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...Which is to say, it's time to finish off the Saetos upgrade vote once and for all.

As of last night, I took a tally, a few others did the same, and the clear front-runners were the jump pack and the electrolaser upgrades. So as to not invalidate the choices of everyone else who picked less popular options, we're going to do a tiebreaker vote round between those two--and hopefully decide which path to take it on.

I'm also going to try and field the questions that were asked after I skedaddled last night. Feel free to ask more.

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>>42622624
A reminder:
A: Jumpjet: By incorporating the immense energy regulation and thrust systems Saetos had contrived, Anode could produce for himself a back-mounted jump-jet system, providing him even further mobility and great bursts of speed. With the additional legspace the K. Coil mk. II made available, Anode could add secondary thrusters to his boots, allowing more controlled flight. In addition, by weaponizing the assembly and wreathing Anode in a cloak of flame, he could turn this move into an offensive tackle, the immense heat helping to disperse incoming plasma fire. This would function as a tertiary dash and a limited double-jump with a long cooldown. The end result would be one of the most mobile hunters on record.

C: Electrolaser: Anode’s unique composition makes this nonstandard buster upgrade possible almost solely for him. By incorporating the UV data into a solid-state laser, ionized air can create literal plasma channels through which plasma can travel at incredibly high speed, retaining cohesion and temperature longer and better. It greatly magnifies Anode’s effective range with both his standard buster fire and all his electrical attacks. A second upgrade could weaponize the electrolaser itself, tuning the UV to lethal levels by drawing additional power from the buster assembly and effectively doubling Anode’s ranged power. An important note is that this upgrade is two smaller shots, not a single overcharge--well-armored enemies would still take markedly less damage. An alternate tuning would create a pervasive, penetrating electrolaser channel. This would give all of Anode’s buster shots piercing qualities, similar to a charged shot’s overpenetration through a destroyed target.

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>>42622635
Here are some questions from last thread:
>....come to think of it, how much dashing would a human be able to endure if you carried one?
Depends on the dash system used and the support to the human's whiplash-y, concussion-y bits.

>How does buster overpenetration work?
Conventional charged plasma will not bloom on impact with a target that's destroyed by the hit. The shot will travel through the obstacle unimpeded out to its maximum effective range or strikes something it doesn't destroy, at which point the bubble collapses and the shot blooms. Your charged shots already have this property.

What the electrolaser does is confer it to everything, and not just on a fatal hit--all your shots will pierce as if they destroyed their original target, out in a line. Note that this is not an armor piercing quality to your damage--we're firmly in gameplay mechanics versus physics simulations here. Your shots won't breach cover, and they won't go through walls. I don't see any reason why you couldn't disengage the electrolaser channels if you wanted to avoid the line-shot effect in a delicate environment.

Note that the electrolaser does not back-fill your capacitor charge.

>Will electrolaser give us charged versions of VWES?
No. This is governed by the investment into single weapons, rather than straight upgrades to your buster systems the way X gets it. You can try to put additional resources into your buster--maybe tune your VWES systems for efficiency, power, fidelity to the original article, or what have you--but actually producing an alternate firing mode requires you to develop the data. You're closest to a charged T. Coil, out of all your weapons, due to the extensive upgrading you've given it. Not quite there yet, though.

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>>42622659
>How slow is the recharge on the weaponized jump-jet?
A full thirty seconds, with future upgrades that can improve it. You won't be able to use it every time you move, for sure--but even when it's not available, your regular dashing and Raikousen movement will still be usable. When it's cycled, you could combine the jets, your dash, and the electrodash into a long marathon jump/jet/dash to make tracks in a hurry... for brief bursts. That'll start taxing your dash systems, though, so don't expect to be able to keep spamming that level of mobility through an entire fight.

With all that...

>Back-mount Jumpjets
-Limited Flight System
-Weaponized Jump Pack

>Electrolaser
-Secondary Projectiles
-Penetrating Channel

>>42622624
Alright. My vote is the weaponized jump jets. Mobility on the battle field is important as we have seen several times. Our speed has improved, but it's a good B at best. 30 seconds isn't bad for the sudden boost and can close the gap when time is hard pressed.

Not only that, but it offers offensive and defensive possibilities along with good compatibility with other upgrades. Our crouched lance could make the dash even better and if we do it right, we could do a even strong version of the shoryuken we did to Ursa that sent him flying.

>Back-mount Jumpjets
>Weaponized Jump Pack

i must go quickly

>>42622675
>Back-mount Jumpjets
>-Weaponized Jump Pack

>>42622675
I think I prefer
>Electrolaser
-Penetrating Channel

>Back-mount Jumpjets
>-Weaponized Jump Pack

We gotta go so fast we'll have to stop eating so we can fast all the time.

>>42622675
>Electrolaser
>Penetrating Channel
We're fast enough. We need more range game.

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>>42622996

>>42622675

This is a hard choice.
I really like the Electrolaser w/ Secondary Projectiles and Back-mount Jumpjets w/Weaponized Jump Pack

> Electrolaser
> -Secondary Projectiles

>>42622675
>Back-mount Jumpjets
>Weaponized Jump Pack

>>42622675
For the banned potato, vote change to:
>>Back-mount Jumpjets
>-Weaponized Jump Pack

>>42622675
> Electrolaser
> -Secondary Projectiles

>>42623036
Our range game is pretty good though. The rockets and lock on hunter both help a lot, and in situations where the penetration would be handy, we will likely have fire support.

It boosts range, sure, but if the enemies are spread out or not in a row, it's not going to help us as often as we like.

>>42622675
And I return.

>Back-mount Jumpjets
>Weaponized Jump Pack

>>42622675
>>Back-mount Jumpjets
>-Weaponized Jump Pack

Non-AP pierce through enemies is not so great, so Secondary Projectiles sounds better if the other choice comes out on top.

>>42622675

>>Back-mount Jumpjets
>-Weaponized Jump Pack

>>42622675
>-Limited Flight System
Mobility is god-king of the battlefield. Flight is the god-king of mobility.

Also agreeing that our range game is indeed pretty good, but so is our mobility game. This isn't a vote between "Be good at this and bad at this or vice versa", it's a vote between "be extra good at this and good at this or vice versa".

>>42623210
>>42623839

I thought our melee game was better than our ranged game?

And that we're pretty mobile thanks to t-coil and raikousen.

So in short, our ranged game is comparatively the weakest there actually.

>>42623968
Our melee is about equal, though a bit smaller since we aren't properly trained yet for melee. It's slightly less versatile as well. Mobility also relies on our charge and if we have coils. When we didn't have them, it really showed. This allows for a chargeless dsh or jump and could very well generate a charge as well. It also syngerizes well with both our range and melee since it allows us to choose what we want. We can just as quickly get out of melee as we can get into it, and the fire protects us when we move away.

>>42623968
Our melee game is better, but it's a running law of video game logic that melee is better than ranged, because it has no range. If we were better at range than in melee, it'd indicate to me that we were overspecialized.

Also, mobility lets us dictate the game. The game is melee if we say it is and we're faster, ranged if we damn well please. We're already pretty well rounded, so there's a lot of merit in playing to the other guy's weakness instead of our strength.

>>42623968
Anode's ranged damage output is on the lower end of the spectrum.

His ranged defense, however, is absolutely stellar.

Comparatively, his melee power, relative to others or more dedicated users, is low. His melee defense is passing, but he lacks the skill for a prolonged melee engagement.

In his initial design, Anode leaned melee-heavy (as a general rule, melee hits a little harder than ranged, Saetoses aside). Cathode leaned range-heavy.

>>42622675
>Back-mount Jumpjets
>Limited Flight System
I'm good with either of the jump jet upgrades to tell the truth I just like the upgrade that we can use without waiting a little more.

>>42624064
Hey HC, if we got the weaponized jumpjets and charged an opponent with it with our lance out would our lance be on fire as well? And how damaging would such an attack be?

>>42622675
>Back-mount Jumpjets
is my vote. We can always improve some sorts of weapons itself but this sort of upgrade is pretty much one-time only.

>>42624229
It would certainly be more damaging, given you're barreling in at a higher speed and also aflame with glorious solar wrath.

No fire sword, however.

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>>42622675
>>42624419
>Back-mount Jumpjets
>-Weaponized Jump Pack
Lance + Flaming Air Dash + Electricity (when/if we get our capacitor back) = YES!

>>42624419
Seeing how we're slamming ourselves into some doing such an attack how mug charge would a flaming tackle give us?

>>42624502
>mug
I meant "much" damn phone

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>>42624502
A few percent, depends how you take the impact, but you've twigged to something.

The jump pack is going to be very helpful in boosting your percentages. Combined with the refined release control capacitors you voted for, you'll be able to get a flow of charge more reliably.

I'm placing my vote for

>Back-mount Jumpjets
>-Weaponized Jump Pack

I always thought that speed was the best thing to have in combat, and a more mobile Anode means a more lethal Anode.

>>42624419
Anyone ever tell you that you have quite the way with words, HC? That said,
>Jump jets
>Weaponized pack

With inquiry on how to improve our game with use of our capacitor. Is it possible to set up a system like what we have with the Raikousen tied to our busters, or investigate if it would be possible to get a merging shot like what Wolfspider 2.0 did?

>>42624711
You can already project capacitor charge electricity from your arms, either in a spray or through your lance, which is channeled to work as part of the conduit system. You can't buster and zap at the same time, however.

Cross shots would require significant overhaul and development of your busters and wouldn't be something you could expect to have until far, far down the line.

>>42622675
>Back-mount Jumpjets

Dragoon mode

>>42625089
I thought raikousen was still on plasma, just amped up the output, first off. Which is what I was wondering about-more ways to use our juice if we get a mav like Jagwire. Maybe as a tier three charge. If the answer is still no, I understand, I just wanted to clarify as it seemed I had miscommunicated the concept.

>>42622675
>Electrolaser
>Penetrating Channel

>>42625305
Why?
We don't need better performance against trash mobs, we deal with those just fine already.

>>42622675
>Back-mount Jumpjets
-Weaponized Jump Pack

Because I want Anode to land spear-first on people from a hundred meters away

STILL BITTER ABOUT THE SWORD

what kinda upgrade do we need for left hand bust right hand zap?

>>42622675
>Back-mount Jumpjets
>Weaponized Jump Pack
I was an electrolaser supporter until it was announced that penetrating channels wouldn't actually help us get through armor. Now, the ability to no-sell plasma fire by dashing through it sounds like the best option - if we can't get better ranged firepower against hard targets, we might as well pick up a way to close the gap more effectively.

jumpjets

loot mac's room and equipment locker. to the victor go the spoils.

>>42625409
Wouldn't that be more a job for the flight system than for firedashing?

>>42625505
What if we find his porn stash?

>>42625489
We're already great at ranged defense, why do we need more? We can already no-sell plasma with the lance.

>>42625508
the flight is less speed and sheer mobility and more a controlled flight. It's handy, but it also lacks the help it gives to our charge and the boosts to both attack and defense. Also, we can do shoryukens and flaming charges.

>>42625529
Then we get to further ruin the traitor's rep by publically displaying the covers, so everyone can see how shit his fetishes were.

>>42625566
We already can do, and have done, a lightning shoryuken. Also, I don't see where it says that the weaponization gives any speed advantage over the flight system.

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>Anode after getting jumpjets
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcip1FfkM8Q

>>42625536
That requires us to slow down and smack them out of the air. It's a slower process and if we want to make sure not to get hit we will have to focus. We still lack for melee skill. The weaponized dash can get us in close and serve as an opener for the lance and other attacks. It's a more personal field mid dash as well, so trick shots won't jump pass us and hit us in the back.

>>42625339
I just want an electric weapon now that our capacitor was forcefully removed. My second choice is flight jet.

>>42625679
We got new capacitors now though. They are much more efficient than the old ones. Talked about them last thread yesterday and already voted them in.

>>42625679
We got the zap back at the end of last thread, man. Hell, we even got an upgrade.

>>42625702
>>42625709
Shit I need to re read last thread. I must have glossed over that.

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>>42625225
The Raikousen is basically a giant torrent of ionized plasma using the capacitor charge. The problem with blending it with buster fire is that it would A: require you to modify the conduit channels (which produce an uncompressed blast of electricity to the endpoints of the channels, being either your lance or the contacts in your palms) to be able to feed into the busters without messing with them, and B: wouldn't do you much good anyway.

>>42625451
Strictly speaking you can already do this; Anode can independently set either arm to buster or hand. There just wouldn't be much point in it.

So, it looks like the weaponized jump pack takes it.

Enjoy going all Space Marine assault drop on things.

>>42625814
In the year 21XX, there is only war.

>>42625814
Time to get grimdark.

>>42625814
>Enjoy going all Space Marine assault drop on things
So does this mean the thread is over or will you pick up from where you left off the other day? Because if it's the former people better get there story times ready.

>>42625927
Actually, that's a good thought.

DO people actually have storytimes handy? Because if so, I did have some minor stuff planned, but none of it is essential now that we've made it through the intro, and I was planning on taking it easy.

>>42626007
>DO people actually have storytimes handy?
... Magnet Lobster, you around?

We still need to give Cath her birthday presents.

>>Back-mount Jumpjets
>-Limited Flight System

Bump from the forbidden page number.

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>>42626104
No, but I am, and I suppose I should story time my campaigns more recent op.

I did give a cursory explaination of our heroes previously, however I will go over it again. Canada, the team's fire support with her rocket launcher and 20mm cannon brings up the heavy infantry roll. BWQ, our serial numbered bee packs a long ranged stinger, fast, low altitude jump jets, and a reploid carving stick. The aptly named Tar Harlequin brings both a sharp wit and a hot, sticky tar. Oh and a flamethrower too. Finally comes Hunter Pogona, the lizard with a railgun integrated into her arms. Also, a shotgun, because blam.

Their latest virtuous mission set them against Recon Coyote, another B-Rank hunter known for flares and speed. He, holding two Steel Beret's hostage, had demanded the arms from a nearby British Hunter FOB as well as a method of aerial escape (a Beeblader). So our heroes were deployed via Beeblader to the store he had entrenched himself in.

Stepping out they took stock of a pair of Tomborts around 60 feet away and two Gunvolts roughly two hundred feet away, rockets quite firmly trained on them. Over a loudspeaker the voice of who they suspected to be Recon Coyote demanded them to immediately drop there arms.

I'm on hand for questions, entertainment and miscellaneous torture if anyone is so inclined.

>>42627151
Since we have things decided on the upgrades, perhaps you can enlighten us on how you decided on the various options you provided? What unknown drawbacks would we have had overall with other options?

Currently stuck at work and likely unable to have time after

>>42627209
The DNA options were fairly straightforward - what were Saetos's native weapons, how would they be implemented from a VWES standpoint.

The non-DNA options, we went through consideration on a lot of ideas. At the time we'd been talking melee options, so both the sword and the shield were fairly straightforward notions. When trying to come up with cool things that could be done with Saetos's tech, jumpjets for extra mobility were a very quick idea. Lastly, we'd been looking into offering some form of buster upgrade, which the electrolaser covered.

I don't think there would have been any unknown drawbacks; I feel we were pretty upfront about what the drawbacks of any given selection would be.

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>>42627073
Much to their DM's surprise, they did at the prodding of Tar Harlequin, dropping an assortment of sabers, rockets and firing pins onto the ground in a loose pile. Basically anything not bolted down to them. Harlequin asks aloud if Recon intended to send an arm escort over to pull them away, but instead he answered "Not until you start clearing away. You see that building near you? In there?" Thats where you get to go."

The quartet shuffles inside, taking stock of their surroundings, notice that half of the garage they had entered was sectioned off with long, ceiling to floor lengths of aluminum foil. Asking about it, along with a worried voice dissent from Canada, they hear, "Just, um... a bit of a cover. Was making snacks. Right about the meat tenderizing stage."

And so the meat tenderizer strides out, through the sheets, a rabbit ride armor within a few feat and menacing the poor, unfortunately placed warriors, ready to turn them to a pulp. Well, if it weren't for the fact that the only one of them without an integrated weapon was Canada. Hunter turns and places another firing pin, putting one and then a second railgun shot into the machine's chest, ruining it as Tar coats the pilot in facemelting, flaming tar, putting the poor rideloid down. Taking a potshot at a Tombort spotter, Hunter, BWQ and Tar move through a nearby window, placing a building between them and the Gunvolts while Canada makes a break for her weapons.
She makes it roughly half way before being lit up. Pummeled by the hail, she turns tail and retreats, rallying with the the other three. After picking off the second Tombort and leaving the gunvolts blind, they harass them outside of visual range and within rocket priming range, BWQ flying and thus untouchable by their dangerous shocks. They quickly fall to the combined fire and Canada makes a safe run back to grab her arms.

>>42627151
How badly (ranking from 1 to Sigma) are the other units trashed after all this?

>>42627151
so whats the break down on differences between the canon version of the base attack and what we got?

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>>42627407
Rallying around the store where our villain has entrenched himself, they peer through the windows only to find that the clever machine has covered their insides with a facade of an actual store, literally big pieces of paper with a store's inside. Cracking a corner of the window open, Tar torchs inside, burning the paper away. The response was immediate.

As the paper flutters away in blackened flakes a bright flash goes off, blinding BWQ, and leaving everyone otherwise surprised. A pair of Rideloids on foot move to support their blazing leader who is literally wreathed in flame, charging not into, but past the four, spreading his scourge of heat through the middle of them, torching BWQ Harlequin before doubling back, still lit up, narrowly dodging fire from everyone except from Canada who lays into him with her devastating 20mm. Taking cover amongst the shelves, he launches a series of flares, trying to blind and hurt Tar, but only succeeding, and only somewhat in the latter. Bursting out again he finds himself in a sticky situation as he is drenched in tar. Slowed and unable to move he breaths fire at BWQ in one last futile effort, lighting himself aflame and burning himself to slag before everyone's eyes.

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>>42627793
Of course there was still more to do. Cleaning up the Rideloids easily they search the back rooms, finding a locked, metal reinforced door. After attempting and failing to knock it down, they attempt to go through the wall. After an embarassing roll Canada stops, tells everyone to step back and fires a rocket at the door... Which over penetrates, sending the explosive careening into the Steel Beret's holding pen, showering them in shrapnel. The chagrined Canada finally manages to wrench the battered door open to recover the even more battered Steel Beret's inside, before bringing them home in the Bee Blader.

>>42627551
Not Cain or hunter, but I can safely mention two. The first being Rho and the second being Mac. From what we can tell, Rho in the original time line gets wrecked by mavs after the 10th failed their last ditch move. Considering Rho serves as the main comms for HQ, that would make organizing the survivors a lot more difficult.

By messing with Mac's plans we freed up both Zero and X. That means Zero could quickly deal with the mechanoid on top of the building and freeing up Hammer Toad, while X reorganized the 17th, who are pretty much our Anti-traitor unit. Having Conda pull back also seemed to have helped the 1st in terms of survivability, and the 8th not going into the inferno likely helped the 7th air cav.

With the score being a 8 along with whatever help Anode has done, we are quite a bit higher than standard history's 0.

Aw man, I was really hoping we would get the electrolaser with the penetrative channel.
Guess thats what I get for sleeping in.
looks like well never get a laser buster ever again.

>>42627444
They didn't have a fun time. I'll call it a 5.

>>42627551
You'll be getting an official after-action report soon, but suffice it to say you did much better than canon.

>>42629805
In your opinion what upgrade was the best for us?

>>42629943
Oh I have no idea. I know I would have taken the sword, but then, I'm a big fan of collateral murder.

Were I in your position and not endowed with my normal desire to destroy all things, the jumpjets would have been my selection. I like mobility, particularly in X games.

>>42630064
> I would have taken the sword, but then, I'm a big fan of collateral murder.
kek

>>42630064
Were the worries that the sword would have a hard lock on it that required Command to authorize its use well placed? The thing was basically a portable WMD against hunters, after all.

>>42630064
Would Emerald have tried to steal the sword to do terrible things to it?

>>42630333
"Anode, here's your giant sword back. We found it among Emerald's possessions."
"Wait, didn't I already receive all of his possessions?"
"This, uh, turned up during the autopsy."

>>42630180
Oh very yes. You wouldn't have been permitted to casually swing the sun around.

>>42630333
He would have desired it greatly, but I think Em is smart enough not to go picking up a toxic sword. So he'd have to settle for being, as the kids say, "mad jelly."

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>>42630460
RIP in peace Emerald, he died doing what he loved: Swords.

>>42630592
I like the idea of literally swinging the sun around in outer space.

>Anode, put it back.
>No, I'm having fun here!
>Anode, we've gone through three days in less than two minutes, half the nation's electronics are slagged, and people think the world is ending. Which it might if you don't PUT THE SUN BACK WHERE IT BELONGS!
>Fine, I'll put it away.
>I'm glad yo-wait, NOT AWAY! BACK! ANODE, WE NEED THAT OUT THERE, NOT IN A FUCKING POCKET!

>>42630717
I think it was the sword that did him, rather than vice versa.

Checking in from Chez Jerkass. Anode has some mail and reports to sift through.

One is labeled "After Action Report."

Open it?

>>42631319
Yes

>>42631319
>Y

>>42631319
>N

>>42631319
yes
e
s

>>42631319
Hell yeah

>>42631319
Yes

>>42631319
>Yes
Why is there a No option?

>>42631416
So we can put off finding out about our demotion to infantry.

>>42631319
YES

>>42631319
Should we get a drink first?

>>42631487
All the booze was destroyed.

>>42631319
>Yes

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>>42631319

HELL YES

>>42631526
You know, I was okay with Schwarz going MIA, losing our signature system for a while to the main villain douchenozzle Doppler, and having our bro's sibling killed, but this is what finally broke my heart.

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>>42631560
Vile pls

>>42631594
The Pond will live again. Max and the oak were saved!

>>42631639
>The oak is saved
Thank fuck.
Does max have legs?

>>42631594
>>42631526
Really? I thought the Pond survived
So Dodo died for nothing then?

>>42631721
The Pond didn't, but the people who were there got out. Except Dodo, of course.

He left later.

In pieces.

>>42631713
no
he has a pole that's rooted into the ground I think

>>42631713
He never had legs.

>>42631721
He died to get everyone out, but the building itself burned down.

>>42631767
We should offer to buy him some.

>>42631775
>but the building itself burned down.
well everything but the oak bar anyways

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MAVERICK ASSAULT ON MAVERICK HUNTER HEADQUARTERS, GENEVA
AFTER ACTION REPORT

Overview: Damage was focused on operatives stationed in Geneva. While satellite and regional bases were largely unharmed, this is only because the decapitation strike was centered firmly on crippling headquarters.
Units that took especially severe casualties include the Seventh, losing its Commander and multiple high-rank operatives, and the Fourth Overland, with several traitor officers inflicting grievous damage on the relatively-isolated unit. Compounding this was the maverick capture of heavy mechaniloid assets during the fighting, and the absence of both the Commander and the highest-ranking loyal officers. A large percentage of the unit’s infantry strength was committed to the protection of Vienna, keeping them away from base until the attack was over. Of Overland personnel on-base at Geneva, less than one-third remain loyal and active. No surviving unit endured losses as severe as Overland.

After-action distinctions:

• First Advance Unit was able to recall its operatives from a prior mission and effect priority repairs to one critically wounded operative (Cathode) on orders from Striker Cobra, returning her to the fight in time to aid in the defense of the unit. With no major traitors stationed in Geneva they were able to come to the defense of the relatively low-strength 2nd and 5th units, preserving them from major losses. Command has noted their clean break and advised them they'll be handling an additional load over the coming weeks, as they support understrength units.

• The maverick strategy emphasized crippling hunter offensive power over strategic or logistic capability, but the lower overall combat ability of the Second Recon’s officers meant they took a toll before First was able to support them. With one officer defecting and two lost, the unit is operating at roughly half strength and will require reinforcements pulled from hunter satellite bases abroad.

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• Third Deploy had one traitor (Kit), who retired one of his fellows before moving on his real target--destroying a great many of the mechaniloid support forces in Deploy’s hangars. With no need to steal hunter assets, Doppler’s forces instead prioritized denying them to us, sharply limiting our staying power and capacity to occupy territory.

• Fourth Overland has been devastated, with most of the officer corps missing, maverick, or dead. Severe casualties among both officers and enlisted were noted, with damage that sees the largest unit in the organization cut in half. Though mostly unharmed, the peacekeeping force tasked to protecting Vienna during its reconstruction had its entire enlisted officer corps--all warrant officers or candidates--killed. The entire force was isolated from reinforcements or communication with Geneva, preventing them from assisting the stricken unit. Emergency reinforcements for lost officers and enlisted are already being scrambled from bases overseas.

• Fifth Communications was fortunate enough to emerge without any officer casualties, but contends with extensive equipment damage, reducing their ability to coordinate and direct hunter response.

• Sixth Marine keeps a small presence, and commander Berg Celion was forced to contend with not one but two traitors in his unit, leaving him the sole remaining representative in Geneva. Another operative has been recalled from a posting in the Atlantic, but additional reinforcements are not necessary at this time.

• Outside of the Fourth Overland, no unit took worse losses than the Seventh Air Cavalry. On the heels of the heavy casualties taken during a sortie against an S-class threat in the Himalayas, the Seventh has lost both its commanding officer and one of its most powerful members, with another MIA. Between one confirmed maverick and a desperate counterattack to protect the rest of the units from the overwhelming air assault, reinforcing the Seventh is a top priority.

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• Eighth Armored has been officially reinstated, and was able to defend the stricken Seventh--though the Air Cavalry has sustained heavy losses, we still have a functioning air force and the means to deny local superiority to maverick forces.

• Ninth Rangers commanding officer Shock Scorpion was killed in the fighting, and Holo Skunker is confirmed maverick. The stand-alone nature of the unit leaves them at similar operating capacity, aside from the loss of their CO.

• The Tenth Civic Unit was killed to a man in defense of Rho's central processing facilities. Thanks to their last stand, Rho remains unharmed and was able to restore communications and hunter coordination to rally a counterattack, sharply reducing losses across the board.

• Though maintaining no presence in Geneva, a report from the satellite facility Eleventh Space Command operates from indicates they had one traitor that they were able to deal with before any major damage could be done.

• Twelfth Tropical only maintains a single officer on location in Geneva, who remained loyal and assisted in the defense of the main headquarters building.

• Thirteenth Polar, meanwhile, typically maintains a similar presence, but the CO (Huski Lumberfell, confirmed maverick) arranged a trap along with fellow turncoat Polaris White to attempt to assassinate another unit member. Blizzard Wolfang is to be commended for holding his own against the two renegades, not only stalling for time until they were forced to retreat, but denying them a chance to inflict further damage or casualties to the rest of MHHQ. Wolfang will remain onsite for repairs and to step into the role his former commander vacated until a new commander can be named.

• Fourteenth Grapple Company fared well, ably defending central headquarters, but during the fighting one officer went missing and has not been seen since. Bast was most recently recovered from being taken captive during a Shinobi Unit joint operation.

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• Fifteenth Artillery was a high-priority target for the maverick air force, with multiple officers turning maverick, including former commander Accel Orca. The traitors cost us several loyal officers, and worse, we’ve confirmed at least one captured officer. Compounding their woes, several officers across the world were forcibly sidelined to avoid the risk of their going maverick through a shared link to a defector. Until the Fifteenth can be resupplied, our strategic bombardment capabilities are effectively hamstrung.

• Sixteenth R&D has a great many protections in its main laboratory at headquarters, and they were employed to good effect. Two members turned traitor, but the security countermeasures were quickly activated. One of the traitors chose to self-destruct when faced with capture. The other was not fast enough to follow suit, and is now being held by Commander Beams Nautiller for interrogation.

• The Seventeenth Elite Unit suffered similarly high casualties to the rest of the fighting units, though the early arrival of warnings from our resources in Doppler's research community (confirmed KIA, no survivors), combined with the timely arrival of Commander X left one less high-class maverick (Neutron Zebra, retired) and one more high-rank hunter officer (Karin). The unit is thus in a much stronger position to provide assistance in the coming days.

• Last, the Shinobi Unit had several prominent members go maverick, and those that stood against them killed in action. The loss of some of our most powerful operatives will be keenly felt, but they were able to mitigate the harm inflicted by the rogue members before their escape.

>>42631849
>>42631984
>>42632122
>>42632290
OH MY GOD, those pic titles, you sick bastard
kek

>>42631849
>No surviving unit endured losses as severe as Overland.

>>42632290
>Neutron Zebra
Bugger, how did Schwartz and Aegis knew?

>>42632359
That's honestly really good, since we got properly buggered up the ass.

>>42632359
Honestly, The zero unit traitors sound as bad, just in a different way.

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FULL BREAKDOWN--note that unit listings are only for unit presence within Geneva

• First Advance Unit
Striker Cobra
Breakliner Ox
Shieldspin Shroom (MIA, presumed KIA)
Bullet Gantlergun
Delphi
Spike Centaurius
Blitz Chiroptera
Cathode
Remaining officers: Striker Cobra, Breakliner Ox, Bullet Gantlergun, Delphi, Spike Centaurius, Blitz Chiroptera, Cathode.

• Second Reconnaissance Unit
Longshot Koala
Ray Marmosentry (confirmed maverick)
Hubble (KIA)
Porro (KIA)
Compound Aye-Aye
Remaining officers: Longshot Koala, Compound Aye-Aye

• Third Deploy Corps
Rig Wanna
Kit (confirmed maverick)
Sandgale Sudan
Thunder Bull
Bunker Haardvork (dead)
Remaining officers: Rig Wanna, Sandgale Sudan, Thunder Bull
-Fourth Overland Unit-
Hammer Frog
Schwarzhund (MIA, presumed KIA)
Dash Dodo (KIA)
Seven (confirmed maverick)
Tanker Tigershark (confirmed maverick)
Emerald
Glacier Gibbon (MIA, not responding to calls)
Overclock Conda (KIA)
India
Anode
Remaining officers: Hammer Frog, Anode (see file), Crankshaft (reassigned to Geneva posting), Emerald (returned from MIA), India

• Fifth Communications Unit
Modem
Web
Synapse
Wellington
Track Datanoid
Remaining officers: Modem, Web, Synapse, Wellington, Track Datanoid

• Sixth Marine Armada
Berg Celion
Drop Gull (confirmed maverick)
Needler Blowfish (KIA)
Torpedo Toro (confirmed maverick)
Remaining officers: Berg Celion, Sapphire (reassigned to Geneva posting)

• Seventh Air Cavalry
Flash Flaminglow (KIA)
Commander Albatross
Diamond (KIA)
Foxwing Blue (confirmed maverick)
Hurricane Wren (MIA)
Seek Parrot
Machfive (KIA)
Stormblitz Frigate (KIA)
Firestar Aardwolf
Remaining officers: Commander Albatross, Seek Parrot (critically injured), Firestar Aardwolf

• Eighth Armored Battalion
UNIT REINSTATED
Piledrive Anisodon
Ohmblitz Flowerhorn
Grande Busterd
Scatterround Seadragon
Martello Manis
Assault Audubon

>>42632446
from what I'm seeing from the report they mostly seemed to focus on the units meant to hold ground, like destroying the mechloids in the 3rd, the 4th, fifth was hit but we stopped it, the 7th was hit hard since air superiority really helps to hold ground, and the 15th since artillery support can also help hold ground. And of course the 17th and 0 units would be targeted for obvious reasons.

judging from where the attacks were focused it seems like the mavericks are planning on going on the offensive in the future.

>>42632570
>Anode (see file)

Lets have a look at that file shall we?

>>42632623
good news is 8th is back

>>42632629
I think Cain meant the picture he posted.

>>42632570
>Glacier Gibbon (MIA, not responding to calls)

Welp. We're never going to meet this guy, are we?

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• Ninth Special Forces (Ranger)
Shock Scorpion (KIA)
Basil
Emplace Mant
Rosemary
Holo Skunker (confirmed maverick)
Remaining officers: Basil, Emplace Mant, Rosemary

• Tenth Special Forces (Civic)
UNIT ELIMINATED
Thomas "Limerick" Kinsley (KIA)
Husky Fencer (KIA)
Remaining officers: N/A

• Eleventh Space Command
No officers posted
Remaining officers: N/A

• Twelfth Tropical Region Unit
Smash Durianer (No casualties, only a single unit representative)
Remaining officers: Smash Durianer

• Thirteenth Polar Region Unit
Huski Lumberfell (confirmed maverick)
Blizzard Wolfang
Polaris White (confirmed maverick)
Remaining officers: Blizzard Wolfang

• Fourteenth Grapple Combat Unit
Boom Foxflash
Haul
Magma Dragoon
Bast (MIA, last seen still wounded after Shinobi Unit mission)
Longpaw Corbetti
Combow Cocksure
Remaining officers: Boom Foxflash, Haul, Magma Dragoon, Longpaw Corbetti, Combo Cocksure

• Fifteenth Artillery Command
Masserdriver
Dresden Raine
Warhead Wisent (MIA, confirmed captured)
Accel Orca (confirmed maverick)
Flares Firefly
Turmeric (confirmed maverick)
Kiloton (KIA)
Barrage Mortarphant (confirmed maverick; sibling units abroad have been sidelined to prevent possible viral spread; see file)
Remaining officers: Masserdriver, Desden Raine, Flares Firefly

• Sixteenth Research and Development Unit
Beams Nautiler
Taplance Pickaday (Maverick, KIA)
Thesis (Maverick, in captivity)
Zernike
Ambidexter Ambystoma
Remaining officers: Beams Nautiler, Zernike, Ambidexter Abystoma

>>42632665
well they "were" dismissed until the attack so it makes since that the mavericks wouldn't go after them

>>42632775
what the hell is Zero's hair made out of? No burns, still shiny....

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• Seventeenth Elite Unit
Megaman X
Gravity Beetle (confirmed maverick)
Mac (confirmed maverick and retired)
Neutron Zebra (confirmed maverick and retired)
PR8R
Skyfall Lopho
Juilliard (KIA)
Remaining officers: Megaman X, Karin, PR8R, Skyfall Lopho

• Shinobi Unit/Special Unit Zero
Zero
Blast Hornet (confirmed maverick)
Atomic Squito (KIA)
Halogen Bulleteer
Bumble Gelectro (confirmed maverick)
Quickblade Krill
Saber Sinea (KIA)
Trojan Tyrantula (confirmed maverick)
Web Spider
Remaining officers: Zero, Halogen Bulleteer, Quickblade Krill, Web Spider

>>42632775
Hey, Flares is alive! Maybe we can still hook our buddy Em up with someone.

Who isn't us.

I wonder when India will start circulating rumors around the base. Seems like a thing she'd do...

>>42632775
wait, who in the 15th was the guy who helped us when we had to stop wally what's his name who shot us to shit from stealing the giant death laser.

>>42632883
Kiloton, the poor guy.

>>42632883
Pretty sure it was Kiloton. He's KIA on the list.

>>42632883
It was either Masserdriver or Kiloton

>>42632902
>>42632907
FUCK! I liked that guy

>>42632775
At least Flares made it

>>42632927
As did I. Fucking Mavericks.

Bast got recaptured, too.

>>42632775
>Kiloton (KIA)
The artillery bro from the Saetos op? Poor bastard.

>>42631984
>>42632775

Huh, Blizzard Wolfgang and Magma Dragoon. It's a while before it's scheduled, but maybe our actions can stop them from going Maverick in the future.

Also, it seems we may have saved Cathode's life by recalling the First Advance Unit from their mission. Not sure how crtically wounded she was, but I'm pretty sure she would've died if not for that.

>>42632968
We need Dragoon to go Maverick or X and zero can't kill Sigma's 1st form.

>>42632968
Now having our sister die in this mess would have been the worst sucker punch from all this. I'm not even sure if losing Em could top that.

>>42632968
She was already in critical condition after Doppler's soft caresses. First Advance scrambled, returned to base and got her back online, allowing her to rally the defense. Their call to fall back and save Cathode ultimately saved most of First Advance.

>>42632570
Kit, Diamond and I think Hurricane Wren from the Saetos OP, Needler Blowfish from Skipper OP, Bast and Wiseant from the Factory, Kiloton from Walaby

And those are the ones we know from Geneva...

>>42633003
I'm calling that a gameplay mechanic more than anything. I highly doubt X or Zero would be nearly as restricted in "real life".

And that's even assuming Sigma pulls the same bullshit he did at that point in this timeline, which is unlikely.

>>42633020
Ah yes, I remember that now! Huh, funny how much of a difference one person made.

>>42632570
SEE FILE

>>42633098
At least none of them were Maverick.

>>42632570
>See file.

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>>42632968
I appreciate your optimism. It will be tasty with fava beans and a nice Chianti.

>>42633136
Kit is. Also
>See File

>>42633020
>>42633110
I wonder what would have happened if we had Cobra attack Doppler instead of trying to grab us and sis and leave. I mean both Cain and HC said that if we had attacked Doppler we'd have gotten 2 points instead of 1

>>42633136
Of course they weren't.

Why would the mavs send their own on an op where everyone was supposed to die?

On an unrelated note, fuck Seven.

>>42633171
Was Kit from the Saetos op?

>>42632570
>Anode (See file)
>Barrage Mortarphant (See file)

>>42633164
Jokes on you Hannibal, my optimism's been dead for years!

>>42633164
India should be cut in half there

>>42633164
Shouldn't that be a big cross hair on Seven, Cain Labs?

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Just remember, you still have friends for me to torture.

Perhaps fewer than you know.

>>42633374
Speaking of the dead, thanks for the look at Dodo, you two. Any chance of a look at Conda's specs some day?

>>42633374
are you going to actually let us get attached to them first with more then one short side arch and a handful of conversations before you kill them off this time?

>>42633541
I don't know, it was reeeeeeally damn efficient last time.

Anyway, I was referring to people you're already attached to. Frogs... dogs... little green men... ladies from the sky...

>>42633541
Of course not!

He'll make them go mav and have us kill them. Why would he dirty his hands when we could do the work for him?

>>42633630
Sisters

>>42633630
Lets not turn this into PTSD quest.

>>42633678
Hasn't it been that since the first thread?

>>42633702
At least since Jagwire, I'd say. Why stop now?

>>42633630
Of the people that died, who are you most sad to see go (if any)?

Primus, it's like a morgue in here.

>>42634824
Just a bit quiet but we've gotten some good intel as well, so it's all good, I'd think.

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>>42634736
Vector Addax, because I liked that design and felt bad about squandering it so quickly.

And that's about it.

I am going to unceremoniously jump right in where I left off like before Christmas and I'll sort the rest out later.

>implying Lobster makes an effort.

Scorch and Lobster Walk out of the beam-in, Lobster's antennae waggling with excitement.

"I think I might be okay at this Hunting thing!"

"Just let me do the heavy lifting, guy, and you have it made. We should get our next assignment."

Lobster hesitates and waves a claw at his partner. "Shouldn't we see about, uh."

Scorch briefly examined his nearly caved-in front, and nodded cheerfully. "Yeah, I guess I can't look good on mission like this."

A short time later, both emerge from Lifesavers and head for Echo's office. Lobster nervously doesn't salute, settling for "Reporting for duty, Ma'am."

Scorch, meanwhile, strides in somewhat confidently, almost in spite of the repairs he had to recieve post-mission. "Likewise!"

Echo surveys her recruits. "Good work, gentlemen. Scorch, that headless giant was impressive. Lobster, the Lifesavers' reports said you were all but unharmed. This is a very good thing to see after a shakedown. ...Also, our team was given a share of the recovered goods."

"Thank you, Ma'am!" Lobster is a good soldier, yes. This is good.

"Well, that was sort of the point, right? Get in, demonstrate value, get out alive?" Scorch offers up a shrug. "Don't get me wrong, I'm satisfied that it went well, but now the really fun stuff starts, right?"

"Yes, actually. Now that you've demonstrated that you won't crack up shooting at other reploids, and that you aren't dead, we can give you missions with higher priorities. Because of some, let's say clerical issues, our team is being put in charge of 'Operation Dinosaur Bones'." She winces a little reading that name. "Team B was handling this, but they... uh. They're no longer in charge of the investigation, and will not be involved in any operation until their oversight reviews are complete."

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>(see file)
The file is...

...Classified.

However, Anode received something else. An envelope, actual paper, bearing hunter insignia. Opening it reveals a brief, neatly typed missive and a smaller packet.

"Lieutenant,

In light of your service, most notably in the close engagement of several Special A threat-class mavericks, your actions under fire, the accounting of your performance by your commanding officer, and your contributions to several high-profile Maverick Hunter operations, the Board of Operations has authorized your promotion to the rank of CAPTAIN, effective immediately. Enclosed are your new insignia, to be updated and worn upon your person immediately. You are to be commended for a job well done, and we encourage you to uphold the standard of service you have exemplified thus far.

Congratulations,
General Rhodes
Maverick Hunter Commander"

>>42634910
>magnet lobster finally telling his story
YES!

>>42634966
AW SHIT

>>42634910
Yay!
>>42634966
LIGHT ABOVE

>>42634824
>>42634910
>>42634966
Our collective timing is impeccable.

That said, I'm just about done (and very glad you showed up), as I need to do that work thing in the morning.

>>42634966
Woo-hoo and all that jazz! Congrats are in all sorts of order.

File: Happy realization.gif (1.36 MB, 478x360)

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>>42634966

>>42634966
so what does captain rank do for us?

>>42634966
Our first action should be to give Lieutenant Full Metool a well-earned promotion. Assuming he's survived this mess, he's earned it.

>>42634986
>>42634999
>>42635086
Yes yes, you get to have something other than despair today.

I'll get you next time.

>>42635129
Assuming no opther promotions, we officially outrank Emerald and India now.

>>42635307
No, Em's a Captain.

>>42635359
Well, we at least outrank India, then.

>>42635307
Em's also a Captain, or do we outrank him because we're A-rank and he's B?

>>42635379
Strictly speaking, Emerald still has seniority. Battle capability doesn't directly influence overall rank.

>>42635374
And I've no doubt we'll tease her about that in the future, with a shit-eating grin on our faces.

>>42635379
Em is A rank as well. hell he's damn near SA rank. The only thing holding him back is that he's to squishy to meet the SA standards.

>>42635379
He's also an A rank.

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IN THIS TIME OF MISTRUST, MANY WILL DIE ALONE. YOU WILL NEED ALLIES. FIND THOSE YOU CAN TRUST. PROTECT THEM, AND THEY WILL SAVE YOU.

THE SLEDGE. THE RIDER. THE FORTUNATE. THE RUNNER. THE KNIGHT. THE SLAYER. THE SERPENT. THE PEACOCK. THE GHOST. THE LANCER.

ASK ME OF ONE; I WILL TELL YOU WHAT I CAN.

>>42635482
>THE KNIGHT

>>42635482
>THE GHOST

>>42635482
>THE GHOST

>>42635482
>The Knight

>>42635482
>THE GHOST

>>42635482
>THE GHOST

>>42635482
>THE LANCER.

>>42635522
Changing to the Ghost

>>42635482
>THE GHOST

>>42634910
>Start storytime, immediately called out of room by wife.

Echo briefly seems to roll her eyes, then continues, "Technically, Team B is our 'partner' team. That also means that until the review is complete, our backup will be thin on the ground."

Scorch blinks. "I. It's probably better not to ask, right? Oversight reviews... well, I mean, we can try to avoid doing anything crazy. This isn't some kinda... just a bit of a weird operation name, is all."

Lobster seems surprised. "Oh, do we normally get backup?"

"We do normally have backup; team members not on operations can be called in if we hit major resistance. Team B is our usual reinforcement team. And the review isn't for Maverick behavior, so don't worry about that. They have... other issues."

Lobster shuffles. "That's a relief. Err, not now, but, uh. In general."

Scorch crosses his arms and leans agains the wall. "We'll try not to get in too over our heads."

Echo chcukles a little. "Try not to. Right now, I'm your backup. But down to brass tacks. The actual details of the operation are that there are maverick archeological sites trying to recover technology. It's very publicly known Megaman X was dug out of an old lab, and all our designs are based on his at some level. What ISN'T publicly known is that the upgrades X gained during the Sigma incident were not created in our labs. They were all old technology, designed for him, recovered in the field. Exactly where these upgrades were found is classified, but what I can tell you is that they were locations of archaeological note."

>>42635482
>THE GHOST
Seems unanimous. The message is from the mavericks, right?

>>42635482
>GHOST

>>42635482
>THE GHOST

>>42635482
>THE SLAYER

>>42635482
>THE GHOST WITH THE MOST

>ONE

>>42635482
ONE

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>>42635482
ONE ONE ONE ONE

>THE GHOST
...

ACKNOWLEDGED.

WHEN NEXT I CONTACT YOU, YOU WILL KNOW THEM.

>>42635482
>ONE

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And with that, our thread for tonight is concluded.

Thank you all as always for reading and participating, and welcome (again) to season 2.

I leave the thread in the tender care of Cain Labs and open it up to Magnet Lobster's long-awaited storytime.

>>42635864
Thanks for whatever this thread was!

>>42635575

"Unfortunately, at least some of this information has slipped to the Maverick forces, and they've had a group raiding known sites and finding their own, hoping to recover technology we don't have access to yet and get an edge on us in the conflict. They seem to hope they'll find one of X's upgrades. Command says that it's impossible for that to happen, but that there are other potentially technologies that could be dangerous if recovered by the Mavs, so our job is to disrupt their attempts, raid any research centers they've set up, and put an end to it." Echo grins a little, clearly enjoying the idea.

"Gentlemen, we're going to steal their homework."

Lobster seems encouraged. "Data retrieval doesn't sound so bad..."

Scorch doesn't. "Alright, so basically just like the 'shakedown' mission, except instead of a supply route we're beating up some history nerds? I think I can deal with that. That said, if they're pinning that big of a hope of finding upgrades on willing to commit manpower to searching dig sites instead of fighting..."

Echo sighs. "These 'history nerds' are composed of former hunters, illegally modified reploids, and weapons researchers."

Lobster is no longer encouraged. "...oh." Scorch grows a manic grin.

>>42635864
now to bask in the story times that are to follow

>>42635946
>part of me forgot how much of early briefings was just Echo talking for an hour.

"The weaker sites will probably be similar to the shakedown, except instead of a CF-0, you'll likely have former B-Rank hunters running the sites."

Grinning bees are actually pretty creepy. "Sounds like a good time! When do we start?"

"As soon as possible. Team B had two discovered sites they hadn't made a giant useless mess of yet. You can choose between either site. Let me brief you: The first is a dig site over a former robot lab. The dig site run by a maverick uncreatively called Digger Mole. While it doesn't seem to be a critical site, the lab under it is mostly collapsed. The problem is that the collapsed areas of the lab may have been used in pre-Reploid design or manufacture, we're not 100% sure, and we don't know if there's any advanced tech. The less-damaged areas are stable and won't collapse with digging, so it's perfect for excavation, but we had other priorities before. The dig site is composed of a few tunnels and what's left of the lab. The mavericks don't seem to know this lab site was already ID'd and tagged by us, so they're not aware we know about it. The tunnels and open sections of the lab were stable, and should stand up to some thump-and-bump. We have the edge of surprise and a minimal crew of excavators and digging reploids. It should be relatively simple to stop their operation here. The only issue is that the tunnels can be narrow, and you may have to fight in-close. You should be at home, Scorch. But Lobster, you'll need to be a little careful. Excavators might actually threaten your armor."

Lobster nervously salutes.

>>42636131
>part of me forgot how much of early briefings was just Echo talking for an hour.

I wish I could say I stopped doing that, but, uh... yeah, our stuff hasn't gotten any shorter.

>>42636237

I mean, it never seems like a bad thing at the time. I only notice it trying to edit and space these things.

>>42636131

"The second site is a material relay center. This relay center has material from the known dig site coming in and out, and we believe it has recovered goods from other dig sites should be moving through it as well. It's not a research center, mostly a pit stop. We need to hit it to recover information about their other digs, and where the material is moving after it leaves this location. If we hit it, we need to hit it fast and hard so we can get that intel before someone purges it. The place has a guard of Disk Boys and Hoganmers, but also loader-type Ride Armors. Not rated for military deployment, but still enough to be dangerous. They're lead by a maverick called Generator Alpheid. Limited data on him, except that he's designed for high-energy combat.

Lobster puzzles for a moment. "It sounds like it's best to get the intel first? From the relay center, I mean. Ma'am."

Scorch shrugs, rolling his shoulders. "I'm sold on fighting the first site, but if we need to hit the second to slow 'em down and find out about targets that might be a little more important... yeah, we'll do that. Hit it 'fast and hard'? Sounds like a plan to me."

"Alright, then. Since you've made your decisions, we'll get right to it. Team B's intel actually has the teleport interdiction field's codes, so unlike last time, we can put you right in the building, and we know the path from the entrypoint to the command center. Lobster, you have navigator protocols, so I'll be uploading the data to you. This is a shipping relay. It honestly shouldn't be any different than your shakedown. The mass-produced reploids you'll be fighting are the same models, and as long as you don't get spooked by the Ride Loaders or let the mavericks get the drop on you, you should be fine."

>>42636484

Lobster makes an attempt to stand up taller. "I'll do my best, Ma'am."

"And as long as we've got the element of surprise, it should all go fine! Lookin' forward to it." Scorch unfolds from the wall and makes a show of stretching.

Echo holds their attention, but hesitates. "One minor detail, you two. The team noticed your downed mavericks at the warehouse still had their energy reserves, when you didn't damage them beyond recovery. It's... ghoulish, but something you need to learn is that dead mavericks don't need that stuff. If you have a moment of pause after a fight, looking through the bodies..." Echo seems to struggle with the suggestion, trying to find a way to say it without being grotesque. "... using enemy resources to keep yourself in shape is just a good idea. It's not pleasant, but sometimes it's that or being destroyed."

"I, uh. Oh. Uh. Oh." Lobster's antennae freeze in place.

Scorch just shakes his head. "Hey, if it prevents me from having to root around in the usable supplies with an enemy bearing down on me, it's for the best."

A few more seconds of awkward hesitation pass. "Yes. Okay. If that's understood, you gentlemen can head to the teleportation room and get started. I'll have the interdiction codes sent to them. You'll see the navigation upload as soon as you arrive.

Lobster hurries to exit stage right out of the cannibalism conversation. "Off we go then, Scorch."

"Right on!"

>>42636705

As F-team approaches the beam-out, they encounter the same techs as before, one human, one reploid. The human doesn't look up, but the reploid nods, "You guys will be beaming in hot. They shouldn't know you're coming, but any idiot will have their entry room guarded, so be ready to go in shooting."

Lobster nods. "Okay, I guess."

Scorch flexes slightly. "Oh, that's what I'm best at. Hit 'em before they know they're dead. I'm ready as soon as you are!"

The teleport tech locks in the controls, and looks up, "Good hunting, guys." The human doesn't look up, but chimes in "Don't make us have to meet MORE Team F newbies."

Lobster just has time to turn before the BWEEEM. "You have to hit them before they can BE dead, Scorch. Of course it's before they know it. You're crazy."

The relay center teleportation room is almost exactly the same as the one at Hunter Command, except the techs are replaced by Hoganmers. Surprised, utterly dumbfounded hoganmers. They are in close range; the room is not very large. Before either of them can register the sudden arrival of Hunters, a bright orange glow envelopes one, and his torso shatters on impact with an onrushing bee.

As the second tries to comprehend what he's seeing, he faintly hears from his side, "Huh, I guess you were right. He didn't know." Trying to see where the words come from meets only lemony fresh plasma, and the Hoganmer's head crumples in as he falls.

In the sudden silence, Lobster turns to his parter. "Scorch, do you ever get the feeling that we really should not be losing this war?"

>>42637029

Scorch offers a grin. "If only everyone else were as good as we are. Anyway, there'll be other people back at base to tell us how awesome we are later, so we can get a move on these guys while they still don't know what's up."

A navigaton HUD overlay comes up, pointing Magnet Lobster to the left down the hall, toward a good sized room marked CONTROL CENTER. Toward the right is the sounds of machinery and much larger room.

"You want point with all your weapon, or should I for armor?" Lobster's confidence is slightly higher than his last run.

"Hm... you took it last time during the shakedown, so I'll head in first this time around." Scorch readies his blade.

Lobster waves a claw lazily toward the control area. "Down the hall, through the door. Probably don't knock politely. That didn't work last time."

"Right on! Let's get to it, and then we can clean up the really fun stuff." Scorch, having been built without a subtlety circuit, simply marches up to the door, wraps himself in fire, and rams it down.

The door explodes, getting the attention of both the room's inhabitants. The left room is not as large as a shipping/sorting area, but still is filled with large packages. Several of the crates are open, and filled with package material and large, broken pieces of machinery. The headless upper torso of some sort of reploid is in one. In the room are two Ride Loaders with Disk Boys in them. Both of which are staring at now permanently open doorway.

>>42637115

Scorch steps out and immediately swings for the fences with the Flare Stinger, arcing a wave beam across the room. It slowly travels, fades, and breaks harmlessly across the front armor of one of the Loaders. "Ah, well."

The Loader pilots stare rudely, then begin tromping forward as Lobster scrambles for cover behind crates.

The first one meets Scorch head-on in the middle of the room, attempting a wide punch, but Scorch's maneuverability and batting with his blade keep it from landing significant blows. The second decides to just huck boxes at the lobster.

Lobster peeks from behind cover to panic as a metal crate flies at him, but he snags it in his magnetic field, placing it on the ground out of habit. "This is an unsafe working environment!" Lobster returns fire but only manages to leave burns on the outside of the Loader.

Scorch shouts back while ramming into his dance partner, "Maybe you can file a complaint later!" Staggered back, the Loader pilot decides to try a full haymaker, reasoning that his heavy machine should handle a short bee in power. The left arm rears back, flies forward, and then flies, pinwheeling, all the way to the far wall as Scorch ducks under it and slices through the elbow joint.

>>42637375

Watching his thrown box be caught, the second Loader decides to try his melee luck against an opponent that isn't armed for it. As he walks up and makes the swing, though, Lobster drops the the floor under the fist, and crawls upright again.

Scorch calls over, "I'm really starting to look forward to when things try punching me, you know that?"

Lobster, backing slightly away, calls back, "That's a really weird outlook, man. I just try not to GET punched." Turning to the Loader pilot that just failed the attempt, he continues animatedly, "Except that one time a three story mechaniloid punched the entire room I was in. That sucked."

Scorch slams the legs out from under his opponent, forcing the Disk Boy to roll out of the cockpit and stand as the momentary distraction allows Lobster to pepper the remaining Loader with Lemonfire.

In his celebration, Scorch didn't see the Disk Boy's signature disk coming, a it dug a deep furrow in his torso armor.

>>42637662

As Scorch ducked into a roll to avoid the return disk with a sudden, "OW!" the remaining Loader took a much more balanced swing at Lobster. As the giant fist impacted, only sliding Lobster backwards and leaving a single long scratch in his paint, the pilot looked at his opponent in sudden horror, optics dialating.

Lobster, excited to have a rapt audience, continues. "Did I mention it was a three story mechaniloid? Punched out the entire room I was in. No kidding." Antennae wave friendly-like.

Lobster continues, while firing into the lower body of the Loader as it overextends, "I mean, who even builds a mechaniloid that big? What do you DO with that? It doesn't fit anywhere it can do meaningfully complex work, you know?"

On the other side of the room, incensed by his taking damage from a scrub, Scorch Drone launches himself forward at top speed, wreathed in flames. The Disk Boy tries to raise his shield, but is too slow to get it in place, instead being slammed off balance. An instant later, Scorch's blade catches the Disk Boy by the waist as he falls, bisecting him.

>>42637843

The standing Maverick, now keenly aware of his loneliness, attempts to throw his disk at the lobster, hoping it's just somehow resistant to punches only. The disk actually manages a decent scratch, but only that.

Lobster pauses, looking at the scratch. "Oh hey, I can feel that. Ow." Looking back to the disk boy, lazily firing plasma toward it without much aim, he goes on, "I'm sorry if it seems like I'm harping on the giant mechaniloid thing. It's literally my only war story."

Scorch moves in, pinging the armor on the back of the Loader. "You know, if all our stories just boil down to 'punched or not punched,' we're not going to be the biggest heroes on base. I mean, we will, but only because we're so good at what we do."

Seeking a softer target, the Loader whirls, force-feeding Scorch his words via giant fist.

Lobster cranes around the armor, "Oh wow, are you okay?"

Y'all jerks bother me for like nine months for this, and here I am, telling a story to no one.

I'm onto you.

>>42638237
I'm enjoying it. Also, finally managed to get on while this quest was happening.

Please, do continue, and OP? Thanks for doing such a great quest!

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>>42638237
I'm still here.

I didn't want to interrupt

>>42638217
it's because I didn't want to interrupt and slow you down but if you want me to ask questions.

this is your second mission, so how many more missions are there to date after this one?

>>42638217

Scorch rolls upright, shouting, "No. I got punched. I don't appreciate that."

"It didn't look like that hard a punch. Maybe your stance is wrong."

Sensing that his tactics won't work for long, the pilot instead grabs Lobster by the claws, lifting him into the air. Lobster struggles uselessly. "This is new!"

Scorch drops to a defensive stance. "Oh, that's not cool at all."

In an effort to escape, Lobster tries flailing and activating magnets, but only causes the severed arm across the room to flop around.

The second of distraction lets Scorch hit the body of the loader hard enough to knock its grip on Lobster loose, though. Falling to the ground hard, Lobster scrambles to get up.

The pilot, forgetting the greatest story ever told, tries to punch Lobster as he scrambles, only scraping paint once again. Examining the new paint smear, Lobster looks up at the pilot. "These Ride things are neat and all, but these colors are awful. Do interior design reploids never go maverick, or what?"

>>42638388
Scanning my chapter titles, twenty-fucking-five bits big enough to make a storytime out of so far.

We only have intro stage, eight mavs, a special mission, and fortress, but some of those are long and complicated and there's a lot of downtimes, too.

>>42638574
so we've seen the intro and I take it that this is the first of the eight mavs then? so that leaves 23 more story times after this one and that's assuming you're done playing this campaign. Sweet, I'm really looking forward to seeing all of them and can't wait to see how HC incorporates them into his story.

>>42638528

Scorch, for his part, finally slams into the Loader enough times to collapse it. Rising from the wreckage is a Disk Boy looking like absolute hell. Scorched, shredded, and partially crumpled, he starts walking toward Lobster, who fires reflexively. The plasma burs away the edges of holes the mass production model already had as it mechanically raises its arm and throws a disk.

This toss rails a seam in Lobster's armor, carving a deep rent, exposing some innards. Lobster cries out in shock. "What is this guy? Why is he so crazy?" Lobster keeps firing, tearing through already ravaged systems, not putting it down. The Disk Boy's eyes light up, a deep red.

Scorch covers himself and fire and slams into the devil machine. Instead of exploding on impact, it just sails into the wall, slides down, and stops moving.

Lobster hesitates, "Scorch. I take back my reservations. Let's drain that guy's core."

>>42638877

After some distasteful energy siphoning, Lobster walks to the shuttered door marked CONTROL in his schematics. "Scorch, I feel weird. I think I just ate a guy. This is crappy. Is this how people get so crazy and grumpy on base? This job is stressful."

Scorch waves the question aside. "Think of it as a spare battery and move on, man. I guess I'll take point in here, in case we have to rush."

Lobster eyes the door. "Help you tear it down?"

Scorch braces against the frame, "I'll push, you... magnet."

As the door wrenches free, not even being locked, the pair stumble into a small computer-lined room. In front, the room is a wreckage. All except one console has been crushed and torn from the floor and walls, heaped up on the sides. In front of the surviving wall console is a reploid shaped like a small shrimp, but with a massively oversized right claw. His blue visual sensors are matched by another similar one on his left claw. His face ALMOST seems to grin as F Team walks in.

"Hello, Hunters."

>>42639209
so did you guys ever touch anything that happened during the X2 game or no? Cause I know you had this take place during the time between X1 and X2

>>42639209

Lobster brightens at a polite greeting. "So, I assume you've packed up and are ready to surrender?"

The Maverick chuckles. "I was mostly enjoying the show of you getting beaten up by mechanized forklifts. I'm not really all that terrified."

Lobster seems defensive. "I'm a civillian."

"A civilian immune to fists, the way you told it."

"...oh. You heard my story."

"I'm not surrendering, you're the most fun we've had in months. I even made room in here for our party! I did make sure to leave a prize. I figure the only possible thing of value here is our data, so one console left. This guard duty shit is boring, and I figure you should have a REASON to want to fight instead of just leaving." The shrimp crosses his arms.

"Anything left to say, or should we just get to doing what Reploids were made to do?"

Lobster turns to his partner, "Scorch, I have a problem."

"What's the problem? He wants to fight, we want to fight him, he's got what we want, uh... we want it?"

"I can't tell if he's really friendly or a huge jerk. Is that common among mavericks?"

"He could just be a really friendly jerk."

"Huh. Okay."

The Maverick stomps in impatience. "Are you guys done? I've got a full battery and I'm itching to use it."

Lobster brings up his claws. "Alright, fellow crustacean man. Let's do the fight thing. If we have to. You can still surrender. That's okay, too. I won't think less of you."

Scorch looks warily at his opponent. "Uh... yeah, we're good. How're we doin' this? Keep it clean, come out swinging?"

"You shoot, I shoot, until the screaming stops. GO."

>>42639305

I think we're going to wrap this game up before X2 starts. We're not interacting much with canon, here. We'd do too much fucking damage.

>>42639381
Also, the X universe has to have enough room for interesting stories that don't have to interfere with the cannon ones, right?

>>42639438
The X universe by itself has more holes than a sieve. there's plenty of room for all sorts of stories about reploids and people dealing with the maverick situation.

>>42639360

BOSS FIGHT: GENERATOR ALPHEID

Scorch lunges forward, throwing a wave off of his sword that Alpheid doesn't even try to dodge.

As the wave washes over him without much effect, he comments, "Melee specialist are we? You guys are fun, you like to get JUST where I want you!"

"That makes two of us!" Scorch shouts just before being washed backwards in an explosion of crackling blue electricity.

Lobster attempts covering fire a little too late, drawing laughter from the Maverick. "Is that a stock buster? Good to see the classics in service, I thought they'd replaced those by now."

Scorch rolls with the hit, sputtering, "With what, your frickin'... electricity... thing?"

Alpheid shrugs. "I'm a walking generator, I got power to burn, and I burn it to beef up my claw."

>>42639706

Scorch tries the exploding tackle route, but the jolt to his system throws off his aim, skirting the side of the Maverick.

"Punchy, aren't you? You're not much of a threat, though, so hold still while I show your boy over there what you can do with a good, customizeable stock buster." Alpheid aims carefully with his small, left claw. The visual port claps down on Lobster.

A shot zooms out, splashing across Lobster's armor, but not doing a lot of damage.

Alpheid whistles. "Wow, that armor is pretty tanky. They did a good job on you."

Lobster looks puzzled. "I live in sea ravines, dude. Do you not?"

"No, actually."

"You're a terrible shrimp."

"I'm a GUN."

"Yeah, you didn't do that very well at me, either."

"Oh, it's on you fatass."

Scorch calls from the other side of the room, laughing, "I think you made him mad!"

Lobster wails, "I tried being nice in this building, and everyone threw shit at me!"

Scorch scores the armor down the side of Alpheid with his sword, but is rudely shoved away.

"STEP ASIDE, FRESHMAN." Alpheid storms up to Lobster, charging a blue point of light at the end of his large claw while catching another sword lash at his back as Scorch swings, falling backward.

Alpheid tries to pin down the now scrambling Lobster. "HOLD STILL TUBBA BLUBBA!"

Lobster takes affront. "I'll have you know this is solid ceratanium."

>>42639909
the banter... IT'S BEAUTIFUL!!!!!

>>42639985

Wait until we encounter Largescale Mustang in-game. Lobster's naivete and Largescale's innuendo make for hours of fun.

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>>42639909
>"HOLD STILL TUBBA BLUBBA!"

>>42639909

Alpheid unleashes a huge pulse of blue power... that almost completely washes past Lobster as Alpheid staggers from his ignored injuries. Only some of the wave impacts.

Lobster shakes himself. "That kind of hurt, but not in a 'guy in the Ride Loader' way, you know?"

Alpheid mutters to himself, "Should have used the full burst, goddamnit. I haaate you."

Scorch, balance regained, starts moving back to the fight. "This guy's gonna be outdone by a rando Disk Boy, isn't he?"

Lobster plinks some lemons off Alpheid's armor. "He is."

Scorch wreathes himself in orange energy and streaks forward. "SHRIMP MAKES GREAT BARBECUE!"

Alpheid gets half turned and sputters a, "FUCK OFF, FRESHM-" before being interrupted by his generator overloading and detonating, blasting free of his body.

Lobster looks down at the wreck. "That was really morbid, Scorch."

Scorch does some stretching and shrugs. "Says the guy talking about eating people earlier. Let's get what we came here for. Check that terminal for the data, and I'll see if we can salvage that generator."

After staring at the login screen for a few blank seconds, Lobster turns back. "Wait, I'm the repairman. Let me look at the generator."

Scorch shrugs, slouching up to the terminal and clicking the login field, watching the username and password autofill. "This is the worst security I've ever seen."

Lobster collects the parts of the generator unit and cradles them in a piece of shrimp shell. "Alright, this seems usable. Let's call it in."

>>42640259

I'm gonna wrap up there for now. All this formatting is going to murder me.

From here on, I'm likely to just make a pastebin account for these and polish them up nice, and paste a link to the new chapter in every quest thread. That way, I get everything done correctly and don't have to compete against auto-sage like I've failed to do all the times until now.

>>42640314

Shit, no, wait, there's important foreshadowing, one more.

>>42640314
That's fair

hell maybe someone can just make a massive pastebin account and store all the story times there at some point for easy access/reference.

>>42640259

After navigating a few menus, Scorch shuts off the teleport interdiction field, and finds the cameras showing the rest of the facility, still bristling with Ride Loaders.

"So, wanna clear that all out?"

Lobster peers at the numbers and size. "I dn't see us taking that endurance match right now." Lobster pats his Disk cuts.

"Alright, let's call home."

Lobster keys his navigation priority. "Echo, this is Lobster. Main threat is down, but this place has too many still around. Uh, what do we do with that?"

"Echo here. Are you in a safe place, and were you able to lower the interdiction?"

Scorch cuts in, looking at the console, "We're safe for right now, located in the... main control center. We've got a few targets and unmanned Ride Armor on camera, and we've secured the data. Interdiction is down."

"Good to hear. If the main target is retired and all that's left is mop-up, we can move in with less specialized assets. Like our OWN Disk Boys."

"Those things are a menace, I'll have you know. We have a lot to learn from the Mavericks' own."

"You guys are each more dangerous than a Disk Boy. I assure you."

"Well, yeah, obviously. But we still got awfully worried. ...Er, wait. No, that didn't happen. No, we're good. Let's just move on." Scorch stands and readies to leave.

Echo calls back in. "We've got field drop on scanners. Hold tight, I'll send reinforcements."

With that, Scorch and Lobster headed back to the teleport room to greet the cleanup team and head home. Picking over the wreckage, Scorch prided himself on good work. Two trashed Loaders, a Disk Boy corpse over in that corner, good goddamn wor-

Scorch froze. A single Disk Boy corpse. As Lobster walked calmly ahead, Scorch shook himself. "Nope. Didn't happen. It's fine."

He followed tot he teleporter room to head home.

>>42640519

Okay now I'm actually done. THANKS FOR HANGING AROUND

>>42640536
we've been waiting nine months, what made you think we'd leave now?

Great story by the way, really looking forward to the rest.

>>42640583

I'm excited to push to the parts when we get the full team together. Scorch and Lobster: Buddy Cops is fucking amazing, but Velo Mantoptera and Cygnal Novaquist are eminently worthy of your consideration. We just have a few sessions to go before we see them.

Bumping for the maverick agenda.

Need more Lobster storytime, plenty of posts left.

You know, it just occurred to me that someone in Command likely got a room full of high explosives from Marmosentry.

>>42646170

Y'all are ravenous.