Friday, December 17, 2010

Snazzy!



With Slaine turning inside out as he charges across the floor - the crowd parting spectacularly before him - and Niamh hopping onto the table to swing her sword at Zenith's neck, you decide now would be a good time to make yourself scarce, and hop out of your seat as if jabbed by a needle. Swinging out of the booth into the throngs of people on the dance-floor - who are pressing forward chanting "Fight! Fight! Fight!" as they anticipate a show - you seek out Samantha and spot her forcing her way through the crowd to step off the floor on the other side of the room. Knowing Zenith can take care of himself you feel no guilt abandoning him as you make your way through the cheering masses. A deafening cry rings out in response to the sound of a powerful punch landing and something wooden crashing behind you. Hoping Zenith can take care of himself, you keep your eye on Samantha as she hops up to sit on the bar before swinging her legs over and dropping down on the other side. Blaster held high, she opens a door in the wall and vanishes through it. A high-pitched shriek and a roar behind make you fear for Zenith's safety, but you daren't look back, instead forcing yourself off the dance-floor to follow in Samantha's footsteps, clambering over the sticky counter and making for the door. An exhilarated whooping from Zenith is the last thing you hear before you ease open the wooden panel and slip into a large store room - immediately ducking to avoid the screaming projectile hurtling towards your head! "Ay-yi-yiiiiiiii!" screams the robo-stogie, as it spins through the air and crashes into a shelf full of vodka bottles. "Stogie!" a female voice cries out, and you look ahead to find Samantha being held aloft by the four-eyed barman you ordered beer from earlier. Except he doesn't look quite the same now. Samantha's blaster lies on the floor nearby but you can see she got off a few rounds. A number of sizzling, sparking holes in the bar man's head and torso reveal him to be not a man at all, but a robot! This must be the imposter! Becoming aware of your presence, the robot tosses Samantha into a pile of beer kegs and turns to stride to the back of the room, where a Christmas tree is located. Stooping to retrieve one of the gift-wrapped parcels that surround the base of the tree, it turns to face you, holding the box up before its face - and pressing buttons on the electronic device attached to it. "Time, ladies and gentlemen!" the robot cackles, as Samantha attempts to climb free of the kegs. "Last orders puh-leeeze!!!"




Do you...

Run out into the bar to call for help, or...

Attempt to do something about this yourself?