[Automatic transcript: User is JW] Copyright (c) 1985 Infocom, Inc. All rights reserved. Welcome to CHECKPOINT (TM) - interactive fiction from Infocom! [Note to testers: this story has the command GO TO, and the concept of not being able to see things behind your back. The unit of currency in this story is the Frotzian slimpuk, whose symbol is "*". Messages in square brackets [] will not be in the final release. Remember: you can shorten your words only to NINE (9) letters. But you can use C for COMPARTMENT, V for VESTIBULE, and F for FORWARD.] Do you want the viewpoint of the traveler or the spy? >S Do you want the short variation or the long one? >S Then let the story begin! Why did you want to be a spy anyway? You could have had a nice restful job, like an air-traffic controller. You could have tended flowers behind a white picket fence around your country cottage. At least they could let you grab a few winks between one job and the next. But no -- you finish debriefing in some dirty little city in Frotzerland, and before you can even find a phone book, let alone a hotel, they volunteer you for another assignment. "You've got to intercept a document!" they told you. "Then deliver it to our agent in Gola so the leak can be traced. We don't know where it is for sure, but we think it's in a briefcase that's leaving town on the next train. You're the only agent that's close enough and experienced enough to be sent after it. And at the end of the trip, there will be a plane ticket to home waiting for you." So that's why you're climbing all over this stupid train. Finding the briefcase was easy enough, but the dude carrying it was something else. Even your well-placed bullet didn't make him drop. Now, if only he'll take the bait and follow you up here, you can .... Wait! Here he comes from the forward end! But he's not carrying the case! CHECKPOINT Infocom interactive fiction - a story of intrigue Copyright (c) 1985 by Infocom, Inc. All rights reserved. CHECKPOINT is a trademark of Infocom, Inc. Release 14 / Serial number 850403 / Spy's viewpoint, short variation (roof) You are on the roof of the train. The wind blows your hair, and the rocking, lurching train threatens to buck you right off. It occurs to you that this might not be the safest place to be right now. The other spy is here, preparing to knock you off. Okay, what do you want to do now? >KICK (What do you want to kick?) >SPY The train lurches a bit. You go for him, but he dodges. He hesitates, preparing his next move. What next? >G You go for him, but he dodges. He hesitates, preparing his next move. What next? >G You go for him, but he dodges. He hesitates, then lunges at you! He crouches low and prepares to lunge. What next? >G You go for him, but he dodges. He hesitates, preparing his next move. He slips but then regains his footing. What next? >G You lunge at him and almost miss, but he loses footing and falls off the edge of the roof! The train quickly leaves his body behind. What next? >D (rear vestibule) This is a small vestibule at the rear end of the car. There's a short flight of metal steps on the left side of the train leading down off the train, and a narrow metal ladder leading up to the roof. A small door leads to a restroom, and a big window is open to the outside. A red handle is hanging by a short length of cord from the ceiling, swinging in time to the train's rocking motion. The train is steaming along a barren stubble-plain. The clatter of the wheels on the track is almost deafening. A young man and an old couple are off to the rear. A cigarette machine stands in one corner, waiting to be either used or discarded -- it's hard to say which. What next? >SAVE (In this variation, 1 minute will pass in the story before you can type another command. Are you sure you want to SAVE now? >Y Okay.) To file: START.CSS14.1Okay. What next? >GO TO FRONT VESTIB (Sorry, but this story doesn't recognize the word "vestib".) (You won't see "What next?" any more.) >GO TO FRONT VESTIBULE The relative quiet here is welcome. The smell of food is unmistakable. The relative quiet here is welcome. The relative quiet here is welcome. The relative quiet here is welcome. (forward vestibule) [You're facing to the front.] This is a small vestibule at the forward end of the car. It's just like the rear vestibule, but with no steps or ladder. >N [Debugging info: you are entering car #2.] (rear vestibule) There's a young woman here, chewing gum. There's a boy here, reading a newspaper. >N (You open the swinging door and close it again.) The relative quiet here is welcome. (rear end) This is the rear end of the corridor. The floor and walls are covered with cream-colored linoleum, worn away in spots to reveal the original hardwood finish. A long series of windows, still framed by wood, runs along the corridor on the right-hand side of the train. On the left side of the train, behind a windowed door, lies the fifth compartment. An attractive woman is in the fifth compartment. A regal woman is off to the front. The girl, off to the front, opens the compartment door for a moment and enters the first compartment. >W (You open the compartment door and close it again.) (fifth compartment) [You're facing to the left side of the train.] This is a once-luxurious first-class compartment on the Znuk-Potrzebie Express. The plush red upholstery on the two facing seats, shiny and worn in spots, and the greasy lace on the headrests, give the car an air of faded elegance. A red handle is hanging by a short length of cord from the ceiling, swinging in time to the train's rocking motion. The corridor is outside, past a window with a red curtain on it. The train is steaming along a barren stubble-plain. The attractive woman is here, holding the briefcase and deep in thought. Your sharp eyes notice a spot of blood on the floor. >EXAMINE SPOT Yup. That's a spot of blood, all right. >SAVE (In this variation, 1 minute will pass in the story before you can type another command. Are you sure you want to SAVE now? >Y Okay.) To file: CASETIME.CSS14.1Okay. >HIT WOMAN The train lurches a bit. She blocks your thrust and delivers a chop to your nose. >G She blocks your thrust and knocks you unconscious.... You shake your head and come to. >RESTOR From file: CASETIME.CSS14.1Okay. (fifth compartment) [You're facing to the left side of the train.] The attractive woman is here, still holding the briefcase and deep in thought. A spot of blood is still on the floor. >HIT WOMAN She drops the briefcase and slumps on the floor. >TAKE CASE You are now holding it. >E (You open the compartment door and close it again.) (rear end) [You're facing to the right side of the train.] The conductor and the regal woman are off to the front. He punches her ticket. The girl, off to the front, opens the swinging door for a moment and disappears to the front. >N (rear middle) [You're facing to the front.] This is the rear middle of the corridor. On the left side of the train, behind a windowed door, lies the fourth compartment. The conductor and the regal woman are off to the front. The conductor is off to the front, heading toward you. He, off to the front, stops to punch tickets. >W (You open the compartment door and close it again.) (fourth compartment) [You're facing to the left side of the train.] There's a young man here, smoking a cigarette. >TURN LATCH A mechanical click comes from within the briefcase. >OPEN IT (I assume you mean: the briefcase latch.) The metal latch snaps open. At the same time, a loud thump comes from within the briefcase. The conductor appears and makes a gesture, asking for your ticket. >GIVE CONDUC TICKET (Whom do you want to give the conduc ticket to?) >CONDUC (You don't seem to be holding that!) >GIVE CONDUCTOR TICKET (Whom do you want to give the conductor ticket to?) >GIVE TICKET TO CONDUCTOR The conductor punches your ticket and then gives it back to you. He punches the young man's ticket. >TURN LATCH A mechanical click comes from within the briefcase. The conductor touches a finger to his cap and opens the compartment door for a moment and leaves. >OPEN CASE You open it a crack before you realize that everything inside would fall out. You quickly close it again. >SIT (on the train seat) You're now sitting on it. A young couple, just outside, disappear to the rear. Just outside the attractive woman appears from the rear end. >OPEN CASE Opening it reveals a document, a miniature camera, a cassette of film, a magnifying glass, and a scrap of newsprint. The attractive woman stops here. >EXAMINE DOCUMENT It's not a very handsome document, scrawled in a hurry by a hand that wouldn't win any prizes under the best of conditions. But it seems to contain crucial information -- times, places, a crude map, even code words -- about a plan to kidnap some high-ranking official. Were the plan to succeed, several governments would be embarrassed, if not in mortal danger, and the balance of power would become precarious. >EXAMINE NEWSPRINT There doesn't seem to be anything written on the scrap of newsprint. >HOLD NEWSPRINT TO LIGHT That doesn't seem to help at all. >RUB NEWSPRINT Fiddling with it is a waste of time. >RESTORE From file: CASETIME.CSS14.1Okay. (fifth compartment) [You're facing to the left side of the train.] The attractive woman is here, still holding the briefcase and deep in thought. A spot of blood is still on the floor. >HIT WOMAN She blocks your thrust and knocks you unconscious.... You shake your head and come to. >RESTOR From file: CASETIME.CSS14.1Okay. (fifth compartment) [You're facing to the left side of the train.] The attractive woman is here, still holding the briefcase and deep in thought. A spot of blood is still on the floor. >HIT WOMAN She drops the briefcase and slumps on the floor. >TAKE CASE You are now holding it. >E (You open the compartment door and close it again.) (rear end) [You're facing to the right side of the train.] The conductor and the regal woman are off to the front. He punches her ticket. The girl is off to the front, heading toward you. >S (You open the swinging door and close it again.) (rear vestibule) [You're facing to the rear.] The young woman is here, still chewing gum. The boy is here, still reading a newspaper. >IN (You open the restroom door and close it again.) (rear restroom) As you'd expect, the restroom is tidy but small, almost too small for comfort. But it does have the usual fixtures. >SAVE (In this variation, 1 minute will pass in the story before you can type another command. Are you sure you want to SAVE now? >Y Okay.) To file: HAVECASE.CSS14.1Okay. >LOCK DOOR [You're facing to the left side of the train.] Okay, it is now locked. >DROP CASE Okay, it is now on the floor. >OPEN LATCH The metal latch snaps open. >OPEN CASE Opening it reveals a document, a miniature camera, a cassette of film, a magnifying glass, and a scrap of newsprint. >I You are not holding anything. But there's something in your pocket. >L IN POCKET The train lurches a bit. Your pocket contains a gun, your ticket, a timetable, a traveler's check, and your passport. And some money. You hear a knock on the door. >CLOSE CASE Closed. The conductor appears and makes a gesture, asking for your ticket. >GIVE CONDUC TICKET (Whom do you want to give the conduc ticket to?) >GIVE CONDUC THE TICKET The conductor punches your ticket and then gives it back to you. He touches a finger to his cap and opens the restroom door for a moment and leaves. >LOCK DOOR Okay, it is now locked. >OPEN CASE Opening it reveals a scrap of newsprint, a magnifying glass, a cassette of film, a miniature camera, and a document. >TAKE NEWSPRINT (You can't take it.) >I You're holding your ticket. And there's something in your pocket. >HOLD NEWSPRINT TO LOGHT (I don't know the word "loght".) >TAKE SCRAPO (I don't know the word "scrapo".) >TAKE SCRAP (You can't take it.) >TAKE ALL FROM CASE (Please be more specific.) >L (rear restroom) (You're facing to the left side of the train, but you look in all directions for a moment.) As you'd expect, the restroom is tidy but small, almost too small for comfort. But it does have the usual fixtures. A black briefcase with a chrome latch is here, open. >L IN CASE The briefcase contains a scrap of newsprint, a magnifying glass, a cassette of film, a miniature camera, and a document. >TAKE SCRAP (You can't take it.) >TAKE CASE Too bad, but it is open. >SIT (on the toilet) The train lurches a bit. You're now sitting on it. >TAKE CASE (You stand up first.) Too bad, but it is open. >CLOSE CASE Closed. >TAKE IT (I assume you mean: the briefcase.) You are now holding it. The train is now racing past a dark, violent river. >SIT (on the toilet) You're now sitting on it. >OPEN CASE Opening it reveals a document, a miniature camera, a cassette of film, a magnifying glass, and a scrap of newsprint. >TAKE SCRAP You are now holding it. >HOLD IT TO LIGHT (I assume you mean: the scrap of newsprint.) That doesn't seem to help at all. >EXAMINE IT CAREFULLY (I assume you mean: the scrap of newsprint.) There are some shiny lines on the scrap of newsprint, maybe invisible ink. >L IN POCKET Your pocket contains a gun, a timetable, a traveler's check, and your passport. And some money. >COUNT MONEY You are carrying *49. >COUNT SLIMPUKS (Sorry, but the word "slimpuks" is not in the vocabulary that you can use.) >LICK SCRAP (I don't know the word "lick".) >TURN ON WATER (I don't know the word "water".) >Q (If you want to continue from this point at another time, you must "SAVE" first.) Do you want to stop the story now? >Y