Surviving in Moondust

You awaken from induced hibernation at 07:00AM on the 1st of January, 2100. The auto-pilot ship known as The Cyclone is on a course to no where in particular; merely circling the Milky Way Galaxy whilst research is being conducted. A year has passed since you were first placed into the pod. It is around this time you were to be awakened for further testing on your body. Your fellow test subjects don't seem to be exiting their pods. You are the only one who has awakened so far, and there are no doctors or scientists in sight. You don't remember this being in the briefing. Something is wrong. [[Investigate pods]] [[Look around]] [[Call out]] [[Exit room]]

Curiously, you decide to walk over to the pods to investigate further. Next to eachpod, including your own, is a small touchscreen. Absently, you tap the surface to bring up the vitals of the pod next to yours. ''SUBJECT: DECEASED'' Your stomach churns. You try the next pod. Then the next. The next. //They're dead.// When you reach the end of the row of pods, you notice one of the pods is empty. You wonder if someone woke up before you. There is a trail of wires from each pod leading up to one large fusebox. That's when you notice the wires have been destroyed. You lean down to inspect further; the damage looks similar to when an animal with sharp teeth chews through something. The wires linked to your pod are mostly undamaged. You are the only survivor of the test subjects.

The open room is the same as when you went into hibernation. The pods are lined up at the back of the room, a large window to the right that looks out on the dark, vastness of the Milky Way. In the distance, you catch the sight of Mars -- and futher away you see your home... Earth. You stand for a moment, admiring the emptiness before you. You see hundreds of stars in the distance. For the first time in a while, you feel a little homesick. Nothing compares to seeing Mars closer than ever, of course, but there is a strange feeling of wonderment to see it as an orange speck in the night sky on Earth. Tearing your eyes away from the window, you turn towards the doorway that leads to the lab next door and to the rest of the ship. This is merely an observation room, but you've never been sure what goes on in the lab next door. It was never your business, after all.

"Hello?" Silence.

With a large amount of hesitance and anxiety, you walk forward. The gravity feels a little off -- but there is always some difficulty with replicating the natural order of Earth. You begin to feel a little chilly as you walk forward, only dressed in a thin vest and some pants. It's a very bare feeling. You reach the door to the lab and press a button next to the door to open it up. Before you is a horrible sight; the scattered bodies of the scientists and doctors you remembered meeting before your hibernation. There is blood splattered along the floor and various worktops; each person seemingly injured in several ways but dying the same way. Their necks have been ripped open by an unknown force or creature. The stench of death lingers in the air; you feel the hot bile creeping up your throat but manage to swallow it back down. The only thought that crosses your mind. You hold your breath, covering your mouth and lips. [[Investigate bodies]]

Despite the almost physical need to stay away from the bodies, you proceed carefully, watching your step as to not step in blood. It's hard to do so, but you carefully crouch down to the closest body. It's a woman with long, dark hair -- her blue eyes are wide open and lifeless, along with her parted lips that look almost grey. The neck wound is brutal; the flesh torn and revealing the muscle, vein and windpipe. It's sickening. You avert your gaze down the front of her labcoat and see her ID card pinned to the front of her coat. You take the card and slowly stand up, holding it between your fingers carefully. [[Investigate computers]] [[Exit lab]]

By the door is a row of computers. Only one of them appears unlocked, and you carefully step over a body to get to it. Touching the screen to bring it up, you only have access to a shared document programme and an internal email system. [[Look at emails]] [[Look at documents]]

You approach the door to exit the lab and notice that it has been locked from the inside. Whatever it was that got into the lab and killed everyone... It didn't use the door to get in. You use the card you picked up earlier, taping it against a card reader by the door and feeling relief as it slid open quietly. You exit the room which opens up to a large hallway. Although it is empty, and you hear silence, the dried marks of blood provide no comfort. On the wall opposite you are a set of signs. Pointing left, it reads: ''Deck 1-A'' ''Deck 1-B'' ''Deck 1-C'' And, to the right, it reads: ''Cafeteria'' ''Bathrooms'' ''Maintenance'' [[Go left]] [[Go right]]

From: Doctor Neil ([email protected]) To: Doctor Brown ([email protected]) ''Subject:'' Prepare Subjects For Evactuation! The captain has told us that we need to prepare evacuation from the ship due to the dangerous presence onboard. Subject 6 is missing from his cell, and we believe he may be loose on board with intent to kill. Please prepare to bring the subjects out of hibernation so that we may evacuate them as soon as possible. Bring them to Deck 1-B where the escape pods are. -- Andrew

You read the sign, knowing immediately that escape is now your top priority. As you begin to walk down the hall, you hear the footsteps that you have been dreading to hear this entire time. You swallow and turn your head. There is that moment, a flash of white. You spy it's teeth, the blood on it's clawed fingers and the way it is hunched over so horribly. You burst into a sprint down the hall towards the decks. You don't dare look back as you hear the slap of it's skin making contact with the floor. As you run down the hall, you spot various plotted plants by the windows, clearly synthetic. You reach out blindly, slapping them onto the floor behind you and hearing the pots crack and scatter across the floor. The creature behind you is startled by this, making a horrific ear-piercing screech. It isn't long before you make it to the end of the hall. There are two pathways split, one heading to Deck 1-A and the other heading to Deck 1-B and Deck 1-C. [[Go to Deck 1-A]] [[Go to Deck 1-B and 1-C]]

Following the signs to the right, you are met with the three rooms in question. There is a small maintenance room to one side that is closed, and just a few more steps down the hall is the cafeteria and the set of gender neutral bathrooms opposite it. The cafeteria is the only one with an open doorway instead of a sliding door. The bathroom door is open only slightly, but you hear no movement from within. [[Open maintenance door]] [[Go into bathrooms]] [[Go into cafeteria]] [[Go back->Exit lab]]

You press the button next to the door and watch it slide open. It isn't long after you do this that you immediately regret it. You aren't sure what leaps out at you; a flash of white and an unbearable screech that makes your ears ring. You barely get a glimpse of what it truly is before you feel it's claws rip open your throat. The searing pain is enough to make you want to scream, but you can't. Your voice is gone, as is your windpipe. It's been ripped open so effortlessly. The last thing you feel is your warm blood coating the front of your chest and soaking through your shirt. You fall to your knees and collapse. Whatever it was that killed you doesn't even savour it; you catch a glimpse of its feet walking away before your entire world fades to darkness. It feels just like falling asleep. Restart from the [[Pod Room]]

You walk over to the bathroom door, pushing the door open further and peeking within. You see splatters and smeared trails of blood on the tiled floor. You swallow thickly, hesitating and feeling your body go still. As you stand closely to the door, you hear heavy breathing. [[Investigate heavy breathing]] [[Back away->Go right]]

The cafeteria is strangely empty without a soul in sight, not even a body is splayed across the floor. You see a water fountain nearby and only then do you realise just how thirsty you are. Being in hibernation can do that, after all. The rest of the cafeteria is an open space with tables and benches connected in three long rows, and in the near corner is a serving counter which leads out into a kitchen. [[Drink from water fountain]] [[Investigate serving counter]] [[Exit->Go right]]

You walk over to the fountain and press the button on the side, watching as water spurts out. You lean down to collect some of the water in your mouth, and you swallow. The cool liquid soothes your dry throat and lips. You feel utter relief, your body relaxing even just a little. Pulling back, you wipe your mouth with the back of your hand and you sigh heavily.

Walking over to the serving counter, you see that it's empty. There's no food out (which you were hoping for), and the surfaces are strangely clean. The attack must have happened in the late evening or early morning... As you peek over the counter, you hear foosteps from outside in the hall. Your heart leaps, and you immediately jump over the counter and hide behind it. Whatever was in the hall slowly enters the cafeteria; you hear its footsteps echo in the room. You cover your mouth and nose, breathing slowly and unevenly. [[Risk a peek]] [[Stay hidden]]

Gathering up all of your courage, you slowly turn your body and lift yourself to peek only slightly over the counter. You catch a glimpse of the creature itself. It is white, covered in what looks to be thick, calloused skin. It's tall despite being slightly hunched over and noisily breathing. Where a nose should be is just two large nostrils that are dripping with mucus. It's mouth is parted slightly, revealing rows of sharp teeth, some of which look broken. Your eyes wander down to its hands; each finger has a large claw emerging from the tip. The claws are tinted red with blood, and you're sure you see clumps of human flesh underneath the nails. It turns its head slightly. The eyes have no pupils or colour, its eyes are just coloured black with no whiteness to it. There is no humanity in those eyes. Before it can see you, you duck back behind the counter. For a little longer, you sit and wait. Silence finally befalls the room. [[You emerge from your hiding place.->Go into cafeteria]]

For a little longer, you sit and wait. Silence finally befalls the room. [[You emerge from your hiding place.->Go into cafeteria]]

Your heart begins to pound loudly in your chest, the uncomfortable churning bubbling in your gut as you push the door open. As you do so, the trail of blood curls around the corner towards the bathroom stalls. You follow the trail, immediately noticing the body on the floor. It was a man with blonde hair, light stubble growing around his jaw and chin. There was a large gash in his stomach, blood coating his lips and cheeks as he laid there. After a moment of standing there, staring at him, you see his chest rise and fall. A shaken, rattled breath leaves his throat. He's still alive. You rush over and crouch by him, reaching out to touch his shoulder. His head turns towards you; his blue eyes light up momentarily as he realises he might actually have a chance of surviving. But, it quickly disappears, as if he remembers how little time he has left. He coughs harshly, his broww furrowing as more blood spills from his lips. The man reaches up to grab you, and you still, taking his hand for a moment and squeezing it. "Deck... 1-B. Go." His voice is rasped and strained. His lids begin to flutter, and he lets out a long breath. The life fades from his eyes and his body, and he suddenly lets go of your hand, sliding down and dropping down to his side. As you watch this, you hear heavy footsteps walk past the door. You freeze up for a moment, holding your breath until the steps past. You slowly rise, your chest aching from witnessing the death of an innocent man. Carefully, you walk back towards the door and peek through the slit of the open door. The footsteps have faded. There is still time to make it to the Deck and escape. [[Exit->Go right]]

As you run down the hall towards Deck 1-A, you quickly realise that you've gone the wrong way. The escape pods aren't this way. You reach a dead end, the only doors left lead to other labs which are locked tight. The footsteps of the creature become louder and faster. You hold your breath as it leaps at you from behind, latching its limbs around you and the claws going for your throat. It tears into the skin of your throat. You feel the spurt of your own blood trail down your chest and onto the floor below you. The image is plastered in your mind of your blood spilling onto the floor. You fall face first onto the ground, feeling the creature pin you down and claw into your back. You feel nothing, though. The blood leaves your body and you begin to feel your consciousness slipping away. There's nothing you can do. Restart from the [[Pod Room]]

As you run down the hall, your eyes light up as you see the row of escape pods. A few have disappeared, giving you some hope that a few managed to escape the creature. You run towards the closest one. The doors are locked tight and you push the red button frantically, looking down at the hall. The creature turns a corner. It's on all fours now, running towards you like a wild, rabid wolf. It snarls and screeches at you. You're shaking. Your body is frozen for a second. The doors to the exit pod slide open, and you dart inside, pressing the emergency escape button. The doors slide shut and lock. The creature reaches your pod just as the doors close. It slams itself against the glass of the doors, peeking through at you with it's wide eyes. It opens its mouth to let out a frustrated roar. You see the flesh and blood trapped between its sharp teeth. You feel sick to your stomach. It claws at the doors desperately as the pod detaches itself from the station. It continues to slam against the doors on the other side, a small crack suddenly breaks across it. But, it's no use. The pod begins to float away from the station, and you feel the boosters turn on. The pod flies away, further and further from the dangers. You can relax. [[Sit down.]]

You plop down in the leather seats of the escape pod. You let out a sigh of relief. The robotic voice of the intercom suddenly plays, causing you to jump out of your skin. Your heart is still beating. //"Emergency course set for: Earth. Estimated return: Ten hours."// You scrunch your nose up as it finishes speaking, and you turn towards the window. The space station is as large as you remember it, floating in the ever-lasting expanse of space. You remember feeling the awe as you approached it the first time on the ship you arrived on. The view of the planets, the twinkling, burning stars in the sky. Nothing could ever replace that feeling of childish wonder. Your eyes move towards the blue planet in the distance that you've missed. It is a feeling of welcomed relief to finally be going home. It looks so beautiful from all the way out here, but it certainly will look better once you're standing on it. You may never recover from the fear and trauma of this place, but you yearn to feel the cool air of your home and taste the salty water of the ocean. **END**

There are only two documents available to this user. The rest are corrupted. [[1st January 2099]] [[30th December 2099]]

<u>The Cyclone Hibernation Brief</u> Six subjects have just been placed into their designated pods for induced hibernation, they have been well-fed and medically examined before this process. Their bodies have been placed at a cooler temperature and induced into a coma-like state where they will be fed through tubes periodically to ensure their state of survival. They will be reawakened on January 1st of 2100, one year from now at 07:00 AM. There we will conduct extensive examinations on their bodies and states of mental health before we can conclude the experiment and results. **Classified information such as subject names and ages will remain with our leading scientists and doctors. Please refer to Doctor Auryn Neil for any questions.**

''Date:'' 30th Dec Only two more days before the subjects wake up for recovery. New Years celebrations were cancelled early this morning, and we've been officially placed into mandatory overtime. Ever since we put Subject 6 in quarantine, things have been tense. We've had to keep an extra eye on the rest of the subjects for any changes in skin colour or heart rate. It's strange, but I feel like I've built a connection with these subjects. Likely, these feelings are classic Nightingale Syndrome... It will be sad to send them home after all this time. The subjects have been helpful to our research, and it's very likely that most humans will be able to survive in hibernation without the need for cryo-technology. It's a huge step in the right direction for science. There was some strange activity in Subject 6's cell this morning, but I've been focusing on the subjects in the lab. It's probably why New Years has been cancelled for us... We'll probably have a belated celebration once things clear up. Doctor Neil has been very tight-lipped and looks stressed. I don't even want to give him any updates in case he snaps at me.

This email account appears to have password locks on a few emails that you noticed are labelled as 'classified'. There are, however, some emails that haven't been locked and you are able to view them. [[Email: Received 30th December 2099]] [[Email: Received 31st December 2099]] [[Email: Received 1st January 2100]]

From: Doctor Neil ([email protected]) To: Doctor Brown ([email protected]) ''Subject: Development on Subject 6'' Subject 6 has been in quarantine for over a month. The subject has stopped all verbal communication with us and is no longer responding to the treatment we have given him. The rest of the subjects will be woken from hibernation tomorrow, and they will be subsequently sent back to Earth on the 2nd of January. It is within the best interest of Subject 6 and his family that we keep him on board the ship for further testing. We will be informing his next of kin about his progress and what will happen further from there. It may be safest if we have him taken back to Earth on a shuttle for quarantined subjects. We may not be able to do much more for him on the Cyclone. -- Doctor A. Neil

From: CYCLONE RELAY MAIL SERVICE ([email protected]) To: Doctor Brown ([email protected]) ''Subject: NEW YEARS CELEBRATION CANCELLATION'' Hi all, Due to some technical and medical difficulties surrounding one of the subjects of the CYCLONE HIBERNATION PROGRAMME, we have had to cancel all New Years Celebrations. ''THIS INCLUDES PRIVATE PARTIES IN YOUR DORMS. PLEASE DO NOT REPEAT HALLOWEEN'S DISASTER.'' Please refrain from private parties and drinking. Mandatory overtime has now been put into place. Continue to follow your schedules. This is for the safety of the subject, as well as your own. Thank you.