MetaOP, do we have some of the Al'Kesh with us on the Storm? They should be able to fit inside her hangar bays.
We've got some plans.

File: 1346458702813.png-(14 KB, 612x278, Notext_VR_nemesis.png)

Specifically, you the following ships deployed.

First Wave:
Oncoming Storm, Indefatigable, Gunstar, VF-25 (12), RVF-25, Gaia Gear, Brasta.

The Storm's shields are down, but its armor is currently holding due to the many repair machines and spells deployed to keep it maintained. It remains to be seen if that will be enough given the basic armor the ship has, and the sheer number of Orz approaching.


Orz in current wave: 8
Orz in next turn's wave: 42
Orz remaining: 156

>>20548038
It'd make sense that you would, yes.

>>20548059
Alright, since the Indefatigable was returned before we launched, did it offload the industrial replicators? Were any of them installed on the Storm while it was still docked in Elysium? We had an extra hour in there, if I recall correctly.

>>20548066
In addition to this, has ANON detected any attempts to teleport onto the Storm? Has anything hit our teleport interdictors or dimensional wards?

The plan is:
1. if we have industrial replicators, have them construct gravitic space mines and beam them into the paths of the oncoming Orz ships.
2. if we don't have industrial replicators, beam junk, missiles, and explosives into the paths of the Orz ships.

Under no circumstances are we to attempt to beam into an Orz ship, as that could provide them with a subspace signal to trace back and invade through.

>>20548066
>>20548075
No attempts detected yet. The replicators were offloaded, but 1 hour isn't going to be enough to get them installed.

Also I need to know where you guys stashed the AUH. It's too big to fit into Elysium.

>>20548043
Where's the AUH at?

>>20548043
What's the ammo situation with the VF-25's?
I don't know if our crew is able to use teleport resupply to replace expended munitions on fighters by using teleporters. Is this possible, MetaOP?

If not, we should probably have the VF-25's land and rearm by odds and evens (odd number units land, then evens land after odds finish), before the next turn's wave comes.

>>20548130
That's what I'm asking you.

>>20548117
That might work, but be aware you only have so much high explosive capable of damaging starship hulls.

>>20548137
They're running out of missiles fast.

>>20548150
I assumed that the AUH, along with the Second Wave, was at the C&C Canon, along with the rest of the Task Force.
They would have been doing last minute repairs with the help of the Nyx, until the Abjurers finish getting all their spell slots back so that they could cast Dimensional Ward on all ships and fighters of the Second Wave.

>>20548205
Ah, got it.

>>20548150
>They're running out of missiles fast.
Then before the next Orz wave arrives they should rearm.
Have the odd-numbered VF-25's expend all missiles and then land and rearm before the next Orz wave arrives, then when they're back flying, have the even-numbered VF-25's land and rearm. That way we don't have the entire squadron down at any one time, only half.

>>20548150
>you only have so much high explosive capable of damaging starship hulls.
What about the wrecks of the Orz ships we've already sunk? Can we teleport a big chunk of a blasted Orz Nemesis right into the path of another as a big "FUCK YOU HERE TAKE YOUR SHIT BACK!"?

>>20548237
The VFs acknowledge your command and divide into two smaller squadrons for rotating rearms.

Last thread, someone wanted Vitun to use all 15 double rolls on this combat, IE, I roll twice for each round. Does that stand?

>>20548283
You could, but it'd deal minimal damage. Might slow them down, though.

>>20548290
Currently, yes.

We'll worry about running out later.

>>20548290
We're not expecting to talk with the Orz any more, and we need all the advantages we can get, considering the dice.
I second the motion to use rerolls constantly this fight.

>>20548296
Well, slowing them down is the idea. We just need to hold out until the Second Wave arrives, then the Quarantine Frame activates.

>>20548296

Are Orz ships that slow?

Metal hitting something at near relativistic speeds generally leads to explosives forces that make Tsar Bombas feel inadequate.

rolled 70, 21 = 91

As your fighters press the attack, your Al'Keshes join the fray, teleporting what high explosives can be gathered together in the cargo bays into the path of the advancing horde.

>>20548395
The Orz Nemesis can take repeated hits from nuclear weapons, and there's a lot of momentum behind them, but not the debris. Running into space debris in Star Control does damage your ship, but it's not enough to cause critical damage.

>>20548403
Several makeshift mines detonate directly on the Orz Nemeses' hulls, battering, denting and cracking the armor with repeated explosions until finally three of the ships can take no more and explode themselves.

A cloud of missiles tears apart another two as the Gaia Gear melts off huge sheets of metal from another Nemesis, opening it up to an attack from the Brasta's ACP Faiz that pierces the hull and leaves the vessel dead in space. The final two enemies in this wave are taken care of by the Storm's weapons batteries.

The next wave pauses for a while before proceeding, buying enough time for your other VF squadron to rearm, and for your mechs to do the same before heading in. Elaine and the technicians succeed in bringing your shields back on line as well during the unexpected and unexplained "break".

Orz in current wave: 42
Orz in next turn's wave: 42
Orz remaining: 148
Time: 2 hours in.

>>20548538
Two hours in. Have our Abjurers gotten our Second Wave of ships warded yet?

>>20548538
Have BLU Engineer try to help keep the shield generators online.

That 'break' is suspicious.
Is the RVF-25 or the Storm's sensors picking up any energy buildups or space-time distortions aside from those caused by the Quarantine Frame.

Also since this is 2 hours into the activation fo the Quarantine Frame, this would make it Hour 5 on the schedule we had planned.
As Codeki pointed out back in http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/20431827#20461821 we don't need an entire day, just the 8 hours Elysium-Time for the Abjurers to restore their spell slots. That should mean that the Abjurers should have either already warded or are now ready to ward all of the ships of the Second Wave.

>>20548538

Oh god my head hurts from trying to understand those physics.
(Yes, I know, game physics, etc)

Have the Alkesh, while they can, start identifying the largest and densest pieces of wreckages to teleport in the way of the Orz ships, at least that way it'll rob them of delta-v as well as maybe causing some damage.

Posting our Schedule and ship disposition from the last thread:
Hour 1:
Buff all ships in the first wave. Abjurers are Gated to Elysium. Summon Coatl. Equip with Personal Psi-Shield and Orz Psi Emitter and place on Indefatigable.
Hour 2:
Ships transit to Fallout Canon.
Hour 3:
Activate the Psi Emitter and deploy the Quarantine Frame.
Hour 6:
An entire day has passed in Elysium. Abjurers cast Dimensional Ward on Second Wave. Ships then transit to reinforce the Storm.
Hour 9:
Quarantine Frame deployment complete.

First Wave:
Oncoming Storm, Indefatigable, Gunstar, VF-25 (12), RVF-25, Gaia Gear, Brasta

Second Wave:
All Under Heaven, Guardian, Valiance, Relentless, TIE-D Squadron (9), R-9C War-Heads (3), Galaga, Hyaku Shiki

Indefatigable crewed by: Data, holograms, YVH droids, HK-50, Coatl with a Psi-Shield. Orz Psi-Emitter on-board.

rolled 43, 13 = 56

The ship's sensors have picked up some strange readings, but nothing it can make sense of. The RVF has much the same luck.

The BLU Engineer begins hitting the shield generators with his wrench as hard as he can. Technicians scramble to stop him before he reveals he was trying to dislodge a piece of debris from under a cable.

Your VFs, the Gunstar, the Brasta, and the Gaia Gear sally forth once more to intercept the Orz...

>>20548701
Send that data down to Egon, Dr. Cossack, and the Guru's, as well as the science team.
The Orz are a dimensional entity; they could be trying some kind of dimensional attack.

>>20548701
I would like to use this opportunity to use Aeshma's Tugging Strands ability to curse the Orz with bad luck for this round.

http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/cleric/domains/paizo---domains/luck-domain/fate

>>20548701
Doesn't Engineer hitting shit with his wrench repair/upgrade it? Why are they trying to stop him from repairing the shields?

>>20548861
That's if it's got Australium, which the shield generators don't have.

rolled 35, 27 = 62

>>20548701
The approaching Orz ships take an oval formation this time, advancing towards you in one large mass.

Al' Keshes teleport the rest of your bombs and begin working on space debris as your VFs unleash missile storm after missile storm, reaction warhead after reaction warhead at the oncoming horde. Space is filled with blazing light and red-hot debris as Orz ships on the outer edges of their formation are destroyed. Lasers, singularity beams, plasma bolts, missiles, and more are hurled from the Storm, slagging more of the foe, and opening more to attack. The Brasta and the Gaia Gear, along with the Gunstar take on the task of finishing off the Nemeses who are damaged but still in the fight.

It isn't enough.

Though a large chunk of the enemy force is annihilated, more than half survive and counter, some spewing out Orz marines, some circling the Storm like metal vultures, belching high-power railgun rounds at the ship. The shields fail quickly to this assault, and the armor doesn't fare much better to the concentrated attack. Though the repair scarabs and spells on the Storm are pushed to the limit, the ship still suffers systems damage, and the armor is completely wrecked. ANON estimates that without the battle repairs, the ship would've been destroyed twice over.

If that wasn't enough, the sheer number of Orz ships in the fight have allowed them to land a few lucky hits on the Valkyries and mechs. The Brasta takes a heavy hit when it avoids one Howitzer round only to fly into another. A Messiah fails to notice an Orz Marine that had approached it in time, and the pilot screams as a fusion cutter slices through not only the cockpit, but his pilot armor as well. Even the Gaia Gear takes a glancing blow as it avoids the worst of a barrage of cannon rounds sent its way.

rolled 8, 44 = 52

>>20548861
It was a joke to explain why on earth hitting a machine with a wrench would be beneficial.

Rolling for systems damage.

>>20548883
Activate the point-defense lasers to fry the Orz Marines before they can board.
Crowe is to use his discretion on whether he can finish fighting this wave or if he needs to land for emergency repairs.

>>20548893
I don't even need to tell you how good it was to have Vitun's reroll ability on this to avoid that 8.

The Storm has taken critical damage to its Precision Long Range Lasers and the Psi-Shield. Those are inoperable until repaired. It has also suffered damage to its Lab complex, slowing research by half until that is repaired.

>>20548984

ALL DAMAGE CONTROL TO THE PSI-SHIELD THAT ISN'T WORKING ON ARMRO INTEGRITY.

MetaOP, you linked to the wrong thread.

>>20548984
Send the University of Planet Team and the Salarian Field Engineer Team to repair the Long Range Laser batteries.
Send the X-COM Engineers and the Confederate Science/Engineer Team to the Psi-Shield.

All Psionic Troops switch to Psi-Armor.

Gav Gate-Clones to assist BLU Engineer in getting those shields back up.

rolled 82, 27 = 109

>>20548945
Your point defenses hum to life, zapping the Orz Marines approaching the ship with machine precision...

Orz in current wave: 27
Orz in next turn's wave: 42
Orz remaining: 148
Time: Hour 6 according to your schedule.

>>20549033
>Hour 6
Come, hold it together, the Second Wave should be arriving any minute now.

>>20549017
MULTIPLE TABS ON FIREFOX YOU FAIL ME AGAIN!

This is the correct link: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/20431827/

You send some engineers down to the shield and the lasers, but the news isn't good. Repairs will take at least a few hours, if not days. Battlefield repair is unfeasible given the amount of people needed to keep the armor up.

>>20549033
Not a single Orz makes it aboard the Storm, your gunnery crews cheering as the last power-armored monstrosity is atomized.

>>20549072

Have Elaine cast Regen on the ship, it should at least help armor integrity if not help fix critical systems.

As well, get her to cast a high level cure on the psi-shield.

>>20549072
See if Elaine can help with Regen2 and even a Raise on the Psi-Shield and on the Storm's hull.
Maybe it'll work.

Keep up the point-defense gunnery; they may not do a lot of damage to a Nemesis, but we need as much firepower as we can put out.

>>20549130
Not Regen2, I meant Cure2.
Also Wall on the Oncoming Storm. Let's see if it can double as a magic shield.

rolled 78, 40 = 118

>>20549114
>>20549130
Elaine starts casting her magic, but the help her spells provide seems to be miniscule.

The Orz press forward, firing round after round into your ship as your fighters and mechs desperately try to act as a screen, awaiting the arrival of the second wave...

do a barrelroll!

>>20549291
I'll fucking kill you slippy!

>>20549330
We already did, though. And then had to spend a fistful of diamonds to bring him back.

rolled 32, 87, 6 = 125

>>20549241
More systems begin to fail under the relentless pounding of the Orz Nemeses, the Oncoming Storm coming the closest it has ever come to destruction. On the bridge, lights flicker and dim, sparks erupt from several consoles and panels, and a few cables are knocked loose from the ceiling, writhing like serpents as engineers try to get everything under control.

The only thing standing between the Messiahs and destruction is the unsuitability of the Orz main gun to track and hit small, fast moving targets. They run strike after strike, proving themselves again and again as Orz ships find themselves leaking fire from breaches in their hull. Alien fluids are sprayed into space as the bizarre interiors of the alien vessels are exposed to space.

An Orz Howitzer takes off the Brasta's arm, and Crowe finally calls it quits, heading back to the hangar bay for emergency repairs as Char directs the Gaia Gear to use its fists to pull apart the Orz Marines crawling over it, trying to break into the cockpit.

The Gunstar empties the last of its missiles and bombs and moves to join Crowe, the hangar bay itself on fire in a few places, the containment field holding in the atmosphere beginning to fizzle...

Then space around the battlefield warps and bends, the elongated triangle of the All Under Heavens shimmering into begin along with the Guardian and the Valiance...

The reinforcements are here.

>>20549343
>All Under Heaven arrives
http://youtu.be/RjiO-63X3dM

"Impeccable timing, Admiral Pellaeon."

>>20549343
>32, 87, 6
Should we be worried about that 6?
Now I'm worried about that 6.

Because the Relentless was supposed to be part of the Second Wave.

File: 1346467391486.gif-(73 KB, 485x213, orz.gif)

>>20549343
The All Under Heaven, Guardian, Valiance, and Relentless arrive, disgorging their TIE-D Squadron, R-9C War-Heads, the Galaga, and the Hyaku Shiki. Caught by surprise, the remaining Orz in this wave are torn apart by heavy turbolasers and wave cannons, only a few rail-howitzers weakening the Relentless' and Guardian's shields. The All Under Heaven positions itself between the Oncoming Storm and the oncoming Orz, blocking it from further damage, which is a literal lifesaver for the crew.

The Storm's Singularity Lasers are critically damaged, but that turns out to be a moot point as the ship's reactor take damage, shutting power down across the ship. All systems except life support go dead as emergency power ensures the survival of the crew, and communications, but not much else. The ship shakes twice more as the vessel's transpace drive is hit, the lack of power proving to be somewhat lucky, as the damage to the engines fails to spark any sort of chain reaction.

And through it all, the Orz advance...

Orz in current wave: 42
Orz in next turn's wave: 21
Orz remaining: 121
Time: Hour 6 according to your schedule.

>>20549463

Have Elaine do what she can for the reactors, and the drives, they're the top priority ATM.

Have the AUH cover us, VF-25s will run PD for the AUH while it smashes the Orz Nemesii.

>>20549463
Since those they're finally here, have the industrial replicators start making some space mines.

http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Self-replicating_mine

We'll use some of the docked Al'kesh to beam them into the paths of the Nemesis vessels.

>>20549463
Elaine, BLU Engineer, Dr. Cossack, Egon, and all scientists and engineer teams are to concentrate on restoring the reactor and the Meta Transit Drive. Have the AUH and the Relentless cover us while we do repairs.

The industrial replicators on the AUH should be able to begin production of gravitic and self-replicating space mines, and the Al'Kesh should be able to beam them into the paths of the approaching Orz ships.

Do we know what the Orz are? From what I've gathered they're the expression of some sort of hideously alien intelligence, kind of like first-circle souls of a primordial from exalted?

>>20549636
They're fingers.

>>20549636
to put it simply, think "fingers of Cthulu trying to break into a new universe"

>>20549636
http://wiki.uqm.stack.nl/Orz
This is what we know about the Orz.
That yes, they are the expression in our space of a much higher-dimensional being.

File: 1346468730103.jpg-(328 KB, 1280x640, delicioustrophiesmusthave.jpg)

rolled 79, 57 = 136

The Replicators begin producing mines, which are in turn nabbed by Al'Keshes and transported into the paths of oncoming Orz.

The All Under Heaven splits the void of space with flurries of turbolasers, but just as the Orz Nemeses had trouble landing blows on the Messiahs, so does the Executor-class have trouble hitting the Orz. Nonetheless, there are a lot of turbolasers on the ship.

You reassign your staff to attempt repairs to the reactor. Though full repairs are impossible in these conditions, it might be possible to bring it online at a fraction of its normal power.

>>20549696
We just need it working well enough to be able to make a meta-jump.

And for the Orz, would it be possible to "hold them in place" using the tractor beams to get better shots?

>>20549696
Don't forget to have the All Under Heaven make use of the 250 assault concussion missile tubes, 250 ion cannons, and 40 tractor beams to stop Orz ships in place to be blasted by the 4,000 turbolaser and heavy turbolaser batteries.
And don't forget to use the 500 point-defense cannons to shoot down Orz Marines.

As for the Storm, they only need to get it ready to do 1 Meta-Transit Jump to the C&C Canon and safety. Maximum envelope to be able to get everyone.

>>20549696
Is the All Under Heaven able to patch into the RVF-25's sensor suite and fire control computer to help coordinate it's fire?
I'd want ANON to do it, but all systems on the Storm except for emergency life-support look to be down.

Kinda off topic here, but did anyone else wonder why the Kohr-Ah were able to exterminate the Orz in SC2 so completely if you took too long to win the game? You'd think that they'd just piss the Orz entity off enough so that it would flood the area with *fingers* and halt the Kohr-Ah advance. Or maybe they just killed all the Orz and we didn't get to see the fallout later on.

rolled 81, 57 = 138

>>20549696
The Orz ships advance in a cluster, firing rail-gun rounds at the All Under Heaven even as the other ships in your fleet fire into them. The smaller ships prove to be surprisingly maneuverable, avoiding several barrage as they close in on the Super Star Destroyer. They are almost as durable, taking several direct turbolaser hits before being destroyed. However, there are a lot of turbolasers being fired, and the multitude of mines the Orz ships run into are not doing them any favors.

The majority of the enemy Orz are annihilated before the All Under Heaven's shields drop below 50%, the remainder pausing to disgorge squads of Orz Marines that begin to bore into the command ship. Soon those too are destroyed, though the Marines crawl through the interior of the AUH like parasites.

Damage this time is light, mostly focused on the AUH, but a few shots striking the other Star Destroyers. Nothing gets past their shields, though the Relentless' and the Guardian's drop fairly low.

The remaining ships from the current wave attempt to swing around to join the smaller wave behind it, but are cut off and annihilated by your R-types and their wave cannons. The final wave forms up and begins to advance as the fresh wave forms up into a 'V' formation and moves towards the Valiance.

Orz in current wave: 21
Orz in last turn's wave: 100
Time: Hour 7 according to your schedule.

>>20549790
I figure that the Orz are just as mortal as any other race, they're just the "fingers," advance scouts or whatever, for THEM. The Kohr-ah probably realized that their most effective attack was memetic, so they fought the Orz with little to no information about them and crushed them with superior technology numbers.

So, the answer against the Orz is to be able to properly track them while making sure their own Railguns cannot track our ships?

Sounds like a problem countered by the Gallente Navy Issue fleet, as Stasis Webifiers and Target Painters would make the Orz ships' size and speed a non-issue. Too bad nobody thought to set them up with anti-dimensional wards.

File: 1346469920706.jpg-(14 KB, 448x230, RibbonsOhShit.jpg)

>>20549812
..Orz? In OUR Super Star Destroyer?! NOPE!

We need forces on board there to clean out those Orz that managed to get inside. Maybe send the Knights Inductor in as well as some other troops? Full force repulsion. No prisoners!

They can't be there when we jump out or shit'll be bad, yo!

>>20549812
Make sure that the Indefatigable is getting ready to come back in time to be able to escape.
When they are about to turn around and come back, have them turn off the Orz Psi Emitter, activate the Psi-Shield, and activate the cloaking device, and make best speed for the AUH.

Make sure that the Scarab Repair Teams are working to repair damage to their respective ships.

Beam Star-Lord, Darius, the Mobile Infantry A and B Squads, all of the Knights Inductors, to the AUH to contain and destroy those Orz Marines.
Before they go, make sure to give all of them casts of Raise2, Wall, and Haste, from Lyla and White Mage Squads A and B.
Use the AUH's internal sensors to beam troops in near each Orz Marine, and beam them from one infestation to another, bringing them back to Medical for healing and repairs.

>>20549812

Would it be possible to have the Valiance execute some micro jumps to get out of the way of incoming fire? Or do we need it soaking up weapons fire here?

Also, OP, would the AUH's transspace drive warp envelope be large enough to include the Storm and Indef?

File: 1346470191297.jpg-(7 KB, 291x173, Iconicimageno55.jpg)

rolled 62, 17, 32, 20, 100, 8 = 239

>>20549875
Yep.

>>20549730
>>20549736
You give orders for the Star Destroyers to use their tractor beams to slow down the Orz ships to make tracking them easier, and the tactic has excellent results, the Orz ships no longer being able to avoid fire nearly as well.

Having learned the folly of attacking the Super Star Destroyer, the Orz ships instead attempt to focus all their firepower onto a single vessel this turn, the Guardian. Heavy rail-cannon rounds smash into the ship's shields, draining them dangerously, and finally breaking them as Orz after Orz falls to turbolaser batteries, concussion missiles, wave cannons, reaction missiles, and more. This wave is destroyed fast enough that the Guardian's armor holds, only taking light damage.

However minor the damage done however, the final group of Orz looms as the RVF begins reading bizarre energy spikes across the area.

Al'Keshes begin to scramble infantry to the AUH to counter the Orz boarders...

Orz in current wave: 100
Time: Hour 7.5 according to your schedule.

>>20549900
>Raise2
Dammit, I meant Reraise.

>>20549912
>RVF begins reading bizarre energy spikes across the area.
Shit, they're calling in more reinforcements.

As soon as the troops are on the AUH, have Al'Kesh 1-5 concentrate on mining this entire area.

>>20549912
100. shits done! wrap it all up please!

>>20549900
works for me.

>>20549912
Have the Guardian get further into the defensive fire envelope of the AUH, Valiance, and Relentless while its shields regenerate.

Have the Gunstar prepare Deathblossom, with a targeting link to the RVF-25 to increase its effectiveness.

All R-9C War-Heads to prepare for firing all-out.

The Indefatigable has done a lot of running, and they have 1.5 hours left. Are they ready to cut and run when the time comes?

>>20549912
Show the data to Egon and Dr. Cossack; are the energy fluctuations consistent with that of dimensional fatigue and Orz attempting to enter a Canon?

Your Space Marines and Mobile Infantry teleport over to the All Under Heaven, using the ship's sensor net to pinpoint and intercept the Orz chewing their way around the interior with their fusion cutters. The engagement does not go well, the protective spells around your troops the only thing that save several from death as the Orz Marines advance, shrugging off bolter rounds, autocannon bursts, sheets of flame, and grenades. Several Space Marines are grabbed and torn apart by the powerful mechanical claws of the alien suits, while an MI is cut in half by a fusion cutter. They are instantly restored by Re-Raise, but those spells begin to get exhausted as the Orz press in. Luckily, the presence of the Knight-Inductor Devastator squad alongside Star-Lord and Darius' careful coordination prevents a rout.

Las-cannons and plasma guns melt through the Orz suits as Darius slices through one with Ringil, Star-Lord piercing one's transparent cockpit with Anguirel, then jamming the barrel of his Kree submachinegun to it and opening up. The bullets ricocheting around in the alien's suit ensure its death as Peter Quill searches for his next target. As the last of this group of Orz fall, the Marines and MI prepare themselves for the next battle as the Al'Keshes teleport them yet again...

>>20550202
They know they're supposed to beam back to medical to have their buffs put back on, right?
And it sounds like we need heavier infantry weapons.
Mass Rifles would be nice about now.

File: 1346472731604.jpg-(145 KB, 900x900, 1332890874690.jpg)

>>20550202
The next group of Orz was waiting for them. As soon as the Marines teleport in, they find the Orz 'back' to 'back', and when the MI and KI attempt a pincer assault, they find the Orz fusion cutters turned up full blast in front of them. Three Space Marines and two hapless MI are reduced to puddles of slag as a wave of melting heat washes over them. Star-Lord immediately orders everyone to fall back, making a motion with his hand as Darius reads his intention and makes an order of his own. The KI Devastators unleash a rocket barrage at the clustered Orz as the MI pluck and toss grenades at the aliens. A column of smoke, fire, and twisted metal is all that remains a moment later.

As the teams move through the ship, that sort of give and take of combat becomes the norm, with each group of Orz obliterated, a few of their troops die, some being unlucky enough to be melted down by fusion guns. However, thanks to superior tactics, training, and the homefield advantage, Darius and Star-Lord manage victory.

>20% casualties for the defense force. 5% were melted, meaning their gear is destroyed as well.

>>20550202
I don't like how that trails off.
Are the teleport interdictors going to go up?
Is that space-time flux going to prevent them from beaming?

>>20550342
Alright, the casualties we can make up enough; Lazarus has had enough time to work with Space Physiology that he should be able to clone them new bodies as well, and everyone had EBO Cortical Stacks.
But replacing those suits, both the Mobile Infantry Marauder and Knight Inductor Space Marine Power Armor are going to be a bitch to do.

File: 1346472905587.png-(128 KB, 646x457, OhthoseOrz.png)

>>20550219
Those were the orders you gave, yes. They were followed as best as they could be, and prevented far, far worse casualties. But the Al'Kesh pilots are only human, and can't track every single soldier signalling for pickup in the middle of a chaotic battle.

>>20550088
They are not certain, but they believe that's more than possible. On the plus side, it means your lure worked.

File: 1346473031722.jpg-(239 KB, 1024x768, SHITSHITSHITSHIT.jpg)

Guys. GUYS!

MetaQuest OP's name is fading!

Someone shore up his dimensional defenses! They're trying to *PULL* him!

Fight it, OP! FIGHT IT! We can't lose you!

>>20550366
Hey is anyone else noticing that he's taking letters off of his handle? What happens when he runs out?

>>20550386
....huh....well, that's...OH FUCK OH FUCK OH FUCK!
Get the Inde back here, full stealth protocols!
If the Storm's Meta-Transit Drive isn't ready yet, begin spinning up the All Under Heaven's and expand the transit envelope!

We've either attracted the full attention of the Orz entity, or something else has taken note of our Orz Emitter. Not *Orz cousins*, I hope.

OP, how are repairs on the Storm's transspace drive and reactor coming along? Can the AUH's meta-transit drive envelope carry the entire fleet?

>>20550405
He falls asleep at the keyboard.

Or he turns into a Matrix Agent.

Or we, the Command Crew, are getting "pulled" by the Orz.

Take your pick, but I've got my Command Crew Issued Reality Disruptor Pistol ready, personally. We finished making those, right?

File: 1346473438264.jpg-(35 KB, 640x480, R-9DH_Grace_Note.jpg)

>>20549912
The Orz Nemeses cluster once more in an attempt to pierce the mines appearing around them. It backfires, exposing more of their ships to the explosions as the All Under Heaven and its cohorts lance through their ranks with volley after volley.

>>20549990
The Indefatigable is returning as scheduled, another horde of Orz is chasing it, however. It should arrive in approximately fifteen minutes.

The Gunstar unloads its full payload, activating a boosted Death Blossom with the help of the RVF as missiles, bombs, and energy bolts rain against the Orz armada. Its energy spent, the fighter floats dead in space, the Gair Gear grabbing it and flying it into the hangar, itself damaged from the nonstop fighting.

The R-Types switch to shotgun-patterned wave cannon, and send sprays of supercharged energy at the Orz, blasting apart ship after ship while avoiding the somewhat clumsy return fire.

We should put on some Psi-Armor. Something's fucking with our heads.

>>20550464
>>20550465

The energy spikes could be the Quarantine frame beginning to deploy.

On the other hand, the Orz are getting more clumsy with their return fire. Either they're getting real groggy, or they're getting careless because they don't care much about physically killing us anymore.

Have Egon and Cossack go over the data for the Quarantine Frame deployment. Are these energy spikes characteristic with the frame deploying?

>>20550464
All psionics not currently engaged in the fighting are to engage the Psi Matrix and bring up the Psionic Shield (the psi defense we developed back in the Zerg Quest Canon).

Have the Scarab Repair Team fix up the Gaia Gear and the Gunstar, and reload it as fast as possible. We may need another Death Blossom.

Have Egon and Cossack take a look at the sensor data from the AUH's enhanced Meta Sensor Suite, and the RVF-25, and see how close we are to having the Orz charge down our throats with reinforcements.

How much time do we have until the Quarauntine Field is active?

>>20550464
It will strain the systems, but the AUH can carry everyone. Repairs to the Storm are coming along slowly, without anything beyond basic armor, the cruiser really took a beating once the shields were down.

>>20550419
The Guardian begins to pull back to let its shields recharge as the Orz suddenly pull into a ring formation, surrounding the Valiance and blasting it with rail-howitzers again and again and again. The shields fail in a matter of minutes as the armor begins taking heavy damage.

The All Under Heaven slowly begins to turn, by this time every Orz ship is being slowed by a tractor beam. They are being cut apart, but they do not stop. The barrages continue as the Valiance begins taking systems damage.

rolled 21 = 21

>>20550500
SOME of them are. Not all of them.

>>20550513
The Orz are hot on the heels of the Indefatigable, which is almost back to you. You've got ten minutes.

>>20550513
Cheryl and the farseers begin to set up the Psionic Matrix, weaving the minds of your team's psychics together...

>>20550546
Have the Valiance fall back immediately, firing all of its turbolaser batteries as it retreats. Have its assigned Scarab Repair Team pour on as much nanites as it can.

>>20550569
The Orz are still tracking it even after the Orz Psi Emitter was turned off, the Psi-Shield activated, and the cloaking device engaged?
Or does the Psi Emitter need to stay on for the lure to work?

>>20550569
The minds of your psychic team touch each other, but the communication is muffled, the communion imperfect. Whispers float like mist between each member, and one by one, each begins to lose focus, distracted and dazed.

An odd feeling presses against your head, a surge of energy blossoming and then dying in your body in an instant with no explanation. A panicked report from your Aurors and Abjurers explains that a very powerful force just battered itself against the wards on your ship. The wards are holding, however, the ships slipping through the grasp of the thing with ease.

Out in space, reality seems to grow wavy, stretched, slightly twisted...

>>20550569
>21
fuuu...
...wait what happened to rerolls?

Crap. The Orz is trying its damndest to pull us away!

>>20550606
Transfer the command crew and all non-essential personal (heroes and troops) to the AUH.

We're getting the Storm out of here now. It can't survive another hit, and all of it's protections are town.

>>20550606
How much more time until the Quarantine Frame is ready?
How much longer do Egon and Cossack think we have before the dimensional fatigue gets critical?

>>20550650
The Storm still can't leave, it's reactor and Meta-Transit Drive are down.

...Have MechaGodzilla extend it's AT field to maximum capacity?
Maybe the unique nature of the barrier can resist the dimensional fatigue?

>>20550606
Have the All Under Heaven begin making the calculations to expand the transit envelop to cover everyone and spin up the Meta Transit Drive.

We have to be ready to go as soon as the Inde arrives. I just hope we cut it close enough that the Orz won't be able to shut down the Quarantine Frame after we leave.

rolled 80, 58 = 138

>>20550587
The Psi Emitter was turned off several times during the pursuit to let the Indefatigable escape/slip away from the Orz. However, it was always turned back on again once sufficient distance was re-established to keep the Orz coming. Turning it off now would be somewhat useless, given that the Orz would already run to fight your main fleet when the Emitter was off, and that's where the Indefatigable is headed anyway.

The stretching and the waviness stops without explanation.

Then all at once horrible fleshy blobs begin erupting into being all around the area, amorphous, constantly changing, constantly shifting size, color, shape, everything. Looking at them stirs a feeling of nausea, dizziness, and... something else you can't name. You only know that your eyes can't process what is happening and it HURTS.

Your pilots and gunnery officers begin to waver, discipline failing, aim going wild, flying getting clumsy as they attempt to fight amidst madness.

As all this happens, the Indefatigable arrives, behind it a swarm of Orz.

Orz in current wave: 45
Orz Chasers: 200
Time: Hour 8.5 according to your schedule. 30 minutes to QF activation.

Also try to transfer the Storm's databanks if at all possible. We need that research.

>>20550697
Should we try having the Indef. bathe the area in reality emitter beams? It might not be much, but it could buy us precious minutes.

I would like Vitun to cast a Miracle to protect us from the harmful effects of insanity and "them."

We just need to hold out a little longer.

>>20550670
Yeah is it possible to position MechaGodzilla on the bridge of the Oncoming Storm, and extend its Absolute Territory to cover it?
I would hope an additional layer would make it harder for the Orz to pull us.
Unless someone else thinks it would make the Orz even more able to take us?

>>20550697
Everyone! Focus on the fleet! Don't look at the.. "things" out there! You don't have to look at them; just fire where that feeling of WRONGNESS is! Inde, see if you can get the Orz fleet chasing you to run into whatever those things are.

Psi-matrix, your mental defenses have a target now! Try to reform the Psi-Shield against these things!

>>20550732
I second the use of a Miracle! Desna, we need your aid!

>>20550697
Ask Vitun if he can cast Miracle, to strengthen the minds of our task force and cure them of insanity induced by fighting the Orz and Them.

Have all Al'Kesh beam as many space mines as they can into the vector that the Orz Chasers are taking.

rolled 55, 8, 94, 90 = 247

>>20550650
All of your Al'Keshes are busy mining space.

>>20550632
Saved for the Orz combat as requested.

>>20550697
The Indefatigable immediately flies into the middle of your formation, its captain requesting orders, continue evasives or stand and fight?

Vitun begins begging his god for a miracle as Mecha-Godzilla taps his S-2 Engine to envelop the Storm in an AT-field. Though weaker for the amount of space it is covered, the potent defense is still enough to provide a layer of safety for the crew within.

Cheryl shakes her head and grits her teeth, making no reply, but obviously hearing your words and acting on them.

>>20550788
The Inde is to continue evasives, since it can't stand up to that much massed firepower.
Stay within the defensive fire envelopes of our group, and fire everything it has. Quantum torpedoes, phasers, phaser cannons. Use evasive action as necessary.

File: 1346476492253.jpg-(8 KB, 180x187, saluteforthefallen.jpg)

>>20550788
A sense of calm, resolute strength infuses your troops. A deeper faith suffuses them, a powerful believe that just as something greater and unknowable is trying to devour them, something greater is standing beside them, shielding them. And just like that, the psychic haze enveloping Cheryl and the others is gone. The psychics PUSH the communion further, riding on the powerful suffusion of power yielded by the intervention of Desna and intertwining the minds of everyone present. For a brief time, everyone knows everyone else, supports everyone else. Were the protoss here, they would pause at the humans forming their own "khala."

Whether because of the strange and disorienting blobs ripping through space-time around them, battle-fatigue, or just system failure, the Valiance fails to turn in time to withdraw deeper into formation. When the mind-link goes up, a sense of deep sorrow, dread, and pain ripples through the Task Force from the crew of the Valiance. A chorus of last wishes, regrets, wills, and farewells fills the psychic pool just before a death-scream as the Star Destroyer goes critical, erupting into a fireball of metal and molten slag. Sorrow turns to anger in the span of a second.

Despite the madness unfolding around them, your crews pull together and lay into the remaining Orz around them, working in concert like never before. Nemeses explode left and right as the crew of the Valiance is avenged.

And space continues to warp...

>>20550923
Expand our transit envelope to cover the remains of the Valiance!
We are not losing it!

>>20550923
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3I7p5lvkwQ

NOOOOOOOOO!!

Make sure to bring the wreckage with when we leave. we might be able to repair it.

If the people inside were stacked, we can bring them back!

File: 1346477361179.png-(804 KB, 614x1179, Drcossack.png)

>>20550947
The All Under Heaven is order to catch the wreckage in the envelope when leaving.

>>20550923
The Indefatigable darts in and out of the Orz, faster than they can strike it as it unleashes everything it has at the horde. The cloud of Orz vessels once more unleashes hell on the All Under Heaven as its shields begin to drain dangerously. A small sliver of Orz breaks away and goes around the Super Star Destroyer, seeking out the damaged Guardian and laying into it. Hordes of Orz Marines just *appear* and begin to fly towards the ships of the fleet as more and more of the blobs begin to ooze out of holes in space itself. Return fire is fierce, but the numbers advantage is so far tilted, even the mighty AUH begins to feel the bite of combat.

The shields on the Relentless fail as the Guardian suffers system failure for its tractor beams.

There are ten minutes left on the clock.

>>20550663
"Come on... Come on..." Egon murmurs, uncharacteristically tense. "The Fatigue rate is skyrocketed... It'll go critical in fifteen minutes."

"Wait... with a few adjustments... The Frame can be ready in five," Data reports. "I just need to tweak the parameters to account for the new Fatigue levels. If we don't activate it as soon as possible..."

"We won't be able to spare the energy to spin up the AUH's drive to the level it needs to be to catch everyone in just five minutes! And if we're caught in the effect frame when it activates, we're trapped WITH the Orz" Cossack shouts. "We need more time!"

>>20551038
"Time?"

>>20551038
...The only thing I can think of is for Douglas to tell Philemon that we are desperate enough to be in his debt to get us out of this, but I doubt that Philemon could be of much help even if he wanted.

>>20551038
Have Vitun ask for two more Miracles in exchange for about half of the Al'Kesh cargo hold full of diamonds we have:
1. Emergency repairs on the Guardian and Relentless.
2. Give the AUH a shot of energy that will allow the Meta Transit Drive to spin up in under 5 minutes.

>>20551099
Dude, Desna might not be able to do the first. The second, she can do. And I'd offer a lot of diamonds for it. We really should build a shrine to her considering how much we call on her.

>>20551082
.. G-Man; is that you? Not really sure if want, but we ARE pretty desperate right now. Thoughts?!

>>20551082
"Is it that time again?"

File: 1346478163409.jpg-(29 KB, 600x480, Foreboding.jpg)

>>20551126
Time begins to slow down, or perhaps it is only your perception of it, as your limbs don't seem to move any faster than they did a few moments ago.

The ghostly image of a man in a suit with a briefcase smiles at you.

"It seems like only yesterday you started this... quest of yours to... restore a modicum of sanity to things around here. Don't think your actions have gone unnoticed, I've been keeping an... eye on you for a while. However, circumstances beyond my control have... made things somewhat... complicated lately."

>>20551119
What choice do we have?
Unfortunately we still have a lot of shit left to do, sealing the Orz isn't even the penultimate battle.

>>20551167
There's been a lot of that going around hasn't there?
...Every sector in chaos, Black Ops becoming mustache-twirling villains, Ravenloft being destroyed.
How deep does this turmoil go?

>>20551167
Yeah, G-Man. Complications seem to be the order of the day. Considering when you've shown up that must mean something important's going down and you've got to speak up.

We are kinda slightly~ busy at the moment, but you have a tendency to pop up are the right time for things.. So what's up?

>>20551167
"Yes, it has.
"Are you here to offer us employment? Or an exchange, of time for services?"

File: 1346478461024.jpg-(4 KB, 200x150, Gmansmug.jpg)

rolled 99 = 99

>>20551099
Vitun begins casting the Miracle.

>>20551167
"The malfunction of that..." the G-Man inhales deeply. "...annoying machine aboard your flagship has changed up my plans somewhat. I was intending to go about things in... a somewhat different manner. But, if nothing else, I do believe I am one to... exploit opportunity. And, my friends, you have given me quite an opportunity."

>>20551230
..Well, for the record, when we leave you're not gonna want to be here, G-Man. This is a really bad place to get locked up.

So, I guess it's safe to assume you're here to make us a Faustian deal of some sort?

>>20551205
"To the root..." the G-Man says, smiling. "To the root."

>>20551212
>>20551221
"Originally... yes. But this time... I'm afraid I must... insist on advance payment... For both me... and for you... The power of being in the wrong place... at the wrong time... is key. I trust... you will know what to do."

As your vision begins to fade, you hear Vitun's chant complete as you can just see the tell-tale discharge of energy around the All Under Heaven that heralds a transpace drive activation...

>>20551307
Please tell me Data was able to make those modifications.

>>20550967
It's possible, the AUH, if it was building EBO Cortical Stacks during our prep time, would have been able to produce 11,520 EBO Cortical Stacks.
If they were then implanted into the crew of the Valiance, then they would have been able to save the 11,126 TG crew aboard.

File: 1346479604783.jpg-(175 KB, 1000x420, NoNoNo.jpg)

>>20551307
..Check EVERYTHING.

Research, our goodies such as the Lance, the Foreign Reality Emitter. Check ALL OF IT. He must have absconded with something.

Goddamn extra-dimensional troll-entities. Headcount and gear/equipment/research checking!

When you next regain awareness, you immediately feel... odd.

The first thing you notice is that the mental communion Cheryl set up is still active, but only in the other members of the Command Crew. You can't sense or feel any of your troops like you did before. This sudden loss of connection is disorienting, like you gained a limb only to lose it a few minutes later. However, you quickly regain your senses. You hear water trickling, wind blowing. Your eyes... Your eyes aren't opening yet.

You feel a presence bordering on your mind, quickly recognizing it as Cheryl herself from the residual connection from the communion.

>>20551451
Try to reach out, contact Cheryl.
"Cheryl? Cheryl, are you alright? Where are we? Can you sense any of the others?"

>>20551451
..Cheryl? Oh, great. We've been warped somewhere, haven't we?

Okay, don't panic. G-Man does this shit for a living and we've been through worse.

"Please tell me the others are all right. And don't you even think about some sort of sappy goodbye speech. You're not getting off this ride that easily, young lady!" Make it clear that last bit has a 'I'm just joking around because I'm scared shitless at what is about to happen' vibe.

>>20551470
You easily touch Cheryl's mind and almost instinctively you re-establish the communion with her. You immediately sense she is asleep, but is waking at your mental query. Your eyes open, groggily taking in the surroundings of a grassy hill at the edge of a forest, a gray sky overhead...

Two things are realized in quick succession as Cheryl rouses to wakefulness, standing.

First, you didn't open your eyes. You are looking through Cheryl's eyes. You are in her mind.

Second, it's not one of you, it's all of you.

Cheryl herself should be realizing this about...

"Euuuuaaaagh!" Cheryl shouts, grabbing at her head. "What are you doing in there?! Get out! Get out!!!"

>>20551533
I would if I could. Where are we?

>more time

Can we evac the crews of doomed ships, then have them set their engines to overload and fly them into the Orz formations?

>>20551533
"Sorry! Sorry! I don't know how this happened...no wait, I know who did, the G-Man did, but I don't know why.
"Shit....I think he's made you into a part-time employee, like Freeman and Shepherd, and he wants us to help guide you."

>>20551533
Okay, new rule. Everyone stays as mentally still as possible.

And yeah, we're totally not sure how this is working. We may be stuck here for a bit. Guys, try to stay out of vital Cheryl-brain-parts.

Try and calmly examine your surroundings. Be aware this is probably some sort of masive "You work for me, at least part-time" thing. Getting behind cover might be a good idea.

>>20551540
"In my head! Get outta there!"

>>20551558
"Oh goodie! A part-time job! Now I can be NORMAL like all the other girls my age!" Cheryl says, rolling her eyes. "So... creepy suit man stuck you in there. Great. Just... great."

>>20551569
"I like that idea. Be good guests in my brain and this'll go easier. I hope. Stay out of my memories, especially! I don't need people rooting around in there."

Cheryl begins looking around, taking stock of the situation. She is still clad in her hardsuit, but she doesn't have a weapon on her, or really, any gear. The area around her, and you, seems to be a wilderness. Tall, thin trees reach towards the sky in one direction while hills topped with long grass obscure your sight in another. Through her senses, you feel a chill wind on her cheeks and know it's cold.

By "everyone" do you mean the command crew (us) or EVERYONE IN OUR FLEET?

Because the latter could become crazy.

>>20551645
"Cheryl, can you sense anyone else from our task force?
"Either way, let's go towards the hills. Hopefully they'll give us a better vantage point."

>>20551645
...Using your psionic abilities, would it be possible for you to lightly reach out for any nearby minds?
Sort of like a psychic radar?

>>20551645
If you don't mind, could you examine the sky?
Specifically if there's anything weird about it, like extra moons, wrong color, etc.
There's a lot you can learn from a sky sometimes.

>>20551657
The Command Crew.

>>20551659
"No... Not close by, anyway. I guess I could try to reach out and get a better range, close my eyes and focus and stuff."

>>20551662
"Yeah, I can handle that no problem."

>>20551659
I like this. Remember to crouch as you get to the top. Don't walk right to the top. Peek over the hill. Don't make yourself a target.

>>20551662
Might wanna hold off the psi-dar for right now. We don't know what we're dealing with here and Cheryl doesn't have any weapons.

>>20551672
This. We can't tell where you're at right now. The terrain's too vague and generic. If there's something odd about the sky it might identify where you're at.

Also, again. Cover is a very good thing. Don't stand out in the open.

>>20551672
The sky is overcast, the sun not visible. Thunder rumbles in the distance, but other than that, it looks 'normal' for an Earth-like world.

>>20551693
"Let's get up to that hill. Stay as low as you can as you approach the top, Cheryl.
"The G-Man has a habit of not telling his employees anything useful. We'll get you to play through the Half-Life games when we get back to the Storm."

>>20551711
Actually Cheryl, did you see the G-Man?
Because if not, that seems a bit rude of him not to notify you.

>>20551716
>>20551711
>>20551682
"Creepy suit guy? I saw him. He wasn't talking to me, though. Don't know if he noticed I could see him. Probably could though, with my luck," Cheryl grumbles as she slowly climbs to the top of the hill, keeping low.

From the new vantage point, you and Cheryl can see a large marsh that was probably once a lake given the wrecked ships leaning on their sides there. In the distance are several buildings, and the terrain is broken up with many more hills.

>>20551795
What kind of ships are these? Any identify marks? Any flags we can identify?

>>20551795
Hmm.

Cheryl, could you look down in the marsh and see if you can see any critters? Like, maybe something that looks like Swamp Thing, a swarm of bipedal fish-monsters, or six-legged crocodiles?

Also, if this is where I think it is, keep an eye out for giant velociraptors.

'Cause I'm suspecting the Wetlands from World of Warcraft. I could be horribly wrong, but yeah.

>>20551830
Yeah, that's what I thought at first, too.
That would also mean pre-Cataclysm.

But the marsh is supposed to have been a lake, while the Wetlands is on the coast and none of the ships were that far inland.

>>20551805
>>20551830
Though there are markings on the ships, you cannot make them out. Likewise, though Cheryl can see movement in the marsh below, she cannot make any details out.

"I wish I had a psychic power to magic up some binoculars," Cheryl sighs. "Oh well. At least it doesn't look like I'll have to find a four part key or solve a puzzle to cross this marsh."

>>20551878
"Alright, let's go toward those buildings. Be on your guard, Cheryl."

>>20551878
Move closer to the ships so we can see more.

>>20551878
The ships are closer, yeah? Let's check them out first. Then we'll go to the buildings.

>>20551878
"Are they old-style ships or crashed spaceships?"

>>20551901
>>20551909
>>20551920
The howling of a dog is carried on the wind as Cheryl shivers a bit despite the armor.

"All right then, let's get moving."

Cheryl starts walking down the hill, towards the nearest ship. After only a few minutes it becomes apparent that it isn't a wooden sailing ship nor a space ship. A few minutes more and Cheryl can make out a rusted hull, shattered windows, and steel cables that mark it as a ship of the modern era, though she has never seen a ship like this before.

Well, that rules out the Warcraft universe. I wonder where we are.

>tg/ Quest
>it have VIC VIPERS?!
>WHERETHEFUCKYOUWEREHIDINGTHISBASTARDS!!!!!

>>20552056
in our inventory.

http://pastebin.com/HGsJUZZb

>>20551946
I suppose we should probably head towards town since nobody else is going to suggest anything

>>20552074
Given it's 4 AM, I'm going to call it for the night. I'll resume tomorrow.

>>20552016

My guess? We (and/or Cheryl) are on a Combine-controlled world, perhaps Earth. Although whether this is the same Earth that Gordon Freeman was on during the Half-life series remains yet to be seen. Since the Combine are a meta-aware organization, it's entirely likely that this could be one of many Earths or Earth-like planets that the Combine has control of. And G-man wants us to free it from their control.

>>20552200

The good news is so long as the G-Man wasn't a giant douchenozzle, we should have a fairly linear ramp-up of finding gear to use.

A bigger question is, are the hardsuits kinetic barriers up? And how well is Cheryl's psychic abilities holding up in this new reality? We don't want to die here, and defense is more important than offense.

Bump.

We should probably have Cheryl try passive psi-radar a couple times. Just to see if there are things here with hostile intentions coming our way.
Safer than actively trying to search out minds; we don't want to accidentally touch off a telepath.

Thread should go live in about 2 hours.

I'm thinkin' we might be in one of the swampy areas from STALKER, but there are probably 1000 swamps across the meta.

>>20560025

Might be, but given G-Man's nominal area of influence a Combine world is most likely. We might need to either support Gordon/Barney/Shepard, or take their place in this world.

>>20560082
Nominal area of influence doesn't mean ONLY. This could literally be *anywhere*.

Cheryl, maximum caution. Also, try and find a crowbar. Just in case. You can never go wrong with a crowbar.

Right now you should be in "Maximum Sneak" mode. We have NO idea where you are right now, and while you should keep a psychic ear to the wind don't go pulsing yet. There's a lot of nasties in the Meta that love to nom psionics like you.

>>20560082
>>20560129

Given G-man's enigmatic nature, nobody really seems to know what game he's playing. Philemon said we'd be enlisted by the G-man to fight the Combine, but that doesn't necessarily mean we'll be up in the front lines defending worlds. We could be placed to disrupt key Combine supply worlds, or maybe even create vulnerable worlds that the Combine will find too tempting to pass up (but will be disadvantageous to take in the long run). Or perhaps even locate and isolate potential targets that the G-man will want to mark for observation or acquisition.

Wait a sec.

If we're in Cheryl's mind

Does that mean our memories are in Cheryl's mind, too?

If that's the case, she mightn't need to play Half-Life.

>>20560564
>Cheryl reading the memories of the Command Crew
Guys, really, you think Cheryl would want to go through the memories of guys who had to go through Hentai Doujins 2005-2010 as part of their mandatory training?
An entire day-long shower and a couple Esuna's from Elaine won't be enough to feel clean after that.

>>20560615
My training has taught me that every man, woman, and child has their own fucked up sexual fetishes.
I guess that's why we should stay out of Cheryl's memories.
Human sexuality is an eldritch horror that will break you if you get curious.

>>20560615
That was mandatory? I thought that was just our "stress relief" requisition.

>>20560615
>>20560648
>>20560653
CHERYL CAN HEAR US
CEASE THIS TOMFOOLERY BEFORE WE BRING RUIN UPON HER
Please at least try not to flood our most powerful psyker's mind with your lustful thoughts.

>>20560648
It's not the fetishes I'm talking about. I'm talking about the Silent Hill doujins.

>>20560653
It sure as hell felt like it after "Erotic Fanfiction 212."

>>20560699
>>20560711
Welp. Goodbye Cheryl's sanity.

Gentlemen, focus, please. I'd rather not have my brain kersploded when she gets back, thank you.

I like my neurons right where they are!

God, I hope she's just tuning you guys out. Mental stillness, people!


(Also, we can haz OP plz?)

>>20560737
You know, I'm surprised Eldritch Horrors from Beyond the Stars effect the command crew anymore, what with all the shit they had to read in training.

>>20560711
I never thought you could suck the fun out of porn, until we had to write a 10-page essay on the rise of striped panties in erotic fiction.

I'M BACK FROM BEING THROW OUT THE AIRLOCK. CHERYL SUCK MY PSYCHIC COCK YOU SLUT. YOU LIKE IT ROUGH DON'T YOU.

ALSO I'M FUCKING WITH HER MIND SO SHE SEES ME AS HER IDEAL MAN.

>>20560767
Oh dude, which one were you? Mine was "Shimapan and You: An Adventure in Schoolgirl's Underwear."

Wait a second, you guys were trained?
I was under the impression that due to a Bureaucratic mixup, a bunch of random people off the street were put in command of a task force.
I mean that's what happened to m-... Chad.
Yeah that's what happened to Chad.

>>20560799
Oh, mine was "From White to Striped: Innocence as an Aphrodisiac".

>>20560761
Well, there are other horrifying things in the world BESIDES what evils lurk in the minds (and loins) of man.

>>20560787
I will be in a part of the brain REALLY FAR AWAY from this guy.

>>20560810
You can hardly call TG base a 'street'. It's much more cultured.

>>20560824
Was that the loli heavy one? Because that one kind of floated into seriously creepy territory.

>>20560810
I've been in the Guard for years working my way up to the prestigious place I am now.

And any rumors about me accidentally unleashing a mind-controlled god on a mansion full of drugged up girls is totally unfounded.

>>20560834
No, you're thinking of "Rise and Fall of Printed Pantsu".
Mine was on the late-High School and early-college demographic.

File: 1346553227777.jpg-(10 KB, 192x245, worry.jpg)

>>20560902
>>20560834
>>20560824
>>20560799
>>20560787
>>20560767
>>20560711
>>20560699
>>20560653
>>20560615
:-|

File: 1346553264609.png-(84 KB, 250x250, WellThatsNiceBUT.png)

Cheryl, just.. Just try and shove this into an unused corner in your head and keep working on figuring out what the hell's going on. I have the feeling it's gonna rage for a while.

And for the record, I have you all beat. My thesis was "Bio-clothes, Tentacle Monsters, and the Viability Of Sustainable Female Orifice Ecosystems." I can't even look at plain ol' corsets nowadays without getting nauseous. Also, thirty-page.

I have no SAN left to damage, which is why I'm so calm!

..And suddenly, I'm not feeling so hot.

>>20560961
That's nothing. I was lab-partners with Bootleg.

>>20560977
..Wow.

Okay, you win. Poor thing.

(OP, where are you? This thread's turned weird! We need stuff or it's gonna devolve further!)

>>20560697
A quiet mental voice interrupts your discourse.

"Guys... You realize he's right, right? I can hear everything you say. Think."

>>20561106
"Sorry, Cheryl. Let's concentrate on the mission at hand. Let's go towards those buildings, and be on the lookout for any wild animals.
"Were the Farseers able to teach you how to use Mind Bullets?"

>>20561106
Sorry Cheryl. Normally, I'd surf the internet or read a book, but we kinda don't have any of that. . .

Did our Psions teach you to manifest any "spells"?

>>20561134
Seconding query re: Combat psychic fuckery.

Lets move towards the buildings, any barriers or other defensive systems on full.

No telling what shit we might be walking into, best to be prepared for the worst.

>>20561134
"No... but... ah... I remember how to burn things from the fir... I remember how to burn things. Pyrokinesis. And the move with your mind thing. Telekinesis, right?" Cheryl quietly says. "I'm... Can you give me a minute to compose myself?"

You become aware that Cheryl has completely stopped in her tracks, and from the sensation of her face muscles twisting, you can only imagine the expression on her face from listening to you for the last few minutes or so.

>>20561188

Take your time. It's not like we have mind-airlocks to space the stupids out of.

>>20561188
Consider the Command Crew suitably abashed.

>>20561106

One thing you always have to do in a wilderness survival situation: get a sharpened stick. You never know when you're going to need an improvised stake, spear, or general pointy thing. A crowbar is also useful, if not a bit too iconic for a certain free man.

Aside from the general MIND CRUSH things that we had you unleash on massive evil entities, what else have you learned in particular from the other psychics in the force?

>>20561188
This will be your greatest challenge. I only hope that you can control yourself.

>>20561223
I only hope we don't drive her even crazier than we are.

>>20561106
Yeah Sorry.
Just when you grow up on Meta Earth knowing everything you ever read watch hear or play, 'fiction' or otherwise, Exists somewhere in this crazy multiverse, you just kinda go numb to that stuff, you just accept that it happens.
Except that NTR stuff, I enjoyed my first Field mission on a world of that. You dont destabilize a world much if you clobber a man within an inch of his life with a pipe it seems.

>>20561223
Fuck, didn't mean to link that one! That's directed to us.

>>20561214
"I've been working on using my powers to change and create stuff. When I was... Uh, I used to be good at it. But it's coming slowly, I haven't had much chance to practice. The Farseers have mostly just been teaching me how to expand and enhance the depth of my powers and channel them better. Oh, that and all the telepathy I know now. That's almost all them. And the visions and stuff. The X-COM vets taught me a bit about mind control and using telepathy to screw with people's minds... oh! Tosh taught me how to use his Mindblast technique. He was going to teach me more, but he's been busy a lot lately. I think he forgot. Char..."

Cheryl pauses. "Char... tried to teach me how to use my powers to anticipate movements and dodge and hit better. Newtype flash or something. I haven't really had a chance to try that out though."

>>20561252
We arnt crazy!
We're the pinnacle of mental stability and sanity.

By our world's standard for guard vets.

File: 1346555039898.jpg-(113 KB, 400x400, Gl96r.jpg)

Must think about other stuff. Stupid puns. That'll work well.

>>20561297

Hopefully you won't need to use it, because that implies you're being shot at. Which is bad.

The mindblast and X-com mind-fuckery are good though. Why expose yourself to enemy fire when you can get them to kill each other!

>>20561297
Well, we have tried our best to keep you from front-line combat.
In hindsight, maybe we should have tried to give you more combat training. Our fault for not anticipating the G-Man when we knew he was interested in using us for one of his projects.

>>20561297
You will Cheryl, we will.
Sorry that we've all been a bit busy lately, but that's just how the guard is sometimes. Sometimes you get a cushy garrison on a utopian world, othertimes... You're in someone else's mind after battling extraplannar horrors. But you know what? I'm glad where in this head of yours Cheryl, we know we're in good hands. Brains? Grey matter?
Aww damn, messed that up, supposed to be inspiring.

>>20561188
Burning things is useful in wilderness survival, for boiling water and staying warm and stuff.
Wonder if you can use Telekinesis to sharpen a stick? Might be worth trying.
Also, wonder if you can use Telekinesis to lift your legs. If you combine muscles with telekinesis you might be able to move faster.

File: 1346555361555.png-(29 KB, 261x174, Miengot.png)

>>20561316
Be careful man! We dont know what effect Facepalming can have on us! What if we're like brain cells here, or, in them, everyone she destroys is one of us!

Maybe.

>>20561378
So I guess you could say we're ...

Trapped in a cell?

>>20561365

TK like that places more stress on bones, potentially causing trauma. It's a bad idea to push the body beyond it's limits so casually.

Find stick or metal stick.

PUN TIME.

Did you know back on Meta-Earth they're building a bunch of designated easy-access tunnels to help promote giving others lifts?

They're calling them carpool tunnels.

rolled 89 = 89

>>20561350
"It's OK, I get what you mean."

>>20561329
"Well to be honest, I guess I kinda slacked off there myself, too."

>>20561365
"Guess I can give it a shot..." Cheryl says, wandering over and picking up a large branch on the ground.

rolled 58 = 58

>>20561394
"Haven't you done enough that I have to endure such pun-ishment as well?"

>>20561440
Cheryl picks up a large branch... only to find a duffel bag concealed underneath. She blinks.

"...huh."

>>20561478

Oh fuck we're in STALKER-verse.

Ok, now we need to figure out if we're in clear sky, SoC, or CoP.

At least I think we are. Anyone else know any canons that have duffel bags hidden in swamps?

Either way, check for traps with TK/Visual, then open and loot.

>>20561478
Huh. That's odd. The G-Man usually isn't this helpful. He's usually far more stingy when it comes to assistance.
Maybe he doesn't think we measure up to his other employees, like Gordon and Shepherd.

>>20561478
Wait a what
How could a LARGER object hide under a SMALLER object

Oh well, Physics. Can we get an image of the bag, i.e. is it just a regular bag? Might as well open it.

>>20561478
...Huh.
This is a good time to practice finetuning your telekinesis.
If possible, lift the bag up and hover it a ways in front of you, and try to unzip it.

>>20561478
Open the duffel bag ... WITH the branch. It might be a booby trap or something.

Anyway, anyone hear about the actress that got stabbed? Reese something.

>>20561517
Nobody's going to fall for that one.

>>20561478
I guess our possibilities are really branching out, I figure we've got this world in the bag. As long as we put our minds to it, we can really get it moving.
>>20561498
Stalker? Get out of here.
>>20561514
We really can't stop thinking about unzipping things can we.
>>20561517
NO WITH A KNIFE

>>20561517
Witherspoon?

>>20561498
Does Stalker have duffel bags everywhere?

>>20561541
Backpacks yes, Duffel bags no. But hey, if you find a duffel bag in the zone you might as well keep it.

>>20561478
Loot that duffel bag after checking for traps. Use your TK to jiggle the bag from a few steps back, then unzip it with TK as well. Equip any applicable weapons/gear. Also, take the bag with you. It may be useful for carrying other stuff or a diversion or something.

You do have to realize; he snatched her off our ship and dropped her in the middle of a swamp. Giving her SOME gear is jsut being fair.

>>20561440
Dont worry about it Cheryl.
the last few missions, the last few hours really, have just been taxing.
We all owe it to ourselves to relax, wind down, and try not to burn out. You've done more for us then we could've imagined, and we're going to try to pay it back whenever we can.

Wait, a dufflebag? Check it out.
Ok, if this is a STALKER universe, then we got to brief you on what you might find.

You can expect high levels of radiation in some areas, small mutated animals of pigs, dogs, boars, and more dangerous ones as well. Some of these more dangerous types are capable of psychic powers of force, tricks of the light, telekinisis, mind control and turning invisible, not to mention some just being giant monsters, you've faced bigger though. Russian bloc and NATO weapons are to be found used by mostly russians and a few western mercenaries. NONE of these will be your friend, though they may try.

There arnt a lot of women in the ZONE.

>>20561541

Yes, usually filled with ammo, medkits, antirads, occasional guns and artifacts, and sometimes other shit. The problem with STALKER is the mutants can fuck shit up, although Cheryl being a near phsyical god means that the Burers and the wierd ass illusion-hounds won't be as big a problem. The Controllers, maybe, as well as Bloodsuckers (Moreso because insanely fast and tough invisible mutant vampire)

This, however, is predicated on this being STALKERverse. If it is, inside that bag should be 5.45x45 ammo, maybe 5.56, 9x18 Mak, maybe 9x36, along with some medical supplies.

>>20561571
>>20561608
>>20561609
Well, the contents of the bag will give us a pretty good indication of where we are.

If it's vodka and 5.45x45, then it's Stalker.

>>20561630

If it's 5.45 OR 5.56 OR 9x36 and has either bandages/medkits/antirads/vodka, we're in STALKER.

Don't forget, some stashes had no 5.45, only 5.56 or one of the oddball rounds.

>>20561674
Finding a PDA would be a huge boon as well. It could point out additional stashes as well as including a full map and that Stalker IFF, if this is SoC

>>20561513
The branch was taken from a small pile of branches, Cheryl took the top one and saw the duffel underneath.

>>20561514
Cheryl uses her mind powers to lift up the duffel and open it. Nothing happens, except a loaf of bread, a bottle of vodka, and a small pistol spill out.

>>20561802
Get out of here stalker.
Get out of here stalker.
Get out of here stalker.

>>20561802

STALKER then.

Any landmarks nearby? Bridges? Beached ships? Big heaps of garbage?

Keep the food and booze, at the least we have a bottle for water. See if there's any spare mags for that Makarov(I'm assuming it's a Mak.) or even just a box of two of ammunition.

>>20561802
"Okay Cheryl, might as well dust off the bread and put it and the vodka back into the bag.
"Please pick up the gun and turn it around in your hands so we can see it through your eyes, we might be able to identify it. Also check how many bullets it has."

>>20561802
Welcome To The ZONE kiddo.
Check the pistol, you're trained well enough to handle it better then any cheeki breeki scum toddering around.
Oh Right, and if a guy tells you 'Blowout Soon Fellow Stalker," RUN. Say nothing, Just Move.
Also Blowouts are powerful psychic nuclear hurricanes that can and will kill you if you remain in the open, you need a safe hiding place to wait it out, usually in large building or underground.

>>20561802
>Vodka
Yep, welcome to Stalker.
Here's the rundown: In this world after the initial meltdown Chernobl was actually reopened, only to suffer a much worse meltdown in 2006.
It was so bad that everything was killed or mutated, and the laws of physics themselves broke.
And now... a bunch of treasure hunters explore the zone for money, I guess?

>>20561880
>>20561873

And there's these condensed forms of physics breaking known as Artifacts, which can do some really weird shit if you have them.

Also, yes, if someone says BLOWOUT SOON, drop everything, run for a basement or tunnel to hide in, no arguing.

However, if this person is a man in a SEVA suit and has no face, DO NOT SAY "Oh really, when?". Just run.

>>20561802
It is Stalker.
The zone is made out of psionic energy.

To be precise: The collective consciousnesses of a bunch of researchers were able to influence the "Sphere of Thought" that encompasses the earth, the Noosphere.
(Biosphere = collection of biological entities, Noosphere = collection of thoughts)

They dun goof'd and tore open the Noosphere, and the shadow that tear makes on the real world is known as the zone.
So, the place is made - literally - out of psychic distortions. The anomalies? Psychic distortions. The artefacts? Psychic distortions. The monsters? Psychic distortions.

Anomaly = a place in the world where physics doesn't work right. Gravity might turn you inside out, temperature might go up to 4000 degrees in an instant, your atoms might fall apart, etc.
Artefact = You carry it and it gives you benefits. Also radiation.
Monster = In addition to normal animals, there are things that blast your mind, have psychic shields, use telekinesis, or are invisible.

Also, this place is in the former Chernobyl. Radiation is a hazard here.

>>20561908
>>20561899
>>20561880
A Blowout is when ... How do I put this.

A Blowout is when some poor retard joins his consciousness with the C-conc (Group of scientists) and adds himself to the psionic fuckup that is the Zone.

As a result, the tear in the noosphere grows larger, and it bursts outwards like a balloon popping.
This, of course, has the same effect on a human's mind and mental stability that a balloon popping has on ... a balloon.

The sky turns red, the wave spreads outwards damn quick, and the zone gets a little larger.
If the sky turns red, get the fuck into a deep underground shelter.

>>20561908
So in other words...
Welcome home.

>>20561908
So are bandits, who might shoot on sight or try to catch you.
And a cult called Monolth that worships the ghosts of the zone, they'll just kill you.
And braindead zombies still capable of firing their guns, who will shoot on sight
and the Military, they will be even less help and will likely shoot you on sight.

Then there's Stelok. He might shoot you on sight, or talk to you, depending on his mood. Just give him something to do and he'll try to help.

Guys, if she's at these ships; she's at a people hub, right? Intel gathering time?

Yeah.. This is probably why G-Man chose you. You're our strongest psionic. And frankly you can probably mind bullets most of the stuff here in the Zone. But don't get cocky!

>>20561939
Pfft. Cheryl's got an Inextinguishable Light in her soul. This place is less concentrated mindfuckery than Silent Hill. She should do fine as long as she doesn't derp about.

But yeah. Someone says Blowout, dive for cover!

>>20561958

There's also Freedom and Duty, two warring factions who will probably leave alone, along with Neutral Stalkers, who will also probably leave you alone. Just don't shoot things willy nilly and we should only have to kill the crazy people and the scumbags. Of course, given the dearth of women in the Zone, I'm not sure what will happen. But then again, we've got Kinetic barriers and the most powerful weapon here besides the occasional hind is a gauss rifle, which your hardsuit was made to stop in full-auto from a more powerful gun.

Evne then, I'm pretty sure this thing could take a salvo of S-5 rockets from a hind and come out ok, but that shouldn't be an issue, the army rarely sends in helos due to aerial anomalies.

>>20561988
What he says is right Cheryl, the mind fuckery here, should be a cakewalk compared to your old home.
Mind fuckery here is always solves by a few controlled bursts from an assault rifle.

>>20561908
Based on this, if Cheryl uses her mind as a radar for psychic strangeness, she will be able to find artefacts, avoid anomalies, and get advanced warning of the tougher mutants.

While there isn't any stalker thing canonically that homes in on psychic entities (Besides the stalkers themselves), this is probably because there aren't any psychics in stalker aside from the mutants, and mutants don't write stories about how they died.

if Cheryl can restrict her mind power to a ~25 meter radius, she'll be able to avoid hurty stuff but not attract hungry mutants.
Can she make some type of 25 meter mind radar that doesn't leak?

>>20562057

Radar doesn't work like that, in order to get a solid return you're detectable to at LEAST twice the distance you can detect due to simple fact of your pings needing to travel back. Given that the openly psychic mutants are Controllers, and Burers, both of which are EXTREMELY hard to kill, I'd rather us go with some form of psychic RWR that simply alerts us to psychic activity in the vicinity.

>>20561831
See here: >>20551795

>>20561833
>>20561831

"Yeah, it's a Makarov. Full magazine," Cheryl says as she unloads and reloads the weapon with a practiced hand.

>>20561873

>>20561880
"Gotcha. Chernobryl was... Ukraine, huh? Not what I had in mind for a foreign trip, but I guess I have to take what I can get."

Who's who in the zone:

Strelok:
Player character. Needs to survive.
Scar:
Player character. Needs to survive until the end of Clear Sky.
Major Degtyarev:
Player character. Needs to survive.
Guide:
Protagonist of Roadside Picnic, on which stalker was based. Needs to survive until meeting Strelok.
Professor Sakharov:
The one man who knows the most about the zone. Needs to survive until meeting Strelok.

Everyone else:
Scrubs

File: 1346558983560.jpg-(277 KB, 1280x800, Skadovsk.jpg)

>>20562156
There should be a ship that looks like (image). Go towards it.

>>20562156

Right, I can't recall if your hardsuit has a radio receiver in it, if it does, activate it and scan the frequencies, we might catch something. Head for the shit that has an intact superstructure and mid-stern area with opening to the bow area, assuming there is one there, if it is what it's supposed to be, it's a safe place for STALKERs, we can find a quick job there to get some roubles for guns and ammo. Keep a psychic eye out for any wierdness, if we can find some artifacts we can trade them for guns and ammo as well, and not cheap-ass rusty AKS-74s, we might be able to swing G36s or F-2000s.

>>20562156
"We'll try to swing a trip to France next time.
"Anyway, please keep yourself armed with the Makarov. I hope that we won't be here so long that you'll have to subsist on the bread and vodka, but maybe we can trade something for it. Might as well keep the duffel bag, too.
"The buildings look to be our best shot, so let's go towards them. And be on the alert for psi activity."

File: 1346559056079.jpg-(346 KB, 1280x800, Noahsark.jpg)

>>20562156
If there is a ship that looks like (image), avoid it. The owner is crazy.

>>20561908
"So... they rewrote reality? With science? Isn't that what you guys do?"

>>20561939
"I know my room isn't that clean, but this isn't home, thanks very much," Cheryl says, frowning.

>>20561958
"Should I just... avoid people then?"

>>20562034
"I appreciate the vote of confidence in the armor, but... I think I'll try not to get shot anyway. Just in case."

>>20562038
"Oh good. Mindfucks. I haven't had enough of THOSE lately."

>>20562156
How much ammo? We'll need to Makarov the most of it.