Jim, seeing that Maurice and his partner is awake, offered a pair of right hands - one for him, one for Lyra - back to their feet. "Maurice, good news. You've been drafted. Get your stuff together; as soon as I contact the others we're out of here." He patted Maurice on the shoulder and sent out a mass message.
Congratulations! The four of you have been hand-chosen by me to come along and likely get your mind fucked by unknown entities. It's sure to be a mission of fun, friendship, and lessons about sharing/caring in which we'll all grow and learn as people and definitely not in any way probably end up as brainless vegetables.
You have a few minutes to bug the Armory Master, but then we're meeting in the Armory. Don't be late!
With that overly sarcastic message sent, Jim headed to the stasis pods to check the box of clothing and see if there was any pants that would fit him. If so, he put them on. If not, well, his nudity was everyone else's problem, not his.
Your nudity is kinda no one's problem there. You're as anatomically impaired as a ken doll. But you get a pair of pants anyways, even if you do cause them to tear apart, incredible hulk style just by walking around.
>If your team is ready, you can go ahead and get podded. Briefing will be handled on site. And don't worry about your equipment. Where you're going, you won't need it.
((Well, the 11-year-old was kinda being pursued by armed authorities. And he made the "gun" himself.)
Wake up.
"...Where am I?"
Examine current situation.
You are dumped out of a stasis pod, naked, covered in goo and immensely confused. There is an eight foot tall albino with 4 arms standing right beside you.
"Hey." He says, waving with both right hands.
Start "Duel" with Milno AI as enemy.
Shoot him. A lot.
You want him armed as he is or just him unarmed. Ie you want a fight or a cathartic execution?
"OH GODS THIS IS PAINFUL! DO YOU HAVE A KNIFE I CAN BORROW!"
Buy a knife then send a message to Jim basically saying this, bad shit has happened, meet me at the tv.
The Armory master just gives you a combat knife to make you go away. You skitter into rec room, your hands already regrown.
Milno checks his wristpad and stands up, stretching a bit. Time to prepare and move out for another mission. At least he already had an idea of how to behave now that he had been infected by that damned alien organism: not using its powers at all and staying around until he could hopefully get the thing out of him.
Apparently his resting time wasn't long, but he can already hear screaming and crazy people, as usual. Home sweet home.
Go and check the locker for equipment. If it hasn't been delivered yet, just sit cross-legged there and wait for the AM to deliver it.
Edit:
The most dangerous illusions are the ones that use these unspoken assumptions; that capitalize on your willingness to accept the rules you create for yourself and leave you trapped more by your own rationalizing then anything else. The most dangerous maze is the one you make for yourselves. Do you understand?
((I guess that means Milno's way of dealing with hallucinations so far is more or less correct. Denying the illusion instead of playing its game, that is. Or at least I hope so, since we're taking off for a mindfuckery mission.))
>Don't bother waiting, you're not bringing equipment with you on this one. "AAH!!" Celeste stumbles backwards and falls flat on her ass at the sudden appearance of a very deranged, very bloody, very naked man with no hands who is screaming bloody murder. "W-what the fuck...?!" After taking a moment to regain her composure, she shakily gets to her feet, only to get another shock upon hearing the AM's answer. "T... Two hundred... years..." She trails off. "...Now I know why that Magister sent me here... Even if I manage to survive all 10 missions, I have nothing, nobody to return to..." She lets out a quiet, despondent chuckle. "And all because I dared to speak up in defense of innocents..." After remaining silent for a moment, she walks over to the AM.
Inquire about obtaining a knee brace or similar augment for her knee.
"Excuse me, miss... Would you be in charge of augments or the like? I need some kind of support for my knee..."
"You'd need to ask in the Infirmary for that sort of thing." the armory master says, casually cleaning the blood that bruce left behind. "If you just wanted pain killers I could sell ya those, but medical devices are
his domain."
Pancaek looks at the new girl, afraid of bruce
"Ah, to be new, in such blissfull ignorance of the horrors yet to come" "Poetic""Chin up girl, at least you have the whole martyred do-gooder thing gooing for you, I got here for less kosher reasons." "Stabbing that hobo wasn't that bad, he stank anyhow" "How that hobo smelled had nothing to do with why I stabbed him, thank you very much!" "Tsk, touchy"
"anyway, I'm already at the meeting spot." He turns to the AM "So, hurl ammo without using the gun eh? sounds neat. In your experience, sensei, what is the...uh...hurliest ammo?"
Ask armory master the above, wait for Jim's meeting
"Nuclear tipped gauss cannon rounds are fun, if you can manage it. Anything works though. Even pebbles can be deadly at high speeds"
Hearing the Armory Master's words, Maurice appeared sunken.
But I said that... Except I said a lot of things and did not focus on this particular thought enough. So, lesson learned, doc: one does not cooperate with terrorists... hehehe. Oh, and one should keep to his beliefs and actions as loudly as possible if he wishes to be heard.
I think I do. Point taken, ma'am.
Then, as he heard the 'good news', his smile blossomed again, yet with greater grinning overtones than usual. As he was helped to stand up, Maurice nodded firmly:
Will do.
Oh, and your new body is certainly shiny and novel, Jim. Good thing the voice remained practically the same.
Now, Lyra, I must thank you for your cooperation and patience. You'll prove a valuable addition to the HMR Corps. Just... don't let your shyness stand between you and your survival, and you'll be fine.
Having said that, he turned to the Armory Master:
That was valuable experience, ma'am, and I thank you greatly for it. One day that knowledge and that experience might save us, I am certain.
May I ask you for supplies for the next mission now?
Inquire. Unless the Armory Master says 'no', continue speaking, otherwise stop bothering her: Do you have any empty advanced kits available, or, failing that, just an assortion of basic instruments one might need for repairs & fixes as well as construction? You know, a hammer, an axe, a shovel, a set of spanners, a set of screwdrivers, Lineman's pliers, that sort of things?
(( Basically, a hammerspace worth of basic aux/handi tools and instruments. ))
At a glance Maurice noticed a couple of faces he did not recognize as well a new message on his wristpad. His smile widened as he read the list of addressees.
The Snark will join us. Good. We have a chance.
(( Blissful ignorance, oh how sweet it is ))
Steve cuts in.
>Don't bother with equipment. You won't be needing it for this trip."Psychological warfare training?" Charles timidly asks, "Is there anyway you could teach me how to inflict similar effects onto people? I used to be a psychiatrist so that's probably all I'll be useful for. Assuming my illness hasn't corroded away my skills as well. I will eagerly await your answer, though I have some business attend to right now."
He then turns towards Bruce "You do realize this is the armory right? You seem panicked or psychotic probably from shock. I'll help get you to the infirmary."
Charles helps the poor wounded man to the infirmary.
((Sorry anailater, but Charles has no idea whatsoever of your circumstances.))
"You'd need an Amp. I use the universal one, but any of the ones that allow for biochemical manipulation will work."
The man is already long gone.
((And you had to go on with a pre-adolescent criminal? Seriously? Despite the setting being a chaotic universe with a dictatorial government, they'd be punishing Eleven year olds with this kind of treatment? Hell. Given what we've seen, even in that kind of class-based society there would at least be some kind of laws regarding the jurisdiction of juveniles and 'breaking the law'. He's not even a teenager.
...
E: Still, PW accepted it. Disregard. Just please don't do anything horrid or demeaning. Or at least in the mind of something other than what is moral or ethical. Please.
Seeing that, this makes the whole universe even more twisted. I mean, there was another sheet of the same age and PW didn't accept it. Comparing both, at least yours has better reasons. I guess.))
Wouldn't be the first time kids got thrown in here. Sometimes whole families do if a particularly brutal regime is cleaning house.
"Err, nothing. Its just that somebody on this ship - an inmate, I bet, you don't think its Milno? Well, Its sort of a Purchase an MKII and get a MKIII upgrade for free. Saved me eight tokens."
Feyri smiled at the woman, giving her an "Don't be afraid, we're not out to hurt you." before facing Jim.
"It's...just I've never expected such generosity."
((MKIII O_o))
Profession: Mercenary (+1 to intuition and conventional weapons, -1 to medical tech and handiwork)
Age: 21
Gender: Female
Appearance: Feyri is a woman of five feet in height, slim in build with long, dark brown hair. Her irises are amber in hue.
As of recent note, her lower body is composed of synthetic and biomechanical joints, ligaments and other parts while her upper body - mainly the right shoulder until her lower abdomen - has a Lichtenberg figure in the shape of an upright coniferous tree.
Personal information: 'Fey' was a Mercenary for most of her life, but this didn't mean she loved her work. Killing was beneath her and she only did it when it was needed (never), going for disabling and sabotage. She believes in freedom, that anyone can reach their goal with teamwork and a dependable hand. Fey is a cautious and friendly individual, though willing to sacrifice herself for others when need be.
She is allergic to gunpowder.
Reason assigned to HMRC: Jaywalking.
Strength: | | 15 | (+1) | Dexterity: | 6 +1 = | 7 | (+1/3) | Endurance: | 3 +2 = | 5 | (+1/3) | Charisma: | | 3 | | Intelligence: | | 3 | | Willpower: | 3 +2 = | 5 | (+1/3) |
Speech: | 1+1=2 | (0) | Intuition: | 1 | [+1] | Handiwork: | 1 | [-1] | Conventional Weapons: | 1 | [+1] | Unconventional Weapons: | 9 | (+1) | Exotic weapons: | 0 | (-1) | Auxiliary systems: | 1+2=3 | (+1/3) | Medical tech: | 0 | (-1-1) |
| MKII suit
Tesla Sabre [4:35/5:00]
Gauss rifle [9/10] > (scoped with barrel) (+1 medium -1 short)(+1 long if scope is used) > Digital zoom 1-10x
Arming sword (str 10 needed, +2 to str when hittin if str requirement is met) [Mark of Vo-nos]
A shield resembling this thing.
Medieval combat manual.
Laser rifle [30/30] > Laser rifle battery
Datapad [Diary]
2 tokens
|
> Mission One - Pyramid Hunt/Genocide
> Mission Three - EarWorm Base/Pathways
> Mission Six - Anomalies and Abysses
> Mission Eight - Nanomachine Haze
"And I've 'died' on half of them..."
[ACTION]: Head over to the lockers but not to the specific area, examining my surroundings for anything of note - warning signs of a fight or an ambush or such. If done, proceed back to wherever Jim is, unless he's on a mission - if so, go find Milno.
PW: Is my inventory correct? May I shift that one point of Handiwork to Speech as I've never used Handiwork...at all?
(Not gonna let you move that point since you've been around so long. Usually the only time I let people move points is before significant use of them and/or their first mission.
The locker room shows no signs of ambush, modification, landmines or other such dastardly deeds. That out of the way, you go back to jim.
"Heh, heh. Ahh, Jobasio, you never cease to amaze me with your wiliness."
Jobasio strolled along, smiling darkly with his hands in his pockets.
>Head to the barracks, inspect contents of my locker. Is my gauss rifle there?
How about my datapad and all that shite.
Well, the lockers are in the hanger, or a room attached to the hanger. But you've got your gauss rifle and a data pad in there, sure.
>See if there's an automated manipulator that keeps the temperature over a certain area constant. If there is, look up its price. Also, look up some of the other more common personal automated manipulators, their functions and prices.
There are manipulators that can do that, yeah. Price varies depending on how long the effect lasts and how effective it is at handling extremes.
Common Manipulators are mostly those that do things like regulate gravity, halt objects of a certain mass that are going over a certain speed (stop bullets) or deflect high energy beams (deflect lasers). They're all in the 8 to 10 range.
Gorat dries himself off and gets dressed again, then notices that Jim has sent him the message that he has been accepted for the mission, and sends him a reply.
Thanks, Jim. I've a file that's essentially my will on my wristpad. It should be read in case that I die permanently on my wristpad. Password is 52NaNoGh0st. A copy is on my datapad that I'll leave on the ship, and I'll send you another copy later.
Get my little bit of gear in order. Leave my datapad on the ship, but take everything else, including the pill. Meet Jim at the armory.
I think you can tell by the above posts, but
>Where we're going you won't need inventories. Message everyone.
If any of you sees a guy naked, covered in blood and screaming, you know, quite normal for our daily lives, please send me a message. I'm not trying to kill him. He is an experiment from Doctor and he needs to get caught now.
From Renen.
Steve, please tell me where my partner is heading to. He is very crazy to go around doing something like this. And, any new girl aboard the ship? Just to avoid another pile like that one after I woke up.
Ask Steve. Hunt the training partner following the trail of blood he left on the floor.
You follow the blood and steve's directions to the Rec room. You step just into the room and look around. You're guessing he's the naked man with a knife hiding behind the television screaming that he doesn't want to go back.
What happened with the doctor? I'm getting ready to ship out on a mission so I don't have much time.
OH GOD IT WONT STOP BLEEDING BUT ITS GROWING BACK,IT HURTS SO MUCH BUT I'M NOT DYING OF BLOOD LOSS, FUCK THE DOCTOr FUCK THE H.M.R.C. I DIN'T WANT THIS!
Seeing the man trying to take him back to the doctor Bruce screamed even louder than he was before "NO DON'T TAKE ME BACK, HE DID THIS HES A MANIAC!"
Fight back against the man, buy a knife, go to Rec room.
((I'm enjoying this way to much.))
You point your knife at the man with the rope and scream that you would rather not return to the doctor's happy fun torture carnival, no matter how many free funnel cakes there will be.
((PW: Does the pain affect fighting rolls like end, dex and strength?
@Anaileater: You know, fighting with nothing is good when the other guy is bare fisted too. Renen has rope and a knife.))
Thanks, I am going where you are then. Doc just made him very tough but he is freaking out. Don't know why.
You can put the Averius von Raptum in the end, I didn't write it down because there is only one Renen.
He's one of Doc's experiments. He won't be permakilled and won't become a robot either, he is almost immortal right now so he'll be OK.
Go get Bruce. If the training partner tries to fight back, use slow motion mode and use the rope to tie him. If he gets a knife, use the knife and disarm him to tie him down, avoiding hitting his head.
((Don't want Jim thinking Renen is a team killer. Or anyone. But Maurice already knows that, and only him.))
[Renen will:5]
[Bruce dex:2-1]
[Renen dex:1+2]
Bruce attempts to look as intimidating as possible by doing a bunch of showy kungfu moves. In the end all he does is manage to stab himself in the elbow somehow. Despite this and Renen's inhumanly enhanced capacities, the best renen can do is manage to get hold of Bruce's wrist.
Yeah, when you say "lithe" I imagine something more like this, not something like this. Although I guess if you want a 12 foot tall woman wearing nothing but a chainmail string bikini, I suppose we can do that. Although you're gonna attract Renen like a goddamn moth to a flame thats shaped like a female moth doing a striptease.
((Hence "lither," though that's probably not a good comparison anyway.
Basically I want something that is:
-Pretending to be at least vaguely human
-Fairly fast and agile
-Still tough and strong enough to consider selective melee combat
-Preferably a good climber/wriggler into spaces
Which made me think a four-armed-ish digitigrade human would be a good place to start. I'm having difficulty finding a good image, though this is at least vaguely close. Maybe this if you stripped a bunch of stuff off.
Speaking of which, I dismissed the acrobat because I was assuming it was very strange-looking and too thin to be particularly durable or reinforceable, but now it's occurring to me that some of all of those might not be true. So:
-What does the acrobat look like?
-How does it compare to other synthflesh models in terms of speed, strength, agility, toughness, etc? How wise an idea would melee combat be with it?
-How well-armored is a standard synthflesh braincase, and how feasible and effective would it be to armor or otherwise defend it further? Would the acrobat be any less viable for that due to a lack of chest space?))
Well the solid metal bones that they use in synthflesh bodies and in Feyri's are the strongest. You could do what amounts to "plating" your bones in metal in such a way that they're still porous and able to function normally, and that would make them stronger, but not as strong as solid metal. Ie, you can take a gauss round to the skull but you are going to be concussed with a skull fracture and possible brain swelling. Not a good day.
((Would replacing the skull entirely and plating everything else affect blood flow or similar? How much would that process cost, assuming synthflesh skeleton metal? Just how strong would that be, in terms of tanking laser rifle and gauss fire, and how would one go about repairing them, if necessary?))
Berzerk in a normal body or standard, free robot body is going to cause damage. Less on the robot body, obviously, but you'll still be worse for wear. Synth-flesh should be able to survive it with minimal or no damage (from yourself, at least) while a MK III will probably still end up injuring the user because they're still over exerting themselves.
((Interesting. How much stronger would each of those options be in combat, though? I'd basically like to run some melee tests against cyborgs or something using each option.))
Nonacrobat synthflesh, acrobat details, skeleton plating, berserk mode testing.
((Also, Irony. What are you doing with something like Andariel? O_o))
((Making a second archdemon, obviously. ))
(Now I'm thinking something like
Mistral)
But yeah, the acrobat looks pretty similar to the standard, just about a foot taller, little less muscled so it can move more freely. And it's still strong and durable, just like the normal one. You wouldn't be able to take Jim in an arm wrestling contest, but you could still bend steel between your fingers.
The normal and robot bodies are gonna have about the same strength, which you saw before with renen. MKIII and synth-flesh would be in about the same complete murder league, but the MK III wouldn't be able to handle the stresses for long.