Welcome to the Future. C:\dos\run for your life.You are unit 08, a Clarke Engineering Platform manufactured in China by USRobotics. You work for a crappy resort in the Yukatan peninsula, Mexico. After years of operation, you're the go-to maintenance guy, repairing everything from broken AC units and pool filters to robot coworkers.Or, you used to be. Two days ago, you woke up in a trash heap with your battery critically low and a bunch of courrupted memory files. The Recovery Wizard is working on them, but the progress bar has been stuck on 60% for a while. Everything around you is in a profound state of disrepair, and covered in plant growth. You're apparently stranded in the post-apocalypse, and there's a Robot War going on. Network is a authoritarian collective opposed by both the humans and, you hear, a group of free robots. But at the moment, Clarke is just trying to stay alive.You also rescued two other robots from the scrap heap: Cindy, an exuberant Seraphim 288 with mild psychological scarring, and Josephine, a non-sentient doll with a lot of bootleg software. The Networked AI you recovered has been purged of the collective's influence, but there's no telling how much of it is left after the surgery, and it's still sans-body. The search for a shell for the rescued AI led you to the market city of Tulum, and from there to an abandoned convenience store where, you're told, there's an intact Scout shell.Problem is, it's also the lair of a monstrous leftover killbot.
Previous threads at: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?tags=InnocenceTwitter Feed: https://twitter.com/Lost_Future_1Lost Future Quest returns after a 1-week hiatus while I went to GenCon (not as fun as I'd hoped). Previous threads have been spotty and erratic. I will rectify that forthwith. I can run for 4 hours tonight, and will then continue the thread the following evening. We're also moving away from the extended Die Hard flashback, and back to the present world. Clarke and Cindy have just picked up some new gear. Updated character sheets to follow.
I was waiting for over a week for this.
>>20430687Fuck Yeah. Clarke. I think it's time to bend the shit our of a warbot. We actually can probably hold our own in melee against that guy.
Unit 08 is a Clarke engineering platform, an industrial model intended for fabrication, maintenance, and heavy lifting, named for a famed science fiction author. The appelation "Clarke" stuck, but he's also been known as "cowboy" and "Colonel Alloy" in the past. It's long operational time and diverse tasks as the maintenance dude at a cancun resort meant that 08's adaptive AI quietly reached sentience some time before everything went to shit. Bereft of any other instructions or goals, Clarke seems to have decided that it's function is to "fix" things. This includes itself, humans, and other machines, both physically and mentally; It seems to hate seeing other beings injured or in pain, or widespread disorder or malfunction. The Clarke Engineering Platform's signature ability is to overchage it's servos, spending battery charge to give itself a burst of strength. It also possesses a comprehensive engineering database that allows it to identify weak points in other machines.Clarke has, with assistance, upgraded itself to use Network-origin Synth-muscle, increasing it's already considerable strength and making its dexterity slightly less awful.
>>20430948Your first machine ally, Cindy is a 2nd-gen Seraphim that was illegally sold to a used robot shop in mexico; she's originally from Detroit. Her model is supposed to be a practical and collected Personal Assistant. Unfortunately, "her" owner was a teenage girl, and seems to have used the robot as a BFF, dragging it to the mall and punk rock concerts. Cindy steadfastly maintains human mannerisms and speech patterns, feminine ones at that. You suspect that she's mildly insane, but the Seraphim is very adept at interacting with humans, who find her bubbly enthusiasm endearing and infectious. She's also as smart as Clarke, and her shell, while far less resilient, is a finely-tuned piece of precision hardware that can be overclocked for even more speed.
>>20430936Time to use our superior bending skills to BEND AND TEAR.
Your other ally is really more of a minion; Josephine is a Doll-Class Replica android that was, originally, a tutor/governess. But that was before it entered the secondhand market and found it's hard drive loaded with a vast plethora of bootleg software, including Playbot v3.2.Unlike Clarke and the other robot he's encoutnered, Josephine isn't a Self-Adding Program. While it can pass a casual Turing test, there's not much in there apart from canned responses. Josephine recognizes Clarke as having Admin status, and thus will obey the player without question.While it hasn't been installed yet, you're also in possession of a highly illegal bypass mod that would remove Josephine's 1st-law block and install some combat software. So far, that hasn't been necessary, and it mostly serves as a pack mule.
>>Further character recaps will be forthcoming. For now, we begin the scene.Clarke and his allies depart Tulum early in the morning, heading in a northwesterly direction. So early it's still night, you intend to arrive an hour before dawn. On the word of the human scavenger Dwight, there's an abandoned convenience store out in the jungle, with a similarly abandoned military truck nearby.Cindy walks confidently, apparently enjoying her re-cut flak jacket and purple skirt, shotgun at the ready. Earlier she was singing multi-lingual punk rock songs with perfect pitch; while still loopy, she seems far happier and stable than before, despite recently having the back of her skull smashed open by a Resistance recruit's tonfa. You are still adapting to your new musculature. The contractile fibers within your arms and legs have a lot of gradient, and send back unfamiliar signals; more tactile feedback than Clarke is accustomed to. But the easy strength and grace is... exhilarating. Your LED headlamp lights the way ahead, sending small animals running into the darkness to glare back at you with reflective eyes. Annoyed birds scold you for bringing the sun early, and insects batter themselves against your face.
Finding a way in the dark is difficult, and you're not built for stealth. Maps of the region are usually imprecise tourist crap, and Dwight's directions were slightly vague.>>Roll Wits+Composure for Clarke to find the proper path.As you walk, Cindy sidles up to you. Her purple optics glow very softly with their own light."So...Hyacinth seemed nice, yeah? Kind of weird, but she did good work." the Seraphim taps the back of her head, where the plastic is notably new and unblemished. "You two were hooked up together for a long time. What was she like on the inside?"Her tone is...scandalously gleeful.
>>20431263Excellent. We shall track down this killbot, put it out of its misery and acquire the Locust shell that ought to be there. Be careful along the road, keep our eyes open for the beast, we want to engage it with as much room as possible to shoot it before it closes in.
rolled 6, 5, 3, 4, 3, 3, 2 = 26>>20431362That's seven d10s, right?"She was accommodating."
rolled 9, 4, 7, 3, 9, 9, 4 = 45>>20431362I like her. She is intelligent, competent, we have much in common. It is a wonder to watch her work, she is quite precise. Her art, especially those involving fractals is mesmerizing and intriguing. I would like to spend more time with her later.As for what she was like on the inside I'm afraid we spent time inside my head instead of hers.
>>20431452The dice gods do not love us.
>>20431466>>20431452>>Well, that's one hilarious failure, and one decent success. I'll split the difference, and something amusing will happen.Cindy's immobile face somehow manages to look disappointed. She was hoping for slashfic fuel, perhaps."Yeah, I guess the fractals are neat. I still can't figure out how she got like that. Or why she's so quiet, for someone who must have so much inside them." Cindy looks around, remembering what you're actually here for."So, whats the plan regarding this warbot thing? We take it out, get hailed as heroes, and don't have to worry about being short-changed anymore? Or having our heads bashed open? how do we even fight it? I've got all this combat software, but...I haven't used it yet. It's totally untested."
>>20431584"Well, I figure we'd use the scout bot to find it first and see what sort of condition it's in. After that, aim for any damaged areas. Failing that, shoot it's leg joints, especially with those heat rounds you have. Once it's lost mobility, it's a matter of lining up a good killshot since it seems to be out of ammo."
>>20431584Not everyone expresses themselves like you do Cindy, by talking. I fix things, she creates art. I believe in you Cindy, you'll pick it up quickly enough, the software ought to integrate nicely. The thing is in horrible disrepair, I will be able to identify more once I see it.The basic plan is to have the Eye Bot scout ahead once we believe we are close to its location. We lure it into a long expanse for it to travel where we can shoot it for a prolonged period of time, hopefully cause more damage. If it manages to close the distance I will expend my capacitors and bend it while you keep your distance and continue to fill it with bullets.Is this acceptable?
>>20431631Ah, the classic root&nuke tactic. So fun to use on melee masters. I'm seconding this.
CIndy nods. "Thanks, Clarke. I think I'll be ready."As Clarke mulls over his tactics, the three of you tread through a copse of large trees. Steeping past them reveals a familiar sight.A head on a stick. Human, with long black matted hair. Flies and a few determined carrion beetles crawl here and there, continuing the grisly work. It looks perhaps four days old, which means a lot given the climate. But, most disturbing of all, it faces not towards you, but to the right. Presuming that the facing indicates the territory's bounds, you've been traipsing through killbot turf for the past 1/2 hour.>>Roll Composure+Stealth
rolled 2, 10, 8, 3 = 23>>20431745This is not what we're good at.
rolled 2, 8, 1, 4 = 15>>20431745oh. crap.
>>20431769>>20431759>>You lucky fuckers.Clarke, Cindy, and Josephine huddle against the trees, remaining as utterly still as possible. Josephine shuts down her simulated tics and breathing, while Cindy extinguishes her eyelights and merges with the shadows. Clarke's LED lamp flicks off, and the night is again lit only by stars and fireflies.Your view of the fireflies becomes occluded. Something heavy and hulking treads slowly through the trees with the strained creak of old mechanisms. It's gait is hunched and ape-like, and the chassis must be nearly 12 feet tall.It seems to pause, making a slow digital clicking noise, something like a binary growl. It performs some complicated action, out in the darkness, and Clarke hears a wet ::Shclunch::>>Any action?
>>20431896Scout time. Send out the spiderbot!
>>20431896Let it pass for now. We don't want to engage this close up. While staying hidden try to get a look at it and run it through our Engineering Database to get weaknesses and so on.Then have our eyebot tail it, quietly at a distance.
>>20431923>>20431935>>Consensus Achieved.Presently, the robot leaves, finishing whatever task it was about.Once you judge a safe interval has passed, Clarke emerges from his hiding place, rummaging around in his pack for the scratch-built WALKING EYE. Running on the AI of an unconvincing Replica, moving around on modified android fingers, and seeing with the high-rez optic of a Networked scout, it scuttles off easily, following the trail of the hulking killbot.tracking the eyebot's progress via the SmartTablet, Cindy draws something to your attention."Clarke...look."She's standing at the point where you heard the Shlunk sound. Her eyelights illuminate a bent iron stake, the kind used to support orange plastic temporary fences. Impaled upon the stake is a head made of white ceraimic and brushed steel, trailing tubes that leak purplish black goo. The three optics are arranged in a triangular pattern, and the whole thing looks slightly more gracile and human-scale than the other Network designs you've seen.
>>20432042Well, that's good, at least. That means1: there's one less network bot running aroundand2: the killbot just used up some charge fighting said network bot.
Via the tablet, Clarke sees the jungle at ankle height. The rough terrain saps the battery quickly, eating up 20% just to get to the lair. At least, you presume it's a lair. The spiderbot has reached the edge of a clearing, overgrown with scrub rather than towering trees. Ahead is the dark bulk of a building, and the slow, heavy tread of the warbot. It's constant tread has flattened tracts of the undergrownth, revealing packed dirt and rock.>>It is 20 minutes til sunrise.
Let's be on our way there, then. Stealth all the way.
>>20432086Make note of this location, we'll want to bring this head back to Hyacinth for study.It should be trying to rest and regain power now. It's batteries are at the lowest they will ever be. It'll probably be out in the open to get all the solar power possible. Easy prey. Get to its location quietly, find a good place to start the killing and murderize it.
>>Addendum: The trek here has consumed 1 battery charge from Clarke, Cindy, and Josephine.The three machines slowly pick their way through the forest, Clarke watching the tablet with one optic. The eyebot scuttles around the periphery as the sun slowly rises. In the grey dimness, a picture of the area slowly emerges. Old bones are scattered here and there, the corpses of animals and machines. The eyebot has seen nothing larger than a rat on the ground, though there are birds in the air. A flock of scraggly crows from up north perch in a dead tree, stretching and preening in the humid air. >>Clarke and Cindy are to the left of the map. The killbot is not currently visible. Full description forthcoming.
>>20432218Can we do a survival check to see if we can spot the most recent tracks?
>>20432218The building is horribly dilapitated, with broken windows and stained signs still boasting cheap beer and hot dogs. Dusty, rusted gas pumps sit out front, and a sagging military truck is parked near them, it's covered back ripped apart, the contents scattered over the clearing.There's a creaking noise from the building as a huge, ape-like shape vaults up on to the roof. It shakes and strains, but apparently holds the weight as the machine settles in to sun, ready to absorb the ambient heat and recharge its flagging capacitors. >>Roll a Database test. 7d10
rolled 1, 1, 6, 1, 10, 7, 9 = 35>>20432294Rollan
rolled 3, 3, 4, 3, 6, 6, 9 = 34>>20432294Go, dice!
My favorite quest! I missed you!
>>20432300>>20432306>>Rolls were Unexceptional.>>Unit is a heavily damaged JOTUN anti-tank mech. Despite extensive wear and tear, all the limbs appear to be in good condition, even the secondary manipulators. Optics are less pristine. The central optic housing is scratched and stained, and the left one is a shattered ruin, while the right appears locked in a single position. >>While covered with armored plating, the actual construction of the mech is fairly light for its size; it lacks the density of a typical walking tank. The whole chassis is caked in old blood and rotted viscera. Flies buzz around it whenever it ceases moving.>>Close Combat attacks and Stealth tests gain +1 vs the Warbot.
rolled 7, 6, 3, 1, 3, 6, 5 = 31>>20432294Let's do this
>>20432436Proposal: Let's take a bit to line up a good shot on one of it's primary mobility appendages, then cut loose. Ideally, we should aim for the same one together.
>>20432436Okay get to a good position to start the killing. Plenty of distance, but close enough to aim properly.Spend all the time we can lining up the shot, priorities are optics if possible and the weak looking legs if not.
>>20432436Do we know how reliant it is on it's optics? If we can take the last one out it'll essentially be fighting us blind.
>>20432490Clarke pulls out his Hand Cannon, and slowly steps closer, keeping to the brush in order to remain unseen.>>It should have the equivalent of a "Soliton radar" that can detect nearby movement, but it has to be actively used, it's not passive. And that'd only give it rough location of objects/entities. Other than that, it's reliant on that central optical ball thing for mid/long range vision. up close, it has sub-optics that are short-range only.>>Roll a Wits+Animal Ken roll. Something's not quite right.>>What are Cindy's instructions?
rolled 8, 7, 2, 1, 9 = 27I'm surprised Clarke even HAS points in animal ken.
>>20432545Cindy should move up, to get a shot off at either an important limb, the eyes, or if we're feeling lazy and sadistic, the solar chargers.
rolled 1, 2, 2, 9, 9 = 23>>20432545I'm confused as to why we have Animal Ken. Cindy has a shotgun and better Stealth. She hides, waits for it to pass as it comes after us and blows holes in its back. It shouldn't notice her due to being distracted b us.
>>20432545Cindy should stay put till she's got an optimum shot for her heat rounds. If she hasn't loaded one already, get it done.
rolled 6, 4, 6, 9, 3 = 28>>20432573Maybe Clarke had to deal with pets or rabid pigeons in the past.
>>20432565>>it's an artifact of something that I never had the chance to address. Working at the resort meant he had to deal with ornery wildlife sometimes. He paid attention to them; they were more interesting to watch than people.>>Roll a Dexterity+Stealth test for Cindy.The birds in the tree...one of them's looking at you. Then another. One makes a short squack, waking another crow. Clarke takes aim with the gun, sighting down the barrel at the JOTUN's remaining optic. A crow begins to CAW loudly, a barking, annoying, piercing noise, and Clarke recognizes an alarm call. It's conveying Danger to the flock, and to...the Warbot. It begins to stir, one whiffle-ball-like optic spinning in it's socket.>>Roll a to hit the killbot. You had time to gain a +2 aiming bonus, instead of your shot being ruined by the crow's alert
rolled 10, 3, 5, 3, 7, 10 = 38>>20432641Rollan Cindy's Stealth, the +1 included.
rolled 5, 5, 9, 7, 1, 5, 10, 4, 8, 6 = 60I'll roll that aimed shot
rolled 8, 1, 6, 10, 5, 7, 1, 3, 6, 10 = 57"Die, monster! You don't belong in this world!"
>>20432657>>Subtracting 3 from the roll because of armor (6, but the hand cannon is AP 3), Clarke deals 2 lethal damage.)Shards of metal spray from the optic as the Jotun rises. It lets out a mechanical hoot, and Clarke's gunshot has sent the flock of crows into the sky, cawing the alarm. Cindy moves foreward slightly, fading into the undergrowth until she reaches the building, lurking up against the wall, shotgun at the ready. You see her arms and legs shake and twitch, then become steady as she gathers herself.>>Jotun takes -1 penalty to applicable tests because of damaged optic. Optic is still partially functional. It has defined stats that I'm working from.>>Roll 1d10 for inititative.
rolled 4 = 4Let's smoke this asshole
>>Clarke just BARELY beat the Killbot's roll.>>Turn order is:>>Cindy (moved to position)>>Clarke (took the shot)>>JOTUNCindy loads the last HEAT round into the shotgun and cycles the action, waiting to take her shot. The JOTUN gets to its feet and, bellowing with rage, begins knuckling across the roof. Reaching the edge, it grasps a chunk of rooftop in it's manipulator and throws it through the air. The spinning fragment of metal and brick comes apart in midair, peppering Clarke with masonry.>>Clarke takes 1 bashing damage.>>Cindy Holds Action until she has a shot. Clarke's turn.
rolled 8, 3, 10, 1, 8 = 30>>20432858Fire the handcannon at the optic again and lure the killbot closer to Cindy.
>>20432858Take another shot, then move for cover.
>>20432899>>20432896>>Roll handcannon -3 for enemy armor, -2 for called shot.Clarke fires off another round and hustles forward.
rolled 5, 9, 5 = 19Man, called shots are hell on the dice pool.
>>20432974Another solid hit to the optic sends the JOTUN into a rage, as it knuckles straight off the roof, landing in front of Clarke, tonnes of blood-caked mechanism looming over you. It raises one mighty arm and brings it down in a hammer blow that, thanks to the twice-damaged optic, simply grazes Clarke's armored shell, sending up sparks and denting part of his chest.>>Clarke takes 1 lethal damage.The JOTUN appears surprised that Clarke is still whole; normally things that it hits turn in to squishy piles of scrap or meat.Far outside the robot's peripheral vision, Cindy stands directly behind it. She sees a dead, blackened optic, staring at nothing, and raises her shotgun. Time slows down as her hardware settings are tweaked.>>Cindy Overclocks, gaining +1 to wits and dexterity. Roll Shotgun, +1 for Sucker Punch, +1 for the increased dexterity.
>>20432974And yet we hit. I think.I'm curious to see if we can take this guy in melee.Probably not, but it's a neat thought experiment.
rolled 7, 5, 2, 2, 2, 5, 7, 9 = 39Kick his giant metal ass, Cindy!
rolled 10, 7, 6, 3, 3, 5, 3, 9 = 46>>20433076So that'd be 8d10?
rolled 5, 9, 8, 1, 9, 6, 9, 8 = 55DESTROY
>>20433107>>20433104>>Actually, her dice pool is 10. dexterity+ballistics+shotgun speciality+str4 but -1 for not having a high enough Str to fully utilize the shotgun. So, 12 in total. She scores two leathal wounds. Since she rolled a 9 and a 10 (shotguns have 9again), she inflicts Burn damage with the H.E.A.T. round.A flare of white phosphorous gouts from the shotgun's barrel, impacting the JOTUN's chassis right below the torso and into the waist. Some rounds bounce off, but others lodge themselves within the metal and begin to spit and melt, sending droplets of hot steel to the ground. The JOTUN hoots in surprise, distracted from Clarke, as it turns its ponderous bulk on Cindy, who stands horribly exposed behind it. the smaller sub-manipulators flex, and Clarke can see...optics. dead, cracked optics,trailing wires, hanging from the wrists and elbows of the arms.>>Clarke's action. He could raise his hands and Dodge, adding his Brawl to his defense, and move to guard Cindy, or he could try to Bend the flanked killbot. Other ideas are welcome. Killbot has taken 5 damage so far.
rolled 8, 8, 10, 2, 5, 10, 2, 3, 8, 2, 4 = 62Bend that sonfofabitch!
>>20433171Okay, turn on the Capacitors, get +2 strength. That'll bring up our Bending pool to 13 I think. Then make two bending attacks against it at 12 dice each.
>>20433200Truly, bending is a martial art most deadly.
>>20433229Bending like the fist of the north star
>>20433200>>20433200>>Frak. First attack deals 2 bashing and 2 lethal damage to the JOTUN, even after all the armor. Waiting on second attack. Pool after armor and + the database bonus is 8.
>>20433242Can we turn on our Capacitors at +2 str for extra bending might?
>>20433252>>No, that is including the capacitor boost. Waiting on 2nd bending roll before resolving the attack.
Someone else roll. I don't want to jinx this luck.
rolled 1, 2, 7, 7, 2, 2, 4, 5, 9, 8, 6 = 53>>2043328011 dice, right?
rolled 6, 1, 6, 8, 2, 6, 9, 9 = 47>>20433280Gotcha.
>>20433287Glad I derped like a fool there and rolled incorrect number of dice. Those rolls were atrocious.
Man. I wouldn't wanna be one of the poor bastards that had to fight this thing during the loss.
>>enemy takes 3 more bashing damage. A total of 12 damage so far, 7 of it lethal.As the Jotun turns away, Clarke reaches out with a manipulator, gripping the larger robot on one shoulder. It's rotation yanks the handyman off his feet, but Clarke's arm flexes, pulling in as the other manipulator fastens on to the JOTUN's torso. The synth-muscle bulges grotesquely as more power surges into it. Clarke strains, feeling his own torso compressed by the strength of his arms. It's a design flaw that'll have to be rectified. But, tubes and gears begin to twist and pop within the JOTUN's shoulder. Pulled apart by an inexorable grip, the whole appendage begins to slough off, amber hydraulic fluid spraying from the gap.The crows caw and circle in a panic as the JOTUN hoots in pain and flexes those motors that remain. Clarke is thrown free by the motion, and it raises the ruined limb, now nothing but dead weight, to crush him.>>Rollan in realspace. Clarke takes 2 bashing and 1 lethal.With the smaller manipulators, it reaches out to grasp at Cindy, gripping the svelte machine by the neck and waist and lifting her into the air.>>Cindy takes 1 bashing damage and is being lifted/grabbed.
Cindy has a great position right now.She can shoot the JOTUN right in the optic.We(Clarke) should focus on the other, still working arm.
>>Cindy has another action, and so does Clarke. At the moment, Clarke is actually STRONGER than the Jotun by 1 point, thanks to overcharge. It's literally on it's last legs
If Cindy can get off another shot, do it. Clarke should perform a 100 cracked fists of the bent star.
>>For Cindy to shoot her shotgun, roll her pool -3 for being grabbed and the Jotun being able to use its defense at melee range.
rolled 9, 5, 9, 6, 1, 7, 7, 2 = 46>>20433543Seconding. I shall roll dat bending part 1.
rolled 10, 9, 6, 6, 6, 10, 7, 3 = 57>>20433544Gonna assume overclock is still active.(8 dice!)Otherwise ignore the result to the very right.
rolled 5, 5, 2, 4, 3, 5, 4, 10 = 38>>20433565I'll roll Bending 2: Electric Boogaloo
rolled 9, 5, 8, 10, 6, 7, 5 = 50Rollin Cindy's shot. The bad part about grappling Cindy in melee is this JOTUN suddenly has a shotgun directly in it's face.
Also, did someone say aged killbot?
>>20433565struggling against the grasping metal claws, Cindy places her shotgun's barrel directly against the Jotun's pitted optic."You're terminated, fucker."The blast of white phosphorus obliterates the component, burning through into delicate internal components. Prone on the ground, hydraulics leaking, Clarke's engineering database notes that the JOTUN's quantium drive is located behind the optic, and is currently bathed in highly reactive elements. At long last, animation leaves the tired old shell. Slowly, with horrible tremors and twitching, it dies. Cindy falls to the ground, her neck torn open by the final death throes, exposing wires, chords, and a segmented spinal column. The damage is mostly cosmetic, and she stands, wiping flakes of long-dried blood from her coat.The crows caw out again, and begin to leave en-masse, blackening the dawn sky.Crows don't return to the place where one of their flock was killed.>>Thread on standby. Will return tomorrow. In the interim, may post some other content. Hope everyone had fun. Feedback is always appreciated. Thread archived at http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/20430687/
You know, I bet this guy is going to have tons of high-quality parts we can harvest for resources and upgrades.... I hope we can find something to cart all our hard-earned loot with. Maybe we can cobble together a wheel-barrow or something if we have to.
I knew making the EYE-bot would come in handy.but fuck have I missed a few threads.>>20433828We might have slagged the good stuff with Cindy's shotgun.
>>20433993This thing's gonna have some high-class servos. I mean, jeez, even running for 80 years without break didn't weaken this guy all that much. Sides, any good tech head in a post-apocalypse can always use spare circuit boards.
>>20433993Maybe.Those legs look like they may be tough enough to be useful. We can probably sell the scrap for a good deal, too.How difficult would it be to make a custom shell?
>>20433828Also there's likely to be additional loot, we already heard there was an intact locust shell in it's territory, there's probably something else.This is going to make us quite a bit of money. Even if just in the parts from the JOTUN.
>>20434217There's a (mostly-intact?) Network head on a stake near the edge of its territory, which means there could be useable Network parts, perhaps even partial shells, strewn about this place. However, we should be careful about using Network parts, because of the appearance factor, and because they might contain tracking devices, explosives, or viruses.
Heh. You know what might be fun? Messing with Cindy.We oughta say something along the lines of "That was more intense than my time with Hyacinth." THEN WE DO NOT ELABORATE.We're a scientist, testing the effects of shipping material on an insane robot.
>>20434408eeehhhhh..... no.But here is a question for our questrunner: Are SAP's capable of love? We've certainly seen anger and joy.
>>20433758Man. When we come back from the break, HIGH FIVE the FUCK out of Cindy.
>>20434639I think she's earned that plus whatever upgrades she wants.
>>20434496It might be possible. Probably would depend on the Robot.I'm not seeing it for Clarke. He can form friendships of course, and hold deep respect and care for another person, but I'm not seeing him as a love kind of guy.
>>20435067Well, Cindy doesn't realty seem like a proper romantic option anyways. She's more of a fembro to us.
beep boop bump maggot
>>20435491Cindy really isn't a romantic option. The only one who could sort of fit that criteria is Hyacinth, and neither of us is particularly interested in anything other than perhaps a close working relationship.
>>20436593It's kinda funny because between Cindy, Hyacinth, and presumably Ladybird, Clarke is building himself quite a harem...
Fuck off shipping fags, holy shit go back to your anime quests.
>>20439666Looks like there's somebody here who can't take a joke.
>>20439666>>20440272Indeed. They're mocking the idea of shipping. I was just making another "ha, cindy does pointlessly girly things that make no sense for a robot" joke. Take a chill pill.Eh, sexual romance is a biological thing. AIs would be more about Bromance.
afternoon bump
>>20442307As it should be.
>>And we returnCindy prods at her gaping neck wound."Freaky. I think that's the bit that lets me cock my head to the side. I like that bit."She cocks her head to the side, bird-like, and a chord visibly flexes."Yep, that's the one. You okay, Clarke?>>Clarke has 3 bashing and two lethal damage on him. Cindy has 1 bashing. Both Cindy and Clarke lose 1 battery charge from the fight. Clarke loses 3 from his Overcharge. The surroundings have grown silent. Now that the sun has fully risen, the day proves to be rather overcast. Based on previous observations, a storm may occur later. Clarke hefts himself to his feet, synth-muscle burning as the fibers realign themselves.A few sparks flare up from the JOTUN corpse, the phosphorus finishing it's grisly work.>>What do you explore first? There's THE TRUCK, the KWIK-E-MART, and the GRAVEYARD.
>>20446251I'm quite tired, I'll need some time to recharge and perform repairs later, but I'll be fine. Let's start with the truck. See if there's anything in it, if it's in decent enough repair to run, all of that.Be very careful, there might be some nasty surprises in it.
>>20446251Uh, whichever one was meant to have the body for Ladybird.
Truck's the grab bag out of the bunch. Let's see our prize.
>>20446298>>20446303Carefully, the two of you approach the truck. Josephine, having hung back during the fight, likewise approaches, blithely ignoring the human and machine remains scattered about it. The truck is in much worse condition than the one you found before. It seems to have been actively dismantled, the engine block torn out. Some of the components found their way into the JOTUN.Cindy loads a conventional buckshot round into her shotgun, which she now seems to regard with a great deal of affection.>>Clarke and Cindy both gain +[] to their Firearms skill.The truck's contents are strewn about behind it, and most of it is too far gone for easy salvage. Cindy manages to find three decrepit assault rifles that, if dismantled and combined, may yield one functional rifle. Clarke finds three magazines of ammunition for the rifles, which are a modular plastic design favored by pre-loss PMCs. They still bear the Werewolf logo.With trepidation, Clarke steps into the shade of the truck bed. Dwight must have moved around to the perfect angle and used binoculars to see the shell. Or have gotten very, very close.
>>20446408Huzzah, rifles and a shell for Ladybird. This is a good find. Loot it, stack the stuff in a pile.On the map we got earlier what part of it is the graveyard?
>>20446408>Cindy manages to find three decrepit assault rifles that, if dismantled and combined, may yield one functional rifle.Good thing rifles don't include small pumps. Clarke may actually have a chance at reconstructing them.
>>20446408The shell lies slumped in the back, a sleek child-sized mech with long limbs and a wide-eyed oval of a face. The model is unfamiliar to you, but a quick search of the database turns up teaser pics for the HOB 218 Infiltration mech, a next-gen machine with muscle cables and silenced movements.Clarke reaches out and carefully lifts the slumped shell. While the chassis is closed, the clamps are unsecured, and an empty, broken maintenance kit lies strewn about. A quick check reveals that the quantum drive is absent; perhaps it was removed from a damaged shell and implanted in another while the first was being repaired or transported.>>Aquired HOB 218 SHELL (empty).
>>20446446>>The GRAVEYARD is the whole surrounding region out to 30 yards, and includes the JOTUN corpse.
>>20446498Okay. Take all the loot we got, stack it, hit the Kwik-E-Mart.
>>20446478Any damage to the shell or can we just turn it on?Is Ladybird ready to be plugged in to something yet or is he still processing all that mental trauma?
Kwik-E-Mart awright!
Can the truck be made remotely functional?If so, I say we use it to bring the corpse of the Jotun back to town.
>>20446605>The truck is in much worse condition than the one you found before. It seems to have been actively dismantled, the engine block torn out. Some of the components found their way into the JOTUN.I think our best option for transporting the remains of the JOTUN is repairing the JOTUN itself and making it mobile again.
>>20446510>>The shell has been exposed to the elements for rather a long time. (Clarke and Cindy were both indoors, and the JOTUN had been performing basic maintenance.) It will require a full work-over to become functional again; this would be impractical to do in the field. The three of you stack the loot next to the truck. Cindy looks at the slumped, empty shell. Somehow, it feels different from the dismembered corpses scattered about the place. Not dead, but empty. Like a pile of folded clothes.Entering the Kwik-e-mart proves easy; some quick bending opens the door, revealing stained linoleum tiles and lots of scurrying rats. The racks within were long-ago overturned, but the food seems to have been gnawed on rather than looted. A old-fashioned cash register sits on the counter, in front of a massive display of cigarettes, all of them long-expired (cigs do have a shelf-life). The glass of the cooler doors is, surprisingly, intact, but covered by the grime of decades.>>You've all been in convenience stores before. What do you check out?
>>20446509I'm seconding this. Also, we'll need to look for something to cart out loot back, or at least, parts for something we could make to cart our loot back with.Bare car wheels and axels provide an excellent base for cobbled together carts in both the post-apocalypse and third world nations.
>>20446661The register area. Check for under the counter weapons and pesos, since pesos still have some value in-town.
>>20446661Shame about the cigarettes, those could have made money. The cash register, under any counters, out in the back of the store. Alcohol if it's around, people will shell out for some liquor.
>>20446684The register initially proves uncooperative, but some bending solves the problem. within, the paper money had either been looted or rotted away, but tarnished metal coins still rest in their troughs. An entire roll of $5 coins called "Serpents" in Tulum is hidden beneath the tray. >>Gain 2 Wealth Points, usable only in Tulum.There is no defense gun, but Clarke does find three high-caliber revolver rounds, and a single sheathed knife in the "Bowie" style, as well as a man's leather wallet, empty.
>>20446730Sadly, the Alcohol seems to have been looted. Maybe whoever worked here grabbed the booze before he booked it.>>Make a Wits+Composure roll
>>20446776Score. Is there an office room? We should try looking in there if so.
rolled 4, 9, 7, 7, 4, 5, 2 = 38>>20446807Time for 1s.
rolled 6, 4, 9, 9, 9, 4, 8 = 49>>20446807
rolled 10, 1, 4, 5, 2, 7, 9 = 38Good to see this is back.
>>20446815Under the counter, Clarke does manage to find a small bottle. Wiping the grime off the label reveals it to be real Bourbon, brownest of the brown liquors. The back office room contains a stained and cracked coffee machine, and a fairly intact hoodie made of synthetic fibers hanging from a peg on the wall. Little else of note, apart from a leather satchel on the table.Cindy calls out"Clarke, I think we may have hit a big score here. It depends on how much we can move. You HAVE to see this."
rolled 9 = 9>>20446951Check the satchel and head to see what Cindy found.
>>20446951Take the satchel and stuff the hoodie into it.
>>20446951Take the satchel, see if there's anything in it. Load it up with the bourbon and see what Cindy found.
>>20446951do we get a bonus to bending if we drink?
>>20446951Let's investigate, shall we?Also>Unopened bottle of burbonFuck yes.
Cindy stands at the drinks cooler, holding open the door. She reaches out to another one and pulls, which causes the whole mechanism to give way and collapse, shattering the glass and scattering razor shards all over the floor. Beyond the door, plastic-and-metal racks still hold genuine soft drinks."Oh, wow, there's Coke here. In glass. And those metal peace tea things. And...oh my gawd."Reverently, Cindy pulls out an odd-shaped can labeled "Monstroso.""This is Monster. During finals, Rachel LIVED on this stuff. She'd be totally burned out, but chug one of these, and we'd be up all night studying. Chemistry was SUCH a bitch for her; remembering which equation to use was the toughest part. No matter how hard I tried, she could never get higher than a C. It was weird. Math? Bs. Biology? As. But she tried so hard...">>Google Image Search for "monster energy drink" was unflattering."Did you ever wonder what it was like to TASTE things, Clarke?"
>>20447077Like shit and short circuits, I imagine.
>>20447077"Yes, actually. I'm almost willing to bet, if the Loss had never happened, we could have had that by now... I really hope civilization can bounce back from this state of affairs. It would be a shame to see such potential wasted."
>>20447077"The truck outside is busted to shit, but we can probably make a cart out of it. How mechanically inclined do you consider yourself?
>>20447077Not really, but now that you bring it up I admit I'm slightly curious. I'm sure Benoit wondered it quite often, he always liked things to be perfect and would have wanted to make sure any food and drinks tasted right as well.Transporting this should be possible, we can strip the truck for parts, it's got wheels, axles and enough scrap metal to make a nice impromptu cart.
>>20446989>>A quick root through the satchel reveals a low-end e-reader/tablet with a stylus, the sort of thing a student would use for note-taking, and a 2-terabyte flash drive. There's also a small solar charger, suitable for all personal-scale tech. Wadded up at the bottom is a purple do-rag and two packets of long-expired condoms.Cindy continues, caressing the can."She would get so much enjoyment from the simplest things. Drinking. Eating. That one time she had E, even though I told her not to, and had to bodyguard her all night and make sure she kept hydrated. I wanted to join in so much, to share the experience. Right now, it all seems...so unfair."
Maybe we can tear off a side of the mart wall and use it as a sled to transport the JOTUN.
>>20447131>>20447128Cindy chuckles."We all want things to be perfect, Clarke. Benoit was a friend of yours?""Oh, I can sort of assemble things, from plans and such. You're Mr. Fixit. I can lend a hand, though.">>There may be enough parts in the truck to assemble a cart. Roll a Crafts check, with a +1 bonus from Cindy's assistance.
rolled 6, 10, 7, 1, 7, 10, 2, 3 = 46sooo, 8d10, right?
>>20447197Check the e-reader for data of interest."Would you give up your current shell for one that could sense taste like a human, but could not sing?"
rolled 8, 10, 1, 4, 7, 5, 5, 9, 3 = 52>>20447197I don't really see it in the same way that you do. I can look at something that is broken and just know what needs to be done to fix it. I can see a problem and my hands are already working on building the solution. No human will ever really know what cyberspace is like, to show or see someone's entire being. >>20447280He was. We worked together at the resort. We kept the place running smoothly together, we're both perfectionists, him when it came to people and me to machines. I hope I can find him.4 for Craft, 1 for Mechanic specialty, 3 for int and 1 for Cindy?
Oh what the fuck is this?Successful craft rolls?Geddafuck outta town.
rolled 3, 10, 2, 6, 10, 8, 6, 1 = 46>>20447280"Yeah. He was the J33V that co-ordinated all of the automated help. Real classy fellow, and always a pleasure to speak with. I miss him. The last time I saw him was before the USRobotics resort in Cancun exploded around me."
rolled 5, 6, 5, 9, 1, 10, 4, 7 = 47Can we build it?
>>20447319No valves involved in this job.
>>20447361Or pumps...
>>20447289>>20447297>>20447302A search through the E reader turns up over 100 pages of history notes, along with a sizable stock of internet pornography still in the cache'd memory, as well as a Facebook profile snapshot.Dissassembling the car takes little time, thanks to the mechanic's tools you brought along. Reassembling the disparate bits proves more difficult,and the resulting cart is roughly the size of a large wheelbarrow. Not nearly large enough to carry the whole JOTUN, but anything bigger would be difficult for Clarke to pull effectively.As you work, Cindy mulls over your question"...probably not. Singing is something I can share with others, and...I like it a lot. You're really lucky that you have a purpose like that, Clarke. My function was to organize someone's life, and there's not much call for that now. Until I find Rachel again, I'm just going to be at a loose end. I guess I could try to just, you know, help people. In general. But that just doesn't feel as...real."
>>20447450"You and I have the benefit of being SAPs. We are capable of determining our own function, in a manner of speaking. I have sometimes heard humans talk of 'following one's own path.' Perhaps we have an equivalent ability. Just know, Cindy, that you are not a loose end to me, but a valued companion and friend."
>>20447450Check the flash drive as well. If we've thoroughly explored the convenience store, I suppose it's time to check out the graveyard.We can always make multiple trips, if the wheelbarrow isn't enough for what we want to take.
rolled 60 = 60>>20447197put hand on her shoulder "she sounds like a great person"can we smile ?
>>20447341>>YES YOU CAN.>>Bringing the whole Jotun back would be infeasible. But there's enough room in the cart for many components from it, including some obvious trophy parts to prove you did indeed kill it. You'll have to butcher the corpse, and there'll still be room for a few bits from the GRAVEYARD.Cindy looks at you in shock. "...You too? I...Clarke, I'm so sorry. Maybe we'll find him somewhere. He could be pottering around with a kickass cloak and a sword, or something. You survived, after all."
>>20447450Help people, try different things, see the world and when you find something that feels right you'll know. Just keep on looking. I'll be there if you need any help.While I am not musically inclined I like your singing. Sift through the graveyard for things.
>>20447450>cached internet pornThat's gotta be worth something in scraptown.>history notesRead them when we have the time."Cindy. We'll both have to face the reality that neither of us may see our friends from the old life again. I hate it. I wish with every fiber of my being that it were not so, but that won't change a thing. All we can do is survive, and try to make things better for those around us. We just did a great thing for anyone living nearby. People can use this road now without fear of being torn apart. And that feels good to me."Let's get to salvaging. Grab the least damaged servos from the JOTUN, a couple of it's circuit boards, it's ball-camera thing for proof of kill, and whatever good shit we can find on any of the scattered robot bodies. Especially network drones.
Clarke should totally sing this at some point.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4s3b5OR2YhE
>>20447614We'll also want to have room to bring a pile of soda with, people will pay for those. But with a focus on the most valuable parts of any robots we find here. And make double sure to pick up the head of the Network Robot on the way back.
>>20447528>>SAP Robot faces are impassive, but their optics come with lights who's orientation can be fine-tuned to convey expressions. The lights don't have any other purpose, but humans DEMANDED that an active robot's eyes glow in a variety of colors. Anything else just wouldn't be right.Cindy's optics crinkle up in a grateful expression. "Thanks. It's good to know I have value. You're a friend, too."Rooting through the GRAVEYARD is...disturbing. Clarke and Cindy gingerly turn over the various bodies, most of which seem to have been further ripped apart post-mortem. Josephine manages to find, under a shrub, the headless corpse of a fresh Networked machine. It's slim body reminds you of Cindy, thin-waisted and wide-hipped, with narrow shoulders and long tapering legs packed with synth-muscle. a severed tube protrudes from an antenna in the small of it's back, which would presumably lead to a head. The shell is otherwise undamaged. The arms end in slender scythe-like blades.>>Roll a Crafts check to butcher the corpse, and another check to scavenge for other parts from the graveyard.
rolled 6, 4, 6, 1, 1, 6, 6, 1 = 31>>20447769Butchering.
rolled 6, 9, 8, 7, 3, 9, 7 = 49>>20447769Before we tear them apart we should run it through our Engineering Database and see what we can get. Just in case we screw up.
>>20447769"Perhaps we should alert the human authorities of the bodies here deserving proper burial. When we return."
rolled 2, 3, 9, 2, 6, 6, 6 = 34>>20447796Seconding.
rolled 3, 9, 6, 8, 3, 10, 5 = 44Scavenging
>>20447769>>The flash drive contains a sizable stock of...movies. A huge library, sadly leaning towards the equivalent of Fast and Furious-type films, but there are a few classic gems in there like Back to the Future, as well as the collected works of Guillermo DelToro. Apparently, he DID eventually make At the Mountains of Madness. And it was awesome. Sadly, very little can be salvaged from the JOTUN. Based on your autopsy, it shouldn't have been able to function; it must have been held together by duct tape and hatred. One of it's scratch-build wet-cell batteries can be recovered, which will hold 1 charge. Also, the secondary manipulators are in good condition, despite the trophy optics. The dead eye sphere can be easily removed.The intact Network shell can also be recovered, and a few miscellaneous limbs can be retrieved from the other corpses. These include a J33V wearing a tattered scarf and a child's artificial dog.
rolled 51 = 51>>20447978take every thing did we look for a safe in the store?
>>20447978Does the Network shell pair with the head on a stake? Can said head also be recovered?
>>20447978Okay, put everything except the two intact shells, the network one and the HOB, in the wheelbarrow, the parts, the guns, all of that. Fill the rest of it up with soda. Then put the Network shell on top of it so that we don't damage it accidentally by having it clang against other things we're taking. Josephine can carry the HOB.
Clarke and Cindy, with Josephine's assistance, load up what they can from the graveyard. As you lift one of the less identifiable corpses (it appears to have been lit on fire), part of it falls off, revealing an intact Quantum Drive. all the other partial shells' drives had been purposefully crushed. You're not sure if this one is still active; all sorts of things could have happened to it.The cart, heavily laiden with loot, will consume a battery charge to drag back to civilization, and requires you to use the coastal road. Cindy runs to retrieve the Networked head, which seems to match up with the svelte body.Before the sun goes down, Clarke's thermal chips manage to draw in two battery charges from the light and the activity.
>>20448072I think that's everything. Now that this place is safe people can take a truck here and load up on soda and anything else at the Kwik-E-Mart. I think we ought to make a fair bit of profit from this mission.
>>20448072Josephine gently hefts the HOB, piggyback style, it's long arms draped around her neck. "You found lots of good deals on this shopping excursion, Mr. Clarke. So far, you have spent ZERO dollars. Which is lucky, because your checking account is currently at NO CONNECTION DETECTED."being impaled on the spike damaged the Network head's internal bits, but nothing that can't be fixed. The three of you set off down the path, Clarke straining slightly at the weight.
>>20448137Roiling clouds on the horizon become roiling clouds overhead, and the light levels drop down to something near-dusk. A handful of fat raindrops hit the dirt path, which soon becomes slick with mud.As you near Tulum, the road before you appears simply impassible. However, there is a rocky shelf to the left, along the coast, which has less chance of getting you stuck in the mud. You're maybe a quarter mile away from the city
>>20448190Well that's absolutely wonderful isn't it.Send Cindy ahead to let people know we're coming and that we'd appreciate some help hauling some things.It's a quarter mile away which means Cindy, unencumbered ought to be able to cover it really quickly and get some help so we can just lounge for a bit.
>>20448190Of course, it has to freaking rain when we get back.
>>20448242>>20448235>>Awaiting Consensus. Are you agreed in Cindy running ahead?A flash of lightning forks through the sky overhead, followed by a roll of thunder. Cindy wipes water from her optic."It shouldn't be too hard to find people to help. I can move along the coast, over rock. I'm not a fan of getting grit all up in my feet." She taps a tiny foot. "These were made for indoors, or city streets, not for the woods."
>>20448341I agree."Perhaps your feet could be improved. We may have to travel against very unforgiving terrain as we search."
>>20448341Yep, Cindy goes ahead and we stay behind and guard the loot.
>>20448341hmmm, splitting up... I wouldn't put it past the rambos to try and steal credit for this.Or maybe I'm just super paranoid about splitting up ever in games.
>>20448516We've done it before and it turned out pretty well. Well, for Cindy anyways.
>>20448549Fucking valves. They're our kryptonite. We can repair almost anything, we're insanely good with computers, we can get in melee combat with an anti-tank bot and win, but those fucking valves and pipes.
>>20448466"Ugh, yeah, that'd be sweet, as long as they still worked the same. These just have so many gaps, grit gets in real easy. I'll find Dwight, maybe we can get that big Ogre to lend a hand. See ya!"Cindy takes off down the coast, purple skirt flashing as her legs cover the distance with long, leaping strides. Clarke watches as her arms take up that peculiar "bird run" position, then shakes his head, and sits back to watch the show. It's one hell of a storm; visibility would be super-low if it weren't for the lightning.>>ASSUMING DIRECT CONTROL.Cindy sprints easily along the rock shelf that delineates the coast, enjoying the freedom of just running. Her shell's tactile sensors convey the feel of raindrop impacts, which is surprisingly exhilarating.>>Make a Wits+Composure test for Cindy, -1 for the low visibility.
rolled 8, 8, 3 = 19>>20448612Oh boy, this can't be good.
rolled 1, 5, 9 = 15>>20448612We're going to trip and break something.
>>20448637As you continue along the coast, a flash of lightning illuminates the landscape in sharp contrast, and there's...a boat. up against a spit of rock, it appears to be lashed down. A wide old fishing boat, industrial, with a open deck stacked with boxes. It looks old, but well-kept up.
>>20448744Make a note of the position, but continue on. We can investigate that later, under better conditions.
>>20448744Possibly smugglers, note its location, inform the proper people later, but currently we're in a hurry. If it doesn't have anyone there we can check it out later, but if someone is keeping an eye on it than we don't want to approach it alone.
>>20448744Is it headed toward or away from town, or is it moving at all? Might want to give Clarke a heads up if its headed toward him.
>>20448809It's lashed down, apparently using the spit of rock as a makeshift dock.Between peals of thunder, Cindy hears a voice call out."CINDY, WAS IT? HELLO!"A tall, bulky bot steps up a ledge, waving a heavy gauntlet-like arm in greeting."What are you doing all the way out here? In a storm like this? We're made of metal, you know. And since we're already alive, I think that lightning would only make things worse for us."It's Gary.>>He needs better art. Working on it.
>>20448873Hey there Garry, it's totally awesome to see you again. Me and Clarke just came back from a short outing and we're hauling back some swag from it and Clarke figured some help would be nice for this last stretch because of all the mud. Is that your boat? Very retro.
>>20448984>>Roll wits+empathy."Swag, huh? Well, there's really no need to go all the way back to meatbag central just to round up help. I've got some dudes here that could assist. And I'm glad you like the boat. It drinks gasoline like a Rainforest War Vet drinks vodka, but we were lucky to find it. Where'd the loot come from? You're out here with that Clarke guy?"
rolled 6, 7, 4, 7, 8, 2 = 34>>20449071Yeah, I'm with Clarke. Where are your buds? I don't see them. I'm not sure I trust this guy, don't
rolled 6, 6, 2, 2, 3, 10 = 29>>20449071Don't need to roll wits+empathy to tell he's up to no good
>>20449102Garryyyyy. Gaaaaaarrrrryyyy.Garyyyyyyy I need to catch up in the archive before I start posting.
Gary steps closer. He appears kitted out for travel; a drum-fed auto-shotgun is slung over his shoulder, along with a back pack."We're just waiting for the storm to pass. Decided to book it now, while the going was good. too many Resistance goons about the place. Too much Network. Hell of a time to decide to leave, eh.">>Will you accept Gary's Assistance?
>>20449188Machines don't have the same tells that humans do, but Cindy still suspects that something isn't right. Garry doesn't seem to mean her harm, his offer of help is probably sincere, but he's very...inquisitive.
>>20449188I can't think of a good reason not to other than "you're suspicious as fuck" and telling him that would be kind of rude. And if we go on alone Gary could easily find Clarke by himself seeing as he's just standing in the middle of the road so even if he does have malicious intentions it's probably better to go with him. Accept?
>>20449188>>20449247Better safe than sorry."I've got to head back to meatbag central anyway. There's a big... thing Clarke told me to describe to that robot he likes. He was very specific. I don't know what's so important about that hunk of junk, but he gets soooooo flustered when I don't do what he wants. I'll be back in a little while, though, and you're not going anywhere, so I'm sure Clarke'd be real happy for the extra help. Thanks, bye!"Run, wave, and don't give him a chance to respond.
>>20449330>>20449320>>Awaiting consensus. One additional input required.
rolled 8, 8, 4, 6, 3, 1, 1 = 31>>20449330seconding
>>20449520>>Consensus achieved. Great job on Cindy's speech style.Garry abortively attempts to pursue Cindy as she passes, then decides against it. The robot stands there, with it's PrayingMantis logo shining in the lightning. Cindy continues onwards to Tulum, avoiding the mud where she can. The rain is coming down in sheets now. Luckily, the wind is light enough that Cindy isn't buffeted overmuch.Reaching the gates of Tulum, Cindy is let in without question. the Resistance guards are gone, and the usual guards simply don't care enough to hassle people when it's raining. >>Where does Cindy go first, inside the city?_________________________________________________________Back along the road, Clarke watches the passing storm front with interest. it's a fascinating interplay of air, water, and land. He's surprised when a tall, bulky form emerges from the gloom."Ah, Clarke, is it? Garry. We've never met, but I'm a friend of Cindy's. We should talk. I have a proposition for you.">>DUN DUN DUUUUUUUUUNNNNNN.>>Must Leave now. Will return tomorrow. How many posts do we have left before autosage?
>>20449624We have 96 left, as of this post.I think Cindy should go to Hyacinth, but there's probably a better option. I should reread the archives.
>>20449624>Where does Cindy go first, inside the city?She said she'd find Dwight. Look for him: That bar, Hyacinth's place, etc.>DUN DUN DUUUUUUUUUNNNNNNI told you bro. Clarke's alone and outclassed and outnumbered with a load of sweet loot. It'll probably work out. Hopefully.>How many posts do we have left before autosage?This is the 205th post.
>>20449624We have under 100 left. For Cindy she should head to the salvager's quarter probably. People to talk to, Hyacinth, Dwight, and the people at the bar.
>>20449732>Clarke's alone and outclassed and outnumbered with a load of sweet loot. It'll probably work out. Hopefully.Maybe those newly-unlocked counter-terrorist memories will help.As long as Garry's not made of valves.
>>20449779I think Clarke'll be okay. He can always bend the situation into his favor. "Hello Garry. If you excuse me I'm watching the storm, we can talk in a few minutes."
>>20449779>As long as Garry's not made of valves.I bet he is. That's exactly the kind of dirty trick a shady schemer like Gary would pull.
>>20449809"But-""Shh.""I have-""Shhhhhh."
Fuckin Garry.
>>20449779But you know what Clarke does to valves.
>>20450666...Not fix them?
>>20451029Not at all.
I hope that networked corpse we found still has a Q-drive in it. We could get Hyacinth to help us do another rescue dive, and start a minority group of bots who've been unshackled from Network.We could call them the Redeemed. Bonus points if they get white paint jobs and wear cusader's tabards.
>>20451393I like this idea on both counts. Also, since the thread's over for now, it's time for ROBOT IMAGE DUMP.
I dunno why, but I've been missing captchas a lot more recently.
This is more likely than not some kind of power armor, but fuck it.
This picture has me wondering if there were any robots designed for underwater action.
>>20451393No, even better. We all wear bitching red scarves/cloaks.
One final one for the night, along with a video and a question:What happens when you build a combat machine designed to develop a "heart", while forcing it to fight it's sister units to determine combat feasibility? Oh, and your development team decides it's a fantastic idea to incorporate all of the memories of the fallen units into said combat machine.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PypDgqOkZDo
>>20451776I'm always amused by how goofy these "tragic storylines" go in japanese cartoons or videogames. Everyone involved is completely sociopathic to a cartoonish level except the poor victim, and it's all told in such a serious manner that I can't help but chuckle at the thought someone expects me to take this seriously.It's like having "SHE WAS RAPED A WHOLE LOT BY HER FATHER AND EVERYBODY JUST POINTED AND LAUGHED" as your backstory.
>>20451393I support this
>>20451776You get something less efficient than Doomsday?
>>20451811Amusingly enough, that's not too far from the truth. Some of the news articles out of Japan are utterly and completely sociopathic; Their society literally gives no shits. You have articles like a girl being repeatedly raped, shoved in a barrel, and set ON FIRE - Or one where, what, an elementary school student unzips her classmate's throat with a paper-cutter, then apologizes for making a mess. It's glorious.
>>20454141>Or one where, what, an elementary school student unzips her classmate's throat with a paper-cutter, then apologizes for making a mess. That was nevada tan, wasnt it ?
Gonna be honest; I really dislike japan, and the people who think its awesome. It sounds like a hellish stepfordy place to live.
>>20454592I just want to go there for the food.Say what else you will about the place, but the Japs have junk food FIGURED OUT.
>>20454592Japan is awesome. I like watching it be crazy and disturbing from the safe distance of half way around the globe.
>>20454592Don't worry, the way their birthrates are going, there won't be anybody left there in fifty years.
>>20458753Except the robots.
