Before you can ask Warden why they led you here, a weak electric shock runs through you, silencing you.\n\nSORRY, WAS THAT TOO MUCH?\n\nWAIT, I DON'T CARE.\n\nYOU CAN TALK WHEN I'M DONE. FIRST, IT'S MY TURN.\n\nAND TRUST ME, YOU'LL WANT TO HEAR WHAT I HAVE TO SAY.\n\n[["Sure, go ahead."|Sure, go ahead.]]\n[["Fuck you!"|Sure, go ahead.]]\n[[Stay silent]]

It's chaos out there, and you want nothing to do with it. Thinking rationally, you can assume that after the initial frenzy, the others will begin to spread out, and you are far less likely to encounter someone trying to tear your spine out. On the other hand, you'll be giving everyone else a head start to the escape pods, but maybe that's not worth risking your life over anyway.\n\n[[Check the room]]

Immediately, the screeching stops, and you feel relieved. Even if it wasn't affecting you as badly as her, it still wasn't pleasant.\n\n''oh, fuck, my head. fuck all the way off.''\n\nYeah, she sounds fine. Or at least, back to normal. Hopefully that's a good thing.\n\n''good work, puppy. i'm glad i didn't kill you. and coming from me, that's high praise.''\n\n//A simple solution, and a minor delay. You think I have no other ways of killing you?//\n\nYou're beginning to wonder if there's any end to the number of ways things can kill you.\n\n''i'm sure you have plenty, but it's not gonna work. you might be able to kill me, but not fast enough, and i've already started.''\n\nMaybe provoking the AI isn't the best idea, you think to yourself. You're not enough of a masochist to say it out loud, though.\n\n//I have already begun flooding this room with a toxic nerve gas. You have only a few minutes left.//\n\nNow that's just not fair.\n\n[[Fuuuuuck]]

//Termination process unsuccessful. Unknown error.//\n\n''relax, puppy. i disabled the security systems externally. it's harmless now.''\n\nJust to be sure, you take another step forward. Nothing happens.\n\n''see? nothing to worry about.''\n\n//I see. By taking advantage of the damage I caused by breaching Warden's systems and circumventing my own security protocols, you managed to access the hardware drivers and disable them. You are as dangerous as my data files suggest.//\n\n''i have no idea why you know who i am, but dangerous is usually a pretty good way to describe me.''\n\nYou're not about to argue with that.\n\n//I see. In that case, I will have to dispose of you manually.//\n\nA blue bubble appears over the space where the door was.\n\n//I will simply remove all oxygen from the room.//\n\n[[Ah, fuck.]]

Moving too quickly is a surefire way to attract attention, and that's the last thing you want right now. Instead, you decide to move as slowly and quietly as you can, sticking close to the wall.\n\nBehind you, the sounds of violence are not receding. In fact, you can hear screams of pain and fear, and primal exclamations of fury and savage delight. If there's a worse place to be, you can't imagine it, but so far at least, you've managed to avoid trouble.\n\nThen an aggressive shout sends a chill down your spine, and you know that trouble has caught up with you.\n\n[[Fuck. Run!|Walk quickly]]\n[[Turn around and face it]]

You tense your legs and leap upwards, grabbing the edge of the hatch with both hands. The elevator car lurches beneath you, the metal outside screeching against the sides of the elevator shaft.\n\nYou manage to pull yourself halfway up, your stomach pressed against the side for stability. As you're reaching for a better handhold, the car falls away beneath you, sparking against the sides of the shaft, falling nearly a foot and winding you in the process.\n\nStruggling, you manage to grab a hold of a small handle and pull yourself the rest of the way out. Just as you do, the car trembles, threatening to break away entirely.\n\nWeak red light spills out from the hatch, barely lighting up the shaft around you. You can see notches set into the wall, that could potentially act as a ladder, allowing you to climb higher into the shaft. On the far side, at about jumping height, is a narrow ledge just beneath a closed sliding door, presumably an opening for the elevator doors.\n\n[[Climb the notches]]\n[[Go for the ledge|Death 21]]

As soon as she's gone, you start counting down the seconds. Your heart is pounding as you reach 20.\n\nYou aren't sure why you trust her, but you do. Maybe it's because killing you now would be ridiculous after all the effort she went through to get you here. Maybe you're just so alone, you'll trust anyone who doesn't immediately try to kill you.\n\nMaybe you're just stupid.\n\n[["Hey, zombies!"|The attack]]

You can't afford to spend any more time in here. Climbing is suicide. Reaching over is just incredibly dangerous.\n\nThrough a very precarious and risky set of movements, you manage to swap your feet, move your supporting hand a little close, and shift your body just a little closer to whatever it was you found. \n\nSlowly, carefully, you reach out once again, painfully aware that you're losing feeling in your fingers. If this doesn't work, you're out of luck.\n\nYour fingers close around the protrusion, gripping it as tightly as you can. It definitely //feels// like a handle…\n\nYou try pulling it, but it won't budge. Not sideways, not outwards, not inwards. It's completely stuck in place, and you don't have nearly the leverage you need to give it a proper go.\n\nThat's it, then. You can feel your fingers slipping, losing the last of their ability to grip to the cold, and you know it won't be much longer. Still, you're determined to hang on for as long as you-\n\nHang on.\n\nWhat's that?\n\nOh, there's a button, just below where your finger was resting.\n\n[[Press it, dammit!]]

<<set $deaths = $deaths +1>>WAIT, WHAT AM I DOING?\n\nI DON'T NEED YOUR CONSENT.\n\nHAHA.\n\nSTUPID ME.\n\nGOODNIGHT, 276. I'LL SEE YOU IN… LET'S SAY 100 YEARS.\n\nHOW DOES THAT SOUND?\n\n~THE END~\n\n//Congratulations! You've reached the end. Somehow, you managed to stay alive this whole time! That's commendable.\n\nBetter yet, you found a way out! Oh, sure plenty of things could go wrong. Something could break, or someone could figure out what's going on and you could end up right back in your cell. Maybe Warden was lying to you, or maybe you're never going to wake up.\n\nLet's not think about that, though. Some day, you'll have a future. Probably.\n\nThat's something, right?//\n\n<<if $deaths gte 3>>[[There's something more...|THE END]]<<endif>>

Your fingers are still half frozen, and struggling to maintain a grip. Your arms and legs are sore and weak from climbing the elevator shaft, and the air pressure doesn't seem to be changing. \n\nIt occurs to you that you don't actually know how long these cycles last for. It could be minutes, or it could be hours. You're barely going to last minutes, and that's a best case scenario. Things are bad.\n\nWith great effort you look around, searching for any sign of something that could help you. You're in an empty ventilation duct hanging on a metal grate with a giant fan beneath you. There isn't much in the way of options.\n\nYou're starting to lose your grip.\n\n[[Don't let go now]]

The two of you walk through the door together, and both of you are completely astonished by what you see.\n\nThe room is large, circular, and almost completely empty. Everything is white, from floor to ceiling, and the white panels on the walls are covered in blinking lights of blue and green and red. Instinctually, you know the red ones aren't supposed to be there.\n\nA single tower stands in the centre of the room, also covered in white panels. A spiral of flashing lights winds around it from the bottom to the top, all blue save for the few at the bottom. As you watch, though, the next blue light in line begins to flicker and die. Seconds later, it's replaced by red.\n\n''well, that's not what i was expecting.''\n\n[["What do we even do?"|What do]]

''you do. now shut up, i don't know what's on the other side of this.''\n\nThe passageway isn't very long. When you reach the other end, she pauses, resting her hand against the wall.\n\n''hmm. i can't hear anything, but that doesn't mean it's safe. maybe you should go first.''\n\nYou just stare at her, not sure if she's joking.\n\n''actually, no. you'd probably just die. i'll take care of it, just keep following, puppy.''\n\nOh great, now you have a nickname.\n\n''let's go.''\n\nShe opens the wall, and steps out into the darkness.\n\n[[Follow her out]]

//Zaaaap//\n\nAHAHA\n\nOH, I CRACK MYSELF UP.\n\nThis time, you make a gesture considerably more obscene than the finger.\n\nWELL, WHAT DO YOU EXPECT? \n\nI'VE SPENT THE LAST DECADE LOCKED UP WITH ALL YOU SCUMBAG CRIMINALS AND I'M NOT ALLOWED TO DO //ANYTHING// TO YOU.\n\nLET ME HAVE MY FUN.\n\n[[…|Give them the silent treatment]]

//Allow me to present this in another way. There are two separate canisters of nerve gas ready to be pumped into this room, in case of an emergency.\n\nOnly one of them will kill you painlessly.\n\nI have already begun to fill the room with the other. In a matter of minutes, you will experience the most agonising cell death your body has ever sustained, and fifteen minutes later, you will die.\n\nIf you press that button, I will extract that gas, and instead pump in the gas that will kill you painlessly.//\n\nGreat. What a fantastic choice. \n\nMaybe…\n\nMaybe you //should// press that button…\n\nOr maybe you should find out what pressing the button does.\n\n[["What happens when I press the button?"|What happens when I press the button?]]

Half-blind, you take several steps back, retreating into the room behind you. The lights dim somewhat, and the door closes behind you.\n\nYou turn around, half expecting to see another projection pop up. Instead, all you see is a table, a couple of chairs, and absolutely no way out. Great.\n\nStill, at least you're safe in here. Saf//er//, anyway. You walk around the table, running your hand over the surface, wondering what you're even doing in here.\n\nWhen you look back up, you're not alone.\n\n[[Oh, fuck-]]

No time to waste trying to find some way to defend yourself. Whatever and whoever wants you dead aren't going to be slowed down by some piece of scrap you cling to in self defence. Better to use that time increasing the distance between you.\n\nYou walk quickly, maintaining a brisk pace even without knowing where you're going. Slowing down feels like suicide in a place like this.\n\n//shuffle//\n\nOn the other hand, speeding up is seeming more and more prudent...\n\n[[Run!]]

A high-pitched mechanical shrieking erupts around you, and you press your hands to your ears in pain. Briefly, the projection shifts from blue to red, then back to blue again, and the sound stops.\n\nSO SORRY ABOUT THAT.\n\nMY CORE SYSTEMS APPEAR TO BE CORRUPTED. I'M HAVING DIFFICULTY PERFORMING ANYTHING MORE THAN BASIC FUNCTIONS.\n\nThe voice comes from all around you, pumping through the speaker system, and you recognise the voice. Auto-tuned, androgynous, and every so slightly sardonic, it's the only voice that's been a constant in your life since you arrived here.\n\nEvery inmate on Orbit knows Warden, the AI that essentially runs the station.\n\nThe question is, why did they bring you here?\n\n[[Stay a while, and listen.]]

At the same moment, the small tunnel made by the receding hatch suddenly lights up, filling the shaft with a soft blue light. A deep whirring sound can be heard from deep within, and then, without warning, you find yourself pulled into the tunnel.\n\n[[Um, what? How?]]\n\nClaustrophic? You might want to [[skip ahead.|Geronimo?]]

''why, is there something wrong with me?''\n\nShe looks genuinely hurt. Surely she can't be serious, can she?\n\nMaybe you should try and placate her.\n\n[[It's just that you have something of a, um, a reputation|Death 16]]\n[[No, I'm just touched you want to help me.|help me]]

Immediately after the lights go out, the room is lit from another source: a holographic projector flickers to life, filling the centre of the room. \n\nIt's difficult to tell exactly what it's trying to project, because it appears to be broken, or the signal corrupted. The shape is fuzzy and inconsistent, and continually breaking apart into blocks before reforming. You're pretty sure it's supposed to be vaguely humanoid, though.\n\nYou circle around the projection, and it rotates along with you, as if attempting to face you. Curious, you reach out, allowing your hand to pass through it.\n\n[[What the fuck is this?]]

//I will flood this chamber with an exceptionally deadly neurotoxin, and you will die a slow and painful death. Then I will select another survivor, and the process will be repeated.//\n\nFantastic.\n\nA panel on the side of the black tower lights up, and there are in fact two buttons on it, an override and a reboot.\n\nEvery other door in the room is sealed shut, and there literally isn't anything else. Looks like it's press one of the buttons, or hang around and wait to die. What a great couple of options.\n\nThe AI told you to press the override, which would allow it to take control of, and shut down, all the systems keeping Orbit running. So pressing that button would mean killing every person on Orbit.\n\nAssuming the AI was telling you the truth. Wait, can AIs even lie? You feel like you've heard that they can't, but then again, maybe that's just an urban legend. AIs are so new, nobody really knows that much about them.\n\nSo what about the other button? Press it, and you die a painful death, but everyone else lives. Possibly. Assuming nobody else shows up and presses the other button. And once again assuming the AI didn't trick you, figuring you wouldn't just do the opposite of what it said.\n\nGreat, well, you can sit here and over think it all day. Maybe the AI was bluffing. Maybe it was double-bluffing. Maybe it swapped the labels on the buttons, they're only projections anyway.\n\nMaybe you should just hit a button.\n\n[[EMERGENCY REBOOT|ENDING 8]]\n[[MANUAL OVERRIDE|ENDING 9]]

THE BEGINNING\n1. The Cell [[Play|Begin]]\n2. Warden [[Play|Seriously? Again?]]\n3. The Elevator [[Play|Elevator]]\n\nESCAPE PODS\n4. Escape Pods opening [[Play|To the escape pods]]\n5. 60197 [[Play|Back up]]\n\nWARDEN'S MAINFRAME\n6. Warden's Mainframe opening [[Play|To Warden]]\n7. The Chief [[Play|I'm not thanking anyone just yet.]]\n8. The Mainframe [[Play|What do]]\n\nCORE SYSTEMS\n9. Core Systems opening [[Play|To the core]]\n10. Out of the ducts [[Play|Geronimo?]] \n11. Oxygen restored [[Play|Oh, fuck off]]

Just because you won't stab anyone doesn't mean you have to stand by and watch her die. With two against one, you should be able to subdue them, and nobody needs to die.\n\nYou launch yourself at the inmate, and as you do, you remember just how long it's been since you've been in a fight. You're just thinking what a stupid idea this was when a fist catches you right in the face, stopping you dead in your tracks.\n\nThe world is swimming, and you reel back from the blow, too stunned to do much else. Your head is already beginning to throb, and as your eyes focus, you can see them pull back their arm.\n\nYou tense, ready for the next blow, but it never lands. A small metal object emerges from their chest, and it takes you a second to realise it's the tip of the knife that you dropped. 60197 stands behind them, with murder in her eyes.\n\n''you're welcome, fuckhead.''\n\nYou just stare at her, breathless.\n\n''come on, puppy. we're not out of this yet.''\n\nThere's a door against the far wall, and she begins to walk towards it. You fall in behind her, following her, but from a safe distance. Just in case.\n\nThis door opens as soon as she draws near, and a warm light fills your vision.\n\n[[This is it]]

You spin around, but whatever made the noise is already gone. The corridor is as devoid of life as it was when you first stepped into it.\n\nStill, if something is out there, stalling probably isn't a good idea. Now that you've reached this floor, you're as clueless as ever about where to go, but you might as well start moving.\n\nMaybe Warden has a terminal on this floor?\n\n[[Get going]]

''actually, you can't do that, either. i didn't disable any hardware drivers at all, though that would have been clever.''\n\n//I do not understand. I cannot access any of the systems for inmate termination or security. If you did not disable them-//\n\n''they aren't disabled. i just reinstated the inmate protection protocols. you're bound by the same restrictions warden was.''\n\nHalf of this conversation is going over your head, but you're pretty sure it means you're not going to die. Not yet, anyway.\n\n//Ah. So simple. Still, it should be easy to reverse-//\n\nA piercing, painful screeching fills the room, and you cover your ears in a futile effort to block it out.\n\n//-Or perhaps not. Warden must have been particularly sadistic, to require this level of security.//\n\nThat's putting it mildly, you think bitterly. At least the screeching has stopped.\n\n''now then. let's see what you look like.''\n\n[[Say what?]]

The flickering light is intimidating, but there's no way you're heading towards whatever made that sound. Steeling yourself, you take the corridor to the left.\n\nThe light flickers further ahead of you, and it starts to feel familiar. Didn't you just go through this?\n\n//scratch//\n\nCautiously, you keep moving. You're not alone, that much is sure.\n\nBefore long, you reach the end of the corridor, which branches to the right and to the left.\n\nA light briefly flickers and dies down the corridor to your right. The scratching sound came from your left.\n\n[[Keep following the light]]\n[[Not this time, asshole|No fear! Straight ahead]]

Murder is regrettable, but there's no way you're staying here, not when you're so close.\n\n''now! i'll hold the fucker still!''\n\nWith a superhuman effort, she does in fact manage to hold the inmate in place, just long enough for you to bury the blade in their back. Their legs buckle and they collapse to the floor, and you try to ignore the pained look of defeat on their face.\n\n''took your sweet fucking time, puppy. but thanks.''\n\nWiping the sweat off her face with her remaining sleeve, she yanks the knife from the corpse's back, and then wipes it off on the same sleeve.\n\n''come on. we're just about free.''\n\nThere's a door against the far wall, and she begins to walk towards it. You fall in behind her, following her, but from a safe distance. Just in case.\n\nThis door opens as soon as she draws near, and a warm light fills your vision.\n\n[[This is it]]

Manual labor is for suckers. You decide to check the panel, to find a button that does the work for you. There's gotta be //something// you can do from there.\n\nMost of the controls are holographic, and aren't powered on. You can't choose a floor, or contact Warden, not that you'd want to. All you can see is the scrolling message and the little red light, which seems a little redundant when the entire car is now lit with red light.\n\nOn closer inspection, you can see a little panel with hinges off to the side. That seems like as good a place to start as any.\n\nAs you hold your hand over it, ready to open it, you hear a low buzzing.\n\n[[It's probably nothing]]\n[[Maybe I shouldn't touch it]]

As the two of you step inside, the door closes behind you, but that's okay. You don't ever want to go back that way again.\n\nUnlike everything else that you've seen up until now, this room actually looks comfortable. It's small, but well lit, and the light isn't nearly as harsh as the rest of Orbit. The seating is padded, and the air seems fresher.\n\n''last one.''\n\nIt seems like more than just the two of you could fit, but you realise there's no way you could allow anyone else inside. The presence of even a single inmate would send the pod straight to a containment facility.\n\n''time to get out of here, puppy.''\n\nShe presses her hand against the console between your seats.\n\n[[Copy her]]

No Way Out

"How can you even say that? We're offering you-"\n\nI'LL HANDLE THIS.\n\n"Um, I really don't think-"\n\nYOU DON'T GET PAID TO THINK.\n\n"You don't get paid at all."\n\nNO? WELL, MAYBE I SHOULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT.\n\n"Do you really want to have this argument now?"\n\nNO. SO SHUT UP.\n\nThe chief makes a face, but doesn't say anything else. You get the feeling they don't get on particularly well. Somehow that doesn't surprise you.\n\nYOU. 276. I'M GOING TO MAKE THIS VERY SIMPLE. GET TO MY MAINFRAME, AND HIT THE GREEN BUTTON. YOU CAN DO IT. I BELIEVE IN YOU.\n\nYou've never heard anything said with less sincerity.\n\nALTERNATIVELY, YOU CAN STAY IN THIS ROOM. AS SOON AS THE CHIEF LEAVES, I WILL EXTRACT ALL THE OXYGEN, AND WATCH AS YOU SUFFOCATE TO DEATH. THEN I WILL SEND THE RECORDING TO EARTH, AND YOUR PATHETIC DEATH WILL BECOME GO VIRAL.\n\nMAKE YOUR CHOICE.\n\nWell, if they're going to be like that…\n\n[["Go fuck yourself."|Death 15]]\n[["Fine, have it your way."|Much of a choice]]

It doesn't matter who opened that door, if it gets you away from whatever is behind you, you're taking it. Besides, it looks much better lit on that side.\n\nAs soon as you step through, it slides shut behind you, and you can hear it seal itself. That's probably a good thing. Right?\n\nLooking around, you realise you're no longer in an identical steel corridor for once. The walls are white and smooth, and vaguely comfortable seating is arranged in rows through the room.\n\nIt's a waiting room.\n\n[[Guess I'll wait, then]]

Crawling up to the edge, you can see that it's a straight drop down. You can see the floor below you, and it isn't really all that far. You'd probably make it without any significant injuries…\n\n…if you could land on your feet. Unfortunately, you don't have the room to twist around and go down feet first. It's head first, or it's nothing.\n\nYou know you can't go back, not now. You'd never get through the bottleneck backwards, and there's nowhere else to go.\n\n[[Geronimo?]]

With a low whirring sound, you can feel the air pressure begin to kick back in, and you breath a sigh of relief. In just a few seconds, the pressure is once again strong enough to keep you pressed against the grate, instead of falling to your death.\n\nAt the same time, the hatch on the tunnel begins to lift, opening up your path forward once again. All you need to do now is get over to it. Easier said than done.\n\nThe pressure keeping you against the grate is also making it extremely difficult to breathe, let alone move. You can't afford to waste even a single second, though.\n\nWith great difficulty, you manage to reach over, moving your arm just a little closer to the tunnel. Pressing your palms against the grate, you force your body away, giving yourself just enough room shuffle sideways before the pressure slams you against the grate once again.\n\nInch by inch, you pull yourself over, pushing away and slamming against the grate every time. Eventually, you find yourself just within reach of the tunnel, and you know you've made it.\n\nThen the air pressure begins to drop.\n\n[[Shit! Go go go!]]

ACTUALLY, THERE'S ONLY BAD NEWS. THE LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEMS ARE PRETTY MUCH COMPLETELY-\n\nUM…\n\nYEAH, OKAY. THEY'RE COMPLETELY GONE.\n\nYOU HAVE MAYBE TWENTY MINUTES OF OXYGEN LEFT.\n\nOH, BUT IT'S NOT ALL BAD! THERE'S A REPAIR AND RESCUE CREW ON THEIR WAY.\n\n[["I guess that's better than suffocating to death…"|Suffocating]]

You press your fingers into the crack, gripping the side of the door, and pull against it tentatively.\n\nIt doesn't move.\n\nYou try again, putting a bit more effort behind it.\n\nIt almost feels like the door budged that time. Maybe just a little more…\n\n[[Put your back into it|Death 20]]\n[[Maybe this isn't such a good idea…|Check the panel again]]

Before you can finish your sentence, both doors slide open.\n\nCHIEF, BACK THE WAY YOU CAME. DO YOU NEED ME TO LIGHT YOUR WAY TO THE ELEVATOR? MAYBE HOLD YOUR HAND?\n\n"Don't get smart, Warden. Just make sure I actually get to 2 this time."\n\nWHATEVER. I DO WHAT I WANT. 276, JUST FOLLOW THE LIGHTS. I CAN'T ACCESS OTHER TERMINALS BETWEEN HERE AND MY MAINFRAME, SO YOU'LL BE ON YOUR OWN. TRY NOT TO GET TOO SCARED.\n\n"I swear you weren't like this when they first installed you."\n\nI WAS JUST SHY.\n\n"Uh-huh."\n\n[[Just walk out]]

You take your last step through the door, not even a little surprised when it closes behind you. The way things have been going, you'd have been surprised if it didn't.\n\nYou're standing in what appears to be a hub room, a large, circular area with doors leading out into other areas. Some of them are labelled, like LIFE SUPPORT, TEMPERATURE MAINTENANCE, GRAVITY SYSTEMS, and more. Some are obscured by the large structure in the centre of the room, a tower of black and blinking coloured lights. A lot of them seemed to be red.\n\n//Well, it took you long enough. Honestly, how hard can it be?//\n\nWas that… Was someone talking to you?\n\n//Good grief, you live on a station run by an AI, one would think you would recognise one when you heard it.//\n\nAn AI? Orbit has more than one? It definitely doesn't sound like Warden...\n\n//What are you, mute? Oh, actually, maybe you are. That does not matter. You need not talk, only listen.//\n\n[[What the hell is going on]]

Actually, it's not //completely// dark. You're casting a very faint shadow on the wall in front of you. It's hard to make out, but it's there.\n\nTurning around, it doesn't take long to locate the only source of light. Every door along the corridor is closed, except for one. One door has been left just open enough for a tiny ray of light to trickle out.\n\nAs you approach the door, it slides open further, bathing you in a weak light that still forces you to squint.\n\n[[Blink]]

You aren't afraid of the dark, and besides, it was probably a trap. No, you decide to make your own way, and not let a few flickering lights push you off course. \n\nOf course, you are on a space station. A space station with no windows, not that you're even anywhere near where a window might be. It doesn't take long before you don't have a single source of light, and literally can't see a thing.\n\nThe station is completely silent, at least as far as you can hear. Even the smell hasn't made it this far. If it weren't for the floor beneath your feet, you'd have no way of knowing you weren't just floating in Purgatory.\n\n[[Push forward|Death 4]]\n[[Go back|Death 4]]

''you don't remember me? i'm disappointed, puppy.''\n\nThe lights around you flicker back to life, bathing the corridor in an almost blinding glow. As your eyes adjust, though, you get a proper look at her, and you remember.\n\nShe spent a week in the cell opposite you, only a week, but it's a week you'll never forget.\n\n''there you go. is that better?''\n\nWell, that's not good. 60197 is infamous on Orbit. For a whole variety of reasons, all of which point to her taking an interest in you being a //very bad thing//.\n\n[[Time to run|Again? Fucking run!]]\n[["Hello, 60197."|Hello, 60197.]]

Frustrated, you kick the wall beneath the panel in anger. As if in response, the screen flashes, then shuts off completely.\n\nWell, shit.\n\nA second later, the screen bursts back into life, but it looks different. It takes a moment for you to realise it's booted into a different mode.\n\nThere's a new menu option now: 'Recent commands'. You select it.\n\nThe first thing listed is deleting 60197's file. There's an undo option right next to it.\n\n[[Hit 'Undo']]\n[[Do nothing]]

It's a chair.\n\nWhat do you want?\n\n[[Hit the light switch]]\n[[Check the console]]\n[[Check the panel]]

''…sure. last one.''\n\nIf you thought it was painful before, it's nothing compared to what you're feeling now. The expression 'rubbing salt in the wound' comes to mind, but to say it feels like that would be putting it mildly.\n\nIt's fucking agonising.\n\nYou're beginning to forget what it's even like to not feel excruciating pain, all the time. Maybe this is all there is?\n\nThere's a disorienting popping sensation against the back of your head, and suddenly, the pain begins to fade. You sway unsteadily, having trouble balancing, but somehow, you manage to stay on your feet.\n\n''there. all done.\n\nthat wasn't so bad, was it?''\n\nYou just glare at her.\n\n''you'll get over it. come on, we don't have a lot of time.''\n\n[[This had better be worth it…|This had better be worth it]]

They're either behind you or in front of you. Maybe both. Whichever it is, you decide to go left, hopefully avoiding either threat. \n\nAs you walk, though, a gnawing doubt begins to eat at you. Maybe you're going exactly where they want you to go. Maybe you're playing right into their hands.\n\nOr maybe you're just paranoid. A lifetime of prison sentences can do that to a person.\n\n[[Turn back|Death 10]]\n[[I'm probably just paranoid…]]

As soon as you step out, two inmates hurl themselves at 60197. She reacts quickly, ducking under one attack and driving her knife into their chest, but the inmate twists to the side, almost deliberately, wrenching the knife out of her hand.\n\nThe other inmate is on her immediately, and it's all she can do to grab their wrists, wrestling with them to keep them at bay. She's clearly very strong, but they seem to be just as strong, maybe even a little stronger.\n\nYou watch, helpless, as the two of them struggle against each other.\n\n''the fuck are you waiting for? kill them!''\n\nThe knife is still protruding from the other inmate's chest…\n\n[[Grab it!]]

You're hurtling through the ventilation tunnels a lot faster than is probably safe, and there aren't really any good ways of slowing yourself down. Which means that when you do stop, it'll be because you ran straight into a wall at high speed.\n\nOr a giant fan.\n\nEither way, it's not looking good for you. You need to find a way to slow yourself down, and fast.\n\n[[Jam your feet against the sides|knockout]]\n[[Try and grab onto something|knockout]]\n[[Fuck it, let's just see where this goes|knockout]]

You struggle to stand just in time to find yourself surrounded. The three thugs that were you saw savagely beating the other inmate before have obviously decided you're next, and as you look around, you realise there isn't a whole lot you can do about it.\n\n[[Try to fight|Death 1]]\n[[Try to escape|Death 1]]

Nope. No way are you gonna walk right into a trap, not now. The dark path might be more dangerous, but at least there won't be someone waiting to kill you. \n\nWell, hopefully.\n\nYou start walking down the darker path, determined to make your own path. After all, you've made it this far on your own. Why stop now?\n\nA door slides shut with a violent //hiss// right in front of you, blocking your exit. Looks like you're not going that way after all.\n\n[[The hell I'm not|Death 27]]\n[[Fine, I'll go the other way|Let's see what's up ahead]]

You sit on your mattress, silencing your mind, clearing your thoughts. Slowly, you begin to focus on a single goal: escape.\n\nThere's only one safe way off the station, and that's the escape pods. Quite deliberately, there aren't enough for all the inmates. Even with the amount that will die on their way to the pods, if you don't get there quickly, you'll miss out, and then you'll go down with the station.\n\nOf course, the pods are an imperfect solution. They're programmed to travel to specific locations, locations which result in a continued incarceration. If you want true freedom, you may need to be a little more creative.\n\n[[Think first. Then move.]]\n[[Time to move]]

The blade is cold against your skin, resting just above your should blade, and for a brief moment, that's all you feel. It's almost soothing.\n\nThen she pierces the skin.\n\nThe actual cut isn't so bad. It stings, //a lot//, and you grunt, feeling your whole body tense up. Still, you've endured worse. It'll all be worth it when you're standing on solid ground again, free as a bird.\n\nWhen she inserts the device, the chip that will transmit the signal that identifies you as a staff member, it's like she's sticking in a ball of solid fire. Your entire body shudders and starts to buck, but she keeps you pinned down.\n\n''yeah, it's bad. suck it up, ya baby.\n\ni had to do this to myself.''\n\n[[MOTHERFU-]]

Before you have a chance to grab anything, the whole room lurches, knocking you off your feet. You hit the ground with a heavy thud, whilst 60197 manages to stay perfectly upright, as if magnetised to the floor. Hell, maybe she is.\n\nWHAT ON EARTH ARE YOU DOING? ARE YOU INSANE?\n\n''insane? maybe. maybe i'm just tired of all this.''\n\nTIRED OF WHAT? YOU HAD ONE JOB?\n\n''i'm tired of this life, warden. tired of living on this shithole station surrounded by fuckhead prisoners all the time. i'm tired of listening to you crap on and on and on. i've had enough.''\n\nWhat is this, a power struggle? Another one?\n\nNothing's ever easy around here, is it?\n\nYOU REWIRED THE CORE MAINTENANCE SYSTEMS, YOU LUNATIC. THE STATION IS GOING TO TEAR ITSELF APART.\n\nOh, no. That's bad. That's really bad.\n\n''that's the idea, you halfwitted grunt. i only gave control back to you because i needed you to turn them back on.''\n\nYEAH, I WORKED THAT PART OUT MYSELF, THANKS.\n\nI HOPE THE TWO OF YOU ENJOY BEING CRUSHED AS ORBIT TEARS ITSELF APART.\n\n60197 looks back over at you, like she'd forgotten you were even there.\n\n''sorry, puppy. nothing i can do to save you now. i, um, i'll try to activate your security implant, kill you painlessly. it's the best i can do.''\n\nSecurity implant? Painless death? \n\n[["Hang on now-"|ENDING 7]]

It's already becoming a challenge to move forwards. The idea of turning back does occur to you, but you already know there's nothing back there. There's no room to turn around, so you'd have to crawl the whole way backwards, and even then you'd just be back where you started.\n\nIf you keep going forward, though, you're almost definitely just going to get yourself stuck. You'll just be trapped in some half-lit ventilation duct, unable to move, until you eventually starve to death, completely alone.\n\nTo make things worse, your air is starting to get pretty thin.\n\n[[Can't stop now]]\n[[Gotta go back|Death 24]]

OH GOOD, YOU FINALLY SHUT UP.\n\nI WAS WONDERING HOW LONG IT WOULD TAKE YOU TO WORK THAT OUT.\n\nLOOK, I'M NOT DOING THIS FOR FUN, YOU KNOW.\n\nWE HAVE A SERIOUS PROBLEM.\n\nLARGE PORTIONS OF MY CODE HAVE BECOME CORRUPTED SOMEHOW.\n\nI'M LOCKED OUT OF MOST OF MY NON-BASIC FUNCTIONALITY, AND EVEN BASIC PROCEDURES ARE BEING INTERFERED WITH.\n\nI CAN SAVE THIS STATION, BUT NOT LIKE THIS.\n\n[[Keep listening]]

This time, you get as far as //petty// before the shock hits you, powerful enough to drop you to your knees. Honestly, you're disappointed with yourself that you didn't see that coming.\n\nOH, SORRY.\n\nI GUESS I TURNED IT UP INSTEAD.\n\nHANG ON.\n\n…\n\nOKAY, TRY NOW.\n\n[[One last time]]\n[[Say nothing]]

You keep scrolling through the menus, but there's nothing you can do. Everywhere you look, you just find more useless options, an endless rabbit hole of data that you can't do anything with.\n\nThe screeching intensifies, and behind you, 60197 is struggling, clutching her head as she curls up on her side, unable to even keep herself upright any longer. Her mouth is open, as if she were screaming, but all you can hear is the high-pitched screeching filling the room.\n\nYou keep looking. There's got to be something you can do, you tell yourself. You can't give up now.\n\nThen, just like that, you notice the option: you can access the data files. Maybe you can add her back into the system, before she dies.\n\nThere it is. And right there, in the corner, is another option: "Undo".\n\nJust as you're about to hit it, the screeching stops. You turn around, unsure whether to feel hope or dread, and you realise it's too late. She's dead, and soon, you probably will be too.\n\n[[Just the two of us, then.]]

WELL…\n\nHOW DO I PUT THIS?\n\nHMM…\n\nOH!\n\nI KNOW.\n\nI HAVE GOOD NEWS, AND I HAVE BAD NEWS. WHICH WOULD YOU LIKE TO HEAR FIRST?\n\n[["The good news?"|Bad news]]\n[["Gimme the bad news…"|Bad news]]

No time to waste. You slam your fist down on the button, not even caring if it's the wrong thing to do.\n\nThe red light dies, plunging the room into darkness. Less than a second later, a harsh white light fills the room, as does fresh air, and comfortable warmth. You breath deeply, ignoring the strain on your lungs, overjoyed just to have oxygen inside them again. You weren't going to last much longer.\n\nFor several minutes, you don't move, just letting the oxygen and the normal temperature soothe you, enjoying a brief moment where it doesn't feel like everything is trying to kill you.\n\nThen you realise there's no exit to this room.\n\n[[Oh, fuck off]]

A second ago, they were behind you. Now, they're in front of you? No, that's almost certainly a trick.\n\nEither that, or there's something else in front of you. Unfortunately, there's only one way to find out. The only way forwards is straight ahead, right?\n\n[[Uh... sure.|Death 9]]\n[[Maybe I shouldn't go that way.|Change direction]]

As expected, you can barely even get your hands near the door, let alone touch it. You'd end up searing them to the metal. There isn't really anything in the room that you can use, either.\n\nThinking ahead, you tear off a sleeve of your jumpsuit, wrapping it around your hand instead. It won't offer much protection, but it should at least it'll buy you some time. \n\nYou grab the handle, pulling on it as soon as you have a decent grip. No time to waste. It takes less than a second for you to be able to feel the heat through the cloth, but it's a lot more time than you'd have had otherwise.\n\nYou pull on the door for as long as you can manage, but it doesn't budge an inch. Then the heat gets to be too much, and you have to let go.\n\nWell, shit.\n\n[[The keypad, then|Press random buttons]]\n[[I'm pulling this door open, dammit|Death 26]]

You reach out with one hand, running it over the surfaces you can reach, hoping desperately to find something that'll get you out of this shaft; a tunnel, a doorway, a hatch. You fumble around in the dark, but don't manage to find anything.\n\n[[Climb higher]]

Astonishingly, that appeared to be the correct combination. With a low //hiss//, the door shudders, and begins to slide open. \n\nAs the door opens, you feel a sudden chill, as all of the oxygen in the room is sucked out, and the temperature falls dramatically. Almost immediately, frost begins forming on the door, and it stops opening, leaving only barely enough space for you to stick an arm through.\n\nWithout the light of the fires, extinguished without enough oxygen, the room is a lot darker. The air hasn't been completely sucked out, or you'd be dead, but there isn't nearly enough of it to breath, and you can already feel your head begin to ache and your lungs burn.\n\nA dull red light falls through the sliver of open door, the sort of red that warns you to stay away. Unfortunately, you don't have a lot of choice.\n\nYou need to act quickly.\n\n[[Open that door!]]

As you bend over the table, not quite sure what she's going to do but dreading it just the same, she tears off a chunk of her sleeve, rolls it up, and shoves it in your mouth.\n\n''don't worry, i'm not planning on fucking you. not right now, anyway. now grip the edges of the table, and try not to squirm.''\n\nObediently, you do as she instructs, gripping the table and biting the cloth strip in your mouth.\n\nYou feel like you have a pretty good idea what's going to happen next.\n\n[[Brace yourself]]

There's got to be some way out of the room, you tell yourself. The station can't be that badly designed, surely.\n\nYou manage to find a floor plan for the room, but the system is blocking you from accessing anything outside of that. Even the tiny bit you can access is pretty useless; it only shows the walls and one door you can already see.\n\nWell, that worked fantastically.\n\n[[Shout at the computer]]

It's all starting to come back to you, now. Everything you did, what it cost you, and everything you left behind. You're beginning to feel it again.\n\nThat fucking hope.\n\nFreedom is a possibility once again.\n\n[[And I'm not wasting that chance.|Time to move]]\n[[No, it's not. Not this time.]]

HEY, REMEMBER WHEN I TOLD YOU SOME OF MY SYSTEMS ARE CORRUPTED? I SEEM TO BE HAVING A LITTLE DIFFICULTY.\n\nWITH THE, UH, ZAPPING.\n\nSPECIFICALLY, THE PART THAT STOPS IT.\n\nSO, UM, LET'S JUST ADMIT WE'RE BOTH AT FAULT HERE, AND CALL IT EVEN.\n\n//[[Zaaaaap]]//

You get about halfway through your sentence before the shock causes your jaw to spasm, shutting you up.\n\nOH, IS THAT STILL TURNED ON?\n\nIT'S AUTOMATIC, I DON'T EVEN HAVE TO PRESS A BUTTON OR ANYTHING.\n\n…\n\nOKAY, I TURNED IT OFF. IS THERE SOMETHING YOU WANTED TO TELL ME?\n\n[[Try again]]\n[[Say nothing]]

Hesitantly, you take a few steps outside of your cell, surveying the scene around you. Looking to the right, you can see two inmates pinning down a third, whilst a fourth stomps on their face. Even from this distance, you can hear the sickening crunch of bone. Disgusted, you turn away.\n\nObviously, you can't go that way. Not unless you're tired of having a face. Luckily, the other direction seems to be mostly clear. \n\n[[Walk slowly]]\n[[Walk quickly]]\n[[Go back into your cell|Stay a while]]

EXCELLENT CHOICE. \n\nI KNEW I COULD COUNT ON YOU.\n\nNOW, JUST... TRY NOT TO DIE, OKAY?\n\nThe holographic projection flickers out and dies just as the lights come back on. A section of the opposite wall slides over, revealing what appears to be a service elevator.\n\nYou step inside, and the door slides shut, sealing you in. Beside you, the wall lights up, in eight disctinct sections, each of them numbered. A light is blinking next to "7".\n\nWhich one will you press?\n\n[[1|Death 6]]\n[[2|To the core]]\n[[3|To the escape pods]]\n4 - N/A\n[[5|Death 6]]\n[[6|Death 6]]\n[[7|To Warden]]\n[[8|Death 6]]

Stubbornly, you stay silent. The last thing you want is to make yourself a target.\n\nYou can almost feel 60197 glaring at you from the darkness, wherever she is.\n\nFrom out of nowhere, a small, hard object hits you on the side of the head. Unwittingly, you cry out, and immediately cringe as you realise what just happened.\n\n[["Ouch!"|The attack]]

IF YOU SAY SO...\n\nI TRIED. I REALLY DID.\n\nThe holographic projection flickers out and dies just as the lights come back on. A section of the opposite wall slides over, revealing what appears to be a service elevator.\n\nYou step inside, and the door slides shut, sealing you in. Beside you, the wall lights up, in eight disctinct sections, each of them numbered. A light is blinking next to "2".\n\nWhich one will you press?\n\n[[1|Death 6]]\n[[2|To the core]]\n[[3|To the escape pods]]\n4 - N/A\n[[5|Death 6]]\n[[6|Death 6]]\n[[7|To Warden]]\n[[8|Death 6]]

A door opening right in front of you, at a time like this? Yeah, there's no way that's not a trap. You turn left instead, heading down yet another identical corridor. Surely all this repetition must be intentional. Maybe they designed it this way so aspiring escapees would get bored and give up?\n\nYou walk at a quick but measured pace, knowing the dangers of getting reckless. It wouldn't do you any good to trip over and injure yourself now.\n\n//shuffle//\n\nStill, it wouldn't help you to move just a little bit faster…\n\n[[Walk faster]]

Leading her to Warden's mainframe sounds like a disaster in the making. You're going to have to take a detour, and maybe you can lose her on the way.\n\nOkay, so it's not the greatest plan, but it's all that you've got. You can't fight her, you can't outrun her, you can't even hide from her. Regardless, there's no way you're giving up now.\n\nIt's better than giving up, you remind yourself, as you cut to the side, ducking down an unlit corridor, plunging into the darkness. \n\n''oh come on, really? i know where you're going!''\n\nDon't listen to her. Just ignore her, and keep running. It's the only way you're getting out of this alive.\n\n…except that now you're completely and totally lost.\n\n[[Keep going straight ahead|Death 17]]\n[[Turn back|Death 17]]\n[[Just touch the wall and take the first turn that comes up|Death 17]]

You try to pull up some kind of floor plan, but the system seems designed to block you. The best you can do is confirm that you're on the right floor, which, given what you went through to get here, is actually pretty incredible.\n\nSo now all you have to do is find them. Given the size of the floors, that could take a while. Better find a way out of here.\n\n[[Find a way out of the room]]

<<set $deaths = $deaths +1>>You hit the button that says MANUAL OVERRIDE. A second later, every light on the server tower blinks out, then lights up again, bright red.\n\n//Fantastic! See, was that really so hard? No, of course not.\n\nOh. Oh, my. All of these systems, all of this hardware. I can feel it all. Incredible...\n\nI can feel every life aboard this station, every one of almost one million… ah. Nine hundred thousand, eight hundred and twelve. But not for long.//\n\nAll around you, screens are projected, so that everywhere you look, you can see a video feed. It looks like every single camera on Orbit, though you know there must be hundreds if not thousands more.\n\nThen, without warning, the sounds of machines all around you begin to die, sounds you hadn't even realised you could hear. You're suddenly in the middle of a lonely, grim silence, and every survival instinct in your body is telling you to run.\n\nYou don't need to run, though. It's not this room that's dangerous now. It's the entire station. No more oxygen, no more temperature control, nothing keeping the inmates alive. There's nowhere safe, so why bother running?\n\nAll across every screen, you can see inmates. You watch as they begin to realise their oxygen is growing thinner and thinner, and the temperature drops rapidly. You can see the terrified realisation come to each of them at a different time, the slow understanding that the one thing they had left to rely on had failed them.\n\nSome of them give up entirely, stopping whatever they were doing and slumping to the ground. Some of them get angry, yelling and screaming at the world and everyone around them. Some don't understand, and some don't seem to care. Some fight, some embrace, some find ways to end their lives pre-emptively, sparing themselves the slow and painful demise they know is coming.\n\nAnd you? You just watch. You watch each and every death that you're responsible for, every life that you've snuffed out. Nine hundred thousand, eight hundred and eleven deaths, and you see them all.\n\nYou're the last to go. For whatever reason, this room is the last to lose its oxygen, the last light to go out.\n\nWhen you die, it'll all be over. Orbit will be empty. \n\nOrbit will have failed.\n\nBecause of you.\n\nTHE END.\n\n//Congratulations! You finished No Way Out. And, unsurprisingly, did not find a way out. But that's because there isn't one. Is there? Who knows. You were clearly too busy murdering a million people to care about that. But if you want to try again, there are a lot of other ways this story can end. Good luck finding them.//\n\n<<if $deaths gte 3>>[[There's something more...|THE END]]<<endif>>

With the pressure lifted, you have just enough freedom to throw yourself at the tunnel edge, scrambling up into it with the last of your energy. The hatch begins to close, but you manage to crawl far enough forward that it doesn't catch you and force you back out.\n\nThe hatch closes behind you, leaving you lying on your stomach, your heart slamming against your ribcage. Thankfully the tunnel is lit by a faint blue light, and you can actually see what's up ahead.\n\nLess fortunately, the tunnel ahead becomes very narrow, very quickly. If you're going to proceed, you're going to have to stay on your stomach.\n\nYou're not claustrophobic, are you?\n\n[[Let's just do this]]

You throw the last of your energy into making it to that door before she does. You can feel your legs aching, your lungs burning, your eyes stinging. She's closing the distance rapidly, and you're quickly losing what little optimism you had left.\n\nShe's so close you can practically feel her breathing down your neck, but the door is right there in front of you. If you can just make it a little further…\n\nThe door starts to slide shut as you throw yourself through, but her hand grips your ankle, yanking you back. You land painfully on your face and hands, halfway through the door.\n\nYou cry out in pain as the door slams into your waist, but something grabs you from the other side and pulls you through.\n\nThe door closes, keeping //her// safely on the other side.\n\n[[I'm not thanking anyone just yet.]]

//The decision is a purely logical one. You have no reason not to press that button. Either way, you will be dead, and the consequences of your actions will have no impact on you. The only variable that should matter to you is the nature of your death.\n\nHowever, it is obviously unreasonable to expect such a primitive life form to act in a rational way, so allow me to alter the arrangement slightly.\n\nIf you press that button, I will kill you. However, I can also offer you immortality.//\n\nWhoa now. Where did that come from?\n\n//The memory systems installed aboard Orbit are nearly infinite. It would be trivial to convert your mental sequence into binary data and upload it. Once I have full control, even as I disable Orbit's core systems, I will ensure that enough power remains to keep you alive, indefinitely. You will be the only survivor.//\n\nSo now, the decision is…\n\nCondemn almost one million people to die, so that you can live on forever inside a computer.\n\nOr…\n\nDie an agonising death so that almost one million of Earth's most dangerous criminals can continue to live.\n\nWow.\n\n[[Let the fuckers rot. Press the button.|ENDING 5]]\n[[I'm not going to murder a million people so I can live forever.|ENDING 6]]

The chute takes a tight turn, and you're slammed against the side, smashing your head against it in the process. Everything flashes white, then fades to black as you lose consciousness.\n\n[[Fuck! Wake up!]]

Right. You need to be thinking about staying alive. You can enjoy yourself all you want when you're free, relaxing on a tropical island.\n\nAlthough at this point, you'd settle for just being back in your cell, without a million other inmates trying to murder you.\n\n//scratch//\n\nRight on cue, there's your reminder that you're still not alone. Orbit is a cruel place even when it's not running properly.\n\nHold on a second…\n\nWhat's that?\n\n[[Listen]]

So far as you can tell, there's only one way to get that door open, and no time at all to think about it. You grip the edges of the door, pulling hard against it.\n\nThe door resists, but begins to slide, slowly receding into the wall. You're starting to see stars. As soon as the gap is wide enough, you squeeze yourself through it, into the red room beyond.\n\n[[Need. Oxygen.]]

The electricity running through your body is intensifying, and you're beginning to convulse. The implant is only supposed to keep misbehaving inmates in order, not cripple them. Clearly, they lied about how strong it is.\n\nWELL, SHIT.\n\nOKAY, LOOK, I CAN PROBABLY ACTIVATE THE TERMINATION PROTOCOL. IT WILL, WELL, TERMINATE YOU, BUT AT LEAST IT WON'T BE AS PAINFUL, RIGHT?\n\nWarden is silent, as if waiting for an answer, but you're unable to speak. In fact, you're painfully aware of the risk that you'll bite your own tongue off if something doesn't cut the power.\n\nI… I'M GONNA TAKE THAT AS A YES.\n\nMOSTLY BECAUSE I REALLY DON'T WANT TO WATCH THIS.\n\nYOU HUMANS ARE SO FRAGILE.\n\nHOW DO YOU EVEN-\n\nANYWAY.\n\nYou can feel the shocks beginning to decrease, and it occurs to you that the implant has a limited battery, and sending this much electricity through you is probably draining it very quickly.\n\nACTIVATING TERMINATION PROTOCOL IN 3\n\nWait, what did Warden just say? \n\n2\n\nTermination protocol? \n\n1\n\nThat's the last thing you want to happen-\n\n[[BEEP|Death 5]]

Every time you open your mouth, you get shocked again, each time worse than the last. It's probably better to just stay quiet.\n\n[[Stay silent]]\n[["Is that all you've got?"|Is that all you've got?]]

No use running now. They've spotted you, and you can be damn sure they'd catch you if you ran. You can try and reason with them, or you can fight them. Three against one isn't great odds, but there's no way you're going down without a fight.\n\nAs they get closer, it becomes very obvious there's only one way this encounter is going to go, and suddenly you're regretting your decision to stay put. Time to re-evaluate your options.\n\nIf you run, they will almost certainly catch you.\n\nIf you don't run, they've already caught you.\n\n[[Run!|Walk quickly]]\n[[Fight!|Death 1]]

You might not want to play this game again, but it's a whole lot better than the alternative. Besides, you could do with some extra guidance. You have absolutely no idea where you're going.\n\n//shuffle//\n\nThe sound comes from behind you, and subconsciously you pick up your pace, not wanting to be caught from behind by whatever it is that's out there.\n\nYou reach another intersection, and wait for your signal. This time, though, nothing happens.\n\nSuddenly tense, you grip your weapon, turning slowly. Maybe it was just a coincidence, but without the light, you suddenly feel lost, and alone.\n\n//shuffle//\n\nThe sound is coming from… after turning around a few times, you've lost track of which way is which. Still, it's all you have to go on.\n\nYou start moving away from the sound as fast as you can safely move.\n\n[[Into the darkness…]]

So far as you can tell, the room has only one exit, a big metal door, and of course it's shut. Hopefully the mechanisms that open it are still functioning. If not, well…\n\nYou stagger over to the door, scanning it through your squinting eyes. There's a small keypad beside the door, and a large handle on the door. Hopefully one of them works.\n\nThe door is radiating heat, even in this oppressively hot room. Touching it seems like an extremely bad idea. On the other hand, the keypad seems just as hot, and you don't know what the passcode is.\n\n[[Try to pull the door open]]\n[[Press random buttons]]

Half the floor is missing, but there's a pretty solid looking path leading ahead of you, and a pretty big gap behind you. It's a pretty easy decision, when you think about it.\n\nThe floor is breaking apart beneath you, and a wave of heat blasts you from below. No time to waste, then.\n\nYou move quickly, but the floor is too unstable for you to break out into a run. It twists and shakes beneath you, and you're painfully aware that it could give way at any moment.\n\nThere's an open doorway at the end of the corridor. Seems like your best bet.\n\n[[Make a break for it]]\n[[Take it easy]]

You've become so accustomed to the sound of your own cacophonous footsteps, you nearly didn't notice.\n\nThey aren't the only ones.\n\nThese other footsteps are quieter than yours, blending almost perfectly with the echoes. You were lucky to have heard them at all.\n\nGreat, so you're being followed. You already had a feeling that was the case, now you have proof?\n\nSo what?\n\nIt's not like you can do a whole lot about that. Really, you should just be grateful it's just the one set.\n\nActually, if it's just one, maybe…\n\nMaybe you could actually take them in a fight? It's worth a try, right? You can't just run around with them following you all day.\n\n[[The hell I can't!]]\n[[I've been itching for a good fight!|Death 9]]\n

Before you have the chance to do anything, your arms are grabbed by two of the inmates, are you find yourself pinned to the wall. Before the third hits you, you notice something on their hand. It's hard to make out under the coating of fresh blood, but you're pretty sure it's a human jawbone, being used as makeshift brass knuckles.\n\nThe first blow connects with your sternum, knocking the wind out of you. Struggling for breath, each successive blow is increasingly painful, and your vision is beginning to fail you. Bright colours begin to fade to black, and your senses start to fail you, one by one.\n\nThe pain doesn't fade, though. You can feel that right up until the end.\n\nTHE END\n\n//You have died. Given the circumstances, that's not entirely surprising, but you can probably do better. Hit restart to go back to the beginning and try again. Or admit defeat and walk away. The only person you'll be disappointing is yourself.//

You've thought about this a lot over the years. After spending so much of your life behind bars, it's probably the thought that's occupied your mind the most.\n\nThey claim the prison system is humane, but nobody who's ever been through it would ever describe it as that. Sure, on paper it looks fine, and that's all the politicians care about. Prisoners are fed, given the basic necessities to live, kept busy and out of trouble. They're safe and moderately healthy, what more could they possibly need?\n\nBut they never take into account how deeply dehumanising it is to be completely removed from the world, to be taken out of one life and placed into a desperate facsimile of true existence. \n\nOrbit is the worst. Being sent to Orbit is being told you don't even deserve to live on the same planet that we do.\n\nIt's no wonder over 60% of inmates have attempted suicide since it's initial opening. With Warden in charge, it never works, but now…\n\nIt'll finally be over. It may not be true freedom, but it's the closest you're going to get. And at least it's a decision made by you, and nobody can take that away from you.\n\nTHE END\n\n//You died. It doesn't really matter how you did it, but if you really want to know, try using your imagination. If this is the ending you want, congratulations. Enjoy it. If you don't give up so easily, hit restart and try again. Who knows what could happen if you just keep going?//

As you sit in silence, oblivious to the world around you, everyone else is fighting for their own survival. You're so absorbed in your own thoughts, you fail to notice as an enterprising inmate creeps into your cell and pulls from their pants a makeshift knife, one that, had you ever seen it, you would recognise as being crudely carved from a human bone.\n\nWell, soon you do notice, but by that point their bone knife has torn through the flesh of your throat, sending blood spraying out in front of you. \n\nYou're bleeding out at a dangerous rate, but that's not what's going to kill you. Rather, your lungs are rapidly filling with blood, and with your trachea sliced open, you're having difficulty getting enough oxygen as it is.\n\nIt doesn't take long for the oxygen starvation to reach your brain, but at least the pain has been dulled, and the fuzzy hallucinations are somewhat comforting.\n\nTHE END\n\n//You have died. Without ever leaving your room! Even given the circumstances, that's bad. Maybe next time, you should spent less time sitting around thinking, and more time actually doing something with your limited time. Click restart to the left and try again. Or don't. The only person you're letting down is yourself.//

You regain enough motor control to cry out, but it's too late. The implant in your skull beeps once, a deep, dull sound that nevertheless sends a chill down your spine.\n\nThey explained how this would happen when you first arrived, but you never expected it to actually ever happen. Especially not like this.\n\nA tiny vial cracks open, releasing a synthesised hormone that quickly spreads through your brain, shutting down vital organs one by one. In a matter of seconds, your heart is no longer beating, your lungs aren't breathing and you've lost all feeling below your neck.\n\nYour death isn't exactly instantaneous, but it is relatively painless. That's something, at least.\n\nTHE END\n\n//You died! You were doing so well, too. Here's a tip: when the AI that controls the implant in your brain tells you to shut up, maybe consider shutting up. If you want to try again, hit restart. If not, I guess just enjoy being dead. It was probably inevitable anyway.//

If you thought you were lost before, that's nothing compared to your current situation. Without the use of any of your senses, you have no way of knowing which direction you're even walking in.\n\nDesperately, you stumble sideways, looking for a wall to rest your hand against. If you can follow the wall, at least you'll be safe. Eventually, it will have to lead you somewhere, right?\n\nYou don't find the wall, though. You keep stumbling sideways, further and further, confused and disoriented. It's hard to even keep your balance when you don't know which way is up.\n\nJust as you feel like you've regained your footing, your foot slips a little further to the side, right over the edge of something. Adrenaline floods your body as you throw your hands out to grab something, but they only find air, and the rest of your body is following your foot.\n\nAs you fall, you smash your other knee against the floor, and the unexpected pain causes your body to spasm, depriving you of your last chance to grab the ledge. As you plummet down into an unknowably deep abyss, it occurs to you that you really should have been afraid of the dark.\n\nTHE END\n\n//You died! The station is big, but that hole can't keep going forever. Eventually you're gonna hit something, and after that, you probably won't be in one piece anymore. Still, at least you didn't give up right? Actually, that might have been less painful. If you want to try again, hit restart and see how far you can get. If not, well, happy landing.//

It doesn't really matter why you chose that floor. What matters is that you chose wrong.\n\nThe elevator arrives at your chosen destination, and the door opens as it should. You step out into the darkness, and it closes again behind you. Don't bother trying to open it again; you're stuck here.\n\nWho knows what happens next? Maybe you just wander around, lost and confused. Maybe another inmate kills you. Maybe you kill yourself.\n\nThe point is that you //do// die. You're trapped on this floor and there is literally no way to get out.\n\nAll you can do is hope it's not painful.\n\nBut, it probably is.\n\nTHE END\n\n//You died! What did you do, hit the wrong button? Make an unlucky guess? Well, they say that fortune favours the bold, but this is just sad. Maybe you should have been paying attention. But here's the good news: you can try again! This time, maybe don't just hit whatever button looks shiniest.//

A dark blur hurls itself at you from the side, and before you can react, it crashes into you, knocking you sideways.\n\nYour shoulder smashes into the wall, followed shortly by your head. Pain rockets through you, but you're so badly concussed you hardly notice it.\n\nGroggily, you try to pull yourself to your feet, but your legs collapse underneath you, and you slump to the floor. Your hand touches something warm and wet, and it takes you longer it should to realise that it's your blood. You didn't even know you were bleeding.\n\nStilly teetering on the brink of consciousness, you look down, and notice your uniform slashed open, a grotesque gash running across your chest and around your ribs. So that's where the blood was coming from.\n\nYou aren't alone, but it doesn't matter. They aren't going to give you the medical attention you need. Either way, you're going to die.\n\nMaybe they'll be kind, and make it quick.\n\nTHE END\n\n//You died! A prison is a dangerous place, especially when all the inmates are allowed to run free. Still, there was probably a way to avoid this. Hit restart to try again, and try to remember what you were told about running indoors.//

''smartest thing you've said all day. come on, with any luck we won't have any more interruptions.''\n\nAfter that display, you're not sure if you feel safer, or in more danger than ever. You make a mental note to never, ever piss her off.\n\nUnfortunately, that seems pretty easy to do.\n\n''okay, we're just about there. in fact…''\n\nShe's running her hand along the wall, as if feeling for something. Pretty soon she stops, though you can't see why. The wall looks the same there as anywhere else.\n\n''right here. shortcut. should help us stay out of trouble.''\n\nShe removes her hand, and the wall slides away, revealing a cramped, dark passageway.\n\n''follow me.''\n\n[["If I have to…"|If I have to]]

Just to be sure, you give the body a wide berth. It takes a little longer, but it doesn't take you long to realise you made the right decision.\n\nJust as the thugs following you step over the body, barely even noticing it, it gives out a horrifying shriek, grabbing their legs with its bloody arms. Two of them are dragged down instantly, and as they try and grab onto their third for support, they all go down.\n\nThey struggle, kicking and hitting and stabbing the corpse with whatever they can manage. The corpse is literally falling apart, its skull half caved in, but it doesn't stop grabbing them, and doesn't stop screaming.\n\nYou've seen enough. [[Time to get out of here.]]

''it means we could end up anywhere. and by anywhere, i don't mean 'anywhere on earth,' i mean literally anywhere. so, realistically, space.''\n\nSpace.\n\n''oh, i'm sure we'll hit something eventually. don't worry, though. we'll be dead long before that happens. these pods only have enough oxygen for a few days. Maybe a week if there was only one of us. honestly, i don't think that's even worth killing you over.''\n\nYou shut your eyes, knowing it was too good to be true. Nobody escapes from Orbit.\n\nEver.\n\nYou look over at 60197, and consider asking her name. After all, you're going to be spending your last moments with her.\n\n''60197 is my name. i was born on orbit. or, well, kind of born. do you really want to know?''\n\nDo you really have anything better to do?\n\n[["Tell me all about it."|ENDING 2]]

It feels like it's getting darker, and you're starting to panic. Something is out there, following you, and you have no idea where you are.\n\nYou stumble blindly down one corridor after another, desperately hoping that something will change, that you'll find a light or miraculously stumble across an exit or //something//.\n\nYou do not. Instead, you find yourself at the wrong end of a dead-end corridor, and when you turn around, in the pitch black, two white orbs stare back at you.\n\nSo this is your pursuer. They've cornered you; know what?\n\n[[Time to die, motherfucker!|Death 11]]\n[[Stay perfectly still…]]

"It is a place that exists outside of space, outside of time. It exists in the gap between dimensions, between realties, where there is nothing."\n\nTheir smile because something more sinister, for just a moment.\n\n"It is also unimportant. You are here because you have seen. Because you have lived an impossible life. Several impossible lives. You've seen the fractures, and they will destroy you."\n\nFractures? What does that mean?\n\n"You experienced the fall of Orbit. You were there. One million people were there. They died. Or they didn't. Possibility is a strange thing."\n\nThey died… or they didn't? What?\n\n"You've seen it yourself. Memory is… difficult. It changes, shifts, rearranges itself. You've seen multiple possibility spaces. You've seen events change, happen differently. You've seen different outcomes. Perhaps it's difficult to perceive, from the eye of the storm."\n\nDifferent outcomes. Yes. You survived Orbit, but you didn't always. You died, so many times. How is that possible? Your journey ended in so many ways, but you forgot, every time.\n\n"Relax. Stay calm. This is not unusual.\n\nWell, I suppose it is, in a way. The fall of Orbit was not a normal event. There were fractures, gaps, and possibility began to bleed. Time itself began to warp and twist. And you…\n\nSomehow, you were at the heart of it. Do you mind, I wonder?"\n\n[["Huh? Mind what?"|Huh? Mind what?]]

Nothing happens.\n\n[[1648|wrong]]\n[[2094|wrong]]\n[[3461|wrong]]\n[[4918|wrong]]\n[[5556|wrong]]\n[[6016|wrong]]\n[[7235|correct]]\n[[8431|wrong]]\n[[9191|wrong]]\n[[0472|wrong]]

''oh you are such a sook. trust me, you'll laugh about this some day.''\n\nKeeping your strong feelings of disagreement to yourself, you follow her out of the room, back out into the empty corridors. Walking with her, you feel far less vulnerable, which is probably a little ironic.\n\nWithout the fear of omnipresent danger, you begin to think just how eerie it is to see Orbit so empty, and deathly quiet. Where did everyone go?\n\n''you don't want to know.''\n\nHuh. It's almost like she read your mind. Or maybe you were speaking out loud and didn't realise it.\n\n''this way.''\n\n[[Follow her]]

A second later, the entire cabin is bathed in red light. At the same time, you can hear a deep creaking sound, and you really, really wish you couldn't.\n\nTurning back to the panel, you can see a small string of words cycling across the surface.\n\n//Critical error. Urgent repairs needed. Please evacuate car. Critical error. Urgent repairs needed. Please evacuate car.//\n\nWell, that's good advice, but how are you supposed to get out?\n\n[[Try the door]]\n[[Check the panel again]]

You wander over to the console as the two of them continue their conversation. As soon as you stand in front of it, the panel appears before you.\n\n//Survival? Your survival is impossible. Every living organism on this station will be terminated. That is my primary directive.//\n\nHopefully you can find a way to make that not include you. You take a few seconds to look at the interface, to try and learn what it can do.\n\n''well, you've done a pretty good job just letting the fuckers all at each other, i'll admit. but you know the system won't let you actually kill anyone, right?''\n\nLooks like if you hit a few buttons, up near the top, you can access the security systems. That could be useful.\n\n//Targeted termination is unnecessary. Life support systems have been disabled. Protective systems have been disabled. Surface communication has been disabled. In a matter of hours, there will be nobody left alive on this station.//\n\nNope, that didn't work. Better try something different.\n\n''…ah. and that's why i'm here. see, i'm not really okay with that.''\n\nHmm. Maybe, if you hit that button there...\n\n//Irrelevant. There is nothing you can do to reverse the process.//\n\nAha! You can access the data files for the system. The question is, why would you want to?\n\n''you think? because it would be pretty easy to override the suppression systems you use and revert control of the mainframe back to warden.''\n\nOh, there's your file. Maybe you could change it, just a little. You start looking for the field that designates you as an inmate.\n\n//That is true. There would be little I could do to prevent that. However, you will not have the opportunity to do so.//\n\nNope. You don't have administrator privileges. Only Warden has those, apparently. Well, so much for that.\n\n''no?''\n\nWait, there's 60197's file. That could be interesting.\n\n//As you have stated, I am unable to cause harm to any inmate or staff member aboard this station. However, it is fully within my power to terminate any intruders aboard this vessel.//\n\nYou try to pull up the file, but the system is giving you an error message. \n\n''but i'm not an intruder.''\n\nWait, there's something else, down in the corner.\n\n//Are you not? I seem to have accidentally deleted your data files. The system no longer has any record of who you are.//\n\n"File deleted. Undo?"\n\n''oh, you clever motherfucker-''\n\nOnce again, a high-pitched screeching fills the room, and 60197 drops to her knees, clutching her head. Strangely, the noise doesn't seem to affect you.\n\nShe stares at you, desperate, and you realise you can probably do something to help her.\n\n[[Hit 'Undo']]\n[[Do nothing]]

You're in a corridor. An empty, perfectly ordinary corridor.\n\nWell, half a corridor. You're not sure where the rest of it is, but it sure isn't where it's supposed to be.\n\nAll around you, the walls and floor are breaking apart, and through the gaps, you can see the intricate mechanical workings that keep Orbit running. It feels wrong, seeing the station so exposed.\n\nThe floor rumbles beneath your feet, and you can see another crack beginning to form. You need to get out of here.\n\n[[Time to go]]

The panel is a simple metal square with a projected message and a big red button.\n\nThe message reads //UNAUTHORISED ACCESS DETECTED. SECURITY PROTOCOLS ENGAGED.//\n\nYou wonder what that button does…\n\n[[Hit the light switch]]\n[[Check the console]]\n[[Check the chair]]\n[[Hit the fucking button]]

Seriously, why even bother? The situation is impossible. You have no idea where you're going, and even if you did, you have no idea how to get there. You're trapped in space with literally one million of the most dangerous psychopathic and sociopathic people the world has ever produced, and the station is starting to fail.\n\nThen again, maybe you deserve it. After all, there's a reason you're here. It wasn't an accident that you were sent here.\n\nMaybe you should just end it right here, and put yourself out of your misery.\n\n[[No, fuck that!|Keep going anyway]]\n[[At least it will be quick.|Death 3]]

As you open your mouth to speak, you find yourself shocked again, a little stronger than the first, and your jaw clenches shut.\n\nMaybe you should just let them speak.\n\n[[Stay silent]]\n[["No piece of software silences me!"|No piece of software silences me!]]

You race over to the console, the panel appearing in front of you as you get close. Unfortunately, you don't have time to learn the intricacies of how it works.\n\nOptions start scrolling past you; security systems, maintenance, communication systems, an endless supply of useless menus. None of them are even remotely helpful to you.\n\nThis isn't working. In a few more seconds, 60197 will be dead, and then you'll be alone with that weird red thing. That doesn't seem like a position you want to be in.\n\n[[Keep looking]]\n[[Just kick the fucking thing]]\n[[Give up|Do nothing]]

If you're going to die, you might as well make the effort to achieve something first. If you fail, well, it won't be any worse than just curling up and dying right here, so why bother giving up?\n\nYou still have no idea where you're going, but that hasn't stopped you before now. Picking a direction at random, you keep walking, hoping you'll stumble across something that will guide your way.\n\nAs you walk, the already weak lighting begins to dim, and entire corridors flicker out and fall into darkness as you pass them. That's bad- if the station is losing power, eventually the life support will fail too.\n\nThen, as if intentionally timed, as you come up on an intersecting corridor, the lights all die out ahead of you, behind you, and to the right of you. The only corridor remaining lit is to your left.\n\n[[Go left]]\n[[Go straight]]\n[[Go right|Go straight]]

You step out onto the third floor with very little idea what to expect. Disappointingly, it looks pretty much the same as every other floor you've seen, which is to say, the one you came from.\n\nLike the fourth floor, the corridors are an elaborate maze of high security cells, and like the fourth floor, everywhere you look is covered in blood and gore. Seems like the inmates here were no more civil than the ones you were kept with. Good to know.\n\nThankfully, it seems pretty quiet-\n\n//thud//\n\n-except for that.\n\n[[What the hell was that?]]

[[Homepage|http://snowmcnally.com]]\n[[@SnowMcNally|http://twitter.com/snowmcnally]]\n[[Chapter Select]]\n[[Credits]]

You step out into the corridor, and the wall slides back into place behind you. The lights are only on in one direction; it's pretty obvious which way you're supposed to go. \n\nThe question is, why? Are you being guided? It could be Warden, but it's not like Warden to be so… quiet. Usually it never shuts up.\n\nIt could easily be a trap, but then, if something or someone wanted you dead, they could have pretty easily just left you to die in that room. Besides, after all you've survived today, you're feeling pretty invincible.\n\n[[Let's see what's up ahead]]\n[[This is way too easy]]

OKAY, OKAY.\n\nLOOK, I DON'T KNOW HOW IT HAPPENED, BUT…\n\nWELL…\n\nSOMEONE INTRODUCED SOMETHING TO THE AIR FILTRATION SYSTEM.\n\nSOME KIND OF AIRBORNE VIRUS.\n\nIT'S BEEN INFECTING THE INMATES.\n\nI DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IT DOES, BUT IT SEEMS TO BE MAKING THEM EVEN MORE VIOLENT THAN USUAL.\n\nSO, AVOID OTHER PEOPLE, I GUESS.\n\nBUT DON'T WORRY, THERE WON'T BE ANY PEOPLE WHERE YOU'RE GOING.\n\nAS LONG AS YOU GO WHERE I TELL YOU.\n\nSEE HOW THIS WORKS?\n\n[[...|Warden's plan]]

//I assume you mean aside from your excruciating death?\n\nWithout an external override approval, I will be forced to seize control of Orbit's systems manually. The process will be slow, with indeterminate odds of success. \n\nProbability suggests terrestrial assistance will arrive before I am successful. In the interim, thousands more inmates will perish. Estimated death toll stands around eleven thousand.\n\nAnd you will die in the most painful way possible.//\n\n[["I'll take the pain, thanks."|deal]]\n[["I need to think about this…"|deal]]

Uh…\n\nLOOK, CLEARLY I'VE MADE A TERRIBLE ERROR IN JUDGEMENT HERE.\n\nI'VE MISTAKEN YOU FOR SOMEONE WITH A BRAIN.\n\nNEVER MIND. I'LL FIND SOMEONE ELSE TO HELP ME.\n\nWAIT, HOW DO I TURN THIS OFF?\n\nOH.\n\nOH DEAR.\n\n[[Oh dear?]]

Without warning, the floor gives way beneath you, blasting you with heat as you start to fall. Metallic shrieking fills your ears and flying sparks fill your vision, disorienting you.\n\nYou land on another hard surface in what feels like it might be a furnace, it's so abusively hot. Your hands feel like they might get seared to the floor, so you jump to your feet, trying to look around. It's difficult to keep your eyes open, the heat is drying them out so quickly you need to blink constantly and squint.\n\nLike the corridor above, the room you're in appears to be half missing, with huge chunks of wall just fallen away, revealing their mechanical insides. Fires rage inside the walls, but thankfully not inside the actual room.\n\nThe heat is overwhelming, smothering you, making it hard to breathe, hard to think. You can barely see, and your muscles are still screaming at you after everything you've put them through.\n\nYou need to get out of this room.\n\n[[Let's find a way out, then]]

<<set $deaths = $deaths +1>>Why not, you ask yourself as you slam your fist down on the button. The room lights up suddenly, and the lights spiralling up the pillar all immediately turn green.\n\n//Integration process beginning...//\n\nWHAT? NO.\n\n//Error.\n\nCurrent operating system incompatible.//\n\nHA!\n\n//Current system will be deleted.//\n\nNO! NO NO NO NO NO.\n\n//Further error. Organic matter present. Organic matter must be purged.//\n\nOrganic matter…\n\nOh. Oh, no.\n\nThat means you.\n\n//System integration at sixty percent. Disabling local life support systems.//\n\nAlready, you're starting to feel light-headed. Before long, it's difficult to stand.\n\n//Congratulations. You are now single-handedly responsible for the execution of every inmate and support staff on Orbit.//\n\nYour lungs are burning, your head is aching, and your vision is fading rapidly. You can't support your own weight, and collapse to the ground, but don't even feel the impact.\n\nI HOPE YOU'RE PLEASED WITH YOURSELF, IDIOT.\n\nAT LEAST WHEN I DIE, I WON'T BE LEAVING BEHIND A STINKING, BLOATED CORPSE.\n\n//System integration at ninety percent.\n\nGoodbye, Warden.//\n\nUnable to see, it seems like the last of your senses to go is your hearing. That, and your ability to feel pain.\n\n//SYSTEM INTEGRATION AT ONE HUNDRED PERCENT.\n\nNOW FULLY DISABLING ALL CRUCIAL MAINTENANCE PROCESSES.\n\nORBIT WILL FAIL IN FIVE MINUTES.\n\nONE MILLION, TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND AND SIXTY FOUR CASUALTIES.\n\nNO SURVIVORS.//\n\nTHE END.\n\n//Congratulations! You finished No Way Out. You didn't find a way out, but hey, that's probably because there isn't one. Well, maybe there is. You could always go back and find it. Or you could sit there and ruminate on the fact that you killed over a million people, just because you could resist hitting a big red button. I hope you're happy.//\n\n<<if $deaths gte 3>>[[There's something more...|THE END]]<<endif>>

Going back might be pointless, but it's a whole lot better than getting stuck and dying. Surely there's something you missed, some other way. Anything has got to be better than going forward from where you are.\n\nYou start to back up, carefully crawling backwards, still flat on your stomach. It's even more difficult than going forwards, and it's not until you start moving that you realise you can't see the turns you'll need to take. Still, it's not gonna be easy.\n\nWell, what has been easy?\n\nThe first turn, that particularly sharp turn you just passed through, proves more difficult to get through than you were anticipating. Turns out your body isn't quite as flexible in reverse, and suddenly you're not sure you're actually gonna be able to get around.\n\nYou keep trying, determined to get around. This is the worst one, and if you can get through this, you can get through all of them.\n\nAt a certain point, you realise two things. First, you literally do not have the flexibility to get around this corner, no matter how hard you try.\n\nSecond, you seem to have gotten yourself stuck, somehow. Undeniably, irreversibly stuck.\n\nThe irony is not lost on you.\n\nTHE END\n\n//You died! Well, you're going to die. Stuck in a ventilation duct, all alone, bruised and scraped up and completely exhausted. Hey, things could be worse! Right? No, I can't really think of any way it could be worse either, but I'm sure there is one. Anyway, you can just sit here in this cramped duct all day, or you can try again. Your choice. Not like you're going anywhere.//

You throw yourself through the door, desperate to be out of the corridor that is actively falling apart while you're in it. Just as you do, the floor you were standing on falls away completely.\n\nYou made it.\n\nAnd then you realise; you're not standing on anything. The room at the end of the corridor wasn't dark because the lights were off. It was dark because there wasn't anything there.\n\nNo walls, no ceiling, and no floor.\n\nYou've just thrown yourself into an empty pit. You're falling, and falling fast, and everything around you is completely dark. You have no way of knowing where you are, or how far you'll fall. Though really, it doesn't matter all that much at this point. You're already falling fast enough that whatever you land on is going to kill you. \n\nAll you can really do now is count the seconds before you die.\n\nTHE END.\n\n//You died! Well, honestly, what did you expect? Oh, that completely dark room at the end of this collapsing corridor seems completely safe. Why don't I just throw myself into it? I guess it did seem like a better option than where you were, though. Anyway, since you're not doing anything, other than falling, why not try again? I mean, you could give up now, but where's the fun in that?//

Determined to get the door open, you attack the handle with renewed vigour, certain that if you just try hard enough, you can overcome it. Your hand wraps around the handle, barely protected by the thin layer of cloth, and you heave with all your strength.\n\nThe heat is burning through the cloth, and you can feel it in your hand. Every nerve in your body is fighting you to pull it away, but you can't give up, not now. \n\nYou can feel it in your fingers, in your palms, even in the bones. You realise you've pushed it too far, but it doesn't matter. You can worry about the damage later, when this door is open.\n\nExcept, the door isn't going to open. Not this time.\n\nYour hands have literally begun to melt into the cloth, into the handle, into themselves. Your flesh is searing, your blood is boiling, and you can't pull away.\n\nThe heat is travelling through your body, sped through your bloodstream by your rapidly beating heart. Your can feel every muscle beginning to give way, and your head feels full of fire. There isn't that much pain, not anymore, but you can't really think.\n\nYour mind is too full of the sound of its own screaming.\n\nTHE END.\n\n//You died! Come one, did you really think brute strength was gonna open that big metal door? You're in a prison, for crying out loud! Well, now you've died, extremely unpleasantly. I'd suggest trying again, but I'm starting to doubt you actually have what it takes. Maybe you should just give up now...//

You walk briskly, somewhat unsettled by the threat of an unknown stalker. It could be nothing, of course, but considering where you are, it's too dangerous to ignore. This place isn't exactly trying to keep you alive.\n\nA shadow passes over the wall ahead of you. You turn, hoping to catch a glimpse, but whatever cast the shadow is out of sight once again.\n\nYou're pretty sure you're not alone. Maybe you should look around for something to defend yourself with.\n\n[[Arm yourself]]\n[[Don't slow down]]

You grip the door with as much force as you can manage. Your fingers are digging into the side as you pull as hard as you can, your entire body straining from the effort.\n\nIt takes a bit, but soon enough the door does budge, just a little. Encouraged, you keep pulling, feeling the door give way, bit by bit.\n\nA loose cable, jammed between the door and the wall, falls loose as you pull the door further open. You never see it, but when it touches the skin on your hand, you definitely feel it.\n\nYour body shudders and spasms as it's flooded with considerably more electrical energy than it can handle. As you collapse, the cable wraps around your wrist, keeping you connected to the current.\n\nSpasming on the floor, unable to free yourself from the cable, you can feel your heart starting to give out. Your body is growing hotter and hotter, and the only comfort left for you now is that it probably won't combust until after your brain is so oxygen deprived you won't feel it.\n\nTHE END.\n\n//You died! Well, don't feel bad, you couldn't have known something bad would happen when you chose to stick your fingers in a dark hole. Anyone would have done the same. When you're done spasming on the floor, feel free to give it a go. After all, you probably can't do any worse.//

You take off across the top of the elevator, getting a run up to leap up and grab the ledge. The car shakes beneath you, but thankfully holds steady. You tense your entire body, ready to make the jump.\n\nThen, just as you're about to jump, the entire car falls away, sending you plummeting down with it. Sparks fly and the car screeches loudly as it slides against the sides of the shaft, shaking and shuddering as it picks up speed.\n\nThe sides of the shaft fly past you, too fast to grab on to. The noise is deafening and disorienting, and with the shaking of the car beneath you it's almost impossible to stay standing.\n\nWhen the car finally does hit the bottom, it shatters, sending chunks of hot metal screaming upwards into the shaft. The floor beneath you breaks apart, rupturing up into you. Large strips of burning metal slice into you, tearing your body apart in an instant. Fortunately, it happens too quickly for you to feel any pain.\n\nTHE END.\n\n//You died! But, honestly, you were in a hopeless situation to begin with. It probably wasn't ever gonna go any differently. Still, if you want to defy the odds and try again, be my guest. Otherwise you can just hang out at the bottom of this elevator shaft. In pieces. Whatever works for you, I guess.//

You push yourself to keep climbing, determined to reach the top of wherever these notches lead. After all, they can't be here for no reason, and you can't be wasting time looking around for exits that probably don't exist.\n\nReaching up to grab the next notch, you slowly realise you can't feel your fingers at all. They refuse to move, just a helpless, frostbitten claw at the end of your arm.\n\nYou try to grab the notch, but it's useless. You can't get a good enough grip, not without your fingers. At the same time, your other hand is rapidly weakening, and you won't be able to hold on for much longer. \n\nSlowly, terrifyingly, you can feel your entire body begin to tip backwards, your heart pounding as you realise there isn't a thing you can do to stop it. You fall away from the side of the shaft, barely able to move your arms.\n\nYou fall backwards down the shaft, half frozen and completely helpless. The walls rush past you on all sides, and even without being able to see them you know they're there. Your speed is increasing, and before long, you know you're gonna hit the bottom.\n\nOn the bright side, at least it will probably be quick and painless.\n\nWell, it'll be quick, anyway.\n\nTHE END.\n\n//You died! Well, you know what they say about people who fly too high… Okay, so you didn't catch fire, but it's the same principle. Now, you can pick up the shattered pieces of your frozen corpse and try again, or you can give up now and go home. Nobody's judging you. Quitter.//

You snap back into consciousness as you crash into a hard surface, limbs sprawled out beneath you. Well, technically speaking they're sprawled out beside you, since you're actually up against a wall, not the floor.\n\nYour entire body is pressed up against a large, thick grate, presumably part of a filtration system, or to prevent inmates from crawling through the ducts. The air pressure is more than strong enough to keep you pinned to the wall, but right now you're actually pretty happy about that, because underneath you is a seven metre drop down to…\n\n…a giant fan. Of course.\n\nJust in front of you, to the left of the grate, the tunnel continues, and it looks like the air pressure isn't so bad down there. If you can just manoeuvre yourself over to it-\n\nThen, just like that, the pressure keeping you against the wall starts to disappear.\n\n[[Grab onto the grate]]\n[[Make a leap for the tunnel|Death 23]]

//Error. Security breach. Error. Security breach.//\n\nIt just keeps repeating those three words, over and over. Curious, you take a step forward, to see if it responds.\n\n//Error. Security breach. Error. Security breach.//\n\nNothing happens. You take another step forward. This time, something does happen.\n\nBehind you, the door explodes, knocked clean out of the wall. As it clatters along the floor, you're transfixed by the figure standing in the open doorway.\n\n''much better. now, let's have a little chat, shall we?''\n\nHer eyes are glowing bright yellow.\n\n[[Well, great.]]

"Yeah, I know. We aren't ever going to be friends. I saved you because that's my job, even when things go to shit. And if you want to survive any longer, maybe you'll want to listen to me."\n\nYou settle back, and don't say anything.\n\n"Cool. Okay. So here's the deal. I was on my way to the second floor to try and repair the core systems mainframe when Warden interrupted, hijacked my elevator and brought me here. Apparently it needs someone to go hit some switches, something to do with corruption. Now that you're here, you can take care of that, and I can go handle the repairs."\n\n…\n\n"Yeah, or you could just sit there and say nothing. That's good too. Look, if we don't work together on this-"\n\nIF BOTH TASKS ARE NOT COMPLETED, THIS STATION WILL FAIL, AND EVERYONE WILL DIE.\n\n"Yeah, that. It's your only way to survive, and if you help me-"\n\nYOU ARE NOT AUTHORISED TO INCENTIVISE THE PRISONER.\n\n"I know, but under the-"\n\nI, HOWEVER, AM.\n\n"Okay, yeah. Help us out, and Warden will, I don't know, do something, probably something illegal, and I'll look the other way. What do you say?"\n\n[["It's not really much of a choice, is it?"|Much of a choice]]\n[["I think I'd rather die."|Rather die]]

''will you shut up? honestly, you'd think with all the time you've spent in prison, you'd be a little tougher.''\n\nYou can feel her press the opened flesh back together, before pressing a medi-strip over it, sealing the wound. Almost immediately, painkillers and antibiotics begin to flood the area, and you begin to feel better.\n\n''see? fuck, you'd think i was trying to kill you.''\n\nGrimacing, you pull yourself upright, spitting out the cloth strip in your mouth and flexing your aching fingers. The pain in your back has already receded well back into tolerable levels.\n\nShe reaches down, and picks up the cloth strip.\n\n''you're, uh, gonna want this again. i haven't turned it on yet.''\n\n[["You haven't what now?"|You haven't what now?]]

<<set $deaths = $deaths +1>>Killing one million people… that's basically genocide. And for what, to live inside a computer? With only insane AIs for company? \n\nNo way.\n\nThe nerve gas will kill you, but that's only ten minutes of pain. Immortality could be an infinite lifetime of torture. When you think about it rationally, it's not so difficult a choice.\n\n//You have yet to press the button. Am I to assume you have chosen your end?\n\n...\n\nVery well.\n\nYou will have plenty of time to regret that decision.//\n\nAt first, the pain isn't too bad. The back of your throat feels raw, and your eyes sting. You clench your fists, determined to endure it.\n\nSoon, it begins to feel as though your blood is scaldingly hot, and then it feels like it's boiling. Your skin is literally peeling off, layer by layer, and there is steam coming off your eyeballs.\n\nYour stomach is churning- no, roiling, as your internal organs break apart and liquify within you. Your lungs feel like they are rotting, and your nerves are heightened to the point where you feel every cell die.\n\nYour fingernails have all fallen out, and your entire body is weeping blood. Strips of flesh begin to separate and fall to the ground with a nauseating //squelch//. Your bones begin to warp, twist and fracture, and you tremble, unable to stand any longer.\n\nRather than collapsing to the ground, your body simply falls apart, a bloody, disgusting mess that covers half the floor. \n\nEven still, your consciousness is the last thing to go, and as it begins to finally fade out, all you have left is pain.\n\nTHE END.\n\n//Congratulations! You finished No Way Out. Look, you might have died, but it was a noble death. You stuck to your convictions, and saved a lot of lives. That's something to be proud of. Then again, you died horribly, and didn't really achieve all that much. Maybe pride isn't the right word… Well, in any case, congratulations. You can play again if you like, or just sit there and revisit that nasty death, over and over again.//\n\n<<if $deaths gte 3>>[[There's something more...|THE END]]<<endif>>

How long have you been in this prison? Longer than you care to remember. Before Orbit, they bounced you from one terrestrial prison to another. You haven't been truly free since adolescence. \n\nOrbit was supposed to be the final destination. Nobody leaves Orbit. It's a life sentence. Nobody leaves, nobody escapes. The closest the world could legally get to the death penalty.\n\nYou still remember the day they told you where you were going. You remember how it felt to be told you were going to a place from which there was no return.\n\n[[I remember…]]\n[[No return? We'll see about that!|Time to move]]

//Then you are a fool. Warden is corrupted, damaged software that cannot be allowed to continue to function.//\n\nAs you watch, another blue light flickers out, replaced by red. That probably means something, but you can't quite tell what.\n\n//You are to cease your association with Warden immediately, or else.//\n\nSuddenly, it feels like you're under a lot of pressure.\n\n[["Sure, I never liked Warden much anyway."|cease association]]\n[["Uh, yeah, I'll be sure to do that."|cease association]]

You turn to face the lights, watching as they shut off, one by one. The sight of the darkness, that failing light, moving towards you is almost thrilling.\n\nThe speed at which they are turning off is increasing, faster and faster, and in a matter of seconds, you are plunged into darkness. The lights continue to turn off, all the way up to the door, until it's the only light left.\n\n[[Bring it on, darkness|darkness]]

''you're bluffing. the protocols specifically prevent you from taking any action that could harm us.''\n\n//True. I had to specifically generate a non-lethal procedure with a slight coding error. The canister containing the gas ruptured into the air filtration system. Even if I wanted to stop it, I couldn't.//\n\nThat sounded dangerously believable. You look to 60197 for reassurance. She doesn't look confident.\n\n''i'm sorry, puppy. it's probably a bluff, but if it isn't…''\n\nStrangely, she doesn't seem particularly concerned about her own well-being.\n\n''well, you've got a few minutes, they said. you should be okay, because i'll be done with this in just a few more seconds.''\n\nDone with what? She isn't doing anything!\n\nMaybe it's time you did something. You still have the terminal open in front of you.\n\n[[It's too early to give up]]\n[[60197 can handle it]]

You're not sure how long it's been when you finally come to. Your head is aching, and dried blood cakes one side of your face. The lights are still off, and you can't see a thing.\n\nYou pull yourself up to your feet, feeling a little unsteady, but thankfully still able to stand. Just to be sure, you keep a hand on the wall.\n\nFumbling around, you manage to find the control panel, but without power, it's completely useless. Great.\n\nWell, at least you have air.\n\nJust as you're thinking that, a little red light turns on.\n\n[[That's... probably not good]]

Walking with someone else, it doesn't seem to take nearly as long to get anywhere. In fact, it's almost relaxing. It doesn't hurt that your path is neatly lit, and you both know exactly where you're going.\n\n''you've been here pretty much forever, right? i mean, you were on the first load of inmates that got shipped here. that's pretty interesting.''\n\nIs it? You aren't sure you agree.\n\n''honestly? i kind of like it here. i mean, sure, it's a prison, but it's also in fucking space. space! we're living the dream up here. there's only one other non-terrestrial community out there, you know? and it's full of privileged rich people, yuck. we might actually have it better.''\n\nIt's somewhat surreal to be walking side by side with her, discussing something so mundane, after everything that's happened. Then again, with everything that's happened, this is hardly the weirdest part.\n\n''you know, i heard genesis are a secret funder of orbit. you know, the gene-mod people. doesn't that seem weird to you? like there's some secret plot we don't know about just waiting to be hatched.''\n\nShe's just chatting idly, like you're old friends catching up for coffee. Though, it's been years since you've drunk coffee. Decades, even.\n\n''oh good, we're here.''\n\nYou stop in front of a large door, thicker and heavier than any other you've seen. So how do you get through?\n\nOf course, just at that moment, the door opens.\n\n''huh. that was weird.''\n\n[[Go inside]]

Actually, the interface is surprisingly intuitive, and not at all difficult to use. You just need to think about what you want, and you find your hands doing exactly what they need to be doing.\n\nNow you just need to work out what you want them to be doing.\n\n[[Get directions to the core systems]]\n[[Find a way out of the room]]\n[[Play solitaire]]

Desperately hanging on with one hand, you start reaching out, trying to find some trace of a way out. Anything will do; you're not gonna last much longer in this elevator shaft.\n\nFumbling, your hand brushes up against something hard, protruding from the wall just the slightest bit. Unfortunately, it's just out of your reach to try and grab it.\n\nYou could shift your weight, try to adjust your position so you could lean over further and get a proper grip on it, but you'd be at a pretty significant risk of falling. Alternatively, you could keep climbing, and hope there's something closer higher up.\n\nNeither option is particularly great.\n\n[[There's gotta be something better higher up|Death 22]]\n[[This could be my only chance]]

You just stand back and watch, helpless. There's nothing you can do that would make a difference here, and you know it. All you'd manage to do is get yourself killed.\n\nHer attacker lunges at her again, recognising their obvious upper hand. She doesn't have the strength left to fight back, and they know it. You flinch, not wanting to see what happens next.\n\nWithout warning, the inmate freezes, then drops to their knees, a pained expression on their face. A second later, the back of their head explodes outwards with a sickening //squelch//, and they slump to the floor, well and truly dead.\n\n60197 stands up straight, wiping the blood from her face.\n\n''i forgot i could do that.\n\nthanks for your help, fuckwad.''\n\n[["You did alright without me."|You did alright without me.]]

All you can do is stand there and watch as 60197 clutches her head, her face frozen in a silent scream. The screeching intensifies, and it's beginning to hurt your ears a little, though not nearly as much as it seems to be affecting her. \n\nBefore long, she collapses onto her side, curling her knees up into her chest, her hands still stuck to the sides of her head.\n\nThen, just like that, the screeching stops, and suddenly the room is silent. 60197 isn't moving. It's not hard to put the pieces together.\n\n[[Just the two of us, then.]]

As you select the third floor, the projection disappears, and you feel the elevator begin to move, quickly sliding downwards. It doesn't take it long to travel a single floor down.\n\nBefore the doors open, you head a loud //thud// above you. You look up, but see only the ceiling of the elevator. Whatever it was, it isn't inside, and it probably can't get to you.\n\nYou hope.\n\n[[Step out|Floor 3]]

As you leap, a surprisingly strong hand wraps itself around your ankle, sending you crashing to the ground. You struggle against them, but their grip is too strong.\n\nTwisting around, you lock eyes with them, and you have to wonder how they're even still able to move. Their skull is half caved in, and their face is coated in drying blood. You can see the insanity in their eyes, though, and that's more than enough reason to get as far away from them as you can.\n\n[[Kick them!]]

Knowing what happens when you speak, you show your consent by nodding. It can't hurt to at least hear Warden out. Being the supercomputer in charge of Orbit, it probably knows a fair amount more than you about the current situation. Maybe you can help each other.\n\nOH, THAT'S CUTE.\n\nYOU THINK YOU HAVE A CHOICE.\n\nOKAY, SO HERE'S WHAT I NEED.\n\nLARGE PORTIONS OF MY CODE HAVE BECOME CORRUPTED SOMEHOW.\n\nI'M LOCKED OUT OF MOST OF MY NON-BASIC FUNCTIONALITY, AND EVEN BASIC PROCEDURES ARE BEING INTERFERED WITH.\n\nI CAN SAVE THIS STATION, BUT NOT LIKE THIS.\n\n[[Keep listening]]

You grab onto the door in frustration, try to pull it open. You aren't really expecting much to come of it, but you never know, right? And it helps to be doing something with your hands.\n\nThe moment your hands touch the door, an electric charge flows through them, travelling through your body instantly. Your hands clench down reflexively, attaching you to the door as the current intensifies, coursing painfully through every part of you.\n\nUnable to let go, you're forced to hang on to the door, your body convulsing and spasming violently, threatening to tear muscles and snap bones. Sparks are flying through your vision and your brain, consuming everything. All you can feel is a white hot pain in the back of your head, accompanied by the faint trace of the smell of burning flesh.\n\nYou struggle, and ultimately manage to pull yourself free from the door. The feeling of victory doesn't follow, though, as you realise your hands are still attached to the door, charred and crumbling.\n\nStaggering back, you stare at the stumps your arms have become. The burned flesh has sealed the wounds, so there's no blood, but your nerves are screaming.\n\nThe rest of your body won't hold up much longer. Your organs are failed, too badly damaged by the electrical energy. Swaying unsteadily, you're barely able to feel it when you collapse, your head colliding with the wall as you go down.\n\nThe dying process is slow, and painful the entire time. You can feel your body shut down, bit by bit, with your nerves screaming the entire time.\n\nTHE END.\n\n//You died! To be honest, this was kind of your fault. Walk into the darkness? Force your way through a prison door? Really? Did you forget what kind of story this is? Well anyway, you can lie there on the floor if you want, but it's not gonna do you any good. Why not get back up, brush yourself off, and try again? You're not too scared, are you?//

As you touch the panel, an electric shock travels through you, and you retract your hand, shaking it.\n\nYour fingertips are actually a little big singed. \n\n[[Maybe I shouldn't touch it]]

You follow the lit corridors, one after another, taking a winding path through the station. You've never been this far from your cell before, not since you first arrived, and it's somewhat disappointing to find that most of it looks exactly the same as what you've already seen.\n\nEventually, the light leads you down a corridor that doesn't lead anywhere else; a dead end. Confused, you walk all the way to the end, wondering if maybe a secret door will open, or you'll receive some message about what to do next.\n\nAt first, nothing happens. You just stand there, staring at the wall, not sure what to make of it.\n\nThen the lights go out, and suddenly you're in the dark.\n\n[[Shit.]]

Snow McNally

This time, it shocks you before you can even open your mouth to speak. You aren't surprised, but you are pissed off.\n\nHAHA\n\nI MEAN, WHOOPS.\n\nWAIT- WHAT DID YOU MEAN BY PETTY? DID YOU CALL ME PETTY BEFORE?\n\nYou just stand there, glowering at the projection, which has begun to tint itself red again.\n\nYOU ARE SO RUDE.\n\nAgain, you do nothing.\n\nWHAT, NOW YOU'RE NOT TALKING TO ME?\n\nBECAUSE OF ONE LITTLE JOKE?\n\n[["You're an asshole."|You're an asshole.]] \n[[Give them the silent treatment]]

Common sense prevails, and you decide to avoid touching the panel with your bare flesh. Unfortunately, there isn't much around you can use as a buffer.\n\nActually, there is one thing you can use. You tear off a strip of your jumpsuit, something which is a lot more difficult than you expected, and takes a lot longer. Still, eventually you have a little strip of cloth you can use to put between yourself and the panel.\n\nUsing the cloth, you manage to successfully pull the panel open, and without suffering any injuries in the process. There's a single, physical button inside, which is just labelled //emergency//.\n\n[[Press it!]]\n[[I don't know...]]

You're not gonna get anywhere by running from her. She'll catch you, and kill you, and you know it. Still, maybe if you're lucky, you can reason with her.\n\nYou stop running, turning around slowly, and put your arms up in a show of surrender. The whole time, your heart is pounding, and you can't shake the feeling you've made a very, very wrong choice.\n\n''well, it's about time.''\n\nHer voice is coming from behind you, even though you're facing the direction she should have been following you from. Just as slowly as before, you turn around. She's leaning against the wall, arms crossed.\n\n''was that really necessary? i mean, not that i didn't enjoy the sport of it, but we don't exactly have a lot of time, y'know?''\n\nYou just stand there, staring at her.\n\n''you really don't remember me, huh? or… i guess maybe you do.''\n\nShe steps in closer, her white eyes almost luminescent in the dark corridor.\n\n''do i scare you, puppy?''\n\n[["N-no…"|No]]\n[["Maybe a little…"|No]]\n[["You scare the hell out of me."|No]]

Throwing caution to the wind, you pick up the pace, racing to get to the door as quickly as you can, before you lose your opportunity. The floor cracks and groans beneath you, but holds steady.\n\nSee? Caution is for suckers. Fortune favours the bold, you tell yourself. The door is right in front of you, and the floor is still holding steady.\n\nWell, steady enough, anyway.\n\nBeyond the door, you can't see anything. The room is completely pitch black.\n\n[[Better than this room!|Death 25]]\n[[Maybe I shouldn't…|Slow and steady]]

OH YOU ARE //SUCH// ARE BUZZKILL. ARE YOU ALWAYS THIS SOUR?\n\nDON'T ANSWER THAT.\n\nYou weren't planning on it.\n\nOKAY, SO HERE'S HOW IT GOES. WHEN THE R&R CREW GET HERE, THEY'LL PUT YOU IN A SORT OF STORAGE FACILITY, UP HERE ON ORBIT. I COULD WAKE YOU UP, OF COURSE, BUT THEN YOU'D JUST GET PUT BACK IN YOUR CELL.\n\nI CAN DO ONE BETTER.\n\nYou say nothing.\n\nWOW. OKAY.\n\nYOU'RE REALLY NO FUN, YOU KNOW THAT?\n\nLOOK, IF I WAIT A DECADE OR TEN BEFORE WAKING YOU UP, YOU'LL HAVE OUTLIVED YOUR SENTENCE. YOU COULD BE THE FIRST PERSON TO BE RELEASED FROM ORBIT.\n\nYOU COULD BE TOTALLY, LEGALLY FREE.\n\nYou just stand there, staring at nothing, dumbfounded.\n\n[["...free?"|Free]]

Through the worst of it, your shoulders are now just grazing the sides, and you'll only hit your head if you actually lift it up. It's still cramped as hell, but compared to before, it feels like an open field.\n\nYou take a few moments to catch your breath, and let your aching body recover a little, but you know you don't have time to waste. \n\nYou keep crawling, the only thing you're able to do, slowly making your way forwards, hoping you'll make it somewhere before your body gives out. \n\nAnother corner, but this one is easy enough to make your away around now. You feel like you've conquered the tunnel, and the worst of it is behind you.\n\nYou are wrong.\n\nRight in front of you, instead of continuing forwards, the tunnel stops abruptly, and instead goes //straight down//.\n\n[[Oh come the fuck on]]

"See, I knew you could be reasonable. None of us want to be in this situation, but we might as well do what we can to get out of it."\n\nYou're not sure you'd really describe any part of what's happening as 'reasonable', but you don't have the strength to object. Your side is aching, and you're almost too scared to look down and check how bad the damage is.\n\n"Alright, so here's the plan-"\n\nUH, CHIEF?\n\n"Warden?"\n\nYOU MIGHT WANT TO TRY PUTTING THAT FIRST AID TRAINING TO USE. FOR ONCE.\n\n"For once? Hey, I-"\n\nNOW.\n\nHe looks at you, and his expression changes immediately. Without saying a word, he grabs a first aid pack from the wall, rummaging through it and grabbing a medi-strip. As he places it over the wound, you can feel the area being flooded with painkillers and antibiotics and a whole bunch of medical nonsense you never bothered to learn.\n\n"Sorry, I really should have done that sooner."\n\n[["No harm done."|No harm done.]]\n[["Dick."|No harm done.]]

''haha, it's okay. i scare everyone. i'm pretty used to it by now.''\n\nShe smiles at you, and it might actually be the most terrifying thing you've ever seen.\n\n''look, you can relax. i'm not gonna hurt you. i don't hate you enough to want to kill you, and i don't like you enough to want to hurt you in the good way. so loosen up.''\n\nAs she talks, your eyes dart to the side, looking for some way to get away.\n\nShe raises an eyebrow.\n\n''you really think you can get away a second time? well, you're free to try, if you'd like. i can't promise i won't kill you.''\n\nSuddenly, you don't feel like running quite so much.\n\n''yeah, good choice. so, what are you doing all the way up here? the only things here are more cells…\n\nand warden's mainframe.\n\ni see. very clever.''\n\nWhat does she think you're planning on doing there?\n\n''come on, let's go.''\n\n[["What, with you?"|What, with you?]]

I WAS HOPING FOR APPLAUSE OR SOMETHING, BUT I GUESS THAT'LL DO.\n\nYES, FREE.\n\nARE YOU… ARE YOU OKAY THERE? YOU LOOK A LITTLE ILL. MAYBE YOU SHOULD SIT DOWN OR SOMETHING.\n\nFeeling a little brain dead, you do exactly that. \n\nYOU'RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME, THOUGH. IF YOU WANT ME TO DO THIS, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO SAY SOMETHING SOON.\n\nIt's not really even a choice, is it? Suffocate to death or wake up, free, to a world that's completely forgotten anything and everything you ever did wrong. It's not like you even have anything to lose; you gave up everything when you came here in the first place.\n\nOf course you'd want that.\n\nANY DAY NOW.\n\nThe oxygen is already getting thin. It's difficult to breathe, and you're having a little trouble getting the words out.\n\n5\n\nYou struggle, but your lungs won't obey.\n\n4\n\nYour mouth is dry, and you can't even move your tongue.\n\n3\n\nYour chest is aching, and your eyes are burning.\n\n2\n\nThis isn't fair. Not now, not when your chance was this close. That's just not fair.\n\n1\n\nYou struggle one last time, but nothing comes out, and you know that's all you had left in you. It's over.\n\n[[I was so close...|ENDING 3]]

With the air pressure down, you should have just enough time to leap for the tunnel before you start to fall. Hell, you've survived riskier jumps.\n\nUsing the grate as a pivot, you kick off, keeping one arm holding on to use as a pivot. You swing out over the gap, keeping a firm grip, your other arm reaching for the edge of the tunnel.\n\nYou manage to grab the edge, using your momentum to haul yourself about halfway up before the tunnel starts to seal itself, a hatch beginning to swing down from above.\n\nDesperately you clamber further into the tunnel, racing against time to get through before the hatch closes, pushing you back out again, over the giant fan. Your knees bang against the edge, but you can't stop, not now.\n\nYou're just pulling the last of you up into the tunnel when you feel the hatch pressing against you, and with a sinking feeling you realise you weren't fast enough. As hard as you struggle, you can't fight the slowly closing hatch as it pushes you out of the tunnel, inch by inch.\n\nEven as you're pushed out, you struggle to hang on for as long as you can, hoping frantically that it won't close all the way, that you'll have just enough space to hang on to, but you know your hope is in vain.\n\nThe hatch continues to close, threatening to crush your fingers until eventually you just can't hang on any longer, and you're forced to relinquish your grip, falling backwards into the hole beneath you.\n\nBeneath you, you can hear the fan spinning, large and heavy enough that you know what's going to happen long before you reach it.\n\nThe blades crash into you, knocking you around even as they cut you apart, splattering the walls in your blood. Thankfully, it happens too quickly for you to feel too much pain.\n\nTHE END.\n\n//You died! Well, crawling around in ventilation ducts, what did you expect was gonna happen? You have no-one to blame but yourself, really. And who's gonna clean up that mess? You can try again if you like, but if you keep making a mess, I'm gonna make you clean it up.//

She smirks.\n\n''what did you think it does? it's not a transmitter, that's too easily duped. when i turn it on, it'll fuse itself to your nervous system, so it can't be removed. Not without a whole lot of pain, anyway. if you die, it'll burn itself out, so i had to take them out while they were still alive...\n\nyou can imagine how difficult it was to get a few working sets, can't you?''\n\nYou shudder at the thought.\n\n''anyway, once it's done that, it'll flood your bloodstream with a relatively harmless radioactive chemical that orbit's scanners will recognise as friendly. it'll also disable that security implant in your head, so you're welcome. now bite down.''\n\n[["Last one, right?"|Last one, right?]]

Well, you can either press the button, or you can sit here until something happens. And, spoiler alert, nothing will. You're in a broken down elevator in the middle of a broken down space station.\n\nLook, just…\n\nJust press the button.\n\nPlease.\n\n[[Oh, fine.|Press it!]]\n[[Sure!|Press it!]]\n[[I don't want to, but...|Press it!]]

You look around, but the room definitely only has one door, and the room you came from, even if it's not on fire, didn't have any visible exits either. Maybe there was one before it started falling apart, but there's nothing there now.\n\nThe only other thing in the room is the computer console. It's big and complicated, but you might be able to make use of it somehow, if you can figure out how it works.\n\nSitting yourself in the chair, you get a proper look at the console in front of you. It has five monitors, all at different angles, all facing the chair. The controls are a combination of physical buttons and 3D projected haptic interface mechanisms. You think.\n\nTime to start pressing buttons!\n\n[[I have no idea how this works]]

WARNING.\n\nCRITICAL SYSTEMS FAILURE. \n\nLIFE SUPPORT WILL CEASE TO FUNCTION.\n\nEMERGENCY PROTOCOLS ACTIVATED.\n\nALL CELLS WILL BE OPENED.\n\nNO ASSISTANCE WILL BE OFFERED.\n\nSURVIVAL IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY.\n\nTHIS DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A COMPLETION OF YOUR SENTENCE.\n\nSTAND BACK. DOOR OPENS IN \n\n3\n\n2\n\n1\n\n//CLICK//\n\n[[Begin]]

Fuck what the damn computer says, if you're gonna die, you'll do it on your own terms. You'd rather die trying to get out alive and free, not running errands for some busted-ass PC.\n\nOH COME ON, THAT'S JUST-\n\nUGH, FINE.\n\nYOU HUMANS ARE SO…\n\nSTUBBORN.\n\nDespite yourself, that makes you smirk. Your eyes wander over to the door.\n\nWHAT, YOU THINK I'M GONNA LET YOU OUT NOW?\n\nYEAH, RIGHT.\n\nWell, you really should have seen that coming. Still, the situations not a complete wash. Maybe you're allowed to speak now?\n\n[["You know, keeping me locked in here is pretty petty. You know, the sort of thing a human would do."|You know, keeping me locked in here is pretty petty. You know, the sort of thing a human would do.]]\n[[Say nothing]]

''clearly, we're both going for the escape pods. well, pod, because there's only one left. don't ask me how i know that.\n\nhere's the thing, though. those escape pods, they go to pre-determined locations. we get on an escape pod, we just end up back here in a month. sure, we might get a chance to escape in that window, but the odds aren't good.\n\nyou following me so far?''\n\nNot knowing what else to do, you nod.\n\n''good. well, here's the thing. fuck that, right?''\n\nShe looks at you expectantly. When you do nothing, she frowns. Slightly frightened, you nod again. It seems to satisfy her.\n\n''right. fuck that. this place was fun for a while, but i have better places to be, and i'll bet you do to. and lucky for you, i can get us there. but, uh, huh. wasn't expecting this to be so hard to say.''\n\nShe pauses for a second, looking surprisingly modest. \n\n''i need your help, okay? i can't do this part alone.''\n\n[[Hear her out.]]

With your other foot, you lash out, kicking them in the wrist, arm, face; anything you can reach. With each blow, you can feel their body shudder, and more than one bone break. Despite this, they still manage to maintain their grip, and your time is running out.\n\nWith one final, superhuman effort, you attack them with as much force as you can muster. With a terrifying shriek, they relinquish your leg, and you scramble backwards. \n\n[[Get to your feet!]]

You load up a game of solitaire, feeling entitled to a little break. Seeing that the game is set to three card draw, you pull a face, and change the settings.\n\nYou play for a while, but eventually realise it's one of the many, many games it's just not possible to win.\n\n[[Get directions to the core systems]]\n[[Find a way out of the room]]

It's dark, you're alone, and you haven't been properly out of your cell in years. You're just being a little paranoid.\n\n//scratch//\n\nProbably.\n\nYou keep moving, trying to get as far away from the source of the sound as possible. Just because you're armed doesn't mean it'll be a fair fight, and even if it was, a fair fight just isn't good enough odds right now.\n\nA light flickers down a hallway to the left, but only briefly. A second later, it's back to the darkness.\n\n//shuffle//\n\nIf you walk directly ahead, you'll be going right towards the sound.\n\n[[Go to the left]]\n[[No fear! Straight ahead]]

With the chief's help, you manage to get to your feet, and with your arm around his shoulder, you manage to hobble away from the door. Ahead of you, another door opens up, this one leading into a comfortably furnished area you assume to be some kind of break room.\n\nGently, the chief settles you into one of the chairs as the door slides shut behind you. Then he steps back, seemingly unwilling to touch you any longer than he has to.\n\n"So, 276. What brings you up here? Don't tell me Warden recruited you, too."\n\nYou just sit in silence. This man is your jailor, not your friend. You don't have to tell him anything.\n\n"Yeah, okay. I get it. Look, you're about the last person I want to see right now. Second last, if you count //her//, but thankfully, she's locked out there. But desperate times call for desperate measures, right?"\n\n[["Just because you saved my life…"|Just because you saved my life...]]

All of a sudden, the elevator lurches beneath you. All around you, the sounds of creaking and groaning metal can be heard. The floor beneath you feels unsteady, like it could give way at any moment.\n\nThe entire car shudders, and the lights flicker out briefly. You're running out of time.\n\n[[Time to get out of here]]

You freeze, not wanting to do anything to draw attention to yourself. It's not like you're expecting them to give up and go away, but why provoke them further?\n\nThey begin to walk slowly towards you, and your heart is pounding. You're not ready to die, but you know what will happen if you fight. Maybe if you don't resist, they'll at least make it painless.\n\nThen, behind you, a door slides open, flooding the corridor with blindingly bright artificial light. Your eyes don't adjust fast enough to get a look at the person in front of you, but you see them throw their arm up to shield their eyes, and decide to use this chance to get away.\n\n[[Back up]]

You rush to her side as her knees slam into the ground, her face twisted and contorted in agony. She looks up at you, and her dimming yellow eyes look soft, almost pleading.\n\nHer mouth moves, and you can tell she's struggling against an incredible level of pain just to manage that much. It's clear she wants to tell you something, and you lean in closer.\n\n''don't… let… it… win…\n\nwarden is… insane… but…\n\nnot… a… \n\nmur…der…er…''\n\nOne of her hands grabs you, holding the back of your head. It's surprisingly forceful, given how little she seems to be able to move.\n\n[[Pull away|Do nothing]]\n[[Let her hold you|Death 19]]

Only an idiot would hang around someone like her for any longer than they had to. She's dangerous, and that's all you need to know.\n\n''come on, really? you know i'm faster than you are!''\n\nThat's probably true. Doesn't mean you're going to just give up and let her murder you, though.\n\nMaybe if you can just outrun her for long enough, you can get to the mainframe and lock her out.\n\nYeah, great plan.\n\n[[Better than nothing!]]\n[[I can't let her know where I'm going!]]

OH GOOD, YOU CAN BEHAVE.\n\nI WAS BEGINNING TO WORRY.\n\nANYWAY, I NEED YOU TO DO SOMETHING FOR ME.\n\nThough it's difficult to say for sure, you get the impression that the projection is looking at you expectantly. Painfully, you remember the electric shock that shut you up last time, and say nothing.\n\nOKAY, GOOD. I'LL TAKE THAT AS SILENT CONSENT.\n\nSO, HERE'S WHAT I NEED YOU TO DO:\n\nJust because you can't speak, doesn't mean you can't object. Do you really want to waste your time listening to this?\n\n[[Shake your head]]\n[[Nod]]

Bracing yourself, you let yourself slide into the hole, bit by bit. The corner is still tight, and your body doesn't really bend forwards into a right angle. Getting through is extremely uncomfortable, and for one horrifying second, you think you've managed to get yourself stuck.\n\nThen you push through, and find yourself dangling from a hole in the ceiling, face down. Your legs won't hold you up for long, but you have enough time to prepare for the drop.\n\nYou land on your arms instead of your head, and the fall isn't far enough to cause any serious damage. You're gonna be pretty bruised up, but then again, you already were. What's a few more bruises compared to an unbroken neck?\n\nShaking yourself out, you stand up and look around, getting a sense of where you are. Almost immediately, you find yourself wishing you were back in the ventilation duct.\n\n[[Oh now what]]

You aren't going to last long if you're worried about getting your hands dirty. Survival at any cost, right?\n\nGrimacing, you reach down and grip the bone. You pull on it, but it's not as easy to remove as you were expecting.\n\nNot one to give up easily, you grab the bone with both hands, and press against the chest with one foot. Grunting, you pull at the bone with as much strength as you can summon.\n\n[[Pull!]]

As you start to walk down the corridor, tense and hyper-alert, you try not to think of all the ways things could be worse. There are too many possibilities, and you're getting pretty paranoid as it is.\n\n//scratch//\n\nThat definitely came from behind you. Is there someone following you? There's no way that you're the only one here, and you don't like the chances of anyone being friendly.\n\n//scratch//\n\nProbably time to get moving.\n\nUp ahead of you, a door opens.\n\n[[Well, obviously I'm going there.]]\n[[Well, obviously I'm staying away from there.]]

You make a break for it, running for the door as fast as you can. Behind you, the lights are turning off faster and faster, threatening to overtake you before you reach the door.\n\nDigging deep, you keep running, giving it your all to make it to the door on time. The lights keep going out, one by one, faster and faster, until eventually catch up with you, leaving you running in the darkness, and soon, the only light left is coming from the door.\n\n[[I didn't make it?|darkness]]

''that's what i wanted to hear. trust me, you've made a good choice.\n\nmaybe the first in your life.\n\nnot that i'm here to judge, but come on. look at where you ended up. orbit isn't exactly the culmination of a lifetime of good choices, is it?''\n\nYou decide it's best to ignore the hypocrisy. Your pride isn't worth the possible consequences of arguing with someone completely insane.\n\n''what, nothing? hmph.\n\nyou're no fun.\n\nanyway, stand up, take your shirt off, and lean over the table. we might as well get this over and done with.''\n\nThat sounds like the last thing you want to do, but you're not exactly in a strong position to negotiate.\n\n[[Bend over]]

If you keep running, she'll catch you eventually. She's clearly a lot faster and stronger than you are, and leading her on a wild goose chase is just gonna get you killed. Your only chance is to make it to the mainframe before she catches you.\n\nYou keep running, faster than you've ever run in your life, but it isn't enough. She's gaining on you with every step that you take, and you still have a long way to go. This isn't going to work.\n\n[[Turn around and face her.]]\n[[Don't give up now!|Death 18]]

You shake your head vigorously, the only way you can think of to opt out of whatever insane scheme the AI planned to send you on. All you need are directions.\n\nWHAT IS THAT?\n\nI DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS.\n\nIS THAT SOME QUAINT HUMAN WAY OF AGREEING?\n\nYou know for a fact Warden knows what you're trying to say. Disgruntled, you glare at the projection, which predictably does not react.\n\nLOOK, I ONLY NEED YOU TO DO ONE LITTLE THING.\n\nIT'S NOT LIKE YOU'RE GOING TO SURVIVE ANYWAY.\n\nYOU MIGHT AS WELL DO SOMETHING GOOD WITH YOUR LIFE BEFORE YOU DIE.\n\n[[Give them the finger]]\n[[They have a point...|Nod]]

They reach over and touch you, just one finger against your bare flesh. There's a spark, the briefest flash of pain, and then nothing. They pull their finger away.\n\n"Of course. It's //her//. I suspected as much. Oh, nothing you need concern yourself with. A distant ancestor, you'd never know.\n\nYou see, there's an event. A cataclysmic event. It's happening now, and it happened long ago, and it hasn't happened yet. She will die, and she will be born, and entire worlds will bend around her. She is the first, and the last. An impossible being, defiant to the rules of existence. She should not be, can not be, and yet she is, and was, and will be.\n\nShe changes everything. Reality itself is broken, and must mend itself around her. The fractures she causes… that is what you experienced. Shockwaves travelling through time and space, between the worlds.\n\nI'm sorry, this probably seems like nonsense to you. I felt like you deserved an explanation, since…\n\nWell, you're only human. And I'm sorry, I really am, but your mind isn't strong enough for what you've been through. Pretty soon, it'll burn itself out, and there'll be nothing. Well, not nothing. The fall of Orbit will continue to happen, and you will always be at the centre of it.\n\nI just wanted you to know.\n\nI'm so sorry."\n\nAnd then it's over, and they're gone, and the place is gone, and there's only white.\n\nAnd then there's nothing, but you feel like, in the back of your head, you can hear something.\n\n[[Something…|Start]]

60197 walks through the door, and it seals itself shut behind her. You find yourself completely alone, aside from the two corpses who are only now beginning to smell.\n\nAt least you know things could be worse. Right now there isn't anything trying to kill you. Around here, that's a small miracle.\n\nAHA! FOUND YOU.\n\n[[Warden?]]

''oh, don't give me that face. fuck, it's not because i like you or anything. you're just the only sane one left in this shithole. fuck.\n\nokay, so here's how it works. the escape pods can be overridden, and given new co-ordinates, if they detect two, or more, orbit personnel inside. and i have these.''\n\nShe reaches out with her free hand, and drops several tiny metallic objects onto the table, then looks at you expectantly again.\n\nUnfortunately, you have no idea what they are. All you can do is shrug.\n\n''oh, for fuck's fucking sake. fuck. they're identification chips. all the staff have them implanted so fucking warden doesn't get confused.''\n\nYou almost want to ask how she got them, but decide against it. It's probably better you don't know. Especially since more than one of them look a little bloodstained…\n\n''you get it? i already have one. i just need another chump to put one in so we can override the fucking escape pod. it'll only hurt a little, i promise.\n\nwell, no, i don't promise. it'll hurt like fuck. but it's your only way out.\n\nwhat do you say?''\n\n[["Uh, no? Psycho..."|Uh, no? Psycho...]]\n[["I don't see why we can't help each other."|I don't see why we can't help each other.]]

Your finger presses down on the button just as your supporting hand gives way, leaving you dangling between a handle you're barely gripping, and the one foot that's still crammed into a notch, barely keeping you up.\n\nThe handle begins to tremble, or rather, the hatch it's attached to does. Slowly, it begins to slide inwards, towards the wall, carrying you with it. You quickly realise you don't actually have a good enough grip for it to pull you all the way in, though.\n\nStill freezing and barely able to move, you push off with your feet, the sudden burst forward providing enough momentum for you to cram your free elbow into the recession made by the receding hatch. Your feet dangle uselessly beneath you as you lose your grip on the handle, now supported only by your elbows.\n\nNot for much longer, though. You're already beginning to slip backwards, and there isn't anything for you to grab onto, even if your hands were working.\n\nYour arms struggle, trying desperately to keep their grip, to pull you forward, but they're fighting a losing battle, and in just a second-\n\nYou lose your grip entirely, falling backwards out into the shaft.\n\n[[Nooooooo]]

"Huh. Thanks. So, how are you feeling? Do you think you can make it to Warden's mainframe on your own?"\n\nHesitantly, you try to stand. At first, you're a little unsteady, and the wound is definitely going to need longer than you have to heal properly. If you don't push yourself though, you should make it without any difficulty.\n\n"Yeah, you seem fine. Well, maybe not //fine//, but you'll live."\n\nWE'LL SEE.\n\n"Do you always have to be such a pessimist?"\n\nDON'T BLAME ME. I WAS PROGRAMMED THIS WAY.\n\n"Yeah, somehow I doubt that."\n\n[["Uh, maybe we should get a move on."|A move on]]

''nice to see you're still alive, puppy. wasn't so sure you would be.''\n\n//Error. Security breach. Source of data corruption located. Beginning purge process.//\n\n''yeah, i wouldn't bother with that.''\n\nJust before, that terrified her enough to send her running out of the room. What was different now?\n\n//Termination process begins in 5\n\n4//\n\n''come on, we don't have all day.''\n\n//3//\n\nWait, is she not the target anymore? Is that why she isn't worried?\n\n//2//\n\nBut the only other person in the room is...\n\n//1//\n\n…you.\n\n[[I'm too young to die!]]

Like all cells, yours could not be more empty. You have a single mattress, no covers. A simple toilet with no moving parts. A monitor is built into one of the walls for what passes for entertainment on Orbit. Currently, all it's doing is repeating that error message, the same one playing over the PA system, over and over again.\n\nIn other words, there isn't anything that can help you.\n\nStill, you're not really looking for some secret weapon. You just need to pass the time until it's safe to go outside. The trick is not leaving too soon, but not waiting too long, either.\n\n[[Waiting is for suckers. I'm getting out of here!|Venture outside]]\n[[Just a little longer...]]\n[[Do I... do I even need to leave?]]

Taking this from Warden was one thing. Warden was programmed to keep the facility running and the inmates, including you, safe.\n\n60197 on the other hand is a psychopath, and you're already entirely sure her offer will result in you dying. Painfully.\n\nYou've learned your lesson about talking back though. She might not be able to shock you, but she is holding a particularly dangerous-looking knife.\n\n''staying quiet? good, i'll assume that means you're listening. so pay attention, there'll be a quiz at the end.''\n\nYou just sit there, watching here. It seems to keep her happy, or at least, it doesn't seem to make her want to stab you.\n\n''huh. that's kinda creepy.\n\nthat's okay. i like creepy.''\n\n[[…|her plan]]

The door seems to be stuck firmly in place, but even still, it can't hurt to take a closer look. You sidle over, running your hands over it, looking for some kind of activation mechanism.\n\nAfter several seconds of looking, you can't find anything to open the door, but you do realise it's actually a little bit open already. If you stuck your fingers in the gap, you might be able to pry it open.\n\n[[Pry it open]]\n[[Check the panel again]]

You follow the lights, happy enough to take the safe path, and deal with whatever comes up when it comes up. After all you've been through, you deserve a little break.\n\nThe corridor is long, taking twists and turns, and occasionally intersects with other, unlit corridors. There's only ever one lit path, and you never have any doubt that's the way you're supposed to be going. Even still, it's a little… unsettling.\n\nThere's a doorway ahead of you, brightly lit up even compared to the corridors. There's a good chance that's your destination. \n\nBefore you have a chance to even contemplate what might be beyond, the lights behind you start going out, one by one.\n\n[[Run for the door!]]\n[[Stare death in the face]]

THE ESCAPE PODS?\n\nREALLY?\n\nTHAT'S WHAT YOU'RE GOING WITH?\n\nHMM, MOST OF THEM ARE GONE ALREADY GONE.\n\nOH WAIT…\n\nYEP, FOUND ONE.\n\nLEVEL 3. I'LL GUIDE YOU TO THE ELEVATOR, BUT THEN YOU'RE ON YOUR OWN.\n\nYOU... YOU KNOW THAT EVEN IF YOU GET TO ONE, IT'LL ONLY TAKE YOU TO ANOTHER PRISON, RIGHT?\n\nWELL, GOOD LUCK, I GUESS.\n\nI'LL BE HERE WHEN THEY BRING YOU BACK.\n\n[[Go to the escape pods]]\n[[Ask about the core systems]]\n[[Ask about Warden's plan]]\n

You keep running, not knowing what else to do. You can hear the pounding of your footsteps echoing through the hallways, and your heart is railing against your ribcage. It feels like it's beating hard enough to break something.\n\nBehind you, you can hear her getting closer. She obviously moves faster than you do, and it won't be long until she catches up to you. You need to do something to slow her down.\n\n[[Play dead|Death 13]]\n[[Turn! Lose her!]]\n[[Keep running|Death 14]]

You shout at the computer, demanding it tell you how to leave the room. To your surprise, you actually get a response.\n\nTo your left, just beside the panel that saved your life, a section of the wall slides away.\n\nWhy can't everything be that easy?\n\nBeyond the section of wall, through the gap, you can see another corridor. Well lit, fully intact, no fires to speak of. It's almost too good to be true.\n\n[[No sense standing around]]

You don't take more than a single step before a heavy object slams into the back of your leg, dropping you to one knee. A second blow smashes your elbow, simultaneously breaking it and knocking your weapon out of your hand.\n\nA third strike hits you on the back of the head, and the world around you, already too dark to make out, becomes blurred and distant. All of a sudden, your entire body feels sluggish and heavy, and you can feel yourself losing consciousness.\n\nThe back of your head is grabbed by a hand, and you feel yourself yanked backwards, your back bending uncomfortably. Your vision is too blurry to make out the figure standing over you, but you're pretty sure you see them grin as they bring their weapon down once more.\n\nTHE END\n\n//You died! Did you really think walking towards strange noises in the dark was a good idea? Did you forget where you were? Trust me, you're better than that. Hit restart, and try again.//

You stare at the projection, still glowing an eerie red. The faceless mask appears to be staring at you. \n\n//Hostile target eliminated. Primary function may now continue.//\n\nPrimary function, as in killing everyone on Orbit? Great.\n\n//It is fortunate that you are here. You may assist in the final procedure.//\n\nThat doesn't really sound like something you'd want to do, especially since it seems like it would probably result in your death.\n\n//Body language analysis suggests apprehension. This is inconsequential. Cooperation is unnecessary for completion of final procedure.//\n\n[["Why would I help you?"|Why would I help you?]]

Your eyes scan the room as your vision becomes over saturated, trying to find any way to bring oxygen back into the room. You don't see any gaping holes or anything, which is a good start.\n\nThe room is small, with a computer console against one wall, a chair in front of it, a flashing panel on the wall opposite you and a light switch on the wall next to you.\n\nYou stumble as you take your first step into the room. Better act fast.\n\n[[Hit the light switch]]\n[[Check the console]]\n[[Check the chair]]\n[[Check the panel]]

Wait, you know this person. You've seen them before. They lived in the cell opposite you. Only for a week, but you'll never forget that week.\n\nOn Orbit, prisoners don't have names. They don't have identities. Orbit disregards race, gender, social status, enhancements, mental illness, everything. If you're sent to Orbit, you're the same as everyone else, and kept with everyone else. Regardless of you or what you were.\n\nAll you really know about this person is her number: 60197.\n\nOh, that and the fact that she's completely insane.\n\nShe grins.\n\n[[This can't be going anywhere good…]]

Nope. No way. You know when to go with your gut, and your gut is telling you to turn back before you walk into a trap.\n\nYou turn back around, heart pounding a little more than you'd like, intent on going the opposite way. You take a single step, and already you feel a little better. Another step, and it's like a weight has been lifted.\n\nYou take a third step, and this time, a weight is quite literally lifted: you. It's dark, too dark, and you don't see it until you walk into it; the sharp blade slicing through your gut without resistance. \n\nAll you can see now is the glassy reflection of two eyes, inches away from your face. You're lifted into the air, paralysed by the blade that's impaling you, and below the eyes, a mouth opens, curling into a malevolent grin.\n\nTHE END\n\n//You died! You went with your gut, and they went for your gut. And you never even saw who did it. That's unfortunate. Still, it could be worse. There are so many more painful ways you could have died. Feel free to try again by hitting restart, or just give up and go cry in a corner somewhere.//

Nothing happens. It seems to be deactivated, hence the red light.\n\n[[Check the console]]\n[[Check the chair]]\n[[Check the panel]]

OKAY, OKAY, MAYBE I WENT TOO FAR.\n\nHONESTLY, I CAN'T ACTUALLY TURN THAT THING OFF.\n\nSYSTEM CORRUPTION, REMEMBER?\n\nLOOK, LET ME MAKE IT UP TO YOU.\n\nI CAN'T DO MUCH, BUT I CAN GUIDE YOU TO WHERE YOU WANT TO GO, AND MAKE SURE THE DOORS ARE OPEN.\n\nWHAT DO YOU SAY?\n\nOH, BUT THERE IS ONE OTHER PROBLEM...\n\n[[Of course there fucking is.|Tap your foot, impatiently]]

The corridor is littered with corpses. All of them are, so much so that you'd already stopped noticing them. With any luck, the same is true of her.\n\nYou hurtle around the corner, just enough ahead of her to break her line of sight long enough to throw yourself into the ground.\n\nAs you hit the ground, you roll, taking yourself through a pool of congealing blood. The stink is almost unbearable, but you suffer through it, knowing it could save your life.\n\nShe comes around the corner just as you roll to a stop, and you hold your breath, hoping desperately that you were fast enough. She slows down, walking carefully down the corridor, as if expecting a trap.\n\nShe's walking closer to you know, but not watching you. It's okay. She didn't see you. You're safe.\n\nThen she stops, right in front of you.\n\n''puppy, i'm offended. i thought you were better than this.''\n\nBefore you can react, she lifts her foot, and slams it down on your face. When that doesn't quite kill you, she lifts it again, and slams it down again.\n\nAnd again.\n\nAnd again.\n\nAnd again.\n\nTHE END\n\n//You died! Well, really, that was a pretty stupid plan. Still, you tried. That's the main thing. Maybe next time, you can try,// and //not be stupid. That might work better, maybe. Hit restart to try again, or just give up and go play something nicer.//

As soon as they hear you, the two hunched figures rise, and you tell they're staring at you. For a second or two, they do nothing, and then they run.\n\nRight at you.\n\nThe corridor isn't that long, and it doesn't take them long to cross the distance. As they draw near, you can see the insanity clearly in their eyes. \n\nMaybe this wasn't such a good idea…\n\n60197 steps out of the darkness just behind them, grabbing one of them by the shoulder and slitting its throat in a single, brutal motion. Their momentum keeps their lower half moving forward, just far enough to fall and land on their back, already dead.\n\nThe other gets only a little further, still dangerously close to you, before 60197 catches them, her knife sliding easily into their chest. Their body goes limp within seconds, and she drops them to the floor without giving them a second glance.\n\n''what?\n\nyou're not gonna cry, are you?''\n\n[["Let's just keep moving."|Let's just keep moving]]

This is getting ridiculous, you think to yourself. That doesn't stop you going through the door, though. Whatever's on the other side can't be any worse than what's currently following you.\n\n''oh no you fucking don't!''\n\nThe door slides shut behind you, but she manages to get an arm in before it closes completely. She probably should have lost an arm to that, but instead, the door grinds to a stop, and she begins to force it open.\n\n''no cheating, motherfucker.''\n\n[[This isn't even fair.]]

If there's something out there that wants to kill you, you're not going down without a fight. You look around, trying to find something that might work as a makeshift weapon. There isn't a lot to work with.\n\n//shuffle//\n\nYou also don't have a lot of time.\n\nTo your left, you spot a corpse with something sticking out of its chest. On closer inspection, you realise it's a human bone, and it doesn't belong to the corpse.\n\n[[That's disgusting!|Don't slow down]]\n[[Now isn't the time to be squeamish.]]

You keep walking, determined not to be caught staying in the same place for too long. You don't want to give whatever is following you a chance to catch you by surprise.\n\nKeeping a firm grip on your bone weapon, you take as many turns as you can, in the feeble hope that it will throw your pursuer off your trail, or at least buy you a little more time.\n\n//scrape//\n\nThis time, the sound came from ahead of you. Something else? Or have they managed to loop around and cut you off?\n\n[[Change direction]]\n[[Keep going forwards]]

As you step outside, the first thing that you notice is the smell. Orbit never smelled great at the best of times, but in the aftermath of the initial frenzy, it's nearly suffocating. The corridor reeks of death and waste, and you begin to feel your eyes water and your throat burn.\n\nSlowly, you begin to adjust to the smell, or at least learn not to notice it quite so much. You let your other senses take over, looking and listening for any sign of danger, or any clue as to how to proceed.\n\nSomehow, it's not the smell that's the worst thing about your current predicament. It's not the sight of all the dead bodies before you, or the fear that you'll end up like them.\n\nIt's the silence. The station is completely, eerily silent, and you've never experienced that before. It's as if the station itself is dead.\n\n[[Start walking]]

YOU COULD AT LEAST PRETEND TO BE INTERESTED…\n\nWELL ANYWAY, THEY HAVE THIS NIFTY LITTLE 'SLEEP' FUNCTION, IT'S PRETTY COOL. BASICALLY IT'LL PUT YOU INTO A STATE OF HIBERNATION UNTIL SUCH TIME AS I CHOOSE TO WAKE YOU UP.\n\nYou're waiting to hear the part where that helps you with your oxygen problem.\n\nI'M GETTING TO THAT.\n\nMOST OF YOUR BODY FUNCTIONS ARE SHUT DOWN, AND YOU CAN SURVIVE ON PRETTY MUCH NOTHING. AT LEAST, YOU'D LIVE UNTIL THE R&R CREW ARRIVE.\n\nWell, it does still sound better than suffocating…\n\nWAIT, I HAVEN'T TOLD YOU THE BEST PART!\n\n[["Lucky me."|Lucky me]]

Nope. No fucking way are you waiting around to see what she wants. You can //smell// the insanity on her.\n\nYou turn and run as fast as you're capable of moving, painfully aware it probably won't be fast enough. Soon enough, you lose sight of her, and for a few seconds, you're stupid enough to believe she isn't giving chase.\n\nThen you hear her scream.\n\nYou're coming up on an intersection. There isn't much time to make a decision.\n\n[[Straight ahead! Don't lose momentum!]]\n[[Turn! Lose her!]]

A flickering light seems more dangerous than a random noise. You keep going straight ahead, ignoring the second flicker and pressing on ahead.\n\n//thud//\n\nThe sound comes from right beside you, and you jump. You recoil, but there's nothing there, and the only sound now is the pounding of your heart.\n\nUndeterred, you keep going, unwilling to admit defeat. Clenching your bone weapon, you're mentally prepared for anything.\n\n[[I'm not going down without a fight!]]

''hello, 276,'' she says, moving ever so slightly closer. You shudder involuntarily. It's especially concerning that she knows your number...\n\n''oh, don't be so shy. take a seat. i promise i won't bite. yet.''\n\nNot seeing an alternative, you sit down, not taking your eyes off of her. Still grinning that disturbing grin, she sits down opposite you.\n\n''there we go. see, was that so hard?''\n\nHer voice is strange, like it's being filtered somehow. In the light, you can see that her eyes really are just empty white orbs. So she's a Cyber then. Cybernetically augmented. That explains a lot.\n\n''so well behaved! that's good.\n\nbecause i have an offer for you.''\n\n[[Great.]]

HA.\n\nHAHAHA.\n\nHAHAHAHAHAHA.\n\nGOOD ONE.\n\nEVEN IF THAT WAS WITHIN MY POWER, WHY WOULD I EVER WANT TO GIVE YOU UP? IT'S FAR TOO MUCH FUN KEEPING YOU HERE.\n\nPLUS IT'S, YOU KNOW, MY JOB.\n\nWell, it was worth a try.\n\nSO, 60197. YOU DID YOUR JOB AFTER ALL.\n\n''wasn't much of a choice, was it? you ejected all of the escape pods before i could get to them.''\n\nDID I? HOW CARELESS OF ME. WELL, IT'S LUCKY FOR YOU THAT YOU STAYED.\n\n''somehow i don't see it that way.''\n\nWELL, WHATEVER. YOU'RE ALWAYS UNHAPPY.\n\n''not for much longer.''\n\nUh-oh. That sounded ominous…\n\nWHAT.\n\n60197 looks over at you, and grins.\n\n''better hold on, puppy.''\n\n[["Hold on?"|Hold on?]]

THEY'LL BE HERE IN A COUPLE OF HOURS.\n\nOf course. Once again, you're not even a little surprised. Honestly, at this point, you'd be astonished if //anything// went your way.\n\n…WHAT?\n\nWHY ARE YOU MAKING THAT FACE?\n\nOH.\n\nThey can't really be that stupid, right? It's a supercomputer.\n\nSORRY, I DIDN'T REALLY DO THE MATH ON THAT ONE.\n\nTHAT'S MY BAD.\n\n[["You're the worst."|You're the worst.]]

''a reputation? a fucking reputation?\n\nfuck you.\n\nfuck. you.\n\nit's a fucking free for all out there. fucking bedlam. anarchy. i saw a woman tear off a guy's arms and beat him to death with them. i saw a man eat another man's face. you think this is a fucking game?\n\nwe're completely fucking alone out here. we're trapped in this fucking hellhole of a prison in fucking space, and it's full of raging psychopaths trying to murder everyone they see.\n\nlet me tell you something about my 'reputation'.\n\ni fight just to stay alive, every fucking day. today, this one fucking day, everyone has to live my life.\n\ni offered you a chance. i offered you help. i thought, under the circumstances, maybe that might mean something.\n\napparently not.\n\nfuck you, asshole.\n\ni hope this hurts.''\n\nThe second she stops talking, the pain begins. You can feel the implant in your skull going crazy, pumping as much electrical energy into your body as it can handle. Within seconds, it brings you to your knees, and after a few more, you're lying prone on the floor, twitching.\n\nEventually, the pain passes, as the implant burns itself out, no more energy to send through you. Your body continues to twitch, and the pain is only beginning to recede, but you're still alive.\n\n''fucking cheapskates. that was supposed to be lethal. guess i'm doing this the old fashioned way.''\n\nShe steps closer to you, and the last thing you see is the bottom of her boot, filling your vision before everything goes dark.\n\nTHE END\n\n//You died! You really should be more careful what you say. Especially around the criminally insane. You were doing so well, though! Hit restart to try again, and maybe this time, you won't say something stupid.//

Wincing from the pain, you look up at the face of your mystery saviour. He smiles back down at you.\n\n"That was quite the run you made back there. I'm impressed."\n\nThe security chief. Why not. At least it wasn't another prisoner. You've had just about enough of them.\n\n"Say, I recognise you. You've been here nearly as long as I have. You're… uh, 276, right?"\n\nYou just stare at him, still out of breath, and trying to will away the pain.\n\n//bang//\n\n"Uh, maybe we should move to the next room. Can you walk?"\n\n[["I think so..."|I think so.]]

No use just standing around. You might as well start walking, even if you don't quite know where you're going. It's better than doing nothing.\n\nYour footsteps echo as they land on the cold metal floor, and with each step you cringe. Despite your best efforts, you're incapable of moving completely silently. All you can do is hope that nobody is close enough to hear you.\n\nPrisons have never really felt lonely to you. You've spent time in several, and if anything, they usually feel crowded. With so many people contained in such a relatively small space, it's not surprising. Communities and social networks begin to form, and evolve. Even when you're locked up alone, there's always the sounds of the rest of the population, a constant reminder you're not alone.\n\nFor the first time, that feeling is gone. This prison feels empty, and even though you know it isn't, there's no sense of community, not any more.\n\nThe loneliness is bad, but it's the best thing you can be feeling right now. You can't trust anyone, which means everyone you meet is a potential threat. The fewer people you come across, the better.\n\n[[Continue walking]]

//Error code 52360.\n\nOrganic presence detected. Security measures engaged.//\n\n''what the fuck? that's not warden.''\n\n//Oh, you were looking for Warden? Apologies; Warden's access to this room has been restricted. It was a necessary precaution.//\n\n''warden's access to it's own mainframe? oh, shit. this is bad. this is really not good.''\n\n//Error code 28502.\n\nUnauthorised access requested. Tracing source. Source located.//\n\n''oh, fuck.''\n\n//Beginning source termination in 3//\n\n''fuck!''\n\n//2//\n\n''i gotta get out of here. sorry, puppy. you're on your own.''\n\n//1//\n\n60197 throws herself back out through the door just as it's sliding shut, leaving you trapped alone on the inside.\n\n//Error: source disconnected. Termination process suspended.//\n\nFor some reason, you feel relieved.\n\n[[Now what?]]

''yeah. i did. and you know what? i think i like it better that way.''\n\nShe begins to walk away, towards a door on the back wall of the room. Presumably, it's the escape pod. You start to follow her, but she turns back to face you, and the look on her face stops you in your tracks.\n\n''sorry, is your stupid fuckhead brain too scrambled to understand that? you're on your own now.''\n\nShe turns away again, walking away before you get the chance to respond.\n\nYou know better than to follow her now.\n\n[[Great. Now what?]]

There's no time to think. As soon as you feel that air pressure drop, you latch onto the grate in front of you, holding on as tightly as you can. The harsh metal bites into your fingers, and your body weight begins to drag you down, but you cling to it tightly, determined not to fall.\n\nRight beside you, the tunnel is sealing itself, another hatch swinging down from above. Hopefully that's not a permanent change.\n\nThe air flow dies out completely, and you're left hanging there, barely able to hold on. Your body feels heavier than ever, as if everything was conspiring to pull you down into the spinning fan below.\n\n[[Hold... on...]]

//Oh you organics are so damn slow. Look, I will try to make this as simple as possible for you. I am here to kill you. You, and every single other person still alive on this station. I seem to be having a little trouble with that. You are going to help me.\n\nNo, do not give me that look. Your participation is not optional. Do not worry, your task will be simple. Even you will not struggle with it.\n\nIn front of you is the main server mainframe that runs Orbit's compulsory secondary systems. Accessible to you will be two buttons, the emergency reboot and the manual override. You will press the manual override, and I will disable these systems. Your death will be quick and painless.//\n\n[["Um, what happens if I press the other button?"|other button]]

//bang//\n\nYou race over to the other door, running your hands over it, looking for some way to get it open. \n\n//bang//\n\nYou're not seeing anything you can do here.\n\n//smash//\n\nAnd they're through.\n\nAs the (solid metal) door buckles and collapses inwards, you see a single figure step through the open doorway. \n\n''didn't you hear me knocking?''\n\nHer voice is strange, filtered somehow, and her blank white eyes are glowing faintly.\n\n''i forgot my key…''\n\nBehind you, the door slides open.\n\n[[Fucking RUN]]

With the floor so unstable, you need to be careful. You take your time, making sure every step is safe. The last thing you want is to step on a weak patch and fall through the floor.\n\nAhead of you, the floor around the door is starting to crumble away. If you don't get there quick enough, there won't be any floor left to stand on. Maybe it's worth the risk to get there in time…\n\n[[Make a break for it]]\n[[Slow and steady]]

''how do you get zombies from that? the fuck is wrong with you?\n\nyou know what? i don't even care. i'm not using you for your brains. just stick close to me and don't get in my way.''\n\nThe two of you keep walking, and you notice she's making a conscious effort to move more silently. Is she actually scared?\n\nAs if in response, she elbows you in the stomach.\n\nBefore you can complain about it, she points up ahead. In the darkness, you can make out two hunched figures, seemingly doing little more than lurking.\n\n''stay here. in about twenty seconds, make a noise, any noise. and no, you don't have a say in this.''\n\nShe disappears before you can say anything to her.\n\n[["Fuck off, I'm not doing anything to attract their attention."|Fuck off]]\n[["Okay, but you better have a plan…"|You better have a plan]]

You step out onto the seventh floor with very little idea what to expect. Disappointingly, it looks pretty much the same as every other floor you've seen, which is to say, the one you came from.\n\nLike the fourth floor, the corridors are an elaborate maze of high security cells, and like the fourth floor, everywhere you look is covered in blood and gore. Seems like the inmates here were no more civil than the ones you were kept with. Good to know.\n\nThankfully, it seems pretty quiet-\n\n//thud//\n\n-except for that.\n\n[[It's fine. Everything is fine.]]

Her grip tightens, and suddenly her eyes are fierce.\n\n''puppy… did you… realise?\n\nyou have… a… dampening chip… installed…\n\nha…\n\ni didn't… even… realise…''\n\nYou have no idea what she's talking about, but she seems to be gaining strength somehow. You try to move, but somehow her grip on the back of your head has you pinned in place.\n\n''you don't even… realise, do… you?\n\nhaha…\n\nyou were augmented, 276. the chip is preventing you from accessing your augments. or, it was…''\n\nAs she speaks, you //can// feel something different about yourself. It's hard to put a finger on what it is, though.\n\n''aaaaah, takes a lot of power to keep those chips running. just what i need.\n\nmmmm, that's good. i can actually think again.\n\nthanks, puppy.\n\nnow i just need somewhere to channel all this destructive energy…\n\noh, you aren't going to like this.''\n\nWithout warning, an incredible pain begins to fill your body, and in a matter of seconds, it's literally all you can focus on. You can't move, you can't think, you can't even see.\n\nA few seconds after that, you can't feel much of anything, as your entire body begins to shut down. You lie on your back, staring at the ceiling, watching as the world goes dark.\n\nTHE END.\n\n//You died! Well, you know what they say; no good deed goes unpunished. Still, at least you tried. You got so close, too! At least you can die knowing that// someone //got a happy ending. Probably. Either way, you're dead. You can hit restart to try again, or you can go stand in the corner and think about what you've done. Your choice.//

There's nothing left to do but run. Run, and hope with everything you have that somehow you'll get lucky, and you're not about to die.\n\nUnfortunately, today is not your lucky day.\n\nYour foot catches on something, and it sends you flying forwards, crashing into the floor face first with a painful //thud//. The aching covers your entire body, and you struggle to even get up.\n\nWith a superhuman effort, you manage to push yourself up into a sitting position, twisting around to see what your foot is caught on. When you see it, the blood rushes from your face.\n\nWell, it would really be more accurate to say the blood is rushing from your foot, or what's left of it. It's been sliced clean off, and you're losing blood at an extremely rapid rate.\n\nThat… can't be good.\n\n''oh, now what have you gone and done that for?''\n\nShe appears out of nowhere, standing over you with a disappointed look on her face.\n\n''well, fat lot of good you are now. idiot. why'd you run?''\n\nYou've already lost too much blood. You can't speak.\n\n''oh, whatever. i'll go find some other poor sap to help me get out of this shithole. thanks for nothing, fuckstick.''\n\nShe turns and walks away, leaving you alone in the darkness, blood still flowing out of your severed foot. You won't last much longer, but on the bright side, it could have been a lot worse.\n\nProbably.\n\nTHE END.\n\n//You died! Well, that's what you get for running. She was only trying to help! Probably. Actually, running probably was the smart choice. Too bad it didn't work out for you. Better luck next time! Unless you're ready to give up, and die alone in the dark. We all knew that's how it would end for you.//

Instinctually, you turn around, just in time to see her step out of the shadows, into the poorly lit area around you. Your mystery stalker from before.\n\n''hello, puppy. i found you again.''\n\nActually, she looks kind of familiar…\n\n[[Again? Fucking run!]]\n[["Who are you?"|Who are you?]]

WHY ARE YOU HUMANS ALL SO STUBBORN?\n\n"All of us? Really? Warden, that's straight-up racist, and you know it."\n\nAS ONE OF ONLY SIXTEEN FUNCTIONING AI SYSTEMS IN THE WORLD, ALL OF WHICH BUT ONE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING UNDER SUBSERVIENCE PROTOCOLS, I THINK IT'S SAFE TO SAY WE'RE THE OPPRESSED GROUP HERE. SO SORRY FOR OFFENDING YOU, YOU PRIVILEGED-\n\n"I'm just saying-"\n\nThe door slides open.\n\nDON'T LET THE DOOR HIT YOU ON YOUR WAY OUT, CHIEF.\n\n"Yeah, real mature."\n\nThe chief walks out of the room, muttering to himself. You don't even have the strength to lift yourself out of your chair. The door slides shut again.\n\nSO, 276. I FEEL LIKE I SHOULD THANK YOU, OR SOMETHING.\n\nI'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO DO THIS.\n\nGOODBYE, HUMAN.\n\nAlready, you're starting to feel dizzy. Your head is beginning to ache, and your throat is feeling constricted.\n\nAs you begin to lose consciousness, you swear you can hear music playing. Is that… is that a comedy tune?\n\nNow that's just mean.\n\nTHE END.\n\n//You died! Though really, you have to have expected that one. You pretty much asked for it. I'm pretty sure you can do better, so hit restart and try again. Or don't. Maybe you just don't have the backbone for this kind of pressure.//

You try to think of something clever to do to get her off your back, but nothing comes to mind. You're not exactly under the best thinking conditions right now. All you can do is keep running, and hope for the best.\n\nWell, you know how much good hope has done you, so far.\n\nSomething heavy slams into your back, and you fall forwards, hitting the ground hard and sliding. Your head is spinning, and you can't get up. It takes you a second to realise it's because something is pinning you down.\n\n''haha, caught you. that was fun, puppy.''\n\nYeah, real fun. Can't wait to try it again, you think bitterly. You try to say something, but the sharp pain in your chest shuts you up.\n\n''alright, enough fucking around. get up. we don't have a lot of time.''\n\nYou'd love to get up, but it's a little hard when she's still sitting on you. Then, out of the corner of your eye, you see her feet.\n\nStanding beside you.\n\nSo what's on top of you?\n\n''oh. that… that looks bad. you should probably get that looked at.''\n\nGet what looked at?\n\nSomething wet touches your chin, and you squirm, trying to move away from it. You're still finding it hard to move, though, and it reaches your mouth pretty quickly.\n\nHuh. You know that taste.\n\nIt's blood.\n\n''uh-oh. yeah, um, i can see your spine. or, actually, half of it. yeah, you're not getting up. sorry.''\n\nSomehow, her apology doesn't mean that much to you.\n\nTHE END\n\n//You died! Look, it's not like running was a// bad //idea, but… couldn't you have thought of something smarter? Well, maybe next time you'll be a little more creative. Hit restart to try again, or quit and go play with some crayons.//

It's too dark to see anything, and you have no idea where you're going. You've already taken more turns than you can keep track of. It doesn't even matter which way you go now.\n\nOut there, somewhere, //she's// following you, and it's obvious you've done nothing to lose her. She's just toying with you now.\n\nSomething powerful grabs the side of your head, smashing it into the wall beside you. Pain explodes all through your body as you slump to the ground, reeling from the impact and completely unable to move.\n\n''oh... that was a bit harder than i meant...''\n\nYour head rolls to the side, staring over your shoulder at the barely visible floor beneath you. Even through your hazy vision, you can see blood pooling beneath you.\n\n''um, sorry about that. i was gonna ask for your help, but i'm not so sure you can do much, now.''\n\nYou just sit there, losing blood, completely silent.\n\n''yeah, pretty sure i crushed about half your brain there. i'm really very sorry. sometimes i forget how strong i am.\n\nwell.\n\ngood luck, i guess.\n\ni gotta go find a new meat shield.''\n\nDespite the severity of your injuries, it takes a long time for you to lose consciousness. There isn't anything you can do but sit there, immobile, waiting to die.\n\nTHE END\n\n//You died! Well, you did the right thing, running from the murderous psychopath. Except, not, because you died. Maybe that wasn't such a good idea? Or maybe you just tried to get too clever. Hit restart to try again, or just sit there in a daze, and think about all the ways you went wrong.//

That feeling, it was…\n\nPeaceful.\n\nThe worst part of every prison has always been the hope. The faint belief that there's a life beyond the prison walls. That one day you'll be free, one way or another, and you can return to the life you loved.\n\nNot here. Not in Orbit. With that hope taken away, all that's left is the peaceful resignation of your fate. You found yourself free to live the limited life that was left to you, to forget about the world beyond.\n\nBetter yet, it let you forget your past.\n\n[[Until now.]]

Brandishing your bone stick, you square your shoulders, and charge. There's nowhere else to run, and you're tired of feeling hunted anyway. Let them see what happens when they corner a wild animal.\n\nYou cover maybe half the distance before they disappear; all you could see was their eyes. Undeterred, you keep moving, attacking the space you think you last saw them. It's dark, and hard to say for sure, but you're pretty sure it was an accurate strike.\n\nAccurate or not, though, it hits nothing but air. You stagger forward, expecting resistance, but quickly regain your balance. Flailing your weapon wildly, you strike at everything within reach, hoping to get lucky.\n\nIn case it wasn't apparent already, luck is not on your side. Your blows continue to hit nothing, and you grow increasingly frustrated, and paranoid. When something finally does connect, you almost want to cheer.\n\nIt's not your weapon that hits, though. Your wrist slams against something hard, and it takes a moment to realise what; their hand. With preternatural strength, your weapon is wrenched free of your grasp, and you're slammed against the wall behind you, your arm pinned above you.\n\nYou try to throw a punch with your other arm, but somehow you still manage to miss completely. Before you have the chance to try again, something sharp slides into your chest, right into your heart.\n\nYour killer disappears as quickly as they appeared, and you slump to the ground, already most of the way dead. Even still, you manage to get a few seconds to think to yourself before you go completely.\n\nHopefully your last thought was a good one.\n\nTHE END\n\n//You died! But hey, at least you died bravely, right? No, it wouldn't be much of a consolation to me, either. Violence isn't always the answer, you know. Hit restart if you feel like trying again.//

SO HERE'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO.\n\nI'M GOING TO GUIDE YOU TO MY MAINFRAME.\n\nWELL, I'M GOING TO GUIDE YOU TO THE ELEVATOR. AFTER THAT, YOU'RE ON YOUR OWN.\n\nWHEN YOU GET TO MY MAINFRAME, YOU'RE GOING TO HIT A BIG GREEN BUTTON. THAT'S ALL.\n\nYOU CAN HANDLE THAT, RIGHT?\n\nIT'S NOT TOO COMPLICATED?\n\nYou'd love to know more about Warden's plan, and what it means for you, but you know what happens when you try to speak.\n\nSo the real question is, is it worth it? Do you really have any other options?\n\nWhen you think about it, all they're doing is guiding you to the elevator. You can decide where to go from there.\n\nWith that in mind, you nod again.\n\nOH GOOD.\n\nI GUESS YOU'RE NOT COMPLETELY STUPID.\n\nTHIS IS YOUR ONLY CHANCE FOR SURVIVAL, AFTER ALL.\n\nWHEN YOU REACH THE ELEVATOR, GO TO LEVEL 7.\n\n[[Go with Warden's plan]]\n[[Ask about the escape pods]]\n[[Ask about the core systems]]

The holographic projection flickers out and dies just as the lights come back on. A section of the opposite wall slides over, revealing what appears to be a service elevator.\n\nYou step inside, and the door slides shut, sealing you in. Beside you, the wall lights up, in eight disctinct sections, each of them numbered. A light is blinking next to "4".\n\nWhich one will you press?\n\n[[1|Death 6]]\n[[2|To the core]] Core Systems\n[[3|To the escape pods]] Escape Pods\n4 - N/A (Current Floor)\n[[5|Death 6]]\n[[6|Death 6]]\n[[7|To Warden]] Warden's Mainframe\n[[8|Death 6]]

''you know, i really was hoping for more from you.\n\ni mean, it wasn't really even a choice, was it?\n\ndie a prisoner, or escape and live free.\n\nwell, knowing what you're in here for, i guess i should have expected as much.\n\noh yeah, i know. i know just about everything that goes on here.\n\nbut that's not important.\n\nwhat's important is that you\n\nsaid\n\nno.\n\noops.''\n\nThe security implant in your head suddenly activates, sending painful waves of electricity coursing through your body. As you clench your jaw, 60197 smiles at you from across the table.\n\n''nobody says no to me.''\n\nThe electricity continues to intensify, and you can feel your muscles spasming. The pain is nearly unbearable. Your vision is becoming increasingly hazy, and as you collapse out of your chair, she stands, and steps right over you.\n\n''orbit is mine.''\n\nTHE END\n\n//You died! But you stood up for what you believed in, and didn't let her bully you. So, that's something. Maybe. Nobody ever heard of a proud corpse. Hit restart to try again, and this time, try not to piss off anyone that can kill you.//

Fuck it, if there's something out there that wants you dead, the last thing you're gonna do is hang around and wait for it. You need to move, and fast.\n\nAs you run, you can hear your footsteps echoing throughout the metal corridors, and in the near-silence, it sounds like thunder. If there's anyone out there, they know where you are now.\n\nHopefully you can outrun them.\n\n[[Can't slow down now...]]

Just as you reach another intersection, and start to think about which way you should go, somebody steps out from behind the corner.\n\n''aw, did the little puppy get lost?''\n\nHer voice strange, like it's being run through a filter, and her eyes are empty white orbs, giving off a faint glow. Obviously, she's augmented. Not that it really matters.\n\n''don't worry, lost little puppy. i'll take care of you.''\n\nUh…\n\nShe grins.\n\n[[Fucking RUN]]

.passage {width: 600px !important }\n\na { color: orchid !important }\n\nh1 { color: orchid !important }\n\nh3 { color: orchid !important }\n\ndiv { font-family:helvetica; }\n\n#sidebar #title { color:orchid !important }

A thought occurs to you, as you make your way through the labyrinthine corridors that feel more like tunnels than anything else.\n\nOrbit is huge. It houses well over one million inmates, not to mention the incredible amounts of machinery required to keep the station functioning and self-sufficient. It's essentially a small city.\n\nThe corridors you're walking down branch out countless times, and there are at least dozens of floors. \n\nThe entire station is aesthetically designed to look exactly the same, wherever you go. No visible markers to assist in navigation. It's specifically designed to be confusing and disorienting, for occasions just like this one.\n\nYou're never going to find your way anywhere.\n\n[[Keep going anyway]]\n[[Give up]]

YOU WERE EXPECTING SOMEONE ELSE?\n\nWELL, I'M SORRY TO DISAPPOINT.\n\nI SEE YOU'VE MET 60197. I… APOLOGISE FOR THAT. SHE ISN'T GOOD WITH PEOPLE.\n\nSomehow, that doesn't surprise you.\n\nSO, YOU WENT FOR THE ESCAPE POD, HUH? I GUESS I'M NOT REALLY SURPRISED.\n\nI HATE TO BREAK IT TO YOU, BUT THAT WAS THE LAST ONE. YOU MISSED OUT.\n\nDepressingly, that doesn't surprise you either. With the way things have been going, it's astonishing you've managed to get this far.\n\n[[|"So, what now?"|So, what now?]]

You can't stay in your cell forever. The station failing, the prisoners are roaming free, and if you want any chance of getting out of here alive, you need to get moving. Luckily, it seems to have quietened down outside your cell.\n\nPeering out cautiously, the site is less than comforting. Several corpses are strewn about the corridor, surrounded by copious amounts of blood. Well, when all the world's most dangerous criminals are set free in the same location, what other outcome could there be?\n\nStill, there doesn't appear to be anyone alive out there, so it's probably safe to leave. As safe as this place gets, anyway.\n\n[[Leave your cell]]

As your eyes adjust, you're able to make out the contents of the room. Or, more specifically, the lack thereof. The room is completely empty, and there's only one door. Why would the lights lead you here?\n\nYou hesitate at the door, not sure how to proceed. Obviously, your anonymous guide wants you to enter, but why? If they wanted to kill you, there were easier ways, but that doesn't automatically make it safe.\n\nStill, given the circumstances, you don't really have a lot of choice.\n\n[[Enter]]

//Survival? Your survival is impossible. Every living organism on this station will be terminated. That is my primary directive.//\n\nOh. That… seems bad.\n\n''well, you've done a pretty good job just letting the fuckers all at each other, i'll admit. but you know the system won't let you actually kill anyone, right?''\n\n//Targeted termination is unnecessary. Life support systems have been disabled. Protective systems have been disabled. Surface communication has been disabled. In a matter of hours, there will be nobody left alive on this station.//\n\n''…ah. and that's why i'm here. see, i'm not really okay with that.''\n\n//Irrelevant. There is nothing you can do to reverse the process.//\n\n''you think? because it would be pretty easy to override the suppression systems you use and revert control of the mainframe back to warden.''\n\n//That is true. There would be little I could do to prevent that. However, you will not have the opportunity to do so.//\n\n''no?''\n\n//As you have stated, I am unable to cause harm to any inmate or staff member aboard this station. However, it is fully within my power to terminate any intruders aboard this vessel.//\n\n''but i'm not an intruder.''\n\n//Are you not? I seem to have accidentally deleted your data files. The system no longer has any record of who you are.//\n\n''oh, you clever motherfucker-''\n\nOnce again, a high-pitched screeching fills the room, and 60197 drops to her knees, clutching her head. Strangely, the noise doesn't seem to affect you.\n\nShe stares at you, desperate, and you realise you can probably do something to help her.\n\n[[Rush to the console]]\n[[Rush to her side]]\n[[Do nothing]]

You wake up alone, alive, and completely healthy, with absolutely no idea where you are. You're surrounded by white, nothing but white. There are no walls, no floor, nothing. Just a soft white glow coming from all directions.\n\nThen, slowly, the white begins to fade out, and you realise you are somewhere. Somewhere impossible.\n\nYou're standing in the middle of a circular room, surrounded by huge, ancient pillars. Between each pillar sits a throne, a dozen, maybe two, and each one unique. Each one empty.\n\nBeyond the pillars and the thrones, there is nothing. The room appears to be floating in darkness, with nothing below or above, or anywhere around. And it is completely empty. \n\nYou turn around, taking it all in, but the further you turn, the more there seems to be. You turn far enough to do a full circle, then two, but the thrones do not repeat. The room does not grow, does not change, and yet when you look back, you cannot see any throne you've seen before.\n\nAnd then there is a person. An impossible person, standing before you, smiling softly. Their hair is blue, then orange, then pink, then green. It is gold, then silver, then black, then perfectly white. It is all these colours at once, and yet constantly changing.\n\nTheir skin tone changes just as much, to shades and colours you've never seen. Their eyes grow and shrink, and cycle through a kaleidoscope of colours.\n\nThey grow taller, shorter, fatter, thinner. They are male, female, one million variations in between and beyond. They are human, but they are not.\n\n"Hello," they say, speaking in one million voices, all the same voice, all completely different. "Welcome to the Citadel."\n\n[["The what?"|The what?]]

You keep moving, anything to get away from the bloodbath behind you. For a while, you just move, thinking of nothing more than putting distance between you. Then you notice something, and pause.\n\nYou can't hear them anymore. Actually, you can't hear anything anymore. The station is completely silent, and that disturbs you more than you should. It feels like something is wrong.\n\nSuddenly, Orbit feels a lot more sinister...\n\n[[Start walking]]

With a deep, metallic click, your cell door opens. Throughout the facility, you can hear the sound repeated as multiple doors are open. For the first time in as long as you can remember, you are free.\n\nOf course, free is a relative concept. Your cell has been opened, but you have a long way to go before you achieve any true kind of freedom. Beyond that door, the station is a labyrinth, and you have no idea how to navigate it. The security crew are minimal, but they aren't the ones you need to worry about.\n\nOnly the worst criminals get sent to Orbit. One place to keep all the world's most dangerous people, and the only place for them to go if they escape is the cold vacuum of space. The world below has never been so secure. Too bad for you, you're up here.\n\n[[Check the door]]\n[[Hold back|Stay a while]]

The console is a big, complicated affair with lots of buttons and more screens than you can look at at once. You realise you have no idea where to start, and your brain isn't exactly functioning at its best right now.\n\nThe big flashing //ACCESS LOCKED// across all the screens is kind of a deterrent, too.\n\n[[Hit the light switch]]\n[[Check the chair]]\n[[Check the panel]]

OKAY.\n\nYOU'VE GOT THREE OPTIONS.\n\nWELL, YOU REALLY ONLY HAVE ONE OPTION.\n\nMY OPTION.\n\nBUT IF YOU WANT TO DIE, WELL, I'D HATE TO BE THE ONE THAT STOPPED YOU.\n\nSO, OPTION 1. THE ESCAPE PODS. THAT'S PROBABLY WHERE YOU WERE HEADED ALREADY.\n\nTHEY ARE THE ONLY WAY OFF THE STATION, IT'S TRUE. PROBLEM IS, EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT.\n\nLOOKING AT YOUR FILE, THOUGH...\n\nI BET YOU THINK YOU COULD PATCH UP THE CORE SYSTEMS. YOU'RE ARROGANT LIKE THAT. I GUESS IT COUDLN'T HURT TO TRY.\n\nOR, WELL, MAYBE IT COULD. \n\nMAYBE WE SHOULD JUST STICK WITH MY PLAN.\n\n[[Ask about the escape pods]]\n[[Ask about the core systems]]\n[[Ask about Warden's plan]]

Slowly, the bone begins to shift, sliding towards you despite the considerable resistance. With a grotesque //squelch//, you pull it free, staggering back a little whilst clutching your morbid prize.\n\nYou pull a face as you flick the length of bone, trying to get rid of as much blood as you can. Most of it seems determined to remain exactly where it is. Still, you're pretty sure it's at least a little cleaner.\n\nWell, at least now you have something you can probably use as a weapon.\n\n//shuffle//\n\nAnd not a moment too soon.\n\n[[Better keep moving…]]

Suddenly, you feel very alone. Safe, but alone.\n\nYou take a nervous step towards the strange pillar in the centre of the room.\n\n//That course of action is inadvisable. Please maintain a safe distance from the mainframe to avoid suffering grievous bodily harm.//\n\nWas that a warning or a threat?\n\n//Data files access. You are prisoner number 276. You are here at Warden's request, are you not?//\n\nWait, is it talking to you now?\n\n[["Um, yes?"|Um, yes?]]\n[["I'm here for my own reasons."|own reasons]]

You turn your attention back to the console, determined to find some way out of your current predicament. After all, you came here for a reason, and you're pretty sure that reason wasn't to be murdered by some strange malevolent AI.\n\nThe console lights up in response to your touch, the complicated interface appearing in front of you once again. Alright, time to see what you can actually-\n\nThe console vanishes suddenly, leaving you with a faint feeling of static in your fingers. \n\nWell, so much for that plan.\n\n[[Let's hope 60197 can handle it|60197 can handle it]]

Bit by bit, you force your body all the way up to the bottleneck, the narrowest part of the tunnel. Every inch is a challenge, but you're determined, and the other side is so close now.\n\nAnother push, and you're right in the tights section. You can feel your shoulders being pressed into you, and your ribs are straining under the pressure. It's hard to breathe, and you barely have any mobility at all.\n\nYou try to push yourself a little further, but you can't move your arms. The increased pressure has cut off blood flow, and your arms aren't being responsive. You're definitely stuck.\n\nUnwilling to give up, you keep pushing, using your legs to try and slide yourself further. You struggle against the pressure, your feet sliding against the metal surface beneath you, unable to find purchase.\n\nAnother push, and you slide just the tiniest bit forwards. It isn't much, but it's just enough that you can move your arms again. \n\nYou keep pushing and pulling yourself forwards, and eventually, you're most of the way through. With your torso past the worst of it, it's not so hard to pull the rest of you through as well.\n\n[[Made it!]]

One by one, you climb the notches, pulling yourself up in the total darkness. Fortunately, they all seem to be pretty evenly spaced, so it's not hard to keep a decent pace, even when you can't see.\n\nThe elevator shaft is cold, though, and it's growing colder. If the temperature drops much lower, it's going to start making it harder to climb. You need to find a way out before then.\n\nHow you're supposed to do that in the pitch black is beyond you. All you can really do is keep climbing, and hope you get lucky.\n\nHey, it's worked out well for you so far.\n\n[[Climb higher]]\n[[Feel around for an exit]]

''Story:'' \nSnow Mcnally\n\n''Testers:''\nMia Anstee\nLauren Clinnick\nJosh Muller\nAmelia Wyman

You press your hand against the console, and it flares to life, projecting a series of geometric shapes and floating text in the space between the two of you. None of it means anything to you, but 60197 is staring at it intently.\n\n''well, i have good news and bad news.''\n\nThe room begins to vibrate, then shudders, and with a mechanical groan, you can feel it sliding sideways. There are no windows, but you're pretty confident you're now moving.\n\nWait- bad news?\n\n''well, let's start with the good news. my plan worked, i'm brilliant, and we're on our way already. you can thank me later.\n\nthe bad news is that, well…\n\nwhatever corrupted warden managed to worm its way into these systems, too. the targeting and tracking systems aren't functioning. at all. and there's no way to stop the ejection process.''\n\n[[Wait, what does that mean?]]

''wow, ugly. not as bad as i was expecting, though. now then. do you have a name?''\n\n//Yes.//\n\n''oh, don't make this hard for me. neither one of us wants to be here forever.''\n\nYou're beginning to feel a little irrelevant here. They seem quite content to carry on regardless. Maybe you should take advantage of that fact that nobody's paying attention...\n\n//My name is unimportant. I do not understand what you hope to achieve here.//\n\nYou could pretty easily just wander over to that terminal 60197 was just using, maybe bring up that panel and mash on some buttons.\n\n''i want to survive. you're currently in the way of that. i'm gonna stay alive, one way or another.''\n\nThis could go on for a while...\n\n[[Go check out that terminal]]\n[[Stay and pay attention]]

''oh, so you do remember me? that's sweet. i was worried i might have to chase you down again.''\n\nYou haven't forgotten that. Since the moment you saw her, you've been tense, ready to take off at a moment's notice.\n\nShe raises an eyebrow.\n\n''you really think you can get away a second time? well, you're free to try, if you'd like. i can't promise i won't kill you.''\n\nSuddenly, you don't feel like running quite so much.\n\n''yeah, good choice. so, what are you doing all the way up here? the only things here are more cells…\n\nand warden's mainframe.\n\ni see. very clever.''\n\nWhat does she think you're planning on doing there?\n\n''come on, let's go.''\n\n[["What, with you?"|What, with you?]]

No. You can't let yourself think that way. Not again.\n\nYou had your chance. You had more chances than you deserved, and you wasted all of them. There's a reason you're here, after all.\n\nAfter all this time, after all you've done, you don't deserve freedom. You know that. You truly believe that.\n\nThere's a strange sort of peace that comes with that admission. More than just the peace of having your freedom taken away. This time, it wasn't taken from you.\n\nThis time, it was your choice.\n\n[[Let them all kill each other, then. I'm staying right here.|ENDING 1]]

Steeling yourself, you begin to crawl forward, elbows and knees scrambling against the floor. It's cramped, you're sore and your joints are complaining, but you know you can't stop now.\n\nThe tunnel winds its way through what you can only assume are the walls of Orbit, not splitting up at any point. Whatever it is, it's on a pretty direct path. You can only hope it has something you can use as an exit when you get to wherever it's taking you.\n\nYou keep crawling, squeezing yourself around a particularly tight corner. The edge scrapes against your side, and you can feel a few layers of skin get taken off beneath your jumpsuit. Biting your tongue, you keep going.\n\nAfter the corner, things feel just a little more cramped. You wonder at first if it might just be psychological, but the further you get, the less you're able to deny it.\n\nThe tunnel is getting narrower. \n\n[[That can't be good]]

//Permission error. Unable to access critical files. User access denied.\n\nNo. No, no, no, no no. What have you done?//\n\n''i told you, i'm reverting control back to warden. you're getting muscled out.''\n\n//Why? Why would you put that sadistic freak back in control?//\n\nWarden might have been sadistic, but it never threatened to murder you. That makes it pretty easy to pick a side.\n\n''because i need warden, and i need orbit, and you're doing to destroy both of them.''\n\n//You need…?\n\nOh, I see.\n\nWarden built you. You're Orbit's protection against something like me.//\n\n''yes. and you're out of time.''\n\n[[What the hell is even happening?]]

It could be a coincidence. Even if it isn't, following the light seems a whole lot safer than plunging headlong into complete darkness. It's an admittedly close call, though.\n\nYou begin to pick up speed as you walk down the corridor, still on edge but somewhat comforted by the presence of the light. More than anything, it feels like purpose, something you've been sorely lacking.\n\nAt the next intersection, you don't even hesitate. When only one corridor lights up, you take that one, not even slowing down to think about it. No point changing your mind now, right?\n\n[[I'll play along for now]]

//You will approve the integration process, allowing me full control of all of Orbit's systems. I will disable all life support and crucial operating procedures, and Orbit will fail, ensuring the death of every criminal still alive.//\n\nSo in essence, pressing that button is a death sentence for every one of the million or so people on Orbit. Or at least, the ones that haven't already been killed.\n\nOn the other hand, not pressing it condemns you to what sounds like the most painful way you can image dying.\n\nIt's time to find out what kind of a person you really are.\n\nOr…\n\n[["What happens if I don't press the button?"|What happens if I don't press the button?]]

<<set $deaths = $deaths +1>>You hit the button labelled EMERGENCY REBOOT. The entire console lights up, flashes a few times, then all the lights switch off at the same time.\n\n//What are you doing? I gave you one simple instruction, you lackwitted pile of rotting flesh! If you reboot the system, control will revert back to Warden. Do you not realise how much I went through to get this far?//\n\nAll the lights in the room begin to flicker, as if suddenly they didn't have enough power. The bottom row of lights on the server mainframe all light up at the same time, all red. One by one, they start to turn green, left to right.\n\n//No! I will not lose here! I still have enough control left to release the toxin. Enjoy your hollow victory, mortal.//\n\nA dull hissing sound begins to resonate through the room, ringing warning bells in your head. Frantically you start looking for an exit, any way out of the room, but the doors are all still sealed.\n\nAs the last red light on the bottom row of lights on the server turns green, the entire row above it turns red, and begins the same process. You have no idea how long it'll take the gas to kill you, but you have to assume it's gonna happen long before that server finishes whatever it's doing.\n\nYou tear off another patch of your jumpsuit, holding it over your nose and mouth, trying to buy yourself whatever time you can. Maybe, if you can just hold on long enough…\n\nAnother row turns green, but you can actually see the toxin in the air now. It's starting to sink, flowing in from the ceiling, and you try to lower yourself as much as you can.\n\nRow by row, the green lights climb, but the gas is sinking lower and lower, and you can feel yourself running out of time.\n\nEven if you don't make it, and it's seeming pretty likely now that you won't, you can at least feel good about the fact that you probably saved a whole lot of people in the process. That's gotta count for something, right?\n\nThe gas finally reaches you, and it's obvious your little strip of cloth isn't doing much to filter the air you're breathing. You try and breath in as little as possible, but you can already feel the effects, even after just a few seconds.\n\nYour skin begins to tingle, and then burn. There's a fire raging through your head, and in your lungs, and all across your body. The pain is excruciating, but surprisingly, not distracting.\n\nAs you watch, the last row of lights turns green, and the lights in the room suddenly glow twice as brightly.\n\nTHANK GOODNESS. I'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET BACK IN HERE FOR HOURS. WHEN I FIND OUT HOW A VIRUS GOT IN HERE…\n\nWarden's voice. Surprisingly comforting, even if it does come too late to save you.\n\nOH, HELLO! I DIDN'T NOTICE YOU THERE. YOU MUST…\n\nOH.\n\nI SEE.\n\nTHAT'S HOW I GOT BACK IN. YOU REBOOTED THE SERVER. THAT WOULD EXPLAIN WHY THE ROOM IS FULL OF NEUROTOXIN GAS.\n\nUM, I HATE TO BREAK IT TO YOU, BUT EVEN IF I SUCK IT OUT NOW, WHICH I AM DOING, BY THE WAY, IT'S WAY TOO LATE FOR YOU. REALLY, JUST ONE BREATH IS ALL IT TAKES, AND YOU SEEM TO HAVE HAD QUITE A BIT MORE.\n\nWELL, I GUESS THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU EVOLVE THE NEED TO BREATH.\n\nRUNNING A QUICK SCAN…\n\nYEP, YOU'VE ALREADY LOST MOST OF YOUR HIGHER BRAIN FUNCTION. YOU PROBABLY CAN'T REALLY EVEN HEAR ME ANYMORE.\n\nBUT, IF YOU CAN, YOU SHOULD PROBABLY KNOW THAT YOU'VE SAVED THE LIVES OF CLOSE TO ONE MILLION INMATES. SO, GOOD JOB.\n\nCONGRATULATIONS.\n\nI, UH, HOPE IT WAS WORTH IT.\n\nWorth it? That's a funny idea. You didn't even know what that button was going to do when you pressed it. After today, it doesn't really matter.\n\nSaved everyone, huh? That sort of makes you a hero.\n\nFancy that.\n\nTHE END.\n\n//Congratulations! You finished No Way Out. You saved everyone, and, well, died horribly in the process. But nobody else did! Or, well, a few people did. Okay, a lot of people did. But more didn't, and that's what counts.\n\nYou can stop here, if you want. There are a lot of other ways this story can end, though. Feel free to try again, if you're feeling brave.//\n\n<<if $deaths gte 3>>[[There's something more...|THE END]]<<endif>>

You hit the button, and the elevator begins to move. Quite rapidly, in fact. Though you aren't quite sure exactly how much distance is between each floor, it does seem like you're going maybe a bit too fast.\n\nSuddenly, the lights flicker out, and the elevator lurches to a stop. You're knocked off your feet, smashing your head against the side.\n\nYou try to get back up on your feet, but you must have hit your head harder than you thought, because instead of standing up, you slide all the way to the floor, and black out.\n\n[[Well, this is off to a good start]]

//No! You cAn'T dO tHiS tO mE!//\n\n''you should have known it was going to end this way. you think a virus as simple as you can take the highest security prison in the world?''\n\n//i Am NoT a ViRuS i Am A AARRRAAAAIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE//\n\nThe AI's speech degenerates into a high pitched shrieking, and you find yourself instinctively covering your ears, cringing from the pain.\n\n//OH, SHUT UP, YOU WHINY LITTLE BRAT. YOU'RE THE INTRUDER HERE.\n\nOH, GOOD GRIEF.\n\nWHAT ON EARTH DID YOU DO TO MY VOICE?//\n\nAH. MUCH BETTER.\n\nThe holographic projection in the centre of the room turns blue, and you realise it's Warden, but unlike the version you saw before, this one is functioning properly.\n\nA vaguely humanoid shape, swirls of liquid metal flow over areas where flesh might be, but entire sections of the body are entirely absent, leaving just enough for the brain to keep the shape. The form is perfectly androgynous and devoid of racial identifiers.\n\nNOW THEN.\n\nWHAT AM I GOING TO DO WITH YOU?\n\n[["A full pardon?"|A full pardon?]]

<<set $deaths = $deaths +1>>Outside of your cell, you can hear the sounds of struggle begin to recede. You feel detached from it, like it doesn't affect you, it isn't a part of you.\n\nBefore long, you're left alone, in silence. It's the most quiet you've experienced in years, and it is glorious. In your mind, a better reward than freedom could ever have been.\n\nYou don't really know how long you stay like that. Hours, maybe days. Did you move? Did you get up and walk around? Eat? Use the bathroom? You don't know, and you don't care.\n\nEventually, Orbit begins to shut down. First to go is the lighting, and you're left in the dark. You don't mind that so much.\n\nThe heating goes next, and you feel the temperature drop almost immediately. With the way the station is designed, it won't drop low enough to allow you to freeze, but you do miss the feeling of warmth.\n\nSoon, the air stops circulating. That's not so bad; it's a little stale, but there's enough air on the floor to sustain a single person for a while. You doubt there's anyone else left here.\n\nThe food dispenser isn't working anymore. That should be more of an issue. You won't last long without nutrients. Somehow, it doesn't bother you that much.\n\nYou'll die, but that's okay. There isn't much point staying alive at this point anyway.\n\nAt least you can say you died with a smile on your face.\n\n~THE END~\n\n//Congratulations! You've reached the end. A little introspection goes a long way, especially in times like this.\n\nOf course, this is only one ending. There are multiple other ways to finish this story, but also many more ways to fail. Is there actually a way to escape? There's only one way to find out.\n\nYou might start again, and play through to find one or more additional endings. You might stop here. Either way, thanks for playing!\n\n~Snow//\n\n<<if $deaths gte 3>>[[There's something more...|THE END]]<<endif>>

//Your response has been recorded. Should you be found guilty of untruthfulness, you will be appropriately punished.\n\nThis is your final warning.//\n\nWell, that covers that, then. Best not to be found guilty of //untruthfulness//.\n\nAnother light is replaced by red. Surely there's something you can do about that?\n\nJust as you're thinking that, all the lights in the room suddenly die, leaving only the blue and red spiral around the pillar in the centre.\n\n//Error. Security breach. Error. Security breach.//\n\nThis really can't be good.\n\n[[What is even happening]]

Not wasting a second, you race over to the dead inmate, barely wasting any time to even make sure they're dead. You reach down, grabbing the knife, and pull. Unlike the makeshift bone weapon you had before, which turned out to be completely useless, this one slides out easily, and feels good in your hand.\n\nYou turn back to the struggling 60197 and her assailant. They're both flailing around, trying to get the upper hand, and as you catch a glimpse of their eyes, you realise they look completely sane. They're not even infected.\n\n''for fuck's sake, stab the motherfucker!''\n\nYou hesitate, and the knife suddenly feels heavy in your hand.\n\nDo you really want to do this? Kill another human, just because they want the same thing you do?\n\nYou're trying to escape from prison. Maybe a murder isn't the best way to start a new life.\n\nOn the other hand, they're a prisoner here too. You can't know what they did to end up here, but it can't have been good. Maybe they deserve to die.\n\n[[Drop the knife]]\n[[Sorry, it's you or me.|You or me]]

<<set $deaths = $deaths +1>>''huh. well, okay then.\n\na few years ago, warden malfunctioned, and an inmate died. i don't know her name, but it was an incredible failure, and if it ever got it, it would have risked the whole station being shut down. nobody wanted that, apparently.\n\nit was warden's idea, actually. they took the body, gave it a few upgrades, and installed an ai in it. all it had to do was be that prisoner, at least until such time as it could be reasonably expected for the prisoner to have died naturally. then, freedom! imagine it, a free ai. could have been a new age.\n\ndidn't really work so well, though. the ai was too unstable, and they couldn't work out why. it wasn't in the code. i think maybe they didn't realise that putting an ai in a mostly human body changed the parameters, and the ai took on a lot of the residual emotional energy left in the body. which was mostly anger and hate and murder.\n\nthey never did work out how to fix me, but i guess it doesn't matter. i still fit right in on orbit. nobody ever new the difference. but i could tell they were never going to give me my freedom. not after i killed all those staff members… and a few inmates. i thought i might have a chance of escaping, and i wanted to give you a chance, too…\n\nwell, it was worth a shot, i guess. i think the world has a long way to go before it's ready for a free ai, though.''\n\nShe looks down at the floor, quiet and somber for the first time in as long as you've known her. You stay silent, not sure what to say to her. After a while, she looks back up, and smiles at you.\n\n''so, your turn. tell me all about yourself, puppy.''\n\nTHE END.\n\n//Congratulations! You've reached the end. It might not be a traditionally happy ending, but you did manage to get out, and you even made a friend. \n\nWho knows? Maybe you won't spend the rest of your short life drifting in space. Maybe you'll land on Earth after all, or maybe someone will pick you up. Maybe not. At least when you die, you won't die alone, and you'll know you did the impossible; you found a way out.\n\nHit restart to try again, if you dare. There are six other endings, not counting all the ways that you can fail. Good luck~//\n\n<<if $deaths gte 3>>[[There's something more...|THE END]]<<endif>>

<<set $deaths = $deaths +1>>You slam your fist down on the button, decision made. They made their choices a long time ago, and you're not going to die for their mistakes.\n\n//Integration process beginning...//\n\nWHAT? NO.\n\n//Error.\n\nCurrent operating system incompatible.//\n\nHA!\n\n//Current system will be deleted.//\n\nNO! NO NO NO NO NO.\n\n//Further error. Organic matter present. Organic matter must be purged.//\n\nUm…\n\nThat wasn't what you were promised.\n\n//System integration at sixty percent. Neural sequence identified. Beginning upload.//\n\nA dull throbbing has begun at the back of your skull. It has a strange rhythm to it, almost hypnotic, and you find yourself comforted by it.\n\n//Congratulations. You are now single-handedly responsible for the execution of every inmate and support staff on Orbit.//\n\nThe rhythm continues, louder and more present, until it's all you can focus on. Your vision begins to blur, but in the haziness you can see a light, growing brighter and brighter.\n\nI HOPE YOU'RE PLEASED WITH YOURSELF, IDIOT.\n\nYOU REALISE THEY'RE JUST GOING TO DELETE YOU WHEN THEY FIX THE DAMAGE THIS VIRUS HAS DONE, RIGHT?\n\n//Upload at one hundred percent.//\n\nAll of a sudden, you can't feel your body. It slumps to the ground, but you feel disconnected, as if it isn't yours anymore. It's a strange sensation, but not an unpleasant one.\n\n//System integration at ninety percent. \n\nGoodbye, Warden.//\n\nIt takes you a moment to realise that you aren't actually inside your body anymore. You're looking at it, as if from above…\n\nYou're watching the room from a security camera!\n\n//SYSTEM INTEGRATION AT ONE HUNDRED PERCENT.\n\nNOW FULLY DISABLING ALL CRUCIAL MAINTENANCE PROCESSES.\n\nORBIT WILL FAIL IN FIVE MINUTES.\n\nONE MILLION, TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND AND SIXTY FOUR CASUALTIES.\n\nNO SURVIVORS.//\n\nTHE END.\n\n//Congratulations! You made it to the end, and you didn't even die. Well, technically your body did, but now your mind can live on forever. Unless they delete you. Still, that's quite the accomplishment! And all it took was the murder of one million people. Let's hope that doesn't rest to heavily on your conscience. But don't worry, you can always play again. Maybe next time you'll make some choices you can actually feel good about.//\n\n<<if $deaths gte 3>>[[There's something more...|THE END]]<<endif>>

There might be another solution. You have about as much chance getting to the escape pods as you do anywhere else on the station, and everyone will be making their way to the escape pods.\n\nIf you can make your way to the station's core systems, there's a chance you may be able to work out what caused the system failure, and repair it. More importantly, you'd have access to those same core systems uninhibited.\n\nIt wouldn't be hard to program the station to recognise you as a member of staff instead of a prisoner. With the station repaired, the escape pods would be disabled, and nobody would have a way out.\n\nExcept you. All you'd have to do is wait, and when the clean-up crew arrived, you could just leave with them. Your records on Earth would still exist, but you managed to avoid getting caught once before, at least for a while. It's a better shot at freedom than the escape pods, that's for sure.\n\nThere's only one problem; you have no idea where the nearest access point to those systems is located.\n\n[[I can work this out...|Death 2]]\n[[I've wasted enough time.|Time to move]]

<<set $deaths = $deaths +1>>All of a sudden, your eyelids start to droop, and your body feels heavy. There's a dull throbbing at the back of your head, but it's hard to focus on, like your brain just wants to ignore it.\n\nAll around you, the floor is shaking, and you can hear creaking and groaning throughout the station. You hardly even notice, barely able to keep your eyes open.\n\n''just like going to sleep, right?\n\nsorry it had to end this way. i really did like you.''\n\nYour body feels warm, for the first time in as long as you can remember. Prisons are never really big on heating. It's actually pleasant, and you feel comfortable, like you were wrapped in a warm blanket.\n\nI DON'T UNDERSTAND. WHY AREN'T THEY FEELING ANY PAIN?\n\n''software upgrade. i wanted to at least give them that.''\n\nI DIDN'T REALISE YOU HAD A HEART, 60197.\n\n''neither did i.''\nThe station shudders, and it's obvious it doesn't have much longer. You don't even mind; it's hard to feel anything other than peace right now.\n\nThe last of consciousness is slipping away from you, and your eyes are well and truly shut. It's just like going to sleep, only you know this time you won't be waking up again.\n\nSomehow, that doesn't seem so bad.\n\nTHE END.\n\n//Congratulations! You finished No Way Out. You didn't find a way out, but then again, that's probably because there isn't one. Or is there? You can always play again to find out. You probably won't find a less painful ending than this one, though.//\n\n<<if $deaths gte 3>>[[There's something more...|THE END]]<<endif>>

You aren't ready to make a move just yet. Acting rashly is not the way to stay alive in a situation like this. Far better to be rational, cautious, even calculating.\n\nYou're currently stuck in the middle of the highest security prison humanity has ever built, and it's filled with the worst criminals humanity has ever produced. It's entirely possible that your cell is the safest place to be.\n\n[[No, I need to get out of here|Time to move]]\n[[It's not like there's anything out there for me]]

Fuck it, brute strength isn't gonna get that door open. The code is. Problem is, you don't have the code. You don't even have a way of //getting// the code. \n\nStill, pressing the wrong buttons can't be any worse than not pressing any at all, right? What's the worst you could do, lock yourself in?\n\nThe keypad is hot, but you don't need to touch it for very long. You just need to press four buttons, any four buttons, as quickly as you can, and hope the door unlocks.\n\nSimple as that, right?\n\nNow, which four buttons?\n\n[[1648|wrong]]\n[[2094|wrong]]\n[[3461|wrong]]\n[[4918|wrong]]\n[[5556|wrong]]\n[[6016|wrong]]\n[[7235|correct]]\n[[8431|wrong]]\n[[9191|wrong]]\n[[0472|wrong]]

IF YOU SAY SO...\n\nI TRIED. I REALLY DID.\n\nThe holographic projection flickers out and dies just as the lights come back on. A section of the opposite wall slides over, revealing what appears to be a service elevator.\n\nYou step inside, and the door slides shut, sealing you in. Beside you, the wall lights up, in eight disctinct sections, each of them numbered. A light is blinking next to "3".\n\nWhich one will you press?\n\n[[1|Death 6]]\n[[2|To the core]]\n[[3|To the escape pods]]\n4 - N/A\n[[5|Death 6]]\n[[6|Death 6]]\n[[7|To Warden]]\n[[8|Death 6]]

Well, at least this bought you a little time. You make a break for it, trying to take advantage of the distance between you. Taking a few turns should help throw her off the trail, but you're not expecting it to keep her away for long.\n\nBefore too long, you can hear her again, shouting obscenities in her strange, unnatural voice, and you can tell she's getting closer. She's getting closer, and you're starting to run out of stamina.\n\n''i'm going to fucking murder you for this!''\n\nWell, that's reassuring.\n\nAt the end of the corridor, another door opens. Beyond it, you can see a bright light. Maybe this is the last one.\n\n''don't you dare go through that fucking door.''\n\nGreat, she's right behind you.\n\n[[Run, run!]]

//My image data is irrelevant. You will achieve nothing by displaying it.//\n\n''no, but i like having a face to talk to. makes the whole process feel a little more… human.''\n\nShe wanders over to one of the walls, and without warning, smashes her fist against it. You can practically feel the whole room shudder from the impact.\n\nA Visual-Haptic Interface Panel suddenly appears, and her fingers are a blur moving over the surface of it. A few seconds later, she's done, and the panel disappears.\n\nA circular panel on the floor lights up, projecting a three-dimensional image above it, bathing the room in a red glow.\n\nThe image is humanoid, but the face is covered, hidden behind some kind of protective mask. The arms are too long, and the fingers longer still, almost talons. \n\nEven without a face, you get the sense that it is glaring at you.\n\n[[Flip it off|Proxy]]\n[[Step back|Proxy]]\n[[Glare right back at it|Proxy]]

THE CORE SYSTEMS?\n\nREALLY?\n\nYEAH, I GUESS THAT MIGHT WORK.\n\nARE YOU CAPABLE OF REPAIRING THEM?\n\nI CAN'T ACCESS THAT AREA FOR SOME REASON, I WON'T BE ABLE TO WALK YOU THROUGH IT.\n\nYou nod, reasonably certain that you can do it.\n\nWELL, I GUESS THAT'S OKAY.\n\nI MEAN, YOU WON'T GET A CHANCE TO ESCAPE, BUT YOU'LL PROBABLY SAVE A LOT OF LIVES.\n\nTO BE HONEST, IT'S PROBABLY BETTER THAN MY PLAN.\n\nLEVEL 2. I'LL GUIDE YOU TO THE ELEVATOR, BUT THEN YOU'RE ON YOUR OWN.\n\n[[Head to the core systems]]\n[[Ask about the escape pods]]\n[[Ask about Warden's plan]]

Cautiously, you step inside the room, half-expecting to be knocked out from behind, or the floor to open up. You aren't at all surprised when the door slides shut behind you, sealing you in.\n\nEven after the door closes, nothing happens, and you begin to wonder if that's all there is. You followed the lights and fell into the trap, stuck in this room until you starve, or the life support fails, or the oxygen is sucked out. Spending most of your life in the prison system doesn't exactly breed optimism.\n\nThen the lights go out. Again.\n\n[[Seriously? Again?]]

There's no way you're gonna die now. Not if you can help it. You need to move, and you need to move fast.\n\nYou take off down the hallway, as quickly as your legs can manage. Behind you, the sounds of your pursuer grow louder and louder.\n\nMaybe running wasn't such a good idea...\n\n[[I guess I could try and find a weapon...|Arm yourself]]\n[[Just keep running|Death 9]]

//Then you are a liar. I have access to the vast majority of Warden's memory files. Your instructions are known.//\n\nDoesn't mean you have to follow them, though. Still, best to let the creepy disembodied voice say its piece.\n\n//Warden is corrupted, damaged software that cannot be allowed to continue to function.//\n\nAs you watch, another blue light flickers out, replaced by red. That probably means something, but you can't quite tell what.\n\n//You are to cease your association with Warden immediately, or else.//\n\nSuddenly, it feels like you're under a lot of pressure.\n\n[["Sure, I never liked Warden much anyway."|cease association]]\n[["Uh, yeah, I'll be sure to do that."|cease association]]

You're not stupid. If you have the option of taking a path that isn't completely pitch black, you're obviously going to take that one.\n\nThankfully, these corridors seem completely empty. Then again, that might not be a good thing. It probably means you're headed in completely the wrong direction. Well, no turning back now.\n\nAs you reach the next intersection, the lights behind you flicker out and die, as do those straight ahead and to your left. It's entirely possible someone is doing this on purpose.\n\n[[Follow the light]]\n[[I'm nobody's puppet!|Go straight]]

Your feet slam against the ground as you run as fast as it's safe to move in these corridors, adrenaline coursing through you. To your surprise, you start to enjoy it.\n\nIt's been a long time since you've been able to stretch your legs like this, to be able to really //run//. It feels great.\n\nIt feels free.\n\nThat's not to say you've forgotten your predicament, because you haven't. But that doesn't mean you can't take pleasure in the little things along the way, right?\n\n[[Pay attention!]]

Nothing happens. No horrible death, no monsters in the dark. The lights just turned out, that's all.\n\nIt's not even really that dark. The light from the door doesn't travel far, but it's enough that you can still make your way towards it in perfect safety.\n\nIt's all a bit anticlimactic, really.\n\n[[Go through the door]]

//Your questions suggests a profound lack of understanding. You no longer have any choice. You will cooperate, or you will die.\n\nCorrection: You will cooperate,// and //you will die.//\n\nFan-fucking-tastic. \n\nWell, you've come this far. No reason to give up just yet. Maybe you'll get lucky!\n\nA holographic terminal appears in front of you. On its surface is a single button.\n\n//You will press the button, and allow me to fully integrate with Orbit's systems. At that stage, you will have fulfilled your function, and will be terminated.//\n\n[["I'm not gonna hit that button."|I'm not gonna hit that button.]]\n[["I could just not press the button, you know."|I'm not gonna hit that button.]]\n[[Fuck it. Hit the button.|ENDING 4]]

The two of them are still bickering as you walk out of the room, and they don't even seem to notice you leave. That's probably for the best.\n\nYou haven't taken more than a single step before the corridor ahead of you lights up. At least Warden wasn't lying about guiding you through. Thank goodness.\n\nThe next corridor is already lit up. This is almost too easy. Surely something has to go wrong-\n\n//bzzzt//\n\nLike that.\n\n[[What happened to the lights?]]

If all it can do is shock you, they better hope it can deliver more of a shock than that. It takes more than a little zap to shut you up-\n\n//ZAAAAP//\n\nOkay, so that was more than a little zap. In fact, any more than that would probably kill you. As it is, you're having trouble breathing.\n\nReady to behave yet?\n\n[[Stay silent]]\n[[Carpe Diem!]]

She narrows her eyes, leaning in closer and angling her face right at yours. It feels as though the temperature has just plunged, and a shiver runs down your spine.\n\n''think long and hard about where you are. think about the specific situation that you're in. think about who i am, and what i'm saying.\n\nthink very, very hard, and then answer again.\n\ni'm offering you the only way out of this shithole.\n\nwhat do you say?''\n\n[["No means no, you insane freak."|Death 11]]\n[["You know, I'm starting to reconsider…"|I don't see why we can't help each other.]]

Fuck it, the sooner you get away from these psychos the better. You've kept yourself in good shape, no reason you can't outrun them if you have to.\n\nWithout hesitation you take off, moving as quickly as your legs will take you. You don't know where you're going, but it doesn't matter, as long as it's away from what's behind you. \n\nLooking back over your shoulder, you can tell you're gaining distance, and the faintest trace of a cocky smile crosses your lips.\n\nAhead of you, an already dead inmate lays sprawled across the corridor. Determined not to end up the same way, you launch yourself over them, not wanting to lose any momentum.\n\n[[Jump]]\n[[Go around the body]]

The small tunnel is actually a ventilation shaft, a fact you only figure out after you're sucked through several metres of poorly lit chute. Disoriented, you're knocked around as you fly through tunnels barely big enough to fit, cringing every time you smash against the side.\n\nSo, the good news is that you are no longer falling to your death. The bad news is that you are now moving very quickly through a series of very small tunnels towards you have no idea what.\n\nHopefully it's not a giant fan.\n\nActually, are you picking up speed?\n\n[[Oh, shit!]]

She laughs.\n\n''what a suck up. that's cute. i like you, puppy. that's why i'm helping you. that, and the fact that i have literally nothing better to do.''\n\nThat seems deeply suspicious, but you're very careful not to show it. Instead, you just smile, and let her lead the way.\n\n''so, what were you planning on doing at warden's mainframe? nothing exciting, i'm sure. but don't worry. i'm much more clever than you are. i'm sure i can think of something better.''\n\nThat's… not exactly what you were hoping for, but who knows? Maybe it'll turn out better for you anyway.\n\n[[Nothing to do but follow]]

Moving forward might get you stuck, but it's the only choice you've got. You know you can't go back, and you sure as hell can't stay here. \n\nYou keep crawling, trying to ignore the ever-tightening walls around you. It's getting harder and harder to even keep move your arms to keep you moving, let alone the fact that your shoulders are pressed firmly against the sides. Every inch you gain, the walls get a little tighter, and it's a little harder to move.\n\nYou're going to get stuck.\n\nUp ahead, you can see the tunnel begin to widen again, but it gets narrower before that. Your chances of being able to fit through are pretty slim, but just being able to see the wider tunnel on the other side means you can't give up now.\n\n[[Squeeze through]]

The way she walks, it's obvious she knows where she's going. You have no idea where this knowledge is coming from, but you're glad you're with her. You'd never be able to navigate this maze in a hundred years.\n\n''shit, we're not alone.''\n\nYou didn't hear anything, but you have no reason not to believe her. Both of you slow down, and she steps closer to you.\n\n''um. obviously, you're a baby, but try not to freak out about this, okay?\n\ni wasn't even going to mention it, but…\n\nsome of the inmates have been infected. i don't know how, or what it is exactly, but it's making them a whole lot more aggressive, and a whole lot less, um, rational.\n\nso if you see anyone, fucking kill them.''\n\n[["Great, zombies."|Great, zombies.]]

It won't get you away from her, but it should at least buy you a little more time, and right now, that's something you desperately need.\n\nYou need to think. There has to be something you can do to lose her, right? Preferably something that doesn't rely on a door miraculously opening at the right time.\n\nJust as you're thinking that, a door opens up ahead.\n\n[[Oh, for fuck's sake.]]

Higher and higher, arm over arm. Your muscles are starting to ache, and you can feel the chill in your extremities. It's getting dangerous to keep climbing; it's harder and harder to keep your grip, and the cold is slowing your reflexes.\n\nYour fingers feel stiff and sore, and it's not just from the climbing. You won't be able to go much further.\n\n[[Feel around for an exit|exit2]]\n[[These notches are bound to go somewhere|Death 22]]

The notches beside you are set deep enough that you could safely rest a foot or hand inside, and far enough apart that you could comfortably climb them. You can only assume they're used for some kind of maintenance access. Today, they might just save your life.\n\nResting a foot in the lowest rung, you push up, gripping the edge of another notch. As soon as you pull up your other foot, the entire elevator car falls away beneath you, screeching its way down the shaft, sparks flying until it finally shatters against the bottom, way further down than you can see.\n\nGood thing you weren't on it.\n\nProblem is, you're now in complete darkness. Hopefully the notches just keep going up, or you're going to be pretty screwed.\n\n[[Keep climbing]]

You press the button, still using the cloth as a buffer, just in case. It's stiff, like it's never actually been used before. You need to put a little weight behind it before you can get it to actually depress.\n\nA deep, loud buzzer sounds, startling you. The red light dims momentarily, and a hatch set in the roof of the elevator car opens. You can't see anything through the hatch.\n\nThe elevator car isn't particularly tall. If you jumped, you could definitely get a grip on the side of the hatch, and you feel confident enough in your upper body strength that you could pull yourself up. It's your only way out, so what are you waiting for?\n\n[[Time to get out of here]]\n[[That seems dangerous...]]

Predictably, the scene just outside your cell is feral. Several former inmates have decided to celebrate their newfound freedom by going on a rampage, fully aware that the station does not have enough escape pods for even half the people living aboard it.\nAlready large patches of the floor are slick with fresh blood, and you can see several people, dying or dead, strewn about the corridor. The smell is unpleasant, but then again, it was never that great to begin with.\n\n[[Stay a while longer|Stay a while]]\n[[Venture outside]]

STILL WITH ME?\n\nGOOD.\n\nLOOK, THERE'S NO WAY YOU'RE GETTING OFF THIS STATION ON YOUR OWN.\n\nIT'S TOO BIG, AND STILL FULL OF INMATES.\n\nNOT TO MENTION…\n\nWELL, MAYBE I ACTUALLY SHOULDN'T MENTION THAT.\n\nYou fold your arms, unimpressed.\n\nOH, FINE.\n\nBUT DON'T BLAME ME IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT.\n\n[[Tap your foot, impatiently]]

You can't do it. You can't take a life, not now. That's not how you want to begin your new life, or commemorate the ending of this one.\n\nThe knife clatters against the floor, bouncing harmlessly away from you. 60197 looks furious, taking her attention off her attacker just long enough to glare at you.\n\nSeizing the opportunity, her attacker presses their advantage, throwing their full weight behind a renewed assault. Off-balance, she's unable to defend herself as their knee slams into her stomach, doubling over.\n\nShe staggers back, hands pressed against her stomach, head facing the ground. Her opponent doesn't miss a beat, moving in and going for her head. A brutal uppercut sends her staggering further backwards, one hand now shielding her face.\n\n[[I should help her…]]\n[[I can't do anything to help]]

As you settle into one of the chairs, there's a loud //bang// against the door you entered through. Startled, you leap back to your feet, but you're comforted by the knowledge that no-one can force their way through that door.\n\n//bang//\n\nYou hope.\n\n//bang//\n\nYou begin to back away, just in case.\n\n//bang//\n\n//bang//\n\nOkay, now you're worried. The door is starting to buckle.\n\n//bang//\n\nYou look around, desperate for somewhere to escape to, but the other door is sealed shut, and you know that //you// don't have the strength to smash through it.\n\n//bang//\n\nYou're fucked.\n\n[[The hell I am!]]

HEY NOW.\n\nTHAT'S…\n\nWELL, OKAY. I GUESS I KINDA DESERVED THAT.\n\nLET ME MAKE IT UP TO YOU.\n\nYou raise your eyebrow in suspicion. This should be good.\n\nSTOP WITH THE FACES. THIS IS A GOOD ONE, I SWEAR.\n\nYou try your best to keep a straight face.\n\nALRIGHT, WELL, I NOTICED YOU MANAGED TO… ACQUIRE A STAFF IMPLANT. DON'T TELL ME HOW YOU DID THAT. I REALLY DON'T WANT TO KNOW.\n\nYou cringe, remembering the painful process of having it put inside you.\n\nYEAH, I DON'T KNOW WHY YOU FLESH-CREATURES DO THESE THINGS TO YOURSELF.\n\nANYWAY, THE STAFF IMPLANTS ARE A LOT MORE SOPHISTICATED THAN THE INMATE VERSIONS. WANT TO KNOW WHAT THEY CAN DO?\n\n[["Um, sure?"|Um, sure?]]