Dialogue and descriptions from The Longest Journey by Funcom - Transcript compiled by Bluejay, slightly modified by me
Monday, August 7th, 2209.
I'm in space. In space! Can you believe that? The trip here went pretty smoothly, all things considered, and my B/M colonist's outfit looks pretty sweet on me, believe it or not. But enough with the kidding around, I got a job to do. I need to get away from these colonists before I actually get shipped to some far-off planet. Then I need to rescue the Guardian from wherever it is he's being kept, and together we have to get out there, into space, and open up the wormhole. Once we're inside the Guardian's Realm, we're home free. I hope.
Most of the Bokamba 8 colonists sat in the transit hall, looking tired and lost .
April:
(looking at the shops in the upper storeys) Restaurants, stores, casino, bars -- all designed to squeeze those last, precious few dollars out of the colonists' pockets. Well, at least they won't be needing money where they're going. It's all a big money trap. That's the only reason they keep the colonists waiting here for at least six to eight hours, to maximize their spending potential. (A magnificent view of the Earth was visible at the large window at the end of the hall) Earth. I didn't know it could look so beautiful and peaceful. (At the other end, near the terminal exit, were piled the colonists' baggage) If you got more than one suitcase, this is where you have to dump it. The bastards probably raid the contents and sell it to the stores after clearing the hall. (Standing at the exit was an armoured personnel) A station guard, keeping the colonists out of "restricted areas". In other words, making sure we don't get out of this hall.
It looked like she would have to look for other means of exiting the hall. The ladies' toilet might have one. However, the door to the toilet refused to open.
April:
Locked. It's locked! There are three hundred women here, and the ladies' room is locked? Good God. (That left her with the only choice left) That's the men's room, a realm of great mystery and foul odours. This is one journey I'd prefer not to embark on. Deep breath, try not to breathe...
There was no one in the men's room, fortunately. It was as dirty as she thought it would be. The sinks lwere a nightmare. She shuddered to think what was been done in those. Everything looked rusty, except for a dispenser.
April:
"Instant Heat -- For That Special Moment When Manly Vigor Is Required...Fast!" Hah! Their secret revealed. (Might come in useful though. She hit the button)
Dispenser:
To purchase Instant Heat, the Number One Source of Manly Vigor, please insert a cash or credit chip now.
There should be some money left in her card, enough for the purchase anyway.
Dispenser:
Thank you for purchasing Instant Heat, the Number One Source of Manly Vigor. Please be advised that excessive use of Instant Heat, the Number One Source of Manly Vigor, can cause involuntary spasms and discharge.
The stalls were not worth looking at but there seemed to be something behind one of the garbage cans. She pushed it out of the way to get a better look.
April:
I feel like I'm spending my entire life pushing trash from one place to another. Weirdest thing, that. Hey, lookie It's a hole in the wall, cleverly concealed. You gotta hand it to them, they know security. (She tried the cover on the hole) It's a grill, covering what looks like a narrow passage. It's screwed tight. Curse the day I traded away my screwdriver! (She rummaged in her pack, something with a edge like a screwdriver should do, and came up with the last iron coin from her salary as a delivery boy for the map merchant in Arcadia. The coin was sadly bent out of shape when she had unscrewed the grill. She peered through the hole) There's a light at the end of the tunnel. Looks like it leads into a large ventilation or service duct of sorts.
She crawled through and emgered into the service duct with enough headroom. There was a small screen that showed the layout of the service ducts. A surveillance camera was just outside the hatch of service duct one, facing the other way fortunately. Service duct two led to the HQ surveillance room. Unfortunately, there was a station guard present, playing solitaire on a terminal so she could not exit the hatch. He took a long draught from the coffee mug in front of him. That and the bank of security screens on the left gave her an idea. Returning to the surveillance camera, she pulled out the optical cable linking it to the station feed. The station guard immediately investigated the loss of signal.
Station Guard:
What's going on? Who's there? (She quickly crawled into the service duct) Hey, hold on! Stop right there!
In the security room, she dumped one of the Instant Heat pills she bought at the men's toilet dispenser into the coffee mug. Spiking the guard's coffee with a bit of synthetic loving should empty the room for some time.
April:
Is one enough? Ah, what the hell, I'll use all of them, just in case. It's not as if I'm gonna be needing them myself.
The station guard returned.
Station Guard:
What the heck are you doing in here? This is a restricted area! You're going back into the pen with the other colonists, missy!
Before long, she was back at the hall. Once the station guard was out of sight, she returned to the service ducts via the men's room and back to the hatch at service duct two. She waitied patiently. The station guard gulped another mouthful from his coffee mug. The pills began to take effect.
Station Guard:
This doesn't taste right... I feel... Mary, Mother of God, I really feel -- God damn! Madam Joy's Pleasure Suites on the Promenade had better be opened! This constitues an emergency!
After he had gone, she exited the hatch. A large screen displayed a detailed station map. There was the rest area, cargo bay, cell block and airlock. All except the rest area were lit, indicating the presence of station guards. She scrutinized the computer terminal.
April:
Hmmm, I think this is a registry of all the prisoners on the station... Let's see... Yeah. Cell block registry. Cell number one, Agasty Brien. Cell two, Ruth Pawani. Cell three, Morgan Enger. Cell four, Hammer Hansen. Cell five, "Ref: G. Halloway". G. Halloway? Gordon? That's gotta be it. The Guardian's in cell number five! (The official looking coat drapped over the chair caught her eye) There's something in one of the pockets... It's a short and thin cylinder. A magnetic key, I believe. That might come in handy.
Now, to get the station guard away from the Cell Block. The guard responded when she hit the lit button and ordered him off-duty.
Station Guard:
Roger that, central. Taking a break. Out.
She ran down the empty corridors to the cell block and used the key on the electronic lock of cell five. A pale looking man walked out.
April:
Hello. You were a hard man to find.
The Guardian:
You...you speak Na'ven? Are you from Arcadia?
April:
No, but I've had a lot of practice. I'm a Shifter, like yourself. And, as it turns out, the next Guardian...although I'm currently in denial. April. April Ryan.
The Guardian:
Adrian. Have you come to free me, or to question me more?
April:
I'm with the good guys. Well, I'm all that's left of the good guys.
The Guardian:
The Balance...it is collapsing. I did not want to leave my... the Guardian's Realm, but I...I had to.
April:
Nobody's blaming you. But if we don't get moving soon, we won't have time to save the world. Worlds. Can you believe I'm still not getting my head around that concept?
The Guardian:
What do we do?
April:
You just keep close to me, and let me worry about that, okay? I've had some practise in subterfuge lately.
The Guardian:
I will do as you say.
At the HQ station surveillance, she ordered the cell block guard back to his station and the airlock guard to the rest area. She was then able to enter the airlock area with Adrian.
April:
From what I understand, this, uh, gateway, to the Guardian's Realm -- a wormhole, something like that -- it's somewhere outside the station?
The Guardian:
Not far from...this metal box...no, not far. I can sense it, it calls to me. Perhaps...perhaps a day's journey on foot.
April:
We'll be going a lot faster that that, trust me. Stay here while I get everything ready. Don't go anywhere, okay?
The Guardian:
I wiil not. Believe me when I say I do not want to go anywhere. This place frightens me.
Using a nearby console, she loaded a single-person pod, which were often used to manuever outside the station to do general maintenance and cleaning windows. They used to run simulations of similar pods back in school just for fun. She had got a few hours of simulated experience with these babies -- they were pretty manueverable and fast. There was a red light on the pod's panel though. An oxygen filter missing. She probably could get a replacement from the cargo bay. Back the HQ station surveillance, she directed the cargo bay guard to the rest area, went to the bay herself and ran a search at the computer terminal there. It had an inventory database of all the parts stored in the cargo bay.
April:
"Pods ; spare parts ; oxygen filters". Bingo. They've got a bunch of them in stock, stored at...L-10-9. L-10-9. (She regarded the stacks of boxes with dismay) Oh God. This is going to take ages. That's T-1-1 up there, and V-4-13 down there...Phew! Q-45-30, 31 and 33. Whatever happened to 32? And L-9-3, L-9-4, and L-10-8. (L- 10-9 seemed to be missing from the stack. She moved to another) R-1-90, R-9-52 and A-69-6. (sighs) G-42-1, to...this whole row seems to be the G-42 series. G-98- 10, 13, and L-10-10, 11 and 12. E-14-89, to...102, and L-10-9. L-10-9! That's the one!
She took a filter, rotated the guards again and went back to the airlock. The red light on the pod panel was replaced by green once she slotted in the filter. She led Adrian to the pod.
April:
Step into this machine. It's a pod, a sort of exoskeletal spacesuit. Oh, hell, like you have any idea of what I'm talking about...it will protect you when we travel to the gateway, that's all you need to know.
The Guardian:
How do I use it?
April:
Well...you don't. Or at least, you don't. I will launch myself right behind you, and then I'll come get you. We'll go through the gateway together.
The Guardian:
I understand. One thing...April? One thing, April. When we get to my -- To the Guardian's Realm, we maybe be separated, and I must give you warning.
April:
Of what?
The Guardian:
Of the Three Trials before you get to the Well of Making.
April:
There are more trials still? I thought that since I had the disc --
The Guardian:
The disc is but the key, and a replacement for the disc that was broken when I...when I deserted the tower... You will still need to prove your worth to the Balance, that you can take the responsibility of being Guardian for a thousand years.
April:
Okay, so tell me -- what are these, uh, Three Trials?
The Guardian:
The First Trial is a trial of Might. Defeat a powerful enemy, using your talents in war and magic.
April:
Great. I have absolutely no magical or warrior talents whatsoever...And the second one?
The Guardian:
The Second Trial is the trial of Spirit. Face that which you fear the most, the darkness in your heart, to go on.
April:
Spiders?
The Guardian:
You may not even be aware of your deepest fear, April. It is locked in your heart. The Third Trial is the trial of Matter. To get to the Well of Making, you must cross an apparently insurmountable barrier, using whatever means at your disposal.
April:
That sounds like the easiest one. So, that's it? Pass through those trials, and I'm home free?
The Guardian:
Yes. Like I said, there is a chance I might not be there with you, and in that case, you must make your way towards the Tower.
April:
Okay, got it. Now -- let's hurry up before somebody finds us here. Go into the pod, and don't worry, I'll be right behind you.
Once Adrian got in, she hit the switch to launch it, called up another pod and got into it quickly before the first pod was too far away. Once outside, she scanned the nearby area anxiously for Adrian's pod and found it floundering out of control. Using the pod thrusters, she moved in his direction. But then, Adrian's pod thrusters fired and he went careening off. She gave chase and didn't notice a third pod following. Suddenly, a bright starry whirling vortex appeared in Adrian's path. It had to be the gateway. All three pods vanished into the portal before it closed.