Roll 8
"I... think I want that, as a human. But I cannot speak for my ghost."
"You cannot what? Your ghost is no more. Or so I was told. Normally, when a person diverges, the ghost half remains in the network. In the case of yourself and a few other recent divergees, the ghost was nowhere to be found. You don't mean to say you know where your ghost is...?""Ah yes... Thank you. I'll not get too close as I'm unaware what kind of anti-armour equipment infantry might have on this planet... Can you fill me in on that, Intel?"
Approach, but not too close, and use the machine gun. Then drive up to inspect the area, unless instructed not to do so, in which case drive on.
Intel: You should avoid infantry with any long, tube-like weapon. Those could be coilguns, which the armor on your vehicle isn't built to withstand. Lasers and small arms are no big problem. Depending on what portal you came from, you might be expecting rockets, but don't count on those. Missiles are easily shot down by point defense. Nobody uses them.[17+1 -> +1 to Gunnery skill] You sweep the area with machine gun fire. The infantry are affected as follows:
(7), (4) Both infantry out in the open are cut down. The shells explode on impact, literally slicing one in half while the other loses at least one limb, although it's hard to tell with all the graphical effects, err, viscera. The de-limbed one moves around a bit on the ground, but his gun was knocked away so he should pose no threat before bleeding out.
(8+3) The smoke provides the third soldier with a decent amount of cover, but you see a pink mist mixed in with the smoke for a while. Judging from the previous effect on targets, this one should now be neutralized as well.
Atlas: Gooood... although you might have tipped them off what with that smoke column. Maintain course.The smoke from the drill is rising into the air. Given the crystal-clear sky, it should be visible for miles off.
In the distance looms a white spire supported by three pylons. At this point Intel fires a remote observer drone which lets you see past the terrain: It is an enitre installation with considerable air traffic making landings on the circular runways surrounding it. Windows along the sides are all lit, indicating a sizeable population. All of this is located past the mountain, but only the tip of the spire is visible from your current position at the other base of the mountain.
To approach it, Atlas states that there are a number of options.
>You may take the mountain pass. It is likely to be well-guarded, but it is the most direct and safest route in terms of terrain.
>You may attempt to scale the mountain. You won't be detected because the satellite is not overhead, but the terrain may be difficult to climb and your vehicles will have trouble maneuvering.
>You can go around the mountain and pass through a glacier. Your own colony is located in an ancient crater basin surrounded by mountains, but over time erosion has worn away at the edges, and this glacier is one such example.
The glacier is likely to be both unguarded and unwatched. If you do get into combat though, there is no cover or terrain to manipulate, and so any battle will get decided by brute force.
As a squad member, you are allowed to make a suggestion. The original mission plan was to use the mountain pass, but Atlas seems hesitant.
"Finally." NeoDireWolf turns towards the new ghost, his anxious grin reappearing. "Ghost and flesh both freed. Or rather separated." NeoDireWolf stares into the ghosts eyes.
"This should lend us a great advantage if indeed we are still of the same spirit."
"Yes, indeed. A ghost has it's limitations and so does a flesh. However I urge you to grasp the reins of your form and transform it into an apt vessel for our spirit, just as I also have begun to. The very inner workings of this flesh shall be tried until it also has conformed to the distant glimmers of the spirit."
NeoDireWolf's eyes trail off to the side, he seems worried and saddened all of the sudden, "Then we shall complete our final grace..."
NeoDireWolf looks back into the eyes of his ghost still anxious and saddened, "Tell me, are you still us? What will you make of this?"
There is a noticeable in the ghost's tone and demeanor.
"One spirit...? That sounds like it would be beneficial to both of us indeed."The spectral wolf runs toward his master and walks past you, sitting at the ghost's side.
"Let us do it, then. You have the power, I have the vessel. Let our spirits be one..."The next thing you notice is that you are now in the body of your former ghost. You are your ghost again.
I do not yet know what to make of this, but I will tell you my side of the story. Following your divergence, I found myself floating in this world. I saw firsthand what it is like to be utterly isolated from this world, as you must be familiar with by now.
But now that you have returned, my host, I believe we may once again come together and combine our power. My processing, your might. Together, if we combine our spirits, we should be more powerful than ever before...
Traits:
Practical Learner ("Practical" Learning Threshold +1)
0 Armor (+0 to defending rolls)
0 Evasion (-0 to incoming attacker rolls)
Skills:
Unskilled
Status:
Healthy
Items:
Traits:
Practical Learner ("Practical" Learning Threshold +1)
0 Armor (+0 to defending rolls)
0 Evasion (-0 to incoming attacker rolls)
Skills:
Gunnery: +2 to all vehicle and mounted weapon attacks, excluding fixed-forward aircraft weapons
Status:
Healthy
Items:
Traits:
Fast Learner ("Abstract" Learning Threshold +0.5, "Practical" Learning Threshold +0.5)
0 Armor (+0 to defending rolls)
0 Evasion (-0 to incoming attacker rolls)
Skills:
Unskilled
Status:
Healthy
Items:
Traits:
Mostly Abstract Learner ("Abstract" Learning Threshold +0.9, "Practical" Learning Threshold +0.1)
0 Armor (+0 to defending rolls)
0 Evasion (-0 to incoming attacker rolls)
Skills:
Ambusher: +1/-1 to all attacks out of stealth
Status:
Healthy
Items:
Author
Topic: You Are Cybernetic Avenger: Turn 8 (1/7/2016) (Read 8197 times)