10: Sky Boulevard
In which we go around fetching forms, infiltrate the computer room, lay a trap, and disable the power.
Previously on this LP we returned to Lapis, only to learn that Sam van Varn had accidentally shot Jenns Nippel. Luckily, we managed to frame a Federation agent with the murder, and the pirate vice-leader's meeting with Mr. Wostoc went pretty well.
Now our next assignment is erasing the sensitive data from Sky Boulevard's main computer:
So off to Sky Boulevard we fly. As is this LP's tradition, here's the new trade table:
I'm glad to inform you we're filthy rich right now, having more than $12,000,000! Yay!
Sky Boulevard is a capitalist planet -- or rather, a giant capitalist space station:
SKY BOULEVARD
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This planet was formerly known as Decadence IV and was, like Castra, a flourishing centre of trade and the seat of government. The crime rate had always been extremely low as its politicians had set up an extensive policing system for their own protection. This enabled them to control trade and prevent a collapse of the system similar to that which had overtaken Castra.
In a very short time, Decadence IV had surpassed Castra in technical advance and trade, and accordingly became the leader in the market. With its rapid rise to prosperity, the population could afford themselves more luxuries. There was also a large influx of immigrants which increased the population several times over.
Only a few years after its great trading rise, Decadence IV had achieved a high level of luxury. This, however, went together with an increasing demand for energy. The planet's reserves became consumed at a dangerous rate and the politicians only came to their senses once it was too late. There was no way of saving the devastated planet, whose atmosphere was now poisoned to saturation.
A great flood of migrating refugees began, as almost everyone sought a new home on another planet. Those with power on Decadence IV, however, had no intention of giving up the planet on which they had so much influence. Without further ado, they decided to build a giant space station in orbit; and Sky Boulevard was born.
The project was completed with feverish haste, and the remaining population escaped from the planet at the last moment, before the biosphere collapsed.In their new life in space, however, they were confronted with a new problem: their energy reserves were in danger of running out. As there was little time left, a snap decision was taken and a nuclear fusion reaction was initiated on the surface of the planet beneath Sky Boulevard, to supply the station with light and energy. As a result of this drastic intervention in the natural order, all remaining life on the former Decadence IV was destroyed. From this time on, the surface was wreathed in clouds of thick smoke and soot. This brought temperatures down to freezing point and made the planet an inhospitable place. The new Sky Boulevard, on the other hand, was provided with ample energy, and the once prosperous centre of trade and government woke from its sleep and once again became the heart of the system.
We arrive on Sky Boulevard and beam down. Here is a map for you:
Whale's Voyage -- Sky Boulevard map
Monkey statues abound around here for some reason
Oh wait it's not a monkey it's a mermaid!
Non-friendly soldiers are patrolling the Boulevard; luckily, they don't attack us -- yet.
Meet Mr. Stocker; no use in talking to him right now.
And here's Ergerson.
How are you?
Quiet well, thanks.
What is your job at this station?
Nothing special, I am just a clerk.
And what is your function?
Just accepting forms and so on.
Bureaucracy is indeed strong on Sky Boulevard, as we'll soon find out.
Sorry, could you show us the way to the computer room.
Sure, I can help you -- I know the right way, but...
Good thing Kingcomrade's carrying an Automatic gun. Hopefully it'll be just what Ergerson is demanding.
Thank you.
Oh, cool. Now onto business.
Sorry, could you show us the way to the computer room.
The rooms you are looking for are behind the room Mr. Wellsgolf is sitting in.
Alright, good to know.
Meet Reginald, the local shopkeeper.
What are the latest news?
The Sky Boulevard is really a very, very boring market.
And that's all he has to say. Let's now see what he has in stock.
A Sonic Absorber is basically a silencer that we can use to not produce too much noise when moving around or killing someone. Not sure if it's going to be useful, but we buy one.
Electric Staff Mk3 looks like an ideal weapon for Kingcomrade, so we equip him with it.
We also buy an Aerosol Grenade for who knows what reason.
Powerful!
All? Let's check. We turn it on.
And the shopkeeper doesn't hear a word we say. Neat!
We find some empty batters in one of the buildings. They are most likely useless, but we take one just in case.
Empty!
And here's the Mr. Wellsgolf. And, as we know from Ergerson, there must be a passage to the computer rooms here.
Hello.
Greetings are nice. But what is your problem?
We want to pass.
The filled blue form?
This is the game's most hilarious quest so far, meant to demonstrate the evils of bureaucracy, I guess. Mr. Wellsgolf wants the filled blue form -- which we can only get by obtaining the yellow form which we can only get by obtaining the green form which we can only get by obtaining the red form. Yay! To make matters even worse, the people we need to get all those forms from are located in different parts of Sky Boulevard; see the map I posted above. Annoying yet funny.
Spanjersberg says we can get the blue form from him but...
Can we get the yellow form here?
Mr. Stocker can give us the yellow form but...
Can we get the green form here?
Back at Spanjersberg's. He says he can give us the green form but...
Can we get the red form here?
Finally, Mr. Stocker gives us the red form. Phew.
We give it to Spanjersberg who hands us the green form in return.
And in case you're wondering what those forms are exactly...
Here's the green form.
And here's the red form.
We give Mr. Stocker the green and he hands us the yellow.
Gripping!
And then we the yellow form to Spanjersberg finally obtaining the blue form in return!
But anyways. Time to visit Mr. Wellsgolf again.
We give him the blue form.
We want to pass.
Well, truth be told we're too rich to care.
Here are $10000.
Thank you.
And the door to the computer room is now open!
Too bad an officer is guarding the computer itself. :/
(Consult the map for the officer's location.)
Hi.
Hello, merchants.
Merchants? Inside the restricted access computer room?
How are you?
Quiet well, thanks.
Sorry, could you show us the way to the computer room.
The bastard doesn't want to let us in. Well, we'll
make him let us in!
First we try attacking him, but even with the Sonic Absorber on that doesn't go too well. Intimidating him is of no use either.
And here comes this game's most nonsensical puzzle. Why nonsensical? Because there seems to be only
one correct way to solve it yet this way makes no sense. Okay, so here's an example of a really badly done puzzle sequence.
On the crossroads near the officer, just out of his sight, we place a C4 Trap. (Yes, the Set Trap ability finally comes in handy.)
The whole party gains a level. We choose the
Intimidate selected opponent skill for Grotley,
Identify weapon for Kingcomrade,
Search for traps for Mrowaksu, and
Do brainblast on selected opponent for Korenzel:
Grotley is now level 7 = "harmless". He needs 15327 more experience points to reach level 8 = "become cautious". And here are our party's current stats:
Grotley -> level 7
Experience: 85025
Strength: 63 -> 69
Max Health: 61 -> 68
Rhetoric: 49 -> 50
Honesty: 15 -> 16
General Education: 29 -> 31
Speed: 69 -> 78
Defense: 43 -> 54
IQ: 39 -> 44
Skillfulness: 67 -> 75
Kingcomrade -> level 6
Experience: 70021
Strength: 54 -> 64
Max Health: 60 -> 68
Max Mental Energy: 57 -> 67
Rhetoric: 40 -> 47
Honesty: 44 -> 49
General Education: 39 -> 45
Speed: 29 -> 36
Defense: 29 -> 39
IQ: 38 -> 42
Skillfulness: 46 -> 50
Mrowaksu -> level 6
Experience: 71028
Strength: 38 -> 45
Max Health: 55 -> 63
Rhetoric: 54 -> 64
Honesty: 38 -> 47
General Education: 60 -> 68
Speed: 26 -> 29
Defense: 32 -> 42
IQ: 65 -> 73
Skillfulness: 43 -> 48
Korenzel -> level 6
Experience: 68917
Strength: 19 -> 21
Max Health: 32 -> 38
Max Mental Energy: 73 -> 82
Rhetoric: 50 -> 60
Honesty: 53 -> 61
General Education: 52 -> 59
Speed: 26 -> 29
Defense: 18 -> 24
IQ: 60 -> 69
Skillfulness: 34 -> 41
It still escapes me why characters gain in Honesty as they level up, but whatever. Back to the puzzle.
The most stupid thing about it is that now that we've set the trap... the door to the power room in the northern part of Sky Boulevard, which was previously closed, has suddenly opened! For no reason whatsoever.
Mrowaksu uses the Manipulate computer skill on the Fuse box...
...and the power is off!
Scary.
Kingcomrade, Mrowaksu and Korenzel level up again!
We choose the
Automatic reload skill for Kingcomrade,
Identify weapon for Mrowaksu, and
Disarm opponent for Korenzel:
Our whole party is level 7 now.
I forgot to take screens of our new stats, so I'll post them later.
Luckily for us, we're carrying an Infrared device. We turn it on!
And here's all that's left of the poor officer guarding the computer. :twisted:
And we successfully delete the data using Mrowaksu's Manipulate computer skill! Mission accomplished.
We beam up to the Whale and call the number we were given earlier.
We tell 'em the data is no more.
Oops, looks like someone has just been ... killed?
I guess we'll need to visit Inoid to see what the matter is.
RK47 is the true machine, though. My updates are quite basic and don't take much time to write.
of piracy?
