Brig is a liftable pressurized room. "The Brig is for those sorts of people that need to spend some time after some serious infraction against the world around them."

The Captain's Quarters is a liftable pressurized room. "Your Quarters are as you often leave them; nearly immaculate in order and cleanliness."

In the Quarters is an animal called The Cat. The description of it is "Perhaps it is The Cat's job to be your companion or perhaps it is your job to be The Cat's companion."

The Bridge is a liftable pressurized room. "The Bridge is a marvel of scientific endeavour. From here you and your crew can see the worlds and much of their majesty to the very finest detail possibly by many very powerful sensing organs of the ship. This is your seat of command and more often than not the place where decisions must be made."

[Waverly Hills in Louisville is an old TB Hospital that is the fascination of "ghost lovers", particularly the morgue tunnel.]

In the Bridge is a man called Communications Officer Waverly. The description of it is "Comms Officer Waverly is a boring, unimaginative man who does his job well but has little promotional prospects. At times you feel that the computer alone could do his job, but then you'd have one less scapegoat for major miscommunications." Understand "comms" as "[communications]". Understand "CO" and "[communications] officer" as "[communications officer]". Understand "[communications officer]" and "[communications officer] Waverly" as Communications Officer Waverly.

In the Bridge is a woman called Executive Officer Martinez. The description of it is "Executive Officer Martinez is your second in command and on a strong path to leading her own ship in the near future. You trust her to the end of the galaxy and are glad that she continues to work with you even well after earning her own captainship several times over in your eyes." Understand "XO" as "[executive officer]". Understand "[executive officer]" and "[executive officer] Martinez" as Executive Officer Martinez.

In the Bridge is a woman called Science Officer Murphy. The description of it is "Being a science-oriented vessel, more often than not Science Officer Murphy is in charge of operations. You certainly defer to her several Engineering degrees for many important matters."

[Webb is a last name involved in the Bourne novels.]

In the Bridge is a woman called Security Officer Webb. The description of it is "Security Officer Webb is a tall, dark imposing forcefield of a woman. Her presence is an unfortunate necessity of both a hostile universe and the wild, imaginative unreliable nature of humanity. You are a civilian captain of this ship and realize that technically means that Webb has a higher rank than you and you continue to captain this vessel at her consent. In all practical matters, however, she certainly recognizes that you are in charge."