Spehsss Muhreens. Muh Spehsss Muhreens....


Your inventory:
Stims
Combat knife (on you) - salvaged from crazy dude
Vehicle-and-misc toolkit
Engineering/demolition supplies
Team-size medkit
Binoculars
Radio
Scraps of lore (aged, crackled, faded newspapers).
Assault rifle

Team A:
You - SICON-issue Morita Smart Rifle + 4 underslung rockets, SMG, pistol, combat knife, a milspec helmet with multiple imaging options (thermal, NV).
Adnan Soong - gunner, assault rifle, shotgun, hunting rifle
Rhubert Philips - driver - hunting rifle

DOWN:
Skeety Rakrood
Alexander Rex

DEAD:
MORRIS

ALLIES:
Space Ghost
Chuck Norris
GI Joe Greenshirts x 13
Sayaka Miki, Eversor-rank.
Risa, Eversor-rank. Main weapon is a halberd.
Chisato , Vindicare- rank. Main weapon is a shockwave trumpet.
Fumi, Vindicare-rank. Main weapon is a wand, control of jelly blobs and water jets.

LIBRARY RESIDENTS:
Ronaldo Warren
Doug Grover
Marion Beene

Joe Inventory:
RAT/PAC x 3 (1 quad-barrel machinegun, 2 missile types)
4 missile launchers
2 Havocs (plus a detachable recon hovercraft)
Equalizer
Space Ghost's Ghost Ship

OUTSIDE:
Dimitri Jurgovich + 4 TG soldiers

>>23951129
We need to fall back to the third floor; the stairwell could be used as a chokepoint.

Are there still Joes outside? What about vehicles?

There's supposed to be some kind of cyborg up on the roof, and something else got through our lines.

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UPDATES FROM PREVIOUS THREAD:

A small armored vehicle has driven up the second floor of the library from the south and self-destructed. The explosion blows apart many library shelves, and the force of which tosses many books off the eastern ledge. The floor has given way to a huge hole opening up the first floor.

A fire has broken out.

Meanwhile, more enemies have broken into the third and first floors --- reportedly cyborgs capable of wall-crawling.

ENEMIES SEEN SO FAR:

Editor Monteiro
A handful of Terran Marines
Many Editor troopers
unknown numbers of "gun ninjas" and cyborgs.

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>>23951333
Key:

NEON BLUE:
C= Chisato
F= Fumi
R= Risa
dot = Sayaka

Yellow C = Chuck

BLUE
R = Roger (That's you!)
S = Soong
D = Doug
Ron = Ronaldo
Sk = Skeety
Mar = Marion
P= Phillip
dots = Joes
MSSL = Missile RAT
Red M = Morris (dead)

FUSCHIA:
M = Monteiro
Circles = Terran Marines
X = "a gun ninja"
dots = Editor troopers

Again, several windows are blown out.

Fumi has gotten Chisato under safe cover.

The Editor forces are back outside the library...

Picture: First floor.
Some boobytraps have gone off as a result of the explosion, but many still remain ready.

>>23951248
We should activate our helmet's imaging system, probably activate thermals.

>>23951248
>>23951264
What's the current map? >>23951333
is the one from before a lot of the actions took place, and Chisato and Fumi should have fallen back with Risa to Sayaka's position.

Have the computers been placed on the third floor, the roof, or are they still on the second floor?

>>23951363
The computers are still on the fucking first floor?
We TOLD them to get them ready to rush to the transport, what are they doing still on the first floor?

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Picture:
Third floor. Traps have all been disarmed as a result of having to haul out books and computers downstairs.

Sayaka and some others have this tingly feeling that there's someone on the third floor...

>>23951449
According to the map, we should be able to take the stairs straight from the 2nd floor, stay in the stairwell in the 3rd floor, and continue to the roof.
There's no indication on the map that we need to expose ourselves by walking across the 3rd floor.

>>23951394
Relative positions as they "probably should be".

The traps have been left along with just only a handful of computers on the first floor.

The computers from the third floor have been hauled downstairs.

>>23951373
You can't see through walls or floors with your helmet. You see the hint of something near the stairwell, but hiding behind cover near Morris' spot.

Ronaldo and Skeety are sitting ducks due to injuries.

>>23951523
>Relative positions as they "probably should be".
>The computers from the third floor have been hauled downstairs.
So, wait, when they were told to get the computers ready to go, they brought them downstairs to the 2nd and 1st floors, instead of getting them clustered on the 3rd floor in order to get them to the roof?

What were they expecting the transport to do, land on the street in front of the Library or hover at the second floor?

>>23951523
Tell Chuck and Sayaka where that something is hiding near the stairwell.

Tell Doug and Marion to help Skeety and Ronaldo.

Are there only 5 Joes in the Library? That's all that's on the map, but the Allies list has 13.

>>23951629
Last time, the ship was hovering at opening in the wall on the second floor without problems.

>>23951725
There are eight outside, on the ground. Do you want them to swing around to the back and help Jurgovich, or rush into the first floor? Or maybe send a few via hovercraft to the third floor?

>>23951725
You relay the info, and they flank from several sides.

Meanwhile, Doug and Marion pull the two injured away.

>>23951737
That was Space Ghost's ship, not the approaching transport.

Or has the transport already arrived?

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>>23951523
You shout to draw out Monteiro.

"We can see you guys hiding, it's useless! Even if you win here, the evidence has gotten away. They'll prove your organization's behind the Sues so you could take over the world instead!"

Monteiro laughs. "A weird story! Wrong facts! Earth's nations, that old world you speak of, they played too much in reality sciences they didn't understand! They made the dimensional boundaries so weak, that everything passed through! All across the dimensional sea called the Meta! It was clear that whoever controlled the Meta and used the new toys in the war would win. Each nation wanted to win so badly so they reached into these other worlds... fictional worlds! "

You see that smoke starts covering the southern openings...

"And that's when the sues came and twisted time, made it impossible to travel and escape! Doesn't matter now if you know or not. The Editors will fix things here with their personal touch!"

And thus, is when you begun to hear leaping and heavy footfalls heralded in a large voice:

"In accordance with Article 3, Section 4 of the Librian Charter, Grammation Cleric special authority is now in effect. Commencing elimination of first-class sense-offenders."

And thus that figure in hiding in the corner begins to dart across...

"Your friends coming from those parallel worlds, or rather, FICTIONAL WORLDS have no business meddling in Meta-Earth's affairs or that of the Guard!" Monteiro barks. "You're forcing us to have to use harder measures!"

>>23951768
>8 outside
2 Missile RAT's and one of the HAVOC's fire on the Editor forces outside the Library to keep them from getting through.
Have 4 of the Joes take one of the HAVOC's hovercraft and go help Jurgovich.
The other 4 take the other hovercraft from the other HAVOC, as well as the machinegun RAT, will storm the first floor after the Equalizer depresses down its AA guns and shreds the entire first floor before returning to AA duty with its missiles.

Are we out of all Triple-T's?

>>23951848
"They've got as much right as you! You're all outsiders here! The difference is at least SOME of you are friendly!"

>>23951848
"Oh yeah? And you think just because you've got the bigger guns gives you the right to destroy the past and cover up your own mistakes? You're nothing but a failure trying to be a warlord so you can stroke your own ego!"

"Fumi! Can you trap that ninja in a bubble and fill his lungs with water?"

>>23951848
>Commencing elimination of first-class sense-offenders
This is rich, considering that Monteiro is a classic sense-offender.

>>23951848
>>23951873
Agreed.
Also:
"It doesn't matter who you are or why you're doing this: wrong is wrong, and this whole war has only made that clearer than ever."

>>23951873
*double checks event log*

There are two of them left, reduced only to guns though.

>>23952004
>wrong is wrong, and this whole war has only made that clearer than ever
Roger is a guy who grew up in a Mad Max lifestyle; he would be more about pragmatic justice and the evils men do to each other.

>>23952038
Then have the Triple-T's support the storming of the first floor, and the HAVOC keeping Editor forces pinned down.

The second HAVOC should go with the 4 Joes and the second hovercraft to support Jurgovich.

>>23952073
>>23951934
This guy talks for Roger...
I'm just an idealistic Joe, is all.

>>23952073
>>Then have the Triple-T's support the storming of the first floor, and the HAVOC keeping Editor forces pinned down.

>>The second HAVOC should go with the 4 Joes and the second hovercraft to support Jurgovich.

Making it so!

The Triple-T's and Havoc rumble down the battered grounds, past the still-unfolding carnage of desperate, angry humans with anything at hand, against waves of robots carrying out extreme prejudice.

In the unfolding mess in the west, a Grammaton Cleric finds himself between a truck, a jeep, and a walker mech. It does not go well for him physically, at the limits of his agility and the cold-cutting methods of one of the leader robots, scowling and dog-faced forged as the factory wills it. He finds himself between the pain of criss-crossing blasters mowing down bandits and heavy metal crashing forth.

Meanwhile, Jurgovich, from the former Black-Ops of old, is relieved when support fire pins down several more enemy troopers of the Editors. This gives him the chance, and his men who came with him, to put rifle bursts downrange, cutting through a few ranks of troops and ruined vehicle cover.

>>23952226
Inside, on the 2nd floor all Editor forces except for a lone Grammaton Cleric have been pushed back, the 1st floor has been invaded, and the 3rd floor has some kind of cyborg.
Risa helps Sayaka and Chuck against the Cleric, so that Fumi can bubble the Cleric and negate his agility and gun-kata.
The Joes fire on the retreated Editor troops while they have that last missile RAT shoot at the Editor group. Since the Editor troops were pushed out of the Library back to the adjoining building, ask Chisato if she can collapse that building with the Editor troops in it.
3 of the Joes should use suppressive fire to keep the Editor troops in place until Chisato can collapse the building on the. 2 of the others cover the stairs in case the cyborg tries to sneak down.

Us, Phillips, and Soong fire at the Editor troops to force them to keep their heads down. If we get a clear shot, fire a rocket at Monteiro's face.

Rolled 91, 53, 55, 74 = 273

A cleric darts across and gets on the offensive against Chuck and Sayaka, sword twirling in precision, a zone by which he does not permit his opponents any quarter.

Just outside, it gets dicey when the Triple-Ts start scattering Editor troops while a lone Terran Marine pops out trying to force them back with gauss rifle fire.

Behind Fumi's defensive cordon, you open fire, as Chisato transforms her trumpet into a Goldbergian abomination of many smaller horns all piped together. The ground rumbles and the air ripples violently forth from the myriad bells of the brass monstrosity, the girl mashing the valve keys furiously.

In the exchange, gunfire and grenades fly across the flames, Fumi's blob shield forcing back the ordinance...

Rolled 3, 67, 8 = 78

>>23952379
Monteiro takes the time to gloat, as more smoke pours in with people charging in and leaping about.

He yammers on. "The Geometric distribution of antagonists in any gun battle, is a statistically predictable element. You do not have the mathematical discipline on your side nor the fine sciences maximizing the firepower of clerics. Your weak human meat, and lack of discipline has limits!"

Another cleric dodges Joe gunfire from the back, but the hyper-precise return-fire is blocked by a solid shield of metal. Risa intervenes.

Her blade reaches across, with the cleric automatically responding by by impeding the strike with his dual combat pistols. He pulls back and strikes with the hardened bottoms as he assumes a position to deliver as many bullets as it will take to put down this odd opponent.

Meanwhile, Soong and Phillips open fire from the rear, trying to peg the new quick opponents that have gotten past....

>>23952522
A familiar voice races through the line.

"We're nearly there!"

It's Space Ghost.

If we lose, will the future refuse to change? What's gonna happen in Yellowman Quest when we lose or win?

>>23952522
Fire a rocket at the Cleric fighting Risa before she closes to melee range and while he's concentrating on her.

Have the Missile RAT on the 2nd floor expend all munitions at the approach the Editor troops are trying to use.

Soong, Phillips, use cover and provide fire support to Risa. Shoot from between cover as you can.

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>>23952567
We have magic, we have the will.

Who cares if you lose or win in this shitty quest?

The obvious solution to this problem is to assemble the best non-SUE operatives, the best space marines, wizards, and psychics, and then we have it in such a way that it is next to impossible to destroy or corrupt them, while they become a massive, whirling pile of death and looting, and hit the SUEs until the problem goes away.

And then we have a party.

Or we run across the meta, looting all the reality-destroying superweapons, glue them together, and then make a wish to undo everything!

PROBLEM. SOLVED.

>>23952611
>We have magic, we have the will.
WE don't have magic, that's just the girls (who may be getting close to Witching out, considering the magic they're burning through with no Grief Seeds), and as for the will, it's not much good if you're out of ammo and up against Grammaton Clerics.

>>23952379

Between Chuck's staff and Sayaka's speed at slashing, the cleric acts upon the wealth of training he has, enacting the geometric probabilities to maximize the killing potential of his katana.

It does not take, as Chuck's and Sayaka's abilities prove to be a match, the staff beating away unusual strikes, and Sayaka's powerful sword strikes taking away ground and momentum from the cleric, a slash from the girl nearly taking off the cleric's arm; a cut brushing against it instead.

In those split seconds, the cleric finds himself having made immense errors in assessing the opponents. The cleric's katana flies out of the cleric's hand from the assault of the two.

Something blows a hole through the ceiling. Through that gap, several grenades tumble. Instinctively, Sayaka pushes away Chuck and throws her cloak over, the blast unfurling against it. In the smoke, she parries against something that reaches out.

A cyborg emerges, and unfolds into a whirling storm of blades and machineguns, advancing side by side with the cleric.

The remaining Joes along with Soong and Phillip, bear their guns against it, as Sayaka throws a couple swords at the monstrosity. The few moments open, she finagles something in her hand, passing it through. Chuck in front, his prowess brought to the fore, buying time against the cleric, forced to use his fists while he looks for an opening to retrieve his blade.

The armor of the Triple-T's make much as to many sparks and metal crunching, but between several heavy machineguns, the Terran Marine, damaged already from explosions, is finally cut down along with a couple unlucky Editor troopers.

The rippling waves forces Monteiro into quick evasion, as he clings to the ceiling on all fours, crawling like a ravenous spider. Your bursts of gunfire rake the ceiling.

>>23952522
Risa manages to defend against the barrage with only a stray shot slamming into the armor and another hitting home, but not doing much. With the help of the Joes, she lets fly a spray of whirling blades, flying irregularly and improbably.

Soong and Phillips intercept a cyborg coming up from the stairwell, visibly angered.

Meanwhile, a handful of Editor troopers enter the fray following Monteiro. Shortly behind, leaps up a cleric and a cyborg. The former is immediately seized and divested of weapons by Fumi, who drowns and crushes him under a smothering mass, water forced down his insides.

Chisato's horn-blowing slams the troopers hard against the wall. Pairs of brass discs spin through the air and slam repeatedly on the troopers, the utterly crushing noise rattling the area, throwing off Monteiro, and the fresh cyborgs.

>>23953006
Get those first floor Joes up here, we need their support.

Roger lines up a shot on Monteiro and shoots him with a rocket.

The 2nd Floor Joes, Soong, and Phillips keep firing on the cyborg.

Is Fumi's bubble barrier still required to keep more Editor troops at bay?

On the first floor, have the Triple-T's, machinegun RAT, and the HAVOC swing around into that southern alcove between the Library and the southern adjoined building, and open up all guns on the Editor troops to take pressure off of Fumi and Chisato, so that they can help Risa against the Cleric she's fighting.

If Fumi and Chisato do become available, have her bubble the Cleric. Chisato should try to conserve her magic and use her Morita rifle if she can. Otherwise Chisato keeps the Editor troops off-balance and watch out for Monteiro.

We will go after Monteiro, interposing ourselves between him and the girls. I want him to open himself to a rocket from our smart rifle.

>>23953109
Okay, do more of this
>>23953155
Roger should fire a rocket at Monteiro and the fresh cyborgs.
Fumi, quickly take out the Cleric that's fighting Risa using the bubble trick she used.
Chisato, stay on crowd control, try to keep the Editor troops and the fresh cyborgs off balance.

3 Joes, continue helping Risa until that Cleric is down.
2 others, take out the Editor troopers disoriented by Chisato.

Soong and Phillips, take out the stairwell cyborg.

Vehicles and first floor Joes do as stated in >>23953155
When the 1st Floor Joes come up the stairwell, they can catch the cyborg there in a pincer with Soong and Phillips.

Rolled 22, 44, 72, 11 = 149

>>23953155
>>I made an inventory error regarding the fate of the four RAT/PACs. They're busted.

The windows of the third floor burst forth with an opponent diving at great speeds at the hovercraft.

Meanwhile, several Editor troopers bring out explosives against the newly-arrive support vehicles headed toward the south, their point of defense slowly in danger.

Meanwhile, Jurgovich and his men scatter as several grenades explode in their vicinity.

The Joes navigate the remains of the first floor and any hazards...

You unload rockets on Monteiro and the nearby cyborg.

>>The 2nd Floor Joes, Soong, and Phillips keep firing on the cyborg.

Soong and Phillips, line of sight to the cyborg,continue to unload. Their mechanical opponent starts to crawl on the ceiling, blades bared....

Risa's blades cut up the cleric, as he is forced to rely on his own skill to dodge as opposed to the rigors imparted by gun-kata. alternates between defending against the girl, and weaving about the bullets. Pushing Risa into lines of friendly fire, the Joes are forced to stop, and turn to the cyborg crawling on the ceiling...

Sayaka's swords hit home on the heavily-armed cyborg, the blades digging deep into his back and neck, temporarily pinning him to the ground.

Meanwhile, Sayaka strikes back at the cleric, who tries to deflect her strikes with barehanded maneuvers. A kick to the gut forces the eversor back, leading into a fluid motion where the cleric sweeps in to retrieve his blade and whirl, whole, into the momentum of the blade.

>>number of cyborgs: 1 against Sayaka/Chuck, 1 against Phillip/Soong/Joes, 1 against you and the three girls, 1 on the hovercraft.
>>number of clerics: 2

>>23953740
"Fumi, use a bubble attack and drown the Cleric fighting Risa. If you can bubble both Clerics, but priority is on the one fighting Risa.

"Chisato, try to keep the enemy off-balance. If you see an opportunity, or you're low on power, switch to your smart rifle and help me against this cyborg."

"Phillips, Soong, Joes, take out your cyborg."

Roger will continue firing at the cyborg he is facing, saving the rockets for an opening.

Joes on the hovercraft that was helping Jurgovich, bail out and take out the cyborg. Have the HAVOC there keep the Editor troops suppressed so that Jurgovich and his men can get to cover and help.

Have the Equalizer join the vehicles gunning for the southern alcove, and use its AA flak cannons against the infantry there.
The vehicles already there should open up on the Editor troopers before they can get close enough with the explosives.

1st Floor Joes, come up the stairwell and attack the cyborg going after Soong & Phillips from behind.

>>23953740

The cyborg manages to catch the tail of the hovercraft. He flails wildly as the vehicle tries to shake him off and avoid other sources of gunfire.

As the Joes try to get across the first floor, they narrowly avoid getting nailed by gunfire, only for one to be one to be snagged in razor wire traps. Makeshift claymores nearly take out another, but the Joes drag their teammates to safety, although one is injured from the blast.

Monteiro and his cyborg cohort barely make it out of the blast. The wall behind them fragments into many pieces. The two emerge beaten up, but alive and angered. Monteiro signals to for the other to make a dash straight for Chuck....

The bladed cyborg twists and twirls through the air as it disengages from the ceiling, peppered with bullets. Soong and Phillips spread out, but the cyborg is faster -- planting both blades through Phillips, and leaning back, drives another blade through the back of his skull, the crack and splatter of matter made audible by the force of entry.

The cleric leaves a deep gash on the blue-haired Eversor, who muscles it through. Forcing a great amount of speed, she blitzes up the cleric's open side, shredding his arm and bisecting his face.

Meanwhile, the cleric, slowed down by the many cuts of magically-guided whirling blades, finds himself dodging slower and slower against the girl, who keeps muscling against any gunshots that get through. Fists trade and attempt to beat away at the halberd's strikes, but a long stab gets through to the cleric's leg. Risa's blade exits by ripping itself out through the muscle, and with great momentum and and a heaving, heavy scream, the halberd comes overhead the cleric, cleaving him in two.

>>23953979
"PHILLIPS!"
Fumi, bubble the cyborg going after Chuck.

Chisato, switch to her Morita and shoot the cyborg that is fighting her and Roger.

Joes and Soong, take out that cyborg fucker that killed Phillips.

As for Roger, bring the Morita up and shoot Monteiro. If it won't catch any allies, shoot him with a rocket to the back.

Risa, support Sayaka, take on the original cyborg fighting Chuck.

>>23953979
"Your math... sucked!" Risa huffs as blood leaks from the multiple gunshot wounds. She slips away under a magically-formed shield, styled much like the bits of her uniform. She brings out something tiny. grey, and seems to concentrate on it for a bit, if somewhat desperately.

>>number of cyborgs: 1 against Sayaka/Chuck, 1 against Soong/Joes, 1 against you and the three girls, 1 on the hovercraft.
>>number of clerics: 1

>>23954085
>number of clerics: 1
Wait, didn't both Clerics get killed?
Sayaka bisected hers, and so did Risa.

If there's still a Cleric alive, that changes things.

>>23954085
>1 against Sayaka/Chuck,
Wait, there's only 1 cyborg going after Sayaka/Chuck? Is this list accurate?

Man, the plan I had in >>23954050
is completely ruined if the numbers are wrong.

>>23954172
The first cyborg that Sayaka was fighting got staked to the ground with swords through its neck, and then a second one that was with Manteiro went after Chuck, so I think the numbers there are accurate.
The Cleric count, though, does seem off.

If this is the case, then we can modify >>23954050

Fumi bubbles and short-circuits the cyborg going fighting against Chuck and Sayaka.
Risa uses her grief seed while in cover.
Roger and Chisato gun down the cyborg attacking them.
Soong and all of the 2nd Floor Joes kill the cyborg that killed Phillips.

Outside Joes attack the cyborg on the hovercraft while the HAVOC keeps other Editor troops away.

Other outside vehicles open fire to keep Editor troops at bay and cause them to drop their explosives on themselves.

1st Floor Joes need to come up the stairwell and help us against the cyborgs.

Sayaka and Chuck fight off the cyborg engaging them, to be joined by Risa when she's used her Seed.

Rolled 74, 20, 61, 25 = 180

>>23954104
Right.
>>blue-haired Eversor... bisecting his face
>>the halberd comes overhead the cleric, cleaving him in two.

>>Only the Cyborgs are left. And Monteiro.

Between that, and all this mess, the Editor troops are all over the place, but a detachment of robots and Terran Marines is heading in from the west...

Fumi heads for cover as a storm of blobs covers her retreat from any incoming troops from the south, with you and Chisasto providing cover fire. With one hand on dark object and a wand out, she reaches another blob over to Chuck, who is being flanked by that cyborg cohort of Monteiro...

The Joes on the hovercraft are in a panic as the cyborg tries to shake up the ride and attempt to gain a foothold. They attempt to scrape him into the ground, the scout craft veering about wildly...


You raise your sights against the leaping Monteiro, who frustrates your aim and the chance to decisively end him.

Shit, he's gonna try to trick me here, you mumble under your breath. His left arm unfolds into some kind of cannon, and you dive out of the way...

The blades retract out of Phillips' skull. That same cyborg that just killed him, dashes about, trying to confound Joe gunfire...

The multiweapon cyborg pulls himself off the ground. With one gun aimed against the Joes, he sweeps the area. With a scythe-like arm, he tries to reach for Chuck in the same motion...

Risa signals the Joes as she dashes across to help Sayaka and Chuck, Sayaka on the other hand, lunges at the cyborg....

>>23954385
Dammit, where the hell is that transport.

Rolled 26, 95, 5, 51, 100 = 277

>>23954385
The cyborg finds itself smothered in a blobby mass, but forces its augmentations harder to break free, weapons opening to blast apart the blob from inside, hopefully. Fumi tries to manipulate the blob to contain the cyborg.

On the hovercraft, the cyborg avoids being smashed into the ground as it throws itself onboard. The Joes are caught by surprise...

His cannon sears straight, your leg scorched, a streak running along, by that shot, as the rest leaves behind a mark on the wall. Chisato and Fumi block his line of sight, as Monteiro starts firing wildly before disappearing into the third floor.

While that dashing cyborg confounds the Joes, bullets rake his body, parts shredded in places, yet the he persists, with Soong shooting it from the back. With another powerful leap he plunges a blade into a Joe, who forces a whole point-blank barrage.. blowing apart the cyborg for all it's worth. In this same instant, the Joes try to get the cyborg off, seemingly. Their snap fire helps to shred the mechanical opponent.

>1 cyborg down, 1 Joe dead.

Risa and Sayaka beat back the multiweapon cyborg, but the scythe arm gets past Chuck's parry, the blade cutting into him, before that arm snaps back, whiplike in motion. Jockeying for ground,iIt tries to pull out some manner of electric device to Chuck, while scythe arms reach out all the same again....

Meanwhile, a terrible noise rumbles from above...

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>>23954636
>>Sayaka rolls a 100
>>SAYAKA ROLLS A 100
>>SAYAKA

>>23954660
A critical hit; / So very satisfying. / I live for such kills.

>>23954660
But who got the 26 and the 5?

Chisato, Fumi, take out the cyborg that's been bubbled.
Soong and Joes, help them.

We'll take a shot at the cyborg still fighting Risa, Sayaka, and Chuck.

"Space Ghost! How much longer?!"

Rolled 84

>>23954720
You hear Space Ghost chime in as you stim yourself.

"We can almost see the library! What's this? Everything's on fire!"

From afar, the library grounds and surrounding buildings appear as one chaotic mass, burning, warping, a melange of reds and oranges against the desolate evening of the city. Cries and screams of combat, are punctuated by explosions and discharges of gunfire. Both sides have been run down, but the resilience of robots marches on.

The Marine-and-robot detachment foots it, guns blazing straight across the open distance from one building corner, to a distant southern library corner. The Havoc takes notice and opens up...

Meanwhile, the smothered cyborg breaks free, from a combination of taxing its augmented limbs and the combination of weapons discharge. He didn't leave unscathed from having to fire point-blank, however, as he tumbles onto the floor, and picks himself up as his limbs struggle to right themselves again.

On the hovercraft, the Joes are caught by surprise, but they knock the cyborg with their rifles. Guns unloaded, the cyborg sustains a scrapping head-first, smartgun ordinance reducing it to many many metal gibs.

Chisato tries to block the wild shots as Fumi recoils from the loss of control. The girl tries to quickly block the shots, but the barrage of blasts from Monteiro's weapon slam into her, reducing her to many smoking gibs, a jewel shattered and scorched.

Meanwhile, a timely interception by Risa and Sayaka save Chuck from being seemingly finished off from a combination of a tazing and slicing. Risa's halberd managing to block the arc of one arm. In one smooth motion her weapon beats away the bladed arm, while Sayaka, from another angle dashes in. Sword at the fore, she cuts down the other extended scythe arm into fragments. She continues on with her blade, passing through many weapons, barrels diced, arms julienned. Another quick motion rips through the whole cyborg, his multiweapon threat defeated.

Rolled 53, 48, 43, 56, 9, 30 = 239

>>23955199
The Havoc manages to cut down the entire combined detachment of robots and Terran Marines after letting loose a sustained barrage. Even if led by a more intelligent robot, the fury of the Havoc's quadruple cannons lays them all low.

Overhead in the library, the rumble gives way to bits of the ceiling bursting over various people. A wave of energy reaches out and bolts about, as cover shots from above are fired.

Monteiro's voice booms

"The power of a thousand worlds flows in my veins, you fictionals. Let's see how you stack up!"

Meanwhile, the last cyborg reaches up from its hiding spot, claws poised to get Chuck again...

Rolled 25

>>23955304
Several people feel their head swell and ache, as they are overcome with fear and confusion. Risa and Fumi stumble over, Soong finds himself on his knees, and Sayaka forces herself back up again.

Two Joes are cut down by the shots as he and his teammate attempt to get away in time.

The cyborg manages to size Chuck with his oversize claws, as he attempts to scamper out of there.

Meanwhile, bursts of energies fan out, trying to strike at Monteiro and the cyborg...

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>>23955358
You see Fumi, temporarily shaken and stunned by the sight. Soong rushes over to cover her with your help, guns out. You slap her to snap her out of it.

Space Ghost's power band shots hit nothing but air against the quick-leaping cyborgs, who jink about to avoid the barrage.

Monteiro comes down from above, Risa and Sayaka readying their weapons.

"Run!" Space Ghost barks. "I'll handle these guys!"

On queue, Doug, Marion, and the remaining Joes drag Skeety and Ronaldo out. Risa and Sayaka back away to prevent Monteiro from leaping or trying anything against the retreating bunch. Frantically, they start pushing in as many remaining computers and books in reach into the waiting dropship, hovering next to the ledge.

The cyborg with Chuck in its claws finds itself facing Jurgovich and a hovercraft with angry Joes outside...

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Holy crap, it's pretty late.

Well, how's this? We'll keep the thread nice and bumped and then around noon, server-time we'll get back to finishing the final stretch!

>>23955470
Sounds good.

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>>23955470

Damn Monteiro must be using some sort of psychic attack.

WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE THE ONLY ONES DICKING AROUND WITH PSI ATTACKS!

>>23956351
Bump

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Well one thing we will need is a another map.
and a list of who is inside and outside of the library.

Anyway soon it will be time to re-enact the escape from mar sara

>>23955441
>Chisato's Soulgem shattered
Dammit. I was really hoping to keep her alive.
We need to get Fumi to the safety of the dropship, and have her use water bursts and bubble shields to provide cover as we evac.
Roger should fire his remaining rockets at the ceiling where Monteiro might be.
Outside, the Joes and Jurgovich will need to stop the cyborg that has Chuck.
Soong help Risa and Sayaka.

The 1st Floor Joes fire on the remaining cyborg on the 2nd floor while the 2nd Floor Joes get the rest of the computers loaded.

Bumping.

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>>23958677

bump again

I want to take Chisato's payment out of Monteiro's flesh.
I want to be able to torture him to death. But I'll be satisfied with sending a rocket into his face.

Okay, we're back, and sorry for oversleeping.

Currently generating new map and list.

Your inventory:
Stims
Combat knife (on you) - salvaged from crazy dude
Vehicle-and-misc toolkit
Engineering/demolition supplies
Team-size medkit
Binoculars
Radio
Scraps of lore (aged, crackled, faded newspapers).
Assault rifle

Team A:
You - SICON-issue Morita Smart Rifle + 4 underslung rockets, SMG, pistol, combat knife, a milspec helmet with multiple imaging options (thermal, NV).
Adnan Soong - gunner, assault rifle, shotgun, hunting rifle

ALLIES:
Space Ghost
Chuck Norris
GI Joe Greenshirts x 9 + 1 injured
Sayaka Miki, Eversor-rank.
Risa, Eversor-rank. Main weapon is a halberd.
Fumi, Vindicare-rank. Main weapon is a wand, control of jelly blobs and water jets.

LIBRARY RESIDENTS:
Ronaldo Warren, twisted ankle.
Doug Grover
Marion Beene

DOWN:
Skeety Rakrood
Alexander Rex

DEAD:
MORRIS
PHILIPS
CHISATO

Joe Inventory:
4 missile launchers
2 Havocs (plus a detachable recon hovercraft)
Equalizer
Space Ghost's Ghost Ship
DR-4 Viking --- YOUR ESCAPE TRANSPORT

>>23961570
Are the wounded and the computers loaded on the transport?

"Jurgovich! If you're evaccing with us, you better get up here!"

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>>23961570
Ronaldo and Skeety are safely inside the Viking's cargo holds.

>>23961870
Use the plan from >>23957986
Can any of the vehicles or Space Ghost's ship shred the 3rd floor?
Monteiro is the only one up there and I want him dead.

>>23961657
Yes, almost everything is in.

MAP KEY, BY CHARACTER INITIALS:
FUSCHIA:
M = THE EDITOR KNOWN AS MONTEIRO
C = Cyborg with Chuck Norris held captive

YELLOW:
G = Space Ghost
C = Chuck Norris

RED: (dead named characters)
MORRIS
CHISATO
PHILLIP

LIGHT BLUE:
Sayaka
Risa
Fumi

BLUE:
Roger (That's you! If you die, the POV switches!)
Soong
Marion
Doug
Joe Greenshirts

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Map of second floor. Monteiro is about to melee clash with Risa and Sayaka.

It's not my call for this, but maybe, if enough of you beg enough, deculture might figure out how to make this combat experience/information/memory count for something in Magical Girl Noir....

So, music! Throw in something?

The main thing is that we can't win this. We have do a fighting retreat!

>>23962041

We could have this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ASTMfmL1Go

>>23962020
Those two Joes rescue Chuck.
Roger, Soong, and Fumi take out the cyborg we're currently fighting.
Space Ghost assist Sayaka and Risa.

As soon as the other Joes finish loading, have them provide fire support.

As soon as the cyborgs are taken care of we can retreat back to the transport.

>>23962142
So basically, everyone dogpiles Monteiro except the two Joes?

>>23962156

Well we need to rescue Chuck, however we can't end up in an engagement with Monterio.

Can Risa do something? Try to trap Monterio?

>>23962156
>>23962205

Also get space ghost to free chuck. I think out of all of us he can get the job done quickly.

>>23962156
Wait, what if we launch a rocket at Monteiro's feet? We're on the 2nd floor, we could blow the floor out from under him.

>>23962205
In a melee clash, it's plausible. Space Ghost also has stuff in his arsenal too.

So, Fumi does what?

Friendly fire warning, for anyone with guns.

>>23962237
Fumi does crowd control, bubbling cyborgs, and forcing water into their circuits if they have damage.
Then she RUNS to the transport; too many have died already.

>>23962237

Well Fumi is the water meguca so make her trap Monteiro in a water bubble, It won't hold him for long but it should be enough to get some distance.

Also Space Ghost has super strength and teliportation. So he can teliport up to the Cyborg holding chuck norris and pull him out.

>>23962279
That sounds like a plan.
So while Fumi does crowd control by bubbling Monteiro and the cyborg, Soong and Roger protect her as they run to the transport.

>>23962304

Marion, Doug and the three joes near the transport. Prepare to supply covering fire. Nothing dissuades a someone chasing you better then a hail of bullets.

But make sure you get a clear shot/shout "GET DOWN"

Rolled 29, 84, 44, 91 = 248

>>23962279
>>23962304
>>LET'S ROLL MANG!

Monteiro bursts out of the ceiling, a long blade and a short blade bared, just almost on top of Space Ghost. Yet, Risa and Sayaka, halberd and swords drawn, meet blade against blade, as Monteiro's frame ripples with the hum and glow of energies...

You tell Fumi to go for the enemy in the middle of it all. Wand raised, she focuses down on Monteiro, sandwiched between several people....

"I don't have a clear shot!" Soong growls, eyes switching between the melee and the cyborg...

Meanwhile, Space Ghost ducks out of the incoming Editor. He leaps, arm aimed at the cyborg holding Chuck hostage.

Meanwhile, the cyborg finds itself blocked by two Joes who try to tackle him...

At the same time, Doug and Marion slink away into the ramp.

Outside, the hovercraft and Havocs continue on to reinforce Jurgovich's position with bursts of cannon fire.

>>23962473
Soong and Roger fire on the closest cyborg, protect Fumi.

Rolled 1, 8, 51, 10, 85 = 155

>>23962473
Monteiro is at the center of a short-lived wave of mental energies, knocking Risa aside, rattled, but Sayaka reaches with her sword, clashing against the two short-and-long weapons of the Editor. Her speed and flanking maneuver in the middle of the mess manages to get her weapon to slice straight through Monteiro's arm, the small integrated arm blade defeated. The cybernetic arm falls away from the rest of the body in chunks, clattering onto the floor.

Fumi's attempt to restrain the skittish Monteiro only results a missed shot, the blob snagging Risa instead. She snaps back from control in the split second she sees what's done wrong...

Meanwhile, Space Ghost's stun beam rakes only chunks of debris, but luckily, the two Joes manages to tackle the cyborg, and at least, use the entirety of their body weight to slow him down, the claw cyborg switching to tax his augmented limbs to force an escape or use the Joes as human shields, as he kicks and rolls along the ground.

Desperate, you throw a rock at Monteiro's head.

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>>23962575

>1

>>23962575
>1, 8, 10
Well, it wouldn't be a Meta Quest without critical failures like this.

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>>23962575
Monteiro runs his long sword through Sayaka's chest, the crackle of energy going through. With a kick, she's ejected, knocking her into Risa.

"So much for magic. Unpredictabilities have no place in the Editors. No control, no measures, predictability..."

As the Joes are knocked aside and struck by misfires, Space Ghost manages to hit home and force the cyborg to drop Chuck.

"The Editors will reclaim Earth, make it a bastion of true homo sapiens..." the Editor rambles, but is cut off as a rock strikes him in the head.

"Now you're just grasping at straws here," Monteiro sighs...

The cyborg forces itself back up, turning to face his opponents...as a pair of Editor troopers clamber up the southern ledge...

>>23962742
"Oh yeah? Humans will never give in to the likes of you filth. We survived the collapse, we survived the SUEs, we'll survive you!"

Risa, get Sayaka to the transport.
Fumi bubbles the cyborg that Soong is fighting, then the two make a break for the transport.
Space Ghost and Chuck finish off their cyborg then make a run for the transport with the Joes.

Roger, charge Monteiro, aim the rockets at the floor so that sidestepping wont be enough for Monteiro to avoid them.

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>>23962742

SAYAKA!

Damn it.
Ok, Space Ghost. Throw that cyborg at Monteiro. He will probably see it coming but that will distract him for a while.

Chuck, you run!
Risa? Are you ok? Try to hand another hit on Monteiro

Soong, aim at the Editor troopers coming up the southern ledge.

Fumi, bubble the cyborg.

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Rolled 75, 52, 3, 52 = 182

>>23962898
Deep from a well inside of your self, your voice bellows against the night. "We survived the collapse, we survived the SUEs, we'll survive you!"

Angered, the Editor retorts, "You know by now how low humans can get. A warm bed, a good meal..."

Fumi tries to geyser Monteiro from a blast from her wand, but a force deflects the jet of water. Concentrating, she narrows the geyser, compressing it smaller and smaller into a thin, slicing jet. A plane of energiy deflect this jet once more, forcing Fumi to try to ram and smother him. Monteiro retaliates with his own prowess, entering a tug of war on one end, as you and Soong open fire. The bullets don't do much, except for smart rifle rounds getting in occassionally, forcing the Editor to jink about.

The Joes across the cargo hold try to distract him with shots, energies diverting once more.

"..and simple answers to problems!" the Editor snarls.

The Editor troopers rush to the cyborg's aid...

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>>23963287
Risa and Sayaka move in. Risa's halberd meets into Monteiro, the polearm making a sickening crunch of metal and flesh, twisting his body and spine as the cybernetics deform in many directions. As he tries to spin his arm to take out the girl, Sayaka batters away, the long sword parried, and sliced down the arm.

The halberd-wielding girl, with great effort, pulls away her weapon as innards are snagged, yanked and caught in the blade, the augmentations snapping and splitting away from Monteiro's body.

"Editors won't die...to think that a soul can be reduced to a mere chip now..."

Sayaka, enraged, and at great speed, gibs and chunks the Editor with her sword. Her strikes continue on ripping what's left of the torso, climbing, climbing, lifting up, blades meeting the head and shredding it.

As the claw cyborg tries to get up, the Joes try to stop him once more. Rifles batter against the cyborg's headcase to buy time. Both are impaled for their resistance, but desperately,they unload their rifles into the flesh and metal monstrosity, ripping away at his bulk. Editor troopers, distracted, fire at the Joes. Space Ghost however, manages to mow down the two with blasts fired from both power bands.

Chuck manages to get up, and drives his staff into the cyborg's exposed innards, almost stopping it cold. Another combination of a concussive and freezing blast from Space Ghost obliterates the cyborg.

Meanwhile, what's left of Monteiro's legs falls over, the blue-haired Eversor stomping and ripping it with her weapons. Blood and metal splatter the ruined floor of the library. Finally heaving and panting, Sayaka throws a question into the air...

"Where's Chisato? Soul gem..."

Fumi, Risa, Sayaka, you and Soong scramble to inspect the ground, combing it, raking it... "We can save her, put her back together..." Risa rambles.

In Risa's hand are twinking fragments of metal and a gem. The Eversor slumps in disappointment, her breaths resigned, and eyes winced.

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>>23963515
...

"I'm sorry"

"But we need to get out of here. There must be hundreds of editor troops still out there.

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>>23963515
"...Dammit. Sayaka, get your girls onto the transport.
"Jurgovich! Monteiro's dead, but he said he wouldn't be for long. We're getting out now, you'd better hurry if you want a ride.
"All Joes, fall back to the Library second floor! Our ride's here, but only for a little while!"

>>23963515

Keep those fragments on hand, girls. You never know when a miracle will happen.

This is funny, I wrote "Jurgus" instead of "Jurgovich." Hold on, ending and epilogue are still loading.

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>>23963598
You and Fumi help up Risa and walk her away. You close her hand over the fragments. Sayaka reaches out her hand to you and the girls, begging you to hurry up.

"I have no idea what he means by putting souls in chips," you muse out loud as you make your escape up the cargo ramps. You catch a glimpse of Soong holding Monteiro's shattered sword, reduced to its hilt and a stub of a blade past its fingerguard.


"They're still coming!" Space Ghost reminds everyone. "They've started bringing in more ships. We can't hold out!"

"Everyone, get out of here!" Chuck buzzes over the line. Many Joes scramble for the nearest vehicle, some jumping inside the second cargo hold of the transport.

Meanwhile, Jurgovich and his band of men escape with the help of the Havoc on the ground, treads spinning and thundering away as fast as it can, breaking through squads of robots, and meeting up with other Joe vehicles holding out.

The mixed convoy of land and air depart from the city, when you catch something over the horizon with your eye. A dark, metallic mass hovers above the ruined earth, with many other smaller fliers around it. Underneath its path of approach, is a city in flames and smoke, violence erupting as multitudes of people try to resist authority and arrest. The use of force, an inevitability, is exchanged across sides as the repeating scene of push and pull across the streets, between squads and crowds plays over and over.

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>>23964224
Risa slumps backward, relieved. She, along with Sayaka and Fumi, revert to other clothing on the spot, their soot and dust-covered dresses changed to something else, typical clothing. The drabness of what you and your team wore when they came into the city, are unlike their colors, but other things seem to be in common.

Yet, their faces are worn and grimy like the others.

"We'll have to get a way back to our town," you tell Soong. "But aren't those Editors hunting down the towns and rounding up people? Can we risk it?"

You wonder what to do from here on after you reach safety...

MEANWHILE, ACROSS THE PLANET...

The most heavily devastated regions once ran by the sues, where time had been stretched so considerably great, generations, decades, or even centuries, were set upon by similar waves of violence. The disorder and sense of history being lost threw those fragments of mankind into another hell of survival. Humans found themselves killing and pillaging each other just to live another day. It was necessary. The old world were but hearsay rumors, the names come and gone, of places passed on in hushed tones of "Oosa", "A'shin" and "Rus".

Just as over the library as in those places, the Editors came to establish law and order again...

>>23964387

"We were already forced to leave so many people behind, we should at least try to rescue the people we grew up with."

>>23964387

As Roger Green, you find yourself conflicted on another hard choice to make, as you watch the Editors take control. The choices lie before you...

>>[ ] We have to go back and rescue the people from my town!
>>[ ] We have to turn our backs, and leave it all behind.

>>23964931
>We have to go back, but just Roger, and Soong if he wants to come.
"Thanks for the ride, Chuck, Space Ghost, but this is where I get off. I've still got a job to do, and you've got yours.
"Your first priority is getting these people, and the evidence, to safety. If you can spare the transports later, then I'd be much obliged. Skeety should be able to guide you to our town, if it's still standing."

>>23964789
>>23964931

>>[x] We have to go back and rescue the people from my town!

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>>23964931
>>23965014
>>23965023

You speak up, knowing that there's still a job to be done.

"Thanks for the ride, Chuck, but this is where I get off. I've still got a job to do, and you've got yours. Your first priority is getting these people, and the evidence, to safety. If you can spare the transports later, then I'd be much obliged. Skeety should be able to guide you to our town, if it's still standing."

With that, you, Soong and Skeety ride in cabin of the Ghost Ship. Across the evening sky, the ship soars across stealthily, turning around, far beyond Editor lines, to a place tucked between mountains, close to a hole in the ground.

The canopy lifts up and the air of the mountains sets in. Just within a stone's throw or two, you can see lights and fires in the distance.

You and Soong lift up Skeety, who can walk a little better now. The three of you head towards the entrance of the Free Town. People buzz about, goods going in and out. Folks gather round fires, singing simple songs that children follow with ease. A scout leader approaches and greets your arrival. Confused at the scene, you ask what's going on. The scout leader sighs in relief, and tells you of the great Editors who have came to free the world of sues. According to his glowing news, they promise safety and a new world under the sun and sky.

In fact, he says that there's many who want to leave the town and move to the new cities...

"It's great to live outside now that there's no sues anymore, right?" the scout leader asks, very chipper over the matter...

>>23965625

"Yea, Yes it is"
Sigh
"You might not believe me but I got a feeling that the Editors are not going to be any better....."

Then perhaps we should ask to see the elder and talk about what we have been through.

>>23965625
"Maybe."
Let's go and find the leaders of the town.

>>23965625
"Something's come up, Space Ghost. We'll need to talk to the town leaders," you tell him over a line.

Beyond the hole, lies the town. Down that old shaft lies the settlements tucked in a myriad of tunnels...

>>dinner break. We'll return after this. It's a long ending.

We need to speak with Jurgovich, see if he can get copies of the evidence out, see if there's anyone within the Transpace Guard that can purge the Editors of the taint that has already started.

bumping.

>>23969039
Are we continuing?

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>>23965890
You pause for a moment.

"Space Ghost?"

"Yes?"

"Jurgovich found out about a lot of crap with the Editors. Is there a way to spread around the evidence to stop all this?"

"We'll find a way, between insider knowledge and the collected news clippings, we can put something together to convince everyone."

That felt assuring, you guess.

Past the guarded entrance, the three of you close behind you the lift shutters. With the throw of a switch, the elevator groans down the long path deeper into the earth. The clatters of machinery rides along the rails down the shaft laid down long ago, lights barely twinkling along its length.

It's been a long day, you think. Too many things have been unfolding. Behind closed eyes when you'll get around to sleeping, it might make sense when it all rearranges itself together in the recesses of your head.

The town leaders lie behind one shack, mired in an intense conversation, of delibrations. They turn to you. "Alright scouts, you came back from that city. Was the library for real?" they ask.

"Took us a while, but we found it. Real stuff," you answer.

"I heard the Editors were heading to that city. Going to rebuild, and bring in people. Sounds better than living in a hole in here, don't you think?"

You wonder how to break it to them after the whole town's been sold on the idea of the Editors saving the world. What do you do?

>>23969205
"You...you won't like this. But we've all lived in the wastes, we know that false hope is just another term for suicide.
"Yeah, the Editors were there. Yeah, they've got tech, and vehicles, and most of all, weapons. We lost Morris and Phillips, and Rex fell behind; he might still be alive, or he might be dead.
"But before you decide anything, you need to hear what we found in the Library."

Explain what we found, the evidence of tech being brought in from other worlds before the collapse, and that's how the SUE's came.

"Whether it really was the Editors that let the SUE's in, or if it was just an accident from what they were doing, we'd need to go over the evidence again. But what IS definitely true, is that the Editors are using this chance that the SUE's gave them to round up people, and lord over them by controlling information and having better weapons.
"Sure, they can probably provide clean water and food, and maybe even some safety. But that's no different from living under a warlord. But what's worse, is that they want to control knowledge. They want to be able to control what people think, what they believe. In that, they're no better than a SUE."

Rolled 22

>>23969372
"Where's the proof?" a heavy-faced, sullen man asks.

Rolling.

>>23969494
We don't have any clippings with us, do we?

"We're having it copied right now by the people who lived in the Library. We helped them escape when the Editors attacked the Library in order to destroy all of the evidence, and the knowledge."

>>23969494

"The proof is that we went out there with some people who didn't come back, and the Editors are the ones who killed them."

>>23969553
Not really convincing proof, since we don't have anything but our word that Phillips and Morris died to Editor troopers.

>>23969551

You hand over your other clippings.

"But we've seen these before. Things like tax records don't work on sues. These things from your pockets you got from the buildings, this isn't much, really. There's really nothing here trying to tell us about sues that we don't know before the collapse," a woman sighs.

"We really do have news clippings and other stuff about the real deal with sues!" you argue. "We're having it copied right now by the people who lived in the Library. We helped them escape when the Editors attacked the Library in order to destroy all of the evidence, and the knowledge."

"And where are they now?" one asks. "Why didn't you take them with you?"

"They're copying the evidence of course!"

"If you copy the evidence then it doesn't make it real then," one shrugs.

Frustrated, something wells up from the depths of your guts. "The proof is that we went out there with some people who didn't come back, and the Editors are the ones who killed them," you snap.

The town leaders recoil their heads. "Watch that attitude, Green" the heavy-faced man glares.

>>23969691

"Sorry, but I didn't bargain for getting raked over the metaphorical coals after an afternoon of watching people die for the very information you claim isn't real."

>>23969691
Well this >>23969553
was really counterproductive. Really nice going there.

"Information is information, copied or not. Are you going to disbelieve knowledge simply because it's written on something different? That's not how knowledge works, you should know that."

>>23969761
We've got no evidence, no proof, and we're telling people to ignore a chance at good food, clean water, warm shelter, when they've been living on hydroponically grown soy, rats, and in a dirt hole in the ground.

Do you know how stupid and petty you sound?

>>23969844
You try to defuse the situation by slowing down your tone. "Sorry, but I didn't bargain for getting raked over the metaphorical coals after an afternoon of watching people die for the very information you claim isn't real."

The woman scolds you. "You know that your job was just to find out the source of the transmission and see if there really was a library or not. You know what it is that we need to do with libraries and their books inside, right? Library books are important to us. They keep away the sues! Make their heads hurt, melt, turn into normal people, those things."

"Then you know that information is information, copied or not. Are you going to disbelieve knowledge simply because it's written on something different? That's not how knowledge works, you should know that," you counter argue. "You know how those places go by keeping away sues, by copying information from books and writing them all over for them to read."

The heavy-jawed man throws down his hands. "That's not the point here Green!" "You can't go around accusing a real bonafide government like the Editors without evidence!"

You breathe, and breathe as deeply as you can before uttering your point as calmly as you can. From here on, you explain just what is it that you found out, from how the nations of the old world dabbled with reality science and tore open reality to wage war, letting in sues accidentally, and how the organization of the Editors were behind letting this all happen.

"Now that, is a crazy story, young man," the heavy-jawed town leader barks in astonishment and disbelief. "We saw the Editors come by here. People fucking cried on the ground that they were finally saved. We saw the uniforms, everything... everything making sense."

>>23970240

Silence, and then, you push the point again.

"Whether it really was the Editors that let the SUE's in, or if it was just an accident from what they were doing, we'd need to go over the evidence again. But what IS definitely true, is that the Editors are using this chance that the SUE's gave them to round up people, and lord over them by controlling information and having better weapons. "

Soong cuts in, adding to the argument, trying to plead the case. "Sure, they can probably provide clean water and food, and maybe even some safety. But that's no different from living under a warlord. But what's worse, is that they want to control knowledge. They want to be able to control what people think, what they believe. In that, they're no better than a SUE."

>>23970257
"The Editors just arrived. Wouldn't it be prudent to wait and see what happens to the people that go to them? They're human, that much is apparent, but you all know what it means to be human.
"Raiders. Bandits. Warlords. Even if they ARE everything they say they are, what's a bit more time to see what's actually going on?"

>>23970257
"We saw what they had to offer. It's not like being with a sue where you'd get sick in the head and crazy shit happens. Medicines, real medicines, food... being left alone free under the sun with all that good stuff waiting? All that is better than being a sue slave where you'd be buttfucked by ten-feet dicks seven ways, all the ways. For as long as they want, when they want. " one of the men says, pressing his index finger over and over into the table, the wrinkles on his forehead closing in on the intensity of his speech.

Rolled 30, 66, 71 = 167

>>23970339
"Please tell me why you have to go and shit all over on a good thing," one of the leaders asks.

"Look, we haven't survived this long without being smart and prudent, right? The first town that got baited for a good thing, they got ransacked and burned, right? And sues weren't the cause either."

You look at them. All three of them. Some lean in their chairs. Some tap their fingers on the table. The heavy-jawed man crosses his arms, lower lip nibbling against front teeth.

"See, these Editors, they're new in town. Just arrived. We gotta be prudent. Wait and see when people go to them. They're human, that's true. But you know what humans do to other humans. Raiders, Bandits, Warlords. Even if they ARE everything they say they are, we really need time. Time is what we need. When we wait a bit more time, we'll really see what's going on?"

You wait and see how each of them will take to everything you've said.

>>23970339
"No. But did they ask about any books we had, any knowledge or facts? You think they won't confiscate any knowledge of the Old World we have? And will you really be free?
"They showed you what they wanted you to see. In your shoes, I'd even believe them. But I won't, not after what I've seen.
"If you won't believe me, then at least make sure that the Editors will actually give you what they say they will. And hold on to the books. You'll know if the Editors are telling the truth, if they'll let you keep your books."

>>23970494
>>23970501

"We'll see. You can leave now," the heavy-jawed man mumbles and sighs. He turns to the others. The other man shuts his eyes and the woman? As she fidgets, she tells you to just take a breather outside.

"Keeping our books, huh?" the woman ponders.

Outside, you pass people making campfires and gathered round in circles. Some whisper to each other, gazing intently at you. You sit Skeety down somewhere nice and clear before walking out again.

"It's him! He's the sellout!" the voices cry out. They hiss and jeer at you, hungry to punish you for whatever they thought you did wrong. "Why did you piss off the Editors?!" a young man howls. "You will bring punishment on us all!" another cries.

Before you know it, other men begin to pick up stones and hurl them at you in anger. Other people begin to follow suit, more stones beating down on your face. Some kids imitate the older people, picking up stones and making it a game to pelt you.

"Stone him! Stone him!" the other men shout, directing others to seize you.

Around you lie stones struck now and before, hurled by the impatient to wait for the proceeding.

Some guys attempt to take you from behind as you grapple with them. From the corner of your eye, you see people of your town hurriedly digging ditches, companions standing over with torches to supervise the holes....

>>23970647
"Oh, you think you can just try to lynch me without getting hurt, do you?!"
Pull out our knife and start knifing the guys that we're grappling with.
Do we still have our SMG?

>>23970647

"Space Ghost, are you there? I could use some evac, pronto!"

Attempt to defend ourselves non-lethally while waiting for rescue.

>>23970685
Yes to all.

You whack away at other guys with the butts of your guns, and pull them out. Several people scatter in panic as they see you and Soong ready to just open fire.

Others beg you to not shoot, while you see some trying to be sneaky with you, by then your make your threat.

"You try anything, we shoot!"

A man picks up a kid as a human shield, the other arm with a gun held out. Others scream in panic.

In this tense situation... what do you do...

>>23970738
"Oh really, using a kid as a human shield? Real macho man, there, scumbag. Hey, where's the kid's mom? Hey mom, you really gonna let some asshole use your kid as a human shield?
And really, are you stupid? Are you fucking dense? You kill the kid, you've got nothing to negotiate with. I can still kill you, and you're depending on me caring about the kid, who's probably the little shit that stole my lizard-kebab last week, when I could just shoot you now?
"You wanna fight me, fine with me, one on one, we do it mano e mano. But you start bringing other people into this, and you'd better think long and fucking hard on whether that aim of yours is enough to shoot me before I unload a full mag into your sorry carcass. Now drop the fucking gun and let the kid go, or you're dying tonight, one way or another."

>>23970738

"Look, everybody just calm down! All we've been doing is looking for a way to help this town, and a couple of our buddies got killed cause of it. Don't force us to defend ourselves-think things through! This doesn't help anybody."

>>23970738
Seconding >>23970878
We really need to try to get people to calm down.
Though the idea of getting the kid's mom, who's probably right here, to try to get her kid, sounds like it might help.

>>23970878
I don't know; I think we need to make an example of someone. We don't need to kill them, but show them that trying to get us is going to get some of them seriously hurt or killed should be enough.
Maybe shoot this guy in the kneecaps.

>>23970866

The man turns his gun from the kid, to you. "The Editors will hear of this! You will bring punishment on us all if you stay!"

You try to calm down the guy. "Look, everybody just calm down! All we've been doing is looking for a way to help this town, and a couple of our buddies got killed cause of it. Don't force us to defend ourselves-think things through! This doesn't help anybody."

"We heard about what you did! Look ---you can leave, or we'll kill you first!" the man snaps.

You scowl at this. "Are you stupid? Are you fucking dense? I can still kill you, and you're depending on me caring about the kid, who's probably the little shit that stole my lizard-kebab last week, when I could just shoot you now."

Behind him some other men flash their guns, others flip their shovels over. A woman tries to approach the gunman, pleading, but the man pulls the kid away from the woman -- presumably the mom...

>>23971033

As soon as you open fire on an angry mob, the situation is forever escalated beyond your control. History has demonstrated this time and time again.

Either we GTFO with Space Ghost (and I'm hoping that the call went through) or we talk them down. Shooting our way out is not an option that is likely to end well.

>>23971133
Angry mobs deserve to get gunned down. With machine guns, gas, and flamethrowers. Violence is the method they chose, so they should be met with violence in turn.

But, we only have 4 rockets.

>>23971129
"So hey, there's the mom. And I see you don't give a shit about the kid. So it's just your own skin you worry about, not about anyone else in this town.
"Is the kid's father here in this crowd? You'd better remember this guy's face, and the faces of everyone else here real good, remember what they did to your kid and wife; they won't hesitate to sell YOU out, or let you get killed, or even kill you themselves, if it'll mean saving their skin from just the threat of being hurt.
"Come on, Soong. Let's grab Skeeter and get the fuck out of here."

>>23971251
>So hey, there's the mom.
Should qualify that the rest of that is meant to be directed at the hostage taker.

>>23971276
They're panicked. We COULD probably kill most of them now, since they won't be able to put up a credible defense. This is likely to be the biggest concentration of the town's hotheads and other undesirables.

But securing Skeeter and getting out of here safely takes precedence over removing the kind of people that would further spur on this town's collapse.
So hey, is the kid and the mother still alive? Suppose the least we could do is to rifle-butt people out of the way so that the kid and the mom can get to safety.

>>23971251
The radio squaks to life. "Don't panic. I've got your back."

He's right. Somehow, you can sense him right next to you.

You shout it out, against the man struggling against the mother, as others who seem to be with the gunman try to get in her way.
"IS THE KID'S FATHER IN THE CROWD?"

"You'd better remember this guy's face, and the faces of everyone else here real good, remember what they did to your kid and wife; they won't hesitate to sell YOU out, or let you get killed, or even kill you themselves, if it'll mean saving their skin from just the threat of being hurt."

"Come on, Soong. Let's grab Skeeter and get the fuck out of here."

"Yeah, we're leaving. Happy? Bye."

The man drops the kid, and the others break away. Some townsfolk grab the man and hold him down. The kid's father rushes in.

Meanwhile, you drag Skeety off with you guys, and you pop yourselves back into Space Ghost's cruiser.

To put it simply to Space Ghost, you just explain, "The Editors came, gave them a deal they couldn't refuse. "

"I see. That happens with folks. Desperate folks." The weight of his voice smoothens out.

"It's up to them to decide to take the scam or not. If they want to believe what I said," you trail off.

"Where to?"

"Dunno. Earth's not safe anymore," Soong says.

>>23971450
"Thanks for the save, Space Ghost. That would've gotten real ugly, real fast if you didn't have a ride ready for us.
"So, I'm trying to get used to the idea that there's more than one Earth. Heard you're with the Interdimensional Patrol, that right? And then there's the Transpace Guard. Who else is out there, and do any of them need a hired gun?
"But first, you got anything we can use to help out Skeets here?"

ENDING STATUS:
Bad endings averted: 2

Things could've been worse. Much worse. But given all things considered, this is mostly a victory. If there is any consolation, Jurgovich is from the former Black Ops and the guy you had detained as TF38. At least he shows, not everyone is a dickbag.

>>23971571
"We can help. Good doctors. He'll be up in no time".

"The Inter-Space Patrol? It was founded a long, long time ago. We've seen a lot of things. It's complicated, but it all started with one family who discovered other worlds as worlds of fiction. Things came together from there. Helped that one of the first groups who joined in were a galactic peacekeeping force. Say, have you heard of the Lensmen?"

>>23971599
So, question. Care filling us in on how this fits in with Metaquest over all, because right now I see plotholes.

Mainly: Why are the Editors villains? They're pretty much portrayed as Saturday Morning Cartoon Villains who have done away with any sort of plot and subtlety and send wave after wave of robots at things. Even in MetaQuest, we didn't sense wave after wave of heavy artillery unless we couldn't help it.

Also, was the main character a SUE? Because he certainly worked with them toward the end there.

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ELSEWHERE:

Along a ship corridor out in space, Chuck smoothens over matters with Sayaka...

"To put it simply, one of our leaders is a lion. A real talking lion," Chuck says.

Sayaka is speechless, but she takes it anyway.

"He isn't a tame lion, but he's a kind one," Chuck trails off.

"So the three of us are going home now huh?"

"Yeah, won't be a problem. Find where you came from, set you back there as if nothing happened..."

SOMEWHERE FAR AWAY IN THE META, FAR BEYOND THE REACH OF THE GUARD:

A man broods over in his study. A majestic lion steps past the doorway.

The lion announces gravely, "Lazarus, we've been had. Have you seen the spectacle that the Editors have broadcasted?"

"Things continue to change. The tides of the Meta change, Aslan. The question of fictionality is often a hard issue. Perhaps these people have trouble accepting the myth of all things, even their own.Yet, this is not the time for our worlds to go quietly into the night," the man muses.

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>>23971649
"Lensmen? Nah, never heard of them.
"So there a lot of other groups like this one?"

Man, my Doom Paul folder is perfect for this.

>>23971764
>Because he certainly worked with them toward the end there
Which ones did we work with? Chuck Norris? Space Ghost? They're far from being Mary Sue characters, they're regular Saturday Morning Cartoon characters. And they're not SUE's, because that term is reserved specifically for those things that bend reality around them.

As for the Editor being a villain, it was discussed in the original setting creation threads about how Institute agents who acquire Editor powers need to be carefully monitored for when their powers go to their heads and they need to be put down.
Monteiro, to me, seemed like a classic Rogue Editor case.

>>23971909
The Eversors and Vindicares seem pretty SUE-ish to me. A bunch of girls with wands and shit and japanese names that just happen to be part of the Officio Assassinorum.

>>23971909
>Monteiro, to me, seemed like a classic Rogue Editor case.
Maybe we'll get lucky and get to Katamari him in YMQ.

>>23972055
Those are from Magical Girl Noir Quest, another quest being run here on /tg/.

>>23971764
I've typed up all the answers to the questions, but I will need to run the epilogue first. Metaman's orders.

>>23972104
More like 'advice.'

>>23972104
EPILOGUE:

The first ever deployment of the Editors was a disastrous affair. Many believed that this deployment would leave behind a pleasant outcome, but circumstances turned around dramatically.

From here, Meta-Earth had emerged from a terrible era of sues. The collapse of the world, the collisions of fictional worlds and sues with the "real one", coalesed as a traume burned into the collective psyche of those who survived and the generations yet to come on Meta-Earth.

The dawn of New World's Day has come. The flow of time has been restored to normal. Many people believe that the Crossover War began anywhere from 2040 to 2099. Debate rages on to this day and MetaArcheologists leap upon chances to find evidence leading to any particular decade, let alone year. Recorded evidence is disputed, at times, information is censored. Still, there are Meta-Archaeologists who roam the planet encountering the hollows and nethers of the desperate survival that once was.

Mankind continues on. And yet, it continues to sow its own sorrows.

>>23972055

They aren't a part of the WH40K universe. However, they share the same naming conventions. They are Meguca in the vein of PMM.

>>23972055
Their powers are standard for Magical Girls, especially of the Puella Magica variety.
Not to mention, of course they have Japanese names, they're from Japan and could barely speak English beyond what they learned in Middle and High School, so that's actually pretty damn normal.

You need to get your SUE-detector checked, because it's putting out stupid false positives. What's next, calling Hasegawa Heizo of the Onihei Hankacho series a SUE because he has a Japanese name, when he's a Japanese character, from a Japanese TV series, set in Japan, about a Japanese police chief?

>>23972233
No, because he's not a magical girl with 40k naming conventions and magical powers. If I told you I totally had a Vindicare with magical girl powers who used a magical wand and was named Suzume, what would you think?

>>23972359
That you haven't given me any information about their character, and would ask why they're called a Vindicare if they don't have an Exitus Rifle.

As well, when they were introduced, they explained what their abilities were; none of which are Sue-ish.

>>23972209

It was a simple solution for the Editors to gain authority and power during the restructuring of the Transpace Guard. The Editors took advantage of the violence in the city and the incident at the heart of it.

The slow, deliberate threat response. The carnage that unfolded. The casus belli. A slipperly slope.

More manpower and authority have been given to them. The restructuring paved the way for reallocation of resources. Many things taken, and passing hands, into the use by others.

From Meta-Earth as the point of origin, a massive push was enacted to reclaim territory.A violent suppression of colonies ensued, in an attempt to re-assert authority.

In this time, many varied anomalies in the Meta were detected. Many anomalies.

What has come to be known as the Last Library became the moment when the Editors openly cast blame on fictionals, souring relations with many other organizations such as the Time-Space Administration Bureau (TSAB).

The blame, and the ensuing culture regarding fictionals and sues was a simple solution... to gain the power needed, and to have the backing of the people, searching for answers to their problems.

From here, the impasse that has been called the Iron Mahou Curtain was established as part of a policy from within. Behind it, the citizenry of Meta-Earth have spread across territories far and wide.

Across Meta-Earth, new cities have sprung up, bastions of stability and safety for the true homo sapiens, touting liberty to all.

The colonies were whole again, but fictionals were deemed second class-citizens.

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>>23972459

>>23972485
Outside of the curtain and beyond Guard boundaries the truth of the fateful library incident exists out there, as many affirm it with the flaming passion.

The hypocrisy of the Editors, Meta-Earth's old nations, and the fabricated, elaborate excuse of the Library. There are those from the old Transpace Guard that called out on this madness and broke away, joining other organizations and bringing their belongings and arsenal with them.

Sometimes, they say that the Editors and Firemen are two sides of the same coin, or two flavors of the same kind of treatment. Between utter control or utter destruction, there is despair in the act of making a choice.

There are others who, grudgingly accept the system of the Editors, but try to be kind in their own small capacities. Others bend the rules, others look the other way. A fundamental morality, a fundamental kindness calls out to people.

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Q&A time, kiddies!

>>23971764
>>Why are the Editors villains?
Many reasons. You think that, being an essentially mass-produced, concentrated version of Task Force 38 with "extraordinary organizational authorities" won't go south?

I believe it was explicitly stated that a lot of the Guard in general, are dicks to fictionals. Cheryl said it. The thing about "real" and "fictional" as a distinction in an organization like that, is it is a sort of pervasive culture. MetaMan did say that the reason why the guard performs so poorly is that a great majority have little creativity.

The other thing is that, coming out of the Crossover War, it stands that the collective psyche of Meta-Earth would have this hatred of fictionals, seeing how there are thin lines that can easily be broken, leading into sue-dom. If you want a zealous military force, you would want to focus it down on the idea of the one enemy. In cultural terms, this would mean playing up the bogeyman. History has repeated itself by playing on the public's fears like this.

>>was the main character a SUE?
Being thrust into a situation where the machinations and unforeseen circumstances are beyond you, yet you rage against the night? The last 'fuck you' before they get you? I don't think that's a sue.

Roger was about to die, many many times there. Like he was gonna die instead of Chisato.

As for how this quest was set up, the quest was based heavily on world news events. Namely the Timbuktu library burnings and the motivations behind doing so.

>>23972055
>>23972091
>>23972212
>>23972359
>>23972459

deculture uses WH40k references and naming conventions in his quest.

Vindicare are a BROAD range of ranged-type magical girls. Eversors are this huge blanket category of melee-types. Callidus, I think are the "wizard" types and shapeshifters/illusionists. Culexus are the anti-Megucas.

>>23972515
So the Editors took a page from the Soviet Union and its tight control on information and the lives of its citizens, with the Crossover War being a stand-in for the Russian Civil War and Great Patriotic War in one.

>>23972485
This makes no sense though, these are methods of Rouge Editors and the Firemen, not the Editors themselves. Hell, we've made it a point to say that fictionals are people too, and I'm pretty sure we all got boosted to the head of the reorganization of the guard, especially since we opened relations with the TSAB and the Crusade. TF38 wouldn't have allowed that at all, nor would the TSAB and the Grand Crusade and the Grand Crusade would have NO PROBLEM stomping all over the Editors the second they stepped out of line and started doing shit like this. Hell, the Editors were formed SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE of the Fireman going rogue and using these kinds of tactics.

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>>23972586
>Roger's words to the townsfolk

>>23972587
Soviet Combat doctrine is similar to Middle-Eastern doctrine. "The men under you are an officer's tool chest."

A lot of you go to spacebattles, right?

>>23972586
"What of the guard in other sectors?" you asked Yurgus.
Yurgus said? "POORLY. But we will prevail."

As for Cheryl, go back about what she saw when she looked into Grimm's head. She was all in a downer about how some people look at her like a tool and stuff.

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>>23971804
>>"Lensmen? Nah, never heard of them.
>>"So there a lot of other groups like this one?"

"Many groups. Some smaller than others, but there's a great community spirit, you can call it. Cooperation."

>>23972658
>"The men under you are an officer's tool chest."
It's not just sending men to die in order to complete an objective. It's also making sure that they cannot improve themselves, be promoted, or otherwise letting them become independent of your direct command.

But yes, there is no reason to think that just because TF38 performed admirably, that they would be allowed to influence High Command, or that their influence spread further than their own sector.

>>23972685
Hi! Can I post in my quest preview/epilogue yet?

>>23972712
It won't kill you to wait. Cool your heels.

>>23972612

I'm gonna have to agree with this guy. After what the Firemen tried to pull, it would seem more reasonable that the Saviors and moderate factions would gain a lot more traction. This would go a long way to preventing harsh treatment of fictionals and other similar stuff. And while TF38's huge success through creative use of differing canons' technology/magic, I don't really see the Transspace Guard allowing any individual taskforce to accumulate that much power in any one place.

It's reasonable to expect some Firemen influences in the fringes of the Editors or in the places where little to no conflict occurred, but suddenly adopting the type of attitude widespread amongst the Firemen seems highly implausible. Kinda like a grim-darkening of the entire faction for no real logical reason.

>>23972685
"Cooperation, huh? It'll be nice to work with people that I can trust to have my back.
"I had to leave one of my men behind back in that city. Do you think there'll be a chance to try to go back for him?"

>>23972709
I don't know, I think we influenced High Command a few times. I mean, we exposed the firemen, we managed to get information on shit going on, we made an alliance with the Grand Crusade.

This last library quest just seemed to exist to end up going "Hurr Durr, Grimderp" up the setting to the point of retardation. It literally makes no sense for the editors to suddenly turn into Firemen. What's the point of the Firemen then? What was the point of the reconstruction of the Guard?

>>23972781

It almost seems as if the Editors have become the bad guys so that another faction can conveniently rise and take the place of "good guys" in the setting.

>>23972781
To be fair, we only saw one world in this quest, and there are a lot of worlds out there. This might've just been the ugly side of things.

>>23972756
"Soon. But when we do, you'll have better help."

>>23972809
Read the original setting threads.

Somee of the Editors were always a bunch of douchebags. It's just that many of them actually try to solve things.

>>23972840
Except didn't he say in his explanations that the entire guard took this view, made fictionals into second class citizens, purged information and took entire worlds by force.

>>23972854
Some, but not all of them. As >>23972745 says:
>It's reasonable to expect some Firemen influences in the fringes of the Editors or in the places where little to no conflict occurred, but suddenly adopting the type of attitude widespread amongst the Firemen seems highly implausible. Kinda like a grim-darkening of the entire faction for no real logical reason.

>>23972840

But it appears to be explicitly described that the Editors as a whole cast blame on other factions and basically did everything that made the Firemen so repugnant. So much that the old Transspace Guard deserted in droves to join other factions or to form their own.

It makes little sense that this type of stuff could be so widespread when the Firemen were discredited to hell and back during the last major conflict. It was shown that they were being played for fools by SHODAN, and that other elements of their leadership were megalomaniacal fools.

>>23972855
>>23972881
Hmmm.

Good points.

Maybe there's another puppet master or something that wormed its way in during reconstruction? Or maybe the reconstruction just ended up making things worse than better? TF38 was an exceptional force after all, and developing rules that count on people being exceptional isn't exactly a path to success.

>>23972745
>>23972781
>>23972809

There are things other than just a handful of people. There is also the cultural psyche. There are memes. There are many things at work with the way people think.

The Guard did get run down in other sectors during the Crossover War. The Guard did get stranded in places, even on Meta-Earth.

If you're recruiting people, it's Meta-Earth they come from. They'd come in with these prejudices.

In spite of this? At same time, culture and prejudices erode and dilute with exposure to things. I'd say there are colonies out there, and hubs out there that are more liberal as fuck, compared to California or Amsterdam or something.

>>23972809
You must've missed several explicitly emphasized clauses where there's glimmers of hope outside and inside the system. >>23972515

>>23972881

>>all this shitstorm
>>SHODAN

Patience. The answer lies out there.

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>>23972945
One day, the truth will be known.

>>23972945
>If you're recruiting people, it's Meta-Earth they come from. They'd come in with these prejudices.
Well, not exactly. They'd come from either A Meta-Earth, or one of the fictional worlds.

>There are things other than just a handful of people. There is also the cultural psyche. There are memes. There are many things at work with the way people think.
Maybe, but the restructuring happened explicitly to make sure what happened with the Firemen doesn't happen again. To say "It happened again, they became the Firemen" is rather insulting. Especially after everything TF38 went through to prevent it. It's a pointless Grimdarkening.

>The Guard did get run down in other sectors during the Crossover War. The Guard did get stranded in places, even on Meta-Earth.
The other sectors experienced the crossover war oddly. Some had no time pass, the others years. They all would have been examined and re-tested to make sure they would fit in well under the restructuring of the Editors.

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>>23972881
Just think of how big the Guard is. There have got to still be some groups of racist fucks.

And who knows how long it's been since MetaQuest in universe. It's not like we have to worry about people dying of old age in our organization.

>>23972945

Incidents of prejudice and other discrimination happening on an individual basis I can believe. Even if an organization adopts an official stance, people still have their inherent biases and other baggage to take with them. A quartermaster who gives fictional recruits a hard time, or a commander who deliberately gives fictionals the worst pick of the assignments are completely believable.

But it still doesn't make any sense that suddenly a faction with many of the attitudes of the Firemen would rise to such prominence within the Editors after the Firemen were completely shown to be traitors manipulated by one of their experiments gone horribly wrong. The Firemen were all but scattered to the winds, with fringes of them only starting to assemble outside of the Editors' reach and forming their own splinter organizations. The Saviors and moderates would have had almost complete run of the entire organization. Nearly all of the positions of power worth mentioning would be firmly within the grasp of Saviors or moderates.

Though the TG/Editors was in a really bad way, the Saviors and moderates should have had a heyday as far as political power/sway within the organization goes. It just seems really far-fetched that all of the prejudice and other hatemongering that the Firemen did would have permeated the top ranks, especially with the TSAB and the Great Crusade working so closely with the Editors/Transspace Guard. The Great Crusade was ready to steamroll the hell out of the Transspace Guard if they turned out to be bad guys. If they're now just as bad as they were during the last great conflict, why would the Great Crusade suddenly be so OK with this shit going on right now, and not just purge the Transspace Guard like they were previously inclined to do?

>>23973065

It just seems to be a huge ass-pull. If the Editors/TG became too big and too bureaucratic to react very quickly to second-class citizen treatment of fictionals, or agents becoming a little too zealous/righteous in their duty, that would be completely plausible.

But this seems to be "TF38 saved the day! Firemen defeated/discredited completely! Alliance with TSAB/Great Crusade and restructuring by Saviors/Moderates to prevent this from happening again! We will fight the Firemen! BUT WAIT NO TRANSSPACE GUARD, YOU ARE THE FIREMEN!"

And then Editors was a Firemen.

>>23973154
Saved a SECTOR. One sector out of BILLIONS.

We saved our Sector. Our real story will never be known to anyone but those who were there.

>>23973222

If that was so, it'd be alright if it was said that there were sectors that largely remained the same due to lack of proximity to the main conflict or prudent Firemen-leaning officials keeping their mouths shut/going with the flow. But to say that the Editors as a whole adopted the stance of the Firemen after the events of MetaQuest (enough to drive old Transspace Guard elements away) after showing that they had 0 credibility and after so much done to prevent such an organization from taking root in the Editors again just smacks of grimdarkening for the sake of grimdarkening. But on a grander scale than what was done for Requisitions.

You averted two outcomes.

One is the Editor handing you a pistol, to execute Chuck in the subway. To prove yourself.

The other is letting Chuck get captured. He was going to be put through a kangaroo court and executed, publicly. The cherry on top of the casus belli.

Monteiro wanted to make a show of things, so he took things deliberately slowly and drawn-out. That explains all the idle drones and why the steamrolling wasn't outright.

And now you know why Editors have killswitches planted in them!

Now...

I made this quest out of inspiration from world news, and to do something utterly different. Explore something new.

>>Saturday Morning Cartoon Heroes fighting Saturday Morning Cartoon Villains

Hey hey hey, look what somehow became fitting!

>>23973300
>And now you know why Editors have killswitches planted in them!

And more pointless Grimderp. Editors don't have Killswitches.

>>23973222
We saved ONE Sector but we were in the driver's seat of the restructuring along with the TSAB and the Crusade.

>>23973347
There is an entire section of the codex dedicated entirely to the killswitches.

>>23973393
It's probably safe to say that's obsolete for awhile, man.

>>23973270
Regrettably, I have to agree. The Last Library itself can be explained away as a classic Rogue Editor case, but the wider implications are a bit too extreme. I'm talking with the quest OP now.

I think the core concept as explained to me still works and there's potential for an Editors/Guard split, but the timeframe does seem a little weird, and the details are a bit off. Even when you know what I know.

PREVIEW


100 years later.....

The worlds will change again. Things call out for change.

Somewhere out there, a girl wakes up to the sight of destruction all around her.

Run.

Escape.

Survive.

File: 1364746426788.jpg-(18 KB, 259x194, image.jpg)

18 KB JPG

>>23973944

TG META QUEST 2:Coming Soon!

>>23973347
Actually, that was in the original setting creation threads, especially because the powers that Editors acquire make them susceptible to becoming SUE's themselves. You need to read up on the source material.

>>23973347
Nuh-uh and "stop liking what i dont like!" , much?