>Black eye
Ha! Good one Karri, I almost forgot about that.

Okay... so 30% of 125k, plus 30k, plus 20k equals 87.5k. Not a bad haul, although still less than fighting BS or Zozu would have cost.

I say we swing it. We need the punk alive to get our money. Karri and maybe another neumono go in as part of Piles group, and we have snipers in position and the rest of the group ready to roll in as backup. We can swing this.

Hmm. What are we doing with Glazgo, though? Not sure he can be trusted to cooperate, or that they want him back after he killed their friend.

Karri would need to go in without her bio armor, or obscure it with clothing. Having bio armor is a big tip-off that you're a hardcore military type, and a thief isn't expected to be like that.

Let's do the fake drop-off, and capture the person we meet there. We make them tell us where they're taking the goods, then we follow the trail further. I want to get as far in as possible with this, maybe even find Whisker.

>>469575
>Karri would need to go in without her bio armor
That's a bad idea

>backstab the buyer, keep the dangerously too hot to move goods that almost got our clients and us killed already
...are you insane? We just want to get rid of this shit and get our money.

I'm gonna be honest here
I don't think anyone is going to get any money for anything now from any deal in this insane plan of whiskers.

Send two of the Green Force people around to scope the meeting site out. Make sure they go in plain clothes, so the buyers don't associate them with the group of mercenaries that rolled into town. They'll check for potential sniper and lookout spot, and routes of entrance and exit. When the time comes, you'll want two teams of two on lookout for you; One watching the back of the one on lookout. No snipers, since the buyers are going to expect a double-cross and be looking for them, and that'd sink the trade if they're spotted.

Karri and one other of her kin will accompany Piles. They're going to have to disguise and hide their bio-armor beforehand, though. Get some paint that roughly matches their fur colour, and paint the bio-armor, so it won't be as apparent if a bit flashes. Then get clothes to cover the bio-armor, and don't forget the gloves and boots. Then either staple or glue the collars, cuffs, and hems down so the bio-armor isn't visible if they shift the wrong way. They can wear regular body armor over it, if that's available, and carry their regular weapons.

Right at 2AM, when the deal is starting to go down, have the tank, the rest of the trucks, and motorcycles, move into the nearby streets, to be ready to block the exits if things go bad, but remain out of ear-shot while they move. Get the coordinates of the meeting site, and load them into the tank's targeting system, as a last resort option.

Suggestion 2012/11/07(Wed)22:58 No. 469586 ID: c4e5c2
File 135235791203.png - (44.74KB , 700x700 , 378.png )

Karri will make sure everyone coming will cover their bio armor effectively.

Piles says that the dropoff is in the back alley out of one of the many, many bars, specifically called the Rusty Puke Pail. Rekel, the neumono in Pilon's group that is not one of his children, was in this outpost once. It is almost all indoors with single, somewhat cramped floors. There will not be many, if any, positions for snipers, but it will be easy for people to stay hidden nearby, in the bar or not, to quickly assist if things go down. She'll be one of the ones to scope it in advance, and let Karri know if it's any different from the usual layout of this outpost.

They arrive at evening, with a few hours to kill till the dropoff time. Rekel says that they may bring normal weaponry into the outpost. Heavy weaponry is not permitted, but the rule of thumb is that if it can be concealed, it can be brought in. Vehicles, however, will have to be left in the garage, similar to the previous outpost. They won't be available to use to help with the dropoff.

Furthermore, the whole outpost is in one big jammer field, but Karri and the others are used to working together inside of one.

>>469586
Alright, just have some plainclothes dudes nearby in case shit goes down, AND have them follow the pickup guy as he leaves if we don't just take him down during the delivery. Take him into custody as soon as it's safe to do so.

When the vehicles are parked in the garage, try and position the tank across from the cargo van, or at least some place that has a clear shot from the tank to the van with the laser turrets. This is just in case the buyer tries to bolt with the goods.

There's some time until the trade, so haul that load of historical documents out of the cargo van and into the tank, and put the Green Force and Piles and his associates to work copying them. They're in with all this valuable stuff for a reason, and it's probably not for its value as a historical record. There might be something buried in there that the CAI or Ben can dig out. Dupe the flash drives into the tank's data stores, and take photos of the written documents, then put it all back in the van.

Keep enough of the Green Force and Pilon's crew behind to drive the vehicles and man the tank, in case they have to bug out quickly, or give chase. The rest wander about like a bunch of mercs that have just completed a mission. Once it nears 2AM, they'll move into a few bars around the meeting site.

...Wait a second. Ask Piles if the cargo van was also part of the transaction from the last guy in this chain of crap. There may be a bug or something in it if the van came all the way from Whiskers.

We were supposed to be returning this stuff so several dozen factions don't have reason to kill us. And betraying the buyers is going to piss off someone. This is not how you neutral. The trade hub is going to end up in a war with dozens of enemies.

My quest suggestion is to piss off as few people as possible. Do not give away all that cargo. It will be the death of us.

Suggestion 2012/11/08(Thu)00:33 No. 469604 ID: c4e5c2
File 135236360544.png - (74.08KB , 700x700 , 379.png )

Several of Karri's bunch buy bulky clothing. It's hardly subtle and they know it, but given the tone of the place, they'll fit right in. The outpost is as cramped as Rekel said.

The tank is parked in the same large garage as the armored van, which Piles said the van did count as the cargo. He admits that it may be bugged, but no one is able to find anything like that on the van.

Nevertheless, it's too late to not tamper with the cargo, so Karri starts having everyone make copies of the data. The physical copies appear to be the exact same as the flash drives, simply as a non electrical backup, so focus is placed on simply copying the flash drives. From what anyone can gather, the present value isn't the history itself, but rather where old tech and experiments may have occurred and since been buried on the asteroid. It's valuable as a history lesson, but the whole data could be considered to be one big treasure map.

Once the data is copied, the cargo is placed back in order. There are about a dozen other patrons to the bar that Karri does not recognize, and a few looking down on their luck in the streets around. Only about 9 friendly units are in the bar, including Karri's group, but everyone else is very close by.

Karri, Piles, Minil, Rekel and Merra arrive in a group, seperate from the other groups to appear unassociated.

The bartender does not appear to be used to having so many customers. Though he's pleased by the business, he appears to be walking low to the ground as though he's ready to dive behind the counter at any moment. The rest of the bar is relatively quiet, come around 1:40 AM.

"I..." Piles says, actually shaking.
"....what?"
"I can't do it. I can't go through with this. Just.. grab the cargo you want, and let's get out of here. Don't make me go out there."

Let's just go home with the damn data. Leave Piles here. Leave his "friends". Leave the van. Forget about payment. This has been nothing but a problem. End it already.

>>469604
What's left in the cargo?

Suggestion 2012/11/08(Thu)01:37 No. 469610 ID: c4e5c2
File 135236743006.png - (79.11KB , 700x700 , 380.png )

The remainder of the cargo includes several boxes of Zozu gold, approximately 1.2 million zeny, and the history files for things of note. There are more boxes of other precious metals as the original description of this job would mention, and they do not appear to have any special markings or other signs that they are illicit.

Karri does take a look around. Piles is one skip short of having a breakdown. Minil is holding herself better, but is hardly looking forward to this. The other patrons do not seem to be a regular bunch, as the bartender treats them as strangers.

If the whole mission is going to be aborted, then this would be a good time to decide to do so, along with whether or not any of the cargo's cold zeny will be skimmed off the top.

>>469610
The other people in the bar are likely with the recipient... that means they probably already know the deal's gone sour.

We can... probably handle what they've got, but on the other hand, that's a lot of zeny. We could just grab the zeny and leave the Zozu gold behind along with the data cards. I'm not sure we really have a lot to gain by tracking down Whisker through this, actually. It was mostly a whim, and if we're walking into something more dangerous than we expect...

Yeah, maybe we should just take the 1.2 million and go. Leave the van here with the Zozu gold, abandoned. Ask Piles and the others where they want us to drop them off; we're not taking them all the way back to base.

Let's just leave. This whole thing is a bust. We got some nice data off it. Would probably have to pay 30k for it if we bought it. We actually did escort the cargo here, more or less.

Well, if he's going to bail, your payment just became the cargo. All of it. Plus the van. That includes payment to protect his dumb ass and escort him out of this place.

Radio everyone that you're leaving, now. Get down to the garage, and load everything from the van into the tank, minus the Zozu gold. Leave the van unlocked with the keys in the ignition. Some other fool can deal with it. It's a shame you didn't think to get a gold furnace and molds to melt it down into an untraceable form, but it's too late now. It's a wonder why nobody else in this chain of crap didn't think to do that earlier.

There may be another problem with the cargo as well: What if the zeny is counterfeit? Is that even possible?

Oooh ooh I have a great idea!

Leave Glazgo tied up in the van. As securely as possible.

>>469610
I say we do what he wants to do, but tell him either way he's paying us what he promised. I'd rather not fuck with the buyer. Anyone with enough balls to buy zozu gold has to be some tough mother fuckers.

>>469619
Agreed. I say we go through with this, we won't really find market for the zozu gold back home.

>>469619
Or overconfident. Or insane. ...Or they don't know about the Zozu gold...

Very firmly grip Pile's arm, so can't run, and ask him in a whisper if the buyers know Zozu gold is part of the deal. 'Cause if he's stupidly greedy enough to get into this, he might just be stupid enough to not mention that little detail.

>>469631
Well, unless you melt it down to get rid of the Zozu mark, but there's no time to get it done here, and no time to buy equipment to do it in the tank while on the road. It'd just end up getting Zozu on our backs anyway.

Maaan, suck cowardice. We could totally make the sale, Karri just has to make the deal instead of Piles if he's wussing out. No big deal.

If we are gonna bug out, though, we should grab whatever isn't hot from the cargo, and just abandon the rest in the hanger and leave.

Then we need to decide what to do with our clients. They're probably going to need to go into hiding. Glazgo might need to be killed- I wouldn't trust him not to rat us out to Zozu or something if we let him live.

>>469642
Hmmmm. How about we send it home and smelter it there? That would work nicely.

Buy Piles a bottle of liquid courage and tell him to man up. This is probably his only chance to make something of himself on this rock and he is going to throw it away because things might go sour?
Well he is our employer so let him make the decision, just hope he makes a decision he wont regret for the rest of his life.

>>469644
Better check with Piles on whether or not he's the only one that can make the trade, or if anyone who knows the code phrase and counter-sign can do it.

>>469656
Yeah, but how to do it without the Zozu mob thinking we're a link in its chain of custody, let alone the last link? 'Cause it sounds being in possession of the Zozu gold, even for a short while, is enough justification for them to kill you. We might be in danger just being hired to escort the cargo, even if Piles, or one of his associates, is the one to sell the "cursed" gold on. Though in that case, we may as well just take the gold back and use it to fund defense systems.

>>469665
Well, if he drinks enough "liquid courage," he'll be so hammered he won't live long enough to sober up to regret his decision. So make it a double, and leave the bottle.

>>469656
Problem is then we need to transport this shit home. We don't want to do that- too risky.

>or if anyone who knows the code phrase and counter-sign can do it
This sounds like the best option. Just have Karri take over the deal. We ant to get rid of this stuff, and get paid.

Ask him what he signed up for if he can't even handle the simplest part of the job? As long as we still get our pay it's his decision whether he wants to back out or not but after everything he put himself through so far is he really going to just drop out now and give up?

Suggestion 2012/11/08(Thu)10:48 No. 469680 ID: c4e5c2
File 135240050739.png - (93.68KB , 700x700 , 381.png )

Karri still considers her options, but so far is just barely leaning on getting out of there.

"Bartender. First off, is that clock fast?"
"Yeah, by 'bout 10 minutes."
Get me a strong drink, leave the bottle, fix the clock." Karri says, grabbing Pile's arm once the bartender is out of earshot. "And you. Can anyone make this deal as long as they know the code phrase?"
"Yes!"
"And did you know about the Zozu gold?"
"No, I swear! I ju... I just had to move the cargo, not take a look at it, I didn't know how hot it was!"
"Why'd you sign up if you can't even manage the simplest part of the job?"
"I didn't know it'd be like this!"

Alright, let's do this. Karri, you can play the badass middleman and get the money- it isn't hard.

Then we get paid, no ones at risk of being killed for this shit anymore, and the poor saps who hired us can find a line of work more suited to their mettle. Fuck, it's almost like we're doing a good deed here. And getting paid.

Damn it i was hoping we could have encouraged Piles into doing the deal himself. So maybe after this first cluster-fuck of a job he could have gotten a lot better and we could have had someone who is indebt to us working for Whisker.

But if he can't man up when it counts he never will. So i guess its up to us to do the deal.

>>469682
That's not to say there isn't any danger. Some of the merch we're to deliver has been skimmed, the radio and the 50k taken out of the Zenny. It's probably better that we explain the run in with Black Solarflare and be up front about the missing stuff rather than having them pay us for the stuff and find out some is missing and track us down later.

Alright, you're staying and taking Piles' place in this damnable mess.

Grab the bottle of booze, and walk Piles over to Minil to inform them how thing are going to be. Tell them the deal starts same as before: 30% off the top for getting them and the cargo here, but you're taking Piles' place, and his share; A third of the remainder. After that, they'll have to pay extra for you to escort them anywhere else, on a price you'll work out later. Oh, and 'cause you're feeling unusually generous right now, you'll give Piles a ride back to the trade hub for free. Maybe Tin'll have a nice, boring job for him as a footstool or something.

Shove the bottle into Piles' hand and tell him to fuck off to the tank, inform Glazgo of the deal, then crawl into a corner and use that booze until he regrets nothing.

>>469693
Oh, there's some risk, yes. But unlike the run in with Black Supernova, I think we can handle it.

>>469697
>taking his share
Pff. That's just being a dick. Let the doormat keep something- he obviously needs it for therapy and anti-anxiety meds.

GTFO. It's a bust. Nobody will blame you for bailing on this mission. Hot cargo and it's gone to shit. Client bailed first. Get out before you get hurt or make more enemies.

>>469700
At this point he looks like he'd chew up that shot glass if it meant he didn't have to head out there. So why not take advantage? He'd gladly hand over his share just so he wouldn't have to face that. And the booze is so he doesn't regret it until well later.

...But. But this asteroid already has way more than enough alcoholic losers, so you'll be nice to him, just this once, and only ask for half his share. As payment for taking his place, and for escort back to the trade hub.

1/2 Suggestion 2012/11/08(Thu)13:38 No. 469720 ID: c4e5c2
File 135241073842.png - (33.34KB , 700x700 , 382.png )

A few minutes in, the alcohol hits Piles. She doesn't know what drink the bartender gave, but it's doing his nerves well.

"You good?"
I.... no....
"Minil. This guy is no good. The deal is the same as before, but I'm going to take some of Piles' cut. He hasn't earned his share by any shot" Karri says all of this into her mic, to everyone. "Piles, fuck off to the tank, tell Glazgo about the update, but don't release him. Still don't know what to do about that guy. Take the bottle, go drown yourself."
"Yeah...." Piles mumbles.
"Let's see... Febo, join me on this one, may as well get someone who looks like Piles' to take his place. We're going out soon."

2/2 Suggestion 2012/11/08(Thu)13:39 No. 469721 ID: c4e5c2
File 135241076482.png - (31.66KB , 700x700 , 383.png )

Karri confirms that everyone is in close position, as Piles half stumbles, half runs to the tank. Karri takes her four others to the alleyway, just out of sight from the bar's side window at 2 AM precisely.

The other group of four comes out from the opposite side, and Febo asks about the nearest candy shop. The shortest of the others doesn't say a word, and simply pushes her jacket's collar to the side to show the spade pin.

Hand the keys over, tell them there were some complications. One of the items was... intercepted. And it was either let it go or lose the either thing. If they want to make a fuss tell them to take it up with Black Supernova.

>>469723
Sounds reasonable. If they want to pay us a little less as a result, make a show of grudgingly accepting.

If they try and back out, or not pay us, then things get ugly. We've got backup, we want to be paid, and we want done with this shit.

>Piles, Glazgo, tank
They're under guard, right? We didn't leave the drunk coward and the traitor alone with our heavy weaponry, did we? There's also a tiny part of me wondering if Pile's incompetence this whole time has just been an act to screw us somehow. I don't trust either of them left alone and unsupervised.

Is the spade pin silver?

Suggestion 2012/11/08(Thu)14:08 No. 469729 ID: c4e5c2
File 135241253402.png - (37.50KB , 700x700 , 384.png )

>Was Piles'/Glazgo left with a guard?
There are two members of the green force with them, guarding the tank itself.

"One of the items was intercepted." Karri says, before giving them the keys.
"Which?" the smaller neumono asks.
"The radio. If you have to make a fuss, take it up with the Black Supernova. It was give that up, or give up the whole cargo."
"What is in the cargo?"

>Is the spade silver?
Unless there is a new model of silver out that is black, that spade is not silver.

A death sentance. At least for me. Maybe it'll be different for you.

are we going to take issue with the fact that the pin is the wrong color?(meaning this might not be who we are actually supposed to meet) or do we not care as long as we get our money and dump this stuff?

>"What is in the cargo?"
...Everything else. If you're doing this blind, that's your problem, not ours. Are you gonna pay or not?

>Unless there is a new model of silver out that is black, that spade is not silver.
...tarnished silver?

Oh fuck, the original buyer's been intercepted. They've got the wrong sign, and they don't know what they're buying. This is some kinda sting. This mission is one big godsdamn clusterfuck.

>>469733
>>469734
You're right.

Calmly explain how they messed up and how you don't care. You just want to get paid, either out of the cargo or from them. They are welcome to it. This entire mission has been a set of problems one after the other.

>>469730
This.

If they insist, tell them you know damn well this is a sting and the cargo is their problem now.

>>469729
"Whatever the cargo was minus the radio and 50k raw zeny for reparations of killing one of Supernova's scouts. I generally don't make it my business to inspect all of the cargo, just whatever I need to inspect to get out of a situation alive. Like we did with the radio, because apparently someone tipped Supernova off about the damn shipment of that stolen radio. There's some gold there I know for sure, and apparently some raw minerals of sorts along with probably more raw zeny. There's also other shit probably too, but I didn't care enough to go over every damn thing because this shit was chucked onto the last handler, than onto us, then onto you I presume, where you'll probably chuck it to the next person."

Suggestion 2012/11/08(Thu)14:55 No. 469748 ID: c4e5c2
File 135241532944.png - (34.49KB , 700x700 , 385.png )

The strong possibility that this is a sting gets Karri to grip the guns in her pockets more, as with everyone else in her group.

"Everything else but some zeny the Black Supernova demanded. I didn't look it over thoroughly, just as much as I had to. Not like I care that your pin isn't silver, I just want to get paid and dump this cargo off to you. Hell, pay out of the cargo's zeny if you want. It's on your hands now."

"Just couldn't dig out the pin after it was lost, huh." the belenosian says.
"Shut the fuck up, sheep. Yeah, cargo's in our hands, alright. Golf ball is in the sand trap, everyone."

Halfway through the sentence, all four of them begin pulling out submachine guns.

Kill them. Damnit. God damnit. Warn the tank crew to expect trouble.

My suggestion is to fall back to the tank.

You know what? This is getting rediculous.

Time to find out how to get in contact with Whiskers.

>>469750
They're five feet away with guns drawn.

Almost everyone of you has Bioarmor on.

Break them, warn the tank crew that shit's going down.

Neumono and people with bio-armor get in front of those that don't, and engage! Get our backup in here, and the rest of the troops be ready to deal with the backup these assholes just called in!

They're probably heading for the van as well.

Hopefully you left the mic on your comm-set open, so backup is already en route. Otherwise its going to be a few seconds until they hear the gunshots.

Grab Febo's collar and haul him back while you sprint forward. Close distance and meatshield for the rest. Unload into the non-neumono enemy first, and sweep into the neumono. Once in close combat range, pull your knife, use that bio-armor to your advantage, and RIP AND TEAR. Your kin should be right behind you doing the same.

Try to leave one of the neumono alive and with enough bits intact that they can speak. You need someone to take back to interrogate.

Kill them all. Non-neumono fall back.

>>469760
What he said. Agress!

I think shit just got real up in this.

Make sure to say "Gold balls are in your MOM's sand trap" before gunning them down.

1/2 Suggestion 2012/11/08(Thu)15:58 No. 469769 ID: c4e5c2
File 135241908329.png - (19.63KB , 700x700 , 386.png )

Karri yanks Febo back, as she rushes forward with the other neumono to handle the enemy group. Febo still didn't end up lucky, as he takes a bullet to the shoulder after barely getting a couple shots off. The enemy group, does not look like they'll be able to outlast Karri's small group of 5 by any means, but she still yells to the radio jammed in her collar.

"Take out this group! Tank crew, shit's going down! We may be having to make a fast exit, so make your way to the tank if we have to run!" she yells softly enough to have her voice drowned out by gunfire so that she can't be heard by enemies.

2/2 Suggestion 2012/11/08(Thu)15:58 No. 469770 ID: c4e5c2
File 135241909443.png - (56.58KB , 700x700 , 387.png )

Off in the bar, Karri's reinforcements leap out of their chairs, barely bothering to conceal their weapons if at all.

In what is probably not a coincidence, so does every single other patron, drawing guns and all. Everyone notices, and briefly freezes in awkward silence under the realization that everyone had reinforcements, and they were all sitting together.

A couple of explosions and more gunfire can be heard off in the distance, not in the direction of the tank, but farther than anyone of Karri's crew is.

The bartender dives behind the counter.

Like I said. This operation is a complete clusterfuck.

Let's try to negotiate our way out before this turns to a bloodbath.

...whatever your stupid ambush plan was, it's fucked, now. You really want to fight this out? Because you're not looking at an easy steal anymore.

Announce to all parties that they can have the fucking van. You are leaving.

All troops withdraw and return to base. Fire if fired upon.

I would like to remind everyone that none of Pilon's crew or Green Force are dead. If we leave now it will stay that way. If we fight for that van we will lose people.

>>469774
The only thing stupid here is suggesting to try and talk things out in the middle of a gun fight.
We didn't aggress these people, they attacked us so I don't know why you think they'd just let us leave because we called a time out.

Those in the bar, draw and aim, but don't fire. Announce you're doing this. Back out slowly, while saying that they all can have that damn cursed cargo; You're getting out of here while the getting is good.

Karri, only way to stop this from spiraling even further out of control is to do something drastic.

Once the tank crew has arrived, flip your communicator to all-channel broadcast, and yell out the order for them to target the cargo van with all guns. Once that gets everyone's attention, shout out that you are leaving the cargo behind, minus fifty grand, and getting out of here, and if anyone fires on or attacks your people in any way, your tank will blow their precious cargo to pieces.

>>469781
I can agree to this. If we blow it up we will still have a copy of some of the data.

If you can take down the leader and it isn't too risky to say it, tell them they could've just paid, and this situation would have been entirely different. Loud enough the radio collar hears it.
Then put a few rounds into their skull.

Suggestion 2012/11/08(Thu)16:59 No. 469791 ID: c4e5c2
File 135242279650.png - (24.78KB , 700x700 , 388.png )

"Fire if fired on, but this is escalating too damn far!" Karri says, but tables are already getting flipped for cover, and the other patrons soon begin firing, leaving Karri's group little alternative but to fire back. The rest of everyone that was positioned in nearby alleyways get into a similar situation.

With cover fire, Karri is able to grapple the girl and toss away her gun.

"Tell your guys to stand down! You can have your van, we're leaving! You want to fight it out, you're as good as dead!"
"You stupid bitch, I'm not the one in command! You're fucked seven ways to sunday! We're taking over the whole outpost!"

"Merra!" Karri yells to her brother. "Order the tank crew to arm and aim the turret on the cargo van! They're going to blow it all up if this girl doesn't make an order to stand down and save herself from a slit throat!
"They're not going to stop until you're all dead, fucking whore! We can recover the molten gold if that's what it takes!"

>"Tank crew reporting! The turret will be ready in seconds, but Piles used the distraction to take a motorcycle and run away!"

Slit throat (make sure she doesn't live).
Blow up van.
Fighting retreat.

Do your best to get everyone out alive.

Alright. Kill the girl, slag the cargo, make a fighting retreat, focus on keeping alive. We're getting the fuck out of here. Kill who we have to, or who gets in our way. Fuck these assholes.

>Piles used the distraction to take a motorcycle and run away!
If he didn't get anything else, he's not worth chasing to recover a single bike. If we see him again, we'll shoot him. But on his own, he's probably going to get killed by his employer, or drive right into Zozu or Black Supernova or something. He's as good as dead.

We'll keep whatever money our surviving client has to give us (just the sheep at this point, I think?), drop em off somewhere, and make our way home. Hopefully the data we copied is worth something, otherwise this mission is a net loss in terms of resources spent and lost (even assuming we don't lose any lives). At least the contact with the BS leader is something.

"In the end we're really just the messengers, Zozu. And you never kill the messengers. I would have figured a crime family like yours would know and respect that."

And decapitate her. I know you can, a few extra quick chops from your strong arms will certainly do the deed than a simple throat slice.

>>469800

Decapitate AND shove a grenade down the hole.

Neumono can often survive being decapitated if they get medical attention remember?

>>469799
No point slagging all those Zeny, at the very least. Seriously, it's a pointless waste. If we're going to abandon the cargo entirely and GTFO with nothing to show for the mission, then we should just do that--but that may be premature, as those distant explosions suggest another group (perhaps the intended recipients) might be coming to join the party.

Don't slag the cargo van; It won't change a damn thing now, and will just waste ammo to spite them. They're still going to come after you for even having the gold in the first place.

Slit her throat ear-to-ear; Decapitate if not much harder. Clean up here, then order everyone to make a fighting retreat to the garage. Once everyone is in, tell the tank to fire the laser cannons on the entrances to collapse them, and on the vehicles near to them to set them on fire.

If it looks like you can still get the cargo van out of here, do so. Bring four of your kin in it to dump all the Zozu gold out the back as fast as they can as you drive off.

>>469802
Not, 'often', no. They need to be pretty tough to begin with, get medical attention quickly enough after not to bleed out, and then be kept alive for months afterwards while they regrow.

Even if she somehow survives this, I doubt the pirates are going to give her the loving care necessary to survive.

That's a waste of a grenade, and of time.

1/2 Suggestion 2012/11/08(Thu)17:44 No. 469810 ID: c4e5c2
File 135242544777.png - (28.08KB , 700x700 , 389.png )

Karri decides to use her talking time for something that isn't a snappy one liner.

"Tank crew, hold off on slagging the van, but keep the tank warmed up! Boe, Green Force, give me status reports! Regroup at the bar, then we make a fighting retreat!" Karri shouts, making a few hard slices to decapitate the girl before leaping into the bar to assist. Karri can still hear some far off gunshots in another section of the outpost.

2/2 Suggestion 2012/11/08(Thu)17:44 No. 469811 ID: c4e5c2
File 135242547107.png - (26.53KB , 700x700 , 390.png )

"Boe here! All of us are alive, several of us got shot but we're mostly okay, Rief and Falu got hit hard, but they can still walk!"
>"Green force reporting! Serri, May, Meiler and Ramo are wounded! Balthrop, Wendel, Mumu and maybe Cillo are dead! We're almost in the bar!"
"Keep coming, we're nearly done cleaning up here!" Karri says.

About then, the speaker systems to the whole outpost blares up once the far off gunfire dies down.

"Attention dear outpost! This outpost is now under the caring hands of the Zozu Family. Now before you get up in arms about it, we're extending a premium offers to anyone and everyone with a gun and half a slice of ambition. About a dozen or so, maybe more, people are on our hit list, and normally that is our dealing, but today, a 100 thousand zeny offer will go to anyone, for each head of our enemy that they turn in! Just tune in to any television announcement channel to see what they look like. I should also say that cooperation from any able bodied individual is mandatory. Happy hunting!"

>"This is the tank crew! The garage doors were just locked!"

"Hey! Hey, one of you non-Zozu goons, come over here!" Karri hears the bartender say.

Shit, we lost Wendel? There goes chain of command. Karri, you're in charge now.

See what the bartender has to say.

We need eyes on the outside. We need to know how many more Zozu forces are outside. How fucked are we here?

"We're not for hire. You can, however, catch a ride out of this now-hellhole if you'd like."

Tell both teams to grab dead and wounded and make an escape.

Tell the tank crew to blast a tank-sized hole through the garage door, or an exterior wall, whichever is thinner. Also to open up with the laser cannons with a long, low pulse, and start melting the doors to the outpost interior, and shove some of the other vehicles in front of them with the tank, then shoot them to set them on fire.

Get on over to the bartender, keep your gun trained on him, and tell him you are not a goon. Then lower your gun and tell him that if he's got a way out of this clusterfuck for you and your people, you're all ears.

>>469811
Well blow out the doors then! We need to find some way of talking back to this Zozu guy, and tell them what we were trying to do so he stops trying to kill us and starts trying to kill the real thieves.

Also, to everyone that wanted to take the deal: I TOLD YOU SO. If you wanted to help Piles we could've done so without taking the deal! The only thing we could've gained from this is getting a lead on Whiskers, and we were giving up a MILLION ZENY for that! Neither money nor compassion were the right reasons to do this. You guys fucked up big time. We ALWAYS risked getting shot and/or pissing off Zozu by doing this deal. I didn't think Zozu would've uncovered the whole operation and set a trap, but things aren't much worse than I expected honestly. We're just getting attacked by Zozu sooner rather than later.

Then we make them regret it. We slap them here, we slap them a few more times latter, and we live, then there goes the zozu reputation and they're open game like the rest of us.

"WHATCHA NEED BARTENDER"

>>469816
>>469817
No, we don't want to have the tank start shooting our way out of the locked garage until we know what the Zozu forces outside look like! We may be forced to hunker down inside rather than punching our way out.

Maybe the bartender has access to the base's camera feeds? That would be convenient.

>>469819
I'm not to sure Zozu has heavy forces outside. If they did, why would they need to put a bounty on our heads? They could have blown us up as we pulled out of the garage otherwise.

We'll stay in here until the exterior is confirmed clear, but remember that half the outpost is going to get greed-stupid and come after us soon. Best place to be then is in the garage with the tank's laser cannons on our side.

Speaking of the tank; If the garage isn't a war zone right now, the tank crew should pull it up to the cargo van and load that crate of zeny in, along with the historical records, just 'cause it's there and light.

Let's see what he wants.
>Wendel is dead
... Aw man he was cool...

>I'm not to sure Zozu has heavy forces outside. If they did, why would they need to put a bounty on our heads?
Why risk your own guys, when you can get someone else to do it for free out of fear, desperation, and greed? There's no way Zozu actually plans on paying that bounty- it's way too big.

If it works, it gets rid of us, and the most dangerous people in this base, nice and easy.

Suggestion 2012/11/08(Thu)18:41 No. 469836 ID: c4e5c2
File 135242888235.png - (17.09KB , 700x700 , 391.png )

>How fucked is everyone?
Although she doesn't know how much activity in the outpost will rise to kill Karri and the others, the tank crew does report again.

>"Tank crew! They've just breached the h-" is as far as they get before Karri hears gunfire take them down. They, at least, are 100% fucked.

Karri leaps over the counter as she yells out to keep eyes out the windows and cover allies coming in.

"What do you want, bartender?!We're not for hire, in case it's something like that."
"No, it's not like that, but this outpost has been bustling the last day or two, and this explains why so many people came all of a sudden! Zozu must be swarming all over the place! A lot of these buildings are basically big panic rooms since this was once one big spaceship, and this bar is one of old rooms made to be self sustainable for awhile in the case of a hull breach. I've been trying to hit the damn button to seal us in, cause I'm not working with those Zozu scum upstairs, but I dont' want to shut it and be trapped with a bunch of armed people who don't want to be in here! Either all of you get in and we'll hold out, or get out and let me hit the button alone!"

Right, get everyone in here, then.

Since the tank's wasted, the van's lost. We just lost our paycheck. Our entire paycheck. God, what a fucking clusterfuck.

>all of you get in and we'll hold out
Sounds like a plan. We're outnumbered, outmaneuvered, and we need a defensible position. This seems like it. Get everyone inside, seal it up. A bars as good a place as any for a siege- at least it comes stocked with food and water.

I wish we hadn't hesitated to slag their fucking cargo. The tank crew doesn't have time now, assuming they're still alive.

"All survivors, get in the bar, now and report in!"

I'm chalking up all of Green Force as a loss, right now.

Ask him to to clarify how long is "for awhile," and for how many people? And for that matter, what makes him think the Zozu will go away before however long that is? They can and will siege this place until we all die a slow death of dehydration or starvation.

And another thing: How thick is the armor on this place? What can punch through it? 'Cause if the Zozu dig up a hull buster shaped charge or ship armor penetrator, we're going to get shredded if they use that. And they don't give a fuck about collateral damage.

>>469838
And what makes you think they would have just let us roll out of the garage that late in the game?

We AT LEAST need to get the tank back before we leave you know that right?

>>469856
The tank is GONE. It got blasted when the door opened back up! Did you not read the part about them being 100% screwed? We put it by the van expecting a small force to be here to claim it, not a force sent by Zozu to occupy the entire goddamn outpost.

1/2 Suggestion 2012/11/08(Thu)20:07 No. 469864 ID: c4e5c2
File 135243401918.png - (16.28KB , 700x700 , 392.png )

"We're going to get in here, then you hit the button! How long can this thing last?!"
"It could could 40 people for about 30 days or so I figure, but that's if they let us sit idly by. The walls are thick, but not indestructable, so we may have to fight still.
"And how thick are the hulls?"
"It's not like I have the specifications, but this was build out of a warship, so I'd say pretty damn thick. Plus, it's got cameras on the outside, so we can see what they're doing and prepare."
"And what makes you think they'll just leave and not starve us out?"
"Nothing. Didn't know I was serving Zozu scum until just now. I just don't want them around is all, and I'm willing to lock myself in for even just a few minutes if it means delaying them."

The last few stragglers are able to get inside.

"I don't see much alternative, bartender. Close it up."

Asteroid Quest - Thread 2 END Suggestion 2012/11/08(Thu)20:07 No. 469866 ID: c4e5c2
File 135243405496.png - (115.31KB , 900x700 , 393.png )

Wendel being dead doesn't change much for Karri being in charge, as he effectively gave her control once it turned out it was a surface mission. He likely would have spoken up if he felt strongly against Karri's decision, but that never did come around.

Once everyone is inside and the panic room is activated, the windows begin getting covered by solid metal coverings, while the building's own generator takes over.

Ultimately, 6 people were killed, while 5 more, 2 of which are Karri's siblings, need medical attention before they can consider fighting, leaving 19 currently able to defend right away.

There aren't 40 people in here, so rations will still last over 30 days. Karri knows that it won't take that long for Pilon and the trade hub to realize what's going on, nor would it take that long for the Zozu to break in and finish it. It's all she, and everyone, can do to give the Zozu as much hell as they can until that point.

Damn. That was quick. We're not really equipped to bust a siege. Uh... again.

Looks like we've got a good reason to call in that last Rokoa favor, though. We'll finally get to see her and Pilon in action at the same time!

...Dammit. With the way it turned out, I feel absolutely rotten for switching from the "take what you can and run" camp to the "let's make a deal" camp. Even though when I think about it, and figure that it was too late by then to get out anyway, it still feels bad. *sigh*

>>469874
We should have grilled them, checked the cargo, and left the job on the table as soon as we saw how jumpy piles was at first. I think by the time we left Nekto, it was too late to avoid running into Zozu. :/

>>469874
We could've been in a better situation to defend ourselves at least if we'd dropped the van and tried to leave. Would've lost less men, I expect.

Alternatively we could've spotted the off-color pin and gone "If you guys are Zozu then we've actually been trying to contact you.", or as soon as they gave the signal we could've tried to take them and find out who was behind it all, or ANYTHING other than playing it straight. Basically, by trying to make the deal, we implicated ourselves as part of the thief ring. It just doesn't make any SENSE to play the deal straight anyway! We're not part of the thief ring so we wouldn't get anything out of it that we wouldn't get more of by just taking the zeny from the van!

I just don't understand why people suggested to go along with it. There's no reason to.