Taric TaiserviContinue attacking that drone.
[6] - Taric's visor picks up the drone and he moves closer, preparing for another leap. [Dodge:4-1=3] It drops lower, and he charges, slamming his shoulder against the thing. [Damage:2-2=0] It bounces away without any damage.
[4] The laser charges up again, [Dodge:4-1=3] and this time Taric has nowhere to run. He tries to anyhow. [Damage:14-60=0] And succeeds - apparently the drone isn't smart enough to follow his movement down. The laser spears through the falling snow, leaving a strange empty tunnel in the air for a moment. [1] It buzzes back, trying to get a new target lock. [3][Dodge:2-1=1] Taric sprints up to it and sends it flying with a well-placed kick, [Damage:3+2=5] which cracks the armour enough for electricity to escape into the air in bright arcs.
[5] They seem to have moved onto thicker ice by now. It shows no signs of breaking.
EnemiesHovering somewhere nearby, Close RangeHP: 10/20
Equipment: Industrial Cutting Laser
(5/8)Known Perks: Adaptive Targeting SystemFaction: Old Regime
Taric TaiserviHP: 44/75
Equipment: First Aid Kits (4/4)
Funds: 16,000¤
Known Perks: Focus Improvement PackageFaction: Bounty Hunter
Target: 'The Black Baron' (Old Regime)
Akhain GazhornSince I'm, yknow, invisible, try to hide the shock mines and the Thermal Blade. Or just the Thermal Blade.
+Do ya think you could get me out of here if I just kill the guy?+
[4-1=3] - Though in full view of everybody, Akhain attempts to hide his weapons and equipment. He can't think of any way to do it without the guards noticing. They eye him suspiciously, looking impatient. Finally, he gives up and hands them over. Fortunately, they don't seem to have understood what he was trying to do.
+Well, the entrance sure seems heavily defended, but if you can provide the target co-ordinates for me, I could just level the whole area with a few barrages.+ Jinan answers your question.
The easiest way to do that would be for you to walk over there so I can fix the guns on your location. Uhh... not that you'd have to stick around for the bombardment, just visiting the area is fine.++Naturally, you'd have to kill Kosh and get out of that cathedral first. And honestly, I don't think you can do it without your gear.+[6] The central hall of the cathedral is certainly impressive - a long, high-ceilinged chamber with more light-machine on pedestals lining the walls, which seem to be covered in half-finished murals and mosaics. Plain wooden benches are set in haphazard lines up the lenght of the chamber. In the end stands a raised platform, upon which someone is preaching to the crowd at the moment. Father Kosh, perhaps? The crowd isn't very large, just the first few lines of benches filled.
As you draw nearer, your visor recognizes the man on the platform as Father Kosh. He's dressed in loose robes and speaking with a voice of sheer authority. [3] Even though Akhain can't make out the words, he feels pulled towards the man and agreeing with anything he might say. Why did he ever even consider killing this man?
The blue-robed alien leaves the group and hurries over to whisper something in Father Kosh's ear. He turns towards Akhain with a gentle smile.
'Ah, my brothers and sisters, allow your gaze to wander behind you! A lost brother has entered to witness our humble sermon! Please, guide him to me.'
Akhain GazhornHP: 48/75
Equipment: Zuche 3 Cloaking Device (6/6), Zuche 20 Shock Mine (4/4), RUS2 Accelerator Carbine
(14/14), Thermal Blade (8/8)
Funds: 500¤
Known Perks: MultiVision Ocular ModificationFaction: Bounty Hunter
Target: Father Kosh (Old Regime)
SystarGet untied and watch the news while resting up my wounds.
[4] - The ropes have been tied pretty tight, but Systar is out of them in no time. He pulls himself over to the screen on the wall and puts on the news. [5] Smuggler activity is on the rise, meaning more guns and equipment flooding to the black market and through them to the criminal underworld and you. Prices should be going down for a while. A Sikhet Federation diplomat has been killed by Habiri gangers, and there are the usual reminders that the Republic is working to get crime back under control, along with a vague promise of a major action soon by the Republican Guard commander. A 'mad doctor' of the Old Regime has been caught hidden on a freighter in orbit. The text under a video of him, starving and dirty, translates as 'oh, how the mighty have fallen!'.
Eventually, Systar dozes off into merciful sleep, letting his battered body finally give in.
When he wakes up, far into the morning, the TV is still on. The sun is high in the sky. Time to get back to work.
SystarHP: 75/75
Equipment: Thermal Blade
(4/8), Aurora Revolver
(6/6), Gravity Trap (2/2), Zuche 3 Cloaking Device (3/6)
Funds: 28,800¤
Known Perks: AugeanTech LightningBolt PackFaction: Bounty Hunter
Target: Boka yl Vsiri (Crime Syndicate)
GaosaronGaosaron poked through the masses of material. I wonder if I could pocket any of these and try making an implant myself, he mused. Or maybe sell them to a company that could. Although he was giving it serious thought, he wasn't here for corporate espionage. As far as he was aware, anyway. While he was considering downloading some of the dataslates into his visor's database for later study, Ratrik called him over to investigate a door to the Testing Chambers. He hurried over and listened at it. "Sounds busy in there. Let's do this on three, I'll go left and low, you go right and high." He readied his shotgun and stacked up on the right side of the door. "Ready? 1, 2, 3!" He opened the door and immediately rolled in, ending up to the left of the door frame with his gun raised, ready for trouble...
[2] - The bounty hunter duo take up positions at the door. Ratrik quickly doublechecks his SychTech Shotgun and nods. Gao slides the card down and rolls inside, turning to the left. He comes face-to-face with a wall.
[3+1=4] There is a series of clicks from behind him, and a sound like the crack of a whip. Tarur's Flechette Shotgun fires, [Dodge:3][Dodge:2][Damage:23-15=8][Damage:15] and blood spatters all over the walls after the flechettes dig in and detonate. Gao turns to see two short, wiry aliens with bright blue fur. They look very animalistic, though the first is wearing a welder's mask and carrying a torch.
[6+3=6] Without even flinching, the first of the aliens springs up and charges towards Gao's companion, [Dodge:6+1=6] who sidesteps easily and sends his opponent spinning away with a well-placed kick. [2+3=5] It bounces right back, [Dodge:4+1=5] and this time Ratrik lets it crash into the wall. It doesn't look like the hunters will have much trouble with these things. [3+1=4][Dodge:6] Tarur spins the shotgun down and fires, but this time the alien rolls to avoid being hit.
[1+3=4] The second one charges as well, [Dodge:1+1=2] catching Tarur by surprise and slashing at his feet with a long metal blade. [Damage:9] It's not too serious, [4+1=5] and Ratrik slashes down with his Thermal Blade in return, [Dodge:6] though it only succeeds in driving it off.
[6] Gao is finally ready, [Dodge:6] but his shotgun blast impacts on the ground instead of alien flesh. [5+3=6][Dodge:3] He's a bit too slow when the first one returns the favor, [Damage:20-12=8] and gets a similar wound to his friend.
AlliesJust ahead of GaoTarur RatrikHP: 66/75
Equipment: Flechette Shotgun
(9/10), RUS9 Incendiary Grenade (2/2), RUS8 HE Mine (1/1), Thermal Blade (7/8)
Known Perks: AugeanTech FlexiSpeed Aid,
NovaCore Analytic-Reactive Augmentation,
FocusedFaction: Bounty Hunter
EnemiesIn front of Ratrik, Close RangeUnknownHP: 17/25
Equipment: Welding Torch
(5/6)Known Perks: Utterly FearlessFaction: Unknown
Down the corridor, Close RangeUnknownHP: 5/20
Equipment: Serrated Blade
Known Perks: Utterly FearlessFaction: Unknown
---
Gaosaron el-Anaula Ra'VantahinHP: 67/75
Equipment: Widowmaker Shotgun
(5/7), Golgo Mechanical Blade, NTT Inferno
(26/26), RUS2 Accelerator Carbine
(13/14), Guard Security Pass, Low-Level Security Pass
Funds: 25,450¤
Known Perks: NovaCore Electronic ModificationFaction: Bounty Hunter
Target: None
Subject 971971 heads back to home and inspects the package. Then he goes for some full medical treatment.
Afterwards, check my computer for more jobs...
[4] - 971 doesn't head straight back home, instead going to the nearest hospital for treatment. Dalia lets them know to expect him, and he passes out just after the door. The next hour passes in a blur, each bullet or bit of shrapnel inside his body removed. High-tech surgical bots operate on him over and over again, and normal doctors swarm over him, letting out disapproving sounds.
But when he finally does get out, he feels like he's never even been in a firefight. Like a new man, better than before he went after Fashuk!
[4] Getting back home, 971 finds the package Dalia mentioned just inside his door. It surprises him a bit that the government can access his house at will, but it doesn't really matter. Inside is a small, nondescript cylinder and a note from the Commander, plus 5000¤, hastily stacked on top of everything else. 971 strains his eyes to understand Dalia's handwriting.
The cylinder is actually an advanced targeting system, straight off the labs. It can be attached to almost any weapon and it will calibrate itself to fit that gun. It guides the user's aim to the weaknesses of the target and can find such points in the span of a few milliseconds. It can only be used once, because multiple calibrations mess up the systems.
Attach to any gun for -2 to Enemy Dodge. Cannot be removed once a weapon is chosen.Subject 971HP: 75/75
Equipment: Flare Gun (3/4), RUS8 HE Mine (1/2), Widowmaker Shotgun
(4/7), Thermal Blade (5/8), Analytic-Reactive Targeting System
Funds: 6650¤
Known Perks: AugeanTech FlexiSpeed AidFaction: Bounty Hunter
Target: None
BaraucPay up for the intel
[6] - 'He's hitting two places today - a drug drop-off point by the river, and a freighter dock at the starport. Pleasure doing business with you.' he sends back, uploading the co-ordinates and estimated times for both places.
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: 6000¤
Known Perks: Focus Improvement PackageFaction: Bounty Hunter
Target: Baseba yl Eos (New Regime Police)
LoriaLoria decides to contact the private investigator to get more details. After daydreaming about what she wishes she could buy she snaps out of it and takes a realistic look at what she can actually afford. She decides to grab two clips for her RUS2 Carbine (1800), two Zuch 12 Gravity traps (4000), a Flare Gun with two clips (3900), and an extra First Aid Kit (1000).
[6] - Loria calls in equipment for 10 700¤. It arrives a little while later in a neat little package, left in the alley behind her place.
[5] Adding to the five clips she already has for her Carbine, she's bought two new ones. [6] The seventh First Aid Kit should also come in handy.
LoriaHP: 75/75
Equipment: RUS2 Accelerator Carbine
(14/14), Zuche 13 Gravity Trap (2/2), Flare Gun
(1/1), First Aid Kit (7/7)
Funds: 4300¤
Known Perks: Navigator Uplink PackFaction: Bounty Hunter
Target: None
---
Huh, Taric, I was expecting you to die this turn. Oh well, it's only a matter of time.