Ruby Quest: Chapter

The large figure stands in the doorway, blocking Tom and Ruby's exit.

"Attempt to talk with Ace, ask what he wants"

">Attempt to talk with Ace, ask what he wants" The figure enters the room, squeezing through the doorway. Ruby attempts to greet the figure, asking about its intentions, its identity. The figure does not speak.

"TOM: Shove dummy on wheels into Ace" "Give ace Red's hand."

">TOM: Shove dummy on wheels into Ace" The dummy is bolted down on a pivot. ">Give ace Red's hand." Ruby offers the dismembered hand. The figure doesn't seem to want it. The figure approaches and reaches for Ruby.

"TOM: Pull Ruby back. Enter Defensive Stance." "Attempt to dodge it, brandish scalpel."

">TOM: Pull Ruby back. Enter Defensive Stance." ">Attempt to dodge it, brandish scalpel." Ruby and Tom are not going without a fight.

"Evade as much as possible, go for the legs and get the hell out ASAP."

">Evade as much as possible, go for the legs and get the hell out ASAP." The figure lunges at Ruby, who ducks out of the way of its massive arms. Tom dodges around.

"Try to crowbar his knees!"

">Try to crowbar his knees!" Ruby bolts from the room while Tom drives the sharp end of the crowbar into the figure's leg.

Tom runs. The giant figure seems unphased.

"Flee through the Z-Hatch"

">Flee through the Z- Hatch" Tom follows Ruby to the Z-Hatch. The figure is right behind him.

Ruby helps Tom as he dives through the hatch.

"It's not like the thing's going to come through in the very first second."

">It's not like the thing's going to come through in the very first second." There is a horrible sound of wrenching metal. Large white hands are tearing the Z- Hatch open.

"Climb pipe"

">Climb pipe" Ruby easily clambers up the pipe with her GIRLISH FIGURE. Tom follows behind her.

TOM and RUBY ascend the narrow pipe, desperately clinging to the rusty walls. [Take a pause break here and stop suggesting actions for a few minutes, I have to draw up a new area -- I wasn't expecting people to go this route and it'll take me a couple to finish the new place]

[thanks for the patience] TOM and RUBY emerge from the pipe after a long and winding climb. They feel very turned around. They emerge in a new place they have never seen before.

"Look at the monitor"

">Look at the monitor" A large, shadowy face stares back.

"Ask the face to identify itself."

">Ask the face to identify itself." Ruby asks the face who it is. The screen goes to static. Ruby and Tom move on to explore the room. This room is full of broken science equipment, including shattered beakers and tubes, a broken table in the southeast corner, and lots of spilled liquid. The room spells of chemical vapors. Tom can see something vaguely through the steel vent, but it's too sturdy to bash down by brute force. There are scraps and tatters of cloth at Tom's feet. They look like the remnants of a labcoat. By a very LARGE CABINET (which is locked with a chain and padlock), Ruby finds a SEVERED FOOT on the ground, with minimal blood. The door has no visible lock, but is wired to the MONITOR. Ruby pockets the HEAVY GLOVES she finds on the floor. Also of obvious note in this room is the ACCESS HATCH leading down, which is secured in place with some sort of STAFF.

"Take STAFF" "What's that on top of the cabinet? " "Attempt to pick cabinet lock with scalpel."

">Take STAFF" Ruby takes the ODD STAFF. It's made of some kind of green- stained wood. ">What's that on top of the cabinet? " Tom climbs up and takes the EMPTY SYRINGE. ">Attempt to pick cabinet lock with scalpel." Don't be silly! Neither Tom nor Ruby is CRAFTY enough to know how to pick locks!

Tom removes the MEDICAL POSTER on the wall and discovers a small recess with a SHEAF OF PAPERS inside. He takes the papers and prepares to read them [automatic action upcoming]. Ruby examines the vent. There are tiny warnings that indicate it is used to channel gaseous chemicals and that gas masks should be used when operating the chemical pump, which is nowhere to be found.

While Tom prepares to read the note, Ruby looks through the hatch to the familiar lower level.

Tom begins to read the sheaf of papers. [cutscene]

Tom continues reading, sharing his findings with Ruby. [cutscene]

Tom is almost out of pages. [cutscene]

Tom reaches the last page in the pile of loose papers.

"Go down hatch, use ACCESS CARD on CASE"

">Go down hatch, use ACCESS CARD on CASE" Tom and Ruby uneasily put away the notes, unsure quite what to make of them, especially the last two entries. They head down the hatch into the hallway below. Tom prepares to use the ACCESS CARD he got from the hole in the wall below.

As Tom feeds the access card into the slot, the glass cover on the display stand descends, revealing the STATUETTE and the SEVERED FINGER.

Ruby gives Tom the FIRST AID KIT, which Tom unlocks with the SEVERED FINGER. He empties it for its contents, which turn out to be: A pair of WIRE CUTTERS A ROLL OF GAUZE And a STRANGE DISC of green-dyed wood. It looks like it was broken off of something.

“Fit disk with Odd Staff” "Tom- Swipe the card on the case again to close it and shut away the fetus statue!"

“>Fit disk with Odd Staff” Ruby fits the two pieces of greenish wood together into an ODD STAFF. ">Tom- Swipe the card on the case again to close it and shut away the fetus statue!" Tom re-seals the display case.

“Use the Gauze to fix poor Tom's eye”

“>Use the Gauze to fix poor Tom's eye” Ruby uses the GAUZE and TATTERED CLOTH to bandage Tom's eye.

"cut the BARBED WIRE downstairs with the WIRE CUTTERS"

">cut the BARBED WIRE downstairs with the WIRE CUTTERS" Tom and Ruby go back downstairs, wary of any potential aggressors. Tom uses the WIRE CUTTERS on the BARBED WIRE which is tangled so tightly around the SHUTTERS.

Behind the metal shutters is some kind of cabinet shelf for cafeteria food. What's inside is not food.

"Use wire cutters to take the card from her maw."

">Use wire cutters to take the card from her maw." Tom carefully removes the card from the jaws of the severed head. Tom pockets the HIGH-CLEARANCE ACCESS CARD.