Dome

I lost most of my supplies in the sandstorm. I'm on the last fumes of my air tank, and I have maybe a day's worth of food and water. The very real fear of dying is upon me, but I manage to stay calm. Surviving is what I do, what I trained to do. My [[Nav]] beeps.

Sector-414 is my savior and hope. And it should be just ahead, if my Nav is to be trusted. But all I see is clear fields and the gentle rustling of wind amongst the grass. I tear off [[my mask]]. The air's breathable, [[odd]], but that takes care of one survival problem. I need to figure out what I'm doing now. I can go straight to the [[dome]], or I can try to scavenge for supplies in the [[forest]].

The dome is home. Not Sector-238, the dome I hail from, but the dome is a restful respite from the harsh weather I traveled through to get here. The last fifty days were a mix storms, deserts, sea, all fit with toxic air that could kill within minutes of taking off a mask. I have a mission, though. [[Sector-414]] should be just up ahead... (set: $dome to 'seen') (set: $investigative to it + 1)

The forest is lush, green, a picture I've never seen or imagined in my life. My first thought is supplies, I've got to get supplies. There's no time to admire the scenery I hear a cooing of a bird, [[the chirps of a songbird]] in the distance, and [[water]]. (set: $survival to it + 1) (set: $investigative to it - 1)

The air outside of the domes has always been toxic. For Pioneers like myself, we've been trained to always wear our mask and refuel our tanks at the station. There exist pockets in the Terra, places with breathable air, but those places are scarce. The atmosphere is a toxicity that we've lived with, a reason why only a select few travel outside of the domes. [[Back->Nav]]

[[Why is the air breathable?]]

//Why is the air breathable?// This doesn't look like a [[pocket->my mask]].

This is Sector-414. Or what's left of it. It was destruction like I've never seen. Heaps of metal and wire were strewn across the ground. The peaceful grass looks like it's consuming them, and there's a bit of rust but not as much as I'd expect if it's been exposed to this much oxygen. I see nothing but [[a destroyed world]]. My Nav beeps.

I scan the area with [[my chip]]. I can hardly focus, anyways. What the hell happened? I need to know. I need to know. A dome doesn't just [[disappear]].

Songbirds mean happiness. They mean [[a peace has been restored->forest]]. I wonder why it's here.

I'm thirsty. The sound of water is heaven sent. I follow the sound, thirsty, hungry, everything really. I'm weak and wary, but I've long since learned to ignore the pain. (if: $dome is 'seen')[Thoughts of the dome plague me. But survival is more important.] I gather some water from the [[river]].

We're all given one at birth. They store memories, video logs, usually connected to the 'Net. Not that we can access the 'Net outside the domes, but it's useful for information storage. Wait... [[storage]].

I don't get it. How? Why? The scraps and ruins are all that's left. Maybe there's some [[clues]]? But... maybe I should look for [[supplies]]... (if: $skeptical is 'active')[No, I have to go straight [[home]]. I need to tell someone.]

I look over the reports of the other [[Pioneers]]. They've helped stave off the boredom of travel. Not that dangers at every corner can be called boredom. I had a lot of video logs and reports from Sector-414. The last one was from five years ago. The Pioneer had come back and discovered a cure for a strain of influenza that we couldn't contain in our dome. The dome was healthy. Was. Evidently not anymore. (set: $investigative to it + 1)

That's what we are. That's what I am. Pioneers. We travel across domes to gather information to share. Some don't come back, perished in the toxic atmosphere outside our peace and quiet. Some do. [[I will come back->a destroyed world]]

There's nothing I can do but try to solve this mystery. I scan the area, my chip picking up a weak signal from somewhere. A signal... (set: $investigative to it + 1) [[Is there someone here?]]

There's always that [[forest]]... But maybe there's something left to [[scavenge]] here too.

I try to find food or water. But there isn't anything here. I need to go to the [[forest->forest]]. Unless I abandon that quest to try to figure out [[what's here->clues]].

I walk straight for it. This could be it, someone might be able to give me an answer - I [[stare]].

The chip is not attached to anyone. Whoever owned it is dead. Or maybe they're alive, I don't know. I try to activate it with my own chip, the weak signal getting picked up. So [[I decided to investigate->my quest begins]].

(if: $chip > 1)[That's all there is on the chip. I don't see anything else. It's a lot to [[take in]]. (set: $investigative to it + 1)](else:)[The chip is split into two parts. [[Memories]] [[Logs]]]

I feel a bit bad intruding on someone else's memories. But this is the only clue I've got. A lot of them have been damaged - probably from the chip's (assumedly forcible) removal. (if: $memories > 3)[I seem to have seen all the memories. I don't feel good about this, my head spinning. The dome... it fell to pieces? Just like that? Am I just supposed to take that as an explanation? [[There's got to be something more...->my quest begins]] (set: $chip to it + 1)] (else:)[[[1->mem1]] [[2->mem2]] [[3->mem3]] [[4->mem4]]]

There aren't that many logs. Actually, there's only one. It doesn't seem like there was any corruption, either. This person really only had one log? [[Log 1]]

Everything [[hurts->Lost]].

There's a man and a woman. They're dancing with each other. The memory is faded, as though it was from a child. They look to be in a kitchen of some sorts, and the man spins the woman around. I want to watch more, but the rest is too badly corrupted. [[Back->Memories]] (set: $memories to it + 1)

We're looking down at a suit and tie. There's a meeting, but much of it is corrupted. I hear a few words, only key phrases. 'dome' and 'pollution' and 'outside'. I wish I could hear the rest. [[Back->Memories]] (set: $memories to it + 1)

"We can't let the people know." That's about as ominous a thing as I've ever heard. It's apparent that I'm intruding on the memories of someone who had access to information I would never dream of having. Not that there's anything useful in this memory. [[Back->Memories]] (set: $memories to it + 1)

We're looking up. It occurs to me, as I watch the shrapnel fall, as I watch the dome come to pieces, that I'm witnessing their last moments. I can see them clutching their chest as the toxic air fills their lungs, I can hear their coughing, their spluttering, I can almost feel their pain as the memory fades away to nothingness. [[Back->Memories]] (set: $memories to it + 1)

There's a man speaking. It's a voice log, and for the most part it's uncorrupted. //When the domes were first created we thought we were doing the right thing. We thought we were saving humanity. But we made the Terra worse.// [[What's that supposed to mean?]]

//The air is toxic... And for hundreds of years these sectors have shielded humanity for the toxic atmosphere. But we caused that ourselves...// Alarms started to [[blare]].

I look around, but it's within the chip. There's some scuffling, or something, my heart beats fast in anticipation. It seems like he's just talking to himself, at least at first. I don't get it, people don't usually talk this way, do they? //We did this. And now we're [[going to die]], because of it.//

After water is food. If I'm to go back and report things to Sector-238, then I have to somehow stock up on food. And everything, really. Air pockets are essential to my survival. But my thirst is what was killing me. (if: $skeptical is 'active')[Now I need to go get [[something to eat]].](else-if: $dome is 'seen')[I can go back and [[scavenge]] the dome now. Or I can try to get some [[food]], I'm quite hungry..](else:)[Maybe I should travel toward the [[dome]]. I've got enough water for now, and Sector-414 should have supplies. But maybe I should search for some [[food->pre-food]].]] (set: $survival to it + 1)

It stops there. It's like some sort of internal monologue, or a press conference... or something. Whatever befell Sector-414, it was disaster. There's [[nothing else->my quest begins]] in the logs... (set: $chip to it + 1)

I'm not sure if it's even real, what I heard and saw. I'm [[skeptical]]. But at the same time, if it's true... Then it might explain why the Terra is breatheable in this area. It might [[explain a lot]] of things...

It's been four years since I've been to Sector-414. I reported it, but they dismissed it. But for what it's worth, I don't think it was too important. Well, it wasn't until it happened to our dome that I realized how important it actually was. I wasn't prepared, I wasn't. It happened while I was sleeping. I just remember waking up, and [[choking]].

Living in the forest was peaceful. The greenery was a prime example of how the Terra flourished before we destroyed it, with no trace of the toxic air. But there wasn't enough. There never was - This was a bubble, a glimpse into the glorious past. I met with a few survivers of the dome incident in 414. And then [[the others]].

There's no way. Besides, I need to leave now. If there's nothing, I have to go get some more supplies. The [[forest]] from before looks like a promising place to stock up before the trip back. Or maybe I should just go straight [[home]]. (set: $skeptical to 'active')

There's some berries not too far off. They look edible, but I scan them with my chip anyways. They're safe, and they stave off my hunger. At least for now. (if: $dome is 'seen')[I should start making the trek back [[home]].](else:)[I should head over to [[Sector-414->dome]] now.] (set: $survival to it + 1)

My stomach growls. Sector-414 can wait, I need to gather [[food]] now.

I didn't want to believe it, at first. Who would want to? But there's a funny thing about learning the truth. It's often the most surprising thing. I should [[believe]] it, right?

But maybe I [[don't believe->skeptical]]. But the evidence is undeniable. I heard his voice - //I saw it happen, with my own eyes. The dome collapsed, and it was our fault for letting it happen, for polluting the world. I have to [[fix it]].//

If I can make it home, report what I found... I'll need as many supplies as I can. I need [[food]].

Even though it had been four years, even though it had been so long, I was paranoid. Perhaps it was just because I am a paranoid person. But when it started, I was up. It was easy to grab my mask and tank, almost too easy. And I watched as the toxic atmosphere filled Sector-238, I watched as the chaos descended. And I [[watched]], as people started dying, as people choked to death.

I'm home. I try not to let what I found at the dome to influence me. I'm just happy to be [[back->survival check]].

(if: $investigative >= 3)[[[I know what to do now.->GOOD END]]](else:)[[[But it's hard to give up the past.->survival check]]]

(if: $survival >= 2)[[[I've put thoughts of the past behind.->SURVIVAL END]]](else:)[[[I've put thoughts of the past behind.->BAD END]]]

Choking, choking, my heart pounding in my chest. (if: $skeptical is 'active')[It was just like that memory... I should have heeded it's warning. I should have //done// Something. But it's too late now.](else:)[Why was this happening?] It hurts... tears sting my eyes as I feel my lungs gasping for air that simply isn't there, that isn't breathable. Toxicity fills my body, and I shudder as the poison takes over my body. Then, darkness. [[Continue->credits]]

They died, around me. (if: $sketpical is 'active')[I could have prevented this. I could have saved these people. Or I could have done //something//, something to prevent this.](else:)[Why... why did this happen?] The bodies piled up and I walked among them, the mask and air tank both a blessing and a curse. But at least I was alive. [[Continue->credits]]

They came from other domes. Destroyed domes. They destroy other domes - it's for the good of the planet. Sometimes I doubt it. But Sector-238 is next. I want the earth to be green and fertile too. I want the earth to survive... I want a time where humans can go without masks and walk in the Terra. Just like I do. [[Continue->credits]]

Thank you for playing... Michelle Chang