>>1113780
[You tell him that this sounds vaguely like that ancient movie about space pirates hunting treasure. You liked that movie.]

one could argue that maybe something has already broke and it's why we're not seeing autonomous alien mechs rising from the ground to repel all invaders.

Guess it would also depends on what happens if the machine were to brake. If alien machines just stop working, sure that would be horrible for whoever was studying or using it but I doubt that would effect us much. Atmosphere suddenly starts floating off into space, massive floods appearing out of nowhere, or the planet shaking itself apart because some terraforming machine broke... bit more worrying to you and me.

Silence 2025/09/15(Mon)08:07 No. 1113888 ID: 6d1406
File 175794883641.png - (43.11KB , 382x364 , Mech357.png )

>>1113782
>>1113817
You point out that if the Machine breaks, then you should still be fine, it's large enough to be this planet.

There's still the matter of that door. Trust me, we're going there next, we're regrouping at the Spaceport, every available corp, mercenary, and ITA beancounter will be there. We're staging an assault on that door, I can feel it. Whatever the Monarchy doesn't want us getting at, it has to be past there.

think they'll pay use extra for such an important mission or do you think they'll try and short change us?

>>1113889 Worse. First wave is usually mercs so they pay out less at the end. Hard to pay a corpse.

At least its a straightforward goal

What, we're gonna try to shoot it open? That's not gonna work. Maybe the alien mech knows how to open it though...

Silence 2025/09/17(Wed)06:18 No. 1113985 ID: 6d1406
File 175811509312.png - (39.84KB , 354x318 , Mech358.png )

>>1113889
>>1113893
Dunno, job like this would be lucrative for anyone, but we're probably expendables. Or at least we in the Junk Division are, you lucked out getting control of alien tech.

>>1113908
And that's what worries me, I've often found the simpler a job, the more likely it is to go seriously wrong. Complicated jobs I can at least estimate what can and will go wrong.

>>1113910
Dunno, the ITA had us scout it out for a reason, but they're planning something.

> you lucked out getting control of alien tech.
Well we'll see how lucky it really is, and who's in control of whom. It's pretty freaky

Silence 2025/09/19(Fri)07:25 No. 1114040 ID: 6d1406
File 175829190517.png - (47.43KB , 424x388 , Mech359.png )

>>1114002
It's pretty freaky

I can imagine. Either way, I think we're here.

You roll over some more hill, and come upon the old spaceport, you've made it at last.

Don't see anyone, which in on one hand is good because it means this place hasn't been attacked. But on the other hand shouldn't their be some guards or something keeping watch to make sure this place isn't attacked?

Seems oddly deserted. Don't think everyone left already do you?

Maybe they're just not drawn.
Let's go see what's up, put our mechs away, get living arrangements settled, that sort of thing.

Shouldn't it be swarming with activity from everyone retreating here?

Let's start by hailing the base.

Silence 2025/09/22(Mon)13:16 No. 1114180 ID: 6d1406
File 175857216865.png - (19.04KB , 457x231 , Mech360.png )

>>1114042
>>1114051
>>1114056
>>1114127
You go to hail, but upon getting closer you find a few mechs already outside. The base is guarded thankfully, in fact they hail you as you approach.

Halt! Who goes there?

637-Fox reporting for duty.

>>1114181
yes, be professional

Silence 2025/09/24(Wed)07:51 No. 1114294 ID: 6d1406
File 175872546218.png - (29.17KB , 306x221 , Mech361.png )

>>1114181
>>1114197
637 Fox reporting for duty.

Ah, the Merc with Kowalski-Wayne Mercantile. I see your still alive, and you have one of the Junk Division and the unknown machine with you.

Good to see you too.


Report, you were one of the last reported personnel from the Campus. What did you see?

"Full invasion, tanks and all. They're also spoofing our handlers. These bastards have dirt on us."

Mostly a juggernaut and attack choppers.
And the juggernaut had E-war capabilities, spoofing your handler while attempting bribery on another channel.
You have good reason to think it was the juggernaut because it stopped when the juggernaut fell.

they had a super tank and seemed to have found a way to spoof radio call ins to sound like friendlies. As in they were talking in the voice of people I know not just a fake IFF.

Last I saw of the base, people were either fleeing, fighting a fighting retreat, or still trying to make it to their mechs. The base had pretty much fallen by the time I fought my way out.

Silence 2025/09/29(Mon)10:02 No. 1114521 ID: 6d1406
File 175916532823.png - (43.06KB , 313x363 , Mech362.png )

>>1114296
>>1114302
>>1114312
You inform them of the situation, and of how the Juggernaut Tanks seem capable of E-War capabilities now.

Hot damn, you got quite the bit of intel didn't you?

And the Alien Mech, don't forget that.

Oh I didn't even notice it! Well, if that's all, come inside, a big meeting is about to go down!

Is that all?

not that I can think of, let's see what the meeting is about.

that's all

That's all for me as well.

Silence 2025/10/01(Wed)06:58 No. 1114628 ID: 6d1406
File 175932708430.png - (44.56KB , 399x342 , Mech363.png )

>>1114531
>>1114542
>>1114549

With nothing else, you disembark from your mechs and enter the base. As you leave your machine, you can feel the connection you held to the Alien Mech severing. In a way a good thing, it means you won't be permanently tied to that thing.

Silence 2025/10/01(Wed)07:00 No. 1114630 ID: 6d1406
File 175932723432.png - (33.40KB , 343x176 , Mech364.png )

The interior of the base is crowded, there are more mercs and ITA personnel. Makes sense it'd be crowded however, the Campus was far larger than this base here.

Hey! I see Leo and Lupin ahead!

You focus and can just make out the backs of their heads. You could stick with Tien and see how they're doing, or you could try and contact your handler again and get an update, or maybe even just move onto the meeting itself.

head over with Tien and see how they're holding up, you've done this much to help Tien get back to his team might as well see it through to the end.

Also compare notes I guess. If you're going to have to update your handler later might as well gather as much info as you can.

Go see Leo and Lupin.

see how they're doing

Speak with mercs. Without reliable allies your odds of dying go up. Worth more than money since money has very little use while not alive.

Silence 2025/10/03(Fri)06:30 No. 1114705 ID: 6d1406
File 175949825836.png - (46.87KB , 492x175 , Mech365.png )

>>1114632
>>1114640
>>1114655
>>1114660
You opt to go speak with the other two, you've gotten Tien this far, might as well finish this up.

Oh! Fox, Tien! Good to see you two are alive!

Good to see you too bossman. How was the trip over?

We had to handle a few Box Walkers, but nothing our Mechs can't handle.

Seems things are well with them.

The Monarchy seems tired of our presence.

I can understand why. We are technically invaders on their world.

Leo we're mercs. We're always invaders, and we got strong suspicions of mind control going on this world!

Regardless, we're not welcome and they're finally making it known. Things are about to go down and the corps are readying for it. What about you Fox? Heard anything from your handlers about this?

not yet, figured I'd find out what the situation is around here first before reporting back to him.

I guess we can go do that now.

>>1114705
Just to double-check this "monarchy" is only on this planet, yes?

Don't have to worry about any fleets full of reinforcements coming in from offworld, right?

Silence 2025/10/08(Wed)08:03 No. 1114844 ID: 6d1406
File 175993580608.png - (10.43KB , 208x105 , Mech366.png )

>>1114706
>>1114710
You follow the shuffling crowd as you get into the meeting room.

>>1114726
The Monarchy has always only held this world.

Silence 2025/10/08(Wed)08:08 No. 1114845 ID: 6d1406
File 175993611372.png - (25.84KB , 251x247 , Mech367.png )

The room is crowded, there sits a ITA Commander at a podium, a tiger man from what you can tell.

Greetings, I am Commander Machia. I am certain you all have a great many questions about the situation, several of our campuses have been hit and many of you have been affected. This is an intense time with our conflict with the Monarchy.

Before we get into the situation, if anyone has any questions, feel free to ask now.

"how bad were we hit"

either things look worse than they are and this is something that won't effect us to much or everything is FUBAR and they'll start paying us more to try and fix things. Either way we're walking away with some kind of win here.

>>1114848
I think he's already about to say that. Better not ask questions he's already planing to answer.

Are we getting paid more now that the situation's escalating?

>>1114845
Is HQ aware of the situation and are they sending reinforcements?

Silence 2025/10/10(Fri)07:02 No. 1114896 ID: 6d1406
File 176010492314.png - (19.72KB , 180x176 , Mech368.png )

>>1114848
how bad were we hit?

Pretty hard, we had about 13 campuses across the planet all in major regions, all 13 have been hit by a variety of weaponry. Campus 11, where most of you resided, was hit by the Juggernaut. We had reports it was taken out but a broken machine can be repaired.

>>1114862
Are we getting paid more now that the situation's escalating?

Tien!

We're all thinking it!

Short answer, yes. The situation has escalated so the ITA is authorizing increased hazard payments, especially as you won't be able to pick missions from the board anymore. You'll be assigned jobs here and there after the ITA negotiates with your corporate handlers.

>>1114893
Is HQ aware of the situation and are they sending reinforcements?

Also yes, however they'll be a bit as they need to exit drop before they can be deployed. We're looking at a day or two, but the full force of the ITA will be here soon enough.

Any further questions before we move on?

Was this a precursor to a larger offensive and have we blunted it enough if it was?

Silence 2025/10/13(Mon)07:10 No. 1115020 ID: 6d1406
File 176036465211.png - (19.70KB , 165x194 , Mech369.png )

>>1114898
Was this a precursor to a larger offensive and have we blunted it enough if it was?

We've blunted something, and it seems the offensive was to eliminate as much ITA and Merc presence as possible. Perhaps they've grown tired after so much, we had a successful negotiation with the Monarchy recently, we had offered to completely leave the planet for access to the technology we are working with, as well as handing over modern terraforming tech as a good first step to get the environmental situation on this world more stable with no cost otherwise.

It seems they didn't want that. So we're left with no choice left.

If there's any more questions, ask them.

how are the corporations reacting to the attack? Not sure how much they care about the attack itself but they might be pissed if company assets were lost.

Ask if there might be more obscure ulterior motives. A simplistic crackdown on the mercenary forces... wouldn't it be simpler to literally buy out large sections of the corporations? Not that your CEOs would be that stupid, but the middle-men, handlers, and branch divisions would have been corrupt enough to take a business bribe or fifty. This direct purge will just galvanize the conflict into a more honest 'us-versus-them' - but why would the monarchy do that if it means they will lose by attrition?

Silence 2025/10/15(Wed)05:58 No. 1115114 ID: 6d1406
File 176053308696.png - (8.44KB , 272x142 , Mech370.png )

>>1115021
how are the corporations reacting to the attack? Not sure how much they care about the attack itself but they might be pissed if company assets were lost.

They're upset for certain, we have a few of their representatives meeting now to discuss what to do. Lost assets are a big deal for them, but for most part they feel safe in orbit. Anyone here with actual experience knows that doesn't mean safe at all.

>>1115022
Why not just try to use bribery and corruption? A direct attack will just galvanize the forces on here.

Best we can tell, either desperation or confidence. We're uncovering quite a bit that shows that the alien technology on this world might go... further than expected. Much much further.

... oh shit.

Any last questions before we wrap this up?

Do we have an exit strategy off this planet?

So... harassment until the reinforcements are here, followed by a coordinated assault on the door?

Silence 2025/10/17(Fri)06:16 No. 1115194 ID: 6d1406
File 176070697281.png - (32.92KB , 454x416 , Mech371.png )

>>1115117
Do we have an exit strategy off this planet?

Currently yes. This old spaceport is functional and we can get orbital support near other spaceports, if need be we can get everyone here off in short order, we'd have to leave equipment behind but the corps will be compensated for the loss of equipment for your lives.

>>1115123
So... harassment until the reinforcements are here, followed by a coordinated assault on the door?

No. Until proper reinforcements arrive and negotiations with the corps end we are suspending all major operations, until that happens you are all being put onto a guard rotation. Those that arrived here last will be the first to rest up for the next guard shift, we can't account for anything from the monarchy but we failed to properly guard against an attack. We won't make that mistake again.

Sounds like you get to sleep up then.

With nothing else, this meeting is adjourned, if anyone has any last questions ask now or save them for later. Everyone on Guard Duty you'll be getting a notification soon. Everyone else, rest up, we are going to be busy.

Do you wish to go find the barracks and rest? Are there any last questions? Is there anything else you want to do right now before you rest for the day?

I think that's it. Rest time

You're sleeping in the mech.

Silence 2025/10/20(Mon)06:18 No. 1115318 ID: 6d1406
File 176096629357.png - (19.84KB , 318x258 , Mech372.png )

>>1115200
With some difficulty navigating the new layout, you find some old barracks, the beds are unmade but you'll be fine. You've slept in worse places.

>>1115217
With your augmentations, that'd be a bad idea, the mech might pick up on stray thoughts while sleeping and twitch.

You rest for the night.

Silence 2025/10/20(Mon)06:22 No. 1115319 ID: 6d1406
File 176096657925.png - (54.75KB , 829x455 , Mech Build Blank.png )

You awaken after some hours, the voice of your handler ringing in your head.

Good to see you're alright Fox. It seems its your turn for guard duty, negotiations are still ongoing so far so for now, we just pull our weight.

You will need to outfit your mech, reviewing all parts, what will you want to do for guard duty today?

The ITA has also approved some extra mechs and weapons into your arsenal. It'll cost us a little bit but they want you to be as outfitted as possible as well.

You recall the mech parts.
>>1072959

And they also just added tetrapod legs to the rotation, we're really ratcheting up for this, that Monarchy assault has rattled everyone.

What build will you make?

long range would be good, maybe missiles and rail gun.

Fluffy changes our entire playstyle. Krieg body to prevent insta-kills, Critical head and limbs for lowering weight everywhere else. Our mech's new objective will be to paint targets for Fluffy to eviscerate.

Weapons will be a Rail Rifle as primary, Submachine Gun as secondary, and two Kinetic Shields for maximized defense.

Ask for special railgun target marking ammo.

Krieg long range for sure.

>>1115319
tell us about the tetra leg models available real quick??

Silence 2025/10/22(Wed)06:47 No. 1115423 ID: 6d1406
File 176114087954.png - (57.63KB , 829x455 , Mech373.png )

>>1115323
>>1115344
>>1115362

You select your loadout, but the Legs bring up an error, seems the Critical can't carry all this weight. It is a light recon mech after all, you'll have to swap it out with some other parts.

Silence 2025/10/22(Wed)06:49 No. 1115424 ID: 6d1406
File 176114097538.png - (24.74KB , 254x209 , Mech374.png )

>>1115397
Tetra Model legs are quad-leg units usually used by industrial models, rarely seen in combat due to their slow speed.

However for a job like guard duty and carrying extra weight they'd be pretty much perfect if you wanted them.

oh yeah, quad it up

We have the booster for emergency movement so the slow legs are fine.

Silence 2025/10/24(Fri)06:50 No. 1115479 ID: 6d1406
File 176131382480.png - (41.29KB , 301x268 , Mech375.png )

>>1115438
>>1115442
You load the Quad Legs and become a tetrapod mech. You are ready for your guard rotation.

You get to choose which other pilot you get to join for guard duty for now. Sadly there's only one name you'd recognize. Tien of the Junk Division. I'll still list the others and what their mechs are called.

We have
1. Gamma - Medium Mech Sharpshot
2. Ken - Heavy Mech Glacier
3. Klara - Light Mech Glaive

Not a lot, but it's up to you 637.

Klara, a melee unit would be helpful if any monarchists manage to get the jump on you

Join the light mech, you can act as heavy support and they'll compensate for your low mobility.

Silence 2025/11/03(Mon)07:35 No. 1116297 ID: 6d1406
File 176218415722.png - (67.32KB , 332x486 , Mech376.png )

>>1115512
>>1115517
You choose Klara and get yourself marched out to her post to meet her.

Hey there! Welcome to the shitbox! Ready to stand out here and stare at the horizon for several hours?

Yes.
But don't forget to look up and down too once in a while: We don't know how stealthy the enemy can get.

Well, doing nothing is probably better than getting shot at. We should probably experiment with the alien mech a bit while nothing's happening. See if it has any kind of "mind" at all; like can we ask it to draw art on the ground? If that works at all, we can ask it to draw images of things it enjoys doing.

After everything it will be nice to do nothing for a while
which certainly won't jinx it

Silence 2025/11/05(Wed)07:31 No. 1116395 ID: 6d1406
File 176235666055.png - (23.11KB , 249x154 , Mech377.png )

>>1116303
>>1116305
>>1116319
You inform Klara you're ready for your shift.

You get positioned out on the south side of the spaceport, staring out at the horizon.

So, you're with Wayne Kowalski right? Always wondered about them, can I ask some questions?

>>1116395
go ahead, but confidential stuff is confidential.

Sure, but there's not that much I know and probably even less I'm allowed to tell.

Don't see why not

Silence 2025/11/07(Fri)06:49 No. 1116530 ID: 6d1406
File 176252696291.png - (21.11KB , 190x184 , Mech378.png )

>>1116396
>>1116401
>>1116421
You agree, but no confidential stuff.

Great to hear! So, I hear you courier guys are usually indentured because of heavy augmentation, is that true?

>>1116530

Is that not normal? How did Klara get planetside, if not a long term contract and loads of debt?

More just regular debt. I mean we still are down an eye

Silence 2025/11/10(Mon)06:18 No. 1116675 ID: 6d1406
File 176278433301.png - (13.68KB , 245x218 , Mech379.png )

>>1116544
You ask how Klara got planetside if not for debt.

No I got debt and all, it's just that it's regular debts, I'm a career soldier and merc anyway. My current contract is with Watanabe Heavy Electronics, they provided a shuttle and me and the other mercs under their contract got shipped here. Damn you're really screwed up.

>>1116561
You point out you're still missing an eye.

I noticed! Freaky stuff! So you are heavily augmented, that stuff helps you control your mech right? Most pilots these days have a neuro-jack or two but damn you're like heavy outfitting. What does that stuff do?

She's asking the wrong girl. You just got the stuff you didn't build it. It helps you control the mech yes. It also causes amnesia, so you don't remember much else about it.

You don't know the details of your contract, to be honest, but you know if you work with your handler, you'll have your own life again in no time! You don't know how you know that, though.

Silence 2025/11/12(Wed)07:16 No. 1116835 ID: 6d1406
File 176296059062.png - (12.04KB , 199x160 , Mech380.png )

>>1116757
You tell her you have some bad amnesia from your surgery and don't remember much about your old life. Just that working with your handler and doing the job here might get you your freedom.

Daaaaaaaaamn. Hannibal right? What's he like, I've only heard stories.

He's strictly business. No personal connections allowed.

But he's been reliable so far

>>1116835
There's rumors that Hannibal is a party animal when he's got some alcohol in him, but we've never seen it ourselves.

Also heard that he's married and has a kid, but we've also heard that he's never been married and doesn't have kids, so we can only speculate that Hannibal is purposely spreading misinformation to hide details of his personal life.

With how he keeps things professional, there's to suspect he lost a charge at least once and wants to avoid attachment since.

Been a very reliable handler, in any case.

Silence 2025/11/17(Mon)09:35 No. 1117103 ID: 6d1406
File 176340093675.png - (27.56KB , 159x220 , Mech381.png )

>>1116836
>>1116840
>>1116903
You've heard a bunch of conflicting things but Hannibal is a reliable if impersonal handler. You're not certain what else to make of him.

Damn! Well, lucky you got a good handler then. Keeps you up to date on the details and all.

To make things fair, do you have any questions?

How's the campaign been for her?

And how are the corps faring in this? We barely know about our own and its immediate friends/rivals.

Silence 2025/11/19(Wed)06:16 No. 1117275 ID: 6d1406
File 176356178615.png - (21.47KB , 484x165 , Mech382.png )

>>1117128
Rough. I've been fighting hordes of Box Walkers a lot, the Monarchy has the numbers advantage compared to the ITA and the mercs, those things may not be much of a threat 1 on 1 but they're hell when they get swarming.

>>1117212
Oh that's a deep dive question, the short of that one is they're making money. The slightly longer answer is they're wasting material. See the big ones here are Wilson Scrap, Wantanabe Heavy Electronics, Oroburus Heavy Industries, Cain Electronics, and of course... Kowalski Wayne Mercantile. I've done jobs for all of them so I'm a little locked into the nonsense they spew.

What do you want to know about first?

We've heard a tiny bit about Oroburus Heavy Industries and Cain Electronics, but nothing yet abot Wantanabe Heavy Electronics. So let's start with the latter.

>>1117283
sure.

oh yeah, gossip

Silence 2025/11/21(Fri)08:51 No. 1117390 ID: 6d1406
File 176374390208.png - (41.46KB , 438x221 , Mech383.png )

>>1117283
>>1117285
>>1117325

Wantanabe Heavy Electronics pretty much has a hand in everything robotics in industry. Those legs your mech is outfitted with are a WE product, from prosthetics to heavy machinery. Where Cain Electronics supplies advanced computers and navigation systems, Wantanabe does all the actual physical stuff.

It's pretty neat. Though they mostly work in industrial stuff, haven't seen them really make weapons.

Ask if she's in her usual mech, and what kind of parts she usually uses

Silence 2025/11/24(Mon)07:54 No. 1117555 ID: 6d1406
File 176399967076.png - (16.62KB , 193x156 , Mech384.png )

>>1117444
Oh this? Glaive? Yeah it's my mainline mech, it's maintained and upgraded here and there but it's pretty much the same thing. You know by Ship Of Theseus Standards and all. It's just a lightweight speedster with two shotguns, but for the missions I run, it's pretty much all I need.

You notice that your shift is surprisingly, nearly over.

Ah well, time flies when you're having fun. Any last questions before we trade out?

are there any rumors going around about that fancy alien mech?

Silence 2025/11/26(Wed)06:53 No. 1117735 ID: 6d1406
File 176416883470.png - (33.35KB , 204x325 , Mech385.png )

>>1117605
You ask if she's heard anything about rumors about the alien mech.

Alien Mech?

Seems she doesn't know about it, maybe the amount of people who are in the know are limited. Maybe she's not even from the same Campus you were on, this is a planetary operation.

Tell her the basics: A merc team seized a monarchy train rumored to transport a new mech, and it turned out to be made of alien tech.

Silence 2025/12/01(Mon)07:07 No. 1118211 ID: 6d1406
File 176460166075.png - (22.08KB , 360x198 , Mech386.png )

>>1117757
You inform her of the basics, keeping your involvement out of it.

Damn, actual alien tech. I know this planet is full of it, but damn the Monarchy actually made something like that? Man my employers would love to get their hands on that.

'pretty sure EVERY corp would. it'd probably start... what galactic war are we on again? 3 or 4?'

I'd say its definitely what we're here for, but we've got it and we're still here. Seems as though the corps think the monarchy has something even better

Silence 2025/12/03(Wed)07:55 No. 1118348 ID: 6d1406
File 176477733895.png - (39.22KB , 353x275 , Mech387.png )

>>1118213
Yeah, there's always some form of conflict isn't there? Dropdrives kinda fucked that up and let everyone get everywhere huh?

>>1118264
I mean have you seen the giant door down there? There absolutely is something down there even better than a mech made out of alien technology.

What do you think are the odds whatever's in there will drive whoever looks at it mad? The old cosmic terror beyond comprehension