Steam and Metal Revised

INTRO
txt.Add("The world slowly marched towards recovery in the aftermath of the so-called "Steamfull" war, whose onset had spurred incredible scientific progress...");

txt.Add("...but at the cost of decimated infrastructure and the lives of millions, many of them innocent civilians.");

txt.Add("As civilization picked up the pieces, the war's technologies were gradually adapted for peaceful purposes. Manufacturing advanced rapidly and automated factories opened their doors one after the other. Cities could now boast electricity, automobiles and even wondrous flying machines, once thought impossible. Mankind thus took its first bold steps into the industrial era.");

txt.Add("One of this new age's foremost innovators, mathematics and physics genius Albert Steiner, could at long last seize the opportunity to complete his final project, an invention which would truly leave a mark upon the ages.");

txt.Add("The concept was codenamed the "Differential Steam Engine" (DSE), a device capable, in theory, of far outpacing any existing engine in both output and efficiency.);

txt.Add("Its primary purpose would be to greatly improve both the productivity and livelihood of the world's farmers; before long, a prototype had finally been constructed.");

txt.Add("The newly-energized scientist became so absorbed with moving his idea forward that he resigned from his longtime university professorship and seldom set foot outside of his laboratory as work continued.");

txt.Add("As it happens, his daughter, Judith, had inherited her father's lifelong love of machinery, and spent whatever time she could spare excitedly assisting him.");

txt.Add("Unfortunately, the atmosphere of peace in their home country quickly deteriorated, as a band of terrorists suddenly sprung up in opposition to the Fat Queen, who had risen to power after the war. The world shuddered in anticipation of the next conflict.");

txt.Add("Before long, as Albert had feared would happen, a strangely-dressed terrorist waited until he was working alone and slithered into the laboratory, offering him enough bribe money to quickly complete the DSE...in exchange for unfettered access to its draft documents.");

txt.Add("Albert refused; without a moment's hesitation the man brandished a weapon and coldly insisted that he WOULD be leaving with the drafts, one way or another.");

txt.Add("The old man still stood fast, and paid with his life.");

txt.Add("Judith soon returned to the lab, to find her father dying and the documents gone. With his final breath, Albert begged her to do whatever she could to ensure that their invention would not be exploited for ill use. Without hesitation the distraught young lady promised to honor his wish, and moreover determined to go far beyond what her father would have expected.");

txt.Add("She quickly boarded an experimental steam aircraft she and her father had kept hidden during months of work...");

txt.Add("...and swore that this would be the last and only time a DSE engine would be used for war!");


ENDING
txt.Add("Even against overwhelming odds Judith and her stout little steam flyer soared to victory over the battle-ready mothership of the Fat Queen, and shattered her cynical plot to kick-start yet another war.");

txt.Add("The Queen and her compliant servants were quickly apprehended and jailed. Tyranny had been defeated and tragedy was averted, though sadly even a triumph so grand could not bring back the many victims of the purges and repressions of years past.")
;
txt.Add("One of these good people was Judith's dearly-missed father, Albert, though she found comfort in the fact that the entire country, including his rueful former friend, stood at her side to see him off on his final journey.");

txt.Add("The old man had not lived to see it, but the heady dreams that drove his life's work were destined to at long last come true: the DSE technology was declared a national treasure, and a technical university named in Albert's honor was founded in the capital city to continue his mission.");

txt.Add("The country's throne, meanwhile, was inherited by the son of the Fat Queen, Prince Slonovich, who viewed his sudden ascension as an opportunity to learn from his monther's mistakes. Under his reformatory stewardship, the remaining ill effects of the past were largely undone.");

txt.Add("The left-leaning terrorist organization, which had taken up arms against the Fat Queen's regime, could not disregard these earnest efforts made on the people's behalf, and all it took was a short series of concessions from the newly-crowned King Slonovich to motivate the group to self-disband.");

txt.Add("Judith's brave exploits made her a popular favorite, and moreover earned her a new set of wings as she officially entered the new King's service as the ace pilot of an elite air squadron.");


txt.Add("Of course, who knows what else fate might have in store for her, beyond the ever-shifting clouds of steam?\n\n

       THE END.");

1
introItems.Add(Say("judithSurprised", "Gadzooks! What bizarre manner of contraption was that? With so many weapons aboard it shouldn't have been able to leave the ground...could another war already be afoot?"));

introItems.Add(Say("judithAngry",     "That particular mystery will have to wait for now; I MUST reclaim those drafts, and the thief's conveyance was clearly northward-bound!"));

introItems.Add(Say("judithNeutral",   "It appears that his allies have followed him for the time being, so at least the people here are safe..."));

introItems.Add(Say("judithAngry",     "...though I recall hearing of a long-deserted factory standing somewhere in that direction. I'd bet my last farthing that the terrorists have established their base there, and are regrouping even as I speak (to nobody in particular!)"));

introItems.Add(Say("judithSerious",   "No doubt this villain's den is well-protected. Both due caution and ample power-ups are musts for this mission!"));


2
repl.Add("I must make haste to the Citadel and at last retrieve the blueprints.");

repl.Add("I shall encounter further resistance there, to be sure, but I can't let fear hold me back now: my father's death must not have been in vain!");

repl.Add("If the thieves can make sense of his plans they're free to exploit them for any nefarious purpose they care to spin from whole cloth. And that's, well, just unacceptably poor form on their part!");

3
items.Add(Say("evilManAvatar", "Heh heh. Well well, an unexpected guest at my door, and at this hour. However may I be of service, milady?"));

items.Add(Say("judithAngry",   "Thieving, murderous mongrel! Your due punishment shall be swift and sure at my hands...for great justice!"));

items.Add(Say("judithSmirk",   "Return the blueprints at once, unless you want a black eye to go with that monocle!"));

items.Add(Say("evilManLaugh2", "Oh ho ho ho ho ho ho ho..."));

items.Add(Say("evilManSmirk",  "Ah, to be so young again...and so VERY naive."));

items.Add(Say("evilManAvatar", "Unfortunately, my dear, I haven't the time at present to entertain you myself..."));

items.Add(Say("evilManSmirk",  "...but I HAVE seen fit to prepare a little surprise in my stead."));

items.Add(Say("judithAngry",   "Hold, you nogoodnik! And don't you dare push that ominous lever over there until you explain yourself properly!"));

4
items.Add(Say("judithAngry", "Abandon your highly-intimidating, armed-to-the-teeth vehicle and surrender yourself at once!"));

items.Add(Say("evilManAngry", "I fear I must decline your extremely generous offer, madam!"));

items.Add(Say("judithSurprised", "One last ultimatum, not-so-good sir - if the blueprints are not returned, I shall give no quarter! This nonsense has already gone on more than long enough!"));

items.Add(Say("evilManLaugh2", "Gya ha ha! Let's see just how far that fragile aircraft of yours can back up such imposing words! I'll grind you into the very finest snuff, you silly girl!"));

5
items.Add(Say("judithSad", "You! How could you abandon a good man like my father and yet lend your assistance to these monsters? He was forced to pay the ultimate price for your folly!"));

items.Add(Say("oldManAvatar", "Wh-what did you say? Albert is dead?"));

items.Add(Say("judithAngry", "Don't pretend you couldn't foresee what would come of this!"));

items.Add(Say("oldManAvatar", "Oh, ye gods! I did inform them about his work, the "Differential Steam Engine!" Could that alone have truly driven them to such barbaric ends...?"));

items.Add(Say("judithSad", "...I can only assume as much."));

items.Add(Say("oldManAvatar", "I...I am so sorry. I know I can't truly atone for what's happened, but I can reveal the whereabouts of their base if you must follow them. Please keep safe, regardless!"));

6
introItems.Add(Say("judithAngry",   "Blast it all! He's disappeared! I can't let these rogues claim my father's steam engine, but wherever should I resume my search?"));

introItems.Add(Say("judithNeutral", "Hrmm...my father was acquainted with a colleague who occasionally caucused with the terrorists. I recall more than one nasty quarrel between them to that end..."));

introItems.Add(Say("judithNeutral", "I doubt he truly counts himself amongst their numbers, but he's certainly no friend to the the queen either. Mayhaps he'd be willing to disclose something of value concerning their operations...?"));

introItems.Add(Say("judithSerious", "I'll speed to his place on the double, and hopefully find out just where the blackguards are hiding!"));

7
introItems.Add(Say("judithNeutral", "It seems the rebels have found refuge on the island, and are using the not-at-all-suspicious castle there as cover."));

introItems.Add(Say("judithAngry",   "Father, it appears we have one more experiment on our hands: to see if those stone walls are strong enough to resist the power of the Differential Steam Engine!"));

8
items.Add(Say("av_gen",      "Please spare us! We wouldn't seek to have Albert killed; he and his inventions were a part of our hope to build a better life for the people."));

items.Add(Say("judithAngry", "So you say, though one of your numbers offed him!"));

items.Add(Say("av_gen_evil", "We did no such thing, I swear! The man you seek is a traitor to our cause; he posed as one of us but was in truth spying for none other than the queen."));

items.Add(Say("av_gen",      "When we finally confronted him about both his actions and his blatantly nefarious mustache, he fled into the desert with the blueprints."));

items.Add(Say("judithShocked", "What might he possibly accomplish there?"));

items.Add(Say("av_gen",      "Our intelligence operatives tell us he's building some sort of super-weapon, though knowing him he just plans to tie the engine schematic to a set of train tracks. In any case, please believe us, we meant no harm! Even if he wouldn't have approved of our methods, we are all fighting to see your father's dream realized!"));

items.Add(Say("judithDisappointed", "The rebels are not so scary up close, I suppose. In the end they're no more than a miserable, affrighted crowd who cover over the insurmountable deficiencies in their modus operandi with meaningless platitudes."));

items.Add(Say("judithDisappointed", "They truly have deluded themselves into thinking they fight for the people, but it is those very same people who end up caught in the middle of every last one of their fool's errands!"));

items.Add(Say("judithAngry",        "I could have throttled the whole lot of them on the spot if I didn't have an even squeakier gear to grease!"));

9
items.Add(Say("judithSmirk", "Well then, I do believe you can at last chalk up an unfortunate surplus of things which belong rightfully to me, and a dire shortage of remaining escape routes."));

items.Add(Say("evilManScared", "Oh my heavens, please don't kill me! I'll tell you everything! Just spare my life, and my impeccable period fashionability!"));

items.Add(Say("judithDisappointed", "Sing, you cowardly canary, and we'll soon see if I feel like granting respite from your newfound cage..."));

items.Add(Say("evilManScared", "It's the queen, she bankrolled my prized watch fob collection and, ironically enough, got me squarely into her pocket! She means to spread her influence abroad by force, and intends to ignite another war to that end: the Differential Engine is the linchpin of her plan!"));

items.Add(Say("evilManScared", "She seeks the engine to both grant her existing forces a powerful advantage, and to spur on another arms race for even more advanced weapons!"));

items.Add(Say("judithSerious", "...I see, it's all starting to come together at last. Now, the documents, if you'd be so kind."));

items.Add(Say("evilManScared", "Here, take them! B-but what do you plan to do now?"));

items.Add(Say("judithSerious", "I shall show you due mercy, sir, but I can't say I'm convinced your soon-to-explode tank will lend you quite so understanding an ear. I do so hope those well-shined shoes of yours can convey you across the dunes with ample haste!"));

10
items.Add(Say("queenEvilLaugh", "You! You killed my Aki!...oh, my apologies, wrong protagonist. Ahem...my girl, I must confess, you are a veritable wellspring of potential!"));

items.Add(Say("judithDisappointed", "...somehow even that sounded backhanded."));

items.Add(Say("queenSmirk", "The new Empire I'm building, rivet by glorious rivet, hungers for capable people like yourself! The era of steampunk has arrived; the era in which ever-mightier steam machines can turn the tide of any conflict, and a bit of metallic paint can utterly transform any convention-goer's otherwise-generic cosplay!"));

items.Add(Say("queenSmirk", "This is your chance: I can offer you the opportunity to be greater than your father ever was!"));

items.Add(Say("judithSerious", "In the words of a much smarmier fellow than myself, I fear I must decline your extremely generous offer, madam. Moreover, you shan't take a single step past me in your mad quest!"));

items.Add(Say("judithSerious", "Yes, the era of steampunk shall indeed usher in an unending stream of fan fiction, but more importantly, prosperity to all, not death and destruction to those not under your well-powdered thumb!"));

items.Add(Say("queenEvilLaugh", "So be it then: one Fiasco, coming up! All hands, fire at will!"));