>Last time on Feline Exterminator Quest!
>You scouted out the lower floors of the “temple”, and found a stalker breeding chamber. You went down there with the whole group to destroy it, but that inadvertently released all the adult stalkers in the room. You managed to defend yourself, but your left arm is badly hurt and some other people have been hurt too.

Haverdam doesn’t hesitate and rips off part of his shirt and tries to bandage your left arm as well as he can, but he looks worried.

“Medic, how are things going over there?” he shouts towards the man currently busying himself with other wounded.

“It’s fairly alright. Most wounds look worse than they are, I don’t think anyone’s in serious danger.”

“Good, then come over here, Artemis needs your help more than anyone then.”

The man abandons what he was doing and quickly comes closer. When he sees your arm, your suit ripped in several places along the sleeve, his eyes get wider. “Damn, that looks nasty, let me have a look.”

He starts working as fast as he can, and soon the arm is fully wrapped in bandage, leaving only your hand free. The whole is supported by a sling. You’re given a painkiller for the worst, but there’s still a throbbing feeling in your arm.

The destruction of the room goes orderly and overseen by Haverdam himself. One tube is left alone, and the professor set a team to try and disconnect it from the machinery.

>Woops, lost my trip there.

>>30610850

With the work done and the team there to work on that last tube, the main group moves back to camp. When you arrive there you immediately notice a stalker corpse hanging over the barricade. As you move closer you hear Murphy shouting from the other side.

“Ah, finally, you’re back! This one tried attacking us but misjudged our barricade and got stuck. We’ve been trying to get it out but I think you guys made the barricade a bit too well. Care to lend us a hand?”

The corpse is quickly moved away and the group heads inside. Haverdam gives everyone a day off and decrees that everyone on the expedition is getting a bonus, and the rest of the day off, so to speak. Everyone is free to rest up and do whatever until tomorrow when the archaeology work commences.

>1. Join the group of people sitting around the light and listen in/join the conversation.
>2. Go check out the upper room now. The analysing machine spoke of optimisation, and Primus seems to be a lot powerful than you. This could be an opportunity.
>3. Meditate and try working on the ghost conditioning some more.
>4. Write in.

>For those wanting a pet stalker, sorry, but they needed full gestation to adult to survive, otherwise the room would have released the younger ones too and you’d have had a much worse fight.

>>30610869

>3
We still need to go though our newly reacquired memories. It may give us some insight to the rest of the squad we apparently came from...

also, I would like Haverdam to give the upstairs machine a once over before we 'volunteer' to 'test it' seeing as though the other one reacted to us...

>>30610869
Well, seems like player count is at an all time low.

>>30610869

Ah, space wizard ninja quest.

>1. Meditate. Erode this mental prison from within. Also opportunity to not get asked uncomfortable questions.

>>30611208
>>30611237
Ok, writing.

Draco here and reporting for duty, so to speak

>>30611237
>>30611303

So, Draco and fellow anon; do we wish to attempt to use the 'optimisation' device, or wait for further information about things?

>>30611331
I wouldn't mind, my guess is that it may increase reflexes and such, problem is how do we use it without worrying about some form of mind control implant or us getting stuck in there.

kinda sad that we wont get a stalker pup

That "optimization process" is one hell of a risk... let Haverdam in on the plan just in case?

>>30611331

I have no strong feelings one way or the other.

On one hand, it's a crazy risk to submit oneself to alien technology, now even more so if facility holds a grudge for this act of petty vandalism.

On the other hand, we are about to have family reunion somewhere down the line, and we might need every edge we can get.

>>30611369
I agree on if we do do it we get Haverdam in on it. Would he go for it is the question


We need to see if there is a way to increase our suit strength with out taking away mobility later, any one else agree on that?

>>30611406

Lol, not without some sort of xeno technology there isn't. Ghost suit is pinnacle of confederate science and engineering, there's no way a band of ragtag colonists would jury rig it into a power armor without turning it into a caricature of itself. Probably only possibility for gear upgrade would be looting a protoss armory.

You stay to the side, deeper in the dark. You don’t have much trouble seeing in it now. You try to sit down as comfortably as possible, somewhat hindered by your wounded arm. You decide to try and get those memories sorted out a bit better.

You descend into your own mind, and focus on the recently reacquired but still elusive memories. With you actively working on it, things seem to go smoother and faster. At least the torture you endured was good for something, who knows how long it would have taken to get rid of the mind wipes yourself.
-You remember the training, most of all. The hellish non stop training and testing and periods of time spent in a device that should boost your psionic power but it hurt so much.-

-You remember masks and white uniforms, faceless people all around you, observing, ordering. Taking down notes and when it came to you, lots of shaking their heads and whispering amongst each other.-

-It was explicitly forbidden to read their minds. Last time Tertius was put into isolation for a week when he got past the psi screens. At least you got to know it was your eighteenth birthday then. You and the rest of the team did a secret celebration after septus explained what a birthday was, having picked it up from the thoughts of a guard once.-

-You also remember Primus. He was the leader, so to speak. The others were afraid of him, but didn’t admit it. He was the strongest of you all, for as long as you could remember. You all fell silent when he joined you, faces going blank and pointing downward. Only septus ever stood up to him when he was torturing you again.-

>>30611605

-You remember Tertius’ death. You couldn’t sleep, when all of a sudden he burst out screaming in the bed next to you. Blood was running from his ears, eyes, nose, everywhere. When the guards and scientists ran in, they… exploded. When you recovered from the shock for a moment, you saw tertius lying still in bed. The next day it was as if he’d never been there, but you caught some scientists whispering about “psionic overload” and “peaked at psi rating 8”.-

-He was your friend dammit.-

>1. Continue meditating. You feel like you’re coming to an end for now though, and the memories might need some more time before you get as much as you did now.
>2. Get out of meditation and head to the “optimisation device”.
>3. Get out of meditation and talk to Haverdam about the “optimisation device”.
>4. Write in.

>>30611540
true, hopefully we are lucky and find one sparsely guarded. Was just a thought, here a random thought if we found specs for a personal field generator (Dont know if they have those) could we make a assault suit?

>>30611622
>3. Get out of meditation and talk to Haverdam about the “optimisation device”.

Think now may be the only chance we get to see it later. very good chance that the temple may be destroyed.

>>30611622
>3

also, were all of the tanks destroyed, or are there still some in working condition? The tech in them might be a great boon to the colony...

>>30611706
First story post of the thread:
>One tube is left alone, and the professor set a team to try and disconnect it from the machinery.

Yes, they're going to try and study it.

>>30611622
>3

>>30611622

>[x] Rest now, and recuperate.

>>30611622
>2. Get out of meditation and head to the “optimisation device”.
Can we take Holmes and Murphy in case something bad happens

>>30611680
>>30611706
>>30611777
Writing.

>>30611801
We'd talk with Haverdam first, let him in on our idea to undergo optimization. This way, we have failsafe if things go wrong.

You’ve been thinking about the so called “optimisation machine” for a while now. You’re expecting a family visit and you could use all the advantages you can get your hands on, but it’s still alien technology, with its own purpose. It needs some more thinking on, and, you decide, some talking with Haverdam. He probably knows the most of this technology of every here.

He’s sitting a small bit away from the light, fiddling with one of those light orbs hanging around most of the halls. It seems he must have used a saw of some kind to get it off.

“Erm, hey.”

“Oh, Artemis.” He pauses for a moment as he looks up at you. “Something on your mind?”

“Yeah, you could say that. I’ve been wondering about that machine upstairs…”

>How are you going to deal with this?
>1. Tell Haverdam of your “family” getting close, explain that you need as much of an edge as you can.
>2. Say that it could make you stronger, but try to evade explaining why.
>3. Just talk to him about its function, avoid mentioning you might want to use it yourself, though he might catch on and ask about it.
>4. Write in.

>>30612006

>2

He knows what we are, and I believe we told him what the 'analysis' machine told us...

>>30612006
>4

Explain that it is breaching the barriers of your memory, that it can help you to find answers regarding your past. that this is really important to you

>>30612154
You have told him that it scanned you, you told him what you think the machine upstairs does, but you haven't actually told him that the analysis machine said anything.

>>30612006
>2. Say that it could make you stronger, but try to evade explaining why.

>>30612154
>>30612170
>>30612253
Writing.

>>30612154
>>30612170

In case it occurs to him that this machine might turn us into killer beast, maybe tell him that it already restored our memories and we do not feel any more inclination to murder people than we did before.

“That scanner did something to me. It started to let my memories come back. But only started. I think the machine up there could help me. It might also ‘improve’ me in other ways, but if I do this I might get to the bottom of who I was.”

He doesn’t immediately respond, as his face changes into a thoughtful frown. He puts down the light orb and looks back at you. “This means a lot to you, does it?”

“Yeah. That scanner did something right, despite the torture it subjected me to. I just want to be sure about that device upstairs before I risk anything. I’d like you to examine it first.”

“I see.” He pauses for a bit longer, then suddenly stands up straight. “Very well. Do you want to go straight away? I also suppose you’d rather not have anyone with us, seeing how it’s your… gifts that most likely activate it.”

>It’s now the rough equivalent of 5pm in the afternoon.
>1. Go straight away. Stay outside the room while Haverdam inspects the device.
>2. Same as 1, but take someone with you (most likely Holmes and/or Murphy)
>3. Rather have him examine it thoroughly first and take his time with it. You can wait until tomorrow if need be. Not risking anything.
>4. Write in.

>>30612478
>>3. Rather have him examine it thoroughly first and take his time with it. You can wait until tomorrow if need be. Not risking anything.


I would like to know exactly that device can do to us before we allow it to work its magic, also id like to bring holmes, or murphy incase it activates

>>30612478

It's dangerous to go alone. Take this:
>2

On the other hand, letting our secrets disseminate like that might not be the best idea either...

Regardless whether we do take someone along, warn them to not give in to sudden urges to get under the scalpel, as the scanner did make an effort to prod us to volunteer.

>>30612478
>2. Same as 1, but take someone with you (most likely Holmes and/or Murphy)
Bring both Holmes and Murphy. tell them that they are our best friends on this planet and were trusting them with secrets that they can't say or even think about around other people

>>30612571
second this

yeah, bring holmes and murphy along, but leave them outside the room, they shouldn't witness our gifts just yet

>>30612478
>3

if we let him 'discover' it's function, we could volunteer to test it, seeing as though we are an externally hired hunter/mercenary brought in for the more dangerous things, not to mention improving ourselves should allow us to 'hunt' bigger prey... maybe make a comment on always wanting an brutalisk trophey...

I know this is off track but did we explain our powers to the doctor chick? Cant remember if we did or not

>>30612571
>>30612623

>>30612591
>>30612617


Tie. Waiting another 3 minutes for a tie breaker or I'll roll.

>>30612682
Ah, never mind this then. >>30612692


>>30612689
And yeah, Lisa got told the whole shebam about Ghosts.

u know Dovah that is kinda sad, our best friends are two people we have only known for a couple of days

>>30612740
We don't even know or birth name. We've been slaves our whole life. Not really surprising that we'd meet real friends now.

>>30612740
but we have known them for almost the entire time we have been free

>>30612776
true, i just had a random thought that's a/ll

“Take your time. I’d rather not rush you and do something stupid that could have been prevented. I’m fine with waiting until tomorrow.”

“Very well. I think I’ll go work on it now though. It’s more interesting than this light bulb anyway, and I think it might be a good way to thank you for what you’ve done so far. I think we all would have died by now if it wasn’t for you.”

He approaches the group at the lamp, collects a few people and heads off. There’s still some people on guard duty. You might have destroyed their breeding place, but there’s still Stalkers out there in the wild already.

The simple fact that Haverdam went working on the device puts your mind at ease a bit. A hard decision has been slightly delayed, and with his insight you might be able to make the better choice more easily. It does mean you don’t really have anything to do right now though.

>1. Sit with the group, listen in on the conversation.
>2. Check on Holmes and Murphy specifically. Did Holmes get hurt during the fight?
>3. Try to meditate on the memories some more. Might not get as much out of them as before though.
>4. Try to meditate on the ghost conditioning some more. Every little bit you can do there helps break through.
>5. Write in.

>>30612861
Let's check in with our friends than, shall we?
>2

we can always meditate later

>>30612861
>2. Check on Holmes and Murphy specifically. Did Holmes get hurt during the fight?
We must make sure our friends are ok and that they are our best friends.

>>30612902
and what about Lisa and Haverdam, they are not good enough to be best friends? :D

>>30612861
>2
Check on Holmes and Murphy.

>>30612861
>4
We'll need all the strength we can get.

>>30612959
they are as well but right now Haverdam is our boss and Lisa is our love interest ;D

>>30612884
>>30612902
>>30613005
Writing.

>>30612861

To be honest I'd rather follow Haverdam so we're not too far should he decide that this xel'naga surgery table looks like a perfect place for a nap

>>30613024
haha xD

You decide to check on the two people you’ve actually met here by now. You saw Murphy was ok when you got back to the camp, seeing how she stayed behind to guard it, but after the chaos of the battle and your own injury, you didn’t really check on Holmes or anyone else.

They’re around the lamp too, but they’re slightly away from the main group. As you approach you can hear Holmes is tellin her about the battle, and specifically about your own personal exploits.

“And he just took out that rifle of his and went BLAM BLAM! I didn’t have the time to check, but I think he took down one with every shot.”

You join them before he gets to the part where you were brutally mauled by a stalker without being able to retaliate.

“And here he is! Damn man, you did a number on them!” You quietly inspect Holmes. It seems like his already slightly injured arm is off a bit worse, he’s wearing it in a sling much like you now. For the rest he seems fine, though you notice bandage on his legs too.

Murphy chides in. “Looks like I might have to hand you that ‘best shot of Frontier’ badge I won a couple of months ago then. Unless you ain’t planning on sticking around?”

>1. I might, a bit of a holiday sounds good after all this.
>2. Evade. Ask how her battle with the stalker at camp went.
>3. Evade, ask Holmes what happened to him during the fight.
>4. Write in.

>>30613222

>1. I might, a bit of holiday sounds good after all this.

>>30613028
He's an archaeologist, and he knows what that previous thing did to you. Give him some credit.

>>30613222
>>1. I might, a bit of a holiday sounds good after all this

also add in, plus this is one of the most interesting game ive had to hunt in a while

>>30613222
>4. Write in.
"I like this place, I probably will settle down here, or as settle as this place gets. Holmes what happened to you in the fight i lost sight of you and Murphy what happened to with that stalker at camp?"

>>30613304
So what i said is >1 with the questions of >2 and >3

>>30613378
>>30613293
>>30613253
Writing.

>>30613222

"Who knows, I'll need somewhere to mount all my hunting trophies... But enough about me, how did things go with the two of you? I hear one of the stalkers got caught in the barricade, and you seem worse for wear after that mess down in the depths...."

“I think I might stay for a while here, a bit of a holiday sounds good after all this. And it’s been some of the most interesting game I’ve had to hunt for a while.” After a frown from Holmes you quickly add “Aside from that mutalisk perhaps.”

“But anyway,” You turn to Holmes, “I heard you were telling her about the battle we had downstairs, but I didn’t catch what happened to you yourself.” You gesture to his wounds.

“Eh, it’s nothing.” You’re not really sure if it’s the truth or if he’s just acting tough. “One of them stalkers hit me while it jumped, broke my arm. The legs are just superficial scratches, my protective clothing held off the most.”

“And Murphy, what about you? How did that stalker attack go?”

“Oh, it was barely an attack. We were keeping watch of the barricade, then all of a sudden this stalker tries to leap through it. The door opening’s small enough that even without the barricade it’d only just fit through though, and it seems they really made that thing sturdy. It managed to get over the top, but got stuck with its belly. Was kinda like shooting fish in a barrel, but slightly sad as the thing started howling before we even shot it. At the clean up we noticed something in the rubble stuck right into its belly. But yeah, it couldn’t move much, so I put it out of its misery by shooting it in the eye.”

You must again concur with Holmes. She does like talking.

“But Billy here wasn’t finished telling me about the fight yet.” Holmes groans when she says ‘Billy’. ”So what did happen after you got rid of all those kittens in the tubes?”

>1. “Billy”? afterwards tell her what happened.
>2. Tell her what happened.
>3. “Billy?” Afterwards, tell her what happened, but try to gloss over your failure a bit.
>4. Tell her what happened, but try to gloss over your failure a bit.
>5. Write in.

>>30613619
>2

>>30613619
>1
Whose Billy?

>>30613619
>1. “Billy”? afterwards tell her what happened.

>>30613619
>1. “Billy”? afterwards tell her what happened.

>>30613716
>>30613754
>>30613769
Writing.

“Who’s Billy?”

Murphy bursts out in laughter and Holmes buries his head in his hands and groans again. “It’s me… My name is William, but this broad here continues to torment me with ‘Billy’.”

“Hey, don’t call me a broad, I’m fifteen years younger than you.”

“Twelve. Don’t make me older than I am. Forty-one already feels old enough as it is.” He looks back at you. “Now I believe our good friend Artemis here was gonna tell you about how the fighting went.” He stresses the words at the end quite a bit. You’re not sure why, it’s probably one of those social constructs you’re not used to yet. But you oblige.

You tell them everything. How you took out those in tubes, leaving the defence to the rest. and then having to react and join the defence when they almost overwhelmed you. Then about the final charge where the stalker manages to overpower you. You even mention the psychic attack, but dress it up like some kind of strange headache, not revealing your knowledge about psionics. There were other people attacked that way, so it doesn’t seem to raise any questions.

As you finish your story, dinner gets served. It seems like the cooks did their best today as what you’re being fed is much better than what you got the past few days. The general mood is relaxed, with a kind of celebration being held. Haverdam still isn’t back from upstairs though. Either he’s very zealous when it comes to working, or something went wrong. But then those with him might have come back to call for help.

Some more time passes, and just as you’re starting to think you’d better go up and check, Haverdam comes back, a tired look on his face. He goes straight for the food though.

>1. Leave him be. He looks tired and he’ll come to you when he’s ready. (if you don’t specify doing anything else, I’ll keep it for staying in Holmes’ and Murphy’s company)
>2. Go to him and ask about the machine.
>3. Write in.

>>30614032
>1,
cause the more people know and like/ trust artemis (however unjustified) in town, the less likely we are to get given to primus trussed up like a trukery, however, we should get this 'upgrade' tonight. sooner is better.

>>30614032
>3
Meditate, work on the conditioning while Haverdam eats.

>>30614032
>3
wait for the man to eat if we can squeeze in some meditation that would be awesome.

>>30614032
>1. Leave him be. He looks tired and he’ll come to you when he’s ready. (if you don’t specify doing anything else, I’ll keep it for staying in Holmes’ and Murphy’s company)
Lets ask our friends about there lives and such or say that you'll try to use that machine upstairs tomorrow

>>30614243
seconded

>>30614032
>3

meditation sounds good,
also means haverdam can approach us without having to bother murphy and holmes

>>30614243
>>30614266
>>30614114
Writing.

>>30614185
>>30614203
>>30614243
>>30614266
so we're all in agreement that we let him eat first, but i really think we want all our memories in place before we confront primus tonight

>>30614295
Oh damn, back to tie...

>>30614316
Want me to give you some more time to discuss or do I roll tiebreaker?

>>30614310

agreed.

Voting for the meditation while Haverdam eats.

>>30614316
no dude, as i said in>>30614310
, we let the man eat, we just don't know whether to wait till tomorow or go now.
if everyone else wants to wait though it#s cool

>>30614316
but we need better friendship

>>30614114
>>30614243
>>30614266
Socialise

>>30614185
>>30614203
>>30614295
>>30614364
Meditation.

Ok, meditation wins, writing.

>>30614406
You actually forgot >>30614266, it's still a tie (dovah, learn to put the number in your post!).

>>30614506
thats draco i was counted and so was he

>>30614506
It was 3-3
>>30614364
was the tie-breaker

You go somewhere a bit more private, so Haverdam can easily approach you when he’s ready, and you can work on that ghost conditioning a bit more. When you’re seated, you descend into your mind again, and observe the fortress that is your ghost conditioning.

It looks like two pyramids glued to each other to form a cube, but it’s full of mental defences manifested as actual weaponry. For now, you simply observe and probe its defences. Try to learn the reactions and how to put them to your own use. Time goes by, and you think you’ve made some progress, when suddenly you realise someone is sitting next to you and you withdraw from your meditation.

Haverdam is leaning against the wall next to you, and for a moment you think he’s sleeping. When you move slightly though, he opens his eyes.

“Ah, welcome back to the land of the living.” His usual cheer is hampered by his exhaustion. “So, straight to business?”

You nod, and he continues. “Well, I’m fairly sure the device doesn’t actually cut people or creatures open. There’s no surgical tools or anything. I’ve also more or less confirmed our suspicions that it needs a psychic being to trigger. I went to that ring you got stuck in and it didn’t do anything to me either.”

“For the rest, I tried everything, but there doesn’t seem to be any actual terminal to control it with, and there was nothing more I could recognise or find out. This whole place has a Protoss feel to it, but it’s not. The runes and symbols don’t match. I think it’s even older. All those crystals and strange objects… I’ve never seen anything like it. I’m sorry I couldn’t give you more, but it’s all I could find out.”

“It’s… It’ll have to be enough. Thank you, professor.”

“Don’t mention it. Now I’m going to bed though, I’m quite tired and I have a lot of work to do tomorrow. Good night.”
>choices in next post.

>>30614776

>it’s about 9 pm now.

>1. Go to the device alone, go for it.
>2. Go to the device and go for it, but take someone with you (specify).
>3. Leave it be for tonight and do something else (specify). You don’t know how long the process would take so it might be best not to start it in the evening.
>4. Go to bed too.
>5. Write in.

>>30614794
>2
get billy.

>>30614794

how long will our arm be out of commission for?
will there be any significant improvement over night?

if the answer to these is positive, go for it now, ensuring to inform the professor.
if not, then spend the night sleeping, prepare those mental defences for Primus's visit...

>>30614839
second this, let's go for it

>>30614794
2. Take Holmes or Murphy.

I would post more often, but such is life when your ISP is banned.

>>30614794
>3. Leave it be for tonight and do something else (specify). You don’t know how long the process would take so it might be best not to start it in the evening
I'd rather have Haverdam there to take notes and what it's doing and Holmes and Murphy to come along as well because we trust them

>>30614855
Hmm, I forgot to have the medic say some stuff on that actually.
It's in pretty bad shape, and he said there'll be some permanent damage. Whether it'd be just scar tissue or an actual physical disfunction, he wasn't sure of. He did advice you to not use it for at least a week and he'd clean out the bandages every day.

>>30614893
That sucks man. I appreciate it though. I suppose contacting 4chan support doesn't help?

>>30614936
yah lets wait till tomorrow so the medic can change the stuff before we go

>>30614936
>advice you.
Advise you of course...

>>30614794
>2
Take along someone for the ride lets take Harvy he seemed a fellow archelogical fella as well as engineer chicka

>>30614998
Am i the only one that thinks it's stupid to use the alien stuff without Haverdam (he's asleep)

>>30615023
Harvy? I'm pretty sure I haven't named any NPC Harvy so far...

I suppose you mean Holmes though.

>>30614965
It was unbanned at some point for a couple months, but it's on again. Well it's pretty late here in europe so yeah, see you next thread.

>>30614839
>>30614867
>>30614893
>>30615023

Writing for taking Holmes/Murphy and going.


>>30615058
Apparently. Of course, I'm going to refrain on commenting what impact it would have or if it'd even have one at all.

>>30615065
I'm european too, not going on for too much longer anyway. g'night anon.

>>30615104
can we at least take the medic(make sure alien stuff didn't do bad shit to us) as well and have Holmes take notes on what it does?

Oh, what exactly do you tell Holmes and Murphy?

>1. Tell them you actually suffer from amnesia and that that scanner already lifted some of it. You hope the machine up top might get you back all of your memories.
>2. Tell them you're intrigued by the device and would like to check it out. They might panic if it gets you and activates though.
>3. Partially tell them the actual story: you're an ex soldier and your previous employer blocked your memories to keep you loyal. scanner partially lifted it, you think main machine might remove it entirely.
>4. Write in.

>>30615242
>3. Partially tell them the actual story: you're an ex soldier and your previous employer blocked your memories to keep you loyal. scanner partially lifted it, you think main machine might remove it entirely
If we want them to be great loyal friends we must tell them *almost everything

>>30615242
>4
I really think it'd help to have Haverdam there. He could cover for us if things go to shit. Lets wait till morning.

However, if everyone is dead-set on doing it tonight and possibly unleashing spaghetti, lets do 3.

>>30615242
>3. Partially tell them the actual story: you're an ex soldier and your previous employer blocked your memories to keep you loyal. scanner partially lifted it, you think main machine might remove it entirely.

>>30615342
yeah i think not everyone knew that Haverdam was exhausted and went to sleep

>>30615242
>3
It best ot reveal the truth bit by bit less mess that way

>>30615420
>>30615357
>>30615298
>>30615342
Writing.

Might be the last post for today, but there might be one more after the next. I'll see how it goes.

>>30615455

I feel kind of bad for leaving Haverdam out of this. But on the other hand it might get gruesome.

People will be suspicious AND think us crazy regardless.

>>30615420
No, the best way would have been to save that guy whi was choking to death with psionics. Hindsight, but still.

>>30615605

Or we could have killed him with trying to do something we've never done before and get even more flak for that.

I guess it would have been right thing to do, but it would in all likelihood not have ended well.

>>30615630
At least we'd have tried.

>>30615455
Ok, definitely gonna be the last post. It's shaping up to be a long one. A really long one.

You go over to where Holmes and Murphy are. By now they’re at the large group, and a slightly older woman is attempting to sing. Attempting being the operating word there.
You tap Holmes and Murphy on the shoulder and ask them if you could have a word with them.

When you’re a bit away from the main group, you start talking.

“Look, you two have had my back for a while now, and I of trust you both.” You wait for a moment to let it sink in and continue. “I’m an ex soldier, and my previous… ‘employer’ removed my memories to keep me loyal. When he died I got away, but my memories remained locked up. That scanner machine that got me when we got here actually made me remember some things. I think the memory thing was probably also why it reacted to me.”

They look at each other, a mixture of pity and uncertainty on their faces, but they don’t interrupt. “So that device they talked about earlier, up at the top floor, I think it might manage to make me remember everything. But I would like to have someone have my back, in case things go wrong…”

You let them think it over for a while, but Murphy immediately responds. “Sure. I’ll be there.”

It takes a bit longer before Holmes replies though. “I don’t know man… With my arm as it is I can’t really do much. Not like before at least. But I’ll come with you. It’s the least I can do.

You thank them both and set off. It seems the temple is symmetrical vertically too. The floors up follow the exact same pattern as they did in the subterranean levels, and after a short walk you reach the top.
[1/3]

>>30616351

When you reach the top chamber, you look around it. In the middle is a large circle floating about a metre above the ground, surrounded by several crystals. Above it hangs something that reminds you of the barrels of a goliath or something, but highly technological and smoothed out. All around the chamber, there’s more crystals, several smaller circles and lots of strange constructions with lenses.

You have to dodge around the objects a bit to get to the centre, but when you do, nothing happens. You glance around at your comrades who keep a bit of a distance just to be sure. It’s fairly dark though so you can’t tell for sure but they seem to be a bit nervous, and are examining the equipment around you.

You rub over the central ring once, but it doesn’t react, and you decide to duck under it and stand in the middle. The moment you stand up straight again, everything around you starts moving, and the crystals start glowing. You feel a faintly familiar pressure as you are gently pulled into the same position as before, limbs spread out and this time facing up. Severa; crystals fire beams through lenses, onto mirrors and into other devices, and the entire rooms seems to have become alive.

Suddenly, you feel a strange relaxation roll over you. Your eyelids seem to close themselves and you feel strangely similar to sleeping.

*SPECIMEN FOUND*
*EARLIER SPECIMEN SCAN RETRIEVED*
*COMMENCING FULL ANALYSIS*

Time seems to cease existing. You’re not sure if the next part takes less than a second or hours, but you feel a tingling sensation go over your entire body. Nothing like the torture you went through before.

*FULL SCAN COMPLETE*
*COMMENCING REMOVAL OF MECHANICAL IMPLANTS*
*IMPLANTS REMOVED*
*COMMENCING GENETICAL MODIFICATION OVERRIDE*
*OVERRIDE COMPLETE*
*COMMENCING PSIONIC AWAKENING*
[1/4]

>>30616378

Suddenly you feel… Everything. All life on the planet. Then all the life in the system. Several systems. Then it stops. For a single moment you feel like you could ERADICATE your opponents. DESTROY primus. ANNIHILATE your pursuers.

*PSIONIC AWAKENING MORE POWERFUL THAN ANTICIPATED*
*ESTABLISHING PROTECTIVE BARRIERS*
*TWEAKING BRAIN MODIFICATIONS*
*LOCKING PSI POTENTIAL AT 2.0*
*SPECIMEN SPECIES IS NOT READY FOR BEYOND 2.0*
*WILL REQUIRE FULL ANALYSIS AND MORE BROAD AND LONG TERM ADAPTATION*
*SPECIES DOES NOT SUFFICE FOR END GOAL*

*COMMENCING FULL BODY SCAN DOUBLE CHECK*
*DOUBLE CHECK COMPLETE*
*FORCING CELL REGROWTH*

You suddenly feel a flash of pain all over your body, similar but more intense than the scanning device. It’s over in less than a second though. Or was it an hour? You honestly can’t tell.

*CELL REGROWTH COMPLETE*
*SPECIMEN RECOMMENDATION: KEEP UNDER CLOSE SURVEILLANCE, PSI POWER GROWTH MAY GET OUT OF HAND*

*PROCESS COMPLETE*

You open your eyes, and feel yourself gently floating down to the floor. As you stand up, you nearly smash into the metal circle above you, because somehow it went much faster than it should have. You look around to where your companions are, and you can see them perfectly despite the slight gloom. You duck under the ring again but find yourself going too fast again and you have to compensate. You feel like it isn’t really your own body anymore, but something else you’re not used to using. When you get closer, you notice they’re looking at you in surprise.

“How long was I in there?”

“Only a minute or two. Maybe three. You just hung there for a while. Did it work?” Murphy seems to notice you’re a bit wobbly on your feet.

“I think so… It did some other things too though. I think I’ll need some time to find that out though. Let’s go back downstairs.
[3/4]

>>30616397

>Psi rating: 6
>You have learned: Psi Shield (spend a psi point to reduce or nullify an incoming attack)
>You have learned: Matter Bomb (spend 2 psi points to inflict massive damage in an area of up to three metres diameter.)
>your general psychic control has been greatly improved.
>May tweak or adapt these abilities during the course of tomorrow.

>All of your implants have been removed, including the aggression inhibitor.
>All removed beneficial implants have been compensated by genetical modification to replace it.
>Your physical strength, speed and agility have been boosted, but you may need serious retraining.

>That’s all for now folks. I think I’ll run tomorrow, same time again, 8pm CET. Follow the twitter for live updates.
>Sticking around a bit longer for criticism and questions.

>>30616415

And archived! Feel free to upvote if you enjoyed it.
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?tags=Freelance%20Ghost%20Quest

>>30616415
Oooooh fun fun fun in terms of readyness how are we in comparsion to primus?

>>30616415
So, just realized something. Primus probably felt that. Primus will want to know why we're more powerful, and the Complex's defenses are gone. He might even know where it is now. That's bad, mmmkay.

Also, if we train or psychic abilities, we need to be careful. Tertius is an excellent example of what we don't want to happen to us.

>>30617477
There a reason why its called power overwhelming

>>30617469
I suspect we'll find out in 1-3 threads, anon. I already have final boss music picked out (although this is pretty much a tutorial boss/first planet boss). General theme would probably be DE:HR First and Last.