Greetings Citizen, my name is Wheream-I-ATT, and this is the great and wonderful world of the computer, of Alpha Complex, of PARANOIA!
Huh? This is a game right?
Game, Citizen? What game? This is Alpha Complex, the world of the computer, and you are a citizen of it. I assume you are new to your clonedom and will forgive your almost traitorous tone.
Citizen? Computer? Troubleshooter? Clone? Traitorous tone?!? What are you talking about?
Tsk tsk, citizen. You must've been influenced by some subversive commie mutant traitor plot. Perhaps mind control. Ah well, we shall start your education from the beginning. The most important things to remember are The computer and Alpha Complex.
This is the Computer. The Computer runs Alpha Complex. Alpha Complex is where we live. It's where we die. The Computer runs every part of Alpha Complex, and every part of your life. You, and every other clone in Alpha Complex serves the Computer, and the Computer, in turn, makes sure that you are safe, happy, clean, productive, and not a commie, mutant, or traitor.
Ok, so the computer is the big boss, and this "Alpha Complex" is the big city we live in. Is there anything outside of Alpha Complex?
That's WAY above your security clearance, citizen.
My WHAT? What's a security clearance?
Security Clearances are the way the Computer makes sure that no one is exposed to information or items that doesn't concern them. Citizens start out at Infrared, which technically is black. So a citizen of infrared clearance is only allowed to touch things colored black, eat foods that are dyed black, and wear black clothes. These are the happy rabble at the bottom of the clearance list. The list then goes up from there through the color spectrum. The full list is:
| Infrared | The lowest level of security, the rabble. |
| Red | Troubleshooters. |
| Orange | Advanced troubleshooters. |
| Yellow | Troubleshooter leaders. |
| Green | These guys are pre-police, but still in the troubleshooter range. |
| Blue | The cops, or the military. Which is sometimes the same thing. |
| Indigo | Police chiefs, high level briefing officers, heads of departments, Government officials. |
| Violet | REALLY high level whatevers. These are the big wigs of the military, police, service groups, or whatever |
| UltraViolet | Programmers. People who work DIRECTLY with the Computer. These are the top of the heap. You'll never be one. |
Understand?
Sort of, what rank am I?
By the color of your clothes and your lack of knowledge, I'd say you were infrared.
INFRARED?? That sucks... how do I get promoted?
Perform some service for the computer. Get noticed, and you'll get promoted. It's easy at first, but gets harder as you go up.
Some service, huh... Like what?
Well, see that infrared citizen over there near the food vat?
Yeah, the one sneaking past the big vat with the plate full of orange stuff?
Yes, he is performing a traitorous act, he has orange Yumm-E-foodlyke substance, and he is only an infrared. The act of touching or entering and area above your security clearance without someone of that clearance ordering you to do it is treason.
AHHHH, what do I do?
Push him in the vat.
WHAT?!? He'll die!
He's a traitor. Push him in and thats an order. Violating security clearance is treason, and so is refusing an order.
** SPLAT! **
Congratulations, I've recieved word from the Computer that you've been promoted to RED.
Wow... what's that mean for me?
Now you are higher than Infrareds, you get red clothing and gear, can eat red food, go into red sectors, open red doors, buy red level clearance items, and are one step closer to the next rank. Understand?
I think so... my security clearance is my rank. I'm red, so I can go to red places. I also have to answer to people above me and I can order people below me around, right?
Correct, however "people" is archaic, please refer to them as 'clones'.
Clones? We're all clones?
Yes, the Computer, in it's wisdom and forethought, has determined that the easiest and safest way to continue the human race is through clone families. Each clone is one of six identical clones, sometimes derivitively called a "six-pack". If one should die through misfortune, accident, or by treason, the next clone is brought out and resumes their life from that point. Once a clone has lived out each of his "lives" that family is discontinued unless the computer decides otherwise.
So that perso.. I mean clone I just killed will have another.. him come back here soon? Won't he try and kill me for killing him?
Unlikely, his new clone will remember some things, but he will have no reason to kill you, since you killed him for treasonous actions. Plus you are now a red level citizen, and he must answer to you as such. It would be even more treasonous for him to attack a superior in that way. Only a commie would try such foolishness.
Commie? You mean Communist?
Careful, troubleshooter... Communists are a dangerous subject. The Computer has a great hatred for evil communists. They seek to destroy the bliss that is Alpha Complex. Communists are just one of the secret societies that you are now tasked to seek out and destroy. You, as a troubleshooter, are also tasked to find any mutants or other treasonous groups.
Did you call me 'troubleshooter'?
Yes, you, as a red citizen, are now a troubleshooter. Remember the chart? Higher rank means higher responsibilities. Troubleshooters are tasked with finding trouble, and shooting it. Here is your red blaster. It can shoot anyone of lower level clearance that it. It will not affect Orange or above. Trouble is any commie, mutant, or general traitor within Alpha Complex. That's all I have time for today, troubleshooter.
WAIT... I don't understand... Mutants? Commies?