Launch v. 1.0

Attention Silo #421-C Due to the degrading situation with Pannonia, we are given no choice but to resort to war to resolve the current turmoil unfolding between our two countries. Your orders are to launch a 45-megaton warhead at coordinates 47°29′33″N 19°03′05″E. We are hoping a few tactical strikes will effectively cripple the enemy military before they can respond in turn. Arthur Mumubli Director of N.S. Defense and Security [[> Continue |firstChoice]]

So it's come to this. You'd heard the news, day in and night out. You heard all the chatter amongst your neighbors. Hell, you remember where you were standing when the first signs of trouble sprang up. It seems so unreal, that this is what everything's boiled down to. And yet, in some ways, it only seems like the natural conclusion to such drama. There's only so much do be done now … [[> Initiate launch|instaLaunch]] [[> Wait|stalling]] [[> Recline in your chair|relax]] [[> Get up and walk around a bit|wander]]

"Orders are orders. Proceed with the launch." You relay this perogative to your coworker, who wastes no time in getting to work. The two of you spend the next several minutes hammering away at your keyboards, barely breathing a word to each other throughout the whole process. Enter the necessary co-ordinates. [[> 47°29′33″N 19°03′05″E|pannonia]] [[> 43°42′N 79°24′W|yourOwnCapital]] [[> 33.3872° N, 104.5281° W|anotherCountryEntirely]] [[> 50°N, 15°W|somewhereInTheOcean]] [[> Step back|stop]]

Whether through paralyzing fear or in an attempt to procrastinate, you simply sit in your seat, doing not much of anything. After a minute, your coworker turns and asks, "Everything alright, chum?" [[> "Yeah no, totally, everything's fine."|lie]] [[> "Of course not, what do you think?"|assert]] [[> "Let's wait this out, see if Command really wants us to fire."|ponder]] [[> "Isn't it fucked up how the Abbasids lost their war against the Tang Dynasty? Think of how much farther east the Caliphate could've expanded!"|bullShit]] [[> Continue waiting|Stalling II]]

You know what? Now's a really good time to just ... kick back and relax. Forget the world's troubles. Forget about what you've just been asked to do. Simply ... relax, and recline. [[> Just get the launch over with already.|instaLaunch]] [[> Continue relaxing|stalling]] [[> Get up and walk around a bit|wander]] [[> Look around you|lookAroundYou]]

"I need to stretch my legs a bit, excuse me." "Alright, don't take too long now", your coworker handwaves. "Sooner we get this over with, the better." You arise from your chair and proceed out the blast door. You step out into the hallway; it's not terribly long, with only two doorways on either side, the missile silo directly opposite your position, though it is rather poorly lit. [[> Walk over to the Silo.|exploreSilo]] [[> Walk over to the detention cell.|exploreDC]] [[> Walk over to the break room.|exploreBR]] [[> Walk over to the armory.|exploreAA]] [[> Walk over to the exit.|exploreLeaving]] [[> Return to your station.|exploreNowhere]]

Everything is done by the book. It's a rather dull and uneventful undertaking, save for the roar of the ICBM firing away, once the two of you flip your respective switches in unison. [[> Continue|launchEnd]]

"No, dumbass, we're not nuking our own capital, what's wrong with you?" [[> Back|questions]]

"And drag us into conflict with yet another nation? What are you, stupid?" [[> Back|questions]]

"What, kill the whales and waste a warhead? No thanks." [[> Back|questions]]

There's no telling what will come of your actions now. The missile will hit its intended target soon enough. You and your partner look curiously at the red line of the warheads' trajectory on the monitor. Fascinating, to think what horror may come about from that tiny little blotch of red. It's unfortunate that it had to come to this, but with the way things were going, a bloodbath was inevitable? Still, no telling how many casualties will be dealt to either side in this war. Thousands? Millions? For all you know, many more might've been saved by this missile. Doubt the enemy will put up much of a fight after such a hard-hitting blow. You may very well have won this war before it even began. Before they could do the same to you. Whatever the outcome, you've done your job. Sure will be something the next time you turn on the news. [[> Restart.|Start]]

"Well alright then, let's not take too long here. We've got our orders." [[> "Do we now?"|bollocks]] [[> "Yes, I'm well aware."|confess]] [[> "Well, maybe we should wait, make sure this is what command wants".|ponder]] [[> Initiate Launch|instaLaunch]] [[> Continue Waiting|stalling III]] [[> Recline in your chair|relax]] [[> Get up and walk around a bit|wander]]

"Well, I wish I knew what to tell you, but our hands are tied." [[> "Yeah, I guess you're right ..." (initiate launch)|instaLaunch]] [[> "This is bullshit, and you know it."|confront]] [[> "Well, maybe we should wait, make sure this is what command wants".|ponder]] [[> Continue Waiting|stalling III]] [[> Recline in your chair|relax]] [[> Get up and walk around a bit|wander]]

"Uh ... yeah, I guess it is ... look, keep it together man, that's got nothing to do with nothing ..." [[> "Err, I guess so ..."|slinkBack]] [[> "Of course it does! Think of how much different everything would've been! We wouldn't be here right now! Not have to do what we're being ordered to do!"|existentialism]]

You drop what you're doing and roll slightly back from your desk. Need a minute? [[> Resume launch|questions]] [[> Wait|stalling]] [[> Recline in your chair|relax]] [[> Get up and walk around a bit|wander]]

"Well, of course. You got the same message I did." [[> "And?"|bollocks II]] [[> "Yeah, I guess you're right ..." (initiate launch)|instaLaunch]] [[> "You sure you didn't just read that wrong?"|bitch]] [[> "High Command can kiss my ass."|assKissing]]

"Yeah, see? So we're on the same page. Best get crackin'." [[> "Yeah, I guess you're right ..." (initiate launch)|instaLaunch]] [[> "This is bullshit, and you know it."|confront]] [[> "Well, maybe we should wait, make sure this is what command wants".|ponder]] [[> Wait it out some more|stalling III]] [[> Recline in your chair|relax]] [[> Get up and walk around a bit|wander]]

"High Command made their will perfectly clear. I don't see what good delaying will do except get us court-martialled for disobedience." [[> "Yeah, I guess you're right ..." <initiate launch>|instaLaunch]] [[> "This is bullshit, and you know it."|confront]] [[> "This could be a fake by someone else, to get us to do something bad."|malicious]] [[> Continue Waiting|stalling III]] [[> Recline in your chair|relax]] [[> Get up and walk around a bit|wander]]

Still yet, you make no move to address the situation at hand. The silence persists for a yet longer period of time. Your coworker begins snapping his fingers in your face. "Hey! Hey! Wakey-wakey, Earth to Lieutenant ..." [[> "You know, I'm thinking ... maybe we should wait, make sure this is what command wants".|ponder]] [[> Initiate Launch|instaLaunch]] [[> Continue Waiting|stalling IV]] [[> Recline in your chair|relax]] [[> Get up and walk around a bit|wander]]

You say nothing back, maintaining your silence and stoic posture. "C'mon, man, time'sa wastin'." [[> "Well, maybe we should wait, make sure this is what command wants".|ponder]] [[> Initiate Launch|instaLaunch]] [[> Continue Waiting|stalling III]] [[> Recline in your chair|relax]] [[> Get up and walk around a bit|wander]]

"You've seen the same news I have. Those Pannonians are gonna get what's coming to them." [[> "Yeah, I guess you're right ..." (initiate launch)|instaLaunch]] [[> "I have, and I'm not buying that for a second."|confrontII]] [[> "Well, maybe we should wait, make sure this is what command wants".|ponder]] [[> Continue Waiting|stalling III]] [[> Recline in your chair|relax]] [[> Get up and walk around a bit|wander]]

"Aaand, it means we have to fire of a nuke." [[> "Are you sure you read that right?"|bitch]] [[> "Yeah, I guess you're right ..." (initiate launch)|instaLaunch]]

"'War is happening, now nuke where we tell you to.' Seems pretty straightforward to me."

Your partner raises an eyeborw at your remark. Not the worst thing he's heard out of your mouth, but it takes him aback a little. He only seems slightly offended by that remark.

"As if. You know how much time and energy High Command's poured into security. Our systems are designed from the ground up to be impenetrable. Nobody could possibly hijack our channels, least of all between the Diamond and here." [[> "Yeah, I guess you're right ..." (initiate launch)|instaLaunch]] [[> "You never know, man. What if it's an agent on the inside?"|doubt]] [[> "You know what? Let's give someone over there a ring, just to be safe."|call]]

"Amongst the top brass? Hah, that'd be a horrifying twist." [[> "You never know with those Pannonians, man."|instigateFear]] [[> "Eh ..." (initiate launch)|instaLaunch]]

You reach for the phone and dial the Diamond. After giving the necessary clearance codes and stating your mission, you're transferred to the Director's personal desk. Within seconds, you're connected. "Director Mumubli, state your business." [[> "This is Silo #421-C. Please confirm order #7547."|playingProper]] [[> "This is Silo #421-C. How are you doing?|playingPolite]] [[> "This is Silo #421-C. We're not firing a nuke."|playingHardToGet]]

You drop what you're doing and roll slightly back from your desk. Need a minute? [[> carry on with the launch|questions]] [[> Recline in your chair|relax]] [[> Get up and walk around a bit|wander]]

"Well, guess there's nothing that can be done about that, is there?" [[> "Yeah, exactly, but there's something that can be done about THIS."|bravado]] [[> "You and I should get to work on a time machine, that'll fix all the world's problems."|hopelesslyDream]] [[> "Eh, screw it, you're right." (initiate launch)|instaLaunch]]

"Well, what would you have done here? You know what Command will do if we don't obey their orders? Orders as sensitive and dramatic as this?" [[> "... On second thought, fuck it, let's just fire the damn thing already." (initiate launch)|delayedLaunch]] [[> "Not launch that warhead, period."|backToTheGoodStuff]] [[> "Wait it out a bit. If this is what they want, so be it, they'll give us a ring."|peacefulQuiet]] [[> Say nothing more, go silent.|stalling IV]]

"Tell you what: once we carry out our mission here, we'll ask for a transfer to one of their top-secret research labs, and get cracking on one there. Failing that, we'll transfer to a regular boring lab, and then work our way up to the real deal, the cool stuff. How'd you like that?" [[> "Maybe if we can find a way to change the future, here and now, we won't have to go through all that to begin with."|bravado]] [[> Okay, fair's fair, now let's launch this baby! (initiate launch)|delayedLaunch]]

"Order #7547? Yes, that comes directly from Supreme Chancellor Wilshire himself. I trust we have already made it quite clear what has to be done." [[> "Well, thing is ... you haven't."|playDumb]] [[> "Uh, yes of course, sir! We'll get on that right away! And, uh ... sorry for bothering you, sir."|playWeak]] [[> "We know. We're not going to fire a nuke."|playingHardToGet]]

"That is a highly confident matter of state security. Now state your business." [[> "This is Silo #421-C. Please confirm order #7547."|playingProper]] [[> "This is Silo #421-C. We're not firing a nuke."|playingHardToGet]]

Silence. "Need I remind you of the consequences of insubordination, Lieutenant? Launch a warhead at the co-ordinates we have provided you, or else there'll be hell to pay." -click!- [[> Continue ...|alternateBracket]]

Silence. "War is happening. Now fire a nuke where we tell you. What part of that is so difficult to understand, Lieutenant?" [[> "Nothing at all, sir. We'll see it through." (initiate launch)|oDelayedLaunch]] [[> "Uh, none of it, sir! We understand totally fine, just peachy! We'll get on it right away now, yessiree! And, uh ... sorry for bothering you, sir."|playWeak]] [[> "Nothing at all, sir. We're not going to fire a nuke."|playingHardToGet]]

Silence. "Carry on." -click!- Your coworker stares at you expectantly. "Well?" [[> "Well, guess we're gonna have to fire a nuke." (initiate launch)|delayedLaunch]] [[> "So, turns out, the Director had never signed off on such a thing! It's a fake!"|digDeep]] [[> "Maybe let's just sit this out a little longer. Make sure this is what they REALLY want."|stallingV]] [[> Say nothing, continue waiting|stallingV]]

Your coworker wastes no time in getting to work. The two of you spend the next several minutes hammering away at your keyboards, barely breathing a word to each other throughout the whole process. Enter the necessary co-ordinates. [[> 47°29′33″N 19°03′05″E|pannonia]] [[> 43°42′N 79°24′W|yourOwnCapital]] [[> 33.3872° N, 104.5281° W|anotherCountryEntirely]] [[> 50°N, 15°W|somewhereInTheOcean]]

"... Bull-fucking-shit." [[> "Yeah, no, totally, man, I'm serious! The Director had no idea what I was talking about! Had to have been an enemy spy!"|reluctantLaunch]] [[> "Okay, fine, nevermind, let's just get this over with." (Initiate launch)|delayedLaunch]] [[> "Look, I'd really rather not fire off that nuke, if it's alright with you."|breakDown]]

Your coworker simply shakes his head. He sees what's going on. He resumes work on prepping the missile for launch. There's only so much to be done now ... [[> Prep the missile for launch|slinkBackDejected]] [[> "We, uh, we really don't have to do this, you know."|weakAppeal]] [[> Try to get him to see otherwise. With a gun. Pull a gun on him.|rapidEscalation]] [[> Do nothing but sit in your chair|lazy]]

Convicted though you may be in your own words, your coworker is neither fooled or amused for even a second. He shakes his head, lets out a heavy sigh, and turns back to his desk. He resumes prepping the missile for launch, hammering away at his keyboard. There's only so much to be done now ... [[> Prep the missile for launch|slinkBackDejected]] [[> "We, uh, we really don't have to do this, you know."|weakAppeal]] [[> Try to get him to see otherwise. With a gun. Pull a gun on him.|rapidEscalation]] [[> Do nothing but sit in your chair|lazy]]

"Look, the Director himself said we have to do it. So, we have to do it." He turns back to his computer, resuming work on the prepatory missile launch. "I don't think I need to tell you what would happen if we refused." [[> Prep the missile for launch|slinkBackDejected]] [[> "We, uh, we really don't have to do this, you know."|weakAppeal]] [[> Try to get him to see otherwise. With a gun. Pull a gun on him.|rapidEscalation]] [[> Do nothing but sit in your chair|lazy]]

"Orders are orders. We're carrying on with the launch." [[> Prep the missile for launch|slinkBackDejected]] [[> "We really don't have to. Especially not if the orders are bullshit."|weakAppealII]] [[> Try to get him to see otherwise. With a gun. Pull a gun on him.|rapidEscalation]] [[> Do nothing but sit in your chair|lazy]]

You reach over for your pistol and manage to pull it out before your partner has time to register what's going on. By the time he can process it, you've already got your sidearm pointed at him. He reflexively throws up his hands in self defense. "WHOA, WHOA, WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?" [[> "I'm not letting that missile fire."|stillRefuseButWithAGun]] [[> "Outta this room, now!"|getHimToLeave]] [[> "On second thought, this might've been a mistake."|getKilled]] [[> Kill him.|youAreDeadNotBigSuprise]] [[> Kill yourself.|bruhDontDoIt]] [[> Fire a warning shot.|warningYa]] [[> "You see Lieutenant ... ZHETYSSSSSUUUUUUUU!"|agent]]

Your partner carries on with all the preparatory hardwork, while you do nothing much but sit and stew with your emotions. After a minute or two of silence, he turns back to you. "So, everything is prepped, we're almost good to go. Just need you to turn your key now, if you're done fucking around." [[> "No."|refuse]] [[> Stay silent|continuedQuiet]] [[> Oblige|turnUpTheNight]] [[> Throw your key out into the hallway]] [[> Try to get him to see otherwise. With a gun. Pull a gun on him.|rapidEscalation]]

"So you're not done fucking around yet, I take it?" [[> "I'm not letting that missile fire."|stillRefuse]] [[> Stay silent|continuedQuiet]] [[> Oblige|turnUpTheNight]] [[> Throw your key out into the hallway]] [[> Try to get him to see otherwise. With a gun. Pull a gun on him.|rapidEscalation]]

Hopefully by saying nothing, remaining perfectly still, and not breathing, he'll leave you alone. Instead, he walks right on up to you and plucks the key from your right pantpocket. Rude. He fumbles a bit with getting both keys to synchronize - they're spaced apart just enough to be uncomfortable to operate simultaneously, but not impossible to pull off. Eventually, he flips the switch, and the rocket fires up, the roar of its engines damn near rendering the two of you dear. [[> Continue|launchEnd]]

Probably best to just get this over with. You insert your key into the corresponding socket. You turn it in unision with his. All at once, the roar of the rocket's engine tears throughout the complex, damn near rendering the two of you deaf. [[> Continue ...|launchEnd]]

Jumping out of your chair with great zeal, you rush to the several-ton blast door sealing you from the rest of the silo complex. Pulling it just a little ways back, you throw your key as far down the hall as you can possibly toss it. It rings with a satisfactory clanking upon hitting the ground. Your partner looks on, baffled. "The fuck's your problem?" [[> Shrug|shrug]] [[> "Thought I'd make this a little more interesting for you."|mock]] [[> "Oh God, I ... I don't know what came over me, I'm ... I'm so sorry, let me just ... go get that ..."|shameShameShame]]

Another heavy sigh. "Goddamn fucking asshole." Your partner walks right past you and into the hallway, to retrieve the key himself. Wherever the hell it fell, anyhow. The hallway is not that well illuminated. [[> Do absolutely nothing|nothingWillHaveMattered]] [[> Verify the co-ordinates|sneakySneak]] [[> Mock your coworker relentlessly for having a hard time finding that key|mockII]]

He shakes his head, very clearly disappointed in your behavior. "What, is this some big fuckin' joke to ya? Huh? HUH?" He walks out to the hallway to retreive the key. "Fuckin' asshole", he mutters as he begins his search for that wretched sliver of metal. Wherever the hell it fell, anyhow. The hallway is not that well illuminated. [[> Do absolutely nothing|nothingWillHaveMattered]] [[> Verify the co-ordinates|sneakySneak]] [[> Mock your coworker relentlessly for having a hard time finding that key|mockII]]

Your coworker stares on expectantly as you walk out to the hall to retrieve your key, your head hung low in disgrace. You pick them up with relatively little difficulty. [[> Return to your station.|sitBackDown]] [[> Toss your key even further down the hall.|throwAway]]

You feel confident in having made your point, standing around all smuglike while your coworker struggles to find that damned key. After a short period of fumbling around in piss-poor lighting, he finally manages to recover that wretched piece of metal. He makes his way back, clearly fuming from your ... peculiar choice of action. He mutters 'asshole' under his breath before making his way back to your workstation, inserting and turning both keys as need be. As soon as he achieves synchronization, the rocket's roar tears through the silo complex, drowning out everything else and damn near rendering you two deaf. [[> continue|launchEnd]]

As your coworker fumbles around, you waltz right back over to your monitor to check the co-ordinates inputted on the launch. The co-ordinates are as follows: 47°29′33″N 19°03′05″E [[> Leave them as they are|nothingWillHaveMattered]] [[> Change to: 43°42′N 79°24′W|successfulYourCapital]] [[> Change to: 33.3872° N, 104.5281° W|successfulDifferentCountry]] [[> Change to: 50°N, 15°W|successfulOcean]]

"Hey pal! Any luck finding those keys that I can see clear as day from where I'm standing?" "Lieutenant Carson? More like, Lieutenant Can't-see-for-shit-son!" "I wanted to give you a challenge, but now I see, I've only given myself a good laugh!" These choice quotes, amongst others, you fling at your partner as he impotently reaches around for the key in that piss-poor lighting. Eventually, amongst much pained grunting and quips of varying quality, he at last retrieves the key, running back into the command module. He does nothing to hide his disdain as he re-enters the room, up to and including pushing you aside and muttering 'asshole' under his breath several times. Back at your workstations, he inserts both keys into their respective sockets and turns them as need be. As soon as he achieves synchronization, the rocket's roar tears through the silo complex, drowning out everything else and damn near rendering you two deaf. [[> Continue ...|launchEnd]]

With the 'correct' co-ordinates punched in, and everything else looking to be in proper order, you back up and maintain your previous posture, as if nothing had happened. Your coworker eventually finds that wretched piece of metal, and walks back over, clearly pissed off all the way. He mutters "asshole" once more, before returning to his workstation. You close the door behind him. With both keys inserted, you each turn in unison. It would be a rather uneventful undertaking, save for the roar of the missile's engines which damn near render you both deaf. [[> Continue ...|headingInland]]

You and your partner trace the red blip as it flies across the map. Somewhere over the Atlantic, the signal disappears, a message flashing on the screen signifying the warhead has its intended target. Your coworker looks ... puzzled, to say the least. He rushes over to the phone, calling the Diamond. "Hello? This is Silo 421-C, Lieutenant Carson speaking. Order #7547 is a dud, payload has crashed into the Atlantic, I repeat - payload has crashed into the Atlantic. Co-ordinates XX ... Negative, cause of malfunction not apparent, previous inspections revealed no major defects ..." [[ > Fess up|tellTheTruth]] [[ > Stay Silent|hideBehindTheMystery]]

"I did that." "I ... what? H-hold on, command ..." Your coworker to you in complete confusion. "W-w-what do you mean, 'you did that'?! How?!" "I altered the co-ordinates. When you were away from your station." "Why?" [[> " was not going to let that blood be on our hands."|stand]] [[> "Honestly I was just curious of what would happen."|curiosity]] [[> "I might've gotten the co-ordinates mixed up, so uh ... whoops."|dumbass]]

"Yes, yes, understood. We'll hold our position. Okay, yes, roger that. Nova Scotia prevails." After all that bit of banter, your coworker turns back to relay the news. "Military police are on their way. As is an entire batallion of technicians. They'll see if anything on this terminal caused it to fly off course, and we'll be taken into questioning. Should be routine, hopefully, nothing too major. Maybe the Supreme Chancellor can save face with the rest of the world, somehow." A bit more content with the state of things, the Lieutenant reclines back in his chair. "Still, what poor timing for this to happen. There'll be some hefty fallout from this, for sure." [[> Continue ...|keptYourMouthShut]]

Your coworker stares on, partways disgusted and astounded. "Well, what did you expect working one of these silos? A decision like this doesn't come easy, but don't tell me you've gone soft now." You can barely hear the voice on the other line trying to get your coworker's attention again. "What did you hope to accomplish, by turning your back on your country like this? Do you realize how much danger you've put us all in?" [[> "Nothing compared to the damage that nuke would've done."|minimize]] [[> "So be it."|sophia]] [[> "Of course. Tell the Diamond to fuck off for me, would you?"|badAss]] [[> "On second thought, this might've made a mistake."|weakAss]] [[> Stay silent|underTheSeaEnd]]

"Well, here's hoping it was worth your while, asshole. You'll get your answer pretty soon." He slinks back into his chair, with a heavy heart and an even heavier conscience. "Your curiosity will kill more than just one cat here. Enjoy the non-dead cats while they last, you fucking idiot." [[> Continue ...|underTheSeaEnd]]

Your coworker can do nothing else besides stare back in complete disbelief. "You fuckin' dumbass." [[> Continue ...|underTheSeaEnd]]

He goes back to his conversation with whoever the hell's manning the line. "Yes, sir ... yes, Lieutenant Carson, my partner ... yes, yes, the co-ordinates were tampered with by ... yes, yes sir, my partner is to blame, I ..." He goes silent for a bit, while you can hear someone else very violently yelling his ear off. " ... Yes sir, I understand. We will hold our position, await pickup a-and further instruction, yes ... yes, sir. Understood. Nova Sc-Oh." Other line must've cut before he could finish this sentence. He turns back to you, with perhaps the gloomest expression you've ever seen out of another human being. "Military police are on their way. They consider me as equally suspect as you. We're both gonna be tried to the fullest extent of the law." He turns away and walks over into the corner, entering the fetal position. "We're done for. We're fucked. This is it. We're so fucking dead." [[> Continue ...|underTheSeaEndII]]

With a heavy sigh, the Lieutenant shakes his head in the most disapproving manner possible. "Just you wait and see. There's no way our nation can survive this political fallout, once everybody else realizes what we were about to do. And that's assuming we don't get bombed to oblivion instead." He falls back into his chair with a restounding flop. "Fucking idiot", you can hear him murmuring under his breath. [[> Continue ...|underTheSeaEnd]]

He seems amazed at how little you seem to care. He falls back into his chair with a restounding flop. "Fucking idiot", you can hear him murmuring under his breath. [[> Continue ...|underTheSeaEnd]]

Quite a shock overcomes the Lieutenant, as he literally drops everything - his jaw, the phone, even himself as he collapses into his chair. Such vulgarity, indeed. There's no way you're getting out of this mess with anything less than a trip to the firing squad. If you're lucky. [[> Continue ...|underTheSeaEnd]]

"Yeah, a huge fuckin' mistake indeed," He paces back and forth a bit in place, trying to make sense of whatever the hell's going through your mind. "You've really doomed us all with your little 'mistake', you goddamned piece of shit." [[> Continue ...|underTheSeaEnd]]

So, your Government is very very pissed at you, and your coworker is now a complete and total nervous wreck because of your actions. No telling what will happen in the news now. Surely no other country, least of all the Pannonians, will take kindly to the thought of having all-out nuclear almost break out. There's no telling whether or not you've actually prevented any kind of war at all. For all you know, you've merely exposed your own nation to that same sort of violence you had almost inflicted upon another. Or maybe it could just be smooth, smooth sailing from here on out. At this point, things could go either way. Here's hoping this was all worth it. [[> Restart.|Start]]

Whether or not you should've fessed up your own tampering, there's no doubt that you'll get caught soon enough, once those eggheads get their paws on your workstation. Here's hoping your partner can enjoy the peace while it lasts. Things might get a little less routine after the MP show up. No telling what will happen in the news now. Even if this launch can be hand-waved away as some fluke, surely no other country, least of all the Pannonians, will take kindly to the thought of having all-out nuclear almost break out. There's no telling whether or not you've actually prevented any kind of war at all. For all you know, you've merely exposed your own nation to that same sort of violence you had almost inflicted upon another. Or maybe it could be smooth sailing from here on out. At this point, things could go either way. Here's hoping this was all worth it.

"The fuck's gotten to you, man? Don't tell me you've gone soft now." [[> "I'm not letting who knows how many hundreds of thousands of people die."|moralSuperiority]] [[> "Eh, on second thought, fuck it."|turnUpTheNight]] [[> "Think, man, this nuke was our child, our baby! I'm not gonna let it fly away, not after all the good times we had!"|mamaBear]] [[> Try to get him to see otherwise. With a gun. Pull a gun on him.|rapidEscalation]] [[> "You see Lieutenant ... ZHETYSSSSSUUUUUUUU!"|agent]]

A heavy sigh. "God fucking damnit, man. You really have gone soft. Why? Why now?" He rests his forehead in his hand, clearly disappointed by your sudden change of heart. "You know, it ain't easy being a minuteman. I get that. But on the other hand, we're given a very important responsibility, and we really do have to see it through. We need to what's right here." [[> "Exactly! What's right! This sure as fuck ain't this."|moralSuperiorityII]] [[> "Eh, on second thought, fuck it."|turnUpTheNight]] [[> "Think, man, this nuke was our child, our baby! I'm not gonna let it fly away, not after all the good times we had!"|mamaBear]] [[> Try to get him to see otherwise. With a gun. Pull a gun on him.|rapidEscalation]] [[> "You see Lieutenant ... ZHETYSSSSSUUUUUUUU!"|agent]]

"... Huh? The hell are you talking about?" [[> "You know, I ... really don't know myself, actually."|dazedAndConfused]] [[> "On second thought, maybe it'd be best if ... Ol' Sunny ... saw the world ..." (shed tear) (turn the key)|turnUpTheNight]] [[> "I WON'T LET YOU TAKE MY BABY!" (sprint down the hall)|mamaBearII]]

"Oh my God. You ... you're one of THEM!" Your coworker falls flat on his ass, frantically crawling to the wall. He looks around in a panic, not sure if he should lunge for the gun, the phone, or the door. [[> (in a very thick, heavy, and offensively stereotypical 'Pannonian' accent) "DA, FOOLISH BALKH! WE KILL YOU THEN WE NUKE YOU! MAKE PORRIDGE OF YOUR BONE MARROW! AHAHAHAHAHA!!!"|racism]] [[> "Relax, man, I'm just fucking with you."|showsOver]] [[> Stay silent, but try looking as mean and menacing as possible.|racism]]

Dazed though your partner looks, he shakes it off and repeats his previous question. In a very condescending, patronizing tone. Moreso than before. Because he thinks you're starting to lose it. [[> "I'm not letting who knows how many hundreds of thousands of people die."|moralSuperiority]] [[> "Eh, on second thought, fuck it."|turnUpTheNight]] [[> Try to get him to see otherwise. With a gun. Pull a gun on him.|rapidEscalation]] [[> "You see Lieutenant ... ZHETYSSSSSUUUUUUUU!"|agent]]

With those bold, courageous words, you lunge at the door and pull it back as far as you can manage. With just the slightest amount of space, you crawl out between the gap and start sprinted in the general direction of the silo ... [[> Get to Sunny, ASAP!|inTheSilo]] [[> Make a dash for the exit!|failToLeave]]

Your partner really seems to be buying your schtick. "Motherfucker ... MOTHERFUCKER!!!" He jumps up and grabs hold of the blast door's handle, pulling it back as quick as he can, heavily panting all the while. With only the slightest bit of space to exit, he lunges out into the hall, stumbles back onto his feet, and floors it to the other side of the complex, crying and shouting to the top of his lungs in sheer terror. As chance would have it, he dropped his key on the way out ... [[> Fire off the missile on your ownsome.|allAloneLaunch]] [[> Wait it out.|agentWaitI]]

Unsure of what's a lie and what's the truth at this point, your partner makes a beeline for the gun in his desk drawer, and wastes no time in having it trained on you. Next he reaches for the phone. It doesn't take long to get to someone. "Command, this is Silo 421-C, Lieutenant Carson speaking. I have reason to believe that my partner is a Pannonian spy ... yes, I was told specifically ... well, all that was really said was "Zhetysu", and that's about it ... but there's no mistaking the accent ... Yes, okay, o ..." Your partner goes silent; looks as solemn and as pale as a ghost. Whatever's being said on the other line has really knocked the wind out of him. "Okay, I ... I understand ... Nova Scoti-" -click!- [[> Continue ...|incompetentAgent]]

Might as well put that warhead to good use. On a hunch, you decide to double check the co-ordinates entered. 47°29′33″N 19°03′05″E Seems to check out, from what you remember of the inital message. [[> Leave the co-ordinates as they are.|lonesomePannonia]] [[> Change co-ordinates to: 43°42′N 79°24′W|lonesomeCapital]] [[> Change co-ordinates to: 33.3872° N, 104.5281° W|lonesomeForeignNation]] [[> Change co-ordinates to: 50°N, 15°W|lonesomeOcean]]

Your partner will probably get over himself any minute now. [[> Fire off the missile on your ownsome.|allAloneLaunch]] [[> Continue waiting it out.|agentWaitII]]

Making no changes to your coworker's handiwork, you prepare the warhead for launch. With both keys inserted into their proper socket, you fumble a bit to get them to turn in unison It's a bit of a pain in the ass, but you eventually get them to synchronize, and right on cue, the rocket fires up, the engines' roar damn near rendering you deaf. [[> Continue ...|lonesomePannoniaIIEnd]]

Having input the 'correct' co-ordinates, you prepare the warhead for launch. With both keys inserted into their proper socket, you fumble a bit to get them to turn in unison It's a bit of a pain in the ass, but you eventually get them to synchronize, and right on cue, the rocket fires up, the engines' roar damn near rendering you deaf. [[> Continue ...|lonesomeCapitalIIEnd]]

Finger still on the trigger and pointed right in your general direction, your partner addresses you once more. "Well, looks like you got your wish, you goddamn Avar. Command has suspended Order #7547. No nuke's gonna fire until our boys in Galloway wring every last ounce of truth from ya. I- I'm sure you've heard the stories of our, our 'special' facilities there, in your goddamn Huck-Yurts, yeah? Real nasty shit, perfect for you sneaky Steppe fucks." His voice grows shakier with each word, as does his aim. "A-a-and y-you know what, asshole? I'm probably gonna be sent there, too! Because a' YOU! They're gonna rope me in with you, and brand me a traitor, I just know it! I'mma dead man now, 'cause'a YOU!" [[> "Goddamn man, chill the fuck out, I was only joking."|showsOverII]] [[> "HAHAHA! FOR GLORIOUS FATHERLAND!"|showsStillGoingOn]] [[> "Oh God. Oh My God. I'm so sorry. I fucked up. I fucked so much. I'm so sorry."|showsOverII]]

"NO! I know your ways, you Carpathian Mutt! You're not gonna fool me! Not again!" He'll probably come to his senses soon enough. Surely. Hopefully. Maybe. [[> Continue ...|arrestEnd-A]]

"FUCK YOU." Your coworker stumbles backwards and plants himself against the wall, still keeping that pistol of his waving in your general direction. Your coworker's panic sure is a sight to behild, even with everything going on in the news. Maybe the State's propoganda really got to him. [[> Continue ...|arrestEnd-A]]

So now it's only a matter of time before the MP come and take you both away. Who knows what will come of the subsequent investigations? Maybe you both get cleared, maybe only one of you will get dishonorably discharged, maybe nothing bad happens at all ... Or you could get thrown into a cell for the rest of your combined lives. Whatever the case, there's no nuke going off just yet. Government's not taking that risk after catching a potential spy so deep in their ranks. No telling what will go down in the news now. For all you know, you might've only delayed the inevitable. Here's hoping it was worth it. [[> Restart.|Start]]

... ... Aaany minute now. [[> Fire off the missile on your ownsome.|allAloneLaunch]] [[> Continue waiting it out.|agentWaitIII]]

... Well, at least nothing's going to happen with that warhead anytime soon. [[> Fire off the missile on your ownsome.|allAloneLaunch]] [[> Wait it out.|agentremotenuke]]

Just as everything starts to look calm again, sirens start blaring and the emergency lights kick in, drowning everything in your already dimly-lit setting an even darker shade of red. You know, something might've been mentioned about this back during your training, but you can't remember what the hell it's supposed to signify now. [[> Check the monitors.|failedAccess]] [[> Run down the hall and check on the Missile.|startDeArm]] [[> Wait it out.|agentremotenukeII]] [[> Go look for your partner, ask what's going on.|theHuntBegins]]

The workstations' monitors are all flashing the same thing - a long chain of green text, lines upon lines of code. They all seem to be refreshing in unison, and hammering away at either keyboard yields nothing - the monitors are completely unresponsive. [[> Run down the hall and check on the Missile.|startDeArmDelayed]] [[> Wait it out.|agentremotenukeIII]] [[> Go look for your partner, ask what's going on.|theHuntBegins]]

You rush over to the silo itself. Once you're inside, you can hear the rocket buzzing with activity, a myriad of mechanical hums eminating from its hull. It's also quite warm in here, and only feels to be getting hotter by the second. This probably shouldn't be happening. [[> Toy with the nearest control panel|panel]] [[> Tear off a panel and access the wiring|screwneeded]] [[> Cuddle the rocket|momentOfNeed]] [[> Run back to the control room|runningIII]]

Maybe if you wait it out a little longer, whatever this is will pass. [[> Check the monitors.|failedAccessDelayed]] [[> Run down the hall and check on the Missile.|startDeArmDelayed]] [[> Wait it out.|agentremotenukeIII]]

You rush over to the silo itself. Once you're inside, you can hear the rocket buzzing with activity, a myriad of mechanical hums eminating from its hull. It's also quite warm in here, and only feels to be getting hotter by the second. This probably shouldn't be happening. [[> Toy with the nearest control panel.|panelII]] [[> Tear off a panel and access the wiring.|screwneededII]] [[> Cuddle the rocket.|momentOfNeedII]] [[> Run back to the control room.|runningIV]]

Maybe just a little longer? This can't last for too much longer, right? [[> Check the monitors.|failedAccessDelayedThree]] [[> Run down the hall and check on the Missile.|startDeArmDelayedThree]] [[> Wait it out.|agentremotenukeIV]]

The workstations' monitors are all flashing the same thing - a long chain of green text, lines upon lines of code. They all seem to be refreshing in unison, and hammering away at either keyboard yields nothing - the monitors are completely unresponsive. [[> Run down the hall and check on the Missile.|startDeArmDelayedThree]] [[> Wait it out.|agentremotenukeIV]] [[> Go look for your partner, ask what's going on.|theHuntBegins]]

You rush over to the silo itself. Once you're inside, you can hear the rocket buzzing with activity, a myriad of mechanical hums eminating from its hull. It's also quite warm in here, and only feels to be getting hotter by the second. This probably shouldn't be happening. [[> Toy with the nearest control panel|nukeFiresOffInsideEnd]] [[> Tear off a panel and access the wiring|nukeFiresOffInsideEnd]] [[> Cuddle the rocket|nukeFiresOffInsideEnd]] [[> Run back to the control room|nukeFiresOffInsideEnd]]

You've waited it out this long, through thick and thin, sirens blaring and all. What would be the point in giving up now? [[> Check the monitors.|nukeFiresInRoom]] [[> Run down the hall and check on the Missile.|nukeFiresInRoom]] [[> Wait it out.|nukeFiresInRoom]]

The workstations' monitors are all flashing the same thing - a long chain of green text, lines upon lines of code. They all seem to be refreshing in unison, and hammering away at either keyboard yields nothing - the monitors are completely unresponsive. [[> Run down the hall and check on the Missile.|nukeFiresInRoom]] [[> Wait it out.|nukeFiresInRoom]] [[> Go look for your partner, ask what's going on.|nukeFiresInRoom]]

Before you can try doing anything else, the sound of the rocket's engines tears through the complex, damn near rendering you deaf in the process. Within a minute, the sirens and lights subside, and everything returns to normal. The monitors also come back alight, the screen showing the warhead's progress. All is quiet now. You've no idea what happened to Carson. Likely he took shelter in another room, though for all you know, he might've been roasted alive by the engines'flames. [[> Continue ...|unwillingLaunchEnd]]

You start hammering away at the nearest control panel, but it seems to be having no effect. [[> Keep hammering away! Something's gotta work!|futilityII]] [[> Tear off a panel and access the wiring|screwneededII]] [[> Cuddle the rocket|momentOfNeedII]] [[> Run back to the control room|runningIV]]

You reach for the nearest bit of the missile's hull that looks the weakest, but, well, you're not gonna be pulling that off without any neater tools. [[> Toy with the nearest control panel|panel]] [[> Try unscrewing everything with your key|keyScrew]] [[> Cuddle the rocket|momentOfNeed]] [[> Run back to the control room|runningIV]]

In these trying times, it would be nice to have someone to embrace right about now. To tell you that you're safe and loved, and that everything's gonna be okay. You tenderly embrace the rocket, hugging it as tight as you possibly can. It helps a little. The heat radiating from its hull is actually kinda nice. [[> Continue embracing the rocket.|continuedHugging]] [[> Toy with the nearest control panel.|panelII]] [[> Tear off a panel and access the wiring.|screwneededII]] [[> Run back to the control room.|runningIV]]

Alright, enough of that, for now. You go running back to the control center ... [[> Continue ...|agentremotenukeIII]]

You reach for the nearest bit of the missile's hull that looks the weakest, but, well, you're not gonna be pulling that off without any neater tools. [[> Toy with the nearest control panel.|nukeFiresOffInsideEnd]] [[> Try unscrewing everything with your key.|nukeFiresOffInsideEnd]] [[> Cuddle the rocket.|nukeFiresOffInsideEnd]] [[> Run back to the control room.|nukeFiresOffInsideEnd]]

In these trying times, it would be nice to have someone to embrace right about now. To tell you that you're safe and loved, and that everything's gonna be okay. You tenderly embrace the rocket, hugging it as tight as you possibly can. It helps a little. The heat radiating from its hull is ... getting to be a bit too much, but otherwise it's nice. [[> Continue embracing the rocket.|differentlaunchEnd]] [[> Toy with the nearest control panel.|differentlaunchEnd]] [[> Tear off a panel and access the wiring.|differentlaunchEnd]] [[> Run back to the control room.|differentlaunchEnd]]

Alright, enough of that, for now. You go running back to the control center ... [[> Continue ...|agentremotenukeIV]]

You desperately fumble with your key to loosen up the screws a bit, but no dice. It's simply too difficult to get a good grip on these damned things. You manage to unhinge maybe one screw before the key slips out of your hand and plunges down the silo. [[> Toy with the nearest control panel.|nukeFiresOffInsideEnd]] [[> Try unscrewing everything with your key.|nukeFiresOffInsideEnd] [[> Cuddle the rocket.|nukeFiresOffInsideEnd]] [[> Run back to the control room.|nukeFiresOffInsideEnd]]

You start hammering away at the nearest control panel, but it seems to be having no effect. [[> Keep hammering away! Something's gotta work!|nukeFiresOffInsideEnd]] [[> Tear off a panel and access the wiring|nukeFiresOffInsideEnd]] [[> Cuddle the rocket|nukeFiresOffInsideEnd]] [[> Run back to the control room|nukeFiresOffInsideEnd]]

Before you can try doing anything else, your eardrums are hit with a massive amount of force. You are overcome with a sickeningly loud sort of ringing, which quickly gives way to a number of increasingly painful sensations spreading from your inner ears to the rest of your head and body and ... sweltering heat? You manage to force your eyes open for just a second. Everything is so very blindingly white and orange-ish. You can barely make out much of anything, but it looks the missile is ... moving. It only lasts a second more. All at once, you feel every inch of your body engulfed in what can only be the heat of a thousand suns. It's hell, it's agony, and then ... Silence. All goes dark. [[> Restart.|Start]]

You flip literally every switch on the panel, press every button, try as many combos as you can ... nothing. This ... really is not normal. You don't even remember what specifically this panel was responsible for, that was someone else's job. But you're certain they were supposed to have some more material effect. [[> Tear off a panel and access the wiring|nukeFiresOffInsideEnd]] [[> Cuddle the rocket|nukeFiresOffInsideEnd]] [[> Run back to the control room|nukeFiresOffInsideEnd]]

Alas! This love is too good, too pure! You hope this moment, this loving and respect, never ends! The heat radiating from its hull is ... getting to be a bit too much, but otherwise it's nice. Still so very nice. [[> Continue embracing the rocket.|differentlaunchEnd]] [[> Toy with the nearest control panel.|differentlaunchEnd]] [[> Tear off a panel and access the wiring.|differentlaunchEnd]] [[> Run back to the control room.|differentlaunchEnd]]

Before you can try doing anything else, your eardrums are hit with a massive amount of force. There's a sickeningly loud sort of ringing, which quickly gives way to a number of increasingly painful sensations spreading from your inner ears to the rest of your head and body. But you don't care; you're still so thoroughly invested in the heat of the moment, in the passion play between you and your darling rocket. It only lasts a second more. The missile begins to shift ... it's moving upwards. You desperately try to hold on, but you can't maintain a solid grip. You slip off, you and your beloved rapidly parting ways in opposite vectors. All at once, you feel every inch of your body engulfed in what can only be the heat of a thousand suns. This ... this must be what true love feels like. It's pain, it's agony, it's sheer ecstacy, and then ... silence. All goes dark. [[> Restart.|Start]]

There's no telling what will come of your actions now. The missile will hit its intended target soon enough. It's unfortunate that it had to come to this, but with the way things were going, a bloodbath was inevitable. Still, no telling how many casualties will be dealt to either side in this war. Thousands? Millions? For all you know, many more might've been saved by this missile. Doubt the enemy will put up much of a fight after such a hard-hitting blow. You may very well have won this war before it even began. Before they could do the same to you. Whatever the outcome, you've done your job. Sure will be something the next time you turn on the news. Your partner will probably get a good kick out of this as well, once he recovers from his panic attack. Assuming he didn't get roasted alive as the warhead took off, of course. [[> Restart.|Start]]

The missile's red blip flashes on the monitor as it slowly creeps further and further into your own territory. It's only a matter of minutes before it reaches the capital. Will anyone see it coming? Will anyone somehow survive? Will this country continue to exist? Is this justice for the violence the heads of State wished to inflict upon others? Was it really so deserved? But what choice did you have? It was either us, or them. [[> Restart.|Start]]

They asked you to carry out mass destruction, mass violence and death, and that's what you're going to do. You don't even know what city is present at the co-ordinates you punched in, if there is supposed to be any there at all. All you know is that the State is as good as done for, once it lands. Nobody takes kindly to a nuke, but people are bound to make excuses for wherever they get dropped on a sworn enemy, a perceived villain. This won't be one of those times. And to say that the State will suffer a hit to its reputation for this unwarranted act of violence, is putting it much too politely. But, what choice did you have? It was either us, or them. [[> Restart.|Start]]

The missile's red trail flies steady over the Atlantic for a few minutes, before ultimately cutting out and dropping somewhere over the ocean, a message flashing up on the screen confirming the payload's reached its destination. Once news gets out of the ocean nuking, the State's gonna have its work cut out for it. Still, it will adapt, figure out a way to turn this to its advantage. Nobody takes kindly to a nuke, but people are bound to make excuses for wherever they get dropped on a sworn enemy, a perceived villain. Perhaps this 'incident' will convince Pannonia to stand down with its own transgressions. Perhaps the State will face enough pressure to do the same. Only time will tell how this will play out. Sure will be something the next time you turn on the news. [[> Restart.|Start]]

Look around you. The bright monitors at your workstation illuminate everything around you. The computer's massive servers are lined up all along the walls, blinking with a myriad of faint lignts, their work endless and thankless. Next to you, your coworker. Partner, co-officer ... co-minuteman? Whatever he should be known as (previous debates on the matter have yielded no mutually satisfactory conclusions), he is as responsible for the fate of that warhead as you. He's making some minor preparations for the missile's launch, but otherwise he looks to be taking things slow for now. [[> Continue ...|lookAroundYouII]]

At last, you have found Sunny in all his magnificence! He stands tall, ready to ascend to the Heavens at a moment's notice! [[> Close the door behind you.|sealItShut]] [[> Toy with the nearest control panel|getTackledByCarsonNoDoor]] [[> Tear off a panel and access the wiring|getTackledByCarsonNoDoor]] [[> Cuddle the rocket|getTackledByCarsonNoDoor]] [[> Run back to the control room|getCaughtRunning]]

You try to make a go for the exit, but no go. The door is sealed, and requires both your keys to operate. Now's probably a poor time to turn around and ask your partner for his. [[> Continue ...|boob]]

Before you can do anything else, your partner charges forth and tackles you to the ground. It's a rough landing, and you're barely able to register what the hell's going on before you're flipped onto your stomach and both your arms are pulled behind your back, with some of cold metal on bo- Oh god, he found the cuffs out of the detention cell. [[> Continue ...|detention]]

No sooner are you throwed to the ground then you are forced back on your feet and dragged over to the detention cell. You get tossed in with the door locked behind you. Your partner has very few words for you. "What the fuck's gotten to you man?" [[> Stay silent|detentionClosing]] [[> "You know, now that you mention it, I really don't know."|confessConfusion]] [[> "Well, times like these, I'm surprised I hadn't cracked sooner."|cracked]] [[> "NOOOO, MY BABYYYYYY!!!"|continuedPsychosis]]

"Don't tell me you're losing it, man. You gotta be tougher than this." He paces back and forth a bit, unsure if you're all there, unsure if he's all there, if he did the right thing ... A heavy sigh punctuates the mood. [[> Continue ...|detentionClosing]]

"Well, honestly bud, I'd thought you'd be a lot tougher than this." He shakes his head in the most patronizingly stupid and condescending manner possible. "Yeah, sure, it's a tough going, but for God's sake, you're a soldier! Act like one!" [[> Continue ...|detentionClosing]]

Your partner's face is a mosaic of fear, disgust, and relief. He's clearky worried for your well-being, but he also seems somewhat ... assured. As if he feels safe, knowing he made the right decision to apprehend you. [[> Continue ...|detentionClosing]]

"Honestly now, I'm scared for you." He begins to walk out. "I'm calling command, telling them to send the MP over. Someone else will take care of you." He exits and returns to his post, sealing the blast door behind him. You can faintly hear him on the phone. "Command? This is Silo #421-C, Lieutenant Carson speaking. My partner ..." [[Continue ...|detentionEnd]]

Within the half hour, military police open your cell. After confirming your ID and rank, they escort you out of the facility. Another officer is waiting out in the hall, desperately avoiding eye contact as you're marched away. As you board the elevator, he enters the command center and introduces himself to your partner. "Lieutenant Yacob", he says. Out of the complex and back on the surface, you placed in the back of patrol vehicle and driven off. Minutes later, you hear a modestly-powerful explosion from further down the road. Looking back, an orange trail marks its progress into the night sky. [[> Restart.|Start]]

There's surprisingly little paperwork cluttering up your respective desks, which is nice. Command is famously strict in keeping every aspect of military life as clean and orderly as possible, their state-of-the-art missile silos especially. Much easier to retrieve something when it's in its proper place; like if you need to call the Diamond in a jiffy, or (God forbid) you need to grab your pistol in an emergency. So uncomplicated! [[> Continue ...|lookAroundYouIII]]

Additionally, there is also the blast door, weighing several tons, shielding the two of you from the excessive heat released in the event of a launch, along with any potential attackers, should worst case come to worst. Barring highly specialized, high-powered tools, few things would be able to penetrate its thick hull. [[> Initiate launch.|instaLaunch]] [[> Continue relaxing.|stalling]] [[> Get up and walk around a bit.|wander]]

Your aim is steady, and your intentions resolute. You pull the trigger. It isn't immediately obvious, but the bullet looks to have landed somewhere around the base of his neck. Your coworker gags profusely, desperately trying to grasp for some air. And to not suffocate on his own blood. He falls to his knees. He can only keep himself upright - his eyes trained on you - for a second more before collapsing to the floor. The gagging continues for a few scant minutes afterwards. [[> Launch the missile yourself.|deadCoordinates]] [[> Wait.|deadDelay]] [[> Kill yourself.|deadDead]]

Aiming your gun towards the cieling, you fire a shot above your coworker's head. The bullet barely misses him, and ricochets around the room a little, somehow hitting neither of you. Still, it effectively makes your partner shit his pants. Not literally, as least far as you can tell. He ducks for cover. "FUCK, MAN! WHAT DO YOU WANT?!!" [[> "I'm not letting that missile fire."|stillRefuseButWithAGun]] [[> "Outta this room, now!"|getHimToLeave]] [[> "On second thought, this might've been a mistake."|getKilled]] [[> Kill him.|youAreDeadNotBigSuprise]] [[> Kill yourself.|bruhDontDoIt]] [[> Fire another warning shot.|warningYaII]] [[> "You see Lieutenant ... ZHETYSSSSSUUUUUUUU!"|agent]]

Coming to your senses, you slowly lower the pistol, and do your best to not look as intimidating as possible. By now the color is faded completely from your coworker. He simply stares on agape. Before you can breath another word in, he makes a dask for his desk, and soon pulls out his own gun. There's no hesitation, only action. He fires a shot. [[> Fire back.|vengeance]] [[> Dodge.|getKilledII]]

The bullet hits you square in the abdomen. It's about as painful as you'd expect. But, with whatever last ounce of strength you can muster, you raise your weapon again, and fire off a retaliatory shot. Your coworker, absolutely shocked at what he had done, stares on dumbfounded as your shot rushes towards him, knocking him flat to the ground upon impact. With everything having gone horribly to shit, you follow your partner likewise and collapse to the floor in a rather painful fashion. [[> Continue ...|deadEnd]]

Fast on your feet as you might've been, there's no outrunning a bullet. Not when you only decided to move after the bullet had been fired. You've been hit square in the chest, and in your haste to dodge, you stumble forward and collapse face-first onto the floor. It is not a gentle fall. [[ > Continue ...|getKilledIIIEnd]]

Things got out of hand very quickly. You can barely make out your coworker's faint whimpering and breathing over your own. You look around as much as you can; a surprising amount of blood has pooled around your soon-to-be-carcass. Shame it had to come to this. For whatever reason it did. As you fade closer and closer into darkness, you hear sirens flare up throughout the complex. You have no idea what the hell they're supposed to be for, but it'd be nice if they could shut the fuck up while you die slowly and in agonizing pain.

Everything hurts like a motherfucker. Aside from the obvious gaping wound in your chest, you're damn near convinced you split your head open from that fall. Way things are going, it's amazing you're still conscious at all. You hear your coworker reach for the phone, dialing Command. "This is Silo #421-C, Lieutenant Carson speaking. My co-officer has gone rogue, attempted to pull a weapon on me ..." He carries on the talking for a bit longer, but you gradually understand less and less of what he's saying. All you can comprehend is the pain. Soon, even that subsides, as everything goes dark. [[ > Restart.|Start]]

"W-Wha-Why?! Where?!!" [[> "I'm not letting that missile fire."|stillRefuseButWithAGun]] [[> "I said, get the fuck outta here!"|getHimToLeaveII]] [[> "On second thought, this might've been a mistake."|getKilled]] [[> Kill him.|youAreDeadNotBigSuprise]] [[> "You see Lieutenant ... ZHETYSSSSSUUUUUUUU!"|agent]]

"Listen man, the fuck are you tryn'a do?" [[> "I'm not letting that missile fire."|stillRefuseButWithAGun]] [[> "On second thought, I really ... don't ... know ... this might've been a mistake."|getKilled]] [[> Kill him.|youAreDeadNotBigSuprise]] [[> He must have trouble hearing; fire a warning shot.|heLeaves]] [[> "You see Lieutenant ... ZHETYSSSSSUUUUUUUU!"|agent]]

"The fuck?! So you pull a gun on me? The fuck did I ever do to you?!!" [[> "You wouldn't listen."|coldTruth]] [[> "Outta this room, now!"|getHimToLeave]] [[> "On second thought, this might've been a mistake."|getKilled]] [[> Kill him.|youAreDeadNotBigSuprise]] [[> Kill yourself.|bruhDontDoIt]] [[> "You see Lieutenant ... ZHETYSSSSSUUUUUUUU!"|agent]]

This is wrong. All so wrong. How did it go so wrong, so quickly? You raise the pistol to your head, the cold steel pressed agaisnt your right temple. Your coworker rushes towards you, shouting something illegible. You pull the trigger. All goes dark.

Might as well put that warhead to good use. On a hunch, you decide to double check the co-ordinates entered. 47°29′33″N 19°03′05″E Seems to check out, from what you remember of the inital message. [[> Leave the co-ordinates as they are.|deadPannonia]] [[> Change co-ordinates to: 43°42′N 79°24′W|deadCapital]] [[> Change co-ordinates to: 33.3872° N, 104.5281° W|deadForeignNation]] [[> Change co-ordinates to: 50°N, 15°W|deadOcean]]

It might just be best to wait a bit. Calm down, collect yourself. Take the next step into consideration. [[> Fire off the missile on your ownsome.|allAloneLaunch]] [[> Continue waiting it out.|deadWaitIII]]

So it ends like this. Your coworker lies dead on the ground. There's no way in hell you'll be getting out of this alive, either. Not when Command finds out what went down. They could be sending MP right now, for all you know. You raise the pistol to your head, pressed against your temple, the steel still warm from your last shot. You pull the trigger. All goes dark.

Making no changes to your dearly departed coworker's handiwork, you prepare the warhead for launch. With both keys inserted into their proper socket, you fumble a bit to get them to turn in unison It's a bit of a pain in the ass, but you eventually get them to synchronize, and right on cue, the rocket fires up, the engines' roar damn near rendering you deaf. [[> Continue ...|deadPannoniaIIEnd]]

You fire a shot at the ceiling. It richochets a little, but somehow doesn't hit either of you two. Nonetheless, it gets your point across. "Okay, okay! Fuck, man, I'm going!" He inches towards the blast doors, hands high in the air. He pulls the blast door as far back as he can, before skedaddling who knows where. [[> Close the door behind him|lockedIn]]. [[> Initiate the launch on your ownsome|launchWithNoKey]] [[> Wait.|waitButYouGonDie]]

You push the door back as quickly as you can, making sure it's properly locked and secured. [[> Initiate the launch on your ownsome|launchWithNoKeyDoorLocked]] [[> Wait.|ownsomeWait]]

Might as well put that warhead to good use. On a hunch, you decide to double check the co-ordinates entered. 47°29′33″N 19°03′05″E Seems to check out, from what you remember of the inital message. [[> Leave the co-ordinates as they are.|heComesBack]] [[> Change co-ordinates to: 43°42′N 79°24′W|heComesBack]] [[> Change co-ordinates to: 33.3872° N, 104.5281° W|heComesBack]] [[> Change co-ordinates to: 50°N, 15°W|heComesBack]]

It might just be best to wait a bit. Calm down, collect yourself. Take the next step into consideration. [[> Launch the missile on your ownsome.|heComesBack]] [[> Continue waiting it out.|heComesBack]]

Might as well put that warhead to good use. On a hunch, you decide to double check the co-ordinates entered. 47°29′33″N 19°03′05″E Seems to check out, from what you remember of the inital message. [[> Leave the co-ordinates as they are.|noKeyMcGee]] [[> Change co-ordinates to: 43°42′N 79°24′W|noKeyMcGee]] [[> Change co-ordinates to: 33.3872° N, 104.5281° W|noKeyMcGee]] [[> Change co-ordinates to: 50°N, 15°W|noKeyMcGee]]

It might just be best to wait a bit. Calm down, collect yourself. Take the next step into consideration. [[> Initiate the launch on your ownsome|launchWithNoKeyDoorLocked]] [[> Continue waiting.|ownsomeWaitII]]

Before you can do anything else, you hear the blast door knocked back. Hard. You turn around to see your coworker wielding an assault rifle. He had gone straight to the armory. He's brandishing a few other weapons from there on his person. He opens fire before you can react, a hail of bullets piercing every inch of your body. All goes dark.

Right as you finalize the launch details, you realize you're forgetting something important. Your partner's key. Might be a bit too late to politely ask for it now. [[> Try politely asking for it anyways.|politely]] [[> Wait it out.|ownsomeWaitIII]] [[> Try inserting your key into both sockets, one after the other.|keyPlay]]

Well, not like you have much to lose now, anyways. You unlock the door and step outside. Hopefully he'd be willing to get back to business with that nuke launch, if you request his assistance politely enough. Worst comes to worst, well, you still have your gun. [[> Continue ...|politelyGetKilled]]

Perhaps the only winning move, is to not play at all. [[> Continue waiting.|ownsomeSirens]]

You desperately run back and forth between your desks, inserting your key into both sockets and turning them as quick as you can. You repeat this process several times, in vain hope that you can get them to synchornize. It isn't until the tenth cycle that you realize you weren't even able to turn your key in your coworker's socket. [[> Try politely asking for it anyways.|politely]] [[> Wait it out.|ownsomeWaitIII]]

You tread slowly, carefully down the hall. You barely get a few feet down, however, before you feel an incredible pain surge throughout your backside, accompanied by the sound of something loud and explosive that echoes throughout the complex. Gunshots! The pain subsides momentarily, but you can feel the shirt on your back become damp with ... something ... You ... you've been hit! [[ > Continue ...|politelyEnd]]

You turn around as far as you can; your body struggles to respond, in shock from the damage it has sustained. It's a miracle you're still standing at this point. Behind you, you see your coworker leaning out of the detention cell's doorway, brandishing an assault rifle and pointing it straight at you. Before you can respond any which way, he opens fire and empties the rest of his clip into you, knocking you flat on your ass. You manage to maintain conscious for perhaps a second more, and then ... Silence. All goes dark. [[> Restart.|Start]]

All remains quiet. This peace is nice, for a change. [[> Initiate the launch on your ownsome|launchWithNoKeyDoorLocked]] [[> Continue waiting.|ownsomeWaitIII]]

Just as you're really starting to enjoy this quiet, sirens start blaring and the emergency lights kick in, drowning everything in your already dimly-lit setting an even darker shade of red. You know, something might've been mentioned about this back during your training, but you can't remember what the hell it's supposed to signify now. [[> Check the monitors.|ownsomeFailedAccess]] [[> Run down the hall and check on the Missile.|ownsomeStartDeArm]] [[> Wait it out.|ownsomeRemoteNukeII]] [[> Go look for your partner, ask what's going on.|theHuntBegins]]

You unlock the door and step outside. Hopefully he'd be willing to get back to business with that nuke launch, and maybe have an answer for these sirens, if you request his assistance politely enough. [[> Continue ...|politelyGetKilled]]

As you walk back into the command module, your coworker yanks the key out of your hand, and inserts both into their respective sockets. He fumbles a bit with getting them to synchronize and turnt in unison, but eventually he pulls it off. Right on cue, the rocket's engines fire off, damn near rendering the two of you deaf. [[> Continue ...|pannonia]]

You know what? Enough is enough. Right as everything look like it'll proceed without furhter incident, you elect to toss your key even further - this time into the missile silo, where it lands on the catwalk but falls through the grating. You can hear a faint ringing from the bottom of the shaft. It'd be pretty astounding if that metal somehow didn't shatter into a million pieces. b Your coworker rushes forward, past you and into the silo, but it's much too late for him to do anything. "What the fuck, man?" He cries back, "What was that for?"

You're only able to glance inside the silo for a brief moment, taking note of only a few scant details - a control panel, the magnificent height of the missile, and the sealed blast doors above - before your partner calls back from down the hall. "Hey! stop dicking around and get back here! We've got work to do!" Obligingly, you start walking back towards the general direction of the command module ... [[> Continue ...|exploreNowhere]]

The room closest to the command module on the right, the detention cell pulls double duty as a minimalist infirmary. There's two prison cages right next to each other on the left, and to the right, an operating table, as well as a first aid box on the wall. None of the bedding here looks particularly comfortable. A medic is assinged to this room - Dr. Leibowitz, a nice fellow. Like the rest of the silo's non-minutemen staff, he is not a permanent fixture, and in fact only comes about in the event of an emergency. While thankfully this room has seen little action (if any) since this base was made operational, theoretically, this would be where you'd find either wounded or insubordinate officers. Worst comes to worst, they may very well be the same peope. [[> Walk over to the Silo.|exploreSilo]] [[> Walk over to the break room.|exploreBR]] [[> Walk over to the armory.|exploreAA]] [[> Walk over to the exit.|exploreLeaving]] [[> Return to your station.|exploreNowhere]]

The room closest to the command module on the left, the break room is no different from the sort you'd find in an average office/cubicle complex, save for the two beds adjacent each other on the far side. While minutemen manning the silos are changed out every week, in a cycle of three groups of two, this is where they'd expected to sleep for the duration of their shifts, day in and night out. You still do not understand why the base architect, in the midst of planning and construction, did not figure to put the beds right in the nigh-impregnable command module, as opposed to an entirely separate and comparatively-vulnerable position as this. Beyond that, there are the usual fixtures: cupboards, refridgerator, microwave, a specialty-screwdriver that someone left behind, so on and so forth. [[> Walk over to the Silo.|exploreSilo]] [[> Walk over to the detention cell.|exploreDC]] [[> Walk over to the armory.|exploreAA]] [[> Walk over to the exit.|exploreLeaving]] [[> Return to your station.|exploreNowhere]]

The room farthest from the command module on the left, the armory does not feature an especially impressive inventory. It has guns, yes, things that go boom, but not very many of them. On a gunrack opposite the entrance, there is precisely one fully-automatic assault rifle, a few older semi-automatic models, and an extra couple hand-guns. In front of that is a table, with a number of disassembled gun parts, a few frag grenades, and what appears to be a geiger counter of some sort. A few ammunition boxes dot the rest of the room's walls. [[> Walk over to the Silo.|exploreSilo]] [[> Walk over to the detention cell.|exploreDC]] [[> Walk over to the break room.|exploreBR]] [[> Walk over to the exit.|exploreLeaving]] [[> Return to your station.|exploreNowhere]]

Content with what you've seen, you reenter the command module and carry on with your business. [[> Initiate launch|instaLaunch]] [[> Wait|stalling]] [[> Recline in your chair|relax]] [[> Get back up and walk around a bit again|wander]]

The door farthest from the command module on the right, the exit door provides access to a separate elevator leading up to the service, along with a modest flight of stairs wrapped around it. The exit door, while not as impressive as the blast door to the command module, is still a damn tough hunk of metal, and can only be opened or closed with the ignition keys of both on-duty minutemen. Unless you can manage to persuade your coworker otherwise (and don't mind a court martial), it doesn't seem likely that you'll be passing through these doors anytime soon. [[> Walk over to the Silo.|exploreSilo]] [[> Walk over to the detention cell.|exploreDC]] [[> Walk over to the break room.|exploreBR]] [[> Walk over to the armory.|exploreAA]] [[> Return to your station.|exploreNowhere]]

Your partner pauses for a second, as if deep in thought. "Honestly man, I'm starting to believe you. This shit might be too much." [[> "So do we agree to not launching that nuke right away?"|agreement]] [[> "On second thought, it ain't that big a deal. Probably."|notLaunchingNow]] [[> "Aye. Let's give Command a ring, just to be safe."|call]]

"I'd ... I would be willing to wait it out a bit. Just to be on the safe side." Your partner now seems quite worried - more so than you've usually seen him. He kicks back and reclines in his chair, further meditating on the matter in as comfortable a situation as he can. [[> Stay silent.|mutualQuiet]] [[> "I think now would be a good time to give Command a buzz."|call]] [[> "Screw it, let's just get this over with." (initiate launch)|delayedLaunch]] [[> "It wouldn't be too difficult to alter a missile's trajectory mid-flight, would it?"|nukeTrajectory]]

"No, no ... I think ... I think you've got a very good point." He shudders a little, at the thought of what Pannonian infiltration might possibly mean. "Let's just ... give this a minute or two ... see what happens ... [[> Continue ...|mutualQuiet]]

With a mutual agreement reached, you follow suit in shutting up for the time being. [[> Stay silent.|mutualQuietII]] [[> "I think now would be a good time to give Command a buzz."|call]] [[> "Screw it, let's just get this over with." (initiate launch)|delayedLaunch]] [[> "It wouldn't be too difficult to alter a missile's trajectory mid-flight, would it?"|nukeTrajectory]]

"No, it would be downright impossible. Once that thing enters the air, there's no cancelling it, no altering its flight path. Barring some mid-air malfunction, there's nothing we can do to stop it." [[> Stay silent.|mutualQuietII]] [[> "I think now would be a good time to give Command a buzz."|call]] [[> "Screw it, let's just get this over with." (initiate launch)|delayedLaunch]] [[> "What are the chances that we can repel an attack by Pannonians?"|pannoniaAssault]]

"What's the matter? Don't tell me you're going soft now." He lets out a soft sigh, then kicks back from his desk and reclines in his chair. As if thinking aloud rather than addressing you directly, he stares at the ceiling and continues. "Look, being a minuteman, it's not easy. You gotta make some tough calls, but you gotta do what's right. We gotta big responsibility to uphold - to protect our country and our people. And we're gonna see it through without a second thought." [[> "Yeah, I guess you're right ..." (initiate launch)|delayedLaunch]] [[> "That's my point. This ISN'T right."|confrontIII]] [[> "Well, maybe we should wait, make sure this is what command wants".|ponder]] [[> Say nothing more, go silent.|stalling IV]]

"Maybe it doesn't look like it now. Maybe it's only the lesser of several other evils. But surely this has to be the best possible option outta 'em all." A slightly heavier sigh this time around. "But, we've got our orders. We must see them through." [[> "Yeah, I guess you're right ..." (initiate launch)|delayedLaunch]] [[> "Exactly, this HASN'T been our call to make. Command's made this decision, and they expect us to pull the trigger."|confrontIV]] [[> "Well, maybe we should wait, make sure this is what command wants".|ponder]] [[> Say nothing more, go silent.|stalling IV]]

Your coworker looks really really concerned for you by this point. Not a peep, not an inched moved, for a short while now. [[> "You know, I'm thinking ... maybe we should wait, make sure this is what command wants".|ponder]] [[> Initiate Launch|instaLaunch]] [[> Continue Waiting|stallingV]] [[> Recline in your chair|relax]] [[> Get up and walk around a bit|wander]]

"Again, it's the responsibility we've been entrusted." He sits back up in his chair. "There's nothing else we can do. Nothing else we should do." [[> "Yeah, I guess you're right ..." (initiate launch)|delayedLaunch]] [[> "Bullshit. There's always something else."|confrontV]] [[> "Well, maybe we should wait, make sure this is what command wants".|ponder]] [[> Say nothing more, go silent.|stalling IV]]

"Okay, then what would you have us do?" [[> "... On second thought, fuck it, let's just fire the damn thing already." (initiate launch)|delayedLaunch]] [[> "Not launch that warhead, period."|backToTheGoodStuff]] [[> "I say let's wait a bit, make sure this is what command wants.|peacefulQuiet]] [[> Say nothing more, go silent.|stalling IV]]

A heavy sigh. "It's not that simple, man. It never is." [[> Continue ...|theNextThread]]

Convicted though you may be in your own words, your coworker does not seem to be buying it for one second. He shakes his head, lets out a softer sigh, and turns back to his desk. He begins prepping the missile for launch, hammering away at his keyboard. There's only so much to be done now ... [[> Prep the missile for launch|slinkBackDejected]] [[> "We, uh, we really don't have to do this, you know."|weakAppeal]] [[> Try to get him to see otherwise. With a gun. Pull a gun on him.|rapidEscalation]] [[> Do nothing but sit in your chair|lazy]]

The silence persists. [[> Stay silent.|mutualQuietIII]] [[> "I think now would be a good time to give Command a buzz."|call]] [[> "Screw it, let's just get this over with." (initiate launch)|delayedLaunch]] [[> "It wouldn't be too difficult to alter a missile's trajectory mid-flight, would it?"|nukeTrajectory]]

Your coworker chuckles a bit. "You mean, like sleeper cells? A covert commando team? An entire army?" He ponders this answer for a few seconds before responding. "The way I see it ... sleeper cells could come from anywhere, they may have already infiltrated our ranks, worked shifts in this very silo. Anybody on-staff here could be a Pannonian - Sephan, Oremor, Uw-Zelaznog, fuckin' Dr. Leibowitz ... they could get the drop on us easy if they wanted to, but if we're smart or quick enough, we could seal ourselves behind the blast door and be perfectly safe. There'd be literally nothing they could to after that point." [[> Continue ...|pannoniaAssaultII]]

"Now, if the Pannonians either send their special forces, or have a full-fledged army besiege this castle ... That's a trickier notion. Commandos, I'm sure, will kill us dead in no time flat, while we may have a chance against an assault by ordinary schmucks. This base can easily take a whoppin' against conventional weaponry, but both sides would probably have access to some pretty high-powered explosives. The only way they'd be able to successfully take this place. And the commandos would probably be more effective with 'em, anyways." He reclines in his chair again. "Worst comes to worst, I really hope friendlies can bail our asses soon enough." [[> Stay silent.|mutualQuietII]] [[> "I think now would be a good time to give Command a buzz."|call]] [[> "Screw it, let's just get this over with." (initiate launch)|delayedLaunch]] [[> "If this turns out to be real, do you think command would be understanding of our hesitation?"|straightToTheGallows]] [[> "You see Lieutenant ... ZHETYSSSSSUUUUUUUU!"|agent]]

"Are you kidding? Command won't give a shit what we'd have to say. They'd haul us off to Galloway sooner than they could replace us." He pauses, lets out a heavy sigh in the process. "I really hope you're right about this, man." [[> "So do I."|beginningOfTheEnd]] [[> Stay silent.|beginningOfTheEnd]] [[> "I think now would be a good time to give Command a buzz."|beginningOfTheEnd]] [[> "Screw it, let's just get this over with." (initiate launch)|beginningOfTheEnd]] [[> "Come to think of it, what's to stop them from launching from another silo?"|aDifferentSilo]]

Before you can do anything else, sirens start blaring and the emergency lights kick in, drowning everything in your already dimly-lit setting an even darker shade of red. This probably shouldn't be happening. You can barely make out your coworker's facial features. He seems as taken aback as you are. [[> "Oh God, what is happening?!"|startPanicking]] [[> "Are we under attack?"|reallyStartPanicking]] [[> "Oh man, I was enjoying this peace and quiet."|snarkBitch]] [[> "I get the feeling we should try launching that warhead right now."|notWorkingLaunch]] [[> "We should call Command right now."|panickCall]]

This silence carries on a bit longer. Nothing much of anything happens anymore; you two sit in your chairs, enjoying the peace. [[> Stay silent.|mutualQuietIV]] [[> "I think now would be a good time to give Command a buzz."|call]] [[> "Screw it, let's just get this over with." (initiate launch)|delayedLaunch]] [[> "It wouldn't be too difficult to alter a missile's trajectory mid-flight, would it?"|nukeTrajectory]]

All's quiet on the western front. That could change at a moment's notice. [[> Stay silent.|beginningOfTheEnd]] [[> "I think now would be a good time to give Command a buzz."|beginningOfTheEnd]] [[> "Screw it, let's just get this over with." (initiate launch)|beginningOfTheEnd]] [[> "It wouldn't be too difficult to alter a missile's trajectory mid-flight, would it?"|nukeTrajectory]]

"I don't ... I don't know ..." He tries saying something more, but the sirens are draining every other noise out. You can barely make out anything that he's trying to say, and he's probably having the same trouble with you. [[> "Are we under attack?"|realizeBad]] [[> "Oh man, I was enjoying this peace and quiet."|snarkBitch]] [[> "I get the feeling we should try launching that warhead right now."|notWorkingLaunch]] [[> "We should call Command right now."|panickCall]]

"I ... I don't know man, I don't! Maybe ... Oh God, keep your gun at the ready, I ... wait a minute ..." [[> "Oh God, what is happening, then?!"|realizeBad]] [[> "Oh man, I was enjoying this peace and quiet."|snarkBitch]] [[> "I get the feeling we should try launching that warhead right now."|notWorkingLaunch]] [[> "We should call Command right now."|panickCall]]

Your snide remark literally falls on deaf ears - the sirens are too loud for him to have really gotten the gist of what you were saying, and you can barely hear yourself talking over this commotion. [[> "But seriously, what is happening?!"|startPanicking]] [[> "Are we under attack?"|reallyStartPanicking]] [[> "I get the feeling we should try launching that warhead right now."|notWorkingLaunch]] [[> "We should call Command right now."|panickCall]]

You rush over to your monitor to try accessing the launch systems, but it's a no go. The monitors are all displaying a black screen with green lines of code flashing across. They are completely unresponsive. [[> "Oh God, what is happening?!"|startPanicking]] [[> "Are we under attack?"|reallyStartPanicking]] [[> "Oh man, I was enjoying this peace and quiet."|snarkBitch]] [[> "We should call Command right now."|panickCall]

You reach for the phone and dial the Diamond. After giving the necessary clearance codes and stating your mission, you're transferred to the Director's personal desk. Within seconds, you're connected. "Director Mumubli, state your business." You're surprised you can hear anything at all. [[> "Mayday! This is Silo #421-C. Code August! The base's alarms are going apeshit and the emergency lights have kicked in!"|playingProperWhilePanicking]] [[> "Mayday! This is Silo #421-C. How you doin'?|playingTooPoliteAtATimeLikeThis]]

"I ... I remember something about ... oh no." He covers his ears and leans in closer to you, to better get his point across admist the blaring sirens. "There are ... only a few times ... this alarm ... is supposed to go off ... in the event ... that an outside terminal ... is attempting to access the warhead's systems, and ... oh God ..." He pauses; a clear sense of horror has dawned on his face. [[> "I get the feeling we should try launching that warhead right now."|notWorkingLaunchII]] [[> "We need to check on that nuke, NOW."|run to the hall]] [[> "We should call Command right now."|panickCall]]

You rush over to your monitor to try accessing the launch systems, but it's a no go. The monitors are all displaying a black screen with green lines of code flashing across. They are completely unresponsive. [[> "We need to check on that nuke, NOW."|run to the hall]] [[> "We should call Command right now."|panickCall]]

You and your partner spring into action. Pulling the blast door as far back as you can, you both sprint like hell down the hall, towards the missile silo. Once you're inside, you can hear the rocket buzzing with activity, a myriad of mechanical hums eminating from its hull. It's also quite warm in here, and only feels to be getting hotter by the second. [[> Toy with the nearest control panel|nukePanel]] [[> Tear off a panel and access the wiring|nukeFetchTool]] [[> Cuddle the rocket|nukeMomentOfNeed]] [[> Run back to the control room|nukeRunning]]

You follow the missile's trajectory on the monitors, but something seems off. It seems to be heading in the exact opposite direction that it's supposed to. If anything, it's … flying deeper and deeper into your own borders. You and your partner stare quizzically at one another. Never has your coworker looked more confused nor horrified at once. He rushes for the phone. "Command? Command! This is silo #421-C, Lieutenant Carson speaking! Something's gone wrong with order #7547's launch, there's a 45-megaton warhead flying somewhere within our borders, it looks like it's headed to the general vicinity of the capital! I repeat, the warhead appears to be nearing the general vicinity of H.T.!" [[> Continue ...|headingInlandII]]

He continues on the phone for a scant few minutes more. The conversation seems to take a heavier and heavier turn with each sentence, as the color fades from your coworker's complexion and his voice becomes weaker. He looks like he's trying to hold back tears. Suddenly, the rocket's red blip cuts out. A text box flashes up, indicating that the missile apparently did not reach its intended target. Near as you can tell, it looked to have entered the capital's general vicinity before going dark. Your coworker, staring up at the monitors, freezes in sheer horror. "C-c-co-co-command? Are you- you st-still there? Comma-command? Command?! COMMAND?!!!" He redials the number several more times; yielding no response. [[> Continue ...|headingInlandIII]]

Receiving no answer from the capital, your coworker falls to his knees and begins wailing. He cries profusely and loudly, face planted firmly in his hands as he sobs away. You doubt you'd ever seen anyone this devastated before. [[> Offer him a hug.|hugItOut]] [[> "Those goddamn Pannonians. They'll get what's coming to 'em, I promise you that."|vengeanceEnd]] [[> "Fret not: that warhead went precisely where it had to."|revelation]] [[> "I really wished you had double-checked those co-ordinates for me."|nowYouFuckedUp]]

Kneeling down on the ground right next to him, you wrap your arms around your coworker and press his head and body closer to yours. For good measure, you pat his back while muttering something supposed to be soothing and reassuring. He lets out an ever louder, anguished wail. He does seem to appreciate the hug, though. [[> "Those goddamn Pannonians. They'll get what's coming to 'em, I promise you that."|vengeanceEnd]] [[> "Fret not: that warhead went precisely where it had to."|revelation]] [[> "I really wished you had double-checked those co-ordinates for me."|nowYouFuckedUp]]

"They fucking will. That, they, fuh-fuh, fucking ..." He can barely speak a few words before breaking back into sobbing. What happens now, who knows? Did anyone else see it coming? Did anyone somehow survive? Will this country continue to exist? Is this justice for the violence the heads of State wished to inflict upon others? Was it really so deserved? But what choice did you have? It was either us, or them. Here's hoping some good might come out of this yet. [[> Restart.|Start]]

"Wh-what are you talking about, what are you ...?" He regains his composture briefly, soul-wretching sadness giving way to utter confusion. [[> "What I'm trying to say is that I did that."|spillTheViolentCapitalistBeansEnd]] [[> "I mean, I had no idea how that happened ... but I'm sure it must've been karmic punishment of some sort. Only explanation I can think of."|copBackOut]] [[> "I mean, technically, it functioned correctly. I really wish you had double-checked those co-ordinates for me."|nowYouFuckedUp]]

"Wha ... What the fuck do you mean?" He recoils and jumps back in a sudden shock. "You ... you changed them ... why?" [[> "It was the right thing to do."|anotherViolentEnd]] [[> "I may have read the order transcript wrong, so, uh ... whoops."|anotherViolentEnd]]

Your partner recoils and jumps back. Violently. He tries uttering something in response, but the most he can accomplish is silently mouthing whatever it is he's trying to say. After a few seconds more of literally being at a loss of words, he get up and lunges at his desk. Before you can do anything else, he's grabbed his pistol and trained it on you. There's no hesitation, only action. He pull the trigger. Then, silence. All goes dark. [[> Restart.|Start]]

Silence. "... Just shut the fuck up." He get up and walks over to the blast door, opening it as far back as he can. "Just ... I don't know what your deal is ... but shut the fuck up, asshole." He walks out, presumably to be left alone in a different room. [[> Continue ...|altCapitalScreenEnd]]

What happens now, who knows? Did anyone else see it coming? Did anyone somehow survive? Will this country continue to exist? Is this justice for the violence the heads of State wished to inflict upon others? Was it really so deserved? But what choice did you have? It was either us, or them. Here's hoping some good might come out of this yet. [[> Restart.|Start]]

Your coworker can do nothing but stare in shock, and then, in anger and disgust. "Bullshit." He scoots back some more. "BULL. FUCKING. SHIT." He tries uttering something else in response, but the most he can accomplish is silently mouthing whatever it is he's trying to say. After a few seconds more of literally being at a loss of words, he get up and lunges at his desk. Before you can do anything else, he's grabbed his pistol and trained it on you. There's no hesitation, only action. He pull the trigger. Then, silence. All goes dark. [[> Restart.|Start]]

As the call carries on, the missile's trajectory curves away from the capital, further south, before eventually exiting the country's airspace altogether. Apparently though, it flew close enough to the capital that a sentry on the outskirts of town called in, claiming he could see it soaring high and above in the night sky. Your partner rushes over to the monitor, to verify the missile's destination. "Okay, okay, tell the director, the co-ordinates are ... 33.3872° North, 104.5281° West, so in and around ... Oh no..." Though the voice on the other end of the phone is barely audible, you can barely make out something being said in a louder, more agressive tone. Your coworker struggles to respond. "Yes ... yes, sir, I ... yes, understood ... yes, yes ... Nova Scoti-" -click!- [[> Continue ...|headingToMexicoIII]]

"The warhead's heading to the capital of Gauxte. The Diamond is making every effort it can right now to warn them of the incoming nuke." He starts pacing back and forth a little bit. "Whether or not anything can be done to save them now, I have no clue. Maybe they can shoot that thing down, somehow, before it's too late. Maybe. I don't know." Still walking and back and forth, he lets out a heavy sigh. "All I know is that we're going to be taken in for 'questioning'. The MP are on their way now. We're fucked. We're so fucking fucked." [[> "Oh, fucking hell."|literallyFuckingHell]] [[> "Oh well, probably for the best."|handwaveGauxte]] [[> "I really wished you had double-checked those co-ordinates for me."|nowYouFuckedUp]]

"Yeah. No doubt about it, we're getting shipped over to Galloway." He drops into his chair. "If they don't just take us out into the woods and kill us there, of course." [[> "I bet the Pannonians did this."|literallyFuckingHellII]] [[> "Oh well, probably for the best."|handwaveGauxte]] [[> "I really wished you had double-checked those co-ordinates for me."|nowYouFuckedUp]]

Your coworker's long face contorts into an expression of confusion, then fear, and then loathing. "The fuck do you mean by that? Millions of innocents are going to die!" [[> "Millions of innocents were already going to die, in Pannonia."|guiltTrip]] [[> "On second thought, forget I said anything."|mutuallySuckyEnd]] [[> "I really wished you had double-checked those co-ordinates for me."|nowYouFuckedUp]]

"Gotta be, man, I can't think of any other reason why this is happening." A bit of a pause, as he reflects upon his answers some. "Maybe they'll find a spy who was behind all this. Surely. Hopefully. By the time they do, it'll probably be too late." [[> Continue ...|mutuallySuckyEnd]]

It's only a matter of time before the MP get here. After that, who knows? They asked you to carry out mass destruction, mass violence and death, and that's what you're going to do. All you know is that the State is as good as done for, once that thing lands. Nobody takes kindly to a nuke, but people are bound to make excuses for wherever they get dropped on a sworn enemy, a perceived villain. This won't be one of those times. Even if the missile can somehow be shot down, to say that the State will suffer a hit to its reputation for this unwarranted act of violence, would be phrasing the matter much too politely. But, what choice did you have? It was either us, or them. Here's hoping some good might come of this decision yet. [[> Restart.|Start]]

"No, man! The fuck's the matter with you?! We had our orders, the Pannonians had this coming!" He springs up from his chair. "But this? This, man? Fuck, the Gauzteans did nothing wrong to us! We're allies, for Christ's sake! This shouldn't be happening! This should absolutely not be happening!" He then falls back into his chair with a restounding flops, mutter "The fuck's wrong with you" under his breath one last time. [[> Continue ...|mutuallySuckyEnd]]

Right away, you flip the switch to the door, just before your coworker can barge in. That'll keep him occupied for a little bit. [[> Toy with the nearest control panel|mamaPanel]] [[> Tear off a panel and access the wiring|mamaTear]] [[> Cuddle the rocket|mamaMomentOfNeed]]

You try to make a break for it by running back out, but guess who's waiting for you outside? That's right, your very pissed co-worker! Your co-worker, who wastes no time in tackling you to the ground! Before you can mount a counter-assault, you're flipped onto your stomach and your arms are pulled behind your back something metal placed around both yo- Handcuffs. They're handcuffs. He's got you in handcuffs now. [[> Continue ...|detention]]

You start hammering away at the nearest control panel. You have absolutely no idea what the hell these buttons are supposed to do, but they seem to at least make some noise when pushed. That's got to be a good sign. [[> Keep hammering away! Something's gotta work!|mamaPanelGettingSomewhere]] [[> Tear off a panel and access the wiring|mamaTearII]] [[> Cuddle the rocket|mamaMomentOfNeedII]] [[> Run back to the control room|mamaGetTackledByCarson]]

You reach for the nearest bit of the missile's hull that looks the weakest, but, well, you're not gonna be pulling that off without any neater tools. [[> Toy with the nearest control panel.|mamaPanelII]] [[> Try unscrewing everything with your key.|mamaKey]] [[> Cuddle Sunny.|mamaMomentOfNeedII]] [[> Run back to the control room.|mamaGetTackledByCarson]]

In these trying times, it would be nice to have someone to embrace right about now. To tell you that you're safe and loved, and that everything's gonna be okay. You tenderly embrace the rocket, hugging it as tight as you possibly can. It helps a little. [[> Continue embracing the rocket.|mamaContinuedHugging]] [[> Toy with the nearest control panel.|mamaPanelII]] [[> Tear off a panel and access the wiring.|mamaTearII]] [[> Run back to the control room.|mamaGetTackledByCarson]]

"We're well aware, lieutenants. Due to your failure to respond to Order #7547 within an adequate time frame, we have taken remote access of your facility. Supreme Chancellor has personally signed off on that the warhead is to be launched, it was to be launched ten minutes ago, and now the Diamond prepping the Rocket for launch." It takes a bit for all that to sink in, but you're still somehow to understand every word he's said, despite the sheer volume of the sirens. "We will deal with your negligence and insubordination shortly. Military Police are on their way to escort you out of the facility. Resistance will be met with extreme prejudice." -click!- [[> Continue ...|terribleRealization]]

"That is a highly-confidential matter of State security. Now state your business." [[> "Code August! The base's alarms are going apeshit and the emergency lights have kicked in!"|playingProperWhilePanicking]]

Your coworker stares on horrified. "What ... what did he say?!" [[> "You were right! They've accessed the facility! They're firing the nuke remotely! They're sending MP to jail us! They think we're traitors!"|aMouthful]] [[> "We need to check on that nuke, NOW."|run to the hall]]

It's a mouthful to communicate amidst this ruckus, but your coworker gets the point, loud enough and clear enough. "Fuck, man! What do we do now?" [[> "Take it lying down and wait it out? Maybe we won't get reprimanded that hard."|nukeWait]] [[> "We need to check on that nuke, NOW."|treasonExplanation]]

"Okay, yeah, sure, okay, for now." Your partner agrees, though he seems slightly reluctant in doing so. [[> "...Maybe let's go check on that thing now.|run to the hall]] [[> Continue waiting out.|nukeWaitII]]

You start hammering away at the nearest control panel, but it seems to be having no effect. [[> Keep hammering away! Something's gotta work!|NukefutilityII]] [[> Tear off a panel and access the wiring|nukeFetchToolII]] [[> Cuddle the rocket|nukeMomentOfNeedII]] [[> Run back to the control room|nukeRunningII]]

You reach for the nearest panel on the missile's hull that looks the weakest, but, well, you're not gonna be pulling that thing off without any neater tools. [[> Toy with the nearest control panel|nukePanelII]] [[> "Carson! Fetch me a screwdriver of some sort! I think there might be one in the break room!"|nukeFetchInRetrieval]] [[> Cuddle the rocket|nukeMomentOfNeedII]] [[> Run back to the control room|nukeRunningII]]

Okay, enough of this, for right now. You run back to the command hub, teammate in tow. [[> Continue ...|nukeWaitII]]

"Uh, sure, on it boss! I think I know what you're talking about!" He runs back out to the hall, to fetch the tool in question. [[> Toy with the nearest control panel|nukePanelIIIFetchInProgress]] [[> Try unscrewing the panel with your key|nukeFetchInProgress]] [[> Cuddle the rocket|nukeMomentOfNeedIIIFetchInProgress]] [[> Run back to the control room|nukeRunningIII]]

Okay, enough of this, for right now. You run back to the command hub, teammate in tow. [[> Continue ...|nukeWaitIII]]

You start hammering away at the nearest control panel, but it seems to be having no effect. [[> Keep hammering away! Something's gotta work!|NukefutilityIII]] [[> Tear off a panel and access the wiring|nukeFetchToolIII] [[> Cuddle the rocket|nukeMomentOfNeedIII]] [[> Run back to the control room|nukeRunningIII]]

You start hammering away at the nearest control panel, but it seems to be having no effect. Your coworker returns with whatever tools he could find; the nice-looking screw from the detention center being one of them. [[> Keep hammering away! Something's gotta work!|NukefutilityIV]] [[> Get back to work on that panel|nukeFetchIV]] [[> Cuddle the rocket|nukeMomentOfNeedIV]] [[> Run back to the control room|nukeRunningIV]]

You desperately fumble with your key to loosen up the screws a bit, but no dice. It's simply too difficult to get a good grip on these damned things. You manage to unhinge maybe one screw before the key slips out of your hand and plunges down the silo. Your coworker returns with as many tools and gadgets as can manage; the high-powered screw from the detention cell being one of them. [[> Put those tools to use on that missile hull.|nukeFetchIV]] [[> Cuddle the rocket.|nukeMomentOfNeedIV]] [[> Run back to the control room.|nukeRunningIV]]

You flip literally every switch on the panel, press every button, try as many combos as you can ... nothing. This ... really is not normal. You don't even remember what specifically this panel was responsible for, that was someone else's job. But you're certain they were supposed to have some more material effect. [[> Tear off a panel and access the wiring|nukeFetchToolIV] [[> "Carson! Fetch me something to crack this thing open! I'm gonna get to the bottom of this!"|nukeFetchPanelInRetrievalII]] [[> Cuddle the rocket|nukeMomentOfNeedIV]] [[> Run back to the control room|nukeRunningIV]]

"Uh, sure, on it boss! I think I know what you're talking about!" He runs back out to the hall, to fetch the tool in question. [[> Toy with the nearest control panel|nukePanelIVFetchInProgress]] [[> Try unscrewing the panel with your key|nukeFetchInProgressII]] [[> Cuddle the rocket|nukeMomentOfNeedIVFetchInProgress]] [[> Run back to the control room|nukeRunningIV]]

Okay, enough of this, for right now. You run back to the command hub, teammate in tow. [[> Continue ...|nukeWaitIV]]

You flip literally every switch on the panel, press every button, try as many combos as you can ... nothing. This ... really is not normal. You don't even remember what specifically this panel was responsible for, that was someone else's job. But you're certain they were supposed to have some more material effect. [[> Tear off a panel and access the wiring|nukeFetchToolIII] [[> "Carson! Fetch me something to crack this thing open! I'm gonna get to the bottom of this!"|nukeFetchPanelInRetrieval]] [[> Cuddle the rocket|nukeMomentOfNeedIII]] [[> Run back to the control room|nukeRunningIII]]

You reach for the nearest panel on the missile's hull that looks the weakest, but, well, you're not gonna be pulling that thing off without any neater tools. [[> Toy with the nearest control panel|nukePanelIII]] [[> "Carson! Fetch me a screwdriver of some sort! I think there might be one in the break room!"|nukeFetchInRetrievalII]] [[> Cuddle the rocket|nukeMomentOfNeedIII]] [[> Run back to the control room|nukeRunningIII]]

You flip literally every switch on the panel, press every button, try as many combos as you can ... nothing. This ... really is not normal. You don't even remember what specifically this panel was responsible for, that was someone else's job. But you're certain they were supposed to have some more material effect. [[> Tear off a panel and access the wiring|nukeGoesOffWithYouTwoInside] [[> "Carson! Fetch me something to crack this thing open! I'm gonna get to the bottom of this!"|nukeGoesOffWithYouTwoInside]] [[> Cuddle the rocket|nukeGoesOffWithYouTwoInside]] [[> Run back to the control room|nukeGoesOffWithYouTwoInside]]

Your partner plops the tools by your feet. They include: - 3 screwdrivers of varying sizes - 1 pair of pliers - 3 grenades - 1 wrench - 1 geiger counter [[> Unhinge the screws properly|screwedNiceAndEasy]] [[> Bang your wrench against the the panel.|meClubYouToDeath]] [[> "Grenades? What are you thinking?"|GrenadeAnswer]] [[> "What am I supposed to do with a geiger counter?"|GeigerCounter]]

Okay, enough of this, for right now. You run back to the command hub, teammate in tow. [[> Continue ...|nukeWaitIV]]

With the proper tools at hand, you carefully remove the screws bit by bit. It takes a solid minute or two, but you manage to loosen the sheet metal, tossing it aside and exposing a considerable segment of wiring, as well as a shaft leading who knows where. [[> Use the pliers to cut some of the wires.|poorCuttingJob]] [[> Toss a grenade down the hatch.|GrenadeResolution]] [[> Whack the wiring with your wrench.|pissPoorWrenchJob]]

With as much might as you can manage, you raise the wrench into the air, and bring it down hard against the metal panel. While you're certainly able to make a slight dent, you don't seem to have made much progress. Upon closer inspection, the wrench actually looks as though it's taking a harder beating than the missile's hull. [[> Unhinge the screws properly|screwedNiceAndEasy]] [[> "Grenades? What are you thinking?"|GrenadeAnswer]] [[> "What am I supposed to do with a geiger counter?"|GeigerCounter]]

"Look, I don't know, man! I grabbed them in a panic, thought maybe, just in case!" With the sirens blaring as loud as ever, you can't quite follow what else he's trying to say, but perhaps these things might come in handy after all ... [[> Unhinge the screws properly|screwedNiceAndEasy]] [[> Bang your wrench against the the panel.|meClubYouToDeath]] [[> Try throwing a grenade at the missile|GrenadeResponse]] [[> "What am I supposed to do with a geiger counter?"|GeigerCounter]]

"Oh no! Not a geiger counter! I saw Uw-Zelaznog toying around with it earlier! Supposed to be an experimental something! 'Eeyempee', I think it was called!" Your partner leans in close, and presses a small button on the device's bottom, opening a compartment and releasing a bunch of tiny prongs from its underside. This is something new ... What did he call it again? A He-Hen-Bee? Something like that, right? [[> Unhinge the screws properly|screwedNiceAndEasyButWithEMP]] [[> Bang your wrench against the the panel.|meClubYouToDeath]] [[> "Grenades? What are you thinking?"|GrenadeAnswer]]

You instruct your partner to back up a bit, into the hallway. Maybe you can somehow slightly cripple the rocket with nothing more than this grenade. Once you're safely in the hallway, yourself, you throw the grenade with what was hopefully not too little, but not too great an amount of force. It hits the hull with a restounding clanking. You order your coworker to close the blastdoor; hopefully this should get the job done. [[> Continue ...|GrenadeDeath]]

Before the door can close all the way, you hear something hit the ground by your feet. To your horror, it is the very grenade that you had just thrown away. You're barely able to comprehend what to do next, let alone how unlikely it was that it'd come bouncing right back to you, before that little orb explodes, engulfing the two of you within its flames. It stings something feirce. It's absolute hell. But for only a second. Then, silence. All goes dark. [[> Restart.|Start]]

You pick up those pliers and try clipping some of the wires you see within, but, well ... You have no idea if you're actually accomplishing anything. Surely you must be hindering its performance, somehow ... [[> Toss a grenade down the hatch.|GrenadeResolution]] [[> Whack the wiring with your wrench.|pissPoorWrenchJob]]

Looks like the only way out, is with a bang. You grab one of the grenades and pull the pin, dropping it down the shaft to who-knows-where. You yell to your coworker to get the hell out of here... [[> Stay Behind.|onlyYouWillPerish]] [[> Make a mad dash to the door.|youWillBothPerishEnd]]

Surely the wrench will pull through yet for you, right? You whack around within that small canopy. You try hitting the wires, some pipes, the walls ... Damage is being done, for sure, but whether or not is substantial, is another thing entirely. [[> Use the pliers to cut some of the wires.|poorCuttingJob]] [[> Toss a grenade down the hatch.|GrenadeResolution]]

You take the device's prongs and attach them to the wires. Astonishingly, they each fit well enough in the bundle of wires in which they're placed. The device hangs comfortably by these suspension points over the shaft. With nothing more to rely on than pure gumption, you press what few buttons there are in every combination you can think to manage. The dial/meter that you previously thought was for measuring radioactivity, turns out to be measured in voltage/kilowatts. You turn a knob, and a red stick moves all the way to the right, towards what would appear to be the highest setting. What the hell kind of device is this supposed to be again? You press another button, this time a modestly-sized red one, and the device suddenly comes ... alive? [[> Continue ...|EMPEnd]]

You manage to back away from the machine quick enough. Where it was buzzing slight before, the device suddenly admits a loud, deafening electrical cackling of ... some sort. You order your partner to back up, get the hell outta here as fast as he can. You barely make it to the hallway, before you turn back and see the rocket glowing with what look like electric bolts surging out of and about its hull. You manage to close the blast door before anything bad happens. A minute later, all goes quiet. The sirens, the emergency lights, they all ... cut off. You don't hear anything more activity coming from that warhead either. You won't open the blast doors, just in case, but it's nice to hear some peace and quiet for a change. [[> Continue ...|hereComeTheCops]]

Before anything else can be done, you hear the elevator door open; footsteps can be heard approaching the exit shaft. The door opens, and out come two burly men in green suits and helmets. After confirming your identities and ranks, they escort you both out of the complex and out to the surface, where you're placed in the back of a patrol vehicle and driven off. No idea what will happen now. Perhaps the nuke's sabotage will give the State some pause for concern. Convince them to pursue some alternate course of action. Perhaps they'll only wait a few days longer, before firing another warhead from a different silo entirely. Here's hoping it would all have been worth it. [[> Restart.|Start]]

"Hey! Hey guy! What's going on?" Your coworker calls over, unsure if you're supposed to be hard at work or if he needs to pry you away. [[> Ignore him, continue cuddling.|continueHuggingWithOutHim]] [[> "Shut up and get over hear, Lieutenant. If we're gonna die, we're gonna die like a FAMILY.|continueHuggingWithHim]] [[> Toy with the nearest control panel|nukePanelII]] [[> Tear off a panel and access the wiring|nukeFetchToolII]] [[> Run back to the control room|nukeRunningII]]

Alas! This love is too good, too pure! You hope this moment, this loving and respect, never ends! The heat radiating from its hull is ... getting to be a bit too much, but otherwise it's nice. Still so very nice. [[> Continue cuddling.|continueHuggingWithOutHimII]] [[> "Lieutenant! Get over hear! If we're gonna die, we're gonna die like a FAMILY.|continueHuggingWithHimII]] [[> Toy with the nearest control panel|nukePanelIII]] [[> Tear off a panel and access the wiring|nukeFetchToolIII]] [[> Run back to the control room|nukeRunningIII]]

Your partner has no idea what the hell you're talking about, but he is absolutely buying it. He walks over with open arms, you scoot over a bit to the left to give him some room. He wraps his arms around you and the missile as best he can. You place your right arm on his shoulder as well. For once, things feel like they're going to be right. [[> Continue cuddling.|continueHuggingWithHim2]] [[> "Alright, enough with this, lemme have a look at that control panel."|nukePanelIII]] [[> "Alright, enough with this, let's pry this baby open."|nukeFetchToolIII]] [[> "Alright, enough with this, let's head back to the command module."|nukeRunningIII]]

Your partner has no idea what the hell you're talking about, but he is absolutely buying it. He walks over with open arms, you scoot over a bit to the left to give him some room. He wraps his arms around you and the missile as best he can. You place your right arm on his shoulder as well. For once, things really do feel like they're going to be alright. [[> Continue cuddling.|continueHuggingWithHim3]] [[> "Alright, enough with this, lemme have a look at that control panel."|nukePanelIV]] [[> "Alright, enough with this, let's pry this baby open."|nukeFetchToolIV]] [[> "Alright, enough with this, let's head back to the command module."|nukeRunningIV]]

You start hammering away at the nearest control panel, but it seems to be having no effect. [[> Keep hammering away! Something's gotta work!|NukefutilityIV]] [[> Tear off a panel and access the wiring|nukeFetchToolIV] [[> Cuddle the rocket|nukeMomentOfNeedIV]] [[> Run back to the control room|nukeRunningIV]]

You reach for the nearest panel on the missile's hull that looks the weakest, but, well, you're not gonna be pulling that thing off without any neater tools. [[> Toy with the nearest control panel|nukePanelIV]] [[> "Carson! Fetch me a screw of some sort! I think there might be one in the Detention Cell!"|nukeFetchInRetrievalIII]] [[> Cuddle the rocket|nukeMomentOfNeedIV]] [[> Run back to the control room|nukeRunningIV]]

Everything's gonna be okay. Everything's gonna be alright. It's gotta be. [[> Continue cuddling.|getPulledOff]] [[> "Lieutenant! Get over hear! If we're gonna die, we're gonna die like a FAMILY.|continueHuggingWithHimIII]] [[> Toy with the nearest control panel|nukePanelIV]] [[> Tear off a panel and access the wiring|nukeFetchToolIV]] [[> Run back to the control room|nukeRunningIV]]

Right as you're in the absolute heat of the moment - right as you think it can't possibly get any better than this - your coworker steps forward and forcefully pulls you away. He doesn't give you time to object. "Focus, man, focus! Keep your head on straight, now's not the time to go bonkers!" [[> Toy with the nearest control panel|nukePanelIV]] [[> Tear off a panel and access the wiring|nukeFetchToolIV]] [[> Run back to the control room|nukeRunningIV]] [[> Push him off the ledge. Make him pay for interrupting your bonding.|disproportionateRetribution]].

Your partner has no idea what the hell you're talking about, but he is absolutely buying it. He walks over with open arms, you scoot over a bit to the left to give him some room. He wraps his arms around you and the missile as best he can. You place your right arm on his shoulder as well. For once, things really do feel like they're going to be alright. [[> Continue cuddling.|nukeLaunchesWhileCuddling]] [[> "Alright, enough with this, lemme have a look at that control panel."|nukeLaunchesWhileCuddling]] [[> "Alright, enough with this, let's pry this baby open."|nukeLaunchesWhileCuddling]] [[> "Alright, enough with this, let's head back to the command module."|nukeLaunchesWhileCuddling]]

You start hammering away at the nearest control panel, but it seems to be having no effect. [[> Keep hammering away! Something's gotta work!|nukeGoesOffWithYouTwoInside]] [[> Tear off a panel and access the wiring|nukeGoesOffWithYouTwoInside]] [[> Cuddle the rocket|nukeGoesOffWithYouTwoInside]] [[> Run back to the control room|nukeGoesOffWithYouTwoInside]]

You reach for the nearest panel on the missile's hull that looks the weakest, but, well, you're not gonna be pulling that thing off without any neater tools. [[> Toy with the nearest control panel|nukeGoesOffWithYouTwoInside]] [[> "Carson! Fetch me a screwdriver of some sort! I think there might be one in the break room!"|nukeGoesOffWithYouTwoInside]] [[> Cuddle the rocket|nukeGoesOffWithYouTwoInside]] [[> Run back to the control room|nukeGoesOffWithYouTwoInside]]

There is no hesitation, only action. You grab your corworker by his shirt collar and violently shove him towards the railing. He is caught completely off-guard, and unable to reorient himself. He falls over the railing and plummets down the shaft, screaming bloody murder. A second later, SPLAT! It's too dark to see what remains, but surely that will have taught him a very important lesson. [[> Resume cuddling with your darling.|huggingAfterDeath]]

Ah! You embrace each other once again. Reunited! Such passion! Such raw emotion! At last, you have achieved true happiness! True happiness, with your beloved! It can't get any better than this! [[> Continue ...|differentlaunchEnd]]

"Funny you asked, I was asking Oremor about this a couple days back ..." He kicks his legs up on his desk while he recounts what he had heard. "Thing is, the five other silos currently intact, aren't operational at this moment. Two are undergoing inspection, the other three are currently undergoing new installments to their WMD arsenals. Guess none of them currently have the firepower that we do." [[> "Quite a lot of responsibility we've been entrusted."|beginningOfTheEnd]] [[> Stay silent.|beginningOfTheEnd]] [[> "I think now would be a good time to give Command a buzz."|beginningOfTheEnd]] [[> "Screw it, let's just get this over with." (initiate launch|beginningOfTheEnd]]

In the heat of the moment, you are certain. You have never loved anything more than this missile, and you have never felt so genuinely fond of your coworker than here and now. This must be what true bliss feels like. [[> Continue cuddling.|continueHuggingWithHim3]] [[> "Alright, enough with this, lemme have a look at that control panel."|nukePanelIV]] [[> "Alright, enough with this, let's pry this baby open."|nukeFetchToolIV]] [[> "Alright, enough with this, let's head back to the command module."|nukeRunningIV]]

Your partner chokes out a very special, very personal message, admist the still blaring sirens and the increasingly louder humming of the rocket. "I love you, man." [[> "I love you, too."|nowKiss]] [[> "I know."|nukeLaunchesWhileCuddling]] [[> "Alright, enough with this, lemme have a look at that control panel."|nukeLaunchesWhileCuddling]] [[> "Alright, enough with this, let's pry this baby open."|nukeLaunchesWhileCuddling]] [[> "Alright, enough with this, let's head back to the command module."|nukeLaunchesWhileCuddling]]

You both back up from the warhead briefly, and embrace each other tenderly. There has never been a greater time to be alive than now. [[> Kiss.|goInForTheKill]] [[> Return to cuddling the Missile.|nukeLaunchesWhileCuddling]]

Before anything else can be done, your eardrums are hit with a massive amount of force. There's a sickeningly loud sort of ringing, which quickly gives way to a number of increasingly painful sensations spreading from your inner ears to the rest of your head and body. But you don't care; you're still so thoroughly invested in the heat of the moment, in the passion play between you, your coworker, and your darling rocket. It only lasts a second more. The missile begins to shift ... it's moving upwards. You desperately try to hold on, but you can't maintain a solid grip. You slip off, you and your beloved rapidly parting ways in opposite vectors. You glimpse your coworker falling as well; he briefly glances back at you. You both exchange a loving smile. All at once, you feel every inch of your body engulfed in what can only be the heat of a thousand suns. The last thing you see is your coworker reaching out to you. You somehow manage to grab hold of his hand, tenderly embracing each other with what life you have left. This ... this must be what true love feels like. It's pain, it's agony, it's sheer ecstacy, and then ... silence. All goes dark. [[> Restart.|Start]]

You were always scared to admit it before. So was he. But you it to be true. Now moreso than ever, your mind is perfectly clear. You know what you must do. There is no hesitation, only action. [[> Continue ...|goInForTheKillII]]

You kiss your partner square on the lips. He is taken aback. His eyes alight with shock. But alas, he realizes the truth of the matter. He embraces this romance. You both close your eyes, and remain in this position for as long as you can manage. Your lips pressed against his, pressing your bodies tenderly together. This was how it was meant to be. This is what everything in your lives - everything going on in the world - was leading up to. [[> Continue ...|goInForTheKillIII]]

The rocket finally launches. Its engines fire up with all their might, their roar tearing through the silo and quite literally rendering the two of you deaf. Neither of you care. You don't open your eyes. You don't stop kissing. You do nothing to react. This is how you're going down. The rocket ascends; its flames engulfing the two of you. The pain bothers you none. This unbridled passion continues for as long as you two can manage. Then, at once ... Silence. All goes dark. [[> Restart.|Start]]

"Uh, yessir, on it boss! I think I know what might help!" He runs back out to the hall, in search of something more useful. [[> Tear off a panel and access the wiring|nukeFetchToolIVFetchInProgress]] [[> Cuddle the rocket|nukeMomentOfNeedIVFetchInProgress]] [[> Run back to the control room|nukeRunningIV]]

"Get to that door now, Lieutenant! And seal it behind you!" Your coworker, fully aware of the stunt you just pulled, runs to the hall, but refuses to seal it. "Come on! I'm not leaving without you!" "You damned idiot!" You scream back. "There's no time for me! No time to argue! Seal it now!" The grenade goes off. A series of gradually bigger explosions begin to rock the missile. Your coworker obliges, and seals the door ... [[> Continue ...|justKiddingYouBothDie]]

Heeding your own advice, you run out to the hall. Your coworker obligingly waits to close the blastdoor until you're safe inside. You hear the grenade explode. Looking back into the silo, the missile is rocked by a series of explosions from within, each blasting off a bit of hull and casting an orange glow against the walls. Before the blast door fully closes, however, the warhead explodes entirely. All at once, you and your coworker are caught in the blast, every inch of your bodies consumed in the fury of a thousand suns. It's pain, it's sheer agony, it's absolute hell, and then ... Silence. All goes dark.

... And then steps back inside the silo. He does nothing more than stare at you while the door slowly closes behind. [[> "What the fuck are you doing?!"|onlyAnswerHereSorry]] [[> Push him back into the hallway|pushBackHard]]

"You told me to seal the door behind me. And that's what I've done." Almost as if on cue, the door finishes shutting behind him. Before you can properly respond, the missile finally gives way and explodes entirely. All at once, the two of you are engulfed in its flames, every inch of your bodies consumed by the fury of a thousand suns. It's pain, it's agony, it's absolute hell. And then ... silence. All goes dark.

There is no hesitation, only action. With such speed you never thought possible of yourself, you charge your partner and knock him a surprising distance back. Only a couple feet back, but it's enough to get him back out into the hallway, somehow clearing the blast doors as they shut close. Suddenly, a massive explosion rocks the facility. The warhead went off for good. [[> Continue ...|youSonofBitch]]

You close your eyes for what feels like an eternity, but nothing more happens. A massive roar from the explosion that leaves your ears ringing for a few good minutes, sure, but ... somehow, you're not dead. You open your eyes. You're situated directly on top of your coworker, effectively pinning him to the ground. You quickly get back on your feet, as does he. Dusting yourselves off, you notice the blast door. The darned thing's bent and pushed back beyond all recognition. Far as you can tell, it's still somehow sealed airtight, and techically still secured to its joints in the walls, but the force in which its midsection has been knocked back by ... It's almost cartoonish. [[> Continue ...|youSonofBitchII]]

In this moment, none of you are concerned with what happens next. You don't care if you've sustained any more serious injuries, you don't care if you're somehow irradiated beyond belief, if you're about to be arrested my MP, if you're both really dead and everything you see now is simply a near-death hallucination. All you two can do, is cheer and yelp like madmen, jumping up and down in celebration of the deaths that you two so narrowly avoided. No telling how long this jubilation may last ... But for now, you two are as happy as any two humans can be ... [[> Continue ...|hereComeTheCops]]

"Hey! Hey guy! What's going on?" Your coworker calls over, unsure if you're supposed to be hard at work or if he needs to pry you away. "I got the tools you asked for! I grabbed whatever I could!" [[> Ignore him, continue cuddling.|getPulledOff]] [[> "Shut up and get over hear, Lieutenant. If we're gonna die, we're gonna die like a FAMILY.|continueHuggingWithHim]] [[> Toy with the nearest control panel|nukePanelII]] [[> Put those tools to use.|nukeFetchIV]] [[> Run back to the control room|nukeRunningII]]

You reach for the nearest sheet of metal on the missile's hull that looks the weakest, but, well, you're not gonna be pulling that thing off without any neater tools. Carson rounds the corner, with some those potentially neater tools in hand. [[> Put those tools to use on that missile hull.|nukeFetchIV]] [[> Put those tools to use on that panel.|nukePanelFetch]] [[> Cuddle the rocket.|nukeMomentOfNeedIV]] [[> Run back to the control room.|nukeRunningIV]]

"Well, in my defense, what you were saying was fucking stupid." [[> "That's it, outta this room, NOW!"|getHimToLeave]] [[> "Yeah, actually, you're right about that. This, uh, might've been a mistake."|getKilled]] [[> Kill him.|youAreDeadNotBigSuprise]] [[> Kill yourself.|bruhDontDoIt]] [[> Fire a warning shot.|warningYa]] [[> "You see Lieutenant ... ZHETYSSSSSUUUUUUUU!"|agent]]

Actually, that was pretty amusing the first time. You fire another shot in that same fashion, with similar results. It almost hits him in the foot, from what you could tell, but he was able to dodge it quickly enough. "DUDE! WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM?!!" [[> "I'm not letting that missile fire."|stillRefuseButWithAGun]] [[> "Outta this room, now!"|getHimToLeave]] [[> "On second thought, this might've been a mistake."|getKilled]] [[> Kill him.|youAreDeadNotBigSuprise]] [[> Kill yourself.|bruhDontDoIt]] [[> Fire another warning shot.|heLeaves]] [[> "You see Lieutenant ... ZHETYSSSSSUUUUUUUU!"|agent]]

After some finer finicking with the buttons and switches, you realize which specific set of buttons is responsible for opening and closing the silo doors. [[> Keep toying with the door controls.|doorBreak]] [[> Tear off a panel and access the wiring.|mamaTearIII]] [[> Cuddle the rocket.|mamaMomentOfNeedIII]] [[> Run back to the control room.|mamaGetTackledByCarson]]

On second thought, maybe this wasn't the best idea. You proceed over to the blast door, hoping that your coworker won't brutalize yourself and that you can both somehow get on with your nights in a more mutually satisfactory matter. [[> Continue ...|getTackledByCarson]]

You reach for the nearest bit of the missile's hull that looks the weakest, but, well, you're not gonna be pulling that off without any neater tools. [[> Toy with the nearest control panel.|mamaPanelIII]] [[> Try unscrewing everything with your key.|mamaKeyII]] [[> Cuddle Sunny.|mamaMomentOfNeedIII]] [[> Run back to the control room.|mamaGetTackledByCarson]]

In these trying times, it would be nice to have someone to embrace right about now. To tell you that you're safe and loved, and that everything's gonna be okay. You tenderly embrace the rocket, hugging it as tight as you possibly can. It helps a little. [[> Continue embracing the rocket.|mamaContinuedHuggingII]] [[> Toy with the nearest control panel.|mamaPanelIII]] [[> Tear off a panel and access the wiring.|mamaTearIII]] [[> Run back to the control room.|mamaGetTackledByCarson]]

You start hammering away at the nearest control panel. You have absolutely no idea what the hell these buttons are supposed to do, but they seem to at least make some noise when pushed. That's got to be a good sign. [[> Keep hammering away! Something's gotta work!|mamaPanelGettingSomewhereII]] [[> Tear off a panel and access the wiring|mamaTearIII]] [[> Cuddle the rocket|mamaMomentOfNeedIII]] [[> Run back to the control room|mamaGetTackledByCarson]]

You desperately fumble with your key to loosen up the screws a bit, but no dice. It's simply too difficult to get a good grip on these damned things. You manage to unhinge maybe one screw before the key slips out of your hand and plunges down the silo. [[> Toy with the nearest control panel.|mamaPanelIII]] [[> Cuddle Sunny.|mamaMomentOfNeedIII]] [[> Run back to the control room.|mamaGetTackledByCarson]]

Truly, these are some damn fascinating doors. There's something quite beautiful of the noises they make. The little alarm they give as they either close or open, the whirring of the gears responsible for shifting them to and fro, the sounds of nature at work during the night, with the moonlight shining down in the silo. It's unordinarily bright this evening. [[> Continue ...|doorBreakII]]

You reach for the nearest bit of the missile's hull that looks the weakest, but, well, you're not gonna be pulling that off without any neater tools. [[> Toy with the nearest control panel.|getTackledByCarson]] [[> Try unscrewing everything with your key.|getTackledByCarson]] [[> Cuddle Sunny.|getTackledByCarson]] [[> Run back to the control room.|getTackledByCarson]]

In these trying times, it would be nice to have someone to embrace right about now. To tell you that you're safe and loved, and that everything's gonna be okay. You tenderly embrace the rocket, hugging it as tight as you possibly can. It helps a little. [[> Continue embracing the rocket.|getTackledByCarson]] [[> Toy with the nearest control panel.|getTackledByCarson]] [[> Tear off a panel and access the wiring.|getTackledByCarson]] [[> Run back to the control room.|getTackledByCarson]]

Fascinating though they may be, however, their durability leaves something to be desired. After only a few measly flips of the switch, the doors' gears apparently sieze up, producing an unpleasant grinding sound, and the doors freeze in place. They no longer respond, and they are stuck half-open, half-closed. How curious. [[> Tear off a panel and access the wiring.|doorLockedTackled]] [[> Cuddle the rocket.|doorLockedTackled]] [[> Run back to the control room.|doorLockedTackled]]

Before you can do anything else, the silo's ordinary doors open up. Carson! At least he took his sweet time getting that thing open. Soon as he spots you, however, he charges you and tackles you to the ground. Before you can mount a counter-assault, you're flipped onto your stomach and your arms are pulled behind your back something metal placed around both yo- Handcuffs. They're handcuffs. He's got you in handcuffs now. You're forced back onto your feet, and dragged over to the detention cell. Carson doesn't seem to notice the silo doors locked in place as you walk out. [[> Continue ...|victoriousDungeon]]

Dragged over to the detention cell, you're tossed into your new cell in a very rude manner. Locking the door behind you, your partner has very few words for you. "What the fuck's gotten to you man?" [[> Stay silent|victoriousDetentionClosing]] [[> "You know, now that you mention it, I really don't know."|victoriousConfessConfusion]] [[> "Well, times like these, I'm surprised I hadn't cracked sooner."|victoriousCracked]] [[> "NOOOO, MY BABYYYYYY!!!"|victoriousContinuedPsychosis]]

You start hammering away at the nearest control panel. You have absolutely no idea what the hell these buttons are supposed to do, but they seem to at least make some noise when pushed. That's got to be a good sign. [[> Keep hammering away! Something's gotta work!|getTackledByCarson]] [[> Tear off a panel and access the wiring|getTackledByCarson]] [[> Cuddle the rocket|getTackledByCarson]] [[> Run back to the control room|getTackledByCarson]]

You desperately fumble with your key to loosen up the screws a bit, but no dice. It's simply too difficult to get a good grip on these damned things. You manage to unhinge maybe one screw before the key slips out of your hand and plunges down the silo. [[> Toy with the nearest control panel.|getTackledByCarson]] [[> Cuddle Sunny.|getTackledByCarson]] [[> Run back to the control room.|getTackledByCarson]]

Within the half hour, military police open your cell. After confirming your ID and rank, they escort you out of the facility. Another officer is waiting out in the hall, desperately avoiding eye contact as you're marched away. As you board the elevator, he enters the command center and introduces himself to your partner. "Lieutenant Yacob", he says. Out of the complex and back on the surface, you placed in the back of patrol vehicle and driven off. Minutes later, you hear a powerful explosion from further down the road. Almost instantaneously, that loud noise becomes a massive shockwave that hits you with immense force. [[> Continue ...|victoriousDetentionEndII]]

You can barely process what the hell is going on. First all the window's shatter, then the car feels like it's being hurled forward a hundred miles an hour. Then it begins rolling against the ground in the roughest manner possible, pulling all sorts of painful, nauseating flips. You have no idea how much distance was covered in the few seconds go on for. Shortly after, the car grinds to a halt with a restounding punch, apparently hitting something especially massive. All goes dark. [[> Continue ...|victoriousDetentionEndIII]]

You manage to open your eyes for just a brief minute. In front of you, are the MP previously tasked with carting you off. They look limp and absolutely out of it. No idea if they're simply unconscious, or if they've been outright killed. You turn your head ever so slightly out the window. A mushroom cloud can be seen relatively close by. The night sky is illuminated by a great, fiery orange. Pillars of smoke abound elsewhere in your vision. [[> Continue ...|victoriousDetentionEndIV]]

You can barely keep your eyes open any longer. You close them, listening in to what sounds like a multitude of fires raging all around you. Then ... silence. Everything goes dark. [[> Restart.|Start]]

Alas! This love is too good, too pure! You hope this moment, this loving and respect, never ends! So very nice. [[> Continue embracing the rocket.|mamaContinuedHuggingII]] [[> Toy with the nearest control panel.|mamaPanelIII]] [[> Tear off a panel and access the wiring.|mamaTearIII]] [[> Run back to the control room.|mamaGetTackledByCarson]]

Everything's gonna be okay. Everything's gonna be alright. It's gotta be. [[> Continue embracing the rocket.|getTackledByCarson]] [[> Toy with the nearest control panel.|getTackledByCarson]] [[> Tear off a panel and access the wiring.|getTackledByCarson]] [[> Run back to the control room.|getTackledByCarson]]

Before you can do anything else, your partner barges forth from the hall and tackles you to the ground. Before you can mount a counter-assault, you're flipped onto your stomach and your arms are pulled behind your back something metal placed around both yo- Handcuffs. They're handcuffs. He's got you in handcuffs now. [[> Continue ...|detention]]

"Well ... Maybe they'll give us another call, if this is what they really want, and if they really want it that bad ..." He stands up and stretches out a bit. "I mean, not batting for the Pannonians here, they'd deserve it ..." [[> Continue ...|mutualQuiet]]

You wait. And you wait. Your partner begins fidgeting in his chair. [[> "...Maybe let's go check on that thing now.|run to the hall]] [[> Continue waiting out.|nukeWaitIII]]

You're also starting to fidget in your chair a bit. Wait, wait ... [[> "...Maybe let's go check on that thing now.|run to the hall]] [[> Continue waiting out.|nukeWaitIV]]

Sirens blaring, everything colored red and black. The status quo is upheld with great care(/negligence) around here. [[> "...Maybe let's go check on that thing now.|nukeLaunchesWhileTogetherInWall]] [[> Continue waiting out.|nukeLaunchesWhileTogetherInWall]]

The MP will be on their way shortly, and that missile will reach its intended target soon enough. There's no telling what will come of your actions now. It's unfortunate that it had to come to this, but with the way things were going, a bloodbath was inevitable? Still, no telling how many casualties will be dealt to either side in this war. Thousands? Millions? For all you know, many more might've been saved by this missile. Doubt the enemy will put up much of a fight after such a hard-hitting blow. Sure will be something the next time you turn on the news. [[> Restart.|Start]]

Before either of you two can try doing anything else, your eardrums are hit with a massive amount of force. You are overcome with a sickeningly loud sort of ringing, which quickly gives way to a number of increasingly painful sensations spreading from your inner ears to the rest of your head and body and ... sweltering heat? You manage to force your eyes open for just a second. Everything is so very blindingly white and orange-ish. You can barely make out much of anything, but it looks the missile is ... moving. It only lasts a second more. All at once, you feel every inch of your body engulfed in what can only be the heat of a thousand suns. It's hell, it's agony, and then ... Silence. All goes dark. [[> Restart.|Start]]

Your partner plops the tools by your feet. They include: - 3 screwdrivers of varying sizes - 1 pair of pliers - 3 grenades - 1 wrench - 1 geiger counter [[> Try unscrewing the faces of the control panel.|getCaughtUpScrewing]] [[> See if the buttons will respond to the metal touch of those pliers.|getCaughtUpDoingNothing]] [[> Smack the control panel with the wrench. Smack it hard.|smackSmash]] [[> "Grenades? What are you thinking?"|GrenadePanelAnswer]] [[> "What am I supposed to do with a geiger counter?"|PanelGeigerCounter]]

What starts out as an attempt to expose at least some of the circuitry, ultimately turns into some asinine effort to disassemble the entire damned thing. It's not very apparent where one wire ends and the others begin, also there are an astonishing amount of screws on this thing ... [[> Try pressing on; screw more!|nukeGoesOffWithYouTwoInside]] [[> See if the buttons will respond to the metal touch of those pliers.|nukeGoesOffWithYouTwoInside]] [[> Smack the control panel with the wrench. Smack it hard.|nukeGoesOffWithYouTwoInside]] [[> "Grenades? What are you thinking?"|nukeGoesOffWithYouTwoInside]] [[> "What am I supposed to do with a geiger counter?"|nukeGoesOffWithYouTwoInside]]

You flip switches and press buttons a whole lot with your new set of pliers, hoping that maybe they'd respond better to a metal object's touch, rather than your fleshy little fingers. No such luck. [[> Try pressing on; they'll come around soon enough!|nukeGoesOffWithYouTwoInside]] [[> Smack the control panel with the wrench. Smack it hard.|nukeGoesOffWithYouTwoInside]] [[> "Grenades? What are you thinking?"|nukeGoesOffWithYouTwoInside]] [[> "What am I supposed to do with a geiger counter?"|nukeGoesOffWithYouTwoInside]]

You raise your lever high in the air, taking note of the gorgeous night sky, and you bring it down against the silo with a restounding smash, doing quite a number on this pain-in-the-ass console. You consider going for another strike, but as you do, you notice something ... odd. The night sky is gone. [[> Continue ...|whereDidTheNightSkyGo]]

"Look, I don't know, man! I grabbed them in a panic, thought maybe, just in case!" With the sirens blaring as loud as ever, you can't quite follow what else he's trying to say, but perhaps these things might come in handy after all ... [[> Try throwing a grenade at the missile|GrenadeResponse]] [[> "What am I supposed to do with a geiger counter?"|PanelGeigerCounter]] [[> Try unscrewing the faces of the control panel.|getCaughtUpScrewing]] [[> See if the buttons will respond to the metal touch of those pliers.|getCaughtUpDoingNothing]] [[> Smack the control panel with the wrench. Smack it hard.|smackSmash]]

"Oh no! Not a geiger counter! I saw Uw-Zelaznog toying around with it earlier! Supposed to be an experimental something! 'Eeyempee', I think it was called!" Your partner leans in close, and presses a small button on the device's bottom, opening a compartment and releasing a bunch of tiny prongs from its underside. This is something new ... What did he call it again? A He-Hen-Bee? Something like that, right? [[> Try unscrewing the faces of the control panel.|screwWithTheEMPInMind]] [[> See if the buttons will respond to the metal touch of those pliers.|getCaughtUpDoingNothing]] [[> Smack the control panel with the wrench. Smack it hard.|smackSmash]] [[> "Grenades? What are you thinking?"|GrenadePanelAnswer]]

What starts out as an attempt to expose at least some of the circuitry, ultimately turns into some asinine effort to disassemble the entire damned thing. It's not very apparent where one wire ends and the others begin, also there are an astonishing amount of screws on this thing ... [[> Try pressing on; screw more!|nukeGoesOffWithYouTwoInside]] [[> Attach this 'Vee-Envy' to the exposed wiring.|panelEMP]] [[> See if the buttons will respond to the metal touch of those pliers.|nukeGoesOffWithYouTwoInside]] [[> Smack the control panel with the wrench. Smack it hard.|nukeGoesOffWithYouTwoInside]] [[> "Grenades? What are you thinking?"|nukeGoesOffWithYouTwoInside]] [[> "What am I supposed to do with a geiger counter?"|nukeGoesOffWithYouTwoInside]]

With some of the wires exposed, you try putting this newfangled device to use. You take the device's prongs and attach them to the wires. They don't necessarily attach to the individual strands though any special means, so much as they just sit there, and grapple onto whatever thicker bundles they can You place the device dead in the center of the exposed terminal. With nothing more to rely on than pure gumption, you press what few buttons there are in every combination you can think to manage. The dial/meter that you previously thought was for measuring radioactivity, turns out to be measured in voltage/kilowatts. You turn a knob, and a red stick moves all the way to the right, towards what would appear to be the highest setting. What the hell kind of device is this supposed to be again? You press another button, this time a modestly-sized red one, and the device suddenly comes ... alive? [[> Continue ...|panelEMPHanywork]]

You back the hell away before whatever-the-hell kind of device can do what it's supposed to. You get your partner to do the same, get into the hallway in case things go south. Where it was buzzing slight before, the device suddenly admits a loud, deafening electrical cackling of ... some sort. Observing from a safer distance in the hall, the panel is set alight with what look like surges of electricity, which then apprear along the wiring elsewhere running up and down the silo's interior. The room suddenly goes dark. Darker than it already was with the emergency lights, anyhow. [[> Continue ...|panelEMPHandyworkII]]

The rocket still sounds as though it's being primed for launch, but you really can't see anything else at this point. Odd to think the emergency lights would've died like that, aren't they supposed to last specifically through outages like this? Looking further up the silo shaft, you also notice there is no natural light coming in - the doors above are closed. You have no idea if they were already like that, or if that was a newer development. "So what do we do now?" Your coworker inquires. [[> "Let's see if we can't tamper with that warhead just a little more ..."|nukeGoesOffWithYouTwoInside]] [[> "Let's ... let's run like hell back to the command module. And lock the door. Quickly."|hideInCommand]]

"Look, wax poetic about justice and morality all you want. We've got our orders, and frankly, the Pannonians have it coming. You've seen the same damn news I have." [[> "Eh, on second thought, fuck it, you're right."|turnUpTheNight]] [[> "Think, man, this nuke was our child, our baby! I'm not gonna let it fly away, not after all the good times we had!"|mamaBear]] [[> Try to get him to see otherwise. With a gun. Pull a gun on him.|rapidEscalation]] [[> "You see Lieutenant ... ZHETYSSSSSUUUUUUUU!"|agent]]

"Sounds like a plan." And with that mutual agreement, you both haul ass back to your workstations. Once inside, you both push the blast door closed as quickly as possible, taking great pains to make sure every lock is secure. Suddrenly, you hear the roar of the Rocket's engines. It's taking off. [[> Continue ...|nukeChaos]]

As if the engines weren't bad enough, they soon give way to another explosion. A much bigger, meaner, nastier one. The noise is simply too much. You and your coworkers succumb to the ground, grabbing at your ears to desperately drown out the sound. The pain is indescribable. Everything hurts, everything's gone dizzy, everything shakes very violently. It'd be plain astonishing if your eardrums haven't just plain exploded by this point. [[> Continue ...|nukeChaosEnd]]

It really would be something amazing if you two actually got out of this alive, let alone with minimal injuries incurred. As is, the pain from the sheer volume hasn't gone away yet. You don't know if you're dying. Your coworker looks to have gone unconscious. He actually looks like he might be breathing still, thank goodness. But will that only last temporarily? What of yourself? What of those MP that were supposed to come by any minute now? What of the rest of the world? Oh, this is too much, silence, yes ... Silence, please ... All goes dark. [[> Restart.|Start]]

It was a very clear, bright night out. Lots of stars, nary a cloud in the sky. Those don't disappear so easily. But the red lights flaring about the silo's walls reveal ... some darker metal plating ... The doors. The silo's doors' have closed. Did ... did the wrench smacking really do anything there, when ordinary button presses did nothing? Your coworker notices the difference shortly thereafter as well. [[> "Let's see if we can't tamper with that warhead just a little more ..."|nukeGoesOffWithYouTwoInside]] [[> "Let's ... let's run like hell back to the command module. And lock the door. Quickly."|hideInCommand]]

"Uh, yessir, on it boss! I think I know what might help!" He runs back out to the hall, in search of something more useful. [[> Tear off a panel and access the wiring|nukeGoesOffWithYouTwoInside]] [[> Cuddle the rocket|nukeGoesOffWithYouTwoInside]] [[> Run back to the control room|nukeGoesOffWithYouTwoInside]]

You start hammering away at the nearest control panel, but it seems to be having no effect. Your coworker returns with whatever tools he could find; the nice-looking screw from the detention center being one of them. [[> Keep hammering away! Something's gotta work!|nukeGoesOffWithYouTwoInside]] [[> Get back to work on that panel|nukeGoesOffWithYouTwoInside]] [[> Cuddle the rocket|nukeGoesOffWithYouTwoInside]] [[> Run back to the control room|nukeGoesOffWithYouTwoInside]]

You desperately fumble with your key to loosen up the screws a bit, but no dice. It's simply too difficult to get a good grip on these damned things. You manage to unhinge maybe one screw before the key slips out of your hand and plunges down the silo. Your coworker returns with as many tools and gadgets as can manage; the high-powered screw from the detention cell being one of them. [[> Put those tools to use on that missile hull.|nukeGoesOffWithYouTwoInside]] [[> Cuddle the rocket.|nukeGoesOffWithYouTwoInside]] [[> Run back to the control room.|nukeGoesOffWithYouTwoInside]]

"Hey! Hey guy! What's going on?" Your coworker calls over, unsure if you're supposed to be hard at work or if he needs to pry you away. [[> Ignore him, continue cuddling.|getPulledOff]] [[> "Shut up and get over hear, Lieutenant. If we're gonna die, we're gonna die like a FAMILY.|continueHuggingWithHim]] [[> Toy with the nearest control panel|nukePanelIV]] [[> Tear off a panel and access the wiring|nukeFetchToolIV]] [[> Run back to the control room|nukeRunningIV]]

"Uh, sure, on it boss! I think I know what you're talking about!" He runs back out to the hall, to fetch the tool in question. [[> Toy with the nearest control panel|nukeGoesOffWithYouTwoInside]] [[> Try unscrewing the panel with your key|nukeGoesOffWithYouTwoInside]] [[> Cuddle the rocket|nukeGoesOffWithYouTwoInside]] [[> Run back to the control room|nukeGoesOffWithYouTwoInside]]

"Hey! Hey guy! What's going on?" Your coworker calls over, unsure if you're supposed to be hard at work or if he needs to pry you away. [[> Ignore him, continue cuddling.|continueHuggingWithOutHimII]] [[> "Shut up and get over hear, Lieutenant. If we're gonna die, we're gonna die like a FAMILY.|continueHuggingWithHimII]] [[> Toy with the nearest control panel|nukePanelIII]] [[> Tear off a panel and access the wiring|nukeFetchToolIII]] [[> Run back to the control room|nukeRunningIII]]

"Hey! Hey guy! What's going on?" Your coworker calls over, unsure if you're supposed to be hard at work or if he needs to pry you away. [[> Ignore him, continue cuddling.|nukeGoesOffWithYouTwoInside]] [[> "Shut up and get over hear, Lieutenant. If we're gonna die, we're gonna die like a FAMILY.|continueHuggingWithHim]] [[> Toy with the nearest control panel|nukeGoesOffWithYouTwoInside]] [[> Tear off a panel and access the wiring|nukeGoesOffWithYouTwoInside]] [[> Run back to the control room|nukeGoesOffWithYouTwoInside]]

"Wait, why? If this is what the State really wants, why should we sabotage it? Get ourselves into even more trouble?" [["Nothing about this seems right. In fact, it's all wrong. Fuck whatever's going down in the news, this shouldn't be happening."|explained]] [["There's got to be something else at play. Another party manipulating events here. Pannonians still, even. We can't let their plans come to fruition."|explained]] [["Honestly, I just think it'd be a nice team-building exercise, that's all."|explained]]

He reflects on your reasoning a little. Then simply states, "You know what? I agree with you on this. I agree with you a whole lot. We gotta put an end to this now." [[> Continue ...|run to the hall]]

Silence. "Carry on." -click!- Your coworker stares at you expectantly. "Orders are orders. Prepare with the launch." [[> Continue ...|delayedLaunch]]

"You seem to think we have more agency in this decision than we really do. And far less consequences for it." He shakes his head, lets out a soft sigh. "This discussion is over. We're carrying on with the launch." [[> Prep the missile for launch|slinkBackDejected]] [[> Try to get him to see otherwise. With a gun. Pull a gun on him.|rapidEscalation]] [[> Do nothing but sit in your chair|lazy]]

Your coworker stares at you expectantly. "Well?" [[> "Well, guess we're gonna have to fire a nuke." (initiate launch)|delayedLaunch]] [[> "So, turns out, the Director had never signed off on such a thing! It's a fake!"|digDeep]] [[> "Maybe let's just sit this out a little longer. Make sure this is what they REALLY want."|stallingV]] [[> Say nothing, continue waiting|stallingV]]

... Well, at least nothing's going to happen with that warhead anytime soon. [[> Fire off the missile on your ownsome.|allAloneLaunch]] [[> Wait it out.|deadRemoteNuke]]