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You take Recipe from the spindle
(putting the silver-plated corkscrew into the sack to make room) It takes a bit of wiggling to get the cylinder to come free, but you extricate it without too much difficulty. In your hunger, you hallucinate onion soup, with its crust of baked cheese. Or perhaps purple-black Hellene olives.
You cut with knife
You want to CUT the KNIFE with WHAT, pray tell?
You examine wasps
The wasps' nest is tucked up under the roof at one end of the porch. Quite a traffic of insects is flying in and out. Honey wiggles her toes.
You examine the clippers
A standard pair of gardening clippers.
Go west
The Odditorium is filled with a crazy array of philosophical exhibits. You wander past a brain suspended in a vat of colourless liquid and wired to some complicated electronics, and then pause to examine an old-fashioned tachyon telephone. You could spend hours in here, but your attention is alerted by a furious argument taking place at the far end of the room, beneath the hulking hull of a ship that protrudes from the wall in a most unexpected manner. There, a man in extremely piratical clothing is giving a woman in a steward's uniform a piece of his mind.
You examine keep
Either the keep was never completed, or parts have been added on almost at random, since the building (which in any case is probably little more than a glorified manor house) has a decidedly lopsided appearance. The greatest affront to symmetry is the single round tower standing at the southwestern corner, but the entire building is ugly, though large, as if its designers couldn’t agree whether it was intended for defence, grandeur or comfort and accordingly botched all three objectives.
You drop the fish
(the dead fish) Dropped. There's a sudden splash as the otter surfaces just offshore. Close up, it's noticeably bigger than you are, with a pointed nose and alert looking whiskers. It stares at you with interest. The otter is bored. And a bit hungry. And cross. Mostly bored. There's lots of crunchy things in the lake, and they're good, but what it really wants is fish. And something to do. The creatures on the dam won't let it near the fish, but this rabbit has one! But there's something not right about it. Maybe it's dangerous? But it has a fish for the otter. It must love the otter! While you're reeling from this bombardment of images, the otter wriggles ashore and scurries up the beach.
You eat Pig
(first taking the Pig) I doubt the Pig would care for that.
You kill Troll
Your enchanted sword luckily strikes the Troll and slays it...Your enchanted sword strikes the Troll and slays it...
You put the pill in the bottle
Done. The dog pants a little, his long red tongue lolling out.
You show the carnation to the pigeon
The pigeon doesn't seem to be interested in the carnation. The pigeon circles above you.
You put the tube in the machinery
That doesn't make much sense. The grumbling of machinery catches your attention.
You go east
Everything you see is grey and lifeless, as though covered with a veil of ash. Sound is muted and there is a faint acrid odor. You are south of a small tower which connects with the temple to the north. A large courtyard can be seen to the west and a smaller one to the northeast.
You go south
The remains of FALLEN TREES are here, overgrown with ferns and surrounding a half-buried shack of once-fine metal, draped with canvas and pocked with rust. You are wise in the ways of these: they are the "space-ships" that brought men from dark places in the sky, ere they fell. You notice a hatchway hanging open; you could ENTER if you so desired. This remnant of a ROCKET seems abandoned, apart from a tired-looking metallic figure slumped against its side ... You can see a ROBODROID here.
You examine the eyes
They are the eyes from your dream, without question.
Wait
Time passes. The sword makes the lever shake. The teleporter starts shaking and smoking. The cave begins to fade out around you, and another cave fades in. This cave has an exit to the east. In the middle of the floor is a round hole. A huge dead monster lies here, its four feet in the air. It has a stupid-looking face on a round gray hairless body. Its tiny eyes stare at nothing. The upper half of a dead pointy-eared elf is sticking out of its mouth. It looks like the monster choked on the elf. The elf is wearing a backpack. You look down at yourself. You seem unsubstantial, like a ghost. Slowly you begin to take on a more solid form. Now you look normal.
You hit the trolley with yourself
(your trolley with yourself) Futile.
You examine the floor
The stone floor is a dirty and cold.
You look at the preppie
He's wearing a sweater tied around his waist, which is kind of stupid given the weather. He's got a perpetual sneer, and you're half surprised he's not wearing sunglasses at night.
Go outside
Before leaving, you remove the Elektron from the machinery. You get off the ice spike. Chunks of rock have emerged from the broken floor, piercing through the roof. From there, massive blocks of concrete and steel hang, remnants of the city above. A tunnel cuts its way into the earth to the north, beyond reach. An ice spike the size of a bus has been thrusted into the room from below. It shines, the light coming from a source underneath it, and it is illuminating the area. The color and shape of the chunk betray the ice as very, very old, the likes of which you studied from the Monarch's glacial era. Above the spike, near the roof, sparkles fall down from a broken piece of machinery.
Go east
A strong wet breeze blows from a low doorway to the east. A circle of light leads west. The passageway continues south.
You take the bag
FC: Cryolink established to Auda. AUDA: Taken. "Give me that, you little devil!" "That robot's a thief! Let's get it!"
Go west
You are holding Samir's hand, so he follows you. You are holding Tyrone's hand, so he follows you. The wall buckled a bit here, but didn't collapse entirely - unlike to the west, where outright wreckage is visible by the gym entrance. Colorful leaf rubbings and magazine mosaics hang drunkenly off their moorings. Tyrone is here, holding hands with you. Samir is here, holding hands with you. The door to your classroom hangs open on its twisted doorframe. The fire alarms flash and shrill monotonously.
You go east
Inside the chapel, it is eerie and silent. It seems that the locals do not frequent it much. The door to the street outside is to the west. In the center of this chamber is a rather horrible statue carved from basalt. Reading in the back of the chapel is Father Alonso Vilheila-Pareira. You can also see Liana Farnham, Grover Cotterell and Clarinda Fisch here. Father Alonso lights a cigarette. Grover jingles change in his pockets. Liana adjusts her wig. Clarinda looks to the east.
Go upwards
Arthur slinks after you. No more than a tiny platform near the altar ceiling, the astrology tower is used for astronomical observations; many spells and potions require a certain alignment of stars or phase of the moon to work correctly. A slender spiraling silver staircase winds down toward the altar. In one corner is an astrological clock, miraculously unharmed. A telescope sits in one corner, facing the night sky. You can also see Arthur here.
Wait
Time passes. Pulling desperately to the left, you force Horse to follow your lead, going left around the boulder.
You examine the key
From the size and shape of this key, you'd guess it's for a vehicle of some kind.
You go south
You squeeze through the doggy door and return to the northern end of the bailey, with the rest of the bailey to the south, southeast and southwest. Tuck is thrilled to see you again. The squire immediately throws his arms around you. "Oh! How happy I am to know you are safe, little sniffer." He blinks the mist from his eyes. "I thought—well, who knows what dwells inside this evil place, and I was worried that..." He trails off, unable to complete the sentence, and only after an exhausting amount of kicking and squealing does he let you go.
You check what you're carrying
We are carrying: some fresh butter a pail (empty) the rain bowl (empty) a copper piece
You go north
The forest stops, suddenly confronted by a wall of rock. (shan1 men2) Mountain gate An enormous archway stands to the northwest, acting as a gateway to the mountain pass beyond. The forest opens out to the south, while a rock wall encompasses all other directions.
You look at the newspaper
It's the "Weekly Arkham Herald". Anchorhead, apparently, is not large enough to warrant its own newspaper. The cold wind blows harder, tugging at the hem of your trenchcoat.
Look around
A room outfitted with lab desk, lab drawer, a recycling chute, and assorted equipment. It's immediately obvious what kind of experimentation that takes place here. The walls are a shrine to humans -- and not to the human genome, which would be comprehensible, but to human society. Some still shots from Chinese television, a sketch of Stonehenge, a landscape recognizably New Zealand... The door out leads southwest. Beside the lab desk is a female scientist, perhaps in her teens. On the lab desk is a tiny man.
Look around
Only sporadic shafts of sunlight penetrate to these lonesome depths. Long weeds rise from the sand to drift and tangle in the current. A partially eaten human has come to rest among the weeds. A massive box lies on the sandy floor. Its lid gapes open to reveal the empty interior.
Go downward
You descend into a network of tunnels. Ardavaan draws a glow orb from his robes and you lead him in the approximate direction of the Royal Nest's vehicle hangar. Behind a locked door you hold the glow orb for Ardavaan so that he can handle his lockpick. From his trembling hands and sweated brow you can tell maintaining constant control on Farahnaaz is wearing him out... A few times she stumbles in her trance, but Ardavaan reaches for her on time. For your part, your cat tends to go astray in the labyrinth and is deaf to your commands. Ardavaan catches Rasha before he finally pushes the last door open. You gasp in amazement; you're right behind the large Ashtartan vessel you saw last night and it looks even more gorgeous from up close. Disgruntled, Rasha knocks the glow orb off Ardavaan's hand. It drops and shatters into tiny splinters. Hangar (Royal Nest) The hangar is a spacious chamber with a high ceiling. Unlike the noisy halls where flying beasts perch, this place is clean of hay and doesn't smell. An access door for the passengers and the staff lies to the north. A pair of sliding gates lead to the landing platform to the west and are currently closed. The entrance to the tunnels is to the east. There's a large Ashtartan vessel in middle of chamber, with two identical one-man vehicles by its sides. Ardavaan walks around the large vessel while inspecting it. He then goes to a one-man vehicle, but shakes his head, "It's too dark here without the glow orb." He calls on you to help him open the sliding gates so that more light can enter the hangar.
F.
From here you can go behind you and you can jump to His chair. An artificial voice from the phone on the table repeats itself with strange quiet parts between. From the black square you hear lots of people shouting and catch a flicker of images out of the corner of your eye.
You take HANOI
This is a 50-page, spiral-bound sketchbook with cardboard covers. The front cover is green, and is decorated with a drawing in black marker of the wooden toy that you found in the box. Across the top is the title "THE TOWER OF HANOI," written in the same black marker. On the back cover is the date "1978." The first ten pages are filled with simple pencil drawings and notes describing the world of this story. The rest of the book is filled with hauntingly realistic charcoal drawings of scenes from that world. (Do you want to enter this story?)
You talk to Hank
"Hank? Hello?" Hank looks up from the ground and shakes his shaggy head. "Oh, hey, Rebecca. Sorry, I just..." His eyes close, and he returns to his original position.
Kiss plate
You can only do that to something animate.
You check your inventory
You are wearing your natron jacket, your clothes, and an animus pendant (containing the spirit of your father). On your person are a bundle of documents, your practitioner's badge, your scalpel, your purse, and an antiseptic cloth.
You go to the south-west
Access Corridor, Quadrant 4 This narrow access tunnel seems to ring the entire station. A small sign near a hatch on the ceiling reads "QUADRANT 4: CREW POD". The corridor continues both spinwards and antispinwards.
You go east
You are at the southern end of the carnival's main thoroughfare. The entrance to the park and its accompanying ticket booth is to the west. The security shack sits to the south. To the east is a small building with a sign saying Gift Shop on its door. The thoroughfare continues to the north where more booths, buildings, and tents are lined up on the east side with the road to town flanking its west border. A black cat runs by, crossing your path.
You ask the elf about yourself
"That's not something I know very much about," he responds. "I'm very sorry."
You examine the sun
Not a single cloud obscures its merciless rays.
Go east
You can't go that way. Obvious exits lead north, back to the front of the boat shed; south, to the dock; and southwest. Lydia gazes around nervously at the gloomy interior of the boat shed.
You play piano
If I biked into the blue light, would my song still fill the air? If I chased after the green light, and I found you would you care? If I dissolved into clear light, would there be anybody there? All these colors fill our skies and sail us everywhere I'm crusing through the orange night light Shining beams of pink so bright Purple crystal flower potion that restored my sight Brought me back to the things that I know are right And now when I lay me down I'm not a solo flying kite I feel someone's arms around me, someone holds me tight And we rise in spiral flight up to the starry height Because we're all one rainbow star prismatic in the night
You put the bust in the backpack
You put the bust of Korboz into the backpack.
You go to Beast
You head south to the central crypt. Then up to the law library. , emerging into the law library. Then north to the lower bulb. , emerging into the lower bulb. Then up to the upper bulb. , emerging into the upper bulb. And then east to the gallery of still life. Natural light from the south -- coming in from the courtyard, you suppose, though you are too short to see out -- illuminates a series of still life paintings on the north wall: one showing the Wedding Treasure when Lucrezia arrived from Medici-Credenza, the other rather fancifully entitled Supper with M. Nearby an open heavy door leads east to the white gallery. And here Beast lies, sprawled on the ground as if he'd fallen. When you look at the Beast this time -- it must be the influence of the girdle -- you see him as more animal than human, though you long ago learned to discern a man's expressions on his face. I was afraid of him, says the memory of Yvette in your head, as though she's trying to justify herself to you. There are other thoughts as well, murkier; but you are left with the impression that she killed herself, in the end, not because of her family's misfortunes or the lord she was separated from; but because she was carrying a child, and feared that it would be born some kind of monster.
You hit the cracks with the hammer
You take a deep breath and swing. The entire wall rolls over, burying you under foul smelling water and heavy bricks. You're pinned, helpless to do anything but feel your lungs swell with gritty black fluid. Then darkness.
Inside
The hotel room is spartan, with only the most necessary furniture. The scene through the window is beautiful, though. There's a direct view to the waterfall I saw earlier. I can see a bedside table here.
Go east
This is a peaceful forest of tall pines, with a well-worn road leading west, toward the SEASHORE, and east. There is a SOLID GOLD STATUE here, gently shaded by the PINE TREES along the side of the road. The entire area is draped in gauzy, oversized WEBS of sticky translucence. GUNWAR trails along.
You look at the case with the glass
It's been wiped clean.
You say the flowers
(to Chuck) "Chuck, Danny saw the flowers that you sent Rosalita last Thursday. She had them on her desk." Chuck narrows his eyes. "Yes, I sent Rosalita flowers. What's your point?" You say, "I'm just asking some basic questions, Mr. Lee, there's no need to get upset." He taps his fingers on his leg, and says "Let's talk about something more useful."
You look at the musicians
A string quartet is stationed in the upper reaches of the hall to entertain the humans dancing below. > PLAY music. The musicians play a lively scherzo.
Ahead
You are in a smallish roundish cavern. Stalactites form heavy stone fringes across the ceiling. A wide path leads down, a low crack goes right, and a rough crawl leads up.
You examine Imperativator
It's a lead cube. That would seem to be it, though it feels rather heavier than it should.
You look
You are standing alone on a long manicured lawn bordered by cypress trees, whose moon-cast shadows divide the grass into neat quadrants as though it were a rugby field. Below the lawn, further into the past, there is a great and gurgling fountain, and in the future you can see the palace windows alive with candlelight and merriment.
You search vines
You find nothing of interest. Whispers dance in your ears. Growing. Fading.
Look around
Four thick square columns near the corners. Your LED makes elongated shadows dance out behind each one as you move. The central space is empty. Maybe once there were seats or pews, but if so they've rotted entirely away. It may be ancient, but this tiny building has nice proportions. The architect was human, no doubt, but probably had robotic assistance. The exit is south. Near the north wall is a huge oblong block of stone with a smooth top. On the block of stone is an ancient idol.
You put the pill in the bottle
Done. The dog pants a little, his long red tongue lolling out.
You open the locker
The locker pulses under your hands, and you feel the seal cracking. You're confident, secure, and half in the bag. You've cleared the hotel of the other ghosts. All that's left to do is polish off this one last one. 1) I'm done with this place! Let's guzzle us a ghost! 2) Nah, I'm not ready yet.
You examine Kymberley
Kymberley is dressed for her jogging: she's wearing a pink sleeveless shirt, sunglasses and earphones plugged into her ears. You don't have to run after her anymore: you already have a picture of her. Kymberley Spicey continues her jogging and runs away.
You wake up
As you wake up, Frobar sticks his head in the door and invites you shopping. When you return late that evening, you find the Guild Hall sacked, and many fellow Enchanters slaughtered. Servants of evil, teeth smeared with blood, fall upon you as well. A menacing voice echoes about the room. "Pathetic Enchanters ... Who can save you now?" Some days it just doesn't pay to wake up. Your score is 0 of a possible 400, in 0 moves. This puts you in the class of Charlatan. Would you like to restart the game from the beginning, restore a saved game position, or end this session of the game? (Type RESTART, RESTORE, or QUIT):
You ask Tyrone about the rabbits
"Rabbits? Ole Bailey, he like chasin' rabbits. Never catch nothin', but he's always game to try. You want to make him crazy, tell him about the rabbits while he's chained up. He knows the word right enough, he'll go crazy whinin' and jumpin'."
Eclair
Okay, here's a fun one: A substance or material that is typically dry.
You put
What do you want to put on?
Hello
"Oh, fantastic, so good to hear you! .. everything went dead.. thought I'd lost it all for a second.. Geez!" "Computer's back on-line now. Shall I read the display to you?"
Burn slime
This dangerous act would achieve little.
You turn lock left
You turn the dial of the moon lock left; now the arrow points to first quarter moon.
You go to the south
This is the front office of an auto repair shop. A desk and table are covered with work orders, and various keys hang from a rack on the wall. Willard Fox stands by the desk, examining a work order for Alfred P. Owl.
Fire detangler
(the detangler base) With the focuser attached, you pull the trigger once more. Bright blue static pours out of it and crackles around your feet. For a moment, the scene seems to shift... but then it dies out, and you're back to where you were before. "Not again!" Leslie complains. "Let me check my readouts. Hmm. OK, maybe you just need more power. If you can get to a new section and get me a lock there, I'll send you an extra power source.
You jump off the Bridge
Throwing caution to the wind, you clamber up onto the parapet and leap off into space. A moment later you are plunged chest-deep into shockingly cold water. The current is not strong, however, and you quickly thrash your way over to a small ledge underneath the bridge, having suffered little worse than a ruined pair of slacks. Above you, you can hear shouts from the villagers as they peer over the sides of the bridge. It's obvious they think you must been taken by the current and don't realize that you're hiding right beneath them. It looks like you've bought yourself a little time. The ponderous stones of Whateley Bridge arch overhead, casting this little concrete ledge into deep shadow. At your feet, the dark waters lap quietly against the stones with a hollow, subterranean sound. Stone steps to the southeast lead back up to street level. A small metal door, blotchy with rust, is set into the south bank of the river, underneath the bridge.
You ring bell
Ding. A moment later, the gaunt and fishy-eyed librarian emerges silently from the shadows behind the counter.
Go west
There's only one way out, and that's where you came from. You'd better get yourself out of this hole.
You take the fluid
(putting the bottle of acid into the sport coat to make room) Taken.
You examine the timer
The timer is a small black box with two dials on one side, and a plus link on the other. The status dot is blue. Both the green and blue dials are set to 1; the timer's indicator is blank.
You look at the southwest tower
The artists of the southwest tower spend their days asleep, but by night they gaze into the sky and draw celestial inspiration from their airy visions.
You open the refrigerator
A light inside the refrigerator goes out as you open it. Opening the refrigerator reveals a bottle and an earthworm. The little beast is stirring restlessly. It looks as if it's about to wake up!
You go north
The sink is so large it is actually physically impossible to enter the bathroom. Shoddy. The sink is so large it is actually physically impossible to enter the bathroom. Shoddy.
Go downwards
Darkness (at the bottom of a shaft) You are at the bottom of the narrow shaft. On the floor is a heap of debris that cracks and crumbles under your feet. The air here has an unpleasant smell of decay.
You examine the skeleton
You're not the first. Others have been tempted into this castle with sweet promises. Some come from poverty, some come from wealth, some come questing for admittance themselves. They hope to find what they can't find outside. All have an appetite, and most succumb.
You put the skeleton on the mat
(first taking the skeleton) Done.
You go west
A ledge from the east ends here, and a tunnel leads north into the wall. There is a rather odd smokey odor in the warm air of the tunnel.
Go south
You once again try to twist your way through the gap. As you contort yourself in, though, you notice that the Ziploc bag of ichor is caught on a particularly sharp edge of the rock. If you go any further, the bag will almost certainly tear in catastrophic fashion.
You turn off field
The temple guard looks confused. "I'm sorry, Your Majesty, but I'm not sure how to do that."
You get the cube
Taken.
You examine Phelps
Your first impression of Beauregard Phelps, when he arrived half an hour late at the airport to meet Aunt Caroline and you and bring you out here in the van, was that he was not just repulsive and creepy but truly evil. Nothing you've seen of him in the past couple of hours has changed that opinion. He's old and fat, with thick lips, a coarse complexion, and sparse hair as yellow as a dribble of tobacco juice, but it isn't just the way he looks. It's the way he smiles at you with those piggy little eyes - as though he's planning to eat you for supper, and looking forward to it. There are sweat rings under his armpits, and his baggy pants are held up by suspenders. Ever since the van pulled into the motel, shortly after a greasy lunch at a filthy little diner on the state highway, Phelps has been sitting on the mangy couch on the porch, fanning himself, working a toothpick around in his mouth, and gazing out across the lawn like a king surveying his realm and finding it good. Beauregard belches, and doesn't apologize.
You put first candle in the middle left socket
You screw the first candle into the middle left socket. With an abrupt pop, both candles flicker into brightness. You must have completed a circuit.
You ask Lydia about the eternal Springs
"I'm really bored here," Lydia says. "I can never get very far from this spot, but sometimes I go peek into the cabins at night, when people are sleeping."
Go east
This studio is the jewel of the station; a green-colored jewel, like an emerald, you suppose. The walls, floor, and ceiling are thickened and hollowed, covered with acoustic panels. The microphones hanging from the ceiling are vintage, from the golden era of broadcasting, when they made microphones right. You constructed the table in the center out of soft wood. The chairs, though, are just left over from the last tenants, years ago. The soundproof door to the west leads to the hallway. The control room is to the east, but the technician is still reviewing the show before broadcast.
You go south
You head south on Abalone... A multi-level grocery store dominates the northeast corner, occupying the whole side of the block from here to Second. A windowless building, this one with a logo like a fork of lightning, is southeast. A shrouded establishment called "Gelatinous Cube" is southwest. On the final corner is a Starbucks. A warning shriek sounds, almost inside your head -- it's the helmet. "OVERLOAD," a stupidly calm voice says. The SimulacCam splits right down the middle, along the line of your nose, and falls, shattering on the ground. A coming screams across the sky. All that you can see flickers into reverse video; even worse is the reverse audio, pure sound everywhere except for the globs of silence shrieked from innumerable mouths, your own one of these. The tongue cannot say what tastes and smells visit you. Your skin is crawling all over the ants. The round is world. Sixteen years later you arise from catatonia to play a single game of ping pong against a silentious Native American. It is a moment that Oliver Sacks would have written touchingly about. But the moment does not last.
Smell plant
All you can smell is that plant. The lemur stares solemnly at you from out of the spiky bush.
You go east
Stalagmites ascend from the floor. Stalactites descend from above. Fibrous bundles somewhat like cocoons are lumped together in masses, slowly sliding downward toward a dank chasm fringed with palpitating stalks. An opening has been slashed into the intestinal lining. The atmosphere is rank and stygian. The walls bulge with sacs and depressions.
You take the book
You acquire the great contract book.
You wait for a while
Time passes. The western politician speaks: "Every nation has the right to manage its own affairs. We must jealously guard our sovereignty and safeguard the rights of our own citizens. What we're proposing here is not an alliance, or a merger, or even a friendship; it's simply a wary d??tente between independent powers. Neither of us is here because of naive goodwill or charity; we are both doing it because of our enlightened self-interest." The western politician glances down at his podium. "Let me now outline how we can de-escalate tensions between our two nations." The eastern politician and the unaligned politician stand nearby, listening with practiced politeness.
You think about Keiko
Keiko is the oldest of your students. She's been held back twice now, not because she's stupid, but because the school isn't prepared to handle a kid with dyslexia. They're moving her up this year come hell or high water... or so you would have said, before the school was bombed. Right now, you don't even know who's alive, let alone who's graduating.
Down
The only exit is south.
Look around
You are in a small, enclosed cupola situated, by the look of the view through the dingy skylight over your head, on top of the roof of the house. The walls are covered with astrological and astronomical charts with equations and diagrams scribbled across them in crabbed, stilted handwriting. The only exit seems to be an oddly-angled corridor to the southeast. Dominating the center of the room is a large mounted telescope, pointed almost straight up through the skylight.
You hit the fifth brick with mallet
You carefully hit the fifth brick with your mallet. The resulting sound is hollow, but strangely high and volumeless, as if there was but a small lacuna behind it. You think the note played was 'G'.
Go north
Via Terminalis, West Street You drift through empty blood-vessel streets, a speck of white mingling with cobblestones ashen and black. In place of carriages and people, there are quarantine signs and body bags. The air rings with silence, and in it there is the foul creeping odor of something terrible afoot. To the southeast, the Via Terminalis bridges the canal. A condemned block is visible to the north, and a footpath follows the canal to the south.
You pull lever
You have to make a real effort to pull the lever down, but finally you can do it. The lever opened a sliding door in the side of the ship and started the robot that was hidden behind it.