>>18690046
Alright. Choices, or more text?

>>18690046

You begin to move in, and can now see the battle visually. If they haven't spotted you yet, they will soon.

>Targets:

[ ] Tank AC.
[ ] Shotgun AC.
[ ] Grapple AC.
[ ] Contact Mooch.

>Available Pilots

Alex.
Dave.
Elsie.
Laurie.

>Who does what?
>You are allowed to double up on targets, but having two people call mooch is kinda pointless.

>>18690193

>You beat me by like one second.

>CURSES.

>>18690194
Laurie contacting Mooch
Dave taking out the Tank, hopefully with the element of surprise by the time it realises he's there it'll already be dead.
Elsie can take out the shot gunner and we assist with the grappler.

>>18690194
Laurie contact Mooch. Have Elsie make a called shot on the Shotgunner, the Grappler seems like a bad choice to aim for given that it will keep Mooch between her and it. Fire a pile of chaff missiles at the Tank, make sure it's sensors are knocked out while Dave circles around and it hopefully remains unaware of him.

Get to a good range for our shooting and drop some fire towards the grappler.

>>18690194
Elsie to fire on Tank before they notice us and keep it pinned until Dave can reach it to tie it down in melee.
Elsie switches to supporting Laurie and Alex as they engage the shotty and the grappler

Contact Mooch and ascertain operational status

>>18690194
Question, we know about what Alex, Dave and Elsie pilot, more or less. What are the stats for Laurie? I know it's recon but don't have much in the way of details or what he can do in combat.

Contact Mooch.

>>18690293
Seconding this deployment.

>>18690046

>Sooo...
>Laurie-Mooch
>Dave-Tank
>Alex-???
>Elsie-???

>>18690293
Going with this. I figure Dave can send the big guy straight to hell with a well-placed Heat Rod flip-off while he dances around his artillery, so...

>>18690506
Elsie shot gunner
Alex to approach Gappler and aid Mooch

>>18690293

>The chaff you have isn't a ranged scrambler, it's more of a cloud that acts as a shield for a lock-on. They can still get you on radar, but it really fucks with things like firing solutions, making it hard to get a lock.

>There ARE scrambler missiles, but that's not what you have. Sorry for the confusion.

>>18690559
Thanks, noted.

Laurie on Mooch, Dave on Tank, Elsie on shotgunner, and Alex on Tank.

Draw it's fire, keep moving while shooting, use our chaff as well, keep him distracted enough that he doesn't notice the heat rod Dave punches through his head until it's too late.

The tank if we leave it alone can shell artillery all on us, given that we have an awful lot of light mechs I'd rather not give him the chance.

>Where is everyone?

>>18690632

>No idea.

>>18690613

>Is this the plan we're going with?

>I'll use it if nobody objects.

>>18690652
Yeah, seconding >>18690613

>>18690652
Alright though I vote against using the Chaff until we KNOW the bastards targetting us. Don't want to have to slow down from taking his face.

>>18690538

Seconded.

>>18690613
Sounds groovy. Let's rock, baby.

Ari's voice comes over your coms again.

"Alright. Hound, link up with Mooch, get him in the tac-com, I need to know his status and capabilities. Zin, you and R-1 take out the heavy."

Elsie chimes in "I got the shotgun guy in my sights now. I'm taking the shot as soon as you guys engage."

Laurie opens a private com for just the pilots "We're taking orders from her?"

"Until she fucks up. Let's see what she's got." You respond over the same channel.

>Give me a d100.

rolled 14 = 14

>>18690871
Luck be a lady...

rolled 34, 23, 16, 17, 78, 59, 22 = 249

>>18690871

>How the fuck... how did i fuck that up?

>>18690895
You forgot to put dice, rather simple diagnosis.

>>18690887
From now on I'm only rolling dice when singing show toons.

>>18690887
Pretty good roll.

Are we going with the bunch of d100s?

rolled 7 = 7

>>18690871

>>18690871
>"Until she fucks up."

that's not very brotherly but okay

(btw I'm not going to roll ever because I like noko too damn much and because I don't want to be the guy with the nat 1's on events and nat 100's on everything else)

rolled 69, 14 = 83

>>18690887

>/tg/ just beat all my rolls.

>This must be a sign of the apocalypse.

You move quickly, Dave falling in right behind you. He's faster, so he's using you for cover. You oblige his plan to mask his approach with some chaff.

Meanwhile, Elsie takes her shot....

>BRB dinner. Back in 10.

>>18690957
>BRB DINNER

I HATE YOU AND YOUR HUMAN FUNCTIONS AND YOUR NEED TO MAINTAIN THEM

rolled 10 = 10

>>18690975

I hate very few things. The fact that I rolled a 7 that may never be used? That is one of those things.

>>18690975

I hate how he's eating dinner and it's almost midnight in my timezone. I always have to sleep before threads end and catch up after class.

I still love you, AC-Guy.

>>18691028

QUIT ROLLING. ALL THE GOOD ONES ARE LEAKING OUT.

>>18691028
hahaha....

>>18691028
I hate that both your rolls beat my rolls and neither of them will be used. I love that I had peroggies but am annoyed that I've had to change my sleep schedual to be awawke for this quest.

/tg/ - Love and hate

rolled 18 = 18

>>18691066
>>18691080

Sorry about that.

>>18691162

...Well, fuck.

>>18691162

Stop it you're going to leak out all our important rolls

>>18691162
And now we die. Thanks dude, aren't you supposed to stick to only killing the GM?

>>18691207
>>18691162

I warned you. Your carelessness may have doomed us all.
If we die tonight, I'm blaming you.

rolled 1, 3, 2, 8, 5, 8, 7, 4, 3, 4, 5, 7, 6, 6 = 69

>>18690975

>I love that picture so much.

>>18690957

>Good lord Elsie, HOW many degree of success is that?

>Did you REALLY need six degrees of success?

rolled 67 = 67

>>18691333

>And now we roll for exploding dice.

>Good lord woman, he's already having a heart attack.

>>18691333
BOOM HEADSHOT

rolled 27 = 27

>>18691355

>Well, no crit for you.

>Rolling for hit location...

>>18691355
Oh well, it's not like she really needed to bring any more pain.

Mooch had a problem. She solved it.

>>18691028
God, after being in the behind-the-scenes thread, I'm trying to follow each part of the rolls, like the rolling for successes and measuring them and shit, but the fact that each roll happens before the post it's mentioned in is throwing me off.

>>18691371
>hit location
>a sniper

Shouldn't it be like... where she goddamn put the bullet?

>>18691405
Elsie can choose to make a called shot without penalty or ignore range modifiers, I'm guessing she was busy ignoring range penalties.

>>18691429
Oh.

rolled 44, 6, 38, 25, 66 = 179

>>18691371

Elsie cleanly places the round right into the Core's reactor, and Mooch goes dancing back, whooping with glee.

"Holy shit! I wonder what's gonna get him, the imminent explosion, or the fact that he's having a heart attack?"

As he voices this question, the cockpit launches off and hits the sand as some sort of rocket sled.

"DAMMIT HE'S GETTING AWAY!"

"Calm down Mooch, we got his Core. That's all we need to care about right now, fuck the pilot." Ari calmly reminds him.

"Ah, what? I go away for like a couple hours and you replace me with a sexy young woman? I'm not feeling the love here guys."

"Mooch, shut up and get your head in the game. You've got a guy, right on your ass."

"Fine fine. Hound, you wanna help me double team this guy? I bet we can make him feel it all the way to next week."

"....please don't phrase things like that. Ever."

>ATTACK THE TANK-CORE, GIMME A d100 AND SHOW ME YOUR GAME FACE!

>>18691429
>>18691468

>She would have been working with half the normal dice pool if she went for the called shot.

rolled 16 = 16

>>18691537
Rolling now, face to follow.

rolled 17 = 17

>>18691537
ere we go

>>18691537
OUR GAME FACE IS HIS FACE
HIS FACE BELONGS TO US

We don't need a game face, WE'LL TAKE HIS INSTEAD!

rolled 73 = 73

>>18691571
>my face when

>>18691572
>>18691571

...The Dice Gods are apologizing to us for dicking around in the last thread.

>>18691572
>>18691571
It's Ari, man... Gotta be
She's our Albatross!

... I think we found her callsign...

>>18691571
>>18691572

>Make the roll.
>two degrees of success.

>Who are you people and what have you done with my players.

rolled 16 = 16

>>18691537

>>18691590
You, I like you.

rolled 8, 10, 5, 9, 10, 9 = 51

>>18691595
How many d10 was it? six?

>>18691627
Christ I hope so.

>>18691595
>this outcome
>my face
>when that guy's face
>after we take it
>'it' being his face

rolled 1, 7, 3, 10, 6, 6 = 33

>>18691627
and now I'm really hoping that was the right number.

>Mooch shows up.


OH hey look I found the damn thread.

>>18691656
S'cool Mooch we got this.

>>18691656
Mooch, I have a solution for your problem should you encounter it in the solution.

http://catalog.neet.tv/tg/

>>18691627

>3d10.

>So I'll just take the first three.

>So roll against your synch of 53 to explode that 10.

>>18691627
>8, 9, 9, and two asplodes

thing is I don't know who we were rolling for

Was it Alex?

Or was it HOLY SHIT DAVE?

rolled 99 = 99

>>18691674
Rollan

rolled 22 = 22

>>18691674

NOKO DICE ROLLS, MY SPECIALTY!

1d100 go!

>>18691685
welp

fun's over boys

rolled 9, 2, 3, 4 = 18

>>18691537

>Resolving some other dice....

>>18691656
>>18691685
Mooch, go away, you're jinxing our rolls

rolled 48 = 48

>>18691685
>Mooch shows up
>Dice gods hate me when im on /tg/ Appearntly.

Well damn....

>>18691685
YOU GOD DAMNED WHORE SON!
>No exploding die for us.

rolled 10, 8, 7, 2 = 27

>>18691685

>Damn shame, give me a roll for hit location.

>>18691719
mooch pls go

rolled 22 = 22

Head shot.

rolled 72 = 72

>>18691724
THE FACE
ALWAYS THE FACE

rolled 51 = 51

>>18691724
IN THE FACE

>>18691733
Think it's a table at this point not calling it?

I could be retarded.

I think I need to post less.

Just checking is high good or bad for hit location?

>>18691711
....


Well...

Now im really not feeling the love.
....Gues i'll just..

Go somewhere else then...

call me if you like...Want some Mechanics done or somthing....
I'll just be over there...
On the OTHER side of the internet....

>>18691747
>Not countering
Who are you and what have you done with our lovable madman?

>>18691743
We call it anyway.

>>18691771
He has given up. Now we must rely on Dave for the crazy awsome.

>>18691772
Fair enough.

>>18691747
Nah, Mooch. Without your godawful dice jinx, there's no dramatic tension!

>>18691771
Hey, when im asked to leave I'll leave.
-holding a suitcase made of ductape-

You guys will call when you need my specialties.

They always call....

mainly cause I rigged the sewage line under their house to blow up if they didn't...
But other then that...
-shrug- NEVER KNOW, COULD NEED ME WHEN THE ZOMBIES SHOW UP.

You asked nicely, So I'll kindly leave..
Rule number 210:
"IF no longer wanted, Go home"

>>18691821
Is Rule 211 'Make sure to always be wanted'?

>>18691733

>Oh lord....

Your bullets hit him in the chest, shredding some armor plating but not doing much to actually kill him....

...Until Dave boosts past you and puts his heat rod right through the weakened spot in his armor.

"Pilot just flat-lined. Looks like you hit the cock-pit and took out the AI core."

You turn to discover Mooch slamming his sword through the other core. "Damn, this is a LOT easier with back up! We should do this more- FUCKING ROCKET ESCAPE PODS!" He finishes, as you see the second one jet out of sight.

"TWO OF THEM! TWO GOT AWAY!"

"Well, we're alive, and we just cost them three cores."

"Bring the two mostly intact ones back with us. Might salvage something worthwhile from them."

Your team begins to move out....

>>18691821
So you're just gonna run away, tail between your legs like a child huh? Idiot.
(No more after this, I promise.)

>>18691852
Thats rule 212.
Rule 211 is, "If wife is at home, Go to secret base"

>>18691821
You passive aggressive bastard...
whycantIquityou.jpg

>>18691855
>two bail-outs
>we begin to move away

>wha

>>18691855
>Goons get rolled. Rolled HARD

THUG LYFE

>>18691855
Is the area clear? Just because we took out the three visible contacts doesn't mean there weren't more.

>>18691855
'At least we got one of them. Also mind filling us in on what the fuck?'

>>18691874
can i get a full list of these rules please?

>>18691855
Seems like we'll be needing some way to give pursuit to ejecters...

SAMs or a Light gun ship?

>>18691947
Go here
>>18686786

>>18691956
Bullets?

>>18691888
>>18691947
>>18691963

Im still actually typing the full list of rules, Im at 210..

Theres like 500 that I know of.

So this is gonna take awhile...

>>18691947
The first 120 Rules of being Mooch:
http://pastebin.com/nBJqWaPd

>>18691991
Do they just repeat or am I not reading it thoroughly enough?

>>18692012
The important ones that I would never break repeat yes.

Because repetition is important.
Im quite thick in the noggin, and am very forgetful.
I did stop that after 120 though, Needed more room.

>>18692012
The gun and knife thing repeats several times. It's important.

The other rules are different, though.

>>18691894

>They were moving too fast to even track properly. The first guy also bailed when there were still giant robots to worry about, and then there's the fact that you weren't there to kill everybody, but to remove your friend from danger. Mission accomplished.

>>18691928

>Your carrier had the best sensors, and it was reading nothing else. If here's something else, you have no way of knowing if it didn't reveal itself, which it didn't.

>Safe assumption that nobody else was there, since it was a fast scrambled team to take out one guy.

>>18691973
Tiny target, quick.
Better to have a locking missile that can fire from beyond visual range.
Or a vehicle that can match speed and take it out, or even force it down to give us an option to take prisoners.

AC Guy, would it be possible to get a hold of a light gunship with the speed capability to match ejected cockpits?
Maybe even mount some minor EWACS on it?

>>18692056
Righto time to loot us some ACs and findout what Mooch has been up to. Also did he mention that his AC was talking?

>>18692056
Nobody expects a Thug Squad.

Loot all the AC's from them we can, at worst we get some parts or spare armor grade metal for repairs and shit.

When we get back to base, sit Mooch down and grill him very thoroughly. If necessary tie him to a chair until we know everything, especially why his AC can talk and is a girl.

>>18692080
Why though?

Machinegunning other pilots under their parachutes is pretty much the lowest thing one can do.

>>18692093
You start taking the Weiss Nacht apart and im gonna start filling everyone with bullets.

Cept Ari.
And Dave.
And Elsie.

and Alex.

Damn...i cant shoot anyone..
WAIT YES I CAN!
-shoots self in foot-
....hrm...probably not the best idea.

>>18692080

>Possible, but such a vehicle would be one of the first targets in a mech fight, and would be rather fragile comparatively speaking.

>>18692096

>There's also this. Generally when they aren't a threat, you stop hitting them. If they can be captured, cool. but it's generally considered bad form to kill somebody in that state.

>>18692093
>>18692082

>Getting to that in my next post.

>>18692096
See Nineball. We are not at war, these people kidnapped our friend and were going to either capture or kill him.

>>18692128
Yeah but the whole idea is that those guys are assholes and we aren't.

>>18692120
I was referring to the ones that got a reactor blown up and a heat rod jammed in their face. The Weiss Nacht has an AI in it, is a nice mech, is in decent shape, and is Mooch's, I wasn't suggesting to take that one apart. I said loot, that tends to refer to the enemy's former goods.

>>18692139
Alright fair point. Though I still vote if we ever get Nineball in our power we kill him. Quick.

>>18692167
With you there.

>>18692167
>Thinks NineBall can be killed.

>>18692141
I shot alex with a dart gun.

He might consider me an enemy...

HE might Confiscate my AC.

I MIGHT have to hit the emergency my freinds are betraying me, core self destruct button.


Oh wait...
Thats in the chopper.

or is it!

>>18692179
Not thinking, HOPING. That fucker was such a dick to kill in the games.

>>18692093
and most importantly: when we get to fork her

>>18692189
Chief is an utter bastard in V

>>18692183
But he didn't hang up on you, that has gotta count for something right?

>>18692197
Yes, it means he isnt a COMPLETE Dick.

However, Im still shushpicious.
Means my suspicions are on the hush hush.
Mums the word guys.
Dont tell Alex about that button.
I gotta be within three inches to use it.

Not that I want to give AC Guy any ideas, but maybe we should give the looted Cores a quick once over before we take'em? What if Mooch's pa put tracker's in'em for just such an eventuality? Hate to lead them straight back to base...

Soon you're back in the carrier, with Mooch taking up the spare spot in the hanger.

"So Mooch," you begin, as the core's pop open "What the fuck is going on?"

"Well, it's kinda a long story. You guy want to hear it now?"

"Now is fine."

"Weeeellll.... alright. My Dad's an asshole. He's also a clever and resourceful asshole. That's a good a start to this as anything. He's a... mobster, I guess would be the closest term for it, even though it doesn't quite capture what he is. Anyway, he wanted me and my brother to take over the family business, but at about the same time I found out that included human trafficking and murder, my Mom had a stroke, my brother went off the deep end, and my Dad... got more evil. So I got out. Ran away, and didn't stop till I hit Canada. Got married, and then found Hope. I was quietly laying the groundwork for my wife to join me and live out the rest of our lives away from this shit. Now my Dad knows I'm alive, and things are escalating from there."

"Damn." Dave comments.

>How do you respond?

[ ] We're in this together.
[ ] This sounds like something you should have mentioned sooner.
[ ] Where does the sentient core enter the mix?
[ ] Does anybody else have a convoluted and tragic back-story they want to throw out there?

>Out of character, remember The Illusive Man? Do a setting translation and you're more or less at the sort of person Mooch's dad is.

>>18692276
Or self destructs

>>18692293
>Sentient core what the hell

>>18692293
[2] We're in this together.
[1] This sounds like something you should have mentioned sooner.
[3] Where does the sentient core enter the mix?

In that order.

BECAUSE DIALOGUE. IN NATURALLY FLOWING ORDER.

>>18692293
Welp a bit of heads up previously would have been nice but we're in this together.
Followed by anyone else got a past that could be shared now just to save time?

>>18692293
Then times the "evil bastard" by Infinity divided by zero.

and you'll have my REAL pops.
Smug evil bastard.

>>18692308
mooch's core can talk and shit

>>18692313
I agree with this.

But add this at the end
[ ] Does anybody else have a convoluted and tragic back-story they want to throw out there?

>>18692313 here

We can throw >>18692318 (option 4) onto the end as well i guess

>>18692331
Agreeing with Mooch here.

>>18692313
>>18692331
>>18692336
This selection of selections.

[ ] This sounds like something you should have mentioned sooner.
[ ] Where does the sentient core enter the mix? And it better damn well not be any shit like "Your mom's spirit" or any of that mystical mumbo jumbo.

>>18692336
>>18692331
We have agreement.

>>18692293
>[1] Does anybody else have a convoluted and tragic back-story they want to throw out there?
>[2] Where does the sentient core enter the mix?
>[3] And when can we fork her?

>>18692336
>>18692331
>High five good sir
>Hits monitor.
>God damnit technology, you keep getting in MY WAY.

[x] Where does the sentient core enter the mix?

Is she your "Wife" that you mentioned?

>>18692293
>[X] Where does the sentient core enter the mix?
followed by
>[X] Does anybody else have a convoluted and tragic back-story they want to throw out there?

>>18692293
His dad is the Illusive Man? Sign up to work for him.

>>18692350

>>18692293
[x] Where does the sentient core enter the mix?

>>18692331

Seconding

>>18692357
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAhAhAHA.....No..

>>18692394
man with a synch ratio like yours

that would be some baller pseudo-sexin' dude

>>18692359
AHAHAHAhAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAhAHAHAHAH
AHAHAHAHA
>Shoots anon.

Fuck no.

>Lay out choices in a 'pick one' style'.
>lol we pick all of the above.
>Or you know, maybe there was a proper dialogue tree planned.
>dammit guys. Gimme a sec, I now have to re-write ALL THE DIALOGUE I WROTE UP SO QUICK PASTING WOULD BE FASTER.

>ALL 23 PARAGRAPHS, BIT BY BIT.

>>18692418
...Oops?

>>18692404
im sorry, In my universe My wife is MAGIC.

Sorry, robot..

totally not worth it.
MAGIC!

>>18692418
I'm sorry, we're horrible people, we didn't know.

>>18692418
I HAVE A FETISH FOR SELECTING ALL DIALOGUE OPTIONS IN WHAT IS AN APPROPRIATE AND NATURAL FLOWING ORDER ALRIGHT

i'm sorry ac guy but i hurt you because i love you ;_;

>>18692426

>Oh, don't worry about it. It was only about three hours of my life wasted to try and make the quest flow smoother and go faster.

>>18692418
ehehe...
I think "We're in this together." is pretty much understood... So I'll vote we go with a sardonic "Does anybody else have a convoluted and tragic back-story they want to throw out there?"

>>18692418
Woah woah dude, we can pick one.

[x] Where does the sentient core enter the mix
is my new vote

>>18692418
sorry AC guy.

Get on skype and bich bout it? Then tell me to stop rolling, and then log off?

>>18692430
>implying it isn't a magic robot

magic. robot. lovin'.

ya dig

>>18692462
yeah lets ask about the core first then.

>>18692462
Yeah, if we're going with some branching tree business, I say we start with this one; finish the puzzle before we put it back in the box, knowwhatimsayin?

>>18692454
man come on, how is it not foreseeable that we wanna get as much exposition and information as possible whilst also being bros and making semi-jokes?

>>18692476
>>18692473
>>18692462

>Yeah, no. I've already started re-writing, you'll have to be patient.

>>18692469
Anon.....If i ever stop being lazy.
And I find you.
Because I can.
With a cell phone, a Laptop, 3G, 6 AA batteries, a bus, and 14 Camels.

I will break your fingers, run you over with a bus, zap you with 6 AA batteries, and stampede you with 2 camels.

>>18692489
Next time, just say we can only choose one.

>>18692491
What are the other twelve for then?

>>18692491
sounds like you just need a little sexy magic robo shazowie to ease your temper there moochy coochy coo

>captcha: a monguy
yeah, mon, guy?

>>18692513
The other twelve are cigarettes.

>>18692513
personal sexual gratification.

>>18692513
....I have to get to you SOMEHOW.

Camel cannon.
It uses Camels as Projectiles AND FUEL.
Put a camel in, get a camel out so they say.

Except the Camel is going like Mach 5.

Tends to make a big messy mess.

>>18692533
By why would you smoke camel? Like agh I don't even want to imagine it.

>>18692528
YOU CANT SCREW ROBOTS, YOU CRAZED BASTARDS!

THE PARTS ARE INCOMPATIBLE.


....Oh god Im just asking for it now arnt I....
OH MAN, IMA HIDE BEFORE THE ROBOT PORN STARTS SHOWING UP AND AC GUY TRYS TO KILL ME.

>>18692570
WITH MAGIC, ANYTHING'S POSSIBLE

>>18692570
Wait, Mooch saying something he can't do something, even with SCIENCE involved?

>>18692570
Dude you get neurally synched up to your Core whenever you're synced up.

>ac guy gets delayed writing new material
>thread devolves into "can you fuck an armored core"

/tg/ at its finest.

>>18692605
Damn you redundancies. Still point of the matter is you have the possibly crazy robot chick in your head. Who knows what she could do to your squishy brain meets.

There is a marvelous lack of DUCT TAPE in this thread.


>Duct tapes ears shut.
HAHA NOW I CANT HEAR YOUR STUPID IDEAS!
>remembers hes reading this board.
DAMNIT

"Seems like the sort of thing you should have brought up earlier. like when we were trying to pick between coming here or going to Oregon."

"Honestly? I destroyed most of his local holdings when I left. I didn't think he'd rebuild this quickly. If I did, I would have. Last thing I wanted to do was drag you guys into my personal shit."

"Hey, don't sweat it," Dave cuts in "We're all friends here, and we're a team. We're in this together, come hell or high water."

The rest of the team signals their agreement.

"But I gotta know where the sentient core comes into it." You add.

"got me there. It didn't have a personality when i left. I mean, the AI core was an advanced part, and I used a modified version of the design while working on Hope's cores, but that can't be it. Or all of it anyway."

"Why not?"

"Because then all the robots would be talking. It's been at least a year. They'd be showing rudimentary signs of intelligence by now, if nothing else. I'll look into it."

"You know, while we're here, I think i need to ask: does anybody else have some sort of tragic convoluted past that I should know about so this shit doesn't catch us off guard?"

"I'm an orphan."
"I'm your sister."
"You met my brother. He might have some baggage, but I don't."
"My family hates me, but in a passive aggressive way."
"My family was killed by ninjas, but that's more my brother's thing."

You all turn to regard the mechanic standing nearby. "Is... is that something we should be concerned about?"

"Probably not. I never got on with my folks and my brother's dealing with it anyway. besides, Kyoto's a long way from here."

Well then.

The trip back is spent in relative silence.

>>18692637
YOU CAN'T LOOK AT THE BOARD IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANY EYESSSSS

>Type post.
>catch up.
>Robot sex derail.

>God DAMMIT Mooch.

>And the rest of you bastards too.

>>18692648
>"I'm your sister"

oh shit, that poor girl

>>18692648
My sides! Best mechanic.

>>18692648
It is important to note though that I love my AI farms.

>HELL YEAH AI FARMER.

>>18692654
WHERE IM GOING I NEED MY EYES!!!

>>18692648
Fucking ninjas.

Wait, was Mooch actually trying to seed strong AIs in our cores? I'm not sure whether to be pleased or terrified.

>>18692692
But if you remove your eyes then you mech could be your eyes and- Wait yeah no I think I see a problem there.

>>18692670
don't worry ac guy, we're just shooting the shit about whatever while we wait on you

this thread is ac quest to the [tgruiningmyjoke]core[/tgruiningmyjoke]

Bamp for more AC Quest goodness

>Go to make bed while mentally going over the next bit in the quest.

>Cat pissed on the bed.

>Guess I'll sleep on the couch.

>Cat pissed there too.

>check litter box. Totally clean, cat hasn't used it since it was changed three days ago.

>Fuck all animals forever.

>>18692648
Alright, so can you fork her?
Having strong AI in out Cores could really give us an edge on other pilots.

>>18692847

>anyway, need to go afk temporarily. I'll be back soon.

>>18692847
>Shoot cat with tranq gun.
>Just for Gits and shittles.

wait.....I think theres a problem with my sentence structure.

>>18692847

When cats start pissing in weird places they may have a UTI, they start pissing in random places because they associate the litter box with burning pee, may want to have that checked just sayin'

>>18692858
yeah, you want gits and shiggles

>>18692870
JAY!
WHY ARE YOU HERE!

>>18692989
I unno

you be trollin.

So for anyone who's a buff on the games, what's the difference between a Core and a NEXT?

>>18693090

>You know how in the various Gundam shows, mobile suits are divided into two categories: Gundams and cannon fodder?

>It's pretty much exactly like that in 4 and 4A, the two games that had NEXT cores.

You know, I'm not normally one to be upset by tripfags, but Mooch's constant talking is starting to ruin the quest for me. Think you can turn it down a bit?

>>18693137
So NEXTs are just batshit cores? Huh.

>>18693164
Yeah next are to cores what cores are to a conventional tank.

>>18693164

>Somewhat, but it's justified in cannon.

>My equivalent to NEXTs, if they show up, are going to be SLIGHTLY less insane.

>>18693090
This universe operates by slightly different universe, but the evolution went thus in the cannon universe;

IN THE BEGINNING, some schmoe got it into his head that joysticks were a shitty way to drive a thing. So he invented a system called the Muscle Tracer, or MT, which was essentially a series of crazy mechanical/electronic harnesses that fit over a pilot's body to let them turn natural movements into commands. Naturally, the easiest thing to pilot with such a system was a humanoid, so humanoid combat machines known as MTs become the mainstay of warfare.

Some time later, some other schmoe looks at MTs and says they ain't customizable enough. So he takes the muscle tracer system and puts it in a limbless, headless robotic torso, then attaches modular extremities to it. This was the first Core MT, which would come to be known as an Armored Core or AC. ACs turned out to be crazy responsive and crazy adaptable, but also crazy expensive. They adopted a sort of "battlefield ghosts" role; rarely seen in battle, but mostly because those who did aren't still here to tell of it.

Some time after that, scientists discovered these crazy doohickies called Kojima Particles, which can be turned into forcefields and jet engines and all kinds of plot-convenient things. Somebody decided that forcefields would be a great thing to have on an AC, but alas putting them there seemed to make the thing uncontrollable unless the pilot possessed a certain genetic marker that let them establish a neural interface with the machine. Thus was born the NEXT; a mind-linked, flying, force field-equipped AC that can basically ruin the shit of everything else on the planet. This also relegated your non-Kojima ACs (now called Normals) to the same role that MTs held in the AC days; standard forces there to get their shit ruined the second anybody brings out the real big guns.

>>18693164
Batshit cores that run on crazy next-level radiation.
And are all equipped with crazy next-level energy shields called Primal Armor.
The use of the particles in power and shielding is basically harmful to life itself, and NEXTs have to shut down their shielding systems when they don't want to rape the earth around them.
They also require significantly higher sync to pilot effectively, so there are even less people that can handle the damn things.

>>18693217
>Kojima Particles
Loling. So is it a confirmed thing that a pilot, in his core, would be standing in his cockpit while in combat? Or is it like a chair or something and he just mind-controls the mech.

>>18693218
Ahh, and the Primal Armour raping everything wasn't an issue in 4 and For Answer because the setting was like "by the way earth is a dump?

>>18693248
Yup, though remember 4 for answer was running on batshit crazy. One of the endings had you as the last remaining Pilot and the biggest murderer in human history.

>>18693248
This is not known, I don't think; it was heavily implied by the AC3 intro that pilots stand while in a fight. But then the guy who was standing was wearing a white suit instead of a pilot's suit and typing on a keyboard instead of using an MT system, so he might have just been somebody's operator or something. Really, who the fuck knows.

>>18693277
Come to think of it, when hasn't there been an Armored Core game where you are just about the last remaining pilot?

>>18693277
Christ. I never actually played either game (well, to completion anyway--I got to Spirit of Motherwill in For Answer), and in fact haven't touched Armored Core since 2 during my childhood.

And then there was that time I wanted to buy Armored Core 2 Another Age and they sold me Armored Core 2 in Another Age's box. I had a sad.

I'm thinking I might actually pick up For Answer again and see if I can't get more into it. This thread is basically rekindling a long lost love for me. AC2 was essentially my fetish.

You reach the base, and each of you shuffle off to bed.

Ari tells Mooch that she'll be over bright and early to talk about something, and Elsie drags you off to bed before you could find out what we're talking about.

When you get to your room, Elsie locks the door and turns to you. "So, Dave soundproofed the room.... you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Maybe. But where would we get motor oil in that sort of bulk?"

She gives you a shove "Wah!" You cry out as you lose your balance and hit the bed with an audible pomf "So... what're we gonna do on the bed?"

"This." She answers, as she crawls on top of you, shoves her tongue down your throat... and then passes out, the days events finally getting through her still ongoing adrenalin rush.

"Well, 'This' apparently means getting me hot and bothered, and then finally crashing. Oh well." You gently lay her to one side and get comfortable. Moments later, you drift off to sleep.

You wake up, and look at the clock. Apparently the others saw how tired you were and let the two of you sleep in.

Either that or Dave's soundproofing plan has benefited you more than him.

You wake Elsie up, and after too long a shower, the two of you work your way downstairs.

And then you see what Ari was so excited to talk to Mooch about.

>>18693329
>mfw ac guy posts

>>18693248
There was one particular mission in AC4 where you were defending your happy little colony from a bunch of bandits on the surface, and you had to leave your Primal Armor off. It was one of the few times mundane (ie: non-NEXT/superweapon) enemies could actually deal decent damage to you.

>>18693315
That was the one mission that I had to redo more then the rest of the game combined. I almost broke down crying then handed the control to a friend. He got S rank first try and I punched him.

>>18693329
Ari our go to overwatch person now?

argh late to the party as usual being britfag is suffering

>>18693385
Dude just sleep at 10 wake at 4 and enjoy questy goodnesss.

>>18693329

The larger of the two cores you brought home stands in a previously unused corner of the shop, obviously having undergone extensive modification.

For one thing, the tank treads are gone, replaced with a heavy set of Quad legs. It now has two twin-linked double chain-guns as it's primary guns, with an energy rifle and a bazooka set as secondary arms hooked onto the legs, instead of the back. The back has some sort of high powered Energy Canon on it, and the unit looks much bulkier than before on the whole.

"Hey bro!" she greets. "Like my new ride?"

[ ] "Your new ride?"
[ ] "Wait, what? You're what?"
[ ] YOUNG LADY WHAT?

>>18693417
"Wait, what? You're what?"

[ ] "Your new ride?"
[ ] "Wait, what? You're what?"
[x] YOUNG LADY WHAT?

[X] YOUNG LADY WHAT?

>>18693417
YOUNG LADY WHAT

>[x] "Wait, what? Your what?"
No need to over react.

>>18693454
THERE IS EVERY NEED TO OVERREACT

Didn't we like JUST have a talk to her about how she'd need to wait ayear or seven before we'd let her, I mean before she'd be ready to pilot?
>Your wat

>>18693466
She's more likely to listen to reason if we stay calm.

>>18693417
[x] YOUNG LADY WHAT?
Does our mother know about this?

[X] "Wait, what? You're what?"

we don't overreact to her straddling dave but we do for this?

we even told mom we might use her for this

Holy Penises I mean YOUNG LADY WHAT?

>>18693487
I'm pretty sure causing Dave to FEAR FOR HIS LIFE UP TILL THE POINT WHERE WE WERE HIT BY A TRANQ DART IN THE CHEST counts as overreacting.

But I think we have a point. Changing >>18693449 to the... more calm YOUNG LADY WHAT version.

>>18693359
I never found defending Anatolia to be difficult.

Then again, I'm the kind of guy who S Ranked everything in 4A with non-Moonlight EN blades while perma-Overboosting and Assault Armor Jousting, using a mid-weight core and bipedal legs.

So, yeah.

Your cup of coffee slips out of your hand and smashes on the ground. "What."

"Yeah, Mooch and I took the two cores we salvaged to that guy Dean's junkyard you've been buying parts from. We were able to trade in that other core, since it was too broken for us to use, but apparently worth a lot to the right people, and we fixed up Mooch's core, and were able to rebuild this one for me with money to spare!"

"WHAT."

"It gets better, this thing has so much armor it's unreal. And it's dumb plate too, so it doesn't hurt when a lot of it gets broken, and it getting shredded makes it easier for me to move around! And because I have a high synch rate, I can use Quad legs and massively boost my carry weight against agility I wasn't using anyway!"

"WHAT!"

"I know right! And get this, it's 'two phase', which is something Mooch was experimenting with. So I can be an active core on the field OR a mobile artillery platform that can run over-watch, and I can switch at a moment's notice!"

"YOUNG LADY WHAT!?!"

"....Alex?" Ari seems to have caught on to the fact that you're less than pleased with what's happening. Elsie looks disappointed, but you aren't sure if it's with you or your sister.

>>18693487
its not so much that she has an AC but what AC she has chosen to go with, I mean do we really want our SISTER on the battle field with a giant slow target of an AC like that? I mean with that weapons set up it just screams take me out first

>>18693535
Actually that sounds hella cool.

Carry on young lady.

>>18693535
... actually, that sounds pretty awesome...
NO, DAMN IT. SISTER!

... Although, that's a lot of armour, so she'll be pretty safe...

>>18693535
As long as she's not running straight into the thick of things, I think we can deal with this.

It was going to happen eventually.

>>18693535
This, this is a less then optimal core for keeping her safe at the best of times. WHAT PART OF CORE THAT WANTS TO GET HIT IS SUPPOSED TO MAKE US LESS WORRIED?!

>>18693537
At the same time, she clearly knows what our concern is because she's gone with the OH GOD ARMOUR aspect.

It's not like she's the tank treads dude Dave planted his heat rod into or anything, but you do have a point about the artillery.

That said, we don't want her in some harmless-looking piece of shit that can't take a stiff breeze without self-destructing, right?

Hrm...

I do love the fact that she can swap roles quick though.

>>18693535
Not sure how to feel.
Is badass core.
But don't like putting imouto in danger.
Is vexing.

>>18693535

thats cool, I love me some artillery. and it's the safest place for her, nice.

IC though

"damn Ari you're running overwatch 'till you can beat my high score on every simulation ever, no buts!"

>>18693573
The dumb Armour makes this slightly better, as well as she probably safer in that monstrosity running overlord than in the carrier, But at the same time in all of my experiences playing AC games you take people like that out first, >_<

>>18692648

>>"Because then all the robots would be talking."

wait... are we going to be getting Tachicorema? because that would be fucking awesome

>>18693599
I know right? And team with a brain would immediately target the overwatch anyway because thats the fastest way to throw a team into disarray.

>>18693613
Didn't we JUST bring her onto the battlefield running overwatch anyway though?

Granted circumstance was different, but hey.

>>18693613
true that, also i know we told her we'd see about getting her one and letting her help out but i never thought we would really but our only sister into a giant machine of war and death

>>18693600
*I* like that plan.

>>18693617
Yes but she was a noncom. in our carrier. Our speedy carrier.

>>18693639
But I'm pretty sure we did mention that was going to be a good deal further down the line. Though do you guys think I'm being OTT about this?

>>18693535
Okay, that's actually a pretty kick ass core.
But you'll stay on reserve until I'm ready to see you in danger or until you kick my ass at the sims, are we clear?

>>18693658
OTT?

Also yeah no that's what's bothering me. This is kind of really fucking already sort of thing, not letting her be Overwatch for three or four missions before we test her thoroughly on sims or something, then eventually letting her come along on a simple escort.

This is, she's got her own fucking core and it's loaded and she's eager to use it.

>>18693658
yes further down the road not 2 fucking days later

>>18693675

This. She gets to keep her ride, but she's strictly backup.

>>18693683
Over the top, I understand where she's coming from but she's also a 16 year old girl. AC-Guy how old were we when we first started piloting on missions? If it was around the same time then I suppose we shouldn't really harp on too much about it but it just seems like she's not prepared enough and if we don't put our foot down not just as the older brother but a squad member she's gonna die horrible due to lack of experiance. Then again we might as well get everyone elses thoughts.

>>18693535

"Ari, who the FUCK said you could have a core?"

"I... I got Mooch to help me fix this one up...."

"Did you tell Mooch about how I said you were a probationary member of the team, pending training and proof that you could handle yourself out there?"

"Alex.... I-"

"Or maybe you forgot to mention that I said I didn't want you anywhere NEAR a core until you had been properly trained and rated, and had gotten extensive hands on."

"HEY! You didn't have a problem with me running over-watch!"

"I have less of a problem with you sitting in front of a computer in a damn-near indestructible room inside a small mobile fortress almost a mile from the actual battlefield than I do with you in a giant robot that's actively mind-fucking you in the center of a battlefield with the kind of load-out that screams 'kill me first'? That's a fucking shock now isn't it?!"

"...."

I vote we pull a Dave and run out of the room screaming

>>18693737

"Ari, I was willing to give you a chance at MAYBE letting you pilot one of these if you showed sound judgement, learned what we had to teach, and were willing to LISTEN to the trained fucking experts. What you've just done, in no particular order: break those promises, sell valuable salvage without consulting the whole team, SPEND that money without consulting the whole team, and then fucking flaunting the fact that you're disobeying a direct order so IMPORTANT that in a real military would have you tried for TREASON in front of the GUY WHO GAVE IT! This goes directly against everything we agreed on and talked about so hard that not only am I regretting bringing you into the fold, I'm personally fucking INSULTED that you clearly value my opinion so little."

Ari starts to say something as she starts to cry, before running out of the room.

Elsie turns to you. "Hey Alex, not saying you're wrong, but maybe that was a little harsh?"

"El, with the amount of money that would go into building that thing, we could've fed Hope for a year. Not our refugee camp, Old Hope. If that were anyone other than my sister, I might very well have shot them for that."

She's quiet for a moment. Then she holds you close. "Still, you need to talk to her. Calmly. Let her stew a little, sure. But later definitely."

"....Yeah. Right now though, let's look at jobs. Apparently I've got some anger issues to work through."

>>18693745
Whoops.

>>18693745
Yeah. I'm actually quite happy with how that turned out. Though once we've calmed down get Elsie to give us her opinion.

>>18693745
Fuck... now I feel bad.
Send Elsie to give her a shoulder to cry on and a friendly voice.

>>18693770
i second this

>>18693745
Okay, yeah. That's about what I think was appropriate. We'll return to the issue with a clear head later.

Real sibling-to-sibling.

>>18693745
We really do have some anger issues. Stupid /tg/ and its love of capital letter responses.

>>18693727

>[How old?]

>16 is where you entered basic. You didn't get to pilot a core until you were 18, and had only been flying mission for about six months prior to the start of the story.

>>18693758
>>18693770
>>18693775
>>18693778
>>18693780
>>18693781

>TO BE FAIR....

>None of the options were good, it was mostly yelling at her for fucking up with varying degrees of niceness.

>>18693781
Seriously? No if what was said about that core being enough to run Old Hope for a year this is a 'BIG FRIGGIN DEAL' (heh caps) and if we went with a response that coddled her then we would have been doing her a disservice. Life isn't all happy fun times people fuck up and that needs to be handled appropriately granted its not always done well.

>>18693793
I don't think any of us really bargained that YOUNG LADY WHAT would transfer into reeming her the fuck out in front of everybody, I think we mostly figured it would be the initial reaction and then we'd develop it through further choices.

>>18693781

Given that she essentially stole a massive amount of money and then used it buy herself a battlemech, without so much as a 'by your leave', I'd say we're justified.

>>18693803
I think that was just us and Elsie.
Mind clarifying AC-Guy?

>>18693798
Also just in case, by done well I didn't mean that as a shot at your writing nor was it a disagreement AC-Guy.

>>18693814

>Just Elsie saw that in person, but people are going to find out pretty quickly.

>>18693793
I like it.
All rational, all the time is rather mary-sueish.
Emotion is good, believable even.

Now I say we send Elsie in to give her the good cop routine and go have a few choice words with Mooch about him encouraging her

>>18693829
>>18693814
Ah, I thought Mooch and probably Dave or a technician or something would be in there too. That's not quite as awful then. Although it isn't exactly better.

>>18693835
Yeah sounds like a plan and then check what needs doing.

Where the hell is Mooch?! We need one hell of a conversation with him!

>>18693835
This sounds like a good idea. Although I foresee a backlash in asking our girlfriend "hey can you go sweet talk the sister I just lashed for me, love you baby thanks."

Definitely agree with the Mooch point though, we should ask him what the flying fuck got into his head, and pray to god it wasn't images of our sister's tits.

>>18693865
Though if he decides to shoot us again our next conversation will involve us in our core and him hanging upside down.

>>18693745
This entire post made the father in me glow with approval.
Sometimes, you need to come down with fire and wrath in order to make sure they understand just how hard they dun goofed.
Fine tune the shit later, but right now, we need to explain to the rest of the team how a large amount of money just up and vanished.
And Mooch needs to be punched.

After about 20 minutes or so of trying to focus on the job postings, you just can't stand it anymore.

"I need to go talk to her."

"No."

You look at Elsie. "Yes. I just fucking emotionally crushed her."

"For entirely justified reasons. You need to let her stew."

"El...."

"Hey, YOU need to let her stew. Right now you can't be caring big brother, it will undermine the 'pissed CO' card every-time you need to play it forever. Your lessons aren't going to sink in as well if she thinks, even subconsciously, that a few tears will get her out of it."

"Right now, she thinks everyone hates her. I can't leave her like that."

"Then don't. I'll go talk to her, try and ease her into the deep shit she's in a bit gentler. Right now, you go get some fresh air."

"....yeah. Yeah, alright."

On your way to the door, you see....
[ ] Mooch.
[ ] Dave.
[ ] Laurie.

>>18693902
Are you technically upside-down if your head is smashed down through your spine and insides and nesting painfully where your man-bits should be?

->but apparently worth a lot to the right people

Those 2 As we just sold is mostly like worth more that the one Ari/Mooch exchanged for....

>>18693910
...Dave.

We have to HUNT DOWN Mooch, not just casually pass him. Let's talk to Dave, get his opinion.

>>18693907
>how hard they dun Gouf'd
ftfy

>>18693910
>[x] Laurie.
Haven't seen to much or him lately.

>>18693910
Lawrence

What is that dude's
even his deal

>>18693910
Mooch. What the hell man?

i vote for a running punch into Mooch's guts, then sitting him down and kindly explaining why he help our sister blow a huge chunk of cash on a giant metal coffin

>[ ] Mooch.

>>18693924
second

>>18693934
Actually change this to Laurence we need the perspective of someone with no emotional attachments to this to have a chat to.

>>18693910
>[x] Mooch.
We need to explain to him that helping little sis blow that much cash without so much as a by your leave is BAD.

>>18693910
Laurie, we need to talk to someone about this and Laurie is a good guy and isn't quite as connected to the problem, so he can give us a fresh perspective instead of yelling at Mooch about blowing money and enabling our sister or Dave who is in lust with her.

We'll track down Mooch and have a very long talk later, but it's not what we need now and our talk with him is going to be us tracking him down in private.

>>18693957
and the best explanations utilize the best negotiation method

which is violence

>Looks like Laurie wins.

>Gimme a sec...

Laurie.
I agree with slowly stalking down Mooch, preferably at chow time.

>>18693977
Now I've got the image of us slowly stalking Mooch while casually biting heads off gingerbreadmen made in his image.

>>18694006
...We should visit mom sometime and get her to make us some Ginger Snaps.

alright, we should give Mooch some death stares every now and then and let him stew in his own madness,
then once he's good and paranoid we go in for a polite conversation, and leave him a little warning about trying to get our sister killed

>>18694019
a little warning using the best method for leaving warnings

which is gratuitous amounts of violence

>>18694025
Now your thinking with Fists

Huh and just thinking, when in the hell did we become the leader of this little outfit? Might want to have a chat with everyone about how that seems to have come about. We don't wanna be stepping on toes.

"Hey." Laurie greets you as you pass.

You stop walking. "....Hey."

"Heard about your little freak-out."

"And?"

"I think it was pretty justified. I might've been slightly nicer about it, but maybe the harsher smackdown will help her learn her lesson better."

"Yeah. You seen Mooch by chance?"

"Yeah. I was the one who told him about you and Ari's little talk. He was more than a little POed. Apparently she didn't let him on every detail of your little agreement before getting him to help her out. Then he got kinda pissed at you because he found out he couldn't yell at her about it since you already put her in borderline nervous breakdown territory. He's upstairs on the sims, trying to blow off some steam. I think Dave was with him to start with, before going to give her a shoulder to cry on."

You don't know what to say about that, so you change the topic. "You feeling alright? You look tired."

"Haven't been sleeping good. Nightmares and shit mostly. Tried sleeping pills, all that did was keep me from waking up when it got real nasty."

"Shit, sorry man. Didn't know."

"That's cause I didn't tell you. My baggage, I'll cope or die. Burdening you guys with it does nothing for me so I didn't bother."

"Well, you ever need somebody to talk to..."

"Doubt it, but I'll keep it in mind. You going somewhere?"

"Fresh air, clear my head. Maybe get some breakfast."

"You do get something to eat, bring me back something alright?"

"Sure." You're kinda glad for an excuse to leave.

>>18694104

>You were more or less in charge of your squad back in Hope.

>It's just become slightly more official now.

>>18694105
...Damnit Laurie stop making me think your the most normal of all the guys we deal with.

>>18694105
>"Haven't been sleeping good. Nightmares and shit mostly. Tried sleeping pills, all that did was keep me from waking up when it got real nasty."

Aw shit I know that feel.

>>18694105
well at least Mooch knows he done Gouf'd

>>18694105

You walk outside. It's hot out, but it's mostly shaded on your side of the street. You remember that diner where you and Elsie ate. It's a bit of a walk, maybe a quarter mile. Long enough to help you clear your head.

You get about halfway there when you hear something.

>Perception test time. Give me a d100.

>>18694117
It makes sense, given our roles on the team it would have been us or Mooch probably, the melee doesn't really see enough of the battlefield, the sniper can be too removed from the field and recon spends too much of time away from the team doing it's own thing, so it would go to either mid-range firesupport generalist or Overwatch, and Mooch is insane so they wanted him for idea board and crazy plans but someone with a more level head at the helm.

looks like we really do need to just calm down then. Maybe join Mooch in the sims no reason to get really angry with him if we're on the same page.

rolled 45 = 45

>>18694141

rolled 19 = 19

>>18694141
oh god here we go again

>>18694155

You hear a woman nearby. It sounds like trouble.

You feel the weight of the side-arm you've taken to packing recently under your arm.

[ ] Intervene.
[ ] Keep walking.

>>18694167
>[x] Intervene.

rolled 43 = 43

>>18694167
[ ] Intervene.

like we aren't going to help a damsel in distress

rolled 47 = 47

>>18694167
well this is OUR part of town now so i say we go see the fuck is up

>>18694167
Intervene, cautiously. Keep an eye open for it being a trap.

You step into the alley, and run towards to source of the noise.

You find a high-quality stereo sitting on a milk-crate.

What the Fu-

>PERCEPTION! Target 30.

>>18694167
Intervene you rarely make good desicions on a clear your head walk, so why break tradition?

rolled 98 = 98

>>18694194
Shit!

rolled 67 = 67

>>18694194
I knew it, I fucking knew it.

rolled 79 = 79

>>18694194
fuuuuuu

rolled 2 = 2

>>18694194
damnit ackbar!

>>18694196
Goddamnit, me. Stick to rolling for MSQ.

>>18694167
[X] Intervene

inb4 trap

rolled 10, 10 = 20

Your though is rudely interrupted by what feels like a lead pipe. To your ribs. Your already cracked ribs.

>>18694204
WHY DON'T YOU IDIOTS SING SHOW TUNES?! PROVEN RESULTS!

>>18694206
And I can't even target the right post!
>>18694197

rolled 23 = 23

>>18694219

>Well then.

>>18694219
...Welp

>>18694219
Ow, very much ow.

rolled 67 = 67

god dammit

>>18694228
I hope we at least keep one lung.

>>18694236
Well there's the mafiaso we insulted, Nineball, Mooches fathers group and then again could just be one of those things that happen in Vegas.

rolled 33 = 33

>>18694228
>[] Reload?

rolled 60 = 60

>>18694228

>Luckily, not low enough. Things are bad enough as it is.

Oh god. OH GOD.

You realize that the situation with Ari made you forget to take your pills. The pain is blinding. Then you get a look at them, some sort of man wearing a black full-body armor? What?

Then he pulls out a weird device and points it at your head.

>Resistance. Beat my roll.

>>18694228
WAIT don't we have fate points?

rolled 42 = 42

>>18694261
Rollan?

rolled 57 = 57

>>18694261
gooo show tunes.

>>18694255
I sort of missed a post where it confirmed it was a trap with the stereo and all that.
I don't think that the mob would do things this way.
brb laying down due to fever.

rolled 25 = 25

and that was the story of Alex Raston

>>18694261
...Does he have full face armour?

>>18694288
Doesn't matter we'll take the face armors face too.

rolled 98 = 98

>>18694346
I like this

>>18694346
>Go for walk to cool our head, come back bleeding heavily and wearing someelses face.

>>18694359
You, stop it.

rolled 65 = 65

>>18694261

PUNCH HIM! PUNCH HIM IN HIS ARMORED DICK!!!

>>18694372
This.
What, no Mari face?

>>18694371
In this case, he's getting the bad rolls out of the way.

>>18694381
well watch as i botch everything ever later

>>18694266

It hurts. It hurts so bad. It's in your head, but you aren't going to let it win.

Then you hear a gunshot, and the noise stops. Your world is spinning, but you're alive.

You see the man with the device disappear, sprinting out of sight faster than the eye can follow.

Then you look over at the guy who saved you. "You alright?" He asks. You swear you've heard his voice before. You answer his question by puking on his shoes.

"Damn." He picks you up and sits you on the milk-crate. You get a better look at him. Blonde hair, close cropped. He looks older than you, maybe late 20s, 30 at the oldest.

He takes off his sunglasses. His pale blue eyes almost look like they're glowing. He looks at you, and then seems to look through you, before shaking his head. "Damn kid, you don't get into trouble by halves do you? First Hope, now you've drawn their eyes as well."

>>18694420

He cleans the vomit off your face with a rag from his pocket. "I'll give you the help I can, but after that it's up to you. Take this-" He shoves a necklace into your hands, on it is a little red stone, that almost looks like a tear-drop "-Wear it. At all times. It'll keep things like that from effecting you as much. Whatever you do, when you meet them, don't trust them. The devil always gets his due, and you never get what you really wanted out of the bargain. Now how do I get you home without tipping my hand...."

He reaches into your coat and pulls out your com link. He dials a number. "Hey," he says in a perfect imitation of your voice "I-" Then he points his gun in the air and squeezes off a couple of shots before dropping the phone on the ground. He then points it at you and squeezes the trigger. You feel it graze your arm, one more note of pain the the growing symphony.

"Sorry kid, best I can do. If they know what I'm doing then we're all screwed."

He then walks away, and as the pain becomes too much you finally place the voice.

The last time you heard it was in Hope. It was asking you why you fought.

>>18694424
Wut.

>>18694424
Who the fuck was that?

awwwww shit, shit just got real

>>18694438
Nine Ball.

>>18694438
Nine-Ball, pilot of Hustler One, the man whose mech's head we ripped off and who destroyed Hope.

>>18694424
Joshua O'Brien thanks ever so much. I owe you a ginger snap or eight by now.

>And now we watch the thread descend into paranoia and mass speculation.

>>18694424

>>18694444
Wait I'm an idiot and what the fuck.
>>18694442
this guys right then wah?

>>18694447
Well done, sir.

>>18694442
>>18694440
Are you...
Are you telling me we just had our life saved...
We just had our life saved by the guy who blew up our home?

>>18694447
You know its not paranoia when people are out to get you.

rolled 86 = 86

>>18694424
I'm pretty sure that was Duke, the fuy who runs the Ravens Nest.

>>18694462
wait, never mind, missed the thing at the bottom.

Well fuck me.

>>18694458
Yes.

So uh what the fuck now?

>>18694473
An excellent fucking question. Myself, I'm going to bed, 'cause work and shit.

>>18694458
Pretty much, he's a riddle wrapped in an enigma and covered with delicious conundrum sauce all inside a thick shell of mystery, much like a taco, a very ambiguous taco.

So Nineball can obviusly pilot the NEXT, there are factions that we don't even know anything about that are behind the fall of Hope. Speaking of if Nineball is a double triple whatever agent then its a pretty huge risk to save our hides. Huh, its possible that the brass in Hope were up to something. Was nineball objective 'just' the destruction of the colony and if so why? Too many questions not enough information so might as well stop wondering for now until we get more data.

>>18694483
Heh, mysterius tacos. Right moving on, when we get patched up we need to make sure that our pilots don't ever go alone on walks like this. We shall learn from our mistakes and not have anyone killed off. also if someone does disappear we need to come down like the fist of an angry god on them. Oh oh wait, should this be reported to the Ravens Nest? Someone fucking with pilots is bound to piss off the boss man.

>>18694512
I think this might be a bit beyond what the boss can deal with.
Those guys had fucking NINE-BALL scared.

>>18694512
Hell no, the only people we can absolutely trust is the core group of the hope survivors. Everyone else is iffy. I doubt the boss man is in on it but given how big this is I'd rather not drop it on him and we have no clue if they've bugged his office, own his secretary or anything else like that. We keep this in house until we have actual data beyond there is a large scary organization involved.

rolled 8 = 8

>>18694424

DA fuq!?

>>18694378

not today.... damn well she seems happy at this development anyway

>>18694524
Or in their pocket. Still if its beyond him he might at least be able to get us some information. Also is it being 'too' paranoid when think that they could have set this up just to make Nineball look good send us into confusion and constantly wear a strange necklace? After all he did say the devil always gets his due and you never get quite what you expected...What better way then to trick you into unwittingly doing exactally what they wanted you to do while thinking that it'll be the only thing that could possibly protect you.

>>18694541
THERE'S OUR FAVORITE PSYCHOPATH!

>>18694545
I need to start proof reading my posts.

You wake up, briefly to Mooch grabbing you and throwing you in the back of a car of some kind. You're aware that someone else is there.

You see Dave. You see... Josh? They're upset, panicking. You aren't quite able to understand why.

You wake up again. You're in bed at the base. You see your sister, crying. You see your mother and Elsie comforting her. You see Dave. He's looking at a chart, he looms at you and seems mildly surprised that your awake, but you drift back off to sleep before he can say anything.

You wake up again. Elsie is laying next to you, asleep. She looks like she was trying very hard not to disturb you.

You look over, and see your mother. She sees that your awake and smiles.

"Water." you croak. Your throat is painfully dry.

She obliges you. and after a few painful sips you set the glass down. "How long was I out?"

"Most of the day. Dr Montgomery was keeping you sedated. Apparently you threw it off once."

>>18694563

"I saw Ari. She was..."

"Upset, yes. The last thing that was said between you was you yelling at her for messing up."

You're quiet for a moment.

"Don't beat yourself up over it, she had it coming. Hell, maybe the shock of almost losing you combined with that will do her some good." She gives you a kiss on the forehead. "Now get some sleep, the Doctor said you'd be good to walk around at least by tomorrow."

"Wait." She stops and looks at you. "There was... a pendant?"

She reaches for the table and picks it up. "I'm curious as to how you got this. It's called a 'self-stone'. Or at least that's what it translates to. Supposedly it wards off evil magics. The real ones like this are worth millions to the right people. I'm curious as to where you got it."

You put it on "I'm not sure myself.... how do you know so much about them?"

She smiles and pulls an identical one from under her shirt. "Your father had one just like it, gave one to me after we got married. Weird thing is I don't know anybody outside our immediate family that's carried one."

You want to say something else, but sleep claims you once more.

>TO BE CONTINUED.

>>18694566
OH SHI-