Annie, Kat and the rest of their classmates are pulled out of geology by the eccentric Dr. Randy Disaster, because "The Earth is in peril!" It's time for an adventure in the Court's holographic simulator, and the Gunnerkrigg Spacemonauts are on the case!
Annie doesn't see the point of the simulations, because she doesn't see them as having any educational value. Kat tells her to think of it as a drama lesson, and just enjoy it.
Dr. Disaster explains the situation, as the students take off in the rocket:
Half of the class, including Annie and Kat, are sent down to the Moon to deal with the death ray. The students are met by the Enigmarons, and battle commences. Annie isn't impressed, because the terrible Enigmarons don't have arms. Kat tells Annie to hurry, as the others are going on ahead. Annie tells Kat she can go on ahead if she wants, as she's sure she'll catch up eventually.
Kat asks Annie why she can't just enjoy herself, and Annie admits she finds it all a little silly. Kat tells her that's exactly the point — to have fun. Annie concedes the point, and then Kat suddenly vanishes. At this point, Annie's contacted by Dr. Disaster, who informs her that the other students have been captured by the Enigmarons, and it's up to her to rescue them.
At the Evil Lair, Dr. Disaster tells the Enigmarons they'll never get away with this! The other students are tied up in the room with the Death Ray. Annie watches from the air vent, and wonders how creatures without arms could have built such a device, even though she knows she shouldn't. She kicks out the vent cover and swings in on a cable, destroying the death ray to the cheers of her classmates. Kat tells her to say something witty to finish the mission, and the rest of the class backs her up. Annie tries ...
... and admits that witty phrases aren't her forte. As the students prepare to head back for the ship, Kat asks her if she had fun. Annie is forced to admit she did.
Back at the ship, the other half of the class reveals they were in a space battle, and Annie admits there are some things best learned outside of a textbook.
Tropes:
- Air-Vent Passageway: Annie enters the Enigmarons' lair via the air vents.
- Armless Biped: The Enigmarons. Annie's not impressed.
- Artistic License – Space: The simulation's version of space is one in which no one needs a space helmet, not to mention a death ray that can fire on all of the planet Earth's capital cities simultaneously. Justified given that it's only a simulation intended for fun.
- Batman Can Breathe in Space: In the simulation, none of the kids even have space helmets on the Moon.
- Bond One-Liner: Annie makes an attempt at one, but she's not very good at it.
- Breather Episode: After some serious stuff, it's time for a light-hearted space adventure with some Character Development!
- Continuity Nod: Annie asks Kat if the simulation room is like the room with the cherry tree from "A Handful of Dirt".
- Death Ray: The Enigmarons have one that can target all of Earth's capital cities simultaneously.Annie: Isn't there always a death ray?
- Deliberately Monochrome: The simulation is all in black-and-white.
- The End... Or Is It?: As quoted above, the last page ends on Dr. Disaster ominously stating there'll be a "next time".
- Formula-Breaking Episode: A black-and-white simulated space adventure, in a fantasy webcomic about a mysterious boarding school.
- Hard Light: The simulation, although Kat theorizes they can feel things due to haptic feedback in the suits.
- Incoming Ham: Dr. Disaster makes his entrance by bursting into geology class, exclaiming "Spacemonauts! The Earth is in peril!"
- Meta Guy: Annie has a habit of doing this in the simulations, questioning all of the things that don't make sense.
- MST3K Mantra: In-Universe, Kat tells Annie to stop thinking too hard about the simulation and just enjoy herself.
- Shaped Like Itself: The title of the chapter, and the line about a "Moon base on the Moon".
- Something-Nauts: In Dr. Disaster's simulations, the students are the Gunnerkrigg SPACEMONAUTS!
- Space Base: The Enigmarons have a moonbase with a death ray.
- Special Edition Title: In keeping with the Something Completely Different feel, the title page is done in the style of a poster for a '50s sci-fi movie.
- Vine Swing: Annie swings in on a cable to destroy the death ray.
- Virtual Training Simulation: It's for entertainment, not training, though.
