>>21481062

Recently, you've met with Dieter VonBraun, the resident Physicist and Test Specialist. He's a kindly old man who seems very soft-spoken, and mindful of his sister Wanda, and her daughter, his niece, Ilsa, both of which are Fabricators. He also seems to be a whiz at designing custom testing equipment, but perhaps a bit scatterbrained.

Next, you had a meeting with Wan Lee Hatamoto, the Energy Specialist. Prim, succinct, and blunt seemed to be his modus operandi, and you curtly discussed the specifications off the Hazard Pay as it pertains to the 175u Fusion engine you will be using, the modifications that need to be made, and lastly his request that you try to secure Freezers when the Arms Dealer arrives in another 36 hours or so.

After your stuffy meeting with Hatamoto, you regtreat to Janine's quonset, to discuss the coming meeting with the Dealer,

and set a budget. But before you can get to details, Ilsa, Dieter's niece, bursts into the room in a huff, announcing that she's found something under the tarmac...

Goody!

Welcome back Anontech!

>>21481126

(Thanks. Hopefully we get some more people in here in the next 5-10 minutes so we can get underway!)

>>21481079

Well, let's see what's got this girl all hot and bothered and flustered, because it's either something Fan-Fucking-Tastic or it's going to kill us all, and either way we should have a front row seat.

>>21481138
Sounds like a plan. Maybe its a few more medium lasers and spare parts.

Some bases have been known to have little hidden compartments somewhere in their base.

>>21481079
Alright, let's see what's got Ilsa so excited.
(Star League cache? I hope it's a Star League cache.)

>>21481138
I'm betting on the latter.

OP should post sup/tg/ or foolz archive links to the other threads.

inb4 a giant stash of Star League Twinkies (still preserved after all those years)

Is it more AC-2s? Because I think we need more AC-2s

>>214811721

can do

http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?tags=MechEngineer%20Quest

>>21481138
>>21481157

You and Janine head over to the door, as Ilsa catches her breath. She looks up at you and smiles, but speaks to Janine.

"So... hey. You gotta see... what I found!"

Janine smiles and pats the younger woman on her shoulder.

"Catch your breath sweetie and we'll see what you've found."

Ilsa takes a moment, and then stands, stretches, and puts her hands on her hips.

"Well... I can't really explain it, cause I can't really see what it is yet. I've got Ivan getting lights and rope. Lots of rope. So follow me!"

She bounds off with a smile, and Janine sighs, putting her hands on her hips.

"I wasn't anywhere near that energetic at her age. Watching her makes me feel old. Well, shall we then?"

File: 1352357206514.jpg-(26 KB, 200x350, 1338964194228.jpg)

>>21481197

>>21481172

(Aww sheet son, I plumb forgot. Here's both threads so far:)

http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/21368164/
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/21423338/

>>21481204
"You don't seem old in the least to me.

Let's be on our way, this is either going to be incredibly useful for us, dangerous, or both. Either way it'll be exciting."

>>21481231
professional yet suave

>>21481204

Let's get on, then. See what's up.

>>21481204
Let's go check it out.

>>21481266
>>21481255
>>21481231

You and Janine pace yourselves across the tarmac, well behind Ilsa and her youthful exuberance. As you walk, Janine pipes up.

"Ropes and lights... sounds to me like she found some kind of underground storage. Might be a good thing for us... we could use a windfall right about now, you think?"

You approach the spot, and see fabricators, techs, and the rest of the staff gathered around a big hole in the middle of the tarmac. It resembles one of those elevators that allows access to the sewer/underground conduits in urban centers, but you don't see a platform.

Some of the crew are rigging rappelling lines, and getting ready to descend and check things out as you arrive. Ilsa looks excited, but everyone else seems more wary.

>>21481311
"Whether it's good for us depends on what's in there.

Does anyone have any preliminary reports on what's down there? How old it is? Anything like that?"

>>21481311

"Also, is it likely to explode?"

>>21481311
"So, anyone got any idea what's down there? I take it this wasn't on the facility blueprints we were given."

>Inspiration for the AC/2 model Hazard Pay Battlemech.gif
Remember your origins.

http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/21423338/images/1352025160093.gif

>can't post images via linking them in iOS 6

>>21481333
>>21481340
>>21481348

You ask around when you arrive, but no one has any answers for you, except Ivan.

"Engineer! Our little Ilsa has found us very big hole. I am as curious as you what it could be. Maybe it is trap? Maybe it is bank vault? Maybe it is cache of some kind? I am throwing a flare to the bottom, and it is looking like pit is tens of meters deep. Tall enough for 'Mechs even. This pleases Ivan muchly; he is hoping that there is something to be working on down there!"

You peer over the edge, and see the orange flair burning at the bottom, but not much else. Seems to be completely man-made, with the floor the heavy-duty cement block that makes up the tarmac you are currently standing on. At the edge of the light you can see a dust-covered tarp slung over something low and flat.

The rappel team seems ready to descend.

>>21481401

Peer over, keep an eye out, and DON'T FALL, for the love of god we'd die and that would be awful.

>>21481401
Lie back, smoke a cigarette, let the rappel team do their job. No point in going down ourself yet, if they find it to be a mech or tank or something like that we'll want to go down and take a look as we're probably the best one here for identifying old battle machines.

>>21481401

As you look, someone shouts from behind you, and Goddard comes running towards you, arms full of rolled up drafting paper.

He stops next to you and pants for a moment, then spills the papers on the ground, and starts unrolling.

"Before you guys go down there let's check this out, huh?"

>>21481443
"Sure. What are those, old schematics for the location or something like that?"

Start leafing through the drafting paper.

>>21481062
hell yes, im just sorry my timezone doesnt match up ill check back on this in the morning :)

>>21481443
"Are those the blueprints for this place? They mention anything about a basement?"

>>21481443
Sounds good to me, don't want to be jumping head or feet first into radioactive waste or anything.

>>21481458

Might want to keep an eye out for revision dates, depending on the nature of the drawings.

>>21481443

Let's have a look, then, boss.

>>21481443
"Sounds like a good idea."
Let's check those plans.

>>21481471

(sorry to hear, i'm getting lots of feedback that i should start earlier. i don't wanna alienate everyone used to it being later though either. after it's over we can try to do a planning session maybe to get an idea of good times to start things up for now)

>>21481458

"Yeah, I got them at City Hall when I bought the place. Never really looked through them though, I just made sure it had an office building and some 'Mechbays, to be honest. Not my smartest moment, probably."

Goddard unrolls the blueprint, and reveals the technical drawing of the depot. He starts trying to make sense of it, but you see everything there is to see. After all, 'Mech, building, complex... they're all designed in the same way pretty much. So your eyes dart around, looking for this thing you've just found.

>>21481518
Light a cigarette.

Cigarettes and drafting paper go together SO WELL

>>21481518
Keep on looking, it'll be on the basement level and it might only be in the really old versions of the blueprints.

It might be an extension of one building that got cut off and forgotten somehow.

File: 1352359054704.jpg-(323 KB, 1017x786, tro_prototypes_cover_by_f(...).jpg)

>>21481518
Oh boy oh boy oh boy.
Looks like we'll be scratching that old HZP design. That's SO last hour...

>>21481518
Let's put that training to use and see what we got ourselves here.

>>21481554
>>21481542
>>21481531

You puff on your smoke while your eyes trace the layout.

Goddard frowns. "I can't make heads or tails of this... is this the main building or the tarmac?"

You smirk, and keep looking, but you don't see where this thing is either. It doesn't seem to be on this blueprint.

You tug another one out from under Goddard, who protests but then goes back to scratching his head.

"On to something chief?"

You shrug as you unroll the paper; it is older and more yellowed than the other draft. You lean over it, and Goddard does too, still mystified.

After a moment, you point to a spot on the tarmac. Goddard squints.

"All I see is 'DR445'. The hell does that mean?"

You smirk at him, but before you can point to it, Janine beats you to the punch:

"DR445? That's the serial number on the underside of those doors."

>>21481610
>imsoexcited.jpg

>>21481610
'Come on, Janine. You're stealing my thunder.'

>>21481629
"I'm gonna have to steal it back by going down with the repel team"

>>21481633

Oh no fuck that noise.

So what can we gather from this DR445 business?

>>21481610
"That was cold Janine, I deserved that one.

As for what DR445 means, I have no idea. Might just be a name and not mean anything."

>>21481633
Hell no, we let other people do that first, look through the rest of the prints to see if it has any more information on the room and let people report back to us. If it doesn't explode we can go in later.

>>21481610

is there a vertical datum plane on the drawings to get a better idea of the dimensions of the structure? Notes on the (original?) intent of its design would be good.

>>21481623
>>21481629
>>21481633
>>21481638

You check, double-check, and the check again, but there is no room or chamber attached to these doors on the blueprint.

Janine chuckles at you as you chide her thunder-theft, and Goddard informs you that there are many rooms on the base and you two should go get one, which earns him a laugh from Ivan and a pointed dress shoe in the ribs from Janine.

You muse about going down there with the team, but Goddard forbids it.

"You're too damn valuable. What if you break your design arm?" he posits with his trademark smirk. "Besides, these guys have hardhats. What could go wrong?"

He nods at the rappel team, and they flick their torches on, and leap into the gloomy pit.

>>21481676
>edgeofseataction!!!

>>21481676
"Well, whatever their keeping here it wasn't on any blueprints. It seems to be something they kept secret for some reason and then was forgotten."

Lie back, relax, enjoy the weather and let the repel people do their job.

>>21481676
fair enough, though, I'd suggest going down there with things of a less volatile nature, sure the flare might not have gone off when it was thrown down there, but you can never be too safe

>>21481676

"Well, everything could explode for one, but that's a problem everywhere you go, anyway."

Look around if people look confused. "What, I'm the only person that things like to chronically explode around?"

Obviously we are making funny joke.

No, this is bad idea. Let's see what rappel team alpha finds in the dark recesses of DR445.

>>21481700
Do you mean torch? Because torch is common slang for flashlight.

>>21481676
>what could go wrong?

O man, I am just a-waitin for that other shoe.

I know they're pros and all, but maybe we should suggest they get haz suits and geigar counters.

>>21481700

(I should clarify that by torches i mean those 90 degree-necked flashlights that the military uses)

>>21481715
that...makes sense
mmk, just, tell them not to touch any buttons or anything shiny unless it says lights on it or something

Come on Mackie!!!

>>21481715
>those 90 degree-necked flashlights that the military uses
I FUCKING LOVE THOSE THINGS!
Keep one in every room of my apartment, one in the bike, one in my work gear (I work for the railroad, sometimes you need to see into dark places and those old milsurp flashlights can take a fuckin' beating).

>>21481698
>>21481700
>>21481713
>>21481727

You relax and await the team to radio up top, puffing on your cig.

As they descend, you look at the prints again. You don't see this label on the tarmac on any other print, but you DO see a sub-draft on one of the other blueprints, labeled 'DR445'. It is a descent-sized chamber, but has no electrical, ventilation, or mechanical data. Just dimensions.

You point it out to Goddard and lay it on him in layman's terms.

>>21481776
storage or prison....hurm...

Sweet, sweet lost-tech.

I still say we scrap this mini-stalker thingemabob and instead utilize dose AC/2's to make a mini-jagermech.

>>21481791
Judging that we saw a tarp over something I'm thinking storage, hopefully of something super secret and cool.

>>21481776
Not much to do other than keep on sifting through blueprints and wait for data.

>>21481813
No, bad. NO.

>>21481824
>Judging that we saw a tarp over something I'm thinking storage, hopefully of something super secret and cool.
crossing my fingers bro

>>21481776

There's no title block, or did they just leave it largely blank?

>>21481791
>>21481813
>>21481824

After a moment or two, the walkie-talkie crackles to life.

"We're at the bottom, no issues so far. Geiger is nominal. We're fanning out now. Will sitrep in a few."

Janine takes the walkie from the tech holding it, and replies.

"Just be careful down there. We don't know what it is, but we did find out how big it is, so that's something.'

She relays the info to the rappel team as everyone looks on. After another moment of watching the lights flicker all over below, you hear a report.

"We can see... there are lots of tarps. Some of this stuff is big. I think that might be a crane... wait a minute! We got something!"

The radio goes staticy for a moment as the crewman hollers to someone across the room.

"We got a 'Mech!"

>>21481880
awwwwwwwwwwwww yisssssssssssss

File: 1352361008985.jpg-(133 KB, 960x540, I Came Hangars.jpg)

>>21481880
>"We got a 'Mech!"

>>21481880
"Okay. I'm going down there unless you know what it is. I ought to be able to identify what it is, what model, probably the year too."

>>21481872

(the stuff about DR445 is just dimensions; it's not even properly labeled or annotated as to where it goes in the grand blueprint, or references the number on the other draft. It's just there, in the corner of one of the ventilation prints)

>>21481880

oh boy oh boy, is it an early christmas or an early shitsgiving?

>>21481907
Even if it's Shitsgiving we can scrap it for parts.

>>21481894
and maybe pilot it O_O

>>21481880
An old star-league mech? We can sell it and make our dream quad AC/2 mech a reality!

>>21481918

no, no, we aren't mechwarriors. Knowing how to design a 'mech doesn't mean we can do more than move the feet, barely.

Keep us in an office, not a cockpit.

>>21481918
We're an engineer, not a pilot. We ought to know the very basics, but it's not our job description. Besides after being down there for a while it'll probably need some repair work to function properly.

>>21481927
No, bad Anon.

>>21481813
No-one wants AC/2's! I do

Come to think of it, I forget...DO we have a qualified test pilot on our staff?

>>21481891
>>21481893
>>21481894
>>21481907
>>21481914
>>21481918

You get a little giddy inside at the announcement, and fumble for the radio, which Janine hands you, since this is your expertise. Ivan claps you on the back, wearing a huge grin.

You radio the team, asking them if they can ID the chassis.

"Dunno boss, it's got a tarp on it. Whatever it is is pretty stocky though. Ketterburg seems to think it's an Imp? Whatever that is."

You almost give puppydog eyes to Goddard, who sighs and nods, giving you permission to rappel down there if you really want to.

>>21481941
i sir do not.

>>21481813
>>21481927
>>21481941
I think we may secretly be orks.

Obssesed with dakka and looting and modifying.

>>21481968
down down down!

>>21481940
>>21481930
may not be a pilot, but I'll be damned if we aren't caught in a situation to use the mech we designed because we are one of the few who knows its ins and outs at some plot point in the near future

>>21481968
and down we go

>>21481968

No way it's an Imp, those are a Wolf's Dragoon's special, and this is an old Star League place.

Let's get down and give her an eye.

>>21481989
Our family name is not "Ray".

>>21481968
An imp? How the.. Well shit, this we got to see.

>>21481968
"It's a 100 ton assault mech, first showed up about 3005 or so. Came along with Wolf's Dragoons, never seen anywhere else.

Why in the hell would it be here? Are you sure it's an Imp? I'm coming down there to check."

Rappel down, carefully, and check this shit out.

Waaaait a second.. A mech with a dome..

It's an Urbanmech. Calling it now.

>>21482020
I think an UrbanMech would be recognizable. For one the Imp is 100 tons and the UrbanMech is like 30. Maybe it's a giant UrbanMech, GigaUrbanMech!

>>21481968

If we go down, make sure we have someone double check our rigging and stand by on belay.

Rolled 81

>>21481988
>>21481998
>>21482001
>>21482009
>>21482017

You get geared up, and Janine plops your hardhat on your head for you.

"If you hurt yourself, make sure it's not the part you need to work, hmm?"

She pats you on the shoulder as you gingerly tip yourself over the edge, trying to contain your fear. It's a looooong way down.

(Rolling mishap! Low is good.)

>>21482049
Well fuck. There goes our face.

>>21482049
Dis gon b bad

>>21482049
On the bright side we're more likely to break our ankle than our arm.

Rolled 38

>>21482054
>>21482064
>>21482080

You descend, slowly, ever so slowly. They showed you how to hold the rope and everything, and it's going pretty smoothly.

However, once you reach the bottom, you are reminded painfully about wearing the proper gear for the proper activity, as your dress shoes betray you, and you twist your ankle badly on the landing, having let off the locking pressure on your lower hand a bit too suddenly.

You wince, but manage to hobble to your feet with the help of a crewmember. The radio crackles.

"Everything okay down there?"

>>21482104

(oops, ignore the roll)

>>21482104
"Just my ankle. I'll be just fine.

Let's see what we have here."

Let's go take a look at the Imp, see if it really is an Imp, if so we have something seriously fucking odd going on.

>>21482104

"Twisted ankle, I'm not screaming bloody murder so I know it's not broken. I'll hobble on over to the 'mech and give it a visual, over."

>>21482104
"Hnng, yeah, i'm.. i'm okay. Made it down"

Now let's go see that supposed Imp

We have to consider the legal implications of this thing.

Do we own it or does some predating FWL law or something say the government does. Especially if it is los tech

File: 1352362784285.jpg-(211 KB, 1131x707, battletech___urbanmech_by(...).jpg)

>>21482126
>>21482129
>>21482134

You let them know you're fine, except for the twisted ankle. You hear Goddard curse, but Janine lets him know you can draw without your toes.

The crewman helps you over towards the 'Mech, which you now see towering before you. The chamber itself is about twenty meters high or so, you'd guess. You see things covered in tarps everywhere, but all the light is focused on the largest thing in the room: the shrouded Battlemech.

You examine it as you approach, and at first it even fools your trained eye. You see a very squat, domed chassis, hunched over a bit, at a 65 degree angle or so. The tarp obscures the legs, but reveals large feet. There is evidence of a small module, maybe a shoulder, on the left side of the chassis, but the right side is what confuses you at first.

You think to yourself 'it IS an Imp!' initially, but then, you take note of the total dimensions. Even if it were slouched and kneeling, like you suspected at first, it would be larger...

You order the crew to tug off the tarp, your hunch at the front of your mind as they pull it away.

And your suspicion is proven true. Before you stands a UM-R60, missing its right arm. (Pic related, just no larger cannon arm)

>>21482176
I think a combination of Finders Keepers and not telling anyone about it will help.

I personally advocate not selling it, or letting anyone know about it. It might draw the attention of Wolf's Dragoons, and that could be BAD.

But we can learn a lot from it, the equipment on it ought to be Clan so we might be able to reverse engineer the improved Pulse lasers that Clan has among other things.

>>21482176
>does some predating FWL law or something say the government does
Who cares? Do you even corporate thinking? We just need to cover things up and claim we built it ourselves.

'Well, well, well. We meet again!'

If it's missing it's AC10 we might either be looking at some very impressive insides, or just a stripped down mech.

>>21482215
"Not an Imp. Damn. UrbanMech. Easy mistake to make. Slowest Light Mech in existence."

Take a look at it, see what repair it's in, see if the AC/10 is around.

>>21482215
HAHAHAHAHAHA

O, swell.


Ha. Is much better than nothing though.

>>21482215
>Urbanmech
Well i hope someone picks up that phone..
>>21482020
BECAUSE I FUCKING CALLED IT

File: 1352363064078.jpg-(246 KB, 890x497, It's Shit.jpg)

>>21482215

>>21482215
As you look at the Urbanmech, you get an idea..

"What if we.. remove it's weapons, and replace them with two AC/2s.."

File: 1352363097749.gif-(386 KB, 420x240, You're A Faggot.gif)

>>21482270
NO!

File: 1352363099952.png-(29 KB, 211x193, 1288894368062.png)

>>21482270
YOU!
OUT!

File: 1352363131942.gif-(485 KB, 320x180, You're Pretty Good.gif)

>>21482256

>>21482270
>>21482277
>>21482278
>>21482287
Well, a pair of AC 2s IS the same weight as the (missing) AC 10, and it's not like an urbanmech is worth jack shit as far as mechs go, so we might as well do that to get some sort of defense mech.

>>21482270
YOUR MOTHER DOESN'T LOVE YOU! THIS IS BECAUSE YOU LIKE AC/2s!

>>21482256
You did. I figured that they could tell the difference between a 30 ton mech and a 100 ton mech.

Oh and to make it even better it's missing the AC/10 as far as we can tell. Which means there's a small laser, the wimpiest engine ever, and some jumpjets.

>>21482309
Actually you have something resembling a point. Damn.

>>21482249
>>21482250
>>21482251
>>21482256
>>21482269
>>21482270

You examine the UrbanMech, noting that it seems mostly intact, aside from the entire right arm being missing. You order the crew to fan out a bit and see if they can find it in the vicinity.

You notice something odd about this UM-R60 though; it seems that this one has a module above the left torso containing a small gun. You aren't familiar with this variant...

>>21482309
Yeah, but then people ask us;
'Why the fuck are you trying to sell us an Urbanmech minus it's only benefit?

>>21482320
Please be a timetravelling UM-IIC.

>>21482309
>a pair of AC 2s IS the same weight as the (missing) AC 10
Frankengun time?

>>21482320
Maybe this hunk of junk has some value after all.

And let's examine what's under the other tarps. There might be some valuable weapons here, even if the Mech was shit.

>>21482329
>fooooolish samurai 'mech designer
etc etc

>>21482320
Huh. Since we can't climb up there have someone take a closer look for us.

Does it look like the arm was removed violently or gently? If violently how violently?

>>21482321
It's a singular urbie, we have no reason to mass-produce them (especially when we'd need to get a license from the guys with the plans for them). We can keep it as a defender for our offices and shit.

>>21482342
Long ago, in a distant land, I, AC-2, the despised Master of Uselessness, unleashed an unspeakable evil! But a foolish mech designer wielding medium lasers stepped forth to oppose me. Before the final blow was struck, I tore open a portal in time and flung him into the future, where my evil is law! Now, the fool seeks to return to the past, and undo the future that is AC-2...

>>21482320
We should get one of the techs to check that gun out.

>>21482340
>>21482354

You ask one of the crew to scale the Urbie and check that module, and he nods.

As you watch him scale the 'Mech, your assistant helps you over to a nearby wall where a crewman has uncovered something.

As you approach, you see what looks to be a large flatbed transport; it seems to simply be a cargo bed, seats, wheels, steering column, and a motor. You eventually find a tag with some model information on it, and you discover it has quite the hauling capacity: 11 tons of total weight on the bed can be safely moved with it.

>>21482382
yes
Now where are the drawfags.

>>21482400
Cool, a truck. Let's have people take a look around, look for actual entrances and exits to the place aside from the ceiling. Do a cursory check of the UM's condition, it's missing an arm but does everything else look functional?

>>21482400
Let's have a cursory look around, order the workers to do an inventory and call Ivan to check the Mech inside out with you.

>>21482437

You yell to everyone to search for exits to the chamber, and they comply.

The crewman on the Urbie hollers to you, and you head back over.

"Hey boss... this thing is WEIRD. It's a machine gun, I think... but it has all these optics attached to it. I dunno what the hell they are..."

>>21482491
Take photos. They have digital cameras in the 31st century, right?

>>21482491
I think we have an AMS, people. Lostech on an urbie.

>>21482491
"I don't really feel like climbing up there, take some pictures and show it to me if possible. Otherwise I guess I'll climb up."

>>21482491
"A targeting system of some kind? This ough to be interesting"

Call Ivan to help you oogle over the Mech

>>21482508

You have him take pics with his datapad while you radio Ivan to get down there. He agrees with abandon, and before long his huge form is rappelling down into the chamber.

The crew seems to have uncovered more trucks; four in total. And they have found something else they think you need to see...

>>21482534
Is it weapons? Oh please be autocannons

Once Ivan is with you exchange a few words about the mech and have him inspect it, then go take a look at the other stuff and have a complete inventory be done.

>>21482320
>>21482320
>it seems that this one has a module above the left torso containing a small gun

Holy fuck, gauss rifle?

File: 1352364616324.jpg-(53 KB, 600x422, Phalanx CIWS.jpg)

>>21482521
Nah, a ballistic AMS looks more like a Raytheon Phalanx CIWS.
http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Anti-Missile_System

>>21482570
That's LosTech, probably worth note than the rest of the Mech.

>>21482612
More. Not note. Damn autocorrect.

>>21482521

Either an AMS or a machinegun array

Anontech, since we get to design mechs, does this mean wierd not-quite-standard stuff like Armored Components is possible?

http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Armored_Components

Not familiar with battletech so much, but poptartninja's let's play has been changing that. Mechwarrior games owned tho

>>21482557
>>21482570

You have Ivan check out the Urbie while you head over to the area the crew is interested in.

When you arrive, you see they have uncovered another truck, but this one is carrying something. You see the glint of steel, the matte of carbon fiber, and the unmistakable action of an autocannon. But this one is unlike anything you have ever seen before.

It is built far more solidly than any autocannon you have seen, and it has THREE barrels to it, which appear to be attached to a locking mechanism that rotates the barrels 120 degrees with each action by the mechanism. The feed linkages are odd too; they are coated with nonstick material, and are much heavier duty than what would normally be required...

>>21482635

(i am planning to make things a bit more creative than typical construction rules, while trying to make them more realistic. not AC/2s, 45mm autocannons, etc. So inventing something new is possible, sure. just remember you have very limited resources)

>>21482651
>ROTARY AUTOCANNON
YAAAAAH

File: 1352365190190.jpg-(92 KB, 300x300, 1300752378521.jpg)

>>21482651
F-F-Frankengun?!?!

>>21482651
OKay, we just scored a Rotary AC. Now we need to figure out whether it's a 45mm or an AC/5 (not sure what size bore a 5 has).

>>21482699
>>21482678
Probably an Ultra AC. Most likely a UAC 5, as the others haven't been invented yet. RACs are a couple of decades away as well, which is what makes me think UAC.

...gauss?

>>21482635
>the increased weight of Armored Components and the expensive machining and construction processes needed to produce them
We are a tiny tiny firm struggling to put together a single design. Something this would be beyond our abilities.
>>21482651
>Miniature Rotary Autocannon
wat

>>21482728

nm. I missed the part about an autocannon action.

>>21482651
Okay..

So, do we sell this thing to acquire what we want from the arms dealer when he arrives, or do we scrap our mini-stalker and instead use that glorious cannon to build a Legionnaire-esque mech?

In any case, let's get out of the pit and go topside to ponder on things.

>>21482730

Aren't we machining a chasis from scratch thought?

>>21482745
though*

>>21482678
>>21482699
>>21482720
>>21482727
>>21482736

You poke at the gun for a few minutes, but you need better light.

Ivan calls over to you with a bellow.

>>21482753
"What is it, Ivan?"

>>21482671

That's refreshing to hear, actually!

The main thing I was trying to get at, but am just going to come out and say:
Since we're an actual, legit, knows-what-we're-doing Engineer, blessed with creativity and ingenuity in the middle of the galactic dark ages....

What are the odds of designing custom AC ammo? Seems like the kind of small innovation that is both plausible and could make our company famous.
Precision or Armor-Piercing ammo could actually make our AC/2's worth something, or flak shells for that anti-air variant that keeps being brought up.

>>21482740

Keep the thing for study and reverse engineering. This could lead to patents that will keep the company alive or even have it thrive. As far as ownership and the government, we have a Steiner Noble who will likely have a few connections to help us hold onto it if any legal crap comes calling.

>>21482753
Let's see what Ivan found.

>>21482753
"Unless it'll make my techboner even bigger than this... thing has, it can wait."

>>21482745
>Aren't we machining a chasis from scratch thought?

Exactly. We're already making all this shit from scratch.
Making things Ford Tough should be within our capabilities if we have factory capacity.

I was thinking that if Hazard Pay is intended for use as a garrison mech, then we want to build it as DURABLE and hardy as possible. The kind of mech that starts up and works under any conditions, no matter the beating the outside's taken.

>>21482798
"Built Skvorec Tough"?
That's got a nice ring to it.

>>21482763
>>21482775

You head over, having some trouble drawing yourself away from your new toy.

You look up in time to see Ivan hop through the open hatch into the UrbanMech's cockpit, and a moment later, the chamber echoes with a female voice:

"REACTOR ONLINE

SENSORS ONLINE

WEAPONS ONLINE

ALL SYSTEMS NOMINAL."

... well you'll be damned.

>>21482841
Tell him to get information on whoever owns it, whoever made it, and who it's phoning home to.

Also, suggest to queen bitch procurement officer that she should get on looking into what this base was built on top of.

>>21482841
"Hah, we'll i'll be.. nice work, Ivan. You make any heads or tails about that Machinegun-system?"

And while all this stuff is nice, we should probably just stick with our current plans regarding Hazard-Pay. and either sell or reverse-engineer the stuff we find here for future projects.

>>21482868
>queen bitch
Hey! She seems to be warming up to us, just a bit, due to our being competent and hard working.

>>21482841
Well shit, does the computer say anything about that weird gun module?

>>21482830

(Hey, I like that too.)

>>21482868
>>21482877

You ask Ivan to run a diagnostic, and he nods from inside the backlit cockpit.

From behind you, you hear a loud "EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" as a streak flashes past you, and gloms onto the UrbanMech's left leg.

Apparently Ilsa has found a new crush.

File: 1352366610416.jpg-(29 KB, 249x498, Nigga That's Kawaii.jpg)

>>21482908
Urbanmechs.
Kawaii as FUCK.

>>21482908
"Like the Urbie? See, i have a plan for it.. we can use it as a weapon test-bed and general joyride around the complex. Now, i have an idea already, we're going to install two AC/2's onto this thing.."

File: 1352366674077.jpg-(131 KB, 492x386, Don't Say Another Goddamn Word.jpg)

>>21482938
NO!

>>21482908
Let's wait for the Urbanmech diagnostics to finish, then go topside and inform the management about all this.

Stay the course with HZD-PAY, sell some stuff for financial aid, and reverse-engineer and study the more exotic stuff found.

>>21482908
My kind of girl. If only she had a crush on a better mech.

"Yep, it's an UrbanMech. It's kinda adorable, like a helpless puppy. I'm glad you like it Ilsa.

I'm more interested in two things, first it has something which if I'm right is an Anti-Missile-System, which haven't been manufactured for about 200 years. And a Autocannon over there that makes me very happy and ought to be reverse engineered."

>>21482969
>ought to be reverse engineered
Wouldn't that be our job?

>>21482979
To a degree, but much of the work for that will probably be done by Ivan and Dieter. We still have to churn out Hazard Pay's design.

>>21482935
>>21482938
>>21482955

You wait for Ivan to finish his diagnostics; and try to repress the smile at watching Ilsa nuzzle the Urbie like a kitten.

Janine comes over the walkie.

"Daniel, sitrep? What's going on down there? We heard the loudest woman's voice up here... and Goddard just haaaad to comment."

You grin, and relay the info to Janine, who you hear talking to Goddard, who is apparently pretty excited you all own an operational 'Mech now.

"Engineer!" you hear Ivan bellow. "I am finishing the diagnostic! The machine gun is something called Anti-Missile System, with ammo bins full!"

>>21482950

Hold on a second here. We can probably take down those AC/2s after doing some study and reverse engineering on this new AC we found. From what I'm reading, it has an improved feeding mechanism and the tri-barrel is good for sustained fire.

If we go this route, we can take down the barrels and maybe rechamber for a larger casing while retaining the slug dimensions to kick up the velocity a little.

>>21483001
Yeah, but that's a BUILT SKVOREC TOUGH Franken-AC/2, not a vanilla AC/2

>>21482955

I'm not sure we have time to look over the mech thoroughly enough before the dealer arrives. There might be some funkiness to the internals or structural.

>>21482995
>An actual AMS
"An.. anti-missile system? Now that IS interesting"

Radio Goddard

"Boss, i think we might have something big here"

Stuff to do:
- Full inventory of the place
- Study the Autocannon and AMS with Ivan and Dieter

>>21482995
"Wait, it's a fucking AMS. Ivan, I know my history. Those things aren't made anymore, they lost it about 200 years ago. Oh, this is worth more than the rest of the Urbie.

Hey Bossman, we found some LosTech."

>>21483011

Still, we're doing something with AC/2s. Maybe it'll satisfy both parties.

>>21483035
We can throw them in a lake, that'll satisfy me.

>>21483038
Laugh it up, fuzzball. But once HZD-PAY is succesfull, we'll build a fire-support/AA mech to compliment it. Using AC2s.

>>21483035
Maybe we could set them on fire and roast marshmellows over them.

>>21483038
Vanilla AC/2s are kind of crap, I agree, but like I said, we can make the parts work for us.

>>21483049
Yeah, they'd look pretty nice in a good AC.

>>21483015
>>21483023
>>21483025

You radio this up top, and they essentially take your word for it, no one knowing what that even means.

Goddard is beside himself, even in his ignorance though.

Ivan climbs down, and heads over to you.

"Engineer, I am having idea. This UrbanMech is fully operational, except main gun, yes? Well then, I am not seeing an elevator, are you? It is having jump jets. I can free it from this place. Trust Ivan, he has had to taxi many 'Mechs on Solaris."

He winks reassuringly at you, and lights a cigar, which prompts you to like a smoke yourself.

>>21483060
"If you say so, Ivan. But i think we should strip that AMS off of it first, just in-case."

>>21483060
"Double check the jump jets first, and give us all a chance to move far away. Have fun Ivan, I don't care if you wreck the legs but if you hurt the AWS I will cry."

>>21483071
It's probably pretty thoroughly integrated, but if possible yeah, we should get that off.

>>21483060

Better make sure everyone's cleared out before he does that because there's going to be a lot of dust kicked up. Also, we should make sure the place is structurally sound before we send a hand full of tons sailing through the air.

>>21483060
>You radio this up top, and they essentially take your word for it, no one knowing what that even means.

Final bits of wisdom to dispense before I go to bed.

This place was obviously a very old storage depot or mech hangar. Maybe even a mothball facility.
What I mean is the real treasure trove is going to be maintainance records, computer files - service records, inventory manifests, shit like that.
We might want to find a working terminal and a way to get the lights on before anyone else has a chance to fuck with it..

>>21483071
>>21483081
+1 for removing the AMS if possible.

>>21483045
Well if we are making a mini-stalker now.. then a mini-jagermech to compliment it. Same chassis basically, but with an AC2 and MG on each arm, and two small lasers on torso.

It will be glorious.

>>21483100

Might need to get a portable generator out and wire it up, would be my guess

>>21483060
"Ivan, I trust you, but is this place going to withstand that jump? The AMS is LosTech, it's priceless. If there's more stuff down here, maintenance records, anything, that's worth a whole lot more than a mech chassis. Still, if the place is structurally sound, and you can get it up there...

Well, honestly, I don't see the rush, myself."

>>21483071
>>21483081
>>21483095
>>21483100
>>21483109
>>21483116
>>21483118

You inquire as to whether Ivan thinks he can remove the AMS to prevent damage, and he immediately frowns.

"If you are giving me an hour or two, I can remove. But where is the faith? Bah."

He moves off to see that the AMS is stowed away before he attempts to free the Urbie from the chamber.

One of the crew calls you over to the far side of the room; they found something else. You yell at the guy with the datapad to start an inventory, and head over.

>>21483157
So many goodies. I want them all.

I think our face is currently locked into a gleeful smile around our cigarette.

>>21483157
Even MORE stuff? Oh boy oh boy oh boy

>>21483100
I agree, there might be some real gold on any computers down here.

But we should not get carried away too much. Have a full inventory be done, then have a meeting with all the head honchos to discuss what we can do with it.

>>21483157
Even MORE stuff?
Let's check it out.

>>21483167
>>21483175

You arrive, hobbling up to another huge, tarp-covered object.

The tarp has been partially removed, and under it is a piece of equipment you have never seen before in your life. Well, not like this anyway.

It seems to be another one of those flatbeds from before, but attached is another flatbed, and there is a 360 degree ball joint between them. they are also twice the size each of the previous flatbeds, and the cab on the front one is enclosed, and the seat has a 5-point harness, as well as the cab being padded.

The first oddity is the lift arm it has. In addition to the usual hydraulics and tubing, it also seems to have myomer bundles augmenting the lift mechanisms. If that's the case... this thing could lift maybe twice the normal load. You have honestly never seen anything like it.

And the balloon tires are another oddity. Well, what's attached to them. There are clamps; one for each wheel, made from strong pieces of 90 degree angle steel and composite, and they have hydraulic actuators on them. The insides of the clamps have guide wheels as well, for some reason.

Next to the crane-vehicle is, what appears to be, a powered-down computer terminal.

>>21483220
So much stuff.

Let's start with the computer terminal if possible, see if it's powered, if not then get a generator down here.

>>21483220
A super flatbed? With more lost-tech?

Radio upstairs about this find, and suggest that we need to have a meeting between all the head people about this stuff.

Then see if we can get the computer operational.

>>21483220
Tires that can stay intact and even inflated under a heavy vehicle for decades?
This could advance materials science by decades!

>>21483060
those trucks got in there somehow, no sign of an exit?

>>21483243

Gotta be a garage door or somethign

>>21483228
>>21483236
>>21483238
>>21483243

(examining the truck more, or the terminal?)

>>21483260
Terminal.

>>21483260
The terminal.

>>21483260
Terminal, the Truck is "neat" but not really important right now. We can go over it later with Ivan.

>>21483220

I'm having a bit of a time in figuring out how these clamps and guide wheels are arranged.

>>21483277

Oh. And terminal. Terminal might yield some answers.

>>21483264
>>21483265
>>21483269

You limp over to the terminal and take a look.

The keypad is covered in dust, which you blow off with a puff of your smoke. Standard-looking wall terminal, nothing special. You locate the power button, and nothing seems to happen.

Must be an electrical box down here someplace. Hopefully it's not hidden elsewhere in the depot.

>>21483285
"Figures, oh well"

We can go over the terminal later. Let's go topside now and have a bit of planning and pondering.

>>21483277

(a diagram might be best, but imagine if you will several balloon tired, with each wheel having a 90 degree clamp sticking off that has hydraulics that can fold it downward. the inside of the clamp has guide wheels on it which spin freely, but have a cam system on them it seems that can force them to spin in one direction. you would have at least noticed all that)

>>21483285
Have some people help us look around for the electrical box. Getting lights on in here will make everyone's job easier and might even let us find an alternative entrance/exit.

>>21483285

Call for an electrician to check the place out and put some power through the place. Also make sure there isn't some kind of security system that might kick in and kill everyone once power goes up. While they're at it, figure out if there's an exit other than through the ceiling...

>>21483296

Okay. I think I kinda got what you're saying. It's possible that it was designed to move along a rail system? Maybe this section is connected to an underground array of chambers via a rail...

>>21483302
>>21483308

You ask around if there is an electrical crewmember, and you find a girl who knows wiring and general electrical, and set to work finding a box.

It doesn't take lone before you locate it. It's pretty large, and has an access door on it that's almost the size of a regular door you might walk through. She seems slightly intimidated, but opens the panel, and shines her torch inside.

You see row after row of breakers, all 'off', except one.

They are not labeled.

>>21483327

(you may be on to something...)

>>21483340
Flip the switches either side of the active one.

>>21483340
DON'T TOUCH IT!

>>21483327
>>21483343
So we are on top of some Star League base? Oh dear.

>>21483340
I think we need to hold our horses here. See to the inventory and sorting of the current chamber, then have more exploring be done by a dedicated team and see what they find.

>>21483340
Mutter a curse against whatever electrician did this. Curse their mothers, fathers, grandparents, and all of their descendants.

Don't touch anything just yet, we don't know what it'll turn on.

Look for any markings to identify things, how the wires are placed, any hints of labels being here once, a long time ago.

>>21483340

Have the electrician figure out the wiring. Hopefully she has a tool that allows her to follow wiring in the walls. There is one pretty specific request aside that she be careful about powering things up -if she could get power up to a terminal.

>>21483357
>>21483368
>>21483376
>>21483393

You ask her to examine the panel carefully, and if she has any tools she can use. She nods, and stars poking around.

You look up, and radio topside. Goddard responds.

"What do you need down there sport? Sounds like the motherload."

Rolled 4, 6, 2, 1, 3, 6, 1, 2, 3, 1, 3, 2, 6, 1, 1, 6, 1, 2 = 51

>>21483405
"This... this might be a Star League base or something, I've just found a vast array of circuit breakers, one of which is active. If it is, I suggest panic, prayer, and possibly some sort of celebratory orgy."

>>21483405
What we need is the skulls of whoever wired this place up and LEFT OFF THE GODDAMN LABELS.
Failing that, some more personnel to survey this place. It looks like we could be sitting on a lot more than one UrbanMech with an Anti-Missile System.

>>21483405
"I think we might have an old SLDF depot or something in here, Chief. We have some really weird stuff. I think we need to do a thorough inventory of this chamber and then see to an exploring team, everything indicates to a bigger system than just this."

>>21483413
This.

>>21483405
"Yes.

We've got LosTech, judging from the electrical room this place is bigger than we think, there's trucks in here which means there's passages elsewhere that we haven't found yet.

We need manpower and electrical tools to map where all the circuit breakers lead to, a pile of lights so we can find all the nooks and crannies and hidden doors.

This looks like it might be a fucking Star League Base back in the day, I'm not sure if I can get across how big a deal this is. Bossman, nobody, absofuckinglutely nobody, should hear about this outside the company. There are lots of people who would happily mount our heads on pikes to take this."

>>21483413
>>21483417
>>21483420
>>21483421

"Well yeah sport, I thought I told you this was an old SLDF depot that the PDF of this rock used to use. Did I forget to mention it?"

"Anyway... you got enough guys down there? Or do you need more? And how about that ankle?"

>>21483432
"We're good, we have an inventory going. I'm coming topside, we need to have a meeting once we get everything sorted and hauled out of here"

>>21483432
"Oh you fucking bastard. You glorious fucking bastard!"

>>21483432
"I'm and engineer, dammit, I don't need ankles.
But yeah, if you send down, like, everyone, that'd be a start."

>>21483432
"No. Boss. This is too big to be a depot. This place looks to be fucking HUGE. We're gonna need, like, everyone, to map this place out."

>>21483432
"You forgot to mention it. We need more people down here, there's an awful lot of work to do, lots of stuff to catalog, passages to map, electrical wires to trace. This is pretty high priority.

I'm going to come up soon, let everyone else sort through things. We need to hold a meeting about this."

>>21483442
>>21483445
>>21483455

"Everyone? I guess I can do that..."

You hear Goddard start barking orders over the radio, and beside you the female electrician clears her throat.

"Hold on to your butt sir."

>>21483481
WHAT DID YOU DOOOOO

>>21483481
"I'm going to need a cigarette for this aren't I?"

Light one up and wait for the chaos.

>>21483481
"You found something?"

>>21483481
Grab out butt with one hand, then "I'm holding on."

>>21483501
>>21483506
>>21483507
>>21483509

She deftly flips the first breaker.

Above, a bank of lights flickers to life. A readout LCD flickers on above the panel, with an electrical diagram, and labels for each breaker.

She begins flipping breakers, triggering lights, air circulation, and a few terminals along the walls.

Now that the lights are on, you can see what it is you're dealing with, once your eyes adjust.

The room is very large; about a third the size of the tarmac above. Inside are the four flatbeds, the Urbie, the autocannon, and the crane, as well as some crates. You can see markings on the floor denoting paths or somesuch, and there are running lights on one wall below the DR445 hatch, leading from the floor to the ceiling.

The chamber doesn't seem to have any other exits, just the hatch up top. But there is a new commotion on the tarmac above you, and the radio crackles.

"Sport I dunno what the hell you just did but the depot is lighting up like a cityscape at night. All the bays except number 5 are lighting up, and the office building has floodlights we thought were busted lighting up. What the hell is down there?"

>>21483566
"A big room, a mech, some crates, a frankengun, and an electrical room. We turned the electricity on.

I wonder why Bay 5 isn't turning on and why they have flatbeds in a room with the only exit being on the ceiling."

The flatbeds seem like they would work on a rail system, I wonder if they can follow the floor paths, maybe go up the walls or something.

>>21483566
"Think we found the heart of the complex, chief. Hold on, i'm going to see if i can get some more intel from a terminal we have here"

Let's try that terminal now

>>21483566

Ask the electrician if she has any clue where all this power is coming from. If it's on the grid, we're guzzling juice and someone is going to notice eventually.

>>21483599
>>21483601
>>21483613

She shrugs, and suggests the terminal. This one is just a fancy labeling system for the breaker box.

"Listen ace, I'm sending people down. We'll figure this out. I want you out of there though so we can look at that ankle, and get you patched up. Ivan can handle the 'Mech, and the crew can handle inventory and whatnot. I wanna try to get everything out of there, or at least figure out an easier way up and down."

>>21483636
"Sure, let me just have a quick look at the terminal and I'll be right up."

>>21483636
"I agree, let me just have a quick look at the terminal, see if i can shed some more light into this."

>>21483663
>>21483673

You hobble back over to the terminal, and power it up easily.

An operating system you are not familiar with boots, and a command prompt flashes on the bottom of the screen, but there are icons on the screen as well.

There are five icons. One says 'Outlets', one says 'Core', one says 'Mechbays', one is 'Rails' and the last one is 'Grid'.

>>21483684
Let's start with Grid, that probably will answer our electricity question.

After that Outlets, it'll show us any exits we haven't noticed.

Rails is probably rails for the flatbeds, Mechbays is obvious, and Core I have no idea as of yet.

>>21483693

You look for an input device, but there isn't one beside the keyboard. After some fiddling you find that it's a touchscreen, and activate the icon for 'Grid'.

What you get is a set of three-dimensional conduit blueprints that show the entire depot, all the conduits, and the fact that there is something under the main building that is nearly a third the size of it.

Also, there is some kind of blinking error message regarding Mechbay 5.

You radio Goddard and ask him for more time.

>>21483763
Under the main building? Wonder if that's the core. Let's check out all the other icons and see what they tell in turn.

>>21483763
Okay, investigate the error message more. Open up Mechbays and find why Mechbay 5 isn't getting any power. Also make note of the area under the main building, we'll have to look into that later.

>>21483773
>>21483775

(which one first?)

>>21483773
>Check each one in turn.
We're not the electrician. Hell if we'll know what the error is.

>>21483785
Well i guess we'll see about the error first.

>>21483798

You just decide to click the rest in order.

After figuring out how to close the 'Grid' window, you open the 'Outlet' window next.

What you get is a layout of the room, with five blinking lights, spread across this half of it, along the walls.

>>21483837
Tell everyone to stand away from the walls and push one of the blinking lights once it's clear.

>>21483849
This

>>21483785
Mechbay 5 - with any luck it's actually a Mech elevator that will lead to this level, which would explain how the UrbanMech got down here.

Also - Soonest - everyone's contract needs to be renegotiated with Goddard and Janine to include royalties from from any reverse engineered / salable LostTech from this find. Because as it stands, the only royalties / wage we personally are earning comes directly from any BattleMechs we design that are built and sold. So, get on the rights to the LostTech ASAP.

>>21483849
>>21483857

You select one of the icons and press it.

Nothing immediate seems to happen, but a message pops up telling you 'Truck 3 100% charged'.

>>21483871
"A charging station of some kind, huh?"

Let's try the Rails now.

>>21483878
That ought to work.

Make sure to tell people to stay very clear of them and to make sure that truck 3 doesn't have anything on it currently before we do this.