| Space
Quest 1 Story
Far beyond the
reaches of known space lies a planetary system known to its inhabitants
as Earnon. For many years, Earnon's sun has been slowly dying. The
planets are growing cold and food is no longer plentiful. Scientists
predict that only certain insect species and most lawyers will survive
the resulting ice age. The beings of these ever darkening worlds
struggle to maintain the daily balance of life.
The
only hope for Earnon's survival has rested in the scientific community
on the governing planet of Xenon, which has been working for quite
some time on a plan to convert one of the system's lifeless planets
into a new sun. The effort has been centered around the development
of a device called the Star Generator.
The
development team for the project has been stationed aboard the spacelab
Arcada and sent to the outer edge of Earnon to further its research.
You, a lowly apprentice sanitation engineer, are employed on the
Arcada in tasks requiring only the lowest security clearance.
It
is common knowledge aboard the Arcada that the scientists have just
successfully completed the development and first stages of testing
of the Star Generator. Although still in the experimental stages,
it appears to be fully operational. Triumphantly, the good news
is flashed back to Xenon as the crew of the Arcada prepares for
the trip home.
But
the news does not travel far before it reaches unintented ears.
Monitoring the Arcada's transmissions are Sariens, space pirates
who cruise the galaxies wreaking havoc and exposing aerosol cans
to open flame or fire. Once citizens of Earnon, the Sariens were
banished long ago for their warlike ways (one would think they would
have gotten over it by now, but apparently they still hold a grudge).
The
Sariens' immediate intent is to capture the Star Generator and bring
it aboard their battle cruiser Deltaur. With the Star Generator
in their possession, the Sariens would have the ultimate weapon
with which to be revenged on the civilization that ostracisez them
so long ago. They plan to unleash its awesome power on Xenon, destroying
all life there, and bring the rest of Earnon to its knees.
The
day of reckoning has now come, as the massive battle cruiser swings
into attack position.
As
your adventure begins, you are currently conducting one of your
famous on-shirt naps in the janitorial storage closet. Suddenly,
you are rudely awakened by explosions that rock the ship. This does
not amuse you as your dream was just getting interesting. Immediately,
the alarm system is activated and an announcement comes over the
intercom that Sarien troops have boarded the ship. From your hiding
place, you hear laser blasts mingled with the screams of your crewmates.
With a well-developed sense of self preservation, you decide to
stay put for a while.
Soon,
the commotion dies down and you get brave enough to take a look
outside. You crack the closet door, and peer into the corridor.
A group of Sariens, apparently admiring their handiwork, are close
enough for you to touch them! You breathe a sign of relief as they
move off. Then, your eyes fall upon a grisly sight. Several of your
fellow crew members' bodies lie strewn about the ship, their posture
indicating a total unwillingness to get up and keep living. Although
you aren't used to doing a lot of thinking (your job doesn't usually
require much), your brain cells kick into high gear. What a mess!
How am I gonna get those blood stains off the floor? In the midst
of this intensely deep thought (well, deep for YOU) you are startled
into serious reality when you hear a laser blast followed quite
closely by a sickening scream. You briefly consider taking another
well-timed nap, but it finally occurs to you that YOU might be in
danger as well.
This
will never do.
___ |
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