Akhain GazhornI'll go with Hurid yl Bassdrom
[5] - The role of the Republic intermediary proves more alluring to Akhain. He lets the automated programs do their work and make him, as far as the database is concerned, Hurid yl Bassdrom. If the cab driver notices anything - the more modern vehicles usually scan their passengers - he doesn't say anything. The bounty hunter's hotel creeps ever nearer, and soon enough Akhain is out of the cab and in the hotel lobby.
He's got Systar's room number, but the man isn't necessarily home. Chatting up the staff manning the lobby desks might be worthwhile.
Hurid yl BassdromHP: 75/75
Equipment: NTT Inferno
(22/26), Thermal Blade (8/8), Snaplock Pistol
(8/8), Paragon Combat Rifle
(10/10)Funds: 0¤
Known Perks: MultiVision Ocular Modification,
Combat Stimulant PackageFaction: Free Republic
Target: None
So much for a stealthy frontal approach. I need to make sure that grenade doesn't go off.
Throw the gravity trap at the boss. Advance while moving from cover to cover, taking shots of opportunity. (Unless the grav trap hits all of them, in which case charge and mow them down.)
[5] - Acting quickly, Systar grabs his remaining Gravity Trap and flings it across the church floor [3] at the gang leader. [Dodge:2] The cylinder slams square into his chest and activates. He barely manages a yelp of surprise before the field engulfs him and locks him into place. [8] From the look of it, Systar is in luck - it should hold him for the time being.
The two remaining gangers erupt in frenzied shouting and curses and head for cover. [2][1] They find it behind the benches and get down. Systar moves out, keeping himself low. He vaults over benches and slides down under the next.
[6] Systar's shots [2][Dodge:6+1] are quick and opportunistic, but fail to find flesh. [6][2] The half-hearted return fire from the gangers [Dodge:3+1=4] isn't any better. Systar finds himself only two rows away from the gangers, huddled behind thick wood. The leader is still stuck on his dais, feet dangling in the air, mouth twisting ever-so-slowly to incoherent rage.
EnemiesOn a raised dais, far end of the room, Long Range'Thirteen'HP: 35/35
Equipment: Widowmaker Shotgun
(5/7), Golgo Mechanical Blade, RUS9 Incendiary Grenade (1/1)
Known Perks: Seasoned Fighter,
Trained Swordsman,
ParalyzedFaction: Bloodhound Gang
A few bench rows from Systar, Close Range, In CoverRougo yl EosHP: 20/20
Equipment: Snaplock Pistol
(4/8), Golgo Mechanical Blade
Known Perks: Seasoned Fighter,
Terrible AimFaction: Bloodhound Gang
A few bench rows from Systar, Close Range, In CoverUnknownHP: 15/15
Equipment: Snaplock Pistols (2x)
(8/8)(8/8), Combat Blade
Known Perks: Untrained DualwielderFaction: Bloodhound Gang
---
In CoverSystarHP: 34/75
Equipment: Thermal Blade
(4/8), Aurora Revolver
(4/6), Gravity Trap (0/2), Zuche 3 Cloaking Device (2/6)
Funds: 18,300¤
Known Perks: AugeanTech LightningBolt PackFaction: Bounty Hunter
Target: Consul Mona yl Vsiri (New Regime), Boka yl Vsiri (Crime Syndicate), Bloodhound Gang
"Wait. I want to know something first... Can you tell us just what the hell happened here?" Gao said, trying to look past the man and see more of the room behind him.
[5] - 'Mmh. Of course. I thought that that message might not have gone through,' the man says. [2] Gao can't pick up anything else than the empty hallway behind the man. If there are other survivors, they're still somewhere inside.
'From what we've been able to gather - which is not that much - this started as simple, honest corporate espionage. It's no secret that the corps out here in the fields do it. Send a few infiltrators or an AI aboard the next supply boat and steal-slash-sabotage the other guys' research. People rarely get killed.'
'I'm guessing something went wrong this time?' Tarur says, keeping his eyes on the canteen behind them.
'Uhh... yeah. We had a shipload of non-sentients coming in for testing. Somebody snuck an experimental AI - Jones says it's a DiamondEye lease, but I don't know - aboard the lab ship and had it take control over the ship's systems over its journey. So we obviously don't know for sure what happened next, but we're guessing it was here for sabotage and got a little overexcited. Long story short, the non-sentients arrived with their intelligence boosted tenfold and in much greater numbers. Unfortunately, we only found out when they forced the containment door open and began arming themselves. We locked ourselves in here - it was every man for himself then. We thought the AI was in control at first, but it looks like the little bastards locked it out of the primary systems somehow.'
He grimaces. 'And... that's about it. We've been living on emergency rations this past week, stuck in these panic rooms.'
Tarur nods slowly, taking it in, and speaks. 'How many of these things are there? We might need some reinforcements from your boss for a full purge.'
'There were sixty of them when they came in, twice as many as there should've been, but they've been breeding more like there's no tomorrow from the lab ship. There could be over a hundred by now.'
AlliesWith GaosaronTarur RatrikHP: 75/75
Equipment: Flechette Shotgun
(9/10), RUS9 Incendiary Grenade (2/2), Thermal Blade (6/8)
Known Perks: AugeanTech FlexiSpeed Aid,
NovaCore Analytic-Reactive Augmentation,
FocusedFaction: Bounty Hunter
---
Gaosaron el-Anaula Ra'VantahinHP: 44/75
Equipment: Widowmaker Shotgun
(4/7), Golgo Mechanical Blade, NTT Inferno
(26/26), RUS2 Accelerator Carbine
(11/14), Guard Security Pass, Low-Level Security Pass
Funds: 25,450¤
Known Perks: NovaCore Electronic ModificationFaction: Bounty Hunter
Target: None
Action: Kill the Headband Ganger and autoreload my pistol.
Either way, Try to end the fight through some forceful diplomacy.
Kaviv flinched and grunted as the shot grazed him, but managed to bite back a cry of pain. He made a noise a bit like "Ghh!" before ducking back down into cover as 971 started diplomatizing.
Not daring to inspect his injury just yet, Kaviv will steady his hands and re-load his shotgun. He racks the first shell in readiness, watching 971 and waiting for a response. He was nervous, of course, but the adrenaline in his system kept him going. Having a seasoned operative like 971 on his side didn't hurt his confidence, either...
'I hope he doesn't just make them angrier...'
>Get down into cover! Re-load shotgun! Wait and see what happens!
[5] - 971 aims down and fires, [Dodge:1+1+1-1=2] and the running ganger goes down. [Damage:6] He goes down with a yelp, shouting for help. The others ignore him, not moving one inch.
"Last chance boys. Clear out of this place and never come back. You know you've not got the numbers to hold out against a rival gang anymore-you've not even got enough to continue harassing little old shopkeepers. At this point, you're finished. It's either die or run.
Your choice. So, anybody feel like a Hero today? Who wants to be next?"There is a long silence after 971's words, broken only by the sound of approaching footsteps. They echo around, making it hard to tell where the reinforcements are coming from. [1] Finally, there's a reply - but not what the hunters would've wanted. The footsteps stop, and a new shape comes into view. An instant before it wakes up, 971 makes out the shape of another Golgo heavyweight.
[6] 971 is uncomfortably reminded of his encounter on the walkways outside, [1][Dodge:1+1=2] just before a volley slams through the flimsy metal on the railings and through them against his battered armor. [Damage:7] This time, the shots only scrape him, but it still hurts like hell. Both of the hunters are forced to keep their heads down under the onslaught.
[5-2=3] Breaking through the suppressing fire, the bounty hunter returns fire. [Dodge:6-1=5] Even with his upgraded weapon, his quick shot meets metal and ricochets off without hitting anyone. Kaviv, too busy reloading, has no chance to fire.
[2][5] With reinforcements and an opportunity, the hiding ganger fires as well, [2][Dodge:1+1=2] punching off a burst that catches Kaviv in the back of the thigh. [Damage:12] He forces himself to stay put and finishes reloading his weapon.
[6] None of the three remaining gangers appear, and the hunters can't hear them either. It may be that they were more in favor of 971's offer and headed out. Or the source of the gunfire from earlier might've gotten them.
EnemiesDown on the pathway, Close RangeTquejot yl GemennoHP: 9/15
Equipment: RUS2 Accelerator Carbine
(13/14), Combat Blade
Known Perks: Fast and AgileFaction: Gutter Hound Gang
Behind a machine, In Cover, Close RangeUnknownHP: 15/15
Equipment: Widowmaker Shotgun
(7/7), Frag Grenade (1/1)
Known Perks: None
Faction: Gutter Hound Gang
Standing at a corner, Long RangeWilliam DeronaHP: 12/20
Equipment: Golgo HMG
(16/22)Known Perks: None
Faction: Gutter Hound Gang
3? Gangers at 15/15 HP, hidden behind the lines of machines, Long Range.
---
Subject 971HP: 50/75
Equipment: First Aid Packs (0/2), Widowmaker Shotgun
(7/7), Thermal Blade (5/8), Aurora Revolver w/ Analytic-Reactive Targeting System
(5/6)Funds: 6250¤
Known Perks: AugeanTech FlexiSpeed Aid,
SuppressedFaction: Bounty Hunter
Target: Gutter Hound Gang
Kaviv OtoliHP: 51/75
Equipment: Snaplock Pistol
(8/8), Frag Grenades (4/5), First Aid Packs (6/6), Widowmaker Shotgun
(7/7)Funds: 5000¤
Known Perks: Navigator Uplink Package,
SuppressedFaction: Bounty Hunter
Target: Gutter Hound Gang
Head out to somewhere with considerable less "Heat"
[4] - Barauc has learned enough of this city to know where to go. The government's hold on it is limited. Gang territory poses another set of problem, but he's fairly sure law enforcement can't touch him there. Stay low there until the heat's died down, and then proceed to Tegarr - he's been through this before, atleast somewhat.
[4] The cab arrives, and the driver takes his directions to the Pits in the Industrial District remarkably calmly. The gangers there have been known to shoot down even passing Guard aircraft. But even better, he asks no questions or makes any comments, and is fast enough to leave the hotel behind in an eyeblink. Barauc keeps his eye open for any pursuing craft, but it looks like he escaped immediate scrutiny. They'll have security tapes and records, though.
Black, acrid smoke hides the rest of the city from view as soon as they penetrate deeper into the Industrial District. Down beneath the walls of the factories, under the shoddy worker tenements and tent cities, Barauc hears the shotgun-bark and panicked shouting of the underworld.
The cab sets him down next to a vast steel globe containing whatever industrial materials the factories need. The hulls of stripped-clean vehicles are scattered along the space, which the driver eyes with some worry. Barauc pays him quickly and gets out.
After the car disappears into the sky, Barauc stands for a moment in silence. The shadowed, trash-filled alleys seem to snake through the area, following the factory walls. Not too far away, Barauc seems a colourfully-decorated building with people milling about. Light shines from the windows and loud music spills out of the door any time someone enters or leaves. Some distance behind it rises what seems to be a fighting pit.
Barauc Na'ShalHP: 75/75
Equipment: Zuche 4 Railgun
(1/1), Zuche 3 Cloaking Device (6/6), Aurora Revolver
(6/6), RUS2 Accelerator Carbine
(14/14)Funds: 4500¤
Known Perks: Focus Improvement PackageFaction: Bounty Hunter
Target: Judge Tegarr (New Regime)
Loria made a token effort to recover the bodyguard's implant. Even if it was destroyed she might be able to get a manufacturer's ID off it. That done (or not) she quickly rummaged through the bedroom's dresser trying to find a loose covering to hide the damage to her torso. She headed out of the apartment building, taking the stairs to try and avoid meeting anyone in the elevator, aiming to meet with the PI.
[4] - There's no identifying the implant, but Loria picks out a few shreds of what she hopes are synthetic matter for future study. Poking around in the man's innards isn't too inviting anyhow, and she doesn't really have much time. The bounty hunter gets up and heads out of the wrecked apartment, [5] pausing to clean her more obvious wounds and blood and to tie a linen sheet behind her armor. That done, she hurries downstairs and out of the apartment complex - fortunately without encountering anyone else.
Once outside, she finds a quiet spot and gets in contact with the PI. They negotiate to meet there and Loria settles down to wait, trying to keep her wits intact despite her wounds. After what seems to be an eternity, Teodosio appears. Loria only notices him when he's standing over her already.
'Damnit. Come on. We'll find you some medical help on the way,' he says and grits his teeth. 'What happened? Don't tell me you killed them. I'm in trouble enough as it is.'
---
LoriaHP: 18/75
Equipment: RUS2 Accelerator Carbine
(11/14), Zuche 13 Gravity Trap (0/2), Flare Gun
(0/1), First Aid Kit (7/7)
Funds: 4300¤
Known Perks: Navigator Uplink PackageFaction: Bounty Hunter
Target: Mille Roskank, Anthony
---
971's and Kaviv's mission might be the only one where ammo might at some point actually run low. Mostly because they don't scavenge. Have I mentioned I made clip sizes waaaay too big?
Also, Dwarmin, I swear, it's not physically possible for you to have worse dodging luck. Have you actually successfully dodged anything in the game so far?
Author
Topic: Nowhere To Run - A Futuristic Bounty Hunter RTD - Turn 51 (Read 88964 times)