>>25320265
"Who's were they?"
Retrocog to see what hapend

>>25320265
"Where is he now? I'll tear apart his god damn atomic bonds and turn him into dust."

>>25320265

put an arm on Ellie

"was he wearing something on his head?"
"where did Lin go?"

>>25320309
the hat is the controller. The controlled had spinal implants.

>>25320301
Yeah no.

>>25320334

oh okay, I didn't know.

You put an arm around Ellie, trying to comfort her.
"Was he wearing something on his head?"
"No, he wasn't." Summer said.

The first marine trembled, and then cussed, shaking and sitting up. Theta tried to hold him down, telling them that he had to keep still.

"Where did Lin go?"
"He went." Summer said, and shook her head. "It was... dizzy. Like when Devourer screeched, only... more painful. I don't know where he went. Or Damien! Where's Damien?"

"Who's were they?" You ask Ellie.
"N-not his." She responded. She didn't meet your eyes. There was something... raw in hers, laid bare. Summer's eyes were almost the same, but merely scraped instead of stripped entirely.

Dimly, you realized that Summer was able to resist whatever was done to her, while Ellie wasn't...
No, no, something corrected you, in the back of your mind. Ellie resisted it enough to stay alive.
The marines were the ones who didn't.

Kailynn finally made her way to Jabberwocky, and knelt, putting on the scanner.
"... I have no clue what's going on in here."
"Neither do I." Theta said. "It's all tech."

Max stormed down, almost frothing at the mouth. "What happened?"
"I... I..." Summer said, jumping. She locked up, petrified by Max's furious glare. "I..."

>>25320395
"Max. Chill. Now."
Take a look at the time travelling douche, then retrocog what the shit went down.

>>25320395

"I'm trying to figure that out"

retrocog the crime scene.

>>25320441
I don't think commanding the angry alpha to chill will work.
>>25320395
"Lin did something that killed the marines and Jabberwocky." Put a hand on his shoulder. <Please calm down>

"Lin did something that killed the marines and Jabberwocky." You say, and gently put a hand on his shoulder. <Please calm down.>
"... Right." He responded, and took a breath. "I'm sorry, Summer. I'm simply worried. Can you tell me what happened?"

Still panicking, Kailynn and Theta moved away from Jabberwocky, putting their hands and sensors on the second marine. They were... apparently unable to help him. You make your way over to Jabberwocky. Now that you knew how it felt from the recabulator, you looked into him- and it was all coiled, tangled, future technology writhing in his head. And his mask... was still on.

You close your eyes, and took a long, deep breath, and focused...

>Roll Retrocog!

Rolled 84

>>25320527

let's find out, or try to.

Rolled 74

>>25320527

Rolled 54

>>25320527
Poor Ellie.

Rolled 50

>>25320527
gonna get a one and fuck it up.

Rolled 49

>>25320527
this is,crarzy

>>25320527
So... get Devi and Omni working on Jabber?

I think we can safely say that Lin is a mind controlled Omega.

And next thing you knew, you were in the past.

>Lin and Ellie were walking down the hall, with Jabberwocky and Damien walking the other way. Summer was inside your room, nearby.
>Ellie giggled at something, so Lin gave her a kiss, her cheeks bright red.
>And then Lin's personacom chirped.
>At the same time, Jabberwocky's and Damien's eyes widened. In a single, swift movement, Jabberwocky slammed something into Damien's hands- a data disk- and Damien vanished.

>Lin read the message on the personacom... And something in his eyes went cold. He abruptly let go of Ellie, and turned to walk away, when Jabberwocky raised his gun and fired- the bullet deflecting off of a telekinetic shield.
>Lin smiled at him, a cold, cold smile.
>The marines rushed in, guns at the ready, and with a wide grin, Lin...
>Went Pariah. A pulsing, black-skinned monster, the world around him writhing. Ellie screamed, and Jabberwocky- as well as the marines collsped. Summer burst out, shaking uncontrollably, and Ellie fell onto her knees.

>That's when the Monster returned to being that cold, cold Lin, flashed blue, and teleported away.
>Just like Sarvesh did.

You open your eyes again, shaking.
And Jabberwocky's mask pinged you.
It had a message.

>>25320637
"Lin's Omega it seems."
<Do tell, my friend.> technopathy the mask

>>25320637

"Remember when the VQ tried to take over by sending me a digital message?"

"someone did the same to Lin, and i suspect he may be part of the Omega program."

get that message, play it for everyone to hear.

>>25320637
Eh

>>25320637
Well, better read it I guess.

"... Lin is Omega, it seems." You say, and turn to the mask.
<Do tell, my friend.>
<Heather, this message is for you. In case I die. Like a will or something. Lin is Omega.> It responded. <... I am Damien Ruste. Also Jabberwocky. , but... Your Damien won't be coming back.> It continued. <... Well, he will, but... Not for weeks. He has all the information he needs in order to keep the time loop continuing. Perhaps advancing it beyond this. I needed to take him... Out of this mess.>

<So that he doesn't die like everyone else.> It said. <I cannot tell you much, or things will change too much to guarantee Damien's safety, and that is paramount. Because if things change, and he dies... That's the end of the loop.>

It paused.

<Lin is Omega. One of them. Not due to an implant, or anything telepathic, but... Good old fashioned brainwashing. I don't know how my predecessor found that out, but he did. Davidson is the cause of this. He has one of those helmets. First... He brings Lin and implants him. And then, he has Lin kill Alex. And then implants Delta. And then you. Kills Anna and Summer.>

There was another pause.
<Wait, shit, I forgot! Get Max out of there! Omega's going to control the marines!>
You open your eyes, and Max was talking quietly to Summer It seemed too... serene for Jabberwocky to sound so panicked.

>What do? Roll if necessary.

Rolled 71

>>25320809
Knock out the Marines.
"Jabberwocky was alternate future Damien, Lin is Omega, he's going to use the Marines to kill you, Max."

Rolled 86

>>25320809

"Everyone get away from those marines!"

pull them with TK if we have to!
>rolling as well.

Rolled 49

>>25320809
Kill every gun in a 10 mile radius.

Rolled 80

>>25320809
Well, this was expected.

Rolled 56

>>25320809
Well, we all knew that Jabberwocky was Damien, lets not fuck this up and undo everything that he died to prevent

Rolled 70

>>25320809
Can we try doing that entropy reversal thing

that sounds pretty kuul

"Everyone, get away from those marines!" You say, pointing to the patrolling ones. With your will, you quickly snuff out their consciousnesses, and after a moment, they collapsed.

Just as a wave of ... Something reverberated through your mind.

Kailynn and Ellie screamed, covering their ears, and a moment later...
Kailynn got to her feet, and struggled to pick up one of the marines' weapons with her weak, un-exo-suited arms. Her tendons were stretched, taught, and she was shaking, fighting at the Something controlling her.

And so you reached into her, and snuffed her out as well.

Ellie still sat, collapsed, covering her ears, but she still seemed in control of herself.
"Jabberwocky was alternate future Damien." You say.

Max looked up at you.
"Lin is Omega."
"... Shit." Anna said.
"He was going to use the Marines to kill you, Max." You say.


Max thought a moment, and pulled up his personacom. "All marines, please enter your shuttles and go off-station. There is a telepathic control risk."

"So, we going to break his implant?" Anna asked. "To the isochambers? Or do we fuck over ArmaTek somehow?"

Rolled 74

>>25320955
yes lets go find them and blow up whatever star they're orbiting.

Rolled 44

>>25320955
Can't wait on the government to do this, we need to tell them "Sorry, something has come up that is a huge security risk, its game time" Contact blackreach, and throw down the hammer.

>>25320955
"The implant wasn't at fault this time, so no easy fix I'm afraid. Got any ideas for brainwashing? I guess we can try putting that weaponized empathy to use."

Rolled 100

>>25320955

"Lin didn't have an implant, he was brainwashed from the very start, I would have found that implant otherwise."

"He's going to kill Alex next, implant Delta and me, then he'll go after you and Summer."

need to hurry and get everyone together

<emergency broadcast, all psions report to Heather! you too Delta, this is a matter of life and death!>

>rolling just to be sure

Rolled 92

>>25320955
"Not implanted. Brainwashed. I scanned him when we met. His next targets last time were Alex, Delta, me, Anna and Summer in that order, but it might well be changed from this. Damien won't be back for weeks due to stable timeloop shenanigans. Best course of action would be murdering Davidson, very painfully and then incapacitate Lin."

>>25320955
"There isn't one, we have to go to the source, kill Davidson, and destroy the helmet."

>>25321049
Ah shit nigga.

Wonder what this is gonna do

>>25320809
<Jilly, get Alex over here.>
<Delta, I need you on the station for security reasons.>

"Lin didn't have an implant." You say. "He was brainwashed from the very start. I scanned him when we met."
You close your eyes.
"I would have found that implant otherwise." You say.

You take a deep breath, and reach out.
And... you emulated Jilly. You created a web, throughout everyone, and quickly informed them of everything you knew- that Damien wouldn't be back, the order of what would happen, and even the schematic for the helmet. Everyone started rushing to you, Delta even entering his personal shuttle to dock there.

<Best course of action would be murdering Davidson, Very painfully. And then Incapacitate Lin.>
<How do we get to him?> Sarvesh asked.
<I can't find his Where.> Robin said. <Lin's, I mean! I had it before, but...>
<I can find them.> Sigma said, quietly.

You felt your telepathic power swell, urged on by... Something.
Your pendant seemed to glimmer in your mind, the clay sitting there.
There was a mind, inside of there. You felt it. You felt it keenly.
It was a technopathic mind. Ancient, ancient beyond belief.
<TOOK YOU LONG ENOUGH,> Omnissiah said, dangling from your neck.
For some reason, he didn't propagate through that web.

Rolled 50

>>25321137
<My apologies, Old One.>

Rolled 34

>>25321137
<Best Omni! You're back!>

>>25321137

<Omni? what is this?>

<for now let's group up.>

Rolled 37

>>25321137
<explain>

>>25321137
<You'd think a few weeks is a short time for someone as old as you.>

<Omni? What is this?>
<IMPOSSIBLE TO UNDERSTAND. THAT WAS THE ONLY CRITERIA. THE REST IS MY OWN DOING.>
<Explain.>
It didn't respond. It just dangled there, his intelligence woven into the material.

<For now, let's group up.>
Soon enough, everyone rushed into the cafeteria, not far from you. You, Summer, Max, and Anna, followed, Theta trying to help the marines behind you.
"Okay, what's the plan?" Anna asked.
Everyone was quiet. Sarvesh cleared his throat.
Then Isaac stretched.
"... No seriously, what's the plan?" She asked.
"... I think we should run." Robin said.

Rolled 17

>>25321284
"I think we should blow up a star."

>>25321284

"we can't... he'll eventually find us and if not us, then our loved ones, we need to end Davidson."

>>25321318
Not this again.

>>25321284

"Sara might be able to find his location, it involves taking control of the entire extranet. It is however very risky."

>>25321284
"No point. Omega is intimidating for sure, but he caught us by surprise - and we didn't run from the Void Queen, for all her enslaved armies and psychic strength. We should strike at ArmaTek as quickly as possible, and try to subdue Lin peacefully if we can."

>>25321415
Not ArmaTek, Davidson.
How the Saint has Fallen.

"We can't... He'll eventually find us. And if not us, then our loved ones. We need to end Davidson."
Ellie still hugged her knees, shivering, and Jilly coiled her tail around the girl, whispering something. You felt her reach something into Ellie's mind, and carefully try easing her.
"Omega is intimidating for sure, but he caught us by surprise. But we didn't run from the Void Queen, for all her enslaved armies and psychic strength. We should strike at ArmaTek as quickly as possible, and try to subdue Lin peacefully if we can."
"And how do we find out where they are?" Alex asked.
"Sara might be able to find his location." You say. "It involves taking control of the entire extranet. It is, however, very risky."
Omnissiah hummed up, serpensal on his head.
"Perhaps there's a chance I could help with that." Omnissiah said.
"No can do." Sara said. "If you're in something, I can't control it at all. You might be able to try all of it, though..."
"Quantum entangled connections do not carry large enough chunks of data for AI control." Omnissiah said.
"... Oh."

Rolled 48

>>25321481
"You say that, but didn't you bust through the nav computer network and figure out where everyone is, Omni?"

>>25321481
"Would it help if the load was divided among multiple minds, instead of only on yours? Like a server rack, of sorts."

>>25321481

"What if we run the connection through a series of filters to sift out most the useless data out?"

>I have no idea what I'm talking about!

Rolled 76

>>25321540
POP UP'S!!! POP UP'S GALORE!!! INCREASE YOUR PENIS SIZE!!! A NUBIAN PRINCE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK WITH YOU!!!

"You say that, but didn't you bust through the nav computer network and figure out where everyone is?"
"Yes, but that was through remote searching." He said. "It will take a some time, and I will need to connect individually to each nexus in turn."
"Would it help if the load was divided among multiple minds, instead of only on yours?" You ask Sara. "Like a server rack, of sorts."
"It... might." She said, and scratched her head. "Jilly, can you do something like that?"
"I... might be able to." Jilly said.

Rolled 9

>>25321481
what if we all kill oursevles

>>25321554

worth a try, Heather and Anna are very suited for the job since they have interfaced with Tech on a regular basis.

>>25321554
"Might as well give it a try then!"

"Might as well give it a try, then!" You say.

"Alright." Sigma said.

She reached out, and grabbed Einstein.
And frowned, almost immediately.
"There's not enough... information here." She said. "It's like trying to drink water when it's just a light drizzle. I won't be able to find anything out anytime soon if I do it this way."
"So we have to gather a bunch of different routers and connect them?" Robin asked.
"Or make our way to a nexus." Anna said. "Problem is, those things are locked up tighter than some people lock up their money. They really don't want anyone taking down the extranet."
"And I strongly doubt that I can get them to allow us in." Max said. "We're speaking of entirely different departments of the alliance."

>>25321714

"how many routers would we need to make this work?"

"where is the closest Nexus?"

Rolled 40

>>25321714
"Then I talk to Kalekula."

"How many routers would we need to make this work?"
"Hundreds." Sara said. "At a guess. Maybe less."
"Where is the closest nexus?"
"One second." Anna said, and plugged herself into her personacom. "The nearest is one orbiting Triune. Ten minutes away in Surya."

"... I can talk to Kalekula." You say.
Everyone- even Max- blinked.
"... And that corporal. Or sergeant." Alex said. "Whichever she was. Back on Burer's Glyph. She said she had some pull, didn't she?"

"So we might be able to even just talk our way in." Anna said. "I was thinking we'd have to sneak in."

>>25321815
"Yeah. Let's do that."

>>25321815
"Better to get in legitimately if we can. Although I guess if we're refused entry we give away our intentions while having to sneak anyway. Still, I say it's worth a shot."

>>25321815
<Kal, I need a big favour. I need to get into a nexus, going to murder Davidson.>

>>25321815

get in contact with both of them, we need access to an Extranet Nexus.

"if we can get inside with permission that would be fantastic."

"Davidson might have his eye on that one, what is the second closest Nexus?"

"Better to get in legitimately if we can. Although I guess if we're refused entry we give away our intentions while having to sneak anyway. Still, I say it's worth a shot."
You pull up your personacom.
<Kalekula.> They say, picking it up. <Yes, Heather, what do you need?>
<I need a big favor.> You say. <I need to get into a nexus. Going to murder Davidson.>
<... We have the Armatek issue under control.> The genderless nagala said. <And I really can't condone you simply saying that you're going to kill someone. In UPA space, and even with a warranted criminal, that is murder. And only certain personnel can enter a nexus. Why are you asking me this?>
"Davidson might have his eye on that one. What is the second closest Nexus?"
"... Heaven's Jewel." Anna responded.

>>25321907
<Because you don't have the ArmaTek issue under control.>

>>25321907
<Because Davidson activated his strongest clone, Omega. And there's nothing you can do to stop him. Jabberwocky was alternate time line Damien, trying to prevent everything happening yet again, and he's dead and Damien is missing. Please.>
If she says no, <...I guess you can consider me a wanted criminal then.> to her and to Dad <I need help saving the Galaxy. Can you get Blackreach to help us take over a Nexus?>

>>25321907
<Armatek just almost killed a bunch of people and has a brainwashed super psion running around somewhere. We can end this by the end of the day if you can get us into a nexus or we can wait for more people to die while the Council handles things at a its own pace>

>>25321907

<Sorry, i didn't mean to say that, but Davidson has implanted a very powerful psion and if we don't use a Nexus to find his location, you'll not have in under control for long.>

we should get permission to use A nexus, maybe not specify which one in case Davidson has a way to listen in on us.

>>25322012
>...I guess you can consider me a wanted criminal then.

is exactly what we do NOT want to say to a UPA counselor.

>>25321907
<Davidson also has a mindcontrol device and just murdered the merc, Jabberwockey on our station, you have no control.>

>>25321907
<At this point it's self defense, he just murdered Jabberwockey with his own psionic mind slave, the situation is as far from controlled as it can get.>

<Because Davidson activated his strongest clone, Omega. And there's nothing you can do to stop him. He killed a bunch of people, and has a brainwashed super psion running around somewhere. Jabberwocky was alternate timeline Damien, trying to prevent everything happening yet again, and he's dead and Damien is missing.> You say. <If we don't use a Nexus to find his location, you'll not have it under control for long.>
<... You're talking about using the navigational computers to locate him.>
<Yes.> You say.
<... That's against privacy law.> She said. <I'll see what I can do, but... I don't think I can help. The council is slow, and we're still dealing with the Valk. Even with the ArmaTek issue, I'm not sure I can talk them into twisting things, despite Davidson's warrant.>
<We can end this by the end of the day if you can get us into a nexus, or we can wait for more people to die while the council handles things at its own pace!> You respond.
<... I can't.> The nagala said. <Not very quickly, at least. If I gave the Nexus an order, it would be more than just my job. It would be prison time.>

>>25322117
<I understand. Thanks.>
Now, let's contact that other person.

>>25322117
<We're going to have to go to the Triune Nexus. It'd be a shame if they were prepared for us and other security was pulled away from elsewhere.>

>>25322117

<Sorry for asking so much in such little time, I wouldn't be asking if the situation was any better.>

>>25322117

<Hypothetically speaking, what if the security on one of the Nexus hubs was temporarily stationed somewhere else to help deal with ArmaTek or as protection for the Valk colonists in these troubled times?>

<Hypothetically speaking, what if the security on one of the Nexus hubs was temporarily stationed somewhere else to help deal with ArmaTek or as protection for the Valk colonists in these troubled times?>
<And then when the nexus is breached, they'll see that I was the one that sent out that order. It's tantamount to letting you walk in.>
<Sorry for asking so much in such little time.> You say. <I wouldn't be asking if the situation was any better.>
<I'm sorry.> She said. <But we aren't your enemies here. We're doing what we can.>

Alex slams his personacom down on the table, and cusses loudly.
"She can't help us." He said. "The corporal. Even she doesn't have the authority."
Leaning, panting, Theta stumbled into the room.
"I was fast enough to bring back the marines." He said. "But... Jabberwocky had a self-destruct. He's gone."

We could always try clairvoyance to locate Davidson.

>>25322351
"Rest in peace alternate future Damien. He knew what he was doing."
<Dragon. I need help saving the galaxy and get into a Nexus. Think you could pull some Blackreach strings or something?>

>>25322351

help Theta to a chair to rest.

"You are a good man Theta, thank you. Now get some rest."

"The counselor will try to help as much as she can but it is slow going."

necklace Omni <You wouldn't happen to know something that could help us, do you?>

>>25322351
THank you Theta. Anna can help you recover in Surya. Looks like we're going to take a Nexus over. Time to earn my title of Pirate King.

"Rest in peace, alternate future Damien." You say. "He knew what he was doing."
Then you help Theta to a chair.
"The counselor will try to help as much as she can, but it's slow going."

You pull up your personacom again.
<Dragon.> You tell your dad. <I need help saving the galaxy.>
<... What do you mean, Heather?>
<I need to get into a Nexus. Think you can pull some Blackreach strings or something?>
<... How far into the nexus?> Dad asked, and you repeated her question aloud.
"To the main computers. I need to touch them personally."
You copy what Sara said.
<That's not going to be easy. Give me a second.>

A few moments later, yours and Anna's personacoms chirped.
<Dragon here.> The message came, authorized through the blackreach network. Almost a dozen or so comments piped up at the bottom of the blackreach memo instantly, most expressing disbelief. <Yeah, yeah, it's been twenty years.>

You can almost hear the grin in your dad's writing as she continued.
<Who wants to do some real piracy?> Dragon asked. <Just... go to Triune. Mess around a bit. Try not to kill anyone, and don't touch any other blackreach ships.>
Cat instantly sent a comment. <you're doing this to keep UPA attention away from somewhere else in Triune, aren't you?>
<Yep.> Dragon responded.
<Where?> Ferret asked.
<The Nexus.> Dragon responded.

Anna's eyebrows rose.
"What's going on?" Alex asked. "Did we get someone to help?"

>>25322580
"Dragon's back."

>>25322580
What? I thought we were going to the Heaven's Jewel nexus?

Rolled 20

>>25322580
Daddy dragon gonna whoops some ass

>>25322646
Yeah

>>25322580

"tell me, have you ever seen a Nexus hub on the inside?" with a grin

<Drake here, not killing anyone would be very much appreciated.>

>>25322646

it would be a little safer than Triune Since Davidson knows about Sara's ability and he might have something keep an eye on the Nexus closest to the station..

<What?> You ask your dad, on the private comms. <I thought we were going to the Heaven's Jewel nexus.>
<I don't want to bring Heaven's Jewel onto anyone's radars.> Your dad responded. <We could go to the Jalkada nexus instead, but that's further away from you than Triune and Heaven's Jewel. Want me to change it?>

"Dragon's back." You say.
"... Oh. Oh!"

On the public channel, someone spoke up.
<If you're Dragon, then who's Drake?> Cat asked.
<My daughter, of course.> Dragon responded.
<... That explains quite a few things.> Ox responded.
<Wait, where's Jabberwocky?> Rhino asked.
<Dead.> Spider responded. <He's... He's dead.>
<What?! We need to do something about this!>
<That's what we're doing. We need to get into the nexus in order to get revenge.> Spider- who was actually Anna- responded.
<Well, then, sign me up.> Rhino said.

Well then we should get started. Everyoen who is coming to Surya.

>>25322728

Dad's got a point, better keep it at Triune.
>so much trap potential.

Blackreach chat: <we need a distraction to keep security away from the Nexus Hub, the one who killed Jabberwocky is hiding somewhere and we need that Nexus to find out where. Unless one of you knows where the ArmaTek CEO, Davidson is hiding out.>

>feel free to rearrange this to make it flow better.

>>25322859
We don't need every random blackreach dude to know about the nexus. Armatech may have someone on the inside, and giving them all plausible deniability is just a nice thing to do.

>>25322859
kinda late for that. Dragon already told everyone.

>>25322728
<It was ArmaTek, so no need to pull punches there.>

>>25322907
>>25322919

right, sorry just the bit about keeping to Triune then.

>>25322956
No, no needless killing of UPA personnel.

"Well, then, we should get started. Everyone who is coming, to Surya."
"Alright." Sara said.
"As am I." Anna said. "I have some false IDs that might get us somewhere. Presents from Ferret."
"I'll pretend I never learned that." Max said.
Summer took a step forward, and Sarvesh nodded.
"We can come as well." Sarvesh said.
"... I'm not sure you can." Max said
You blink at him.
"This is a stealth mission. They can't be dragging around a tiger and centaur. Especially since Triune is a human system." He said. "Sara will be pushing it, to be honest."

"I need to rest." Theta said.
"I can fill you up with an engine." Anna said.
"We did that yesterday." He said. "It won't help much. There's a limit to that sort of thing."
Robin gave Rose a worried look.
"I'm... not sure I can come." Robin said, slowly.
"But I can use photo-" Rose started.
"You're not that good at it yet." Robin said. "I don't want to risk anything."

>>25323048
"You risk more staying here."

>>25323048
"You two lovebirds are staying."

>>25323048
"Is it really wise to separate us though? It'll just mean we're two weaker groups instead of a strong one."

>>25323048
"We can't leave anyone alone either, if they capture either of you or Sarvesh we're fucked.

I'm not sure staying here is wise either. Lin knows where we are. Would Rose mind staying with Dad?

>>25323048
"Will defense ships shields work against teleportation?"

>>25323048
"Either way here isn't safe. Neither is secondary station. Go... Somewhere. Damn, should have kept Ishelda. Somewhere nobody knows."

>>25323048

"I know from Jabberwocky's message who Davidson wants to control and who he wants dead but it doesn't say anything about the rest. I won't force you to come along but everyone is potentially at risk if we separate."

>>25323179
Newt's asteroid base?

"You risk more staying here." You say.
"We're not staying here." Robin said. "We're going to find somewhere else. We have personacoms, though."
"Lin knows where we are. Would Rose mind staying with dad?"
"Your dad is at your grandfather's house, isn't he?" Sara asked, and you nod. She typed out the coordinates to that world.
"Can you feel three unknown Wheres, around here?" She asked.
Quietly, Robin closed her eyes and focused... and then nodded.
"Yeah, that's Heather's parents and grandfather." She said. "It's quiet, and should be safe."

"Is it really wise to separate us, though? It'll just mean we're two weaker groups instead of a strong one."
"It's better than getting caught and held up by UPA forces." Max said.

>>25323188
Yes.

>>25323195
"Newt's asteroid base."

>>25323195
"I'd rather just keep everyone conspicuous on the ship as a rear-guard."

>>25323195

"alright, I'll send them a heads up."

private channel dad: <two of my friends will be arriving at your location shortly will you take care of them for me? they are of twin clones and they are also a couple.>

pull Robin and Rose in a hug.

"stay safe and be nice to my folks." somewhat worried smile

"we'll figure things out on this end."

>>25323238
More unknown and disconnected from us than grampas, this.

"Newt's asteroid base." You say.
"Where is that?" Robin asked.

Anna pulled up her personacom, and pulled out the coordinates.
"Okay, I'm guessing that one of those people are Newt." Robin said, eyes closed. "Not sure about the other one, though."
"I'll warn her you're coming." Anna said, and pulled up her personacom to eye level. "She's also babbling about that crystal, but we don't have time for that."
"Alright, I have the coordinates down." Robin said. "We can leave any time."

"I'd rather just keep everyone conspicuous on the ship as a rear guard."
"I can do that." Sarvesh said.
"A-as can I." Summer said.
"My skills are rather limited, but if I sense anything, I'll be able to warn you." Max said.
"I'm tired." Isaac said. "I can try to help, but I'm not one hundred percent."

In the corner, Alex had joined Jilly in trying to comfort Ellie.

>>25323443
Lets see if we can't help Ellie as well.

>>25323443
<It wasn't Lin, he was brainwashed.> to Ellie

>>25323443
Other person?
We should check that out.

>>25323443

we need to calm down Ellie, she only barely holding on to her sanity.

we might have to whip out the song we hummed for Lambda.

>sooth elegant

>>25323482

good question, might be a Blackreach member.

>>25323443
I'm not sure what's up today but it seems more confusing than normal.

>>25323549
What's so confusing? Jabberwocky was AlternateFuture!Damien, Lin was inactive Omega, Omega killed Jabberwocky, Dragon is back, we're hitting a Nexus, Blackreach'll create a diversion and we're pondering where to dump non-infiltrators until we've slowly killed Davidson

You make your way over to Ellie, and touch her shoulder.
<It wasn't Lin. He was brainwashed.> You say.
<He was brainwashed from the very start, wasn't he?>

She met your eyes for the first time.

She was FURIOUS.

<The clones haven't been alive for more than four years.> She said. <So all of his stories about his childhood, his time on the street, his old friends and enemies... None of them existed. None of them ever existed.>

She gritted her teeth.
<He was never Lin.> She said. <Everything that made him Lin was a fake. Made with brainwashing.>

>>25323627
<Yes.>

>>25323627
<It was probably real for him.>

>>25323627
<It was Lin. Then the codeword was given and Omega took control. >

Rolled 31

>>25323627
cant we just find him and kill him

>>25323689
That'd still leave Davidson.
You've read NFC/SCQ, he won't stop even if we blam'd Omega.

>>25323627

<that might not be the case, I saw him, argue with a guy called Markus, he tried to shoot Lin but he was an astral projection, he said he had finally found a place where he belonged.>

<Lin is just one of the Omega clones, i believe they left him on Earth to fend for himself but always kept a close eye on him in case he manifested his powers.>

<when he did, they went after him. his life before that was real and i don't believe the dormant brainwashing could have erased that so easily.>

Rolled 72

>>25323716
Arguably it'd be easier to track him down and kill him instead of Omeg.

File: 1370726466273.jpg-(74 KB, 395x361, hehehe.jpg)

74 KB JPG

>>25323726
>mfw reading the post
Have you even read the quest

Rolled 16

>>25323627
<I dunno. why are you asking me lol.>

<It was Lin.> You say. <Then the codeword was given, and Omega took control.>
She blinked, and pushed herself to her feet.
"Where's my bat?" She asked.
Then she reached into a nearby vent, pulled it open, and held out a hand. "C'mere!"

The bat itself came rolling out, almost on command, into her hand.
"Alright." She said. "Let's go."

"Okay, I'm going." Robin said. "Does anyone else want me to bring them somewhere safe?"
"I'm too... tired to do much of anything." Theta said. "Sorry."

"And all of the non-psions are being moved off station as we speak." Max said. "So it should be just you three."
"Jilly." Alex said. "Go with them."
"Me? Why?"
"You're too... vulnerable to that telepathic sort of thing." He said. "You're good at learning and finding things out, but... Not in a combat situation."

Jilly was quiet.
"No, I'm going to stay." She said.
Then Alex turned to Robin.
"I'll owe you, Robin." Alex said. "Imagine she was your Rose."
"Right!" She said, and grabbed Jilly. With a pamf, she, Theta, Rose, and Jilly vanished.

"Alright." Alex said. You winced as you felt Jilly's mind prodding up against Alex's, rather hard, angrily. "The rest of us should be able to go."

>>25323876
Right. Lets go find Davidson. We have some things to discuss.

>>25323443
You know, we should probably get newt her crystal, we made it and never sent it apparently.

>>25323876
"Operation 'Find and Punch Davidson until nearly dead or just killing the sick fuck' is a go."

>>25323876

"Alright, if no one has any further issues, let's suit up and move out."

>need sleep.
>good luck gentlemen.

>>25323876
Posting today is pretty desolate it seems.

>Yeah, I noticed.

"Operation 'Find and Punch Davidson until nearly dead, or just killing the sick fuck' is a go." You say.
"Right." Anna said. "I'll take the Wyvern, do my overclocking trick."
"I reccomend you don't." Omnissiah said.
"It'll be fine." She said.
"Alright, if no one has any further issues, let's suit up and move out."
"Yes." Ellie said, her voice cold. "Let's."

"Sigma, you can have my old exosuit." Anna said, some time later in Surya's hangar. Everyone was piling in, while Sarvesh strapped himself down. Following her, connected to her spine with a cable, was her old Exosuit. Sara started climbing in. "And where's Delta?"
"He said he's going into Defense Ship." Sara said. "I think he has some kind of plan or other."
"That sounds like a good thing." She said. "You ready, Heather?"

You nodded.
She gave you a wave, and rushed off toward the wyvern. You made your way into your own ship, which had Sarvesh, Summer, Sara, Serpensal, Omnissiah, Isaac... And Ellie, already in her suit, banging the bat against her knee, sitting in the copilot's seat.
"Let's go already." She said, impatiently.

>>25324136
Lets blast off, we can exosuit up in transit.

>>25324136
<The Queen isn't allowed to die, you remember?> to Anna
Lifdoff time.

>>25324170
There's just two of us here?
Then again, summer break starting, people cabining, etc...

>>25324270
I'm here, but have nothing worth saying.

>>25324270
I'm lurking, I just don't participate anymore.

<The Queen isn't allowed to die, you remember?>
<Dying's not what I'm worried about.> She said. <I'm worried about getting arrested again. That would suck.>

And then you blasted off of the station. The bulette left at the same time, as well as the multiple marine shuttles. Seemed the entire station was abandoned, now...

Almost felt like the first time you came here.
Then you got up to get into your exosuit.

After only a short time in bubble drive, your navcom chirped, and Omnissiah pulled you out of bubble drive. You screeched to a halt, Wyvern appearing next to you.
The system of Triune was large, with three earthlike planets, in almost the same orbit- a very strange, improbable astrological phenomenon where they were all spread apart from one another, enough that they weren't going to collide for a projected million years. The Nexus was a massive station, past the planets, just inward, toward the small white sun the planets circled. It was almost spherical, solar panels extended far, far from the sphere itself, like a set of wings.

Circling one of the planets, you saw a large freighter, stopped, with another blackreach ship robbing it for all it was worth, while another blackreach ship pinged you- The Manticore.

<Hey, Heather.> Ferret said, over the intercom. <And Anna. You guys going to need any help?>
<I'll need you to shut down the weapons platforms. Make them not see us.> Anna said.
<You'll need to turn off your transponders, and I'll see what I can do.> He said.

>>25324338
<Roger.>

Make it so.

>>25324338
Do as the expert says.
Let's avoid psionics unless necessary.

>>25324338
ping the tech around the system. See if any of the things around would be willing to help us out.

>>25324369
Yeah, let's find this fucker.

>>25324369
Sounds like a plan.

>>25321137
>"Lin didn't have an implant." You say. "He was brainwashed from the very start. I scanned him when we met."
Jilly also scanned his entire brain and didn't find the brainwashing or anything even remotely suspicious at all. Because she's useless. And her powers have never done anything significant ever.

>>25323443
Robin came with us to Newt's base, she knows where it is and she knows Newt.

<Roger.> You say, and reach out... But everything was so far, being at a system-wide scale. You kicked into bubble drive for a short hop closer to the nexus, and shut down your transponder, clicking through the warnings that you were breaking UPA law for doing so.

"Shhhh!" Max said, suddenly. then you noticed something very, very strange.
He was using his personacom's voice synthesizer.
"Nobody use any psionics. Someone's... sniffing the area." Max said.
<Oh, shit.> Anna said through the intercom. <Sigma, don't touch anything.>
"Right, okay." Sigma said.

Soon enough, slowly, you weaved around the weapons platforms. The scanners whirred this way and that, but none of them seemed to notice you.

Everyone was quiet, quiet...

"It passed." Max said. "I told Robin and the others not to use anything at all, though."
"Do we know if that was Omega?" Summer asked.
"There's nobody else it could be." Max said. "He... copied me. Only stronger."

The hangar of the nexus stayed close.
<So.> Anna said. <Which one of us wants to do the space walk to get in? And who were we bringing, again?>

File: 1370728685297.png-(209 KB, 964x706, slowpoke.png)

209 KB PNG

>>25324448
My Goddess

>>25324477
"Doesn't your sniffing pick up people when they're not using it though?"

"Let's go to the Heavens Jewel Nexus."

>>25324528
>"Let's go to the Heavens Jewel Nexus."
why?

We are already here, and we came here specifically to not have this shitfest on our home planet

>>25324528
But everyone is here, dammit. If we go there we'd have to deal with guards

"Doesn't your sniffing pick up people when they're not using it, though?"
"Only if I focus. And whoever that was was using it long range, and wide spread." He said.

And then you just sat there.

<Heather?> Anna asked. <You okay? You suddenly stopped responding.>

>>25324676
Sorry, I'm not good at being sneaky. Why don't you take command for this one Anna?

>>25324676
<Yeah. What do?>

>>25324676
<I'm not the best at stealth, why don't you take this one Anna?>

>>25324676
<Oh, and lets take Sigma, you, me, and Alex. I think that should be more than enough to get us in.>

>>25324676
Okay, so we need to get to the nexus the with minimal use of powers. Let's start in with thusters and let the other Blackreachers do their thing.

<Sorry, I'm not very good at being sneaky. Why don't you take command for this one, Anna?>
<Alright, Heather, Sara, put on your helmets. Ellie or Omnissiah, move to the Wyvern. We can leave the ships outside, but we need a pilot in each one.>
"I'll take the Surya. Since Wyvern has weapons and I really don't know how to use those." Ellie said.
Omnissiah chirped, and extracted from the dock, making his way to the airlock.
"Should we take Alex?" You ask, through the helmet coms.
"Probably not." Anna responded. "Alex, you stay here. If Max freaks out, or Omega shows up, use your power."
"Alright." Alex said.

You and Sara made your way to the airlock, and with a hiss, it flushed, you two and Omnissiah shooting out of Surya. Omnissiah used his ion thrusters to make his way to wyvern, and Anna nodded.
"Alright." She said. "There should be a maintenance hatch somewhere. We just need to find it, walk in. There are sensors, though, so Heather, you'll need to technopath them off."

You reach out, and find one of the hatches, complete with sensors, and small amounts of air and waste being flushed out into space.
You point up there, and Anna nodded.
"Good luck." She said.
>Roll Technopathy!

Rolled 59

>>25324913

Rolled 18

>>25324913
pop pop pop
watching sensors drop

Rolled 55

>>25324913
Rollan.

Rolled 9

>>25324913
We're gonna fuck it up when it actually matters.

Rolled 61

>>25324913

Rolled 31

>>25324933
>>25324942
How mediocre.

Rolled 82

>>25324913
why didn't we just iso chamber to find the guy?

This kind of feel like, well, a waste?

Rolled 24

>>25324913
rollin

>>25324978
He has Alex powers. If Robin can't find him then we can't.

Rolled 73

>>25325006
Then surely we'd just be looking for the blank void of space he makes?

With your will, you focus on the sensors, and quietly instruct them to stay silent, and pretend things were going as normal. It took a bit more strength than you thought, and your head swam, slightly, but you nodded. "They're done." You said.
"Alright." Anna said. "We've all got thrusters, let's use 'em."

You, Anna, and Sara shot toward the nexus, and eventually collided into the outer hull, not far from the vents. Your magnetic boots clasped the hull, and Sara's and Anna's followed suit.
"Alright, we open this, and find a vacuum flush." Anna said. "Flush the air so we're not in vacuum, then find a maintenance room.
"Is this your first time invading a nexus? It doesn't seem like it." Sara said.
"First time in a nexus, yeah." Anna said. She grinned.

Some time later, you followed your way out of the vent on the other side, objects and debris floating about. You were in one of the maintenance rooms.
"... And now I have no clue where to go." Anna said, finally, her suit nodding to the exit of the maintenance room. "Out this door, I think there might be hallways on either side, but there's no way to be sure without opening it. I don't hear anyone, though, even with my boosted audio."

>>25325056
Let's see if we can jack the camera network

>>25325056
How hard can it be for a technopath to sense a giant quantum nexus?

Rolled 91

>>25325056
"Can't we just find the main computer room and bust in?"

>>25325131
Can we use this roll for something?

"Can't we just find the main computer and bust in?"
"Sure. We just have to not get seen." Anna said. "I do *not* want to get arrested again."
"And find the main computer." Sara responded.
"Well, how hard can it be for a technopath to sense a giant quantum nexus?" You ask.
Then you close your eyes, and focus... And reach outward.

And quickly, almost immediately, you find it- the core of a massive web, spanning outward.
You also immediately find line after line of cameras, and a guard in an exosuit, standing in front of the computer, facing the hallway.
You relay what you see, and Anna nods.
"Well, we have a few ways we can do this." Anna said. "Knock him out, hope he doesn't get an alarm off, we could somehow get around him, wait for him to go..."
"Or seduce him." Sara said.

>>25325229
Where's Devourer?

Is he still bound to us?

>>25325229
Does his exosuit have a visor, or does he see through sensors? Because if it's the latter, we can just make it malfunction and walk right past him.

>>25325229
"He's in an exosuit. He might as well be a miniature prison with me here."

Rolled 43

>>25325229
"Har har, Sara. I'll just lock his exosuit and turn off the comms."

>>25325229
"How do we knock out someone in an exosuit?"

>>25325261
>His helmet is actually missing, under one arm.

>>25325229
Can we just manifest a dart gun with sleeping chemicals in it? That'd be the easiest

>>25325280
>He's not wearing a helmet
FUCK
That means he's not a mook. This just got a LOT harder.

>>25325229
I don't suppose Saracould use Heather as arouter. That would make this much eazier.

>>25325309
Overly complicated, just knock him out like we did the station guards.

>>25325229
"You think a professional guarding one of the most secure places in the galaxy will let us passed if we flutter our eyelashes enough?"
The only reason I'm thinking she's serious is it actually fucking worked last time she tried it (stealing the bubble drive). Maybe she has some sort of psychic seduction power.

"Har har, Sara." You say. "You think a professional guarding one of the most secure places in the galaxy will let us passed if we flutter our eyelashes enough?"
"It's a real tactic. One I've *used*. It worked last time." She said. "And with your whole empathy power, you could pump seductive thoughts through it."
"Heather has an empathy power?" Anna asked.
"It's in her records." Sara said. "At least, it was a few days ago."
"We still need to get rid of those cameras you talked about, too." Anna said. "Maybe you could photokinesis you and Sara and sneak in there. The suits might be too loud, though..."

>>25325325
How did we even do that?

>>25325400
"You know that pout thing I do that makes everyone in the room wince? Yeah, that's it."

telekinetic chock hold

>>25325400
"I can barely sustain the invisibility."

>>25325400
"My pout is psionic, Anna. That's neither here nor there, though."

>>25325400
Just loop the video.

>>25325400
"And they would notice the doors mysteriously opening and closing on their own."

>>25325435
We should note that we didn't know that till recently.

I think we're trying too hard. Why don't we just shove a gun in his face and say "don't move asshole!" or something.

>>25325464
Fuck, lets just kill him

"My pout is psionic, Anna." You say. "That's neither here nor there, though."
Anna started giggling. "That explains so much."
"Anyway, I can barely sustain the invisibility, and they would notice the doors mysteriously opening and closing on their own." You say.

Then you sigh.
"Why don't we just shove a gun in his face and say 'don't move asshole!' or something."
"... I've actually done that before." Anna said. "With a plasma cutter, but still. I have the fusion cannon. If we finish things fast enough, we can call Sarvesh and have him grab us."

>>25325505
We'll unless someone has a better plan in the next five seconds let's go with that.

>>25325505
Wildcard time
<Any thoughts, Clay Omni?>

>>25325505
"Can we just get Sarvesh or Robin to teleport us into the Nexus in the first place?"

Rolled 65

>>25325505
Christ lets just go for the seduction plan. Might as well roll for it now

Rolled 68

>>25325505
this is taking too long.

manifest a bat, then use TK to hit him on the head.

>>25325541
this is gold!

>>25325555
Well yeah but the guard is like right there anyway. Unless you want Sarvesh to channel his UT and telefrag him with one of us.

Guys, can't we just paralyze the exosuit?

<Any thoughts, Clay Omni?>
Clay Omni didn't respond.

You sigh. "This is taking too long." You say, and get to your feet. "Unless someone has a better plan in the next five seconds, let's go with that."
"Alright!" Anna said. "Sara, take off your glove. We'll have to rush, since if they're good guards, they'll start up the alarms instantly. Ready?"
"Ready." You say.
"Ready." Sara said, twisting off her suit's gauntlet and attaching it to her hip.

Rearing back, Anna kicked open the door, and charged down the hall.
"Hey, Asshole!" Anna roared at the guard, putting the fusion cannon almost up to his nose. He didn't even have time to raise the gun before you got there as well. "Don't move!"

Sara skidded up behind you, and put her hand on the computer.
"I... Uh." He said. "... Shit. You blackreach assholes. Just go haywire for no reason."

And that's when the cameras whirred to you three.
That's when the alarms started.

Sigma was perfectly, utterly still, her fingernails scraping against the computer as she did so.
"Well. Now my buddies are on their way." He said. "I'm still not moving a muscle, though. At least until you three end up in jail or dead."
He paused a moment. "There are some cigarettes in my helmet. Mind lighting 'em and sticking them in my-"
"Shut up." Anna said, and smacked the rear end of her fusion cannon into his head. The man went down unconscious, but the alarms seemed to be getting louder.
"Warning. Three armed intruders in the mainframe." The intercom said.

>>25325694
Can still call for help. Killing him saves time.

>>25325694
His helmet is off--he could still yell.

>>25325711
Oh, well. Okay. Take the worst plan.

>>25325711
So theres only one doorway right?
Block that shit with out weird ass shield.

>>25325746
>>25325713
>Killing him saves time
How long do we need to do this?
Heather isn't some willy nilly murder hobo, get fucked.

>>25325711
I genuinely don't know what do here, or care.

Rolled 11

>>25325711
Shut off the alarms? Not that it'll do much good, I guess.

>>25325802
Knocking him out with a manifested bat seemed like a pretty reasonable plan.

>>25325711
Can we lock the door? That might be a good first step. The we can play terrorist and buy time with silly demands using our hostage.

Rolled 65

>>25325711
Erase face from camera footage.

>>25325907
We're in exosuits

>>25325746
>That's what consensus was on. Rush in, knock the fucker out.

"There's only one doorway." You say. "Let's block that."
"Alright." Anna said.
You knelt down one side of the doorway, blocking it with your shields, while Anna picked up the exosuited man, putting her fusion cannon to his head.
After a few moments, several soldiers arrived, all in state-of-the-art UPA exosuits, both stun weaponry and standard weaponry held up.
"This is Panther, with Blackreach." Anna drawled. and flipped the switch on her fusion cannon. "We have our demands. A million credits and free passage out, or this fucker dies, and we blow the computer. Wouldn't want a trillion people without any extranet, would you?"
She cackled, almost gleefully.
"Damnit, you were supposed to be upstanding mercenaries. Now you're a bunch of pirates." One of the soldiers said. "Release your hostage."
"... Naaaah." Anna said. "For, you see..."
Despite the visor hiding her face, you could swear she was grinning at you out of the corner of your eye.
"I'm the pirate *king*. I'll get my booty or else."

>End of thread!

>>25325907
Which will give away our powers. Which will give away exactly who we are.

>>25325935
Fucking traitor.

>>25325935
What was up with today's thread? Was nobody around or something?

>>25326046
I would have been participating, but IRL Reasons made me lurk.

>>25326046
I guess it was just a slow day.

>>25326235
If you wanted it to speed up you could always just kill off Anna. That would kick up the post rate.

>>25326271
It'd kick up the off-topic posting rate, that's for sure.

>>25326235
I didn't participate as much as I usually do, helping set up little brothers graduation party.

>>25326235
I'm just kinda lurking for now.

>>25326597
but why? It's into the action now.

>>25326673
Waiting to see the ending, mostly.

>>25326046
Just felt different today, like there wasnt much for me to say. weird.