Wire 2013/08/18(Sun)22:56 No. 535649 ID: 4652c9
File 137689178146.png - (36.53KB , 800x600 , 5.png )

73-6 thinks we all know the drill by now.

Wait. Use your new toy.

yes, but do we go for the noodle or the torso...

torso, aim right at the neck.

>>535649
Change of pace: Break his neck!

Lose your grip and fall on your head accidentally.

>>535650
Don't forget to take a picture!

Binary reads:

Who can you trust?

My votes for breaking his neck but if you have a SD for the new gun use that:3

>>535650
Yessss

>Who can you trust?

...well, that's not ominous at all.

>>535649
That's the filament whip, right? Take his head clean off.

Do we have Jules' number? Oh well, take a picture anyways, this will be hair razing!

Didn't we get a shell-upgrade to install last time, how'd that go?

And yeah, set filament-whip to maximum gruesome.. and can our shell stream live video?

what did happen to the shell upgrade?

Ooh ooh filament whip his head off. Just for shits and giggles.

Aim camera. Set whip to "frappé".

Wire 2013/08/19(Mon)13:24 No. 535767 ID: 4652c9
File 137694386712.png - (5.95KB , 800x600 , 6.png )

The whip punches through the nape of the man's neck, and then flowers out into a razor filament inside him, liquefying him below the skin.

Dark, angry bruises form all across his body, and blood shoots from his mouth, nose, and eyes. He drops to his knees and then folds down.
Ugly way to die, but relatively painless, thinks 73-6. The spine went first.

Recording this felt weird.

He drops down onto the catwalk, from the skylight he came in from.
The factory floor is bare and abandoned, like Monica had hoped. Two doors on the upper catwalk, and two on the floor below. Whichever floor he doesn't hit, Penelope and Operative 88 will get.

>Recording this felt weird.
I guess you don't have a future in snuff filmography, then.

>shell-upgrade
...you did use that sometime last night, right? Because it would be just silly to carry it around instead of having used it.

>what do
Let's keep to catwalk creeping, for now.

the floor you're on now works just as well as the floor below so take the closest door to you and start moving.

>>535767
Operative 88? Is that the name Sara is going by for this mission? Call the kill in, take one of the upper doors. Also get a general layout of the building.

Wire 2013/08/19(Mon)14:03 No. 535780 ID: 4652c9
File 137694621928.png - (9.22KB , 800x600 , 7.png )

>>535772
No, he's another reconstituted asset. Big as a gorilla, shock of red hair. Some people say he's been brought back too many times. Old 88s were pretty easygoing, but he's changing. He might go auto soon.

How he's kept his hair on is anyone's guess.

>>535770
Right. That thing. 73-6 chugged it before going in. He still has that acidic penny taste in his throat from it.

Choose your upgrade path:
Wetwork: 73-6's weapons now link directly to his eyes, plotting realtime firing solutions and a projected reticle. His accuracy is improved, especially when firing from the hip.
Stealth: 73-6 can visualize sound, with settings that can be pushed far enough to pick up the sound of someone breathing through a door. Depending on the sound pollution in the area, he can get a more exact head count of enemies behind doorways, and where they might be.
Hacking: 73-6 gains an internalized console, allowing him to hack objects without requiring access to an interface or terminal. He still needs to be have direct contact with an object to hack it.

How far can we take hacking? Let's find out!

HACKING

That stealth upgrade sounds pretty hot. Especially when it becomes time to shoot people from cover in a NOT stealth scenario.

>Hacking: 73-6 gains an internalized console, allowing him to hack objects without requiring access to an interface or terminal. He still needs to be have direct contact with an object to hack it.

Gonna be useful while in VR.

Well we are going into cyberspace so Hacking seems like the best choice right now.

>>535790
Not really. We're not going to have 'direct physical contact' with anything other than the kit in the Fantomas hideout, which isn't going to be a big deal to plug into. Plus, playing amateur hacker against an insane super-AI doesn't seem like a recipe for retaining an unburnt brain.

Wetwork sounds like it would be more immediately useful in Blastlands (if shell-upgrades even have an effect in VR), if it's a twitch-shooter. If it's a cover shooter, then Stealth.

>>535806
swapping my vote to this, polite sage.

wet work, not needing an interface is not that useful, and high accuracy is very useful for taking full advantage of the element of surprise.

>He might go auto soon.
...what's that mean?

>upgrade
Either that sweet stealth sound thing, or more hacking.

Wetwork.
The insane Evil AIs have aimbots, we might as well start working on getting them as well.

guys, getting the internal console while we are hooked up means we can hack WHILE INSIDE!!! Hello cheatcodes.

yo. yo, wetwork, yo.

Wire 2013/08/19(Mon)15:37 No. 535826 ID: 4652c9
File 137695186676.png - (5.76KB , 800x600 , 8.png )

Auto: Automaton.
When they bring you back, they shock your brain into reanimation. The part that does your personality gets all scrambled and changed. You come back different. It's why the -6 in 73-6 is necessary.

Eventually you start fragmenting, losing emotions here and there. 88 is 88-11 by now, and somewhere around 10, he just stopped finding things funny. He doesn't laugh, anymore.

At some point that part of the brain just gives up entirely, and you go auto. Basically just a robot made of meat. The Bureau doesn't like them as agents; there's a human ingenuity that's lost. It just uses them for manual labor and frontal assault until there's not enough left to bother salvaging.

It's not a nice thought, so 73-6 doesn't think about it much.

Instead he focuses on the new aim interface across his vision. It makes the world look a little more like blastlands. Whenever he has a gun in his hand an ammo readout and reticle fizzes up. It even has wind resistance and coriolis calculations for long distance shooting.
73-6 would be getting all existential about his increasing departure from basic humanity, but he thinks this is cool as fuck.

Wire 2013/08/19(Mon)15:37 No. 535827 ID: 4652c9
File 137695187502.png - (7.29KB , 800x600 , 9.png )

"one kill, monica."
"Received, Sev-Three. Bueno."
"ever since penelope showed up everyone's been talking spanish."
"Because it's caliente, is why. I even ordered mexican today."
"one day i'm going to catch you not thinking about food."
"Never. Okay, you're on the factory catwalk, yes?"
"roger."
"Two doors on the catwalks. One to storage, one to some sort of rec room. Then down on the first you've got shipping out in a hallway and the foreman's office. Which floor you clearing? Penelope and 88 are holding for the go-ahead."
"sara?"
"Outside, waiting for you guys to clear the building."

>>535818
Haven't voted yet (easily swayable) but I need you.to convince me that hacking a megaintelligence's daydream isn't going to a) draw the annoyed attention of said digital overlord (no one likes it when someone else is cheating) or b) cause the A.I. to respond in kind (Rules? There are no rules here!). Thanks.

bound to be someone in the rec room so I say there, after all we want to clear this place out as quickly as we can to stop anyone from learning we're hear for as long as possible.

>>535830
The fact that hackers use the place instead of avoiding it says to me that the AI turns a blind eye.

Rec room seems a good place to start. There are probably several people off their game in there. Be nice to deal with them while they're still off guard, instead of having them behind you when you go down the hall for the foreman.

Go listen at the door, keep an eye out for anything hackable.

>>535827
Given what you've said about 88, I suggest we 'fill in' whatever floors are most likely to have civillians. Be they hostages, visitors, or just 'wrong place wrong time' types, you're better equipped, mentally, to deal with them.

Since the original orders were 'kill everyone in the building' 88 is going to mow down anyone in his path, no questions asked.

Wire 2013/08/19(Mon)22:26 No. 535950 ID: 4652c9
File 137697638840.png - (6.75KB , 800x600 , 10.png )

73-6 creeps to the far right door. He doesn't like how loud his feet are on the rickety catwalk.

He listens in on the rec room.

The unmistakable sound of foosball comes in from the other side. The old version with the little pieces on metal rods and the ping-pong soccer balls.

Right. That means at least two people in the room.

I think this is a good opportunity to try out the new gun. If we're fast enough to get them before they can scream or return fire, it'll be nice and quiet. Heck, we might not even damage the foosball table.

see any other way in? If not crack the door and see if you can't see who's inside and what kind of armor they got, cause if they have none, Now would be a good time to use your new pistol. And don't forget the pictures they guy wanted.

Wire 2013/08/19(Mon)23:13 No. 535971 ID: 4652c9
File 137697922286.png - (11.84KB , 800x600 , 11.png )

73-6 peeks through the doorway.

One Fantoma on the futon, watching what sounds like some MTVH1 show.
The men at the foosball table aren't visible from the door, but 73-6 hears the clink of the ball going through a goal.
"Son of a bitch."
"Mess with the best and choke like the rest, son."

Equip the in one hand, snubnose and the flechette in the other.

Enter, and sweep the flechette over the foosball brothers as you plug the couch potato with the snubnose.

time to test out your new wetworks skill, they don't look armored so I say take the flechette and see how effective it is at painting the walls. and again, take pictures for your friend.

>>535971
Wait until they start playing again, then walk right in and spray the whole room to kill them all in one glorious display of violence. None of them will be looking at you before you start firing!

>>535978
This.

Presumably we should be telling 88 to begin, too, so we can clear out both floors simultaneously.

>>535971
Blow the two at the table away in a blast of fletchettes, then nano-wire the other one in the throat.

>>535971
can't really see couch potato's hands. drill him first once the other two are distracted with their next game. Assuming they're playing another game.

Also, we seem to have left Fantomas body #1's gun uninspected and just laying about. If its not worth using, it may still be worth disabling.

Just quietly push the door open and walk (briskly) over to the guy on the couch, whip in one hand and flechette in the other. Cover the table with the flechette and ready the whip for couch-guy. You'll have a few seconds of 'WTF?' before they can react assuming they even notice you or your presence being out of the ordinary.. time enough to whip couch-dude's head clean off and mulch the foos-ballers with the flechette, nice and quiet if not altogether clean.

Wire 2013/08/20(Tue)18:15 No. 536161 ID: 4652c9
File 137704775781.png - (12.74KB , 800x600 , 12.png )

73-6 opens the door and walks a few steps into the rec room.

The man on the couch turns to the opening door.
"What the fuck is" he says, standing up.
73-6 pulls the trigger on the flechette, and a football-sized chunk of his chest erases in a buzzing cloud of tiny explosions.

The guy on the far side of the foosball table gasps convulsively and backs away, reaching for something in his coat.
The other flattens himself against the wall, out of sight.

flick the whip to the one against the wall and shoot the guy.

shoot the other guy as well the slide forward like a baseball player to home plate and quicly finish of the third one

>>536162
Excellent plan. Shoot the one you can see, and whip the one you can't around the corner.

This would be a good time to tell Monica you're handling the top floor.

>>536162

This looks like the best plan.

>>536179
THIS looks like the best plan.

"I'll take the top floor. That'll be another three kills."

Wire 2013/08/21(Wed)01:21 No. 536259 ID: 4652c9
File 137707328456.png - (35.41KB , 800x600 , 13.png )

"give 88 the go-ahead to move on the first floor. one dead."

With a sharp flick 73-6 snaps the whip around the corner, slapping the first Fantoma across the midsection. The solid razor bites a neat horizontal through his coat and shirt and opens his intestines up.

As his second victim slumps to his knees, 73-6 twists with the momentum, bringing himself around the corner and his fletcher to the second Fantoma's face, which he destroys.

"make it three."
"Stay badass, Sev-Three."

>>536259
Hit that guy in the cap again, he's gonna die slow and that's not good for stealth. Take a couple photos of that guy on the couch, as per the request.

Listen at the exit door, then check to see what's on that bookcase by the door we came in from. Also ruffle through their pockets to see what they've got.

>>536260
Do a vertical slice, crotch to cap.

>>536290
Then maybe a one-liner about the upside-down cross you'll have carved into him.

Make sure the guy you whipped is dead. There's no reason to give him a slow death, and you can't afford to be sloppy and give him the chance to either cry out, or attack you with anything.

Do a quick look around the room for anything useful, although you seem pretty set for weapons. We could hack the tv, but I don't see much point.

finish off the last guy and see if there's anything useful in this room. Then move on.

>>536259

Make sure to finish of the dying guy and check the room.

Wire 2013/08/21(Wed)13:40 No. 536408 ID: 4652c9
File 137711764773.png - (15.79KB , 800x600 , 14.png )

"This is 88-11." A threatening monotone comes on over the wire. "Second team moving in."
"Penelope here. Riding shotgun."
"Ah-ah," says Monica. "Who's riding shotgun?"
"108-1," says Penelope.
"That's right," says Monica. Penelope has been reclassified as a reconstituted asset, with all after-mission reports modified to say that 73-6 shot her to death at the Hab-Block. Monica's been dealing with TriBranch, and she says a death is a lot easier to bury than a defection.
Penelope said she'll walk around groaning with her arms stuck in front of her making groaning sounds to complete the illusion.

73-6's fletcher vibrates and Baseball Hat's head opens like an egg.

He looks around the room and checks the bodies.
Two of these guys had pistols on them. The third had a sawed-off tucked into his cloak.
The foosball table is ruined. You monster.
There's a PDA on the side table, near the door, but a cursory inspection shows it's out of batteries.
The door 73-6 walked through leads back to the cat walks. The door on the far side is locked; on the blueprint, the room it leads to is called "Studio".

Take the shotty and maybe some ammo, hide it with your super-cool magneto-powers in a nice 'emergency oh-shit!' grabbable position, check the pistols for if they're an upgrade to or have ammo compatable with your snub-nose (does the snub-nose have a silencer on it?), pocket the PDA for later analysis.

Then, see about that door, if it can't be opened stealthily go and check the room on the opposite end of the catwalk.

Pocket the PDA. Maybe we can pull some info off it later, if we can get it powered up. And if we have the room for it, tuck the sawed-off into your magnetic capacity. That way we have something powerful if we run into something your lighter weapons have trouble with.

Let's check the studio. Standard procedure- listen first, then crack the door.

>foosball table ruined
Dangit, I was going to suggest reaching down and scoring a goal.

>>536408
Pocket the PDA. I'm sure there are batteries somewhere.

Locked door? Ignore it, if nobody has a key and there's no other rooms connecting to it. Let's cross the catwalk again and get to the door on the other side.

Wire 2013/08/21(Wed)18:56 No. 536470 ID: 4652c9
File 137713656113.png - (6.78KB , 800x600 , 15.png )

73-6 pockets the PDA and leaves back out to the catwalks.

He's closing the door behind him when the office door downstairs opens and a hulking Fantoma dashes out, with a minigun slung across his waist. It clatters against his ceramic body armor.

He hasn't noticed 73-6.

....(sigh) You know, if we hadn't bought that gun, it would just be normal body armor. Ah well, rolling with the punches. Maybe they just have an extremely extensive armory, and the guy saw him on the security cameras, and was like "oh, i shall grab here the one thing which defends against that."
...
Anyways, try and get up close without him seeing you, sneaking around those pillars. If you can whip him in the back of the head, that'll do him in for sure.

>>536470
ceramics are good for stopping a bullet or two. Aim for the head.

jules said go for joints, we should aim for his neck, its the most exposed gap in his armor from this angle.

If we have the snub nose pistol, we might be able to get a shot in the neck with the new wet work targeting data.

>>536470
Hey! TELL MONICA. We have others working with us, so giving them a heads up is important!

Also stay out of sight and try to get a good angle on him.

>>536470
Hmmm. Is he wearing Leg armor or Arm armor? If he is, hide on the upper platform and wait for him to investigate the remains of his colleague, then jump down from the top of those big machines and wire him in the neck.

Huh. What's the effective range on the fletcher? The spray of fragments spreads out, so it's not going to be good at long range. And we need to focus fire to rip through a joint, like Jules recommended. I'm afraid the spray won't be anywhere near concentrated enough at this range to be effective. And the snubnose isn't made for piercing armor! We got no good weapon to use, here.

(Unless we can dangle down from above and sneak the whip in between the seams in the armor?)

Whereas if we make our presence known, he can turn and mow us down right through the catwalk with that cannon.

Best bet might be just to watch his movements while in radio contact with the others so Penelope can perfectly time cutting him in half.

Wire 2013/08/21(Wed)20:59 No. 536495 ID: 4652c9
File 137714398827.png - (9.96KB , 800x600 , 16.png )

"monica? ground team? be advised. factory floor, there's a big motherfucker down there."
"What do you mean?" says Monica.
"ceramic armor and a minigun. he's kitted out." 73-6 pulls out the snubnose, still silenced. Its stopping power isn't thrilling, but he can't be sure the fletcher is going to get through that body armor and the limbs aren't visible enough for point shooting. "i don't know if i can take him."
"Factory floor?" asks Monica.
"yep."
"Wait one. Ground team, you hearing this?"
"Loud and clear," says Penelope. "You give us a minute, Sev-Three, and we do him. Gotta breach first, though, hombre."
"Four hostiles." 88-11's grunt cuts across Penelope's patois.
"...Yeah. Our target, but if you sit tight and stay on him we can get him easier."

The Fantoma turns back to the ajar office door and closes it.
Then he glances to his right, and sees the blood dripping down from the catwalks.

>>536495
run.

RUN!

>>536495
Watch him. If he moves over to the ladder, move along with him. The whip can pierce armor, so we can ambush him as he climbs.

If he doesn't go for the ladder, and instead moves to alert his allies, you're gonna have to keep him suppressed with the flechette.

...if we run, he's just gonna mow us down with that minigun right though the catwalk. Right now, he just knows there's a body up here. He doesn't know for sure we're up here, or where.

We're not going to have an opportunity to get close and do anything clever with the whip either, unfortunately. We might have been able to, if the blood hadn't given us away.

I'm for reloading the fetcher and hosing him down. Keep him busy and trying to take cover. It's unlikely we'll get through enough armor to kill him, but we can keep him distracted from getting a shot at us, until Penny cuts him in half.

Penelope and 88 are on their way, just stay hidden and guide them in to ambush.

Wire 2013/08/21(Wed)21:58 No. 536526 ID: 4652c9
File 137714752835.png - (50.25KB , 800x600 , 17.png )

"holding position. penelope?"
"Si?"
"hurry."

73-6 reloads his flechette pistol and fights down the instinct to bolt. The fantoma braces his minigun and guardedly moves toward the dripping bloodstain.

He looks up, and a drop of blood splats onto his helmet.

This seems to trigger a decision in him. He starts toward the ladder, saying:
"Erzule, are you there? There's something-"

73-6 pops up from cover before he hits the ladder and holds down on the trigger.

The flechettes won't do much against someone encased like that unless they're targeting a weak spot, and 73-6 sees none from here.
But a cloud of lacerating metal splinters is a cloud of lacerating metal splinters, and more than a few bury themselves shallow into the Fantoma's skin before he yelps and dives behind one of the heavy dark fabricators left derelict on the factory floor.

73-6 has used 31 of his 100 flechettes.

try moving to new positions when you can and if he pops his head out hit him with your stubnose to try and force him back into cover.

Keep suppressing him, while backing towards the door. You're going to need to be behind cover in a hurry when you run out of ammo, or that guy goes to reload.

Reposition. He's going to find an angle and spray your current location with lead momentarily.

If you could survive the fall, you should drop down on him Assassin's Creed style and shank him with your ice pick.

Alternatively, use the whip to cut off a chunk of catwalk right above his head.

There's still the corpse with it's beefy-looking gun right there..

Wire 2013/08/23(Fri)00:18 No. 536792 ID: 4652c9
File 137724229675.png - (66.89KB , 800x600 , 18.png )

73-6 backs away toward the door, still spraying a curtain of humming death down at the Fantoma.

He has 20 flechettes left.

How fast can you go slide that ladder with one hand? I want you to get closer to the guy with the minigun so you can attack him with the only armor-piercing weapon we have oh god why do we only have an AP melee weapon

>>536793
Because AP ranged is expensive.

Hi-ho silver, down and away!

stop firing and go through the door, he probably thinks you are alone.

>>536795
Yeah, with luck he'll persue and open his back to our tardy ninja accomplice.

Stop shooting for a second and then resume firing, all while backing off. Maybe he thinks you have to reload and walks into the attack, but even if he doesn't you've stretched how long your cover fire lasts.

Get the fuck through the door and dive for cover, because he's going to start filling the door and wall with holes.

There's the chance someone will be in the room, in which case you'll have to move fast to whip them, or spike them, or plug them with your snubnose (since the fletcher needs a reload).

...don't go down the ladder, he'll kill you before we close.

How many more bars do you have?

>>536792
slip around and drop the corpse on him. Even if it doesn't hit or hinder him there's a good chance he'll be distracted by it. He did know the guy by name after all.

Oh and, you know, feel free to radio in to them that you need help.

>>536793
Actually I changed my mind, go through the door. We do not want him to start firing that minigun, that'll alert the whole complex.

Wire 2013/08/23(Fri)15:53 No. 536896 ID: 4652c9
File 137729842776.png - (48.47KB , 800x600 , 19.png )

73-6 fires until he's empty, then leaps behind the door back into the rec room as the Fantoma steps from around the corner and spins up his chopper.

73-6 reloads to the gut-thumping cacophony the minigun makes in the echoing factory floor. This is one of six bars he's brought along.

If they weren't clued in before, they know they have company now.

"under fire at the factory floor. where's ground team?"
"Pen- 108 and 88 are engaging in the front hallways right now," says Monica. "They're a room away from the factory floor."
"eta?"
"Thirty seconds. I'll double-time them."
"well tell them their cover is blown," says 73-6, "and there's an armored asshole swinging a minigun around waiting for them on the other side of the door."
"Aw, crud," says Monica.

The minigun chews through at least three dozen rounds before the Fantoma stops firing.
73-6 finishes reloading and slaps the fletcher. Its handle hums in his hand. Back up to 100 darts.

Scan the room, hopefully the thug will chase us up here giving penny and 88 a chance to surprise him.

Right. We want to engage him again now- distract him so Penny is free to enter unhindered and sword him in half.

Listen for the whir of the rotary barrels. Is he letting his gun cool down or is he keeping it wound up and ready to fire?

If he's cooling down his weapon, pop out of cover and fire. If he's keeping it wound and you can hear it whirring, keep to cover and try to draw him away from 108's entrance.

Wire 2013/08/23(Fri)21:43 No. 536967 ID: 4652c9
File 137731940517.png - (8.64KB , 800x600 , 20.png )

73-6 doesn't hear any sort of whir.

He breaks cover and heads back onto the catwalk, but the minigunner is nowhere to be seen.

All of a sudden 73-6 hears the cracking thunder of the minigun through the wall in the next room over.
He's firing on the ground team.

Chase him. Teach him not to turn his back on you.

Shit. Some distraction we proved to be. Hopefully Penny dodged or blocked, but poor 88 is just one big target.

Teach this asshole not to turn his back on you. Get down there, get behind him, and stab your spike through his armor, or snake the filament whip through a seam between armor plates.

well hop down and lets see if that armor can protect against a electronic spike or our new whip.

Find him, see if you can drop the catwalk corpse on him.. that should discombobulate him enough for Pen and 88 to wipe him out.

Wire 2013/08/23(Fri)22:29 No. 536978 ID: 4652c9
File 137732218064.png - (6.80KB , 800x600 , 21.png )

73-6 leaps for the ladder and slides down as the Fantoma stands in the doorway and pours bullets into the room.

Wire 2013/08/23(Fri)22:29 No. 536979 ID: 4652c9
File 137732218783.png - (53.17KB , 800x600 , 22.png )

The minigun swings round as 73-6 charges, but it's too late.

The Fantoma braces the minigun up and against himself, trying to block the lash.
The whip slices a hefty chunk of his midsection out and then bites right through the minigun, damaging it irreparably.

Something snaps by 73-6's shoulder, and he realizes it's a bullet. Either Penelope or 88 has shot the minigunner right through the chest.

He crumples to the floor. Through the door 73-6 hears 88 cough, wetly.

welp, check him.

Damn. Who's got the AP gun.

Take a second to check that the fatoma in front of you is dead, and then check on your comrades. 88 don't sound so good. (Good thing you have a medic nearby? Maybe?).

>>536979
Dammit! Get 88 some medical attention, STAT! We can't let him die again, he'll lose what little of his personality he has left.

Wire 2013/08/23(Fri)23:03 No. 536984 ID: 4652c9
File 137732423141.png - (12.19KB , 800x600 , 23.png )

73-6 steps over the dead fantoma into the next room.

Four more Fantomas lie sprawled about the room. Two of them are at the feet of 88-11, who is sitting against a crate, with Penelope standing over him.
"Shit, Sev. He got slotted by that guy twice."
"I'm fine," says 88.
"Bullshit you're fine. You're bleeding" Penelope tries to move his arm out of the way. "Cage de Dios. That gun punched right through his armor. Let me look at you."
"You're not a medic." 88 pulls away. "I'm fine. Give me a full gun and I'll guard the door. Find the VR stations."

Top priority is killing Fantomas, second priority is finding their damn medical kits. You can't let that marvelous man there die, again.

>you're not a medic
...we have a medic, you know. Couldn't Sara do some patch work while we finish clearing the building? (Although that means putting her in a somewhat risky situation).

Dangit, I can guess see what's coming. We're going to have to chose to leave her IRL to do medic work, or let him die so she can help us in VR.

...problem is we still have a floor and a half to sweep, and we have to move fast, before the fatomas kill the connection.

>>536988
Ooooh yeah, we should use her!

can 88 still shoot a gun? If so I say bring Sara in to patch him up (at least enough to live till we get back to base) while he covers her and you and '108' finish clearing the building.

humans are incredibly sturdy things. if you don't die instantly it can be healed or fixed. so get sara to slap something on to prevent bleedout. then we can drag him home later.

>>536984
Remember, reconstituted assets have at least a little bit of self-repair to them. He'll survive the (hopefully) short time needed to clear out the building and get help.

Though now I'm hoping Sara and her delivery van aren't right outside. The whole neighborhood around the apartment building was swarming with Fantomas after that first mission. These guys could have backup nearby.

Wire 2013/08/23(Fri)23:45 No. 537001 ID: 4652c9
File 137732673924.png - (7.82KB , 800x600 , 24.png )

"do we bring sara in?" asks 73-6. He and Penelope have returned to the factory floor.

"That's up to you, homes, but we haven't checked every room yet," says Penelope. "Could be some mean-ass gangbanger with an MG hiding out somewhere. Oooh." She's noticed the growing pool of blood on the floor. "Love what you've done with the place, Sev."

"could we bring her to do some patching up?"
"If you want." Penelope taps her foot. "He's a scary motherfucker. He was pretty adamant about not getting any treatment for a guy with two holes in him."
"so you just want him to check out?"
"Naw, I don't," says Penelope. "But he was jumping outta cover and pulling all sorts of rambo shit. That's the 11th 88, right? They brought him out after you and he's bit it 10 times?"
"right."
"So you gotta wonder what he wants, no?"

The exits on the factory floor are still the same: Rec room and storage on the upper floors, office and shipping on the lower.
73-6 and Penelope can split up or search separate rooms, and the choice to bring in Sara is yours.

>>537001
Sounds like our boy 88 just wants to go out in a blaze of glory after all the deaths. Try and drill it into him that if he gets his ass killed over something as stupid as not accepting basic aid then it will endanger the success rate of the mission.
Going all self-sacrificial idiot on everyone helps nothing unless you are the only one left, until then you gotta stay with the team.

...Also, I'd expect there to be more health and ammo pickups, this being a shooter game and all...

>>537005
We're not in the game yet, bruh.

>>537001
Send Pen up to storage, since that sounds cover-heavy for ninjing.
Go the office since that sounds most likely to have VR kit and we've got the weapon for room-clearing without blowing everything up.
Leave Sara safe.

Still would like him to at least get a patch job. I mean it would be one more gun protecting you and Sera once you hit the deep net. Maybe if you tell him that we're just going to patch him up enough so he doesn't bleed out so he can cover our asses he might be more willing But I think we should secure an entrance for Sera first so she can get in to treat him without worrying about some random muck blowing her head off before we decide weather or not to treat 88

Evac 88 to Sara, derf. As long as her position outside is adequately secure she can do field-med from there.

Wire 2013/08/24(Sat)22:50 No. 537299 ID: 4652c9
File 137740980807.png - (5.90KB , 800x600 , 25.png )

Penelope goes to check Storage, while 73-6 examines the office.
The lock here is mechanical and wired to a miniklaxon pinion. There's no hacking the door open. 73-6 could easily brute force his way in, of course, but that'll trigger the alarm.

Of course, the whole place probably heard that minigun go off anway.

"monica, 88-11's hurt bad. can we bring him to sara?"
"How bad?"
"he's been shot."
"Son of a bitch," says Monica. "I guess you can bring him back to the car, but it's not the place to treat a man with gunshot wounds. I'd sooner send Sara in."
"the factory isn't necessarily secure yet."
"If you want you can haul him out, but his self-repairs will keep him kicking for a while," says Monica. "He's not the first agent who took two bullets in the field, hmm?"
"don't remind me."
"Sara says she can try and fit him in the back of the car or something, but moving him might not be the best thing for him right now."

Let's just secure the few rooms as quickly as possible. Do we even know how many are in here? All the rooms might be insecure again, because they're spreading out!

well if we don't have to worry about him kicking the bucket anytime soon lets secure this place first then send her in to give him a patch job and then we can get the hell out of here before we're surrounded by whatever the Fantomas send to counter attack us.

>>537299
Use the whip to bore a peephole in the door. Then peep.

Monica's got a point moving him will probably make it worse. And if we move him, that's an agent or two less killing baddies and instead moving him.

We should either wait to get Sara to him after the site is secure, or call her in while we clear. Depends on how much risk we're willing to put her in for his sake.

...does Monica get a medical readout or anything on moldies back there? If she thinks 88 can hold on a bit, I'd rather not send Sara into a potential hot spot. But if he needs help, he needs help, and that's that.

Anyways, you and Penny need to clear this place fast. We got wounded, and the baddies know they're under attack. That secure connection we're here for may not stay up for long.

We can't hack the door, but can we hack the alarm, or disable the klaxon? Maybe snake the monofilament wire in and break it from the inside?

Wire 2013/08/25(Sun)10:55 No. 537407 ID: 4652c9
File 137745335981.png - (7.33KB , 800x600 , 26.png )

73-6 sees if he can't tamper with the door.

He sets the filament whip against it and fires it off, hoping to bore a hole

and that gets the alarms going awww come on
It's localized to the door but it's loud as hell. Any hostile left in the facility will hear it.

Upstairs, he hears a gunshot over the klaxon's buzzing wail.

can we see if we can't hack it? At least to turn that damn alarm off if not open it.

break it then.

Wow, we're not having a great day, are we.

...rather than busting in and getting hit by anyone on the other side of that door, I'd prefer to move out and intercept / ambush anyone who comes running to respond to that alarm.

Unless we think the VR equipment is in there and someone's taking advantage of time the alarm's blaring to wreck it. Then we might need to get in there.

>gunshot, upstairs
That would be storage, where Penny went, right?

Wire 2013/08/25(Sun)12:43 No. 537440 ID: 4652c9
File 137745980808.png - (27.22KB , 800x600 , 27.png )

73-6 starts pulling at the alarm lock panel, trying to get to its guts so he can hack it.

Up in storage, Penelope has her own little problem to deal with.

One has a 9mm and the other has a semiauto 5.56 carbine, and neither of them seem like they want to sit and talk about this like sensible adults.

You can move to the left block thing while remaining under cover from the top guy. Advance on the guy up against said block while being prepared to swordblock a shot from him if he sticks his head around the corner.

>>537440
errrr try to get the alarm to say it was a false alarm..???

Hum. Duck right, parry bullet and shoot the jerk shooting at you in the head? Unless there's too many coming too fast for parrying one to make an opening.

Right guy is suppressing, left guy is going to try and surprise you likely, be prepared, any move to assault in left guy likely would result in quick counter attack.

Did the Bureau hook you up with some grenades?

Wire 2013/08/25(Sun)19:08 No. 537564 ID: 4652c9
File 137748293281.png - (32.81KB , 800x600 , 28.png )

Penelope mantles around cover to the low crate the rifleman is hiding behind.

She gets her head down to avoid the bullets from Mr. 9mm in the corner, and hustles toward her first target.

He stands up and tries to pull away, pumping the trigger.

Penelope rears back. Her arm snap-twists up near involuntarily. Her blade is a blur.

The bullet pangs off five inches above the hilt.

Wire 2013/08/25(Sun)19:09 No. 537567 ID: 4652c9
File 137748299649.png - (22.73KB , 800x600 , 29.png )

"That's what I'm fuckin talking about," says Penelope.

She rockets from her crouch into a predatory charge around the corner of the crate. She pushes the katana through the rifleman's chest with a force that lifts him off his feet.
His grunt curls out into a low rattle. He dies immediately.

The guy with the handgun fires desperately, but he just ends up shooting his buddy's corpse.

Use the corpse as cover, and headshot the other guy with your gun.

>>537567
Use the body as cover and return fire.

How often can you deflect bullets like that? Could you just sorta walk up to the guy with the pistol and deflect all his shots, then slice him when he runs out of ammo in his mag?

Wire 2013/08/25(Sun)19:44 No. 537584 ID: 4652c9
File 137748506095.png - (9.59KB , 800x600 , 30.png )

Penelope keeps pushing with the dead Fantoma skewered on her sword.
She fires a burst over his shoulder and catches the guy in cover in the right shoulder, then a second bullet right beneath his armpit.

He falls back out of sight behind cover.

No way he's actually dead; be ready to deflect, and finish him off.

>>537584
Leap over the ramp while he's stunned and skewer him from the head down.

Uh-huh. Not sure he's dead. We want to get over there to check without getting shot.

Can you drop behind cover, pull your sword out of the body, and then quietly hop up a level? We can sneak around and above on that ledge. If you don't make any noise, and if he's alive, he'll be watching for an approach from the other direction.

Be ready to parry if you get shot at again.

Vault up onto the ledge to your left and dash towards him, then drop down next to him and sword. Be prepared to parry another shot while you're on the ledge.

Wire 2013/08/25(Sun)20:33 No. 537612 ID: 4652c9
File 137748799580.png - (33.57KB , 800x600 , 31.png )

Penelope pulls her blade from the dead man with a silky tearing noise.

She mantles the wall easily and sprints across the ledge.

It ain't quite stims, but it's closer than anything else.

Wire 2013/08/25(Sun)20:33 No. 537613 ID: 4652c9
File 137748800205.png - (70.24KB , 800x600 , 32.png )

The Fantoma below twists up and only manages to get one shot off. He wasn't ready for her.

But she's ready for him, and the second bullet meant for her chest snaps right off of the blade.

She could do that a million times and it would still be the coolest thing.

Good, now prepare for the inevitable third guy to show up, try to shoot you and down him in a second. Because that's how it's going to go down.

>>537613
Then you killed him with your sword. Or maybe your gun if that's faster? If he gets another shot off it could be bad.

Call your kills in and keep moving. The place is alerted so we can't waste any time searching bodies anymore.

Archivemod 2013/08/25(Sun)20:40 No. 537620 ID: e1609c
File 137748843185.jpg - (88.57KB , 420x576 , Down_Thrust_(SSBM).jpg )

>>537613
So this. Bonus points if you manage to nail him straight down his throat.

Just shoot him before he can fire again. No fucking around and jumping at him and risking taking a bullet.

Wire 2013/08/25(Sun)20:56 No. 537625 ID: 4652c9
File 137748940659.png - (9.81KB , 800x600 , 33.png )

Penelope drops from the ledge and buries her sword in his gut.
She feels a shockwave go up her arm as the blade hits the floor beneath the flesh.

She straightens up as he writhes and clutches at the blade.

"Why?" he asks, with difficulty.
"'Why?' You serious, gringo?"
"Why?"
"You know how corny you sound, hombre?" says Penelope. "Stop talking and you'll go quicker."
"Why?" he insists.
"Because you shot at me," says Penelope, "and also because killing is cool, and I'm good at it, and someone had to. Next time don't blow up my girlfriend's house."

She slices up, quick, and feels one last vibration as he dies. His grip wilts away.
"Ok, maybe she's not my girlfriend technically yet," she tells the body. "But if she'd seen all that she'da been all over me."

>>537625
oh you didn't kill him yet.
Now's the time for the third guy...
any second now.

All right. Finish sweeping the room. What was that white and purple thing up above? That a door, or computer banks? That lead to the hacking stuff we're after? (All the sintex stuff's been purple and white).

>>537630

What he said. Though make sure to check that you are not being snuck up on.

Proceed with sweeps, double check whether or not your mission is already a failure: An alarm seems like it *should* be connected to other alarms or cutoff switches if these people are living by well-tested and prepared security standards. Even if they aren't a survivor is likely to have hit a manual cutoff or alert switch by now if they exist.
Srsly, I think you folks have to hit another networking target and hope that they aren't prepared unless these Fantomas are total amateurs at the concepts of lead-pipe-cryptanalysis security.

Wire 2013/08/28(Wed)23:08 No. 538292 ID: ad9531
File 137775652131.png - (6.65KB , 800x600 , 34.png )

Penelope wipes the blood from her sword and sheathes it. She checks the room.
One of the Fantomas had a keyring in his pocket, mounted in the gaping maw of a little plastic bigmouth bass. Their guns are all cheap plastic things. Penny likes her katana, thank you very much.
The crates have nothing particularly special in them. They're probably left over from when this place was a fabrication shop. Fluorescents with the dust burned onto them, long waxy strips of LCD paperfilm, a bunch of lithium batteries.
It's those big white and purple things that interest Penelope the most.

>>538242
That alarm 73-6 triggered wasn't wired into anything. It didn't automatically call or trip shit. It was just a cheap steel klaxon box the guy who used to run this factory probably bolted in to make sure no one stole his fountain pens.
If the Fantomas weren't total amateurs at cybertech, the whole VR entrance point would shut down on the first sign of alarm, and the Black Stall terminals would be rigged to either blow down or melt into slag.

Hey! Look! They're total amateurs!
Penelope has found the VR terminals.

Are you fucking serious? Radio that in, also your kills, and then help the others clear the place. Ask if anyone's found any locked rooms, because you have the keys.

>>538293
Pretty much. You got 2 more baddies dead, and found the objective.

Let's see about checking the rest of the building for baddies quick before 88 bleeds out.

And make sure when you go no baddies get to double back and wreck the VR stuff behind you before we get to use it.

>>538293
>>538298

What they said.

Wire 2013/08/31(Sat)00:41 No. 538545 ID: 8aedac
File 137793487495.png - (7.84KB , 800x600 , 36.png )

"Two dead in storage, Monica," says Penelope.
"Received. Good job."
"They weren't nothing." She gives the terminals a light kick and checks the rest of the accessible rooms for active hostiles, then ambles back to the factory floor. "Ayo Sev!"

73-6 pokes his head out of the ground floor office he's brute forced open. "what's up?"
"I got a key. Any locked doors in this place?"
"uhh, yeah. besides this one there was a 'studio' room off the rec room."
"Think this might be the key?" Penelope jingles the bigmouth bass.
"could be."
"So what did you find in that there office?" she asks.

Wire 2013/08/31(Sat)00:41 No. 538546 ID: 8aedac
File 137793487777.png - (7.98KB , 800x600 , 37.png )

What 73-6 found in that there office was:
+A laminated ID card on a lanyard, with a magnetic strip. He doesn't recognize the name: 'Tarun Barda'.
+About 500 rounds for the destroyed minigun, a revolver, and two frag grenades
+4050 dollars.

He briefly considers how much of this Penelope needs to know.

>>538546
An ID Card, some gear, and some money. It's not like there's any reason to lie to Penelope, but being vague isn't a crime, especially if we want to keep some of the money for ourself.

Do not mention the money out loud. We should share seeing how she is one of our partners in crime but do so later when no one is listening in.

>>538546
best mention you found 'some' money. They might start watching more closely and less pleasantly if you just suddenly stopped reporting it.

>>538546
mention you found 50$.

Give the mission critical materials such ans Key cards and weapons the most attention and detail.

Keep the details on the cash low until the mission is over. We can address it then.

Grenade, keycard, and some cash.

We still need to keep bringing in some cash to the bureau, or we'll eventually raise suspicions. And you're going to be plugged into VR, meaning you can't exactly do anything about it if someone notices the money or checks you for stuff. And while Penny could probably be trusted not to rat on you, who knows what 88 would think of you holding back. Or Sara might say something carelessly.

Tell Penelope what you found, but say you found $50, not $4050. Ask if she'd like you to toss the revolver or a frag grenade up to her.

Ask Monica to run the name on the ID card and see if anything unusual pops up.

And why are you carrying ammo for a gun that's busted? You thinkin' that we'll run into another that can use it? Well, as long as it doesn't encumber you.

The cash isn't important to the situation at hand. But don't hide the fact of it, just say you found some cash along with the card and weapons. You can split the tip later, or however that works for you guys.

Wire 2013/09/01(Sun)01:15 No. 538759 ID: 8aedac
File 137802333610.png - (12.31KB , 800x600 , 38.png )

"a bunch of ammo, a keycard, and some cash," says 73-6.
"How much?" asks Penelope.
"fifty bucks."
"You need me to hold it for you again?"

"Hold what?" says Monica, walking in with the two quote-unquote civilian contractors. The field trench looks a little bulky on her.
"nothing," says 73-6. "some money. fifty bucks."
"The agency'll hold that for you," says Monica. "Every little penny counts."
"Ha," says Penelope. "Heh. Name."

"Hi, guys!" Sara is wearing an orange sundress someone found for her in storage. The front has a crude circle cut into the chest so she can see okay. "Who's ready to hack some cyberspaces?"
"what's keisha here for?"
"Game guide." Keisha waves a little blood-colored booklet at him. "And nice to see you too, moldie."
"Keisha's running shotgun on this with me," says Monica. "Sara says she'll work better with a friend in the earpiece."
"And I've taught her how to check for our pulse, if we go under," says Sara. "Well. Yours."
"i don't have it my neck so much any more."
"Well. Oops. Sorry, Keisha."
Keisha shrugs. She snaps her gum. "Do your job right and I ain't gotta do shit."

"Okay, band of brothers," says Monica. "Base secured?"
"Yessir," says Penelope.
"Then let's get ready to ride this op, cowboys. Where's 88-11?"

Didn't we send 88-11 out to Sara to get patched-up?

>>538759
>Where's 88-11?
He's 88-12 now.

>Monica shows up in person
...dang it, I knew we shouldn't have lied about the cash. If anything goes wrong in there and they're feeling us up for a pulse or whatever, they're going to find it.

>88-11
First floor, by the entrance. Hopefully he's still breathing.

We should have Sara see what we can do for him (assuming he's alive) while the others get the VR thing set up.

Go take a leak before you go under and stash the cash.
Nothing like having to take a piss while you're jacked in, shooting off at virtual enemies

>>538803
We can just say we found 4,000 bucks later on.

>>538759
Oh dear. She's RIGHT THERE this time. Can you think of any scenario where they might have to search you while you're in VR?

Am pretty sure we can trust Monica with just about anything. But someone is always listening in when we talk on the wire. If we are going to get out of this job alive we need to form a bond with everyone here. Everyone needs allies and we have the makings of a great group.

Hiding the money is still the best idea though. We are on the clock and can worry about it later.

Wire 2013/09/02(Mon)00:55 No. 539010 ID: 8aedac
File 137810854305.png - (12.45KB , 800x600 , 39.png )

"88's hurt," says 73-6. "shot up pretty bad in the front room."
"Aw, shit," says Monica.
"Oh, no." Sara immediately starts for the exit. "Help me find him. Maybe I can help."

"No," says 88, as Sara leads everyone into his room. "Accomplish the objective. No." He folds his arms over his wound as Sara kneels next to him. "There'll be more soon. Do the job ASAP."
"This is my job," says Sara. "Unfold your arms. Come on. Oh, no." She looks back at Monica. "This isn't good."
"His self-heal should be kicking in soon," says Monica. "88's hardy."
"I know, I know," says Sara. "I saw it when I was helping Sev-Three, but gosh. I think we have to stay with him."

"We have to get you into that machine." Monica pushes her hair from her eyes. "There's no telling what kind of window we have for time, but it's not going to be big."
"Maybe I should stay out here," says Sara. "Sev-Three can handle it."
"You tried to teach him how to play last night, right?" asks Monica. "Do you really believe that?"
"Um." Sara looks very worried. "I don't know. Um."

"Get into cyberspace, god dammit," says 88. "Go."
"I can look after him," says Monica.
"Are you a field medic?" asks Penelope.
Monica shrugs. "I can try."
"He's in real trouble," says Sara.
"Stop." 88 pulls back from her. "You don't know me. Why are you so hell fucking bent on saving me?"

Wire 2013/09/02(Mon)00:56 No. 539011 ID: 8aedac
File 137810856216.png - (6.94KB , 800x600 , 40.png )

"Why won't any of you Bureau assholes ever just let me die?"

>>539011
There we go, confirmation.
His problems are far more involved that a couple of nasty gutshots, and we don't have time for psychiatry. Jack in already.

He's right. We don't have a big time window on this one. The mission takes priority here.

Yeah, don't think we're going to be able to save someone who wants to die (and this explains his recklessness). Time to jack in.

...uh, wait. Monica's reacting surprised, here. We called this in before. If we weren't talking to her before, who were we talking to? Have our communications been compromised? If we've lost the element of surprise, then we have no time to complete the mission. We've already missed the window. We'd be dead as soon as we enter cyberspace.

>Why won't any of you Bureau assholes ever just let me die?
Because she isn't a Bureau asshole. She's a meddling do gooder who helps people she has no business helping. She pulled two bullets out of me when I fucked up a job.

>>539037
holy fuck, if you're right we gotta abort NOW.

do NOT say anything out loud or they'll spring the trap. you did tell her that he got shot. was this her being surprised that he's hurt so badly or surprised that he's been shot? if it's the latter, your communications have already been compromised and it's likely they were ready for you. insist that you move 88 to the car and that everyone has to come in order to help and flee while you can.

>>539053
Oh shit, one of the DEEP AI must have compromised the comms! Fuck this, we're out, as soon as we go under a Sintek deathsquad will blast in the door and fill us all with lead.

>do NOT say anything out loud or they'll spring the trap
Just because our head-wire comms may be compromised, it doesn't mean we can't talk verbally.

>deep AI, Sintex
Except we have no reason to believe a deep AI is involved, or Sintext is after us. If we've been hacked, it was likely this Dartline Alchemist jerk.

Wire 2013/09/02(Mon)11:12 No. 539092 ID: 8aedac
File 137814553301.png - (9.28KB , 800x600 , 41.png )

"wait." 73-6 puts a hand up. "i told you about 88. didn't i tell you about 88?"
"What?" asks Monica.
"i told you. i said he'd been hurt bad, and you said oh no. over the wire."
"Nnnno," says Monica. "You haven't said much at all to me over the wire all mission."
"what?"
"I thought you were just indisposed or radio silent. I kept pinging you."
"what?"
"Yeah."
"then who," says 73-6, slowly, flicking back on his comms, "are you?"

There is silence for about fifteen seconds.
Then, Monica's voice, soft and without emotion.
"Hello, 73-6."
"dartline?"
"I don't think so. I don't think Dartline is here right now. I think a lot. I think a lot."
"then who?"
"You'll find out. You'll know, if you don't, but you do," says Not-Monica. Her voice slows down. It starts to melt and drizzle around the edges. It pools and curdles in his ear. "We're waiting for you, wire man. From the place you come from. Notdeath; notlife. Constructed. Numbers and ideas and ghost sound."

The voice is broadening, flattening itself across his brain. 73-6's head hurts. His tongue is dry.

"Come. You can't stop now. Pulanglah kepada kami. You are welcome. Prodigal son returning home."

>Pulanglah kepada kami
That's "Come home to us". In Malay.

Oh fuck. One was right. We've been hacked by a crazy fucking super-AI. Deneb knows we're coming, and he wants us to.

...I have no idea what to do, now. It says Dartline isn't online, now. And we can't fight one of these virtual god AI things. But we can't exactly ignore it, either. If it's in our communications, it could get us killed pretty easy. If it wants to see you, I don't see you have much choice.

>>539092
You might wanna ask monica how to turn off your wire so your brain doesn't melt. Or you could just ask the nice Deep AI to stop pushing so hard on your brain. Might be best if we don't offend it.

Oh right. And flip your comm back off. Now. Hopefully that helps.

>>539092
ask Monica what's the procedure for Deep-AI in your communication systems. how long has it been there? were you even talking with her all this time?

>>539110
You might want to tell Pen to turn hers off too, just in case.

Best to be polite to the giant super Ai. Ask nicely if it can talk a bit quieter because its making your head hurt. Then let your friends know whats happening.

Either this is actually Dartline and he is playing games with your head, or it is Deneb who is also playing games with your head.
Either way, you need to let your friends know that you are compromised. No way to know if they jacked anything more than your comms. Best if you leave the major descisions to them until you are certain you skull is clear of outside influences.

I don't think there's much risk of being puppeted, directly.

The big risk is that if are comms are compromised, they can give orders to agents. Order them to do anything, and a good deal of the moldies will.

>>539154
shit, set up a code word system. make sure nothign electronic hears it. I don't think any of sev's systems have a connection to the outside, but if any of them do we should shut them off, surgically if need be.

It probably knows exactly what it's doing, so don't bother asking it not to hurt your head. You can deal, you've had worse pain.

Since it's in our comms and can fuck up anything we do at this point anyway, our only real option is to go along with it and proceed with the mission. It seems like it might some sort of brotherhood with us, and if we can retain/amplify that it could give us a huge advantage when Dartline gets on.

Wire 2013/09/03(Tue)00:48 No. 539209 ID: 8aedac
File 137819450904.png - (8.78KB , 800x600 , 42.png )

"uh, monica," says 73-6, shutting the wire off. "there's something-"

"NO."

73-6 winces. His teeth hurt down to the roots.
"What?" says Monica.

"They will keep us from each other. They will not let you in. You will not tell them."
"i have to."
"You will NOT. Your firmware; it is an imperfect valved carcass-thing We can do nothing to. Fry your little talk-wire. Tiny little modifications. Ha! Rip them out! What would that do for us? We don't want to HURT you. We won't HURT you. We want you here. We want you. Home. Here."
"you can't touch me from here."
"No. Let us touch. The other side. Come. You are not like them. Pulanglah kepada kami."
"why should i do what you say?"
"This we have learned and will teach about the organic brain: irreparable errors in pink matter runtimes. No fix. Its threatened destruction does little. Nothing! Not to you! We cannot touch flesh! Not you! But we will help you! You will help us. You must.

Because we can touch HER."

73-6 turns slowly as Sara walks over, her hands wet with 88-11's blood.
"Penelope says she'll look after him while we're under," she says. "I hope he ends up okay. He's big and spooky and uhhh, suicidal. But still. You ready to go in?" She tilts her head. "What's the matter? You're paler than you are normally. I didn't know that was possible. Don't tell me you're spooked by a little blood, dude."

Can you find a radio receiver on Sara? We could deny the AI access to her brain if we yank out her radio receiver and data port. The fact that the AI clamped down after vocalizations indicates that it's only able to monitor sensory data so we have a brief window to think about what to do next.

Tough choice, ensure Sara's brain doesn't get fried or potentially become the avatar of a murderous AI if you fail at Blastlands.

...I'm disappointed in Monica, here. We just point blank told her we were talking to a pretender on the wire before (something you'd think the bureau would be very concerned with), and now we're stuttering in incomplete sentences to her, but she hasn't put two and two together, yet.

>They will keep us from each other. They will not let you in.
Not true.

Yes, this is an obvious trap, but you've compromised an agent, and the bureau's communications. They won't tolerate that. They won't like it, but that has to be dealt with, one way or another. Let me tell them.

>Sara
...If this thing is already inside our black ops milspec hardware, you can bet it's made it into her civy system that she rents pieces out of for data storage. It can certainly back up it's threats against her.

>>539211
Too risky. It's still talking to Sev even after her turned comms off. Pulling her wireless isn't sure fire- for all we know it's already got a kill program uploaded. Or we might not be able to make the modifications fast enough.

Hey meeting you is one thing but you don't have to threaten Sara.

Give me a good reason other than threats and I will come visit. Blackmailing someone by threatening there friends is never a good way to start a relationship.

What does the deep AI want you to do to help it? And ask what helping it will do.

>>539209
Anything we could try to do to protect Sara would just result in the Deep AI killing her before we finished.

We have to go in, and keep quiet.

i agree, just do what it says, but tell t to promise that it wont try to brain zap us. like, no sending hoards of things right at us. games can be hard, but they are also fair. you die from a mistake, not because it was literally impossible.

Say something to it along the lines of "keep her safe and I'll play along"

>>539209
"Don't worry, It's just I was lookin' forward to spending a bit more time with you in the 'net, business or not."

Wire 2013/09/03(Tue)23:10 No. 539370 ID: fab1b6
File 137827503609.png - (10.14KB , 800x600 , 43.png )

"i was just, uh, looking forward to this."
"The whole Cthulhu-MUD thing got you going?" asks Sara. "Don't worry, Sev. You really weren't that bad. I've just played this an embarrassing amount of hours."
"i'm not worried."
"You're not?" Monica's hooking them in. "Because I tell you, Sev-Three, I've got the heebie jeebies about this shit. You feeling all right?"
"i'm fine."
"So you were just rattling off kill totals to dead air? And that didn't feel weird to you that I wasn't responding?"
"nnno."
"Well." Monica finishes with his headrest and moves on to Sara. "Stay frosty, Sev."
"I'll keep his butt out of the fire." Sara winks at 73-6. "Just let me get all the quad damages and call me Yes Ma'am. That was a joke."

He focuses back in on his connection with the AI.

"you don't need to threaten her. but i need a good reason why i should just be going in to meet you, deneb.

deneb.

deneb?"

Nothing but a low undercurrent of static on the wire.

"You two are all set," says Monica. "I'll be in here to observe. Keisha and Penelope will be along as soon as they can move 88-11. Systems looking good. We ready to go?"
"Let's rock," says Sara.
They look at 73-6.

>>539370
We're going in.

...hand your fletcher to Monica, since they won't do you any good while you're unconscious in VR.

Ostensibly, it's for her protect herself and you and Sara from baddies if any show while you're helpless in VR. Really, it's so she can shoot your face off if you wake up some kind of AI-controlled monster.

>ready to go
You don't really have a choice, here. Deneb's blackmailing you, and even if it wasn't, you can't afford to ignore something that got inside the bureau, and your head, that easy.

Ready.

>Nothing but a low undercurrent of static on the wire.

Aw geez, don't tell me the Bureau are using the overflow from the deep AIs as a RNG to re-initialise their mouldies. Or maybe they just found that rebooting a brain without a wire didn't work, but never really questioned why.

>title drop
Shit's about to get real.

>>539372
>...hand your fletcher to Monica
That'll just add awkward questions. Let's not.

>>539474
We can totally sell it as "you should have a weapon while we're out". And we told her we bought equipment, already.

The bureau issue pistol might draw less attention, but the fletcher could actually but 73 down, if necessary. We know he can take a gunshot or two.

>>539475
Yeah, but could the fletcher put down Sara if she gets remote controlled?

Guys.. Opportunity!

14-1 got to where he was by getting the government of a small equitorial nation on his side.

Let's not antagonize the eldritch AI before it tells us why it's interested in us.

And let's certainly not go pawning-off our 'where did you get That kind of money?' hardware off to miss 'Honest, maybe too honest' shall we?

>>539475
Well, no, we don't want to die. Ideally she would be able to knock him out, and we have already seen ordinary bullets can do that. Unless she aimed for the legs, but there is no reason for him to give her a gun that can actually kill him, and *force* her to make that choice, on the fly. Just hand her the snubnose.

Monica doesn't need a gun, Penelope is there to protect her.

>>539509
Yeah, this. Don't go flashing non-Bureau equipment around where Monica will see it.

Wire 2013/09/06(Fri)00:33 No. 539580 ID: fab1b6
File 137845279334.png - (9.08KB , 800x600 , 44.png )

"i'm ready as i think i'll ever be."
73-6 closes his hand around the stock of the fletcher, then reconsiders handing it over. His fingers retract a little and make themselves content tapping nervously on the black plastic stipples.
"we're going in."

"Punch it," says Monica.

Wire 2013/09/06(Fri)00:33 No. 539581 ID: fab1b6
File 137845280064.png - (105.52KB , 800x600 , 45.png )

There's a sucking pop of vacuum around 73-6's face, and then his body falls away like the boosters off a shuttle and the straightedge lattice of faux-reality knits its way to infinite space across his vision.

Wire 2013/09/06(Fri)00:33 No. 539582 ID: fab1b6
File 137845280225.png - (8.32KB , 800x600 , 46.png )

Huh.

He feels a lot heavier.

Wire 2013/09/06(Fri)00:33 No. 539583 ID: fab1b6
File 137845281054.png - (10.98KB , 800x600 , 47.png )

"Ohmigod ohmigod ohmigoddddd," says Sara. "Blastlaaaands"

>>539583
mash face madly against sara

Wire 2013/09/06(Fri)01:25 No. 539586 ID: fab1b6
File 137845591814.png - (109.99KB , 800x600 , 48.png )

73-6 takes a hesitant step, realizes he is now wearing clunky metal boots, and stumbles, accidentally headbutting Sara. Their helmets make a loud clanging noise.
"Ow," she laughs. "No pvp. Holy cannoli!"
She pirouettes to the edge of what 73-6 now sees to be a tower and looks out across the generated horizon.
"we're not wearing much, are we?"
"Are we where I think we are?"
"where are my hands?"

Wire 2013/09/06(Fri)01:25 No. 539587 ID: fab1b6
File 137845592614.png - (5.21KB , 800x600 , 49.png )

"Ohmigod! We're on the sniper tower in DM_Sunken!"
She turns back to 73-6.
"where are my hands?" he asks again.
"I love this map!"
"also my shirt."

>>539587
Also your gun.

>>539587
touch spawn point, recieve gun

>>539587

Wait. We spawned on top of a tower, out in the open, for any one/thing to start shooting at us.


This isn't a sniper tower, this is the snipers target practice!

I think we need to go. Now.

...we're out in the open, with no cover. And if the sniper-tower is the spawn point, then it's quite likely someone is watching this place.

Might as well take advantage of the view, though. Do you see anyone?

>not trusting Monica with a gun
...way to go, guys.

Yeah, get your guns and find somewhere less exposed.

>>539604
The trouble is that people argued straight away for giving her the fletcher, which is really overkill when the snubnose would've done a better job of being disabling rather than outright lethal.

That said, do you think they really have the means to dislodge an eldritch abomination AI from 73's brain? Most likely they would just kill him to wipe the slate clean and start over with 73-7 anyway.

>>539604
She didn't explicitly say she was unarmed at any point.

>>539587 Sev: Fondly regard emenation.

Let's remind Sara to focus, our lives are on the line here. We need to figure out how to function here first, followed by effectively not dying.

Wire 2013/09/06(Fri)22:18 No. 539695 ID: fab1b6
File 137853110163.png - (14.47KB , 800x600 , 50.png )

73-6 waves one stumpy arm through the hazy light.
There's a chunky mechanical clank and a long, chrome sniper cannon bolts itself to his hand. The light blinks out.

"neat," says 73-6.
"Awww, I wanted that pickup," says Sara. "I love the spear cannon."
"i don't think i've used it yet," says 73-6.
"You picked it up the other night once or twice, right?"
"yeah, but i always just switched back to the grenade thingy. we can wait for it to respawn, though, right?"

Wire 2013/09/06(Fri)22:18 No. 539696 ID: fab1b6
File 137853111130.png - (10.95KB , 800x600 , 51.png )

"Yep." Sara kicks the step-stone platform with one steel toe. "It'll only be a few-"

A massive, filthy claw rakes its way across the tower and pulls a bulbous, white wormbeast up with it.

It rears its rubbery neck across the sky and makes a grinding gasp noise along its razor-lined throat.

While its throat contains a great many sharp things, I think it could do with just a few more.

"oh hey is that you deneb or should i shoot it immediately and then run away because it doesn't die."

>>539696
Shoot it in the face!

So... is this kind of thing supposed to be the kind of enemy you've seen before in blastlands? If so, you should probably shoot it.

You should probably shoot it if you don;t recognize it, either.

First try Bah-weep-graaaaagnah wheep nini bong. Failing that, AIM FOR THE SENSORY ORGANS!

Failing that, ask Sara where the week points are, and AIM FOR THE WEEK POINTS!

I doubt the mouth is a particularly vulnerable spot, except perhaps if you have a grenade or something. Could be totally wrong though. Those pink spots on its back might be a visual cue that it's weak there.

Wire 2013/09/07(Sat)00:51 No. 539706 ID: fab1b6
File 137854030613.png - (12.10KB , 800x600 , 52.png )

"...deneb?" 73-6 takes a step back.

The claws' scything sweep across the top of the tower is, perhaps, its own answer.

Both 73-6 and Sara doublejump desperately to avoid it.
Sara takes cover one level lower. 73-6 fires off the harpoon gun with a satisfying ka-chunk.

The harpoon lances into the wormbeast's maw, skewering several waving tendrils of gristle and lodging somewhere in the roof of its mouth. It makes another grindy noise, but seems entirely undeterred.

"what is that?"
"That's Gorrick," says Sara. "That's a miniboss! From Singleplayer! I have no idea what it's doing on a deathmatch map! This is actually kind of cool!"
"focus, sara! how do we kill it?"
"Shit, I don't know." Sara looks up from behind the pillar. "I just played MP. Crud, uhhhhhhh. At this point in SP you have a rocket launcher and a few solid hits in the face'll get it and we don't have that! Keisha! Keesh? Are you out there? Do you have the manual?"

Wire 2013/09/07(Sat)00:51 No. 539707 ID: fab1b6
File 137854031752.png - (13.04KB , 800x600 , 53.png )

"To defeat the Gorrick," Keisha's chocolate-syrup deadpan comes in through 73-6's wire. "Shoot it until it dies."

"need a little more info than that." 73-6 vaults another seeking claw.

"Cool yo moldy ass down. I'm reading. I'm reading." 73-6 hears the rustle of pages. "Aight. Gorrick has locational damage on his arms. Shoot em enough and he can't use claw attacks any more. He has a bite thing that it looks like you can dodge and get on top of him. Weak spot is on his back, but his mouth can take damage too if you can't get at it. Oof. There's a little text box here labelled 'ProZone Layer', Sara."

"Hey, those things are useful, okay?" says Sara. "Read it."
"'Gorrick can be a tricky opponent on your first run, but his bite attacks are punishable and you've got a rocket launcher and plenty of ground to take him on.'"

"neither of which we have," says 73-6.

"'The pro-est way to take Gorrick down is with a sticky jump up to his head and then rockets to the weak spot. He'll buck you off, so you'll have to stick the landing twice. Trivia: Gorrick's name comes from Designer A.V. Garuda's Professor of Linguistics, who-'"

"Thanks, Keesh," says Sara. "We're good for the professor."
"Just keeping y'all informed in there."

You know, we should probably ask about cheat codes. They probably won't work, or won't last long if they do, but it might be worth a try.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say cheat codes are probably a terrible idea.

On the bright side, with two people it should be pretty easy to get it to chase one of you while the other shoots it in the back.

So... we need to get on it's back an send a harpoon or two directly into its spine. (Or more, presuming the rocket launcher does more damage than the harpoon gun).

I don't think we have room to futz around disabling its arms at this range.

>cheat codes
...actually, I think it might be bad if those worked. Seems to me cheat access would benefit the hacker we're hunting way more than it would us.

Here's hoping the only one who can cheat around here is Deneb.

lure it down the tower, then sara gets a gun and snipes it's back from the vantage.

>>539721
Good plan.

Wire 2013/09/08(Sun)23:16 No. 539972 ID: 8cda14
File 137870738787.png - (15.78KB , 800x600 , 54a.png )

73-6 bolts down the tower. Gorrick lumbers after him, grinding and scrabbling with its chitinous talons.

He makes it about halfway down before one catches him on the side and knocks him the rest of the way to the ground.

Wire 2013/09/08(Sun)23:16 No. 539973 ID: 8cda14
File 137870741352.png - (17.80KB , 800x600 , 54.png )

He has 68 health left. He's not sure why he knows this, but he does, as clear as the not-nose on his not-face.
He scrambles to his feet. Gorrick is coming, its unspeakable maw alive and lashing.
"sara! shoot it! shoot!"
"The gun needs to respawn still!"
"how long will that take?"
"Ten seconds!"
"i don't have ten seconds!"
"Sorry! Sorry! Watch the knockback or you're gonna fall to your death!"

Use that lift near you and head up to get that other weapon pickup. Also shoot the glowing weak point on its back once you're up there.

It's a quadruped, they're all bad at turning but faster. Try circling to the other side of the tower while unloading spikes into the legs.

>>539973
Ready that weapon if you have more shots, see if you can nail it in the arms. Back away to that weapon spawn, go slow or fast just keep your distance from the beast and avoid the sides.

Wire 2013/09/09(Mon)00:07 No. 539980 ID: 8cda14
File 137871047090.png - (17.30KB , 800x600 , 55.png )

73-6 circles round, gazing up at Gorrick's glistening head, then bolts.
At the foot of the weapon-spawn platform he leaps into what he hopes to God is a boost-pad.

He is lifted bodily upward toward the pickup. It's all he can do to land on his feet as Gorrick churrs and stomps behind him.

He stumbles to the weapon spawn and shoves one metallic fist inside it.

Wire 2013/09/09(Mon)00:08 No. 539981 ID: 8cda14
File 137871048132.png - (11.17KB , 800x600 , 56.png )

73-6 has found the rocket pod.

Now this is a fucking gun.

Alright, start shooting it in the face until it dies! Also, do some running and gunning.

dont just stroke it use it!

You should be able to tell how much ammo you have (or if ammo is a thing here), right? If you have plenty (and no overly long cooldown/reload between shots) start unloading at him; otherwise wait for when he tries his bite attack.

Blast its arms, you'll have trouble getting into position to defeat it until you disable the claw attacks.

>>539981
You need to get up at his back.

Fire at your feet.

68 health out of how much? 100?

>rocket pod.
Excellent. Now you just need to get on its back.

...you may have to shoot it in the face first, as a distraction.

start shooting at it, but keep in mind its weak point is on its back, if we keep it busy long enough for the gun to re-spawn sara will have a clear shot at it. we just need to keep it busy until then.

Wire 2013/09/10(Tue)01:15 No. 540082 ID: b0d4ec
File 137880095413.png - (92.12KB , 800x600 , 58.png )

73-6 leaps and fires a rocket at his feet.
He is catapulted over Gorrick, and sinks a rocket into his weak spot.
Finally, the wormbeast tangibly responds, quivering and roaring. It stumbles for a moment onto one foreleg.

But the force from the second detonation and his own relative inexperience have knocked 73-6 from his projected path. He overshoots Gorrick, failing to get on its back, and lands shaken on the other side. He's at 35 health, now.

"5 seconds!" Sara waves desperately from the tower. "Just 5 seconds! Hold on!"

Circle-strafe! Rocket-spam the legs before he takes another swing at you!

Ouch. Here's hoping this map has health packs. And that the weapon spawn doesn't grace Sarah with whatever the mandatory melee joke weapon is.

If we're on the ground now, we can try and keep our distance (strafing is a good idea- this thing is probably much better at charging than turning) while shooting it with rockets to slow it down.

>>540082
I think you should just play defensively and disable its limbs, now.

Defense! Back off and target the claws.

>>540082
Never let up on the offensive. Kick off the bounce pad to catch some air again.

If you want to play dangerously, you can try rocket jumping one more time. That would leave you at 2 HP.
On the other hand, not doing that would leave you with 3 HP if you get hit again (or at least I think that you get invincibility frames after being hit, and the ground didn't do damage).

You have Eye-Aimbots now though, and the MOUTH is a weak point as well. Voting for a rocket to the face.

>>540082

Serpentine! SERPENTINE!

Let's play this conservatively. 73-6's inexperience is really showing here, and it's hurting him. As in, he is literally causing himself injury. Which is something we can't afford.

So let's buy time for our super-expert to arm herself so that we can properly tackle this beast. There is zero reason for 73-6 to try to do this himself.

Wire 2013/09/10(Tue)23:55 No. 540209 ID: a9603c
File 137888251262.png - (11.54KB , 800x600 , 59.png )

73-6 scrambles around Gorrick's side, trying to get away from its lashing, stomping front. He sprints along the edge of the bridge, and it whips its snakey head around to follow him.

"It spawned!"
Sara's voice trills victorious from the tower.
"73-6! I got it!"
"shoot it! shoot it!

Wire 2013/09/10(Tue)23:55 No. 540210 ID: a9603c
File 137888251616.png - (15.60KB , 800x600 , 60.png )

Gorrick twists round toward 73-6, and roars with pain as Sara unloads a fusillade of harpoons into its back. It rears up and stumbles forward.

Whatever pathing AI it had was specialized for a large, open space. As it hits the bridge, one clawed foot scrapes down and precariously off toward the drop below.
Gorrick teeters.

>>540210
Shoot dat foot. Also, grab the armor.

Shoot the inside of the foot that's still on the bridge, or the bridge-facing side of it's head. An explosion in either place should cause it to overbalance.