Mothership Lab

MotherShip Lab is the thirty-second map in Unreal's single player game.
 * Author : Inoxx
 * Description
 * Within the Mothership Lab, the player learns of shielding experiments being carried out by the Skaarj on their own soldiers. Meanwhile, he must drain the main generator's energy reserves to be permitted access to the Mothership Core.

Walkthrough
''This walkthrough was completed on Medium difficulty. Creature and item placements may differ on other difficulty settings.''

Now within the depths of the Skaarj Mothership, an air of mystery descends on this place as you enter the detention centre and laboratory area. Here, strange experiments are being carried out on Skaarj test subjects as the Skaarj seek to improve their combat abilities.

You start on the lift from Mothership Basement, emerging in a room with consoles round the sides and an energy conduit behind you. A SkaarjTrooper with a Dispersion Pistol in this room will ignore you at first as he operates the consoles around the outside of the room. Kill the Skaarj (he is behind and to the left of you as you start) and go into the corner where he was operating the consoles.

There's a Health Pack in this corner - collect it, then start reading the consoles. Watch out for another SkaarjTrooper with a Dispersion Pistol who comes in as you read [1, 2].

There's another panel in the far corner [3].

Once you're filled in on the Mothership power supply status, head off up to the corridor that is to the left as you face this panel. After following the corridor round a curve, you will come out in a room where a panel is guarded by a SkaarjWarrior. Kill the Skaarj then collect the Health Pack and the Rifle Rounds on one side of this room. Read this panel [4].

Sounds like they're on to you. Take the next corridor out of this area, such that you arrive in a large junction room. Kill the SkaarjWarrior on guard there then look around. A door ahead is locked and will not open. A door part way up the wall to the left is too high to reach, though it looks as if you may be able to get up there later. To the right, another high entrance is accessible by a lift.

Before calling the lift, go to the left of the room and into the corner at this end on that side of the room. Go round behind the diagonal support pillar in the corner for two boxes of Razor Blades. Then, staying on this side of the room, go behind the pillar at the far end for two cans of 12 Eightballs. Go to the back right corner for a Health Pack, and behind the pillar there for a can of Tarydium Sludge. The final pillar in the room reveals another Health Pack.

Time to move on, so go to the button beneath the lift on the right side of the room and press it. The lift descends diagonally, landing on the floor of the room a short way out from the wall. Step on and ride it up to the corridor above, entering and going round the corner.

Ahead, some Skaarj are parolling to and fro, going across the main corridor through doors on either side. Attack them as they come out; there's a SkaarjGunner with an Automag and a SkaarjTrooper with a Dispersion Pistol. Kill them both and collect the Automag dropped by the SkaarjGunner.

When both have emerged and been killed, take the left of the two doors. You are in one of the detention centre corridors; it's dark so you may want to use a Flare. Lighting the area up, you will see three doors, one on either side and one at the end. Open the one on the right and look through - behind a Force Field you will see a SkaarjWarrior and two SkaarjAssassins who all ignore you. Now look through the door across the corridor; beyond, the forcefield is the only thing shielding you from a huge and highly aggressive blue Skaarj that tries to attack you. If that thing were to get out...

Finally, look through the door and force field at the far end of the corridor. You will see two SkaarjTroopers and one SkaarjOfficer, all with Dispersion Pistols.

Return down this detention centre corridor and cross the main corridor, over to the other detention centre corridor. Look through the door and forcefield on the left in this corridor; inside are two Mercenaries and a MercenaryElite who come and gesticulate at you before returning to their private discussion.

Look through the door across the corridor. Another force field, behind which are several Bloblets and two boxes of 10 Flak Shells - but this particular forcefield can be shot open. So, use a weak weapon to open the field, but be prepared to use a powerful weapon for the Bloblets, like the Eightball Gun for example. They will pursue you down the corridor a while, but when they are dead, go into their cell and collect the Flak Shells. Then, return to the corridor and open the door at the end.

Beyond the end door, a Pupae hatchery room is guarded by a SkaarjAssassin. Kill the Skaarj and go to the far end of the room for another box of 10 Flak Shells - but beware the Pupae jumping out of the wall incubators. Get quickly back to the detention centre corridor and from there to the main corridor.

Once back in the main corridor, turn right to the foot of a wider section which slopes upwards. Collect the Health Pack at the foot of this area, then go up the slope and collect goodies from the area on the right, in the form of an ASMD Core, another Flare and a Health Pack. There's an entrance across the way from here; go through into a room (I'll call it the Portal Junction Room) guarded by a SkaarjWarrior. Kill the Skaarj then look around; there's a door ahead - it's locked with a message [5].

So, you need to find a way of depleting the ship's power resources. Look at the other exits from the room; two are portals that are currently inoperative, while the third is a tunnel which curves round. Follow it into the room at the end, killing the SkaarjWarrior within. I think that the ASMD Combo is a fun and effective technique here.

In this end room is a generous supply of gear; two Health Packs, a box of 8 Rifle Rounds, a box of 50 Bullets and a Kevlar Suit. There's also a window out to a different part of the map but it is blocked by a force field. This room also contains a button. Press it, then return down the curving corridor to the Portal Junction Room; the previously blocked portals are now operational.

Make a left and go through the portal there. You may want to save your game before doing so, for as you emerge from the portal at the other end, you come out on a narrow stretch of walkway above an insta-death energy field. The walkway is guarded by a SkaarjTrooper with an Eightball Gun. So, stay in the corridor entrance to the area and take it out with head shots courtesy of the Rifle. Retreat back down the portal whenever necessary. When it has been decapitated, go out on to the walkway and collect the Eightball Gun it drops.

As you emerge, you will probably spot or be spotted by another SkaarjTrooper with an Eightball Gun who might shoot from a balcony on the left or he might be wandering around ahead. Give it the same treatment as the previous Skaarj the collect the Eightball Gun if you can from here. Go along the walkway to the far end. At the far end is a foyer where two cans of Tarydium Sludge sit on the end of the walkway ahead and a ramp goes up to the right. Collect the sludge, still being careful not to fall off the walkway, and go up the ramp to enter a corridor.

In the corridor, follow its curvature round, collecting another box of 8 Rifle Rounds on the way, coming out on another metal walkway guarded by a SkaarjLord. Kill the Skaarj.

Extra: Only do this if you're feeling lucky or exceptionally skillful, and save your game first. About half way along the stretch of walkway that was guarded by the SkaarjLord, look down off the walkway to the right. You will see a Super Health Pack on a small platform a long way below above the insta-death field. This is the hardest part; drop so that you land on the platform and collect the pack, but don't stick around here, instead run-jump off the platform and on to the pipe on the left, without falling into the energy field, because a few seconds after your weight lands on it, the Super Health Pack platform collapses into the energy field.

From the pipe, you will see an alcove in the wall containing a Shield Belt. Getting to that too is a tricky jump, so save again. Once in the alcove, collect the Shield Belt and follow the alcove round, and you can ride a lift that takes you up at the far end of the ramp the SkaarjLord was guarding.

At the far end of the SkaarjLord's walkway, collect the ASMD Core and two cans of 12 Eightballs there. Follow the corridor round, crossing another walkway this time over green energy beams, and collect a box of 50 Bullets from near a door at the far end. Go through the door to collect a Flashlight, then go on round a bit further, eventually reaching a balcony with a view of the walkway you initially came out of the portal on to.

On the balcony, collect the Assault Vest ahead. There are Razor Blades on the left and a box of 10 Flak Shells on the right. From the Flak Shells, the balcony turns into a darkened passage. Use the Flashlight to go along the passage and catch a lift on the left at the far end, coming out in a room at the top. Here, the room stretches off to the left while an exit ahead leads out of the current room. Go through that exit.

Out on the platform beyond is an Eightball Gun and two cans of 12 Eightballs. You can also read signs to either side of the doors you just came through to find out what the room at the top of the list was [6, 7].

The platform turns into a metal grid walkway which goes along this hall to a set of doors similar to those you just came through, crossing another walkway half way along. Go on to the first stretch of grid walkway and then look down through the floor: you will see the area with the red energy field and walkways that you were in before beneath you. You will also see pipes beneath the grid walkway on which there is an assortment of gear.

Go to the right of the current walkway and jump up onto the hand rail - it's awkward but possible. From there, drop down on to the top pipe below and collect there a can of Tarydium Sludge and a box of 10 Flak Shells. Go from there on to the next pipe down for a Health Pack, then from there drop down again such that you land on the balcony where you picked up the Assault Vest. Catch the same lift you took before back up to the Energy Department Research Centre, then go back out through the doors on to the walkway again.

On the walkways, go to the crossroads and look in either direction. To the right, there's a portal - it's the other portal from the Portal Junction Room, so there's no need to use it right now. To the left, there's a locked door with a label [8].

Neither of these are the route to go yet then, so go to the doors at the far end of the hall from where you entered, and collect of the Razor Blades, two clusters of 40 Tarydium Shards and two Health Packs. Read the signs by the door [9, 10].

Enter the Genetic Department Research Centre, then activate and read the panel within [11].

Look around the room.

This room contains nothing useful. The walls are lined with cryopods. One thing of interest though before moving on; climb the ramp to the left and doors open revealing a forcefield-shielded viewing window over the Experimentation Facility, in which the only thing of interest at present is an unarmed SkaarjOfficer on guard. There's a readout nearby [12].

Physiological state of what you may ask? Oh well, done here, so go to the far end from where you entered; go through a set of doors and you will be in a plain room with another viewing area on the left. A door on the right of this room reveals a security panel [13].

Leave the panel and return to the main room, then carry on anticlockwise round this ring of rooms. The next doors lead you back into the Energy Department Research Centre; it's time to properly explore this room now. Read all the panels (they make more sense if you start from the far end) [14-17].

This lab also has a viewing balcony over the Experimentation Facility, but this balcony this balcony also has a button and a readout. Climb the ramp (avoid the button for now) and read the panel [18].

This could be the power drain you're looking for! So, press the button. The force field over the Experimentation Facility window disappears, and the ship shakes as an energy beam comes down from the centre of the Experimentation Facility's roof. A hatch in the floor opens as the experimental creature comes out; a large SkaarjBerserker covered in a shimmering gold shield effect. The Berserker lays into and kills the unfortunate unarmed SkaarjOfficer on guard, then comes at you - kill it, either by shooting from the viewing balcony or going in and fighting it at close range. Either way, kill it then jump into the facility (if you've not gone in already).

When the Skaarj is dead, collect the box of 10 Flak Shells available at the centre of the room, then go out through the Experimentation Facility door, which is now unlocked. You should have depleted the Power Reserves in activating the experiment, thereby unlocking the door in the Portal Junction Room that was locked before. If you wanted to confirm this, you could go back to the Genetic Department Research Centre (you needn't bother) and read the viewing balcony readout for a final message [19].

Anyway, cross the walkways and go through the portal ahead. In the portal junction room, go right and right again, and you will find that the previously locked door is unlocked. Go through and a platform extends towards a lift which is at the top of a lift shaft with funky green energy waves going down it. Take the lift down to the bottom of the shaft (don't fall off), and look at your two exits. One is unlocked with a platform extended towards it, whilst the other is locked, requiring a jump to reach it, with a message [20].

So, take the other exit, going through a corridor beyond and round into a dimly lit chamber. Enter, and lights come on, illuminating two SkaarjTroopers. One, facing the other way at the far end of the room, is of normal size and carries a Minigun. The other, asleep at this end, is larger and carries a Flak Cannon. Kill them both and collect the Flak Cannon and Minigun that they drop, then raid the chamber for its other supplies; a Flare, two Flak Shells, three Rifle Rounds and a Health Pack.

Go through the corridor at the far end of the chamber and out through the door at the end; you will be back near the start of the level, in the junction room where you first caught the lift up to the Detention Area, but now an extra floor switch has appeared beneath the raised door opposite the lift. Press it to create some stairs to the door, up which you can climb.

At the top of the steps, go through the door. You will come out at the top in an area where a button is guarded by a SkaarjLord; kill the Skaarj then press the button, then go to the end of this passage to collect a Super Health Pack from a balcony that overlooks the very first room. Once the button is pressed, the doors at the bottom of the lift shaft you came down have unlocked. So, return to the bottom of the steps and go back through the door to the left, going on until you reach the bottom of the lift shaft. The message over the other door has gone and an access platform has been extended.

Time to leave. So, cross the platform and go into the corridor beyond the doors to exit the level.

Translator Messages

 * 1) "Primary Power Supply is operating at peak efficiency. Auxiliary Power Supply operational at 80% output. Activating the Alternate Power Supply for the Security Force Fields is imperative. Weakness shall be punished."
 * 2) "Energy supply for the Source is secured. Maintaining energy flow to the Source is highest priority. Weakness shall be punished."
 * 3) "Security personnel report to deployment zones around the Detention Block until APS back online. All detainees must be contained."
 * 4) "Intruder detected. Protect the Source at any cost. Intruder must be halted before penetrating the Source's defensive perimeter."
 * 5) "ACCESS DENIED: Power Reserves at 100%"
 * 6) "Energy Department"
 * 7) "Research Center"
 * 8) "Experimentation Facility"
 * 9) "Genetic Department"
 * 10) "Research Center"
 * 11) "All the test subjects have been placed in the Detention Area. The forcefields are keeping them confined and unshielded. All subjects continue to exhibit extremely aggressive behaviour when not in carefully tuned magnetic fields."
 * 12) "Power Reserves at 100%. Shielding effect at 0.0025%. EEG/EKG readings are normal, physiological state is cryogenised."
 * 13) "Security Orders: Intruder detected in MotherShip, all experiments are suspended on order of Chakti'Nrrj 2nd Great Talon of Ssa'Nrrj until further notice. Power reserves must be at 100% for optimal security system operation."
 * 14) "Report 187: Shrk'Tajji 2nd Lesser Eye of Ess'Tajji reporting. Despite the failure in our previous tests on the shielding effect, the test subjects' cells are showing some residual effects. Very interesting..."
 * 15) "Report 188: Shrk'Tajji 2nd Lesser Eye of Ess'Tajji reporting. Studies on the test subjects' cells are showing persistent shielding, with minor fluctuations in reflectivity. Strangely these are all perfectly synchronised."
 * 16) "Report 189: Shrk'Tajji 2nd Lesser Eye of Ess'Tajji reporting. After cross-analysis of the test results on all subjects, we've reached the conclusion that the Core Generator's magnetic field is probably the cause of the failures."
 * 17) "If the experiment is successful we'll look into moving the Research Center to Site B where we'll be shielded from the magnetic field of the Core Generator. If we're successful, we'll reach the green level or even blue."
 * 18) "Report 190: Shrk'Tajji 2nd Lesser Eye of Ess'Tajji observing. We are ready for the next experiment. We expect an 18% drop in Power Reserves from 100% levels. The test subject is in place and the Tarydium is prepared for charging."
 * 19) "Power Reserve at 80%, shielding effect at 5.64%, EEG/EKG readings showing massive disturbances, physiological status is active and endorphin/adrenal systems are producing hormonal overloads."
 * 20) "ACCESS DENIED"

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