>>20882930
I hope it's some sort of Pyramid Tyrant Demigiant.

>combine

I can't be fucked going through a bunch of old threads, but did somebody just mix Half Life and STALKER?

Not sure if want.

>>20882930

Keep moving with Bruce, bounding cover as possible, pyro up smoke to cover us, and get the HELL away from whatever fresh monstrosity is coming.

>>20882930
Well, fuck. RUN AWAY FROM THE FOOTSTEPS!

Rolled 70

>>20882969
Yes.

>>20882989
Due to Cheryl's affinity for fire, she generates a smokescreen no problem as she grabs Bruce by the wrist and drags him through the smoke, hoping to sneak past the barricade and its Combine guards.

You here startled screams behind you, both in Russian and the garbled speech of the Combine as whatever is behind you contacts the edge of the battle. Gunfire intensifies followed by several explosions and cries of "Grenata!"

>>20883158

Move move move. Passive psi-dar and preventative smokescreens at suspect locations, keep your Abakan ready and don't forget to check up and behind. Watch for movement in the windows, too.

>>20883158
Cheryl leads Bruce to one of the barricade's sleek black walls made of Combine metal, and telekinetically lifts the both of them safely over. Sparing a quick glance to make sure the soldiers atop the battlement didn't notice, Cheryl turns back to Bruce. She jabs her finger in the direction of the NPP and nods her head. Bruce nods and the earth shakes again as a deafening, inhuman roar splits the air.

The Combine hasn't noticed you, but speed might be preferable to stealth. Run or sneak away?

>>20883201
How far is that giant thing away from our position?

>>20883201

To know that, we'd need more details on the enemy disposition and where our exit outs are.

>>20883201
Can we make out the enemy disposition and our exit points?

>>20883300
>>20883251
Right now you're traveling along the road to the NPP, buildings rise on either side of you. You're not out of the city yet. A dense fog blankets everything, making it difficult to see past about thirty feet, and impossible beyond sixty.

>>20883225
You don't know, but given the sounds, it's getting closer. It must be at least a hundred feet out, you'd think.

>>20883331
We can probably get away with not being stealthy.

>>20883331
Okay, let's make a run for it.

>>20883331

Smoke and fire distractions along routes we're not taking, move fast, stick to cover. Anything shows, light it up. Figuratively and literally.

Rolled 35

>>20883379
>>20883372
Cheryl and Bruce grimace as a particularly loud screams ends in a sickening crunch and gurgle. They look at each other, back towards the sound, then in unison break into a full on sprint down the road.

>>20883426
Cheryl, can you use biomancy to temporarily boost your muscle strength?
Because you need to run faster.

>>20883426

CHERYL, THE COMBINE HOLD THIS SECTOR, KILL THEM WITH YOUR BRAIN.

USE SMOKE TO COVER YOUR ADVANCE.

Rolled 32

>>20883415
As Cheryl and Bruce sprint away, one of the Combine guards turns and shouts something, but the words swiftly turn into a scream as Cheryl causes him to spontaneously combust, then summons a wall of smoke behind them, causing the sudden hail of shots to go wide.

The shaking ground and increase in screams indicate that the Combine now have bigger things to worry about... literally. A straggler with MP-7 rounds the corner of a nearby apartment building, but Bruce puts two in his head with his pistol and the soldier collapses.

The two race into the fog...

Rolled 19

>>20883513
>>20883513
Cheryl is able to use biomancy to keep herself running a bit faster, but its real use in its manipulations of lactic acids and other chemicals to enable her to not feel the effects of such a prolonged sprint. She runs far longer than even she could normally manage, though Bruce beside her provides a hard cap on how fast the pair manage to flee.

Several times the pair encounter scattered groups of Combine and Monolith, but a combination of psychic fire, bullets, and smokescreen enable them to keep running. Cheryl is beginning to get accustomed to using her powers in combat now, the fire coming with more ease.

The roars get less loud as distance is put between the two and the main battlefield. Finally Bruce begins to lag and even Cheryl begins to feel a slow burn in her legs despite her biomancy.

The pair slow to a halt, Bruce leaning against a nearby wall and panting. Thanks to the fog and Cheryls' powers, the exit went fairly well despite several armed encounters. During the flight, Cheryl took a hit to the shoulder and Bruce three in the leg, but a combination of first-aid spray, medkits, and biomancy has managed to put them back to full strength.

>Lose 2 Abakan magazines.
>Lose 1 Med-kit.

>>20883654

Cheryl, you're in hard cover, right? You shouldn't be standing around in the open. If not, GET INTO COVER STUPID.

>>20883654

Argh. Dice getting lower and lower

>>20883654
>>20883705

Right. Ten minute break first. According to my calculations of the RNG seeding structure, we should be able to at least normalize the numbers if we come back to rolling after a while.

At most we'll need a 30 minute wait.

>>20883673
"Oh! Right!" Cheryl says, grabbing Bruce by the shoulder and hauling him into a nearby building.

"Hey! Quit that, I don't need to be hauled around!" Bruce complains as the two take cover while resting.

Cheryl suddenly winces in pain as a headache strikes her, and by extension, you.

"What a time to want an aspirin," she grouses as the wind picks up, whistling through the blocks of abandoned buildings.

"Hey, wait," Bruce says, looking around. "Did you hear that?"

>>20883788
"What did you hear?"

Check the surrounding area. Pay attention to shadows and ceilings.

File: 1348709395079.png-(21 KB, 1200x300, 1348611475716.png)

>>20883788
Hearing shit?

Well, that's not good.

>>20883788

Is the sky red?

Also, passive psi-dar, weapons up, NV if you have it (and it's dark), ears open.

Scan windows for movement, roofline, corners, anything.

>>20883788

/groan

anyone got the number of that party van?

Rolled 78

>>20883834
The sky is not red.

Cheryl frowns. "I can't sense anything... But..."

The room Bruce and Cheryl are in right now is small and unadorned. Two empty doorways other than the one you entered stand to the left and right. The right one opens into a long hall, while the other leads to another room. Cheryl points at a long bloodstain smeared along the far end of the hall.

>>20883985

...Smuck bait.

Out. Get going to the NPP

>>20883985

Hahahah nope, get out, hug the walls, careful, smoke and psydar to cover the advance.

>>20884001
>>20884059
Cheryl leaves the building without a word and begins to creep back down the road, Bruce following after her. Not really able to run, the pair move at a walking speed, both Cheryl and Bruce pausing as they hear a steady 'click-clack' nearby. It seems to be coming both from within the building they had just left... and also from a nearby rooftop.

>>20884183

Most likely Hunters.

Cheryl, be ready with TK walls, the spikes they shoot are DEADLY to infantry. The stick in you, and then explode.

They're three legged bio-synths, so you might be able to simply biomancy them to death, but psychic thermite on their chassis might also work.

Rolled 91

>>20884221
>>20884221
Cheryl pauses and erects a wall of telekinetic force, then frowns.

"I can't... sense anything other than us," she informs you.

Bruce has his pistol out and is looking at the roof warily. The sound of clicking grows louder, the special agent's frown deepening.

"Hey, I think I heard something like this once. It's like, long nails on met-" Bruce's southern drawl is drowned out by a bloodthirsty howl as a pair of dark shapes crash from the windows of the building and down from the roof...

>>20884315

Doesn't matter what it is, KILL IT.

RIGHT NOW.

KILL IT SO DEAD THAT NOT EVEN THEIR CONSITUENT PROTONS AND NEUTRONS REMAIN.

>>20884315
Oh right, sometimes I forget that you're an absurdly powerful psychic.
Why not give those things a reminder?

Rolled 36

>>20884339
>>20884363
>>20884315
Your radios explode with static.

"Hunte- wait, no!" Bruce shouts as the creatures slam into the telekinetic wall and rebound off. The humanoid monsters are easily seven feet tall, heavily muscled with green skin and almost frog-like features. They are indeed Hunters, though not the ones you feared. These have been twisted, a large pulsating and exposed brain dominating the skull, with overlarge claws in the style of Lickers.

Wasting no time, Cheryl immediately ignites one with pyrokinesis and Bruce steps forward to fire several times into its head. The creature barely has time to scream before it goes down, Cheryl expertly lowering the TK wall and bringing it back up in time for Bruce to fire.

The other circles you, growling, its exposed cranium suddenly pulsing with power and Cheryl feels a shockwave of psychic force hammer against her shield.

Captcha: Ginmen stantly.

No, no, NO! Not gin! Rum! Rum, dammit!

>>20884420
Cheryl's TK wall shatters as the creature leaps forward, both Cheryl and Bruce barely avoiding him with a well-placed dodge. Bruce hits the ground and rolls over, firing as he goes. Cheryl does the same. Most of the shots go wide, but a few hit their mark.

>>20884446

TEAR ITS EXPOSED BRAIN TO PIECES WITH TK.

AND THEN SET IT ON FIRE.

>>20884446

Whelp. Keep firing.

Rolled 88

>>20884446
Bruce drops his pistol and unslings a shotgun from the small arsenal he carries around with him. Several rounds of buckshot fly at the monster.

>>20884463
Cheryl attempts to rip apart its brain with telekinesis and burn it with pyrokinesis. The creature's brain pulses in response to the psychic activity, seeming to actively resist Cheryl's power.

>>20884528
Good luck produces something of an anti-climax as Cheryl's struggles distract the monster enough so that it stands almost still, allowing Bruce's buckshot to blow off its head. The creature collapses to the ground, leaving Bruce and Cheryl untouched.

The static from your radio fades.

Well that was fun.
That really big thing still behind you, or did you shake it?

>>20884550

Keep moving, carefully, huge cover, use smoke to mask our movements. Keep heading for the NPP.

Our SPAS-12 is loaded with alternating shot/slug, right?

>>20884550

Well done. Lets keep moving, though.

Rolled 46

>>20884575
Cheryl can't hear it anymore... but occasionally a distant stomping can be heard.

>>20884592
Just shot.

"Well that was a blast," Bruce sighs. "Ready to head out again?"

"No, I want to hang out with the dead monsters," Cheryl says, rolling her eyes. "Yes!"

The two head out again.

TG quest: the rolls have no middle ground.

>>20884682
As you reach the city limits, Cheryl hears a low moaning and murmuring in Russian, the sounds of gunfire growing louder in the far distance. A fair distance down the road is the scene of what looks like a recent battle.

Taking cover behind an overturned military truck are a group of three Stalkers in red and black body armor. One appears gravely injured, and it is he that is moaning. His two companions are also hurt, though not as much. Around them are a number of corpses, both of monster and man. Stalkers, Monolith, and Combine are all strewn about.

>>20884791

Those guys are Duty. Have Bruce identify as loners and ask if they need support.

While he does that, scan then psychically for controller interference.

>>20884791
Would it be possible to use biomancy on others? If so, perhaps use that. If not, then offer medical supplies to them, and try and warn them to flee.

>>20884856
Cheryl can use biomancy on others.

>>20884849
"Bruce, tell them we're loners and ask them if they need help," Cheryl says. Bruce nods and says a few words in Russian. He is greeted with a forceful storm of words from one and a few pleadings from the other. Bruce winces and turns to Cheryl.

"The short answer to your question is yes. The long answer involves a lot of curse words."

Cheryl does not detect any psionic interference.

>>20884922
I dont think we could screw-
WAIT NO DONT SAY THAT.
I think it would be PRUDENT to use a combination of healing wizardry and medkits to get them running.
Because we should be nice guys.

>>20884955

Alright, step out of cover, guns low/ready, render some aid to the Dutiers and then move on. No psychic powers, though, Stalkers are afraid of shit like that due to the Zone.

>>20884999
Would it even be noticeable? I mean, its easy, noninvasive, beneficial, and the chances of them noticing are near zero. On the other hand, you are probably right, and my suggestion is going to get us riddled with bullets.

>>20884955

Get to their cover, bruce joins overwatch and gets the rundown on the situation while Cheryl heals with both meds and biomancy to supplement.

Salvage supplies from the dead, they should have plenty.

>>20885072

They'd notice they're feeling better for no reason without artifact use, or medical kits, and that the we're doing "something".

Better safe than sorry.

>>20885127
But would they really question it, or just except it as being good, and move on? I think we should help with meds and biomany..

>>20885170
"Well am I using it or not, guys? I can try to just use a little bit, you know. The most low-key stuff." Cheryl mentally asks you.

>>20885299
Go for it.

>>20885299

That would work, but be careful, Cheryl, it would be the supreme irony if THIS was the time you got hurt today.

Rolled 30

>>20885344
>>20885396
"Have some faith in me guys," Cheryl says as Bruce talks in Russian to the Dutyers. Cheryl takes out a medkit and approaches the most heavily wounded Stalker.

>>20885426

Oh we have faith in you.

It's the hand constantly being dealt to you we have utterly lost faith in.

I have a new gif. Its one I hope not to use. please don't make me use it.

also, X-com rookies inbound in 7.

Rolled 95, 19, 78, 32, 93, 97, 86, 66, 66, 100, 68, 18 = 818

Deploy!

>>20885426
Cheryl doesn't do so painlessly, but she manages to use the supplies of the medkit to heal first the dying soldier, then one of his comrades. Though her administrations are clumsy, they are effective... though the subtle use of biomancy probably helped out there quite a bit.

"Thank you," the heavily wounded Stalker says in heavily accented English. "We ran out of medical supplies a day ago. I thought I was going to die."

>Lost 2 Medkits.

File: 1348716665044.jpg-(288 KB, 1024x768, image.jpg)

>>20885490
... God damnit.
Why did you get a 95 then
And not one roll earlier.

>>20885518

Against Monolith and the Combine, all Stalkers need to stand together.

I hope you can link up with some other Duty troopers, you guys look like you need Evac.

Is there any 5.45 around that you can't carry, we're assuming you already policed these bodies.

>>20885490

and you took HOW many good rolls??!

>>20885090
A quick look tells Cheryl that the Dutyers have already taken anything worth taking.

>>20885595
Ask for a magazine or two of 5.45 for the Abakan, since we've lost 2.

How far from the NPP are we now?

>>20885563
"That is good idea," he nods. "Are you low on ammo? Is tiny way to repay you, but we stashed some of what we couldn't carry under truck. You can have, if like."

>>20885619
You're at the city limit, so fairly close. If the fog wasn't around, you'd be able to see it in the distance.

>>20885518
What's the situation with the stalker factions? How have the groups been holding up to the relatively freakier then average invaders?

>>20885652

Anything you can spare is appreciated. We'll leave as much as we can for you, it's dangerous out here.

>>20885652
>ammo
Yeah, some 5.45mm for the Abakan, and maybe some ammo for the pistol we have.

Also, ask if they've seen Shephard. Describe him as a US Marine in urban camo, and that we're trailing him to the NPP.

>>20885698
Cheryl reaches under the truck and finds a small stash of ammunition. She takes a three magazines for the Abakan, but finds none for her pistol in the stash, though there are more bullets there.

"Hey, have you seen a US Marine? Urban camo?" Cheryl asks. "We're trying to find him, we think he's heading for the NPP."

The Dutyer utters a harsh laugh.

"Then he is heading for death. Monolith, this 'Combine' of yours, these bizarre new mutants... All have descended on that cursed building like flies on a corpse. It is like the military's raid all over again, but this time there is no reasoning with anyone."

"I saw marine," another of the Dutyers murmurs. "Two days ago, near Jupiter tunnel. I watched pair of bloodsuckers stalk him. He blew both away with what looked like Black Kite. Did not even pause."

>>20885770

Thanks for the info, and the ammunition. Good luck, Stalkers.

Let's move on, careful, but fast. Watch for tripmines, too, you never know.

>>20885770
"Yeah, that's him. If he's help things would be easier.
"Let's hope he stirs up the nest in the NPP enough that everyone concentrates on him and not us.
"Once you're ready, Cheryl, let's move out. Be on the lookout for trip mines; Shephard might have trapped some areas. Keep up a weak TK shield to give yourself protection from the first shot or so."

>>20885770

Stay safe, Stalkers. These are dark times.

By the by, we heard some fighting going on some ways behind us. Might want to steer clear of that if you're heading back.

Rolled 35

>>20885809
>>20885870
"Thanks for de tip," one nods. "Good luck out there. A lot of good Stalkers left for the NPP and this city and never came back. There are whispers of things in the mist that make even the new horrors a shadow."

The three Dutyers climb back up to their feet and head out as Bruce and Cheryl stride towards the nuclear power plant...

>>20886064

Inventory check please.

Especially how much in medical supplies do we have left.

>>20886099
Inventory:
693RU
Combat Knife
Binoculars
Anomaly Detector (Veles)
PDA
1 Scientific Medkit
4x Tourist's Delight
Roll of bandages
SPAS-12
62 shells
scrap of paper with scribbles

Specimen Bags
8 grenades

Stalker PDA

*Vintar
*60x 9x39mm

4 Vinca
4 anti-rad drugs (radioprotectant)


Extended Operator Pack
- magazines, medical, and utility MOLLE pouches, hydration bladder

AC-96/2 Obokan
6 mags 5.45mm ball
3 mags 5.45mm AP
24 slug shells
Sphere-8 Tactical Helmet (has gas mask and Gen1 NVG)
PSO-1 Scope

Martha

Duct Tape
Poncho

Combine PDA
Combine Odd Device

PS5-M Armor

>>20886467
I assumed that the anti-rad drugs were also Radioprotectant.
If they're not, then I'll make the adjustment to the inventory.

>>20886483

They aren't.

>>20886488
693RU
Combat Knife
Binoculars
Anomaly Detector (Veles)
1 Scientific Medkit
4x Tourist's Delight
Roll of bandages
SPAS-12 (loaded with shot)
62 shells
scrap of paper with scribbles
Specimen Bags
8 F1 grenades
4 Vinca
anti-rad drugs
3x Radioprotectant

*Vintar
*60x 9x39mm

PS5-M Armor
Extended Operator Pack
- magazines, medical, and utility MOLLE pouches, hydration bladder

AC-96/2 Obokan
6 mags 5.45mm ball
3 mags 5.45mm AP
24 slug shells
Sphere-8 Tactical Helmet (has gas mask and Gen1 NVG)
PSO-1 Scope

Martha

Duct Tape
Poncho

Combine PDA
Combine Odd Device
PDA
Stalker PDA

*handed to Bruce

>>20886064
Cheryl should keep up that weak TK shield, so that it's easier for her to keep it up while still protecting her from the first couple shots.

Make progress forward, and continue to use the binoculars and passive psi-dar to avoid threats.

>>20886577
You encounter a handful of mutants as you advance towards the nuclear plant, but you blaze through them... literally.

The closer you get to the plant the louder the sounds of combat get, until finally the mists part in front of you to reveal the Chernobryl Nuclear Power Plant under siege. The Combine have built several makeshift fortifications around the plant with their prefabricated materials, and Monolith have apparently refortified the plant proper, opening fire from numerous barricades and windows. Occasionally you will see monsters erupt from the mist and lay into a squad from either side, or drag them kicking and screaming into that dense fog. The Combine is apparently not having an easy go of it, several Strider and Gunship 'corpses' lying around the perimeter. You spy a handful of slain 'Silent Striders', those biomachines subjected to a blowout and mutated. Bruce takes the lead.

"Come on. I'll lead you to where my partner is waiting."

>>20886825
It's a bit early, but I'm going to call it here for now. I'm sort of drained from RL matters. Picking it up tomorrow at the same time.

>>20886831
Alright, will see you then.

>>20886831

seeya OP. Have a good rest.

>>20886831

Well fuck.

Guess you can't expect 8 hours of questan every time.

If we corporal Shepard, remember, we should yell to him "GODDAMNIT YOU BOOT-FUCKED MARINE, UNFUCK YOURSELF, BLUE ON BLUE!" if he starts shooting at us.

Considering that Spike has an artificial eye, we should offer to upgrade it when we get back to the ship.

We could add all kinds of features to it. Night Vision, Infrared, exographic upgrade, upgraded targeting computer. . .

>>20888822
We could also improve the cybernetics on our Shadowrun teams.
We also need to see if Lazarus can extract the soldier boost data from his EMH Cryokit and apply it to our baseline human troops, like the MetPharm High-Sec and Zombie Hunters.

>>20891309
>>20888822
So much stuff to do.

Also. Bump.

>>20891309
Well, technically in that case, we'd just need to have them climb in.

FIVE HOURS AGO...

"Well, I've got a lot of time on my hands today. Maybe I'll crack open 'A Clash of Kings' and see how far I get."

FIVE MINUTES AGO...

"Fucking Greyjoy bas- HOW IS IT ALMOST EIGHT ALREADY?!"

And then there was TG Quest.

Bruce leads you towards the corner of a twisted and broken chain link fence, at the very edge of the fighting. Gnarled strands of barbed wire still hang from the top, an abandoned APC with a large, blackened hole blown through it forevermore parked nearby. He frowns as he scans the area.

"She's already here, she's just-" he begins to say. A somewhat forceful female voice interrupts.

"Taking cover, like you should be doing. Fong was right, you really are a Don-Gua."

Bruce scowls as a woman with short red hair in sleek black body armor emerges from the APC. "Shut it, you."

File: 1348791993774.jpg-(251 KB, 768x1024, regina.jpg)

>>20897385
The woman looks over Cheryl. "I see you've managed to partner yourself up with someone else again. Kind of young, isn't she?"

"Aw, Reg, it ain't like that," Bruce says with a grin. "She's something like us. Sent to investigate the plant."

"I see," the woman says, skeptically. "I don't suppose you bothered with any details?"

File: 1348792358767.jpg-(20 KB, 174x247, 1338962984439.jpg)

>>20897610
We came here to drink vodka and shoot blood suckers.
Where is the nearest den tovarisch?

Seriously though I have no idea whats goign on sorry MQOP I'll go back to lurking

>>20897610
"Really, does anyone ever give out details to someone they just met, Regina?
"Though we're actually here for Corporal Shephard, not the NPP itself. US Marine, urban camo, tends to wear a gas mask and doesn't talk much."

>>20897610
We were dropped in the middle of nowhere with no orders by an asshole.

We recognized the names of a bunch of troops that were already here and we know work for the guy who dropped us here.

Currently, we're trying to find them.

If you're wondering who I work for, I work for a UN taskforce that deals with the supernatural.

>>20897685
"I saw your man," Regina nods, giving no reaction to Cheryl's knowledge of her name. "He shot his way through the battle to the power plant, then shot down the aliens' last gunship for good measure. That was about four hours ago. Why are you chasing him?"

>>20897673
That makes two of us, friend.

>>20897673
Go read the archives, http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?tags=Meta%20Quest
It's a mountain of stuff, but worth it.

>>20897610
"Well, I was dropped in the middle of a crazy radioactive place by my superiors, so I decided to get help with someone in the same situation."

>>20897707
"I see. So you have no idea what this," Regina waves her hand at the battle. "Is all about?"

"Well, she told me a little about our out-of-towners, but that's it," Bruce says.

>>20897758
Well, we recognize one side as being Combine, which are a group that are trying to take over the place. The other side, I've been told are from around here.

The combine mostly use Bio-mechanical constructs in battle, but this area has been mutating them.

>>20897809
Regina looks over to Bruce.

"At least one of us has skill with mutants," she quips. "Did you find anything?"

Bruce shakes his head. Regina frowns. "Neither did I. Scraps of information about experiments, but nothing about our target."

>>20897849
"So, next stop, Chernobyl NPP? I hope you've got either environment suits, or some anti-rad meds."

4 hours. I would have expected Shephard to have blown up the dark fusion reactor that the Combine likely is setting up here by now.
We still have the problem of not knowing what exactly we're supposed to do once we catch up with Shephard.

>>20897891
"We have something," Regina states. "So your plan is just to waltz into all that and... what, look around?"

>>20897953

We're hoping that whatever we were sent here for will make itself obvious when we get there.

We're kind of making it up as we go along.

>>20897953
"Knowing Shephard, there's going to be an obvious trail of bodies, destruction, and generally things blown to all Hell. He's a Marine, what can you expect?
"Anyway, the Combine and Monolith are stalemated out here, and neither of our objectives appears to be outside the NPP. If you've got a better plan, I'm all ears."

>>20897953
Have you found a way around the fighting to get into the plant that isn't filled with mutants or horrible radiation?
I suppose we could look for where the Combine reinforcements are coming from, and try to destroy their dark fusion reactor.

>>20898045

"I would start by taking measure of the plant's perimeter and finding the best way in at least," Regina states. "You can look for your marine, but Bruce and I have our own mission."

>>20898082
"I can tell you where they get reinforcements," Reigna says with a snort. "They fall from the damned sky. Never too many, and always scattered and chaotic, but that's where they come from. The sky bends in on itself and spits them out."

"DT," Bruce murmurs.

>>20898145
>Dimensional Transport
"Well, that's actually a relief in a way. Means that they don't have a dark fusion reactor set up yet to bring in their real forces."
Checking the perimeter of the NPP for a way to get in sounds like the best bet for now.
Just be on the lookout for Combine patrols, Monolith squads, and mutants.

There should be a dried up canal, and if you follow the road east and north, there should be some train cars, and if you go past them, there shouold be an opening into the actual NPP grounds.

>>20898145

Col. Shephard was likely sent in here to do something to disrupt these invaders. It would probably be a good thing for all of us if these bio-mechanical monstrosities and soldiers would stop falling from the sky, I think.

But nonetheless, it would be much better to enter the plant with as least resistance as possible. Have you scoped the place out yet, or are we going to do the recon now?

>>20898337
"There should be a dried up canal," Cheryl pipes up under your direction. "If you follow the road east and north, there should be some train cars, and if you go past them, there should be an opening into the actual NPP grounds."

"Looked at a map, have we? It's a start," Regina nods.

>>20898377
"Haven't been able to, I didn't beat you here by much," Regina says. "There were... things in the fog."

"Should we take that canal route and then scope out in the inner grounds for a way in?" Bruce asks. "We could split up once we're past the perimeter, contact via radio once we find a breach."

>>20898466
I'm a little wary of splitting up, but this is a good plan.

>>20898466
I don't like splitting up, but we can't spend too much time here. The radiation isn't as bad as what's in the Sarcophagus, but it's still kind of hot.
Let's find Shephard and help him with whatever the G-Man wants, and get out of here.

>>20898466

Lets get there first.

We'll decide later if we want to split up the party.

Rolled 68

>>20898497
>>20898531
>>20898544
"We'll figure out whether or not to split up when we get there," Cheryl nods. "But that sounds good otherwise."

"Then let's not waste time," Regina declares as she unholsters and chambers a round into her pistol. "Lead the way."

>>20898798
Remember to keep the weak TK shield up in case someone notices you and takes a shot.

>>20898798
Bruce and Regina prove fairly quickly that they are no strangers to sneaking around, and with Cheryl's psychic sense to spot sentries before they have a chance to see them, the infiltration is a great success. Of particular use is the silenced Vintar Cheryl gave to Bruce. The sniper rifle's ammunition is half spent by the time the trio reaches the inner grounds of the plant, but a trail of slain Monolith sentries, killed before they knew they were under attack, are proof of its utility. Even a Combine Elite fireteam that were acting as advance scouts do not manage to do more than slow the three down as they gun them down and arrive.

"OK, we're doing pretty well so far. Split up or what?" Bruce asks.

>>20898885

My first instinct would be to stay together. We don't know what's going to be inside the plant, and getting caught in a firefight with two other people at your back is much better than getting caught alone. Although Shephard has likely blown a path into the power plant, there may be a chance that either Monolith or the Combine has a heavy presence inside the plant.

If we run into more Silent Striders, we're going to want to have each others' backs as well.

>>20898885
Voting that we split up.
We need to cover ground and find evidence of Shephard.
Be on the lookout for the blue lasers of trip mines and keep the TK shield up.

>>20898885

I guess we can split up but we'll need to stay in contact. Share comm codes with Regina so we can call each other in a pinch.

>>20897385
Ah. I'm reading all the Inio Asano manga I can get my hands on right now.

Stay together. Never split the party. It's too damn dangerous. If we're together, we can watch each other's backs - if we're apart, we'll be easy prey.

>>20899234
That, and we're likely getting near the end of the road, so resistance will probably be heaviest in here.

Rolled 5

>>20899241
2 for and 2 against. I will let fate decide. High roll is split up, low is stay together.

File: 1348800018101.png-(3 KB, 203x210, 1329484336207.png)

>>20899279

>Using high/low to choose when YOUR dice seed has always chosen crit fails whenever possible.

Really?

Rolled 68

>>20899298
I guess I could just wait another half hour, burning quest time for someone to break the tie. Or if you're THAT superstitious, odds split up, evens stay.

>>20899414
Even numbers, so still staying. Good enough for you, Senor Grumpypants?

>>20899421

Just needed to get that out of my system.

Accept my apologies for my outburst, good sir.

>>20899421
Now that it's been decided, what failure will befall us now?
Will traveling in a larger group end up making us more noticeable and get us bogged down in firefights?
Will Shephard mistake us for Monolith and shoot at us?

File: 1348801494475.gif-(1022 KB, 308x240, 5KPlX.gif)

Rolled 7

>>20899479
Accepted, and mine as well. Have a picture of a very happy cat.

>>20899527
I guess we'll find out together!

>>20899421
I panicked when I saw the 5. then I read the post and all was good.

File: 1348801831087.gif-(2.66 MB, 200x113, fuck.gif)

>>20899569

>>20899571
>next roll is a 7
>rolling to see if Shephard shoots us
/TG/ dice still hate us, and your attempts to be clever only make it more wrathful.

>>20899571
Uh....

>>20899569
All three of the radios you carry begin to squeal with static as the ground slowly begins to shake, what sound like tremendous footfalls approaching, getting louder with each second.

>>20899749

Oh shit.

It's probably a pesudo-giant but SILENT HILL.

FUUUUU. Run run RUN. Do not engage in close-combat!

>>20899749
Yeah, posting without refreshing does that. >>20899627's Gif sums it all up. just. Just Fuck man.

>>20899749
Run and get inside a building!

>>20899749

Cheryl, get a lead on where that *thing* is using some passive psi sensing. Then direct the group to run away from it.

Rolled 84

>>20899798
>>20899808
>>20899846
Cheryl wastes no time in racing away from the sound, Bruce and Regina following after. A loud roar cuts the air and Regina winces. The pounding grows faster, the creature's pace picking up.

A dark shape looms behind the three, almost out of the fog.

>>20899867
"Right behind us!!!" Cheryl shouts.

>>20899964

Big shit cannot climb!

Stairs or whatever you can find. Find elevation!

>>20899964
Though sheer luck, Bruce spies an ajar door in the power plant's main complex. Hastily, he grabs the other two by the shoulders and drags them with him into the small room beyond. The fog obscures detail, but something large and dark moves past the doorway.

File: 1348803631023.jpg-(43 KB, 427x640, SQUADBROKEN.jpg)

>>20899964
>>20899995

pic related

>>20900024

Good man.

Back on mission then.

Move as far as you can inside. Who knows how long the thing's arm/tentacle/gripping appendage is.

>>20900024

Alrighty, see if we can move inside the NPP. If we can, do so, look for tripmines or signs of Shepard.

>>20900024
Alright, continue further inside, and use the Floating Clothes trick in case there's unfriendliness inside.

>>20900062
Cheryl takes a moment to steady herself and moves to the back of the room, which has faded maps and posters on the wall. A rusted door is there, an electronic lock on it.

Outside the thundering footsteps have faded to the background, though they are still audible.

>>20900152
Heh, Easy lock is easy mode.

Overload the lock with a large Electric charge, frying the circuits, then use TK to open it. Impossible to fuck up.

>>20900152
>>20900180

FUCK THAT.

Cheryl, use pyrokinetic psychic thermite to burn the lock out.

>>20900152
Miss Regina, Bruce mentioned something about 3rd Energy, that's from your home world correct? Did something happen to Dr. Kirk?

>>20900180
>>20900201
Cheryl fries the circuits with a light charge easily enough, but when she tries to use telekinesis to grope for and manipulate the fine mechanisms of the lock, she gets frustrated and just ends up melting the bolt with pyrokinesis. "Door's open," she calls back to Bruce and Regina, who are watching the fog outside warily.

The door opens into a long concrete hall, several large cracks on the left side letting in fingers of outside light. Four doors and a split to another hall are on the right.

>>20900284
Eh, that works.
First door on the left or the one Cheryl feels luckiest about.

>>20900284

Room clearance drill, go.

>>20900257
"Did he now?" Regina frowns at Bruce, who shrugs, sheepishly. "He's still in custody. But we thought Third Energy might be behind all this. Given the complete lack of evidence, it seems that little theory was incorrect."

Rolled 60

>>20900322
Cheryl tries the first door and frowns as it won't budge.

"Locked. And rusty, of course."

Room Clearance, by the numbers. Via shotgun, please, Cheryl, at these ranges it's a better choice.

>>20900362
See if your psychic senses feel anything beyond the door, first.
Switch to the shotgun, since it'll be better at these ranges.
You should step well back and try to TK brute force the door open.
Shephard might have left some party favors behind.

>>20900442

Oh, you should also have a TK shield up.

No telling what kind of traps are around, and a simple door-rigged detonator is a common city fight trap.

>>20900340
If I might ask, behind all what? The Fog? Or the Dimensional Incursions from the Combine?

Should we tell her what we know, guys?

>>20900385
"Yeah, yeah," Cheryl says as the radios of the three spike up again with static. The young psion is quick to shoulder her Abakan and bring down her SPAS. Bruce puts his assault rifle to his shoulder and leans against the hall's corner.

"I'll cover you," he says. Regina pulls out a shotgun. "I've got this door."

>>20900442
Cheryl narrows her eyes and the door bursts inward, revealing a dusty, shadowy office.

>>20900500
I knew we should have bought a flashlight.
Sen the Floating Clothes in first, after you make sure there's no laser tripwires.

>>20900532

Cops always have flashlights.

Borrow one from Bruce.

>>20900500
>>20900532
>>20900610

Or we could, you know

TURN ON OUR FUCKING NIGHT VISION.

You fucking boot-fucked morons, pay attention to our gear.

>>20900532
Cheryl sends the floating clothes into the room, Regina raising an eye at this trick. A jolt of adrenaline runs through Cheryl unbidden and instinctively she jumps forward, into the room. A half second later, the left wall of the corridor bursts inward in a hail of concrete shard, a great fanged maw issuing a bellow as it reaches inward to snap at where Cheryl had stood a moment before.

"Allosaur!" Regina shouts as she turns, but she is wrong. The saurian head is larger than even that dinosaur, and eyeless and skinless. Blood drips continually from not only its jaws, but from the exposed and bloody flesh as a whole. Great nostils flare and snort as the jaws clash together, a huge neck pushing them deeper into the building as Cheryl rolls on her stomach and scrambles to stand. Regina and Bruce have already opened fire, bullets spattering against decaying flesh to little effect.

>>20900620

BURN IT
TK IT
SHOCK IT
JUST KILL THAT THING SO DEAD THAT THE ZONE KNOWS NEVER AGAIN TO SPAWN SUCH HORRORS.

>>20900620

Burn it.

Bullets against a dino, not too effective, zombie dino? Not effective at all unless we have an elephant gun.

>>20900618
You dumb shit, there's already daylight in the hall we're in.
The night vision would only blind us while we're in the hall, not let us see into the room.
Learn how stuff works before you go accusing others of stupidity.

>>20900663

A Sphere 8 tactical helmet would have the latest NV on it, which, itself, can be used in low or daylight conditions with no ill effects.

Bitch, get the fuck out and learn your modern NV systems.

>>20900620
Cheryl set it on fire and shoot it.

>>20900701

Wait, why are doing this in two steps?

Cheryl, as you fire your weapon, superheat the bullets as the leave the barrel so they sublimate into plasma after they clear the barrel.

>>20900695
http://stalker.wikia.com/wiki/Tactical_helmet
The Sphere-08 uses a FIRST GENERATION NV system.
Why don't YOU learn what you're talking about.

Rolled 84

>>20900723
"Psychic plasma? I'll give it a try..." Cheryl says as she levels the shotgun and fires. Bruce and Regina have cast aside their pistol and rifle and fumble for new weapons. The concrete around the breach begins to creak and crack under the pressure from the beast attempting to force his way in.

>>20900695
>Sphere

Read it please.

Sphere has only GEN ONE.

It's not even 2nd or 3rd generation NVG.

>>20900620
Okay, yeah. Let's break this down for Regina and Bruce. That fog? That's something called Silent Hill, it's from my world. It manifests fears and personality quirks as monsters. When we joined Bruce, we encountered Silent Hill'd Zombies, since we've joined up with Regina we've now got Silent Hill'd Zombie Dinosaurs. And this is on top of the shit the combine is throwing at us and stuff native to the Zone. Which is also getting Silent Hill'd.

Just FYI, so you know what we're up against.

File: 1348807551694.jpg-(19 KB, 267x274, 1329632552919.jpg)

>>20900751

Bracing for awesome

>>20900751
I'm so glad that the usual thing didn't happen and the shells simply explode inside the barrel.

We got lucky this time, but we shouldn't depend on it.

>>20900751
The buckshot spray glows white hot as it burns into the monster, the creature howling in pain. Those screams only intensify as Bruce pulls out a strange looking gun and laughs as it fires a stream of lightning at the monster. The abomination's misshapen head crashes violently against the ceiling, causing showers of debris to rain down as Regina levels a rocket launcher at the head.

"Stand clear!" she shouts, Bruce and Cheryl only too happen to leap back as a missile launches itself from the weapon to slam into the Zone-spawned nightmare's head and explodes. Part of the ceiling collapses, blocking your vision of Bruce as the monster pulls his head back, leaving half its jaw and fragments of bone and flesh everywhere. As it retreats behind the fog, you can't tell the damage, but given the sheer amount of biomass left behind, it must be extensive.

>>20900773

NO NO NO NO NO NO NO META CONTAMINATION YOU FUCKTARD.

>>20900841

Aye.

With our luck in dice, its only a matter of time.

>>20900847
You alright, Cheryl?
What about our friends here from Shin-Ra?

>>20900773

Do not tell them anything, yet. They already know the effects of the mist, we just don't have to spell it out for them.

They're traditionally good guys, but we don't know who they're working for.

>>20900867
While I agree that we shouldn't mention it, it's technically not Meta-Contamination; they're here not as part of a crossover but as part of another Meta-Faction.

>>20900889
"I'm a little shook up, but fine," Cheryl responds. There is no sign of Bruce, a wall of rubble between where he was and you. Cheryl frowns. "He's alive, just behind the rubble."

Regina dusts herself off and looks around.

"Bruce!" she shouts.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," the voice comes from behind the crumbled concrete, muffled and annoyed. "Guess I'll try to find a way around this mess."

>>20900912

Without our meta-sensors we can't know that for sure.

Better to play it safe, numbnuts.

>>20900941

Cheryl, can you TK the rubble and the area around it to see if it's safe to shift? If you can, shift just enough out of the way for Bruce to link up, if not, we'll need to find alternate linkups.

>>20900941

With Cheryl's TK powers, we have an edge in clearing that rubble.

Cheryl, think you're up to removing and supporting the weight of that rubble so that it doesn't collapse? By doing that, either Bruce or you two could cross over to the other side.

>>20900941

Cheryl, do you think you could try to telekinetically lift the concrete? Or is the barrier too thick?

>>20900946
We already know for sure, seeing as they have their own objective in the Zone. Hell, this canon is already contaminated or did you not notice THE FUCKING COMBINE TROOPS AND ZOMBIE DINOSAURS YOU FUCKING RETARDED PIECE OF SHIT!?

Inform Regina and Bruce. I'm willing to bet the G-Man was counting on the overly super secretive nature of some of these fucktards to make the mission harder.

Rolled 54

>>20900971
>>20900962
>>20900959
"Hang on... I'm going to try and move that rubble," Cheryl declares, narrowing her eyes at the pile as her hands ball into fists at her side.

>>20900990
Why are we bringing it up with them?
They already know we're from a Meta-Agency just like them, and knowing the nature of the Silent Hill fog doesn't make fighting its monsters any easier.
Sure, it's interesting information, but it's not useful to completing either of our objectives.
They know that the fog has made the local mutants stronger; what else is there to k ow? That there will be dinosaurs and zombies? They were already prepared for that.

>>20901017
Cheryl clears the rubble to either side, managed a narrow passageway for Bruce to step through. He whistles.

"Impressive!"

>>20901053
Because knowing the nature of the Silent Hill fog may allow them to overcome it. If you didn't notice, we're not seeing anything from Cheryl's Silent Hill and we've determined the monsters change based on who we're with. So we have to be seeing Regina and Bruce's Silent Hills right now. I'm hoping that if they can overcome their Silent Hill, we'll end up with only Zone and Combine shit and no more Zombie Dinosaurs.

>>20901082

We don't even know if this is Silent Hill proper. It could just be a teeny bit of its influence; enough to bring back terrible memories as monsters, but not so much as to provide an introspective way to get over traumas and defeat those monsters in the process.

>>20901103
Nope, but if it has a chance of getting rid of Zombie Dinosaurs then I'm all for telling them and giving it a try. The worse that'll happen is nothing and then they'll know how Silent Hill fog works. Whoopdie-Doo, Basil.

>>20901125

How is telling them about silent hill going to get rid of zombies or dinosaurs?

Just knowing how the fog works didn't help Cheryl, Data and Spike when we were at that damn horror planet or made the monsters go away.

>>20901082
We've seen at least 3 instances of things changed by the fog when we were only with Cheryl: the leech-bloodsucker, the psi-chimaera, and the mutating effects of a blowout on a Strider. All of those were brought about by the fog when we were only with Cheryl.
None of the monsters we've faced have to deal with any deep-seated fears or traumas, just what the people we are with are most used to fighting against.

>>20901153
Did you not just listen to what we were saying. If you overcome Silent Hill, it will stop your fears from appearing. I'm guessing this is why we haven't seen any of Cheryl's Silent Hill monsters.

>>20901189
Those were Zone and Combine things though, and we could still tell what the native version was. We didn't start seeing zombies and dinosaurs until we met Regina and Bruce.
And would you guess that Pyramid Head was repressed sexuality?

File: 1348809705973.jpg-(39 KB, 450x268, 1148_1253230725640.jpg)

>>20901198

Then please explain whos fears were manifesting when that fucking strider appear-...

...

Fuck

The fears that are manifesting are that of the command crew.

Ok, you retards who want to spill the beans to people who aren't in the TG, here's the reason why you don't fucking tell randoms.

SECURITY CLEARANCE, MOTHERFUCKER. AND OPSEC.

We won't break security and tell these people shit that doesn't directly impact our survival. That includes who Cheryl is and her relation to the Fog. Because that is dumb as shit, entirely against regulations.

Now shut the fuck up and figure out a way to find Shepard for Cheryl.

>>20901244
Yes, because those giant Zombie Dinosaurs aren't a hazard to our survival at all. Nope, not a hazard at all.

>>20901076
Back to actually getting something done instead of arguing in circles; now that we've linked up with Bruce, what doors are still open to us? Also, is there any static on our radios?

>>20901275

If we tell them about the fog and Cheryl's connection to it, they may try to abduct her later on. We presume that they're working for Shin-Ra, but that's not a given. Until we know what exactly they're looking for here and what their intent to do with it is, we keep quiet.

>>20901275

They know the fog is mutating shit, and the Zone is partially psychic.

That's all they need to know.

>>20901275

Those things likely followed them. Just telling them about the fog isn't going to make them disappear!

Bruce said he'd been killing off zombified stalkers even before the fog rolled in and no matter where he went.

>
"No matter where I go, it seems I can't avoid these things," Bruce quips. "Them being able to shoot back is new, though."

>>20901319
If it impacts our survival, they need to know it. And going through Silent Hill with two people who haven't conquered it yet counts as them needing to know.

>>20901306
The static on your radios has faded to a background whisper, but it is still present.

There are three rooms left and the hall that leads deeper into the building.

>>20901327
He was referring to being from a resident evil game and zombies appearing in NxC.

>>20901337

Continue room clearance. Make sure the rooms are secure, then move further into the building.

>>20901349

So they're following him, are partially a result of him being here or he is here as a result of them. Not a figment of his fear since he doesn't seem to be very scared of them. At all.

>>20901337
Finish clearing the rooms so we don't have something come up behind us.
Use the breaching method we used before.

>>20901381
It's not surface shit, it's deep seated shit. Repressed shit. And since he said that them shooting back was new, it's logical to conclude that those ones appeared because of him.

Hell, Cheryl caused the Silent Hill incursion, what if it's STRONGER around her?

>>20901407

No, those were just regular Zombie Stalkers, and then the Fog gave them T-Virus symptoms. Assuming that he was in the Zone when he first started encountering them.

>>20901407

Because after she, Data and Spike got out of our first Silent Hill encounter, Meta OP said they gained FEARLESS.

No more fear of monsters or repressed shit.

Rolled 67

>>20901383
Covered by Bruce and Regina, Cheryl searches the remaining rooms.

>>20901489
Two of the rooms are empty save for abandoned offices. The third was once a storage room of some sort, but when you breach it, a quartet of zombified Combine stagger forward and raise their guns. The guns rise too slowly however. Cheryl tosses a grenade into the room and telekinetically brings the door back up to shield the others from the blast.

There is not much of interest, but one of the offices holds a tattered map of the NPP.

>>20901463
Which is why we haven't seen anything from hers.

>>20901489
MetaOp, can we try and chat with Regina and Bruce. Maybe figure out what their objective is since we'll have to hit both eventually.

>>20901522

10 credits on Shepard heading towards the wish granter. Any takers?

>>20901560

I'm not 100% sure about that, he might also end up heading directly for C-Con.

We'd need to find a way to track him without active psychic emissions, this close to C-Con, there's no telling what active psychic scanning and telepathy could do.

>>20901583

Well in any case.

We need to go deeper.

Wonder how we'll do in an inception mission.

>>20901522
Can we find where we are in the NPP using the map?
How close are we to the Sarcophagus?
I'm guessing that Shephard is heading towards C-Con, and we need to go there.

>>20901526
"Found a map," Cheryl says, handing it over to Bruce and Regina. "Maybe you can find what you're looking for on it."

Bruce laughs. "Yeah right. I doubt they'd be so kind as to put our objective on this damn thing."

"You know if you told me your objective, maybe I could help you find it better," Cheryl remarks.

"I could say the same thing, sweetheart," Bruce says with a wink.

>>20901639
You're in the same building, but on the wrong end.

>>20901644

At this time, Shepard is likely our best bet, we find him, doing whatever we need to do will be far easier with an angry, well armed Marine killing everything before him.

>>20901644
Cheryl, set a finger on Bruce's chest and push him with it. "I did. I'm trying to find Shepard before he does anything stupid. Your move."

>>20901729

don't be antagonistic you cumguzzling thundercunt, we need all the help we can get in here, because the Faecal Matter hit the Rotary Impeller a WHILE ago.

>>20901771
What? Also it's not antagonistic. It's flirting.

>>20901792

Yes.

You're flirting with Bruce. Through Cheryl.

I know you want to be the little girl but not like this, man.

>>20901644
>>20901644
"If we knew our objective we wouldn't be having such a hard time. We're only following Shephard because he's another operative for the guy we're doing a favor for and by bumping into him we can do what we're expected to do.
"Now, let's look around for the C-Con stasis pods and keep the anomaly detector out and Floating Clothes in front."

>>20901792

What the fuck kind of retard moeshit tsundere animu are you basing your idea on flirting off of?

Cheryl, objectives stay the same. Find and link up with Shepard hoping he knows what to do, or keep moving forward until the G-Man gets off his extra-dimensional ass and deigns to tell us what to do.

>>20901804
Well, technically Cheryl isn't a little girl in any sense of the word. Also, at least I'm being reserved. Last girl who Bruce fell for tried to kill him like three times, then she got disowned by her country who tried to use a sattalite laser to kill her before Bruce rescued her.

>>20901816
Good plan. "Let's wander around blind while not telling our allies anything and hope we do what we need to do."

>>20901843

You know what, screw this.

Cheryl, you're still our agent on the ground. Do what you will regarding this. You don't need us telling you what to do everytime.

>>20901843
Then can you tell us our objective?
We've already told Bruce and Regina we're on Shephard's trail, and they'll help us as long as it's in the interests of their objective, which they have refused to name, an continue to refuse to elaborate on. Every time we've given them information, they haven't given any back.
The comment about Shin-Ra Bruce made? That just shows he knows about them; he didn't say he was working for them.

>>20901843

That's the objective we told Bruce, you derp. We don't know what we need to do because G-Man is a buddy-fucking cumgoblin, we need Shepard because he MIGHT know what to do.

>>20901897
Which is why we keep prodding them. But no, flirting with him is bad. Telling them shit we've already told them is bad. Let's be as tight lipped as G-Man and pray shit goes out way, BECAUSE THAT HAS TO WORK OUT!

>>20901926
We already told them that we don't know our objective and that we're trying to get to Shephard because he MIGHT know.
What, is saying that again going to make Bruce suddenly tell us everything about his operation that we obviously don't have the clearance for?
Instead of retreading ground that we've been over, we could have been looking for Shephard.

>>20901971
Oh, right I forgot. Well, you might have problems with it, but most people can talk, walk AND breathe at the same time. I know, I know. Doing three things at once seems unpossible, but I assure you it's true.

And what are you going to do when Shepard is just as lost as the rest of us, eh?

>>20901729
Bruce raises an eyebrow, the ghost of a grin on his face. "And we're trying to find out what's going on here. Yours."

>>20901807
Cheryl continues with the suggested words. "...now let's look around for the C-Con pods."

Bruce blinks. "The what?"

>>20901897
"I've already told you I'm trying to track Shepard several times and you haven't given me shit concerning what you're doing. You wanna accuse me of holding something back? Fuck you, you're doing the same thing times ten."

"She's got us there, I guess," Regina sighs. "OK, we thought this whole mess might've been caused by Third Energy, so we've been searching for links to it."

"We're working with Shin-Ra for now," Bruce nods. "They deal with bizarre stuff like this. They picked up a bunch of crazy readings and then..."

Regina shoots Bruce a glare. Bruce frowns at her and continues anyway.

"Well, then people started getting DT'd left and right. Some got sent off to find them, some got sent off to figure out what's going on. Guess which group we're part of."

File: 1348813964930.jpg-(90 KB, 500x642, seethisstopit.jpg)

>>20901986

Let's save the passive-aggressive verbal attacks for our unfortunate consequences benefactor person, alright? I know there's not much of an outlet since Requisitions arguing stopped like a few months ago, but there's no need to ramp up the personal attacks.

If Shepard has no idea of what to do, then we'll just recount what we do know of the G-man and extrapolate from there. It probably has something to do with wrecking the Combine's interests here or eliminating their presence somehow.

>>20902005

I don't think Third Energy had much of anything to do with this, the intel we have shows the Zone was the result of a bunch of incompetent retards who messed with things they couldn't control.

The Combine are just very, very evil people who can dimension hop and do so to expand their dominion.

(I'm not sure if we should say this or not)

>>20902005

>Crazy readings

Perhaps this corresponds with the detonation of the STOB?

>People getting "DT" left and right

Ask Bruce and/or Regina. Were these DT'd people dangerous and competent combatants? Or more like research-type people?

>>20902005
Collective Consciousness. The thing here that caused the damage to the Noosphere.

And I don't think Third Energy has anything to do with this, or if it does I haven't seen anything concerning it until Bruce mentioned it.

Did you have the same kind of DT'ing as the Combine uses? What kind of portal was it?

And then between those of us in the mind of Cheryl: Could it have been the Orz or G-Man causing the DT?

>>20901986
You got an answer, now what are supposed to do with it? It doesn't get us one step closer to our objective, and their objective most likely has nothing to do with ours here.

>>20902005
"Could be that the person who took your people is the same one who took me. He's got a tendency to take people that can get the job done for him, usually without even telling them what the job is. It's why we don't like dealing with him.
"Anyway, that's about all we know. If you were sent here by Shin-Ra rather than the G-Man, count yourselves lucky.
"Of course, we still have to find out what he wants done here. Shephard probably doesn't know what we're supposed to do, but it's statistically likely that he'll end up doing it, whatever 'it' is."

Now we have to try searching the building for any traces of Shephard.

>>20902083
Most likely the G-Man, as Orz *pulling* is apparently quite painful and noticeable, according to the video records we've seen.
He's probably trying to stop a Combine push to expand their sphere of influence.

>>20902083

G-Man doesn't seem the type to just grab people left and right. He seems to prefer to observe a particular person of interest for a long period of time, and then when the opportunity presents itself, nab that person as his own agent. Illusion of choice schpiel not included.

It might be possible that the Orz entity was doing such a thing, but as far as we knew, it was only confined to the canons that we showed it to. They may have chanced upon other canons that were doing their own research into a Interdimensional Fatigue-equivalent, and attracted the wrong type of attention. The Androsynth didn't all disappear overnight, after all; their brainy-types started to disappear and observed poltergeist-like behavior for some time, then the huge *pulling* incident happened.

>>20902112
We extrapolate. They picked up high energy readings before the Dimension Transports, and were sent here to find out why. If it is the G-man and they picked up on it, it means their sensors are much much better then ours. It's also possible that it was people kidnapped by the combine for conversion as part of the assault into this reality.

>>20902083
>>20902112
"Wait, what's a Noosphere?" Bruce asks, confused. "You... know what did all this?" He winces. "Does... does that mean to complete our mission all this time, all I had to do was ASK you?"

"Not the same as the Combine," Regina answers. She winces. "We... were sold a... unique method of travel."

"You'll find out if you need to hitch a ride with us at the end of all this," Bruce says with a wink. "Anyone the DT'd people were our buddies. We were all at this big celebration thing, then all of a sudden chaos!"

>>20902192
Interesting ideas, but still useless to us. It doesn't tell us what the G-Man wants us to do, nor is it that useful at a strategic sector level as it doesn't tell us what to do or where to go, only that other people got mixed up in the problems of our sector.

>>20902229

We know what created the Zone, and who the Combine are and their methods. We don't know who or what transported your people.

>>20902229
The Noosphere is sphere of human consciousness and mental activity especially in regard to its influence on the biosphere and in relation to evolution. It's an actual part of this world, and the C-Con damaging it is what created the Zone. I have no idea if it has anything to do or is related to what's DT'ing your people.

And hopefully I won't have to hitch a ride and my boss will put me back where I belong. But, knowing him...

>>20902229
"Should have just gone with the info exchange the first time. Anyway, can't leave by your method. G-Man put together a situation so that we need his particular brand of transport to get back to where we belong.
"Anyway, yeah, the Combine being here us just your regular alien invasion. Probably wanted to take advantage of the general chaos that broke out, what your sensors picked up."

Now let's find Shephard, or in the process of looking for him, find our objective. That's the way the G-Man always works.

>>20902317
"So... it's like a psychic field around the whole globe?" Regina asks.

"What, like the Force or something?" Bruce asks.

"And this C-Consciousness... what is it exactly?" Regina asks.

>>20902324
Bruce groans and rubs at his head. "Everything's always harder than it has to be..."

>>20902356
The Force? Encountered some Jedi, have we? And the simplest explanation is a bunch of dudes in pods created a subconsciousness.

I know how you feel Bruce.

>>20902356

C-Con is the aforementioned group of retarded scientists poking shit that shouldn't be poked. If our intel is correct, they were killed already by a Stalker named Strelok.

There may or may not be a new C-Con, though. As it is, we need to find Shepard, he has an uncanny ability to do what is needed and he might need our help.

>>20902388
>subconsciousness.
That should be Superconsciousness.

>>20902356
"C-Con was a group of scientists that tried to merge ther minds together in order to manipulate the Noosphere. Their idea was that since the Noosphere is all human thought, they could end all misery and strife by erasing anger and hate. It ended as well as you can imagine, and the tear in the sphere created the Zone.
"Some reports have the C-Con being killed by Strelok, but we can't be sure.
"Right now, my best bet on finishing up here is to find Shephard. He doesn't know what our objective is, but he invariably chooses the right thing to blow up."

>>20902388
"What? No, I watched the... pods?" Bruce sighs. "I don't want to even think of the report I'm going to have to write..."

>>20902389
"Mad scientists. Great," Bruce and Regina say in unison. They give each other a funny look, then sigh.

"So again it boils down to finding Shepard. Guess we won't be splitting off after all," Bruce says. "Given our missions seem to be THE SAME DAMN THING."

>>20902451
"So the C-Con are a bunch of scientists in pods. Shouldn't be too hard," Regina says, checking her pistol.